THE GARDENING WORLD 
409 
February 23, 1901. 
very fine powder, but much care is needed in the 
usiDg of it, owing to its poisonous character. Employ 
it at the rate of i oz. per 15 to 20 gallons of water. 
Spray through a very fine nozzle, choosing a dull 
day for the operation. Even paraffin emulsion 
would prevent the likelihood of many inssct 
attacks. Attend regularly to careful ventilating, 
watering, and thinniDg of growths. Cement all 
holes in the walls, and clear away all rubbish, 
boards, &c., from the Peach house that would afford 
them shelter. 
Planting Lilies.—F.: You may still select and 
plant good bulbs of Lilium Henryi, L. pyrenaicum, 
L. pomponium, L. Browni, L. thunbergianum, L. 
odorum, L. Martagon, L. chalcedonicum, L. cro- 
ceum, and L. Hansoni. Most Lilies like a cool, 
peaty soil, somewhat sheltered. Indeed, a position 
among dwarf growing shrubs, especially the Ghent 
Azaleas when in beds or collections, suits them 
admirably. 
Open Air Peaches.— R. S .: A glass coping is 
really the best form of protection. Failing this a 
screen or curtain of tiffany or canvas should be 
fixed somewhere below the coping. This should be 
CINERARIA POLYANTHA. 
The making and unmaking of flowers are two phases 
in the art of gardening totally opposed to one 
another; yet both methods are capable of producing 
flowers that find a large number of admirers. By 
the making of flowers we mean the evolution of 
them aloDg certain lines which have not only been 
approved and appraised by the gardening community, 
but believed by the same to be the best and most 
desirable form of development, or that coming 
nearest their ideal of perfection. The unmaking 0i 
flowers refers to the reduction of these highly 
developed forms to an earlier and simpler type, and 
more like, let us say, the wild originals. 
The strain of garden Cinerarias, named C. poly- 
antha, may be placed in the latter category, that is, 
they consist of flowers that have been reduced from 
the highest artificial stage of development to a more 
simple type. This has been brought about by cross¬ 
ing the wild Cineraria cruenta, of the Canary Islands, 
with varieties of the highly developed strain of 
greenhouse Cinerarias. The latter as is well known 
have been reduced to dwarf and squatty plants, 
while their flower heads have been greatly enlarged, 
and many rich colours imparted to them by cross¬ 
breeding and selection. For the front stages of 
graceful habit is well adapted for the brightening of 
mixed groups of plants where the ordinary garden 
Cineraria would be inadmissible on account of its 
massiveness and density. The accompanying 
illifktration lent us by Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, 
Ltd., will give some idea of the free and easy habit 
of'the plants and their decorative character. In 
colour they already run through a multiplicity of 
shades from white to blue and violet, pink, lilac, rose, 
purple, and red. The individual blooms are small 
and starry, thus giving plenty of space for the great 
numbers produced on the branching stems. They 
are of the easiest culture, and make the finest 
specimens when raised annually from seed. 
-- 
NOTES ON THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
January 5 th. 
It is interesting to read the notes on this branch of 
garden management, and this is the more so when 
one can see where these are written from. Our good 
friend, Mr. Temple, of Carron House, often gives 
us some appetising reading under such headings. 
I am hailing from West Dorset, and here the 
climate is vastly different from the north. All the 
same, I am apt to think we do not get as many 
Cineraria polyantha 
let down on all clear nights, and can be raised after 
the frost has gone. Herring nets are equally good 
for the purpose of protection, especially when a 
double or triple ply is used. 
Sowing Sweet Peas ,—Frank Tait : The soil 
should be deeply dug, and if very light a fair dress¬ 
ing of manure may be given. The seeds may be 
sown any time from the present, though those sown 
in April, or at least March, will grpw away more 
quickly, and possibly much stronger. 
Pruning young Vines.— B .: The canes can be 
cut back so soon as you have finished planting. The 
balls should be shaken to make the soil leave the 
roots, which ought then to be fully spread out and 
covered lajer by layer, your aim being to raise the 
fibrous roots as near the surface as is consistent with 
the principles that rule their well-being. There 
should be no check given to the leading shoots during 
the first summer, but next winter they should be cut 
back to within 3 ft. or 4 ft. from the base. One or 
two bunches may be ripened on the young cane this 
year. 
Please note change of address. 
greenhouses and conservatories these highly evolved 
plants no doubt serve their purpose ; but a constantly 
increasing number of the gardening fraternity and 
admirers ot flowers generally, think that the ordinary 
and highly developed garden race has lost its grace¬ 
fulness and decorative value. 
For some time past Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Ltd., 
Chelsea, have been crossing the garden race with 
the wild C. cruenta, and named the new race, so 
obtained, C. polyantha in allusion to the profusion 
of their flowers. The great corymbs or panicles of 
flowers are produced on long stems that stand well 
above the foliage, and give a group of plants a grace¬ 
ful elegance and artistic beauty that cultivators can 
hardly fail to appreciate, particularly those who 
have to furnish greenhouses, conservatories, corri¬ 
dors, and even dwelling houses, with some¬ 
thing that will prove both novel and attractive 
during the winter and spring months. For 
all these purposes the polyantha strain is well 
adapted. In large conservatories and corridors the 
ordinary garden strain would be not only ineffective 
but entirely lost on account of their dwarf habit. 
The plants of C. polyantha on the contrary may be 
seen from a distance, while their lively and varied 
colours invite a closer inspection. Their light and 
advantages as our northern friends give us credit for. 
In proof of this, I may say, since I came here (twelve 
years ago) I have known spring Cabbages cut in a 
West Norfolk garden earlier than we have (200 miles 
west). This arises from the fact of our only having 
but little snow in very cold weather to protect things 
close to the ground, and with us the cold and biting 
winds often ruin the crop. 
Many things thrive more satisfactorily where the 
transitions from heat to cold are not so rapid. Well, 
I suppose it is as the saying goes, " Everyone thinks 
his garden in a bad situation in some way.” I am 
digressing and must hark back to vegetables. 
Up to the present time (January 5th) there has 
been no frost to affect the green crops, but now there 
are indications of colder weather. We cut our last 
self-protecting Broccoli yesterday, and never have 
we had such a good crop of this, and Autumn Giant 
Cauliflower. In a large patch we had only one 
rogue. I have a lot of faith in sowing the best strains 
of seeds. The heads of Couve Tronchuda have 
been fine, as we sow early and plant in good land. It 
is to be regretted this is not more grown. No Bras- 
sica can surpass it for flavour, and when sown late 
$ stands cold. Clou de Burghley I find most useful 
when sown at the end of May for cutting in spring, 
