528 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 20, 1903 . 
veloping leaf. After that time very little danger may be anti¬ 
cipated. Repotting requirements are best attended to when 
the new roots make their appearance after growth is com¬ 
pleted. H. J. 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Basket Plants.—These add to the effect of the greenhouse 
or conservatory in no small degree, and close attention is neces¬ 
sary from now onwards in supplying them with abundance of 
both clear and manure water. It is impossible to over-water 
plants suspended from the roof, provided always that they are 
established and healthy. The cultivator should not be con¬ 
tent' with merely watering them with a can, but should immerse 
the plants in a vessel of water once or twice a week. 
Edging Plants.—If a sufficiency of dwarf plants suitable for 
the edges of stages and for general furnishing purposes have 
not been worked up, the present is a good time to insert the 
cuttings of such useful plants as Panicum variegatum, Isoleps-is 
gracilis, Trade-scantia zebrina, and T. aurea, Pilea microphylla, 
and the various low-growing Selaginellas. From five to nine 
cuttings may be inserted in small 60’s in finely-sifted, light, and 
rich soil, and placed in the stove. They will quickly take root 
at this time if kept syringed and shaded. Old plants of the 
useful Isolepis may be divided and repotted. Ever so small 
a piece of this sedge will quickly make a graceful little plant. 
Achimenes.—These bulbous plants are not nearly sc 
frequently grown in gardens as their merits deserve. They are 
distinct in character from other greenhouse flowering plants, 
and continue to blossom over a long period. They are very 
effective when grown in baskets for suspending, or in pots and 
pans for the stages. Frequent applications of liquid manure 
should be given when in active growth, and the shoots should 
be neatly staked, taking the precaution to leave 4 in. of stake 
beyond the point of the shoot to allow for further growth. A 
few slight stakes may be put to the uppermost shoots in 
baskets, allowing the lower ones to depend naturally. 
Selaginellas.—It is a matter of surprise to me that these 
are not grown more by owners of small as well as of large 
gardens, for they are extremely easy of culture, and, without 
a doubt, are unsurpassed for all decorative purposes. The 
dwarf-growing varieties are, perhaps, the most useful for 
general purposes, though the stronger growing kinds are hand¬ 
some, and have a beauty all their own. The best dwarf ones 
are S. kraussiana and its golden offspring, S. k. aurea, S. apoda, 
S. denticulata, S. helvetica, and S. involvens. 
Pits and Frames.—The bedding plants being now put out, 
the frames may be well cleansed and utilised for growing 
winter flowering plants. Bouvardias, Pelargoniums, Primulas, 
Cinerarias, and the like will all thrive in them. If any paint¬ 
ing or repairs are contemplated, now is the best, time to perform 
the work, as they can generally be spared better now than 
later on. I need hardly remind all those who have to do with 
glass-houses and frames of the importance of re-painting at least 
some of the structures each year, and for exterior work the 
summer should, of course, be chosen, as then the occupants can 
be accommodated in other structures without harm resulting 
to them; and, besides, the woodwork can now be well dried 
before painting. M 
Scilla festalis. 
When a good variety of this is obtained, it is very difficult 
to beat by any other Scilla that flowers in May, and, notwith¬ 
standing its commonness, it should always- find a place in a 
collection, either in beds by itself, or in clumps in the shrub¬ 
bery. A little shade suits it admirably. In some gardens the 
practice prevails of planting clumps between the other subjects 
in the herbaceous border, and this is very suitable. The dark 
blue is the best form, but there- are pale blue, rosy, and white 
varieties. ■ 
Fruit Growing. 
The recent reference to- the advice of the Lord Lieutenant of 
Ireland as to the Irish people growing their own fruit, is all 
right enough if that nobleman can ensure the people who 
act upon his advice good fruit seasons. Here in England our 
fruit prospects for the present year are indeed the poorest 
probably were never worse, yet we started in the early sprint 
with abundant promise; indeed, rarely has there been better 
That there will be practically no fruit this year may be good 
for the tress in enabling them to thoroughly recuperatefbut 
even that benefit may be discounted by the rest producing a 
too- liberal wood-growth, and that is not conducive to the pro¬ 
duction of fruit the following year. Last year the crop was a 
very light one generally. This year it -will be far lighter, 
and a third such se-ason would ruin market fruit growers 
absolutely. I have seen thousands of market orchard trees of 
late. They are, as a, rule, very clean, and making good wood 
and le-af growth. But the general absence of fruit is terrible 
to' look at and contemplate. As a rule, we have good bush fruit 
crops. Those are very light indeed now, and our mainstay in 
tree fruits-—Apples—are- exceedingly thin. When the annual 
reports from all parts of the kingdom presently come in, I fear 
the result will be to' place 1903 in the very lowest scale as a 
fruit jnmducer. 
Now, we read very often, as was s-aid by Lord Dudley, that 
we import too much fruit, and should grow more of our own. 
Excellent theory, but evidently difficult, if not impossible, in 
practice. To expect we can grow tropical fruits is folly; yet 
the great bulk of fruit imports- that co-me to- us are tropical in 
character. Then, we class as imported fruits the- products o: 
the Channel Islands, India, and o-ur o-wn colonies. Yet these 
are now all as much part o-f the British Empire as- is England 
or Ireland. If our vast population is to be at all fruit-fed this 
year and during the- first half of the next year, we shall have to 
import far larger quantities than, we have previously done, 
seeing that our home produce is so- small. 
In all our fruit undertakings- we- must, if we are wise, leam 
to- reckon with the- very important fact that our seasons are 
now very adverse to- the fertilisation of fruit blo-om, no matter 
how extensively we may plant, how much o-f ability we may 
show in culture, in pruning, manuring, spraying, and other 
essentials ; yet we see, as this- spring, a- xve-ek of sharp frosts, 
and all o-ur labour and our skill is- wasted, for no-t all the com¬ 
bined skill and energy of humanity can overcome on outside 
vegetation the forces of Nature when they assume the form of 
very sharp fro-sts just in, the critical season o-f flowering. What 
a, contrast did I see but the- other day in, a good-class garden— 
fruit tre-e-s of all descriptions- in pots- or planted out, laden with 
fruit; yet,, outside, similar varieties and kinds devoid of fruit. 
It is a most serious matter for the nation generally, and for 
fruit-growers- and the- myriads depending for a subsistence on 
fruit crops- especially. Really, we have- to face a big disaster. 
It. is yet hardly apparent. It will be fully so in a few months. 
A. D. 
Camassia Leichtlinii. 
A liliaceous plant which has a pleasing and imposing appear¬ 
ance, producing a racemose erect stout spike 2 ft. to 3 ft. 
high, of whitish, spreading flowers. It, forms a variation in 
habit, from the' generally flat appearance given by spring- 
flowering bulbous plants. 
Rubus deliciosus. 
A native of the Rocky Mountains, described as producing 
fruit of a delicious flavour and considerable size. As a flowei- 
ing shrub it is very effective, having dark brown stems, which 
are pubescent and tomentose, but devoid of prickles or bristles. 
Its pure white flowers, 2m. in diameter, are freely borne on 
leafy, axillary spurs, one to three flowers on each. 
