200 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 25, 1899. 
INTS FOR UMATEURS. 
Chrysanthemum Cuttings.—The culture of chrys¬ 
anthemum begins, may vve say, about November 
20th of one year, and ends on November igth, 
twelve months forward, in other words we are never 
free. At this season when every lover of flowers is 
enjoying the rich diversitv of the many shades which 
are to be found in the Chrysanthemum, we are yet 
busy, or about to be busy, in preparing for next 
year’s plants. Cuttings have to be secured, and 
most of these shall have to be put in between now 
and the first fortnight of the next year. Good culti¬ 
vators like to start well. Jockeys'depend almost en¬ 
tirely on a good start if the race, which they have 
before them, is to be laid to their credit. It is the 
same everywhere else and at everything else. “A 
work begun is half done ” is what we used to write 
in the school-boy copy books. " A sure foundation 
is the secret of success." These are two maxims 
quite applicable, because more or less with the same 
definition, as advice for the amateur or professional 
Chrysanthemist. Stout, firm, and not too lengthy 
base shoots, those around the stool of the plant, are 
what are wanted. Now, in regard to the conditions 
in which the cuttings are struck, almost as many 
~ strike their cuttings in a warm atmosphere—say 6o° 
— as those who prefer cold treatment. Speaking 
from experience heat may be recommended for the 
amateur who has not such constant leisure or pro¬ 
bably so great perception as to likes and dislikes of 
his pets. The process is also facilitated and the 
chances of damping off obviated from allowing a 
modicum of warmth. Long narrow boxes about g in. 
or one foot deep should be looked out, and thorough¬ 
ly crocked with clean pot chips or rough cinders. 
Above this spread the usual layer of rough leaves— 
half decayed—or oflumpy fibrous loam. Then the 
compost shouid be of the lightest description pos¬ 
sible, nearly all sand in fact. It should, however, 
only be shallow but firmly pressed. 
Making and Inserting the Cuttings.—Having 
made these preliminary preparations, the cuttings 
may then be sought out and made. Pull them away 
from as far down as possible, and after trimming off 
a few of the lower scales and leaves so as to secure 
about i in of clear stem, make a sharp transverse 
cut close below a joint or node Then the cutting 
may be said to be ready for insertion. Make a hole 
for its reception by means of a dibble or a pencil 
even. Make sure that the base of the cutting is firm 
and the soil around it likewise compact, the cuttings 
being about 2 in. apart. A watering from a very fine 
rosed can, using tepid water, should be given alter 
this. According to whether your boxes are on 
stages above hot-water pipes or on stages away from 
their influence will the necessity for frequent or only 
occasional waterings be regulated. Panes of glass 
ought to be stretched across the top of the boxes to 
prevent too rapid evaporation These must be 
turned once or twice during the day, certainly every 
morning at least. By constant attention for three 
weeks or more the care bestowed will be rewarded by 
seeing the plants starting to grow. Lift one or two 
to see in wha*-. condition the roots are. If these are 
thought to be numerous and long enough for the 
needs of the plants lift the batch carefully and pot 
them off into small thumb pois. Keep them still in 
a moderately warm house, placing them on a shelf 
near the glass. They should not be allowed to 
remain in a house whose temperature will excite 
growth too rapidly. An cccasional dewing of the 
foliage will add to its freshness and vitality; it will 
also obviate the need for so much watering. 
Solanums.—The berried Solanums are plants of 
much service in the amateur’s collection. They are 
highly ornamental during a large part of the dullest 
season, and they can be grown year after year with 
such ease that no one need be shy of attempting to 
rear or furnish a supply. Probably the best plan is 
to buy bushy plants, and after these have stood ser¬ 
vice through December and January to cut them 
back then and to start them in a cool greenhouse. 
The old balls of soil should be shaken out and re¬ 
potted in fresh material, water being sparingly given 
until summer growth is brisk. 
