September 2§, 1894. 
tHE GARDENING WORLD. 
?1 
growth and send up finer spikes than those grown in 
pots, and will succeed with less than one-half the 
attention requisite for pot culture, under which, 
unless well looked after, they are much subject to 
red spider. Should the autumn prove dry and 
warm, the middle of October is quite early enough 
to lift and pet them up in a light rich soil consisting 
of turfy loam, and peat or loam and leaf soil will do. 
When potted place them in a shaded sheltered 
position for a week or two. Do not house them 
when fresh potted, or much of the foliage will be 
spoilt. Give a sprinkling with the syringe during 
dry weather; they will soon make fresh fibres and 
recover themselves, when they may be removed 
into a cold pit or house till the flowering season is 
over. Never let them get too dry until this period, 
after which keep them rather dry to ripen them off 
till planting out time comes round again.— W. B. G. 
The Stove. 
The dull season of the year is now fast approaching 
for October is always more or less a month of 
uncertainties. Sometimes, it is true, the weather is 
bright and warm, in fact, everything that could be 
desired—at others, dull, cold, and often foggy condi¬ 
tions obtain. The plant-stove should now receive a 
thorough clearing out. Old plants which are of no 
further use should be thrown away, thus making 
more room for the others. For it must be borne in 
mind, that increased house-room means increased 
light, and therefore more favourable facilities for the 
ripening of wood, and greater sturdiness of growth. 
Pots of Panicum, Tradescantia, etc., which have 
been used for edgings for the larger plants may be 
thrown away after the -cuttings have been taken. 
The later Caladiums, Gloxinias and Gesneras should 
be removed to a warm pit to finish the process of 
ripening off; glass and woodwork should receive a 
thorough washing, where the climbers do not prevent 
it. Any climbers that have lost their leaves, may be 
pruned now if desired—the others must be syringed 
with some insecticide to remove mealy bug, etc. 
Sponge the foliage of all plants in pots and let a 
general air of cleanliness prevail. 
A minimum night temperature of from 68° to 70° 
Fahr. should be maintained, rising to 8o° by day, 
with sun heat. Syringe only on bright days, and 
that early enough in the day to allow of 
the plants getting dry before right, Syringing 
overhead the last thing at night, as practised during 
the summer, must be discontinued altogether, 
damping the stages between the pots with a rose can 
will be quite sufficient, The blinds may now be 
removed, for after the expiration of September, they 
will not be required for shading purposes as there 
will be little fear of scorching; and it is not true 
economy to leave blinds out through the winter—it 
only rots and spoils them. 
Greenhouse 
Air should be given here as freely as possible, and 
great discrimination in watering must be exercised. 
The inmates of the greenhouse and cool conservatory 
will, as a rule, need less water now than they did 
during the spring and summer, but the quantity of 
water given to a plant must in all cases be governed 
by its health and vigour. Pick off all unsightly or 
yellow leaves, for tneir presence can do no possible 
good and will infallibly stamp the one who has charge 
of the house as a careless and incompetent gardener. 
Pits and Frames. 
A later batch of Hyacinths, Tulips, and Narcissi, 
for succession may now be potted if desired. They 
should be treated in the same way as recommended 
for the earlier ones. A particularly sharp eye must, 
however, be kept upon the visitations of mice. These 
mischievous little rodents evince a decided predilec¬ 
tion for the bulbs of Narcissi and Tulips, and when 
the pots of bulbs are covered with ashes in the 
plunging ground their depredations aje not so easily 
perceived. 
Hyacinths in Glasses.— This method of growing 
Hyacinths is particularly suitable for the amateur, 
although it finds considerable favour in the eyes of 
those possessing a larger amount of space and more 
conveniences. Grown in this way they are specially 
adapted to indoor decoration—the so frequently 
anathematised, clumsy, unsightly (?) pot beingabsent. 
