December 10 , 1898. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
231 
water flowing through the tank just to prevent stag¬ 
nation. A very small stream from the tap will suffice 
to keep up a movement in the water. 
Bougainvillea glabra. —Where these plants are 
growing in borders against the sides of the house it 
is sometimes difficult to ripen them off as thoroughly 
as is desired, for the moisture deposited on the roof 
runs down the sides of the house into the border ahd 
tends to keep the latter moisL In such cases no 
water at all need be given to these borders, whilst 
Other borders that are not thus automatically 
watered will require only a very little. If all goes 
well the plants should be ready for pruning by the 
end of the month. B. glabra needs to be severely 
pruned each year before it starts into growth. The 
pruning closely resembles that given to the Vine, for 
all the small growths should be spurred back close 
to the main branches and all the weak leaders taken 
clean out, the strong ones that are allowed to remrin 
to extend the spread of the plant being shortened 
back. 
Allamandas. —These are always slow in losing 
their leaves, and in finishing the maturation of their 
wood. Keep the plants fairly dry at the root, but in 
the case of pot plants do not suddenly withhold all 
water, for as Allamandas are free-rooting subjects 
the pot-plants are sure to be pot-bound and a sudden 
complete stoppage of water would be productive of 
harm. 
-‘Young Crotons and Dracaenas. — In most 
gardens the propagation of these goes on the whole 
of the year round, that is, whenever cuttings can be 
obtained. Cuttings taken in winter will root, it is 
true, but they need to have a great deal of attention, 
or they will become checked and stunted, and they 
never seem able to make good plants afterwards, no 
matter what is done to them. Young plants which 
were struck about the middle of October and potted 
up then must be closely watched. If anything, they 
should be kept upon the dry side, for if once they are 
given too much water they will lose most of their 
roots. Should any of them fall sickly during the 
next month it will be advisable to take off their tops 
early in the New Year and insert them as cuttings. 
This will be found much more economical than 
attempting to pull them round in the same pots that 
they now are in. 
The Cool Conservatory. 
In this department another clearance is necessary, for 
now all but the very latest Chrysanthemums are 
over. The plants should, therefore, be cut down 
without more ado, and the pots carted off to a pit or 
frame whence the cuttings can easily be taken as 
required. There are a few late sorts, such as that 
grand white L. Canning, Princess Victoria, creamy- 
white, and Janette Sheahan, the yellow sport from 
Princess Blanche, that are exceedingly useful for late 
flowering. So useful are they indeed, that a good 
batch of each is no ill store at the end of December 
and the beginning of January. 
The departure of the Chrysanthemums will cause 
a big gap for a day or two, but there are other things 
waiting to take their places, which, if not quite so 
showy will yet keep the house well supplied with 
bloom. The earliest of the Richardias should be 
brought out of the forcing house in which they have 
been hurried on. They may need a little attention in 
the way of staking, for the tissues are weak and 
flaccid in the dull season. Some of the earliest 
forced material, such as Roman Hyacinths and 
Lilies of the Valley, are also turning in. Of these 
there need be no lack for the next few months if 
sufficient stores of each have been laid in from which 
to draw. Ericas and berried plants too, are bright 
and showy, the latter especially having a Christmas- 
like appearance. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. — The early batch of 
" Zonals " is now in full bloom. If the plants are 
fed judiciously they will continue to flower for some 
time yet. By dint of this and an occasional pick 
Over, the plants may be induced to make a brave dis¬ 
play for two or three months, by which time the 
later batch will have taken up the tale. 
Chinese Primulas should be given a light posi¬ 
tion near to the glass. Be careful not to over-water 
or over-feed, both of which are common, but none 
the less fatal, mistakes. 
The Earliest Batch of Cinerarias. —Here the 
plants are just beginning to show colour in their 
buds, and before long will be in flower. Continue to 
give bi-weekly applications of weak liquid manure to 
the most vigorous plants. 
