February 18, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
395 
being not only large but highly coloured. Narcissus 
and Lily of the Valley are in quantity and will give 
the reader some idea of the wealth of blossom which 
this house contains. On the rafters above there are 
some interesting flowers waiting to be admired ; such 
are a purple-flowered Brazilian Climber Tibouchina 
macrantha, alias Pleroma, alias Lasiandra, for the 
changing of names seems to be part of the Kew 
curriculum; a dark red, ever-blooming Cestrum 
(Habrothamnus) elegans; and a handsome scarlet 
Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens minor). These 
things are all well done at Kew, while the grouping 
of plants, the effective arrangements of flowers, and 
the general cleanliness of the whole contribute to 
make this structure the admiration of all. 
But, asks "Sigma,” where can these plants be 
obtained ? Most of them certainly at the ordinary 
nursery ; but, in the case of the less-common plants, 
Messrs. James Veitch & Sons, Royal- Exotic 
Nursery, King’s Road, Chelsea, or B. S. Williams & 
Son, Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, Upper 
Holloway, N.— C. B. G., Acton, IV. 
Kitcuen Garden Calendar. 
As soon as the soil is in a favourable condition for 
treading upon, advantage should be taken of the 
same to prepare for sowing Onions. In places 
where the staple is of a light sandy nature the seed 
cannot well be got in too soon, as there is less fear 
from frost than from dry weather in summer. To 
grow first-class bulbs needs good tillage ; therefore, 
where the ground was well manured and deeply dug 
in the autumn it will by this have got fairly settled 
down with the rains, a few hours of drying winds 
will soon render the surface sufficiently sound to get 
upon without fear of the soil sticking to the boots. 
When this can be done with safety dust the plot 
with soot, which should afterwards be forked in. If 
this be done early in the morning, when there is an 
appearance of a fine day, the surface will be dry 
enough by the afternoon to rake down and draw the 
drills. If possible choose a fine calm day for sowing 
the seed, as it can be distributed more evenly along 
the drills. Avoid sowing too thickly, as much harm 
is done by overcrowding the plants when in a young 
state. When the seed is sown rake the ground 
lightly to cover it in. There is no necessity for mak¬ 
ing beds, as some advise, as by so doing water cannot 
be so evenly distributed over the sur face, owing to 
the paths between the beds being lower than the 
other portion. Better by far allow a little more 
room between the drills to enable a person to pass 
up and down them to hoe and weed. Onions are 
gross feeders, therefore require a large amount of 
moisture during their growing season, and unless 
provision be made for this bulbs of extra size cannot 
be procured. 
Those that were sown under glass early in the last 
month should by this be large enough tor pricking 
off into other boxes, or on to slight hot-beds, where 
they could remain UDtil it is safe to transfer them to 
the open ground. It is not well to allow the plants 
to get too large before pricking them out, as they 
are longer in making a start again. 
Parsnips may now be sown with safety where the 
ground is at all light and dry, but where of a stiff, 
rententive nature, better defer sowing a little longer, 
as the seed will germinate more freely as the ground 
gets warmed. Carrots may now be sown on warm 
borders, which, if protected with straw mats from 
heavy rains, will soon germinate. The foot of a south 
wall is also a good place for a row of early Carrots, 
where such can be found for them, but these posi¬ 
tions are usually taken up with early Potatos and 
French Beans, therefore Carrots must be given a 
more open position. 
The last batch of Asparagus roots should now be 
lifted for forcing; after this date growth may be 
promoted in the open ground by covering the beds 
with temporary frames, and placing a lining of stable 
litter round them, so as to generate a little warmth. 
Where beds are planted for this purpose there is not 
much difficulty in causing them to start into growth 
a month earlier than plants in the open ground. 
Make another sowing of Peas for succession. 
