April 20, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
539 
to improve the most uncompromising description of 
soils. Clays can be burned into the most tractable 
garden mould. We have had ample experience of 
the beneficial nature of such a means for the con¬ 
version of untamable soil to that of the very best. 
As far as our observations go the burnt soil never 
again adheres as before. Then sandy soil can be 
turned into good mould by trenching all kinds of 
refuse into it, along witi abundance of manure. In 
fact, by careful tillage, the gr od gardener can convert 
any soil into excellent mould.— Oxygen. 
(To be continued.) 
- -— I --- 
THE GREENHOUSE BOUVARDIA. 
The Bouvardia (oamed after Dr. Charles Bouvard 
of Paris) is a very popular Evergreen flowering 
shrub for the greenhouse. Its natural order is 
Rubiaceae and it is of the madder family, Its leaves 
are ovate, and its flowers are produced in trusses 
like that of the Ixora. Mexico was the home of this 
plant from whence it was sent over to this country 
in the year 1794, the first species being B. triphylla, 
with scarlet flowers. The original species are very 
attractive, but the hybrids raised surpass them. 
The plants grow between 1 ft. and 3 ft. high. 
Propagation is effected either by cuttings taken 
from the stem, or by the dividing up of the roots 
into pieces about 2 in. long; in this case only the 
large roots can be used. Cuttings may now be in¬ 
serted in 5-in. or 6-in. pots, closely together, and 
placed in a temperature of 90° bottom heat, and 65° 
or 70° top heat. The soil the old plants were 
grown in will do very well for this purpose. When 
sufficiently rooted they should be potted off singly 
into small pots and kept in heat. A compost com¬ 
posed of peat and loam in equal parts with a little 
sand is what these plants enjoy. It is necessary 
that the pots should be washed inside and out 
before potting. 
As the season advances the plants may be moved 
by degrees into a cooler temperature, so that by the 
middle of August they are in a light airy house where 
there is plenty of breeze to ripen them for the 
coming season of flowering. The pots should be 
kept near the glass to prevent the plants getting 
weak and straggling. The plants should also be 
frequently stopped by pinching out the top of the 
shoots. If the plants are shifted into a temperature 
of 70° as soon as the blooms appear they will con¬ 
tinue to flower for a long time. The flowers are 
excellent for cutting purposes. 
Insects such as thrips, red spider, and green fly 
are very troublesome to these plants, and will, if 
they get the upper hand, eventually ruin the plant 
and every other near it. These pests are generally 
encouraged by lack of water to the plants, and are 
destroyed by constant sponging or syringing with 
tepid water or weak insecticide. The old plants 
can be potted up in March. 
Some good varieties are:—B. Alfred Neuner, 
double white variety; B. candidissima, pure white 
sweet scented; B. Dazzler, intense scarlet; B. 
elegans, bright scarlet; B. flavescens, pale yellow; 
B. Hogarth, scarlet; B. jasminoides longiflora, pure 
white; B. President Garfield, pale pink, double 
variety ; and B. Vreelandii, white.— G. Dickson. 
WORK UNDER GLASS. 
Watering, airing and shading will occupy a con¬ 
siderable amount of time from now onwards, avoid¬ 
ing cutting winds while they blow from the north. 
On mild bright days a little front air can be ad¬ 
mitted in the Peach houses and vineries, but not 
enough to create a draught. Push on with the 
final thinning of Grapes started early in January, and 
in well drained borders water freely with drainings 
from the farm yard, but diluted according to strength 
of same, and let the water be chilled. A thin 
scattering of Icthemic guano or Thomson's should 
be given as a change. This also applies to the early 
Peaches, the thinning of which should have been 
finished here some few weeks back, as with healthy 
trees and well made borders with abundance of 
water at the roots, and one fruit to every twelve or 
fourteen square inches, no dropping of fruit duiing 
the stoning period should take place. 
The earliest Melons are swelling away, and with 
succession crops endeavour to procure an even set of 
three to six fruits on a plant, pinching off all others 
as soon as can be determined the best to leave. 
