' February 13, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
375 
with the unaided eye, and to go much beyond this is not 
only not adding to their beauty but is in some danger 
of destroying it; for large blooms are inclined to 
lose beauty in form, colour and refinement of petal. 
How chaste and pleasing is a bloom of Mdlle- 
Marie Hoste, about 6 in. in diameter, from a late 
crown bud, compared with the out of colour, damp- 
inclined big bloom from the early crown.bud. Again 
Viviand Morel is just a case of “ Beauty and the 
Beast ” on late and early crown buds; the late 
blooms are always more beautiful in form, richer in 
colour, and more refined in petal than the larger and 
earlier blooms. This condition of things holds good 
throughout the thousands of varieties that are grown 
for competition. If we have a bloom about 6 in. in 
diameter, with proportions according to type, it is 
quite large enough to reveal all its beauty, and 
that is all the length intelligent culture should go in 
trying to meet the end in view. Therefore, to increase 
the size is quite unnecessary, and should not be con¬ 
sidered a merit. 
In competition blooms there are three outstanding 
features (and all the others usually enumerated come 
under them), namely, form or general outline, quality 
of petal, and colour. The form varies with the 
different types, each type having a form of its own ; 
the form is generally truest to the type in medium¬ 
sized blooms. A pleasing outline is one of the best 
features of a good bloom; many of the Japanese type 
which are devoid of any particular form could well be 
dispensed with. The petal should be firm, free from 
roughness and broad, with graceful outline. Colour is 
one of the most attractive qualities of a good bloom ; 
bright clean colours seem to be most appreciated. 
Individual taste, however, seems to vary on this 
quality more than on any other — 'Mum. 
-- 
EALING GARDENERS’ SOCIETY. 
On the 3rd inst., at the Municipal Buildings, Ealing, 
the chairman of the society, S. A. Sewell, Esq., 
F.R.H.S., gave an interesting and humorous lecture 
on "A Trip to Brittany and Normandy,” which 
was remarkably well received. John Hughes, Esq., 
F.R H.S., presided. Mr. Sewell, first of all, com¬ 
pared the coast lines of Brittany and Normandy 
with that of the South of England, and showed how 
much more irregular and broken up the former were. 
As to the flora of the two countries, he insisted that 
the difference was rather one of degree than number 
of species, for he said that those plants which were 
comparatively rare in our own country were often 
found growing much more luxuriantly on the opposite 
shores. Some of the most abundant species were 
Diplotaxis tenuifolia, a yellow cruciferous plant, 
which spread over sand-hills and waste ground in 
great profusion; Convolvulus Soldanella, the Sea 
Bindweed ; Eryngium maritimum, the Sea Holly; 
Euphorbia Paralias, the Sea Spurge; Althaea 
officinalis, the Marsh Mallow ; Cakile maritima, the 
Sea Rocket; Beta maritima, the wild Beet, etc. As 
to shrubs, Tamarix gallica, of course, was present, 
France being the land of its birth; while the 
Bladder Senna (Colutea arborescens) claims a similar 
origin. 
The towns of St. Malo, Dinard, and Cancale were 
described in turn, and some of the habits and 
customs of their inhabitants humorously and vividly 
received recherche notice. In the former place some 
strange combinations of carpet bedding were duly 
observed ; and, as an instance of what can be effected 
by a grotesque people, it may be stated that one of 
the designs represented a man with a cat. The 
plants used were Achyranthes, Alternantheras, 
Gnaphaliums, Sedums, Echeverias, etc. The man’s 
boots, for instance, were red with yellow tops, while 
his breeches consisted of Echeveria. A band of 
another colour emphasised his body, a single plant 
of Echeveria doing duty for each eye. The cat was 
also composed of Echeveria, but with red head and 
yellow eyes. Other animals were likewise treated, 
and thus the poor plants were rendered grotesque 
and bizarre by association. Bedding-out plants were 
still gay, although the year was on the wane, the 
most conspicuous being Cockscombs, Petunias, and 
zonal Pelargonniums. 
