808 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 19, 1699. 
JlNTS FOR ||mATEURS. 
The Bulb Season.— When this month first entered 
on its cycle so many days ago, not a few could be 
heard saying, "Good gracious! how time flies." 
During this month the gardener in a very great 
measure plans and works out his spring displays of 
flowers, or sows seeds to furnish himself with plants 
for the vegetable quarters. It is now that one's thoughts 
advance themselves to the time when the days are 
short and dripping and miserable; to the time when 
the early Roman Hyacinths with their fragrant snow- 
bells, dingle in the house windows, and wield then a 
a power over the spirits of men, which perhaps we 
have never yet fully comprehended. It is the 
advance-guard of that tide which broadens, thickens, 
and increases all to our pleasurable acceptance. It 
proves that winter is but a semblance of night—the 
plants’ night, from which they spring to " dance 
again with fairy-grace upon the breast of summer ’’ 
By the aid of glass-houses, or even only of a dwell¬ 
ing house window, very many fine flowers can be got 
by anyone, who will but grow a few bulbs. Their 
culture and flowering is of a two-fold aspect. We 
can get the earliest returns by forcing them by 
artificial heat. And before all our forced plants have 
yielded their quota, the outdoor Crocuses, Snow¬ 
drops, Narcissus and other things are following on. 
Let us consider in a line or two how to have in 
flower at Christmas some of the undermentioned 
bulbs. 
Roman Hyacinths.—The bulbs ate freely adver¬ 
tised at this time, and are cheap. Try to get nice 
sized, firm specimens, as early as possible—now, in 
fact, Pot them into 5 iD. or 6 in. pots, the bulbs 
nearly touching each other, and any free rich com 
post will do. Place the pots after this, out-doors in 
some corner, and cover them over with about a foot 
of fine ashes. In October remove this covering and 
take any which may have started, into a greenhouse 
or light cool parlour. Water them as needed. Very 
soon their leaves and flower spikes will be shoeing 
up, at which point place them in a light position with 
bottom heat. Most, or many of the gardeners have 
to cruelly force the flowers out of the bulbs and 
almost before they are expanded slash them off to 
be packed off to "my lady,” or used for floral 
decorations. 
They may also be grown as the large Dutch 
Hyacinths are, in glasses of water. As a rule feeding 
with manures is not recommendable for bulbs which 
are strong. 
Almost the same cultural remarks will bear any¬ 
one through in the growth of the large Dutch 
Hyacinths. The Feather Grape, and Musk 
Hyacinths are beautiful miniature types suitable for 
bowls and wide, shallow basins. Or for planting out 
in masses, anywhere in shady places, in rich, warm 
soil, how they do possess our regards in springtime. 
Jonquils are surely known to all of us. They are 
just miniature Narcissi with a great fragrance and 
depth of yellow hue. So slender and deep green are 
the stalks which bear them, and so many flowers can 
be clustered into one pot, that Jonquils are bulbs 
which, for those in doubt about what to grow, I 
would say, patronise. Four or five of their tapering, 
brown little bulbs will just fit a 5-in. pot. Treat 
them as noted for the foregoing. 
For those who are at a loss to supply bottom heat, 
can I suggest a hot-bed? Of course, this would 
require renewal. Any warm place not kept in a hot, 
dry condition or too dark, will, with a deep layer of 
moist plunging stuff — fibre, moss, sawdust, &c. — be 
suitable in this direction. 
Narcissi, — These fine, or we might say nobly 
flowered bulbs, may be forced with ease. A great 
point is to get good bulbs and get them early. Rub¬ 
bish or bulbs which are very small and not fresh, are 
worse than nothing to him who would force. Pot 
them in rich porous soil, firmly, and rather more 
deeply than for Hyacinths. The tops of the bulbs 
should just peep above the soil. As with all bulbs 
intended to be brought forward into heat, these 
require to be for a time covered up with ashes. This 
is done to allow the roots to fill the pots before leaf 
growth commences. Whenever the shoots do start 
—a process which requires watching—the pots must 
be taken to some shaded part, as under a greenhouse 
stage. Another point to attend to, is that of allowing 
the plants to advance sufficiently, before they are 
plunged into brisk heat. If they are forced at too 
early a stage they are seldom good. Weak liquid 
manure in a tepid state (as all water for forced plants 
should be), given occasionally till the flowers are ex¬ 
panded, will help them wonderfully. The succession 
supplies can be maintained by bringing on batches at 
intervals of a week or a fortnight. They are per¬ 
fectly suitable for culture in glasses of water. 
