808 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
August 22nd, 1885. 
’ii Jlmateiis’ Ikfiim 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Pelargoniums. —Plants of these that have been cut 
back ought now to be ready for shaking out and re¬ 
potting. in doing which the long roots should be 
shortened, and the plants then potted in pots about 
half the size they were in before, and as soon as this 
is done it will be necessary to stand them in a frame, 
where they can be syringed and kept close for a time 
to give them a start. The soil best suited for grow¬ 
ing Pelargoniums in is fibry loam, which should be 
pressed firm, as the shoots the plants then make are 
short-jointed and strong. Zonal kinds for late autumn 
and winter blooming are best kept out-of-doors as 
yet, where, if exposed to the full sun, the growth will 
become hard and well set with bloom. 
Cineramas. —To have these good, every attention 
must now be paid them, in order that they receive 
no check, which they will if not shifted on as they 
require more room. The best soil to grow them in is 
loam and leaf-mould in the proportion of two-thirds 
of the first-named to one of the latter. As Cinerarias 
are shade-loving plants, they should be stood in a 
frame facing north, or so placed that the sun does 
not get at them, and be kept moist, which may be done 
by sprinkling them overhead during the evening, as 
then the atmosphere yvill remain damp and genial till 
the plants are wetted again. 
Primulas.— The treatment requisite for Cinerarias 
just suits these, and therefore the two may be grown 
together, but to have both sturdy in leaf and strong, 
plenty of air must be given. 
Chrysanthemums. —These, with their wealth of 
flowers and variety of shape and colour, come in at a 
time of year when they are especially valuable. If 
not wanted in quantity for cutting, a few large-sized 
flowers to each plant are far more effective than a 
number of small ones. In this ease no time should 
now be lost in thinning out all but four or five of the 
leading branches, and directly the buds show them¬ 
selves they should be carefully taken out with a pair 
of scissors, so as to leave only the centre or crown bud. 
Liquid Manure.— This may be made by putting 
horse, cow, or sheep droppings, the latter being best 
for Chrysanthemums, into an old tub or other recep¬ 
tacle, and filling up with water. Where these cannot 
be obtained, sulphate of ammonia, guano, or Clay’s 
Fertilizer may be substituted. The manure-watering 
should be proceeded with until the buds appear, when 
clear water should be given them, and on no account 
must they be allowed to get dry. 
Staking. —If not already done, staking and training 
should not be any longer delayed. In town gardens 
those that are planted out in the ground have a very 
pretty effect if tied or nailed to a wall or fence, and 
trained in this way they do not require much additional 
protection from frost and wet to enable them to last 
as long as if they were under glass. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Propagating. —It is time now to be thinking of 
propagating, a work that cannot be taken in hand too 
soon, as cuttings struck early stand a much better 
chance of getting safely through the winter, and 
making fine plants. 
Pelargoniums. —The first things that should be 
started on are the Pelargoniums, all of which root 
readily out-of-doors, the best way of striking them 
being to put them in full sun on some open border 
or other sheltered spot, where few, if any, will 
damp off unless we get a great deal of wet. Varie¬ 
gated kinds, berng more delicate, are best put in in 
boxes or pots, the soil most suitable for them being 
a sharp sandy loam, in which they should be placed 
firm, and then watered, when all the after attention 
they will require is a sprinkling of the leaves to keep 
them fresh till they root. 
Verbenas, Ageratums, Heliotropes, and ail such 
quick-growing subjects, strike best in a frame, where 
they can be kept close and shaded, and a moist atmos¬ 
phere maintained by gentle syringing, but as these 
plants may be worked up in the spring, it is useless 
having more than a few store pots of each, which, if 
taken care of, will supply a great number of cuttings. 
Dahlias.— The dry season and arid atmosphere 
that has prevailed for so long is telling severely 
against Dahlias, as indicated by the smallness of the 
flowers and the short time they last. 
Mulching. —Much may be done to counteract this 
by mulching the surface round the roots with half- 
rotten dung, and then watering, or the use simply of 
weak liquid manure will soon cause an improved state 
of things, and picking off the seed-pods is a great 
help to the plant. 
Staking and Tying. —This operation must not be 
neglected from time to time, or thej plants will not 
be able to withstand the equinoctial gales that invari¬ 
ably visit us next month, but if properly supported 
they will stand and flower on till late in the autumn. 
Evergreens. —The proper time for transplanting 
these is still a vexed question, some contending that 
spring is the best season, while others aver that it 
should be done in the autumn, but if so there can be 
no doubt that the work ought to be carried out early, 
as then the plants have a good chance of making 
fresh root and getting re-established before winter 
sets in. This being so, the sooner the operation is 
set about the better, but the lifting must be carried 
out with care, the chief things to be particular about 
being to secure good balls, and not to cut or mutilate 
the roots any more than can be helped, or to keep 
the plants long out of the ground or they suffer con¬ 
siderably, and if they do not die outright it will take 
a long time for them to recover. 
The plants that may be moved with the greatest 
safety now are Laurels, Aucubas, Rhododendrons, 
Hollies, Laurustinus, and Bays, and these should be 
dug round so as to open a trench at some distance 
from the stems, when the soil may be worked away 
till the ball is reduced sufficiently for it to be moved 
with ease, but before disturbing it further, the hole 
to receive it should be prepared, that the shrub may 
be popped into it without any delay. As soon as 
this is done, the way to proceed is to throw a little 
soil round and then well wash it in among the roots 
and under the ball with water, applied with force, 
and when that has had a little time to settle, the final 
filling in may begin, and when this is done, all that 
remains is to mulch. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN. 
