684 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 23, 1888. 
Ornithogalum arabicum. 
It is rather to be regretted that this beautiful and 
distinct species does not iiower so freely, nor is so hardy 
as most other species in cultivation, for it is really one 
of the most attractive in the genus on account of the 
size and purity of the white perianth, and the contrast 
formed between it and the shining black ovary. On 
ordinarily strong bulbs six to twelve flowers are pro¬ 
duced in a raceme terminating a flower-stem about 
18 ins. to 24 ins. high. Strong well-grown specimens, 
however, attain a larger size and produce more flowers. 
It was figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 728 and 
t. 3179, under the name of 0. corymbosum. It is now 
flowering in Messrs. Hooper & Co.’s Pine Apple Nursery, 
Maida Yale, where it is used for cut-flower purposes. 
If the black centre be undesirable, it can easily be 
removed ; but, in our opinion, it gives character and 
beauty to the flower. 
Nepeta Mussini as an Edging Plant. 
The typical form of this plant is by no means common 
in gardens, but a variety of it that for many years has 
been widely disseminated in gardens under the name of 
N. teucrifolia is of no small importance where large 
beds of flowers or low-growing shrubs are planted in 
the pleasure grounds. The effect of a belt or broad 
line of this plant is very strikipg at a distance. The 
lavender-blue flowers, set off by the hoary foliage, con¬ 
stitute a pleasing harmony that becomes the more 
conspicuous when backed up by evergreen shrubs or 
even flowering plants. Being perfectly hardy, it 
occasions no trouble whatever, and may readily be in¬ 
creased by division. It is certainly a far more effective 
plant than the red-flowered Teuerium chamairops some¬ 
times used for the same purpose. The typical plant 
has heart-shaped leaves, but the variety most abun¬ 
dantly grown has oblong ones. 
Veronica Hulkeana. 
In ordinary winters this shrubby New Zealand 
Veronica will stand in the open air without protection, 
and flower beautifully in June. The pale lilac blooms 
are abundantly produced in terminal branched racemes 
or panicles, and from their great profusion, graceful 
character and soft colour, add a charm to that part of 
the garden where they are grown. Being, however, 
only considered half hardy, the true place for it is the 
greenhouse, where it appears to great advantage ; but 
those who have a stock of plants would find it an 
ornamental subject for rock work, when, should it 
occasionally get killed by a severe winter, there would 
be a reserve upon which to fall back. Like all the 
shrubby species, it is comparatively easy to propagate 
by means of cuttings. It is by no means particular as 
to soil, but that of a friable nature or in which there is 
a good proportion of sand to keep it open will answer 
the purpose admirably. In pots the addition of a little 
peat may be an improvement if the loam used is of a 
heavy or clayey nature, otherwise fibrous loam and 
sand will meet all the requirements. 
Campanula Portenschlagiana. 
Probably this particular species of the Bellflower 
family is better known by and cultivated under the 
designation of C. muralis, or the Wall Bellflower ; but 
by whatever name it is known, its numerous pale blue- 
purple semi-pendent flowers are ever welcome. As it 
is very free, exceedingly easy to cultivate and charming 
withal, it should ever find a place on the rockery in 
the garden, or be carefully tended in pots for the 
decoration of the cool greenhouse of the amateur lover 
of hardy plants. Being a native of Dalmatia, from 
whence it was introduced in 1836, and where it was 
found growing in association with old walls and rocks, 
its habitat would thereby imply ample drainage and a 
robust constitution. In this connection, however, 1 
would explain that by “ robust ” I do not mean that the 
plant attains large proportions, for, as a matter of fact, 
it rarely exceeds 9 ins. ; but I do insist that it grows 
freely, is very accommodating, and makes a most 
interesting addition to the hardy plant structure. The 
radical leaves are always bright and fresh, broadly 
reniform and irregularly toothed, while the cauline, or 
those which are produced on the stems, are similar, 
passing, however, from reniform to ovate. These are 
evergreen, and cluster together, so that this particular 
species of the Bellflower family is never without a 
distinctive feature. Reverting to the blossoms again, 
it has been stated, with reference to the shape of the 
flowers, that these furnish a beautiful example of the 
adaptation of means to ends, the pendent bells turning 
from the wind, and thus sheltering the organs within 
them from all external damage. This pleasant en¬ 
deavour to comprehend the wonderful provisions of 
nature only partially applies to our present subject, as 
it is but semi-pendent, and flowers so profusely that its 
lovely spreading segments occupy every conceivable 
point of the compass.— C. B. G., Acton. 
