148 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 14, 1903. 
best; but flowers should be pinched off up to within a fortnight 
of the show. Cut the flowers on the morning of the show, and 
convey them to the fray in a tin trunk to keep them fresh. 
Use trumpet vases 1 ft. high, and arrange the flowers so 
that they are each fully displayed, for size and colour 
should be trusted to gain the coveted “ first,” rather than a 
bundle of flowers having but the merit of quantity. 
John T. Blencowe. 
Eastcott Gardens, Kingston Hill. 
Chrysanthemums in 6 and 7-inch Pots. 
During the last few years this method of growing ’Mums has 
made rapid progress, and is well .appreciated by all who have 
adopted this method, and found it especially useful. For all 
purposes they will commend themselves to amateurs whose 
space is limited during the winter months. Plants grown the 
usual way are much too tall for the head room that can be 
afforded them. Towards spring, with the advent of brighter 
weather, cuttings are more readily obtained, and strike better ; 
more plants can' be accommodated, ranging in height as they do 
from eighteen inches to about five and six feet, and can be seen 
at all times to the best advantage. Those about to make a 
start should determine the particular varieties most suited to 
their requirements. Various are the ways of growing these 
most (Suited to the peculiarities of each variety, of which Mrs. 
H. Weeks is a type. Of this type there is an increasing 
number. 
A start should now be made with the following :—Mrs. H. 
Weeks, Florence Molyneux, Marquis V. Venosta, Mrs. 
Barkley, Rev. W. Wilks, Mme. Carnot, Mrs. Mease, and G. J. 
Warren. Run Mrs. H. Weeks and Florence Molyneux to the 
break bud, which should. be secured. This usually gives good 
results. Lord Ludlow, Marquis V. Venosta, Mrs. Barkley, 
and Rev. W. Wilks should be pinlched when six inches high, 
and retain the first crown. Mme. Carnot and spirts should 
be pinched early in April, and the second crowns secured. 
These three varieties will need no manure until the buds are 
swelling freely away. Follow on in late March with Australia 
and sports, Calvat’s Sun, Godfrey’s King, Ethel Fitzroy, 
Henry Stowe, Lord A'lverstone, Mrs. Greenfield, Mrs. G. 
Mitcham, Miss Elsie Fulton], Mrs. W. Pop-ham, Miss Alice 
Byron, Mrs. J. Bryant, Sir Herbert Kitchener, Sensation, 
J. R. Upton, and Jane Molyneux. Pinch these when six 
inches high, and secure first crowns. Cuttings should also 
be inserted of the following (pinch as before stated, and again 
middle July if they do not break naturally before, secure 
second crown buds) :—Charles Longley, Le Grand Dragon/, 
Mme. P. Radaelli, Mrs. A. McKinley, Miss Nellie Pookett, 
Mr. A. Barratt, M. Louis Remy, Mrs. G. W. Palmer, Kim¬ 
berley, Nellie Bean, and Lionel Humphrey. 
The last batch, which is usually earlier than the aforemen¬ 
tioned, should be inserted about the first week in] May of the 
following:—Charles Davis, Lady Hanhami, Viviiand Morel, 
Mrs. Coombs, Mons. Ho-ste, Mrs. T. W. Pookett, Millioent 
Richardson, and Lady Byron. These should be pinched as 
usual, and left to break nlaturally, and secure second crowns. 
Cuttings should be inserted in 60 size pots at the times 
stated, and kept close in the usual way. Rooting should take 
place in about a month. Gradually inure- to air, and before 
the roots get matted together they should be potted singly 
into 60 size pots, the compost to consist of three parts loam, 
one part leaf mould, one part sweetened horse droppings, with 
a dusting of soot and Clay’s fertiliser, and enough sand to 
keep the whole porous. Pot lightly to- prevent injury to tender 
roots, and finally place in cold frames beyond the reach of 
frost. Air carefully during cold winds, and syringe frequently 
when bright weather exists. When about six inches high they 
should be stopped, and the strongest -shoot selected. 
For the final potting, which will be towards the- en|l of June 
and early July, the strongest growers should be placed in 
se Y en _i nc h pots, but six inches will be ample for those of 
weaker constitution. The soil for this potting should consist of 
four parts loam, one part leaf mould, one part horse- droppings, 
a sprinkling of finely-crushed bones, soot, and some well- 
known artificial fertiliser, with enough sand to keep the whole 
open. This compost should be lumpy, and when potting ram 
well to make firm. Finally, place in summer quarters, syringe 
frequently to prevent flagging, -stake as required, and tie to a 
wire running from end to end of rows to keep plants in position 
during windy weather. 
