730 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 14, 1888. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
heavy thunderstorms. If, however, a frame with a 
northern aspect is at command so much the better. 
Leave the plants fully exposed to the influence of the 
night dews, unless there is danger of heavy rain. 
"Where seeds are being ripened, these should he collected 
when perfectly mature and sown at once. Last year’s 
seedlings may be potted singly into 3-in. pots if that 
has not already been done, and subsequently treated 
like old plants. 
Dahlias. 
It may appear to some that these require no attention 
in the way of watering, provided rain is plentiful. 
They will, however, receive material advantage from 
occasional doses of weak liquid manure. Growth is 
proceeding much more rapidly than at this date last 
year, and a more abundant harvest of bloom may be 
expected. With this increase of growth, however, 
more attention must be given to pruning and staking. 
Strong stakes should be employed, and the experienced 
soon find that they should be driven before planting 
commences to prevent injury to the tubers. Do not 
use slender sticks that may be swayed about by the 
wind after the plants are getting bulky. Prune away 
all side shoots except two, so that the whole plant may 
consist of three leading shoots, which may be allowed 
to branch at the top when coming into bloom. Many 
varieties are inclined to form dwarf, broad and bushy 
specimens from the first, and it will be surprising how 
quickly they will grow away when pruned to three 
shoots as mentioned. Look after earwigs to prevent 
their ravages from the first. Put a quantity of moss 
in the bottom of a small flower pot, which should be 
placed on the top of the stake. Look them over every 
morning, and shake the earwigs into a vessel of water. 
Hollyhocks. 
Syringe the underside of the leaves as often as possible 
to prevent red-spider from becoming established, as 
they greatly disfigure the foliage. If any trace of the 
Hollyhock disease should make its appearance, remove 
and burn every leaf so infested to prevent the fungus 
from spreading. Prevention is better than cure, as 
there is really no cure for this particular disease. 
-—- 
ARDENING MISCELLANY 
Lily of the Valley. 
It often happens that crowns put into heat early in the 
winter months, with the idea of forcing them into bloom 
by Christmas or the month of January, will remain in 
a dormant condition without showing the slightest 
signs of pushing their bloom up. I had a few dozen 
single crowns last November that I potted into 4J-in. 
pots, and afterwards plunged in a nice bottom heat, 
covering them with coco-nut fibre refuse. Yery few 
showed any signs of vitality, but I kept them about in 
various places in the houses till the middle of March 
last, when, wanting the pots for other purposes, I 
turned them out and placed them just as they came 
out of the pots under a greenhouse wall facing north¬ 
west. No further notice was taken of them ; they were 
exposed to all the spring frosts and snow, and up to a 
few weeks back they made no attempt to grow. More 
by accident than design, some time during the early 
part of June an old frame light was reared against the 
wall, covering them over, thus keeping the rains from 
them except what ran down the wall to their roots. 
Strange to say they are now throwing up strong foliage 
and bloom, the little soil that was about them when 
turned out of the pots looking as dry as dust around 
them. I took pity on them to-day, removed the light, 
and gave them a good soaking of water. I have never 
seen any before that have so really and truly recovered 
from the effects of attempted early forcing. Have any 
of your correspondents ?— TV. G. 
Pelargonium, Madame C. Koenig. 
This is a single-flowered pure white show kind, if we 
except a very slight feathering on the two upper 
petals, which is generally hid from view by the over¬ 
lapping of the others. It is of vigorous growth and 
habit, and yields large trusses of flowers in abundance, 
which are well thrown up above the foliage. Where 
white flowers are in demand it should be cultivated in 
quantity, being equal when under good cultivation to 
any of the whites yet sent out— IV. G. 
of the most serviceable plants to cultivate. Its flowers 
are produced in loose trusses, each individual bloom 
standing erect on a good stout peduncle. The flowers 
are pure white, semi-double in form, and measure about 
2 ins. across. On plants under good cultivation the 
yield is enormous, it being a kind of perpetual bloomer 
during the summer months. The habit of the plant is 
vigorous, the growth generally being very strong and 
erect ; but it atones for any bad property it may possess 
by the profusion of its pure white flowers. — TV. G. 
