424 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 5,1898. 
INTS FOR MMATEURS. 
THE SEED ORDER 
Cabbage.—It is for spring and early summer use 
that the Cabbage is most esteemed. Several sorts 
should be grown, so as to extend the period of bear¬ 
ing over a fairly long season. For early crop there 
is nothing to beat Ellams' Dwarf Early. In all 
localities this seems to do equally well. The plants 
are of dwarf and close habit, being well under a foot 
in height. They can thus be planted pretty close 
together, and the utmost got out of every square 
yard of ground. The heads are of medium size, 
solid, of great weight, and good flavour. An addi¬ 
tional qualification is the way in which the plants 
will stand through severe winters. Wheeler’s Im¬ 
perial is also an early variety that comes in just 
after Ellams. For a general crop there is nothing to 
beat Enfield Market, a sturdy variety that throws 
heads of good size. It also is very hardy, and a 
good doer all round. 
Sowing in the spring to furnish heads, which shall 
be ready for use during the summer and autumD 
months, is frequently practised in gardens where a 
variety of vegetables must be on hand at all times, 
or where Cabbages are special favourites. The 
varieties of Cabbage in cultivation fall into two dis¬ 
tinct sections, viz., those suitable for autumn sowing 
and those fitted for sowing in spring. In most 
instances, sorts that give good results when sown in 
spring, are not successes when sown in autumn, 
consequently we must select another variety besides 
those we have already mentioned. Sutton’s Tender 
and True is one of the best for the purpose. Under 
anything like ordinarily favourable conditions, heads 
may be cut in about three months from the date of 
sowing. The hearts are very solid, of capital flavour, 
and are very prettily shaped. 
Sayoy Cabbages are invaluable for winter use, 
and there is really no more delicious vegetable when 
the heads have been nicely crisped with frost. 
Drumhead is a variety that is much grown in 
gardens where large size is of importance, whilst 
Tom Thumb represents the other extreme in point 
of size. For amateurs we would recommend the 
latter in preference to the former. The heads are 
rather small, it is true, but compensation is obtained 
by the closer planting that is possible. The flavour 
is everything that can be desired, and if only one 
variety can be grown we should certainly recommend 
this, as a few plants can be put in at almost any odd 
corner. Golden Globe is a medium-sized variety of 
great excellence, and the same may be said of Dwarf 
Green Curled. A packet of seed from a well- 
selected and tested stock of the last-named variety 
will yield first-rate results. For a first choice then 
of two varieties grow Tom Thumb and Dwarf Green 
Curled. 
Cauliflowers.—For a first early, and to come in 
as a succession to the late Broccoli, try First Crop. 
This form is very dwarf, and of compact habit. 
Tnick planting may therefore be practised, which is 
of some importance from the economical point of 
view when dealing with early Cauliflowers. Magnum 
Bonum will form a capital succession variety. The 
heads are large, but as they are well protected with 
leaves, they last for some time in condition. 
Favourite, which is a little later than Magnum 
Bonum, specially recommends itself to amateurs on 
account of the ease with which it may be grown. 
For an autumn crop the claims of Veitch’s Autumn 
Giant cannot be gainsaid ; indeed, the merits of this 
grand variety are so well known and have been so 
thoroughly tested in all parts of the country that no 
further recommendation is needed. We may say, 
however, that it will supply heads of first-class 
quality as long as the frost will let it alone, thus 
joining hands with the early Broccoli. 
Broccoli.—One of the very best of the early 
Broccoli is Veitch's Self-protecting, which thus 
carries on the succession after Autumn Giant Cauli¬ 
flower has ceased to be of service. Carter’s 
Mammoth Spring White will furnish heads from 
January to April, inclusive, if well treated. It is 
withal of good flavour, and the heads, which are of 
really mammoth size, are well protected by the 
leaves. For a late variety the amateur will do well 
to invest in Late Queen, which has, perhaps, greater 
cold-resisting powers than any other variety. The 
plants are dwarf and exceptionally sturdy. Like 
late Broccoli generally the heads are well protected 
by the abundant foliage, and no matter how severe 
the winters a good percentage of the plants are sure 
to survive. The heads turn in in May and June, 
varying, of course, according to the locality and the 
character of the season.— Rex. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked 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. 
