10 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 6, 1890. 
The Am ateurs’ Garden. 
SEASONABLE WORK in the GARDEN. 
Allamandas.—"With the exception perhaps of Alla- 
manda neriifolia, it will soon be unsafe to leave the 
others much longer in the greenhouse or conservatory 
owing to the great depression in the temperature during 
the night. If kept for any length of time in a low 
temperature, and especially if the roots are kept very 
moist, large branches or the whole plant may suddenly 
die off without any apparent cause after beiDg again 
put in heat. It would he better therefore to remove 
the plants to their old quarters in the stove before any 
such danger may arise. 
Gardenias.—If not already done, these should now 
be placed in a pit or frame where plenty of ventilation 
may be given to ripen off the young wood and prepare 
for forcing into bloom. In fine weather the lights may 
be entirely thrown off so as to keep the plants as cool 
as possible, and cause them to rest. Under such treat¬ 
ment the buds will plump up wonderfully. This is all 
the more necessary in the case of plants intended for 
forcing. 
Stove Ferns.—-Much less shade must now be given 
as Ferns will stand the winter all the better if they are 
well exposed to light in order to ripen and harden the 
fronds. When this is not done the fronds are liable to 
become brown and shabby long before the young fronds 
are produced in spring. The amount of atmospheric 
moisture need not yet be reduced, as the conjunction 
of light and moisture will tend to give the fronds the 
necessary rigidity while maintaining a healthy green 
appearance. The roots must also be kept moderately 
moist all through the winter. 
Palms.—For decorative purposes small Palms are 
the most serviceable as well as economical in private 
establishments. They can be kept for the longest 
time of a convenient size by restricting them of root- 
room, retaining them in small pots. On account of 
the small quantity of soil in which they are grown, it 
is necessary to supply plenty of moisture at the roots. 
The healthy green appearance of the foliage may be 
preserved by the use of soot-water. The soot should 
be placed in a bag and dropped in the tank, from 
whence water is taken to water them. 
Fuchsias.—Plants that are past their best may 
now be stood in the open air to ripen their wood before 
being housed for the winter. If cuttings are taken 
now and kept slowly growing all through the winter, 
they will make nice stuff next summer for the front 
stages of the greenhouse and conservatory. 
Hydrangeas.—Cuttings of shoots not in flower 
may be taken now and rooted in a little heat. If 
shifted into 48 -size pots and encouraged to grow for a 
time by liberal feeding, they will make fine-sized plants 
with a single head for next spring. The tips of the 
strongest flowerless shoots should be taken. 
Bouvardias.—The earliest plants are now in bloom, 
and will prove useful for cutting, or by way of an 
attractive addition to the subjects now flowering in the 
greenhouse or conservatory. Later plants not yet 
required may be kept in cold frames for some time yet, 
using the sashes to protect them during wet or stormy 
weather, a supply may be kept up until Christmas, or 
even later. 
Chinese Primulas.—Close attention should be 
given to plants which are intended to be grown to a 
large size for winter-flowering. In re-potting them, a 
rough and fibrous compost should be given. Turfy 
loam should be broken up by hand, so as to have it in a 
nodular and lumpy condition ; to this add well-rotted 
cow manure and leaf soil, about one fifth-part of each, 
and a liberal quantity of sharp sand. 
Verbenas.—Plants in pots, if they have been well 
grown and kept clean, will now prove serviceable for 
conservatory decoration. They are very liable to mildew, 
but may be kept clean by timely dusting with flour of 
sulphur. Fumigate for green fly. In northern 
districts a supply of cuttings for bedding purposes may 
be taken off and inserted in pots, pans, or boxes in the 
course of a week or so. In the southern counties they 
should not be taken off till towards the end of the 
month. Root them in a cold frame. 
Hardy Annuals.—Where such are grown for 
spring flowering, attention should now be given to 
thinning out the seedlings, for by so doing, one 
plant may be made to do service for half-a-dozen, and 
when thinned out they become hardier, and stand the 
winter all the better for it. 
