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THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 14, 1900. 
J|ints for ||mateurs. 
Roses.—The Provence or Cabbage Roses (R. centi- 
folia), the Moss Rose, and the China are known as 
Summer Roses, for they flower early and have nearly 
run their course by the end of July. They, in their 
several species or sub-species, contain some of the 
most brilliant and fragrant of all dwarf free-flowering 
Roses, as for instance the China Fellenberg which 
is a ruddy, glowing crimson variety, capital for a 
bed. In fact it is another of those gems which even 
amid a host of other fine things stand out as unique. 
I strongly advise anyone even with only a small 
garden to get half a dozen plants to start with, and 
to plant them not singly but in a group. In this 
section also comes the Austrian Brier (Rosa lutea) 
R. Harrisonli, and Austrian Copper, all of which 
should be planted in liberal masses as has been 
advised for the forming of a Rose dell. The common 
China Rose, which is pearl-pink, and the ordinary 
Moss Roses are favourites everywhere. Maiden's 
Blush Provence Rose is also well known. Nursery¬ 
men now-a-days are also in a position to ofler 
splendid varieties of the old Japanese Rose (Rosa 
rugosa) or Brier. They embrace a number of 
distinct and good shades, including pure white and 
reds. But I must leave over what is to be said 
about the climbing Roses, and the Penzance Briers. 
There is much to be gleaned from the show reports 
even though we know that these are hurried and 
superficial as a rule. 
The month of July is probably not so urgent a 
month as its immediate predecessors, for now we 
are receiving a return for the work which the past 
four months have taken or required from us. Thtre 
are still sowings to be made but these are princi¬ 
pally for the furnishing of certain classes of plants 
for winter planting, and to secure stock for an early 
spring display. 
Antirrhinums.—For intance there are the Antirr¬ 
hinums, otherwise known as Snapdragons, and these 
may be sown in drills, or broadcast on spare corners, 
or among the chinks and meagre earth surface to be 
found on dry rocky banks. Very few plants are so 
worthy of liberal sowing and planting in the amateur’s 
garden as these varied, hardy and brilliant flowering 
plants. When once a good collection of them has 
been tried the colours which please the individual 
taste most will be discovered and of course the seeds 
from the plants bearing the chosen colours should 
be saved for future sowiDg. For myself I like the 
decided colours, the rich glowing shades of orange 
and yellow, the deep velvety amaranth, and the 
spotless, beautiful white. A sowing made at this 
time just after a good day’s rain should be successful 
in yielding a stocky lot of plants to stand the winter 
just where they are sown. On warm sandy soils 
they often seed themselves and grow in all respects 
like the untended plants which we designate as weeds. 
In colder districts, that is, districts where dampness 
and continued severe or sharp frosts are usual, it 
would be safer to sow Antirrhinums in frames at a 
later date, or the sowing may still be made in the 
open now, and the seedlings transplanted into nice 
frames later on. 
Primroses and Polyanthuses.—It often happens 
that during excited times in the political world, a 
great flood and variety of thoughts, schemes and 
precautionary measures are advanced, all specially 
intended to meet the difficulty which causes the 
trouble. But should the crisis pass, we do not 
always find the remedial or precautionary measures 
adopted. The crisis passed by—so passes most of 
the thoughts which the crisis engendered. So it 
often happens in the realm of horticulture and simple 
gardening. Our work, though quiet and devoid of 
great responsibility, is at the same time immensely 
Important and in fact may also in a virtual sense 
mean the life and health of a great nation. Much 
that tends to brighten, enrich, ennoble, and to 
develop a loftier and lovelier character is derived 
from gardens and parks, and the sweet influence of 
fine plants and flowers. When the Primroses and 
the Polyanthuses were in their full vigour and 
splendour, nearly all of us bad thoughts of growing 
larger quantities in another season, of the choicer 
kinds of each, or perhaps even of forming a Primrose 
garden with selections of reds, crimsons, dark 
chocolate ones, whites, yellows, and the gold-laced 
Polyanthus with some of the finer species of 
Primulas, in groups by themselves to present an 
appearance of classified order, though not to be 
formal. The chances are that the season wears on 
and on, and the plans which in spring time were 
so full of promise are left to incubate for yet a little 
while longer. However, it is not too late to get seeds 
and sow them on a shady border, thinning out the 
young plants when they have formed a few seed 
leaves. Where long borders of Apple or other fruit 
trees exist, an edging can be formed on either side 
of such border, to be later on planted with Poly¬ 
anthuses and Primroses. Basket loads of blooms 
can be got from such pieces of land when planted in 
this way. 
