152 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 5, 1898. 
ints for Amateurs. 
Lifting Carnation Layers.—There should be no 
further delay in getting the layers o£ border Carna¬ 
tions lifted from the open ground, and potted up pre¬ 
paratory to watering them in frames. The long- 
continued mild weather has given them a capital 
chance, and has made up for the time when they 
were practically at a standstill, owing to the drought. 
The layers are rather dwarfer this year than usual, 
but they are also firmer and stockier, so that what 
they lose in height they will gain in toughness. 
In lifting the layers sever the connection with the 
parent plant by means of a sharp knife, and try and 
lift the young plant with all its roots intact,and a little 
soil clinging around these roots. Numbers of cases 
will be met with, in which the young layers have not 
made any roots at all, even although the tops may 
be quite green and vigorous-looking. This lack of 
roots, however, need not deter the amateur from 
lifting them if a " callus ” has been formed at the 
base of the shoot, or, in ordinary language, if a hard, 
cork-like skin has been formed over the wound made 
by the knife. These "callused” layers lift quite as 
well as those that are rooted. True, they may not 
grow away so speedily, but they form roots at their 
leisure, and make good plants by next March, when it 
is time to plant them out. 
The preparation of the soil for potting need not 
cause much trouble, for almost any soil will do. A 
rich compost is not required, and, indeed, would be 
positively harmful, for the plants will be almost at a 
standstill for the next two or three months. Old soil 
that has been shaken from tuberous Begonias, 
Fuchsias, or Pelargoniums will suit admirably, pro¬ 
vided it is in a fit condition with regard to moisture. 
The old soil is usually thrown in a heap out-of- 
doors, and the recent raiDs have, theref re, reduced 
it to a fairly moist condition. It may first of all be 
passed through a sieve to free it of any rubbish it 
may now contain, and a good sprinkling of coarse 
sand, a little powdered lime rubbish or brick bats, 
road scrapings, or anything of a gritty nature may be 
added to give it a little more porosity, for a close 
heavy medium does not suit border Carnations during 
the winter months. 
The pots should be clean—a common-place, but 
necessary observation. For the strongest layers, a 
small 6o-size will suit, one layer being put in a pot. 
For the smaller layers a large thumb pot will be big 
enough. Oue crock should be placed concave side 
downwards over the central hole, and upon this a 
handful of the rougher parts of the soil. This will 
insure efficient drainage, for there will not be much 
water pass through the soil for the next three 
months. 
The soil may be made fairly firm with the fingers 
when potting, especially in the case of the layers 
that have not rooted, for if not put in pretty firmly 
they will stand in danger of being pulled out during 
their transit from one place to another. 
The usual method of keeping the plants through 
the winter is to plunge the pots to the rims in ashes 
in a cold frame, and this method has been found to 
answer exceedingly well. Planting the layers out in 
autumn in the quarters in which they are to flower 
the following year finds favour in some quarters, but 
we prefer the alternative plan of wintering in frames 
and planting out in spring. 
No water at all will be needed, but plenty of air 
must be given at all times whenever the thermome¬ 
ter is above freezing point. The plants can stand 
cold with impunity, but wet is an inveterate enemy 
to them, and, therefore, the lights must be kept on 
during wet days, and air given by tilting them up at 
the back. 
Roman Hyacinths.—The bulbs which were pro 
cured and potted up about the middle of August are 
now ready to come out ot the bed of ashes in which 
they were plunged, subsequently to the potting. The 
sojourn in the darkness has caused root action to be¬ 
come free and vigorous, and the tops are now shoot¬ 
ing up in response to the stimulus received from the 
roots. These young plants must not be exposed too 
suddenly to the sunlight, but they should be placed 
close together on an ash bottom in a cold frame, and 
partly shaded from the light. Allow them to be¬ 
come gradually inured to the light, and the deli¬ 
cate white of the young leaves will not be long in 
changing to the normal green. In about a week’s 
time a batch of them should be introduced into heat 
with a view to getting early flowers. 
