THE GARDENING WORLD 
137 
October 28 , 1899. 
post of any humic soil, then put the pots or boxes 
into a pit, house, or other place, whose light should 
be subdued, and which is maintained at a temper¬ 
ature of 70° to 75 0 Fahr., with abundance of mois¬ 
ture above and below. 
potted has yet to be determined. The plant evi¬ 
dently likes full exposure to sun and air.” Standard 
plants would be very acceptable to the sub-tropical 
bedder. 
———- 
-- 
THE THORN APPLE. 
(Datura Stramonium ) 
When well grown this is a very oinamental and 
striking plant. The big, dull, green, neatly cut 
leaves and curious Horse Chestnut-like fruit ren¬ 
der it of more than usual interest. Although hardly 
recognised as a native plant, yet the Thorn Apple 
has become quite naturalised in various parts of 
England. In the old gravel pit in Greenwich Park 
it has been known for fully half a century, and cer¬ 
tainly nowhere else have we seen it growing in such 
rank profusion as amongst the decayed and decay¬ 
ing vegetable matter that has from time to time been 
deposited in this pit. 
As will be seen from the illustration the plants are 
of giant proportions, individual specimens standing 
between 4 ft. and 5 ft. high, and often being 7 ft. or 
8 ft. in diameter of branch-spread. 
THE LATE DROUGHT AND ITS EFFECTS 
ON VEGETABLES. 
As we all know, a trying summer such as we have 
just experienced plays sad havoc on the vegetable 
quarters, especially where the soil is light, or shal¬ 
low with a gravelly subsoil; but happy are they who 
have a good supply of water and strength to put it 
on. In such cases they have been able to alleviate 
the distress to some degree and kept things from a 
total collapse. Some people condemn this artificial 
watering, and even go as far as to say it does more 
harm than good, but I am not of their way of think¬ 
ing, as experience has taught me that if I omit to 
make a friend of the watering can or hose utter 
failure would follow with many of my crops. For 
instance, do we condemn a nice shower of rain, how¬ 
ever light, and say such has done more harm than 
good ? I readily admit that rain is far more bene¬ 
ficial than the hose, but the latter we can use when 
Celery, Peas, Beans, Lettuce, Turnips, &c , things 
that very soon collapse if they lack for want of 
moisture. Turnips were at a minimum during June, 
July, and August. Broad Beans filled up well 
though not watered once, but the rows were on the 
flat and had a deep root run. Early Peas were very 
good as well as the next sowing or so, but the mid¬ 
season's supply fell short owing to the attack of the 
yellow thrip ; but later crops escaped this enemy 
here at any rate, so that we have been able to gather 
two or three times a week up to October 7th, the 
varieties being St. Duthus and Autocrat, two really 
good Peas for late use, and the quality superb. Here 
I must give those enemies of mine (pardon me, Mr. 
Editor) a lasting kick for this season. Those small 
birds, the tits, served them cruelly; in fact, I had to 
net four long rows or they would have cleared the 
lot as fast as they formed. 
Early Potatos were a fair good crop. Beauty of 
Hebron turned out the best; later crops in the field 
were rather small, but there was comparatively no 
disease, White Elephant being the most remunera¬ 
tive, a kind that is marketed around here more than 
any other two varieties put together. Onions are a 
good even crop and were well harvested. Carrots, 
The beautifully cut leaves are well re-produced, but 
the fruit, which is produced in great plenty, is not 
so readily detected. Every Apple is about the size 
of the Horse Chestnut fruit, but far more prickly. 
At eight o'clcck in the evening is the time to see the 
pure white Convolvulus-like flowers, which, however, 
are quite ephemeral as regards lasting properties. 
For planting in masses on a wild bank or in the 
woodland the Thorn Apple will lend itself admirably, 
but it wants a good depth of rich soil in order to 
attain to greatest perfection. The whole plant is 
narcotic and stimulant, and should not be placed 
within the reach of children. To Mr. Gillerrome, 
of Torquay, we are indebted for the photo from 
which this illustration was made.— A. D. Webster. 
Acalypha Sanderi.—We were recently asked 
’whether this plant would do out-of-doors in England 
during summer. Given such a summer as this last 
:bas been we see no reason why it should not. It 
does not like a moist muggy atmosphere, else the 
"tails” damp off. In an American paper we note 
'that " plants of Acalypha Sanderi in the open ground 
have made better growth than those under glass. 
How these plants will thrive when taken up and 
The Thorn Apple (Datura Stramonium). 
we like (if we )have a supply of water), but the 
former we have to patiently wait for day after day, 
and week after week, and I was going to say months ; 
but it is not the daily use of the water can or hose 
that is required but a thorough good soaking when 
at all taken in hand. To give an instance, I should 
have had no Sprouts, autumn Cauliflower, Broccoli, 
Savoys, &c., worthy of the name had I not well 
soaked the seed beds and the plants after beiDg put 
out in their quarters, and one more watering after 
this put them right. 
At the same time we hear others say, Oh ! it is no 
use planting before the rain comes. This delay 
often means puny plants, when a little severe 
weather sets in and ends in destroying probably 
quite half of your stock. Mulching no doubt is a 
great help in preserving the moisture after watering, 
where good manure can be had, though I practise 
very little in this way. I did it a couple of summers, 
but owing to the continued drought nothing but 
comparatively dry straw or leaves could be found for 
the purpose; and this the birds constantly kept 
scratching all over the place, except where it was 
wanted, so that I gave it up in disgust and now rely 
on a good soaking twice a week on such things as 
Parsnips, and Beet all grew away quickly and as far 
as I can see formed very usable roots. These will 
soon be taken under cover, except the last crop of 
Carrots sown at the end of July. These, now, are 
like eating melted butter when nicely cooked. Cauli¬ 
flowers during June and July were poor, the weather 
being far too scorching for them. The Autumn 
Giant proved better, and began to come in very use¬ 
ful early in August, and now excellent heads are be¬ 
ing cut almost daily. Runner Beans have served us 
well, and we are still gathering. We do not grow 
many dwarfs, which want to be gathered daily or 
they soon get stringy. Lettuces again were any¬ 
thing but good in the open. I happened to have a 
couple of long rows close against a row of espalier 
Apples, and these did not suffer here so much and 
were most welcome Celery grew away fine, quite 
the reverse of last year ; but I put out the plants very 
much smaller this year, and this I think had a lot to 
do with it, not feeling the removal nearly as much as 
taller and bigger plants would have done. Sprouts 
are very late with me though I put them out early 
during the hottest months, and in fact they are now 
smothered with the white fly, like those that some¬ 
times attack Tomatos, they are also on some planta- 
