682 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
•Tune 28, 1890. 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
—«*,— 
SEASONABLE WORK in the GARDEN. 
Pelargoniums. — The batches of zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums for autumn and winter flowering should 
receive preparation by being grown in the open air, in 
order to ensure short sturdy growth, and at the same 
time have the pots well filled with roots. A fully 
exposed and sunny position will be best for this 
purpose ; and if the pots are plunged in ashes it will 
save a considerable amount of labour in watering, and 
also prevent the roots from getting dried up and killed 
by the heat of the sun striking on the sides of the pots. 
Camellias.—If any shifting is necessary it should 
be done immediately the plants have completed their 
young growths and are showing their flower buds. 
This will enable the roots to lay hold of the fresh soil 
before winter. A suitable compost would consist of 
good fibry loam, a little well-rotted cow manure, some 
ncdules of charcoal if they can be procured, and 
sufficient sand to render the whole porous and open. 
Azaleas.—Those in full growth in stove tem¬ 
perature should be encouraged to make free growth. 
The earlier batches should now be fit to stand in the 
open air to ripen their growth and set their flower 
buds. Before doing so, see that the plants are perfectly 
free from insect pests, such as thrip and red-spider. If 
any are present, lay the plants on their sides, and 
syringe with strong soap-suds, with an admixture of a 
small quantity of tobacco juice. 
Cinerarias.—A sowing may now be made for next 
year’s work. Sow thinly in pans of sifted soil, with a 
good admixture of sand and some leaf-soil. Cover the 
pans with a square of glass, and stand them on some 
Melon or Cucumber beds with a gentle warmth till the 
seedlings are up, after which they may be stood in a 
cold frame and kept rather cool. 
Climbers in Stoves and Greenhouses.—How 
that all are in full growth, and the temperature is high, 
a great demand is made upon the roots to meet the 
loss caused by the excessive expenditure of moisture 
by the foliage. Something of a solid nature should also 
be supplied in the shape of liquid manure, to enable the 
plants to make good wood and set an abundance of 
flower bufls for next year’s bloom. Be careful, however, 
not to use it in a thick and muddy condition, otherwise 
the pores qf the soil will get choked up, and the free 
entrance of air be prevented. 
Gloxinias.—Before taking Gloxinias directly from 
a stove in which they have been grown, to the dry and 
airy atmosphere of greenhouses and conservatories, it 
will be necessary to place them for a week or so in a pit 
or intermediate house, where the foliage will get 
hardened somewhat, and the flowers inured to a drier 
atmosphere. If a special house can be set apart for 
their reception, the proper treatment can be accorded 
them. 
Poinsettias.—-These may now be transferred to a 
pit or frame for the summer months, and stood close to 
the glass to enable them to make firm short-jointed 
growth. Keep the pit close for a few days, until the 
plants get inured to the lower temperature. Shading 
may also be necessary for a time if the sun is very 
bright, but after they get hardened, plenty of venti¬ 
lation should be given. 
Peach.es.—As soon as the crop has been gathered 
from the earliest house, subject the trees to a good 
syringing with clean water by means of the garden 
engine. The border will also in all probability be dry, 
and should receive a thorough soaking. Trees that are 
weak through overcropping or other causes may be 
assisted for some time yet by applications of liquid 
manure. 
Melons.—The atmosphere of houses in which fruits 
are ripening should be allowed to get thoroughly dry 
during the middle of the day, for by such means the 
quality of the fruit is greatly improved. In wet 
weather not only the atmosphere of the house, but the 
plants themselves may be kept on the dry side at the 
roots. A matter of great importance in cutting fruit is 
to do it at the right time, allowing it to become ripe. 
If cut before or after this the fruit is insipid and 
worthless. Moderate-sized fruits of good quality are 
far preferable to large and tasteless ones. 
Cucumbers.—Attention should be paid to top¬ 
dressing of the beds from time to time with good turfy 
loam chopped up fine. Some well-rotted manure 
mixed with the soil may be used with advantage. 
