October 3rd, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
831 
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K r i A IJ r>K J VvMJTJj Ell lV^rN« see pace 833. Please post on Friday night. 
Winter Flowering Plants. 
I think it would not be out of place to give a few hints on 
some winter-flowering plants. As there are some gardeners very 
careless in the watering and feeding of plants during winter, I 
think a few hints would not be out of place. Stove plants 
especially should be treated with great care as to watering, or 
the result will be ruin of plants. Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, 
one of the loveliest of winter-flowering plants, should now get 
very liberal attention as to feeding, as at this time the pots 
should be well filled with roots. A good manure for these plants 
is ichthemic guano, about a dessert-spoonful to the gallon of 
water; also alternative changes of liquid manure, such as 
sheep droppings and clear soot water, will be found to promote 
a healthy and vigorous growth. Dracaenas and Crotons should 
gradually be reduced in feeding, as at this time of year the 
plants become less vigorous ; also great care must be taken as 
to watering as the resting season approaches, making sure that 
the pots need water by knocking with the knuckles. Green¬ 
house plants, such as Primula sinensis and P. obconica, etc., 
should now be housed. The most suitable place for these is 
on shelves near the glass, with a temperature of from 50 to 55 
degrees, with a free ventilation on all favourable occasions, 
always giving a shade from any direct sun, as there is nothing 
more harmful to these plants than sun. After housing, the 
plants should get a weak stimulant about once a week during 
the shorter days of winter, increasing the quantity as the days 
begin to lengthen, only watering when the plants are really 
needing it, as there is nothing easier damaged by too much 
water during winter than Primulas. The same may be applied 
to Cinerarias. ^ ■ Beattie. 
Autumn and Winter Flowering Begonias. 
At this season of the year a few remarks on the autumn 
and winter flowering Begonias will not be out of place, 
and as some of the choicer varieties are comparatively 
little known, it may be of interest to our readers to hear some¬ 
thing more about them. Certainly one of the very best, Gloire 
de Lorraine, is almost too well known to need any comment. 
It is, however, seen to greatest advantage when suspended from 
the roof of the house in pots or baskets, the flowers hanging 
loosely, so as to completely cover the receptacle in which it is 
growing, which it easily does. One drawback to that arrange¬ 
ment is the watering, which, if not very carefully done, is likely 
to spoil the 'blooms of plants staged underneath. The pots, 
however, could have saucers suspended under them by wires ; 
with baskets it is more difficult. 
The white variety of Lorraine, Caledonia, has sweetly-scented 
flowers. The Turnford Hall variety has Apple blossom coloured 
flowers, and is of erect habit and a valuable addition to this 
popular class. Gloire de 8eaux has beautiful bronzy foliage, 
and its bright rose flowers are produced in profusion throughout 
the whole winter. A beautiful variety is Ideala ; flowers bright 
rosy carmine, very free, and of a very compact habit. Incom- 
parabilis is scarlet, with dark green velvety leaves ; Mrs. Heal, 
rosy carmine ; Juliette, rose pink ; Ensign, bright rose pink, 
semi-double flowers ; Winter Cheer, rosy carmine ; and Winter 
Perfection, rose pink, semi-double. The last mentioned seven 
varieties are all very free blooming and easy to manage, and 
individual blooms measure from 2 in. to 3 in. in diameter. They 
are just commencing to bloom, and continue for a long time to 
cheer the house with their bright, warm-looking flowers. 
President Carnot is a fine pillar plant ; flowers, rosy carmine, 
in immense clusters. Fuchsioides is another variety that is 
most effective when trained to a pillar, which position shows 
its bright red flowers to the best advantage. Corallina, as its 
name implies, has coral-red flowers in large clusters, and is of 
erect habit, like iMaculata, to which it is closely allied. It 
flowers in profusion for many months. Castaneae folia, the 
Chestnut-leaved Begonia, has small, blush, sweetlv-scented 
flowers. It makes a graceful, well-balanced plant. Carminata 
splendens is a strong, erect grower, with bright carmine flowers, 
freely produced. Dregei, white, and Weltoniensis, light pink, 
are small flowered, but very pretty, and though they have been 
long in bloom, look like making a good show for some months 
yet. Boule d’Or has golden foliage, very compact, 6 in. high, 
pretty little pink and white flowers, and makes an effective 
groundwork for summer bedding or as a pot plant for edging. 