-- 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE STOVE. 
Gardenias. —Good returns are always obtained from 
young plants grown in beds of soil where bottom- 
heat by means of hot-water pipes can be applied when 
required. This may be done in an ordinary stove 
where a bed of soil can be made along the front of the 
house instead of the usual staging. The hot-water 
pipes underneath will supply the necessary bottom- 
heat. An abundance of flowers for cutting purposes 
can also be obtained from an ordinary Melon or Pine 
pit with heating accommodation both top and bottom. 
Over the lower sets of hot-water pipes construct a 
stage on which a body of soil can be placed, and plant 
with young and suitable material in a compost con¬ 
sisting of one part loam and two of peat, with a liberal 
quantity of sand. Some pieces of charcoal will be an 
additional advantage, and help to make the soil porous. 
It is imperative that the drainage should be good, as a 
large amount of water is necessary during the growing 
season until growth has been completed, after which 
they should be allowed to get moderately dry, otherwise 
flowers will not be abundant. 
Gloxinias. —Shift on the young plants raised early 
in the season as they require it. If they have been 
properly attended to up till now, those growing in 60’s 
will require a shift into 48’s. They will come into 
flower as the earlier batches from old plants go over. 
A light but very rich compost in which some good 
artificial manure has been used suits them admirably. 
Lumpy peat and well-decayed leaf-soil should, however, 
form a large constituent of the compost. 
Climbers. —Too much attention can hardly be given 
this class of plants during the summer months, 
especially in the case of such rampant-growing subjects 
as Allamandas, Passifloras, Aristolochias, climbing 
Bauhinias, Bignonias, and similar things which soon 
get into a tangled and inseparable mass if neglected. 
It is not an uncommon occurrence to see Allamandas 
crossing and interlacing with one and another in such 
a way that they cannot be separated till pruning time 
in winter. Superfluous shoots should be cut away, and 
the remainder trained in to occupy the space and yet 
be exposed to the full influence of light. Allamandas 
require no shading whatever, as the best results are 
obtained, from plants that are fully exposed to light, 
however strong. "We had ample proof of this last year; 
which will long be remembered for the amount of 
sunshine, a clear unclouded sky and the absence of rain. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Chrysanthemums. —If not already accomplished, give 
the Chrysanthemums for exhibition or ordinary 
decorative purposes their final shift. They cannot be 
expected to ripen up their wood and form good flower 
buds until the roots have become pot-bound, and 
artificial feeding becomes necessary. Those intended 
for exhibition purposes should be put into 10-in. pots, 
while 8-in. size will be large enough for the dwarfer¬ 
growing Pompon kinds. Strong loam, fibrous in its 
nature, but not necessarily clayey, should be used for 
the final shift, ameliorated with bone-dust or finely 
ground bones. Half plunge the pots in ashes, fully 
exposed to light, but sheltered from high winds, and 
make arrangements for tying up the stems before they 
get broken down by the wind. Syringe several times 
on warm days. 
