280 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 29, 1900. 
INTS FOR MMATEURS. 
Chrysanthemum Cuttings.—Now that the Chrys¬ 
anthemum plants are cut down and are drafting their 
strength to the suckers, active preparations will be 
necessary to prepare for the cuttings. All know to 
select only the stoutest and plumpest of these cut¬ 
tings. Shallow boxes and a light quality of soil 
should be chosen. Old Chrysanthemum soil having 
a percentage of fresh leaf soil and sand may be got 
ready. A few sifted cinders should cover the 
bottoms of the boxes (which need not be more than 
in. to 2 in. deep), and over the cinders place a 
layer of some fibrous matter. Make the soil moder¬ 
ately firm, then insert the cuttings.. These must be 
prepared with care before being put in. A good 
cutting should have a firm heel or knob of older 
wood at the base, though this is happily not 
absolutely necessary. A clean, sharp, transverse 
cut should be made below a joint, and one or two of 
the leaves may require to be removed. The cuttings 
should be set in in. apart either way, and ought to 
be watered with tepid water. Place these shallow 
boxes inside other larger boxes, and cover the latter 
over with pieces of glass. The cuttings should be 
within a few inches of the glass. To keep the glass dry 
is a very necessary item in the operations connected 
with striking cuttings. The moisture from the leaves 
condenses on the glass, which again lets the moisture 
fall in the form of drips, that will ruin any box of cut¬ 
tings. Turn the glass twice a day at least, wiping it 
while doing so. I like to use just a slight amount of 
bottom heat, as this has been found to injure more 
ready striking than if the boxes are simply placed 
upon a cool stage. The amount needed is very 
little, and if the large box is placed on a wooden 
stage just over the hot-water pipes quite enough of 
heat will ascend. Whenever the cuttings are rooted, 
which will be in three weeks or a month, they should 
be carefully lifted to be potted into 2-in. pots. A 
suitable temperature for the Chrysanthemum cutting 
pits or cases ranges from 55 s * to 6o Q . 
Hydrangeas.—These popular plants may now 
have a little more freedom since the Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are gone. Pretty blue trusses of the Hydran¬ 
gea hortensis are now on sale in the markets, and 
will continue to come in till Easter and soon till the 
outdoor plants in favoured situations begin to bloom. 
^°ung plants grown as single stemmed specimens 
may require to be potted on, and large specimens for 
tubs should also be given ample accommodation. 
These will come in useful for lawn decoration. A 
greenhouse temperature with as good a position in 
the matter of light as can be given will suit them 
admirably. 
Schizanthus in pots should at this stage be on the 
greenhouse or other cool-house shelves. Their 
culture is of the very simplest, the chief essentials 
to be remembered being to ensure sturdiness and 
robustness in tbe plants, for long weakly shoots will 
not provide good flowering stems. The plants may 
be potted into 5-in. pots ; a few may be pinched and 
confined to the smaller sized pots to be used as edge 
plants. When those in the larger pots have grown 
a little more they must be loosely staked. The 
Schizanthus provides a beautiful and useful subject 
for the conservatory during February, March, April, 
and May. 
Zonals are having a season to their liking, and the 
gardener who has a goodly batch of these gay 
plants cannot be badly off for cut flowers. They 
will be benefited by frequent supplies of weak liquid 
manure. Maintain a temperature of 55° to 65°, 
the latter being the maximum day temperature. 
Cyclamens may occupy the same house, and will 
flower freely if similarly treated. The young Zonals 
in small pots should be kept slowly moving on. If 
they are grown hard the dullness and perhaps damp¬ 
ness will have no effect upon them whatever. 
Tree and Malmaison Carnations at this time are 
practically dormant. They do not require much 
attention so far as watering goes, but they should be 
immersed or sprayed occasionally with a solution 
of Gishurst Compound in warm water containing a 
quantity of dissolved soft soap. This tends largely 
to check the working of any fungus whose presence 
gives occasion to disease. Weak solutions of Bor¬ 
deaux Mixture are also recommended, and a rose-red 
solution of permanganate of potassium has good 
results when sprayed. A pinch of sulphate of iron 
to thewater,which is applied to the roots, strengthens 
the foliage. 
