378 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 14, 1891. 
The Amateurs’ Garden, 
SEASONABLE WORK in the CARDEN. 
Clerodendron fallax.—Those who cut back their 
old plants in autumn with the intention of growing 
them on again should see that a bushy foundation is 
made during the early months of the year, while young 
growth is being made. The plant is inclined to make 
a few vigorous shoots, and to concentrate its energies 
in them, so that by the time it commences to flower in 
autumn, it generally presents a rather straggling 
appearance. During the spring months, therefore, 
pinch the leading shoots until a sufficient number are 
produced to make a bushy plant. 
Torenias.—Seeds of T. Bailloni and T. Fournieri 
should be sown at once to flower during the 
summer months. Prick them off into small pots as 
soon as fit to handle, and shift on as required, in order 
to keep them growing. They may be flowered in 
48 size pots. 
Gloxinias.—The main batch of Gloxinias should 
now be potted. If they have been placed in the 
propagating house, and the young crowns are peeping 
through the soil, they are then in a suitable condition 
for re-potting. Give a good wateriug some hours 
prior to turning out the tubers, and the soil will readily 
part from the roots without breaking them. Some 
growers turn them out at once, and re-pot without 
starting in heat. In such cases it would be advisable 
to soak any tubers that may be shrunken, in tepid 
water, and then withhold water till the crowns appear 
above the soil. 
Lapagerias.—As the fleshy young shoots come 
pushing through the soil, guard them against the 
attacks of slugs, which are very partial to them. An 
earthenware tile, such as is used for drainage purposes, 
placed over the crown will render them safe till they 
get too tough for the marauders. The same service 
may be performed by square pieces of glass set up 
round the shoots. 
Gladioli.—Good-sized corms potted up now may be 
flowered in 32-size pots, placing one corm in each, of 
any of the more common and free-growing varieties in 
cultivation. They will come in useful and supply variety 
in the conservatory when their presence will be welcomed. 
The choice varieties of G. Colvillei, including G. C. alba, 
may also be potted. They are most attractive subjects 
for pot culture, and may be used for cut-flower purposes 
if so desired. 
Hyacinths, Tulips, &c. —Examine the general 
stock of bulbs covered up with ashes, and see that the 
leaves are not getting drawn and blanched. At henever 
the crowns are well advanced, have them uncovered and 
well exposed to light in frames. Introduce from time 
to time as required, such things as Hyacinths, Tulips, 
Narcissus, Crocuses, Scillas, Chionodoxa, and others. 
The Conservatory.—There is now no lack of 
material with which to give the conservatory a gay 
appearance ; but care should be taken to subdue the 
glare of brilliant flowers by the tasteful introduction 
of foliaged subjects, as v r ell as those which are well 
toned down by their own foliage. Avoid the “dot and 
pudding ” system of arrangement that used to prevail, 
and study to have tasteful groups here and there of 
plants of the same kind in different colours where 
obtainable, lightening up heavy kinds, and toning 
down the brilliant hues by the introduction of Palms, 
Ferns, and other graceful subjects. 
Vineries.—The temperature of the earliest house 
may now be raised to 65° at night in mild weather, 
raising it to 70° early iu the day. Close early in the 
afternoon, taking advantage of any sunlight that may 
occur. That commodity has been very scarce for some 
time past. See whether the borders iu succession 
houses require watering, and give sufficient to reach 
every part of the soil. Houses started about the 
beginning of January should now be kept at a night 
temperature of 60° if the rods are breaking freely. 
Peaclies.—AVhen the trees are in flower, ventilate 
sufficiently to cause a circulation of air in the house. 
Go over the trees once or twice during the fore part of 
the day, tapping them with a cane so as to distribute 
the pollen. Some varieties are more shy in setting than 
others, and therefore require a little assistance. 
Melons.—The more genial weather now offers the 
cultivator a better opportunity of inducing a sturdy 
growth in his plants. With plenty of artificial heat at 
command, and mild weather with occasional sunshine, 
he can ventilate so as to prevent the shoots from 
getting drawn and spindly. He can also take advan¬ 
tage of sunshine, by closing early in the afternoon, 
allowing the temperature to run up pretty high without 
danger, provided the paths and other parts of the house 
are well damped down. 
