664 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 19, 1897 
JlNTS FOR llVlATEURS. 
Iyy-leaved Pelargoniums—At this season of the 
year more particularly are we reminded of the beauty 
and value of the Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, for we see 
them in all sorts of places, and under all sorts of con¬ 
ditions, adverse and otherwise, and yet they generally 
manage to give a pretty good account of themselves. 
Do we want showy pot plants for the conservatory, then 
we go to the “ Ivy-leaf," pot it up until it is in a good 
sized pot of about 8 ins. diameter, inside measure¬ 
ment, stake it well, feed it liberally, and there we are, 
plenty of bloom, and what is more a long and con¬ 
tinuous flowering season. Again, the edges of the 
stages in the conservatory look bare and unsightly, 
and we cast about for a plant to enliven and beautify 
them. Our eyes travel over the various subjects 
available until they fall upon the “ Ivy-leaf,” and 
they rest upon it. The plants are taken, potted in 
rich soil in large 48’s and 32's, and allowed to 
assume the subpendent habit that seems natural to 
them. Once more we congratulate ourselves upon 
the effect obtained, and upon the success of our 
experiment. 
In the flower garden too, as well as under glass we 
find it, happy, contented, and striving its hardest to 
outvie all its neighbours in its prodigality of bloom¬ 
ing Vases, and window boxes know it well, and 
love it hugely ; indeed if it were possible to take 
notes of every window box in London it would be 
found that there are very few of them that it has not 
helped to adorn and beautify. As a town plant 
there are very few things to equal it. The 
white and yellow Marguerites and the Ivy-leaf 
Pelargonium could not possibly be done without as 
matters stand at the present. They are thus em¬ 
ployed with such freedom that some people declare 
that they are tired of their everlasting presence and 
want something new, something a little different 
and more varied. 
Yet one more method in which the " Ivy-leaf ” 
may be made to render good service, and we will 
cease to dilate upon its merits, its possibilities, and 
its many and varied parts. A “ Pelargonium wall,' 
i e , a wall covered with Pelargoniums is a possession 
that is well within the reach of all those who have a 
wall covered by aglass case or agreenhouse.no matter 
what the shape. We recently saw such a wall in a 
large private establishment, and we were, as our 
readers would also have been had they seen it, 
enchanted The house in question was a late 
vinery, and one would certainly have been justified 
in thinking that the shade cast by the Vine leaves 
would have been too great for the welfare of the 
Pelargoniums on the wall behind. This was not so, 
however, for from top to bottom the foliage was 
good, and the flowers of great size and admirable 
colour. In such a situation the shade of the Vines 
naturally becomes rather dense as the summer pro¬ 
gresses, and the foliage of the Pelargoniums is apt to 
turn yellow, but this state of affairs does not last 
loDg. The plants soon pick up, and look as well at 
the end of the year as if they had had no trying ex¬ 
periences to pass through. 
The winter training is a most important point, for 
a great deal more growth is made than can possibly 
be found room for. A good thinning out is required 
in order to allow room for the following year’s growth. 
This pruning is analogous to the cutting back that 
old bush plants receive, but is scarcely so thorough, 
i.e., the whole of the young wood is not cut away but 
a little is left to carry on the work of the plants. 
Weak spindly growths are cut clean out, and others 
are shortened, whilst others are 'eft in at full length, 
according to their strength, length, and position. 
After pruning comes the tying in. A start should be 
made at the base of the wall and some of the lowest 
shoots tied down. By thus working upwards from 
the base, the whole of the space is covered evenly 
with the growths, and a margin is left at the top of 
the wall for expansion during the subsequent season. 
Too close tying should be avoided if possible, since 
the plants present a much better appearance when 
their growths are allowed to hang gracefully down 
than they do when they are stiffly strained to wires. 