A Plea for Prunus.—The double flowering Plums 
of the species P. divaricata and P. triloba, though 
always admired and much praised when seen at 
their best in April, are just apt to be over¬ 
looked at this, the special and'proper planting season. 
Of course, from various causes or reasons would-be 
planters cannot always carry out their desires just at 
the proper time, and for them their reasons are 
sufficient. As already said, the species of Prunus are 
highly ornamental and graceful. Their long, arching 
sprays, thickly crowded with double white or pink 
flowers in view out upon a lawn are perfect in their 
loveliness. If they are planted in groups of twos and 
threes the preity effect is correspondingly increased. 
P. sinensis fl. pi , which may be found at times in 
pots for conservatory use, is still another variety 
whose charms may in all soundness be recom¬ 
mended. In all fairly well sheltered positions either 
of the species mentioned may be safely relied upon. 
Of course, where a wall can be given to them the in¬ 
creased floriferousness of the trees fully repays the 
consideration. P. triloba, it may be noted, flowers 
chiefly upon the young wood,so that an annual cutting 
out of old wood is almost necessary to allow the 
young shoots room for vigorous development. 
The purple foliaged P. Pissardi may also be in¬ 
cluded in the selection. When one comes to think 
of it, too, the words written lately by the Rev. Dean 
Hole are full of truth. " That we require, in our 
none too cheerful land, more bright foliaged shrubs 
to gladden us with their gaiety." The Golden Elder, 
the purple Berberis, and the Mahonia, B. Aquifolium, 
Negundo, and Acers, purple, copper, other Beeches, 
Cornus mas variegata, Hollies, and a few other 
things may here be included as a short list of shrubs 
with coloured foliage for present planting. 
The Rose Acacia.—Here also we have a superbly 
beautiful hardy flowering shrub. It is a native of 
some parts of North America, but to grow it to per¬ 
fection it ought to have a position on a wall in the 
north, though it is perfectly hardy in the south. 
This is not so much because of any need for shelter, 
but rather from the fact that unless the tree is un¬ 
usually well protected from high winds, it is very 
liable to snap many of its shoots, owitig to their ex¬ 
treme brittleness. It is, however, well worth its 
place. The long racemes of flowers are of a deep 
and distinct rose colour. 
The Making of Pergolas and Porches.— Through 
the winter when so many out-door improvements or 
alterations are generally effected, the operations of 
adding pergolas here and there as an adjunct to 
already existing objects, or for the wish of having an 
additional shaded and sheltered walk, and a means 
of giving support in a compact yet efficient manner 
to a variety of climbing plants, may be taken in hand 
at any time It is a good plan to choose a low wall 
as a means for establishing one side of the set of 
piers. Short piers or pillars of stones or bricks 
should rise from the top of the wall so as to support 
transverse beams at a height of about 8 ft. Pillars 
from the ground should be erected opposite those on 
the wall, and about 8 ft. wide from the said pillars. 
These can either be square, rounded, or angular, but 
when finished they should not be unpleasant or un¬ 
couth. They may even be plastered in a rough and 
ready way, and afterwards pointed with cement 
wash. Oak beams or beams of a wood whose lasting 
propetties are proven, ought to be fastened firmly 
across the top as supports from pier to pier. These 
need not necessarily be shaped, indeed, the natural 
boughs are much the more picturesque. It must be 
made a point to have them firm. Ampelopsis of 
various kinds ; Vines, Wistarias, Jasmines, Climbing 
Roses, Aristolochias and other things not excluding 
Currant trees, may be planted against the outside of 
the piers to be trained over the pergola as here 
described. 
Window Gardening.— Plants in the windows of 
dwelling houses are not haviDg a bad time of it at all. 
In many parts the foggy weather is certainly against 
their well-being, otherwise one cannot complain. An 
even and fairly warm temperature ought to be the aim 
of the window-gardener. They do not require much 
water at this season, but remarks on this heading 
have already been given. Do not expose them to the 
effect of injurious gases.— Beaccn. 
