November 10. 1100. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. It? 
flower is lovely, and as near perfection as one might 
wish, so far as shape and colour are concerned. The 
two upper petals were of a rich, dark, plum-purple, 
fading slightly at the margins. Miss Dodds was 
quite a different flower, the dark velvety blotches 
being smaller, and the lacing consisting of a broad 
band of rich purple-red or crimson. The two upper 
petals were similar in colour to the lacing, but a 
shade or two darker. Again in Miss Taylor the 
blotches were moderate in size compared with the 
diameter of the flower, and were bordered with dark 
crimson. The top petals were of a rich, dark 
maroon. All the three were raised by Mr. Kay, who 
is an ardent admirer of this class of plants, and 
indefatigable in the attention he has given them for 
some years past. They were brought before the 
Scottish Pansy and Viola Association, at their first 
conference last summer, and each was awarded a 
First-class Certificate. All three were very fine, 
although we liked James Dewar and Miss Taylor 
best. No doubt they would have been even finer, 
and probably larger if we had seen them in their 
proper season. In any case they were marvellous 
for the 30th October, the day they reached us. 
MARGUERITE CARNATIONS., 
Many gardeners are often called upon to provide a 
quantity of cut flowers for dinner tables during 
September and October for shooting parties, a time 
when most of our choice outside flowers are over. 
With a bed or so of Marguerite Carnations to go to 
and cut these will then be found indispensable for 
the above occasions. If sown in February and 
March in a pan and placed in a gentle heat the seed¬ 
lings will soon appear. When these are large 
enough to handle they should be pricked out into 
boxes. Plant them out in May into beds, allowing 
1 ft. each way. In the autumn there should te a 
grand display of flowers of various colours from 
plants so treated. I may state that we have been 
continually cutting Carnations since August to this 
date, November 5th. They can also be taken up 
from the open ground and potted into 48’s and 32's 
at the end of September, and placed in the green¬ 
house after getting established ; there they will con¬ 
tinue to bloom during the winter and spring months. 
— J. Botley, Blythewood Gardens, Maidenhead. 
CARNATION LEOPOLD DE ROTHS¬ 
CHILD. 
This exquisite Carnation is hard to beat for winter 
flowering. The large and showy flowers make a fine 
display of pink through the winter months. Far too 
many of our finest Carnations are lacking in vigour, 
but here we have one which,if lacking in refinement,is 
wanting in neither freedom nor vigour, and would be 
valued by any gardener who wants a thoroughly 
reliable Carnation. Cuttings put in now in sandy 
soil will strike readily if taken care of. Pot them up 
when well rooted, and keep them cool. In the spring 
place them in a cold frame, admit air on all favour¬ 
able occasions, and as the weather gets warmer 
remove the lights altogether. The final shift must 
be into 6-in. pots, using a compost of light turfy 
jloam, with plenty of grit, and a dusting ot bone 
meal. Early in September bring them indoors, and 
they will then supply plenty of bloom through 
the winter months. After they have done blooming 
top-dress them with loam and some approved 
fertiliser, and grow them on in a cool house. When 
conditions allow place them on a bed of ashes out 
of doors, and they will give a fine display of bloom 
through the summer and autumn. So this splendid 
Carnation can be had in bloom Dearly all the year 
round. H. Willis, 42, Alexandra Road, Englefield 
Green, Egham. 
STREPTOCARPUS. 
These pretty and very floriferous greenhouse plants 
are easily raised from seed which, if sown this 
month, will produce flowering plants next summer. 
