THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 17, 1903. 
3870 
Readers' Competition—continued. 
up in 32’s in a compost of loam some leaf soil and sand. They 
are not likely to flower the first year. The best way to _treat 
the old plants is to knock them out of their pots in March and 
repot in a good rich mixture of loam, leaf soil, well^ rotted 
manure, and some half inch bones, with a good bit of sand. 
The pots must be well drained. Water sparingly at first until 
the growths are a few inches high, and gradually increase as 
the plant makes its growth'. Any approved liquid manure may 
be given with safety after the plants have attained the height 
of 3 ft. Do not cut the plants back until all the leaves have 
turned yellow, or they will not be so likely to break away 
strongly the next year. 
Some of the Yuccas are well adapted for the decoration of the 
conservatory. They also make remarkably good house plants. 
Y. aloifolia and Y. a. variegafla, the former having broad 
glaucous leaves, and in the latter the foliage is striped with 
white. They are easily propagated by division, and should be 
potted in a compost of equal parts loam, peat, and leaf mould, 
with, plenty of sand. March and April are the best months for 
repotting. 
Very useful plants also are Stipa elegantissima, Eulalia 
zebrina, E. japomca, Bambusa striata, and B. virescens. They 
are propagated by division in March, and should not be given too 
large a pot for a start. A suitable compost for them is two parts 
loam, one part leaf soil, and a good sprinkling of sand. When 
in full growth diluted stable or farmyard drainings are bene¬ 
ficial, and they should be kept on the dry side during the 
winter months. 
Arundo conspicua becomes in time too large a plant for con¬ 
venience in a pot. It is best put in a tub with handles, and is 
then easily carried about. The tubs should be well drained. 
Loam and peat in equal parts, with plenty of sand, is a suitable 
compost. H. Arnold. 
• Autumn Flowers, 
The herbaceous border, if it be of any pretensions, is gay 
throughout the greater part of the year. In spring we hail with 
delight the plucky flowers that dare put forth their cheery 
blossoms in spite of biting winds and nipping frosts. Through 
the height of summer such a wealth of bloom is in evidence that 
it is difficult to single out special gems, but by the latter end 
of autumn flowers are sufficiently scarce to ensure full appre¬ 
ciation of all that linger as though to give us a last smile of 
sweetness before the gloom of winter settles down upon us. 
After the most unsatisfactory summer through which we have 
just passed I have been particularly struck with the brave show 
the later flowering plants have made, and are many of them 
still making, and methinks ’twould be wise when selecting 
plants for a herbaceous border to include in the list a good 
number of late-flowering subjects, thus ensuring a lengthened 
display rather than a bewildering profusion of bloom during the 
height of the season. 
A few large clumps of Polygonum molle are at the present 
time a perfect mass of feathery white bloom, and are daily 
admired by visitors and passers-by. P. amplexicaule is scarcely 
less conspicuous, although somewhat dwarfer. My plants have 
received no attention whatever since planted some three years 
ago beyond a mulching of short manure in spring. Polygo¬ 
nums perhaps prefer a cool, moist spot, but seem to adapt 
themselves to almost any soil and situation, therefore are valu¬ 
able and desirable. 
Eupatoria purpurea is a stately plant, worthy a place among 
the choicest subjects. Growing erect to a height of 4 ft. or 5 ft., 
its spreading umbels of rosy purple flowers are sufficiently large 
to make a good display from a single clump, and, moreover, 
the flowers maintain their beauty and freshness for a long time 
in the cut state. 
On a sloping bank a mass of Physalis Alkekengii is bearing 
a profusion of its scarlet and orange bladders, which are seen 
to better advantage here than they would be on the flat, where 
the foliage hides much of the display of colour. Of yellow 
flowers a goodly number are helping to brighten the garden. 
Towering high above all is Rudbeckia laevigata, a grand back¬ 
ground plant. Of dwarfer growth is Ttudbeckia speciosa. 
