678 
June 23, 190C. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
Hollyhock disease is here, the plants beiDg the very 
picture of fine health.— Visitov. 
PHALAENOPSIS PLANTS FROM ROOTS. 
In reply to Argus’s question on the above subject, p. 
669, I believe it is a not uncommon thing for 
Phalaenopsis to develop young plants on their roots. 
It has been my experience to have seen this on one 
occasion. The plant in question was one in the col¬ 
lection of Holbrook Gaskell, Esq , Woolton Wood, 
Liverpool. It having lost its leaves developed a 
young plant on the apparently healthy roots. In 
William's Orchid Manual I read:— 11 These plants are 
difficult to propagate as they supply few oppor¬ 
tunities for division. To this rule, however, P. 
luddemanniana is an exception, as it produces young 
plants upon the flower scapes very freely. Some¬ 
times the other species also will produce young 
plants on the old flower stems, and we have seen P. 
stuartiana produce them upon its roots. When this 
happens they should be left on till well rooted, and 
then placed on small blocks.”— Orchid Grower. 
- r| .- 
NOTICE OF BOOK. 
Carnations and Picotees for Garden and 
Exhibition, with a Chapter Concerning Pinks. 
By H. W. Weguelin, F.R.H.S. London: 
George Newnes, Limited, Southampton Street, 
Strand, 1900. Price 3s. 6d. 
The author states in his preface that •' a new work 
concerning the Carnation needs no apology.' 
Although manuals have been written about it, many 
new varieties have been raised and new groups 
formed so that it is necessary to keep pace with the 
times. He describes the Carnation as a great garden 
flower, but has faults that raisers of the future must 
correct. Some of these faults, he says, are poor 
colours, split flowers, want of perfume, and weak 
constitution, all of which must be rectified, and in 
those points we agree. In recording the history of 
Pinks and Carnations, however, the author states 
that Mrs. Sinkins and Her Majesty Pinks originated 
by crossing Dianthus plumarius with D. Caro- 
phyllus ; but we must confess we fail to find evidence 
of the reputed hybrid. 
After giving the history of the Carnation Mr. 
Weguelin supplies chapters on the Carnation as a 
garden flower; the Carnation in town gardens; 
various groups of the Carnation ; Picotees ; some 
Carnations worth growing; Carnations in the Mid¬ 
lands, Ireland and Scotland ; exhibiting and dress¬ 
ing. After this come the ordinary routine of propa¬ 
gation, soil, potting, planting and other operations, 
which are so essential for the beginner to know. 
In dealing with the matter of propagation the 
author maintains that propagation by layers and 
cuttings are the only methods of keeping and 
increasing varieties true to name, the first method 
being the best for all general purposes. For mere 
garden decoration or to get large quantities of 
flowers in a great variety of colours there is no doubt 
that many gardeners and amateurs will find the 
raising of seedlings from a good strain a very useful 
plaD, because seedlings flower more freely than 
layers, and give a greater return of cut flowers for 
the labour expended. In the matter of layering he 
gives a very useful hint in the use of layering pins 
of two descriptions. At layering times especially if 
done early it often happens that many of the shoots 
are not long enough and oannot be layered without 
cutting down or injuring the flower stems. To 
obviate this one form of layering-pin is used for the 
first set, and "Sydenham’s layering-pins” for the 
second batch. Those first layered would be rooted 
in advance of the others and might be lifted in ad¬ 
vance of the others and without disturbing them. 
The ordinary plan of layering is illustrated for the 
guidance of beginners. 
