504 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 12, I860, 
FLOfJidUi^iTf^. 
-- 
The Auricula in April. 
The revolution of time has brought once more the 
Auricula season. We have had for some days bright 
and sunny weather, but accompanied by cold northerly 
and easterly winds, which seemed to discount any 
helpful aid tendered by the sun. Plants unassisted by 
fire-heat have come on very slowly indeed — with 
measured steps and pauses, like the slow movement of 
a funeral march. At the moment of writing I am 
wondering if I shall have three plants of show varieties 
in flower by the 22nd inst. There is a good and 
healthy growth, but the flower stems are slow to rise 
from the bed of foliage. Much will depend upon the 
weather during the next fortnight. In blooming, the 
seifs lead the way ; they take less time to develop 
themselves than do the greys, while the white edges, 
with a few exceptions, and the stately greens, appear to 
require more time in which to develop themselves. 
But the movement is quick notwithstanding, as the 
Rev. F. D. Horner remarks in one of his papers :— 
“The spring growth is so rapid and enjoyable that 
every day reveals some new feature of beauty and 
delight, and watching the plants through the graver 
progress of all the after seasons is something like the 
change one feels in travelling by a slow train on a 
branch line after a rapid journey by a main line express.” 
Watering is a matter requiring close attention, for 
it is obvious that if a plant is allowed to become dry 
at the roots fine and striking pips of flowers cannot be 
expected. Sun and wind are both drying influences, 
and if the house or frame has to be kept somewhat 
close, in order to shut out keen cutting winds, the 
drying effects are augmented. No plants should be 
allowed to flag, and as the sun is becoming warmer, 
the plants in flower should be shaded from it at 
mid-day. 
I have been very busy during the past week re-potting 
the young stock of last autumn. Any in exhausted or 
soddened soil—of which there were but very few illus¬ 
trations—were shaken clear and re-potted in an entirely 
new compost. As a rule, some soil is left clinging to 
the roots, and when re-potted in a fresh and invigor¬ 
ating compost, growth soon sets in. They are shifted 
into pots of a larger size only where necessary ; but if 
the plants do well, they will require larger pots in the 
autumn, and have them, as I like to re-pot the young 
stock again at the end of August, without materially 
disturbing the balls of soil about the roots, and in these 
pots they will flower. 
I have recently given the plants a fumigation, so as 
to be clear of green-fly during the blooming season. 
What a pertinacious and unwelcome visitor this is—as 
unwelcome as bug in a plant house or vinery. Green¬ 
fly has been well described as the greatest pest that can 
infest the Auricula. I have seen the Rev. F. D. 
Horner go over his plants with a camel’s-hair brush— 
one with fairly stiff bristles—and so stab and sweep 
away all emerald intruders. Slugs and snails are un¬ 
welcome guests also, and should be carefully looked 
after, and if the wandering bee in quest of pollen finds 
its way into the Auricula house or frame it can work 
much harm by injuring the blossoms. Let us hope a 
good head of bloom will reward all Auricula cultivators. 
ON SEED SOWING. 
C Concluded from, p. 490 ). 
Half-hap.dy Seeds. 
For half-hardy seeds nothing suits better than an ordi¬ 
nary hot-bed, composed of one part stable litter to two 
parts fresh autumn-collected leaves, on which place 
about 2 ins. of friable loam and leaf-soil in equal parts. 
All that is required then is to stretch sticks across or 
lengthwise, to divide the varieties of seeds. In some 
cases shallow drills are made about 2 ins. apart, the 
seeds being sown therein, and covered over with dry 
sifted soil, according to their requirements. Stocks, 
Asters, Zinnias, Everlastings, and similar seeds are 
grown with more facility and better results in this way 
than by any other method I have seen. They may, 
however, be grown very well in boxes placed over the 
hot-water pipes in the forcing house, thus receiving 
treatment entirely to themselves. By this plan, if 
thinly sown, they can in many cases be hardened off 
and transplanted without further trouble ; and where 
thickly sown can be thinned and pricked out in a 
similar hot-bed, and grown into useful stubby plants in 
a very short time. The hot-bed system of raising half- 
hardy seeds cannot b3 too strongly recommended. 
