56 
TH E GARDENING WO RLD September 28, 1899, 
JflNTS FOR ||mATEURS. 
The falling of Leaves.—May month opens out in 
a flash of green freshness. By the end of this month 
the season is rapidly declining, and in early October 
vegetation drops the worn and faded organisms 
whose vigour has spent itse'f, and which, now like 
the bodies of aged humanity, can no longer stay the 
tide of time. The semblance of the life of a leaf and 
the life of man correspond very closely, and is well 
proven in the weird old song beginning " What’s the 
life of maD, more than a leaf ? ” In the tropics, 
however, we are told of the constant monotony in 
the colour and appearance of vegetation. We no 
doubt picture the tropical forests as mightily en¬ 
larged conservatories. But we forget that in our 
home hot-houses only the very richest of the vegeta¬ 
tive treasures from many lands are collected. In the 
real tropical forests the flowers are usually small and 
few, the dense vegetation and great dark leaves of 
Palms and Bananas, &c., causing the under paths to 
be in perpetual deep gloom. The tropical forests 
only shed their branches or leaves when the " dry 
season ” is prolonged and severe. In our temperate 
lands our woods may be described as glorious in 
their diversity of tint. Indeed, when one thinks of 
it, we owe a great deal to the fact of having such 
widespread scenes around us and in having been 
nurtured under such surroundings. The falling of 
the leaves implies that the constituents within the 
leaf are not in a condition to survive the winter. 
With lessening heat and light the energies of the 
trees accumulate a debt which the actions of the 
leaves are not able to pay ofi. There is of course 
an expenditure as well as an income acconnt in all 
Nature. It comes about then, that the waste is 
greater than the supply. There are also reasons to be 
found in the different chemical charges which these 
conditions soon bring about, but which we need not 
here divulge. There is “ food ” in the leaf-albumen 
and carbohydrates. This cannot be lost without bad 
effects showing themselves ; therefore before the leaf 
actually falls, all these are carefully contracted down 
the stem and into the neighbour branches. When the 
green granules (chlorophyll) in the leaf have been 
removed they leave behind other smaller granules of a 
yellow tint. Anthocyanin is another substance left 
within the leaf and which, when combined in various 
proportions with yellow granules, it brings out the 
brown, orange, red, and colours of that nature which 
by the action of light, appear to us so manifold 
during autumn. 
The casting of the leaves is no real loss to the tree 
or plant. Indeed it is a gain, All they lose is a few 
useless yellow granules having a certain chemical 
formula of no direct use inside the plant, but ah ch 
by falling give at once to the root a proportion of 
much needed mineral matter For building up new 
structure with Calcium oxalate is also left behind in 
the leaf structure, and other things too, but they 
all are beneficial to the plant for sustaining and 
furthering the next season's growth. They all are 
needed to cause other combinations to form properly 
and easily in the leaf during the summer, but after 
the leaf fails, their need fails too. It is altogether 
an advantage to get rid of them. The rains and 
snows of winter can then have their full cleansing 
effect on the trees, and the defoliation is also neces¬ 
sary for the proper development of the new growth 
in spring. It is rather a significant fact that the ever¬ 
green trees of arctic regions where frosts and snow¬ 
storms are frequent, have generally needle-like leaves. 
Had they broad foliage like the deciduous trees, the 
result might be that they would break under the 
loads they would sometimes have to carry. In 
wet, tropical countries, leaves are flat, membran¬ 
eous, and broad with long stalks. They aim at 
having as large surfaces as possible. The epidermis 
of these leaves is thin and copiously supplied with 
stomata, and the two sides of the internal portion are 
unlike. Just below the surface of these leaves one 
finds on examination a certain depth of spongy, 
loose tissue, and so from their size shape and struc¬ 
ture the leaves of humid regions expose the greatest 
possible surface to the air. The advantage is obvi¬ 
ous. In our land, when the air becomes heated, 
the leaves find it necessary to give off some of their 
moisture. The process is termed transpiration and 
this really means perspiration The water in the 
leaves is of course not pure. It is laden with sub¬ 
stances in solution. The water acts only as a porter, 
to carry the food or real building matter to the leaf. 
