408 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 24, 1900. 
INTS FOR MMATEURS. 
Chrysanthemums.—Those that have been potted 
are making slow but steady progress. The damp 
weather is all against the amateur. Still, by very 
careful watering, stout growing plants, free from any 
dread of their damping off, can be raised. Keep 
them rather on the dry side so long as dull cold 
weather continues. A position as heretofore stated, 
i.e., on a well-lighted shelf in a cool house, will 
answer for them until a further period. Cuttings 
now in the boxes must regularly be looked over. 
Any plants found to be damping off (the work of a 
fungus allied to the fungus causing Potato disease), 
should be removed, and the mould as carefully as 
possible cleaned off. Stir up the surface very lightly. 
Do not wait until all are rooted before potting up 
those which may be advanced in this respect. Lift 
when ready. Keep the glass which is over the tops 
of the boxes regularly turned, wiping each surface 
when doiDg so. 
Cineraries — Cinerarias of many kinds are in 
bloom now, or will soon be brilliant. 
In writing the preceding sentence, it occurred to 
me that “many kinds 11 was indefinite, and perhaps 
not just. Of Cinerarias, we have many kinds 
(species) which are very unlike, and among those 
flowering now, on the whole there is a considerable 
diversity of strains. The types found ia the green¬ 
house have been developed by the old florists from 
C. cruenta, a species brought 123 years ago from the 
climatically favoured Canary Islands. Recently the 
very dwarfest forms, dumpy little things, were more 
vaunted as serviceable greenhouse decorative plants 
than the looser growing taller kinds. For the 
amateur with small space, when grown hard and 
confined to small pots, say 5-io., they have much 
merit. Otherwise for bold show and massy effect, 
the taller growing strain^, whose loose habit has 
been repaired, are qu'te recommendable. Going a 
step further we have Sutton’s Cineraria stellata, now 
becoming known as the Star Cinerarias, which are 
perfect embodiments of aesthet’c exaction. The 
plants grow 2 ft. or more in height, branching out 
into a great umbrella of starry blossoms in many 
colours Then fiom the Royal Ga-dens, Kew, we 
hear of quite a distirct so-cal'ed Cineraria, named 
C. kihmandscharica — a jaw breaking name ! Seeds 
of it were sent to Kew by a late Kewite from Mount 
K limanjaro, British Central Africa. The flowers are 
small, starry, bright yellow (eow for crosses with the 
multi-coloured C. cruenta progeny !) and the foliage 
is kidney-shaped, smooth, dentate round the margin, 
of no great s : ze (about i£ in. either way), irregularly 
borne from twisting stems, which point to the plant 
as being naturally of scandent propensities. But all 
this I have been tempted to say, and did not mean to. 
As we have found out so much, let me in a sentence 
conclude with a notice of other Cinerarias We 
have C. maritim3, the comparatively well-known 
gray-leaved edging plant of our summer gardens. 
(The name Cineraria is derived from the La in 
cinerea, meaning ash-coloured, suggested by the gray- 
down upon the foliage, which is so strikingly seen in 
C. marit ma). The double Cinerarias are not so 
common, neither should they be. They result also 
from C. cruenta. One other species at least, is a 
greenhouse evergreen shrub ; and hardy herbaceous, 
perennial Cinerarias could also be named. The 
greenhouse Cinerarias about to flower, if in small 
pots, should certainly have artificial manure feed¬ 
ings, such as Canary Guano. 
Cyclamens.—Few remarks nerd he made about the 
young batches of these. The warnings repeatedly 
given to be critical in waterings must again be pre¬ 
sented. Dip the plants in a solution of tobacco on 
the appearance of green flies, black flies, or thrips. 
So far these should not be showing. A light posi¬ 
tion upon a shelf in a warm greenhouse is the place 
for them 
Petunias may be sown at this time. They will 
come in for conservatory decoration in summer. 
For bedding purposes a later sowing will be in goad 
time. YouDg Petunias grown from cuttings taken 
last month need the ordinary attention of all soft- 
wooded plants at this time. Plants in an advanced 
stage, from cuttings put in during last autumn, must 
not be left unsupported. Thin out flowerless or 
weakly stems, and stake each of the remaining 
shoots. 
