438 
THE GARDENING WORLD. March 9, 1901. 
ARDENINS fjjflSCELLANY. 
BEGONIA GLOIRE DE LORRAINE. 
In the February issue of the Revue de l'Horticulture 
Beige the above popular subject is honoured by a 
coinured plate. It is mentioned there that Messrs. 
Vcitch & Soas, Ltd., first introduced it to commerce 
twenty years ago, it having been raised at Nancy by 
Messrs. Lemoine as a hjbrid between B. socotrana 
and B. Dregei. In the eslablisment of Truffaut, at 
Versailles, several houses are devoted to its culture. 
During summer they grow the plants in a nice, warm 
greenhouse, well aired nearly every day, and shaded 
from the direct rays of the sun. The plants are 
staged on graduated or sloping stages, sufficiently 
apart to permit an ample circulation of air around 
the plants, which is very necessary for the sake of 
the rather delicate foliage. Watering and syringing 
are liberally performed when the weather is very 
hot. Azote (a nitrogenous compound) is supplied as 
a liquid manure in weak but repeated applications, 
plants intended for specimens being especially well 
treated in this respect. Cuttings are taken in spring¬ 
time ; and a light compost is always used, the plants 
being repeatedly pinched during growth. In baskets 
the young plants are inserted between the openings 
of the wire framework, and form beautiful baskets. 
CAULIFLOWER 
Is one of the most important vegetables the gardener 
has to grow. How often one sees a break in the 
succession of the Cauliflower crop. I do not think 
this need be so if we went in more for one variety— 
Dwarf Erfurt—and sow oftener than is generally 
done. A sowing should be made about February 
ist, indoors, a sowing in March—about the i8th—on 
a south border, a sowing in May—about the 15th— 
cn an east border, and one about the middle of June. 
The June sowing would serve to plant up the ground 
where early Potatos have been. A sowing might also 
be made about August 12th to stand the winter, in 
frames ; but it is not necessary, as the plants from 
the February sowing are very much better as they have 
very little check. I have cut Cauliflower from the 
February sowing most seasons before those wintered 
in frames were fit. I know some will say, "Why 
Dwarf Erfurt ? ” and so many other good varieties. 
I find it is very hardy and does not take up much 
room (it can be planted 18 in. or 20 in. apart) and it 
stands drought better than any other variety that I 
know. I c n get a longer succession from one 
planting than I can get from almost any of the 
others, and a nice table size. Take Early London, 
for instance (a great favourite with some of the 
older gardeners), when it comes in for using, it is all 
ready about one time, and generally the autumn 
sorts are not ready for some time afterwards. If the 
gardener can keep a constant supply of good medium¬ 
sized Cauliflower and good green Peas, he will not 
hear much about it, if he happens to have a break 
in the succession of some of the other vegetables 
commonly growr.— F. Ross, Strathtyrum Gardens, St. 
Andrews, N B. 
- »I - 
JASMINUM NUDIFLORUM. 
A few weeks ago a writer in The Gardening 
World called attention to the above-named plant, 
but nothing was said as to its management. From 
my own observation it appears to me to be one of 
the most mismanaged of hardy wall plants. It may 
be four d growing and attempting to flower under 
many conditions — in one instance known to the 
writer growing in the form of a hedge, and annually 
clipped as if it were Whitethorn. In few instances 
does this fine plant get the treatment calculated to 
induce it to do its best. It suffers many things at 
the hands of the “jobbing gardener” in his zeal to 
keep a place tidy. 
When one plants this Jasmine (and this may be 
done in any month from October to March) it should 
be given a position sheltered as much as possible 
from cold and rough winds. The growth should be 
so distributed as to cover the wall space at com¬ 
mand with shoots placed 7 or 8 in. apart. Leading 
growth should extend until all wall space is covered, 
All lateral growth should be spurred in exactly as 
we prune our Vines as soon as the flowering season 
has pa^ed, which will be about the middle of 
March. The resulting shoots required for extension 
must be cared for and nailed in or otherwise fastened 
as they grow, and very strong lateral growths will 
need to be fastened into secure positions to prevent 
damage from wind. But in the main the laterals should 
be allowed to grow at will. They will then become 
well ripened, and every shoot will be wreathed with 
blossoms for the greater part of its length during 
the ensuing winter, and not being formally tied or 
otherwise fastened in will display its beauty in the 
most natural, which is also the most graceful 
manner. 
