328 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 20, 1894. 
WHAT TO DO IH THE GARDEN. 
Allamandas.—If a few plants of such things as 
Allamandas, Bougainvillea glabra or Clerondendron 
Balfourianum are required for early summer flower¬ 
ing they should be pruned at once, and when 
shooting out again they should be repotted. If now 
in large pots, the ball of soil may be reduced so that 
they may be put back in the same size with a quan¬ 
tity of fresh soil. If it is intended to shift them into 
larger pots with the view of increasing the size of 
the plants, then the ball need not be reduced, as it is 
not advisable to have a large body of fresh soil un¬ 
occupied with roots. There is a danger of its getting 
sour and inert before the roots are able to take full 
possession. 
Thyrsacanthus rutilans.—Young plants of 
this old-fashioned stove subject should not be cast 
aside or thrown away after they have gone out of 
flower under the impression that they are only fit for 
decorative purposes when raised afresh from cuttings 
every year in the same way as most other winter 
flowering plants. Allow them to rest fora time, and 
repot them when they commence to grow again. 
Long stems will be an advantage than otherwise, as 
they allow the long racemes of flowers to hang 
down and show their best character. They will in 
fact form useful and showy miniature standards. 
Temperature oT the Stove.—No advance will 
yet be necessary in the minimum night temperature. 
It is not yet desirable to urge the plants generally 
into fresh growth, as further unfavourable weather 
may yet be expected. Except, therefore, in the case 
of special subjects that require a high temperature, 
the thermometer may stand at 60® rising 5° by day 
or lo*? with sun heat. The necessity for watering 
is also at a low ebb, and the operation must be 
conducted with care. 
Bouvardias.—Where an early batch of plants is 
desired, a few old specimens may be cut down and 
placed in moderate heat to start them into fresh 
growth. The cuttings may be taken off when 
sufficiently strong and placed in a frame in the 
propagating pit. Some growers now dispense with 
that mode of obtaining young plants, and simply cut 
up the roots of the old ones into lengths of an inch 
or thereby, and lightly bury them in light, sandy 
soil, after which they are treated like cuttings till 
they commence to throw up shoots, when they may 
be potted off singly if properly rooted. 
Roses.—Pot plants of Roses, but particularly of 
the Tea and Noisette kinds that are known to sub¬ 
mit readily to forcing, may now be placed in heat 
with certainty of securing a satisfactory return. A 
mild and genial atmosphere is all that is required. 
Hard forcing should not be attempted. Syringe the 
stems to encourage them to make fresh growth. 
Peaches.—Overhead syringing should be dis¬ 
continued while the trees are in bloom. The path¬ 
ways and other available spaces may, however, be 
damped down as before. Go over the trees about 
twice during the middle of the day, say an hour 
before noon and an hour after, to tap or agitate the 
branches so as to distribute the pollen. Some use a 
hare’s tail or even a camel-hair pencil. The latter 
makes the process somewhat tedious even if more 
certain. Fumigation must not be resorted to even 
if green or black fly make its appearance while the 
plants are in bloom, as the smoke is injurious to the 
blossom. 
Cucumbers—No attempt should be made to 
maintain a very high temperature during the 
prevalence of severe weather. It creates an 
atmosphere that becomes injurious to the health 
of the plants and shows itself in a very short time 
with such soft-leived plants. A minimum of 60° at 
night will be quite sufficient unless the atmosphere 
outside is mild when it may be raised to 70°. Less 
syringing will be needed to keep up the necessary 
atmospheric moisture in the absence of hard filing. 
With the advent of mild weather, regular daily 
syringings and ventilation may be carried out to the 
great advantage of the plants which will soon 
improve in vigour. 
Melons.—In making early sowings, well-known 
and proved kinds chiefly should be used, unless 
particular sorts are desired for exhibition purposes. 
