THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 9, 1898. 
MINTS for wmateurs. 
11 i 5 ; 
BEDDING PLANTS. 
Year by .year the decoration and furnishing of the 
flower garden becomes more than ever a work of art. 
The amateur who has leanings towards the aesthetic 
can here find an abundance of room wherein to 
exercise his skill and taste in arrangement and 
association of the immense variety of plants that is 
now available for flower garden work. At one time 
we used to see Zonal Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, 
and Lobelias in almost endless repetition, and to the 
well-nigh total exclusion of everything else. With 
the popularising of what may be termed sub-tropical 
gardening, however, these plants have been confined 
to narrower limits, and, although nobody wants to 
banish them entirely, or, indeed, any other plant that 
is easy to grow and free to bloom, it is a matter of 
congratulation that they are no longer allowed to 
monopolise the whole of the space. 
Whether the variety of plants that are destined to 
do duty in the flower garden in the forthcoming 
summer be large or small the present season of the 
year is a lively one amongst them, for stock has to be 
worked up in readiness for the time when the sun, to 
use a quaint localism, shines on both sides of the 
hedge, It may be of service if we take a brief 
glance at what is waiting to be done in this supply 
department at the present time. 
Zonal Pelargoniums —We may deal with these 
first on account of their commonness, for the old 
“ Geranium ” is the pet of the cottager, who, by the 
way, is somewhat conservative in his tastes and in¬ 
clinations, and, moreover, a bed of good 
"Geraniums” still possesses the power to please 
those who like bright colours and bold masses. The 
approved custom is to strike cuttings of the plants 
in the autumn, placing these rather closely together 
in pots or boxes. Through the winter months these 
plants have been practically at a standstill, but lately 
they have commenced to grow, and, with the in¬ 
veteracy of the race, to bloom. First of all these 
blooms and also all bloom buds must be picked off, 
in order to induce the plants to husband their 
strength, and not to squander it in producing flowers 
when they are not wanted. 
If, through deaths or other causes, the number of 
healthy plants is too small for probable needs, the 
tops should be taken off these rooted autumn cuttings, 
and placed in pots or boxes to root. Under the 
stimulating influence of a gentle heat, such as will 
be obtained by placing them on a shelf near the 
glass in a greenhouse, they will soon make roots, and 
may then be separated, potted up, and started on the 
second stage of their existence. This taking of the 
tops off the old plants will not in any way hurt them, 
but will, in fact, do good, inasmuch as it will induce 
them to throw out side shoots and take on a bushy 
habit instead of spending all their energy in pro¬ 
ducing a long, lanky, single stem. 
It follows trom these remarks that if no more 
cuttings are wanted the tops of the old plants should 
be taken out all the same, only in this case just the 
central bud may be taken out by the finger and 
thumb. As the old plants have now been in the 
same soil, and packed closely together for fully six 
months it is time that they had a shift. This should 
be given at once. If a sufficiency of large 6o pots are 
to hand these may well be employed, one strong 
plant being put in a pot—if space is scarce two 
smaller plants may be put in a single pot. If pots 
fail shallow boxes must be used. The soil should 
consist of two-thirds of loam, one-third of leaf soil, 
and a sprinkling of coarse river sand, or better still, 
road sweepings. 
Heliotropes. —A bed of the fragrant “ Cherry 
Pie” is a desirable feature to have in a garden, 
but the plants are occasionally difficult to keep 
during the winter. The continued low temperatures, 
and the fogs of the town and city are very inimical 
to them, and thus it not infrequently happens that 
the number of plants even out of a batch of strong 
and healthy autumn cuttings that survive the 
winter is comparatively small, and insufficient to 
meet the demand. If the plants have not been 
placed in heat they should be without delay. Take 
the tops off as soon as they have commenced to 
move. These should be from 2 in. to 3 in. in length. 
Use very sandy soil for these cuttings, and cover 
the soil itself with a layer of sand about a quarter of 
an inch in depth. If there is room for the cuttings 
on a shelf in a warm house they will strike very 
readily there, in fact almost as well as if they were 
in a close propagating frame. If, however, owing 
to pressure of space they have to be consigned to 
the stage some distance from the glass, it will be 
well to cover them with bell-glasses, both to induce 
speedier rooting and to prevent them from getting 
“ drawn.” 
Verbenas. —These are even more touchy subjects 
than the Heliotropes, for a few days thick fog is 
sure to cripple them, aDd the old plants generally 
present a bare and sorry appearance by the time 
that the winter has passed. If placed in a gentle 
heat and treated very similarly to the Heliotropes, 
however, they will soon commence to grow, and will 
not be long in picking up. As a rule the cuttings 
are put in very thickly in the autumn, and if a good 
” strike ” was obtained the plants are now consider¬ 
ably crowded. This it will be desirable to remedy 
as soon as possible by shaking the plants out, 
separating them from each other as tenderly as 
possible so as to preserve the greater portion of the 
roots intact, and potting them up singly into small 
pots—the size known as small 6o's will be found 
very suitable and convenient. Prior to the potting 
the tops should be taken off the plants, and if 
cuttings are needed, inserted as such. Subsequent 
batches of cuttings may be obtained as desired from 
the old plants, for once they get a start they will 
make plenty of growth. 
The greatest pest of Verbenas is mildew, and gar¬ 
deners are chary of admitting them to houses 
containing plants susceptible to mildew on that 
account. If any traces of mildew are present 
amongst them, therefore, the plants should be given a 
careful picking over; all dead and dying leaves 
being taken away and burnt. Then, as a final pre¬ 
caution, the plants should be well syringed with 
water, in which potassium sulphide has been 
dissolved at the rate of \ oz. of the sulphide to a 
gallon of water. This will effectually destroy all the 
spores of the fungus, and prevent them from spreading 
further in search of new hosts. At the same time it 
will be well to shield the plants are far as possible 
from draughts. 
