August 19, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
807 
Sutton's Perfection. —Here the foliage is small, 
the pods long, straight, thick, and numerously 
arranged. It is ready on July 17th. Mr. A. Dean. 
Potatos. —A number of the best looking and 
heaviest croppers were selected and tasted after 
cooking. These were Norbury Park and Hibberd’s 
Seedling (both ye'low-flesbed kidneys); Caradoc 
Seedling (white, round); Johnstons Prolific (long, 
white) ; and Early Peter, another long white. Each 
of these received three marks. 
Tomatos. —From the many under trial, two were 
favoured with a notice from the committee. These 
were Cherry Ripe, a splendid small dessert variety ; 
and Comet which, though recognised as a good 
variety, has not previously received an award. The 
first came from Messrs Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay, 
N.B.; the other from Mr. Wrench. 
The floral committee have also made Awards of 
Merit, as follows :— 
Caladium mitjana is flushed throughout with a 
moderate tone of rosy-cerise. Such a union of 
colour makes a soft and pleasingly bright present¬ 
ment. The foliage is of moderate size, and well 
borne on dark chocolate-purple stalks. Mr. J. F. 
McLeod, Dover House Gardens, Roehampton. 
Pelargonium Countess of Derby. —The trusses 
of this zonal variety which are large, of good sub¬ 
stance and form, yield a fine salmon tone, which 
deepens centrewards; the edges become flesh-hued. 
Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell, Notts. 
Pelargonium Cassiope.— The same colours, but 
differently proportioned, apply here, viz., salmon, 
suffused with pink. It is also a floriferous plant. 
The foliage is finely zoned. Messrs. J. R. Pearson 
& Sons, Chilwell. 
Violas.— Some of the Violas now awarded the 
three marks were among the trials last year, but not 
in perfection at the time the awards were then made. 
The list includes 
Viola Pencaitland, a variety of compact limits, 
close habit, a brilliant bloomer, the flowers being 
pure white and of excellent shape and substance. 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., The Queen’s Florists, 
Rothesay, N.B, 
Viola J. B. Riding, of a purplish-rose colour—a 
sport from Wm. Neil—but rather spreading habit 
and a free flowerer, promises to be a very fine 
variety. Messrs. Dobbie & Co., and Mr. John 
Forbes, Hawick, N B. 
Viola Archie Grant. —This shows up well, and 
being a large handsome blue flowered form, is useful 
for massing. It blooms freely, but is of tall habit. 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., and Mr. John Forbes. 
Viola Jackanapes has a bushy habit and con¬ 
tinuous blooming qualities to its credit. In colour 
it is yellow with dark rays ; the upper petals are 
brownish crimson, edged yellow. Mr. John Forbes. 
Viola Charm.— The beauty of this variety lies 
solely in the warm, rich lilac tones suffused with 
rose. The habit is too lax, but it blooms well, and 
was highly commended. Messrs. Dobbie & Co. 
Viola Lord Salisbury. — Though not so fine as 
some others, this is a variety worth the planting 
where drought prevails. It has yellow flowers, with 
conspicuous dark rays. Mr. John Forbes, Hawick. 
KltcHen G arden Calendar. 
Never during my long experience as a kitchen gar¬ 
dener have I known a season like the present one. 
We have had dry seasons before, but I have not 
known things to suffer so much as they have done 
this summer. The amount of rain that falls in a 
year is no guide as to the condition of the soil ; it is 
the period at which it falls that affects the growth of 
the crops. During the long spell of dry weather in 
1893, when but little rain fell between February and 
July, the ground bad not become so parched as at 
the present time, and unless rain falls soon the 
winter crops will be poor. Broccoli, Brussels 
Sprouts, Savoys, Borecole, &c., all look as though 
there was little chance of them making headway, 
and while the dry w 1 a'her lasts they will remain at 
a standstill or go back unless recourse be had to 
mulching and watering. We would advise those 
who have a manure heap to go to to give the plants a 
mulcbiDg previous to watering. It is next to im¬ 
possible, with so many other things requiring atten¬ 
tion, to supply water to kitchen garden crops, 
particularly in districts where water is scarce. It 
may be that water is fairly plentiful a short distance 
off, but when this has to be carted, so much extra 
labour is needed to get it to the place, that water¬ 
ing even then has to be done sparingly. 
