136 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Nov. 1st, 1884. 
Exhausted Zonal Geraniums.—“Wliat shall I do 
with my Zonal Geraniums ? ” said an amateur gardener 
to us the other day. “ They have gone out of bloom, 
the soil is somewhat soddened, and a green moss-like 
substance has covered the surface.” We went to see 
our friend’s plants, and saw at a glance what was the 
matter. He informed us that they were potted in 
September, 1883, and no shift or top-dressing of any 
kind had been added during the summer. They had 
been watered freely, and our friend, though to some 
extent a careful and thoughtful man, had fallen into 
the error of supposing that a plant requires a certain 
quantity every day, whether they are in active 
growth or not, and whether the weather be wet and 
cool or drying and hot. Really some amateurs, and, 
indeed, some self-styled gardeners, do commit amusing 
errors, and it is not uncommon, when a plant is given 
to a person, to hear them say, “ How many times a 
day must I water it ?” I hope The Gardening Wobld, 
by disseminating correct and simple rules of culture, 
will lead amateur gardeners to think, and exercise a 
little common sense. When it accomplishes this, 
as I firmly believe it will, we shall witness a marked 
improvement in the management of plants by bond fide 
amateurs. But I am getting away from my story. 
I advised my friend—First, to withhold water 
from the plants ; secondly, to cut them back rather 
severely, leaving only the main stem and shortened 
main branches 3 ins. or so in length ; thirdly, as soon 
as the cut-back branches began to show signs of 
breaking into growth he was to turn them out of pots, 
shake all the soil from the roots, cut back any long 
ones fairly close, and re-pot them in pots only just 
large enough to take the trimmed roots. Further, the 
pots were to be well drained, and the compost used one 
made up of soft yellow loam, leaf-soil, silver sand, and 
a little well-decomposed manure that will crumble 
finely when rubbed by the hands. As soon as re¬ 
potted, the plants are to be placed on a shelf of the 
greenhouse, in full sunlight, and only watered just 
sufficiently to keep the soil fairly moist, and of a 
nature to cause the roots to become active. The 
plants must be kept from frost during the winter, but 
not incited to growth by keeping them too warm. 
They require to be kept from frost and cold draughts— 
nothing more. In the spring, when active growth 
commences, they should have a shift into a larger 
pot, and be kept shaded for a time, and then well 
looked after in the matter of watering. I find that 
these make excellent plants for flowering during the 
summer, and towards the middle, when the plants are 
blooming freely, they will be greatly helped by a slight 
sprinkling of Clay’s Fertilizer put over the surface of 
the soil once a week and watered into it. 
Then as to the cuttings from the plants. They 
need not be wasted. The stoutest and hardest can be 
made into cuttings, put into pots of light sandy soil 
pressed firmly about them, and the pots stood on the 
shelf of a greenhouse, but not neglected during the 
winter. A proportion of these will root, and they will 
be found to come in very useful for flowering at mid¬ 
summer and later on.— Quo. 
Cocoa-nut fibre refuse.—This is such a useful 
help to amateur gardeners in many ways, that no 
apology is necessary for calling attention to it. It is 
no doubt one of the very best materials for forming a 
plunge-bed, as it most effectually protects the roots 
of the plants from an excess of heat or cold, prevents 
the worms entering the pots, and when pots are placed 
out-of-doors for the summer season much labour in 
watering may be saved and injury to the plants pre¬ 
vented by plunging the pots to within an inch or so of 
the rim in a bed of refuse, and for all plunging purposes 
it is much nicer to handle than ashes. Heavy garden 
soils are made much more workable by mixing with 
them a quantity of cocoa-nut fibre refuse ; it serves 
to keep it open, and the roots run freely in it. In 
summer it is very useful for mulching purposes, and 
especially for flower-beds on lawns ; while in winter 
many a choice herbaceous plant can be preserved 
safely through a time of severe frost by means of a 
heap of refuse being placed over it. In potting 
Auriculas, Polyanthuses, and many 'other things, I 
have found it highly serviceable to put a thin layer of 
refuse over the crocks used for drainage ; it prevents 
the soil from being washed down among and clogging 
the drainage. It is a true amateur gardener’s friend. 
