394 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 21, 1891. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
SEASONABLE WORK i« tke GARDEN. 
Hedychiums.— In re-potting Hedychium3, plenty 
of room should be allowed for the rhizomes to make 
increase during the summer months, as the best return 
in flowers is forthcoming when good growth is en¬ 
couraged. If planted out in beds or borders on the 
margins of tanks, a top-dressing will be sufficient, 
provided the soil of the bed is not exhausted. In the 
latter event take out the whole and fill up again with a 
compost of good fibrous loam, leaf-soil and sand. 
Gannas.—Now is the time to pull the old clumps 
to pieces and re-pot the divisions of the rhizomes into 
32-sized pots, or larger if the pieces require it. Place 
the pots in a pit where the heat is sufficient to give the 
plants a start. As the season advances and growth 
gets vigorous, the plants should be put in a cooler 
place with more ventilation, and gradually hardened 
off before the time arrives for planting them in the 
beds. 
Bougainvilleas. —The shoots of B. glabra may 
now be thinned out and pruned back. As the flowers 
are produced on the young wood, the aim of the culti¬ 
vator now should be to prune, so as to make a good 
framework to properly cover the trellis when the shoots 
are tied into position. As B. specio3a flowers on the 
ripened wood of the previous year, care will have to be 
exercised in the removal of shoots which may contain 
flower buds. The better plan is to thin out super¬ 
fluous growths during the growing period, or to remove 
them after the flowering period is over. 
Clerodendrcsns.—Most growers cut back their 
plants of C. Balfourianum just after they have finished 
flowering. "Where this has been done, nothing now 
remains but to re-pot the plants just after the buds 
have started into growth, using good fibrous loam, 
peat and sand, with a predominance of the former, as 
the gross-feeding roots delight in a good holding soil. 
Dipladenias.—As these make young growth it 
should be trained or allowed to run up pieces of twine 
close under the glass. By this means, every shoot gets 
a due amount of light with a free circulation of air 
around it, making the stems short jointed. Such will 
flower much more freely than if they had been tied 
round the trellis from the first. When it is desired to 
make up the specimen, the pliable shoots may be bent 
into any position. 
Costus.—The species of Costus, such as C. igneus 
and C. Malortieanus, should -be potted in a good rich 
compost with plenty of drainage, seeing that a largo 
amount of water is necessary during the growing 
period. 
Olivias.—As the flower scapes begin to appear, the 
plants should be placed in a higher temperature, and 
supplied with liquid manure occasionally to assist the 
development of the flowers. The latter come much 
larger and of better colour by such timely and kindly 
treatment. 
Verbenas and -Lobelias.—Where the stock of 
these has fallen low by some mishap or other, or where 
large quantities are required, the autumn struck 
cuttings and old plants should be placed in heat to 
start them into growth, after which any quantity of 
cuttings will be obtained. 
Peaches.—The early house should be kept at a 
night temperature of 55° to 60° with plenty of venti¬ 
lation on bright days. Close early so as to economise 
sun heat, syringing freely, and damping down every 
part of the house. Disbud and prune away the shoots 
that are not required, leaving only a sufficient number 
to fill the space at command without crowding. The 
weakest fruits may be removed at once ; but leave 
sufficient to allow for dropping at the stoning period. 
As soon as the fruits are set in the second early house, 
syringe the trees twice a day in fine weather. 
Melons.—If these are grown in properly constructed 
houses, with plenty of fire heat at command, the beds 
may now be made up for the young plants. Lay some 
brickbats over the wooden or slate bottom laid over the 
pipes. Some litter may be placed over this, and the 
whole covered with a layer of turf to keep the soil of 
the bed from mixing with the drainage. A ridge of 
soil, or even separate mounds, of compost should then 
be placed along the back of the bed, and allowed to 
attain the temperature of the house before the plants 
are committed to them. 
Cucumbers.—If old plants do not show a little 
vigour with the increase of light and longer days, it is 
evident that root action is lacking. Place a layer of 
fermenting dung and leaves over the surface of the soil 
in order to give a fresh stimulus to the roots, and the 
young shoots produced will give evidence of the fresh 
vigour induced. 