Pinch the point the next leaf beyond the fruit, and 
support the fruit before too weighty ; and feed with 
guano water every other watering. Sow every three 
weeks up to the middle of July. 
In the plant department, push on with all potting 
operations as speedily as possible. With us the 
Ferns and Palms are being overhauled. Coleus are 
ready to be placed in pots varying from 5J in. to 7 in. 
in diameter, using loam, leaf soil, a little peat and a 
peck of finely sifted fresh horse droppings to each 
barrowful of the former ingredients, adding a dash 
of soot as well as sand. Pot firmly, and shade as 
little as possible, as these plants unless well coloured 
are not worth the labour bestowed upon therm 
ignoring the room they occupy. Calanthes should 
have been potted up ere now; ours are making 
headway and require a little water twice a week and 
a light shade from ten o’clock up to three when 
bright. 
Continue to prick off Verbenas, Nicotiana affinis, 
and sylvestris, Antirrhinums, Pentstemons, Lobelia, 
East Lothian and other Stocks. Place them 3 in. 
apart in cutting boxes, shade for a couple of days plac¬ 
ing in a vinery that keeps about 55 0 during the night. 
Pelargoniums, unless spring struck, should be placed 
in cold frames and have the light tilted during the 
day, but closing at night, In a week's time the 
lights can be drawn off each day. Dahlias, Cannas, 
Salvia patens, etc., should all be placed under glass 
by now. A cold pit facing south answers our pur¬ 
pose for these, burying the roots or tubers with fine 
leaf soil, and keeping close before growth takes 
place, after which admit air, and water overhead 
lightly on bright days. 
The earliest Calceolarias will soon be coming into 
flower, so should be fumigated twice before being 
taken into the show house or conservatory. Stake 
neatly before too much advance! and shade from 
the sun. Cinerarias, especially the star varieties, 
are still very gay afid look well intermixed with 
Azaleas, White Hydrangeas, Roses, Cannas, 
Spiraeas, Genistas, Tulips, Jonquils, East Lothian 
Stocks, Oxalis or Bermuda Buttercup, etc. A light 
dewing overhead with the syringe, about nine 
o'clock a.m., will greatly benefit these plants on 
bright days, and assist to ward off thrips, red spider, 
etc.— Grower. 
KitcQen Barden Calendar. 
The weather during last month was so treacherous 
that the work in the kitchen garden has been some¬ 
what delayed. Now that the weather is more 
favourable, plants that are struggling for space in 
their beds and pans should be pricked out immedi¬ 
ately, for if crowded in their early stages, their 
constitution is weakened and they do not quickly 
make it up. 
Scarlet Runner Beans. —If a warm position 
can be obtained, the first crop of these may now be 
sown. If the soil is cold or the position exposed, 
they will be better left for another week. 
Celery. —That which has been sown in frames 
for early use may be pricked out into some rich soil 
on a warm border, where it can be protected. Sow¬ 
ings may also be made in heat for later planting. 
Peas. —A further sowing of these should be made 
to keep up the succession. At one time, dried Peas 
were an important article of food for the working 
classes, but since the introduction of Potatos and 
their extensive cultivation by all classes, the Pea 
has not been grown so extensively for using in a dry 
state, but is used green. Since its introduction into 
this country in the time of Henry VIII., it has been 
improved considerably and the varieties that are 
now on the market are innumerable. It is a plant 
that requires a soil with plenty of calcareous matter 
in it and of a good depth, so that the roots can go 
down and obtain moisture during the dry season, 
for if they are allowed to suffer from drought the 
pods will not fill properly, and mildew will often 
attack the foliage. The best method to grow a good 
crop is to dig out a trench and put a layer of well 
decayed manure in the bottom. Old Mushroom bed 
manure is well suited for this purpose, as it supplies 
a large amount of nutriment and helps to retain the 
moisture. Although Peas are moisture-loving plants, 
they should not be grown on ground that has not 
efficient drainage and becomes sodden after rain. 