Peach Buds Falling.—Please say what is the cause 
of Peach-tree buds falling off. The trees are covered 
with mildew. I painted them last December with 
Gishurst Compound. Would it be possible that it 
was too strong ?— Amateur. 
Generally speaking, Gishurst Compound is one of 
the safest specifics to use, and it is not at all likely 
that the mixture was too strong. You may possibly 
have been heavy-handed in applying it, and have 
bruised some of the buds a little, thus causing them 
to drop, but again it is not likely that this is the 
whole cause of the evil. The true reasons, for it 
is likely that there is more than one, are very com¬ 
plex in their workings, and to be able to put one’s 
finger on the special one, it is necessary to know the 
whole of the facts of the case, and to have studied 
carefully the treatment given to the trees. 
The dropping of buds is, broadly speaking, caused 
by some weakoess, constitutional or acquired, on the 
part of the trees. In the case of some varieties, 
such as Noblesse, it is a natural trick that the trees 
have, and then nothing seems to be effectual in com¬ 
bating the evil. A fruitful cause of bud-dropping is 
the giving of too much heat when forcing; 
accordingly, the greatest care should be taken at 
this time. Another cause is neglect of water whilst 
the trees are maturing their growth in the autumn. 
The result of this is that the buds are improperly 
developed. They remain on the trees until the turn 
of the year, and then as soon as a little artificial heat 
is applied many of them are cast off. It will thus 
be seen that a combination of the evils of insufficient 
water supply in the autumn and too high a tempera¬ 
ture at an early stage of their career in the spring 
would be especially dangerous, since either of the 
two is sufficient in itself to produce the dropping 
complained of. 
In your case we are inclined to think that the 
dropping of buds is due to the fact that the presence 
of mildew last year prevented the proper develop¬ 
ment of the buds and maturation of the wood, this 
acting along the same lines as neglect in the matter 
of water would have done. 
Your remedy will be to attend to the trees care¬ 
fully so that they shall be given every chance to 
grow. An occasional spraying with a solution of 
potassium sulphide should be given. Half an ounce 
of the sulphide dissolved in a gallon of water will 
kill all the spores of the mildew and will do no harm 
to the trees at all. 
We have replied at some length to this question 
because it is one that, unfortunately, is of some 
moment to both amateur and professional gardeners. 
It is most provoking even to the most even-tempered 
individual to see the fruit buds vanishing from his 
trees, and with them his chance of a crop. 
Hardy Perennials for Cutting.—I give a list of 
perennials I grow. Can you suggest some additions 
for cutting purposes, and to bloom during August ? 
The list is—Anemone japonica, Roses, Helianthuses 
in variety, Pentstemons, Phloxes, Carnations, Rud- 
beckias, Gaillardias, Malva moschata, Stenactis, 
Dahlias, Chrysanthemum frutescens, Chrysanth¬ 
emum early Japanese, Galega, Montbretias, 
Gladioli, Eryngiums, Achilleas, Coreopses, Inula 
glandulosa, Geums, Heuchera sanguinea, Monarda 
didyma.— C. Hart. 
