March 28th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
475 
it well, I send you a. note on my mode of 
treatment. In the first week of March I make 
a sowing of Miles’ Hybrid Spiral, and when the plants 
are strong enough, I prick them off into GO-sized 
pots, afterwards shifting them into 48-sized, in which, 
after being stopped three or four times, they make 
nice little flowering plants by the beginning of June, 
and last good till the end of July. When going out of 
bloom, I cut them back and put them into 24-sized 
pots in the beginning of August, they start into growth 
and are again in flower by the end of September, 
lasting good to the middle of November, and averaging 
about thirty spikes of bloom each. At the end of 
November I again cut the plants back and put them 
into 16-sized pots with the same good results, for by 
the end of February they are again in bloom, making 
beautiful plants with about sixty spikes of bloom, and 
averaging about 18 ins. across. The plants are grown 
in an ordinary cold greenhouse, and at each potting 
I use turfy loam and leaf-mould mixing with it some of 
Clay’s Fertilizer at the rate of a 48-sized potful to a 
barrowful of compost. To the use of this excellent 
manure I attribute my success in a great measure, its 
effects being truly wonderful on all plants ; I never 
yet used it on a plant either mixed w T ith the soil used 
in potting, or afterwards for top-dressing, which did 
not at once show how well it liked it. The action of 
this manure seems to be natural and lasting, not 
quickly passing away, as do some manures. I shall 
be glad to know if any of your correspondents have 
had any such experience with Mignonette.— F. King, 
The Gardens, Kenten Grange. 
Lapageria rosea. —Will a fellow enthusiast in 
out-door gardening give me some advice ? I have a 
plant of L. rosea which has been against a south wall 
three or four years, protected in winter only -with a 
length of tiffany dropped over it. It has flowered in 
the winters 1883-4 and 1884-5. There are now seven 
runners to it of different ages. It would make four or 
five in one season, only snails attack it against all 
defences ; and, having straw laid loosely at the foot, 
this winter it has already started two shoots, both, 
however, attacked by snails. Should these, and all or 
some of the old leaders be cut to the ground, or 
reduced in length ? Would some tan-bark laid over 
the roots keep it moist in summer, if well supplied 
with water once a week ?— C. E., S. Devon. 
-- 
Clematis indivisa lobata. —It is surprising to 
me that this beautiful conservatory or green-house 
climber is not more generally met with than it is, 
flowering as it does between Christmas and March, and 
its beautiful white blossoms, fit, as they are, for the 
most refined decorations. There are some hand¬ 
some-trained specimens of pyramid form, 2 to 3 ft. in 
height, and a little less through them, now in flower 
in the conservatory of Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., 
of Salisbury. The plant in question is also well 
adapted for training up pillars, and over the roofs of 
conservatories and green-houses in light situations.— 
C. Warden. 
Primula spectabilis. —One might truly enough 
term this a red form of P. nivea, the Snowy Primrose, 
only it is not so free, nor does it produce such large 
trusses of flower. In character of foliage and habit of 
growth they much resemble each other, and they 
flower at the same time. There is quite a group of 
these dwarf, tufted, hardy Primroses that flower at the 
same time, viz., P. helvetica, pale purple ; P. ciliata, 
pale rose ; P. marginata, pale greyish-mauve ; P. nivea, 
with its clusters of charming white flowers ; P. pied- 
montana, pink; and P. intermedia, deep rosy-purple. 
All these can be grown in pots in a cold frame, and 
coming in together, make a pretty display, when they 
are of great value. P. ciliata purpurea, and P. ciliata 
coccinea, both charming varieties, are later, and not 
yet showing their flowers. Another group can be 
made up of P. viscosa, P. Balbisii, P. carniolica, P. 
calycina, P. Wulfeniana, to flower later still.— Quo. 
