August 10, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
791 
he runners are allowed time to root into the soil 
naturally. 
As to varieties.—There are now a host from which 
to pick and choose, and although like the boy with 
the biscuits, all may be good, some are decidedly 
better than others. The particular locality, together 
with other items of soil and situation, has of course, 
a great deal to do with the comparative merits of 
different sorts. From among the following, which 
have established a reputation as good all-round 
Strawberries, a selection may be made. For early 
work, King of the Earlies, Laxton’s No. i, Laxton’s 
Noble, Royal Sovereign ; for midsummer crops, Dr. 
Hogg, President, James Veitch, Sir Charles Napier, 
Sir Joseph Paxton, and the white Picton Pine ; and 
for late sorts, Frogmore Late Pine, Oxonian, 
Laxton’s Latest of All, and Helene Gloede.— A. S. G. 
* 
In many cases there was a scarcity of plants at bed¬ 
ding-out time, and thus they were planted rather 
farther apart than usual, the gardener trusting no 
doubt, that they would soon cover the additional 
space, for where the plants are put in thickly in the 
first instance, so as to produce an immediate effect, 
they usually get pretty crowded by the end of the 
summer. This year, however, the dry sesson has 
prevented them from growing so freely as usual, and 
up to the middle of July many beds looked rather 
scantily furnished. Since then, however, a different 
tale may be told, for the lovely rains, assisted by the 
natural warmth of the ground have set things moving 
at an extraordinary rate. The grass, too, has 
recovered from its leaking in a marvellous manner, 
and the mowing machine and the scythe are having 
a busy time of it. Weeds, moreover, are growing 
apace, and their destruction, either by hand picking 
or by means of the hoe, will be an every day occu¬ 
pation. 
Hollyhocks. —Such noble plants as these should 
find a home in every garden. It is true that they are 
somewhat stiff in habit, but they look very stately 
when growing in the background of the herbaceous 
border. It should be seen that they are provided 
with strong stout stakes, also that the ties are not 
too tight about the swelling stems. Eyes may now 
be taken from the side shoots if they have become 
sufficiently matured. These should be dibbled into 
a compost, consisting largely of sand, covered with a 
bell glass, and kept close and moist until rooted. 
Sometimes a very good “ strike ” will be obtained, at 
others, a comparatively low percentage will root; 
but still the system is well worth a trial. 
Wallflowers. —These are indispensible for spring 
flowering, and therefore every care should be taken 
to obtain good strong plants. The hoe should be 
kept well at work among the beds where they have 
been planted out, weeds kept down, and plenty of air 
and light thus given. If later sowings have been 
made, no time should be lost in dibbling out the 
seedlings on a prepared position. The rows may be 
about a foot apart, and nine inches of space must be 
given between the plants. By careful attention to 
watering, these later ones will not be very far behind 
the plants obtained from earlier sowings. 
Violas.— If these have been planted thickly they 
will have grown pretty closely together by this time, 
and thus a judicious thinning of the growths will be 
advisable. The beds may look a little ragged for a 
day or two afterwards, but they will soon get over 
it, and will look all the better eventually for the 
trimming. 
Gladiolus. —This splendid autumn flower is just 
commencing its brilliant career, and in various 
places we have noticed some fine rows and clumps 
of our old friend G. Brenchleyensis, with its rich 
crimson-scarlet flowers. A little liquid manure now 
and again, as required, will materially assist in de¬ 
veloping fine flowers spikes. 
Scillas.— These bright-faced children of spring 
are everywhere welcome, and not only do they look 
exceedingly well when growing in clumps in her¬ 
baceous border, but they are none the less delightful 
when partly naturalised in parts of the pleasure 
grounds. They may be planted with fine effect in 
batches in corners of lawns, rockeries, or hardy 
ferneries. A little outlay in this direction is money 
very well spent, as a large number of bulbs may be 
obtained for a comparatively small sum. For 
naturalising, our native S. nutans is a splendid 
subject, as it is of hardy constitution, and will grow 
almost anywhere. Where it is decided to plant upon 
the grass, the turf may be lifted, the bulbs scattered 
about and then the turf relaid on the top of them. 
