596 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 11, 1903. 
/ 
Readers’ Competition—continued. 
Some gardeners force a few pots or boxes of Peas for an early 
dish, while others make their first sowing on strips of turf in 
a warm pit, and plant out in March, should the weather be 
genial. 
Our practice is somewhat different, boxes being preferred to 
pots or turves. These are made of stout boards, and are 6 ft. 
long, 6 in. deep, 6 in. wide at the top, and 8 in. wide at the 
bottom. The bottom is divided up the centre and hinged to 
each side, the whole being made secure by wire bands brought 
over , the sides. A few holes are made for drainage, on which 
an inverted crock is placed, some rough material placed on top 
to act as drainage ; the boxes are then half filled with soil. This 
is how we generally use some of our Chrysanthemum balls. The 
seed is then sown evenly, and covered with about an inch of 
soil. Our first sowing is usually made about February 1st. The 
boxes are then placed in a heated frame or pit and watered. 
When the young seedlings have pushed through the covering 
an additional covering or top-dressing of about an inch is always 
given, as a number of seeds will appear on the surface after 
germinating. Water is sparingly used ; in fact, it is scarcely 
ever required at this early stage. Boxes are kept near the 
glass, and air admitted on all favourable occasions, only pro¬ 
tecting in- case of frost and cutting winds. When they are 
transferred to a cold frame the hardening-off process begins 
by removing the sashes on favurable occasions until such time 
as their quarters are required for something else, when they are 
transferred to a sheltered position in the. open, where they 
remain until weather and soil are favourable to planting. This 
is never attempted before March 15th, and is sometimes as late 
as April 1st. 
Our mode of planting is to take out a trench about 8 in. 
deep, dig in some stable manure in the bottom, and give a dress¬ 
ing of wood ashes. The boxes are placed in position in the 
trench, so that the surface of the soil in the box will be about 
2 in. below the ground level of the border. The wire straps 
are loosed and the boxes lifted simultaneously at both ends. 
The result is the bottom opens up the centre, and the whole mass 
of roots drops, uninjured, into the exact position intended for 
them. The soil is then placed loosely round, some spruce 
branches meantime serving as protection from the cold wind, 
and later on serving the purpose of stakes until taller ones are 
required. We find that the foregoing plan has been successful 
here for the past ten years, always affording a supply of this 
desirable early vegetable at least fifteen days before those sown 
in the open. This year our sowing in boxes was made on 
February 1st. Owing to the inclement weather planting had to 
be deferred until April 1st. Our first dish of Peas from this sow¬ 
ing was pulled on June 20th. A sowing of the same Pea mad© 
in the open ground on March 11th will not be ready for pulling 
until about July 8th, so that the difference is very marked, and 
we consider our plan is worth the trouble taken, and trust some 
of the readers of “ G. W.” who have not attempted it will give it 
a trial. Jas. Bethel. 
Westwood Gardens, Newport-on-Tav, N.B. 
The Culture of Humea Elegans. 
The time being now at hand to- sow these beautiful planes, a 
few hints as to their cultural requirements might perhaps be 
useful. To keep up a supply of plants a sowing should be made 
each year about the middle of July. For sowing use clean, well- 
drained pans filled with a compost of one part loam, half a part 
silver sand, and charcoal broken intoi small pieces. If the loam 
is inclined to be heavy a small quantity of leaf soil should be 
added. Water the'pans, and let them drain before sowing. 
Sow the seed thinly and cover slightly, afterwards placing the 
pans in a cold frame, and cover with glass to assist germina¬ 
tion. When the seedlings appear give a little air, increasing it- 
as the plants grow. 
The first shift should be into 3in. pots, the compost the same as 
before, with an addition of old Mushroom bed manure. After, 
potting, place the plants in a cold frame, and keep close for a 
few days, afterwards airing on all favourable occasions. They 
should again be potted, about the beginning of September for 
preference, but not later than the middle of the month. This 
will allow the plants to fill the 7 Dots with roots before bad 
weather arrives. The 48-sized pots, filled with a compost composed 
of loam two parts, old Mushroom bed manure rubbed through a 
sieve one part, sand and charcoal, which will be found to 'suit 
them well. During winter the plants should be kept in a warm 
pit or house near the glass. When the plants begin to move i 
the spring they should be potted on into 8in.. 9in., or lOii 
pots, according to the size of the plants. Use the same soil e 
before, with an addition of a little artificial manure. A\ hen tl 
pots are full of roots a little weak manure water will do th-: 
good. 