If any of the readers of The Gardening World 
have in their care or possession old neglected plants 
of this Jasmine the same may be entirely renovated 
in a season by cutting out with a free hand this 
spring all weak wood, and fastening in enough 
growth to cover space at command like so many 
Vine rods (except as previously stated they should 
be left 7 or 8 in. apart). The result will more than 
pay for the labour. Sprays of f. nudiflorum are 
often acceptable in the cut flower arrangements, 
especially where glass is not over abundant.— A Plant 
Lover, 
-— - g » 
STARTING BEGONIAS 
Will now have to be attended to,and like many other 
operations, can be performed in either a right or a 
wrong way. Many still start the tubers in the old 
soil, and repot after they have made growths 3 in. 
or 4 in. long. This is entirely wrong, as it is impos¬ 
sible to remove all the old soil without doing great 
injury to the tender roots. The proper way is to 
shake the dormant tubers entirely free of the old 
soil, removing carefully all the old roots. Then 
prepare some nice light soil, say one part good loam, 
one part nice sweet leaf mould, and a good dash of 
sharp sand. Use clean pots, only slightly larger 
than the bulbs—3-in. ones are usually large enough. 
Do not press the soil into the pots. Two or three 
sharp taps on the bench to settle it round the bulbs 
are quite sufficient. Cover the bulb only very slightly. 
Give a gentle watering with a rosed pan. I consider 
it best to place them in a fairly high temperature, 
say 6o° at night. I find the tubers start more 
regular than if placed in a cooler house. As soon as 
the roots are " travelling ” strongly round the pots, 
a shift should be given. I usually place them in the 
flowering pots—7-in. ones are usually large enough, 
unless very large plants are desired. Use sound 
loam, leaf mould, sand, and finely ground bones. 
I al-o consider that Thomson's Vine and Plant 
Manure is much superior to any other, either animal 
or artificial, for the Begonia.—C. Blair, Binny, 
Upliall, N.B. 
-- - 
VENTILATION OF GREENHOUSES. 
A free circulation of air is necessary to the health 
of greeenhouse plants ; but it must always be regu¬ 
lated to their requirements. During the winter and 
spring months, sufficient air is admitted from the top 
ventilators-without opening the front vents, or sashes 
at all. Cold currents of air drifting through the 
bottom ventilators against the plants are very injur¬ 
ious. The air of any greenhouse can be changed in 
cold weather with the top ventilators alone. To 
open the top ventilators one or t no nicks early in the 
morning as the temperature rises, is better than 
leaving them too long and getting too hot, and then 
having to throw the ventilators wide open to get 
down the temperature. This is the way greenhouse 
plants get burned, and the young growth severely 
checked. Steadily increasing the ventilation as the 
sun Is softening the air outside, would be a good rule 
to remember. Air pipes in walls below or on the 
same level as the hot water pipes, should be kept 
closed up, except in very sultry weather.— Willie, 
Leckmelm, Ross shire, N.B. 
ACHIMENES. 
