April 18, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD.* 
519 
Watering will be calling for increased attention, and 
as things should be now well on the move care must 
be taken that nothing is allowed to suffer for lack of 
it. 
Deutzias. —These are among the most valuable of 
the white flowers we have which are amenable to 
forcing for use in spring, and their sprays of delicately 
beautiful flowers are always in great request. An 
abundant supply of water must be given to those 
plants which are in flower, or the petals will drop if 
they are allowed to become dry. As soon as they 
have gone out of bloom and become somewhat shabby 
they should be pruned, if the presence of any too 
straggling growths renders this operation necessary, 
and removed to a pit for a while where the syringe 
should be plied upon them and the plants encouraged 
to make nice strong growths to flower during the 
next season. Any little trouble that may be taken 
with these easily grown plants is more than compen¬ 
sated for as they respond readily to kindly treatment. 
Camellias. —In many greenhouses and conserva¬ 
tories where it is the custom to plant a great number 
of the more bulky subjects out, there is generally a 
clump or two oi Camellias to be seen. These often, 
after a number of years, become rather straggling 
in habit, and consequently of a somewhat unsightly 
appearance. To remedy this decisive measures 
must be taken, and the present is an exceedingly 
favourable time of the year to set about it. They 
should be cut hard back to the old wood, and any 
gnarled or useless branches that may be present cut 
clean off. If a saw is used for this a sharp knife 
should be used to trim up the cut afterwards and the 
larger cuts may be dressed with a little styptic with 
advantage. The syringe may then be used on every 
favourable occasion to assist the plants in breaking 
into growth. By this means, although a show of 
flowers must not be looked for next year from 
subjects so treated, nice shapely plants may be 
obtained, and a great deal of the unsightliness of 
habit so common to many varieties of Camellias 
obviated to a very considerable extent Other 
plants, too, that have gone out of flower should be 
syringed now and again on bright days, both to keep 
the foliage clean and to help the young growths. 
Ferns. —There are many Ferns that do splendidly 
in a greenhouse temperature, and a tasteful use of 
them helps considerably to set off the charms 
of the flowering plants when suitably arranged. 
Much better effects are thus obtained than when a 
corner is devoted to them, although Ferns are always 
attractive whether staged by themselves or in con¬ 
junction with other foliage or flowering plants. 
Adiantum cuneatum, A. Capillis-Veneris, and most 
of its numerous and beautiful varieties, Aspleniums 
bulbiferum, b. minus, flaccidum, and obtusatum 
lucidum, Pteris tremula, P. cretica, and P. c. nobilis, 
together with the beautifully crested and furcated 
forms of Scolopendrium vulgare and Lomaria 
(Blechnum) spicant, may be mentioned as among 
some of the most useful plants for the purpose, and 
all of which will succeed well in a cool house. 
Pits and Frames. 
Very many of these will now be occupied with 
bedding-out material in different stages. As the 
time of the year is drawing on, the hardening off of 
some of the forwardest should be commenced 
without delay. Shift them into cold frames, and 
after they have recovered the shift to cooler quarters 
air should be admitted in increasing quantities, 
and finally the light left off altogether unless frost 
supervenes. Pot up late struck cuttings of Lobelias, 
Verbenas, Alternantheras, etc., as required. Any 
plants of this description that evince a tendency to 
become leggy should be stopped so as to induce a 
dwarf and bushy habit. 
Pricking off.— In most establishments at this 
season of the year there is always more or less of 
this kind of work to do, a work moreover that must 
be seen to as soon as the necessity for it to be done 
arises, for here more than anywhere else delay 
means ruin, both to the plants and to the hopes of 
the cultivator. As soon then as the seedlings are 
big enough to handle they must be carefully pricked 
off into light sandy soil. Water them in with a rose- 
can to settle the soil well about the roots, and shade 
very carefully from sunshine. 
