April 10, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
503 
Scottish Gardening. 
Tomatos. —When so much has been written on 
this popular fruit (it is recognised by many as a dessert 
fruit), it might appear inopportune to take up space 
by a reference to its culture. As many have a desire 
in the north to have a supply of Tomatos in their own 
gardens with no glass to spare for such a purpose, we 
throw out a few hints which might be of service in 
attaining the desired end. The first difficulty is in 
raising the plants to get them strong enough at plant¬ 
ing out time, as unless they are large and about showing 
flower when they are turned out, little hope of success 
need be entertained. In some southern districts they 
are as certain to produce abundantly as Potatos yield 
tubers, but wherever glass coverings are at command, 
it is preferable (even in favoured districts) to use 
them for Tomato growing than to trust to the seasons 
which have been so adverse of late years. 
Our earliest recollections of Tomato growing was as 
follows :—About the beginning of February the seeds 
were sown in a mild hot-bed—a one light frame being 
used—potted on in the usual way so often recommended, 
and by steady treatment the plants w T ere a great size by 
May. They were kept hardy and short jointed by 
allowing plenty of light and air to enter the frame ; 
the light or lights were taken off them when the -weather 
permitted, and when danger of frost -was past. Holes 
were formed at the base of walls and buildings of any 
form, where there was warmth and shelter ;■ turfy soil 
and leaf mould well mixed was placed round the roots 
in process of planting ; one stem only was allowed to 
each plant—rubbing off all the laterals as soon as they 
appeared ; as soon as the fruit were set, four to six -were 
left to each bunch. 
When the stems had grown as far as there was room 
to spare, they were stopped and no further growth was 
permitted ; guano-water was freely administered when 
the fruit was set. When frost was feared, as some¬ 
times is the case when September arrives, mats or 
other protection were placed over the plants at night 
and taken off during the early part of the day, the 
fruit thus receiving the benefit of the plants till it was 
desirable to cut the stems over and trim off all the 
foliage. The natural ropes sometimes loaded with well 
developed green and ripening fruit, were taken to a 
warm and dry room where they gradually ripened and 
gave nice gatherings late into the year (we have ripened 
them under glass hanging from the rafters as late as 
February), where the walls were clothed with trees and 
and no space available. We have grown fair Tomatos 
on ridges covered with slates. Plants established early 
in the season is the most important matter.— M. T. 
Strawberry Plants. —Where it has been prefer¬ 
able (or inconvenience may have caused delay) to mulch 
Strawberries during spring instead of giving this im¬ 
portant matter attention during autumn, it is now 
a suitable time to have such work put out of hand. 
Good materials for such a purpose is what one finds in the 
stable yard ; it may be spread evenly over the surface 
of the soil among the fruiting plants, placing it neatly 
round the collars and under the foliage; the rains, which 
we may expect before fruiting time, will wash the litter 
clean. If rotten manure has been given during the past 
autumn or winter, it may be necessary to break its con¬ 
solidated crust, levellingit neatly and leaving the surface 
tidy ; if there has been no litter in the manure, it will 
be necessary to use material to keep the fruit clean. 
A dusting of soot thrown into and around the stools, 
will dislodge slugs and act as preventives to the increase 
of these pests. The soot dusting may be repeated 
occasionally, which will act favourably on the plants. 
For the protection of the fruit we have found nothing 
superior to clean straw, and nothing inferior to mowings 
of Lawns. We never used the latter but once—last 
season—and have no wish to repeat the experiment. 
A good soaking of manure-water, given to Straw¬ 
berries as soon as the fruit are set, tells very favourable 
on the produce ; there is plenty of time to think of this 
two months hence, and it is hardly possible that water¬ 
ing at the roots will be necessary before flowering, as the 
ground is sodden at present from the frequent snowfalls. 
To hasten the crop in the open ground hand-lights, 
which may be available, can be utilized to bring forward 
a few dishes ; narrow glass protectors (which are now 
sold cheaply), placed along the rows are very useful for 
such purposes ; plants lifted with balls of roots intact, 
and placed on mild warmth from the hot-bed, with 
protection of hoops and mats, is a simple method of 
meeting the want of glass ; we have often helped out 
forced crops when there has been a scarcity.— M. T. 