Watering. —All watering should now be done in 
the forenoon of each day, so as to give the moisture 
time to dry up before nightfall. If this course is not 
followed damp will be likely to cause a good deal of 
trouble.— A. S. G. 
Kltcften Garden calendar. 
Week’s Work. 
The weathef of late has been unfavourable for out¬ 
door work, particularly on heavy land, as the soil 
would stick to the boots if trod upon when wet. 
During such a showery time slugs will play sad 
havoc to Peas that are just coming through the 
ground, and as the ordinary remedies of dustiDg 
with lime would be of but little value, owing to its 
being washed off again by the first shower, recourse 
must be had to more expedient measures. As the 
ground is so moist slugs will travel a long distance; 
therefore, it is not only those in the immediate 
neighbourhood that must be got rid of, but those in 
the surrounding plots. Where Peas are sown on bor¬ 
ders where the box edging has been allowed to grow 
unduly, this will be a great harbour for these pests ; 
every bit of edging for some distance should, there¬ 
fore, be looked over at intervals for them, and on no 
account should any be allowed to escape. The 
adjoining plots of Lettuce, Broccoli, Sprouts, and 
other green crops should be looked over for them, as 
they are sure to harbour under the fallen leaves. If 
some of the half decayed Cabbage leaves be placed 
at intervals alongside the box edging and between 
the rows they will attract slugs and snails to them, 
when they may be trapped. 
Broad Beans, though suffering in a somewhat 
less degree, must also have due attention paid to 
them. French Beans that are growing in pits will 
need to have a little more heat applied to dispel the 
moisture which, owing to the dull weather, is sure to 
settle on the flowers and cause them to damp off, 
unless due care be exercised. Make other sowings 
in small pots to take the place of those becoming 
exhausted. Keep them as near to the light as 
possible to prevent them getting drawn. Where 
French Beans are grown in light, airy houses there 
is far less trouble in their management, as such 
places are far more suitable than close, ill-ventilated, 
damp pits, such as used to be erected in old gardens. 
The market grower has a great advantage over the 
private gardener in this respect, as he is able to de¬ 
vote one house to any particular class of plants he 
may wish to cultivate, whereas in most private 
places the gardener has to put up with any make¬ 
shift method. This, however, is not always taken 
into consideration by employers, as they have no 
idea of the vast amount of labour needed by those 
who have to work under such adverse circum¬ 
stances. 
Carrots. —These are always in demand, and can 
never be had too young, provided they are large 
enough for use. We all know the difficulty 
experienced in supplying all the requirements of the 
cook; still, if a little more attention were paid by 
some to this department, things would go on far 
more pleasantly, as it is an undoubted fact that more 
gardeners come to grief over the vegetables than 
anything else. Hotbeds on which it is intended to 
sow Carrots should be of sufficient bulk to maintain 
a gentle heat till the crop is ready to gather, for 
though the plants will come to no serious harm 
should they receive a check, they will be much 
longer in attaining maturity ; therefore, to avoid this 
make the beds well in the first instance. The soil 
used should be passed through a half-inch sieve to 
take out any lumps that there may be in it. Those 
already through the soil should be well looked after 
in case there should be any snails in the frame which 
would be sure to attack them while still in the seed 
leaf. 
The forcing of Seakale will now be general. As the 
roots are taken up for that purpose, the-small thongs 
broken off should be reserved for making sets. 
These should be cut into lengths of about 3 ia. and 
covered with decayed leaves, when, by the time they 
are required for planting, a callus will be formed 
ready for starting into growth. There is no neces¬ 
sity to go to the trouble of starting the sets in heat, 
as the growth will be plenty forward enough if they 
are planted in the open quarters about the middle of 
March. 
Take up Asparagus roots as required for forcing, 
and have the beds ready for their reception before¬ 
hand, that there be no delay afterwards. When the 
weather is unfavourable for outdoor work, look over 
roots in the store room, and if any need moving or 
show signs of decay, these should be seen to first. 
