April 3, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
491 
aud served in them for longer or shorter periods— 
gardens in which this pest was never seen, and others 
where only seen to a limited extent ; while the place 
I have practised in, and the district I have had an 
opportunity of observing Onions grown—all are ex¬ 
tremely troubled by this pest. It is present every 
season to a more or less extent, and, I think I may sa.y, 
in every garden to a greater or less extent, including 
cottage gardens ; and I have observed, the dryer the 
season is, the more of the pests there are to contend 
with ; while the wetter the season, the less there are. 
Having tried soot in every possible way, and to a 
very great extent using it till we feared we should 
injure the crop, in no case did we ever find it stopped 
altogether. I believe it helps to keep it under to some 
extent. We have not had a clean crop during the last 
ten years, and I shall be greatly obliged to Mr. Ward 
if he would kindly tell me if he thinks our soot, and 
that of our neighbours, was always bad or inferior to 
his, or if he thinks some one would not have found out 
the proper way to use it. We have tried it in a liquid 
state and dry, using it at sowing time, and all through 
the growing periods, and the soot was obtained from 
various sources, so that I cannot believe it was all 
bad. 
With reference to'closet manure being bad for this 
crop, let me just add that after trying most kinds of 
manure for dressing the ground with previous to 
sowing, I am convinced that nothiifg gives us so good 
a return as closet manure and road scrapings mixed. 
I agree with Mr. Ward, that patent manures are 
advantageous were this pest exists. I am a great 
believer in soot, it is a grand fertiliser, and I use it very 
largely, but I know others who have tried it as an 
insecticide with only partial success, though it is not 
desirable that I should give their names, as in my 
opinion, the addition of the names would not add any 
weight to my statement unless its truth be questioned. 
When statements are made in a controversy they 
should be founded on fact. For my own part I rely 
entirely on my own observations, and I am always 
ready to defend what I say. I have no doubt, what¬ 
ever, but that what Mr. Ward has stated is true in 
his particular garden or neighbourhood, although I 
fail to see how his remedy can be expected to apply to 
all soils and all climates. 
I am interested in most discussions that take place 
in the columns of the gardening papers when carried 
on in a friendly spirit. It is, indeed, their mission to 
afford opportunities for an exchange of experience and 
ideas, void of personalities. As to adding one’s name 
in full to notes sent for publication, I fail to see that 
it is always necessary, though it is well under certain 
circumstances to name the locality from where the 
writer hails.— Con. 
-—>*♦-- 
TABLE, WINDOW AND INDOOR 
PLANTS. 
Those who have glass accommodation, even though 
it be limited to one small house, should at this season, 
and during the rest of the spring, be on the look out for 
cuttings from their plants in stock, in order to rear 
young ones to take the place of those which have or 
will become too large or too rough for use as table 
plants. There are numbers of easily multiplied things 
which, if kept propagated and healthy young plants 
secured, are charming for indoor work ; but the re¬ 
placing of the worn-out stock requires to be well looked 
after in time. 
To facilitate this, a small cutting-case, or two or 
three hand-lights lend great assistance ; indeed, in the 
spring time too much space cannot well be given to 
striking-boxes or other appliances to forward the raising 
of young plants, as so many useful things which have 
become shabby during the winter root freely now r , and 
the young plants are infinitely better than the old ones. 
Among these may be noted the beautiful-leaved va¬ 
rieties of Coleus, the pretty variegated Panicum, the 
different forms of creeping Tradescantia, Aralias, 
Grevillea robusta, Marguerites, or, indeed, anything 
likely to be useful of which cuttings can be obtained. 
With what is called soft-wooded plants, such as 
Coleus, the young tops or any of the dower joints strike 
freely; but of anything which is seen to be hard- 
wooded on examination of the old stems, the young 
shoots should be allowed to get firm before they are 
severed. The choicest should each be placed in a single 
pot, and the commoner or more plentiful a number 
together, the pots in either case being filled with fine 
soil and surfaced with silver-sand. After dibbling-in, 
it is well to water the cuttings copiously, and then only 
occasionally sprinkling them over to keep them from 
flagging, the case or glasses being kept close until they 
are rooted. 
