July 1, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
697 
over the top. They have the best effect when grow¬ 
ing against white-washed walls. Ampelopsis 
Veitchii is widely used ; A. hederacea or quinque- 
folia, with five leaflets, the typical Virginian 
Creeper; and others are most generally found. They 
enjoy a light, rich soil. 
Hardy Orchids. — 0 . T. M .: Cypripedium Calceo- 
lus, the Common Slipper Orchid; C. spectabile, 
Orchis maculata, and O. purpurea are four of the 
hardiest Orchids, worth the cultivating that we 
know, and if you plant them in large groups during 
the forthcoming autumn, especially the lovely C. 
spectabile, you will be better pleased than by grow¬ 
ing a dozen kinds, most of which are of little value. 
A shady position in a moist humic soil, which is at 
the same time well drained, will be found to suit 
them. 
reasons be avoided. Good, clean, solid compost, 
and the plants not potted too loosely, should grow 
this showy and popular class of plants. The strain 
of seeds was that of Mr. David W. Thomson, of 
Edinburgh. For conservatory or greenhouse decor¬ 
ation in spring few plants are more showy than 
Calceolarias; and we should like to see every 
gardener make himself acquainted with their simple 
requirements and grow them. 
POT STRAWBERRIES. 
Without much delay these should now be taken, 
that is, the young runners layered in pots or turves, 
and only one plant from each runner, and this 
nearest the mother plant, dealing with the early 
you see the roots working down by the side of the 
pots, the runners should be cut off and the plants 
placed on an ash bottom in an open position, not 
neglecting the watering and damping overhead twice 
or more each day. In a week’s time the plants will 
be ready to be transferred into their fruiting pots, 
usin 8 and 6-in. pots, respectively, putting the 
earliest forced ones into the smaller size. 
Now as to soil, I find loam that has been stacked 
a year or so with the addition of a little soot and 
wood ashes meet their requirements well, not being 
a believer in mixing any other kind of manure with 
the compost, but relying more upon a stimulant as 
soon as the flower spikes appear, withholding it 
while in bloom, but resorting to it again as soon as 
the berries are set and up to the time of colouring. 
In potting, the plants must be made firm with the 
potting stick, well ramming the soil around the little 
CALCEOLARIAS AT UDSTON HOUSE, 
HAMILTON. 
The accompanying illustration shows some speci¬ 
mens of Calceolaria, isolated to display their indivi¬ 
dual habit. They were grown by Mr. D. Chisholm, 
gardener to Lady Belhaven, Udston House, Hamilton, 
N.B. They have been flowering now for about three 
months, so that Mr. Chisholm must have brought 
them along slowly under very cool treatment, with 
plenty of ventilation. The photograph shows the 
plants very much reduced in size; but in reality 
each was 20 in. to 24 in. in diameter, although grown 
only in 6-in. pots. 
Mr. Chisholm describes his success as due chiefly 
to the attention he gave the Calceolarias at the final 
potting. He finds that turf, clean leaf mould and 
sand make the best compost. Such a thing as old 
spent mushroom dung is only of service when the 
leaf mould is an impossibility, and should for other 
Calceolarias at Udston House, Hamilton, 
forced varieties first. Opinions vary as to the best 
mode of taking the layers or runners, some using 
square pieces of turves scooped out slightly in the 
centre. This plan is for planting out. Others fill 
the pots the plants fruit in, and peg the young 
plants direct into them ; but I think the majority of 
gardeners fill their required number of 3-in. or 4-in. 
pots with loam, pressing it fairly firm, and fastening 
the layer in position with a small hooked peg, 2$ in. 
long, which I consider the most practical. It seems 
to me unnecessary labour to convey the fruiting pots 
into the Strawberry plot, and after two or three 
weeks to again move them into their summer 
quarters. Not only this ; I am inclined to think the 
large pots of soil with so few roots are liable to get 
sodden with so much water, especially so, should the 
weather be showery. 
Those layered in small pots or turves require 
abundance of water, so should be gone over in the 
early morning, and again about 5 p.m. As soon as 
ball of roots, leaving f-in. below the rim of the pot 
for water. 
As to varieties amenable to forcing I expect most 
of us have our favourites, but I think few will deny 
that Royal Sovereign stands second to none for 
the earliest crop ; in fact, taken altogether I consider 
it the most remunerative Strawberry in cultivation. 
Sir Joseph Paxton always does well in pots and 
proves a good succession to the first-named, with 
President to bring up the rear. The latter should 
be brought along without much fire heat, in fact, 
an unheated orchard house seems the best place to 
bring this variety on. The berries set well and the 
flavour is " par excellence.” The above are my trio, 
after trying several kinds, though I intend giving 
Leader another trial this year. I tried Empress of 
India and Gunton Park this spring, brought along in 
the orchard house, but they proved far from satis¬ 
factory. They flowered well but so few berries set, 
in spite of a chink of air on during the day, that I 
must discard them for pot work.— J. Mayne. 