Select some 60 size pots, and after properly 
draining them, fill for two-thirds of their depth 
with light and rich fibrous loam into which 
the plants will root readily, and may be shifted on 
without disturbing or checking growth. Common 
kinds of which the seeds are plentiful and cheap may 
be sown three in a pot for the purpose of selecting the 
strongest when they germinate Plunge them in a 
bottom heat of 85° and cover with inverted pots if 
there is any danger of the seeds being attacked by 
mice. When the seedlings are sufficiently strong to 
thin out with safety, top dress the remaining one 
with some of the same soil in which it was sown. 
The first potting can be avoided by adopting that plan. 
-- 
Quescions add AnsroeRs. 
Names of Fruits. — D. IV. P.: Probably Small's 
Admirable.— W. K.: i, Annie Elizabeth; 2, not 
recognised ; 3, Glou Morceau. 
Potash for Vine Border, &c.— L. Callen : A 
simple and cheap way of getting potash for your Vine 
and Peach borders would be to collect all the prunings 
and other rubbish of a woody nature, which have 
arisen during the past or other years through the 
pruning of the trees, bushes, hedges, &c., in the 
garden ; set fire to them and then pile the whole in 
a heap over the kindled portion. The ashes contain 
a large percentage of potash which is invaluable for 
the manuring of fruit trees and bushes of various 
kinds. The best way to apply it to vine borders 
would be to mix a rich compost containing a good 
quantity of the ashes in question and top dress the 
border with the mixture any time during winter after 
the vines have been cleaned ready for starting. The 
Peach border maybe treated in the same way, or a 
layer of ashes about half-an-inch deep may be spread 
over the border and lightly pointed in with a fork. 
The commonest commercial form of potash is sold 
under the name of kainit, a salt containing about 14 
to 17 per cent, of potassium. A sprinkling of that 
would be sufficient, and may be given in winter. 
Well decayed night soil which has long been mixed 
with earth forms an excellent and rich manure for 
vine borders, and may also be applied as a top¬ 
dressing at the winter cleaning. 
Work on Amateur Gardening.— L . Callen : 
Loudon’s '• Amateur Gardeners’ Calendar,” published 
by Messrs. F. Warne & Co., London, would be suit¬ 
able for the purpose you mention. 
Trees and Shrubs for a Ciiy Square.— Omega : 
The following trees are suitable for the purpose you 
mention :—The London Plane (Plantanus orientalis 
acerifolia). Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus glandulosa). 
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), The False 
Acacia (Robinia Pseud-Acacia) in variety, Acer 
macrophyllum, various species of Magnolia, Lime 
trees in variety, Catalpaspeciosa and C bignonioides. 
Laburnum vulgare, L. alpinum, various Cherries 
single and double, and others. Shrubs suitable for 
the purpose are Rhus typhina. Daphne Mezereum, 
Mock Oranges (Philadelphus), Lilacs, Aucubajapo- 
nica, Euonymus japonicus in variety, Deutzia 
crenata. Yucca gloriosa, Y. g. recurva. Hibiscus 
syriaca, Colutea arborescens, C. cruenta, Griselinia 
litoralis, Koelreutaria paniculata, Berberis Aqui- 
folium, B. vulgaris. Strawberry Tree (Arbutus 
Unedo), Forsythia suspensa, and many others. 
“ Flowering Trees and Shrubs,” by A. D. Webster, 
and published at this office, would supply you with 
much of the information you want. 
Mixture for Washing Vines.— Owirg'a ; Washes 
of various kinds are used by different growers, but 
the simplest generally give the most satisfaction. 
One of the best is soft soap and water at the rate of 
quarter of a pound of the former in solution to a 
gallon of the latter. Another wash consists of 
kerosene solution in the proportion of one gill to five 
gallons of water. Some growers still paint their 
vines with some mixture, such as lime, sulphur and 
tobacco water mixed with a sufficient amount of clay 
to give it the consistency of paint, but the practice 
is an old one and fast dying out amongst all good 
cultivators. They merely rely upon the cleaning 
away of all loose bark only and of washing well with 
the above or similar mixtures. Others as a drastic 
remedy, paint the rods with tar and succeed, but the 
practice must be followed with care as it is danger¬ 
ous. 