USEFUL PILLAR PLANTS FOR 
CONSERVATORIES. 
Why should we see so many pillars and rafters in 
greenhouses and large conservatories bare, when the 
space might be well occupied with plants that would 
lend a charm to the eye, and also prove serviceable in 
other respects ? Pillars that support structures of this 
kind are not often of the most ornamental kind, and 
without something in floweringor foliage plants be grown 
upon them, they generally appear more unsightly when 
peeping out here and there amongst pot-plants. There 
are many varieties of plants suitable for covering these 
eye-sores, and when the plants are not in bloom the 
foliage is there for a relief. A very useful plant for 
this purpose is 
Mitraria coccinea .—It makes good strong sucker 
shoots from the bottom, and bears an orange-scarlet 
tubular flower, which shows to advantage when grown 
as a pillar plant. 
Thibaudia acuminata. —A free-growing and bloom¬ 
ing plant, the flowers being produced in clusters from 
all the points, the colour dark crimson, tipped with a 
greenish white ; foliage a bright dark green ; a most 
desirable plant. 
Acacia affinis is both handsome in foliage and flower. 
Kcnnedya monophylla makes a very pretty plant, and 
during the season it is flowering with its lovely spikes 
of purple Pea-shaped flowers it is the admiration of all 
who see it. 
Abutilons, in variety, are quick-growing, and give 
plenty of flowers, and should certainly be used in 
large structures. 
Plumbago capense, with its starch-blue Phlox-like 
blossoms, is a very profuse flowering subject in the 
autumn, and one of the most easily managed plants. 
Habrothamnus elegans is certainly not to be despised ; 
it is an excellent plant for this purpose, and with a 
little management may be made to yield flowers all the 
year through. 
Swainsonas may also be added to the list. Should 
the eye prefer a little relief from green foliage to coloured 
or variegated, better plants than 
Cobcea scandens variegata or Lonicera aurea-rcticulata 
cannot be used, and both are easily grown. 
There are many other kinds of plants that are suit¬ 
able for this purpose, viz., Fuchsias (the strong-growing 
sorts), Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums (single and double 
varieties), Heliotropes, &c. All greenhouse climbers 
may be used, but as climbers are apt to grow very rapid, 
and on this account get out of bounds, they become 
troublesome. Some objection may be made to fur¬ 
nishing these pillars, &c. because the plants cannot be 
planted out, but all the plants I have named may be 
grown easily in pots for this purpose. Another objection 
is that the plants are subject to attacks of green-fly, and 
thus make everything about them dirty as well, and 
that conservatories must never be smoked, being in too 
close proximity to the dwelling-house ; but even this 
objection can be overcome by occasionally using a 
dressing of Fir-tree oil at the strength recommended for 
killing green-flj T .— W. G. 
-~>X<-- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Few plants are more generally valued for green¬ 
houses in small establishments than Pelargoniums, or 
Geraniums as they are popularly but erroneously termed. 
They are useful for so many purposes, they flower so 
freely, and are so easily grown that it can be readily 
understood how they have obtained such a firm hold on 
public favour. For culture in pots they are appreciated 
at all times of the year, and in the winter, when 
flowering plants are never too abundant, the single and 
double zonal varieties prove most welcome. Then, for 
baskets or pots suspended in the conservatory or green¬ 
house, the beautiful Ivy-leaf varieties are charming, 
and so many handsome forms have now been obtained 
that an admirable collection can be formed of these 
alone, in several distinct and bright shades of colour, 
the double varieties being exceedingly useful for cutting 
as they stand so well, and are naturally well adapted 
for association with other flowers. 
In the same way, several of the old Cape species and 
varieties can be used, and where a supply of lovely 
flowers is required over a long period, nothing can 
surpass Eollisson’s Unique, with its large soft leaves 
and dense globular trusses of warm crimson flowers. 