Strawberries. —The usual practice with amateurs 
in making fresh Strawberry-beds is to get their runners 
from the open ground, which, though it may answer 
in favourable seasons when there is frequent rain to 
cause them to root, does not succeed in a season like 
the present, when the earth is continuously dry, as 
plants fit to plant cannot be obtained till late in the 
autumn, and then growth has ceased, whereas if 
layered in pots they may be had quite strong early, 
and planted out soon after this time, and got well 
established before winter sets in. 
Preparing the Land.— On some some soils Straw¬ 
berries do remarkably well with little or no trouble, 
while on others there is much difficulty in getting 
them to bear at all, or to last longer than a year or 
two, as where the ground is light and dry they suffer 
considerably, and soon die away, but these evils may, 
to a great extent, be prevented by trenching. This 
should be done by digging out a wide opening and 
wheeling the earth back to the place where the work 
will finish, but in doing this the soil should be kept 
separate, as to mix it up, or bring the bottom to the top, 
would spoil the whole job. 
Manures.— The best manure for light hungry land 
is that from the cow or pig, liberal quantities of 
either of which should be used while the trenching 
is going on, and worked in deep, where the roots of 
the plants will find it when most needed, which is 
at the time they are growing freely and carrying 
fruit. 
Making the Ground Firm. —Although it is neces¬ 
sary to dig or trench deep, Strawberries require a 
firm bed, as when planted in loose land they run too 
much to leaf, and fail to flower and bear in the free 
manner they ought. This being so, the thing is to 
well tread the soil, and when this is done the next 
proceeding is, level the surface and rake it to take off 
stones and make it smooth, when all will be ready for 
planting. 
The Proper Distance Apart. —Why so many fail 
in producing good Strawberries is in growing them too 
near, when the plants not only draw each other up 
weakly, but the foliage overshadows the fruit, and 
spoils its colour and flavour. Some sorts may, of 
course, be planted nearer than others, but for the 
majority of kinds the rows should be a yard apart, 
and the plants in them about 18 ins. or 20 ins., which 
affords ample room to get between, and lets in plenty 
of sunlight and air on the fruit. 
Planting Low.—As Strawberries have a tendency 
to grow themselves out of the ground by the continual 
pushing up or lengthening of the crown stems, the 
plants should be planted low, which not only favours 
them in the respect referred to, by enabling the culti¬ 
vator to draw earth to the collars without having it at 
a higher level, but the depressions round the plants 
afford a chance of giving them plenty of water till 
they get hold of the soil and are able to take care 
of themselves. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Peas. —This has been one of the worst seasons for 
Peas for many years past, and fortunate are they 
who have any to gather, as in most places they are 
mildewed beyond recovery, or crippled by thrips, 
which have got into the points of the shoots and 
spoiled the growth and the blossoms. If not too 
far gone, the best remedy against these pests is to 
syringe with water in which quassia chips and soft 
soap have been boiled, in the proportion of 1 lb. of 
the first-named and 4ozs. of the latter to 4 gallons 
of water, at which strength it is one of the best 
and most efficacious insecticides anyone can use. 
Watering.— What causes the mildew on Peas, and 
makes them a ready prey to the thrip, is the dry 
weather, and those who would keep them on in 
bearing, or get any to gather later, must water, but 
it is useless doing this stintingly, as it is only by 
giving good soakings that the roots feel any benefit, 
as they are now deep down in the ground. 
Scarlet Runners. —The same remarks apply to 
these, which must have plenty of water or the flowers 
will fall; but, in addition to being attenled to in 
the way mentioned, they should also have a thick 
mulching along the sides of the rows, and liquid 
manure supplied, if it can be had, as that will act 
as a stimulant and keep the plants strong. 
Tomatos. —With plenty of moisture at the roots 
the weather cannot be too hot for these, but they 
must be kept thin, the way to manage them being 
to let the main stems run and to cut away all side 
shoots or laterals, so as to expose the fruit and 
force all the strength of the plants into it, when 
it will swell rapidly and ripen properly, and be of 
fine flavour. 
Cabbages. —It is time to be getting a first planting 
of these out, but before it is done it is necessary to 
have the ground heavily manured and deeply dug, 
as Cabbages, like all the Brassica tribe, are very 
gross feeders. One of the best, if not the very best, 
is Ellam’s Early, which is a small sort that turns in 
quickly and is of superior flavour. 
Cauliflower. —The weather has been very trying 
for these, and the only way to keep the plants growing 
on is to water freely and apply liquid manure, of 
which they cannot well have too much after the plants 
get a start and are active at the root, when it may 
be given daily till rain comes and well moistens the 
ground. 
Celery. — This, like Cauliflowers, will demand 
frequent attention in the way of watering, and it is a 
good plan with the advanced rows to tie the plants 
round with a piece of matting so as to keep the leaf 
stalks close up together, which is far better than 
earthing up, as the soil is sure to get washed into the 
hearts during watering, and the blanching can easily 
be done later on, when the Celery has finished its 
growth. 
- g— ■ - 
THE FLORENCE CHERRY. 
A few weeks ago we received from Mr. Frost, The 
Bower Nursery, Maidstone, a very fine sample of this 
old but little known variety, which, owing to its fine 
appearance, good flavour, and remarkably free and 
certain bearing habit, we think worthy of illustrating 
in our pages. It appears to be little known beyond 
the county of Kent, and about Maidstone is locally 
called the Florence Heart. Andre Leroy, in his 
comprehensive Dictionnaire de Povwlogie, calls it 
