308 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 4, 1903. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this colurpn. These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be 
put as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only ; 
a separate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
of their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped , addressed 
envelope is enclosed, and the ret urn of specimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manna. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World, 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Name of Bulbs (J. Eedpath). 
The specimens you sent us are not bulbs, but the tubers of 
Tropaeolum tuberosum, a perennial form of Indian Cress, with 
a tuberous root stock, eaten by the natives in the country where 
it grows. 
Double Scarlet Daffodil, 
The flower you sent us, and which was obtained from London, 
has been coloured by use of some of the aniline dyes diluted 
in water, and the stalks of the flower placed in the solution. 
Flowers can be coloured more or less in the same way by means 
of red ink, by diluting the ink slightly, and placing the flowers 
in a warm room so as to encourage the ascent of water through 
the stem and into the flowers. By this means the dye or red 
ink is carried into the flower, where they make their appearance 
with more or less intensity along the course of the veins. They 
do not last long, however, when in this condition, as the flower 
you sent us had completely collapsed. 
Staking Dahlias (T. A.). 
Where it was desirable: to hide the presence of stakes we have 
always been accustomed to have neat stakes, made by the car¬ 
penter, planed and painted green. The most serious objection 
to stakes in prominent positions is that they have to be put 
in practically when the Dahlias are planted, so that they stand 
in all their nakedness during the summer until the Dahlias have 
made sufficient growth to hide them. The idea is that the 
driving of stakes is injurious to the tubers of the Dahlias, hence 
the reason for placing them in position before planting. It 
might he possible, however, to use small stakes in the early 
part of the season, and afterwards remove them to insert stronger 
ones when the plants become sufficiently weighty to necessitate 
it. Should the plants be bushy it would be almost necessary to 
employ small side stakes in order to spread out and support the 
bushes. The lateral ones may be linked to the central stake to 
keep them firm. Where one or more stakes are used we think it 
advisable to have them painted a light green colour, and this 
colour after a season’s wear becomes toned down so as to be 
very little, if at all, noticeable a short distance away. 
Substitute for Pea Sticks (B. Dixie). 
We can quite understand that wire netting would be “ wobbly ” 
if simply set up in rows to accommodate the Peas. When the 
latter attain any height they require a good deal of support, 
because in addition to their weight the wind has a powerful effect 
upon a whole line of Peas. It would be necessary or advisable, 
therefore, when using netting to have iron or wooden posts, sunk 
in the ground at each end of the rows of Peas, and stretch wires 
from one to the other, tightening them up, and then fixing the 
netting to this. The degree of tension would depend largely 
upon the height of tire Peas. Very dwarf Peas are sometimes 
easily supported by low wire netting, without any other support 
than wooden pegs here and there. Another method is to stretch 
stout cords or tar twine from stake to stake at short intervals; 
this we have also tried, and found the cords to be quite as wobbly 
as wire netting, though it answered fairly well for Peas not 
exceeding 2ft. to 3ft. in height. 
Planting out or Potting Daturas (C. Wills). 
You can get the greatest number of flowers from specimens 
that are planted out in the bed of a greenhouse or corridor, 
where they have plenty of root-room. Plants grown in pots 
even of some size are apt to flower well for a short time, and 
then pass out of bloom. On the other hand, when planted out 
in a bed there is more continuity of growth and less fluctuation 
of temperature about the roots, so that a long succession is main¬ 
tained. They may either be trained against a wall, if such is 
convenient, or grown simply in the form of standards with 
round beads. 
Improving Heavy Clay Soil (T A. Gibbs). 
The best method of setting about dealing with your stubborn 
soil would be to remove the top portion which contains the most 
humus. Beneath that you may take out a good spit, wheeling it 
a^'ay, and making a big heap of it for the purpose of burning it. 
Previous to this, however,_ you should build up a pile of wood to 
give the fire a good start, then the clay soil may be built over 
the pile of wood in such a way as to allow of a current of air 
liassing through from the bottom up through the wood, so as to 
ensure a thorough combustion. When once a good body of fire 
has been produced a large quantity of clay can be burnt by heap¬ 
ing on fresh material, and allowing it to smoulder for some days, 
until it is completely crumbled down. When thoroughly burnt 
this material will be red, and thoroughly broken up into fine 
nodules, about the size- of marbles, or smaller. This material 
may be freely mixed with the top spit of soil; and, after loosen¬ 
ing up the bottom of the trench, you could return the mixture, 
which you will find permanently improved, and very serviceable 
for the cultivation of a great variety of plants, including Roses, ' 
fruit trees, vegetables, herbaceous plants, etc. 