Cereus C. M. Hovey. —This beautiful member of 
the Cactus family is figured in the February number 
of the Illustration Horticole. It is a variety of the 
well-known Cereus speeiosissimus, but said to be 
dwarfer, less spiny, and with smaller but more brightly- 
coloured flowers. These latter are rich crimson and 
beautifully shot with violet. It was raised from seed 
by one of the American horticulturists. The genus 
Cereus comprises some two hundred grotesque and 
beautiful species, and is diffused through the drier 
parts of Tropical America. 
New Amaryllis. —Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, 
exhibited a dozen seedling varieties of Amaryllis on 
Tuesday before the Floral Committee, the quality of 
which was so fine that a Silver Gilt Banksian Medal 
was awarded to the group, and three were selected 
for First-Class Certificates, though there were others 
among them that but a few years ago would easily 
have gained the same distinction. The certificated 
varieties were Niobe, a very fine scarlet, with a white 
band down the petals, of large size, and beautiful 
form ; The Queen, a very pretty white flower, feathered 
with crimson and of large size, but somewhat starry 
as compared with the roundest flowers ; and Paragon, 
a very large crimson scarlet, wdth fine broad smooth 
petals. On the following day, at the Royal Botanic 
Society’s Show, the same firm exhibited the finest- 
shaped variety that has yet been seen, and which 
must now be taken as the standard by which others 
must be judged. It is well-named Perfection, and is 
of the Leopoldi type, large in size, perfectly smooth 
and white, heavily feathered with crimson scarlet. 
It goes without saying that a Floral Certificate was 
awarded instanter. The same award was also made 
to Ne Plus Ultra, a very large crimson flower, and 
Basilisk, an immense bright red flower, a little course 
perhaps, but a wonderful flower for its size. Basilisk 
was also shown at South Kensington, where it failed 
to secure the verdict of the majority at the Floral 
Committee’s table, while Niobe shown at “ The Park ” 
was passed by the judges. 
«~~D - 
The Kitchen Gardener’s Calendar.— Asparagus 
Planting : The ground having been prepared as 
recommended at p. 411, mark off the necessary num¬ 
ber of beds 4 ft. wide, with an alley 2 ft. wide between 
each bed, then draw two drills about 4 ins. deep, at 
9 ins. from either side of the centre of the bed-space, 
and in these plant the roots, 18 ins. asunder in the 
row, taking half of them in one hand and half in 
the other, with the crown slightly raised. Press the 
soil firmly about the roots with the hand, and if the 
surface of the soil be afterwards mulched with decayed 
manure, it will preserve the roots in a healthy grow¬ 
ing state. For the supply of plants for forcing, plant 
in drills 15 ins. apart, and the same distance from 
plant to plant in the row diagonally, so that those 
in the second row stand anglewise to those in the 
first—this remark also applies to those in beds— 
as by so doing the plants have more room to grow 
than if planted opposite to each other. Those wish¬ 
ing to give the French system of growing Asparagus a 
trial should open shallow trenches, 5 ft. wide, 9 ins. 
deep, -with 2 ft. 6 ins. alleys between the trenches, and in 
these trenches make three rows of low hillocks, a 
couple of inches high and 3 ft. apart, on which lay the 
roots of the plants, spreading them out equally in 
every direction, and then cover them with a few inches 
thick of soil, and afterwards with a little well-decayed 
manure. 
A sowing of French Beans may now be made out-of- 
doors, on a warm border, in drills 3 ins. deep, and 
2 ft. asunder, where provision can be made for pro¬ 
tecting them from late spring frosts. Also make a 
sowing of Radishes in a warm corner, or under a south 
wall. 
Fobcing Department. —Make another sowing of 
French Beans in pots, to be transferred to pits from 
which frost can be kept out, as soon as they have 
made a couple of inches of growth, when the pits 
should be kept close, and be shut up early in the after¬ 
noon on bright days, damping the plants overhead 
at the same time with tepid water. Cover a few more 
roots of Rhubarb with pots and a little litter, and earth 
up successional plantings of Potatos as soon as they 
have made 5 ins. or 6 ins. of growth, and water with 
tepid water those that indicate dryness at the roots; 
Pits and frames containing sowings of Carrots, 
Radishes, and seedling-plants of Celery, Cauliflower, 
Cabbage, Lettuces, Brussels Sprouts, and Asparagus 
should also have attention in this direction, as they 
also should in the way of admitting sufficient fresh air 
to prevent them becoming drawn, and finally to harden 
off those plants intended for planting out in the open 
in a week or two. Sow Mustard and Cress in small 
quantities at short intervals.— H. W. Ward. 
