September 21, 1896 . 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
43 
conically pointed form. They contain a great 
amount of firm and well blanched leaves suitable 
for table use. Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, and 
Messrs. Barr & Son. 
Cabbage Early Blood-red.— Several varieties 
of Red Cabbage were grown upon trial, and the 
committee gave three marks each to Sutton’s Blood- 
red from Messrs. Sutton & Son, and to Erfurt 
Blood-red from Mr. Ernest Benary, Erfurt, 
Germany. 
Potato Syon House Prolific. —The tubers of 
this variety are oval, somewhat flattened, white, and 
of excellent quality when cooked. Mr. George 
Wythes, Syon House Gardens, Brentford. 
Potato Sutton’s Triumph.— The tubers in this 
case are somewhat pebble-shaped, with a rough, 
white skin. When cooked they are of excellent 
quality. The variety has acquired a considerable 
reputation since it was sent out in 1892. Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons. 
Potato Cockerill’s Seedling. —Though this 
variety is not a very robust grower, the pebble¬ 
shaped white tubers become very mealy and of good 
flavour when cooked. Mr. A. Cockerill, Northamp¬ 
ton. 
Potato Pride of Tonbridge.— In this case the 
tubers are round, but flattened with a rough, white 
skin, and when cooked, as all of the above varieties 
were at Chiswick, they proved of excellent quality. 
Messrs. M. Webber & Co. 
■-—«*•—- 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
It will be necessary now to devote increased atten¬ 
tion to the maturing of all the growths made by the 
plants during the summer, in order to put them in 
the best possible condition for standing the low tem¬ 
peratures and damp, heavy atmospheres that will 
prevail during the ensuing winter. But little shading 
will be required now, and that only for an hour or 
so in the middle of bright days. The syringe may 
still be plied regularly night and morning, although 
in the day the atmosphere may be suffered to become 
considerably drier than it has been allowed to do up 
to the present. This will facilitate the ripening 
previously referred to. With the advent of colder 
nights the fires must be driven in proportion as the 
outside temperature declines, as the thermometer 
in the stove should not be suffered to drop below 
70° Fahr. for a few weeks yet. 
Caladiums. —These have well nigh fulfilled their 
allotted task, and are preparing themselves for their 
annual rest. If a vacant warm pit is available the 
plants should be removed to it as they become shabby. 
They may be stood quite close together, giving them 
a syringing every now and again to keep down red 
spider. Do not withhold water from them too 
suddenly or the tubers will suffer, but gradually 
curtail the water supply, thus allowing them time 
and opportunity to finish naturally. 
Gloxinias. —The later batches of these, too, are 
showing signs that growth is well nigh completed for 
the season. Dry them off gradually therefore, as 
was recommended in the case of the earlier ones, and 
afterwards lay the pots on their sides underneath a 
stage or on a shelf where they will get a temperature 
of from 50° to 55 ? Fahr. 
Allamandas.— Continue to keep these going with 
liberal applications of manure water, as they are 
strong rooting subjects, and when carrying a lot of 
flowers are subject to considerable strain. The 
same directions will apply to Bougainvilleas and 
Dipladenias that have been blooming freely. 
Greenhouse. 
The turning of the leaves should warn the gardener 
that soon the first chill breath of winter may make 
it lively for him, and constrain him to find shelter 
for a host of subjects which have been placed out of 
doors all the summer, but which will soon be calling 
for shelter from winter's cold blasts. This depart¬ 
ment is usually the most congested of any during 
the dull months, and therefore preparations must be 
made without delay to put things ship-shape and in 
readiness. First of all there will be a great deal of 
useless stuff to clear away, such as Coleuses, 
Balsams, Celosias, shabby Begonias, Fuchsias, and 
Pelargoniums, some being thrown away and others 
ripened Off for their approaching rest. The house 
should then be washed and everything will be in 
readiness. 
