88 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 9,1897. 
Bedding Pelargoniums— We mayuperhaps, be par¬ 
doned for referring to these again so soon, but the 
present is such a “ ticklish” time with them that a 
few words of advice respecting their treament will 
not be likely to come amiss. 
Cuttings — These first of all claim attention as 
being the bulk of the stock for next year's supply. 
Up till now cuttings that have been inserted in pots 
and baskets have been rejoicing out of doors, but 
that period has now passed, and they must 
be at once removed to a place of safety. Usually 
the soil in both pots and boxes is wet enough to pre¬ 
clude the necessity of waiering for a protracted 
period after housing. From the present time up to 
the turn of Christmas the greatest care must be 
observed in watering. Probably one good watering 
will be sufficient to last the plants if they are in 
boxes, and we have not infrequently kept them with¬ 
out water at all through the period mentioned, the 
moisture in the soil proving sufficient for them. 
Bearing in mind how great an enemy damp is, and 
how many scores of plants are carried off by its 
agency each autumn the structure in which the 
plants are to winter must be supplied with sufficient 
piping to keep the atmosphere fairly dry. A high 
temperature is not required, for if the thermometer 
stands at about 45° Fahr. it will be alright. Plenty 
of light is an essential to success, and these amateurs 
who have their greenhouses fitted with shelves will 
find the latter very handy at this juncture, for the 
pots may be stood quite close to each other, and thus 
a lot may be packed away in a little space. In the 
greenhouse should be placed the tenderer varieties 
such as Crystal Palace Gem, Robert Fish, Creed's 
Seedling, Mrs. Pollock, and Mrs. Henry Cox. 
Flower of Spring, although a variegated variety, is 
fairly strong in constitution, and will pass through 
the winter better in a low temperature than the 
other varieties mentioned. 
The general bulk of the plants, if there is no room 
for them in the greenhouse, may be consigned to a 
frame which can be heated a little when severe frost 
endangers the safety of the inmates. Here they 
are brought up close to the glass, and enjoy the maxi¬ 
mum of light during the dull months. Heated pits 
such as those employed for Melons and Cucumbers 
are capital structures in which to winter bedding 
plants, but their great depth when cleared out would 
take the plants too far from the light, and drawn and 
weakly specimens would result. It will be necessary, 
therefore, in such a case to erect a temporary staging 
of boards in order to bring the plants up close to the 
glass. 
Cuttings Rooted Out-of-doors. —We have pre¬ 
viously spoken of this method of rooting zonal Pelar¬ 
gonium cuttings as being a very favourite one with 
not a few people. If the cuttings were inserted 
about the end of August they will now have formed 
a fair quantity of roots, and will thus lift well. Even 
if they have not rooted, however, they will have to 
come up, as they cannot safely be allowed to remain 
outside any longer. On looking at some of the 
cuttings that have not rooted, it will be found that 
the bases of the stems have hardened (callused) over. 
No fears need be entertained of such cuttings doing 
well. 
Six cuttings will go well into a 48-sized pot, five 
being placed round the sides and one in the middle. 
The soil is not a matter of much con equence. We 
have always gone to the old soil heap for this pur¬ 
pose. Old soil that has grown Chrysanthemums, 
Fuchsias, or other greenhouse plants contains quite 
enough goodness. All that is required is to run it 
through a sieve to clear it of crocks and other 
rubbish. Pot moderately firmly, but do not ram the 
soil, pressure with the fingers and a few smart taps 
upon the bench being quite sufficient to impart the 
requisite firmness. Water will not be required for 
some time after potting if the soil is fairly moist. It 
is a mistake often committed by amateurs, viz., to 
deluge such newly-potted plants with water. 
Yiolets. — Of all the plants which are cultivated 
under glass during the winter none give a better 
return for the space they occupy or the labour ex¬ 
pended upon them than the double Violets. As 
easy of cultivation as anything that can be men¬ 
tioned,many amateurs with very limited conveniences 
grow Vic lets both in pots and frames year by year 
with conspicuous success, and there is no reason 
why the number should not be materially 
augmented. 