Gradus, Early Morn, Early Giant, Duke of Albany, 
Early Marrow, Daisy, and such like are all good varie¬ 
ties for sowing at the present time, Protect those just 
coming through the soil with a few Spruce boughs 
or anything that will ward off the cold winds, as 
these do more harm than frosts. Broad Beans of 
the Longpod type should now be sown to give a 
succession to those planted in the autumn. There are 
some of the green types that are almost equal to the 
Windsors in point of flavour, and much more pro¬ 
ductive. Masterpiece and Green Giant are both 
first-class. Broccoli so far has been good. There 
has not been any serious frost to cripple them. 
Vanguard and Snow White have been specially good, 
considering the difficulty there was in establishing 
them last season. 
Before the season gets too busy procure and 
sharpen Pea sticks and tie them in bundles of different 
sizes ready for use. Any work of this description 
that can be pushed forward at the present time 
should be got well in hand, that there be no delay 
with it afterwards when other things become more 
pressing. Celery that was reserved for late use 
should be earthed when the soil becomes sufficiently 
dry, but on no account ought such work to be done 
when the leaf stalks are wet. Continue to make 
small sowings of Mustard, Cress, Chervil, Celery, 
and other things that are required daily in the 
kitchen. Radishes and other small plants on hot¬ 
beds should be thinned early to prevent them be¬ 
coming drawn.— K. G. 
-- 
Pits and Frames. 
Tuberous Begonias. —In order that the seedlings 
may have time to develop their characteristics of 
colour and habit before the frost' comes it is neces¬ 
sary to sow seed fairly early. The present is a 
capital time, for the amount of solar light and heat 
that falls to our lot is daily on the increase, whilst 
the young plants are able to obtain a fair hold 
before the sun becomes too hot for them. As the 
seed is very small it requires some dexterity of hand¬ 
ling in order to distribute it evenly over the surface. 
Drain the pans well and fill them with light sandy 
soil, which must be carefully levelled and made fairly 
firm with the fingers. Water the surface gently with 
a can having a fine rose, and after allowing the soil 
time to settle, sow the seed thinly. If any covering 
of soil is given it must be a very light one, and the 
particles of soil should be fine. Cover the pans with 
sheets of glass, and remove them to a shelf in a 
warm pit. Watch them closely, and shade with 
sheets of newspaper if the sun is very bright. 
Gloxinias. —A batch of seedling Gloxinias never 
comes amiss, for not only is there a chance of 
getting new shades of colour, but if desired the 
plants may be flowered in very small pots, when 
they are of inestimable service for decorative 
purposes. As soon as the earliest batch of seedlings 
are big enough to handle they should be pricked off 
into light sandy soil. The pricking off operation is 
a somewhat tedious one, for the plants are very 
delicate and must be handled with great care. The 
iny leaves should be allowed to rest upon the soil, 
but the hearts must not be covered, otherwise they 
will damp off. Sow for a successional batch in the 
course of the next week, treating the seed pans in 
the same way as advised for the tuberous Begonias. 
Some of the old plants have begun to start into 
growth, and where this is the case there is nothing 
to gain from keeping them back, for it weakens the 
tubers, the growths become drawn and spindly, and 
the plants never make good specimens. Pot them 
up therefore without delay, for the early flower will 
come in handy. 
Clerodendron fallax. —Some cultivators recom¬ 
mend propagating this charming Clerodendron by 
cuttings but we have always found seedlings far 
more satisfactory. They grow more quickly, pro¬ 
duce larger and finer leaves (and the leaves in them¬ 
selves are ornamental) and flower better at the finish. 
Seed saved from last autumn should be sown forth¬ 
with in heat, in light, rich soil. The old plants 
occasionally pay for being grown on again, especially 
where taller plants are in demand. Those that 
have been allowed to go to rest with a view to this 
intent may be started into growth by placing them 
in a warm pit, plunging the pots in fermenting 
material, and keeping the syringe going. 