For summer flowering the numerous varieties of 
Achimenes are extremely useful, and though essen¬ 
tially stove plants, they can be employed in green¬ 
houses and conservatories with admirable effect. In 
fact, it is for the decoration of these houses we prin¬ 
cipally grow them. Whether in pots or baskets, 
they are charming when in flower. To ensure a 
long succession, they should be started at different 
periods. The Achimenes have been great favourites 
with me for many years. The simplest method, or, 
at least, that which gives the least trouble, is to 
place the tubers at once into the pots in which they 
are intended to flower. When arranging the tubers 
select those nearly the same size for each pot, twelve 
tubers for a 48-pot. The following compost will 
grow them well:—Loam, peat, leaf soil and manure, 
with sand. Provide good drainage, as water must be 
freely supplied when the growth is well up. When 
the flowers are beginning to show, weak liquid 
manure may be given with advantage, as it is not 
well to starve the plants in this stage or the flowers 
will be small. In starting the tubers a temperature 
of about 6o° will be suitable. To forward the plants 
a slightly higher temperature is advisable, such as 
that of an ordinary stove, but as the flowers show 
the plants must be carefully hardened as their after 
success in the cooler houses depends to a consider¬ 
able extent upon this— A Grower, 
--j—--- 
DIEFFENBACHIAS. 
These rank among the finest of variegated-leaved 
plants, and are extremely easy to cultivate. There 
are a great number of kinds and all are natives of 
South America and the West Indies, where the first 
known species was called the Dumb Cane. This is 
derived from the naked stems after the leaves have 
fallen away, having a cane-like appearance, and also 
because the sap is so very acrid that (like the Calla 
Lily) if placed on the tongue it causes that organ to 
swell very rapidly and renders its victim almost 
speechless. Plants that have become leggy should 
have the tops taken off, placed in 11 thumbs ” and 
plunged in a good bottom hear, where they will very 
readily strike. When rooted, pot in equal parts of 
peat, loam and rotten manure, adding also a little 
sand to make it porous. They like abundance of 
water both to the roots and foliage, and delight in a 
hot, moist atmosphere. They are extremely useful for 
decorative work. Some of the best known varieties are 
D. Regina, with oblong, acute leaves of greenish- 
white, marbled with pale green, the narrow margin 
rich deep green ; D. illustris, dark green leaves, 
mottled and spotted with yellowish-green and white ; 
and D. splendens, whose stem is mottled with 
various shades of green, blade of leaf deep green 
mottled with white.— T. W. Dollery, The Gardens, 
Whitburn, Sunderland. 
EVERLASTINGS FOR DECORATION. 
In places where the glass houses are on a small 
scale and flowers wanted all the year round I can 
thoroughly recommend some of our common 
" everlastings ” to take the place of some of the 
finer bulbs, etc. A few of the most common are 
Acrcclinium, Helichrysum, Rhodanthe, Waitsia 
grandiflora, perhaps the finest of yellow everlastings, 
Lonas inodora, and AntenDaria margaritacea with 
its beautiful white flowers and silvery foliage. All 
these can be sown in boxes in March, and pricked 
out into frames, afterwards planted out with the 
general lot of bedding stuff. In autumn when in full 
flower cut with good long stems, and tie in bunches, 
hanging them up in some cool dry room until wanted 
for use. Now I would like to say something about 
Asparagus foliage for winter decoration, as I find it 
mixes and looks well with any kind of everlasting 
flowers, giving a lightness and harmony of colour 
not otherwise easily obtained. For a large vase 
nothing looks better than loDg sprays of berried 
Asparagus with the silvery seed pods of Honesty, and 
they will keep and look well for months in any room. 
The best time to cut Asparagus is when the grass 
changes its colour about September, and must be cut 
in dry weather. Tie in bunches, covering with 
tiffany to keep clean and free from dust.— T. S. Dick, 
Castlemilk, Lockerbie. 
GIANT RHODODENDRONS. 
It may be interesting to many readers of The 
Gardening World to have brought tefore them a 
few facts of the large dimensions to which these 
handsome shrubs attain The two in particular to 
which I allude are In Argyleshire, on the beautiful 
estate of Hafton, and in near proximity to the famed 
seaside resort of Dunoon. The larger of the two, 
when I had the opportunity of measuring them in 
1899, to determine their exact size, was 288 ft. in 
circumference; and the other, though smaller, 
compared with the former, measured 258 ft. in 
circumference. They grow on the lawn in front of 
the mansion, and present a pleasing effect when in 
full bloom. The nature of the soil suits themadmir* 