Once it gets there it is quitted The light then acts 
upon the substances which have become thus concen¬ 
trated and “ elaborates them,” which again in 
simpler language means, that they are compounded 
and baked into proper building structure. The branch 
or twig upon which the leaves are placed, also helps 
in the process of casting the leaves. Just before the 
actual separation takes place there grows between 
the stalk and its point of union with the twig, a 
specially constructed triple layer of cells. It begins 
close to the stem part and spreads across between 
the firmer and older cells. These new cells are 
comparatively weaker, and so it happens that by the 
shaking back and forward, anij up and down by the 
wind, the cells soap from their insecure grip with the 
older cells, and down the leaves come. After frost, 
this fact is made clearer and may be accounted for 
by saying that the cells of the new layers have 
become ruptured and then collapsed with the 
thaw which follows. After the fail, a layer of cork- 
tissue forms over the wound. By the phenological 
statistics of Mr. Mawley, Berkhampstead, we should 
have a pretty fair idea of the order in which the var¬ 
ious trees defoliate. Even the branches of trees, as 
I have often noted, hold to a strict rotation of pre¬ 
cedence. The order of shedding is not dependent on 
the order of leafing. Ash trees and Beeches begin to 
shed their leaves at the top ; while Poplars and Wil¬ 
lows cast theirs from below upward. Limes and 
Acers are observed to shed pretty evenly. The 
reason for the non-shedding of evergreen leaves in 
winter, is largely due to the fact of their having 
gammy matter in them, and from their adaptability 
to formulate their internal matters to survive the 
winter vicissitudes. 
Present Work.—It is well to keep the hardy 
flower borders free from all dying plants and even 
yet the hoe may be beneficially used, for all the rain 
we have so far'had has gone no depth down. The 
beds and borders now occupied with summer bedding 
plants will soon be planted with winter and spring 
flowering stuff. Wallflowers are as hardy and beauti¬ 
ful plants as any one need wish to have around the 
home. Violas and Fcrget-me-nots also make a fine 
show in spring. Then bulbs are very cheap and 
easy to secure for decorative purposes. The annuals 
recently mentioned on this page will be through the 
ground now (if sown at the time hinted at) and these 
should be thinned and kept in active growth. Small 
plants of various hardy perennials may also be used. 
Many growers too use small Conifers grown for the 
purpose in pots and plunged out pretty deeply in the 
winter. If due care is taken there need be no loss of 
plants. In the plant houses cleansing operations 
will be undertaken. Camellias, Azaleas, Mrytles 
and Bays together with other plants of this nature 
had better be seen to before the weather becomes too 
risky. For these and America Aloes, any dry old 
shed or disused stable will be a fit place for them 
provided other accommodation be not at command. 
Plants in frames may soon need protection, or should 
altogether be taken into the greenhouse where heat 
is at the cultivator’s will. Crops out of doors must 
be gathered as they ripen. Ground and plots may 
be manured for digging in. Gas lime at the rate of 
or 2 tons per acre will do some good on land 
which has been infested with any pest. All old 
rubbish should be burned or,if it is of a decomposable 
character it will form good vegetable mould. The 
shade from houses away in the far north may be 
taken off.— Beacon. 
--*fa-— 
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. 
Dendrobium chrysanthum— J. Arnot, Darlington : 
As a rule the Orcbideae like a pure air. Our ideas 
of Darlington and the other great " black country ” 
cities are not such as would encourage amateurs to 
experiment with valuable Orchids. However, do 
your best. This beautiful Dendrobium, with its 
long, drcoping pseudo-bulbs, thrives pretty generally 
under basket culture. It flowers from the fresh 
young wood often before the leaves fall. Do not dry 
the roots much until the foliage does begin to wither, 
else you may fail to thoroughly ripen the “ shoots.” 
