March 5, 3.892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
419 
SOILS FOR PLANTS. 
The season is at hand when considerable quantities 
of loam and peat will be used, either separately or 
in admixture in various proportions. Now that our 
most practical men have given up the old practice 
of sifting soils, it is not uncommon to use soils in 
what is termed a “slumpy” condition, without 
considering what it will be like in the course of a 
few months. If loam of a tenacious nature be free 
from sand, and none is added to it, or any other 
material such as broken flints, charcoal, crocks, &c., 
the frequent application of water soon reduces the 
whole into an unhealthy condition for root action, 
with the consequent result that the plants soon get 
into bad health. 
In the case of sandy soils, these conditions are 
reversed, and the nature of the case is quite different. 
It is often stated that fibre will keep the whole right, 
and this is so, but only for a short time. How often 
do we see vine borders turned out—after having 
been made with the greatest care with turfy loam, 
which show the roots to be struggling for very 
existence—and replaced with loam, which in due 
time, if not speedily filled with roots, becomes as bad 
as that which was removed. But the same soil 
prepared with a mixture of open material and well 
chopped changes the situation entirely. 
I do not object to the pet practice of some who 
build up all such borders like so many turf walls t 
but would decidedly trust to something more than 
the mere fibre in the loam to keep the soil open and 
sweet—not loose of course, but firm and porous as 
well. A number of cases occur to me, and s«me sad 
ones too, of the destruction of plants in pots, 
Camellias especially, through the fibrous loam 
becoming consolidated and water holding. Dropping 
of buds and decaying of roots followed naturally. 
Peat when not sandy should be well broken up to 
allow the sand to get well mixed with the fibre, and 
all woody matter should be removed to obviate 
mischief from fungi.— Stilling. 
_ ♦ , 
PACKING CUT-FLOWERS. 
As we shall soon be in the midst of a plentiful 
supply of flowers, and as I am certain many of my 
readers would enjoy sending some to their friends who 
are not so highly favoured as themselves, I propose 
giving a few notes upon how to do, and how not to 
do this. 
There are two ways of sending cut-flowers, by rail 
and by parcel post. If the distance is not far, I 
prefer to send per rail as an ordinary parcel. 
Several of the railway companies have special low 
rates for cut-flowers. The London and Brighton, for 
instance, only charge half the usual rate; what 
would be sixpence for an ordinary parcel is only 
threepence if it contains cut-flowers, and so on 
according to weight and distance. Where the parcel 
has to travel a long way, there is considerable saving 
-by using the parcel post, and as this method of 
conveying them is almost as prompt (sometimes 
more so) as sending them direct by rail, it is a great 
boon to the public. 
The flowers will require the same care in packing, 
&c., whether they go per rail or post. 
The first requisite is a light, but strong box. 
Those that have contained scented soaps or any 
perfumes must be avoided. As a general rule empty 
boxes that are very suitable can be obtained from 
grocers and confectioners. Where large quantities 
are wanted, it is better and cheaper to buy a gross of 
mixed sizes from some box manufacturer. 
Flowers must be packed firmly as possible without 
actually bruising them ; this is a point that the in¬ 
experienced do not pay sufficient attention to. They 
are afraid of pressing in the flowers at all, and do 
not think that, unless they are firm enough not to 
shift easily, they will be very much bruised when 
they reach their destination. 
I am sorry to have to record it, but it is 
absolutely useless to put "with care,” "this side 
up," &c., to any such parcels. 
The post office use large baskets, and if these are 
not full of parcels they naturally shift about a great 
deal with the various rough handlings they receive ; 
and as to the railway porters, who ever saw them 
stop to read more than the bare address ? No, you 
must pack your flowers firm without crushing, and be 
sure the box is full. 
Do not place heavy flowers, such as Dahlias, &c., 
among light and delicate subjects. It is better to 
place these in another box, and tie the two together. 
Shallow boxes, and few layers of flowers, are also 
desirable. 
