April 4, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
303 
READERS’ COMPETITION. r “ r S ‘ pU 
Early Arums Without Forcing. 
There are few subjects which are more highly appreciated for 
decorative purposes at a dull season of the year than the white 
Arum or Calla, for whether the spathes or the plants themselves 
are used, they are most valuable fur house and conservatory 
decoration. I have known many instances where to procure 
an early supply of flowers a considerable amount of forcing has 
had to be resorted to, and this in a great measure can be attri¬ 
buted to the plants having received too generous treatment 
during the summer months, when they should have been resting 
and ripening. 
During the past few years I have kept up a supply from early 
in November until Easter, gathering twice each week from one 
set of plants, which are by no means forced in the literal sense 
of the term, but by carrying out the practice, which I will endea¬ 
vour to describe as briefly as possible. The .secret of early 
flowering is simply thoroughly roasting the roots or tubers during 
the summer months. As the foliage dies down in the spring 
gradually withhold water, and place the plants where they will 
be secure from frost, and finally, when all danger of frost has 
gone, lay the plants outside with the bottoms of the pots facing 
south, in an exposed situation, to get the full benefit of the sun. 
When we remember that during its active stage the plant re¬ 
quires to be kept in an almost aquatic state, the value of a 
thorough ripening of the tuber during its resting stage to induce 
floriferousness becomes at once apparent. 
Towards the end of August signs of activity will be noticed, 
when the pots must at once be placed in an upright position, 
and growth will soon become general. A good strong wooden 
label will now be necessary to assist in removing all the inert 
soil from the pot. Make sure that the hole at the bottom is 
perfectly clear, and that the drainage is good ; make firm what 
little old soil is left with the plant, and water it well to bring 
it into a moist condition. The pot may now be filled up with 
a compost consisting of good fibrous loam to which is added 
a little bone meal, charcoal, and a little coarse lime rubble to 
render the soil somewhat porous. As the plant develops it will 
be seen that instead of its having a tendency to throw up luxu¬ 
riant foliage, which is generally the case when they have been 
liberally treated during the summer months, the spathes seem 
almost to come in advance of leaves. 
Of course, the earlier the flowers are required, the sooner 
should they be removed to the greenhouse and placed close to 
the 1 glass, wn^h must be clean ; under any circumstances get 
them inside before frosts appear. A warm greenhouse will suit 
them admirably, and they will continue flowering from autumn 
until spring. When the plants grow rapidly copious supplies 
of water are necessary, frequent applications of manure water 
being beneficial ; but they should not be applied when the soil 
is dry, as the dry surface acts as a strainer or filter, and thus 
retains any manurial sediment on the top. 
When gathering flowers, do not cut them, but pull them out 
1 with a sharp twist. With regard to their arrangement, they 
look best in a tall or trumpet-shaped glass ; and, of course, look 
well when arranged with their own foliage, but if a long flowering 
season is to be expected, it is not advisable to start mutilating 
the-plants in the early part of the season. To obviate the neces- 
srty of doing so we thin out the foliage of some large clumps 
of Aspidistras. r l his is easily and quickly arranged, and has 
[one advantage which the Arum foliage has not—it will last in 
a cut state for weeks if the following details are carried out : 
hive fresh water at least twice each week, and at each time of 
changing the water wipe the wet part of the leaf with a dry cloth 
and carefully cut off the extreme end as soon as the least sign 
o decay is noticed, observing the same precautions with the 
flowers so as to retain them as long as possible. We also use 
•utJi good effect the tall spikes of Cyperus alternifolius (which 
are easily raised from seed), as they stand well above the flowers, 
and materially assist in producing a graceful effect. 
W. H. W. 
Gardenias. 
