72 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 29, 1900. 
INTS FOR MMATEURS. 
Tuberous Begonias. — Amongst other plants 
which at present are flowering in the beds or 
borders, and which can be successfully lifted for 
potting, tuberous Begonias may be included. Where 
the beds are wanted for Wallflowers, and are at 
present occupied with Begonias, the latter may be 
lifted at this time, and, if carefully potted up and 
rightly treated, they will bloom satisfactorily for 
some time in the greenhouse during winter. 
Those which are not required should be left in the 
beds until the foliage dies down, or is blackened by 
frost. When lifted they should be cleaned as far as 
possible, and kept through the winter by placing 
them in layers in wooden boxes. They should then 
be covered over with cocoanut fibre. The drying 
process must not be too speedily accomplished; 
that is, when they are lifted from the beds they 
should not be placed straight away into dry boxes, 
but first should be set on a moderately damp border, 
and covered over with leaf soil. Later they may be 
finally stored. 
Crocuses.—A mere reference need now be made 
to Crocuses, and this simply to state that the end of 
September is considered the best season for the 
planting of Crocuses out of doors. This brightly 
flowering genus succeeds when grown in pots for 
dwelling room embellishment. 
Gloxinias.—With the approach of their restiog 
season the water should gradually be withheld from 
Gloxinias. Many of the earlier batches will have 
gone to rest, but some may yet have been kept 
growing because nothing better was ready to take 
their place. The matured plants when they have 
been dried off may be kept in the pots (which is a 
good plan), or they may be turned out and stored, 
if the pots are wanted for something else. Usually, 
however, the plan is to place the dried off plants on 
shelves—pots and all—out of the way of drip and 
damp. Or the pots may be placed closely together 
and on their sides, which will ensure the crowns 
being kept dry. 
Dog’s Tooth Yiolets are general favourites, 
because they seem to fulfil all the poetical concep¬ 
tion of what flower-form should be. They some¬ 
what resemble the Violets in the shape of their 
flowers, but otherwise one could never imagine them 
as Violets. I do not know why they were in the 
first instance called Violets; nor worse still, why 
Dog’s-tooth was prefixed. “ There’s something in 
it ” as the " street man ” would say, but we must 
puzzle away till the something turns up. Mcst of 
them are pink, purple, or white, or shades of these 
colours. They eDjoy a shaded corner in a rcckery 
or in a border, though, of course, dry rockery 
pockets ought not to be selected. Once they have 
become established, it is best to leave them undis¬ 
turbed until such time that it is necessary to divide 
and replant them. The planting may be done now. 
Cape Bulbs are not so thoroughly known as they 
may presently be. When they become cheaper by 
being more liberally grown and imported, their 
culture will naturally be more fully understood and 
the fine flowers of such as Babianas, Ixias, Sparaxis, 
&c., will be provided plenteously. In favoured 
quarters Ixias do fairly well in the open air, and 
their culture in pots is not very exacting. Five or 
six bulbs of any of the above genera placed in a 5-in. 
pot, using a friable compost, will be quite sufficient. 
Plunge the pots in a bed of ashes, and cover them 
over to the depth of a few inches as a protection 
against frost. When the first signs of growth appear 
above the soil of the pots, remove them from the 
ash covering and place them on the shelves of a well- 
lighted greenhouse, or suchlike cool structure. Their 
treatment from this point is similar to that accorded 
to Freesias or Hyacinths. 
Cyclamens will be benefited by the occasional 
stimulus of manure water. Plants which are not 
very vigorous may at the same time be better with¬ 
out this incentive. They may be coaxed and other¬ 
wise treated, by treatment on other lines. The ash 
bottom, which it is presumed they are standing on, 
should be made and kept clean; the pots should be 
clean, and the plants themselves should most 
assuredly be free from anything deleterious to them. 