Care should be taken, however, that the glasses are 
quite clean, and that only soft water is used. A 
piece or two of charcoal should be placed in the 
glass, and the water should come as near as possible 
to the base of the bulb without actually touching it. 
This last caution is a very necessary one, because if 
the glasses are filled too full the bulb will very likely 
rot. If placed in a dark cellar for three or four 
weeks roots will be freely emitted and the plants 
may be brought out and inured gradually to the 
light. A little attention in the way of keeping the 
glass full of water will then be all that is necessary. 
All frames and pits containing rooted cuttings 
should be thoroughly ventilated. Damp is the great 
enemy with which the gardener has to contend in 
this department during the dull season, and free 
ventilation, consistent removal of dead leaves, and a 
sparing use of the watering-can, are the surest 
methods of combating it. Many plants, in fact, will 
be sure to damp off unless they are kept dry. This 
is particularly the case with Lobelias, old plants of 
bedding Pelargoniums, etc. 
Freesias. —The earliest batch of these beautiful 
Iridaceous plants which were potted in August must 
be removed from the plunging ground, as the growth 
will be weak and spindly if the ashes are allowed to 
remain on them too long. They should be given a 
place in a cool greenhouse or frame near the glass. 
Zonal and Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums that have been 
flowering during the summer must now be cut down, 
and placed in a cold frame to break. The latest 
batches of Primula sinensis varieties, also of P. 
obconica, may be potted now. It is not advisable to 
defer this for too long, neither is it wise to use too 
large pots. A 48-sized pot will be quite large enough 
for these late plants, 
Pentstemons. —Although these are very hardy 
subjects, a very severe winter will often play a great 
deal of havoc with many of the finer varieties. It 
is advisable, therefore, to take cuttings every year 
of particularly tender sorts. If not already done, 
these may now be taken from the side shoots which 
are produced so abundantly at this season of the 
year. They will strike readily in a cold frame, 
where they may remain without fear of injury till 
planting time next spring.— A. S. G. 
- - 
TIE ORCHID HOUSES, 
Cattleya House : Pleiones.— These pretty dwarf¬ 
growing Orchids are rather reluctant to shed their 
leaves this season, the continued dull weather being 
all against the ripening of their growths. P. 
maculata, which generally flowers in November, will 
hardly be in bloom before Christmas, that is if they 
are given that rest usually afforded them after the 
growth is fully matured and the leaves begin to fall, 
and it would not be possible to keep them in good 
health without it. A good place to rest them in is a 
vinery. Here they get plenty of light and air, which 
will have the desired effect. Care, however, must 
be taken that they do not suffer from over-shrivelling, 
or the flowers will be small. When they begin to 
push up their flowers, which precede the new leaves, 
they should be again removed to the more genial 
temperature of the Cattleya house, where they may 
be arranged with good effect amongst Ferns, as 
most of them are deciduous when flowering, the ex¬ 
ception being P. Hookeriana, which throws up its 
leaves and flowers simultaneously. There are not a 
great many varieties, and those that bloom about 
December, when flowers are in request, such as P. 
praecox, P. maculata, to be followed by P. lagenaria, 
are those which are generally found in collections. 
Vanda Kimballiana, although not so stately and 
imposing when out of flower as V. suavis or V. 
tricolor, this is when in bloom a real gem and a fine 
addition to the terete section. I have been fortunate 
in seeing it growing this year under various condi¬ 
tions, both in private and trade establshments, and 
generally speaking they were treated to a rather 
high temperature, and kept very wet at the roots. 
My experience tells me that a rather dry and airy 
situation with plenty of light suits them best. We 
started with a small single lead plant, which we 
grew in a small pan suspended close to the glass 
besides a batch of white Laelia anceps. Here it 
went away and did well, producing a spike last year 
that opened sixteen flowers. It is now again in 
bloom, this time with two spikes, each carrying six¬ 
teen blooms and buds, besides having made a new 
break from near the base. The flowers are invaluable 
for buttonholes, and as they do not all open at one 
time you have a good succession. Moss and small 
crocks mixed together is all it requires to grow in. 