During the summer we have an abundance of zonals to 
select from ; but as there is usually a good display of 
them out of doors at that time, we also like to have a 
good stock of the show, decorative, and fancy varieties, 
which make so distinct a break from the others. The 
typical show varieties of the florists, with their finely- 
proportioned and rounded flowers, are beautiful; but 
some of the best are unsatisfactory as garden plants, 
being weakly in habit and flowering sparsely. 
The decorative and regal sorts which have come into 
favour of late years as market plants, are, however, 
quite different as regards strength of constitution, 
growing strongly and flowering profusely. In conse¬ 
quence, they are well worth the attention of amateurs 
who can only afford to give their space and care to 
plants of undoubted merit. Any of those mentioned 
may be potted now, employing for the stronger-growing 
sorts the best loam that can be procured, with one- 
fourth of well-decayed manure, or the same quantity of 
leaf-mould for the Ivy-leaf varieties, and a little sand 
to keep the compost moderately open. 
Whenever the winter-flowering zonals are grown in 
quantity, the present is a capital time to put in the 
cuttings, as if -well treated and grown on liberally 
during the summer, plants of a useful size will be 
secured for autumn and winter. Place the cuttings in 
light sandy loam and leaf-soil, and they will root 
readily if kept moderately close, but not too warm for 
a few days. The best way is to insert the cuttings 
singly in small 60 or thumb-size pots, transferring them, 
when rvell rooted, in 48’s, using a stiffer and richer soil 
at this potting than is advised for the cuttings. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Proceed with sowing seeds of Pea9, Beans, Onions, 
Lettuces, and vegetable crops generally ; the early 
Potato planting should also be now completed as quickly 
as possible, for the soil is in good condition for any¬ 
thing. Onions must be sown in an open position, and 
the ground well firmed ; indeed, if convenient, it should 
be rolled after the seed is sown, for in loose soil solid 
well-keeping bulbs will never be obtained. Where Sea 
Kale has been forced, it should now be hardened, and 
planted out of doors in rich well-prepared soil, as it will 
need a clear year’s growth to recover its strength for 
another season’s forcing. With liberal treatment, Sea 
Kale can be grown and forced every alternate season for 
several years ; but this cannot be done if it does not 
make vigorous growth in the period for recuperation. 
Plenty of manure should be forked into the soil, and 
the plants may be placed in lines about 3 ft. apart. 
This is also a good time for sowing Parsnip seed, and 
as these vegetables are much valued by many persons, 
a portion of the kitchen garden may be usefully 
occupied by them. The soil should be deeply dug, and 
free from stones or hard lumps, as these spoil the shape 
of the roots ; and the seeds should be sown thinly in 
rows 18 ins. or 20 ins. apart. Mustard and Cress can 
now be now sown frequently in pans or boxes, and 
placed under the stage of the greenhouse.— Scolytus. 
Preparing Soil for Seeds. —Much outdoor 
seed-sowing will now be going on, and all who are 
commencing this important operation would be acting 
wisely if they adopt a few r precautions. Experienced 
gardeners do not need any warnings in these matters, 
but young hands are occasionally forgetful, or so 
anxious to get the work forward that they do not 
perform it so carefully as necessary. Soil for all small 
flower and vegetable seeds should be well prepared 
before they are sown—that is, it should be thoroughly 
broken down and raked fine on the surface. It should 
also be moist without being wet, but it should be rather 
in the latter state than excessively dry, though either 
extreme is bad. The seeds should never be covered 
deeply ; a light sprinkling is sufficient for all small 
seeds, and the larger ones may be covered about their 
own depth. Another hint worthy of attention is “ sow 
thinly.” Not only is a great quantity of seed wasted 
by thick sowing, but the plants produced are greatly 
weakened by being crowded together, and even if some 
be pulled out this is often done too late to remedy the 
evil. Most seeds succeed best on a moderately firm 
surface, but for some like Onions it is absolutely 
essential, and should be rolled both before and after 
sowing. For some crops—indeed, most vegetable crops 
except those which are sown in beds for after trans¬ 
planting—drills are best, from 6 ins. to 18 ins. apart, 
