April 23, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
537 
appearance. The perianth is shortly tubular, and 
white along the front both inside and outside. The 
segments are subulate, and white with yellow tips, 
all three about equal in size, and diverging in a 
triangular manner at regular distances apart. The 
small lip is purple and hidden in the tube formed by 
the united bases of the outer segments. A well- 
flowered plant was exhibited at the Drill Hall on 
the 12th inst., by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart , M.P., 
when a Botanical Certificate was accorded it. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN. 
Cycads. —Cycas revoluta can be kept in good con¬ 
dition in a temperate house, but even that, like 
several other species, and Zamias make a much 
better growth if placed in a stove temperature just 
when they show that they are about to develop a 
new tier of leaves. After these are fully developed 
and getting firm, the plants may be gradually inured 
to the temperature of a cooler house, and by the time 
that growth has been completed the weather will be 
warmer. This is a much better plan than allowing 
the plants to make their new growth in a low tempe¬ 
rature. 
Fine-foliaged Begonias. —Plants of this class 
may now be repotted, dividing the plants where too 
large. This is best when done previous to fresh 
growth being made, or at least before it has made 
much advance. Strong crowns of course make the 
finest leaves. 
Bouvardias. —Those who have not a sufficient 
stock of young plants of Bouvardias may yet root 
more cuttings, which will form a succession to those 
already struck and potted off. Young shoots may be 
taken off with a heel of the old wood, and firmly in¬ 
serted round the sides of small pots in sandy soil and 
placed in the propagating frame. They root with 
much more certainty now that the days are longer 
and the light better. This may be done when the 
young shoots are two or three inches long. 
Tuberous Begonias —Young seedlings should 
be potted off before they become crowded in the seed 
pans or boxes into which they have been trans¬ 
planted. Crowding has the effect of drawing up the 
plants in a leggy and weak condition, weakening the 
plants for the rest of the season. So long as plants 
are not subjected to full and direct sunshine, they 
cannot be too much exposed to light, in order that 
the stems may be dwarf, short jointed, and sturdy, 
for then they branch more freely and are more 
durable as well as more presentable when they come 
into bloom. 
Solanums. —If the old plants intended for fruit¬ 
ing another year are not cut back they should be 
seen to at once so that they may come into bloom 
during fine weather and be able to set plenty of 
fruit. All the young shoots should be cut down 
within an eye or two of the old wood. Then keep 
them dry, and after a few days place them in heat 
so as to start them into vigorous growth. Pinch any 
shoots that are likely to take the lead to the dis¬ 
advantage of others 
Vineries. —Where early grapes have reached that 
stage when they cease swelling for a time, a final 
examination may be given the bunches to cut out 
small and imperfectly fertilised berries, the removal 
of which will add much to the appearance of the 
bunches when they come to be cut for the table. 
Where the berries are inclined to lock by too much 
crowding, the removal of a berry or two in such 
places will give the desired relief. In later houses, 
filled with Muscats and Alicants, thinning may be 
advantageously delayed a little longer than in the case 
of the freer setting kinds, so that it may be seen which 
berries are going to take the lead. In giving the 
necessary thinning the weakly or badly fertilized 
ones may be cut away. Disbudding and tying down 
cannot be too closely followed up in late houses, so 
as to prevent overcrowding and avoid the cutting 
away of much wood after it has been formed. 
Cucumbers. —Old plants that have been fruiting 
during the past winter will now be making a con¬ 
siderable amount of young wood, and where that is 
the case, attention will have to be given to thinning 
or disbudding. Should the cultivator desire to 
grow the plants on again, the old side shoots will 
have to be cut away from time to time, giving prefer¬ 
ence to young ones which will renovate the plants. 
Then remove some of the old soil from the surface 
of the beds, injuring the roots as little as possible. 
Replace this with a compost consisting of two parts 
of good fibrous loam and one part of well-decayed 
cow manure, into which the roots can grow and form 
a fresh system to feed the plants. 
Peaches and Apricots. — If nothing has yet been 
done to protect the blossom, which is nowsoplentiful, 
it ought to be seen to at once. Where no wall pro¬ 
tectors are in use, some two or three folds of herring 
netting will keep out a considerable amount of frost, 
and may be left on during the day. Spruce branches, 
or those of the Cherry Laurel, may be employed, by 
sticking them in all over trees upon walls. Where 
there are no branches strong enough to hold up 
those used for protection the latter may be tied 
on. When placed on the upper side of those it is 
desired to protect, it is astonishing what amount of 
loss of heat from the wall they will prevent. They 
need not be taken off till the state of growth of the 
trees necessitates it. 
