October 27, 1900. 
THK GARDENING WORLD 
138 
Scotland. They require a frame. Pot them in the 
smallest possible pots. Look after them as regards 
watering (they are best kept on the dry side), fumi¬ 
gating and dusting, and there is no fear but that 
they will do well. We intended throwing out all 
our stock last spring, but thought of trying the 
experiment which has succeeded beyond our expec¬ 
tations.— J. M. H., Valleyfield Gardens, Midlothian. 
• t — - 
SMILAX (MEDEOLA ASPARAGOIDES.) 
The usefulness of this charming climber is more 
apparent as the dark days of winter comes upon us, 
and decorative greenery becomes more scarce. There 
are various ways of growing Smilax ; probably the 
best position for it is planted out in a border at the 
back of a warm greenhouse or vinery. Train the 
climbers up with black or green Azalea thread, 
fastened to pegs in the border, and to a wire under 
the roof. Failing a border they do very well in pots, 
and for pots there is nothing better than young 
plants every year. I find these grow stronger and 
more freely than old roots. Fresh seed should be got 
and sown now in pans about i£ in. apart in nice sandy 
loam. Cover the seed nicely and water with a fine 
rose can. Place the pans in the propagator in stove or 
intermediate house. When the seedlings appear, 
place them on a shelf near the glass in stove; keep 
them just moist not to over water. If, on the other 
band, they suffer for want of water, red spider is sure 
to attack them and cripple the plants for next year. 
When the seedlings have made nice little stuff about 
4 in. high, pot them off into well drained 4-in. pots 
in equal parts of good loam, sand and leaf mould. 
Keep them growing on steadily until about May, then 
pot on into permanent 6-in. pots. The compost I find 
suits them is good loam and a third of well decayed 
manure with plenty of sharp sand. Place the plants 
in a suitable place in the greenhouse or the back of 
the vineries. Run up thread for the Smilax to 
climb upon. Keep the syringe going all the sum¬ 
mer and only let one shoot remain to a thread. 
A 6-in. pot will carry four or five of these. A suc¬ 
cession of growth can be had by pinching the 
plants over until later in the summer.— A. W. 
» 1 —- 
Kitcfien Garden Calendar. 
Late Peas. —Those sown towards the end of July, 
and have since been protected at night, are now 
giving some nice dishes of green Peas. The pods do 
not swell very fast, but where lights can be placed 
over at night, so long as the present weather 
continues, they will give some serviceable dishes. 
Air must be admitted freely in the daytime, but the 
lights should be put on before nightfall to prevent 
the temperature going too low. 
French Beans. —In sheltered places nice fresh 
pods may still be gathered from the open ground, but 
where these have been cut down by frost recourse 
must be had to frames. If a sowing was made as 
previously advised, the plants will now be turning 
into bearing. A steady heat must be maintained to 
keep the plants growing, or the pods will not swell 
satisfactorily. As space can be found another batch 
should be sown, that a constant supply may be forth¬ 
coming. Plants will not grow so fast now, and for 
the next four months, therefore due time must be 
allowed for them to fruit, or there will be blanks. 
Rhubarb. —In most establishments this is asked 
for very early. If some rjots are taken up now and 
exposed for a few days, this will give them a rest. 
They can then be taken to the forcing shed where a 
steady heat can be maintained. As they will not 
start into growth so readily now as they do in spring, 
a longer time will be needed to get this ready for use. 
Successional batches should be got ready as 
required. 
General Work. —At this time of the year there 
is always an untidy appearance about a place, owing 
to the falling leaves, decaying vegetables, &c. That 
the place may present as attractive an appearance as 
possible, see that all leaves are cleared up as they 
fall. Keep the walks free from weeds, and let the hoe 
be run through the soil between small growing crops. 
Asparagus beds must have the old growths cut down, 
the beds cleaned and made tidy. The plot of 
Cabbage that was planted last autumn should be 
dug under as soon as they cease to be of any profit. 
