522 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 14, 1894. 
very able and interesting paper concluded' the 
meeting. Messrs. Hy. Beech, E. D. Clark, C. 
Daniell, C. Hartley, W. H. Peake, F. T. Poulson 
(Stafiord), A. Roe. H. Smith, and W. H. Wilks 
exhibited plants in pots and cut flowers, and the 
usual awards were made. Messrs. W. B. Childs 
and R. Sydenham exhibited Narcissus and Tulips 
(not for competition), which were much admired. 
The Association is now in a very flourishing con¬ 
dition, there being 210 members, and the average 
attendance at the meetings is double that of last 
year. The Hon. Secretary's (Mr. W. B. Griffin’s) 
address is now changed to Wychburg, Alcester 
Road, Moseley. 
WHAT TO DO IN THE GARDEN, 
Poinsettias.—Those who like branching plants 
■with numerous heads of bracts should start some of 
their old plants and grow them into bushy speci¬ 
mens. By getting them into growth now the culti¬ 
vator will have time to stop the leading shoots two 
or three times so as to induce a branching head. 
The bracts would not be large when so treated, but 
their greater number makes them of a highly 
decorative character. 
Gesneras.—The tuherous-rooted species and 
garden forms of Gesneras should now be started 
into fresh growth by shaking them out of the old soil 
entirely, repotting them and placing them in a pit 
or Steve. If the soil is properly moist at the time 
of potting, no watering will he necessary till the 
young shoots appear. The atmospheric moisture 
and an occasional syringing will generally be 
sufficient to keep the soil moist for some time after 
potting. 
Eucharis.—Where the pots happen to be over¬ 
crowded with bulbs and the soil exhausted, repotting 
may be accomplished at this period. Use good 
substantial loam, and drain the pots well so that 
plenty of water may be given in summer without 
danger of the plants becoming water-logged. 
Encourage the bulbs to make a healthy and vigorous 
growth, for upon that will depend their ability to 
flower well. 
Crotons.—Red spider and another more minute 
and colourless plant mite, sometimes prove very 
harmful to this class of plants if they are grown in 
too dry an atmosphere. Now that the days are - 
longer and the sun stronger, much more frequent 
syringing will be needed, particularly when the 
house is closed in the afternoon. A bag of soot 
sunk in the water tank will also help largely in keep¬ 
ing down destructive vermin. 
Gardenias.—In order to get plants for early 
flowering next autumn and winter, some of the early 
flowered plants should have the flowering branches 
cut back and the plants repotted if necessary. The 
object should he to get them to make vigorous 
growth during the early part of summer by plung¬ 
ing them in a hed of fermenting material and grow¬ 
ing them on in strong, tropical heat with plenty of 
moisture. When they cease growing they should 
be kept cool and more ventilated during the months 
of August and September, so as to ripen the wood 
and plump up the buds. 
Vines.—Where it is intended to make a young 
plantation of Vines this spring, the border should 
be got ready to receive them about the end of the 
month. Only a part of the border need be made at 
first if there is room for one of the proper width. 
About ft. deep and 3 ft. wide will be sufficient the 
first season. Where old Grapes are still hanging in 
the Grape room, they will require frequent examina¬ 
tion to clear away decayed berries. Renew the 
water occasionally by replacing it with fresh supplies 
in clean bottles. 
Peaches.—Stop all gross shoots in the earliest 
house before they have time to disturb the balance 
of growth of the trees. Keep the borders well 
supplied with water, particularly if narrow and well 
drained. When the fruits have finished strong and 
begin to take their last swelling, have the leading 
shoots stopped to confine the energy of the tree to 
the swelling of the fruit. The final thinning of the 
fruits should be completed at once to give the 
remaining ones their due share of nourishment. 
Melons.—Another plantation can now be made 
in the house that was occupied with the winter- 
fruiting Cucumbers. The latter may now be cleared 
away as soon as spring-sown ones are bearing and 
can keep up the necessary supply. Give the house 
a thorough clearing out and wash the whole of the 
woodwork and glass ; remove the old soil, and when 
all is ready replace the old soil with entirely fresh 
material, consisting of good mellow loam with an 
admixture of rubble and road scrapings to render it 
porous. Let this get warmed up to the temperature 
of the house before planting. 
