744 
THE GAKDENING WORLD 
July 20, 1889. 
they occur in a wild state. E. diffusa may readily be 
propagated from cuttings under a hand-glass, or by 
division of the plant in spring when growth is just 
commencing, and when the ground is still moderately 
moist, so that the pieces may soon become re-established. 
Lupinus subcarnosus. 
A FEW plants of this pretty species from Texas may be 
seen in the collection of annuals now on trial in the 
gardens of the Eoyal Horticultural Society at Chiswick. 
The stems are as yet only about 6 ins. or 8 ins. high, 
terminating in racemes of deep blue flowers. On the 
standard or upper petal is a conspicuous white blotch 
changing to purple as they get older, and giving the 
flowers the same lively appearance which is so charac¬ 
teristic of many of the shrubby New Holland members 
of the Pea family, such for instance as Swainsonia, 
Hardenbergia, Chorozema, and others. The long- 
stalked leaves of Lupinus subcarnosus are digitately 
divided into from five to seven lance-shaped, sub-fleshy 
leaves that are hairy beneath and have given rise to 
the specific name. It is also known under the name of 
L. texensis and L. bimaculatus. 
The Strawberry Crop in Kent. 
A correspondent states, as a fact, that 190 tons of 
Strawberries were sent away this season from one little 
station in Kent. He remarks also that the Raspberries 
promise to be a fine lot. A five acre plot produced 
four tons of fruit at the first picking, which is reckoned 
pretty good for a start. 
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VEGETABLE NOTES FROM THE 
NORTH. 
Early Potatos. —It is always a matter of importance 
to get Potatos as early as possible from the open ground 
to relieve pits, frames, and other structures, and allow 
of their being turned to use for other purposes. The 
present season has been one of the best I ever remember 
for the growth of early vegetables of all kinds, every 
kind coming in at the right time to succeed something 
which has been of good service before it. When the 
forced Potatos came to an end, about the 20 th of June, 
our attention was turned to those in the open ground, 
and very agreeably was I surprised to find them in such 
good condition, and the ripening process so far advanced. 
Belvoir Kidney took the lead in its class, and gave a 
good crop of useful size and good quality, some 
measuring from 4 ins. to 5 ins. in length. Yeitch’s 
Ashleaf (always good when true to name), the old 
Ashleaf and Mona’s Pride, represented the other 
earliest Kidneys. I have only tried one round kind, 
named Drummond’s Early, which is really ripe and of 
good useful size ; the quality is the best that I ever 
remember trying at the beginning of July. I do not 
know how widely this kind is known, but it is a 
favourite about Stirling ; and once when the Messrs. 
Drummond, of Stirling, exhibited it at a provincial 
exhibition, I was greatly taken by its fine appearance, 
and the good recommendation it received from the firm 
induced me to give it an impartial trial. A good round 
Potato grown under ordinary circumstances on cold 
coarse land is of no mean value ; as a forced Potato it 
also was most satisfactory. I have found it a good 
practice when planting early Potatos on such a cold 
clay soil as I have under my charge to ridge the ground 
up roughly, planting the sets in the ridges when the 
weather is dry, and the ground in good order. They 
do well if covered with any old potting soil or chopped 
turf if such can be spared. Old Mushroom manure 
and leaf-soil applied dry as covering, is very conducive 
to good results. The ridges are then reversed and left 
somewhat roughly on the surface. Between the Potatos, 
Early Turnips, Spinach, Radishes, and other light 
crops are grown, and being in a measure sheltered, do 
well in such positions. 
Cauliflower. —The successions of Cauliflower (five 
in number) from the first cutting were very satisfactory. 
Planted between ridges well pulverised by March winds, 
they received no check. The warm rains and absence 
of frost during April and May were greatly in their 
favour, and when large enough they had the ridges 
levelled among them, and the stems well covered. All 
the kinds are doing or have done well. Downie’s 
Early and Yeitch’s Extra Early are not very distinct 
from each other, but both are most useful. Early 
London, "Walcheren, and Stadtholder will prolong the 
season till the spring-sown kinds come into use. 