They may be removed to the stages of a span-roofed 
house (a low-roofed one preferably) any time from 
the present. A house which has been utilised for 
Tomatos during the summer may be sanctioned for 
the Cyclamen. These may occupy one side of the 
house, and Zonal Pelargoniums the other side. It is 
well worth anyone’s endeavours to devote the whole 
of one house to these two classes of plants for the 
sake of winter flowers. Young stock should be 
grown on each year for this winter display, and if a 
little warmth is allowed and some care exercised 
both in watering and in ventilating, quite a small 
house will be found able to keep up a supply even to 
heavy demands. The Zonal Pelargonium should 
also be housed at the present time. Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, Eupatoriums, Salvias, Cinerarias, and o(her 
soft-wooded plants, may be removed to safe quarters 
whenever time and convenience will permit. 
AgaYes and Aloes which have been out on pedes¬ 
tals and steps during the late months, will, like all 
the other tender plants, now undergo the carting-in 
process. Any shed or cellar—even loose boxes in 
stables—will do till spring time. They will not 
require water, so that it little matters where they go. 
A vinery or other fruit house should be preferred 
where space can conveniently be allowed for them. 
Liliums.—Over-anxious cultivators have a desire 
tc lift their Liliums oftener than is necessary for the 
good of the latter. Some indeed appear to think 
that they should be lifted annually. But they 
should be left alone so long as they are vigorous and 
healthful. They will become better still if the toil 
conditions suit them. When a clump has become 
too thick, it is then the right and proper thing to lift 
and to divide them, enriching the soil while doing so. 
Or if disease has made its appearance amongst a 
collection, the speediest measures should be 
employed to suppress and stamp it out. The lifting 
of Liliums yearly destroys many or all of their basal 
roots. When they are undisturbed these roots 
remain fresh, and the bulbs also continue plump, and 
ready, when favourable conditions occur, to start off 
into renewed healthy growth. 
The planting Season.—By this title I mean to 
refer to tree and shrub planting. In another week 
planting operations will have commenced, and will 
continue right on, according to weather conditions, 
until about April of 1901. The month of October, 
and the first fortnight of November (the linking 
period between these two) .have long been unani¬ 
mously agreed upon as the very best time of the 
year during which to plant fruit and ornamental 
trees and shrubs. This is also the great bulb plant¬ 
ing season. Hardy herbaceous plants are also 
divided, propagated, and freshly bought stock 
is placed in the borders at this time. It is a busy 
season; but all seasons are busy to the energetic 
and strenuous gardener. In this place I would ask 
my readers to look over the back numbers of The 
Gardening World, to chcose from some of the 
pages a few of the many names of hardy plants 
which have appeared, and to give those plants they 
may choose a fair trial. Nothing beats variety for 
sustaining the interest and for feeding enthusiasm. 
So if you can afford to add one or two newer plants, 
or good old ones which are often neglected, by all 
means do so. In the meantime, where planting has 
been decided on, the fullest arrangements should be 
made. The plans should be definitely made out; 
there’s no use in going to business with the intention 
of planning as the work progresses. Some worthy 
men do a little job “ to see how it looks," and then 
they have another trial to see how it appears in a 
different formation. But such is not the way to be 
either economical, expeditious or tasteful. 
Dahlias.—The flower shows yield as much 
information about what is what amongst Dahlias, as 
can be had from any other source at present. By 
watching the reports one can form an opinion about 
the favourite varieties, and the favourites are the best 
we may be sure. The only section that is receiving 
much attention this season, is that of the Cactus 
varieties. The small pompon sorts, and the best 
singles are also much in evidence. Show and fancy 
Dahlias I would have none of, or at least, only as a 
curiosity and for variety. 
Carnations.—These should be potted up or 
planted out as the case may be, whenever they are 
rooted and strong upon the layers. Pot Straw¬ 
berries may be left out of doors yet, but those for 
open-air plantations should be planted now at latest. 
— Beacon. 