Should you be sending during cold weather, 
always line the box with a couple of sheets of paper. 
It is astonishing how much of the cold air these keep 
out. During summer and spring, you must keep the 
flowers cool, and one of the best things for this are 
Spinach or Lettuce leaves; in fact, anything soft 
and easily procured. 
Moss and cotton-wool I scarcely ever use, the 
former soils the more delicate flowers, and the latter 
sticks to them, and if dry, it absorbs so much of the 
moisture that would be of benefit to the flowers. 
The flowers should not be wet, but may be lightly 
spinkled, or have their ends dipped in water previous 
to packing them. It is also very much better when 
young and three parts expanded flower are chosen, 
and if possible, they should always be placed in 
water for an hour or so previous to sending them 
off. 
A great deal depends too, upon how they are 
treated upon arrival. If placed in water just as they 
arrive, without having a small portion of the bottom 
of their stalk cut off afresh with a sharp knife, they 
will not absorb the water up their stems. The 
pores of the stems get dry and are partially, if not 
completely, closed ; thus one will readily see how 
beneficial it is to cut them off afresh. If sending per 
post, always put the stamps on the direction label, 
and attach this to the side by a short piece of loose 
string. This will make it easy for the clerk to apply 
the cancelling stamp of the office, and if this has to 
be done to stamps affixed upon the b:>x itself, the 
result will often be disastrous, especially if you have 
studied economy too closely and used a thin frail 
box.— Experience. 
NOTES ON ROSES. 
Some may yet be contemplating the planting of 
Roses, and I have always planted dwarfs, especially 
those on their own roots, with great success at this 
period, and even later when the ground has been dry 
and friable. A great mistake too often committed is 
the planting of large collections instead of careful 
selections. In our own extensive.collection there are 
a ni mber of sorts which do not grow freely but 
flower abundantly ; but it is well to have both good 
qualities, as we invariably find that varieties which 
grow freely are in every respect the most serviceable. 
One can always check gross growth by lifting, root 
pruning, and replanting when necessary. 
I believe in good surface -dressings of decayed 
manure, but never could tolerate the appearance of 
a quantity of littery manure exposed on surfaces, 
which should at all times be neat and orderly. Too 
much of this is seen, and I do not wonder at the 
complaints of proprietors who tell us they would 
rather dispense with their choice Roses than have 
litter lying exposed on their dressed grounds. To 
keep dwarf Roses safe from frost I have found 
nothing answer so well as planting below the junction 
of scion and stock, and when there is a likelihood 
of frost we put some loose soil round the collars of 
the plants. Evergreens stuck among them also 
afford good protection. 
It is often during March and April when serious 
mischief is done, and then the real amount of injury is 
not known till May or June, when the plant requires 
much support from the roots, but cannot get it be¬ 
cause of the bark being destroyed at the junction of 
bud or graft. After pruning late in March we then 
fork in a liberal quantity of decayed manure. 1 do 
not remember cutting Loses, half blown, in such 
quantity as during the past autumn. Dupy Jamin, 
and General Jacqueminot extra fine .—Stil ling. 
THE POTATO, THE BEET, 
AND THE TURNIP. 
(Conduct d from p. 407.) 
The fly will sometimes have done their work 
of destruction before the young plants appear 
above ground. The soft soap mixture is a grand 
remedy, and will seldom have to be used a second 
time. If the ground is infested with wire-worm a 
little Mustard should be sown and trenched in the 
previous autumn. At the first thinning be very 
careful not to disturb or push on one side the plants 
you mean to leave, or imperfectly shaped roots may 
be expected. It is well to draw up a little earth 
round the young plants after the first thinning, in 
order that the wind may not blow them on one side. 
