May 9,1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
413 
READERS’ COMPETITION. 
For details of this competition and prize offered, please 
see page 407. Please post on Friday night. 
How to Treat Imported Orchids. 
Amongst the many kinds of Orchids that are grown, I will 
■vrite about two kinds, Cattleya and Odontoglossums. When im¬ 
ported Orchids are bought, they are in a very rough and dirty 
state. It is the case mostly of the Cattleya that there is a 
lot of scale and dirt on them. You clean all this off with a 
brush, using Fir-tree oil. Having been sponged well, and all 
lie dead bulbs and leaves taken off, they may then be laid on 
i stage in a Vine-house, which shades them nicely, the house 
being kept at about 65 degrees. Syringe them twice a day, and 
eave them there until small roots begin to show themselves. 
Then they may be removed and placed in pots according to the 
size of the plant, fastening them in with wire pegs. They must 
be placed in broken pots, leaving the crown about half an inch 
ibove the rim of the pot. This done, they will still continue 
;o root, and should be syringed twice a day. When the roots 
ire about two or three inches long they may then be made firm 
n the same pots by means of pressing into the top of the pots 
Bracken roots and sphagnum moss, clipping the tops when 
jotted, and leaving it oval-shaped. You will find that by con- 
f inuing syringing well they will need no water for a time. 
Odontoglossums when imported are also very dirty, and mostly 
without any leaves whatever. Still, they must be cleared in 
the same way as Cattleyas. Place them in boxes of moss, in 
about one inch of moss, in a temperature of 55 degrees. It 
is best to keep them syringed, and they will quickly root in the 
moss. As soon as they have started roots, pot them into the 
size pots they will fit best, using peat and a little sphagnum moss 
m top. After a time they will throw up a new bulb, and later 
an a flower spike, which in the case of Orchids is watched very 
sarefully. Cockroaches are very destructive things among 
jOrchids, and are ofttimes found at night in'the dark. To make 
sure of getting the beauty of the first flower is to pinch the 
end of the spike, and leave one flower only, so as to obtain the 
full strength and vigour in that one flower that the plant can 
give. A. E. Wallace. 
Ten-week Stocks for Exhibition. 
The most essential iioints in the successful cultivation of these 
beautiful annuals are good and thorough preparation of the 
soil in which they are to be grown and the obtaining of the seed 
from a reliable source. The ground should have a dressing of 
well-decayed manure, and be dug to a depth of 15 or 18 inches, 
well breaking the soil beneath as the work proceeds, and leaving 
it rough on the top. This operation should be completed by 
Christmas, so as to have the full action of the winter frosts. 
About the first week in A| 3 ril spread some soot, lime, and 
wood-ashes on the bed, and lightly fork it over, making the 
surface nice and fine. For the sowing of the seed prepare some 
pans or boxes (I prefer the latter), well drain them, then fill 
with a compost of two parts loam, one leaf-mould, and one of 
toad sand, well mixed together. The soil may come within 
4 inch of the top, and be made firm and level. On this sprinkle 
with a fine sieve a little soil over the top, to present an even 
surface. It is well to stand the boxes for a few days previous 
to sowing in a warm house, that the soil may be thoroughly 
warmed through. Sowing should be done very thinly at the 
rate of about three seeds to the square inch, and some fine wood- 
lashes and soil sifted over them to a depth of a quarter of an 
mch. Place in a warm house and keep fairly moist; when they 
are coming up they should be stood near the glass to prevent 
their being drawn. 
The time of sowing must be regulated by the time they are 
lequired for exhibition. If wanted for July shows, the seed 
snouid be sown during the first week in February, and again 
. 6 as 'r eek . m that month ; if required for the August shows, 
v 1 } 1 starch m the manner before recommended, and when 
anau '* f 6 arge enou S h P rick th em off about three inches 
thp 1 ? t0 , , es ’ asmg com P ost similar, to that employed for 
.i !) and let them remain in the same house for 10 or 12 
awlv thls J* leans they will soon take to the soil, and grow 
Srt i n' T10Ve * hen t0 . a cold frame, keep close for a 
until tw alU a terw ards admit air according to the weather, 
harden off f° Ugh to be P laced ln the open air to 
be planted Ml f P lant mg. The first batch of plants may 
May and th? M 111 ^ the second tfe last week in 
ali ases nlace^" 1 ^. S r n § When they are K( rong enough. In 
P ie plants a foot apart. Keep them well watered 
in dry weather, and when in full growth afford manure-water 
once or twice a week, discontinuing it only when the flowers 
begin to show colour. 