Perle Lorraine has small snowy-white flowers and beautifully 
marbled bronzy-green foliage. Socotrana has bright rose flowers, 
with round undivided leaves of a beautiful healthy green. 
The Rex varieties must not be overlooked. The diversity 
of colouring in their leaves and the dwarf compact habit 
of most of the varieties should ensure them a place in every 
stove. Some of the prettiest are :—Lovely, with silvery leaves : 
Louise Chretien, bronzy-green and carmine ; The Shah, nearly 
black ; Satin Blanche, silvery satin ; Mrs. Barron, bronze and 
steel blue ; Winter Cheer, the most compact of its class ; Lady 
Annesley, silvery and mauve ; and Prince Charles of Denmark, 
a beautiful variety, with a zone of scarlet on a silvery ground. 
A potting compost of half good loam and one-half leaf mould, 
with a sprinkling of good sharp sand, suits the Begonia well'. 
With a growing temperature of 60 deg. to 65 deg., with the 
necessary moisture to keep down thrip, the best results 
should follow. The house must be kept drier when the plants 
are in full bloom, and careful attention must be paid to the 
watering, as over watering is most harmful. Albion. 
Streptocarpus. 
The Streptocarpi are now largely grown, and it is not diffi¬ 
cult to discover the reason of their popularity, for they are 
easily grown, and few flowers are more varied in colour. From 
a packet of seed obtained from a good, source we get lovely 
colours. A greenhouse suits them very well ; if warm, so much 
the better. Seed sown in January or February can be had in 
flower by July. Sew in pots or pans filled with equal propor¬ 
tions of sifted loam and leaf mould to which has been added 
some sand. Plunge them in a gentle bottom hear, slightly 
water, and cover. When the seedlings appear place near the 
light. When large enough to handle pot them singly in small 
pots, using a mixture something similar tc the foregoing. I'or 
the final shift 5 in. or 6 in. pots will do. Give them a fairly 
rich soil, say, loam six parts ; leaf mould, two parts ; decayed 
manure, one part, to which add sand and a litt’c wind ashe-. 
A litile feeding should be given when they are showing fh wer. 
D. A. Todd. 
Anthuriums. 
Anthuriums contribute largely to the beauty of our plant 
houses, both as flowering and fonage plants. In the ma'ter 
of potting they require a compost such as is usually accorded 
to Orchids. Peat roughly pulled to pieces about the size of 
walnuts, a few broken crocks and lumps of charcoal, with some 
sphagnum moss and coarse silver sand, will form an ideal root¬ 
ing compost, and, owing to its wearing properties, will not need 
renewing oftener than once in two years. Annual top-dressing 
with sphagnum moss will keep old plants in health for years. 
The collar of the plant should be elevated above the rim of the 
pot so as to carry the water away quickly. Recently I have seen 
collections grown in Belgian leaf soil, and with careful watering 
and plenty of drainage they seem to do very well. Anthuriums 
should be syringed twice a day, and a little soot water put into 
the syringing water will help to keep down thrip, red spider, 
etc. The temperature given should be from 50 deg. to 55 deg. 
Immense specimens are found in many gardens, and when in 
flower they look very well, but for general usefulness plants in 
4g in. or 6 in. pots or pans are to be recommended. The flowers 
last a period of three to four months, and in the summer time 
a few weeks in the conservatory will do the plants no harm. 
The blooms also last well in a cut state, and for table decora¬ 
tions are very useful- John R. Morgan. 
Waddesdon Gardens. 
Bulbs in Grass. 
Of the many ways in which bulbs are used to beautify our 
gardens, few are so lasting, satisfactory, or appeal more to 
the artistic sense than planting them in grass. In some places 
there are natural grassy banks, sloping down to, or following 
the course of, a winding stream or clear lake. Flowers planted 
m such a position are often reflected in the water, thus doubling 
their picturesque effect. The gray trunks of deciduous trees 
offer a splendid background for the brighter-coloured bulbs ; 