Salvias. —Treat these in the same way as the 
Chrysanthemums, plunging them in the same or 
a similar position out of doors. By this means shorter 
jointed and better ripened wood is the result, and the 
plants flower during autumn and winter, according to 
the species, with much greater profusion and satisfaction 
in every way than when grown under glass, either in 
a pit or greenhouse. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Vineries. —The berries of the Madresfield Court Grape 
are thin-skinned, and, as is well known, are liable to 
crack when there is an insufficiency of foliage beyond 
the bunch to part with the excess of moisture by 
transpiration. The cracking is most liable to happen 
just as the berries are commencing to colour; and 
therefore, to guard against this annoying mishap, 
attention should be given to this Grape in particular 
when pinching back the laterals. The more foliage 
that can be accommodated while still fully exposed to 
light, the less danger will there be during the ripening 
period of the berries cracking. 
The Early House. —As soon as the Grapes are all 
cut, throw the house fully open, which will materially 
assist the Vines in properly ripening and solidifying 
their wood. Examine the borders, and if at all dry 
give a good watering, and assist with liquid manure. 
The advantages accruing from this treatment will be 
the storing of reserve material in the stems, giving a 
greater impetus to growth when forcing is again com¬ 
menced. Keep a sharp look-out for red-spider and 
thrip. Fumigate to destroy the former, and syringe the 
foliage with a mixture of paraffin and water to destroy 
the latter. One wine-glassful to a gallon of water will 
answer the purpose, keeping the mixture well stirred 
all the time it is being applied. Syringe the foliage 
twice daily during fine weather. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —Do not allow the trees 
to suffer for want of water after the fruit has been 
gathered. Carelessness and neglect in this respect is a 
fruitful cause of the misfortune which often befalls the 
trees in spring, causing the buds to drop, afterwards 
the bloom, and finally the young fruit. Assist with 
liquid manure, and syringe morning and evening to 
keep the foliage clean and healthy. "Wood that has 
just fruited, and is not required for next season, should 
be pruned away to admit light and air to the foliage 
and wood of the young shoots from which next year’s 
crop of fruit is to be expected. All excessively vigorous 
shoots should be stopped, so that they may become 
solidified, and cease to rob the remaining part of the 
tree, the object being to preserve the whole in an evenly- 
balanced condition—a matter of no small importance 
in Peach culture. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Winter Crops. —There should be no complaints this 
season for want of proper planting weather provided the 
rain has been general, as it has been plentiful in several 
parts of the country. During showery times, no 
advantageous opportunity of getting the ground all 
under crops should be neglected. While wet weather 
prevails, slugs become troublesome, and are particularly 
destructive to tender and newly-planted subjects. This 
is especially the case where the squares are surrounded 
with Box or grass edgings, and where the soil has lain 
undisturbed for some time previous to planting. The 
chief remedies are to go over the plants in the morning, 
and collect the slugs, to be afterwards destroyed, or 
simply to drop a dusting of quicklime over the depre¬ 
dators while at work. They sometimes get‘over this, 
however, by throwing off their outer coat, especially 
during wet weather. The difficulty may also be partly 
surmounted by putting a layer of ashes round the 
plants liable to attack. Soot or quicklime may also 
serve for a time, provided there is no heavy rain. 
Weeding. —Weeds grow apace at this season, more 
especially should the weather prove wet. Hoeing is 
insufficient during such a period, and to leave weeds on 
the ground is sheer waste of time, as they re-establish 
themselves in a day or two, and run to seed very 
quickly Although more time is required to rake off or 
remove the weeds, it pays in the long run. 
-- 
ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
As soon as the pressure of other work will permit at 
this season, one of those periodical reviews of the plants 
in the Orchid houses should take place, beginning at 
one end and passing each plant through the hands, 
carefully cleaning it, or, at least, sponging it over, 
even if no evidence of insects or dirt appears. The 
staging and surroundings of the plants, their pots, &c., 
should be cleansed at the same time, and any which 
may not be comfortable in their pots or baskets should 
be re-potted or re-basketed. In the case of weakly or 
badly-rooted specimens, the pots or baskets given to 
them should be proportionately small—overpotting in 
any instance with Orchids is injurious, but with badly- 
rooted or unhealthy specimens it prevents amendment, 
and frequently causes the death of the plants. 
Above all things, every attempt should be made to 
obtain good potting materials, sphagnum, peat, &c. 