Tuberous Rooted Begonias.—Plants for an early 
display, say the middle and end of May, should now 
be growing apace, and demanding copious 
supplies of water. Newly potted plants must, of 
course, be more cautiously dealt with. Seeds should 
be sown now to provide young summer floweiing 
plants. 
Dahlias.—These very popular plants may readily 
be raised from seeds, but where old roots remain and 
an increased number of plants are wished for, the 
stock can be propagated from cuttings. Place the 
tubers in shallow boxes, covering them over with 
leaf mould, the boxes and contents then being placed 
in a vinery at work. Sufficient moisture to keep the 
leaf mould always damp must be given. The cut¬ 
tings should be taken off when they are a few inches 
long, with a heel, inserting them singly into thumb 
pots fi led with sandy soil. Water them well and 
plunge the little pots in a case having a brisk bottom 
heat. Whenever they are slightly rooted lift them 
on to the stage. 
Cockscombs.—Not everyone succeeds with these. 
Unless the growth develops evenly there is a great 
chance of this becoming monstrosities instead of 
symmetrical and beautifully curved combs. With 
this warning the amateur who has not proper con¬ 
venience—not much is demanded—or time to attend 
to his plants , might well leave alone the Celosia 
cristata. The pyramidal Celosias are even more 
lovely, though, of course, so different in habit that it 
becomes ludicrous almost to compare the two. 
Obtain in the first instance good seeds from a 
reputed firm. Sow the seeds thinly on the surface 
of a well prepared, sweet, friable loam compost, and 
place the pans in a brisk heat. So soon as the seed¬ 
lings develop their small cotyledons transfer them to 
very small pots. From thence onward it but remains 
to very carefully shift the plants to larger pots. Do 
not overdo this business. It requires some experi¬ 
ence to thoroughly judge the proper time to shift, 
how large the shift should be, and when to stop 
giving shifts. A 5 in. or 6 in. pot is generally large 
enough. Well grown plants should have foliage 
completely to the bottom of the axis, and by small 
shifts, and feeding when the comb is developing, the 
leaves may be retained. In summer time a heated 
frame, cr at least heated to start with, should be 
given the young plants. Shade from bright sun¬ 
shine, and ventilate the frame when a temperature of 
over 70° is attained. The plants like a steamy, 
warm atmosphere, and a half shaded condition of 
light. 
Celosia pyramidalis may be treated much in the 
same way as its sister f lint, in the earlier stages. 
Fro n about May, however, the plants should be 
gradually inured to colder conditions until by the 
middle of June they may be planted out of doors. 
A very rich and deep soil produces capital plants. 
Yallota purpurea —Look over the stock of these 
and pot up any whose roots already crowd their 
present pots. A rather solid but well-drained com¬ 
post is what good bulbs enjoy. Give them water in 
abundance when established. 
The fruit houses—Amateur gardeners do not as a 
rule trouble to force Vines, Peaches, or Figs. Still, 
where fruit may be made a special hobby, its forcing 
may well be attempted. Instartingahouse.be 
patient. Do not close up the house and immediately 
rush on heat. Merely shut the house. In about 
ten days, raise the temperature from 5 0 to io°. In 
another ten days, or possibly a fortnight, again raise 
the temperature, all the while using the syringe and 
tepid water to moisten the trees. An ultimate tem¬ 
perature of 50° at night, up to 70° or more, with 
sun heat during the day, should be maintained. It 
is most important to let the temperature well down 
for the night growth. The young stems and leaves 
are busy all day loDg in elaborating starch and other 
carbohydrates, and more complex compounds, 
which, during the dark hours of night, are proved to 
be deposited for the increased development of the 
existing structures. So that if we wish stout and 
fruitful wood we must adapt the conditions fcr that 
end All the paths, the borders, and below the hot 
water pipes especially, water must be constantly 
dewed. The evaporating troughs require to be kept 
full, the presence of liquid manure being a benefit 
in so far that the ammonia which escapes therefrom, 
if it does not aid the foliage, at least in a measure it 
prevents the swarming of red spider. The shoots 
must be thinned out, pinched, and tied down slightly. 