Dahlias.—The earlier of the Dahlias are now in 
flower. I saw a large bed of Dahlias in a sheltered 
part of a sunny garden on the ist of July, and here 
and there a bloom was expanded to the scarce sun 
blinks. The bulk of the Dahlias, however, are only 
about 2J ft. high. So far the season has been a good 
growing one, and few failures are on record. The 
plants, too, are clean. On the earliest appearance 
of greenfly ply the syringe with soapy water. They 
should be easy to keep clean now, for the leaves are 
firmer, and the plants having got a good start are far 
more resistant to attack. Later in the season a 
mulch of sappy dung may be placed over the roots 
both to help the flower display and to plump up the 
tubers previous to lifting them for ripening. Soil 
may be placed over the dung to retain the ammonia, 
&c. Staking ought not to be forgotten. This in¬ 
junction applies equally to all other tall, open air 
herbaoous plants whose height exposes them to the 
influence of winds and heavy rains. Hollyhocks- 
Delpbiniums, Acouitums, tall Mulleins, Chrysan¬ 
themums, &c. 
Campanulas.—It may be well to point out that 
care should be taken to look after and save seeds of 
the finer Campanulas. The Campanulas are glorious 
ornaments of the garden, and can be had in great 
variety. Preparations should be made for the sow, 
ing of a collection of annuals and biennials at the 
beginning of next month. The time soon slips past 
and when plans are " cut and dry,” as the sajing 
goes, half the business is already accomplished. 
Chrysanthemums.—While the pot Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are making their growth they require full ex¬ 
posure to the sun, at ention to watering, and liberal 
feeding. At the present time, hovever, they have 
not ) et progressed far enough to necessitate much 
feeding. In cases where mildew may make its 
appearance dust the leaves with flowers of suiphur. 
This ought to be done when the leaves are dry, and 
only very lightly then. Bush plants will soon have to 
be staked out. The triple stemmed Chrysanthemums 
(single stemmed ones are rare) thould hive their 
lateral shoots pinched, and each plant must have 
freedom to light and air all around it. Where the 
ground is soft level planks should be set down, and 
upon these place the plants. Besides beffig steadier 
it prevents worms from gaining access to the pot, 
and it also looks cleaner. The present weather is 
splendid for growth, and the repeated showers keep 
the plants clean. But even though it may have 
rained a fair amount it is always advisable to go over 
the pots and tap them, and so make sure that none 
are really in need of further watering. For the 
amateur grower who may not have much leisure to 
bestow on watering, the practice of plunging the 
pots in ashes is recommendable. 
Window Boxes, &c.—It is just the same thing 
with pot plants placed on window ledges. The win¬ 
dow box is preferable to pots, simply because the 
plants' roots are not half so much liable to exposure 
to extremes. Where a box for one reason or 
other cannot be utilised there should be some pro¬ 
vision made by which drying up of the moisture in 
the pots may be prevented. If a board be placed 
along the front of the window sill some sort of pack¬ 
ing, such as fibre or moss, could then be placed 
among the pots, and if this is kept damp the plants 
will grow and flower a great deal better. Some 
amount of pinching, staking, and training is neces¬ 
sary with the subjects in the window boxes. Where 
the soil of the boxes may not have been changed for 
a number of years, there will be a greater need to 
water with liquid manure. Any of the advertised 
artificial manures, such as Canary Guano, Clay's, or 
Thomson's, may also be occasionally employed. 
