THE GARDENING WORLD. 
759 
July 31, 1897. 
five genera, 346 species and thirty-one varieties. 
The total of these amounted to 1,018 genera, 4,695 
species and 359 varieties. Any private collector and 
owner might well feel proud of such a collection. 
By way of comparison it may be stated that the famous 
Hortus DonaUnsis, as enumerated by Planchon, con¬ 
tained 2,000 species; and Hortus Thenensis 
contained 2,753 species. 
Amongst other things we note that Boissier 
cultivated 157 species of Ranunculaceae, 100 species 
of Crucifers, 160 species of Rosaceae, 138 of Saxi- 
fragaceae, 14 r of Crassulaceae, 250 of Cac taceae, 7 72 of 
Orchids, 139 of Irideae, and large numbers of various 
other families. The list of Orchids is marvellous for 
a private establishment. 
The book runs to 572 pages, including a good 
index of all the generic names and synonyms. In 
the body of the work the natural system of arrange¬ 
ment is followed. Here we have not merely a list of 
names, but the authorities for the same, references 
to works in which the species are correctly figured, 
synonyms, the countries in which they are found in 
a wild state, and the duration of the plant. Great 
care has been taken to establish the correct names 
by referring to the original descriptions, so that the 
oldest nomenclature might have the right of priority. 
The Hortus Boissierianus will therefore constitute a 
valuable book of reference to botanists as well as 
others; and will find a place in libraries by the side 
of botanical treatises, monographs, and other works 
of reference. To refer to the original descriptions of 
each of the 5,000 species and varieties is in itself a 
work of considerable magnitude. Only the renowned 
name of Boissier could have induced anyone to work 
out a catalogue and book of reference on such a scale 
as the work under notice. 
A photograph of Boissier forms the frontispiece, 
and this is followed by two others of the plant wall 
at Valleyres, and Saxifraga Kotschyi, respectively. 
The last was a grand piece in full bloom, cultivated 
in a cranny of the wall at Valleyres. A vast number 
of the species mentioned are cultivated in this 
country, so that the book should be valuable to 
gardeners as well as botanists for the purpose of 
referring to the correct name and spelling. 
■*« 
Pits and Frames. 
Cinerarias.— The earliest plants should now be 
shifted into their flowering pots. The size of these 
will depend, of course, upon the size and strength of 
the plants themselves. Fair sized specimens may be 
grown in 6-in. pots, but the 7 in. or 8 in. size may 
well be given where larger plants are required. For 
this final potting the soil should be rougher than 
that given in preceding stages, and may be fairly 
substantial. Mellow turfy loam should be the 
staple. Two thirds of this together with one third 
of leaf soil and dried cow manure together, and a 
liberal addition of road scrapings, or river sand, will 
answer very well. Soil from an old Melon bed with 
a little further addition of leaf mould does very well, 
and is easily procurable. The only difficulty in 
making the soil too rich is that it conduces to over 
gross growth, and this is not what is required. A 
little coddling may be required for a week or ten 
days after potting. The frame should be kept fairly 
close and well shaded, whilst the syringe should be 
drawn lightly over the foliage twice or thrice a day. 
Watering must be carefully looked after, since it is 
important that the plants should not be over-watered 
at this time. Once over the check of potting, the 
plants will be all the better for more vigorous treat¬ 
ment. Some growers adopt the plan, and with 
excellent results, be it said, of putting the plants right 
out of doors during August and the early part of 
September. Without going the length of this, how¬ 
ever, it is possible to obtain stocky vigorous plants by 
giving plenty of air, and by attending to thinning 
out and giving the plants more room as growth calls 
for it. 
The later plants may be subjected to similar open 
treatment, but in all cases shade from the hot sun is 
necessary, for the sun much distresses the poor 
plants. The cultivator must have both eyes open 
for green fly and mildew if he is not to register any 
losses or failures by reason of their influences. 
Herbaceous Calceolarias.— If very late plants 
are desired, a sowing may be made now to form a 
succession to the June sowing. The plants resulting 
from the latter sowing are now large enough to be 
potted off singly into small 60-sized pots Equal 
parts of loam and leaf soil with a good sprinkling of 
silver sand will make a good potting compost. Keep 
the plants cool and shaded, and as in the case of the 
Cinerarias watch for green fly. 
Chrysanthemums.— The earliest potted plants 
have now about filled their pots with roots, and 
watering will become day by day an increasingly 
heavy item as long as the summer weather lasts. 
With so much strain upon the plants some manurial 
stimulants will soon be necessary. Perhaps the 
great danger in modern Chrysanthemum culture is 
the fondness for applying chemical manures. This 
is often done to excess, and the object of their 
application in a measure defeated. At the first 
stimulants should be given very charily. A weak 
solution of soot water is a capital thing. The great 
point is to obtain it free from sediment, and as such 
a solution, although not very highly coloured is very 
strong, only sufficient of it to colour the water slightly 
should be given. Cow manure, deer or sheep 
droppings are all good, the only objection being that 
it is necessary to soak them in a tub of water, the 
the smell from which is not agreeable to all. Such 
chemical manures as guano, Clay’s Fertilizer, and 
Thomson’s may likewise be given occasionally, 
timing their application so that a constant change of 
diet is afforded. 
Syringing the plants over on the evenings of hot 
days proves of the utmost benefit to them. Some 
cultivators advise syringing with a little soot water 
as a means of keeping away aphides. If this plan 
is adopted see that no sediment whatever is left in 
the water, otherwise the deposit that will be made 
upon the leaves will stop up their pores and be in 
reality worse than that the soot water is used to 
prevent. 
Late Struck Cuttings. — Small plants in large 
6o-pots are much in request for indoor decoration 
during the late autumn and early winter months. 
