THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 8th, 1885. 
776 
Tie Amatiiis’ -Gawhin. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Ventilation. —Plenty of air should still be kept on 
the greenhouse both day and night, so as to reduce 
the temperature as much as possible, but in having 
the ventilators or lights open, it is necessary to avoid 
draughts, as sharp currents cause rapid drying and 
distress the plants, which, if they flag or suffer, soon 
shed their bloom. To keep this fresh as long as 
possible, every attention must be paid to catering, 
and during hot weather a damping or sprinkling of 
the floor occasionally will do much good by making 
the atmosphere moist and congenial, instead of being 
parched and arid as it otherwise would be. 
Camellias. —In cases where these were not re¬ 
potted before making their growth, they should be 
shifted now, which is considered the best time by 
some, but in carrying out the operation, care is 
needed not to injure the roots, as they are very tender 
and brittle. The soil most suitable for growing 
Camellias is a fibry loam, mixed with a little good 
peat and sand, and used somewhat rough, and in 
this they should be potted firmly, and then watered 
to settle the new stuff about the old ball. If the 
plants are not already moved from the greenhouse, 
they will be far better got outdoors at ohce, as the 
rains and night dews are very beneficial to the 
foliage, and the air and exposure helps to mature 
the wood. The best place to stand them is on the 
north side of a high wall, or in the same position 
behind shrubs, as they must have shade and shelter, 
and to keep worms out, the pots should be stood on 
pieces of slate or a board, or the drainage will soon 
become blocked, and the soil sodden and sour. 
Azaleas also do best outdoors at this season, but 
they may be exposed to the sun, and yet it is advis¬ 
able to shelter their pots by dropping them into 
others of larger size, which are a great protection to 
the roots by preventing a rapid drying of the balls, 
and keeping the soil cool. 
Cheysanthemums.— Owing to the great heat, thrip 
is more than usually prevalent this summer, and 
Chrysanthemums almost everywhere are suffering 
more or less from its attacks, as it gets into the tender 
points of the young shoots and quite cripples their 
growth, and if the insects are not destroyed, they 
will quite spoil the bloom. The safest remedy is 
tobacco-water, and a good way of procuring this 
harmless and good, is to soak about half-a-pound of 
tobacco in a gallon of boiling water, and in this when 
cold the tips of the shoots may be dipped, and after 
an hour or so the plants should be well syringed, to 
wash it all out. 
Fuchsias. —It is a good time now to be striking 
cuttings of these for blooming early next year, as 
put in at this season and grown gently on during the 
winter they make nice little plants. The best cuttings 
are those from the young soft shoots, which root 
readily under a handlight stood in the shade. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Roses. —Banksian and other climbing Roses should 
now be thinned out by removing all over strong shoots 
that are not wanted for filling any vacant places, as it 
is only those of a moderate size that ripen properly 
and flower freely, the tendency of the others being to 
produce wood. If it is desired to bud any, now is the 
time, as stocks run well as yet, but if the Manetti is 
used, it should be borne in mind that the buds must 
be put in close to the ground, or the plants will be 
starved, the Manetti being a stock that does not swell 
unless buried beneath the soil, when it is one of the 
best for dwarfs, as it makes plenty of fibrous roots. 
For standards or half standards, the Brier is 
generally chosen, and these should be trimmed to the 
desired height, leaving the two strongest and best 
situated shoots, the spines on which can easily and 
quickly be rubbed off by the hand, covered with a 
stout leather glove, when all will be ready for inserting 
the buds. This part of the operation requires great 
care, as success in getting them to grow depends on 
the way they are taken off and put in, for if the bark 
is the least bruised they turn black and die. What 
causes the bruise, in nine cases out of ten, is extract¬ 
ing the wood, when, unless in practised [hands, the 
bark is pulled off and doubled back over the bud, the 
sharp bend breaking the fibres. To avoid this the 
thumb nail should be inserted between the rind and 
wood, and the latter jerked out by a sudden thrust 
down, but before this is done the incision in the stock 
ought to have been made ready for popping the bud 
quickly in. The way to make the cut is to draw a 
keen-edged [knife across the shoot so as just to pass 
through the bark, and then with the point a slit 
should be brought to meet it, after which the bark 
may be raised easily, and the bud slipped under and 
tied in at once. 
Roses do so well on their own roots that the wonder 
is they are not more generally struck from cut¬ 
tings, as they propagate readily in that way if put 
in any time now while the young wood is about half 
ripe and has leaves on, which should be kept alive 
and fresh by sprinkling them occasionally and having 
the cuttings under handlights, or a frame, where they 
can be shut up close and the air kept moist and warm. 
If they can have just a little bottom-heat, so much 
the better, as that will expedite their rooting, but the 
heat must be gentle or the cuttings will turn black at 
the base. The way to prepare them is to have them 
sufficiently long for about two buds to be above 
ground and two below, and to trim the leaves from 
the latter, when the wood should be cut off close to 
the bottom one, and the cuttings inserted in sharp 
sandy soil, making them quite firm in it by pressing 
it round and giving a watering, which will settle it 
down. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Vines on the Open Walls are generally allowed to 
run much at their will, which is a great mistake, 
as, like those indoors, they require thinning and 
stopping of the shoots, if fruit is expected, or they 
soon get into a wild state, and the Grapes become 
so shaded and smothered that it is impossible for 
them to ripen. The way to manage them is to pinch 
back the growths a joint or two above each bunch, and 
to rub out all laterals that show after, leaving only 
the main foliage, which should be so distributed 
by nailing in and training the branches as to cover 
the whole of the wall. If this is done, and the Vines 
are on a good aspect, so as to have the full benefit 
of the whole of the sun, very good fruit may be had 
outdoors, but to obtain this watering is necessary 
during dry weather, for which soap suds and other 
sewage should be saved, and a soaking given as soon 
as sufficient liquid has accumulated for the purpose. 
