February 7, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
127 
f-j a TVTT* Tfc O 1 4TJT T'l'PIA VT For details of this competition and prize offered, pie 
V/v/IVlJrlj ill 1 Vf IN , see page 121. Please post on Friday night. 
Gloriosa superba. 
This beautiful genus, though generally classed as a stove 
climber, will thrive in an intermediate house. It is a native of 
the East Indies, and for cut flowers cannot be over-estimated. 
For table decoration I prize it very much, and if treated in the 
following manner is easily managed. Pot the bulbs in equal 
parts of good flbrous peat and loam and well-decomposed leaf 
mould, with a little sand and charcoal to keep the soil open. 
After potting give a light watering, after which they require little 
or none if placed in a good moist heat till young growth makes 
its appearance. Care must be taken to prevent an attack of red 
spider or thrip from them. If at command, give a north aspect 
of span-roof house. They are best trained on wire trellis near 
the glass. Do not neglect them in training, or otherwise great 
damage will be done to the young tendrils. Great benefit will be 
found by giving them a little liquid manure as they advance in 
growth. 
After flowering great attention must be given to see the bulbs 
are properly matured, which will be seen by the. foliage dying 
off. Of course, gradually withhold water, and when the foliage 
is all gone the pots can be stored away in a cool dry house, and 
allowed to rest until they are required the following spring. The 
best way of increasing these is by division of roots. 
The Gardens, Wootton Court, Warwick. ^^ • Hr ckvale. 
Eucharis grandiflora. 
I may not be able perhaps to impart anything new concerning 
this stove plant, but I would like to draw the attention of your 
readers to its merits, especially at this season of the year, so 
that it may be more extensively grown and receive the attention 
it so well deserves. It is a fragrant and lovely flower, and com¬ 
mands general admiration. Moreover, it is one of the best plants 
for room decoration with which I am acquainted, and is scarcely 
ever injured. For cut flower decoration at Christmas and 
throughout the dull months of the year it is invaluable. If 
grown in Sin. or 6in. pots it is very easy to manage and keep up 
a succession of its beautiful flowers, and there are few plants 
more accommodating or more under control if properly grown, 
but it must have a proper season of rest. By regulating its 
growth and rest it can be had in bloom at any season of the year, 
and can be made to bloom two or three times a year if necessary ; 
but I would not recommend blooming it more than three, as it 
exhausts the energy of the plant. Here is a successful yet simple 
mode of culture. Pot in a compost of peat and loam equal parts, 
and place the plants in a temperature of from 70° to 80°, which 
suits them very well during their time of growth. During their 
period of growth give a little weak liquid manure from sheep 
droppings with a little soot. After they have made their 
growth, remove the plants to a temperature of from 50° to 60°, 
and keep moderately diy at the roots. They should have a rest 
of two months at least, after which time they may be again sub¬ 
jected to more heat to make them bloom. B. McK. 
St. Catherine’s. 
Monstera deliciosa 
This handsome stove climber, belonging to the order Aroideae, 
is not so often seen in greenhouses as it deserves to be, as it is a 
valuable evergreen with most ornamental foliage and fruit. It is a 
Mexican plant, the date of its introduction being unknown, and 
only one species is cultivated. The leaves of this plant are large, 
handsome, and of a dark green colour, while the stems are creep¬ 
ing and thickly furnished with aerial roots. The flowers open 
from June to August, and are of a good shade of yellow, followed 
in autumn by the fruit, which is edible, cylindrical, and very 
fragrant. The name deliciosa may be misleading to some, for 
die taste for the fruit is quite an acquired one, and the general 
impression when first eaten is that it is delicious, but on further 
investigation proves to be too sweet for the majority of palates, 
and far from delicious ; also it has an irritable effect upon the 
longue, producing a roughness and in some cases a rash upon the 
surface. They should be planted from February to April in a 
"'ell-rlrained border, against a damp wall of tire stove, greenhouse, 
falmhouse, or warm fernery, using a compost equal parts of good 
loam, leaf soil, and peat, with a good sprinkling of sand. These 
should be watered freely and sprayed twice daily from March to 
September, after which watering should be done moderatelv, 
and syringing only once daily, while the temperature during this 
time should be 65° to 75° from March to September, and 
bt>° to 65° September to March. 