Carnation Shipments.—We note that Carnations 
have been proved to last and travel well in hermeti¬ 
cally sealed glass bottles. The statement is open to 
doubt, but the fact of a still air being maintained 
within the bottle must go a long way towards sav¬ 
ing the bloom from the withering effects of evapora¬ 
tion. 
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. 
Destruction of Ants and Woodlice. — 5 .: These 
troublesome little creatures are very difficult to 
eradicate, and persistent measures must be adopted if 
you wish to make a thorough clearance. Baits must 
be laid. Poisoned baits we must abrogate. Boiled 
bran and Potato flour atiract large numbers, and if 
small doses are placed about here and there among 
the pots or by the sides of walls at the parts they 
most frequent, they can be demolished wholesale by 
scalding them as they are found. This is really the 
most effectual cure. 
Liming the Soil. — J. Johnstone: The use of lime, 
pure and unslaked lime, is not so much lor any eradi- 
catory or suppressing effect it has on vermin as for its 
" correcting ” power, the power it possesses for 
transforming sour soils to a pure, fresh, and whole¬ 
some state. It neutralises the acrid and harmful 
acids. Such is the shortest explanation, and more 
need not be given here. Apply for the extinction of 
vermin, or at least as a suppressive agency, from one 
to three tons per acre of gas-lime, according as you 
think your land stands in need. Leave it exposed 
for some time before use. As a help to failing or 
over rich lands give about five tons per acre. We 
would bring to your attention Dyke’s essay on 
“ Manures and their Application." 
Begonia Gloire de Lorraine.— Stevens: We cer¬ 
tainly do not wonder at your enthusiasm after seeing 
a batch or rather " a glorious tide of jingling pink " 
of the above plant. You seem eager to start and 
grow plants right off, but you may have to wait 
till the flowering period is over in April before you 
secure cuttiugs. Notes upon its treatment have 
appeared in various of our issues. 
Thatching an Oat-house. — Amateur : We cannot 
claim to be adepts at such work as you are desirous 
of atiempting. We could strongly advise you to get 
a praciical man to do the work. By contract it 
should only cost you about a shilling per sq. yd. 
The straw or heather, whichever is to be used, must 
first be laid out in straight bundles. Unthrashed 
wheat straw is also recommended. This may be 
closely and firmly pegged down by means of wooden 
pegs and strong tar twine or wire. Begin at the 
bottom and work upward,feathering down each hand¬ 
ful so as to fill the interstices if any, of the lower 
levels As the work proceeds the whole should be 
lathened, cut and beaten to make a firm, and water¬ 
tight roofing. Roofing felt would be probably 
cheaper in the long run. 
Growing Winter Lettuces.— John Storm : It 
is hardly worth while, we think. Still if you have no 
better use for your frame, by all means set about 
preparing a bed. A mild hot bed is generally made 
by mixing leaves with fresh stable dung and treading 
these in firmly. One foot of soil should be placed 
over this and when it has become somewhat warmed 
the young p'.anls which must be sown at once or 
secured from some one, may then be put in. Water 
them with tepid water and keep the framesclosed for 
a fortnight. When the plants have caught root and 
are growing well ventilate the frames freely, though 
they must be kept well protected during bard 
weather. 
Planting Pansies.— Grower: Plant them now, in 
rich, light, open, and moist beds. 
Arnm Lilies. —Fred Donnigan : Properly they are 
natives of the British Central African tracts. By 
naturalisation in Great Britain they have become 
wonderously hardy. Your plants should flower in 
March or April if all goes well. We would not 
advise feeding them till the flower spikes show, 
unless they appear stunted. 
Primula obconica.— G. Drew, Salisbury : Practi¬ 
cally any time will do for the sowing of seeds. Nice 
little plants coming on now will flower next summer. 
Or a spring sowing, say in April, will furnish tidy 
plants for this time a year hence. One item be most 