A Weed Destroyer. 
I have lately used some “Cuprolene” upon a yard that 
was covered with weeds, and can testify to its efficacy 
in doing all that has been claimed for it. The directions 
state that it should be applied in fair weather. Now 
this was the case when I applied it; but since that time 
we have had continuous showery weather, and as the 
“ Cuprolene ” has done its work so satisfactorily, I do 
not hesitate to bring it before the notice of your 
numerous readers. It is very effectual, lasting and 
economical, and I highly recommend it. I intend 
using it on a carriage drive in front of the house, as I 
have great faith in its proving a radical cure to one of 
the greatest troubles that has beset me hitherto. This 
I mention, because other weed destroyers have been 
used, when repeated applications had to be resorted to, 
thus proving the advantages to be derived from using 
“Cuprolene.”— J. S. T., Oswestry. 
Cotyledon pulverulentum. 
The true colour of the flowers of this plant are greatly 
toned down by a coating of the same dusty or farinaceous 
material that coats the leaves. The inflorescence rises 
above the leafy stems to the height of 6 ins. or 9 ins , 
bearing a cyme of large, fleshy, drooping, bell-shaped 
flowers of a pink colour externally, but orange in¬ 
ternally. The leaves are much smaller than those of 
C. gibiflora or its variety C. g. metallica ; but the 
white farina, densely covering them as with a thick 
bloom, is a very striking characteristic of the species. 
The flowers add considerably to the interesting character 
of the plant ; but healthy young specimens are suffi¬ 
ciently ornamental to deserve a place amongst a 
collection of flowering plants from the distinctness of 
the white meal}’ foliage. This character is maintained 
all the year round. Of course, the plant succeeds best 
when a moderately dry atmosphere is maintained, and 
it should not be syringed. We noticed a considerable 
quantity of it in Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons’ nursery, 
Swanley, Kent. 
Sempervivum. tortuosum variegatum. 
The ordinary green form of this plant was introduced 
from the Canary Islands in 1779, and bears terminal 
cymes of yellow flowers. The greenhouse is the most 
appropriate place for it, as far as temperature is 
concerned, and there it should be kept rather dry in 
winter. The variegated form is a much more orna¬ 
mental plant, that may be profitably grown out of doors 
during the summer months for bedding purposes. It 
may be utilised in beds that are particularly liable to 
get dry, especially in droughty times. For the margins 
of beds it is particularly appropriate, as it is of dwarf 
branching and spreading habit. Every leaf is broadly 
margined with creamy yellow or creamy white according 
to its age, and not infrequently shoots lose almost the 
whole of their green colouring matter. In moist or 
shaded places it grows rather too coarsely for an edging. 
The variegation resembles that of S. arboreum variegatum 
considerably, bat the plant is neater and far more 
bushy than the latter. It is grown by Messrs. Cannell 
& Sons, Swanley, in their collection of succulents. 
Libsrtia formosa. 
Owing to the leaves of this subject being evergreen, the 
plant requires slight protection in winter to prevent 
injury from frost, but more especially against wet that 
lodges in the crowns. Had it have been deciduous, 
the question of hardiness would, of course, have been 
surmounted. From amongst a dense tuft of narrow 
grass-like leaves, such as we find in Iris sibirica or 
I. graminifolia, the flower stems arise, bearing clusters 
of pure whits flowers that keep up a succession for a 
long time. A plant in a north-aspect pit in the 
gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, Chiswick, 
has been flowering for some time. It is a native of Chili. 
Strawberry Plantations. 
