January 2, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
279 
with yellow band, slightly spotted. L. auratum 
rubro-vittatum is a distinct variety; flowers white, 
spotted with crimson, and having a deep crimson 
band down the centre of the petal. A few more 
varieties with a similar description are to be found 
in the same list, thus showing that the greatest care 
must be exercised in the selection of the bulbs 
which these enterprising firms supply to the public. 
Regarding the culture of tl e Lilium, much could 
be written that would be interesting to the general 
public, but little could be said that would be in any 
way new to experienced practical men. Nevertheless, 
the subject is a popular one, and on it much could 
be written that would prove interesting to the 
numerous readers of this periodical. Liliums are 
admirably adapted for pot culture, and some splendid 
plants that will produce massive fragrant blooms in 
the conservatory can be had with comparatively 
little or no trouble. A compost consisting of fibrous 
loam, peat, and sharp sand suits them admirably, 
and as with all other pot plants, perfect drainage is, 
of course, absolutely essential to their successful 
culture. The bulbs being hardy they are also well 
suited for growing out-of-doors, and are very effec¬ 
tive when grown in groups in the herbaceous 
borders or the shrubberies. Those who contem¬ 
plate planting a few bulbs for a display of blooms 
next summer should proceed with the operation 
immediately, as by this time of the year, the bulbs 
are better in the ground than in the warehouse. 
Plant them triangularly about 4 in. or 6 in. apart, and 
the same number deep ; and, of course, on these 
islands where the thermometer occasionally touches 
zero, a covering with litter need not be omitted.— 
J. Peebles, Monifieth. 
- 
SEAKALE. 
This vegetable will readily force now and will prove 
most acceptable in the dining room. I cut our first 
dish on December 1st, and it took just a month to be 
fit in a temperature of 6o°, but now 55 0 will be more 
suitable as the crowns come away sooner and better 
as the season advances. Of course the crowns must 
be kept quite dark and if placed in a drying position, 
such as near the hot water pipes, it must be kept 
moistened with the syringe or rose-can each day with 
warm water. 
The best place to bring Seakale, also Rhubarb on 
after Christmas is to erect a rough shed-like place, 
about 12 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, and 4 ft. 6 in. high, with 
12 in. posts, 5 in. square, four on either side and four 
in the centre. The boards or planks, should be kept 
about ij in. apart. The shed should have a small 
door on the south side to get in and out; the other 
three sides and top should have about 3 ft. in width 
of leaves—Oak and Beech if possible—placed around 
and over them. The material should be well trodden 
as the work proceeds. I keep adding to this as the 
leaves are brought in. Some leaf soil should be 
placed in this little hut, if I may so call it, to put 
around the roots. 
In this position delicious Kale and Rhubarb, as 
crisp as it'is possible to get them, can be grown. A 
can of water should be kept there to damp the crowns 
if at all likely to get dry. I lift all my Seakale roots 
about this date and lay them in thickly together out- 
of-doors, where I can easily cover them up with 
litter, in case of severe weather, so that we may be 
able to replenish the forcing pit each week with fifty 
roots. I grow 1,500, the variety being Lily White, 
by far the best. By this post, Mr. Editor, I am 
sending you a dish from cuttings planted last March, 
and which has taken three weeks to be fit to cut, 
after being introduced into heat of about 60?.— 
J M..B. 
[The samples arrived at our office in the best 
possible condition—clean, perfectly blanched, of 
excellent size, not unduly elongated in any way, but 
succulent and crisp. In colour the leaf-stalks were 
pale yellow, and the blade of the leaves small and 
bright clear yellow without a tint of green or purple, 
thus showing the variety to be true to the name Lily 
White.— Ed.] 
STRABERRIES, 
Well, zur, I wish to have a word with ye about 
Straberries, seeing has me and the old doman is 
fond of them. You see, zur, has I was brought up in 
the country, and like all nippers was always a kind 
of interested in them. I don’t know, zur, has ever I 
ate more than a peck of the things afore brakfast, 
but won't swear how much less. Wall, zur, has you 
sees all us old one's are a sort of what they call us— 
let see—old fossils, and don’t know zactly all about 
them here things; only I knows has my old dad 
grew Queen’s. My word, zur, I wern’t allowed to 
feed off them ere beds ; but, zur, if you believe it or 
not, I’ve poked about shows and markets a goodish 
bit, and never seed better than that old, what you 
may call them used to grow. Fact, zur, I sed know 
somewhat about it, for fifty years and has far back has 
that I’ve seen them plump the scale at 3 oz. 
