552 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 1, 1886. 
and progress more satisfactorily now than they would 
have done a few weeks back. Seedlings of annuals or 
perennials, that have been raised under glass, should 
be potted or pricked off into boxes, gradually hardened, 
and in warm situations where they are not likely to 
be checked by frost, they can be planted out in the 
borders. Get all the beds not occupied with bulbs, 
such as Hyacinths, in readiness for the summer bed¬ 
ding plants.— Scolytus. 
-^>T<-- 
SPINACH AND ITS SUBSTITUTES. 
It may be fairly claimed for Spinach that it is at 
once one of the most useful, and to many palates, one 
of the most esteemed vegetables we have. By growing 
the true Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and its substitutes, 
all well-managed gardens ought to be able to send a 
dish to table at all seasons, whether we are passing 
through the rigour of our coldest winters or the scorch¬ 
ing heat of our hottest summers. The round-seeded is 
usually grown for summer crops, being the most suc¬ 
culent. As it soon runs to seed, successional sowings 
must be made at frequent intervals on well-manured 
ground from February to the end of April once in every 
two or three weeks, more frequently during May and 
the early part of June ; after that date once a fortnight 
will be often enough. Sow in drills 12 ins. apart, and 
as these summer crops of it are cut off close to the 
ground, put the seed in rather thickly. It runs to seed 
very quickly, so that where a constant supply has to 
be kept up frequent sowings are necessary. Some never 
use the round-seeded variety because of this, and sow 
the prickly at all times. The main sowing.of this, to 
stand for winter and spring use, should be made in the 
first or second week of August, in drills 1 ft. apart and 
£ in. deep, scattering the seeds thinly. Select, if 
possible, showery weather. 
"We had a good illustration of the utility of the 
mulching system here last autumn. One bed of Spinach 
was sown on fresh-dug ground, the weather proving 
very dry at the time From two to three weeks after¬ 
wards another bed was sown where Peas, which had 
been heavily mulched, had s tood. The decayed mulching 
material was cleared off, and the drills for Spinach 
drawn on the hard ground. It made its appearance 
long before that sown earlier, and did much better. No 
better bed of Spinach could be found or . wished for. 
Themain winter crop should be thinned out, commencing 
when the plants have three of four leaves, and be con¬ 
tinued till they are left from 4 ins. to 5 ins. apart. In 
gathering, always take the outer leaves first, and 
regular gathering promotes the well-being of the plants. 
In very dry seasons it is next to impossible to keep up a 
supply of true Spinach ; this leads to the cultivation in 
many places of one or more substitutes for it. The best of 
these is the New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia expansa). 
This is available the whole of the summer, and in mild 
autumns till very late in the season. "Where there is con¬ 
venience for it, this well repays the labour of protecting it 
from the early autumnfrosts. Kaise the plantsfrom seeds 
sown in March in pots placed in a brisk heat. When 
strong enough, pot them separately in small pots, keep 
under glass and gradually harden off, and, plant out 
when all danger of frost is over in light rich soil. We 
generally plant in a bed of decayed leaf-mould, in which 
it luxuriates, planting it about 3 ft. apart; from 
twelve to twenty plants will be enough. Gathering 
may be commenced in five or six weeks from the time 
it is planted. 
Orach (Atriplex hortensis). Of this Lee’s Giant is 
infinitely the best; some prefer this to true Spinach, 
but it is not so useful a plant as the foregoing one. 
Sow towards the end of September for the first crop, 
and during spring for succession. The leaves must be 
gathered young, for they are stringy and worthless if 
left till maturity. Another little known plant in many 
localities is Mercury (Chenopodium Bonus Henricus), a 
perennial known also as Good Henry, Good King Henry, 
Wild Spinach, &c. This may be increased either by 
seeds or division ; if from seeds, sow in October or 
March, plant in light rich ground at 1 ft. apart each 
way. It affords several cuttings during the season, and a 
plantation of it will last for many years. The young 
shoots may be peeled and served up as Asparagus. 