SOCIETIES. 
Royal Horticultural, April igth .—The miscellaneous 
exhibits brought up at the meeting on this occasion 
were not so numerous as last week, greater part of 
the staging being occupied with the exhibits of the 
National Auricula Society. A fair-sized group of 
Orchids was exhibited by Messrs. F. Sander & Co., 
St. Albans, for which a Silver Banksian Medal was 
awarded. It included several new forms of Odonto- 
glossum and Oncidium Gravesianum. A small group 
of Oncidium luridum was exhibited by C. E. Smith, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Quarterman), Silvermere, 
Cobham. Cypripedium Exul was exhibited by R. 
J. Measures, Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. Simpkins), 
Cambridge Lodge, Camberwell. A collection of 
Daffodils and Anemones was exhibited by Messrs. 
Barr & Son, Covent Garden. A group of Guelder 
Rose and Robinia hispida, forced, was shown by C. 
E. Smith, Esq., for which a Bronze Banksian Medal 
was awarded. Some baskets of Roses were shown 
by Messrs. Wm. Paul & Son, Waltham Cross. A 
basket of the Victoria Violet, and two baskets of 
white Primroses were shown by J. T. Hopwood, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. W. H. Divers), Ketton Hall, 
Stamford. Some spikes of Hyacinths grown from 
bulbils, in from three to five years, were brought up 
from the Royal Gardens, Kew. A basket of Rho¬ 
dodendron racemosum in bloom, and lifted from the 
open ground about ten days ago, as well as some 
Amaryllis, Astilbe Thunbergii, and Cattleya Philo 
was exhibited by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. 
Cattleya Alexandra was brought up by Messrs. 
Linden, Parc Leopold, Brussels. Tropaeolum Lobbii 
variegatum Spitfire was shown by M. J, Sillier, 
nurseryman, Paris. Some very fine seedlings of 
Amaryllis were shown by Viscountess Hambledon. 
Clivia Britannia was staged by Messrs. Boelens 
Bros., Ledeberg-lez-Gand. A silver Banksian Medal 
was awarded to Mr. W. Harper, Mill Mead Nursery, 
Guildford, for two large baskets of choice Alpine 
plants, including Saxifragas, Gentians, Primulas, 
and Anemones. Some prizes were offered for Daffo¬ 
dils grown in the open by amateurs, and the first 
prize for a collection was taken by C. W. Cowan, 
Esq., Valleyfield, Pennycuick, Midlothian, who had 
a large number of varieties set up on moss. The 
second prize was taken by H. J. Adams, Esq. (gar¬ 
dener, Mr. C. May), Roseneath, Enfield. The first 
prize for nine varieties was taken by W. H. Berkeley 
James, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Gibson), The Oaks, 
Carshalton ; the second prize in this case went to the 
Rev. E. Bourne, Dunstan Vicarage, Lincoln. W. 
H. Berkeley James, Esq., was again first for six 
varieties; and J. W. Melles, Esq., Sewardstone 
Lodge, Chingford, was second. The first prize for 
a collection of Daffodils, Polyanthus excluded, was 
taken by the Rev. S. E. Bourne. H. J. Adams, 
Esq., was second in this case, and J. T. Hopwood, 
Esq., was third. 
At a meeting of the Fruit Committee a Cultural 
Commendation was awarded to Mr. Gilbert, Burgh- 
ley. for a basket of Strawberries La Grosse Sucree. 
Mr. G. Wythes, gardener to the Duke of North¬ 
umberland, Syon House, Brentford, again showed 
three punnets of Syon House Strawberry, a dwarf 
seedling from Keen’s Seedling. A Cultural Commen¬ 
dation was awarded to Mr. F. Lees, Ihe Vineyard, 
Connaught Road, Reading, for Strawberries ; and a 
similar award was made to Mr. Owen Thomas, 
The Royal Gardens, Frogmore, for excellent 
examples of Black Hamburgh and Foster’s Seed¬ 
ing Grapes ripened in March. 
Questions sod ansmeRS. 
’** Correspondents are requested, in order to avoid delay, 
to address all communications to " The Hditor ” 
or “ The Publisher," and not to any person bv 
name, unless the correspondence is of a private 
character. Telegrams may be addressed “ Bambusa 
London." 
