138 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 2, 1889. 
acid seemed not to put them to the slightest incon¬ 
venience. Liquor ammonia (strongest) acted with 
almost instantaneous death, but unfortunately, like 
most of the remedies above enumerated, its application 
to the soil wherein plants are growing is impracticable, 
and continued weak applications would in all pro¬ 
bability be ineffectual, also on account of the neutralising 
power of soil on all chemicals. This being the case, as 
far as present knowledge helps us, we can only depend 
upon the pretty successful mode of trapping to get rid 
of the wireworm.— Gamma , Edinburgh. 
-- 
FANCY PELARGONIUMS. 
I AM afraid the pretty fancy Pelargonium—the ladies’ 
Pelargonium, as it used to be called—is in some danger 
of dying out from sheer neglect. As an exhibition 
plant it is rarely seen at floral exhibitions, except at 
such big shows as the Crystal Palace, Regent’s Park, 
\ ork, and Manchester. Elsewhere they are rarely 
met with, more’s the pity. I have seen a few plants 
produced at the exhibitions at Reading and Oxford, but 
I do not think they are now shown at the early exhi¬ 
bition at the town for biscuits. Even at Manchester 
one sees but a solitary collection from the trade, 
and the plants of which this is composed appear to 
become smaller every year. It would be difficult to 
say that a new exhibitor of fancy Pelargoniums has put 
in an appearance at the big London shows during the 
past six years. 
It is from no lack of fine varieties. During the last 
twenty years a number of charming types avere raised 
at Slough by Mr. Turner, and it would be easy to name 
twenty-five kinds of great merit, all obtained at Slough. 
A select dozen varieties, well worthy of cultivation, 
will be found in Ambassadress, soft lilac-rose ; Brides¬ 
maid, delicate pale lavender ; East Lynne, crimson- 
purple ; Fanny Gair, rosy lake suffused with purple ; 
Lady Carington, soft pale peach suffused with peach ; 
Miss Goddard, rich rosy crimson ; Mrs. Alfred Wigan, 
pink ; Mrs. Beck, lake, with delicately-tinted lower 
petals ; Mrs. Langtry, white and rosy lilac ; Princess 
Teck, white with carmine spots—one of the freest and 
most charming varieties; The Shah, deep crimson- 
purple, light centre ; and Vivandifere, rich crimson, 
very fine and pretty. All the foregoing were raised by 
Mr. Turner. Of the older varieties but few remain, 
the only exceptions appear to be Henderson’s Cloth of 
Silver, still a charming silvery white variety ; Dele- 
catum (Ambrose), white, with light rose blotch ; and 
Roi des Fantasies, rosy crimson. It is a general 
characteristic of the fancy types that they should have 
a white throat. 
It would, perhaps, be very difficult to give a reliable 
account of the origin of the fancy Pelargonium; 
possibly P. inquinans had something to do with it. 
The volume of the Florist for 1849 gives us a coloured 
illustration of three fancy Pelargoniums—Defiance, 
Jenny Lind, and Ne Plus Ultra, and a comparison of 
these with such flowers as East Lynne, Princess Teck, 
and the Shah, demonstrates in a very forcible manner 
the wonderful improvement which has taken place in 
the fancy Pelargoniums during the past forty years. 
The principal raisers then were Ambrose and Gaines, 
both of Battersea, who did good work in their day. 
Ambrose’s Delicatum is still exhibited, and it may be 
said to share with Princess Teck the honour of being 
the freest-blooming variety grown. 
Though regarded as more delicate in habit than the 
stronger-growing larger-flowered varieties, yet they 
may be grown to almost any size by keeping the house 
moist and warm, but not making them into stove 
plants. How large they can be grown is seen from the 
fact that it is not unusual to see at the Royal Botanic 
Society’s shows plants nearly 4 ft. in diameter. I have 
seen them even of a greater diameter. 