Cabbages.—The squares or borders of autumn- 
planted Cabbages should be gone over, and the blanks 
made good. Press the soil firmly round- the necks of 
such as may have been partly thrown out of the ground 
by frost. 
Shallots, &o.—Several of the Onion tribe may now 
be planted out, including Shallots, Garlic, and Chives. 
The clumps of the latter which have grown too large 
and become crowded, may be pulled apart and planted 
in small pieces. The vigour of the leaves will be 
greatly increased thereby. 
CRICKET GROUNDS. 
Assuming that the soil has the elements of fertility, 
that these are not doing their duty, and that ou 
analyzing we find it contains one, two, or three per 
cent, of lime, it ought to be dressed in proportion to the 
amount found. If fully four per cent, is found under 
the above conditions, I should look for the cause being 
something else. I believe that four per cent., generally 
speaking, is a sufficiently corrective and aggressive agent 
for all cricket grounds, and I am aware of the fact 
that if there is not at least five per cent, in pasture, it is 
absolutely necessary to dress it; but the ends in view 
are entirely different, and the condition of the soil will 
not be the same. I will assume for the sake of brevity 
that it is understood that lime containing certain 
percentages of magnesia acts injuriously on some soils, 
and the opposite on others, that lime may be in the 
subsoil aud not on the surface, and as a force useless, 
and that it acts beneficilly on mossy grounds. 
Charcoal is one of the best of the inorganic manures 
for dressing, and more especially for the “pitch,” 
chiefly because it retains its fertilising properties, and 
gives them out by slow degrees ; and for sour and 
adhesive cricket grounds, it ought to be largely used, 
either by itself or mixed. Soot if sparingly used does 
good, but it is too powerful a manure if liberally used, 
and more so in liquid form—“rushing ” the grass too 
much. Bnnemeal is excellent for dressing the “ pitch” 
and the grounds if they are properly drained, or for 
sandy soil; but ou stiff adhesive soil, it is not advisable 
to use. The best w T ay to use bones, say for the “ pitch,” 
is first to dress with charcoal to keep it sweet, and in 
a few days to sow it with the meal (condition of soil is 
the best guide for the quantity to be used), finishing 
with a nice sowing of sharp sand, as the “ pitch” has 
to be often rolled and watered. Charcoal and sand 
should generally be given liberally. 
Before dressing the “pitch” it is best to have the 
hare parts turfed over. Any manures in liquid form 
should not be used. If the grounds are poor the 
folding of sheep for a few weeks does much good, but 
keeping them off the “pitch.” Of course, this may n t 
■be convenient or possible in some places, and a good 
plan is to have a sufficient quantity of the excrement 
of sheep procured, and top-dress the grounds with 
it at the end of the year. This may he mixed with 
stove ashes, sand or loam, according to the condition 
of the soil. A top-dressing of the above, if annually 
given, will prove beneficial. These manures, if prac¬ 
tically applied, ought to produce the results desired, 
bearing in mind that spring dressing is different from 
autumn, the latter being somewhat coarse, and the 
former fine. If a water plug, to which a hose may 
be fixed for watering, is not near enough to the ‘' pitch,” 
a pipe should be laid down for this purpose. A very 
particular point is to have a fine rose on the hose, to 
shower the water on the grass. 
Mowing machines, if they have not been sent to the 
makers or other competent parties to overhaul, should 
be seen to at once. It will incur some expense to do 
this, but it is the most preferable way, and may in the 
end prove the cheapest ; it will also give the best satis¬ 
faction, and prove half the battle. Rolling will have 
to be done as the weather permits, the oftener the 
better. To eradicate worms from the “ pitch,” the 
most effectual plan is to get £ lb. or § lb. of corrosive 
sublimate and put it into a half-gallon jar, adding one 
quart or more of water, aud allowing it to stand for a 
day or two, giving it a stir now and again. When it 
ha3 partly dissolved it may be used at the rate of one, 
two or three glassfuls to every gallon of water. Then 
shower it slowly over the ground through a fine rose. 