Bearing in mind then the value of the flowers for 
cut purposes as well as decorative plants, it is well 
to have a good selection This it is quite possible to 
do at a reasonable cost, and if a careful choice is 
made, it is wonderful to see how many delicate 
shades of colour can be obtained. The following 
double and semi-double forms are all well worthy of 
attention, and can all be depended upon. Short 
descriptions are appended to each for the guidance 
of those who are not acquainted with the varieties. 
Madame Crousse.—This is one of the oldest sorts 
but still a good one. It is of vigorous habit, a free 
bloomer, and the blooms are semi-double, and of a 
beautiful rose hue veined maroon. 
Innocence is pure white ; a charming form. 
Ryecroft Surprise is the result of a cross between 
Madame Thibaut and Souvenir de Charles Turner. 
The truss of flower is very large, and the individual 
pips are of more than ordinary size ; indeed, one of 
the latter neatly made up with Fern is enough for a 
gentleman’s buttonhole. The colour is a bright and 
attractive shade of salmon pink. 
Souvenir de Charles Turner which has been 
mentioned above is a desirable form. The flowers 
are deep rose-pink, feathered with maroon. 
Isadore Feral is a huge double flower, exhibiting 
an attractive shade of rose. 
Mrs. W. E. Barling a new variety of this year’s 
introduction, is a deep rich magenta, and the very 
best of its class of colour. For those who like the 
deeper hued flowers we strongly recommend this. 
The Blush appropriately enough, bears blush 
flowers. It is a sport from Isadore Feral and was 
introduced to commerce last year. 
Galilee may be mentioned as one of the finest of 
all. For pot culture it has nothing to beat it. It is 
naturally of dwarf and compact habit, and a 
marvellously free bloomer. If we were restricted to 
one variety only this is certainly the one upon which 
our choice would fall. The colour is bright rose, 
and both pips and trusses are very fine. 
Beauty of Castle Hill is soft pink with very large 
flowers. This also is good for pot work and has a 
dwarf and stocky habit, although it is scarcely up 
to the mark of Galilee. 
La France, mauve lilac, of dwarf habit, must 
complete our list, although there are numbers of 
other good varieties that would seem to claim atten¬ 
tion. Those mentioned, however, if grown well, will 
give you all that can be desired. 
Linum narbonense.—From the middle of May, 
or even earlier in specially favoured localities up till 
the end of July the beautiful bright blue flowers of 
this handsome perennial Flax are expanded, and rival 
the summer sky in brightness. A bed of it is a great 
success and is always admired by those who can 
appreciate telling masses of colour whether caerulean 
or otherwise. The white eye which each flower has 
still further enhances its beauty. The plant is erect, 
with rather glaucous leaves, and grows to a height of 
about 18 in under ordinary circumstances. Some¬ 
times it will be taller than this, whilst in dry 
spring-times, like the present one, it will not exceed a 
foot. After having exhausted its first flush of bloom 
it may be induced to start afiesh by cutting the old 
flowering stems off close down to the base. Any 
ordinary well drained soil will suit it well, and it is 
by no means out of place in nooks in the rockery. 
This Linum is a native of Europe, and has been 
cultivated in this country since the year 1759.— Rex 4 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed 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 11 on the top of their letters. 
Seedling Carnations.—Three weeks ago I sowed in 
one box three sorts of Carnations—Uriah Pike, 
Germania, and mixed. I have taken care that the 
young plants have not been "drawn,” while they 
have been properly shaded from bright sun. Ger¬ 
mania and Uriah Pike have done fairly well so far, 
but the mixed lot are nearly all dead. The stalks 
seem to shrivel up and fall over. What is the cause 
of this. They certainly have the appearance of 
having been prematurely exposed to bright sunlight, 
but that is not the case. They have been kept 
moist, too.— fas. Barthewan. 
The circumstances seem peculiar ! The fact of 
the Uriah Pike and Germania (ihe latter a weak 
grower too) having escaped, while the "mixed” 
ones have died, would seem to point to a special 
disease, probably, fungoid, to the attack of which the 
“ mixed ” plants are liable. You do not say whether 
the seedlings have been potted off yet. If not it 
would be a good plan to do this at once. Do not 
over-water. Vigorous Carnations will take a lot of 
water, but do not like it stagnant about their roots. 