The present is a capital time to see about making 
up the beds for the winter. At the conclusion of 
their flowering season the old plants were split 
up and the divisions planted out in an open border. 
From these little pieces, fine, sturdy plants, with 
great width of crown and vigorous foliage, and with a 
correspondingly vigorous root action, have sprung. 
Assiduous attention has been given to the cutting 
back of runners as fast as they made their appear¬ 
ance, and the plants are already giving earnest of 
what they are capable of doing in the coming six 
months by producing a few flowers now. Beneath 
the clustering leaves, if we take a peep, we shall 
find scores of fat buds only waiting for a little 
stimulus in the shape of bright weather to develop 
into flowers. 
The plants themselves are hardy enough, but a 
spell of cold weather naturally puts a stop to the 
expansion of the flowers, and the continuity of 
blooming is thus interrupted. Again, showers of 
rain in mild weather wash all the perfume out of the 
blooms, and sully their bright daintiness with mud. 
Under glass both these difficulties are obviated. 
First as to the. beds—good brick pits 4 ft. or 5 ft. 
in depth are the best structures in which to make 
them up. Fallen leaves may be packed into the 
lower part, trodden down tightly, and brought up to 
within about 18 in. of the glass. Upon this 1 ft. of 
soil may be placed. The latter should consist in 
bulk of good, mellow loam, with which may be 
mixed a third or fourth part of leaf soil, or short, 
well-rotted stable manure. When first consigned to 
their new quarters the leaves are thus close to, and 
in some cases touching, the glass, but this is of little 
moment,for as the mass of leaves below decays so will 
it sink, and before the winter is half over an appre¬ 
ciable lowering is the result. The amount of space 
given the plants must depend on their size, but in no 
case should they be too crowded. In lifting the 
plants from their nursery beds some little care will 
be needed to preserve good balls of earth. If lifted 
thus and planted straight away but little check will 
be observed. A watering in may be given if de¬ 
sired after planting is finished, and this watering 
will last the plants for a long time. Keep the frame 
close for a week after planting, as this will give the 
plants a start. 
Yiolets in Pots — This system of culture recom¬ 
mends itself to those who want plants for the decor¬ 
ation of conservatory or dwelling rooms, and in 
careful hands may be made to yield excellent results. 
For an ordinary sized plant a 6-in. pot will be large 
enough, although the finer specimens will require a 
7-in. size. Make the soil a little richer than that 
given to the plants in the frame, for they require it, 
seeing that their root run is more circumscribed. 
Do not keep the plants in too warm a house or 
colourless,nearly scentless, flowers scarce worth look¬ 
ing at will ensue. The cool greenhouse is amply 
warm enough, and if the atmosphere is not too laden 
with moisture will answer admirably. Wherever 
they may be placed, however, take care that they 
are given the maximum of fight, and after they are 
once established in their pots given plenty of air in 
the same way as to their relatives in the frames. 
Varieties.— Here the difficulty of having numbers 
of varieties from which to pick and choose does not 
present itself, for there are not many varieties. 
Without question the best blue one is Marie Louise, 
but the Neapolitan is good, and as it is a few weeks 
later in flowering than the former variety may well 
find a corner in the frame, or a light or frame to 
itself according to the size of the establishment. 
The best white is Swanley White, often met with 
under the name of Comte de Brazza, a very free 
blooming form with large pure white flowers. Queen, 
a white variety striped with violet-rose is somewhat 
of a novelty and may be grown for the sake of the 
variety obtained. 
Ericas —Not another day should be lost in getting 
these under cover. The sojourn out of doors is a 
capital thing to improve the colour of the flowers but 
it must not be carried too far. Give the pots a nice 
washing, clean any moss that may be present from 
the surface of the soil, and transfer the pots to a light 
corner of the greenhouse where they will be shielded 
from draughts which are such fruitful causes of 
mildew. This does not mean that the house is to be 
kept closed, for abundance of air may still be given 
by the top ventilators during the day.— Rex. 