It is rather a long operation to dibble in each bulb 
separately, and as good results as could be desired 
may be obtained by the former, and the more expedi¬ 
tious method, there is no need whatever to go to all 
the trouble entailed by the adoption of the latter 
mode. 
Liliums.— As first come first served is the motto 
upon which most dealers in bulbs work, it would be 
unwise to delay the order for Liliums for outdoor 
planting for too long, as the first consignments 
received usually contain the best material. Included 
in the genus are many magnificent plants which are 
well worth growing in any and every garden. Some 
of the best are L. auratum, L. croceum, L. candidum, 
L, chalcedcnicum, L. davuricum, L. Hansoni, L. 
elegans, L. e. bicolor, L. pardalinum, L. longiflorum 
Harrisii, L. pomponium, L. Martagon and its white 
variety L. M. album. This list might be consider¬ 
ably extended, but the garden that has even this 
number of Liliums may be regarded as being fairly 
well off, and will certainly not be devoid of charm 
or variety next season.— A. S. G. 
__ . ♦ T 
THE KITCHEN BARDEN. 
Onions.— The storing of spring sown Onions will 
soon demand attention, as the season being an early 
one the growth will be completed somewhat earlier 
than usual, and if there is any delay in taking up the 
crop when fully matured a second growth may 
result, which may ultimately ruin them, now that 
the ground is well saturated with moisture. The 
crop this season, so far as I have seen, will be a light 
one; the long and severe frost almost completely 
killed those resulting from the autumn sowing ; then 
the continued drought reduced considerably the 
spring sown ones, therefore the necessity of using 
the utmost care in harvesting the crop ; and it will 
be time well spent. 
The value of sowing a considerable quantity 
under glass in the spring, and planting out when 
duly prepared, has more than ever been demon¬ 
strated this season. Lately when visiting a well- 
known garden my attention was drawn to the 
Onions growing under three different methods ; the 
first was those transplanted from what was left of 
the autumn sowing in April; the second 1 jt was 
sown out of doors in the usual method about the 
same time; and the third had been raised under 
glass in the spring, and duly planted out. The last 
method is by far and away the best in this case, the 
weight being more than three times as heavy as the 
autumn sown ones, which in turn was better than 
those sown outside in the spring. When drawing 
the crop it will be well to go over them at two or 
three different times, taking only those that have 
become ripe, and placing them in any position 
where they can be kept free from rain, but can 
command as much sun and light as possible, finally 
tying them in ropes, and hanging them in a dry airy 
shed. 
It will now be safe to make a sowing of Winter 
Onions, continuing at intervals of ten days for three 
sowings. Care should be taken that the ground is 
well dug, and if dry trampled well before sowing. 
The lines may be drawn 15m, apart and about Jin. 
in depth, sowing the seed moderately thick and 
neatly covering it in with the feet. Varieties of 
Onions are very numerous, and for present sowing 
Sutton's Selected Giant Lemon Rocca is a good 
hardy sort, and moreover a beautiful Onion when 
well grown. This variety for early exhibitions is 
quite the best that I know. Other varieties worth 
sowing now are White Lisbon, Cranston's Excel¬ 
sior, and Improved Reading. Where Onions are 
specially grown for exhibition they will require care¬ 
ful handling from now, as with the ground and 
atmosphere so moist as at present, the bulbs will be 
liable to split in two. Where there is any sign of 
spliting, or a second growth taking place,discontinue 
feeding, and with a fork partially ease them from the 
ground, which will be the means of checking the 
supply of sap, and also of maturing the bulbs with¬ 
out loss. Much better to have a medium sized 
Onion well finished, than one larger but having no 
other quality than size, 
Spinach. —For a supply of winter Spinach no 
lime should be lost in making the first sowing, if not 
already done. An open position and ground that is 
fairly rich and in good heart will suit this crop best. 
Continue sowings every ten days till the middle of 
September in rows 18 in. apart, and gradually th.n 
out in the rows to 4 in. or 6 in. Of varieties of 
Spinach I like the Victoria best, but the Prickly 
and Round are also very good and reliable. 
Potatos. —Continue the lifting of early Potatos 
as soon as they become matured, as no good can 
result from leaving them in the ground when ripe 
only to become a prey to the disease and start into 
a second growth. Those required for seed fully 
expose to the light to become green ; when in this 
condition they keep much the best.— James Gibson, 
Devonhurst, Chiswick. 
