24 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 12, 1896. 
JJINTS FOR A'MATEURS. 
PROPAGATION OF BEDDING PLANTS. 
It is often the burden of the housewife's cry that no 
sooner has she got one meal safely over than it is 
time to begin to prepare for the next. The gardener 
may be said to be in nearly the same plight ; for it 
seems that as soon as he has got his plants safely 
out in their summer quarters, the shortening of 
the days and the lengthening of the nights warn him 
that it is time to make his preparations for securing 
a stock of plants for another season. The seasons 
overlap each other so completely that every week 
brings its own work that must be attended to if things 
are to work property. 
The summer season is so short, and the period 
during which the plants are in the full blaze of their 
beauty so brief and transient, that naturally enough 
one feels inclined to put off cutting the plants about 
until the very last moment. Now, however, seeing 
that September is passing away so rapidly, it will 
not be wise to defer operations any longer. If 
cuttings are to root well enough to enable them to 
pass through the winter safely, sufficient time must 
be allowed them, and a week of sunny September 
weather is worth three weeks of time a month further 
on. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. —It is extremely problema¬ 
tical whether these will ever be ousted from the share 
of popular favour they enjoy as bedding plants. The 
tuberous Begonia is a doughty opponent, but in 
seasons like that which is now fast drawing to a 
close, when rain has been conspicuous by its almost 
entire absence, the zonal Pelargonium has had rather 
the best of matters; for if the tuberous Begonia has 
one particular aversion it is drought. The propaga¬ 
tion of " Geraniums," to give them their popular, 
although erroneus, title, is exceedingly easy. If the 
cuttings are simply inserted in "the open ground they 
will root quickly and well. Many cultivators adopt 
this plan with conspicuous success. Of course the 
cuttings have to be lifted and potted off, if frost 
threatens to supervene. It is now too late in the 
season to think of adopting this plan, however ; for 
to carry it out successfully, the cuttings should have 
been put in not later than the end of August. Pots 
will be needed now and indeed there is very little 
doubt that taking all things into consideration, it is 
the better plan for amateurs to follow, since it saves 
the second trouble of lifting and potting off. 
A word as to the making of the cuttings may be of 
service. Sturdy, short-jointed shoots, 6 in. or 7 in. 
in length, should be chosen. The wood of these 
should, if possible, be fairly well ripened, a state of 
things that may be taken for granted, if it is of a light 
brown hue, and fairly firm in consistency, instead of 
green and succulent. A sharp thin-bladed knife is of 
great importance, for the cuts must be clean, not 
jagged or bruised. The three or four lower leaves 
should be removed, also all flower trusses, and young 
buds, that may be observed. Finally, cut the stem 
through close up to and under a node or joint as it is 
often called, and the cutting is complete. 
Pots. —Large 60-size pots are the best size to use, 
for they contain quite enough, but not too much, soil 
to last the cuttings through the winter. A few 
crocks must be placed in the bottom of each pot, a 
little moss on the top, and then the remainder may 
be filled up with the compost. For the latter any 
soil may be made to serve, provided plenty of sand 
is mixed with it. In filling the pots the soil must be 
pressed down firmly with the fingers, otherwise it 
will not be possible to insert the cuttings securely. 
Four cuttings may be placed round the edge of a 60- 
size pot, and one in the centre. It is most important 
that the cuttings should be firmly fixed, otherwise 
their overhanging leaves will catch in each other, 
and in shifting the pots from place to place the 
cuttings are liable to be rudely dragged out, the 
operation of rooting naturally being retarded there¬ 
by. 
Position. —The cutting pots should be stood out- 
of-doors, for the present, in some light open spot, 
where the sun’s rays may strike full upon them. A 
watering should be given as soon as they are in 
place, and any pots that are then observed to be 
standing unevenly must be put straight. 