To obtain a very early supply great attention is re¬ 
quired. The plan usually adopted is to grow them 
in short, oblique rows, on a warm, sunny border, the 
rows running from north-west to south-east. If they 
are very early they require some protection, which 
is best afforded by sticking branches of Yew along 
the rows. Mice cause a lot of trouble in many gar¬ 
dens by eating the Peas as soon as they are sown. 
There are several methods of preventing their depre¬ 
dations. One of the best and easiest is to put the 
Peas into a dish with a little sweet oil and then roll 
them in some dry red lead. It is advisable, too, to 
put a few lines of black cotton aloDg the rows when 
the plants are just comiug through, to prevent the 
sparrows, &c.. from picking off the tops, which they 
are very apt to do, especially in the early part of the 
year. 
When about 2 in. high, it is a good plan to earth 
them up a little by drawing the soil to them with 
a hoe, as this prevents them falling about. Peas 
very early in the season are considered a great deli¬ 
cacy, and many ways are employed to obtain an 
early dish. Many gardeners sow for their first crop 
in the autumn, but it not infrequently happens, if 
the weather is favourable, that the spring sowing 
overtakes those sown in the autumn. Peas will 
stand transplanting well, and the be=t means of en¬ 
suring a very early crop is to sow them in small 
pots—atout a dozen Peas in a 6o-pot. The pots 
need not be crocked, as the plants do not remain in 
them .for long. A liberal supply of manure should 
be put in the soil, and the pots placed in a cold 
frame. In this way they may be got well forward, 
and as soon as the weather permits plant out into 
prepared ground. They should be kept to within 
an inch or two of the glass or they are sure to get 
drawn, which spoils them. It is a good plan to 
sprinkle them lightly with a dressing of soot and 
lime, as this wards off slugs, &c. Varieties are so 
exceedingly numerous that it is not .necessary to 
give a selection, new and improved varieties coming 
out annually. 
Beet.— If the weather becomes warm, the first 
sowing of Beet may be made on a warm border. 
Sutton’s Blood Red is the best for early work. 
Carrots. —Some of the early varieties may be 
sown now. It will be best to leave the sowing of 
the main crop until later in the month. 
Asparagus. —If new beds are to be made, no time 
should be lost in planting them. If young plants 
are required for future use, the seed should now be 
sown in a light, rich soil, and as soon as fit the 
plan's should be pricked out into small beds. 
Potato Planting may now be finished. Although 
the weather is mild now it must not be trusted for 
we may very likely have a return of frosts which 
often prove so destructive in the spring; therefore, 
care must be taken to have those that are through 
the ground earthed up and, where possible, protected 
by some means. 
Cauliflowers. —These may now be planted out, 
taking care that they do not suffer from want of 
water if dry weather should presently set in. 
Leeks. —A second sowing of Leeks should be 
made for a succession. 
Onions. —Another sowing of these should now be 
made if the soil is fit for working. A dry day should 
be chosen when the soil is friable and easily fined 
down. 
Cabbage.— If not already done, sowings should be 
made of the Early Battersea and similar varieties 
for autumn use. 
Broccoli. —The principal sowing should now be 
made of the late kinds. The first sowing of the 
Sprouting Broccoli should also be got in without 
delay. 
Sea Kale.—C uttings of roots should be put in 
now, the ground being previously well manured and 
dug. 
Radishes. —Sowings should be made frequently 
to keep up a succession. 
Mint.— This should now be propagated, if desired* 
by dividing the roots. 
Lettuce. —Sow for succession, and plant out 
Into warm positions those pricked off in tue frames. 
Miscellaneous sowings of Anise, Basil, Beans, 
Borage, Burnet, Caraway, Cardoons, Celeriac, 
Chervil, Chicory, Corn Salad, Cress, Dill, Eadive, 
Hyssop, Kohl -Rabi, Mustard, Parsley, Parsnips, 
Rosemary, Rue, Salsify, Sweet Marjoram, Tarragon 
Thyme and Turnips should be made to provide tie 
requirements of the place. 
Canned Fruit to the extent of 50,000,000 cans is 
exported from California annually. 
