August 7, 1886. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
775 
call for no especial comment. Williams’ Bon Chretien, 
Autumn Bergamotte, and a few of the old hardy 
Hessle and Swan’s Egg are among the best this year. 
Plums are almost a failure, with the exception of such 
as are under walls, and in favoured situations ; Victoria, 
as a matter of course, wears the crown. Of Damsons, 
none are grown. Of Cherries, the Dukes are a medium 
crop ; Morellos thin. Peaches, Apricots and Necta¬ 
rines are not grown outside. Bush fruits with me are 
very good ; in some gardens they are only a moderate 
crop, that is to say, red, white and black currants, but 
the latter with me are excellent. Gooseberries are a 
moderate crop here, but in more favoured localities 
they have been a drug, and have been hawked about 
at one penny per quart; indeed, in one place, where 
the population is thin, and means of communication 
bad, they had not been worth gathering, selling at the 
ridiculous sum of fourpence per stone, out of which 
twopence per stone had to be paid for carrying them 
to market, and one penny for the stand, leaving a 
solitary penny for the grower. Raspberries are a 
moderate crop, and Strawberries a good one, the best 
bearing sorts being Keen’s Seedling, Vicomtesse Heri- 
cart de Thury, President, James Veitcli and Barnes’ 
Seedling.— B. L., Huddersfield. 
--- 
ON THE CULTIVATION OP THE 
CHRYSANTHEMUM. —XII. 
Continuing my remarks upon manures (see p. 682), 
there is another kind of manure sometimes used viz., 
manure from stables or fowls ; this should be used 
with great care, but generally speaking,if it is mixed 
with water, till the water gets the colour of brandy, it 
will be sufficiently strong. 
There are now a variety of artificial manures in the 
market which are more or less used. A very old kind 
is guano, of which about one ounce to the gallon of 
water should be used. I have tried several kinds of 
artificial manures, but that which I like best and what I 
find suits Chrysanthemums (as well as other plants and 
vegetables) is blood and bone manure (sold by Mr. H. 
G. Smyth, 21, Goldsmith Street, Drury Lane). This I 
use largely and would not be without. It can be used 
either in a liquid form with water, or the plants can be 
top-dressed with it if wet weather should set in. To 
make manure water it should be used at the rate of one 
ounce, increasing to one and a half ounces to the gallon 
of water. 
It often happens that after the buds are set, wet 
weather sets in for a short time, by which the plants re¬ 
ceive all the watering that is required. At the same time 
the plants must still be fed, and to do this a little of the 
manure should be sprinkled over the surface of the 
soil. For those in the ground use two ounces to the 
square yard, and for those in pots use a tea-spoonful to 
an 8J-in. pot. When the buds are swelling the plants 
should be occasionally supplied with water, to which 
sulphate of ammonia has been added at the rate of half- 
an-ounce to the gallon of water. This will help to swell 
the buds. 
In giving manure water, it will be sufficient if the 
plants receive it twice a week at first, increasing the 
strength and giving it oftener till the buds show colour, 
when it should be gradually withheld. 
Early iu August the pots will be well filled with roots, 
and the plants will then be greatly benefitted if they 
are top-dressed with partly rotten manure. 
From the time the cuttings are inserted till the 
plants are housed, careful attention should be paid to 
keeping the plants perfectly free from insects, and one 
of the pests that should be carefully looked after is 
the earwig. These do great injury to the plants ; 
oftentimes a shoot is spoilt through their ravages. 
Their time of feeding is at night, and what they 
delight in doing is to eat the very point of the shoots ; 
therefore, it will be at once seen how disappointing 
it must be if, on looking over a shoot on a morning, 
expecting to be able to disbud that shoot, to find that 
the plant had received a visit from an earwig during the 
night, and the point of the shoot has been eaten clean 
away. They have already appeared on the plants, and 
must be diligently sought after, as I am firmly of 
opinion that they do injury to the plants before they 
reach the flower-bud stage. Turning to Mr. Burbidge’s 
book on the Chrysanthemum, second edition, p. 51, he 
says there, “ Later in the summer the earwigs make 
their appearance, feeding by night on the tender foliage,” 
k c., in which I fully concur. I have oftentimes—and, 
in fact, this morning—in looking over a plant, found 
the stem of the shoot, close to the point, partly eat 
away and the point slightly curled round, and on 
looking over the shoot next to it, found an earwig 
making itself nice and comfortable in its hiding place, 
awaiting the night to have another feed. 