Monstera is easily propagated by cuttings inserted in a light 
soil in a temperature of 7u° to 80°, taken at any time of year. By 
these few words it may be easily seen that it is a very useful 
class of plant indeed ; and although there may be only a few 
persons who like to eat it, it has the following points in its 
favour : —Pleasant to the eye, good for food, and sweet to smell. 
Surely these are enough to recommend that there should be a 
j:> 1 ant of Alonstera deliciosa in every garden. C. L. 
Glasnevin. 
Making a New Orchard. 
As the season for jdanting is swiftly advancing, a few remarks 
may not be out of place re the making of an orchard or taking 
out useless trees from old orchards, and replenishing the same 
with good healthy trees. To make a new orchard, deeply trench 
the ground, working in plenty of good short manure, and well 
drain the same. One mode of draining is to have a main drain 
down the centre and run the other drains into it herring-bone 
fashion at certain distances part, according to the condition of 
the |)osition of the orchard. If standard trees are used, |>lant 
about 15ft. to 20ft. apart. Make a good-sized hole for the trees, 
so that the fibrous roots can be evenly laid out, and take care not 
to pilant too deep. Make the soil firm round the trees, and stake 
as soon as planted before the trees are blown about, and securely 
tie with tar string, using a piece of rag round the stem of tree to 
kee 2 ) it from being rubbed by the stake. Haybands often make 
a 2 )lace for the various pests to collect in, especially scale. The 
ties should be examined during the growing season to see that 
the bark does not get injured. 
It is the best way to get good healthy trees from a reliable 
source, as a little extra cost at the first outlay is well spent, and 
I would strongly advise anyone making a new orchard to have the 
major part of the collection of trees of late keeping varieties, as 
good Apples through the winter months are greatly sought after. 
It is by far better for general purposes to have a selection rather 
than a collection of varieties both in A 2 ) 2 >les, Pears, and Plums. 
To kee 2 ) an orchard in a healthy condition it is necessary to 
keep a constant look out for the various pests which usually 
make their appearance, and a good dressing of lime, soft soap, 
tar, and paraffin mixed up and made hot over a fire forms a good 
solution for dressing the main stems and branches of trees in 
the late autumn. One fault that we are all guilty of is in |)icking 
the fruit too soonj. To get good colour and for keeping, the fruit 
on the late varieties ought to be allowed to hang on the trees as 
long as possible, quite to the end of October, or even to the 
beginning of November, for such varieties as Lemon Pi 2 ) 2 )in, 
Stunner Pippin, Northern Greening, Annie Elizabeth, Blenheim 
Orange, etc. The storeroom should not have too airy or too dry 
an atmosphere. 
If the orchard be made in close proximity to the lawn it makes 
a beautiful place for naturalising with hardy bulbs, such as 
Narcissus, Crocus, etc., and affords great pleasure and profit to 
the gardener and employer through the spring. 
H. E. Edwards. 
The Gardens, Wentworth House, Mill Hill, N.W. 
Ferns from Spores. 
The raising of Terns from spores is a most interesting occupa¬ 
tion, or study, for, unlike raising most plants from seeds, there 
is , a variety of circumstances to contend with, not the least 
being that unless great care has been exercised in savins the 
spores we may get almost anything except the sort it has been 
intended to sow. Another point is that the idea has become 
prevalent that Fern spores will keep for an indefinite period, 
and due care is not taken to have them quite fresh. I have 
also found that many are under the impression that a Fern 
frond which has the apjiearance of being fertile is sure to have 
s])ores, but this is a great mistake. 
Now, to commence with, anyone taking up the subject 
should select the spares from plants which have been isolated 
as far as possible from others, especially those which are so 
prolific. (I may here mention that I have found Nephrodium 
molle and Gymnogramme Pearcei the most troublesome of 
Fern weeds.) The spore fronds should be taken as soon as the 
first sign of the spore cases opening is seen. If put into paper 
bags or wrapped in paper, and put in a dry, warm place they 