The English Elm.— Omega : The English Elm is 
generally an old tree before it gets blown down, and 
its roots, as well as the wood in the centre of the 
tree, are often more or less decayed. Others again 
say that the grain of the wood is short, and easily 
broken. It is probable that if a proper census were 
taken, it would be found that the English Elm is not 
more often blown down than other trees planted in 
similar situations. They are planted with great fre¬ 
quency, or have been, in all sorts of positions, and 
often where the soil is very shallow, so that when the 
ground is not covered with grass it has often very 
little binding power. In such cases, the roots are 
unable to keep a hold of the soil, and large, top- 
heavy trees are very liable to be blown down in a 
gale of wind. They are often planted in gravelly 
soil, or by the sides of roads, avenues, or even 
streets where the ground is covered with gravel. In 
such cases, unless the roots can strike very deeply 
into good soil, they become starved and often perish, 
so that the fall of the tree becomes inevitable when 
a gale springs up, when the tree is in leaf or other¬ 
wise. 
Notice to Leave and Character. — Reader: A 
head gardener, according to the custom of the pro¬ 
fession, can claim a month’s notice to leave, but an 
under gardener paid weekly is only entitled to a 
week’s notice, unless there is an agreement to the 
contrary. It is customary for the head gardener to 
give testimonials to the young men employed under 
him, not the actual employer. You cannot compel 
him to give you a recommendation ” unless in his 
opinion you have deserved one ; and to force him 
to give the reason why he may decline to 
do so might not in the end be any advantage to you. 
Questions of this kind should be settled by an appeal 
to good feeling on both sides, and not to the law. 
Communications Received. —J. B.—M. W.— 
H. T.—H. N.—S. W. (next week)—W. M. (will 
write you in a day or two)—W. S.—A. H.—J. C.— 
W. M.—H. N. 
-- 4 -- 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED. 
Fisher, Son, & Sibray, 4, Market Street, Sheffield. 
—Kitchen Garden and Flower Seeds. 
Harrison & Sons, Leicester.—Vegetable and 
Flower Seeds. 
Herd Bros., 47, King Street, Penrith.—Vegetable 
and Flower Seeds, &c. 
W. Baylor Hartland, Patrick Street, Cork.— 
Year Book of Seeds. 
W. PiERCY, 89, Beadnell Road, Forest Hill, S.E.— 
Early-flowering Chrysanthemums. 
Fotheringham & King, Dumfries, N.B.—Vege¬ 
table and Flower Seeds. 
William Clibran & Son, 10, 12, Market Street, 
Manchester.—Vegetable and Flower Seeds. 
-■ — 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
January i^th, 1894. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 
39, Seed Market, Mark Lane, report a steady 
inquiry for Clover seeds. Trefoil finds buyers at an 
advance of 4s. per cwt. Red Clover, White, and 
Alsike steady. French and Italian Ryegrass dearer. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
Jan. ijth, 1894. 
Fruit.—Average Wholesale Pricks. 
s. d s. d. 
Apples.per bushel 20 76 
Cob Nuts, per 100 lb. 40 0 42 6 
Grapes, per lb. 0916 
s. d. s. d 
Pine apples. 
—St. Michael’s, each 26 60 
Vegetables.—Average Retail Prices. 
s. d. s. d.| 
ArtlchokesGlobedoz. 30 60 
Beans, French, perlb. i 0 
Beet.per dozen 20 30 
Cabbages ... per doz. 20 30 
Carrots ... per bunch o 6 
Cauliflowers, Eng.dz. 30 50 
Celery.per bundle 16 20 
Cucumbers .each 03 06 
Endive, French, doz. 26 30 
Herbs .per bunch 02 06 
f. d. 
Horse Radish, bundle 2 0 
Lettuces ...per dozen 2 o 
Mushrooms, p. basket i 0 
Onions.per bunch 0 4 
Parsley ... per bunch o 6 
Radishes... per dozen i 6 
Smallsalading.punnet o 4 
Spinach ... per strike 3 0 
Tomatos. perlb. 0 6 
Turnips.per bun. 0 6 
J. d. 
4 0 
3 0 
I 6 
0 6 
I 0 
Plants in Pots.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s, d, s. d. 
