March 23, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
473 
Lifting Potatos — Farmers about Edinburgh are 
now lifting their Potatos with excellent and satisfac¬ 
tory results. Last autumn the ground was so wet 
through incessant rains, and labour so scarce, that 
Potato lifting was impracticable. The winter has 
been fairly mild (only 20 Q of frost), and the soil is 
now fairly dry. Diseased tubers have thoroughly 
rotted away, so that only the sound ones now remain. 
This plan, I think, ought to be more largely 
adopted.— G. 
Bristol and District Gardeners’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Association.—The fortnightly meeting of the 
society was held on Thursday, 14th iDst., at St. 
John’s Parish Room, Redland, Mr. G. Brook pre¬ 
siding. The lecture for the evening was on the 
“ Fuchsia,” being given by Mr. J. Julian of Cardiff, 
and hon. sec. of the Cardiff Gardeners’ Association. 
Claiming for Fuchsias at the outset an elegance that 
marked them out for decoration, he gave a short 
history of their introduction iato this country about 
1788. He gave details of the cultivation from the 
time of putting in cuttings until the specimens 
reached a height of 6 ft., and a diameter in propor¬ 
tion. The best time for propagating he gave as 
February, the cuttings when rooted to be continually 
repotted until pots 16 in. in diameter were reached. 
The compost he recommended was.loam, leaf mould, 
and manure, with an addition of silver sand. He 
also gave instructions as to pinching, training, 
feeding, the kind of structure best suited to the 
culture of Fuchsias, and methods of dealing with 
insect pests. Mr. Julian’s lecture was much ap¬ 
preciated, and he was heartily thanled on the 
motion of the chairman. Prizes for three Hyacinths 
were awarded Messrs. Price and Lewis. For three 
Tea Roses, first, the Lord Mayor, C. Colthurst 
Godwin, Esq. (gardener Mr. McCulloch) ; second, 
Mr. Barrow. Certificates of Merit went to W. A. 
F. Powell, Esq. (gardener, Mr. Raikes), and Mr. T. 
Clark, each for a Cyclamen ; Lady Cave (gardener, 
Mr. E. Poole), for Begonia; W. M. Wills, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. Frampton), for Cineraria stellata, and 
Mr. Price, Lycaste Skinneri. 
Reading and District Gardeners’ Mutual Im¬ 
provement Association.—The last meeting of the 
above association was attended by a very large 
number of membsrs, when Mr. T. Neve, chairman, 
presided. The subject for the evening was “ Peach 
and Nectarine Culture ; New and Old Methods Con¬ 
trasted." This was introduced in a very practical 
and racy manner by Mr. W. Iggulden, of Frome, the 
following being a few of the points raised :—Styles 
of houses: lean-to, three-quarter span and span- 
roofed; advantages and disadvantages in each, pre¬ 
ference given to rather high span-roofed houses with 
either single or double cross trellises, planting trees 
back to back in the latter instance. Borders: where 
natural conditions are unfavourable, excavations and 
completely drained and remade borders are neces¬ 
sary, but market growers have the advantage in this 
respect, in that they select positions that only 
require trenching and slight additions made to the 
ordinary soil. Trees: maidens v. trained trees, the 
advantage being all in favour of the former; 
maidens are the quickest to attain to a heavily pro¬ 
ductive state, and develop into the finest as well as 
most lasting trees. The lecturer mentioned having 
planted a number of maidens under glass in March, 
i8gg ; fifteen months later each was being cleared 
of from two dozen to four dozen first-sized fruit, 
fetching the highest market prices. An interesting 
discussion followed upon the points already named, 
also upon pruning, clearing trees of insects, varieties, 
bud dropping, &c., the members pointing out that 
there was a great difference in the position of the 
market gardener and private grower, and, therefore, 
the culture to a great extent must be difierent. 
Those taking part were Messrs. Neve, Lees, Bright, 
Powell, Barnes, Baskett, Fry, Stanton, Townsend, 
Wilson, Cretchley, Exler, Moody and Lever. The 
exhibits were not so numerous, but of excellent 
quality. Mr. W. G. Pigg, of Trevereli, Maiden¬ 
head, entered two beautiful Orchids for the associa¬ 
tion's Certificate and both gained the judge’s favour. 
