152 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 3, 190d. 
Hints for Amateurs. 
Forced versus Retarded Seakale.—When Mr. 
Jannocb, of Dersingham, first displayed Lily of the 
Valley in bloom in October and November, every¬ 
body wondered how it was done. The flowers and 
foliage were too strong and healthy to have been 
subjected to hard forcing, yet there they were. The 
solution soon came to be known, and the simple 
method of retarding the crowns through all the 
summer was then explained. This retarding busi¬ 
ness has now been practiced on nearly all the plants 
which were formerly subjected to a brisk heat which 
forced their growth. It must be a paying system 
else it would not be kept up. Seakale has lately 
been treated in the same way as Lily of the Valley, 
Spiraeas, Liliums and Azaleas. 
The crowns are stored away in underground 
refrigerators that are kept cold by means of ice. It 
seems as though the crowns would have to be 
frequently looked over to obviate the liability to 
damping. After being taken from the refrigerator 
and placed in a warm house, the crowns develop in 
a fortnight. But for a little while yet it is possible 
that the old foroing system will be upheld. If coals 
continue at a high price, however, this circum¬ 
stance may be the means of causing gardeners to 
build and prepare cold storage rooms instead of 
forcing houses. 
Growing Cress during Winter.—The seedling 
Cress that is used as a salad is quite diflerent from 
the Water Cress sold during summer. When a 
supply of the seedling Cress is desired during 
winter the cold storing process is here unavailable 
and the semi-forcing conditions have to be followed 
out. Prepare very shallow boxes—mere trays, 
indeed — filling them with light soil, which should be 
pressed moderately firm. Scatter the seeds evenly 
and not too sparsely over the surface, thereafter 
inverting another box upon the sown one. The 
soil should be damp, to dispense with the need of 
watering when the seeds have been sown. A tem¬ 
perature of 60° is suitable. The boxes may be 
placed on the shelves or borders, but at all times 
care must be taken to prevent damping amongst 
the seedlings. 
Ventilation of Forced Crops.—It is necessary to 
regulate the temperatures of the forcing houses and 
pits, but this can be done without an inrush of fresh 
and generally cold air. The atmosphere must be 
occasionally dried. The conditions of heat and 
moisture can be so controlled that ”ery little ventila¬ 
tion is necessary. In such structures as forcing 
houses the ventilators for admitting fresh air should 
be small, and they should be placed so that the 
ingoing air has to pass over the hot-water pipes if 
possible. When ventilation has to be given from 
any other part, as the top for instance, it should 
only be given by the ventilators on the lee side of 
the wind. 
Pentstemons.—These beautiful flowering plants 
are still in very good condition but it may happen 
that they will soon be nipped off. A word, there¬ 
fore, not to cut down the flowering stems, may be in 
place. The dead stems are the best means of pro¬ 
tecting the undergrowth of young shoots, that can 
be employed ; and it is simply for this purpose that 
they should be left. Only where a bed or border 
must necessarily be made and kept as prim and tidy 
as possible, should the old stems be removed, and 
when they are taken away it is advisable to protect 
the basal growths and roots by surrounding them 
with rough, half-decomposed leaves. 
Chrysanthemums.— Now that the 'Mums are in 
flower, a drier state of the atmosphere must be 
maintained. Mildew is a very frequent complaint, 
but growers often have themselves to blame. The 
house in which Chrysanthemums are placed should 
be aired freely so long as the outside temperature is 
not lower than 40°. If lower, then very litile air 
need be admitted. Then when watering, some 
plantsmen are not at all particular about keeping the 
stages and the floors dry. It demands care and 
some extra time to save spilling, but if the plants 
are to be kept clean and healthy, every attention 
must be paid. It is even advisable to run on some 
heat when the weather is damp and dull. The 
blooms then open quickly and remain good for a long 
time. 
Hardy Rhododendrons. — We all envy the gar¬ 
dens which possess the fine Rhododendron dells, 
and may, during the flowering season, resolve to add 
to our own collections of this beautiful hardy shrub. 
The planting season is now on, so that those who 
have still the desire to secure and plant Rhododen¬ 
drons should do so at their earliest convenience. 
The plants must have a deeply worked soil. It need 
not be humic, that is, composed of peat, and a large 
percentage of other decomposing vegetable matter, 
but a good sound loam which is fairly permeable to 
the fibrous roots will do well. At the same time we 
have always found the best Rhododendron gardens 
to be those situated on damp and typically humic 
soils. The slopes of dells and banks at the base of 
higher lying ground are also very suitable, as is 
proved by the luxuriant growth upon them in many 
West of Scotland estates. 
Roses.—I went somewhat fully into the subject of 
Rose gardens when Roses were at the height of their 
loveliness in the summer. Those who noticed the 
remarks on the formation of a Rose dell may now 
take the hint to carry the precepts into practice. 
Wherever a suitable gully (if I may be allowed to 
use a rather ugly word) exists, this is just the sort of 
spot to plan out as a Rose dell. Old tree roots and 
stumps are got together and when these are effec¬ 
tively disposed to construct artificial heights or pro¬ 
jections they can be filled and packed between with 
soil, and besides furnishing the rooting area, the 
stumps will afford support for the long shoots of the 
Roses. These should principally be Briers and 
climbing Roses, the latter including many of the so- 
called decorative section. They should be planted 
so as to produce a mass of one colour of bloom, not 
a confusion of many colours spread over the whole 
spot. As a rule they need not be pruned, or if 
pruned, this should only be very slight. It might 
better be called a thinning out. 
Root Pruning of Apple and other fruit trees should 
be continued. Plums and other stone fruit trees 
delight to have lime added to the soil. Young trees 
should be firmly staked, but must be saved from 
rubbing against their support by placing rubber or 
cloth bands between them and that to which they 
are tied. The head growths at the time of root 
pruning should also be shortened. 