Helianthus Miss Mellish makes a brave show, but is too tall 
for any but the largest borders. I saw recently a seedling just 
as good in flower and half the height of Miss Mellish which 
should receive a hearty welcome if put before the gardening 
public. 
Helenium autumnale striatum is an ideal autumn plant, its 
sombre tints being most appropriate to the season. There are 
forms good, badj and indifferent of this plant, and ’tis needless 
for me to advise that the best should be chosen ; that is, those 
in which both crimson and yellow are clearly defined. 
A complete break in colour is afforded by Aconitum 
autumnale, which I believe our worthy Editor will say should 
bear some other name. [A. Fischeri.— Ed. ] A\ hatever its 
proper name, it is a plant that all should possess, its mauve-blue 
flowers being extremely beautiful. Mauves of shades abound in 
plenty among the perennial Asters, of which I can make no 
more than passing mention, much as they deserve to be extolled. 
I have noted but a few of the things that are rendering a good 
account of themselves in a much-exposed garden, in spite of in¬ 
clement weather, but if these few are planted no garden need 
be destitute of beauty and interest even in the dreary month 
of October. Albert J. MacSelf. 
Lea Farm, Formby. 
Streptocarpus. 
In my first article I described the two chief sections of the 
“Strep.,” namely, the Achimeniflorus and hybrid sections, but 
in addition to these the Gratus and Multiflorus sections are 
worthy of note. There are many species and hybrids worthy of 
cultivation, such as F. polyanthus, S. Dunnii, S. Wendlandii, 
all three of these species having been used for hybridising, and 
the hybrids, pulchellus and Sylph, are now in cultivation, with 
many others. Unfortunately, such hybrids as Gratus and pul¬ 
chellus will not seed, but they may be readily propagated from 
the leaves. 
Cultivation. —An intermediate temperature is best suited 
to the requirements of the Streptocarpus. Over-watering is un¬ 
doubtedly the chief cause of failure in its cultivation ; it is 
better to keep the plants rather on the dry side after they have 
reached the seedling stage. An occasional syringe overhead is 
beneficial while the plants are growing. 
With the exception of a few hybrids, the “ Strep.” may be 
readily propagated from seed. The seed should be sown early 
in the year in a temperature of 65° F. In the very early stage 
they must be most carefully watered with a fine rose, and in 
three weeks’ time all the seed should have germinated. Another 
important point, during the growing season particularly, is that 
they must be well shaded from the direct rays of the sun ; in - 
fact, these plants often succeed in shady places where most 
plant,: 1 would fail, as one may see at Kew, where the “ Streps” 
are grown under the stage in some houses. 
Although most varieties come very true from seed, yet if 
one should obtain a special variety it would be advisable to pro¬ 
pagate it by means of leaf cuttings inserted preferably in fibre 
and kept close in a propagating pit. A very suitable soil for 
the Streptocarpus is as follows :—Four parts rich yellow loam, 
three parts peat, two parts leaf mould, and two parts sand. 
This is a fibrous-rooted plant, consequently it must not be | 
dried off. The plants really seem to so exhaust themselves by 
producing such an abundance of flowers that it is better to grow 
them for one or two years only, and then discard them. Like , 
most of our best plants, the “ Strep.” is not without its enemy. 
The mealy bug is a dreadful pest if not checked early. Another 
pest which is equally as bad is the Begonia mite, which usually 
shows itself at the base of the leaves, turning them a brownish 
or rusty colour. It is very difficult indeed to exterminate, espe- ' 
cially since the mite is not visible to the naked eye. To fumi¬ 
gate with “XL All” seems to be the best remedy, although, 
generally speaking, it is much the best plan to burn up an old 
plant that becomes affected with this troublesome pest. 
I should strongly advise all lovers of flowers to cultivate some 
varieties of this useful race of greenhouse plants. 
Herbert Cowlet. 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “H. Cowley” for his article on “Streptocarpus,” 
page 850 