They were Cymbidium lowianum and Lycaste Skin¬ 
neri. Mr. Stanton, of Park Place Gardens, staged 
some lovely sprays of Asparagus Sprengeri, and Mr. 
J. Pound, of the Gardens, The Warren, Caversham, 
some splendid specimens of the Blue Pearmain 
Apple. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Iggulden 
brought the meeting to a close. Six new members 
were elected. 
Potatos for nij mornhs of British consumption 
are grown in Britain and the colonies. 
Australian Agriculture —The Journal oj the 
Department of Agriculture of Western Australia for 
November, igoo, is replete with useful information. 
Articles that will be appreciated by gardeners 
appear on the subjects of Strawberry growing, 
the year's fruit returns, the exporting of Oranges, 
the Orris-root, a scale of points for judging orchards, 
and other useful notes. A long list of agricultural 
societies is given, together with market reports, the 
month's rainfall, calendars for routine work, and so 
on, all of which supply the kind of informaticn most 
wanted by the agricultural colonist*. 
The Wearing 0’ the Green.—St. Patrick’s Day 
happened to fall on Sunday this year, so that it 
was celebrated by many on Saturday, though " the 
wearing o' the green ” was continued next day. 
Upon the same occasion last year the wearing of the 
Shamrock received a great impetus owing to the 
edict of the late Queen Victoria. In every busy 
street and thoroughfare on Saturday the green 
emblem of the Emerald Isle was to be seen in abund¬ 
ance so that in all probability tons of it were being 
carried about by vendors and wearers. Some used 
the Trefoil as a setting for the Rose in their button¬ 
holes. The porters at Marlborough House were kept 
busy receiving elaborate devices of Shamrock on 
Saturday from all parts of the British Isles, and the 
tables of the King and Queen were decorated with 
the emblem on Sunday. The Uountessof Limerick, 
the president of the Shamrock League, distributed 
large quantities of the now popular Trefoil, for sale 
in the interests of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families 
Association. Some hundreds of carefully packed 
boxes of Shamrock were landed in South A’rica for 
distribution amongst the Irish soldiers at the front. 
We have specimens of the green emblem from 
Ballinamallard, Fermanagh, consisting of Trifolium 
minus and T. repens. On former occasions we have 
also had Medicago lupulina as the real article from 
Ireland. The bulk of what we saw on the streets 
consisted of T repens, which for many years has 
annually made its appearance at Covent Garden, 
cultivated no doubt. The neat and healthy tufts, so 
largely used on Saturday last, was evidently the 
product of seeds sown some time last year. The 
industry has now reached remarkable proportions, 
and bids fair to out-rival the Primrose which is 
averred to be gathered in the wild state. The culti¬ 
vation of Primroses for wearing on Primrose day 
would be a more tedious and troublesome operation 
than the artificial cultivation of the Shamrock, as the 
former prefers a cool and moist situation or even a 
little shade, whereas the latter may be grown most 
successfully in the open fields, not necessarily moist. 
Seeds may also be procured in any quantity practi¬ 
cally, because already an important commercial 
article. The wild plants are not likely to suffer any 
material diminution owing to the annual celebration 
on the 17th March, even though the plants are 
pulled up by the roots. The flowers only of the Prim¬ 
rose are gathered, but that must be the means of 
preventing, to a great extent, its perpetuation by 
seed. 
-* 5 *- 
GRAFTED CHRYSANTHEMUMS 
• 
Are very interesting, and find many admirers. The 
following is a simple method, and gives good results : 
About the end of May select a stroog plant of 
Chrysanthemum frutescens (Marguerite). Shorten 
the young growths to half their length ; split the 
ends 1 in., take scions, 3 in. long, from the variety of 
Chrysanthemum you wish to graft, cutting the ends 
in the form of wedges, and insert them in the pre¬ 
pared stems, securing them with bast and grafting 
wax. Keep the plants in a cool house, shade and 
syringe them, till the union is effected ; when they 
should be removed to the open air. If only one 
flower to each graft is required, keep all side growth 
disbudded, and take the second crown bud, which 
will, under favourable conditions, show itself about 
the end of August. Useful bush plants can be 
obtained in this way, using varieties generally grown 
for that purpose, but of course not disbudded. It is 
important that the grafting be done quickly yet care¬ 
fully. Care should be taken to graft varieties that 
flower as nearly as possible at the same time. And 
if required each stem may be grafted with a different 
variety. Top dress the plants ia August with some 
good rich soil, and give manure water twice a week 
when the buds are up. Their charming appearance 
in October and November will well repay the trouble 
bes owed on them .-—Walter Hopkins, Leighton Gardens, 
Westbury, Wilts. 