Fuchsias. —The older plants of these that were 
potted up a few weeks ago will now need a shift, as 
if they have been properly looked after tney should 
by now have filled their pots with young roots, and 
the top growth should have advanced proportionately 
The soil, this time, should be made good as these will 
be their flowering pots. Two parts of good loam to 
one of leaf soil with a liberal addition of well-dried 
manure, which should be carefully examined to see 
that it contains no vermin, afterwards rubbing it 
through a sieve, and enough sharp sand to keep the 
soil open, will be found a suitable compost. We 
would not advocate the mixture of any artificial 
manures with the potting soil, as this is much better 
applied in a state of solution when the plants have 
got well hold of the new soil. Young spring-struck 
cuttings should be potted off as required, using a 
mixture of equal parts of loam and leaf soil, and 
plenty of silver sand. Pinching must be resorted to 
in case of very strong growths if dwarf plants are 
required. 
Chrysanthemums. —The strongest of these will 
now be in need of another shift, as to leave the plants 
until the roots become matted is a proceeding that 
cannot be too strongly deprecated. For plants that 
are now in sixty-sized pots, thirty-two's will be the 
most suitable size to shift into, as this allows room 
for growth, but does not cause a great deal of cold 
soil to be placed about the roots, a proceeding that 
in the event of careless watering is fraught with a 
deal of peril and danger. After potting the plants 
should be placed in a cold frame, and kept close for 
a few days. Do not coddle them afterwards by any 
means, but while giving plenty of air, be careful to 
avoid cold draughts, which are very productive of 
mildew. Keep a bright watch for green fly, which 
often attacks the growing points, and greet it as soon 
as discovered with a few puffs of tobacco-powder. 
This should, however, be rinsed off again after a 
couple of hours or so, as if allowed to remain it will 
be likely to result in injury to the young and tender 
leaves. 
Pelargoniums and herbaceous Calceolarias that 
are throwing up their flower spikes must be looked 
after for staking. Liberal supplies of a solution of 
cow manure and soot mixed will assist in adding 
both size and depth of colouring to the blooms.— 
A.S.G. 
On all slides there is great activity in the Orchid 
houses. Those which have matured their growths 
are pushing up their flower spikes and those that 
have been beautifying our houses during the dull 
months have again started into active growth, so 
that every attention should be given them to 
encourage a fine healthy development; and this can 
only be attained by giving them what they require at 
the right time. 
Cattleya labiata autumnalis. —This fine 
Cattleya, as also C. Trianaei, will in most cases have 
commenced to grow and may be at once potted, or 
if the roots are in a healthy state top-dressing with 
fresh material might suffice, but if done carefully— 
and all work in connection with Orchids should be 
carefully and properly done—the check will be but 
slight. Peat and Moss in about equal parts is what 
we give them. 
Laelia Perrini. —Now is the time to re-pot this 
pretty Laelia, as the plants have a way of pushing 
out new roots with, and close to, the young growths. 
Water sparingly in all cases after potting for a time, 
but when the plants have made a good start they 
must be copiously supplied. 
Dendrobium Brymerianum. — This beautiful 
Dendrobe is just now making a good show. We find 
it to be a very good doer, and one that makes fine 
growths in an intermediate temperature. The bulbs 
thus made are not so long, perhaps, but they are 
much stouter than those subjected to strong heat. 
Like most of this genus it does not like too much 
material about its roots, but what little it does have 
must be renewed every season. 
Vandas. —Spikes are showing on most of our plants 
and new roots are pushing forth all up the stem 
seeking for food which must be supplied them by a 
free use of the syringe or the flowers will be small 
and the plants will lose their bottom leaves. Our best 
plants of V. suavis are in baskets.some of them stand¬ 
ing nearly 5 ft. high from the baskets with leaves 
low down. I cannot speak so favourably of those 
grown in pots, which are in some cases leggy. 
Moisture and Temperature. —In all divisions it 
will be advisable to use the syringe more freely as 
the days lengthen ; and there should be a gradual 
rise in temperature in all the houses as the days and 
nights get warmer.— C. 
©leanings ft out fhelDuifh 
of Science. 
Protection of Wild Birds.—It seems that the 
authorities who have it within their power to pro¬ 
tect the rare and useful wild birds in this country 
are now bestirring themselves in certain districts to 
put the protective measures into operation in accord¬ 
ance with the Wild Birds Protection Act of 1894. 