Aspidistra lurida — F.G.: In hothouses potting 
and division might have been effected some time ago, 
as growth commences earlier under those conditions 
\ our window plants may however be divided and 
repotted now, as growth will commence shortly with 
the accession of warm w'eather Remove as much 
soil as is necessary to see how the roots may be 
separated without injuring them more than can be 
helped. Make the necessary cuts with a knife in 
preference to using a trowel or other blunt instru¬ 
ment. Preserve as many roots as possible to each 
crown of leaves, and pot quite firmly. Drain the 
pots well because it should stand for some years 
before repotting will again require to be done, as the 
plant grows very slowly as a rule. Use a compost 
of good fibrous loam, a little leaf soil and plenty of 
sand. 
How to Peg Down Roses. — A. RintouT. This 
had best be done in the autumn while the young 
shoots are still quite pliable and less liable to break 
in the operation. If there are plenty of straight 
young shoots which have been made during the 
previous summer, cut away all the old wood which 
lias finished flowering, and peg down the young ones 
at 9 in. apart all over the bed, so as to completely 
cover it with foliage in the summer time. The 
flowering shoots will grow upright from every eye 
along the pegged-down shoots, and furnish a greater 
quantity of bloom than in the ordinary way of 
treating them. The fact of the shoots being pegged 
down will encourage strong young shoots from the 
base of the plant, or from the bent part of the pros¬ 
trate ones. Should there not be sufficient young 
wood to peg down, the young shoots on the old ones 
should be cut back to two or three eyes. 
Lead-glazing.— A. J. A’.: This is not a new plan, 
but has been practised for some time Strips of lead 
are nailed on the top of sash bars, and bent so that a 
fold will lie under the panes or pieces of glass. The 
free end is then folded over the edge of the glass 
holding it down. One strip of lead is made so as to 
hold down two adjoining pieces of glass, so that 
when ready for use it resembles an inverted j_ with 
the lead of it double by the folding above mentioned. 
. The lead is held down by means of two nails cr 
screws, which are driven before the glass is laid on 
so that there is no danger of breaking the glass in 
the operation. 
Escallonia punctata. — R. M. : It frequently 
happens that the Escallonias get injured during the 
winter or early spring, but they generally break out 
again from the old w'ood, so that we advise you to 
leave the plants until the summer is sufficiently ad¬ 
vanced to show whether there is still any 1 life in them. 
The weaker branches may- be cut away now if the 
w’ood appears dried up and dead, so as to reduce the 
size of the plant, and then wait for the results. 
New Holland Pitcher Plant. — H. Jamieson : It 
does not require much heat provided always the frost 
is kept out; but it should be covered with a bell- 
glass at least in the summer time while making its 
growth. The compost should consist of live sphag¬ 
num chopped up. and lumpy' peat broken up by hand, 
with plenty of silver sand to keep the whole porous 
and open. Small pieces of whitestone laid on the top 
of the compost will give the whole an air of neatness. 
Although less moisture is necessary in winter than 
in summer, y'et the roots must not be allowed to get 
dry at any time, and the foliage should be in a moist 
atmosphere rather than otherwise, although it should 
not on any account be wetted. 
Black Fly on Pe'ach Trees. — W. J. West: You 
cannot too soon commence to destroy' the aphides, 
because if taken in time while the colonies are still 
small and before the leaves are much expanded, 
they are more easily dealt with. Some growers use 
paraffin, rubbing it into the affected parts by means of 
a small brush, but although effective it is rather a 
dangerous expedient, and liable to damage the young 
leaves. Tobacco powder well dusted upon the 
aphides, making sure that those covered by the 
leaves are reached, will destroy the pest while the 
foliage of the Peaches will not be injured. If this is 
done w'hile the foliage is wet in the morning the 
tobacco will stick better; or the trees may be 
syringed on purpose before commencing the opera¬ 
tion. The trees may be gone over a second time a 
few days aftenvards to see whether any of the insects 
have escaped notice. 
Blossom and Frost. — Omega : Most likely no one 
has ever determined the exact figures which you 
require. That fruit blossom in the half expanded 
state and when quite dry will stand a greater amount 
of cold than when fully expanded and wet is quite 
certain ; but how' many' degrees of frost would kill in 
each case is a different matter. Supposing this were 
tested in a laboratory, what would be the value of it.-' 
We know that two’trees will differ not only in the 
same garden, but on the same piece of ground, and 
