288 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 4, 1896. 
HINTS FOR AMATEURS. 
The Greenhouse. 
It does not take a deal of skill to manage a green¬ 
house during the summer months, when the weather 
is favourable, and the plants seem to jog along as if 
they were nearly able to take care of themselves. 
It is during the damp, dull days of autumn and 
winter when our favourite plants appear to be almost 
at a standstill, and, indeed, when the only movement 
appears to be a retrograde one, that we get a real 
test of the gardener’s ability. In the summer it 
does not matter very much if a plant does get o\ er- 
watered once or twice ; the hot sun and the drying 
atmosphere soon carry off the surplus moisture 
without a very great deal of harm being done. But at 
this time of the year a mistake of this kind is apt to 
be attended with absolutely fatal consequences, and 
is, indeed, always productive of a deal of harm. 
Ventilation also has to be sharply looked after if we 
entertain the hope of keeping our pets in anything 
like good condition through the winter. A few hints, 
therefore, upon the management of the greenhouse 
at this critical period may prove of advantage to 
those amateurs who would like to do well, but are 
handicapped by lack of the requisite experience 
Light. —It goes without saying that this is the most 
important factor in successful plant culture. Long 
nights and short days, with only an occasional glimpse 
at the sun, have now reduced the light to the smallest 
possible quantity. Every advantage must be taken 
of what light there is, however, and to this end the 
glass must be kept so clear that it shall not exclude 
the smallest fraction of the life-giving rays of the 
sun. Near to smoky towns this necessitates a good 
deal of labour, for after a few hours' fog a sediment as 
thick as "summer cloud shading” is deposited on the 
glass, that sticks with the proverbial tenacity of glue. 
It is no use allowing this to remain on and praying 
for rain to come to wash it off. A mop or a soft- 
haired broom and a bucket of warm water must be 
called into requisition, if the sticky coating is to be 
removed. Glass washing is, perhaps, not a dignified 
operation on a cold day, and it certainly is not a 
very pleasant one, but it must be done for all that if 
the health of the plants is valued. Inside, of course, 
so much washing will not be needed, one or two 
cleanings, at most, being sufficient for the dull 
season. 
Watering must always be performed in the morn¬ 
ings now, say between the hours of ii am. and noon. 
Never water a plant until it is in need of it. To 
treat all alike and deal out so much water to each at 
stated intervals is only to court failure, for no two 
plants are exactly alike in their constitutions, and 
hence there will be a proportionate difference in their 
individual requirements. If the floor of the house is 
to be washed out, let this also be done by mid-day, 
so as to allow of the extra moisture being dissipated 
before the long winter night commences to close in. 
Ventilation. —The amateur should strive by 
every means in his or her power to avoid a stuffy and 
confined atmosphere. A chink of air should be put 
on the bottom ventilators as soon as the outside 
thermometer rises a little above freezing point, if it is 
at all possible to do so. Sometimes, of course, this is 
impracticable, as, for instance, when a cold easterly 
Or north-easterly wind is blowing. At such times 
the amateur must exercise his own discretion, for no 
absolute statements can be of any service to him. 
The top ventilators must also be opened a little 
when the weather is mild, but this is not so impor¬ 
tant during colder weather, as the bad air can escape 
readily enough between the laps of the glass if the 
house has been properly constructed. 
Temperature.— This will vary according to the 
will of the owner, or, perhaps, according to the con¬ 
veniences for heating that he possesses. With a 
night temperature of about 40° Fahr. a great many 
pretty plants may be grown, although if the house 
can be kept up to 45 0 so much the better, as this will 
suit Cyclamen, Cinerarias, Primulas, Hyacinths, 
etc., to perfection. In a lower temperature than 
this, Primulas especially are very liable to damp off. 
It will not be wise to give too much fire-heat, how¬ 
ever, as this is very injurious to many plants, and is 
sure to cause sickly and yellow foliage. 
