360 
February 6, 1897 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
HINTS FOR MMATEURS. 
The Outdoor Garden has been presenting a strangely 
unfamiliar appearance during the past week or two. 
The year was ushered in with mild weather, and in 
this respect only carried on the promise of the 
autumn. Necessarily, such conditions have caused 
things to be much more forward than they ought to 
be. In the second week in January we noticed buds 
of Clematis in an advanced state of development, 
and in one sheltered garden, close to London, Pear 
trees were just coming into flower. Happily, the 
recent touch of winter’s rude fingers has put a full 
stop upon the subjects that would have been 
inclined to follow such examples of precocity. 
Frost on Fruit Trees. — Olten enough, the effects 
of frost do not become apparent for a considerable 
time. We have, from time to time, and during 
several years, heard complaints from amateur fruit 
growers, that Pears and Apples have bloomed freely 
enough, but that instead of setting for fruit, the 
blossoms have all dropped off, and, not unnaturally, 
they have been greatly exercised in their minds to 
find a reason for such unsatisfactory behaviour. 
Unhappily, such seasons as the one we are now 
passing through, affords a clue to all this. The buds 
of Pears, for instance, if unduly forward, although 
they may not be actually open, will be frozen 
through, with sharp frosts, and the flowers, 
although they may open and be apparently none the 
worse for the ordeal, drop off after a brief period of 
barren beauty. We give these warnings in time, so 
that in the case of a bad “ set ” presently, the action 
of the weather in the matter may not be lost sight of 
in seeking for a probable reason. 
Snow on Shrubs.—Here again is a frequent cause 
of lamentable damage. Small Conifers are often 
very favourite adornments for the front gardens of 
villas, and such trees are apt to suffer much during 
heavy falls of snow. From their peculiar habit they 
offer a greater area of lodgment for the falling snow, 
and the extra weight they have to bear in consequence 
pulls them out of all shape and nearly ruins them. 
Particularly is this the case, when the trees possess 
two or three leaders. If these are not secured 
together by means of judicious tying, the weight of 
the snow and the force of the wind cause an opening 
in the centre, the several leaders bowing gracefully 
outwards. The remedy for all this is obvious, viz., 
to shake the snow off as soon as possible, although 
prevention in the direction of staking and tying 
should perhaps, be placed first. A mixture of both 
alternatives is to be recommended. 
Lantern Roofed Greenhouses.—These represent 
the highest type of modern horticultural construc¬ 
tion, but they have one disadvantage attached 
to them in cold weather, particularly if the 
temperature inside be fairly high, and the atmosphere 
be correspondingly moist. Iciclesformon the lanterns 
outside, and if allowed to get to any size, the glass 
beneath is in danger of being broken by their fall 
when loosened by the sun’s rays. Houses built 
upon brick walls, with frames attached to either side, 
are similarly situated. It will be well, therefore, to 
keep the icicles knocked off before they reach any 
size, and this must be done regularly as long as the 
frost continues. • 
Shifting Plants.—Where it is desired to keep the 
conservatory filled with forced plants in bloom, it is 
a matter of some difficulty to shift them from the 
pits, where they have been forced, to the conserva¬ 
tory. While every amateur is aware of the danger of 
getting frost into his houses, comparatively few 
seem to realise the danger that exists in taking 
forced plants out into a biting wind. All moving 
that is necessary now, should be done in the middle 
of the day ; and if any distance has to be covered, 
they should be covered up closely during transit. In 
many gardens, a box having neither top nor bottom, 
is made to fit over the hand-barrow, and hence when 
a mat is thrown over the top, the plants are snug 
enough. 
Chrysanthemums.—The majority of the cuttings 
will now be in, including all those that are to be 
grown on for large flowers. From three weeks to a 
month is the time required for rooting, so that a 
large proportion of the cuttings will be rooted. At 
this juncture, the advantage of adopting the one pot 
one cutting practice will be amply demonstrated, for 
then potting off need not be hurried on, but a 
favourable opportunity may be waited for. On the 
other hand, if the cuttings have been dibbled in four 
or five in a pot, a delay in potting them off into 
single pots would be fraught with great danger. The 
roots become matted, and it is almost impossible to 
separate them without bruising or breaking them. 
After pottiDg, the plants should be returned to the 
handlight in which they were struck, or to a similar 
position. Here they must be kept close for a few 
days, but on no account must they be parched up 
with fire-heat. 
Later Cuttings.—As these commence to make 
roots, they will gradually stiffen up and form new 
leaves. At this stage it will be necessary to give 
them a little more air. This may be done by tilting 
the top of the propagating frame, or the most 
forward of the cuttings may be taken right out of it 
and stood upon a shelf near the glass. This will 
allow of the frame beiDg kept closer for the benefit 
of those cuttings that have not made such quick 
progress. 
Nerines.—These should still be kept in vigorous 
growth, and must not be allowed to suffer for water. 
We have found weak solutions of guano suit them 
admirably, the foliage borne by plants treated thus 
being much more vigorous. Not a few amateur 
cultivators make the mistake of starving their plants 
at this juncture, and then complain that they do not 
flower at the proper season.— Rex. 
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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. 
Hedges dying off at the bottom.—Will Yew and 
Holly hedges, if cut off at the bottom, put up fresh 
shoots ? and would they be likely to make good 
hedges ? My plants are dying off at the bottom, and 
are wider at the top than the bottom. When would 
be the best time to cut them ? IV. P., Bilsthorpe. 