Make up Mushroom beds as others get exhausted 
that there may be no blanks. Do not allow the 
manure intended for that purpose to get wet or it 
will be of little worth .—Kitchen Gardener. 
•meanings fitmn ffje IBuclti 
of Sciont^. 
The under-mentioned subjects were discussed at the 
Scientific Committee Meeting of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society on the 22nd ult. 
Tea Plants attacked by Mites.—Mr. Michael 
gave an interesting account of a new species of 
Acarus, sent by Mr. E. E. Green, Hon. Gov. Entom. 
of Eton, Pundaluoya, Ceylon. They were forwarded 
in tubes filled with sterilised air, a plan which Mr. 
Green had found very useful for preserving fleshy 
insects in their natural form and colours. He also 
forwarded specimens of young Tea leaves attacked 
by the mite, which causes considerable damage and 
loss of crop on the Tea estates in Ceylon. Mr, 
Green writes as follows :—" Some years ago I gave a 
description and figures of this mite in a little pam¬ 
phlet on ‘ Insect Pests of the Tea Plant..’ For pur¬ 
pose of registration I gave it the provisional name of 
Acarus translucens, but I find that this name is 
already occupied by a different mite, described by 
Nietner in his ' Enemies of the Coffee Tree ; ’ there¬ 
for the insect is still nameless. I should be glad to 
have it properly identified. It is curious in laying 
two different kinds of eggs, one form being quite 
smooth, and another form rather larger and beauti¬ 
fully beaded. The latter is the most usual, and I 
have watched the emergence of the mite from this 
egg. I have only recently noticed the smooth eggs. 
The immature insects are very sluggish, the mature 
ones decidedly active. They attack the young leaves 
only. As each bud unfolds they move up on to it, 
deserting the older leaves, which, however, are per¬ 
manently injured. The attack of the mite imparls a 
brown scaly character to the leaf cuticle, which per¬ 
sists throughout its life. When the unopened leaf 
bud is attacked, the punctures are concentrated upon 
the groove and the infolded edges. This forms a 
permanent scar, appearing like a strong sub-lateral 
nervure on the expanded leaf.” Mr. Michael 
observed that the mite was one of the Tarsonomi, a 
group only lately known, but proving to be great 
destroyers of vegetation— e.g., Box trees at Turin 
were all destroyed in one season. Professor Canas- 
trini of Padua discovered that the mite bored 
between the epidermises of the leaf. Another species 
attacks the Sugar-canes of Barbados, but does not 
appear to be so injurious, though fresh canes 
swarmed with the Tarsonomi. Few species are 
known as yet, but they are very destructive. They 
are extremely minute, and have consequently escaped 
detection until the last few years. 
Dahlia crossed with the Sunflower.—Mr. 
Lowe sent fresh examples of his supposed hybrid. 
They were very much arrested in growth, and mal¬ 
formed ; but they would otherwise be regarded as 
Dahlias. It may be observed that M. Martin 
Cahazac attempted to cross the Dahlia with the 
Chrysanthemum ; but in his case, as with Mr. Lowe, 
the supposed hybrid did not appear to be very ■ 
marked. ( Gard. Chron.. Dec. nth, 1897. P- 417.) 
Pear-within-Pear.—Mr. W. J. Clarke, Manor 
House, Benbrock, Market Rasen, sent an example 
of this not uncommon monstrosity ; and Mr. 
Bennett-Poe brought another example. The Pear 
has no core, but in its place the apical bud develops 
into another pseudo-Pear; the terminal bud then 
attempts to produce a third or more, finally a tuft of 
small leaves at the top represents the still growing 
terminal bud. 
Pyrus crenata.—Dr. Masters remarked that 
this tree is peculiar for retaining its large and hand¬ 
some leaves for a time, after most other deciduous 
trees have shed theirs. The leaf exhibited was from 
a tree in a garden at Ealing. It is a native of 
Nepaul, and was described and figured in the Gat'd. 
Chron., Jan. 3rd, 1874, p. 17. 