Vines Under Glass. —The demands on these will 
now be great, as the Grapes will have stoned, imme¬ 
diately after which they take their second swelling, when 
the roots require plenty of moisture, and ought to 
be assisted by free applications of liquid manure, 
the stimulating effect of which will be such as to 
enable the Vines to finish the bunches well and colour 
the berries. Why many fail in getting them to do 
this is in keeping the atmosphere too dry, as then 
red-spider puts in an appearance, and this insect 
soon causes the foliage to turn brown by puncturing 
the tissue and robbing the leaves of their sap. To 
prevent this, the floors and pathways should be 
damped down at least twice a day, but to avoid 
any condensation of moisture on the berries, it is 
advisable to leave just a crack of air on the house 
at night, or put it on very early in the morning, 
as condensation of moisture on the berries interferes 
with the bloom, and leads to scalding if caught by 
bright sunshine. 
If the weather sets in dull and cold, a little fire- 
heat will be beneficial, but this only by night, or 
during wet days, just to raise the temperature or 
expel excess of damp, and keep the atmosphere 
in motion, which is a point of importance in the 
cultivation of Grapes. The way to treat young Vines 
is to cut out all laterals as far up the rods as it is 
intended to fruit them, and leave those above to grow 
and run, by doing which the lower buds will plump 
up big and fat, and the extra leafage above will 
increase the root action, and help materially in 
strengthening and establishing the plants. To get 
the rods to ripen thoroughly, plenty of air should 
be given, and the atmosphere maintained more dry 
than when the Vines were actively growing, and 
by-and-bye a little artificial warmth will be necessary 
to finish them up. 
Peaches Indoors.— The fruit of Peaches and Nec¬ 
tarines indoors will now be swelling fast and colouring, 
and to aid it in this latter all leaves that hang over or 
shade it in any way should be pulled aside, but not 
taken off, as they are necessary to feed and nourish 
the buds at their base. To get the fruit to its full 
size, a heavy soaking of water will be required, and to 
have it of fine flavour plenty of air must be left on the 
house both day and night, as that combined with full 
sun and light helps to convert the. crude juices into 
saccharine matter. Trees on walls will still need 
syringing, and to have their shoots nailed or tied in 
close, as well as watered at the roots, the soil being 
very dry. 
Apricots. —If these have any breast wood on 
it ought to be removed, and spurred in close, but 
shoots that are well placed should be laid in to fill 
any gaps on the wall. 
Plums and Dessert Cherries. —The same remarks 
apply to these, and if there are aphis on the trees 
they must be washed off, or they will prevent the 
formation of buds. 
Gooseberries. —Late sorts of these, like the famous 
old Warrington, may be kept for weeks yet by 
securely netting the bushes to ward off birds, and 
Morello Cherries protected in the same way will hang 
a long time. 
THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
Potatos. —That scourge, the Potato disease, is 
showing itself with more than usual virulence, and as 
it has come so early and during fine dry weather, it 
may be expected to spread rapidly as soon as we get 
rain or a moist atmosphere, which being so the tubers 
should be examined to see if the skins are set, and if 
so, it will be advisable to get them out of the ground 
at once, for with the tops affected they will do no 
further good, and lifting them may be the means of 
saving the crop. In taking them up, care is necessary 
in order that they may not be bruised, and the same 
wdien handling them to store them aw'ay, which should 
be done in a cool dark shed or cellar, where they 
ought to be laid thinly on the floor that they may be 
examined frequently to see that there are none rotting 
and spoiling the rest. Those intended for seed will be 
as well left out for a few days to green and harden, 
by which time they will show' if there are any diseased 
among them, as the air soon brings about decomposi¬ 
tion of the affected parts and makes them plain to be 
seen. 
Spinach. —It is time now to get in a bed of Spinach, 
W’hich, being for winter use, should be sown on a 
warm border or other sheltered spot, in good soil 
that has been manured and dug deep, a suitable 
dressing for it being soot, which is not only an 
excellent stimulant, but prevents wireworm and 
other insects getting at the roots of the plants. 
The proper Spinach to sow at this season is the 
Prickly, and this should be put in in drills, drawn 
about 1 ft. apart, and when the plants are up 
they ought at once to be thinned out and left 6 ins. 
asunder. 
Onions. —There is generally a dearth of these in 
the spring, as the winter ones are then over, and to 
have a supply at the season named it is necessary to 
sow now, the best kind for coming in early being 
the Naples or Queen, which bulbs quickly and grows 
to a good size, and to succeed it the Giant Rocca is as 
good as any, as besides being big it is mild and 
well flavoured. 
DAVALLIA FGENICULACEA. 
This beautiful evergreen stove Fern, introduced 
into this country from the Fiji Islands, w T as sent out 
last spring by Mr. B. S. Williams, in whose nursery 
we saw it a few days ago, in a condition which con¬ 
firms his opinion that it will prove an acquisition. It 
is a distinct species, with elegant, finely-cut fronds, 
lanceolate in outline, four times pinnate, of stout, 
herbaceous texture, the ultimate segments cut down 
to the rachis into undivided or forked divisions, which 
are quite narrow, about equalling the rachis itself in 
breadth. When fully developed the fronds grow to 
the height of 18 ins. or 2 ft., and from 9 ins. to 1 ft. 
broad. 