This is an exceedingly comprehensive list, and 
our correspondent's garden must be very well stocked 
indeed. If all these plants are well grown there 
should be no lack of cut flower. There are several 
of the Campanulas that would be in flower at this 
time of the year. C. pyramidalis in both its blue 
and white forms is most useful at the beginning of 
the month. C. Vidalii, often grown as a pot plant 
for the greenhouse, also does very well in the herba¬ 
ceous border when the winters are not too long 
and severe. In addition to the type Anemone 
japonica, A. j. rubra is a fine rosy-coloured form that 
is well worth growing. Heuchera macrantha will 
form a good addition to H. sanguinea. You mention 
Pentstemons in your list. These we take to mean 
the florists varieties. If you have not P. barbatum 
a very useful species usually met with in gardens 
under the name of Chelone barbata, we should 
advise you to get it. The Aquilegias are a host in 
themselves; A. chrysantha, A. canadensis, A. 
caerulea, and the numerous pretty hybrids are all of 
the greatest service. The three species named com¬ 
mence to bloom before August, but they continue to 
produce their blooms over a lengthy period, although 
much depends on the locality. We wonder that you 
do not include the Gypsophilas, for both G. elegans 
and G. paniculata would be invaluable for you. The 
earlier flowered perennial Asters (Michaelmas 
Daisies) such as A. acris, A. a. drucunculoides, A. 
Amellus, and A. alpinus would be in flower in 
August. 
To these you may add Boltonia decurrens, 
Anthericum Liliago, A. L. major, Cimicifuga cordi- 
folia, C. racemosa, Centaurea Cyanus, C. atro- 
purpurea, C. macrocephala, Helenium pumilum, 
Linum narbonense, Linaria vulgaris, L. V. Peloria t 
Lobelia splendens Queen Victoria, Potentillas in 
variety, including such double forms as Californie, 
Congo, Madame Rouillard, Velours Pourpre, and 
William Rollison, Statice Gmelini, and S. incana. 
Thalictrum adiantifolium may well find a place in 
this list, for its graceful foliage renders it of great 
value for mixing with cut flowers of all descriptions. 
Mildew on Chrysanthemums. — Rob.: The pre¬ 
sence of the mildew on the young plants is probably 
due to lack of caution and consistency in ventilation, 
possibly combined with a little too much water at the 
root. Plants that are coddled up one day, and a lot of 
air rushed on the next, are almost sure to be attacked 
at this time of the year. If only a few spots are to be 
seen, you may stop the disease from spreading 
further by dusting the spots with flowers of sulphur. 
Be careful in future with both watering and airing. 
Old Chrysanthemums. —I should like to grow on 
a few of the best sorts of the old plants in pots this 
year if they would do well. Please advise me how 
to proceed. Wily. 
There is no reason why the plants should not do 
well, although it is not a common practice to grow 
them on for the second year. Knock the old plants 
out of their pots, and shake away a good deal of the 
soil, thus reducing the balls to an extent that will 
allow of their being put in smaller pots. Consign them 
to a cold frame and keep them close for a week or two 
until they get a start. Thin out the shoots at the 
base to as many as are required. If the stools are 
strong there may be a good deal of thinning to do. 
It should, therefore, be done gradually and carefully. 
Tree Carnations. — Y. Y.: Do not delay in putting 
in the cuttings. Select points, about 3 in. long, of 
young shoots, pull them out from the parent plant 
by means of a sharp jerk, and there you have the 
cutting made ready to insert without the necessity 
for the use of the knife at all. Use light sandy soil 
and put five or six cuttings in a “thumb "pot. If 
you have a propagating frame with a minimum tem¬ 
perature of 6o° Fahr. put the cuttings in it. They 
will then root in a week or two, after which they 
may be gradually inured to a higher temperature. 
Striking the cuttings thus in heat may seem to be a 
coddling practice but it is a great saving of time, and 
a far heavier percentage of cuttings root than when 
a lower temperature is given. 
Lifting Tulips.—I planted a number of bulbs of 
Darwin Tulips at the beginning of last November. 
The leaves are through the ground for a couple of 
inches at the present time. I want badly to lift them 
to another place. Will this injure the plants.— A.O. 
It won't do them any good, certainly, but if you 
exercise care in lifting and replanting, neither should 
it do them a very great amount of harm. Be very 
careful to dig deep enough for them, and break off as 
few of the roots as possible—some, of course, are 
bound to come to grief during the process. 