Water the borders frequently. Late houses may now 
be started. 
Miscellaneous work.—Sow seeds of Show and 
Alpine Auriculas in shallow pans, placing these in a 
warm pit. So soon as they germinate, remove the pans 
to a cooler house. The seeds do not all germinate to¬ 
gether, so that undue haste or impatience must not 
be shown. Fuschias now in growth must be atten¬ 
ded to. Old plants which are yielding cuttings at 
the present time may be potted soon, and grown on 
fcr a while in a warm vinery. Phlox Drummondi 
may be sown. Outdoor operations for the present 
are checked.— Beacon. 
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 
ti 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. 
Drought resisting Shrubs, &c. — J. M. : If only 
two or three names of really suitable plants for 
planting under trees are wanted, we give St. John’s 
Wort (Hypericum calycinum), Butcher's Broom 
(Ruscus aculeatus), planted close; the Gorse (Ulex 
europaea), Euonymus radicans variegatus, and the 
common Ivy, Hedera Helix. 
Tea Roses for Indoors.— Rosavian: Souvenir d'un 
Ami, a floe pink; Marie Van Houtte, rosy-yellow; 
Maman Cochet,*carmine ; Mdme. Falcot, yellow ; 
Mdme. Bravy, white; and Mdme. Cusin, violet-rose. 
We do not think Austrian Copper would be suitable 
for a tall trellis. As an unsupported, free-growing 
bush in a sheltered dell it is most pleasing. 
Carnations for Borders.— Gtower : The prices 
vary considerably. You can get good plants at 4d. 
each, this including carriage if ordered from a 
distance. 
Sowing Annuals.— M. Shaw : You will be in good 
time next month. Hints on the sowing of annuals 
will duly appear. 
Pentstemons.— J. Biddulph : Do not for yet a 
while cut down the dead shoots, they protect the 
young basal suckers. Fern fronds, we may add, 
need not be cleared off yet. You may, by being 
careful, divide the old Pentstemon plants, but seeds 
or cuttings, would be simple and certain to yield a 
stock in ample time for planting out. 
Handsome Ferns for Supplying Fronds .—J V , 
Kenn’lworth : Adiantum cuneatum, universally known; 
A. Veitchii, stout and dark green ; A. formosum, 
long fioads, quiie distinct from the commonly 
regarded Maidenhairs ; A Bausei, A. Williamsii, A. 
tenerum and A. trapez forme, for heavier decorations. 
Then we have Polypodiums such as P. attenuatum, 
P. aureum and P. macrurum, the latter throwing out 
long leaf bl ides which are variously twisted but 
entire. Davallia solida and some of its varieties, 
toge her wit a Davallia hirta cristata, Acrosticbum 
standees and Nephrolepis davalloides cristata, 
further enlarge the selection. These are all for a 
warm stove. Pteris tremula, P. serrulata and 
Gleichenia longissima may be added from the cool 
house. 
Garden Edgings.— R. F., Donnybrook : Stone, 
brick or tile edges are preferable for a kitchen gar¬ 
den. Set a line along the edge and take out a 
“straight-backed” trench. Lay in the tiles and 
stones (which should be long and narrow) a few 
inches deep and make the sides firm. Box-edging, 
that is, Box plants or Buxus, form a very prelty 
edging to the more ornamental parts of the garden. 
Still, it is expensive to buy, costing about is. a yard, 
and has a nasty habit of dying out, leaving blanks. 
A poor soil is more to its advantage than a rich one. 
Grass edgiogs are suitable for matching the opposite 
side of a walk or drive bounded by lawns. The 
blue-flowered Periwinkle (Vinca minor) and Euony¬ 
mus radicans variegatus on dry soils are capitally 
adapted. 
Pruning Clematis montana.— IV. Tally , Hants.: 
As th ; s pretty and hardy climber does not tloom till 
early summer and throws out more or less from the 
young wood and current shoots, you would do well 
to prune back now, the weather being mild. This 
and other Clematises break freely from the bare 
shoots. 