Though Spinach is grown between these early crops 
they are all we could desire. 
Dwarf Peas.—M ultum in Parvo has done excellent 
service as a dwarf Pea. The pods are not large but 
well filled, the quality is excellent, peas being large, 
and in unusually great abundance. "When the pods 
were set the haulm was turned over, which has pro¬ 
tected the crop from the drought and hot sun. Blue 
Peter (from second sowings) is doing well among fruit 
bushes. Our close cropping proclivity is irresistible, 
being inherited from very early associates in market 
gardens, and never having seen reasons to object to the 
practice it has grown with years. Drought continues, 
having had no rain to moisten the soil since May 25th. 
Onions. —Amongst half a dozen kinds of Onions 
Banbury Improved has out-distanced all the others in 
growth, and no effects from grubs are noticeable, which 
is more than can be said of the others. Only the 
weakly ones as yet show distress, and as thinning is done 
less severely than usual, these “unfortunates ” can be 
well spared. Dustings of soot mixed with fine ashes 
have been given, and could we spare water a soaking 
would be administered to wash it down to the roots. 
Reverting to the Banbury Improved Onion it is striking 
to note that the strength of the plant and its active 
growth evidently resist the attacks of grubs, and the 
more weakly-growing kinds are attacked the worst. 
Yermin has appeared among Carrots, attacking the 
Short Horn kinds first ; the space was filled up with 
bog earth, and well sooted, but with no apparent 
benefit. Parsley, too, seems to have its tormentors, 
and young plants are being puddled in a soot mixture 
and transplanted. Winter Parsley stood excellently. 
Stirling. 
- »X<- . — 
The Gard eners’ C alendar. 
THE STOVE. 
Allamandas, Dipladenias, and Ixoras. —Whether 
grown in pots or planted out, the two former of these 
should now be in full flower, and if properly attended 
to, will give a supply of bloom till autumn. If grown 
in pots, they will require more attention in the matter 
of watering, and assistance should be given with fre¬ 
quent doses of weak liquid manure. Growth will be 
continuous and even freer should the blooms be removed 
from time to time for cut-flower purposes. Old plants 
of Ixoras have been flowering for many weeks past, and 
would now derive much benefit by the use of liquid 
manure. Young plants, and those that are annually 
much cut back for the purpose of obtaining a supply of 
cut flowers, are also in bloom, and pay for liberal 
treatment. 
Achimenes, Gesneras, &c. —These are now rapidly 
reaching the flowering stage, and should be assisted 
with weak manure water, which will greatly improve 
both flowers and foliage. Be careful not to keep the 
atmosphere of the house too damp, otherwise both 
flowers and foliage will be liable to damp off; decaying 
leaves and blooms should be removed immediately, to 
prevent them from destroying others. More air than 
was given in their earlier stages will now prove advan¬ 
tageous in keeping the plants healthy and fresh. 
Winter-flowering Plants. —Young plants now 
rooted and potted off should be well exposed to light 
and freely ventilated, so as to keep them sturdy and 
dwarf. Pinch back any rampant-growing shoots, so as 
to render the plants close and bushy. They will prove 
all the more serviceable and floriferous for a little 
timely attention in this way. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Cyclamens. —Where old plants have been kept cool 
and moderately dry in order to rest them, the old 
foliage will have dropped and young leaves be pushing 
again. When this is the case they should be re-potted 
without delay. Water the old soil in which they are 
grown some hours previous to turning them out, so 
that the roots can readily be separated from the soil 
without breaking. Cut away injured or decaying 
pieces, and pot the corns firmly in good loam, with an 
admixture of clean silver-sand. With soil of this 
description 6-in. pots are large enough in most cases 
for old corms. Feeding with liquid manure when 
coming into bloom will be found a better plan than 
giving larger pots and using manure in the compost. 
Seedlings should also be potted on as they require it. 