Broccoli and Kales.—Seeds for the main crop 
of these useful winter and spring vegetables should 
now be sown in properly prepared beds. Select 
ground if possible in which none of the Brassica 
tribe have been grown for some years, for by care in 
that matter much trouble may be avoided afterwards. 
Old Cabbage ground is often full of the spores of the 
'Anbury or “ club-root ” disease, and they infect the 
roots of the seedlings, which are diseased before 
they are taken to their permanent quarters. The 
grubs of the Cabbage-gall Beetle are often but too 
plentiful likewise in old soil. 
Cabbage Planting.—Autumn-sown plants of 
Cabbages may now be planted out to succeed those 
that have been in the ground all the winter. Cauli¬ 
flowers kept through the winter in frames or raised 
under glass during the early part of spring should 
also be planted out in quantities to meet require¬ 
ments. Plant out Lettuce and Brussel Sprouts ; the 
latter should be planted in lines 3 ft. asunder. Sow 
Salsify and Scorzonera, Lettuce, Turnips, and 
Radishes. Cardoons may be sown in boxes to be 
planted out later on when they get strong. 
Figs in Pots. —As the fruits on the earliest 
forced trees reach the ripening stage, a much drier 
atmosphere should be maintained, and kept buoyant 
by ventilation and artifleial heat if necessary. 
Large trees in pots are generally less conveniently 
situated than small ones, for a proper exposure to 
light. Some compensation can be made by thinning 
out the shoots that are not required for next year, 
and tying in the remainder so as to thoroughly 
expose the fruit to light and air. Unless this is 
done the fruit will be poor in flavour. 
Orchard House. —Now that the trees are growing 
they will require more water, but not s) much as 
when in full growth. The top dressing frequently 
prevents the man in charge from seeing whether 
they are really dry or not; therefore it is advisable 
that one man should attend to them so that he may 
be more thoroughly acquainted with them than a 
stranger. When the trees go out of bloom they 
may be fumigated if green or black fly infests them. 
- ^ - 
Quesnons md AnsojGR?. 
Substitute for Stable Litter.— Omega : We 
should not advise you to mix leaves with tan in order 
to make a hotbed for Melons. Tan would not 
furnish a great deal of heat; it is valueless as a 
manure, and would even spoil the manurial value 
of the leaves afterwards. Hops from the brewery 
after having been used by the brewer, might be 
utilised as a substitute. But in the absence of 
either that or stable manure, we should make up the 
bed solely of leaves. If the latter are dry, give them 
a good watering and shake them up loosely in aheap 
to ferment ; then make up a bed with them and 
tread down firmly before putting on the soil in 
which to plant the Melons. 
Dividing Dahlias. — Omega : The roots should 
have been covered wilh light sandy soil or even 
leaf soil sometime last month in order to take 
advantage of the whole length of the season. As it 
is, we should treat the roots as above indicated, and 
put them into heat at once. As soon as the buds 
commence to push you can then divide them with a 
knife in such a way that every tuber may possess a 
bud or eye. Without this precaution a tuber may 
occasionally fail to develop a bud at all. Some 
would not hesitate to divide the tubers before they 
sprout, but we like to see them started before cutting 
them. 
Begonia Socotrana. — J. L. M. : The plant 
naturally goes to rest about March or April and 
continues in that condition all the summer. 
Preserve the bulbils which you will find about the 
base of the plant, and repot them some time in 
August. A warm propagating pit or some similar 
house with a stove temperature will be a suitable 
place in which to start it into fresh growth. When 
approaching the flowering stage, it can be taken to 
an intermediate house or cool end of the stove where 
it will flower during the winter months. 
The Purple-leaved Plum. — IF. K. S. -. The 
proper name of this is Prunus carasifera Pissardi. 
