September 26, 1896. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
65 
dictionary had been written or compiled by a Roman 
author, it would have materially altered the case. 
On the other hand one of the controversialists 
contended that if such and such dictionaries and 
authorities gave certain meanings to or translations 
of the term " Scutellaria," he (the disputant) would 
be justified in using it. We feel inclined to grant the 
truth of his argument; otherwise, nine-tenths of the 
books in circulation must be considered as unreliable 
and dangerous to follow. After all, however, 
learning is only a thing of degree, and many of the 
points put forward are open to dispute, and while 
such is the case, even the most learned authorities 
and their books cannot in all cases be regarded as 
absolutely correct. Nevertheless, the dictionaries 
have had a good dusting, which could not but have 
been beneficial to them. In the meantime let us 
quietly continue the cultivation of our gardens. 
TIE FLOWER GARDEN. 
Owing to the wet weather that has so generally 
prevailed of late the grass is now in a much better 
condition than it has been at any time during the 
whole of the year. It appears anxious, indeed, 
to make up for lost time, and is growing with 
exceptional freedom and rapidity. Consequently 
the scythe and the mowing machine must be kept 
hard at work for the time being. The damp dewy 
mornings afford a very favourable opportunity for 
using the scythe to the best advantage. 
Turf Laying. —The present is an admirable time 
to carry out operations where the laying of turf is 
required. The grass soon takes root into its new 
quarters, fostered by the prevailing dampness, and is 
enabled to get a good hold before winter sets in. 
Bearing this in mind it will be well to get such 
matters well forward as soon as possible. 
Herbaceous Border. —If the lawns are looking 
fresh and green the same can scarcely be claimed for 
the herbaceous border, and indeed the flower beds 
generally. The heavy rains have worked sad havoc, 
and even the best kept garden can scarcely fail to 
present a somewhat battered and woe begone appear¬ 
ance. Dahlias are far from having come up to their 
usual form this year. A couple of weeks of sunny 
September weather is what they really needed, and ' 
this is just what has been denied them, with the 
result that the blooms lack the charm and brilliancy 
of colouring which would have been theirs had a 
more favourable season visited us. A good deal of 
work must be gone through if the border is to be 
kept tidy and presentable, which it should be as long 
as sharp frost does not make its appearance. 
Perennial Asters are a host in themselves, and if but 
the weather brightens up will give an excellent 
account of themselves. Where they have not been 
properly staked hitherto it will be well if this matter 
receives attention at once, provided the plants are 
not spoilt by frost beforehand. 
Stakes- for which there is no further use should 
be taken out, tied neatly up in bundles, and removed 
to a dry shed as soon as possible. They look very 
unsightly objects if left standing in the borders as 
mute evidence of a glory that has departed. 
Propagation of Bedding Plants. —This will 
now have been completed for the season, and the 
earliest batches of the cuttiDgs should be nicely 
rooted by this time. Most gardeners like to keep the 
cuttings out of doors as long as they can, both from 
a dislike to block up the houses sooner than they are 
absolutely obliged, as well as from the knowledge 
that the cuttings are really better off out of doors 
than they would be under glass. 
Frost. —At this period of the year this one word 
conveys volumes of meaning, for the advent of the 
vanguard of the ice king’s legions may be now 
expected at any time. Consequently both the 
barometer and the thermometer are anxiously 
watched for the slightest signs of the expected 
visitation. Harvest festivals mean to the gardener 
that vast quantities of flowers and other decorative 
material have to be provided, and how is he to do 
this when a smart frost has blackened his Dahlias 
and cut down the greater part of the summer-flower¬ 
ing plants ? Then, again, sub-tropical bedding has 
come greatly into fashion of late years, and hosts of 
Palms, Grevilleas, Eucalypti, Fuchsias, etc., are 
utilised with first-class results. Where much of this 
class of material is planted out, or plunged in their 
pots for the season, as the case may be, a sudden 
frost means a rush of hard work if the plants are to 
be saved a severe nipping, which, if it did not kill 
outright would at least cripple them for some time. 