That fancy Pelargoniums like a little warmth there 
can be no doubt, but while the plants can be grown to 
a large size in a brisk heat, it is at the expense of a 
good head of bloom. Good growers, when they apply 
artificial warmth, give plenty of air by day, allowing 
the plants ample space in which to develop ; and as 
the tendency of the fancy Pelargoniums is to grow 
somewhat erect, the outside branches should be tied out, 
so as to form an open specimen. This can be done by 
placing short stakes round the sides of the pots, and 
tying the branches out to them, or by tying a piece of 
strong matting under the rim of the pot, and fastening 
the outside branches down to it, taking care not to 
snap them off in doing so. Some tying out is all the 
more requisite, because the fancies, as a rule, produce 
more wood than do the large-flowering varieties. At 
Slough one grower used to adopt the practice of thinning 
out occasionally a few of the under leaves, and this 
tends to prevent the shoots from becoming drawn. 
The fancy Pelargonium is helped by a little peat 
being mixed with the soil, not breaking it too fine, and 
the addition of a few oyster shells is decidedly bene¬ 
ficial. In the act of potting, it is advisable to keep the 
plants a little higher out of the soil than is done in the 
case of the show varieties. The fancy Pelargonium 
needs careful watering ; nothing is so fatal to its well¬ 
being as a soddened goil. It is far better to have the 
plants too dry than too wet. The roots are of a finer 
description than those of the large-flowered varieties, 
and they rot in an excess of moisture. The plants 
should be allowed to grow gently on in the lightest 
parts of the house. When they are coming into flower 
they do not want fire-heat; pushing in any way is 
hurtful. Let the plants come on gently, and if in the 
pink of health, they may be helped by a little weak 
liquid manure about twice a week. 
These free-floweriDg plants are invaluable for deco¬ 
rating the greenhouse with their chaste flowers. The 
time for final potting—that is, for placing the plants in 
their blooming pots—must be regulated by the time 
it is desired to have them in bloom at their best. If 
an early bloom is required, the final shift should be 
given not later than October, not allowing too much 
room in the pots. A 32-sized pot is enough, except in 
the case of large plants, when they need to be bigger. 
A shift in March will throw the blooming time on into 
July. Then, to retard the time of flowering, the 
leading shoots may have their points pinched out, 
which is a good plan if the plants are thin, as it causes 
them to break out freely, making larger plants with 
later bloom.— E. D. 
-=*>£<-=- 
The Amateurs' Garden. 
♦ 
Chrysanthemums. 
The earliest of these are now in bloom, and in about a 
week or so flowering will be general. As the heads 
expand, feeding with liquid manure or artificial stimu¬ 
lants should be discontinued, as no good can result 
from it after that stage has been reached, but harm. 
Watering must, however, continue whenever the plants 
show evidence of requiring it. The house should not 
only be kept as cool as possible, in order to prolong the 
flowering season, and prevent the plants from being 
drawn, but the atmosphere should be kept dry to avoid 
damping. It will therefore be necessary to water early 
in the day, so that the superfluous moisture may be 
drawn off by ventilation. Should damping appear 
among the flowers, light a fire and warm the hot-water 
pipes or flue, as the case may be—say about 8 or 9 
o’clock in the morning, and ventilate well about 9 or 
10 a.m. if the day be fine, closing again early in the 
afternoon to keep out the damp air. The front venti¬ 
lators should be closed about 3 p.m. if the weather be 
damp ; or if foggy or rainy weather prevails, the front 
ones need never be opened at all. As the blooms 
expand, they may receive a little assistance, to enable 
the florets to fall into their proper position, and assume 
a certain amount of regularity. 
Bulbs. 
Large-flowering and late Hyacinths should now be 
potted and plunged in ashes or coco-nut fibre in a cold 
frame, to allow them to become thoroughly rooted 
before they are subjected to heat in any way. If the 
soil is moderately moist, as it should be, no watering 
will be required until the plants are well started into 
growth, and have been transferred from the cold frame 
to the greenhouse or window as the case may be. Various 
other subjects should also be potted now, including 
Polyanthus Narcissi, Pheasant’s Eye—single and double 
—Daffodils, Tulips, Crocuses, Snowdrops, Scillas, and 
others, according to the fancy of the cultivator. A 
good fibrous loam, with some well-rotted cow manure, 
and a little sand will be found a suitable compost for 
all of the above-mentioned subjects. The earliest potted 
kinds will now be throwing up their leaves and flower- 
spikes, and should be uncovered immediately to prevent 
drawing, whether they are taken under glass or not. 
If, however, this can be conveniently done it will be 
the safest, as many of them will be inclined to damp 
if wet weather prevails. They should be well ventilated 
on all favourable occasions even if left in the frames. 