-**—- 
A FREE-FLOWERING STEPHANOTIS. 
The genus Stephanotis comprises about fourteen 
species of tall, twining glabrous shrubs, natives of 
tropical climes, but only two species are in general 
cultivation. The one, however, which seems to 
enjoy the largest amount of patronage is S. flori¬ 
bunda : and tbis appears to have been introduced 
into this neighbourhood about fifty-five years ago 
by the late Mrs. Lawrence, of Ealing Park. S. 
floribunda is a native of Madagascar, and is still a 
great favourite with those who love purity of colour 
and richness of fragrance of a certain, not to say 
peculiar, sort. It is, in fact, the florist's friend ; for 
who would think of making up a wreath or cross 
without the aid of the clustered wax flower, or, as it 
is sometimes called, the Madagascar Jasmine ! 
Well, I suppose, there are good and bad varieties 
even of this normally free-flowering Stephanotis, but, 
it is quite certain that Mr. Chandler, gardener to 
Major Wilkinson, of Springfield Park, Acton, W., 
does not possess an inferior sort. A recent visit 
more than sufficed to disprove this for the wires of 
the little span roofed house—about 12ft. by 15ft.— 
were literally covered with the pure wh : te waxen 
bunches of this strongly perfumed Asclepiad. But 
that is not all, for Mr. Chandler avers that 
he has already picked, at least, three pails full ! 
This freedom of flowering and absence of mealy-bug 
he attributes chiefly to the low temperature to which 
the plant is subject. The roof, too, is only lightly 
shaded with a “ summer cloud," and the growths, in 
consequence, are sturdy and strong, while the 
flowers are vigorously produced in cymes or 
clusters, from five to eight in number. The variety 
is doubtless Elvaston. It is, moreover, growing in 
a 12-in pot, which is plunged in a centre bed of 
mere rubble, on which are placed Maidenhair Ferns, 
&c. It has occupied this position for the last three 
years, is kept very dry at the roots in winter, and 
receives a top-dressing annually of Clay's Fertilizer 
mixed with powdered charcoal and fibrous loam. 
This house—and another adjoining it—is heated 
only by a small Loughboro’ boiler with a 4-in. 
flow and return ; and, efficient though this is in 
ordinary weather, yet several times during last 
February the thermometer indicated two degrees of 
frost! And, further, for over two months there has 
been no fire-heat whatever ; hence it would seem to 
follow that, an established plant of Stephanotis 
floribunda Elvaston var. does not require the high 
temperature which is invariabiy recommended. 
For these details I am indebted, not only to the 
gardener but to the Major himself, who courteously 
acceded to my request for information.— C.B.G, 
DOUBLE PETUNIAS. 
The double Petunia, it goes without saying, is not 
found growing wild in its native land (Brazil). It 
is the product of civilization, and the art of man ; 
and, although it is not seen quite so frequently at 
our exhibitions, perhaps, as it used to be, it is still 
in some places, very much to the fore. At the late 
Acton Show it was much in evidence, the first prize 
going to Mr. Chandler, gardener to Major Wilkin¬ 
son, Edendale, SpriDgfield Park ; who exhibited 
half-a-dozen well-grown specimens of this useful and 
effective plant. 
The varieties, however, were not so good as might 
have been expected, although some were beautifully 
fimbriated and otherwise veined and splashed ; it 
was the cultivation which appealed to me; and 
through Mr. Chandler's deference to my enquiries I 
am enabled to offer the following modus operandi to 
those whom it may concern. The cuttings, then, 
were taken in the second week in March ; potted 
singly into small 6o’s ; plunged into gentle bottom- 
heat, and transferred to other pots and the cool 
greenhouse as the young plants advanced. Pinching 
back, of course, was resorted to ; and after the final 
potting (the compost for which consisted of nodules 
of fibrous loam and powdered charcoal), they 
received a light, airy position in a cold greenhouse. 
The pots used were 9 in. ; a subsequent application 
of Clay’s, and the necesary attention to other details 
produced on the day of the show, the coveted reward. 
When I say that these specimens measured from 
2ft. gin. to 3ft. in diameter, I think I am stating a 
creditable performance.— C. B. G. 