In dealing with insect pests and diseases, the 
author also gives a useful hint of his experiences 
with the wireworm and the plan he adopted to get 
rid of the same. Trapping he found to be laborious 
and useless. His plan was equally laborious 
but successful, and therefore has much to recom¬ 
mend it. Every spit of the soil was carefully and 
deeply dug over and examined with scrupulous 
inspection, the wireworms being gathered and 
destroyed. This referred to new garden ground ; and 
if soil or turf is imported for Carnation growing the 
same plan of inspection before usiog it must be 
adopted. For greenfly the XL All fumigator is 
serviceable under glass; but in the open air he finds 
tobacco powder distributed upon each plant affected 
by means of a puff-ball arrangement the most 
effective. A mild dose of tobacco juice and soft soap 
may also be employed. To guard against spot 
under glass the author advises the grower to expose 
the plants to the full influence of light and air, and 
to keep the plants dust-dry from about the middle of 
December to the middle of February. This also is 
good advice and generally proves the best preventive 
to the malady. 
THE SHAMROCK. 
This little plant has no doubt risen a good deal in 
public favour of late, and as there is still a sort of 
supposition about it not growing in England, the 
following facts may help to dispel it. Enclosed is 
part of a small piece that was sent to us from Ire¬ 
land on St. Patrick’s Day for real Shamrock. 
Having small roots attached, it was potted into a 
60-sized pot and stood in a cold frame, where it soon 
began to show signs of growth, and by the end of 
April had filled the pot with roots, when it was 
planted out at the foot of a small rockery facing the 
north, but sheltered on every side by trees and 
buildings. The soil used for planting was shaken 
from the old Chrysanthemum stools. When first 
potted it scarcely reached the sides of the 6o-pot ; 
it is now over a foot across and in flower. These 
are like miniature Coronilla blooms.-— G.B., Mona 
Cottage, Holbeach. [ft is Trifolium minus, a common 
species.—E d ] 
- - 
. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Now that the bedding out is completed, the above 
will be calling for attention. Such crops as Parsnips, 
Beet, Onions, Carrots, &c., should be given their 
final thinning, where good roots are expected for 
autumn and winter use. Some rely upon one bed 
of an intermediate sort of the later for present use, 
as well as autumn, which I consider a mistake, as an 
extra bed of Early Horn is preferable. Celery plants 
should be dusted over occasionally with slaked lime, 
being a good preventive to fly, and at the same time 
beneficial. All Peas should have a good mulching of 
three parts rotten manure or stable litter, whichever 
is to hand, which will assist the Peas when swelling 
by keeping the ground in a more uniformly moist state 
and much easier to water when required. The Dutch 
hoe should be kept in constant use as long as pos¬ 
sible, not only for the purpose of eradication of weeds, 
but to retain the moisture, as by its use the veins, 
conveying the moisture upwards, are severed, at a 
distance below the surface and the moisture remains 
in the soil, when otherwise it would evaporate into 
the air.— W. Waite, Southfields. 
ABOUT BOUVARDIAS. 
By setting out Bouvardias on the shady side of a 
low wall, fence, or hedge, during the summer months, 
and keeping them well supplied with weak liquid 
manure, very much better plants can be obtained for 
winter bloomiDg than by keeping them inside where 
they get drawn, and make too soft wood to flower 
well. Old plants ought to be rested, as one would 
do with Fuchsias, and repotted about the beginning 
of March, giving them a good start in heat, 65° or so, 
when they may be gradually hardened in a green¬ 
house or cool pit, and set outside in the beginning of 
June. Cuttings struck in March may be potted and 
treated in a similar way, with the best results. A 
good mixture of fibrous loam, leaf mould, sand, and 
charred refuse suits them well, but one should be 
careful not to overpot them, as they are liable to get 
soured when put in too large sized pots. Towards 
the end of September they may be removed into a 
lean-to house if possible, where a little heat can be 
given them to assist to open their flowers. If not 
forced too much they will give a succession of bloom 
during the flowerless season of the year. Some of 
the weaker sorts ought to be tidily staked and tied 
up. A few good kinds are Hogarth, Alfred Newner, 
Vreelaodii, Bridalwreath, and President Garfield.- 
John C. Dich, Champfleurie, Linlithgow. 
Bulb Forcing.—It is remarkable that some of the 
florists of America, to assist a bulb to throw up a 
flower spike quickly and to be at the same time 
strong, cut away the foliage. The whole nourish¬ 
ment of the bulb is thus given to the flower. 