Vines.—All laterals should now be removed from pot 
vines intended for forcing. The vines should also be 
stood in the open air in some sheltered place to 
thoroughly ripen their wood. Secure the rods in some 
way to prevent their being blown about and broken 
by the wind. Cover the pots with some fern litter to 
prevent the too rapid escape of moisture from the pots. 
The temperature of the Muscat house may now be 
lowered at night, if the Grapes are thoroughly ripe, 
which they should now be. 
Melons.—Any watering that maybe necessary in the 
case of plants grown in unheated structures, and now 
ripening their fruit, should be done in the early part of 
the day, so that all superfluous moisture may be dried 
up before night, otherwise serious results might arise 
from the condensing of the same on the foliage. In 
heated structures containing young and growing plants, 
the night temperature should be kept up to 70 °. In 
fine weather the usual morning and afternoon damping 
down will still be necessary. 
Peaches.—The trees in early houses that may 
require root pruning, should have the operation per¬ 
formed before the fall of the leaf, so that the roots may 
get well established in the fresh soil before forcing is 
commenced. Use good fibrous loam about the roots, 
and keep the latter near the surface. 
Cardoons.—During dry weather, earth up the 
earliest planted and most forward batches of plants. 
Two men should he employed to do this, one to hold 
the leaves closely together, while the other twists hay 
bands round the petioles. Secure the end of the bands, 
and when the whole of a row has been treated in this 
way, proceed to earth up the plants after the manner 
of Celery. 
-» > 2 < «- 
TOMATOS AT FOREST HILL. 
More than ever is it evident that Tomatos must be 
grown indoors to meet the demand that is made by the 
British public for them. In warm summers this 
demand can, to a large extent be met by planting 
extensively in the open air, but in years like the 
present, out-door plantations are a failure. For the 
production of seed hot-house culture is, therefore, 
indispensible in such a case, and any that may be 
obtained from the open air is fortuitous. In the 
nursery of Messrs. J. Carter & Co., Forest Hill, a house 
is devoted to the cultivation of Tomatos for seed ; and 
the crop is to a great extent gathered. "What remains 
is to be assisted with artificial heat, in order to hasten 
maturity, and leave the house vacant for Chrysan¬ 
themums, which will soon require housing. 
The plants are grown in large boxes, except on the 
side benches where a bank of soil meets the require¬ 
ments. According to the modem and recognised 
system of culture, the plants are confined to single 
stems, which, when we saw them, varied from 6 ft. to 
8 ft. in height. One of the most robust and most 
largely planted is Blenheim Orange, a splendid Tomato 
for the, consumer, but a bad one for the seed grower. 
A large plantation has to be made in order to obtain a 
given quantity of seed, for very few seeds are obtained 
from a fruit, and large ones are the most barren of all. 
The fruit itself is rather flattened, slightly corrugated 
at the base, and bright yellow deepening to amber, 
and more or less flushed with red. It is juicy, solid, 
and excellent in flavour A curiosity of the leaves is 
that they are sometimes proliferous, and bear leafy 
buds along the midrib. The Lorillard is an American 
Tomato of high repute with many. The fruit is globose, 
slightly flattened, of a deep scarlet-red, and smooth or 
slightly ribbed at the very base. It is solid, of good 
flavour, and the plant bears freely. The fruit of the 
Sandwich Island Tomato is large, and similar in colour 
to Lorillard, but often comes more corrugated, and 
certain fruits appear even ringed around the top as 
happens in many cultivated kinds that attain a large 
size. The surface is somewhat downy. 
A medium-sized Tomato is Sensation, globose and of 
a deep red or crimson colour. It is similar in colour 
to Sandwich Island, but does not bear so freely as any 
of the above-mentioned kinds. The fruits of The 
Peach are small at their best, and globose, but condi¬ 
tions seem greatly to affect their size, for some in tubs 
here are not much over half the size of those planted 
out. The skin is thin and easily broken, but is densely 
downy, suggesting the fruit after which it is named. 