If Roman Hyacinths are favourites it is not yet too 
late to order in other supplies, which should be potted 
up as soon as received, and plunged in ashes in the 
same way as their predecessors have been. 
Maidenhair Ferns.—As the autumn wears along, 
those Adiantums which are growing in the cooler 
houses begin to get rather shabby ; in fact, at the 
time of writing most of the fronds on our own plants 
are only fit for removal. The plants are thus show¬ 
ing signs that their period of rest is not far away, 
and they should, therefore, not be unduly excited. 
No manure water of any kind should now be given 
them, and they should be allowed to get rather drier 
at the root than they have been at any time since 
last spring. Cut away the yellow, dirty, and un¬ 
sightly fronds, but do it carefully so as not to tear 
away or injure any of the delicate crowns beneath. 
The green fronds that remain may be cut from time 
to time, and used for making up with flowers. The 
crowns will throw up all the stronger next spring for 
the three month’s rest now. Take care not to let 
the plants stand beneath a drip, or rot will be almost 
sure to set in. If they are kept fairly dry, a tem¬ 
perature of 40° Fah. will tide them over the winter. 
This, of course, does not"apply to Adiantum farley- 
ense, A. aethiopicum, and other forms which call 
for tropical heat, but only to those varieties of A. 
cuneatum, A. Capillus-Veneris, etc., that will do in a 
a cool greenhouse. 
Clerodendron fallax. —When we take into con¬ 
sideration the great beauty of this Clerodendron, and 
also the ease with which it may be grown, it becomes 
a matter of wonder that it is not more commonly 
met with amongst amateurs’ collections of plants. 
During the last six weeks it has really been the most 
conspicuous object in the conservatory, and this can 
be said of it without doing an injustice to any of the 
other plants that also claim a share of attention. The 
large heart-shaped leaves are ornamental in them¬ 
selves, and their deep green hue serves as an ad¬ 
mirable toil for the spreading, erect panicle of bright 
coral-red flowers that surmounts them. This Clero¬ 
dendron needs to be grown in heat until it begins to 
open its flowers, but once it reaches that stage it will 
stand very well in a cool house. Just now the 
flowers are commencing to dropoff owing to the con¬ 
tinuous lower temperatures that are now prevailing, 
and also to the presence of a good deal of moisture 
in the air. In order that a supply of seed may be 
forthcoming, for raising next year's stock of plants 
from, it will be necessary to select one or two of the 
plants (according to need), as seed bearers. 
Choose those plants that have the largest and the 
brightest coloured flowers, as well as the biggest 
panicles, for there is not infrequently a good deal of 
difference between the different plants in a batch in 
these respects, and a good deal of importance 
attaches to them. Remove the selected seed-bearing 
plants to a warm house or pit. If the pots can be 
plunged in fermenting material so much the better 
for the Clerodendron dearly loves to have its roots in 
the warmth. The fruits will rapidly swell under 
such favourable conditions, and by withholding 
water from the plants presently may be ripened off 
by the end of the year. 
Chinese Primulas. —The earliest batch of plants 
may now be allowed to flower—the first flowers were 
picked out of them. The present is rather a critical 
time with the plants, especially with regard to the 
watering They must not be allowed to get too dry 
and neither, on the other hand, must they be given too 
much water, or they will damp off. Be careful when 
watering not to pour the water into the heart of the 
plant, for this is a common course of damping off. 
A little weak liquid manure may be given these for¬ 
ward plants twice a week—it will help to improve 
the colour and the size of the flowers. The potting- 
on of the late batches may now receive attention. 
A 48-sized pot will, in most cases, be amply large 
enough. Over potting is to be avoided during 
autumn and winter, for it means a lot of cold un¬ 
occupied soil lying round the roots, and if to this is 
added a little carelessness in watering, the death list 
is sure to be a heavy one.— Rex. 