-—- 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
“ Amateurs' Page " on the top of their letters. 
Seakale. —Would you tell me what to do with 
Seakale, as it is the first time I have grown any ? 
Whether it stands the winter without covering? And 
what covering I should give it in case of its requiring 
any ?— H. B. 
The Seakale itself is hardy enough, and may be 
left without covering through the winter if it is not 
required for forcing. But we assume you intend to 
force, and therefore it will have to be covered at 
some time. After the leaves have died down you 
may go over the crowns and cover them with a little 
stable litter or a few leaves. This will serve them 
until it is time to put the pots on, the time at which 
this is done being, of course, decided by your require¬ 
ments. The pots once on, fallen leaves of this year's 
growth should be heaped round, and over them to a 
depth of about 10 in. or a foot. This means that the 
bed of leaves will be a little over 3 ft. in height. 
These remarks apply to forcing the plants as they 
stand, which you will observe means a good deal of 
trouble. Your better way would be’ to lift the roots, 
cut off the small side roots and lay them aside for 
cuttings, and pot the thick main roots in leaf mould 
or other light soil. Place these pots in a Mushroom 
house or dark cellar, and with a temperature of from 
55 0 to 6o° Fahr. you will have Kale fit to cut within 
six or seven weeks of the time of lifting the crowns. 
Stokesia cyanea . — Saxenhy : This plant, which is 
commonly known as Scokes' Aster, was named in 
honour of Jonathan Stokes M.D., who assisted 
Withering in his arrangement of British plants. It is 
a native of North America. The plant flowers well 
enough in the open border but it forms a charming 
subject for the cool conservatory if lifted and potted 
up carefully. By dint of a little careful management 
it may be had in bloom quite late in the autumn, and 
the large bright blue flowers are then doubly wel¬ 
come by reason of the scarcity of blue at that period 
of the year. 
Strawberries .— Forcing : You may certainly force 
Strawberries in an early vinery, along with the 
Vines, but this is a course that we should not advise. 
You will find by experience that Strawberries are 
capital things for breeding red spider, and if the 
latter gets on your Vines you will be likely to regret 
that you attempted to kill the two birds with one 
stone. 
Freesias.— A space of about six weeks has now 
elapsed from the time of potting the bulbs, and it is 
high time, therefore, that the plants should be taken 
out of the plunging bed. Uncover them carefully, 
for the young leaves are very tender and easily 
damaged. A place in a cold frame, on an ash bot¬ 
tom, will be a good place, for here the plants may 
gradually be inured to the light. Afterwards they 
may be given a place on a shelf in the greenhouse. 
Tomatos.— Alex. Lamhourne : The Tomatos will not 
ripen now, as we may expect frost at any time,and that 
means death to the plants. Leave the fruit on for 
as long as possible, and when the frost comes cut off 
all the largest and take them indcors. They will 
ripen off gradually if hung up in a warm dry room. 
Winter Flowering Carnations.— C.L.O. : You will 
find the flowering varieties some of the very best for 
winter flowering, and you should try and grow as 
many of them as possible : — Mrs. Leopold de Roth¬ 
schild, Uriah Pike, Winter Cheer, La Neige, Canary 
Bird, Miss Mary Godfrey, Zenobia, Mrs. H. Cannell, 
and Reginald Godfrey. If you want another crimson 
you cannot do better than choose William Robinson. 
Cyclamen persicum.— Rowan: The attempt to 
grow Cyclamen in a dry, parching atmosphere is 
almost sure to result in failure. You will find your 
plants will do all right if they are stood on a bottom 
of ashes, shingle, breeze, or other material that will 
hold moisture well. We think the middle of Octo¬ 
ber will be quite late enough for you to leave the 
