440 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 13, 1897. 
Chrysanthemums.— Young plants that are in large 
6o-sized pots will now require very careful looking 
after. The best place for them is, of course, a cold 
frame. To grow them in heat is a practice that will 
be sure to result in disappointment. If the frame is 
of so great a depth that the plants would be far 
removed from the glass, if stood upon the bottom, it 
will be necessary to erect a temporary stage to bring 
them up close to the glass Give plenty of air on 
fine days, but avoid cold draughts if possible. If the 
plants are subjected to such experiences as the latter, 
mildew will be almost sure to make its appearance, 
and then good bye to the lower leaves. Accordingly 
the first spot of mildew must be looked for, and as 
soon as seen dusted over with sulphur, which will at 
least help to prevent its spread. 
Later Cuttings which have been inserted several 
in a pot, and are now rooted, should be potted off 
singly into 6o-sized pots at the first opportunity. 
They will make good bush plants. Stopping need 
not trouble the amateur just now. Let the plants 
grow on fora while, and then cut them back to within 
about 3 in. of the ground. This may be done about 
the third week in March. They will then make good 
bushy and dwarf specimens. 
Lapagerias. —As these are now growing away 
vigorously, they will require a good deal of attention 
with regard to tyiDg. The growths move pretty fast 
and soon commence to twine. Hence if any length 
of time is suffered to elapse before they are tied in, 
they become tangled in such a manner that it is 
impossible to straighten them without bruising the 
tender stems and leaves. Go over the plants at least 
once a week, as this is not a bit too often if matters 
are to be kept straight. If the other plants in the 
house permit it, give a syringing on fine mornings. 
Green fly is apt to be rather troublesome, and an 
occasional washing will assist in keeping it down. 
Ericas that have gone out of flower, should be 
pruned at once. Cut the old flowering growths 
back nearly to the point at which they originated. 
In doing this, take care to preserve the symmetrical 
appearance of the plants. After pruning, they should 
be placed in a gentle heat and given an occasional 
sprinkling with the syringe to assist them in starting 
into growth. Naturally enough, rather less water 
will be required after so much of the tops has been 
cut away, but the plants must on no account be 
allowed to get dry, or they will inevitably succumb. 
The water they get from the syringe will not be 
enough of itself, and it is apt to be somewhat deceiv¬ 
ing since it makes the tops wet, whilst the interior of 
the ball may be dry. It is often difficult to tell when 
Heaths really want water, for the pots will not give 
the familiar hollow sound that to the practised ear 
bespeaks the want of water, until the balls are dust 
dry. When this stage is arrived at, the mischief is 
done, and a deluge of water immediately afterwards, 
which is the most likely thing for an amateur to do, 
only aggravates the evil. The surest and most satis¬ 
factory method of ascertaining whether an Erica 
wants water or not is to lift the pot in the hands by 
the rim. Its weight will tell in a moment if the plant 
needs more moisture. A little practice will soon 
enable the operator to discern what is required. 
Fuchsias.—If these have not been potted, they 
must not be neglected any longer, as they are break¬ 
ing strongly even where they have been kept back as 
much as possible. Prune the plants into shape by 
cutting back the growths about half way in such a 
manner as to give an even outline. Very strong 
growths may be pruned rather harder than the weak 
ones, as this will help to maintain the balance of 
even distribution of energy to all parts of the plant. 
After pruning, potting may be proceeded with. 
Shake away as much of the old soil as possible and 
transfer into pots of a fair size, not too large, for this 
is a point concerning which amateurs not infre¬ 
quently make mistakes, as many have an idea that 
very large pots are necessary. The exact size will, 
of course, depend upon the use to which the Fuchsias 
are destined to be put. Thus if they are intended 
for bedding purposes, the pots should be as small as 
possible. A moment's reflection will reveal the cause 
for this, viz , that the period during which the plants 
will be in pots will be comparatively short, until the 
beginning of June at the latest. A comparatively 
confined space will therefore meet all requirements 
for the ten weeks or so that remain between the 
bedding-out time and the present. 
Plants that are intended for conservatory decora¬ 
tion, and which will have to pass through the whole 
season in pots, may have a little more room given 
them, but even in this case it must not be overdone. 
An 8-in. pot is quite large enough to contain a really 
good specimen ; if trained in pyramidal fashion, a 
shapely plant from 4 ft. to 5 ft. in height may be 
accommodated in this size. Other sizes of plants 
and pots will be in proportion. A 32-pot is amply 
big enough for a small greenhouse, and if proper 
feeding is given, some very neat specimens may be 
obtained. To give a plant a lot of room at tne root 
and plenty of rich soil is to induce it to make unduly 
rank growth, which would defeat the ends in view, as 
such subjects rarely flower so well as others that 
have their vigour restrained within proper bounds. 
The compost may consist of three parts of good 
mellow loam, one part of leaf soil, and a similar pro¬ 
portion of old horse droppings or dried cow manure, 
with a sprinkling of coarse river sand. 
After potting, Fuchsias require a gentle heat to 
enable them to do well. A light house or pit with a 
temperature of about 55 0 by night suits them well. 
A vinery that is being forced usually affords con¬ 
genial accommodation, but as the shade from the 
leaves of the Vines begins to get dense the Fuchsias 
must be taken out, or they are likely to become 
drawn. 
Cuttings. —As soon as the cuttings taken in 
February have rooted, which fact may be easily ascer¬ 
tained by knocking one potful gently out and taking 
a peep at the soil next to the sides of the pots where 
the roots, if there are any made, are sure to be, they 
must be potted off singly. A 3-in. sized pot will 
make a good shift. Use rather light soil, and do not 
pot too firmly. Return the plants into a gentle heat, 
shade them carefully, and sprinkle them occasionally 
by means of the syringe. 