Climbers. —Where dense masses of Tacsonias, 
Plumbagos, etc., hang from the roof the growths 
should be thinned out, so as to give as much light as 
possible. Lapagerias will be nearly out of flower 
now, but their pruning must be put off till spring. 
The plants should be looked over now for mealy bug, 
which is very partial to them, and is usually to be 
found amongst them to some extent. 
Heaths.— On no account should these be left out 
of doors until too late in the season. They should 
be lifted from the plunging ground, the pots washed, 
the surface of the soil cleaned of any moss or other 
green stuff that may be growing on it, and the plants 
removed to the shelter of the greenhouse. A light 
corner should, if possible, be given them. 
Pits and Frames. 
Cinerarias. —Although usually spoken of as green¬ 
house plants, Cinerarias are generally grown in cold 
frames, for the reason that in the earlier stages of 
their growth the loftier houses are much too dry and 
arid for them. They really do best when stood on 
ashes in a cool frame or pit with a northern aspect. 
In structures of this kind there is always more or less 
humidity, and this suits the Cineraria admirably. 
Attend now to the potting on of the plants as 
required. Do not allow tte roots to become matted 
before the necessary shift isgiven, but at the same time 
avoid over-potting. Give more space to the plants 
as growth calls for it, and thus insure having dwarf 
stocky specimens. A light fumigation now and 
again will be needed if fly makes an appearance. 
Calceolarias. —These must in all cases be kept 
as cool as possible. A place in a north frame, as 
advised for Cinerarias, suits them admirably, 
although they may be aired more freely than the 
latter. If slugs do any damage traps must be set for 
them. A Lettuce leaf or two, laid here and there 
between the plants, proves a very tempting morsel 
for the greedy slug, aud he may be easily caught 
whilst regaling himself upon the coveted dainty. 
Propagation of Bedding Plants. —This work 
must be carried on with all possible speed so as to 
get everything finished by the last week in 
September. Early cuttings not only root better and 
make finer plants, but they stand an increased 
chance of passing through the winter without taking 
harm. 
Tuberous Begonias. —As these are removed from 
the conservatory and greenhouse they should be 
stood pot thick in a cold frame deep enough to hold 
them comfortably. Here they can be attended to 
for water with the greatest of ease, and the tubers 
are thus plump and sound instead of shrivelled and 
weakly, as is the case when they are neglected and 
allowed to dry off too suddenly. 
Violets. —It is now high time that the beds of 
Violets to supply flowers throughout the winter 
should be made up. Where deep brick pits are used 
these will have been filled up with fermenting 
material early in the summer for the growing of 
Melons and Cucumbers. The old soil may be taken 
off and a good layer of loam, two-thirds, and well- 
rotted stable manure, one-third, may be placed on it, 
bringing the compost up quite close to the glass so 
as to allow for any subsequent shrinking. If such a 
convenience does not exist the best plan is to make 
up a bed of stable manure about 2 ft. deep, placing a 
cold frame on the top of it, of course allowing a 
margin of at least 18 in. to 2 ft. to admit of the work¬ 
men getting round the frame as needed. Whichever 
plan is adopted it matters not, as Violets are very 
easily contented subjects. The plants must be taken 
up with as good balls as possible, and planted firmly 
from 10 to 12 in. apart each way, according to their 
size and strength. A good watering may be 
given, and the frames kept rather close for a day or 
two to enable the plants to get a hold of the new 
soil. 
Pot Plants. —Violets are not grown in pots nearly 
so frequently as they should be, for when treated 
thus they form very desirable objects for placing in 
vases in rooms. A 6-in. pot will be plenty large 
enough for all purposes. After potting they may be 
placed in a cold frame and kept close, afterwards 
transferring them to a shelf near the glass in the 
greenhouse, as a winter night temperature of 45 0 
Fahr., rising to 50^ by day, will be ample. Indeed, 
Violets will not stand hard forcing, and consequently 
it should not be attempted. 