The seed, which is almost as fine as that of Begonia, 
must be sown on the surface of the pan in a moder¬ 
ate heat, and not covered with any soil; but a glass 
placed over it will pfevent too rapid drying of the 
soil. Many failures are due to the seeds being 
washed off the soil, and kept too wet by the use of 
too coarse a rose on the watering can. As soon as 
large enough prick off into small pots in an ordinary 
compost, but containing plenty of leaf soil. When 
rooled through pot on into the flowering pot, 48’s 
being a useful size, and place in a cool house. Use 
water sparingly for a few days as they are very liable 
to damp if once got too wet. When established 
plenty of light and air is all that is necessary. They 
succeed admirably and look well when planted out 
round the edges of indoor rockeries and conserva¬ 
tory borders. Veitch’s hybrid and Laing’s multi- 
flora strains can be recommended for giving large 
flowers of all colours ; but Streptocarpus achimeni- 
florus with panicles of light mauve flowers, with 
yellow or white throat, S. a. giganteus, still larger, 
are most beautiful, while S. a. albus is the finest 
white.— K. 
——-- 
CLERODENDRONS. 
Amongst stove climbing plants, but few are more 
showy and beautiful than Clerodendron Thompsonae 
and C. splendens. Both are natives of W. Tropical 
Africa, the former being introduced from Old 
Calabar in 1861, and the latter from Sierra Leone in 
1840. The flowers are produced in large panicles 
on the extremities of the young growths. C. 
Thompsonae is perhaps the best species in the 
genus, the white calyces and scarlet corollas of the 
flowers presenting a very effective contrast. C. 
splendens has a bright scarlet infloresence. A com-’ 
post of equal parts loam and peat with the addition 
of a little leaf mould and sand suits them admirably. 
They succeed best if planted out in a border, the 
growths being trained to wires under the roof. C. 
Thompsonae, however, makes a good exhibition 
plant if grown in a large pot and trained to a balloon 
trellis. Timely attention should be given to keep¬ 
ing the growth thinly and evenly disposed, as not 
only will they be stronger and better developed but 
insect pests are more readily kept in check. Mealy 
bug is sometimes troublesome, but frequent syring¬ 
ing, with an occasional application of an insecticide, 
will act as a preventive. After flowering and 
through the winter the plants should be kept rather 
drier, and in a cooler temperature if possible. Early 
in the spring they may be pruned back and started 
in a brisk heat. Propagation may be effected by 
cuttings of ripened wood in sandy soil under a bell 
glass.— E. C. 
■ » «- 
RAISING DRACAENAS FROM SEED. 
One of the greatest pleasures a gardener has is the 
raising of seedlings by cross fertilisation. To raise 
Dracaenas by the above means is well worth any 
gardener’s attention. In the first place if narrow¬ 
leaved ones are desired select a good plant of that 
class, and fertilise the flowers as they open with pollen 
from a variety of the same class, but with a distinct 
habit of growth. By doing so one has a chance to 
strike a direct cross, and perhaps be an advancement 
on both parent plants. Broad-leaved kinds may be 
treated in the same manner. The seeds as they 
ripen should be gathered and carefully labelled for 
future sowing. Early in the year the seed should 
be sown in shallow pans amongst loamy soil lightened 
with silver sand. These should be placed in a warm 
pit, and in a few months young seedlings will 
appear. As soon as ready get them into thumb 
pots, adding a little peat at this potting. A slight 
fumigating will keep thrips in check, as in their 
young stage they prove a dainty morsel to these 
pests. As growth proceeds repot into larger pots 
and keep close to the glass, allowing plenty of light, 
but not too much sun. The raiser must not expect 
all narrow-leaved ones by that cross or broad ones 
from the other, but may get a mixture. Many 
although not fit for distributing will prove suitable 
for decorative purposes.— W. Angus, The Gardens, 
Penicuik. 
GROWING ZONAL PELARGONIUM IN 
WINTER AND SPRING. 
In April get the plants you intend to grow, pot them 
into 6o’s, using good potting soil, a little sand and 
leaf mould. Grow them on till the end of May, then 
pot ia 48 ’s in good loam and a little leaf mould 
Keep the shoots pinched back, and only water when 
dry ; keep them in a frame with the lights off by day. 