There is no necessity for keeping it under glass all 
the summer as it is perfectly hardy. If it is in full 
growth now, the best plan would be to keep it in a 
greenhouse till it has completed its growth and then 
stand it in the open air for the summer. If pressed 
for house room, harden off the plant gradually and 
then stand it out in a sheltered place. 
Dendrobiums in bad Condition.--A : We exam¬ 
ined the specimens carefully under the microscope 
and could find no fungus in the tissues. The injury 
to the old stems is external and does not extend far 
inside. The tissues are healthy, normal and well 
filled with starch except immediately under the 
black patches. The injury at the base of the stems 
likewise proceeds from the surface, but goes much 
further in. Some of them, however, are quite 
sound. By taking some of the best of them in hand, 
and treating them with careful attention for a period, 
we think it is possible to bring them round. No 
doubt they would be more troublesome than im¬ 
ported specimens, still we think they are worth a 
little trouble to bring them round again. 
Names of Plants. — T.N.D: i, Corydalis cava 
albiflora ; 2, Helleborus foetidus. B.W : i, Lonicera 
Standishii; 2, Triteleia uniflora; 3, Ornithogalum 
nutans. 
Communications Received. —J. B.—"T. A.— 
F. C. S.—W. Y. B.—H. C. P.—E. M.—H.W.— 
J. H. K.—E. P. 
-- 
TRADE CATALOGUES RECEIVED- 
The “Stott” Fertiliser and Insecticide 
Distribution Co, Barton House, Deansgate, 
Manchester.—Horticultural Specialties, Kilm- 
Right and Feed-m-Right. 
Pitcher & Manda, Short Hills, New Jersey, 
U.S A.—New and rare plants. Flower and vegetable 
seeds, &c. 
--t-- 
LONDON SEED TRADE. 
April lofh , 1894. 
Messrs. Hurst & Son, 152, Houndsditch, and 
39, Seed Market, Mark Lane, E.C., report a large 
demand for Clovers and Grass seeds at full prices. 
Supplies of English Red Clover and Cowgrass are 
decreasing. Alsike is 2S. per cwt. higher. White 
Clover and Trefoil Steady. Ryegrasses unchanged. 
COVENT GARDEN MARKET. 
April loth, 1894. 
Fruit.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d, 5. d 
Pine apples. 
—St. Michael’s, each 26 60 
Strawberries, per lb. 
Box off rail . 1030 
Morning gathered 2050 
Vegetables.—Average Retail Prices. 