There are few amateurs, perhaps, who would not be 
delighted to grow Strawberries for themselves did 
circumstances permit; but there are others who have 
the means and opportunity, yet who frequently fail to 
obtain satisfactory results, because they have no regular 
system of cultivation, but depend on chance, as it were, 
for a crop, or lack the opportunity of gaining aknowledge 
of the cultural requirements that are necessary—in 
conjunction, of course, with climatic conditions—to 
ensure a remunerative or satisfactory crop with annually 
recurring regularity. A great gain will be made by 
securing the earliest set of runners that are produced, 
and pegging these on to the soil, or by laying a stone 
upon them close to the little rosette of leaves, holding 
the little plants in position till roots are emitted. One 
plant from each runner will be quite sufficient for it to 
support, provided the requisite quantity for a new 
plantation can be obtained in that way. If so, cut 
away the shoots that extend beyond the first strong 
plant. If a clear space of ground can be obtained by 
September, have it trenched at once two or three spits 
deep, incorporating with it good farmyard manure, if 
obtainable. Allow the ground to settle a little and 
plant immediately. Nearly a se'ason will be gained by 
this means, as the plants will be thoroughly established 
in the soil before the advent of winter puts a stop to 
growth. If planting is delayed till late in the season, 
and the runners are previously badly prepared or simply 
lifted without any preparation at all, as is most 
frequently the case, the young plants are liable to get 
thrown out of the ground altogether by frost, and the 
grower frequently finds in spring that a large per¬ 
centage of them are dead. It is loss of time, on the 
contrary, to delay planting till spring, and the intel¬ 
ligent cultivator will endeavour to avoid it. 
For the purpose of preserving, the Grove End Scarlet 
and the Black Prince are two of the oldest and best, 
both on account of their earliness, small size, and rich 
flavour, which renders them extremely suitable. The 
scarlet Strawberry requires somewhat different treatment 
from the other, and except in market gardens, is not 
always readily procurable. Early sorts, with much 
larger fruit, are King of the Earlies, Laxton’s Noble, 
and Lieutenant. Excellent sorts, of large size, are 
Sir Joseph Paxton, Yicomtesse Hericart de Thury, 
President, British Queen, Keen’s Seedling, and Myatt’s 
Seedling. The latter is a very late-fruiting variety, 
and does well in northern districts. 
Parsley for Winter. 
Many experience difficulty in obtaining a supply of this 
useful vegetable during the winter months, especially 
in suburban gardens, on account of the injurious in¬ 
fluence of smoke and the unfavourable nature of the 
atmosphere from various causes. A sowing made now 
will, however, produce good foliage, and remain in a 
more vigorous condition than older plants. The sowing 
might be made on a bed in lines, and when a few rough 
leaves have been produced, thin out the plants to a 
distance of 4 ins. or 6 ins., leaving the stronger ones. 
The great fault with many growers is that they suffer 
the seedlings to become crowded, so that it is impossible 
for them to make proper growth. Should the weather 
become severe in autumn, a frame may be placed over 
the bed, ventilating freely on all favourable occasions. 
Auriculas. 
Some growers prefer to pot up their plants thus late in 
the season, while others succeed by potting at various 
times. Of course, the object should be to get the 
plants established in their pots before winter. Previous 
to performing the operation see that they are not 
infested with green-fly, and if this is the case fumigate 
with tobacco smoke. Side shoots may be carefully 
removed with a sharp knife, and potted up singly if 
they are fairly well rooted. Be careful not to use 
larger pots than are strictly necessary to contain the 
roots easily. Drain the pots regularly and carefully, 
covering the crocks with moss to prevent the soil 
washing down amongst the drainage and obstructing 
the passage of water. Remove all decayed portions of 
the roots with a sharp knife. A compost of four parts of 
good fibrous loam and one part each of well-rotted cow 
manure, leaf-soil and clean sharp sand will answer the 
purpose admirably. When the operation is completed, 
stand the pots in a position where they will be fully 
exposed to light, yet screened from the full influence of 
the sun. A frame is unnecessary, provided there is 
some convenience for placing a sash over them during 
Pelargonium, Belle-de-Jour. 
Those who may be interested in the production of 
good white flowers will find the above Pelargonium one 
Wild Flowers. 
At the flower show of the Braintree and Booking 
Horticultural Society on July 5th, the class for table 