Damp is the great enemy of our greenhouse plants, 
and one that is responsible for a great many deaths 
in their ranks. The best methods of counteracting 
its malign influence are, first of all, plenty of light, 
and, secondly, a buoyant atmosphere from which all 
the superfluous moisture has been driven by means 
of the judicious use of artificial heat and careful 
ventilation. Strict cleanliness, too, must be observed 
among the plants. All dead leaves and old blooms 
must be picked off and carried away. This must not 
be taken to mean, however, that as soon as a leaf 
shows signs of turning shabby, it is to be rudely 
torn off before it has completed its work. To do 
this would, indeed, be a great mistake. Every leaf 
must be left on as long as it is of any service to the 
plant bearing it, and practice will soon enable the 
operator to discern when this limit is reached, and 
when the leaf or leaves may be removed with 
perfect safety to the plant.— Rex. 
Plants in Flower. 
In dealing with the majority of plants at this time of 
the year it is necessary to take every precaution 
against their being unduly excited. Even stove 
subjects, which are growing more or less the whole 
of the year round, have a period of rest when 
manurial stimulant is positively harmful, for it acts, 
to use a homely simile, like the spur upon a tired 
horse. With plants that are in flower, however, 
whether forced or otherwise, the condition of things 
is reversed, and thus small doses of manure water 
will be of great service. 
Chinese Primulas.— For these nothing beats a 
weak solution of Ichthemic Guano given about once 
a week, and alternating with a dose of soot water. 
If the plants are taken into the dwelling house they 
must not be kept in too long, otherwise all the blooms 
will drop off, and those that open afterwards from 
the remaining buds will be but comparatively weak 
and poorly coloured. 
Cyclamens.— These are really easier to manage 
than Primulas, as they are not so liable to damp off. 
A mixture of cow-manure and soot sppears to suit 
them better than anything else, and small quantities 
may be given them on alternate waterings. 
Freesias. —Although not exactly the most showy 
of our winte-rblooming plants the Freesias still 
possess a great deal of beauty, which, combined with 
their delicious fragrance, has made them first 
favourites with all classes. Neat staking is a great 
consideration in getting them to look their best, as 
the plants have a most untidy appearance when 
allowed to lop over the sides of the pots at their own 
sweet will. They should be fed in pretty much the 
same way as the Primulas. Green fly is very 
partial to their tender leaves, and is almost sure to 
make its appearance to some extent. If only 
slightly, a fine day should be chosen, the plants 
atken out of doors and the fly carefully brushed off 
with a soft camel’s-hair brush. If allowed to get too 
secure a footing before remedial measures are taken, 
fumigation with Tobacco paper, rag, or "XL All ” 
may be needed. 
Hyacinths are greatly improved in colour and size 
by judicious applications of manures, except the 
Early White Romans, which are not benefited. If a 
small pit is being used for bringing these on, the 
plants must be taken into the greenhouse as soon as 
the lower flowers on the spike have expanded, in 
order to lengthen the life of the flower as much as 
possible. Small stakes will be required by the larger 
varieties, the bloom spikes being much too heavy for 
the weakened tissues of the stalk.— Fungus. 
-- 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. 
Climber for Wall.—What climber would you recom¬ 
mend to cover a bare wall having a western aspect ? 
I should like it covered as quickly as possible, but 
being within the metropolitan radius I wished to get 
the opinion of The Gardening World as to the 
plant best calculated to resist the smoke. I do not 
want Ivy as I have a dislike to it .—Cistus. 
Ampelopsis Veitchii is undoubtedly the best 
climber for you. It is very hardy and resists the 
smoke wonderfully well ; witness the vast numbers 
of it to be seen adorning the walls of villas and other 
suburban residences. It is a very quick grower, and 
will soon cover the wall. Of course it is deciduous, 
and is therefore not much of an ornament during the 
winter, although this is more than compensated for 
by the glowing scarlet of its leaves during the autumn, 
as well as by the rich deep green of its foliage 
throughout the summer months. 