These may easily be obtained by striking the tops of 
growing plants four in a large 6o-pot. Put them in 
a cold frame, cover them with a handlight, and keep 
them shaded and syringed, when they will soon root. 
With so many young crops just planted from the 
seed beds, particular attention must be given to 
watering, and getting them established as quickly as 
possible. Showery weather at this season is often 
deceptive, as only the surface gets moistened, and 
little permanent good is done unless assistance is 
given to c arry the moisture down to the roots by 
additional supplies from the water pot. Where 
“clubbing” is prevalent among the Brassicas, a 
strong dose—2 oz. to a gallon of water—of sulphate 
of ammonia will do much good in checking the 
disease and strengthening the plants Common salt 
also is very useful for the same purpose when applied 
in moderate quantity. 
Late Peas. — The excessive heat has been trying 
for this crop, and liberal treatment will be needed to 
maintain the plants in a spring-like vigour of growth. 
Under these circumstances it is essential to keep a 
steady moisture about the roots, and an occasional 
watering with blood manure, nitrate of soda, soot, 
and other soluble manures will do much good at 
this season, in preventing the plants getting 
into a stunted condition Where house room can be 
given in autumn, a few dozen pots—48's—may be sown 
at the present time to give a late supply. When well 
rooted these can be potted into 10 or 12 in. pots, 
using good rough material, principally composed of 
fibrous loam and decayed manure. Select for this 
sowing one of the best cropping dwarf Marrowfats 
not exceeding 3 ft. high. 
French Beans — To keep up the supply of these 
until late autumn, a few lights of framing should be 
sown with Ne Plus Ultra or other approved kind. If 
a pit containing a flow and return pipe can be devoted 
to this purpose, I would advise sowing it with 
Canadian Wonder or Magnum Bonum, as these are 
more perpetual bearers than the other kinds. After 
sowing keep the plants dwarf and sturdy until the 
season comes for protecting them from cold and 
sudden changes of weather. 
Celery.— The earliest crop should now be well- 
advanced in growth and a favourable opportunity 
should be taken to earth it up. Previous to this 
being done all suckers must be removed from the 
collars of the plants, and a thorough soaking of water 
given to the roots. Commence with a good base on 
which to build ; and the soil for filling in the centre 
and round the plants should be well-pulverised, and 
a little fresh lime blended with it will give clean 
heads. Late crops must be encouraged with liberal 
supplies of liquid manure and mulchings to keep the 
plants in free growth. 
Onions. —Crops planted from the autumn-sown 
seed beds will now have attained full size and may 
be lifted and ripened before they commence running 
to seed. These bulbs if stored in a dry, cool place 
will keep up the supply for some time to come. The 
spring-sown crop will require attention at this season 
to prevent premature ripening. On good deeply- 
worked land there is not much danger, but on thin 
shallow soils a check soon occurs unless the beds are 
kept well-watered with some good stimulant. 
Spinach.—A good breadth of the summer kind 
should be got in at this season. A sheltered and 
sunny position should be selected for this sowing to 
get the advantage of all the warmth possible during 
the autumn months. Preparation should also now 
be made in selecting a position for the winter crop ; 
and in thoroughly working the ground at least 18 ins. 
deep. At the same time a good dressing of fresh 
lime and scot will act beneficially on the land, des¬ 
troy grubs, and stimulate the plants into quick 
growth.— J. R. 
«t»- 
TUb Orcfiifl Browers’ Calendar- 
Water. —It is only when we have a spell of dry 
weather that we think of making provision for stor¬ 
ing the superfluous water that runs through the 
waste pipe during the heavy rains of winter and 
early spring. The value of rain water for Orchids 
cannot be over-estimated. Without it the moss 
refuses to grow and the plants rarely do so well, 
Some of us are at our wits end to know what to do 
during the continued drought. True, if the tanks in 
the houses are filled up from the main from day to 
day it gets softened a bit, but not so much as it 
would if exposed to the sun out in the open. For 
watering special things and seedling Orchids, we 
have a large tub out-doors fully exposed to the sun's 
rays. This is filled up every evening with clear 
water. At noon on the following day it is quite 
warm and soft, and may be used as stated above. 
On dull days it would not get soft so quickly, but 
then the plants would not dry up so soon, and in 
consequence require less or no watering. 
East India House. —Should there be a scarcity 
of water for use in this division it is best to let it 
stand in cans or tubs in the house a few hours before 
using it, either for watering direct or syringing 
purposes. 
Cattleya House. —There is not much in flower 
just now so that the syringe can be kept freely going 
morning and evening, amongst and over the heads of 
the plants, but see that too much does not lodge in 
the heart of the new growths of such as C. gigas, C. 
aurea, &c. 
Laelia crispa.— This a good free-flowering sum¬ 
mer Laelia, but one that somehow or other is not 
always found in the best of health. We find it does 
best when given plenty of root room and well 
elevated above the rim of the pot. The potting 
compost, too, must be of the very best, and not pressed 
down too tightly. This allows the water to pass 
freely away, and the air to get at the roots. 
Cattleya guttata Leopoldii, C. schofieldiana 
and C. Harrisoniae are summer-flowering examples 
of the tall growing section, They all enjoy a light 
airy position on the middle of the centre stage. In 
potting keep the plants well up and make them firm 
by placing neat stakes to each. This admits of the 
compost being placed somewhat loosely about them 
Cool House.— The pretty Cocblioda noetzliana, 
just now in flower, is certainly a great acquisition to 
our cool house Orchids. It very much resembles 
“ Me o pinidium,” and requires the same treatmen*. 
It is best grown in hanging pans in a compost of 
peat and moss in equal parts. It requires copious 
supplies of water at the root when growing, and at 
no time should it be allowed to shrivel for the want 
of it.— C. 