Have all vacant ground, such as that from which the 
roots were lifted, manured and turned up rough 
before winter sets in. Collect dung and prepare the 
same for making Mushroom beds. Where it is 
possible cut bracken, and when dry have this 
stacked. It is astonishing the warmth there is in 
(his material when dry. It will ward off more frost 
than anything else of its kind. Plants of such things 
as Lettuce, Cauliflower, and Endive sown in the open, 
should now be transplanted in cold frames. Air 
must be freely admitted when the weather is favour¬ 
able to keep them as sturdy as possible. Parsley for 
a winter supply should also be treated in like manner. 
Herbs, such as Thyme, Mint, Tarragon, and Sage, 
may be increased by dividing the roots or by means 
of cuttings. It is always well to have a good supply 
of these as they are generally in request.— F. W. J. 
«■ 
Mignonette which has been grown throughout the 
summer in cold frames ought now to be taken into 
the greenhouse. It is important to give Mignonette 
as much light as can be had. In darkened houses, or 
gloomy corners of houses, it does not succeed at all 
satisfactorily. Stout potfuls of Mignonette which 
have been exposed to much of the sun and air during 
the past month or six weeks, will be a splendid con¬ 
tribution to the greenhouse now, and if some of the 
potfuls are shifted on to a larger size and the plants 
are given an extra pinch, you will thus ensure a later 
batch which will be fresher in springtime than those 
plants in the smaller pots which shall have been 
flowering for some period prior to the larger speci¬ 
mens. While maintaining a genial temperature 
ranging between 58° and 63°Fahr., never at anytime 
leave the air dry, or very close. Both have bad 
effects on the health of the plants. A slight damp¬ 
ing between the pots furnishes the proper humidity 
which the plants delight in. On bright days at this 
time it is beneficial to dew the plants overhead ; the 
house, of course, being freely ventilated at the time. 
Always have the foliage dry by nightfall. 
Bulbs. —All bulbs for forcing should by now be 
potted. 
Azaleas which are now being imported and may 
be had immediately from the nurserymen should be 
secured and at once placed in a warm, moist house. 
If treated in this way, they will not feel any check 
nor ill effect from the changes in their conditions. 
When they have plucked up again, a house kept at 
65° as a minimum, to 70° during the day, should be 
accorded to any of the plants that may be wished in 
flower at Christmas. We can only reckon about 
eight more weeks till Christmas, so that there is no 
time to pander away. 
Violets. —The crop of Violets should be hus¬ 
banded for the season when they will be in greatest 
demand. If they are wanted now use all means to 
shelter and encourage the plants. If Christmas 
would be better, retard the plants unless they are 
backward at the present time. If they are now in 
bloom, as most of the frame Violets will be, it is even 
advisable to keep the buds picked off for a while (at 
least from a batch of the plants) to allow them to 
develop further and gain greater vigour. Violets are 
always welcome. Pot Violets, like many other plants 
of a like nature, are often unsuccessfully grown until 
experience points out their needs. They like a com¬ 
paratively mild and slightly moist temperature, and 
in their case especially, a position on a shelf within 
a few inches from the glass is absolutely necessary. 
Maintain a night temperature of 55 0 upto6o°or63° 
with air on during the day. By all means keep them 
clean. 
Callas. —Though these plants will have been 
housed in the majority of gardens, there may yet be 
some cases where they have not all been seen to. 
Now that the weather changes so suddenly, and when 
frost may be expected, it is hardly necessary to 
recommend attention in their direction. If it so 
happens that outdoor plants have not yet been lifted 
for potting, this operation should at once be per¬ 
formed. 
Stove Plants, such as Caladiums, Gloxinias and 
Achimenes will now be so far dried off that they can 
be moved to a slightly cooler temperature than that 
of a plant stove. Warmth to the condition of 62° 
to 65? must always be accorded ; many failures with 
these plants are largely due to too cool conditions and 
probably to dampness. 