Richardias in Borders. —If these have been 
looked after properly during the summer they should 
have made nice strong growth by this time. They 
should be lifted and potted up without delay, for 
delays are notoriously dangerous. Lift them with 
as little injury to the roots as possible, and put them 
into as small pots as will comfortably contain them. 
After potting they should be removed to a cool pit 
and shaded closely. Do not give water immediately 
after potting, especially if the compost was fairly 
moist, but instead give them a gentle dewing over 
with the syringe in the mornings.— A. S. G. 
-- 
(gleanings fttom ftp} SDnrlii 
nf Science. 
Crossing Pumpkins and Squashes.— My experi¬ 
ence in crossing Pumpkins and Squashes has now 
extended through five years, and although I have 
obtained about one thousand types not named or 
described, I have not succeeded in fixing r one. The 
difficulty here is an aggravated one, however. The 
species are so exceedingly variable that all the mon¬ 
grel individuals may be unlike, so that there can be 
no crossing between identical stocks, and if inbreed¬ 
ing is attempted it may be found that the flowers 
will not inbreed. And the refusal to inbreed is all 
the more strange because the sexes are separated in 
different flowers upon the same plant. In other 
words, in my experience, it is very difficult to get 
good seeds from Squashes, which are fertilised by 
a flower upon the same vine. The Squashes may 
grow normally to full maturity, but be entirely hollow 
or contain only empty seeds. In some instances the 
seeds may appear to be good, but may refuse to 
grow under the best conditions. Finally a small 
number of flowers may give good seeds. I have 
many times observed this refusal of Squashes 
(Cucurbita Pepo) to inbreed. It was first brought 
to my attention through efforts to fix certain types 
into varieties. The figures of one season’s tests will 
sufficiently indicate the character of the problem. 
In 1890, 185 Squash flowers were carefully 
pollinated from flowers upon the same vine. Only 
twenty-two of these produced fruit, and of these only 
seven, or less than one-third, bore good seeds, and 
in some of these the seeds were few. Now, these 
twenty-two fruits represented as many different 
varieties, so that the ability to set fruit with pollen 
from the same vine is not a peculiarity of a particular 
variety.— Prof. L. H. Bailey , in “The Florist's 
Exchange.” 
Insects and Flowers.—Two English botanists 
have lately been making a series of investigations on 
the insects that visit flowers in the British Isles, and 
the first portion of the results obtained appears in 
the current number of the Annals of Botany. It is 
known, of course, to most people, that there are 
degrees of specialisation in flowers—such as more 
effectual shelter of pollen and honey, more conspicu¬ 
ousness, scent, etc.—and corresponding degrees of 
specialisation in their insect visitors—greater 
adaptation of mouth parts to procuring pollen and 
honey, preference for certain colours or scents. 
Tables are given showing the number of species of 
insects of each kind that visit the different floral 
groups, and it is seen that the bulk of the visitors to 
the higher types of flowers are insects of a high de¬ 
gree of specialisation. 
Planting Mushrooms in Pasture. —It often 
becomes difficult to raise a crop of clean Mushrooms 
in the ordinary hot houses set apart for their 
culture during summer, owing to a plague of insect 
and other pests. Outdoor culture of this crop can, 
in such cases, be more effectually accomplished 
by the method of ridge culture in the open air, in 
establishments where there are conveniences for 
carrying it out. On the other band, pastures may 
be artificially planted or spawned with the ordinary 
bricks sold for the purpose of culture in beds. The 
method is simply to select an old pasture beiDg 
grazed by cattle and horses. Lift small portions of 
turf here and there, a few inches in depth, and drop 
into each a piece of spawn-cake. Should dry 
weather prevail, as at present, it will be necessary to 
water the turf so planted now and again, with the 
view of inducing the spawn to run or ramify in the 
soil. Later on when warm, moist weather super¬ 
venes, the Mushrooms appear on the surface as in 
the case of natural crops of that esculent. 