Seeds of Grevillea robusta, Acacia lopliantha, Aralia 
Sieboldii, many ornamental grasses, and other things 
of great service for table and indoor decoration, can be 
obtained from the seedsmen, and if some are sown now 
it will be a means of getting stock cheaply, and the 
pleasure of growing plants of one’s own raising makes 
such a course the more attractive.— M. A., Camb. 
■ -- 
FRUITS, FLOWERS & VEGETABLES. 
Replanting Narcissi from Pots.—Since 
Narcissi became so popular as they are now, immense 
numbers are grown in pots in cold frames or cool green¬ 
houses for greenhouse or indoor decoration during the 
first months of the year. Generally the finest and 
most expensive are thus treated, and though the 
majority are cheap, many are comparatively dear, 
not to mention new or rare kinds. Of the single .va¬ 
rieties, when guaranteed true, Ajax maximus would be 
about Is. ; Bicolor Horsfieldi something more ; B. 
Empress 2s. ; Lorifolius Emperor, 2s. 6d. each, 
aud so on. Now in these economical times, many 
masters and mistresses will prize their gardens all the 
more if they take care that those and other Narcissi 
beauties are replanted to bloom another year. It will 
not do to throw the pots aside from the conservatory 
when done blooming ; they should be transplanted 
out of the pots in a rich soil full in the sun to ripen 
and mature.— IV. J. Murphy , Clonmel. 
Imantophyll-um Mrs. Laing.—It seems as if 
the Imantophyllums are gradually becoming more 
popular, as they are more frequently seen now than 
formerly, and as easily grown showy plants they well 
deserve attention. An extremely fine variety was 
shown by Messrs. J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, at 
several exhibitions last week, and was certificated at 
the Regent’s Park and Crystal Palace under the above 
name. It is chiefly notable for the great size of the 
flowers and truss, the petals being broad, round, andof 
a fine orange tint, very bright and effective. Very few 
Imantophyllums have been honoured with certificates 
up to the present time, but the one named deserved the 
award as constituting an excellent type .—-A Bulb 
Grower. 
Primrose Harbinger.—In such a season as 
this has been, flowers of all kinds are especially welcome, 
and amongst them now we have a few Primroses, which 
are just peeping out from their crowns of leaves. With 
them we have a few roots of Gilbert's Harbinger, which 
is simply charming and excites the admiration of all 
who see it. The flowers are more abundant than in 
the common form, considerably larger, white or creamy 
with a yellow eye, quite distinct from all others, and a 
fine companion for any of the dark-coloured forms. It 
is the Primrose of the future, and it retains its character 
so well that it will undoubtedly form a new race of 
these favourite spring flowers.— T. 
Streptosolen Jamesoni.—This pretty plant 
ought to find a home in every greenhouse where variety 
is appreciated. The colour of its Browallia-like blooms 
is rather uncommon at this time of the year, but it is 
needless for me to describe it. It should be sufficient 
to say that although not a free bloomer, it is well worth 
growing on account of the lasting qualities of its 
flowers, a single spike or raceme of which will continue 
to flower for six weeks or two months, so that a plant 
with three or four spikes looks very pretty for a long 
time. The cultivation of the plant is very simple ; 
cuttings taken any time in spring will root as freely as 
Heliotropes, and as soon as they are rooted they should 
be potted into 3-in. pots, using equal parts of peat, 
leaf-soil, and loam, with a dash of sand to keep the 
whole open. After potting return the plants to the 
propagating frame or some other warm place, and 
gradually inure them to more air. Pot on as required, 
pressing the soil down rather firm. In the middle of 
June the plants may be placed in a cold frame, where 
they will grow freely until the approach of frosty 
weather, when they should have a light position in the 
greenhouse. It is necessary to keep them near the 
glass, as they show a decided tendency to become leggy. 
Treat them to an occasional dose of liquid manure, and 
a nice show of bloom in March and April will reward 
the efforts of the cultivator. I ought, perhaps, to have 
said that the plants should on no account be stopped 
after the middle of June.— J. IV. L. 