Begonias.—The winter flowering section is yearly 
being increased, and the latest introductions are 
among the best we have. The double flowered 
forms that Messrs. Veitch have just sent out are 
very floriferous, bushy, and bright. They are pro¬ 
pagated from cuttings and make fine plants in a very 
short while. Plants of Gloire de Lorraine, that may 
be going off after having seen service in dwelling- 
houses, can either be slightly pinched and restarted; 
or they can be gradually rested so as to get a batch 
of stout, early cuttings. 
Show Pelargoniums.—These, for a little while 
yet, should be maintained dry. They can be shaken 
out and started in heat about the middle of February. 
Young plants in 4-in. pots should have a warmer 
temperature than is accorded to the Zonals. 
Hard-wooded Plants.—The conservatory bard- 
wooded plants, including Boronias, Azaleas, Aotus 
gracillima, Cytisus, Acacias and Ericas should be 
kept cool. Many of the Ericas, indeed, are now 
among the brightest ornaments of the house at this 
time. 
Forcing Plants, which include the numerous list 
of bulbous plants, Ghent Azaleas and Azalea mollis, 
Staphylea colchica, Prunus sineDsis, Spiraea con- 
fusa, Itea virginica and other things should be 
placed in gentle heat to start with, which may be 
increased after a week. The Tulips, Roman 
Hyacinths, Freesias and Snowdrops may be placed 
in a temperature of 65° straight away. Narcissi of 
many sorts will flower early if introduced to gentle 
heat after the pots are full of roots. 
The Blue Marguerite (Agathea coelistis) may 
soon be had in flower. It is one of the prettiest 
little flowering plants of the year. Plants in 4 in. 
pots may be placed on the shelves situated in an 
intermediate house. Successive batches may be 
kept up till May. 
Phrynium variegatum is a stove plant that has 
come to be grown in even the smallest collections. 
At the present time and onward for a while yet, it 
should be kept dry or almost dry so as to rest it. A 
cooler temperature may at the same time be given. 
A house suited for Dendrobium nobile during winter, 
will also answer for the variegated Phrynium. The 
Dendrobiums, by the way, should receive no water, 
or, at most, only enough to keep the pseudo-bulbs 
plump. Other cool house Orchids should be most 
carefully watered. 
While writing of the Phrynium, other popular 
decorative warm house plants such as Dracaena 
godseffiana, Aralia gracillima, Marantas, Dieffenba- 
chias, Acalyphas, Panax Victoriae and others of a 
like nature, should all be "rested” during these 
shorts days and long dark weeks. Rested is merely 
a relative term, and implies that no stimulants, and 
only a moderate supply of water should be given to 
them. The temperature of the house should be 
steady, but need not rise higher than 65° by day, 
and from 5 P to 6° lower by night. 
After the middle of January a new activity seems 
to start. They may then be re potted or top-dressed, 
as the case may be, and gradually encouraged to 
make new growth. Cuttings of most of these should 
be taken about that time too, but nice shapely 
plants ought not to be spoilt. If they have become 
too large, skilful pruning can set them right, but 
small or medium-sized specimens should certainly 
be left untouched. 
Tomatos.—The earliest sowing of Tomatos is 
usually made about the middle of January in the 
larger class of gardens. The seeds at least should 
be ordered at an early date. Plants for placing out- 
of-doors about the 15th of May should be sown 
toward the end of February. They should be grown 
under exceedingly cool conditions, so that plants 
with a firmly-knit structure may develop. 
Early Sowings of Carrots, Turnips, Onions and 
various vegetables for use when small or for spring 
planting will be made early in January, so that the 
season’s seeds and requisites must be settled upon 
and secured. The turn of the New Year finds the 
gardener exceedingly busy with all bis preparations 
for spring and summer display. Boxes, frames, 
houses, manure for hot-beds, composts for seeds, 
cuttings, plants and protective material for the out¬ 
door early sowings and plantings must all be con¬ 
sidered. There is such a "choke” to find space 
and the best place for everything just after the New 
Year, that only he who makes preparation before 
hand is likely to find the necessary space and 
conveniences. - Beacon. 