s. d s. d, 
Apples.per bushel 4 0 10 0 
Cob Nuts, per 100 lb. 50 o 
Grapes, per lb. 2040 
X. d, 
ArtlchokesGlobe doz. 3 0 
Beans, French, perlb. i 6 
Beet.per dozen 2 0 
Cabbages ... per doz. 2 0 
Carrots ... per bunch o 6 
Carrots, new, per bch. i 6 
Cauliflowers, Eng.dz. 3 0 
Celery.per bundle i 6 
Cucumbers .each 0 4 
Endive, French, doz. 2 6 
Herbs .per bunch 0 2 
Horse Radish, bundle 2 0 
I. d. 
6 0 
2 0 
3 0 
3 0 
6 0 
2 0 
0 8 
3 0 
0 6 
4 0 I 
X. d, X. d. 
Lettuces ...per dozen 2 0 30 
Mushrooms, p. basket i 0 
Onions.per bunch 0 4 
Parsley ... per bunch 0 6 
Radishes... per dozen i 6 
Seakale...per basket i 6 
Smallsalading,punnet 0 4 
Spinach ... per strike 2 0 
Tomatos. perlb. i 0 
Turnips.per liun. o 6 
Turnips,newLper bch. i 6 
6 
0 6 
I 6 
Plants in Pots.—Average Wholesale Prices 
X. d. X. d. 
Arum Lilies, per doz. 6 o 12 0 
Aspidistra, per doz 18 0 42 0 
—specimenplants,each5 0 15 0 
Azalea, per doz. 18 0 36 o 
Cineraria,per doz ... 5 0 90 
Cyclamen, per doz... g o 18 o 
Cyperus .per doz. 4 0 iz 0 
Dracaena term., doz. 18 0 36 0 
Dracaena viridis,doz. 9 o 18 0 
Evergreens,invar.doz 6 0 24 0 
Ferns, invar.,per doz. 4 0 18 0 
X. d, X d. 
Ferns, small, per 100 4 0 10 0 
Foliage Plants, doz. 12 0 60 o 
Genista...per doz. 6 0 12 o 
Heaths.per doz. 9 0 24 o 
Hyacinths... per doz. 40 80 
Marguerites, perdoz. 60120 
Mignonette, per doz 6 0 10 0 
Palms in variety,each 2 6 10 0 
Palms, Specimen ... 15 0 63 o 
Pelargoniums.per dz.12 o 18 o 
—scarlet per doz...6 090 
Cut Flowers.—Average Wholesale Prices. 
s. d. 
Arum Lilies, izblms. i 6 
Azalea, dozen sprays o 4 
Bcuvardias, per bun. 0 6 
Camellia doz. blooms i 0 
Carnations...per doz. i o 
Daffodils, double 
doz. bchs. i 6 
Daffodils, single 
doz. bchs. 3 0 
Eucharis ...per doz. 3 o 
Forget-me-Not, 
doz. bchs. 3 0 
Gardenias 12 blooms 2 0 
Heliotropes,i2 sprays 0 6 
Hyacinths, doz. spks. 2 0 
Lilium Harrisii, 
doz. blooms 2 0 
Lily of the Valley, doz. 
sprays.o 6 
LilacFrench.perbch. 2 6 
MaidenhairFern,i2bs.4 0 
Marguerites, 12 bun. 20 
Mignonette... 12 bun. 4 0 
Narciss, French, 
various,doz. bchs. 3 0 
s. d. 
3 0 
3 o 
9 o 
4 0 
4 o 
4 o 
9 
d. s. d. 
Orchid Bloom in var. 
per bloom, from 0 3 
Mimosa, French. 
per bch. i 0 
Pelargoniums 12 sps. 0 6 
— scarlet.12 bchs. 4 0 
Pyrethrum doz. bun. i 6 
Primroses, doz. bchs. i 0 
Primula, double, bun. 0 6 
Roses (French) 
doz. blooms 2 0 
Roses, yellow, dozen 2 0 
— Red.doz. blms. 2 0 
— Saffrano...per doz. 2 o 
1 0 
2 o 
c 9 
6 o 
4 0 
2 0 
I 0 
301 — Tea.per dozen 0 6 
■ Tuberoses, per doz o 6 
4 0 Tulips, doz. blooms 0 4 
Violets, Parma, French 
per bch. i 6 
Violets, Czar, French 
per bch. i 0 
Violets,English 
doz. bchs. o 9 
4 o 
4 o 
4 0 
3 0 
2 0 
I 0 
o 8 
4 0 
6 o 
4 o 
6 0 
6 0 
3 0 
I 6 
Wallflowers,doz.bchs. 4060 
OOI^T'E^STTS. 
page 
Amaryllis at Chelsea .516 
Angraecum polystachya.515 
Auricula show, the. .513 
Blue Primroses, the.520 
Box edgings.516 
Clematis indivisa....520 
Coelogyne cristata Lemoni- 
ana. 5 i 5 
Coleus Distinction.520 
Cypripedium Phoedra .515 
Cystacanthus turgidus.520 
Daffodils at Long Ditton...5i8 
Dendrobium nobile var.515 
Epiphyllum Makoyanum...520 
Finsbury Park .. 519 
page 
Gardeners’ Calendar .522 
Gas Lime .516 
Horticulture in America.518 
Odontoglossum tentacula- 
tum.515 
Pavetta borbonica. 520 
Potatos.514 
Proliferation in Ferns.515 
Sarracenia chilsoni.520 
Seeds, small...S'S 
Science Gleanings.515 
Suciedes.520 
Vegetable Garden . 5^9 
Weather, the recent.515 