Cissus (Vitus) discolor.—Being of the nature of 
a Vine, this lovely climbing plant must have a rest 
during the winter. By gradually withholding water the 
plants will go naturally to rest. Whether this Cissus 
is grown in pots or is planted out in borders there 
are few plants to compare with it. The loDg shoots 
should be cut back to the portions which is best 
ripened. The young shoots in spring will thus be 
stronger. 
Azaleas. — For immediate forcing, the Indian 
Azaleas should now be secured and put into order. 
For decorative purposes the untrained specimens are 
preferable to the rigid samples one gets from the 
continental growers. A close moist atmosphere 
brings them on rapidly. 
Bouyardias.—The earlier batches of these popular 
flowers are now in bloom. Other lots coming into 
flower must be kept clean by fumigating. In no 
case be neglectful in the watering of them, for they 
soon suffer. Neat ties should be made to the 
shoots, the ties being fastened to a central stake, 
t Herbaceous Borders.—Though a general re-ar¬ 
rangement of the borders cannot very well be under¬ 
taken at this time, especially in those borders where 
bulbs are planted, the present is still an opportune 
occasion for making some alterations. The exact 
height or character of the hardy plants are seen 
at this time, and changes which would make for 
improvement can the better be judged. 
Asparagus.—Cut the now dead or dying shoois 
and dry them. They will provide protective 
material for horizontal cordon Apple or other fruit 
trees when they are flowering in the spring. The 
beds may be dressed with salt, and seaweed may be 
used to cover them with if it is procurable ; other¬ 
wise leaf mould to the depth of about a foot should 
be placed over them. Make up the edges of the beds 
and otherwise square them off. 
Winter Cucumbers.—Let the Cucumbers make a 
profusion of growth so long as they are in vigour. 
This growth will yield its crop, and some of the 
minor branches may be cut completely out to allow 
others to take their place. Always endeavour to 
supply a quantity of young wood or shoots in place 
of the old ones. It is the young shoots which keep 
up the yield. A steady temperature of 65° at night 
and 70° during the day should be upheld. Moisture 
in liberal amount is also a sine qua non. When top 
dressing the plants see that the compost is always 
warmed before being spread over the roots.— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening mil be answered on this page. 
A nyone 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. 
Coleus for Cottage Windows — Jane Wallace ; 
Coleuses of a bushy structure or form, with hard 
stems and undersized but very brilliant foliage, are 
often at most garden markets and florists' shops at 
the present time of year. Such plants as these 
would endure the conditions of a cottage window for 
a month or two. These market plants have been 
grown hard, specially to fit them for cold and 
changes. Old and naked Coleuses may be propa¬ 
gated from cuttings made from the tips of the shoots. 
These should be struck in pans containing light soil, 
and placed in a propagating pit or case, with a 
temperature ranging from 6o° to 65° Ventilate 
very slightly. 
Parsnips and the Frost.— R. J. : It is the usual 
practice in large private gardens to lift a batch of all 
the root crops so soon as one or two sharp frosts 
have been experienced, especially if other frosts are 
expected. The crops are stored to tide over the 
frosty period. When the frost breaks, the thaw is 
made use of to get all the others up, or at least the 
best part of them. Parsnips may be left in the soil 
and will take no harm, even alter 15 9 or more of 
frost. So long as the roots are healthy and show 
any signs of growth it is best to leave them unlifted. 
Try to get them dry before storing them. In the 
storing operation, place them flat on a level floor or 
boarding, and build them up in stacks, layer upon 
layer, and between each tier introduce a heavy 
sprinkling of dry sand. This helps to preserve them 
from the air and the dampness. Carrots, Beetroot, 
Salsify, Scorzonera, Parsnips, and other root 
vegetables are treated thus. Be careful when lift¬ 
ing any crop, Beet especially, else they may be 
bruised and “ bleed," that is, drained of their sap ; 
and this makes them tough and unpalatable. Do 
not shorten the length of any of the roots, but neatly 
and cleanly cut off the foliage at the top. Beet 
should be dressed slantingly upward from the crown, 
not straight across. A frost proof cellar should be 
chosen. Potatos may be pitted, being covered over 
with straw and about 2 ft. of soil. 
Pale foliage — Experimenter : The leaves sent have 
apparently not been drawn upon by any kind of 
insect at all. The signs all point to a deficiency of 
iron in your soil. We would advis^.you to use 
sulphate of iron as being the most efficient compound, 
using it at the rate of 100 lbs. per acre; or 1 oz. 
to 3 sq. yds. after rain. Iron aids the chlorophyll of 
the leaves. 
Caustic Lime. — Experimenter : Caustic lime is 
prepared by burning the carbonate of lime in kilns. 
The carbonic acid is driven off, and caustic lime 
remains. This is the kind of lime required for very 
heavy or very rich land. 
Tomatos ripening.— W. J. : Cut all the fruit and 
hang them up in bunches in a scullery, or better 
still, a warm plant house. They will not be so fine 
in flavour thus ripened, but they will be useful for 
cooking purposes, with seasoning added. 
Marechal Niel Rose.— A. B. Johnson-. It is hard 
to say why your plant has failed to flower. Probably 
being a youDg plant, and having free root room in 
good soil, the vigour was carried off entirely into 
wood growth. The dull summer also must have 
told against it. To keep the soil on the dry side, and 
to prune (he shoots back to firm wood would seem to 
be the best policy. Allow all the light possible, and 
do not force it this year. 
Chrysanthemums Infested.— Grower : The buds 
seem to have been injured by earwigs. Place 
pieces of cotton wool around the stems below the 
buds. This generally retards the earwigs. Pieces 
of Cabbage leaves folded or pieces of brown paper 