—Quo. 
Dahlia, White Bedder.—This is one of the best 
plants extant for the backing up of ribbon borders, 
especially where the border skirts a belt of shrubs. If 
planted 2 ft. apart in the row, this distance will give 
them sufficient room to fill up the ground well. This, 
I find, is the most tender Dahlia to keep through the 
winter. The plan I adopt is to put the roots into a pit 
where a little heat can be turned on in the event of 
frost. Cover the bottom of the pit with a layer of 
ashes, and then place the tubers upon it and cover 
them over with the same material to about an inch in 
depth. This keeps the tubers plump and also free 
from the dry rot.— W. G. 
- ->t-< - 
Fuchsias.—Fuchsias that are planted out in the 
flower-garden should now.be taken up and stored 
away under the stage of a greenhouse or similar 
structure. Those that are in pots may be shaken 
out, and the pots be washed and used for other 
purposes, while the plants are stored in a similar 
manner to Dahlias.— IF. G. 
Echeveria secunda giauca.—The plants used 
in the flower-garden should now be taken up, the 
lower leaves and offsets taken off, and part of the root 
cut off and then dibbled in a cold frame where the soil 
is of a sandy nature and well drained. They should 
have one good soaking of water after they are put in, 
and then no more till the spring. In the event of 
frost there should be a lining of leaves and manure 
mixed, put round them and a thick covering of mats 
on the top. In favourable weather they should have 
all the air possible.— W. G. 
Boses for a North WIall.—From Mr. Bedford, 
Straffan House Gardens, Co. Kildare, we have received 
a box of beautiful Tea Rose buds gathered from plants 
growing on a north wall, as indicated in his note in 
our last issue. The varieties are Gloire de Dijon, 
Safrano, Madame Berard, Reve d’Or, Niphetos, and 
Souvenir d’un Ami, and considering that they had 
passed through 9 degs. of frost, were wonderfully fresh 
and bright. Mr. Bedford remarks that he has none 
so good on south walls. 
Ampelopsis Veitchii.—What a glorious plant 
for covering walls is this hardy Japanese creeper ! It 
seems to thrive in almost any soil and under the most 
adverse conditions as to root accommodation, and 
another of its good qualities is, that it does not 
require nailing, but clings with unfailing tenacity to 
either stone or wood-work. At the present time few, 
if any, creepers surpass it in beauty ; especially where 
planted on a Southern aspect. Just now it presents 
a most enchanting picture on the south-west side of 
Wycombe Abbey, where it covers the front of an 
arcade, running up the pillars and hanging in festoons 
of vivid crimson in the archways.— C. H. 
— u ' ■ i-- ^ — 
Aqijilegia glandulosa. —We frequently see ac¬ 
counts of this plant, which is rather singular, as I 
believe it is not in cultivation. There are several 
varieties of A. glandulosa, which are well worth 
notice, and preferable to the type, as far as show is 
concerned. I have the following in cultivation. 
A. glandulosa so-called, which is nearest to the true 
type, and which Dr. Regel states is not in cultivation. 
I believe he is the only botanist who knows it. It is 
a self-coloured dark purple flower, nothing near so 
ornamental as the A. jucunda, or A. bicolor varieties, 
and would disappoint those who expect so telling a 
flower as Aquilegia glandulosa var. Jucunda of Regel. 
The varieties I have are, bicolor, intermedia, jucunda, 
(the beautiful variety so well grown by Messrs. Grigor 
of Forres), longicalcarata, parviflora, stenopetala, 
and unicolor. I may state that the whole of the 
above varieties came direct from Dr. Regel.— Ebor. 
MYOSOTIS DISSITIFLORA. 