Its cheapness and the little room it takes up should 
recommend, it to amateurs who have but a limited 
amount of space. 
Leaves. —The value of a bed of leaves underneath 
the stages of Orchid houses has been referred to at 
length in the Orchid calendar, so that it only 
remains for me to point out that the time is near at 
hand when the old decayed leaves should be replaced 
by fresh ones which have already begun to fall.— C. 
The glorious weather of late has been a great help 
in getting rid of the weeds amongst all growing 
crops, particularly such as the late sowings of 
Spinach, Turnips, Lettuce, and such like plants. 
The hoe must, however, be constantly kept going 
while the weather is fine, so that all small weeds 
may be kept down till the crops have well covered 
the ground. This hoeing will cause a healthy growth 
by sweetening the soil after so much rain. Here in 
the Midlands the ground appears as though there 
had been no rain for months. The Potato haulm is 
still as green in some places as it was in July, while 
in others it is ripening off splendidly, there not 
having been any frost. 
On heavy soils, where large bulbs of Onions are 
desired, planting from the August sowings should be 
proceeded with, so that the roots may be able to take 
hold of the ground before winter sets in. This, in 
my opinion, is one of the most important operations 
in connection with the cultivation of early Onions. 
Those of the Queen, planted now, should make nice 
bulbs in April, particularly if they be assisted by 
watering with liquid manure during the drying winds 
in March If planting be deferred till the spring 
the roots have not time to take hold before dry 
weather.sets in, and are therefore unable to resist 
its effects, and should sharp frosty nights, with bright 
sunshine in the daytime, visit us there is a danger of 
them being drawn out of the ground by its action, but 
when planted in September or early in October this 
difficulty is overcome, so that the work ought not to 
be longer delayed. 
Proceed with earthing up Celery whenever the 
soil and foliage are dry. Press the earth close round 
the leaf stalks to hold them together, so that blanch¬ 
ing may be mote perfect; take particular Care, how¬ 
ever, not to allow any soil to get into the hearts of 
the plants, as this would cause them to rot. French 
Beans are still very good, there not having been any 
frost to check them. Keep all pods picked as they 
become ready, as this will assist the others to swell. 
If not required for use they should be put in salt for 
winter’s use. It will be useless to save pods that are 
formed now lor seed, as the Beans would not have 
time to swell and ripen. 
Take advantage of every favourable opportunity 
to plant out Cabbage, Endive, Lettuce, and such like 
things, so that they may have time to get established 
while there is sufficient warmth in the soil to cause 
active root action. Mushroom beds should now be 
made up to succeed those becoming exhausted. It 
will be necessary to make them a little thicker now, 
so that they may retain the warmth longer, for as 
the weather gets cooler the spawn will not run so 
readily as when the weather was warm .—Kitchen 
Gardener. 
Climbing French Bean. 
The above name has been given to a new Runner 
Bean of the French type which we noted in the 
garden of J. C. Stogdon, Esq., Inglenook, Bellaggio. 
The variety is late when compared with some 
other kinds already well known in cultivation, 
but it is now in full bearing, notwithstanding, 
so that we are in a position to diagnose the 
principal features that recommend it. The pods 
are 6 in. to 9 in. long and borne in racemes 
of 4 to 6, so that it may be described as a 
heavy bearer ; they are also fleshy, narrow, light 
green, much thickened, with deep sutures, and when 
boiled they prove tender, well flavoured, and almost 
without fibre. The latter in fact is difficult to 
detect after the pods have been cut and cooked in 
the usual way. The flowers at first are creamy, 
but ultimately become white. The variety has 
quite recently been put into cultivation by Messrs. 
R. Veitch & Son, Exeter, and from what we have 
seen of it, it will find many cultivators. 
