408 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Feb. 28th, 1885. 
Tie .feiATEf m' IJarmn. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Excepting during frosty nights fires may now be 
dispensed with, as by closing early and shutting in 
the sun a sufficient degree of warmth may be kept up; 
and natural heat obtained in that way is far better for 
the plants. These will require frequent attention and 
looking over, as they dry fast at this season, and if 
allowed to sutler from want of water the flowers soon 
flag and fade. Soft-wooded subjects, such as Primulas, 
Cinerarias, Mignonette, and others of that class will 
be greatly benefited and made to last in bloom much 
longer if they get liquid manure, which should be given 
clear and well diluted, as it is better to administer it 
weak and often than to apply it in strong doses, which 
are apt to damage the roots. 
As this is the time of year when most plants need 
potting it is necessary to be prepared with proper soil, 
which should be got under cover that it may be in 
good order when wanted for use. For general 
purposes there is nothing like sods of fibry peat and 
loam, as suitable mixtures for almost any green¬ 
house subjects may be made out of them ; but for 
Azaleas, Heaths, and Epacrises the peat alone, with 
sand, must be used. Camellias like peat and loam in 
about equal proportions, and in potting these plants 
it is better to have the soil rough and not rammed in 
too firm, as the roots are large and can only ramify 
freely in loose, open material. Heaths, Epacrises, and 
Azaleas, on the other hand, cannot well be potted too 
tight, and in dealing with them it is important that 
the peat be pressed well around the old balls, or 
the -water, when given, will pass through the fresh 
stuff and leave the old dry. 
Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Calceolarias, and such like 
grow freely in pure loam, but if it is heavy it may be 
improved by having a little peat or leaf-mould incor¬ 
porated with it to keep it from binding. Before using 
the pots see that they are clean and properly drained, 
as the health of the plants put in them depends much 
on the observance of matters like these. What adds 
to the ornamentation of greenhouses more than 
anything else, if there are not many roof climbers, are 
baskets filled with suitable subjects, among which 
ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, trailing Campanulas, Vincas, 
Creeping Jenny, Mother of Thousands, Begonias, 
and ferns may be named as being specially adapted, 
and if any of these are started now they will make a 
fine display during the summer. Fuchsias of the 
drooping kinds also look well suspended, as when 
elevated they show off the beauty of their blossoms to 
the greatest advantage. 
PITS AND FRAMES. 
The value of these to amateurs at this season is 
great, as they come in for so many uses, especially 
if the pits happen to be heated, or a good supply of 
fermenting material can be kept up, as then, at and 
after this time of year Cucumbers and Melons may 
be grown, and hosts of things raised and forwarded 
either for embellishing the greenhouse or planting 
out in the garden. If Cucumbers and Melons are 
attempted, a deep bed of tan, or dung and leaves 
that have been fermented and turned over, should 
be made, and, as soon as the heat gets up, some 
rough loamy soil placed in a ridge or in heaps along 
the centre of the frame ready for turning out the 
plants, which may be done as soon as the soil gets 
warm, and if the temperature is then maintained at 
from 65 degs. to 75 degs. by means of linings the 
growth of the Cucumbers or Melons will be rapid. 
As there will be some amount of spare space at 
back and front of the heaps or ridges, it may be 
utilized for standing pans of seed, or receiving fresh 
potted stuff to give the plants a start, and when 
these are removed, filled up again, as it will be some 
time, before the bines of the Melons or Cucumbers 
require the room. If French Beans are to be grown, 
it is a good plan to sow and raise the plants in small 
pots and plant them out after, as then they may be 
dropped down so as to partly bury their stems, which 
saves earthing up, and yet encourages them to make 
fresh roots in the soil. Potatos do not require top 
heat now, and a very little below suffices to start 
them, and therefore anyone having a spare frame 
and a load of warm dung may plant at once, with 
the certainty of raising a good crop of young tubers. 