Humeas are usually considered difficult plants to manage, bv 
a great many plants are lost through keeping them too wet i 
the winter. The greatest care should be taken in watering, nev. 
watering a plant till it is dry. They should be kept on “the di 
side in winter. A sharp look-out should be kept for m-een ft 
which should be taken in hand as soon as it appears. If Hume; 
are intended for planting out, they should be hardened off an 
planted out about the middle of June. 
Richard Maybtjrt, Silver Medallist. 
The Manor House, Tettenhall, near Wolverhampton. 
A Plea for Herbaceous Plants- 
If we are to have a continuation of these cold, changeabl 
seasons the sooner gardeners set about getting up a good collet 
tion of choice herbaceous plants the better. They are fa; 
superior for cutting purposes than the tender annuals that w 
see so often grown ; and besides, many of these herbaceous plant 
are extremely handsome both in foliage and blooms, ancl loo 
graceful and pretty even when fading away in autumn into rii 
different tints of bronzy crimson and yellow. All tastes must b 
satisfied, however, but I think we have in the majority of th 
herbaceous plants a fountain of eternal freshness and'beauty 
their different heights, colours, and forms being of endles 
variety. They may bet grown as easily in the gardens of thos 
who may not be gifted with large fortunes as in those of the ver 
wealthy, and are both useful and beautiful to all who can claiii 
to be lovers of flora. If a. good selection for a border is chosen a 
first, and carefully planted and arranged according to thei: 
height and colours, they produce a fine effect, and in wealth o 
blooms equally suitable either for table decoration or bouquets 
With a good established herbaceous border one may keep the 
mansion house vases decorated with very little trouble tlu 
greater part of the year. I think nothing is prettier for filling 
large vases than spikes or sprays of some of the bold hardy 
plants, such as. Spiraea Aruncus, S. palmata rubra, Paeonias. 
Delphiniums, Anemone japonica, Dielytra spectabilis, etc., and, 
leaving their own foliage on for greenery. Alstromerias, Antheri- 
cum Liliastrum, Irisis, Galtonias, Pyrethrums, Hesperisj 
matronalis plena, Rudbeckias, Campanulas, Achillea Ptarmica, 
etc., when backed up with tall hardy Fern fronds make also a 
charming arrangement. One good point in these hardy plants is, 
they do not fade so quickly as many of the annuals grown, i 
may say I have here several of th© above named and others 
planted out in the grass amongst the shrubs, and they flower 
splendidly. There are many grand old herbaceous plants suffer¬ 
ing undeserved neglect that are far better adapted for oui 
climate in Scotland at least than many plants and bulbs that 
are often planted. The latter, instead of thriving and multiply- 1 
mg, even although they are coaxed to do 1 so, die out, and require 
to be bougnt in and replanted annually. Where cut flower is 
required in large quantities, and where ground can well be 
spaied, herbaceous plants ought not to be planted sparingly. 
One great inducement for planting them is that they can be grown 
in any odd corner. Naturally, like most other plants, the better 
the soil and the exposure the better the return. Still, I have 
veronicas, Campanulas, florist Pinks, Thalictrums, Asters. 
Centaureas, etc., in a back border, and they flower well annually, 
and have got no other attention for years than a slight top 
dressing of old vegetable soil in spring, and a stir up with a. 
Dutch hoe when necessary. With such a large family of 
herbaceous plants at our command each one can use his own 
individual taste both in what to plant and where. My foregoing 
lemaiks are not meant to condemn other useful plants, but to 
show how useful these hardy plants are ; at the same time their 
cost does not place them beyond anyone’s reach, as they are! 
extremely suitable for modest purses. 
A good collection can be had from all the leading nurserymen. 
Champfleurie, Linlithgow. John C. Dick. 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ T, W.” for his article on “ Cypripedia,” 
page 573. 