Where liquid manure is frequently used, see that it° is 
perfectly clear, otherwise the surface of the soil gets 
coated over, and its pores choked up. A top-dressing 
may also be given to Cucumbers in frames, and which 
received a start when first planted out by means of 
fermenting stable manure. Some amateurs succeed 
well by pegging the stems down upon the soil in 
places, and covering up the parts that are pegged down 
when giving a general top-dressing. 
Tomatos.— Whether trained against walls in the 
open air, or to stakes, Tomatos should now be growing 
away rapidly. Pinch off all side shoots, so as to confine 
the plant to a single stem, for by that means only can 
a good or even a fair crop be expected to ripen in the 
open air. If allowed to produce a number of shoots, 
the plants wull simply revel in the fatness of the soil, 
but produce little except foliage. 
Borecole or Kale.—Take advantage of the first 
wet day to plant out for autumn and winter use what 
is required in the ivay of Borecole. There are now 
many kinds, but none are better than the dwarf curled 
sorts, of which there are now many strains. Cottagers’ 
Kale is a tall-growing sort, chiefly valued for tbe sake 
of its young sprouts in spring. Both are very hardy, 
but, of course, give most satisfaction outside the radius 
of smoky towns. 
Windsor and Long-pod Beans.—As the plants 
get tall, some means of securing them against being 
broken down by wind and heavy rains must be resorted 
to. A few sticks driven into the ground here and there 
along the lines, with some tar-cord stretched between 
the sticks, will provide against accidents from storms. 
Should the plants be infested with black-fly, cut off 
the infested tops and destroy them. 
The Common Hop.—Although doubtless well 
known to the professional gardener, there may be many 
amateurs who are not acquainted with the common 
Hop (Humulus Lupulus) other than when used for 
brewing purposes. It is to these especially that I 
would recommend it where there are fences or other 
means of support for it. The Hop is indigenous to 
this country, and is a dioecious plant—that is to. say, 
the male and female blooms are borne on separate 
plants. The female is the one that is most cultivated 
in the Hop gardens in Kent and other places, although 
some males are grown for the purpose of fertilising the 
female blooms. As the female is very pretty when in 
bloom, it is best for our purpose. Having procured 
some roots, we will proceed to divide and plant them. 
A deep loamy soil is preferable, but failing that, any 
kind will do, as it can be enriched afterwards by 
mulching or liquid manure. All weeds, of course, 
should be kept down, and the ground kept well stirred 
about the plants. For covering fences or other un¬ 
sightly objects it is exceedingly useful. If we have 
a summer-house in the garden, a few should be 
planted round it, as we may spend some very happy 
hours in there with our pipe or book, enjoying the 
agreeable odour of the Hop when in bloom, which is 
very invigorating to most people. In addition, the 
flowers when picked and dried may come in for the 
good-wife to use amongst other things for the excellent 
summer beverages which she is in the habit of making, 
as it is a capital tonic. Moreover, the young shoots, 
when cut about 3 ins. long and tied in bundles like 
Asparagus, make a nice dish for the table if properly 
cooked. The shoots should be gathered young, or they 
otherwise have not the tenderness necessary for boiling, 
being apt to get stringy. — TV. H. Smith, The Gardens, 
Scdgley Park, Prestwick, Manchester. 
Summer Pruning of Fruit Trees.—"Will you 
please describe in terms that an amateur can understand 
the treatment required from now forward as to pruning 
Morello Cherries, and Plum and Pear trees, planted 
against a wood fence and trained on wires ? The 
Cherries face north, the Plums south, and the Pears 
west, or rather south-west.— Mum. [Morello Cherries 
bear their fruit on the young shoots of the previous 
season’s growth, consequently you must'do all you can 
to develop and mature those now being made, by 
keeping them free from black-fly, and training them 
in neatly among the shoots bearing this season, and 
avoiding overcrowding. As soon as the crop is gathered 
you may remove the old shoots, or such as are not 
wanted to make the groundwork of the tree, or to 
extend it, and distribute the young shoots more evenly 
over the space to be occupied. In the winter go over 
the trees again and do what pruning and training may 
be necessary to ensure a well-balanced growth. Plums 
and Pears fruit on short spurs on the old wood, and on 
the previous year’s young growths, but the pruning 
required is somewhat different. You must train in the 
young shoots as they will remain permanently, and 
remove at once all that are not wanted to make well- 
balanced trees. The Plum shoots may be laid in from 
3 ins. to 4 ins. apart, but the Pears must have more than 
double this distance. The young shoots on the main 
stems, commonly called the breastwood, must be 
pinched back to about three or four leaves. Do the 
needful pinching a little at a time, and always commence 
at the top of the tree.— Ed.] 