In June place them in the open in the full snn to get 
the wood well ripened. About the middle of July 
pot into 32’s in two parts loam, one part leaf mould, 
and crushed oyster shell. Keep all shoots and 
flowering buds pinched off, and stand the plants 
about 4 in. apart. Water once a week with weak 
manure water; continue this until the first week in 
September, when they must be taken into the house 
where they are in flower, letting the flowering buds 
grow. The house should be from 56 ** to 6 o p . 
Always keep a little top air on to carry off dampness, 
and by the end of October you should h we a n ce 
lot of blcom. Give them manure water once a 
week, and occasionally a lithe soot water. foil 
should then have a good supply of bloom all the 
winter and early spring. In February cut down half 
the plants for cuttings, shake the old plants out, pot 
again in 48's, and they will flower again in late 
spring.— H. W. Lewis, The Village, Hayes, Kent, 
November $th, 1900. 
KitcHen Barden calendar. 
Winter is now near upon us, and as there is no 
possible means of knowing whether it will be severe 
or not every preparation should be made in case 
there is need. 
Asparagus beds intended for forcing should as soon 
as the old growths have been cleared away, be 
covered with litter so as to exclude frost, that there 
may be no delay in lifting the roots should the 
weather, later on, be severe. This is one of the first 
plants to be lifted for forcing, preparations should 
therefore be made for commencing. Tfce heat 
necessary to produce fine heads need not be great, 
for it is far better that growth be made in a lower 
temperature than be spindly, which is usually the 
case when undue haste in preparing the beds is 
resorted to. Now that there are plenty of leaves, 
these should be collected and mixed with stable 
litter for making hot beds. After being turned over 
a couple of times the beds may be made up and 
planted, taking care that the heat is not too violent 
or the roots will suffer, and instead of stroDg growths 
pushing up the whole will be burnt. Air should be 
admitted freely on all favourable occasions so long as 
a temperature of from 6o° to 65° can be maintained. 
This will be sufficient,and during mild weather there 
will be no difficulty in this even with a circulation of 
air. Endive may still be blanched in the open, so 
that at present there is no need for lifting this and 
placing it in a dark room, such as the Mushroom 
house. 
French Beans will now need more attention in 
the way of watering, a? the soil does not dry so 
freely. A dry atmosphere is always best when the 
plants are in bloom as the flowers set more freely. It 
will, however, be necessary to exercise care, as 
French Beans are very liable to the attack of red 
spider. Where room can be provided another batch 
should now be sown so as to give a succession. 
Potato sets for early forcing should now be stood 
on their ends to admit of their breaking freely, and 
material should be collected for making hot beds to 
plant them io. 
Lettuce that was planted out ia beds with a 
view of being protected with temporary frames and 
mats ought now to have some boards placed rcuad 
the outsides to afford protection. If slating laths be 
laid on these they will prevent the mats or canvas 
from coming in contact with the plants. Endive 
may also be treated in like manner but so long as the 
weather is mild there is no need for covering, though 
it is well to have everything in readiness in case of 
a sudden change in the weather. All tender plants 
such as Cauliflower ought to be got into cold frames 
without delay, even if the lights are kept off till 
actually required. 
Earth up all but the latest batches of Celery, and 
have plenty of material in readiness in case severe 
weather should suddenly set in. Leeks too should 
be earthed np for blanching, as the stems are far 
more delicate when so treated. It cannot be too 
deeply impressed on the minds of those who have to 
keep up large supplies of Cauliflower the necessity 
for ample protection. Any that are ready for use 
should be lifted and taken to a cold shed, while those 
just turning in should have the leaves turned over 
them and made secure. In case there is prospect 
of severe frost as many as possible should be lifted 
and laid in thickly together where they can be 
afforded protection if it is found necessary. In wet 
weather look over all store rooms and remove any 
roots that show signs of decay, as such would soon 
cause the others to go wrong.— FAV.J. 