Numbers. — Of course the numbers of cuttings put 
in will depend entirely upon the requirements of the 
amateurs' garden, but it will be wise to insert at 
least twenty-five per cent, more cuttings than the 
number of plants wanted. It is advisable to make a 
short list each year of the number of cuttings of each 
variety inserted, for the sake of comparison. For 
the tenderer varieties such as Creed’s Seedling, 
Robert Fish, Mrs. Henry Cox, and Mrs. Pollock, 
twenty-five per cent, increase is rather too small a 
margin to allow, as these varieties often go off whole¬ 
sale during bad winters. 
Yiolas.—Mildew seems to be unusually prevalent 
this year, and it is by no means an infrequent sight 
to see whole batches of plants fairly overrun with it. 
Where any plants are observed to be affected by the 
scourge the best plan will be to cut them right back, 
and allow them to break up afresh from the root, 
which they will do very readily. The old plants 
may then be taken up and divided, and as two or 
three dozen young plants may be obtained from one 
medium-sized old one this method of propagation 
has much to recommend it, even as against the 
more popular mode of putting in cuttings. Any 
plants that are cut back now will have a fair chance 
of making plenty of good growth before the autumn 
is very far advanced, for after the recent rains the 
soil is in a fine condition for favouring rapid growth. 
Campanula isophylla and C. i. alba.—Amongst 
all the Bellflowers these are the most suitable for the 
window, and whether it be in town or country they 
always seem to do well. The present is an admir¬ 
able time for getting up a stock. Old plants that 
have been flowering freely during the last few weeks 
should be examined, and if they are observed to be 
throwing up any young growths from the base these 
should be cut off and inserted as cuttings. These 
young growths will root freely enough if treated as 
follows :—Take large thumb pots, that is, those about 
2Jin. in diameter, inside measurement, drain them 
well and fill them nearly full of light sandy soil. 
Upon this place a thin layer of sand. Insert the 
cuttings fairly close to each other—a pot of the size 
mentioned will hold six easily. It will be found that 
cuttings which are situated close to the sides of the 
pot root best, hence it will be well to insert the 
cuttings in a ring all round the edge of the pot, and 
to leave the centre free. Give a gentle watering to 
settle the soil, place the pots of cuttings in a cold 
frame, and cover them with a bell-glass. 
A gentle heat will assist the production of roots, 
but if this is not procurable the protection of a bell- 
glass will be sufficient. The cuttings must be shaded 
from the sun until they are well rooted. 
Sweet Peas.—In this case, at any rate, the 
amateur may save his own seed with the best of 
results. The pods should be gathered as soon as 
they have turned nicely brown. Owing to the 
drought even the pods on the later rows will have 
reached this condition by this time, and as the seed 
can do no further good if left out of doors it should 
be plucked and taken in. The haulm, which, after 
the flowers are gone, is anything but an ornament, 
may be cleared away and burned, and the sticks 
neatly tied up in bundles and stored away for use 
another season. The sorts should be kept separate. 
They should each be put into shallow wooden boxes, 
correctly labelled and dated, and the boxes placed in 
a shed or outhouse, where the seed may finish ripen¬ 
ing and dry off nicely before it is packed away for 
the winter. — Rex. 
-=*►- 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
A nyone 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. 
Hyacinths. — Will you be good enough to tell me the 
names of a dozen varieties of good single Hyacinths 
that I can depend upon. — M. M. 
Mont Blanc, and Alba Maxima, white ; Grandeur 
a Mereville, blush; King of the Yellows, and 
Obelisque, yellow; Norma, rose; and Gigantea, 
rose; Lord Wellington, orange-salmon ; Robert 
Steiger, crimson; Lord Derby, blue ; Grand Lilas, 
lilac ; and King of the Blues, dark blue ; can all be 
thoroughly depended upon. Most of them are first- 
class exhibition varieties. 
Marrows for Preserves.—In order to make pre¬ 
serves, the Vegetable Marrows should be well 
ripened.— E. Seaton. 