If moderately sized roots are required the plants may 
be left 8 in. apart at the final thinning, and if the 
leaves meet in the rows if will be all the better, for 
the ground will be kept moist and the roots shaded 
from the heat of the sun. Just before the plants 
begin to bulb put a good coating of vegetable ash 
over the whole bed. This will preserve the skin 
from the ravages of slugs. A model Turnip for 
exhibition should be as fair in the skin as an Apple, 
and without a single ring, spot, or inequality on its 
surface. 
Size for Exhibition. 
This is a matter which requires great reform, for at 
present no one seems to know what may take the 
particular fancy of the different judges from year to 
year. It would be well to fix a standard as to size, 
and if the judges would once and for ever ignore 
the gigantic specimens placed on the boards and 
award prizes only to specimens of the very highest 
quality and fair table size, a great object in the 
right direction would be gained and the beauty of 
our shows enhanced a thousand-fold. The general 
public visit our shows in order to inspect specimens 
of the highest excellence, and not such as they can 
grow and see in their own gardens any day. 
More Care Wanted in Showing Vegetables. 
Now it must be remembered that having grown our 
exhibition samples well we must be able to show 
them well. How sorry I have often felt when going 
the round of the exhibition tables to see really well- 
grown samples passed over by the judges, and all 
because they have been shown in a slovenly way. 
A highly respected old gardener gave me a bit of 
practical advice 20 years ago, which I shall never 
forget. It w-as this :—“ Sir, remember that a good 
dish of vegetables well shown is equal to a prize half 
won." 
Kinds to Grow for Exhibition. 
Exhibitors, as a rule, are a little shy about letting 
their fellow competitors know their special choice 
of varieties for exhibition ; but, for my own part, I 
do not see why such a feeling should exist, as, after 
all, the best cultivator is sure to win, be the variety 
what it may. This can be plainly seen with regard 
to my Carrots, for since the first year I exhibited 
the Scarlet Model, every exhibitor has done his 
level best to beat me with this same Carrot, but has 
not succeeded up to now ; and in some cases no one 
would know that the samples exhibited were any 
relation to the Model at all. Among Potatos, the 
following are good sorts to grow for the purpose of 
exhibition, and for crop and quality as well:—Kid¬ 
neys—Enterprise, Edgcote Purple, Reading Giant, 
Worsley Pride, The Cobbler, and Stourbridge Glory. 
Round Potatos—Veitch's Prodigious (rightly named, 
and, in my opinion, one of the very best for cropping 
and table use ; free from disease), The Dean, Early 
Puritan, Triumph, Windsor Castle, Renown, and 
Purple Perfection. In Beets, I would recommend 
Pragnell’s Exhibition, Dobbie's Dark Red (or 
Purple), and the Extra fine Dark. In Turnips— 
Veitch's Red Garden Globe, Golden Ball, and 
Snowball. 
An interesting discussion followed the reading of 
the paper, the opinion being freely expressed that at 
exhibitions judges should attach greater importance 
to quality and-not so much to size as they did at 
present. The best time for planting Potatos was 
freely discussed, and with the majority the middle 
of April found the most favour, regard, of course, 
being had to the earliness or lateness of particular 
districts. 
ORCHIDS AT ASHFORD. 
Dr. Wilkes, a much respected resident at Ashford, 
Kent, has formed a nice collecion of Orchids within 
the last few years, from which he derives much 
pleasure during his leisure hours. Although the 
collection does not contain such gigantic specimens 
as we often see, the plants are now getting into a nice 
useful flowering size. There is, however, a magnifi¬ 
cent Vanda tricolor which has 17 spikes and in all 
118 flowers, a grand healthy well-grown specimen, 
clothed with foliage down to the pot. Such a speci¬ 
men is net often met with now. 
Some seventy good species and varieties were in 
bloom at the time of a recent visit, and being taste¬ 
fully grouped with various other flowering and fine¬ 
leaved plants, made an exceedingly pleasing and 
interesting display. Under the care of Mr. Taber, 
the gardener, the collection is being steadily 
developed and improved, as one would expect from 
one who does everything well that he takes in hand. 
Ruslicus. 