GARDENIAS. 
These useful, sweet-scented plants are now coming 
out iDto bloom, the fragrance emitted from a single 
bloom being sufficient to fill a stove-house with 4 , 
delightful perfume. One drawback to Gardenias is 
that the buds open very irregularly, this keeping the 
plants from being very useful for decoration, but for 
cut bloom and buttonholes they rank first among 
the plants that are in bloom at the present time.' 
One of the best varieties is G. florida Fortunei, the 
flowers of which are the largest and are quite as 
freely produced a? any of the other varieties. Plants 
grown in 32-sized pots will be found to carry from 
e’ght to ten blooms apiece. The compost most suit¬ 
able for Gardenias is composed of two parts peat, 
one part loam, one part leaf soil and sand, with a 
little artificial manure added, the plants being firmly 
potied, keeping them well syringed overhead, this 
helping to keep off mealy bug, which is rather 
troublesome to Gardenias. When the buds begin to 
appear, apply liquid manure freely to the roots 
until they open out. Cuttings should now be taken 
if good plants are desired for next season, putting 
them singly into 6o’s, and, if possible, give bottom 
heat, this helping the roots immensely. I am send¬ 
ing you a few blooms cut from plants in 32’s and 
24's, none of which carry less than eight blooms per 
plait.— H. Fleming, Wexham Park, Slough. 
REINWARDTIA TRIGYNA, 
Although so seldom met with, is one of our pretti¬ 
est winter and spring flowering plants. The exact 
rime of flowering would rely upon the conditions 
under which the plant had been treated. Merits 
that render this plant more than usually attractive 
for greenhouse aod conservatory decoration are the 
richness of its bright yellow blooms, the length of 
time in flower, and the great profusion that makes 
the plant still more welcome. If a stock is required 
they might be raised from seed or cuttings, although 
the latter never seem to grow away and make such 
nice plants as those raised from seed ; but once a 
stock is secured many young plants are not neces¬ 
sary, as the old plants flower quite as freely. Re¬ 
potting or shifting into larger pots if required should 
be done during spring when root action commences, 
though they should be disturbed as little as possible, 
and a little liquid manure during growth will be 
found beneficial. Undoubtedly, the greatest enemy 
to this plant is red spider when grown under too dry 
an atmosphere during summer, for which a sharp 
look-out must be kept, or the result will be loss of 
foliage. But if grown in cold frames, stood upon a 
bed of ashes, and syringed occasionally with a little 
Gishurst Compound there is every hope that the 
pest might be kept in check.— W. Waite, South- 
fields. 
SALVIA AZUREA GRANDIFLORA, 
Usually met with under the name of S. Pitcheri, 
when well grown is a most lovely bit of colouring 
for the decoration of the greenhouse from early 
October to the end of November. The plant is very 
similar to the Dahlia in forming tubers—though, of 
course, smaller in size—and can be wintered with 
these for convenience. Those brought to the light 
and placed in a cool house, or vinery just started a few 
weeks ago, will soon have young shoots springing 
from the base, which make capital cuttings. Pre¬ 
pare in the usual way, putting half-a-dozen round 
the edge of 3-in. pots, filled with light sandy soil, 
watered in and placed in a temperature of about 60? 
at night, under a bell glass, and if a gentle bottom 
heat can be given so much the better. Pot off into 
3-in. pots when fit, keeping them in the same house 
for another week, when a cold pit or frame will be the 
best home for them, until placed outside towards the 
end of May. Pinch out the point of all shoots twice 
during the growing season, once before shifting into 
6-in. or 7-in pots and again as soon as established. 
Feed when the pots are full of roots, and do not 
neglect staking and supporting the shoots in good 
time. If too much pinching is practised the racemes 
of sky-blue flowers are very meagre. It is quite 
hardy in the west of England.— Grower. 