As it is now time that all winter crops should be 
got in an extra effort ought to be made to get them 
established, so that when the rains do come the 
plants may grow away more rapidly. A good 
breadth of different varieties of Turnips, such as 
Red Globe, White Stone, Snowball, and others of 
the quick growing kinds should be sown. There is 
yet time for these to make good bulbs where the 
soil is in fair condition, and as such bulbs usually 
withstand the frost better than those sown earlier 
it is advisable to make every effort to secure a crop. 
Winter Spinach ought also to be given a pro¬ 
minent place, as this is so useful in early spring. 
Colewort, if established will produce a quantity of 
tender hearts through the winter and, as these grow 
so rapidly should be planted in quantity where there 
is room. Being of compact growth they take up but 
little room, therefore may planted about 9 in. apart 
each way. Ground should also be prepared for 
Cabbage by being liberally mauured and deeply 
dug, that it may have time to settle down before 
planting. Those who have but a limited space 
would do well to plant Colewort between the rows 
as these can be drawn out when used, so that they 
will in no way interfere with the growth of the 
Cabbage. 
We have before pointed out the advantage there is 
in sowing some of the more popular Onions at this 
season of the year. The Queen, if sown now and 
transplanted in October, will make nice bulbs by the 
time the spring-sown ones are all used. Ailsa Craig 
sown now will grow much larger than when sown in 
spring, and the same applies to all of the Spanish 
and Banbury types. Autumn Onions, as they are 
termed, are usually sown on a hot.dry border where 
the soil is exhausted of every particle of moisture by 
the roots of the trees, whereas if sown on an open 
spot the seed would germinate more freely, and the 
plants grow more robustly in their early stage, thus 
enabling them to withstand the winter better. As 
those sown in spring become matured they ought to 
be pulled up, and after being exposed for a few fine 
days to dry up the superfluous moisture should be 
stored away in a cool airy shed. So loDg as the 
bulbs are kept dry no amount of frost will injure 
them. For this reason it is not necessary to store 
them where frost can be excluded. All the early 
varieties of Potatos should now be lifted, and those 
intended for seed left exposed to the sun that the 
skins may be hardened. If these are then stored in a 
cool, dry, airy place they will not commence to grow 
until the turn of the year, when short stout shoots 
will be made. After such a long spell of dry weather 
the later ones are almost sure to make a second 
growth should we be visited with a heavy fall of 
rain. When this happens the quality of the tubers 
is sadly deteriorated, therefore it would be far 
better to lift them should rains set in —Kitchen 
Gardener. 
TIE PLANT HOUSES. 
It is quite hard work to keep the warm houses in a 
proper condition hygrometrically ; but while we can 
keep things clean and vigorous let us have the sun¬ 
shine and the heat. By storing as much of the 
natural heat as possible a great saving of fuel is the 
return. 
The Stove. 
Here we are busy renewing our stock of edging 
plants. The Panicum variegatum, which is so inces¬ 
santly used, is by far the cheeriest and prettiest plant 
we have for this purpose. But at the end of the sr a- 
son it looses its freshness, becomes straggling, and 
many of the leaves wither up. To retain a bright 
show in the dullest part of the year, it is well then to 
put in some fresh cuttings now. All the Asparaguses, 
especially A. Sprengerii (syn. A. falcatum), are lovely. 
The basket Ferns too, are at their best. Keep the 
liquid manure to them, as indeed with all established 
and exposed stove plants. The climbers need no 
attention further than the removing of superfluous 
growths and of keeping them clean. In all the 
houses paraffin emulsions or any of the advertised 
insecticides if used will keep the pests off. 
Conservatory and Pits. 
Show Pelargoniums —Having finished blooming 
these may now be left in a cool out-of-the-way 
greenhouse or frame. Before this prune them back 
to properly ripened wood with good eyes. The 
shoots taken off may, if needed, be used as cuttings. 