Where hands are scarce—as is too often the case—this 
mode of raising seeds and pricking out saves a great deal 
of labour, and keeps the houses—in most cases already 
too much hampered with other tenderlings for the 
embellishment of the garden during the all too short 
summer months—free and more convenient to work in. 
Where these half-hardy plants are grown in great 
quantities there is usually a great demand on the space 
inside ; in truth it is no uncommon thing to see other 
subjects—indeed, permanent subjects—play second 
fiddle to them for the time being. 
When seeds are sown on a hot-bed, the sashes should 
at once be matted and the frame kept close until signs 
of germination appear. There is no better time than 
the present for the sowing of all those seeds for 
producing summer and winter effects. 
The hardy section may be considered the most come- 
atable, as they are within the reach of all, and need no 
glass, no hot-bed, and no careful watching, save for 
slugs and mice. These hardy denizens of the flower 
border, whether annual, biennial, or perennial, are 
quite indispensable in any garden, large or small. 
Their hardihood and general usefulness are at once 
certificates of merit which few will care to dispute. 
Hardy Annuals. 
Paramount amongst the hardy annuals is the Mig¬ 
nonette ; and justly so. It is a universal favourite, 
and, strange to say, weedy as it appears, a great many 
fail to grow it satisfactorily. It requires a fairly rich 
soil, very hard tramped, on which sow the seed thinly 
and evenly, and cover very lightly—in many cases the 
beating of the soil with the teeth of the rake and giving 
a finish with same will suit. More failures occur 
through the soil being too soft than from any other 
cause, yet in maDy places Mignonette perpetuates itself, 
never requiring sowing after once being done. I may 
as well observe it is a seed very impatient of too much 
moisture, the seeds sometimes rotting wholesale in wet 
weather. Another peculiar thing during its growing 
period is that if the weather is wet for a considerable 
time it loses its fragrance. Where it is in daily request 
a frame may be economically devoted to it, when the 
sashes can be run down while it rains. It will be 
observed that I am not writing of Mignonette in pots, 
although I may at a more convenient season. 
Wallflowers, Helianthus, and similar plants require 
the soil to be hard, as in the case of Mignonette; 
indeed, it may be said that nothing but close obser¬ 
vance and practice will succeed in these matters. 
Nemophila, Candytuft,Eschscholtzia, Godetia, and a host 
of others too numerous to mention, may be sown with 
safety in most districts from early in April onwards. 
When sown too thickly they ought to be early thinned 
out—Godetias, Eschscholtzias, and similar things to at 
least 6 ins. apart. Those named and similar seeds are 
sure to succeed if sown about i in. deep, while smaller 
seeds, such as Prince’s Feather, all the Papavers, and 
many other things, may be sown on the surface, 
slightly trampled in, and finished with the rake. 
Sweet Peas may be sown like culinary Peas, but must 
be carefully watched for slugs and mice. Slugs are 
very fond of Sweet Peas, but this pest may be easily 
destroyed by the use of a little soot and fresh slaked 
lime. I have found barley-chaff strewn along each 
side of the lime very effective. Mice are more easily 
kept down, although they do a great deal of mischief 
in a short time. We usually force and transplant our 
early Sweet Peas ; they are thus more certain and 
earlier, although they do not grow so tall nor bloom so 
long as those sown where they are to remain. 
The Wallflower, one of our most useful biennials, 
should be sown in May in nursery lines, to be after¬ 
wards pricked out on ground made very hard. These 
planted in the autumn in any useless corner, will come 
in most useful in early spring, when fragrant flowers 
are a desideratum. Many make special provision for 
these plants, and give them the best position in the 
flower garden, of which, indeed, they are deserving, as 
they make a fine show in spring, and scent the air all 
around. East Lothian Stocks, for the same purpose, 
are invaluable, and where wanted for early summer, 
should be sown in August, and nursed on in a cold 
frame all the winter, planting out as early as the weather 
will permit in spring. For earlier cutting and general 
decorative purposes, a quantity of the spring-sown 
seedlings (for autumn bloom), potted up in September, 
and wintered in a Peach house or similar structure, will 
be most serviceable. Perennial seeds, for the most 
part, should be sown in June or July in nursery lines 
or cold frames. The depth for sowing seeds at this 
season is not quite so critical, but nevertheless must 
have due attention. 