The space between the rows, which should be about 
a foot apart, may be made use of for sowing a pinch 
of Early London Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, 
Lettuce, and Celery, all of which want just a little 
heat and protection to get them to germinate, and 
when up and large enough they can be pricked out 
under the shelter of any old light, to stand and grow 
till they are ready for planting out in the open. A 
bed for propagating and raising seeds is almost 
indispensable, but the tan or dung and leaves for this 
must be well sweetened, and when the bed is built, 
have a thin layer of saw-dust or cocoa-nut fibre to 
keep down the steam, which otherwise is apt to cause 
the cuttings to damp. 
With a frame made up ip the way referred to, 
Petunias, Coleus, Iresine, Lobelias, Ageratums, 
Verbenas, Alternantheras, Heliotrope, and in fact 
ahnost all kinds of bedding-plants, may be struck 
rapidly and passed on to the Melon or other warm 
frame, and the vacancies thus made filled again 
and again ; and the same in the raising of seeds, but 
the middle of March is all in good time for these, 
at which date we shall have something to say about 
them. 
BEDS AND BORDERS. 
These are now showing that there is life in them, as 
already Snowdrops, Crocuses, Anemones, Hyacinths, 
Narcissus, and other harbingers of spring are either 
in bloom or fast approaching that stage, and therefore, 
beds and borders will soon be gay and interesting; 
but to see them at their best, and have them really 
enjoyable, the surface of the ground should be free 
from weeds and neatly raked, as then the flowers show 
off to the greatest advantage. Before this is done, 
however, or to have all complete and in good order, 
it is necessary to look to the edgings to see if they 
are level or require trimming or mending, as nothing 
is a greater eyesore than uneven turf or patchy Box, 
which detract much from the appearance of any garden. 
As it takes almost as long to mend a ragged Box edging 
as to relay it, the better way, if the edging is at 
all large, is to take it up, and put in afresh, when 
it may be made a thorough job of, and, with care after, 
kept in nice order for years. The way to set about 
the work is to make the soil firm and level, and then, 
if the walks or beds are straight, it is an easy matter, 
by straining a line, to cut out a trench with a sharp 
spade and lay the Box in. This should be done after 
pulling it apart and shortening the tips, so as to leave 
it standing out about 2 ins. above the soil, that has 
been levelled and patted down, when the final filling 
up of the trench may be proceeded with, and the 
loose earth on the walk side trimmed off and gathered 
up ready for returning the old gravel and finishing off 
with some new. 
If the edgings are of grass and have depressions in 
them, the only thing to rectify them is, to run the 
flaying-lmife under and raise the turf by putting in 
fresh soil, when the grass should be rammed or rolled to 
make it lie firm again, and for the roots to get hold. 
Hollow places in the lawn may be treated in like 
manner, and if there are bare spots, patches of turf 
should be put in, or the parts raked and seed sown, 
which is a good plan where lawns are poor or thin, 
especially if at the same time they get a top dressing 
of fine light rich stuff to cover the seed. Seedsmen 
supply Lawm Mixtures, which contain fine clovers and 
suitable grasses, and only these should be sown, as to 
get seeds that fall from hay into mangers and sow 
them is to fill the turf with coarse plants and weeds 
that will spoil it at once. Lawns that have moss may 
be cleared by giving a good coat of lime, which 
destroys it quickly if used fresh and air slaked, as 
then it is much stronger ; and an easy way to put it on 
is to mix it with fine mould, when it may be spread 
without blowing about. 
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GARDENS. 
The show for fruit is most encouraging, as every¬ 
where trees and bushes of all descriptions are crowded 
with flower-buds, and all we want to get good crops is 
a favourable spring; but as the weather is so uncertain 
then, it is only wise to be provided beforehand with 
coverings ready to protect Apricots and Peaches> 
which will not be long before they are in bloom. 