Wherever it is possible to make preparations to 
expediate matters presently when the inevitable rush 
comes it will be wise to make them. 
Border Carnations.— Towards the end of this 
month or the beginning of October, the layers, which 
by this time should be well rooted, may be lifted and 
potted off singly. Two and a half inch pots will be 
roomy enough for the majority of the layers, although 
a size larger should be given the strongest plants. 
A quantity of crushed bricks or crocks finely broken 
up may be added to the soil. After potting, the 
plants must be plunged to the rims of the pots in 
ashes in a cold frame. They will thus be kept near 
the glass, and provided plenty of air is given, and the 
watering-can used very sparingly, they will pass 
through the winter safely. 
HARDY FRUIT GARDEN. 
The harvesting of Apples and Pears as they become 
fit for gathering is still the all absorbing operation in 
this department, and in cases where the fruit 
crop is a heavy ore the strergth of the 
establishment is taxed to the utmost. Every possible 
care must be taken to avoid bruising the fruit, whilst 
it will be of no use to attempt to keep fruits that 
have been pecked by birds, Our feathered friends 
have been especially hard upon Pears this year, 
many of the finest fruits having been utterly spoiled 
by them, Ihese should be straightway sent into 
the kitchen where they may be made use of for 
cookiDg purposes. 
In order to obtain many of the finest dessert Pears 
in their best possible condition a day or two on a 
shelf in a warm dry room is of the greatest value, as 
this develops the flavour wonderfully. Advantage 
may be taken of this to hurry a few dishes of fruit 
on when it is required for any special dinner party or 
other social function. 
Late Peaches and Nectarines.— These have 
made but very little progress of late, owing to the 
lack of fine weather. If they are to ripen properly 
all the sun possible should be given them. Any 
leaves, therefore, that are observed to be shading 
the fruit should be pushed aside. If the fruit is not 
ripened after it has been left on the trees until the 
latest possible moment it must be plucked, taken 
indoors and laid on a shelf in a warm room to 
finish. 
Gooseberries and Red Currants on north walls 
that have been covered up in order to keep them as 
long as possible may as well be cleared off now. 
They will not hang on the trees much longer, and 
besides, the flavour is of a very inferior order.— 
A. S. G. 
YEIETAGLE^GALENIAI. 
Root Crops. — The lifting, sorting, and storing of 
various root crops will now need attention, com¬ 
mencing with the Onion crop. The recent wet and 
sunless weather has been unfavourable to ripening 
the bulbs, and any still exposed on the beds should 
be got under cover without delay. An empty frame 
where a little extra warmth can be generated will 
ripen the bulbs perfectly ; or an airy loft or shed 
will answer the purpose well. The bulbs should be 
carefully handled to prevent bruises, and the outer 
coatings should not be removed. The bulbs should 
be turned over occasionally until they are quite dry. 
All the thick-necked ones should be kept separate for 
present use. 
The latest kinds of Potatos will now be ripe 
enough for digging, and will be better out of the 
ground. Advantage should be taken of dry weather 
to lift the crop ; and the tubers should he allowed 
to be become quite dry before being stored away. 
The best place for preserving them is a dry cellar or 
shed where frost can be excluded, covering them 
with old mats or other material to exclude the light. 
Where dry sheds are not available, and the crop has 
to be pitted, a dry position must be selected. Place 
plenty of clean straw under and around the tubers, 
and a layer of earth io in. thick, and formed into a 
cone over them, and cut an open drain round the 
pit to carry off heavy rains quickly. Tubers 
intended for seed may remain exposed with advan¬ 
tage until they are green. 