Selaginellas. —These, like the indoor Ferns, are 
apt to dwindle away (from the effects of a variety of 
causes) during the winter. To save them, or at least 
to obviate loss, prepare a number of pans filled with 
light soil and into these dibble small pieces of Sela- 
ginella. They will soon take root, even if the roots 
are not upon them when first pricked in. These small 
tufts should be inserted at spaces of a few inches 
apart so as to allow the freedom of air among them. 
Selaginellas p'anted on borders or upon covered walls, 
or the surface soil of pots, should all be treated in 
the same manner.— J. H. D. 
-- 
©leanings from the UDmtlb 
of Science 
The undermentioned subjects were received and 
dealt with during the recess by the Scientific Com¬ 
mittee of the Royal Horticultural Soc'ety. 
Asparagus diseased.—Specimens badly dis¬ 
eased were received from Mr. G. Croft Harris, 
Upton-on-Severn, and submitted to Dr. W. G. 
Smith, who reports as follows:— 
"The plant of Asparagus received is badly 
attacked by the Asparagus rust fungus (Puccinia 
Asparagi D.C.). The stems are studded with dark 
spots, oval in shape, and some as long as one-eighth 
of an inch. Examination showed the characteristic 
two-celled teleutospores or winter resting spores 
with a thick dark brown coat; the spots seen on the 
stem are compact patches of these spores. The 
fungus filaments live inside the tissues of the Aspar¬ 
agus plant. The life history of this Puccinia agrees 
clokely with that of Mint rust (Puccinia Menthae). 
The young shoots of Asparagus in early summer bear 
tiny cups, from which a form of spore (aecidiospore) 
is given off; later in the season brown spots on the 
plant give off a second form of spore (uredospore) ; 
in late summer or autumn appear the dark brown 
patches of teleutospores, as in the plant sent. In 
considering remedy it is important to bear in mind 
that these teleutospores rest through the winter, and 
next season infect young plants. Operations must 
therefore be directed towards gathering and burning 
all the old stems as soon as possible, and before the 
spores have time to be scattered about. At the same 
time all weeds or other matter likely to harbour the 
spores during winter may be gathered and burned. 
Quicklime might also profitably be dug into the 
upper soil in as large a quantity as may be con¬ 
sidered safe for the crop ; and while the plants are 
dormant, spraying with diluted Bordeaux mixture 
has been fairly successful as a check to the rust, but 
the delicate nature of Asparagus foliage makes this 
risky, and further experiments are required.’• 
Asters diseased.—Examples were sent by Mrs. 
E. Daw of Nymett House, Nymett Rowland, Lap- 
ford, N. Devon, observing that " the whole bed 
looked in splendid condition, but one after another 
nearly every plant went off, and in only a very few 
hours seemed quite withered and dead. Another 
garden in this neighbourhood has suffered in the 
same way, and French Marigolds have also been 
similarly attacked.” They appeared to be attacked 
by a worm described by Mr. Hilderic Friend (Gar¬ 
deners' Chronicle, August 14th, 1897). 
Willows attacked by Aphis.—Rev. H. C. 
Brewster of South Kelsey, Lincoln, sent specimens 
of Willow shoots infested with aphis. He observes 
that the Willow trees swarm with wasps. Mr. Mc- 
Lachlan reports that the insects on the Willow s 
were a large species of aphid known as Lachnus 
viminalis. They secrete quantities of "sugar,” 
which attracts innumerable wasps. It has actually 
been suggested in former times that this‘‘sugar" 
might be utilised when the real article is scarce. 
Oak leaf with spangles.—Some leaves, extra¬ 
ordinarily and thickly covered with spangles, were 
sent by Mr. Winkworth of Haughton Hall, Tar- 
porley. Mr. McLachlan observes that nothing can 
be done, but tomtits devour them. They are not 
likely to cause any permanent injury. Pheasants 
are said to be fond of them. 
Cystopteris bulblfera.—Specimens of the 
curious bud-like structures from the tips of the fronds 
of this Fern were sent by Mrs. W. Floyer of 4, Rich¬ 
mond Road, Basingstoke. They consist of two or 
three unequal sized thick and fleshy scales; the cells 
are green, but contain immense quantities of starch. 