Tuberous Begonias.—Year by year the value of 
the tuberous Begonia for bedding purposes becomes 
more fully demonstrated. Given a fairly favourable 
season the Begonia will hold its own against any¬ 
thing else both for freedom and continuity of flower¬ 
ing. One of its greatest recommendations from an 
amateur’s point of view is the ease with which it may 
be kept during the winter. It is this item of winter¬ 
ing that gives the amateur more trouble than anything 
else, perhaps more than all put together, for in the 
majority of cases available spice suitable for winter¬ 
ing bedding plants is exceedingly limited. The tubers 
of the Begonias, however, caa be placed in bags or 
light boxes, covered with a little sand or soil, and 
stowed away in any odd corner : the exclusion of 
frost being really all that is necessary. It is high 
time now to hunt these tubers up and to start them 
growing. They should be carefully looked over first, 
and any that are unsound thrown away—it is no use 
wasting time with these. Last autumn the tubers 
were placed together according to the colours of their 
flowers, and care should be taken not to disturb this 
arrangement now. Shallow wooden boxes should be 
procured, a few crocks strewn over the bottom for 
drainage and covered with a little soil, and on this 
the tubers may be laid, an inch or two of space 
being allowed between each A light covering of soil 
may then be given. A few boxes will suffice to start 
a considerable quantity of tubers, for it must be 
remembered that as soon as they are in active 
growth, a further shift into roomier quarters will be 
necessary. The boxes should be placed in a tem¬ 
perature of from 58° to 6o° Fahr., and then if a moist 
kindly atmosphere is maintained, the young shoots 
will not be long in making their appearance. Shade 
from the direct rays of the sun will be then necessary 
as the young growths with their delicate leaves scorch 
easily, and the check sustained thereby is severe.— 
Rex. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone 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. 
Chrysanthemums.—Would you tell me if it would 
injure Chrysanthemums to place them out of doors, 
as I have had them in a greenhouse all the winter 
also whether I should cut them down again, as they 
have nude a lot of growth.— H. B. 
We presume yours are old plants that flowered 
last autumn. If you do not intend to flower them 
again in pots you may plant them out at once so as 
to set the pots free. The foliage of Chrysanthemums 
is fairly hardy although the flowers are tender, and 
the little frost we are likely to get would not hurt themj 
It would be best to cut away a few of the most 
straggling growths so as to give a chance to the 
stronger ones beneath them. Old plants invariably 
throw up a lot more shoots than are wanted, so that 
you need not be afraid of thinning them a little. If 
intended for pots cut away last year’s stems and thin 
out the others. 
Early Flowering White Chrysanthemums.— 
Amateur-. Lady Fitzwygram is certainly a very 
handsome and free, September flowering, white 
variety, of very compact and bushy habit, but you 
will find that Queen of the Earlies will suit your 
purpose better. The flowers, which are also white, 
are borne on stiff, wiry stems and raised well above 
the foliage, which they are not in Lady Fitzwygram. 
For supplying flowers for cutting Queen of the 
Earlies is infinitely superior. The height is from 
3 to 3J ft. 
Incurved Chrysanthemum, Mrs. R. C. Kingston. 
Amateur : Seeing that your cuttings were not put in 
until the beginning of February you should secure 
the first crown bud. Cuttings rooted earlier,say at the 
end of December,should have been stopped not later 
than the middle of March. The second crown bud 
should be taken on these plants. 
Weevils on Peach Trees — C. T. B. : The little 
holes in the leaves of your Peaches are caused by 
the Weevils. In order to catch them, you must 
visit the trees at night with a lantern. By carefully 
and quietly peering among the leaves without causing 
any disturbance, you will be able to catch the 
depredators. A pinch between finger and thumb is 
the readiest means of disposing of them. 
Forced Asparagus Roots —Cabbage: The roots 
of Asparagus that have been lifted and forced are of 
no further use, and may be thrown away at once. 
Roses — Rosa: Continuing the syringing of your 
Roses until the buds begin to show colour, then stop 
it. A little sulphur mixed in the water used for 
syringing is a capital preventive of mildew. 
Ill-Shaped Camellias — Lentil: The only way to 
reduce the Camellias to something like symmetry is 
by hard pruning. This is best done just after 
flowering is over, as the bushes are beginning to 
make their growth for the season. Cut them well 
back into the old wood. Never mind if they look 
stubby and ugly, but keep the syringe well at work 
amongst them in a gentle hea’, and they will soon be 
clothed with verdure. 
Melons Damping Off — L. E., Reading: The rot 
may be checked by dusting powdered charcoal and 
lime round the collars of the plants, i.e., that part of 
the central stem close to the ground. In watering 
refrain from wetting this part of the bed, leaving a 
dry circle of 3 ins. or 4 ins. in diameter. If the rot 
appears on any of the branches higher up, you must 
give a daily dusting with the lime and charcoal un¬ 
til the wound dries up. 
A Chameleon amongst Flowers.—There is a Chinese 
flower that is red in sunlight and white in moon¬ 
light. 
Lettuces in Onion Beds. — Vegetables: It is a 
fairly common practice to sow a pinch of Lettuce 
seed with the Onions, but the idea is not one that 
carries with it a particularly strong recommendaticn. 
A few Lettuces scattered here and there do not work 
any appreciable amount of harm, but the thing may 
easily be overdone, and then the Onions suffer 
through the loosening of the ground, caused by the 
pulling up of the Lettuces. We should advise you, 
therefore, not to leave many of them. 