-- 
Planting Potatos. —There are few practices in 
gardening about which there should be less divergence 
of opinion than in the planting of Potatos. Still 
there are various divergent views held and methods 
adopted, perhaps for the reason that such diversities 
are possible, and yet the best results may follow in 
each case. We cannot well differ with respect to 
the sowing of Peas or Beans, or of small seeds, except 
that some may prefer broad-casting to drilling the 
latter ; but in the case of Potatos we differ so far 
that some plough in their sets in the fields ; some 
open furrows after ploughing ; and some let the dibber 
follow the plough, and thus plant. 
In gardens, no doubt, it is the most usual plan 
to plant the ground as it is dug, drawing the drills 
in the furrow kept open by the digger, and thus 
keeping the planting close up with the preparation 
of the soil. But when kinds are being put in at 
distances of three or more feet apart, especially strong 
growers, it is a very good plan to ridge the soil to the 
required width during the winter, to take advantage 
of frost, and place a free layer of manure in the 
furrows, between the ridges ; to dig this in deeply, 
after the frost has gone, and then drawing shallow 
drills where thus dug to plant the tubers in the 
furrow, forking in the loose soil from the ridges on 
either side to cover them with. This and the previous 
plan are very good ones for kidney and other tubers 
which have been carefully sprouted, and need special 
care in the planting. 
Sometimes we see gardeners planting Potatos by 
throwing out a shallow trench with a fork, perhaps 
4 ins. in depth, and the fork wide, planting in the 
centre, filling that with the soil thrown out from the 
next trench, and thus continuing until all the piece of 
ground is planted. These methods are useful, espe¬ 
cially when patent manures are strewed in with the 
sets, as such dressings are equally applied, and are at 
once available for the first roots thrown out, a matter 
of considerable importance in Potato culture. There 
is very much prejudice against the planting of Potato 
sets with a dibber, although it is probable that in 
fields and market gardens it is the favoured imple¬ 
ment for planting. 
In gardens where there is usually ample labour, 
there is less need for this expeditious system ; still, it 
is not at all a bad one, especially in light soils, for the 
pressure* given in such case, both in treading and 
with the dibber, is advantageous rather than other¬ 
wise. Properly covered with a hoe, the soil always 
lies light and loose, hence the plants come through 
well and evenly. It is almost invariably the rule 
to plant early kinds first, but it is far from being 
a safe one, as the plants are often injured by late 
frosts, and such injury no early planting can com¬ 
pensate for. It is much wiser to plant all the late 
strong-growing kinds first, and have the sets of the 
first early kinds well sprouted and prepared for plant¬ 
ing in April, excepting, of course, some in frames or 
on warm borders, where they can be protected. As a 
rule, late kinds of Potatos may be planted safely during 
March, and the earlier kinds in April.— D. 
->*<- 
Veitch’s Spring White Broccoli. —This most 
useful Broccoli is giving us some useful heads, not 
over large, but close and white, the very thing for a 
gentleman’s table. It has come in just at the right 
time, as our supply of “ Snow’s Winter White ” is 
over, and it is very pleasant to find another kind 
come in to continue the supply of this esteemed 
vegetable without a break. Those who have not yet 
tried this variety, should give it a place in this year’s 
seed list.— C. Warden, Clarendon Park, Salisbury. 
-- 
Straw-Separating Apparatus. —Mr. F. Barrett, Wis- 
beach, has patented an apparatus, the object of which 
is the more thorough separation of the straw or haulm 
from the grain or seeds. For this purpose a series of 
adjustable vibrating-forks or blades are arranged upon 
a horizontal shaft over the shakers of a threshing 
machine. 