They are easily trapped by putting some dry hay or 
moss in a small pot, and inverting that pot on a stick. 
Several of these traps should be placed along the rows 
of plants, and they should be carefully looked over 
every morning, and any earwigs found should be killed. 
— W. E. Boyce, Archvoay Boad, Highgate. 
-- 
CULTURAL NOTES ON VIOLAS. 
Apropos of your editorial remarks on p. 743 respecting 
our bedding Violas, we beg to give you the system 
adopted by us in their culture, with the two-fold 
desire that their cultivation (which is now somewhat 
restricted) may be extended to the masses of the gar¬ 
dening world ; and, secondly, that those who take them 
in hand may have a few sound practical hints as to 
their special requirements. As pointed out by you, it 
has become quite a general remark that Violas cannot 
be successfully grown in the south, and especially so in 
the vicinity of London. We have, however, proved 
the contrary, and with pleasure give your readers the 
benefit of our experience. According to the generally- 
accepted theory of “shade and moisture and a cool 
climate,” our nurseries at Hampton were in no way 
fitted for the cultivation of Violas, notwithstanding 
which, however, we were impressed (with what we now 
regard as facts) that with a little care and generous 
treatment we might obtain ascertain amount of success, 
and which has far exceeded our most sanguine expec¬ 
tations. The one great point in Viola culture is the 
planting season ; too often are Violas and Pansies 
planted in May and June, with the result that they 
miserably fail in consequence of there being insufficient 
time to establish themselves ere the hot weather is upon 
them. 
The proper time to plant to ensure success is from 
October to the end of February ; in fact, as soon as the 
summer beds are cleared of their occupants, plant your 
beds with Tulips, Hyacinths, Crocus, and so forth, with 
Violas on the surface, having previously made the soil 
rich with good manure ; in the earliest spring-time you 
will have some most enjoyable beds, which will con¬ 
tinue away into the summer. Confining ourselves, 
however, more strictly to the subject, we'strongly 
advise the month of October for planting, by which 
time an abundance of strong rooted cuttings will be 
ready. These we prefer to dividing the old plants, 
since they make an immediate start at rooting into the 
fresh soil, and in a few weeks their bases will be 
bristling with young shoots. That settles the primary 
point— i.e., planting—next to which we must take the 
soil. 
At our Hampton Nurseries we have an average depth 
of 15 ins. of good soil as far as fibre goes, in other 
respects it is poor; beneath the surface soil is a splendid 
bed of gravel 5 ft. deep, so that in ordinary weather 
our soil becomes dust-dry 2 in. or 3 in. deep. As 
manure, we employ cow-manure from a farm near by ; 
this we employ freely for two reasons—first, on account 
of its cooling nature, and secondly, on account of the 
great amount of moisture it contains, so valuable 
in both cases as keeping the soil about the roots 
uniformly cool, and with something to feed upon. In 
exceptionally dry weather we mulch the beds with 
decayed foliage of Narcissi or similar light material, 
which stays evaporation, and also saves labour in con¬ 
stant watering during excessive heat. "VVe endeavour 
to supply the wants of such plants as these, and at the 
same time dispense with the water-pot as much as 
possible ; when water is given they should receive 
a thorough soaking. 
Treated as above, our collection of these charming 
flowers has been one continuous display of blossoms, and 
throughout the recent hot weather received only two 
soakings of water, and the vigour of which they are 
possessed, coupled with the myriads of flowers they have 
borne, afford sufficient testimony of their adaptability for 
summer beds. In conclusion, we cannot lay too much 
stress on early planting, and the liberal use of wet 
cow-manure for all soils of a light sandy or gravelly 
nature.— Collins Bros. <£• Gabriel, 39, Waterloo Boad, 
London, S.E, 
Scottish Gardening. 