Sartent, zur, by all racent acounts that’s a light 
wate, and not what we ought to be content wid 
nowadays, when our statesmen are doing wat they 
can to pull the old shells out of the ruts made in the 
dark ages ; and the press does its best to enlighten 
the darkness of both old and young Cabbages. The 
chemists, too, bear a hand to help us out of 
the slough. So, zur, has I was a saying, me and the 
old doman still likes them ; and what we do have of 
anything, we likes it good. I thought I would like to 
see what one of the wise men of the east had to zay. 
You know, zur, has they come about now, I just got 
one of their what-you-may-call-'ems, and had a go 
at the Straws on the new system ; and, would you 
believe it, zur, talk about a crop and zize, why it 
beet all I had zeen into smithereens. I had such 
woppers ; I can’t tell, zur, you might half think it a 
Salisbury. I don't know, zur, has you knows the 
meaning of it; but never mind, zur, they war big, 
and the colour I can’t zay, zur, ’cause it’s past all 
credit; and the weight, zur, I don't like to zay what 
it war. But you knows something 'bout earthquakes; 
now, well, zur, they war such a crop has made the 
earth sink along the rows ; and the few to spare war 
so big and handsome-like, that we sold them each at 
such a price, I mustn’t zay, zur, ’cause I don’t think 
you’d belave it. But, zur, we made so much, as to 
send a handsome donation to the Cabbage Orphan 
Fund.—I am, zur, An Old Cabbage. 
—-- 
TIE PUNT HOUSES. 
The Stove. 
With the commencement of the year we are in hopes 
of brighter and longer days soon to come, but for the 
present nothing must be done to unduly excite the 
plants. For a few weeks longer, therefore, the night 
temperature may stand at 6o° Fahr , the rise during 
the day being regulated according to the weather, 
whether bright or dull. The intermediate house 
may be kept 5 0 lower than the warmer compartment. 
Climbers.— The pruning cleaning, and tying up 
of these should be forwarded with all speed. 
Allamandas. —In pruning these the growths pro¬ 
duced last year should be cut back to within a node 
or two of the previous years wood. Where the plants 
are trained to wires they may then be tied up. The 
system of close and formal tying does not, however, 
enable us to see the Allamanda at its best. It is 
naturally of somewhat stiff habit, and hence it should 
be allowed to ramble a little. If the plants up to the 
present have been kept closely pruned, some of the 
growths may be left at about two thirds of their 
length. These may be tied up to the wires for the 
present, but after they have started into growth may 
be unloosed and allowed to hang down. 
If the plants are growing in borders some care 
will be necessary in watering them ; indeed for another 
three or four weeks they will not require any water. 
Plants in pots must be occasionally looked to for this, 
however, as the bulk of soil being much less than in 
the borders they will soon get very dry. 
Propagating Allamandas. —Cuttings will root at 
almost any time of the year if sufficient bottom heat 
be given. The present season is usually the most 
convenient, as plenty of cuttings may be obtained 
from the prunings. The tops of the shoots should be 
selected—pieces containing two or three nodes being 
most suitable. Insert these in small pots in very 
sandy soil. Make the soil as firm about them as 
possible, and plunge in a propagating frame having a 
bottom heat of not less than 70° to 75 0 Fah., with an 
atmospheric temperature of 6o°to 65°. Close atten¬ 
tion to watering will be necessary, and the syringe 
should be drawn over them frequently. In three or 
four weeks signs of growth will be seen, and roots 
will be emitted. 