Roman Hyacinths —For forcing into bloom 
before Christmas, the white Roman Hyacinths will 
suit your purpose best, Long Melford. The bulbs 
ought to be potted up without any further delay. 
Cactus Dahlia. —The bloom of the Dahlia you send 
us, IV. J. is too near to Mrs. Hawkins, to be con¬ 
sidered distinct. Its free flowering qualities are 
certainly a point in its favour, but it is not of 
sufficiently high quality to make a fuss about. 
Exhibiting at the Drill Hall —You must put 
yourself into communication with the Secretary of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, the Rev. W. Wilks, 
117, Victoria Street, or with the Assistant Secretary, 
at the same address. Either of these gentlemen will 
inform you, L. L. A. as to the rules governing 
exhibits for non fellows of the Society. 
Caladiums drying off.—Your plants have un- 
doubledly nearly fulfilled their allotted task for this 
year, Scottie. Do not dry them off too rapidly, but 
gradually curtail the water supply as the foliage dies 
down, and do not let them get dust dry now or at 
any time. We do not believe in treating Caladiums 
thus; for tubers which are planted out in mixed 
borders which are never other than damp invariably 
come up strongly year after year. 
Freesias. —Take the Freesias out of the cocoanut 
fibre refuse as soon as the green tops of the young 
leaves show through, P. Arden. The pots may be 
placed in a cold frame, near the glass, and shaded 
rom the sun for a time, in order that they may 
gradually become inured to the light. Afterwards 
they may receive all the light it is possible to give 
them. 
Grapes Damping. —During dull damp weather, it 
would be a good plan to light a fire and get a little 
heat circulated in the pipes, George T. This will 
expel the damp air, and keep the Grapes from going 
off in the way you mention. Bad berries should be 
cut out with the scissors as soon as seen, or they will 
spread the decay with great rapidity. 
Begonia Seed.—In order to finish off the Begonia 
seed, Anon, you should lay the capsules upon a sheet 
of paper in a dry airy room where they will burst as 
they dry. The seed may then be easily -transferred 
to paper bags and laid by until spring. 
Heavy Potato Crops. —I would like to know if the 
weight of Potatos as given under is very good. Four 
Potatos were planted whole, 3 ft. apart, the weight 
of each Potato when planted, being respectively 
lbs., ij lbs., 1 lb., and § lb. The w-eights of the 
crops taken from these sets were in order ;—11 lbs. 
1 oz, 11 lbs., 10 lbs. \ oz , and 8 lbs. § oz ; Total 
44 lbs. 1 oz. — G. M. P. 
We take it for granted that the sets were put in 
36 in. apart. This would work out at 23 tons, 
15 cwt, 1 qr., is lbs.,—an extraordinarily heavy 
crop. We should feel obliged if our correspondent 
will inform us as to the name of the variety which 
has aquitted itself so well, during a dry season too. 
Perhaps others of our readers will favour us with an 
account of their successes in a similar direction. 
A plague of Cockroaches. —We fully endorse all 
the hard things you say about Cockroaches, Reader. 
The best remedy we know of is to invest in a little 
phosphorus vermin paste. Spread this on small 
pieces of cardboard, slate, or crock, lay it down in 
different parts of the house, and await results. 
Nerines.—The growths you refer to, A. P., are 
undoubtedly the flower scapes, which make their 
appearance before the leaves. As the plants have 
been resting during the last few months, and will 
thus have needed no water, the soil in the pots will 
be dry throughout, and will take repeated waterings 
before it becomes properly moist again. You should 
transfer your plants to a nice light corner in your 
greenhouse, where the flowers may have every 
opportunity given them to develop. 
A Lily with many names. — In an interesting 
communication L. R. T. points out that Lilium 
candidum is specially well off with regard to names. 
It is known as Madonna Lily, St. Joseph’s Lily, 
Annunciation Lily, and he has even heard it called 
the Damascus Lily. The last name is a strange one 
to us ; perhaps some of our numerous readers 
have heard it. 