Pseonies.—I am anxious to grow Pseonia sinensis 
and the tree variety Arborea. AYe have plenty of the 
common double red and light pink, but none (so far as 
I know) of the white and light-coloured varieties in 
this neighbourhood. Could you tell me if they are 
quite hardy enough to stand a Lancashire winter, and 
name the best twelve varieties ? In what way are they 
propagated, by division or by cuttings like a Dahlia ; 
and when is the best time to plant?— TV. Titterington, 
Ribbleton, Preston. [By Pseonia sinensis and P. 
arborea, we suppose you mean P. albiflora (the Siberian 
species) and P. Moutan (the Tree Pseony), which comes 
from China and Japan. The double red you mention 
is no doubt P. officinalis, and we suspect that the light 
pink one is a variety of P. albiflora. Those are the 
three commonest species in cultivation. All three are 
quite hardy in the north, bat the Tree Pseony is liable 
to have its flower buds injured or killed by late spring 
frosts in the south, because they start into growth too 
early. In the north of Scotland they are quite hardy 
because the cold keeps them back till the spring is well 
advanced. It would be difficult to say which are the 
best twelve varieties, as so many new ones come out 
every year. The best plan would be to inspect a 
collection when in bloom. The herbaceous species are 
all propagated by division of the tubers, preserving a 
bud to each piece. This had best be done in March 
when they are commencing to grow. The Tree Pseony 
is propagated by grafting on the tubers of P. officinalis 
and P. albiflora, the two kinds you grow or wish to. 
This is best done in August. Get young shoots without 
flower buds, and after grafting on to the tubers of the 
herbaceous kinds, pot them up and place in a cold 
frame till spring, plunging the pots in soil and covering 
up the grafts at the point of union ; shade for a time 
during bright sunshine, and a union will soon take 
place. The Tree kinds are also propagated by layering 
and sometimes by division. —Ed.] 
-- •»**. -- 
BANTASKIN. 
"While in the locality of Bantaskin visiting the local 
cattle show held in the beautiful park of J. Wilson, Esq., 
a proprietor so widely known for his kindly spirit and 
large-heartedness, I was prompted to leave the bustle 
caused by horse-leaping, decorated cows, fancy dogs, 
and the usual attractions of an exhibition of domestic 
animals, to enjoy a hurried inspection of the fine 
gardens which are in the ascendency at this beautiful 
place. Though in close proximity to the busy town of 
Falkirk, one might suppose when in the grounds that 
there was nothing near in the shape of factories or 
industries of any sort except that of agriculture. 
Views leading the eye far beyond anything of a local 
character are judiciously formed to open up fine 
landscapes of mountain, river and plain. Some are 
rather touchy in their views of industrial buildings being 
seen from their residences ; but in this we are not 
forgetful of the gentle reproof of the famous Mr. 
Marnock to a proprietor who was denouncing the 
appearance of chimneys viewed from his park,°when 
the veteran landscape gardener whispered that “he 
hoped the day was far off when such monuments of 
industry would not be seen.” ■ 
The fine collection of Orchids recently added to the 
attractions of the well-appointed glass structures, and 
the improvements which have taken place in the 
gardens and grounds generally, have created a remark¬ 
able degree of popularity in the locality, and it is well 
that it should be so, as Stirlingshire has for some years 
suffered much from absentee proprietors, and the 
consequent misfortunes which befall properties when 
they have to be let to those who seldom can support and 
keep in high-class order what is not their own. Since 
we last visited Bantaskin about a year ago, marked 
improvements have taken place in every department of 
the gardens, and much may be expected in course of 
time, while the liberality of the proprietor and the 
capabilities of his skilful and painstaking gardener, 
Mr. Mitchell, continue in the rapid course of improve¬ 
ment which they have of late been pursuing. 
Leaving the beautiful undulating park and passing 
across spacious lawns—in fine order as to keeping, and 