Pteris tremula Smithiana.— This Fern was recom¬ 
mended to me as a good one to grow in an unheated 
greenhouse. Accordingly, I purchased two plants, 
which did very well indeed during the summer, but 
they have got fearfully shabby the last month or two. 
What am I to do with them ? for if they keep on 
going back for a little longer at the same rate at 
which they have been going during the last two 
months I shall soon lose them altogether.— W. G. 
Newton. 
We do not consider Pteris tremula Smithiana to be 
a good Fern for an amateur’s greenhouse, and are not 
at all surprised that you cannot get it to do well. It 
is, to say the least of it, rather a difficult thing to 
grow, and requires very careful attention with the 
watering can. It really needs an intermediate 
temperature—that to say a little warmer than an 
ordinary greenhouse, but not so warm as a stove. 
The very best plants of it that we have ever seen 
were grown in a house possessing such a tempera¬ 
ture. If you can put your plants in a place where 
they will get a little more heat than they have been 
having, through the winter months at least, they will 
most likely recover themselves. We have heard it 
stated before that it will stand a few degrees of frost 
unharmed, but as far as our experience goes that is 
all bosh, for long periods of low temperatures and 
damp, heavy atmospheres almost always prove fatal 
to it. 
A Selection of Pears.—My garden is small, and the 
number of fruit trees I can grow is necessarily very 
limited. Please give the names of six of the best 
varieties of Pears to ripen at different times. The 
number of sorts that appear in the list is simply 
appalling, and enough to make even a level-headed 
amateur despair of being able to pick out the best, 
for every variety seems to be praised up to the skies. 
— R. T. 
We sympathise with R. T. in his troubles, and are 
of opinion ourselves that the lists of varieties of 
Pears are needlessly long, and that they contain 
many that are of second-rate value. The following, 
however, may be depended upon:—Jargonelle, 
William's Bon Chretien, Louise Bonne of Jersey, 
Doyenne du Comice, Conseiller de la Cour, Beurre 
Diel, and Glou Morceau. 
Pruning Raspberries.—Having a few hours to spare 
the other day I commenced to prune my Raspberries, 
but was stopped by a friend who told me that they 1 
ought not to be pruned till spring, as several inches 
of the canes below the point to which they were 
shortened would die if they were pruned now. Is 
this true? and if so what is the reason of this 
phenomenon ?— Want to Know. 
It is quite correct that the tips of the canes that 
have been stopped may die for an inch or two below 
the cut, Want to Know, and thus your friend was 
right in at least part of his statement. Still this 
need not deter you from pruning your Raspberries 
now; for no injury follows this dying back, as in few 
cases does it pass the first node, or joint, as an every¬ 
day person would call it. In response to your query 
for the reason, it is simply this ; that the cane of the 
Raspberry usually contains in the centre a large 
quantity of pith, except at the nodes, which are 
closed, or nearly so, by a thin plate or diaphragm of 
harder tissue. Exposure to the frost and the rain 
kills the pith, which is very sensitive, and the wood 
surrounding it often follows suit. In making the 
cuts, therefore, they should be made fairly slantmg, 
so as to throw off a great portion of the rain instead 
of allowing it a resting place by making a straight 
transverse cut. 
Luculia gratissima.— A. Greenaway intends trying 
to grow this pretty plant, so he says, and asks for a 
few details as to its culture. 
The most suitable soil is a mixture of equal parts 
of fibrous loam and peat, with a good sprinkling of 
sharp sand. It does best when planted out in 
prepared borders, although fairly good results may 
be obtained from pot culture. In any case it is 
necessary that the drainage should be ample, as the 
Luculia has a special abhorrence of stagnant water 
lying about its roots. It may usually be expected to 
flower about this time of the year. After the flower¬ 
ing period is over the plants must be kept rather 
dryer than before, so as to give to the wood the 
required hardness and maturity. Still the roots must 
not be allowed to perish for lack. After this the 
pruning knife may be set to work and the plants cut 
hard back so as to give them symmetry of habit. 
As they break into new growths, water must be given 