These three are only available as summer and autumn 
substitutes. There is a fourth which can be used during 
both summer and winter, viz., Spinach Beet. Sow this 
at the same time as the other Beet roots ; it may be 
gathered from the time the plants are strong enough to 
bear it, till the following season when it starts up to 
seed. It is a good plan to make another sowing in July. 
The advantage of this Spinach is that when during 
the frosts of winter the ordinary kind is shrivelled up 
and quite unfit for use, a plentiful supply may be ob¬ 
tained from it. The drawback to its use is not so much 
its flavour, as a want of that softness which characterises 
ordinary Spinach. It entails more labour on the cook 
to get it through the sieve, and when done it still eats 
hard, and epicures will soon find out the difference.— 
JV. B. G. 
■ -—;>*<-- 
SUMMER CULTURE OF PLANTS. 
I send you a few remarks on a few winter and spring 
flowering plants that may be planted out in summer. 
1 will start with Abutilons, of which we grow only 
three varieties in this way, viz., Boule de Neige, 
King of Yellows, and a scarlet seedling. Cuttings 
should be put in early in February. When these are 
rooted nicely, pot off and grow on quickly in a warm 
frame until planting-out time comes, which is, with 
us, about June 1st. Turn the plants out carefully in 
good soil, not too rich, and during the summer pinch 
the points out of the strong shoots, so as to form a 
well-balanced plant ; stir the soil frequently, water 
when necessary, and finally pot up the plants before 
frost comes, which is here about the beginning of 
October. After potting, place the plants in a cold 
frame until established, when they may be removed to 
any frost-proof house to be put in heat as required, 
when they will produce large quantities of flowers. 
Bouvardia longiflora, Alfred Neuner, elegans, and 
Vreelandi I find best suited for planting out. To get 
cuttings early the plants must be dried off in December 
and placed in heat in the middle of January, when 
cuttings will soon be produced in quantity. Take these 
off with a heel and insert in small pots of peaty soil ; 
put in a propagating frame, and they will, if properly 
treated, soon emit roots. When this has taken place 
pot off, placing the soil veiy lightly, and grow on in 
heat, gradually hardening off until the middle of June, 
when they may be planted out in light loamy soil on a 
south border, sheltered from wind. Stop the shoots as 
required, and pick off all bloom in order to strengthen 
the plants. Stir the surface soil frequently ; lift the 
plants carefully about the middle of September, and 
place in pots just Targe enough to hold the roots. 
Place in a cold frame and shade until they have made 
fresh roots, after which they may be put on a shelf in 
a warm house, and if well attended to with water they 
will not fail to give a good return in the shape of pretty 
chaste flowers. 
Calla (Richardia) fetliiopica will not, of course, require 
taking in hand so soon. When they have finished 
blooming, about the end of May, shake all the soil from 
the roots, divide the plants into as many as are required, 
and plant out in a rich, moist, sheltered border, tie up 
the leaves, and water and give good supplies of liquid 
manure throughout the summer, especially if it is dry 
and hot. The new leaves may be injured by wind if 
not tied ; therefore, tie as soon as the leaves appear. 
Keep the hoe going among the plants, or the soil will 
get hard with watering. Lift the plants in the end of 
September, and place them in large pots under a north 
wall. Afterwards remove them to a cool house, and force 
or grow on cool as may be required. I have completely 
failed with the yellow Richardia liastata ; will someone 
more fortunate kindly give a description of the treatment 
which with them has led to success. 
Eupatorium riparium, Weinmannianum and Haage- 
anum are very useful in winter and spring. Get cuttings 
in as early as possible in spring, so as to have good 
strong plants to put out early in June ; and treat them 
through the summer like the Abutilons. Pot up before 
frost gets dangerous, and keep close in a frame until 
established, then place well up to the glass in a cool 
house, where they may remain until they show blooms. 
E. riparium will bloom throughout the winter, and then 
Weinmannianum will carry the season on to April or 
May, thus producing masses of useful bloom through 
the darkest part of the year. 
Oestrum aurantiacum is a very useful autumn-bloom¬ 
ing plant, which we always propagate by root-cuttings. 