The latter remark will apply to all the Fuchsias 
whether young or old. Syringing is not only very 
helpful in keeping down insect pests, but it serves to 
cleanse the foliage of dust and dirt. 
Bedding Calceolarias.—If the cuttings are very 
crowded it will be a good plan to give them an inter¬ 
mediate shift. Make up a bed of soil in a warm 
corner outisde, and put the plants into it, allowing 
from 6 in. to 8 in. of space each way. This bed 
must be enclosed on the sides with boards over the 
top of which a few light spars may be thrown. Then 
in the event of frost, a few mats may easily be thrown 
over, and the plants will be as safe as if they were 
still in the frames. This practice is not infrequently 
carried out by gardeners who want exceptionally 
bushy and forward plants.— 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. 
Cocoa-nut Fibre for Potting. —Will you tell me if 
Cocoa-nut fibre refuse is suitable for mixing with the 
soil for potting plants, more especially Ferns.— Q. 
You may mix a little of the fibre with the soil used 
for potting young Ferns, with excellent results. The 
young roots take to it very kindly. For plants 
which have to stay some time in their pots, on the 
other hand, it is not at all a good plan to use it in 
mixture with the soil, and we should strongly advise 
you not to try it. The fibre soon decays, and renders 
the compost, of which it is a part, sour and unwhole¬ 
some. — 
Stopping and PinchiDg— Onion, in a very amusing 
communication asks how it is that if you pinch a 
man you will make him move, but if you pinch a 
plant you only stop it. 
Dividing Maidenhair Ferns.— You may split up 
your plants as soon as you like, Fay. We do not 
advise too much division, or the plants will be a long 
time before they pick up strength, but a plant in a 
thirty-two pot may easily be divided into four pieces, 
each of which may be put in a small forty-eight. 
Shade the divisions carefully, and look closely to the 
watering, but do not syringe or sprinkle them. This 
latter treatment does not suit Adiantums, and its 
effect will soon be seen in the way in which the 
fronds go off. 
Pimelea spectabilis. —At what time of the year 
does this plant flower ? I have a nice specimen of it, 
which was given me last autumn, and there are no 
signs of flowers yet. I am keeping it in a green¬ 
house which has had a temperature of about 40° 
Fabr by night throughout the winter. Is this 
suitable for it ? Henry R 
Pimelea spectabilis flowers in May or thereabouts, 
according to the treatment it receives. It is a green¬ 
house plant and your house will suit it very well. 
Plants Underneath a Greenhouse Stage — T.R.S. 
wishes to know what plants would succeed under a 
greenhouse stage, where there is not much light. 
He would like something dwarf. 
Ferns might do if there was plenty of light and 
not too much drip from overhead, through the plants 
on the stage being watered, but as to that we cannot 
speak definitely without further particulars. Poss¬ 
ibly the best thing would be Selaginella kraussiana. 
This will do very well in such a position, and nothing 
could look prettier. 
Three Good Crotons.— Please give me the names 
of three good Crotons that would look well as table 
plants. They should be easy to grow, as I have not 
had much experience with them. McAllister. 
You will find C. Warrenii, C. Queen Victoria, and 
C. Weis manni as good as any. These three sorts 
will furnish a good variety of habit as well as colour. 
All three are very showy table plants when well 
grown. 
Chionodoxa Luciliae.— You are quite right in your 
surmise, P . ; this charming Chionodoxa does very 
well in pots, and may be then had in bloom very early 
in the year with very little trouble. 
Palm for Window.— Cocos weddeliana is a very 
pretty Palm, N.O., Derby, but you would find it 
rather difficult to manage as a window plant. Kentia 
fosteriana, or K. belmoreana, although scarcely so 
elegant in appearance as the Cocos, are capable of 
standing the vicissitudes of window life much 
better. 
Pentstemons for bedding. —You could not well 
have a more showy subject that Pentstemons to fill 
a bed with, Y., Oxon. They look best, to our way of 
thinking, when a collection of varieties is grown, and 
these are mixed indiscriminately. Planted in rows 
or in small beds of one colour they are likewise very 
effective. 
Grafting Clay.— G. Wilson asks how grafting clay 
is made, that is if anything is mixed with ordinary 
clay. 
Clay by itself, no matter how tough and well 
kneaded, would not be strong enough. It would 
stick very well as long as it was wet, but when it 
became dry would crack and fall off in pieces. 
Accordingly it is necessary to mix something with 
the clay to make it more adhesive. Two parts of 
clay, and one of cow manure well mixed together, 
and worked up into a plastic mass answer well. 
Some cultivators, to make the " clay ” tougher, 
add some finely chopped hay. Grafting clay pre¬ 
pared in this way does not fall off when dry. 
Spiraea japonica. —The plant is certainly of some 
good, F. N., after the flowers have been taken off, 
but it will be belter out of the pot. It should be 
planted out presently in the open garden, and 
allowed to grow as it likes. It will do no good at 
all if left cooped up in a pot, for you will never be 
able to keep it properly supplied with water, It will 
not be fit for forcing again next autumn, but it will 
the autumn after, when it may be lifted, potted up, 
and placed in heat. 
Celosia pyramidalis plumosa — T. Emerson made 
a note of some Celosias, which were used as bedding 
plants in the London Parks last year, and was 
greatly struck by the fine appearance they pre¬ 
sented. He wishes to know how he can obtain 
plants like them for his own garden, and whether 
they would be likely to do with him. 
A sowing of seed should be made at once. Sow 
rather thinly, for the plants have to get fully an inch 
in height before they are strong enough to be potted 
off. Place the seed pan in a heat of not less than 
6o° Fahr., if 65° so much the better. Be careful not 
to let the plants sustain a check of any kind, but pot 