Cucumbers.—Remove the fruits as soon as fit for 
use. so as to avoid any strain upon the plants. The 
night temperature should be, kept at 65° or 70°, 
according as the weather is cold or mild, allowing a rise 
of 10° to 15° by day with sunshine or even more at 
closing up time. Keep the plants clean by a free use 
of the syringe on bright days. 
- 
PRIMULAS AND CYCLAMEN 
AT READING. 
Returning from a flying visit to the West of England 
“on filial duty bent,” I halted at Reading, just after 
the thaw had set in, for the purpose of inspecting 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons’ Primulas and Cyclamen. It was 
not a pleasant day for tramping about a nursery, but I 
was amply repaid by the beautiful pictures that greeted 
me in the numerous houses, as recently noted by your 
correspondent, “ Rusticus.” It is not often that the 
cribbed and cabined Cockney gets an opportunity of 
revelling amidst thousands of fresh bright flowers, all 
bathed in pure sunlight. His lot is rather to grope his 
way through the dingy dells of the Drill Hall or the 
grimy glades ef the Aquarium in search of floral beauty, 
and when he has found it, he cannot always be sure 
which of the colours of the rainbow claims it for its 
own. So I revelled, but reverently, at Reading. 
Glancing along the stages from house to house I 
could not help thinking that the Chinese Primula, as 
it is called, is slow to move and loth to sport. What 
little progress has been made, comparatively, within 
the last twenty years in the development of the flower ! 
Perhaps it is quite as well. Looking at the broad, well- 
formed flower of Sutton’s Giant White, the glowing 
colour of Ruby King, and the deep porcelain shade of 
Reading Blue, one was tempted to think that quite 
enough had been effected in the way of improvement. 
Of course very much has been done by selecting the 
best strains of seed,—growth, habit and general decora- 
rative effect having been equally studied with mere 
size and colour ; but had the Primula shared the fate 
of some other flowers we should by this time have had 
trusses the shape of tiaras, and flowers all striped and 
ringstraked and fringed like a lady’s brow. I noted 
several examples at Reading with broad flat flowers, 
perfectly circular in form, neat and clearly defined eyes, 
and prim compact habit of growth and flowering, which 
possessed almost every attribute of a “florist’s flower.” 
Not that I anticipate or even desire such an honour for 
Primula sinensis, but it is much more pleasant to have 
a decorative plant for window or dinner table that 
presents the characteristics of perfection. 
I had begun to fear that these Primulas were de¬ 
clining in public favour, but the Messrs. Sutton say 
they are not. There may be a less quantity grown for . 
sale, because amateurs have discovered that they can 
absolutely rely upon a good strain of seed and that the 
method of culture is so easy. Whether it is that the 
metropolis has so increased its borders that things get 
more widely distributed, or from any other cause I 
cannot say, but I certainly miss the quantities of 
Primulas I used to see in seed shops, suburban florists’ 
establishments, and on costermonger’s barrows twenty 
years ago. It is unnecessary to go into details about 
the varieties I saw and admired at Reading. One great 
advantage is that there are not too many of them, and 
thus the strain is kept pure, and you can always rely 
upon getting what you want. I have already mentioned 
three, which would amply suffice for my own tastes, 
but others might like to add the Giant Crimson, a 
worthy companion to the Giant White ; or the Reading 
Scarlet that shows up so well at night ; or the delicate 
free-flowering Reading Pink and the especially useful 
Pearl. Then there are the Fern-leaved varieties, and 
as a life-long Fern fancier I take especial interest in 
this class. Snowdrift, Gipsy Queen, Purity and Rosy 
Queen are good examples ; but I am bound to say that 
in some cases the foliage rather resembles Parsley or 
Kale than a flat Fern frond. But it is all the more 
ornamental. So far I have only referred to single 
varieties, and but little need be said about the doubles. 
Every one knows the old Double White, and the Messrs. 
Sutton present a much improved form which comes 
true from seed, and thereby saves the trouble of pro¬ 
pagating by cuttings. 
