September 15, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
37 
Red Ridinghood Sweet Pea has never been 
popular in America. When first seen, one large 
grower passed the remark, “ that whoever raised 
that Pea should be shot! ” 
Nicholson’s “Dictionary of Gardening.” — 
According to American Gardening, a supplement to 
this useful and popular work is announced by the 
publishers as almost ready for delivery. This will 
bring the work up to date, and should be acceptable 
to those who already have the original edition. This 
igoo supplement is freely illustrated by half-tone, and 
will consist of two volumes, each of about 400 pages, 
and will cost over £2. 
The Harvest in Ireland.—Turnips, on the whole, 
are a fair average crop ; Cabbages have done well, 
and the cry is that they are not half enough grown. 
Mangels are good. Flax cultivation has doubled its 
area in many districts. So far it is a good crop, but 
the rains have flattened large tracts. Early Potatos 
which promised so well, are rather badly diseased. 
So much moist weather has had a bad effect. Wheat, 
Barley, and Oats are up to the average, but badly 
laid. 
Treatise on Lawns.—From the author of " The 
Culture of Flowers from Seeds and Bulbs," comes 
also a "Treatise on Lawns, Cricket Grounds, &c." 
So many folks want a nice lawn, cheaply nowa¬ 
days, and require directions in all matters of detail 
about the making of such, that this small “ Treatise " 
costing 2d. would seem likely to supply a demand. 
The questions of soil, of drainage, levelling, the use 
of turves and seeds, and all the points requiring 
explanation are discussed, the text being here and 
there illustrated by a pertinent figure. One of the 
chapters which of itself would be worth twopence 
to any class of gardener described the best lawn 
plants. In all respects this treatise is ample and 
practical enough for all general needs. It may be 
had from Messrs. Toogood & Sons, Southampton. 
A fine Ribbon Border.—The following is the 
arrangement of a magnificent ribbon border in 
Prince’s Street Gardens, Edinburgh. In the front 
row is Cerastium tomentosum, then from the front 
in parallel rows come blue Lobelia, Pyrethrum 
Golden Feather, again blue Lobelia, with the next 
row of the ornamentil grass Dactylis glomerata 
variegata; then the pink Christina bedding Pelar¬ 
gonium, yellow Calceolarias in the seventh row ; the 
eight row mixed, comprising the Dactylis, Antirr¬ 
hinum and Cineraria maritima. The ninth row 
from the front is of Pelargonium Henry Jacoby ; 
tenth yellow Calceolarias again,and eleventh a strong 
growing bedding Pelargonium. The border is more 
than 100 yds. long and about 12 ft. wide. There are 
to be seen some beautiful designs in carpet bedding 
Conspicnous amongst other beds was a large bed 
filled with the variegated "Coma."— A. V. Main, 
Morton Hall Gardens, Liberton. 
Croydon Horticultural Mutual Improvement 
Society.—The programme of meetings to be held in 
the Society’s room, the Sunflower Temperance 
Hotel, George Street, Croydon, during the autumn 
term, has been sent to us by the hon. secretary, Mr. 
John Gregory, 60, Canterbury Road, West Croydon. 
Tde programme seems to us to be an exceedingly 
interesting one, and we know the secretary has 
taken pains to have papers apposite to the time of 
year. The following is a list of the meetings:— 
August 21st, "Bulbs," by Mr. W. Harris; Septem¬ 
ber i8th, “Cacti of the U.S.A., Mexico, and 
California, and how to grow them,” by Mr. C. A. 
Blogg (secretary National Cactus Society, Brighton 
Road); October 2nd, "Hardy Flowers," by Mr. 
Scaplehorn ; October i6tb, " Chrysanthemums," by 
Mr. M. E. Mills ; October 23rd, " A talk on Horti¬ 
cultural and Botanical Books" (and exhibition of 
books), by Mr. John Weathers, Isleworth, to be 
delivered in the Lecture Hall, Croydon Public 
Library. On November 6tb, " Hardy Fruits ” ; 
November 20th, " Cattleyas,” by Mr. W. E. 