■ « »- 
Of the Iceland Poppy there are already at least six 
well marked forms or varieties, namely, single and 
double yellow, single and double white, and single 
and double orange. 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answeis 
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. 
Polygonum cuspidatum compactum.— M. : This is 
the name of the Polygonum of which you speak. It 
is a variety of the well-known P. cuspidatum, which 
is such a common plant in town gardens. P. c. 
compactum is quite distinct from the type in habit, 
and is not, according to our way of thinking, nearly 
such a pretty plant. It is more compact in habit 
than the species, but it is just the somewhat strag¬ 
gling habit of the species that constitutes its 
greatest charm. Like the species, the variety makes 
a good town plant, and visitors to the London parks 
will have noticed its presence there. P. c. compac¬ 
tum, is not, perhaps, so much inclined to send up 
suckers for a considerable distance round the central 
rootstocks as P. cuspidatum, but it is still a vigorous, 
almost a rank, grower. 
Mignonette.— Amateur : Thin the young plants 
down to three to a pot, which will be a sufficient 
number to fill a 32-sized pot. You must, of course, 
select the strongest plants, and they should be 
situated round the sides of the pot if possible. 
The plants will do in a cold frame for the present. 
Blanching Endive.—Will you tell me the best 
way to blanch Endive as it stands in the open 
border ? And how long it will take to whiten it 
sufficiently for the table.—P. Young. 
If the plants are of fair size you will be able to 
blanch the hearts by gathering up all the leaves, 
and tying them together to form a cone in the same 
way as Lettuces are treated. The drought, however, 
has caused growth to be less vigorous than usual, 
and it may well be that many of the plants have not 
long enough leaves to permit of their being treated 
in this way. Over these a tile, pot, or slate may be 
placed. It will take from two to three weeks to 
blanch the hearts sufficiently for use. 
Broken Beetroot.— Chas. O .: If the roots have 
the tap-root broken they will bleed nearly white if 
they are boiled. You can make use of them, how¬ 
ever, if jou bake them in an ordinary oven, when 
they will retain their colour. You will find that the 
rabbits like Beetroot very much, and you may, with¬ 
out fear, give them slices of it. The coarser roots 
are of very little good for cooking, and may well be 
made use of as food for the bunnies. 
Strawberry Runners for Forcing. — Fruit: 
Strawberry plants are hardy enough, and will put up 
with any amount of frost. It is usual, however, on the 
approach of winter to plunge the plants to the rims 
of the pots in ashes in a frame, or to rig up some tem¬ 
porary shelter for them in order to throw off the rain 
aDd the snow. The plants force better when they are 
not allowed to become sodden at the root by rain and 
snow, hence the need for shelter. The plunging is 
given more for the sake of protecting the pots from 
frost than anything else. Continued frost chips and 
spoils the pots to a considerable degree. 
Arum Lilies.— Jas. R. : You should introduce the 
Arums into a warm pit with a temperature, say of 
55 ° 10 3?° Fahr. by night, and a proportionate rise 
during the day. You may syringe the plants on fine 
days, but not on wet or dull days. As the plants 
have been in the pots for some months (ever since 
the beginning of July) they should have made plenty 
of roots, and you may start giving a little weak liquid 
manure as soon as the flower spathes begin to 
show. 
Leaves for Leaf Soil.— P. C.: Oak and Beech 
leaves make the best leaf mould for potting. Horse 
Chestnut leaves are poor, and we should not feel 
inclined to use them if we could get anything else. 
Spotting on Zonal Pelargonium Leaves.— T. L. : 
The spotting on the leaves is probably due in a great 
measure to the bites of insects. It may also be 
brought about to some extent by an inherent ten¬ 
dency on the part of the plant. There is an absence 
of chlophyll or green colouring matter in the affected 
areas, but there are no signs of fungus. Keep your 
plants growing, and you will probably find the spot¬ 
ting limited to those leaves that are now touched. 