Strike them in a warm house, a Cucumber bouse is 
very suitable, two or three in a 4-in. pot. When 
rooted pot them off singly, using a free compost, and 
place them on a light shelf in a temperate house. 
The old plants should be syringed morning and after¬ 
noon, and occasionally watered till growth beg’ns to 
break. Or they may be left dormant over winter 
and started in the vinery in February of next year 
When the shoots have advanced to one inch length, 
disbud or thin them out somewhat. At this time 
also the plants may be repotted, not shifted on, but 
placed in the same size pots if possible, after havi g 
shaken off some of the old soil. A compost should 
contain three parts of fibrous loam, one part of leaf 
soil and dry cow manure, and an opening quantity of 
coarse sand. After potting very great care is required 
by him who waters them. Keep them well syringed. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —Standing out on some 
warm path or stand made for them, the Pehrgo- 
niums should be firming up their shoots and liyirg 
in a store of substance and strength to give us a 
happy and bright house of flowers through the 
winter. Keep the leading shoots reasonably 
pioched, also remove the flowers which appear till 
the end of this month, or later. After then they 
will be needed, and if taken off they do not send 
forth an effective supply later. They must be 
housed in a house with a temperature of 65° having 
at all times a little air on. Give them nourishment 
meantime and leave them outside. 
Cyclamen. —The plants in the frames aregrowing 
apace. Slight shade got from tiffany is needed over 
them from about ten o’clock a m. till near four p m 
About half-past two, later or earlier according to 
latitude, give the foliage and pots a vigorous but 
fine spraying of cool water. To water Cyclamen 
properly and to their advantage is an art worth the 
trouble of learning. Be not content with a glance, 
or even ringing, but feel the soil, or tetter, lift the 
pot. An expert can do this work speedily and 
accurately. Aud surely when the results of skilled 
work and careless work are so markedly different it 
is by far the most economical method in the long 
run to grow a few grand plants which are a credit 
and a pleasure to both master and man, than to 
trifle and waste time over a host of poor samples 
Weak quantities of artificial manures, as the Ichthe- 
mic or Canary Guano’s, made liquid are also a 
necessity to the nourishing of specimen plants. 
Chrysanthemums. —Keep the fingers busy in 
removing lateral shoots. The syriDge is also very 
helpful to maintain healthy foliage and cleanliness. 
Dust lightly any leaves affected by mildew fungus. 
The Chysanthemum leaf-miner has not been so often 
seen this summer, but wherever it is seen, extract it 
from its feeding ground. The p’ants flag a good 
deal during the heat of the day, and it is well not to 
feed them much for yet a while. A change of feeding 
must be maintained. Many of the earliest buds are 
well advanced and others are being fixed upon daily. 
Edwin Molyneux does best on the second crown bud 
and should be taken at this time. But all depends 
upon when the flowers are wanted. 
Cinerarias, Primulas, late Begonias, and plants 
plunged out in the opeD, are all the better for a little 
extra care at this time. 
Melons, Cucumbers, and Tomatos in frames are 
now at their best. The great point with the two 
former is to keep canker from playing havoc with 
the stems before the crops can be finished off. In 
thinning and pinching the shoots, do this when eva¬ 
poration is at a low ebb. It is well to do it by 
routine, say every third or fourth day with frame 
grown plants. This saves the great drain upon the 
plants which the act of a severe pruning at one time 
causes. The fruits of Melons should be raised 
slightly to rest on the inverted end of flower pots, 
or upon circular pieces of crock. No moisture must 
lodge around them. With both these and Cucum¬ 
bers an occasional top-dressing and constant Lpid 
soakings, with sometimes liquid manure, should be 
given. Tomatos do best when conducted over bare 
Spruce branches. Do not let them or the air about 
them become too hot and dry, else one may look for 
a poor set, and very likely a strong attack from red 
spider. The nights are drawing in now, and the 
mornings and evenings are chilly. We shall soon 
have to think of preparing for housing the plants 
now out of doors and in the cold frames.— J.H.D. 