DIONAEA MUSCIPULA (VENUS FLY 
TRAP). 
This curious plant belongs to the Sundew family, 
and from its nature of catching flies and other insects 
from which it derives nourishment, it is called a 
carnivorous plant. The leaves are several inches 
long, the stalks of these are slightly winged. At the 
end of each are developed two fleshy flattened parts. 
Each is fringed along the edge with long hairs. In 
the centre of each part are three small hairs which 
are very irritable, so that when touched by a fly or 
any other insect the parts suddenly collapse like a 
trap, the parts tightly lacing over each other. When 
the insect is dead they open again but remain 
closed while there is any movement within. As to 
culture it should be potted in peat and sphagnum 
moss. The pots should be well drained ; water 
should be given freely, as their native home is in the 
swamps. I find the plants grow well near the glass 
in the intermediate house.— H Haddon, 65, Denmark 
Street, Camberwell, S.E. 
THE NEGLECTED CAMELLIA. 
It is surprising to see how quickly those handsome 
evergreen flowering shrubs have gone out of fashion. 
I suppose no flower has gone out of favour so com¬ 
pletely as the Camellia. Other flowers more grace¬ 
ful in habit, and welcomed, perhaps, for their scent, 
seem for the time being to have ousted those 
valuable plants from our greenhouses. 
This surely cannot be for long, blooming as they 
do from autumn to early summer,and even when not 
in flower their large, shining foliage has a cool and 
ornamental appearance even in the height of summer. 
Then again, when associated and judiciously 
arranged in autumn with Chrysanthemums, the 
bristling buds and foliage of the former would surely 
show up the blooms of the Chrysanthemums to the 
highest advantage. And what more nseful flower 
could be had for a buttonhole or spray than the 
varieties Lady Hume's Blush, and some few others 
of similar size ? The Rose and Carnation are un¬ 
doubtedly more graceful flowers, besides being 
charmingly scented, but then these two latter re¬ 
quire some skill with heat and light to produce 
them in winter, whereas the Camellia, if the growth 
is early matured the previous summer, will open its 
flowers in a comparatively cool and dark structure. 
Perhaps a few remarks on their culture might not 
be out of place, as there* are still a few garden 
establishments where these plants are to be seen, 
their owners not liking to part with them for fickle 
fashion’s sake. As the rising generation of gar¬ 
deners know little of the requirements of the 
Camellia, my remarks may be of more Interest if I 
first relate a serious case of failure, and what 
brought it about, and then how they were restored 
to health. There is often more to be learned from 
failures than from successes in plant cultivation. 
Now some years ago it fell to my lot to take charge 
of some score of large and small plants, some in 
pots and tubs, others planted out in prepared 
borders. 
It was a most pitiable sight in plant life to behold 
such wrecks, not a healthy plant among them ; large 
ones with only a few yellow spotted and curled 
leaves. Some of those plants had a few years pre¬ 
viously cost from 10 to 20 guineas each. 
At first sight one would think they had been 
grossly neglected. Not so; there was no neglect, 
but want of knowledge, the man to whom they were 
given in charge not knowing their requirements. 
The same thing might happen to hundreds of youDg 
gardeners to-morrow if a collection were given into 
their charge. The plants when purchased were all 
in robust health, came from different places, and 
were intended to be the principal feature in a very 
large, new house. Some were selected to be per¬ 
manently planted out, others to be repotted and 
tubbed. Good fibrous loam of moderate texture 
was selected for them,mixed with dry cow dung and 
charcoal; borders were formed of this mixture, and 
the plants duly put out, others potted and tubbed. 
All being completed, a vigorous growth was looked 
for. 
But a grievous disappointment was in store. 
When the season of growth arrived it was not long 
before they showed signs of unhappiness. The 
leaves became sickly, spotted, and yellow, and fast 
dropped off. The whole collection soon became un¬ 
healthy, and was the cause of great unpleasantness. 