The material for the purpose should be strong open 
canvas or netting, as anything of a close make shuts 
out the air, and is bad if the covering has to be left on 
for the day. If Raspberries are not staked and tied, 
they should be done at once, and then mulched with 
half-rotten dung, but on no account ought they to be 
forked or dug between; neither should Strawberries, 
the best way of managing these being to mix some 
rotten manure and soil together, and give them a top¬ 
dressing, which encourages fresh roots and greatly 
strengthens the plants. 
In the vegetable department the first crops to think 
about and provide for are Onions, Parsnips, Spinach, 
Turnips, Radishes, Carrots, Peas, and Broad Beans, 
the land for which ought now to be in good working 
order. To grow Onions well, the ground must be 
heavily manured and deeply dug, as they send their 
roots far down, and the same with Parsnips, but they 
do not require rich soil. For Spinach, Turnips, 
Carrots, and Radishes a warm sunny border should 
be chosen, and only small beds of each made, so as to 
have others follow on, and keep up a regular succes¬ 
sion. Early Milan Turnip, Nantes Carrot, and Olive¬ 
shaped or Wood’s Frame Radish, are the best for 
sowing now, as they turn in quick and are very tender 
and good. 
To have Brussels Sprouts really fine, the plants 
cannot now be raised too soon, and seed should be 
sown at once, either in a frame or close under a sunnv 
wall, and at the same time a pinch of Cauliflower and 
Lettuce. To keep up a supply of Beans and Peas, 
the way to manage is to plant or sow again as soon as 
the last put in are through the ground, the number of 
rows or quantity depending on the demand. The 
best Beans to grow after this are the Broad Windsor ; 
and for a dwarf Pea, if the land is good and deep, 
none are equal to Veitch’s Perfection. If a tall sort is 
preferred, Ne Plus Ultra should be the one selected, as 
it is a very prolific kind and of superior flavour. Any 
that are now up will require close watching, as sparrows 
are very fond of the young tender tops and soon 
cripple the plants. A cheap and good way of keeping 
them off is to strain three lines of black cotton along 
just over the rows, which will so frighten the birds 
when they alight that they will not come near again. 
— g— ■ <> 0^ “ —? — 
JASMINUM GRACILLIMUM. 
This is one of the beautiful plants discovered in 
Northern Borneo, by Mr. F. W. Burbidge, when on a 
plant-collecting expedition in that country, for Messrs. 
James Veitch & Sons, some six or seven years ago; 
and we are inclined to think that from a gardener’s 
point of view, it is the most useful plant Mr. Burbidge 
sent home. It flowered for the first time at Chelsea 
in December, 1880, and soon afterwards was put into 
commerce, in a very quiet way, but it soon made a 
name for itself among those who have to provide cut 
flowers, as the best winter-blooming plant that has 
been introduced for some years. 
There is indeed nothing like it in cultivation that 
will yield the same quantity of deliciously fragrant 
white flowers in winter, and wherever there is a stove 
or warm greenhouse, there should this graceful 
Jasmine be found. The bushy habit of the plant 
lends itself admirably to pot cultivation, and when its 
long, slender, pendulous branches are in bloom, there 
are few handsomer objects to be seen. It produces its 
large panicles of white blossoms in the axils of the 
leaves, as will be seen in the illustration, for which we 
are indebted to Messrs. Veitch, but it does not produce 
them all at once. It is a long and continuous bloomer, 
and on that ground alone should be highly esteemed 
by those who have to keep up a supply of choice cut- 
flowers. It flowers also in a small state, which is 
another point in its favour. 
Pentstemon Rattani. —This is a neat Californian 
species of dwarf but robust growth, resembling in its 
general aspect the well-known P. digitalis. It grows 
from 12 ins. to 18 ins. high, bearing rather large 
broadly-ovate acuminate foliage. Flowers are pro¬ 
duced in terminal panicles, and are of a lilac-purple 
colour, each about 1 in. in length, and in form like 
those of the species above named. It requires only 
the treatment of other border species, blooming the 
second season from seed.—IF. Thompson. 