Humphreys, The Grange Gardens, Hackbridge; 
December 4th, “Yews, historical and clipped trees 
and hedges," by Dr. Brook Ridley, Bromley; 
December 18th, “ Advantages and Usefulness of 
Horticultural Mutual Improvement Societies," by 
Mr. W. J. Simpson, chairman. 
Snails among Ferns.—Those who are infested 
with snails among their Adiantum or other Ferns, 
should secure a sturdy toad and allow it to toddle 
unrestrictedly about on the stages, paths, and floors. 
A toad does no harm, and clears off all the snails he 
can discover. 
Orchard Pests in California.—Great success is 
said to be attained by the introduction of insects 
which prey on the enemies of the fruit trees in 
California. The " San Jose scale ’’ has been almost 
entirely annihilated by certain parasites and Austra¬ 
lian lady-birds. 
The Boxer Farmer.—A Chinese farmer is about 
as unlike his Western compeer as can be imagined. 
He does not live as they do in comparatively isolated 
districts, but in villages walled around and very 
densely peopled. In China 200 acres of land is a 
huge farm. The man who owns ten is considered 
wealthy, while a single acre will yield its owner a 
decided competence. Rice, Sugar Cane, Potatos, 
Indigo, Ginger, Tobacco, and Wheat—these are the 
things the Chinese farmer grows, says a New York 
paper. Rice, of course, is the Chinese staff of life. 
As the Chinese farmer uses no milk, butter, or cheese, 
the only four-legged beast on a Chinese farm is the 
zebu, a species of ox, that is used for drawing the 
plough. Perhaps the most curious phase of Chinese 
farming is the fact of the Chinese farmer training his 
hens to follow the harvesters to pick up the last 
grains left among the stubble and also the noxious 
insects that abound there. Sixpence a day is a very 
fair allowance for many Chinamen, and the fortunate 
recipient of so much wealth will often share his 
good fortune with one or more dependent relatives. 
- ■*?-> -- 
CYCLAMEN. 
The early batches of these popular plants will soon 
be ready for shifting into the greenhouse or con¬ 
servatory. Now that they are coming into flower, 
weak liquid manure water will be beneficial to them. 
Great care must be taken not to over-water or over¬ 
feed them, as I know of no other class of plants 
which show wrong treatment sooner than the Cycla¬ 
men. Care should also be taken not to water them 
over the top of the corms or damping off is sure to 
follow. Pull off all decaying leaves and flower stems 
close to the corms, so that the decay does not spread 
to the other leaves. Seedling plants are preferable, 
sown this month for blooming the following Septem¬ 
ber and onwards. Caution should be taken to pro¬ 
cure clean pans and creeks, and sow the seed an inch 
aad half each way in a mixture of equal parts loam, 
leaf mould, and sharp sand. Merely cover the seeds 
and water with a fine rosed can, and place a piece of 
glass or slate over the said pans, and place them in 
a temperature from 6o° to 70°. Care must be taken 
to keep the soil always moist, and never allow it to 
become dry or failure is sure to follow .—A . Waller, 
The Gardens, Hollyholm, Saltburn-by-Sea. 
»■» 
LINUM TRIGYNUM. 
On one occasion during the summer of 1899 I met 
with a batch of this most useful and beautiful 
plant, which, from its bashy habit, attracted my 
attention. As generally seen, specimens of it are 
apt to be rather the reverse of bushy, so when 
I caught sight of this particular lot I asked for a 
closer inspection of them than a mere passing glance 
would afford, and found that what appeared to be 
single plants was really a number of plants as struck 
in the cutting pots (6o's), potted on as they were into 
No. 48 and 32 pots. They were well in bloom at the 
time of my visit, and proved that the great utility of 
this old favourite for decorative purposes was far 
greater than we had previously been aware. The 
pots of plants were one dense mass of foliage and 
flowers. I know that there are very many who 
always grow a limited quantity of it, but feel per¬ 
suaded that if this plan was more generally 
followed it would greatly increase the popularity of 
this old denizen of our gardens. Too frequently it 
is subjected to a higher and withal a drier tempera¬ 
ture than it really requires during the summer 
months. A cool pit or frame is just the place for it. 