Herbaceous Borders. —Where these are valued 
—and I suppose this is general everywhere—some 
attention must be given to plants which have flowered, 
except where seed is to be saved. The flower-stems 
should be cut off as soon as the flowers have faded, and 
where the plants may be overgrowing their fellows they 
may be trimmed-in a little to keep them in their own 
quarters. Staking those which have to flower must 
have timely attention, and the plants not made to look 
unnatural ; Phloxes, Delphiniums, Pyrethrums, &c., 
which are valued so much, are among the first to suffer 
from neglect. Absence of dead leaves, weeds, and 
flower-stems is veiy conducive to order and interest of 
herbaceous beds and borders at this season ; mutilation 
of healthy-growing foliage at this season is against the 
preparation of flowers for next year. 
Dahlias and Hollyhocks now require close attention ; 
where excellence of flowers is to be attained, liquid 
manure may be given freely. Staking and tieing are 
matters of detail which often want seeing to ; in exposed 
positions this requires extra care. Pansies which have 
done an extra amount of flowering may be trimmed-in, 
seed-pods picked off, surface stirred, and manure-water 
administered. Kinds from which seed are to be saved 
may have a stake put to each to mark them, and the 
seeding flowers tied up. The same care is necessary for 
such plants as Carnations and Picotee3. The layering 
of these is generally completed early during this month 
—the earlier the better—so that there may be plenty 
of strong roots to stand the winter. In low-lying, 
damp positions the layers should be well elevated. In 
the floral department much requires attention at this 
season preparatory for winter. Plants to be forced in 
pots early should now be kept well exposed to the sun. 
Deutzias, Kalmias, Azaleas, Lilacs, and others in pots 
must be well advanced in their ripening stages now if 
they are to be forced for early winter supplies of flowers. 
The further north and colder the district be, are these 
hints proportionately important. The potting of early- 
flowering bulbs, such as Roman Hyacinths and others, 
will soon claim attention. The earlier they are potted 
the less difficulty is experienced in forcing them. 
Vegetable Sowing. —No one can fix a date 
which might be termed the exact day when certain 
kinds of vegetables should be sown ; soils, aspects, 
altitudes, and other influences have always some com¬ 
mand over sowing. The warmth of the ground when 
the work is done in some measure affects germination 
of seed. It may be safely affirmed that before the 
middle of August in most of the northern counties of 
England, and throughout the greater part of Scotland, 
the following seeds should be sown, and more than 
usual care taken with the work, as sun warmth is 
decreasing, and radiation at night is generally very 
marked during the harvest weeks; the growth of 
seedlings is sometimes slow and not vigorous. Cold 
rains too help to stunt growth ; therefore, it is 
all the more necessary to make the conditions 
under our control as conducive to healthy growth as 
we can. 
‘Well prepared ground and careful covering with fine 
soil is of moment. Spinach is a very important crop 
with many, and when sown after any of the brassica 
class of vegetables, grubs often are very troublesome ; 
after Potatos, Peas, or Strawberries the crop is more 
safe, a good dusting of soot with the seed, and the 
same to be followed up when the crop is coming through 
the soil wards off grubs and slugs ; ashes mixed with 
lime and soot is about the best and most effectual 
dressing over surfaces we have tried for crawling 
vermin. Brussels Sprouts, Curled Kale, Cabbage, 
Cauliflower, Lettuce, and Savoy, for sowing through 
the winter on a sheltered border, or similar position, 
may be sown at once. "When the plants can be easily 
handled, they are pricked into nursery beds to keep 
them dwarf and hardy. The great quantity of these 
grown by rural nurserymen in Scotland for cottagers 
orders, as well as those in other circumstances, show 
that the demand is great. Bath Cos Lettuce, Hardy 
Hammersmith, Hick’s Hardy, All the Year Round, 
and Brown Dutch do well in most parts. Turnips, 
Carrots (these can be protected by a frame) and Onions 
may yet be sown, also Radishes, and small salads in 
general. If the ground is dry, the drills may be watered 
before the seed is sown, and nicely covered in after¬ 
wards.— M. T. 