Holly would throw up fresh shoots if cut off at the 
bottom, but not Yew, at least, in sufficient quantities 
to form a hedge. Even in the case of Holly, yon 
would have to wait a long time for results. You 
might try a medium course, i.e., heading the plants 
back about half way. This would probably cause 
them to break into growth at the bottom, unless the 
branches are absolutely dead. If you want a hedge 
quickly, and you have sufficient room, try cutting 
off the dead lower branches, and planting some 
young dwarf stuff to fill up the gaps at the bottom. 
The other remedy is to root the old hedges out and 
plant afresh, and although this seems drastic treat¬ 
ment, it will probably turn out to be the best in the 
long run ; and certainly if the hedges are in a very 
bad condition. Holly and Yew hedges are usually 
clipped in September, aftergrowth has finished; but 
you may do any pruning or cutting back that you 
deem desirable any time before growth starts in the 
spring. 
Starting Achimenes.—You may start the first 
batch as soon as you like, T. Benlum. Allow about 
| in. each way between the tubercles You will find 
32-pots a handy size. The vinery started at the 
beginning of the year will be an excellent place 
for them. Put them up on a shelf near the glass. 
Lawn. — Turf will give quicker results, Scottie, but 
is dearer, if you get it good, than seed sowing. 
Where the whole of the lawn does not need 
remaking, turf should be used to make the patchy 
parts good. 
Stewing Pears.—You will find Uvedale’s St. 
Germain, and Catillac, excellent stewing Pears, R. G. 
The former grows to an immense size, but as far as 
our experience goes, the latter is rather the better 
cropper. 
Birds in a Greenhouse .—Mum intends to let loose 
some birds (canaries) in his greenhouse, and writes 
to ask if we think the experiment would succeed. 
To this we can only reply, that we don’t think it 
would. The poar plants would be sadly messed 
about, and the birds would be knocking themselves 
up against the glass until they ended in committing 
suicide. If birds are desired in the greenhouse they 
must be accomodated in cages. 
Mustard and Cress.— X. has found out that Cress 
is always slower in growing than Mustard, and asks 
for a reason. 
This is difficult to give, but the behaviour of these 
two saladings is always the same. Sow the Cress 
from four to seven days before the Mustard, and then 
both will be fit for use at the same time. 
Forcing French Beans. — Which is the better plan, 
to sow the seed in the pots in which the plants are 
to fruit, or to sow two in a small pot and then trans¬ 
fer them to the larger ones. —IF. Thompson. 
It all depends upon the seed ! If it has been 
purchased from a reliable source and you are sure it 
is good, you may save a potting by sowing straight 
away in the fruiting pots. On the other hand, if the 
seed is old and you are not sure about it, sow in 
small pots and re-pot when the plants are large 
enough. 
Grafting Aralia Yeitchii.—I have two plants 
of Aralia Veitchii which I wish to graft upon A. 
reticulata, but I do not knowhow to proceed ; would 
you please tell me ? — Stove. 
The first thing to do is to obtain a sufficient 
number of stocks. This may be easily done by 
striking cuttings and growing them on in small pots 
until they have attained the thickness of an ordinary 
slate pencil When grafting, the stocks must be 
headed down close to the ground, so as to get the 
point of union between stock and scion as much out 
of sight as possible. The stems of the old plants 
must be cut up to form the scions, each length 
having two or three eyes and a leaf or two. There 
are several methods of grafting from which to choose, 
and various growers have their own opinion as to 
which is the best to employ. Whip grafting is 
certainly as good as any. It is easy to perform and 
tolerably certain in results. We do not know whether 
you are acquainted with this method. We may 
briefly, however, run over the principal features. In 
preparing the scion make a long, oblique, clean cut, 
so that the lower point is very thin. Then make a 
longitudinal cut upwards to form the tongue or 
wedge, and the scion is complete. Make a similarly 
oblique cut upon the stock, and by making a longi¬ 
tudinal cut downwards form a cleft to receive the 
tongue of the scion. In inserting the graft see that 
the inner banks of stock and scion are brought into 
close contact with each other,otherwise the operation 
will fail. Tie up firmly and evenly to keep things in 
their places. After grafting, the plants must be kept 
close and warm, with a temperature of not less 
than 65° Fahr. January is the best month to graft 
Aralias. 
Yines .—Seasonable has a lean-to \inery facing due 
south and planted with Black Hamburghs. He 
wishes to know when he may start the Vines. This 
will, of course, depend what means he has for 
heating. If the house is efficiently heated a start 
may be made at once. For the first week try a 
temperature of 45° by night, rising to 50° by day. 
If, however, the piping is insufficient to fulfil the 
requirements of the gradually increasing temperature 
needed for forcing, it will be better to “ bide a wee," 
until the Vines start to break into growth of their 
own accord. This will not be very long if we get 
mild weather. 
Plumbago capensis.—It is now a common sight 
to see this Plumbago bedded out in summer, F. Y. M. 
For sub-tropical work it is very effective. If you 
wish you may plunge the plants in their pots instead 
of planting them cut, but in such a case a sharp eye 
must be kept upon the plants in dry, hot weather. 
Elementary Botany. — Garden, the text book for 
the elementary stage of the examination in botany 
for the Science and Art Department, South Kensing¬ 
ton, is J. W. Oliver’s "Elementary Botany." This 
is a valuable little work and contains in a very 
concise form a great deal of information. 
Cucumber Bed—In order to cut Cucumbers in 
March, G. Hanwood, it is quite time that you were 
making preparations. As you intend growing them 
in frames upon a hot-bed, the first consideration will 
be to get the fermentiog materials in readiness. As 
heat will have to be kept up over a long period, 
during much of which we may experience very cold 
weather, a large proportion of leaves should be used. 
Two parts of leaves to one of stable litter will form 
an excellent mixture which will give out a steady 