A dry, hot place invariably induces an attack of red 
spider. As the cooler weather of autumn sets in an 
intermediate house will prove the best place for it, 
and during the winter months, although it will live 
in a greenhouse (it being a native of India) it will 
not thrive, and the few flowers it may expand are vary 
liable to damp off. It d jes best in a mixture of loam 
and peat, made rather sandy, and is most easily 
propagated from cuttings of the young shoots in 
spriog.— W. B. G. 
- 
A BEAUTIFUL FLOWERING SHRUB. 
Perhaps the finest shrub now in flower in any 
temperate greenhouse is Lagerstroemia indica. In 
general appearance the foliage resembles the 
Symphoricarpus, and the flower heads Hydrangea 
paoiculata, the individual flowers being a bright rose, 
and the curled petals are curious in being stalked 
The essential points in its successful cultivation are 
close pruning, plenty of light and during the winter 
months (its period of rest) only sufficient water to 
prevent it from being dust dry. Cuttings may 
either be struck now from the hard wood placed in 
bottom heat, or firm side shoots in spring, 
these placed under a bell glass will root in a 
month or so, then place into 3 in. pots, and when 
fair growth has been made pinch out the top to pro¬ 
duce side shoots, and these will bear the flower 
heads, then after a short time, a shift into a 7-in. or 
8-in. pot is necessary, using turfy peat, loam, sand, 
and rotten manure for a compost. During this 
time give frequent syringings to keep off red spider, 
and produce healthy foliage. After flowering 
gradually withhold water, but never let it become 
quite dry, then in February or March cut hard 
back to the second or third bud of the previous 
year's growth, and as growth commences, treat as 
before. When repotting, a liitle more warmth and 
shading will encourage growth. It can be obtained 
from any of the leading nurserymen.— K. 
TOMATOS FOR THE WINTER. 
Tomatos are not yet too common ; and particularly 
in winter they are still highly respected. It is an 
easy enough matter to have Tomatos in fruit by the 
end of December from a sowing made now. Sow in 
heat and shift the plants first to 2 in., then to 5-in. 
pots. So soon as they have pricked up after being 
placed in the 2-in. pots, shift these to a cool, well- 
lighted frame, and soon after (unless in northern 
parts) place them out of doors in a sheltered part, so 
that they may make that hard bluish sort of growth. 
Be careful at this time in the watering of them. 
When the small pots are filled shift to the larger 
siz\ using a turfy, open compost. When it is 
deemed unsa f e to leave them any longer unprotected, 
take them into a cool house and stake them. The 
next shift should be into 8-in. fruitiug pots, leaving 
space for a topdressing. Toward the middle 
November place them in a forcing pit, whence they 
will go ahead fast. Use due precautions by main¬ 
taining a drier air, &;., at the time the flowers are 
expanded to ensure a goad "set.” Go over the 
flowers to fertilise them, as you would do Peach 
blossoms. Some manurial nourishment ought now 
to be given, and pinching of lateral growths and 
such at'eniions as are known to be necessary should 
be attended to.—G. W. 
STORING FRUIT. 
Now that so many fruits are ready to ga'.her for 
storing, the question of how to and where to store, 
arises. Or perhaps no trouble is ever takrn at all, and 
from an aggregation of causes nothing is done pro¬ 
perly or well. In many cases good storehouses do 
not exist. Even the skill which may have been all- 
sufficient for ihe production of first-rate crops finds 
itself curbed and the produce considerably lowered 
in value, all for the want of the best kind of shed. 
Frequently the Potato and root cellars are the places 
also devoted to the fruits. Nearly every gardener 
has noticed how susceptible Apples and Pears are to 
the penetrating odours and flavours of Onions, 
Parsnips or Carrots, but particularly the former. 
These, then, should be avoided. In the storing, 
some gardeners lay their fruits on hay, it may be, or 
leaves, paper, sawdust, cotton-wool, to protect the 
fruits from pressing the wood. Unless the f.uit is 
laid too thickly, its own weight will not injure it. In 
the next place it is impossible to have a fruit room 
too clean. The walls and roof should be limewashed 
with soap and water, and thoroughly dried after¬ 
wards, at least once a year. Each grain ot dirt may 
become a nucleus of a fungoid attack or other active 
cause of decay. Neither must the fruit room be 