Only a short resting period is needed. When the 
plant begins to grow away again be very cautions 
not to hurry or overstrain the growth. As the 
weeks advance light and heat and moisture should 
be steadily increased. A maximum temperature 
during the early months of the year will be 68° or 
70°. A rough open compost of peat, turf, charcoal, 
crocks, and sphagnum suits it well. Grow it sus¬ 
pended near the glass. 
Annuals for a Dry Border.— Elsie, Brixton : You 
will find the following annuals to do well in dry 
places even in such seasons as we have just passed 
through. Nearly all the Sunflowers may be relied 
upon. Both the perennial and annual species seem 
to us to have loaded themselves with blooms and 
these of great brilliance too, in all sorts of places and 
different sites. The single new miniature species 
with clear yellow ray petals and a jet black disc, to¬ 
gether with the double Boule d’Or, and multiflorus 
plenus make exceptionally bright dry-season plants. 
French and African Marigolds are looked upon by 
some folks as common plants, but they make the 
borders cheery even though they are "common.’ 1 
The Snapdragons (Antirrhinums) do well on dry 
walls, let alone borders. Petunias, Coreopsis, 
Linarias, Nasturtiums, &c., are one and all, useful 
plants for you. 
Tomatos for Winter.—S. Ireland, Nottingham: 
Your query is rather late. If you really want to be 
successful in having a crop this winter and have not 
yet prepared plants for the purpose, the best thing 
you could do would be to take off a leading shoot 
of some of your present bearing plants and root it. 
Take it a good way down so as to have a decent 
plant to start with. Lateral shoots are also of use. 
Strike them in small pots filled with sandy soil in 
a warm pit. Do not allow them to become flaccid 
or drawn before removing them to cooler quarters. 
-Always pot the plants with a compost which has 
been warmed before use. And give them gradual 
shifts from a warm house to cooler ones until their 
winter quarters are settled upon. Very little air will 
be required during their growth, and heat must al¬ 
ways be kept in the pipes to maintain a temperature 
of about 6o°. By keeping the roots rather on the dry 
side the fruitiDg powers of the plants will be aided. 
Campanula pyramidalis — J. Sewer : For spring 
decoration very few things would suit you better 
than the blue of white varieties of Campanula 
pyramidalis. Of course if you wish to have a later 
or an earlier blooming batch of these plants you 
must just plan accordingly. Seeds may be sown in 
March for an autumn supply or in July for a spring 
batch. When they germinate prick them into boxes 
and when the boxes have become well filled, pot 
each plant separately into 4-in. pots. Grow them 
steadily on until a 6-in. shift has been given at which 
it will be pretty generally found they flower freely. 
Rich compost and not at all light either, answers in 
this respect. Their growing position should be light, 
cool and free. 
Lawn Poor.— J. Elder, St. Ives: Where lawns 
are worn out it either becomes a case of lifting and 
adding new surface compost before relaying, or of 
experimenting with top-dressings. We have before 
hinted at the advantage of allowing the grass (o 
grow from this time onward. It saves the great 
draining off of strength, and, having a rough coat 
the lawn can stand the winter all the better. Soot 
used alone, or a dressing of solid but fine loam, 
wood ashes, lime and natural manures, could be 
brushed in at different periods with much benefit. 
Turf can be laid from now till next April during 
mild weather. 
Planning a Small Back Garden.— A. L.: The 
facts are :—“ A small piece of ground lying to the 
south, oblong in shape, surrounded by a low wall.” 
Then in the first place clear away all the weeds and 
useless annuals. Do not bury them but clear them 
away. After this make a rough sketch cf a plan 
which would suit you. We should prefer to make a 
border with an irregular margin along the side of the 
east wall. You could help the effect of this by the 
use cf tree roots, large stones and a collection of 