Their open-air culture is simplicity itself. Indeed, 
it merely resolves itself into the primary operations 
of preparing good ground for them, and in planting 
the bulbs 4 in . to 6in. deep, and, according to size, from 
half a foot to 9 in. apart. For naturalising in parks, 
the edges of shrubberies, woodland glades, by the 
side of water or many other places, what is more 
lovely than the Poet’s Narcissus, or any of the 
trumpet Daffodils ? When planted sparingly among 
such stiff flowered bulbs as Hyacinths in beds, they 
greatly relieve the evenness and deadness. But they 
are not at all handsome in beds by themselves. 
Planted on the grass is the proper site for Narcissi. 
Anemones, too, especially A. fulgens, A. Pulsa¬ 
tilla, A. nemerosa fl. pi., and A. n. robinsoniana, 
which are by far most largely grown, are very 
charming. They are, however, not bulbs at all, but 
little rhizomes. They are known commonly as 
Windflowers. To see them in waves of red, white, 
or blue in the springtime, either in the borders or on 
shady grass banks, any lover of flowers cannot fail to 
feel regard for them. They need no after-attention, 
save that of dividing them at this time of year, when 
their masses have become too dense. Having nice 
roots in August, and wishing to decorate in becoming 
fashion some space or other, plant your stock 2 in. 
or 3 in. deep, with about the same space between 
each. This for open air culture. But one can have 
them in pots during the first season, and by very 
carefully ripening them off, and giving them a bed 
in well prepared soil in the open, they will establish 
themselves, and give good results in years following. 
Anemone nemerosa and its numerous forms, all 
either white or pale lavender and blue, do best in 
wooded stretohes in an open, humic, moist soil. A. 
fulgens, the scarlet Windflower, and A. Pulsatilla, 
the large purple Pasque flower, succeed admirably 
in sheltered, rich, light borders. Feeding is of advan¬ 
tage when they become well established. But we 
must leave further remarks upon the bulbs till next 
week. 
Present Work.—Look over all buds to see how 
they have taken, atd to loosen ligatures and other 
binding, if such is too firm. The storing of fruits 
and the pinching, regulating and tying-in of the 
shoots will occupy time. Cuttings of Currants and 
Gooseberries may be put in. Also those of ever¬ 
greens. So soon as Raspberries have finished bear¬ 
ing cut out the old shoots. Thisjwill lend strength 
to the young canes. All young stock for the beds in 
September, such as Wallflowers, Polyanthuses, 
Violas, &c., must be kept clean and in progress by 
watering. Any old crops which are in any way in¬ 
fested, or have been, with disease or other pest, may 
be destroyed by fire. Gas-lime infested land in 
October. Under glass see to the shifting on or 
ripening and timing of all classes of plants —Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
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. 
Peach Stones Bad. — Reader’. A clue to the bad 
Peach stones in your fruits might be found in the 
renewing of your border this year. Have they col¬ 
lapsed in the same way previously ? A good sound 
loam, porous, and with a quarter of rough lime 
rubble and burnbake (burnt clay, &c.), suits for a 
compost. Peach borders should be made very firm. 