From Brittany Mr. Sewell took his audience into 
Normandy ; noticed the Apple orchards, the Black¬ 
berries, the Buckwheat, the Beeches, Oaks, and 
Chestnuts, and many more things natural and 
artificial. Some disastrous results of the great gale, 
which culminated on September 24th last, were 
given. Thence Mr. Sewell travelled home by way 
of Jersey, where he saw Gunnera scabra growing in 
great luxuriance, and appearing naturalised. The 
lecture was listened to with evident pleasure, and a 
hearty vote of thanks duly accorded. 
Pot Vines. —The thinning of the berries must be 
carefully looked to before they have become so 
crowded that it is difficult to get in the point of the 
scissors amongst them without pricking some of the 
berries that it is desired to save. As the berries 
commence to swell especial care will have to be 
taken, for a very little neglect may cause a severe 
check. The temperature should be kept up to about 
68° Fahr. by night, with a rise of 5 0 if the day be 
dull, and io 5 if it be bright and sunny. The fer¬ 
menting material will require looking to, as it is 
important that the bottom heat should not be allowed 
to decline. A little fresh material worked in with the 
old will assist greatly. Keep the evaporating troughs 
full of water, and damp the walls and passages 
frequently. Ventilation is, perhaps, the most im¬ 
portant point of all, since it is by carelessness or in¬ 
capability in this respect that the Vines are most 
likely to receive a check. Cold draughts must be 
avoided at all costs, and it often happens that this is 
a matter of some difficulty when the sun is bright, 
and the wind cold and piercing. 
Early Permanent Vinery. —The shoots should 
now be quite long enough to be tied down. This 
must be a very gradual process, or there will be 
much ado over broken shoots. It not infrequently 
happens that where too much pressure has suddenly 
been put upon vigorous growths in the early part of 
the day, a few hours’ bright sunshine will cause a lot 
of damage. All ligatures therefore should be tied 
with a running knot, which will allow of the strain 
being increased or lessened according to necessity. 
Stop the longest shoots two or three nodes in front of 
the bunch. 
Peaches and Nectarines. —In the earliest house 
the chief work will be the removal of foreright and 
other shoots which are not needed for succession. It 
does not do to allow the trees to go too far before a 
start is made with this part of the programme. 
Too many growths must not be taken away at one 
time, for this is apt to greatly weaken and check the 
trees. As soon as the fruit is the size of small 
marbles the temperature may stand at from 50 9 to 
to 52 0 by night, with a correspondihg rise during 
the day. Keep the syringe well to work morning 
and afternoon, using clear soft water of the same 
temperature as the house itself. 
Trees in Flower. —Here a rather drier atmos¬ 
phere than has been maintained up to the present 
will be necessary, and the work of artificial pollina¬ 
tion must proceed apace. The middle of the day is 
the best time for this. Each flower that is open 
should be lightly touched over by a camel’s 
hair brush. A more bulky tool, but one which is 
quite as effectual, is a rabbit’s tail, fastened upon a 
stick. This is very sc ft, and hence its use will not 
cause the bruising of the stigma which is too often 
the reason for a bad set. By goiDg over the flowers 
each day from the time at which they first open until 
the time when the petals drop the stigma is bound to 
be caught in a receptive condition at some period. 
Another plan that is adopted by some gardeners, and 
one that saves a good deal of work, is to stand a hive 
of bees in the Peach house. A good set is thereby 
secured, but the poor bees induced to try to get out¬ 
side by the brightness of the sun, perish in consider¬ 
able numbers by knocking against the glass. 
Figs. —As the earliest fruit on the pot plants 
should be swelling away quickly, maintain the heat 
of the house up to 70° by renewal of the fermenting 
material, as well as by fire-heat. Syringe copiously, 
and thus keep the plants clean, and the atmosphere 
charged with the moisture that the Fig loves at one 
and the same time. If the trees are carrying good 
crops of fruit and have not been recently potted, 
liquid manure at every alternate watering will render 
good service. 
Earliest Permanent House. —As soon as the 
shoots reach a length of about 9 ins., or in other 
words, as soon as they are bearing four or five good 
leaves pinch the tops out. This will encourage the 
formation of fruit in the axils of the leaves. Mean¬ 
while syringe well and regularly to keep down red 
spider. 