The Secretary of State has prohibited the taking of 
the eggs of the Cornish chough. A list of birds for 
which protection is desired in Westmoreland has 
been drawn up by Mr. John Watson, a member of 
the County Council there. The Secretary of State 
s empowered by the terms of the Act to forbid the 
killing of the birds during certain times of the year, 
but this does not hinder anyone from taking the eggs 
and thus rendering the protection accorded prac¬ 
tically null and void. He must, therefore, be 
furnished with reasons for varying the terms of the 
general law, and if the reasons supplied are reason¬ 
able and good, he can protect both eggs and birds 
for a fixed and determinate term of years. The 
Westmoreland County Council desire this special 
protection for the wild birds during a period of five 
years for the benefit of the kestrel, the buzzard, 
merlin, the barn, the brown, the long-eared and the 
short-eared owls, as well as the goldfinch, lapwing, 
skylark, black-headed gull, peregrine falcon, dotterel, 
kingfisher, heron, raven, bittern, woodcock, golden 
plover, dipper, and bullfinch. Most of these birds 
are highly beneficial to the agricultural and horti¬ 
cultural interests, but some will be desirous to learn 
the special advantage of bullfinches to those indus¬ 
tries, for fruit growers are generally prejudiced 
against them. 
Object of preserving the birds —The plea 
put forward by Mr. Watson is that the birds men¬ 
tioned in the list are useful to agriculture in keeping 
down vermin, that they are interesting and in danger 
of being exterminated. The raptorial birds of the 
owl, hawk and falcon kind destroy field-mice and 
voles in large numbers. The valuable service of 
those birds was and is now well recognised in keep¬ 
ing down the plague of voles that has been destroy¬ 
ing the pastures for two years past in the south of 
Scotland. A tenant lost £ 1,600 on a 6,500 acre farm 
from the mice alone. In order to prove what the 
owls do eat, some 700 of the indigestible portions of 
the dung were examined and found to conta : n the 
remains of 2,520 mice, three rats, one mole, sixteen 
bats, and twenty-two small birds. Putting the good 
and the bad together, the value of owls to agriculture 
and horticulture is incontestable. Ravens, peregrine 
falcons, and buzzards are fast disappearing, and col¬ 
lectors readily give £1 to £5 for a nest of eggs. The 
feathers of the dotterel are in great demand by the 
dressers or makers of trout-flies. The kingfisher has 
almost been exterminated by fishing preserves. A 
tale is also afloat that the British Museum would 
give £100 for a perfect nest of the bird. 
Birds of special value to gardens.—Of those 
mentioned above there are several that might be 
kept in gardens and about the lawns in a tame state, 
including the lapwig or peewit, the black-headed 
gull, and possibly others. A number of valuable 
birds are not included in the list to be preserved for 
the simple reason that they are still very common 
and able to hold their own. Amongst these are the 
rooks, starlings, thrushes, and tomtits. The choughs 
are birds of the crow kind, which destroys beetles in 
large numbers as well as other insects destructive to 
vegetation. Owls are sometimes kept in a tame 
state, but usually in a state of confinement. Boxes 
or other nesting places may be accorded them and 
placed above ruined towers, high buildings in quiet 
situations, and even in trees in default of anything 
more suitable. If they can be induced to nest there 
they will be of invaluable service in destroying mice 
of all kinds, rats, and similar small deer about the 
garden and fields. A complaint is sometimes pre¬ 
ferred against them that they prey upon domesticated 
fowls and their eggs, but as owls fly chiefly by night 
the fowls should by that time be carefully cooped 
up and out of danger, so that the argument falls 
through. Starlings will readily take to boxes 
suspended to trees and other objects about a home¬ 
stead, in gardens, and orchards. The common grey 
gull is also tameable and serviceable about a garden 
and on the lawns, where it destioys insect pests 
and slugs of various kinds. Fruit trees may be pro¬ 
tected from blackbirds and other thrushes during the 
critical period by means of netting; at all other 
times they are harmless and beneficial. 