Plants near the windows indoors sometimes get 
burned up from the sun having shone too powerfully 
through the glass. The beauty and flowering quali¬ 
ties of such plants as Fuchsias, Hydrangeas, and even 
Gloxinias which are sometimes used in windows 
may be greatly preserved by lowering the window 
blinds at those times when the sun is strongest. It 
also is advisable to place Palms, Aspidistras, Dra¬ 
caenas, and the like out of doors during a time of 
rain.— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone 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. 
Crinum culture.— A. Melville, N.B.: No doubt 
your Gardening World for June 30th, had not 
reached you before your question was sent off. Mr. 
J. Wallace, of King’s Lynn,has a reliable note on the 
treatment of Crinums which may now be of service 
to you. Use a good quality of loam and a liberal 
proportion of sand. Turn out the bulbs and examine 
the roots, removing all that are decayiog. Supply 
good drainage, and place the plants on a wooden 
base or stage and so prevent worms from getting 
into the pots. Be careful in watering to start with, 
but liberal quantities may bs given when growth is 
going on in full. Only slight shading is ever re¬ 
quired. The bulbs must be well ripened in autumn 
and the plants kept dry in winter. 
Pay for pulling Black and Red Currants.— 
Angus Brown : For a pint of 2 lbs. weight, pay one 
halfpenny. In Kent, sixpence for a basket of 24 lbs. 
is allowed to pickers. 
Weeds on Shady Walk.— J. Sheppard. : Mr. J. 
Sheppard made a path through a grassy glade last 
year, but finds the grass seeds are too free in germin¬ 
ating on the path, and asks a cure. Well, a number 
of more or less effective remedies might be men¬ 
tioned, but in all respects we think that the best 
plan would be to use a good weed-killer such as the 
•‘Acme” or "Climax'' liquids, which may be got 
through a seedsman. 
Irises after Flowering.— L. M. . German Irises, 
and in fact all except the rarer kinds, do not, as a 
rule, receive any special attention after flowering. 
The removal of the flower spikes in both German 
(and all of the section), English, and Spanish Irises, 
&c., when the flowers have withered is certainly 
beneficial to them. To help the developing of real 
good rhizomes in the one case and the bulbs i 1 the 
other apply liquid manure for a while. On warm, 
sandy borders English and Spanish Irises are as 
often as not left in such position for about three 
years without being disturbed. They may th :n in 
autumn, when growth has finished, be lifted, an i the 
young bulbs having been sifted out they can be held 
over till the following springtime, whence the 
ground having been manured and well dug they 
may again be planted and left for another three 
years. They are quite hardy. The rhizomatous 
sections do best when they are left undisturbed. A 
dressing of a fertiliser may be forked in am >ngst 
them with a hand fork. Water Irises, Iris versi¬ 
color and I. sibirica flower freely when once they 
become established. They may be propagated by 
division of the crowns in April. 
Raspberry Leaves Curled.—T. Welb : The green¬ 
flies, as you surmise, are the cause of the curling of 
the leaves. Now that the bushes are in fruit it is 
not advisable to do anything at all. If they show 
signs of becoming very injurious, you may have to 
go over the leaves and squeeze them, thus killing 
most of the insects. 
Incarvillea not Growing.— J. IV. : It is some¬ 
what strange that your plant should have failed to 
grow this year, seeing it has done so well in previous 
years. There must be something amiss at the roots; 
probably they are decayed through having pene¬ 
trated bad soil. Lift the plant and ascertain this 
point, and then replant in good mellow loam in a 
warm position. Give water, but shade the plant 
until it becomes somewhat established. 
Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis).— F. S. : Your note 
allows us an opportunity to recommend what is a 
favourite plant with us, Myrrhis odorata, the Myrrh 
or Sweet Cicely. It grows “ like a weed ” anywhere, 