Cuttings. —Just now there are hosts of cuttings 
that require to be put in. Old Crotons and 
Dracaenas that are only kept as stock plants should 
be denuded of their cuttings as fast as they are large 
enough for insertion. The tops should be taken off 
the autumn-struck cuttings of Coleus, and put in to 
root, the stumps meanwhile being encouraged to 
break to furnish more cuttings. Heliotropes, 
Verbenas, Alternantheras, Lobelias, Iresines, and 
zonal Pelargoniums have all to be worked up, and 
all the propagating frames will be taxed to their 
utmost capability. If any more room is required it 
will be a good plan to put up a hot-bed, place a 
frame or two on it, and utilise them for cuttings. 
Almost anything will strike freely in a hot bed, 
particularly if a few inches of cocoanut fibre is put 
in for plunging.— A. S. G. 
- » — 
tub Drctilfl Grower’s calendar. 
Calanthes. —Most of the deciduous kinds will be 
reaching that stage when it is necessary to take 
them in hand, that is, the growths will be making 
headway. We find it a very good plan to place 
them thickly together in shallow boxes in an 
upright position to start them. It is easier when 
the potting is done, for you can select the most 
forward ones for massing together. The compost 
we find most suitable for their requirements is two 
parts good loam, one part dried cow-dung, rubbed 
through a sieve, with enough charcoal or crocks 
broken up fine, and silver sand to keep it open. 
Good drainage is essential, as the plants will take any 
amount of water at the roots when growing freely. 
In the early stages water must be sparingly afforded 
them or the growths will become spotted. All the 
Calanthes require a good brisk heat during growth— 
such as is given to stove plants. 
Cattleya House. —The exceptional weather we 
are getting tends to hasten the growth of most 
things; we must therefore keep pace with them as 
regards potting. We shall now make a start with 
Laelia gouldiana, L. autumnalis, and those plants of 
L. anceps that have gone out of flower. You will 
observe that they begin to push new roots from the 
base of the new bulbs as soon as relieved of their 
flower spikes. It is when this takes place that we 
like to do the repotting. 
There is the state of the compost, however, to be 
considered before the work can be satisfactorily 
carried out. It sometimes happens that the peat 
when received is dust dry, owing to its being stored 
some time. If used in this state the plants rarely 
do well, as the water given the plants runs off instead 
of soaking the whole mass. When this is the case 
we find it a good plan to wet the turves and then 
place them on top of the stoke-hole furnace. The 
heat will cause the moisture to penetrate the turves, 
besides making it warm for use. The sphagnum 
moss is, of course, always wet when received, and 
requires drying before being ready for use; at least, 
we dry ours, and I think it is one reason why ours 
grows so well. A quick method is to spread it out 
thinly over the floor of the Cattleya house during 
the night. The heat from the hot-water pipes will 
dry it sufficiently in a night for use. 
Shading. —If this weather lasts we shall be com¬ 
pelled to have recourse to shading the Odonto- 
glossums that are growing in bouses fully exposed to 
the sun. A few days like last Friday would scon do 
them harm. It is well, therefore, that we should 
get them fixed up ready for use should the weather 
become very bright, if only to be used for an hour 
during the middle of the day to keep the temperature 
down and the plants from drying up too quickly.—C. 
-—J.- 
©leanings J'ttnnt ffje Dmtttt 
of Stienc% 
The undermentioned subjects were discussed at the 
Scientific Committee meeting of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society on the 31st ult :— 
Potato Grafting.—Mr. A. Sutton read an in¬ 
teresting paper on the results of grafting and hybrid¬ 
ising Potatos with Tomatos. The following is an 
epitome of his results :—1, Maincrop Tomato was 
grafted upon Victoria Potato. The tubers thus 
formed by Tomato foliage only were very small. 2, 
Solanum nigrum graited on Victoria; and 3, Egg 
plant, Solanum Melongena, grafted upon Supreme 
produced tubers equal to the types. 
