July T, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
711 
make crowns strong enough for forcing. Keep the 
plants free from weeds till the foliage of the Seakale 
has covered the soil. 
Runner Beans. —The last sowing of these should 
now be made, choosing a sheltered situation. These 
late sowings often prove very serviceable late in the 
autumn. Those in bloom should be encouraged by 
applications of manure water. Do not neglect the 
staking as soon as the plants commence to run ; and 
where poles are used the growth should be trained 
round to give them a start. Dwarf varieties, too, 
should be encouraged in the same manner by afford¬ 
ing them manure water whenever the soil appears 
dry. There is a class of Bean known by the name 
of Climbing French Bean bearing pods more like the 
dwarf kinds. Sutton's Earliest of All and Carter’s 
Stringless are two of the best of these. They both 
turn in very quickly ; the pods are thick and fleshy, 
and the plants very prolific. 
Celery. —Strict attention should now be paid to 
getting out the main crop of this, and care must be 
taken afterwards to keep the plants well supplied 
with nourishment. There is far more art in pro¬ 
ducing fine well blanched crisp heads of this than 
many suppose. Being a marsh plant it is naturally 
a moisture loving subject. This, however, is not all, 
for in addition to water the roots must have some¬ 
thing to feed on ; hence the reason so much manure 
is supplied to the trenches. Growers, however, 
make a great mistake in having the trenches too 
narrow, the roots being thus confined where the 
ground is hard to the limited space of the trench. 
Where the ground is poor the trenches should be at 
least 18 in. wide for a single row,and when two rows 
are planted in them not less than 24 in. wide. In 
planting double rows x ft. ought to be allowed 
between the plants each way as there is nothing 
gained by overcrowding; what is made up in numbers 
is lost in quality. We prefer to plant in single rows 
and if the plants are well looked after from the time 
of planting, should by Christmas be at least 1 ft. in 
circumference, well blanched, double that length, 
with clean, crisp leaf stalks that one can enjoy when 
eating. Earthing must not be commenced till growth 
is well advanced, in fact should be left alone as long 
as possible.— F. W. J. 
»l »-- 
THE PLANT HOUSES. 
The main object of the gardener during this, the 
growing season, is to attend to his plants and their 
demand for space, for moisture, sometimes for shade, 
and air in accordance with their nature. He must 
also keep them clean, a very great factor where 
beautiful and healthy plants are desired. Prevention 
is better than cure, and the fact should never be 
lost sight of, that though it may demand working 
over hours in the meantime, and constant work even 
at that, in no case should the stove-plants or any 
other class of plants be allowed to become badly 
infested either by disease or insects. The Chrysan¬ 
themums form a case in point. If the apical leaves 
and buds (in which greenflies are very often found) 
are not investigated every other day, with sometimes 
a dusting given, the result will be plainly stamped 
on the foliage when that is fully developed. 
The Greenhouse. 
Many of the finer annuals or soft-wooded plants 
are now on the stages lately occupied with the 
Cyclamen, Primulas, and Calceolarias. Some of the 
Cinerarias are lasting on. One of the finest plants 
for a cool greenhouse which is at present flowering 
is Centaurea sauveolens. The flowers are large 
and bright yellow, just perfect for cutting, and 
equally as nice for ordinary decoration. Seeds may 
be sown in August, the young plants being pricked 
off into small pots and grown through the winter in 
a cool house. The well-known Celsia cretica is also 
showing up with its tall spikes of fine yellow flow¬ 
ers. This species should be raised from seeds. C. 
arcturus on the other hand is best propagated from 
cuttings, struck in a cool frame. 
A fine little greenhouse pot plant (grown also in the 
open border) is the Californian labiate Collinsia 
bicolor. The graceful habit and the rose and white 
lipped flowers are charming. 
Many gardeners have not the courage to treat as 
pot subjects, plants which they also sow in the 
open air. But it will be found that the pot-growo 
plants (when properly treated) are infinitely superior 
to the grow-as-you-please outdoor batches. Besides 
being very much better in quality, annuals in pots 
for the greenhouse can be in bloom, withered and 
removed before those out of doors have properly 
begun to open. Thus the otherwise probable antag¬ 
onism which sometimes arises within us on seeing 
valuable house room worthlessly occupied, never 
need be stirred. 