They have several shades of red, and I was especially 
taken with their improved Double Carmine; the Double 
Blue is good, though not so bright in colour as the 
single. Shall we ever have a solid double Primula 
equal, say, to a decent Balsam or even a Begonia ] I 
cannot leave the Primulas without a word as to the 
general aspect of the plants. If each one had been 
specially dressed to go on parade, they could not have 
looked more compact and shapely ; the trusses rising 
just enough above the foliage to show the flowers but 
not the stalks, and the leaves folding neatly over the 
pot-rims, but not spreading far and wide in straggling 
array. And so it was all through. 
In the Cyclamen houses there was much more variety 
both of form and colour, and I noted many indications 
of probable novelties in shades and tints, especially a 
very pretty salmon-tinted seedling. The Giant strain 
is very impressive when you get a lot of it in front of 
you, as at Reading, and in my opinion the White is 
the most effective variety. White Butterfly, too, is 
grand ; it is very pure in colour and shapely in form, 
while the richly-marbled close-set foliage forms a grand 
setting—like a moss-bank with butterflies hovering 
above. A plant of either of these whites, surrounded 
with five or six plants of the glowing Vulcan, the 
richest crimson I know of, with an outer circle of Fern, 
would make a picture. Messrs. Sutton & Sons have 
evidently bestowed much pains upon the creation of a 
distinct strain of Cyclamen based upon C. persicum, 
and lacking any special knowledge of the subject I will 
yet make bold to judge, from a batch of seedlings I saw 
in flower, that they have succeeded in making a notable 
advance. 
Running hastily through the seed warehouses, I 
found all preparations ready for the expected rush 
when King Frost should relax his grip. Everything 
had been at a standstill, especially in the Potato depart¬ 
ment. I was, of course, well aware that Messrs. Sutton 
& Sons took every care to secure the genuine character 
of their seeds, but I was hardly prepared to see a room 
full of women engaged in picking over grass seed by 
hand, and another lot performing the same good offices 
to a ton or so of Beet seed.— E. Ranger Johnson. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS AT 
FARNHAM ROYAL. 
True it is that men may come and men may go, but 
Nature in her annual rotatings rolls on for ever. But 
a few months since, and we had to chronicle the death 
of that well-known and eminent florist, Mr, J. James, 
of Farnham Royal. To-day we refer to the beautiful 
flowers which, ignoring human mutability, live and 
bloom iu wondrous beauty in the houses at AVoodside, 
although the eyes that once looked upon them with 
such pride and love are for ever closed in death. But the 
father has left behind a worthy successor in his son, Mr. 
AV. James, and those who pay a visit to Farnham 
Royal now to see the beautiful Cyclamens, or the won- 
drously varied and not less beautiful Chinese Primulas, 
will at least realise that the mantle of the elder has 
fallen on the shoulders of the younger worthily, and 
the prestige of the strains of flowers which AVoodside 
has produced so admirably of late will in no respect 
suffer. 
At present there are many hundreds of the plants 
just named to be seen iu rich luxuriant bloom. In a 
couple of months, or less, there will be seen also 
perhaps the finest and best show of Cinerarias to be 
found in the kingdom, for nearly 3,000 plants, all well 
established in large pots, even in habit and perfect in 
health, will be blooming profusely, and presenting such 
quality as, certainly in this particular flower, never has 
been excelled away from AVoodside. If we exaggerate, 
at least it is open to any of our readers at the proper 
time to judge for themselves whether we have written 
with undue warmth ; even further, Air. James will have 
about the middle of May a superb show of several 
hundreds of herbaceous Calceolarias also in bloom, and 
we have never yet seen the AA r oodside strain of Inter¬ 
national fame excelled. Something is due perhaps to 
culture, but that the strain is a grand compact one is 
undeniable. 
Earliest amongst florists’ flowers are Cyclamens. 
It was once a tradition that only in or about the 
metropolitan district could these be grown, but we have 
never seen these winter flowers in finer form than at 
AA r oodside now, the fine pure whites especially, being 
not merely unexcelled in floriferousness, but also in size 
and massiveness of bloom aud habit of growth. A big 
batch of these whites in one of the houses is indeed a 
sight for the gods, and may well be likened to a mass 
of virgin snow. Gardeners would be in ecstacies could 
they everywhere have at command but a few dozen of 
such plants and heads of bloom as are to be seen at 