Arum Lilies, per doz. 9 0 15 o 
Azalea, per doz. 24 0 36 0 
Cyperus .per doz. 4 0 12 o 
Dracaena term., doz. 18 0 36 0 
Dracaena viridis.doz. 9 0 18 0 
Evergreens,invar.doz 6 0 24 o 
Ferns, invar.,per doz. 4 0 18 0 
Ferns, small, per 100 4 0 10 0 
Foliage Plants, doz. 12 0 60 0 
I. d. s d. 
Heaths.per doz. 9 0 18 o 
Hyacinths... per doz. 60 90 
Marguerites, perdoz. 9 o 12 0 
Palms in variety,each 2 6 to 0 
Palms, Specimen ... 15 0 63 0 
Poinsettia, per doz. 12 o 15 o 
Solanums ...perdoz. 9 0 12 0 
Tulips. doz. pots 60 80 
Cut Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d. s. d. 
Arum Lilies, izblms. 30 60 
Azalea, dozen sprays 09 10 
Bcuvardias, per bun. 06 10 
Camellia doz. blooms 1020 
Carnations...per doz. 1030 
Chrysanthemums 
doz. bunches .2 060 
doz. blooms.o 6 30 
Eucharis ...per doz. 30 60 
Gardenias 12 blooms 6 o 12 o 
Heliotropes,i2 sprays 06 09 
Hyacinths, doz. spks. 20 40 
Lilium Harrisii, 
doz. blooms 60120 
Lily of the Valley, doz. 
sprays.0 6 10 
LilaCjFrench.perbch. 4 060 
MaidenhairFern,i2bs.4 060 
Margueiites, 12 bun. 20 40 
Narciss, French,\vhite 
doz. bchs. 16 30 
Narciss, French, 
yellow, doz. bchs. 20 26 
Orchid Bloom in var. 
per bloom, from 03 10 
t. d. s. d. 
Mignonette... 12 bun. 20 40 
Mimosa, French. 
per bch. 10 20 
Pelargoniums 12 sps. 06 i c 
— scarlet.12 bchs. 40 90 
Poinsettia, dcz. bloom 4 090 
Pyrethrum doz. bun. 16 40 
Primula, double, bun. 06 10 
Roses, (French) 
doz. blooms 10 20 
— . per box 50 80 
Roses, yellow, dozen 2 0 40 
— Red.doz. blms. i 0 16 
— SaflFrano...per doz. 20 30 
— Tea.per dozen 06 20 
Tuberoses, per doz 06 10 
Tulips, doz. blooms 09 16 
Violets, Parme, French 
per bch. 40 50 
Violets, Czar, French 
per bch. 20 30 
Violets,English 
doz. bchs. 1620 
Violets, French, 
doz. bchs. 1026 
OOHSTTSaSTTS. 
PAGE 
Aganisia lepida.. .322 
Arisaema, new species of...326 
Begonias, Double .324 
Cragside, a visit to.325 
Dendrobium aqueum.323 
Edinburgh Botanical 
Society .321 
Garden^’ Calendar.328 
Garden Novelties .320 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevo¬ 
lent Institution.322 
Horticultural Depression...319 
Ingram, the late Mr. W. ...320 
Insect Enemies .323 
Maxillaria striata .323 
Melon, Sutton's At.326 
Modern Gardening.325 
Neuwiedia Lindleyi .323 
PAGE 
Odontoglossum prionope- 
talum .323 
Orchid Notes and 
Gleanings .323 
Oxford Botanic Garden ...321 
Pink, the Florists’ .324 
Primulas at Reading.321 
R.H.S. Committees .327 
Science Gleanings.323 
Scottish Horticultural 
Association .321 
Shallots .326 
Societies.327 
Trichopilia hymenanthera 323 
Vanda teres Andersonii ...323 
Vegetable Garden, the.326 
Williams, death of Mr. W. 
H.321 