The foregoing may be characterised as a running 
summary on the sowing of flower seeds, which, how¬ 
ever, is quite inadequate to their importance, as most 
of them, from a utilitarian and decorative point of view, 
commend themselves to all and sundry.— J. Proctor, 
Glenfinart, N.B. 
-- >X< - 
FERNS AND FERNERIES.* 
By E. Booker. 
In selecting the cultivation of Ferns as my subject for 
this essay, it is not because I have anything of impor¬ 
tance to add to what has already been written by 
exceptionally able and experienced authorities on this 
class of plants, but they are favourites with all lovers 
of plants, from the richest to the poorest. They may 
be grown in a variety of ways in the stove and green¬ 
house for decoration, or as specimens for exhibition, in 
wardian cases, in the cottage window, and last, but 
not least, in the open garden, both in sun and shade, 
the shady place where many good things will not grow 
being especially well adapted for hardy Ferns. These 
plants, provided they are given their proper situations 
and their several requirements are attended to,are not the 
most difficult plants we, as gardeners, have to cultivate. 
It will be impossible for me in one paper to treat the 
subject as I should wish, but I will endeavour to give 
a few practical remarks on what I consider to be 
important points in their cultivation. 
Where Ferns are wanted in large quantities the best 
plan is to sow the spores in pans or boxes nearly three 
parts filled with crocks ; the compost should consist of 
good fibrous peat, with crocks and charcoal broken up 
finely, and some coarse silver sand all mixed thoroughly 
together. Fill the pans or boxes with the compost, 
pressing it firmly, then water, and allow it to thoroughly 
drain. On this sow the spores, and water carefully 
with a fine rose. If a large quantity are sown at the 
same time they will be better placed under a handlight 
or frame, then they can be more easily attended to in 
the matter of shading and watering, or else they must 
be covered with sheets of glass. Place them in a 
temperature of 50° at night, with an increase of 
temperature by day. March I consider the best month 
to sow, as then they will have a longer season of 
growth before them, although they will grow well if 
sown later. 
In about two months or so they will begin to vegetate 
in the shape of little green circular bodies on the 
surface, from which, ultimately, will spring small fronds. 
From this time they should be gradually brought to 
the light, and when large enough to handle they should 
be pricked off into boxes, using soil similar to that in 
which they were sown. Keep the soil moist and shade 
from bright sunshine. After they are established they 
may be potted singly into thumb pots or 60's, according 
to their strength and the amount of root they have. 
As they become established pot them on as they require 
it, never letting them get pot-bound when young. Most 
Ferns may be kept comparatively healthy for some 
time by being confined in small pots, but plants so 
treated in their early stages are some time before they 
grow again freely. 
Another method of raising Ferns from spores, 
and one requiring less time and labour (where the 
convenience is at hand), is by standing mature plants 
on a strong wire trellis, under which we can have a bad 
of ashes ; then as the spores lipen, nature will cause 
them to drop among the ashes, where they will 
germinate readily in endless numbers. If it is desirable 
to increase any other variety, the fronds, when matured, 
must be gathered and shaken on the ashes, where 
the spores will readily germinate a3 previously 
mentioned. 
General Treatment in Pots.— About the middle 
of February any of the varieties of Adiantums, especially 
A. cuneatum, should be cut down entirely, particularly 
if at all shabby, a process I have found not to be at all 
detrimental, but rather beneficial. All dead or shabby 
fronds of the other varieties should be cut off, and as 
soon as they have fairly started into growth any that 
require a shift should be potted as carefully as possible, 
so as not to injure the young fronds ; and any that are 
too large, or that you desire to increase, should be 
carefully cut with a sharp knife into as many pieces as 
circumstances may demand. Be careful not to use too 
large pots for small or weak-growing varieties ; it is far 
better to give them another shift, or even two, during 
the growing season ; but for the larger plants and 
strong-growing varieties two sizes larger pots may be 
used with advantage. The pots and crocks should be 
♦Prize Essay, Chiswick Gardeners' Mutual Improvement As¬ 
sociation. 