Early-flowering Chrysanthemums. — A place 
should be found for these in the greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory, or at least under glass, because they flower 
much more freely there than out of doors, especially 
the large-flowering kinds, such as Madame Desgranges 
and Mons. G. Wermig, otherwise known as the yellow 
Madame Desgranges. They should still, however, be 
kept freely ventilated unless wanted to come in very 
early, and syringed on hot days to keep the foliage 
fresh. 
THE FRUIT HOUSES. 
Yineries.— Yines in early houses should be kept well 
syringed with the hose or garden engine, in order to 
keep the foliage healthy and free from red-spider or 
insect pests. The borders should not be allowed to get 
dry for the purpose of ripening the wood, because if 
proper ventilation be given, ripening will proceed 
rapidly enough during the present warm weather. The 
buds also swell up and get into a better condition next 
spring than if the Yines are starved. The atmosphere 
of the Muscat house where the Grapes are now ripening 
should be kept drier and more freely ventilated, leaving 
top air on all night; this will greatly improve the 
flavour and quality of the fruit. Avoid crowding of 
the foliage, as all the light possible is requisite for the 
finishing of the berries. Laterals produced now should 
be entirely removed. 
Figs.— After the first crop of fruit has been gathered, 
the house should be kept warm and moist, in order to 
encourage the swelling of the late crop of fruit. Close 
up early in the afternoon, syringe, and damp down 
heavily, allowing the temperature to run up as high 
as 90° to 95°. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Peaches, Apricots, Plums, &c.—Stone fruits of all 
kinds on walls must not be neglected in the matter of 
pruning and tying. Useless lateral shoots should be 
removed, and the leading ones nailed in, so as to 
increase the size of the trees where their wall space is 
not yet fully occupied. 
Winter Crops. —The recent rain has put the soil 
into suitable condition for planting winter and late 
crops, and where the work has not been completed it 
should be hastened forthwith, so that the plants may 
become thoroughly established, and be read}" to grow 
away strongly when the moister and shorter, but warm 
autumn days come. 
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ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 
The Orchid Growers’ Calendar. 
At this period of the year the cultivator of Orchids has 
the pleasure of seeing the majority of the plants under 
his care in active growth, and very interesting it is to 
him to watch the development of leaves and pseudo¬ 
bulbs, and to see plants which have been heavily taxed 
by flowering plumping up again, and making better 
and stronger growths than in the previous season. 
Some plants appear to be stubborn and only grow 
very slowly, while others of the same variety are doing 
as well as possible alongside ; and it seems evident that 
some are weaker in constitution than others, and should 
not be allowed to carry their flowers so long, nor to 
occupy such large pots or baskets as the stronger¬ 
growing forms. 
Even at the present time there are a great number of 
plants of Cattleya gigas and its varieties in this 
country, which have been grown for many years without 
flowering, while others flower annually under precisely 
the same treatment, which seems to prove that some 
are much more free in flowering than others ; but by 
choosing a very light position, with only the slightest 
shade, the greater portion of them will flower, and, 
undoubtedly, they do make a gorgeous show at this 
season when flowers are not plentiful. 
Lielia elegans is another very showy plant, which is 
now in flower, and succeeds well when grown with L. 
purpurata. It flowers at various times. The same 
plants are frequently flowering twice in the year, and 
the great variety of forms from L. elegans alba to L. e. 
Turneri make it very useful. 
Ltelia grandis, Cattleya Eldorado, and the strongly 
scented C. Gaskelliana are all now in full beauty, and 
have succeeded C. Mossiie and C. Mendelii, being 
easy to cultivate. C. Eldorado is doing best in the 
East Indian house, which is kept moist, while the 
others do admirably with C. Triame and C. Mossice.— 
IV. P. 
Cypripedium Parishi. 
The scape of this species bears from four to seven 
flowers, and has much the aspect of a Selenipedium. 
The leaves, moreover, are more like those of C. Stonei, 
and are rigid, oblong-strap-shaped, unequally lobed at 
the apex, deep green, and channelled. The upper 
sepal is oblong, revolute at the sides or more or less 
twisted, and pale yellow, with darker veins and a 