Sawdust, per se is no use as a manure, but is a good 
absorbent of urine, &c. 
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. 
Leaves versus Stems.— W. L. : When such leaves 
as those of Begonias, Streptocarpus, Gloxinias, and 
the like are used for propagating from, it is not 
correct to say that they are ill-fitted for emitting 
roots. Much, of course, depends on the manner 
in which the practical details are applied, on 
experience and the judgment of the cultivator. But 
leaves with the structure that those of the above 
named plants have, are perfectly adapted for 
developing a callus, and once this is formed roots are 
pretty sure to follow. It is from the veins or 
" ribs " of the leaves that the callus grows. And the 
veins are simply fibro-vascular bundles, identical 
with the bundles which may be found in young 
stems. These bundles of the stem (which are half 
composed of woody tissue, and half of bast or sieve 
tissue) are primarily of individual existence, situated 
around the pith in the centre. When the young 
stem expands, they, of course, also enlarge, seeing 
they at this time almost solely compose the stem, and 
by and bye they all join, forming a complete ring. It is 
the growth that these rings make each year that we 
count when summing up the age of a fallen tree. 
The leaf bundles (called also the ribs or veins) are 
indeed just a continuation of the bundles which 
travel from the largest stem up through its branches, 
branchlets, and twigs. The difficulty with the 
leaves ofien is, that the parenchymatous tissue, that 
is, the pliable web-like portions of the leaf lying 
between the ribs, decomposes, and so the " damping 
off’’ demolishes our leaf cuttings. 
Sending specimens.— J. T.: We are always will¬ 
ing to help our correspondents and regret when 
questions are sometimes delayed or are overlooked 
for a day or two. These things sometimes 
occur. Your specimens would be fresher if you 
wound damp moss around the bases of the flower 
stems. Some of the damp moss ought also to be 
placed between the different flowers, or if they are 
of special interest and value, damp tissue paper is 
better. A Dumber should be written on a small slip 
of paper, and these slips should then be made secure 
to the specimens they are intended for. If you 
follow these few rules, and use strong cardboard or 
tin boxes, you will have done all that will be 
necessary. 
Flower garden questions.— Mrs. J. T. Sharpe: 
Alyssum variegatum and the dwarf edging Lobelias 
may be lifted from the beds for potting-up. They 
will stand the winter if you are careful in giving 
only enough water to keep them slightly grow¬ 
ing. If the shoots and centres of such plants as 
these are allowed frequently to become damp, 
"damping-off” occurs. An ordinary greenhouse 
shelf, or even a shelf in a dwelling house window 
where the air is not kept very dry, will suit them 
well. The beddiDg Pelargoniums, or " Geraniums,” 
as you call them, should have had cuttings taken 
from them which may have been dibbled into open 
borders, or into wooden boxes amcng sandy soil. 
Your best plan would be to lift the old plants shortly 
and pot them. Or do away with them and get 
young plants next May. Iresines, Verbenas, Helio¬ 
tropes, Coleuses, Ageratums, &c., are kept through 
the winter as cuttings, repeatedly striking the tops 
whenever the rooted plants become too tall. But 
with most of these we have found it much easier and 
quite as satifactory to raise them from spring-sown 
seeds. Chrysanthemums you will have directions 
upon at the proper time. Dahlias and Gladioli are 
lifted and stored as a rule. Pentstemons and 
Antirrhinums you may leave where they are. Do 
not cut down the old growth when it dies, as this 
protects the young shoots which grow from the base. 
We advise those who have limited conveniences to 
rely a good deal more on seeds, or on plants like 
Salvias and tuberous Begonias which are easily 
stored in any cool, dry shed. 
Weeds in a Lawn.— H. L . : Though you may 
find it tedious, the best plan to clear out weeds from 
a lawn is to carefully hand-weed it. This is a 
capital time to do the work, for the weeds are now 
less vigorous', and by filling up the holes with fine 