Herbs from Seed or Division (T. B.). 
This would vary according to the kinds of herbs which you 
intend to grow. It is possible to raise all of them from seed to 
commence with, but it would not always be the best way of 
propagating them if you have plants at your command. The 
annual kinds must be raised from seeds every year, and would 
include such things as Basil, Summer Savory, and pot Mar¬ 
joram, Mint, Lemon Thyme, and Sage, and can he propagated 
either by division or cuttings. For instance, in the case of 
Lemon Thyme you can generally get small pieces already 
rooted, and those would furnish a ready means of making a 
fresh plantation. Better plants of Sage, however, would be 
obtained by means of cuttings. Common Thyme (Thymus 
vulgaris) is most easily raised from seeds, although it is possible 
also to propagate it from cuttings. Seeds are cheap, and they 
germinate readily. Although the plants grow slowly the first 
season, you could obtain sufficient of the thinnings to supply 
you with what you would require the first year. The common 
Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) and Tarragon could readily 
enough be propagated by division when making fresh planta¬ 
tions. Unless you already have a stock of the last named, it 
would be well to get some seeds. 
Worms in the Lawn (A. D. R,). 
It is pretty good evidence that the soil is rich when you are 
much troubled with worms. They do become a nuisance, how¬ 
ever, when the grass has to be cut with the mowing machine, 
especially in wet weather. We should suggest putting some 
lime into a tank of wa(er until the water is completely satu¬ 
rated with it; then the lawn may be watered, giving it a good 
drenching, which will cause the worms to rise to the surface, 
so that you can sweep them up and remove them elsewhere. 
Names of Plants. 
(J. K. D.) 1, Cupressus obtusa; 2, Cupressus pisifera 
squarrosa; 3, Cupressus lawsoniana ; ~ 4, Cupressus pisifera 
plumosa; 5, Cupressus pisifera plumosa; 6, Cupressus* 
lawsoniana argenteo-variegata ; 7, Thuya occidental^.— (P. R. 
Sutherland) 1, Cassia sp. not recognised ; 2, Acacia armata 
erecta ; 3, Acacia armata; 4, Acacia obliqua.—(Alex. Mackie) 
Laelia cinnabarina.—(L. B.) Achillea decolorans or closely allied 
species, send when in bloom.—(A. B. Middleton) 1, Onychium 
japonicum ; 2, Nephrodium molle corymbiferum ; 3, Blechnum 
occidental apparently, but send when in fruit, that is witlU 
spores ; 4, Nephrodium molle ; 5, Nephrodium lepidum.— 
(T. B.) 1, Scilla sibirica ; 2, Lathyrus vermis ; 3, Gorydalis 
cava ; 4, Eleagnus multiflora ; 5, Berberis Darwinii; 6, Spiraea 
prunifolia flore pleno ; 7, Spiraea Thunbergii.—(A. G. B.) 
1, Saxifraga crassifolia ; 2, Saxifraga cordifolia ; 3, Sparmannia 
africana ; 4, Senecio Kaempferi variegatus ; 5, Senecio 
Kaempferi aureo-maculatus.-—(It. M.) 1, Hardenbergia 
comptoniana ; 2, Boronia heterophvlla ; 3, Erica persoluta 
alba; 4, Eupatorium ianthiiium; 5, Coronilla glauca varie- 
gata ; 6, Tillahclsia splemdens. 
Communications Received. 
J. K. D.— John C. Dick.—A. M. D.—T. A. IV.—A. Ji¬ 
ll. I\ . R.—R. C.—E. A. S.—J. Cypher and Sons.—Barr and 
Sons.— Cab—Subscriber.—'W. E. Groves.—A. J. Monro.—W. B. 
Rowe and Sons.—J. Gregory.—J. R. Jackson.—F. W. Burbidge. 
H. J. Chapman.—ITaddon.—W. H. Lund.—J. B. Sowerby.—- j 
A. W.— J. Smith.— H. W. (next week).—M. Barker.—A. C.— . 
it W.—A. P. W.—A. S.—Head Gardener.—Scottie. 
Trade Catalogues Received. 
J. Cheal and Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, Sussex,— 
Spring Catalogue of Dahlias. 