When the pots are being filled with roots feeding must be re-> 
sorted to. This should consist of liquid manure made from 
sheep, cow, and deer droppings. Soot water, well diluted and 
used alternately, is most beneficial, bi.se weak applications at 
first, gradually increasinjg in strength, and change as often as 
possible. In localities where chalk is abundant water from 
these districts has a tendency to turn the foliage pale during 
hot weather, but a solution of sulphate of iron will remedy 
this. Sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda are manures 
of a very powerful nature; when these are used it is wise for 
the amateur to study the ends in view, so that each manure 
can perform its proper functions. Nitrate of soda is a rank 
stimulant, giving plenty of leaf and stalk, and should not be 
used more than twice during the whole season of growth. Sul¬ 
phate of ammonia, on the other hand, seems to build up the 
blooms, giving us the colour so essential, at all times, but with 
a predisposition to damping. As soon as this is observed feed¬ 
ing with these chemicals should be stopped, and weak manure 
water only applied. Great care is necessary in using .this 
manure. When the buds are swelling freely away an ounce of 
ammonia dissolved in three gallons of weak liquid manure 
should be given. When applying these manures plants that 
are dry should be watered with clear water, it being inadvis¬ 
able to water plants with manures at aniy time when dry. Other 
varieties not mentioned in this list are well adapted to this 
method of culture. Dwarfness of plants and weight of bloom 
are the chief objects aimed at by this system of culture. 
A. G. Saltek. 
Wentworth House Gardens, Mill Hill, N.W. 
Covering Fernery Walls. 
Where a blank wall lias to be dealt with when furnishing a 
fernery there are various ways in which it may be treated, each 
having its own merits. Space forbids me to deal with more 
than one of these, but it is the one I consider most satisfactory, 
and is as follows : — 
Procure sufficient Redwood “half-battens’ to “strap your 
wall, placing them perpendicular, about 3 feet ajiart, and secure 
them by means of iron “holdfasts,” driven into the joints of 
the wail. Take a roll of wire netting, and run a width of it- 
along the entire length of the- wall, the under edge of the 
netting being kept close down to the floor, and -securely fastened 
to the wooden “ strapping ” with fairly stout wire staples. I 
prefer the wire netting 2J, feet wide, as when a greater width 
is used it is apt to become “ bagged.” I also prefer a mesh of 
2in. or 2^in. to facilitate the operation of planting. Having 
secured the first width of netting, proceed to fill up the space 
between it and the wall with .sphagnum, fibrous peat, or anly 
available extra fibrous material, packing it moderately firm. 
Then fix up another width of netting, and secure the top edge 
of the first width to the under edge of the second, by means of 
tying wire. Again fill up the space behind the netting, and so 
on till the top of the wall is reached. And now you are reaciy 
to commence the operation of planting. 
Many isubjectst are available for this purpose, but, generally 
speaking, a simple arrangement with some character about it 
is preferable to that of planting promiscuously. 
For a groundwork there is, to my -mind, nothing so effective 
as the well-known Selaginella kraussiana, often erroneously 
called S. denticulata. This, planted with foliage Begonias at 
about 3ft. apart, and broken up here and there with Maiden¬ 
hair Fern, makes a very pretty wall. Another effective desigii 
would be to substitute Maidenhair Fern for the Begonias, and 
break them up with pieces o.f Neiphrolepis e-xaltata, or some of 
the- varieties of Davallia. Beautiful effects can also be pro¬ 
duced by the introduction of Selaginella kraussiana aurea. 
S. k. variegata, and S. uncinata, the delicate bluish tints of 
the last-named contrasting beautifully with the green ground¬ 
work of S. kraussiana. 
The whole can be readily watered by running a lead pipe 
perforated on the under side, along the top of the wall, the 
supply from the “main” being regulated by a valve. For tins 
arrangement a concrete, floor is the best, anid in it a groove or 
gutter should be formed at the foot of the wall, to carry off the 
surplus water to the drain. 
It will be necessary to overhaul the wall each spring, work¬ 
ing in some sphagnum or fibrous peat where necessary, and 
pegging in the Selaginella where it has- become gross, or partly 
detached from the soil. The wire netting can, be more per¬ 
manently secured to the wall by “ eyed holdfasts and non 
rods, but I prefer the wood. Redwood “ half-battens ” will last, 
four’or five years, and by that time the wire netting is beginning 
to give way, and a “ clean sweep ” is desirable io admit of an 
entirely new arrangement. C. Comeoet. 