Perhaps the seed box was not properly drained. If 
you will forward speoimms of the diseased plants it 
would give us an opportunity of speaking with 
greater certainty, as the facts you have given are not 
sufficient to serve as a guide. 
Hydrangeas.—Two Hydrangeas ft. high, and 
in 6-in. pots have become infested with green fly, 
and the leaves are coated over with a gummy sub¬ 
stance, and are beginning to fall off. One of the 
plants is in bloom. Both of the plants appear to 
have been 11 fed ” before they came into my posses¬ 
sion, but since I have had them I have given them 
nothing but pure water. How should they be treated 
now ? would it do any good to shift them into larger 
pots?- 6-in. pots seem too small for plants of the 
size.— Jas. Barthewan , 
The first thing to do is to clean the plants of the 
green fly, and of the gummy excretions of the insects. 
Sponge with a weak solution of Tobacco water, Fir 
Tree Oil, or any other good insecticide. The turn¬ 
ing yellow and falling off of the leaves are due to 
two causes ; first, the gummy coating which stops 
up the pores and prevents the leaves from properly 
discharging their functions; secondly, the lack of 
nutriment. Some first-class heads of flower can be 
obtained from plants in 6-in. pots, but feeding must 
be liberal. Such Hydrangeas will take large quan¬ 
tities of manure water. Try liquid cow manure 
with a little soot mixed. An occasional sprinkling 
with Clay’s Fertilizer, or a dose of Guano is also 
good. As the plants are coming into flower it is too 
late to. think of potting them on now. The old 
plants may be shifted on after flowering is over if 
desired, but we prefer the plan of striking cuttings 
annually in August. 
Yines.—I have a young Vine, the young growth of 
which is very much infested with small transparent 
globe-like things. Will you kindly tell me what 
they are and how to get rid of them ?— Amateur. 
The globules are excretions made by the Vines 
themselves, and are thus perfectly harmless. You 
will notice them more particularly on old Vines. 
The sample shoot enclosed also bore traces of green 
fly. You must keep a bright look out for this, and 
dust with Tobacco powder as soon as the slightest 
traces are discovered. If the fly is very prevalent ai 
light fumigation with XLAU may be necessary,, 
but great care must then be taken not to make th& 
application too heavy. 
Grapes Scalding.—I enclose some berries of 
Muscat of Alexandria Grape, which are disfigured 
by spots. The greater part of the bunches have a 
few of these spotted berries. What is the cause? 
and will these berries ripen ? — J. G. B. 
The berries are badly scalded, and may as well be 
cut away at once as they will not ripen. Scalding 
is cause by imperfect ventilation in the mornings 
when the berries and leaves are covered with 
moisture, which has been deposited on them during 
the night owing to the fall in the temperature. 
Scalding of the berries is thus caused in the same 
way as scorching of the leaves and the preventive 
measures, for there is no cure, are the same, viz., to 
keep the night temperature from falling too low, and 
to give air freely and early in the morning. Muscat 
of Alexandria is one of the varieties most liable to 
scalding. 
Tree Carnations.— McD .—The Carnations will 
do very well out-of-doors during the summer months 
and up to the end of September ; indeed, they do 
better out-of-doors now than they do under glass. 
Tomatos. — Will Tomatos do in the open without 
the support of a wall? I have a plot of ground 
which gets the full benefit of the sun, but there is no 
wall.— T. Winion. 
You may plant the Tomatos pretty closely, giving 
a stout stake to each. Take the plants up with a 
single stem, and pinch out all laterals. The top 
may be taken out when the plants have reached a 
height of four or five feet. Four feet will be quite 
high enough if they are bearing a decent crop of 
fruit. If the season proves a fairly bright and sunny 
one you ought to secure a good lot of Tomatos, but 