This is one of the most charming things for pots 
that can be had, as it is quite unrivalled among plants 
for its lovely shade of blue, which, though delicate 
and beautiful outdoors, is even more so under glass, 
as, when exposed to frost or cold, it is apt to be a 
little red in the petals. Under glass the flowers lose 
this tinge or do not assume it, and as they can be had 
so much earlier by potting up a few plants any that 
are fit should be lifted at once. The strongest and 
best are those from seedlings that have been grown in 
some shady border, and if these are taken up carefully 
with fair-sized balls, and put into light, rich soil t hey 
will bloom profusely very early in spring. 
The way to manage them, when fitted and potted, 
is to stand them in a cold frame, where they should 
be well watered and have plenty of air by tilting the 
lights or withdrawing them on fine days, as the plants 
are impatient of confinement and when kept at all 
close are very subject to mildew. If this shows on them 
the only remedy is to dust with dry sulphur at once, 
and let it remain on the leaves for some days, after 
which it may be washed off by water used with some 
force through a syringe. By-and-bye, when the plants 
are brought into the greenhouse or window and begin 
to flower, liquid manure will be a great help, the best 
and most inodorous being that from soot, which suits 
all soft-wooded things, and should always be at hand 
in a garden. The way to make it is to have a large 
tub with a tap, as then it can be drawn off clear, a 
state it is seldom in when stirred from dipping, as 
more or less of the soot will float at the top.— Alpha. 
■ - g_-. - 
TWO USEFUL ADIANTUMS. 
There is no doubt that with plant-growers, either 
for decoration, cutting, or market purposes, the 
reigning favourite among Maiden-hairs is the common 
A. cuneatum, w'hose beauty and usefulness has taken 
such a legitimate hold on the gardening world that 
none of the new r -comers—not even the stately and 
beautiful A. Farleyense—have ever been able to 
depose, or even attempt to rival it as a general 
favourite. That circumstance, hov'ever does not 
prevent each of the Maiden-hairs from having fits 
share of admirers and contributing their beauti¬ 
ful and diverse foliage to give variety to our 
plant-houses. But not only to the stove or green¬ 
house is their usefulness confined; as plants for 
indoor decoration they are most effective and durable, 
qualities which the London floral decorators were not 
slow to recognize in the two varieties, the subjects of 
our illustration, as they seemed to withstand the dry 
atmosphere of the dwelling-house perhaps better than 
any others, their tall graceful habit, at the same time 
rendering them very desirable for such work. 
Adiantum Sancta Catherinia; (the cut-leafed variety) 
is an old inhabitant of our plant-houses, and one 
very easy to cultivate without much heat. It is 
of the A. cultratum section, and when well grown it is 
often 2 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. in height, and with fronds 2 ft. 
across. A. Victoria; is a garden variety raised by Mr. 
Bause, and supposed to be between A. decorom and 
A. scutum.— J. 
LOBELIA CARDINALIS. 
Any one seeing this plant, unless possessed of some 
knowledge of botany, w’ould hardly know' it to be a 
Lobelia, as instead of being anything like the popular 
bedding varieties, L. cardinalis more closely re¬ 
sembles the Salvia, both in habit, appearance, and 
colour, as it sends up tall stems or spikes ranging 
from 2 ft. to 3 ft. high, that become clothed with large 
bold scarlet flow'ers. For autumn blooming, either in 
pots for the embellishment of the greenhouse or 
planting out in borders or beds, it is one of the finest 
and most telling things that can be had, as besides 
bearing the bright coloured blossoms referred to, it has 
rich purple foliage, much like that of the dark coloured 
Beet. 
When used in beds it is best to plant it among 
other things, arranged so as to carpet the ground, in 
which way it is very striking, especially if the plants 
chosen to associate with it be suitable, and afford a 
nice contrast, such as the golden-leaved Abutilon, 
variegated Pelargoniums, Centauria candidissima, 