It lacks the brisk flavour of the other kinds, but is by 
no means distasteful. Hackwood Park is popular with 
many private growers on account of its large size and 
free-fruiting nature. The fruit is flattened, often 
corrugated or lobed and deep scarlet-red. The flavour 
is also good. The Conference is a fruit of medium size, 
globose and deep, but slightly flattened on the top, 
deep crimson-red, and of good quality. It is notable 
for its free setting character, and the length of time 
it keeps producing fruit, as the stem continues to 
elongate. It unites the free-fruiting character of 
Horsefield’s Prelude, with more of the size of Ham Green 
Favourite, these two being the parents, 
-- 
ASHTON COURT GARDENS, 
NEAR CLIFTON, BRISTOL. 
By the kindness of Sir Greville Smyth, these gardens 
were opened to the public on Saturday, August 23 rd, 
and with the object of benefiting The Gardeners' 
Royal Benevolent Institution, a small charge was made 
for admission. In the exceptionally wet month 
through which we have just passed, it was fortunate 
that the weather turned out fine and bright, and so 
enabled a large number of visitors to avail themselves 
of the opportunity of seeing these beautiful grounds, 
which, as usual, along with the extensive ranges of 
houses devoted to plants and fruits, were in excellent 
keeping, as also the winter garden, which is always 
attractive. 
The flower garden, which is devoid of formality 
through the presence of well-placed clumps of shrubs 
and single specimens, was in beautiful condition. The 
blending of soft and subdued colours, with enough of 
the higher shades to enliven the. whole, was much 
appreciated by the company who wandered about the 
place and seemed to greatly enjoy themselves. The 
result was that Mr. Bethell was able to hand over to 
the excellent charity named the sum of £ 15 . It is 
scarcely necessary to say that there are few counties in 
England in which there are not many attractive places, 
the owners of which if approached on the subject would 
feel a pleasure in thus assisting the Gardeners’ Benevo¬ 
lent Institution, or the Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. 
Gardeners are the worst paid class in existence, taking 
into account what at the present day is expected from 
them, consequently many of them have to think twice 
before they make up their minds to pay the amount 
down which is required to make them life subscribers, 
or the annual guinea subscription which makes 
them members. But there are many who might 
do more than this if they would induce, their 
employers to allow their gardens to be seen by the 
public for a few hours once in the year. 'Were this 
done, the outcome would be that all connected with 
the proceeding would be gainers. The owners would feel 
that they had done a good and charitable act; the 
public would have their tastes gratified and elevated, 
whilst the gardeners would feel that even if they, or 
their wives or children, never came to require the help 
of the institutions, they [had been the instrument of 
doing something to aid their fellow workers who are 
less fortunate. 
If gardeners collectively throughout the country, 
who are in a position to thus help these charitable 
institutions, would adopt the course suggested, they 
would be the means of enabling many more to receive 
the benefits of these admirable charities. 
-- 
WATTLES AND WATTLE- 
BARKS. 
This is the title of a pamphlet issued by the Department 
of Public Instruction, to supply farmers in Australia, 
tanners and merchants with information on the value of 
Wattles. The latter term is now extensively applied to 
many species of Acacia, which are indigenous to Australia 
to the number of 312 species. Comparatively few of this 
large number are of real value, although all of them 
probably contain a certain amount of tannic acid in the 
bark. The size to which the tree naturally grows also 
regulates its value, for very small trees are not worth 
the labour of stripping. The demand for some material 
to meet the requirements of the tanner continues to 
increase, while the supply is far from adequate. 
Hitherto Oak bark and Oak galls have been depended 
upon, but the supply cannot now be met in this way, 
and Australian farmers are being advised to turn 
their attention to Wattle farming. The Acacia will 
grow on the poorest of soil, so that land which cannot 
be utilised in any other way may be planted with them. 
Analyses of some forty-one species and varieties have 
been made at the Technological Museum, Sydney, by the 
Curator, Mr. J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., and some others, 
showing which are good, bad and indifferent Wattles for 
tanning purposes. They include some of the species grown 
jn our greenhouses, such as Acacia dealbata, A. longifolia, 