Downingia pulchella, a Lobelia-like plant, though 
really a genus of Campanulaceae, is a highly 
ornamental annual which forms a capital subject 
either for pots or baskets. A name that is frequently 
given in place of Downingia is Clintonia, but the 
name which I here use holds the prior origin. If 
seeds are sown early in the year and the plants care¬ 
fully brought on in a mild temperature they may be 
had in flower at this time. Other annual, biennial 
or perennial plants which are extremely handsome 
and showy and suitable for June and onwards, 
include Torenia Fournieri grandiflora, the tall grow¬ 
ing Trachelium caeruleum, Alonsoa Warscewiczii, 
Scutellaria mociniana, Ornithogalum pyramidalis, 
Gladiolus nanus delicatissimus (Blushing Bride) 
type and varieties of which there are some wonder¬ 
fully beautful ones amongst them,—Saxifragas, 
show and fancy Pelargoniums, Begonias and other 
things. 
Chrysanthemums. —The plants are mostly into 
their flowering pots now. It is advisable to leave 
sufficient top space to allow for repeated top dress¬ 
ings. Staking ought shortly to be taken in hand. 
What has already been said about keeping the 
plants clean may be enforced again. Keep the 
lateral growths pinched off, and cut out any but the 
best shoots, or those which will be required for a 
good plant. 
Zonal Pelargoniums in the open air should 
receive all the sun and air possible Keep them ex¬ 
posed right on till September, when they will be 
taken indoors. Pinch the leading shoots occasion¬ 
ally to secure bushy plants. Syringe them once or 
twice a day, though never when the sun is on them 
strongly. Water very freely. The best flowering 
plants are those which are grown hard in compara¬ 
tively small pots, and having become pot-bound re¬ 
quire liquid manurial nourishment. Good plants 
ought to completely cover the pots. 
Cyclamens in frames should be carefully shaded 
(not densely) with tiffany from the sun’s rays. Dew 
over the plants morning and afternoon. A north site 
should be chosen for the frame, so that shade and 
cool conditions may always favour the plants. Be 
very careful in watering, going over the plants three 
times a day rather than over water by one daily 
visit. 
Roses, Fuchsias and all greenhouse or stove 
plants whose roots may be confined, or whose calls 
for fresh material for growth is great, should receive 
liquid feeding, and should be kept clean, phrases 
often reiterated, but nevertheless containing rules 
or hints which are the basis of successful cultivation. 
Arums may be placed outdoors, as recommended in 
other columns of this paper.— D. K. 
©leanings fmmi ffje Dtnfib 
of Science 
The undermentioned subjects were brought before 
the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the 19th ult. :— 
Rose leaves diseased.—Some leaves sent by 
Rev. H. C. Brewster, of South Kelsey Rectory, 
were attacked by an Aecidium. Mr. Plowright 
reports that it is " The aecidiospore of Phragmidium 
subcorticatum, formerly called Uredo effusa, pinque 
or miniatum of older writers. These aecidiospores 
are often preyed upon by some mites, as in the 
present case, which becomes tinged with the orange 
colour of the spores, which they eat. On some of 
the leaves the uredospores are beginning to appear." 
Potato crop defective.—Mr. F. H. Kepple, of 
King's Ford, Colchester, forwarded samples, of 
which he writes :—" The Potato crop in this district 
is a very uneven one, and various reasons are sug¬ 
gested for it" The specimens sent are Bressee’s 
Prolific, and they are typical of plenty of others in 
the storeroom. The samples were forwarded to Mr. 
A. Sutton, who reports as follows :— 
*• In reply to your inquiry, it is quite certain that 
Mr. F. H. Kepple is by no means singular in his 
experience of Potatos coming up very unevenly this 
season. We hear from all parts of the country that 
such is the case, and all varieties appear to be 
suffering more or less from the same cause. Pro¬ 
fessor Gordon, of the Cheshire Agricultural and 
Horticultural School, Holmes Chapel, wrote to us 
recently on the same subject, saying that many of 
his Potatos had only formed very weak spindly 
sprouts, no thicker than a knitting needle, and there 
were a great many blanks in his crop; and his 
experience is the same as ours, that many of the 
tubers are quite sound and hard in the ground where 
they have made the thin weakly sprouts complained 
Of. 