Late Houses, which were started at the beginning 
of this month at a temperature of 50° by night, may 
now stand at 52 0 . Figs will stand a high tempera¬ 
ture very much better than Vines. Moreover there 
is nothing to be gained by keeping them back, for 
loss of time now means that the second crop will be 
too belated to ripen thoroughly.— A. S. G. 
■■— <l»-- 
HE FLOWER G&ROEK. 
The copious rains that have fallen of late have 
penetrated deeply and have come by way of com¬ 
pensation for the dry time that we had for the first 
six months of last year. Everything with us is so 
sodden, that it will be some time before it will be 
possible to get upon the land either for planting or 
cleaning purposes. This is a more or less serious 
consideration, since the planting of various shrubs 
will be in full swing at the end of this month. 
There is also the pruning of evergreens, and the 
pruning and training of climbers, including Roses, to 
be thought about. Laurel hedges and clumps must 
occasionally be looked over if they are to be kept 
within proper bounds. Laurels grow pretty freely, 
and soon commence to get bare at the bottom if not 
kept well dressed. It will be advisable to put off 
cutting these back until the end of the month in the 
northern counties, and the same remarks will apply 
to the pruning of climbers on the walls, but in the 
southern counties the knife may be set to work as 
soon as possible. 
Labels.— It is a most important point to have 
herbaceous and Alpine plants legibly and correctly 
labelled. The dull weather may be turned to good 
account in writing these. For ordinary purposes a 
zinc label written upon with special metallic ink is 
the handiest and cheapest. Those who wish for 
something more elaborate have oval plates of zinc 
fastened to iron pins. These look very nice indeed, 
but they come rather expensive. The same might 
be said of labels formed of strips of lead with the 
letters stamped in. These are practically indestruc¬ 
tible, however, and are very suitable for trees or 
shrubs. They also have a nice effect when attached 
to climbers. In this case, the best way is to nail 
them to the wall near the centre of the plant. 
Potting Bedding Pelargoniums.— It is now 
time that a start should be made with potting up the 
bedding Pelargoniums. This is usually a long job, 
and unless there is plenty of strength to put to the 
work, must not be delayed. Usually the cuttings are 
struck in boxes, less frequently in pots. They must 
now be shaken out of their old quarters and potted 
up singly into large sixty pots. This size will be 
found very handy and quite large enough. Pot 
moderately firmly, and do not fill the pots too full of 
soil. Watering will prove a heavy item presently, 
and it will be well now to allow space to hold the 
water. Not infrequently a sufficiency of pots is not 
to hand, then boxes have to be utilised. Certainly a 
shift may very well be made this way, but all 
practical gardeners know that it is much easier to 
bed out from pots than from boxes, and besides, the 
plants do not suffer so much. Crocks will not be 
necessary, and will only be in the way presently. 
Their places may be taken by a little rough soil put 
in the bottom of the pot. 
Vase Plants. —Where zonal Pelargoniums are 
used for filling ornamental vases, it is necessary that 
they should be of a good size, in order to make a 
show directly they are put out. It is sometimes 
difficult to get old plants of this size. The plants 
that were saved from last year should be looked care¬ 
fully over now, any dead pieces that may be present, 
cut out with a sharp knife, and if necessary a further 
pruning given to reduce them to shape. Pot them 
in‘o as small pots as will comfortably contain 
them, and place them in a gentle heat, where they 
will not be long in making strong growth. Plants 
that were grown on last summer in pots for autumn 
and winter flowering within doors, will make capital 
stuff for vases if they are taken in hand now, pruned 
fairly hard, and potted up. Older plants, however, 
bloom rather more freely, although the individual 
flower trusses may not be quite so fine. 
Carnations which were planted out in the autumn 
should be given a look over at the earliest oppor¬ 
tunity. The recent frost, coming as it did, when the 
ground was wet, will be likely to have lifted some of 
the plants partially out of the ground. When 
exposed in this way they fall a ready prey to cold 
biting winds, of which we are almost sure to obtain 
a share in the coming spring. A little care now in 
pressing these disturbed plants back into their 
places may save a few deaths presently.— A. S. G. 