In planting, some of the stouter roots require to be 
cleanly pruned back a bit. The others ought to be 
carefully spread out, some at lower, some at higher 
levels, but, unless for large trees, none much deeper 
than a foot. Does this tally with your work ? Then, 
of course, having taken all due care, finish off by 
giving the roots a thorough soaking. Careful trans¬ 
planters can shift a tree at any time, without any 
harm to it. Now, it will be found that new borders 
present sufficient ready nourishment to the roots for 
one season at least. A galaxy of food is not good 
in any way. It has the effect of bringing about mal¬ 
formations of structure. In all stone fruits, the 
stones have a period all their own for forming shape, 
structure and hardness. The sympathy between the 
roots and the endocarp (the stone or shell) being very 
sensitive (for the stoning period is one of the critical 
times), if there happened to be any sudden check or 
prejudicial influence when a vigorous force of build¬ 
ing matter was being advanced and deposited, the 
result might, later on, be shown by the collapse or 
the bad quality of the endocarp or stone. Do you 
think these arguments at all fit your case ? If not, 
then the or ly alternative reason for the defect is that 
fertilisation was imperfect owing to unsuitable 
weather at the time of flowering. Possibly the soil 
is deficient in lime, and to this you should see, for 
stone fruits are much benefited by plenty of lime in 
the soil. It is largely used in the building up of the 
stone, just as in the making of bones ia animals. 
Your present remedies (further than correcting what 
may be at variance with the condition we have 
spoken of) are practically nil. Give the trees (and 
house) a thorough cleansing after you prune them, 
and allow plenty of light and air to have its influ¬ 
ence. 
Asphodeline.— W. L., Middlesex: —No, you are 
not correct in saying that Asphodeline and Aspho- 
delus are the same. They are nearly allied, but 
while the stems of Asphodelus are leafless, in the 
Asphodeline the stems bear leaves right up them. 
Asphodeline lutea has its stems densely covered with 
leaves. They thrive in any ordinary garden soil, 
producing a good effect when planted in masses. 
Packing Fruits.— Enquirer : Very much depends 
on what fruit you mean to pack. For Grapes, 
special cane or strong, airy baskets or boxes are used. 
The bunches are carefully placed against cotton¬ 
wool and fastened securely to the sides by means of 
ties. Peaches and other soft fruits are wrapped in 
tissue paper and then placed separately in little 
pigeon holes, or in nets or bags strung in layers in 
packing boxes, or only carefully packed round with 
wool or soft hay in single layered boxes. All small 
fruits, as Currants and Gooseberries, &c., should be 
packed in small packages so that they may not 
ferment. 
Cool Fruit Store. — Enquirer : A cellar below the 
ground on the cool side of a house would be your 
only hope. 
Paris Daisies or Marguerites.— L. 0 .,^ Leicester 
In a window-box one cannot expect these lovely 
plants to retain their vigour. In fact, unless the 
boxes are very large and plenty of liquid manure 
and water kept at the roots, we do not recommend 
the plants for this purpose. Take off all withering 
flowers and dead leaves, and nourish the roots as 
hinted at. 
Chrysanthemum Leaf-rust. — J. D .: By all 
means try to eradicate the first effect you observe of 
this dreaded fungus. Here is a remedial application 
which, by one who has tried various kinds, is well 
recommended. Boil 1 lb. of whale oil soap in half- 
a-gallon of water. Then, when dissolved, add one 
gallon of the best petroleum. Keep it stirred and 
boiling for fifteen minutes. After this, add two or 
three ounces of ammonia carbonate. Leave ‘this 
concoction in jars till set and cold, after which 
it may be used for spraying, at the rate of one part 
of the emulsion to fifteen parts of water. Spray 
every few weeks. 
Wistaria sinensis. — L : This beautiful hardy 
climber will flower twice in one season, if the situa¬ 
tion and soil are favourable. It is a great thing for 
rambling, and, as you say, looks charming ia May. 
For a summer arbour climber nothing beats 
Clematis Jackmannii. It is one of the loveliest 
hardy plants we know of. You need do very little 
pruning to either of these climbers; merely regulate 
and shorten the shoots. If you are not safe from 
frosts, you may place a couple of Spruce branches 
around the base over the Clematis' stem. 
Yiolas and Pansies. - J.T., Wandsworth: Your 
plants must certainly be dried up. All around 