^ lt ’ Gardenia has long been recognised as one of our most 
oeautiful and useful warm greenhouse plants, and in order to 
o am a stock of young plants suitable for flowering early next 
spring, cuttings should be taken,_from_ the base of the plant 
pre eiabiy, and inserted round the edges of small 60-sized pots 
in a lght sandy compost containing a liberal amount of peat, 
fP 11 ™ 1,n a propagating pit or case, with a moist bottom heat 
> degiees or 80 degrees. Well water them in with a fine 
rose can, and shade from bright sunshine until they are rooted, 
which will be about three or four weeks from the time of inser¬ 
tion. As soon as they are ready they should be potted off singly 
into 3-in. pots, using a mixture of two parts good turfy loam, 
one part peat, and one part leaf soil and sand, with a good dash 
of charcoal to keep it sweet and open. Keep them close for a 
day or two, and then gradually inure them to an open sunny 
position in the warmest part of the house. Syringe lightly 
morning and afternoon with tepid rain water, if it can be ob¬ 
tained, and as the young plants begin to grow pinch them at 
every second joint to ensure having good bushy specimens. As 
the pots become filled with roots pot on into 5-in. or 6-in. pots, 
using the same compost as advised beforehand, only in a rougher 
state. 
With proper care and attention these plants should bloom well 
the following spring without being potted on farther. During 
the flowering period the plants should not be syringed, as the 
water is liable to mark, and consequently spoil the beauty of 
the flowers. When fully expanded' they are very useful for 
buttonholes, and are delightfully fragrant. If large plants are 
desired they should be pruned back, not too hard, after they 
have done flowering, the old soil partly shaken off, and the 
plants repotted into 8-in. or 9-in. pots, using a good rough soil 
of peat, loam, sand, and lumpy charcoal. Water them care¬ 
fully, and do not shade, except from very hot sunshine, syringing 
morning and afternoon when the house is shut up. Pinch the 
growths as before advised, and when the pots become filled with 
roots a little weak manure water once or twice a week, and 
occasionally a dusting over the surface of some good artificial 
manure, will be found very beneficial. As the roots appear on 
the surface soil the plants should be top-dressed with a good 
rich soil, pressing it firmly down, and watering with a rose can 
to settle it^ I should have mentioned that the little growths 
which form on each side of the flower buds should be pinched 
out, but not before the bud is about half-size, or the bud is 
likely to drop. A few cuttings should be inserted every season, 
as plants one or two years old flower much better and finer than 
older plants. The Gardenia is a quick-rooting plant, and should 
not be allowed to become potbound. A temperature of 75 
degrees to 80 degrees by daytime and 65 degrees to 75 degrees 
by night will suit them admirably, providing plenty of moisture 
is maintained in the house or pit devoted to them during active 
growth. R. Thatcher. 
Wistow Gardens, Leicester. 
Runner Beans. 
As the time is now drawing near for the sowing of that popular 
vegetable the Runner Bean, a few hints on the best mode of 
cultivating them may prove useful to the readers of The 
Gardening World. Having selected the site where they are 
to be grown, which should be an open one, lay down two lines 
2ft. apart., and take out the soil between these 1ft. deep. Shovel 
out the “ crumbs,” and dig up the bottom a good spit deep, well 
breaking it to pieces. This operation should be completed at 
the latest by Christmas. Into the trench can be thrown all 
kinds of weeds (excluding, of course, such as couch grass), cab¬ 
bage leaves, old potting soil, and other kinds of refuse. About 
a month before the time of planting-if the refuse is not suffi¬ 
cient to fill the trench to the height determined on (which should 
not exceed 9in. from the bottom), finish with half-decayed 
manure. Draw then 2Jdn. of soil over this, and leave till sowing 
time. 
In the first week in May lay down the line about 3 in. from 
the edge of the trench, and lay the Beans to the inside of this, 9in. 
apart. Treat the other row in the trench in the same way. Draw 
2in. or 3in. or soil over. Sown in this way I have found one 
pint of seed sufficient for a double row 110ft". long. When the 
plants are coming up keep a sharp look out for slugs. A good 
way of keeping these in check is to scatter some coal-ashes about 
an inch thick along the row as soon as the plantlets appear. An¬ 
other good plan is to sow wood-ashes over them when covered 
with dew, repeating the process after every shower, until they 
are past all danger from the attacks of these pests. A little lime 
and soot may be mixed with the wood-ashes, and will have a 
beneficial effect on the plants. 
When the shoots begin to run, stick them with straight rods, 
putting one to each plant, and assist them in starting to climb 
by tying them to the rod with a bit of matting. Be sure to 
keep them well watered in dry weather, both with 1L uid and 
clear water ; the former may be given once a week with advantage. 
Keep the Beans picked as they become fit for use, and do not 