Primula obconica.—Your correspondent ”J” 
p. 472 has not said a word too much in favour of the 
merits of this beautiful species. As he has just pointed 
out, it is far superior to the many forms of Sinensis, 
both for its flowers in a cut state, and when grown in 
pots for decorative purposes. For the past two years 
I have grown no other species for indoor work, and here 
it is a general favourite. I know of no other species of 
Primula which possesses such neat compact foliage, or 
delicately coloured blooms as is so characteristic of this 
plant. I do not agree with the suggested mode of 
increasing the stock by division, but prefer to do so by 
means of seeds. Seedling plants will, when established, 
make better plants and flowers more freely than when 
divided. I sow my seed in April and grow the plants 
on freely during the summer. In the autumn there is 
a good display of bloom, and after Christmas I top dress 
the plants with a little decayed cow manure, thereby 
prolonging the flowering season until midsummer. If 
this species would intercross with Rosea, Auricula, 
Sinensis, or any of the coloured species, and thus 
secure greater variety of colours, with its handsome 
foliage, such a one would prove a real acquisition. I 
cannot say that I have any great admiration for Primula 
floribunda ; it is not robust enough for general cultiva¬ 
tion .—The Squire’s Gardener. 
Wallflcrwers in Pots.—I have grown these 
spring gems for a number of years without taking any¬ 
thing like so much trouble with them as your corre¬ 
spondent “Con.” My mode is as follows Early in 
April I sow the seed of a dark variety of single Wall¬ 
flower of my own selection. When large enough to 
handle, I plant them in a bed 18 ins. apart, in poor 
land rather than rich. These plants in September are 
good bushy specimens, and are then lifted, potted in 
turfy loam and manure, stood at the back of a north 
wall on coal-ashes, until the roots have taken to the 
pots. They are then placed in a cold house under 
Marechal Niel Rose-trees. The only trouble we take 
with them is to water them, and they flower most pro¬ 
fusely. Just now (March 29th) I have numbers of 
pots with from fifteen to twenty spikes of flower, which 
for scent fairly eclipses any other plant of my know¬ 
ledge. It will thus be seen that artificial heat is not 
necessary. I look upon cool houses as the most useful 
structures we have. A cool house, at the present time 
belonging to Mr. Gilbert, at Bourn, I see noticed in 
your last, on p. 46S. This house is managed by Mr. 
Gilbert personally, and is the first he ever had under 
his charge, so that simplicity with him has proved a 
success.— R. Gilbert, Burghley. 
Spiraea (astilbe) japonica.—I see in one of 
the gardening periodicals that a correspondent recom¬ 
mends the growing of these plants in pots all through 
the summer previous to forcing. This plan must entail 
a great amount of labour, and I am quite sure there is 
not the slightest necessity for growing them in this way 
where a good rich border can be spared to plant them 
in. We alw r ays plant them out, and thereby save our¬ 
selves a great deal of labour, and many of our plants 
now are carrying thirty or forty spikes of bloom each. 
We do not lay down any hard and fast lines on which 
to proceed ; but as soon as the plants have ceased 
blooming they are removed to a cold frame, where they 
are protected from frost until all danger from that 
source is over. They are then turned out of the pots 
and planted on a rich border facing south ; here they 
remain about eighteen months, requiring very little 
attention, excepting an occasional watering in dry 
weather, keeping clear of weeds, and picking off any 
flowers as soon as they show. W e always have two 
batches, and so can afford to let them have a long 
season to recruit their strength. When required for 
forcing we take them up any time as the foliage dis¬ 
appeared, and put them into the smallest pot we can 
get the roots into, they are then placed in a cold frame, 
and drafted into the forcing pit as required. When 
put in heat we place saucers of water under the pots, as 
no plant is more impatient of dryness at the root than 
this Spiraea. Once allow it to get dry, and you mar 
the beauty of the plant for that season, as the leaves 
are sure to curl up and turn brown. — J. IV. L. 