Conservatory, 
Chrysanthemums are to all intents and purposes, 
over now, except in cases where batches of such a 
late variety as L. Canning have been specially treated 
for mid-winter work. These p'ants will come in 
very handy, and by dint of cire, and keeping seme 
back as late as possible, the end of the month will be 
here before the last of them are in bloom. To keep 
a fair sized conservatory going is no easy task. It 
means that the growing-on department must not 
only be well looked after, bat must be of considerable 
extent. 
In furnishing a conservatory throughout the year 
the first consideration to be looked to is “ succession.” 
The house should not be full to crowding one 
week and nearly empty the next. A suitable succes¬ 
sion can only be obtained by, first of all, choosing 
suitable plants for flowering at various times of the 
year, and secondly by regulating the respective 
flowering periods of these subj ects, retarding or push¬ 
ing them on as occasion requires. 
Variety also plays an important part in the 
proper keep-up of a conservatory. There must be a 
change if we are not to wea^y of one thing. 
Arrangement, perhaps, is the m~st important 
point of all. It avails little to have good flowers if 
they are not made use of, or if, in other words, their 
effect is spoiled by the way in which they are set up. 
By the use of a little artistic taste on the part of those 
who have the management of the house some 
excellent results may be obtained. 
The Value of Cleanliness can scarcely beover- 
ated. However much untidiness may be a necessary 
evil in some of the plant-houses there is no excuse 
for it in the conservatory. If a plant is shabby, out 
it must go, it has no business there. Yellow leaves, 
fallen blossoms, dirty pots, are all alike obnoxious, 
and must all be removed or obviated. 
At this time of the year there is apt to be a little 
bit of a gap in the supply of the larger flowering 
plants. The Chrysanthemums are gone, and there 
seems but little left to fill their place. 
Dicksonias —These come in most useful at this 
juncture. D. antarctica, and D. squarrosa, are two 
good arborescent members of the genus that do well 
in a cool house, and are both well worth growing. 
Of a different type, but still handsome, and useful in 
its way is D. Culcita, which when in vigorous health 
throws very large fronds supported by stout stipes 
about two feet in length. 
Other greenhouse ferns are Hemitelia Smithii, 
Cyathea medullaris, and C. dealbata. All of these are 
easily grown either in pots or tubs, or planted out 
in the conservatory, and a few of them scattered 
about the house add immensely to its appearance. 
Hibbertia dentata—As a climber for the roof this 
is invaluable. The rich yellow flowers are about an 
inch and a half in diameter, and are produced with 
great profusion. It is a spot of grateful colour now, 
for yellow flowers are none too plentiful during the 
winter season. All the pruning needed will be the 
removal of the weak and straggling shoots. 
Pleroma macrathum— As the flowering season 
passes over less water will be needed at the root until 
growth commences again. Whilst the flower buds 
are expanding manurial stimulants will have been 
given occasionally, but now nothing but clear water, 
and very little of that should be given. 
Calceolaria Burbidgei is a gem for winter 
flowering. The plants run to three or four feet in 
height, if grown in eight inch pots, and are light and 
graceful in habit. A few well flowered plants are 
exceedingly showy. A little liquid manure should be 
given frequently. 
Bouvardias as they go out of flower must be 
placed to rest in a cool pit. Do not give much water, 
and as soon as the wood is sufficiently matured cut 
them hard back. 
Forced Flowers such as Lilacs, Hyacinths, and 
Narcissi, are a staple just now. Due Van Thol 
Tulips are valuable on account of the ease with 
which they may be got to flower early. Shallow 
pans or pots suit them best, otherwise, being of such 
dwarf stature, they are inclined to look all pot. 
Camellias —Where these are planted out the flower 
buds will be getting a good size now, and if the leaves 
are at all dirty their cleansing should be postponed 
no longer. Even now the operation should not be 
entrusted to careless hands, otherwise the buds, which 
are easily knocked off, will suffer. A piece of soft 
soap about the size of a walnut dissolved in a couple 
of gallons of tepid soft water makes a capital wash, 
as cheap as it is effectual. After such a cleansing 
the leaves of the plants will assume that glossiness 
that is such a set off to the flowers, the beauty of 
which, indeed, is sadly handicapped by dirly foliage 
—-and the Camellia is certainly not one of the 
cleanest subjects.— A.S.G , 