" It is remarkable that tubers which were ' noxed,’ 
and very carefully sprouted before being planted, 
are just as much affected as those which were 
planted before any sprouts were made by the sets. 
" Another interesting fact noticed on comparing 
the many hundreds of samples in our trial grounds 
is that the only case where Potatos have started well, 
with strong and healthy growth, are those which 
were grown last year in Scotland, where the climate 
and soil are comparatively moister than in England. 
" The only conclusion I can arrive at is that in 
consequence of the excessive drought last year the 
Potatos ripened prematurely, and owing to this the 
sets are not able to develop a healthy and vigorous 
growth this year. We find this especially the case 
with Potatos ^which were grown last year on hot 
gravelly soils. The tubers affected with us in many 
cases produced shoots at the crown of the set, but 
these died off, and the later growth is being made 
from weakly shoots put forth by the side buds or 
eyes near the stem end of the set. 
" I can think of no possible remedy, and certainly 
in our experience we can remember no season when 
crops were similarly affected on so large a scale. 
“ Mr. H. S. Daine.of Woolfall Hall, Huy ton, Liver¬ 
pool, mentioned at the York Show that his crop was 
suffering in the same manner, and he had sent 
tubers to Professor Marshall Ward for examination, 
and would let us know his reply.” 
Carnations Decaying.—Plants which had de¬ 
cayed at the base were received from Mr. R. Keeble, 
of The Pines, Horsell, Woking. Mr. Jas. Douglas 
reports upon them as follows :— 
" It is not an uncommon occurrence to find that 
Carnations grown under artificial conditions will die 
as the example enclosed has done. There is no 
disease, the roots have died owing to over-watering, 
or else, piobably, the plants were allowed to become 
over dry; in this case the delicate root hairs are 
desiccated, and thus rendered useless. Too much 
water is then poured in, which makes matters worse. 
All plants suffer from this, and some die. Moreover, 
the dried peaty soil is unsuitable for Carnations. In 
my own large collection we lose a few every year; 
the roots perish from some cause not always easily 
determinable, but I regard it as a matter of watering. 
The use of artificial manure in the soil will cause 
deaths in Carnations when grown in flower pots. I 
dropped the use of it because of this." 
Grapes scalded.—Mr. H. Pethick, Trewartha, 
Weston-super-Mare, sent samples, upon which Mr. 
Douglas reports as follows :—The Grapes sent are 
scalded, caused by insufficient ventilation and 
probably too much moisture in the house. It 
occurs if the Grapes are entirely shaded by the 
leaves, and the Grape that suffers most from scald¬ 
ing is Lady Downe's Seedling. The Vine may be 
flourishing in every respect, but that does not matter ; 
and it always happens when the berries have just 
passed through the stoniDg period previous to 
colouring. While stoning is going on, that is the har¬ 
dening of the seeds, the berries do not increase in size, 
they remain stationary for five or six weeks. At the 
end of that time the seeds have come to their full 
development, and the berries increase rapidly in 
size. This is the time that scalding will happen. 
It can easily be prevented by throwing open the 
ventilators to their full extent in hot weather; 
ventilation to a less extent should also be given at 
night. I must also add that the berries will scald 
even if the sun does not touch them." 
Rose, variegated.—Mr G. Rawlings sent speci¬ 
mens of Rose leaves variously spotted with yellow ; 
some leaflets being entirely yellow orange in colour. 
He writes as follows :—"The leaves sent are from 
a tree of Baroness Rothschild, a portion of which 
came variegated last year. I budded a few buds on 
some named varieties, from which those sent have 
been cut. They are much more highly coloured 
than those on the original tree.” 
Pears, blackened.—Some fruit decayed, black, 
and attacked by fungi were sent to Dr. W. G. Smith 
for examination. They were received from Rev. 
H. W. Fletcher, Bicker Vicarage, Boston. 