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. 
Market Varieties of Chrysanthemums.—5. G.: 
Practically any variety that is a free producer of 
blooms, cuts well, is showy and has lasting qualities, 
furnishes a good market variety of Chrysanthemum. 
In Covent Garden we find many of the now old- 
fashioned varieties such as Val d’Andorre, Le Rhone, 
Lord Brooke and Mons. "William Holmes are very 
popular. These then may be included. Mdme. C. 
Desgranges, Mons. Dupuis, Harvest Home, Mdme. 
Marie Masse. Lady Fitzwygram and Souv. de 
Mdlle. Menere are good as early sorts. For mid¬ 
season W. H. Lincoln, Souv. d'Une Petite Amie, 
Mr. Bunn, Source d'Or, Crimson Source d’Or, Lady 
Selborne and Margot ; and for later work use Golden 
Wreath, Niveus, Mrs. J. H. White, Mdlle. Lacroix, 
Chas. Davis and Viviand Morel. There are 
numerous singles that come in late and have all the 
qualities of good market flowers, yet they are not 
much grown. 
Early Flowering Chrysanthemums.—S. G .: The 
following are early flowering varieties suitable for 
pot work and those with an asterisk (*) will flower 
out of doors. Barbara Forbes, Harvest Home*, 
Henri Yvon, Lady Fitzwygram*, Mdme. C. Des¬ 
granges*, Mrs. J. R. Pilcher, M. George Menier, M. 
G. Grunnerwald, Market White*, Mytchett White*, 
Pride of Mytchett*, Profusion*, Roi de Precoces*, 
Ryecroft Glory and White Quintus. 
Antirrhinums for Transplanting.— A. Robertson : 
It would be better to wait till March before trans¬ 
planting the Antirrhinums. Though the season is 
mild, the warmth has greatly depreciated in the soil 
and to transplant such as Antirrhinums would be to 
run risks for no good. In another season you should 
scatter seeds all over the surface of the bank and 
among tbe rocks. These will germinate and stand 
well through the winter. 
Peaches for Outdoors.— M. R .: In very few cases 
are Peach trees successful as bush trees in the open 
air. When they are grown out of doors they are 
generally given the sunniest and best wall possible. 
The borders should be specially prepared, and pre¬ 
pared too, with pains. The following do well in 
favoured conditions and under proper treatment:— 
Royal George, Early Alexander, Hale’s Early, Belle- 
garde, Barrington and Sea Eagle. 
How to Supply Potash.— R. Morgan : Your 
adviser bad not probably studied agricultural 
chemistry else he should have known that wood 
ashes do furnish potash. Wood ashes and burnt 
refuse together with soot, lime and muck are all 
valuable for nourishing fruit trees. What has been 
tried and proved successful by men who have gone 
gray and have had undoubted results from their 
practice is not to be put aside by such persons as 
those you refer to. Be judicial by all means, but at 
the same time understand that only good crops of 
good Apples, &c., can be expected when the trees are 
well nourished and kept in good condition. When 
fruit trees are well nourished and receive sunshine 
they will furnish splendidly coloured fruits. Nitrate 
of potash, or perhaps belter, sulphate of potash, 
could be applied and would act quicker than potash 
from wood ashes. The sulphate could be applied at 
the rate of r£ lb. per rod. Sulphate of iron at the 
same rale is also recommended. 
Diseased Tulips . — Market Grower : Unfortunately, 
there is no cure tor your Tulips now that the disease 
is in vigour. The conidial form of the fungus 
(Botyrtis cinerea) must have attacked the leaves 
and stems of the Tulips last year. At the end of the 
vegetative season of the Tulip the mycelium of 
the fungus passes into the tissues of the host 
plant and forms resting bodies called sclerotia 
These become active whenever the Tulips start 
growth in spring, and it is their influence that causes 
the present rotting. 