If it he strong enough the worms will come to the top 
within four minutes or less, and they may either be 
swept up or gathered. Water may be put into the jar 
from time to time, until the corrosive sublimate is 
completely dissolved. I have used both warm and 
cold water, and have seen no injury done to the grass 
by using it. Care must be taken in working with it, as 
it is a powerful poison. I have not tried it on wire- 
worms, but I believe they will also come to the tep, 
and that it will prove as efficacious a remedy for 
eradicating them as it is for worms.— J. Cameron, 
Cargilfield, Edinburgh. 
-- 
THE SHRUBS AND TUBS IN 
MANCHESTER. 
An unusually interesting correspondence to those who 
know anything about the subject at issue, has recently 
been going on in the Manchester City News with 
leference to the experiment made by the Parks Com¬ 
mittee, which has several times been commented upon 
in our columns. We quote the latest letters on the 
subject, which are sufficiently amusing to warrant 
dissemination beyond the hounds of Cottonopolis :— 
“N.” writes: “It is apparent to the most casual 
observer who has any knowledge of plant life, that the 
shrubs in Albert Square are in a very bad condition, in 
fact that their days are numbered. It has been 
suggested that they should be buried out of sight. 
Instead of doing this it would be much better to have 
them cremated, and the ashes employed to enrich the 
soil in the tubs. Considering that so much money has 
been expended upon the tubs, it would be a pity to 
consign them to the rubbish heap without making a 
further effort to induce something to grow in them. 
As a suitable plant I would suggest the beautiful 
umbrageous perennial, Rheum hybridum, commonly 
called Rhubarb, and sometimes Biguley beef. It is a 
noble plant, and when its inflorescence—which is pro- 
ducedon astern from 5 ft. to 6 ft. high—is fully expanded, 
it cannot fail to please the most fastidious. There are 
several sorts in cultivation, some of them with high- 
sounding names. The Prince Albert and Victoria 
varieties would be found the most suitable and appro¬ 
priate for the purpose. If the Town Gardening 
Committee can see their way to adopting this suggestion, 
I would strongly advise them to obtain the plants by 
tender, as it is the best and most economical way. 
Some of the large growers would perhaps be quite 
willing to supply the plants cost free for the privilege 
and possible advantage to be derived from advertising 
their produce. This plant is well worthy an extensive 
trial, and if it did not succeed so well as could be 
desired, there would he the satisfaction of knowing 
that it was not so expensive an experiment as the 
present. Thirty plants would be quite sufficient to 
begin with, and if these were properly planted, and 
subsequently well managed, they should be in full 
flower early in summer, when I feel certain it would be 
a sight which few persons who might have the pleasure 
of seeing them, would soon forget.” 
Another correspondent—-“Sancta Simplicitas” says: 
—“The ‘Shrubs and Tubs’ in Albert Square force 
themselves on my observation twice daily, and I think 
some steps should be taken to lessen the offence to my 
eyes. Why not paint the shrubs emerald-green, using 
one of the new enamel paints ? There would be a 
three-fold advantage:—(1) Spring greenery all tli3 
year round ; (2) they would clean easily with soap 
and water; (3) putting a stop to the bickerings 
between newspaper correspondents.” 
-- 
THE RIND OF THE ORANGE. 
With reference to this subject, Dr. Bon avia read a 
communication at the last meeting of the Scientific 
Committee, referring to the two specimens shown at the 
previous meeting. One had of course an enveloping 
peel. Within this was a whorl of pulp carpels. Within 
this again was a second whorl without peel on its out¬ 
side ; so that we can hardly consider the peel as the 
outerside of the pulp carpels. The peel is evidently 
not an essential part of the pulp carpels. It can be 
suppressed, while the pulp carpels remain, as in this 
case of the inner Orange. 
But what is most interesting in this specimen is, 
that in the centre of the inner Orange there were two 
strips of peel, adherent to the placental margins of the 
inner carpels, each strip having its oil-cell-coloured 
surface directed towards the centre, and not, as is usual, 
towards the outside of the Grange. 
To my mind this would indicate that the peel is a 
distinct whorl, independent of the pulp carpels. In 
the doubling of this Orange we have (a), a peel whorl ; 
( b ), a pulp whorl; (c), another pulp whorl ; (<?), a peel 