Nothing will be gained by allowing crops of 
Carrots that are full grown to remain in the ground 
after this date. Once stored they are then free from 
the attacks of slugs and other pests. When dried 
they can be stored in bins in a cool shed with a 
little sand scattered through them, or they may be 
pitted in the way advised for Potatos. Turnips that 
have grown into serviceable size may also be taken 
up and stored, rather than allow them to grow too 
large and coarse for use. 
Cabbage.— An early bed should be planted in a 
very warm sheltered position facing south. The 
ground should be deeply worked and plenty of half- 
rotted manure dug in to keep the ground from running 
toge'her too close during winter. This will have a 
great effect in keeping up a grod root action during 
the winter and early spring months. The plants 
selected for this early bed should be the strongest 
from the plants previously pricked out. Take them 
up with a nice ball and plant them about eighteen 
inches apart both in the rows, and from plant to 
plant. A dusting of lime and soot round the 
collars will help protect them from slugs. One of 
the best Cabbages for this early planting is 
Wheeler’s Imperial. It is moderate in size, of fine 
colour and flavour, and rarely runs to seed. 
Tomatos.— The fine crop of outdoor Tomatos, 
has been much reduced by the late wet weather and 
much fine fruit has been spoiled in consequence. 
The clusters of fruit should be examined frequently, 
and all fruit showing a tinge of ripeness gathered 
and placed in a warm house. Cracked and decaying 
fruits must be removed at once to prevent the sound 
fruit from becoming affected. Should sharp frosts 
appear likely to occur, it may be advisable to gather 
all the most forward fruit, but with the present tem¬ 
perature, the late fruit will swell and increase in 
weight perceptibly.— J. R. 
THE ORCHID HOUSES. 
Light. —Although it is necessary during the summer 
months to shade most Orchids under glass to prevent 
their drying up too soon under the scorching rays of 
the mid-day sun, it is nevertheless most essential 
that during the autumn and winter they should have 
all the light possible. With this end in view we 
shall take advantage of all wet days (which are 
pretty prevalent just now) to have all the glass 
washed down inside, also the stages and the pots that 
have become green, and the plants sponged where 
required. 
The shifting about of the plants while the work 
proceeds I believe has a beneficial effect on them. 
The fact is the air gets changed by the opening of the 
lights when washing down which of itself must do good 
to say nothing of the better position perhaps afforded 
them when rearranging the plants by elevating them 
a little more than is advisable during hot weather. 
Change of quarters. —Plants such as Epiden- 
drum vitellinum majus, Odontoglossum harryanum, 
Masdevallia tovarensis, Miltonia vexillaria, &c , that 
do well during the summer months with Odonto¬ 
glossum crispum, do very much better during the 
winter, if afforded the higher temperature of the 
intermediate house. Here they should be accommo¬ 
dated with a place on the side stage near the glass 
at the coolest end and where they do not feel the 
drying heat from the hot-water pipes. 
Cattleya House.—C. aurea, which is a 
geographical form of C. dowiana, and a free bloomer 
to boot, is just now making a show ; some there are, 
however, with us that have made up well 
but have missed flowering, and as these 
non-flowering are pushing out fine healthy roots 
from the base of the newly-made up growths, 
we shall at once repot them believing as we do that 
to be successful with all pot plants, whether Orchids 
or not, you should, if possible, repot them so that 
they know nothing about it. This, theD, can only be 
done when the plants are in the stage indicated 
above. There are several advantages in potting the 
plants now besides those enumerated. Ttiey will be 
resting for one thing, consequently will require very 
little or no water other than just enough to keep them 
from shrivelling. It is really surprising what a lot of 
roots they make when kept like this: and they will, 
of course, establish themselves well, and when the 
time comes, will break away with renewed vigour. 
Temperatures.— In the warm division the 
minimum should be 70° : Cattleya House should not 
fall much below 60 9 ; cool house : we do not care 
to let this house go down much below 50°, but with 
frosty nights such as we had on the 19th and 20th, 
it will do so unless the fire is set going a little, which 
it should be.— C. 