Raspberries. 
These may be dressed at once, whether the leaves have 
fallen or not. Cut all the old stems that have borne 
fruit clean away, as well as the youug ones that are not 
required, leaving about four or five good canes, if they 
are to be tied to poles. Should they, however, be 
trained to wires stretched for the purpose, a greater 
number may then be allowed, dependent upon the 
distance apart at which the old stools are planted. 
After removing the old canes top the young ones about 
4 ft. from the ground, or even a little higher up, ac¬ 
cording to their vigour, and tie them to the wires about 
6 ins. apart. Then cut away all the rest that cannot 
be accommodated. The latter is the best method of 
cultivating Raspberries, because then all the canes are 
fully exposed to light, and the ground is fully occupied. 
Every convenience is also afforded for gathering the 
crop. 
Pruning Currants. 
Different kinds require different treatment. Red 
Currants should be spur pruned—that is, all the side 
shoots on the main branches should be cut back to 
within h in. of the base. These short pieces constitute 
what is termed spurs. Many of them may throw out 
strong shoots bearing leaves only, but, as a rule, the 
bulk of them produce fruiting buds that develop a 
small amount of wood only, and remain short, so that 
the flowering racemes are produced in clusters from 
these points. If the bushes are young, the leading 
shoots should be cut back to 4 ins. or 6 ins. Flower 
buds will push at their base, and two or three wood 
shoots, perhaps, from near the top. Older bushes that 
have filled their allotted space may have all the young 
shoots cut back to the spurs. White Currants are 
merely varieties of the red kinds, and therefore require 
similar treatment. Black Currants flower and fruit all 
along the sides of the young shoots, and should not be 
spur pruned. All that is necessary is to cut away 
weak, useless shoots, and shorten the rest a little. 
Very old shoots that fail to produce a fair quantity of 
good fruit should be cut away, and young, vigorous 
branches encouraged to grow and fill their place. 
Suckers may, with advantage, be allowed to spring up, 
but this is less desirable in the case of the red and 
white kinds. 
Leaf Soil. 
As everyone knows who has anything to do with the 
cultivation of flowers, a supply of leaf-soil in the garden 
is of great economical value. Anyone having the 
convenience to store leaves may now collect them as 
they fall from the trees, and by doing so not only may 
a useful commodity be obtained cheaply, but the 
garden, both grass and walks, will look neat and tidy 
even in November by being raked over once or twice a 
week. If turned during the winter so as to bury the 
dry leaves, they will be fit for use after a twelvemonth. 
-- 
Hardening H’iscellany. 
Primula obconica: A "Warning to 
Gardeners. 
I have been suffering off and on since the spring from 
some skin disorder in my hands, of which I ani not yet 
free, and which is caused I believe by some poisonous 
matter on Primula obconica. The disease broke out in 
the form of inflammation, the skin hardening and 
splitting, and the inflammation extending up the arms 
to the elbows. This inflammation would last about 
fourteen days, and gradually die away, then as sud¬ 
denly appear again, and always running a fourteen-day 
course. Twice this autumn I have handled a batch of 
Primula obconica with the same results—the appearance 
of the inflammation. It commences with a strong 
itching of the hands, which only ceases •when the 
inflammation appears on the surface of the skin. I 
tried both a doctor and a chemist, and both agreed 
that the disorder was due to an irritant poison, but 
what they gave me to relieve it only aggravated the 
evil, causing the hands to feel as if they were raw. 
One of my assistants has been affected by it, but not 
to the same extent as myself; and a neighbouring 
gardener complained to me last week that after handling 
a few plants a few days previously the backs of his 
hands were itching and inflamed. I think some 
attention should be called to the subject, as the plant 
will certainly be discarded if it is going to give people 
a complaint which is worse than the itch and the 
scurvy combined.— X. [We have several times heard 
of mild attacks of the same disorder, which have been 
attributed to Primula obconica, but not before of so 
serious a nature as our correspondent describes. The 
plant itself is such a useful one that we should be sorry 
to see it discarded, and should be glad of further in¬ 
formation before condemning it. At the same time it 
can do no harm to caution those who grow it not to 
handle the leaves or roots too freely until more is 
known concerning its poisonous properties.—Em] 