Should slugs attack the plants, dust them over whilst damp 
with dew with soot and lime, repeating the process after every 
shower as long as needed ; keep also free from weeds. If these 
directions are carried out, I am confident that the grower will 
be well rewarded with a good supply of handsome flowers to 
place on the show-table. pp Rowles. 
Polyanthus for Spring Bedding. 
l or those of your readers who have not tried Polyanthuses for 
spring bedding I venture to give a few hints on their culture. 
Seed should be sowed in pans in February or March, in heat, 
in a mixture of two parts loam to one of leaf-mould, with the 
addition of a little sand. Sow the seeds thinly and cover lightly, 
keeping them near the glass, so as to ensure nice stiff plants ; 
wait patiently, as they are rather slow in germination. When 
the seedlings are large enough to handle prick them out into 
boxes or into a cold frame, taking care to harden them off in 
the seed-pan before so doing. In May they may be planted 
mto a nursery bed, choosing a cool border for them, as Poly¬ 
anthuses delight in shade and moisture. If they are planted on 
a sunny border it may mean failure, as they are likely to be 
attacked by red spider, and do not like strong sunshine. Feed 
the plants liberally with liquid manure, with an occasional 
soaking of soot-water, and syringe or water overhead frequently. 
Alter the flower-beds are cleared of the summer bedding, dig 
them over, working in some rotten manure; then let them 
remain for a week or so to settle down. Then lift the Poly¬ 
anthuses with a fork, taking care not to disturb the roots, and 
plant them rather thickly into the beds where they are intended 
to bloom. If a double row of White Daisy be used as an edging, 
and pale Tulips, such as Princess Marianne or Cottage Maid, 
be dotted amongst the Polyanthuses, the effect is most pleasing 
and lastnig. L 
A very charming bed \may be made with Giant Yellow Poly¬ 
anthuses planted in the same way as the mixed ones and dotted 
with scariet Tulips, such as Belle Alliance, with an edging of 
red Daisy or purple Viola. 
After the Polyanthuses have done blooming, they may be split 
up and planted on a cool border, to await the time when they 
are again required. Polyanthuses delight in a heavy soil. 
J. Smith. 
Cyclamen Culture. 
The Cyclamen being such a very useful plant for winter 
dooming, when bloom is rather scarce, a few remarks on their 
culture would perhaps not be out of place. The seeds having 
been sown m the latter part of August^ and treated well, will 
be nice young plants now in 4-inch pots, and should be kept 
m a nice moist atmosphere of 55 degrees to 60 degrees F. Keep 
the plants free from all insect pests, and keep close to the 
glass, to keep them from drawing. In the latter part of May the 
plants may be removed to a cold frame on an ash bottom. Use 
the syringe freely, and close early in the afternoon, usino- very 
httle shading By July the plants will be ready for then final 
shift, which should be 6 -mch pots, using a compost of good 
fibrous loam three parts, and leaf-mould one part, with a good 
sprinkling of charcoal and rough sand to keep the soil sweet 
and open, as the Cyclamen dislikes anything stagnant at the 
root. On warm nights remove the lights altogether, as the 
plants are greatly benefited by the night dews. Some people 
plant out m frames on a hot-bed, which is a plan to be recom¬ 
mended, as it saves a lot of labour. Plant out in May a foot 
fP art > the fame compost as for pots, and treat the same 
Biit m September, and keep close for a few days, when air mav 
be admitted on all favourable occasions. Treated in this wav 
I have seen Cyclamen with four or five dozen blooms open at 
one time. I hey will keep in bloom for fully five of the darkest 
months of the year. T B B 
General Culture of the Tuberous Begonia. 
I roviding the tubers have been stored where the temperature 
has not fallen below 50 degrees, signs of activity will be visible 
about the end of January or early in February. When this 
occurs, plane them in boxes, in a mixture of cocoa-nut fibre 
and leaf-mould, allowing two or three inches between each tuber. 