A plant is shaken out, the large roots are cut in pieces 
2 ins. or 3 ins. long, these are put in a pan of light 
soil in a warm house, where they will soon throw up 
shoots. They are then potted off and grown on, so that 
by the end of May we are in possession of a few nice 
stocky plants fit to plant out in a warm border. They 
will want potting up sooner than most things, as they 
commence to bloom early in October, and are then 
very useful back-row plants for the greenhouse. 
Salvia Bethelei, Braunti splendens, gesneneflora, 
rutilans, and Heerii, flower in the order named from 
October to April. We get cuttings of Bethelei as 
early as we can ; the others we do not propagate so 
soon, or they would get too large. Put out good plants 
early in June, put a strong stick to each plant, and 
keep the branches tied to them ; keep the soil open by 
the frequent use of the Dutch hoe, and water when 
necessary. Lift and pot Bethelei about the middle of 
September, so as to get it established before the bloom 
becomes too prominent, otherwise they will probably 
fall. The other varieties may remain until frost is 
apprehended, when they should be potted up and 
placed in a cold house, where they will bloom well; if 
treated to an occasional dose of liquid manure they 
will be all the better for it. 
Solatium capsicastrum does very well with this 
planting-out treatment. Put out good strong plants, 
either cut-back or young ones, early in June in a nice 
sunny place. Give a good soaking of water when 
required, and a dash over with the syringe when in 
bloom to help to distribute the pollen so as to get a 
good set of fruits. Lift early in October, and put in 
pots just large enough to take the roots. Place in a 
cold frame and shade until established, then remove to 
a shelf in a warm house, where the berries will soon 
lay on colour. Never let them get dry at the roots, or 
they will soon be unsightly.— J. IV. L., Glos’ter. 
-- 
LILACS IN POTS. 
Few plants are better suited for forcing when properly 
prepared, than the above, and certainly as a rule, when 
well-grown are thoroughly appreciated, and yet how 
seldom do we meet with them, even fairly cared for. 
For conservatory work, or foi the filling of fire-places 
in house decoration, nothing is so serviceable, added to 
which they are extremely useful for cutting purposes. 
Instead of resorting to what I cannot help terming the 
barbarous practice of going into the shrubberries and 
lifting plants for the purpose, I will endeavour to give 
a mode whereby such a practice can be avoided. 
Procure sufficient stock of the common white and purple 
varieties from a nursery, and pot them into 12 in. pots, 
using a good strong loam and potting quite firm ; if 
lifted, as they probably will be from the open ground, 
place them in one of the Vineries or Peach houses 
where they will be shaded from the direct rays of the 
sun, and where they may be frequently syringed until 
they recover from the lifting, which will be seen by 
their making a start into growth. 
After removing them from the house place them in 
any shady corner fot a few days, until the foliage 
becomes hardened and able to stand the weather ; now 
select some quite open situation, having a west aspect, 
if possible, and plunge the pots 2 ins. under the soil in 
rows sufficiently wide to allow the sun and air to have 
free access, and also to allow of the plants being watered 
when necessary and also to keep free from weeds ; they 
will need no further attention, and can be lifted as 
required. Of course, it is necessary to encourage as 
free a growth as possible to ensure good heads of flower. 
After the plants have been forced they should be 
gradually hardened off preparatory to being again 
plunged out of doors, and it will be necessary to cut 
them back, roughly pruning them into shape only ; 
and it will be hardly necessary for me to say that the 
same plants will not be ready for forcing the following 
season, but in alternate years, so that it is necessary to 
provide a double stock. 
In lifting, after the plants have been some few years 
in the pots, surface-roots will be made ; but these must 
be removed at the time of lifting for forcing to allow of 
sufficient water being given, and if saucers are placed 
under the plants so much the better. By following 
the above treatment the little extra labour at first 
entailed will be amply repaid, and perfect success 
ensured. For greenhouse staging the Persian varieties 
are much more suitable, as they can be flowered well in 
8-in. pots and remain in them for a number of years, 
simply requiring attention only as other forced plants 
do, and occasionally pruning away any straggling shoots 
to keep the plants as compact as possible. The perfume 
from them, also, is more delicate than from the pre¬ 
ceding varieties.— Walter Child, Croome Court. 
