690 
TUB GARDENING WORLD 
August 15, 1905. 
WORK OF THE WEEK. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Runner Beans.—These, like most crops, are noticeably very 
late this season, fully three weeks behind time with us, not¬ 
withstanding the plants are looking well and will no doubt 
give a good account of themselves onwards till frost puts an 
end to them. The loose growths should be trimmed back and 
the tops also 1 after they have reached the tops, of the sticks. 
Give plenty of liquid manure well diluted in dry weather, and 
damp over the foliage on hot days during early afternoon. 
When required for exhibition the pods will have to be selected 
when quite young, immediately the shape can be determined; 
not more than two should be left on a truss, and at the most 
eight on a plant. Expose them as much as possible to the 
light to ensure the colour being good, supporting them by 
looping up each pod to the stakes, using stout pieces of bast 
for the purpose. The plants will require plenty of feeding, and 
the various kinds 1 of reliable vegetable manures are excellent 
for this; but use little and often ; rather err on the side of 
giving under than over as per directions. 
French Beans wanted for exhibition must be treated much 
in the same way, a severe thinning- both of the growths and 
pods being absolutely necessary to ensure perfect specimens. 
Canadian Wonder, when well grown, cannot be beaten as a 
French Bean. The climbing French Beans are good in their 
way, but, in my opinion, not to be compared with the best 
selections of the dwarfer kinds. Late sowings made in pits 
and frames should have the points of their growth pinched out 
to the seed leaf as early as possible to induce them to break. 
Grow on the plants as sturdily as possible for some time to 
come by removing the lights entirely day and night. Over¬ 
crowding must in no case be allowed ; strong-growing varieties 
should be at least 10 in. from plant to plant. Earth up to 
the^ seed leaf with light loam and leaf sell. Treated in this 
way, these often prove invaluable during late autumn where 
French Beans are much in demand, a.s they are in many place®. 
Make another sowing in heated pits, or rather, where heat is 
at command when required. Sow sufficiently near the' glass, 
allowing for their growth, to prevent them becoming drawn, 
and pits should be selected as much as possible where the 
full benefit of the sun can reach them. 
Broad Beans.—The continued wet weather has suited the 
late sowing of these admirably. The Broad Windsors will 
continue 1 to give good *pods for some time to' come if kept 
clean from black aphis, and to make certain of this, syringe 
the points of the- growths occasionally with strong soft. soap, 
and water, and support the growths in an upright position. 
Water well in dry weather and damp overhead. 
Cauliflowers.—Every endeavour should be made to keep up 
a regular supply from early spring till mid-winter, if possible, 
and with the splendid varieties we now have this can be 
accomplished. Though Broccoli are good substitutes, they 
are not to be compared with the former for late summer and 
autumn use. No sort is better than Veitcli’s Autumn Giant, 
as if grown on not too. rich a soil small perfect heads are 
easily obtained. The only fault 1 know with this splendid 
variety is that it is inclined to get over large if treated too 
well. Immediately the heads are of sufficient size, the plants 
should be pulled up and hung head downwards in a cool place, 
such as a cellar, and if sprinkled they will keep in good 
condition for many days. Another capital plan, at this season 
is, when the crop is turning in too fast, to lift a portion of 
the plants just as the heads are forming, and lay them in 
under a north wall. It will not only keep them back three 
weeks or a. month, but the slight check given will prevent 
them coming too. large. Later on, very late sowings which 
have been planted in the open should be lifted with good 
balls, of earth and placed thickly in cold frames, and if well 
watered in and shaded for a short time during bright weather, 
good heads of Cauliflowers may be had well into the New 
Year When caterpillars are in evidence, as they often are 
at this season, the plants should be examined two or three 
times weekly to destroy them before spoiling the heads. 
Brussels Sprouts. —In private gardens, when planted early 
these oftentimes are inclined to fall over, and when this i 
the case time will be well spent in staking and tying them 
as these do much better, and the Sprouts can be kept cleane 
when in an upright position. 
Vegetable Marrows. —Unquestionably the early planting 
made in cold frames, and which now are removed, have had ; 
distinct, advantage over the later ones. This year these, wit 
us, have been in full bearing since early in May, and are no^ 
in the pink of condition. These should now have a goo* 
mulching of decayed manure and turfy loam, which will carr 
them through the season. E. Beckett. 
Aldemham House Gardens, Elstree. 
Among the Orchids. 
Cattleya citrina. — This fragrant and beautiful Oicliid j 
one of the most attractive of the genus. It has the extr, 
ordinary habit of growing with its head in a pendent positioi 
So obstinate is it in this respect that no coaxing of the cu 
tivator has been able to. induce it to grow upward in tli 
usual way. The flowers also having the pendent characteristic 
of the growth, their citron colour and scent are the mor 
conspicuous. Importations of this species having recent! 
arrived, they will become freely distributed iu collections befon 
these notes will be published, and some suggestions as to it' 
mode of treatment may he acceptable. 
lit Mexico, the native habitat of C. citrina, there is a lengti 
ened period of excessively bright and diy weather, so much s 
that—to use the phrase of a gentleman recently describing tli 
conditions to me which annually prevail — notwithstandin 
the excessive heat, there is no possibility of respiration fro: 
the body; the conditions being so dry, all moisture is imm 
diately absorbed. To imitate such conditions at heme wou 
be almost impossible under existing artificial appliances pr 
vided. During the rainy season it is not. excessively wan 
but. bright intervals of sunshine are frequent; this is. the sea® 
at which the plants make their growth. To. succeed in retai 
ing these plants in perfection for successive years, it is evide 
that the conditions required more nearly resemble the syste 
adopted for the culture of Dendrobiums than that of t 
ordinary Cattleya. house. Under these conditions one fi 
quently finds them doing luxuriantly for a. season, or two aft' 
importation, after which they gradually become smaller a 
weaker in growth until they become extinct. There are a f 
exceptions to this rule, but. it is rarely the' plants thrive h 
many years aft el - they reach the artificial conditions of c' 
Orchid houses. 
I find the plants do best when fixed in shallow pans ? 
small baskets; justi sufficiently large to contain the plant co- 
fortably, the remaining space being filled with the potti T 
compost, consisting of equal portions of fibrous peat and pan' 
decayed oak-leave®; to this is added a. liberal sprinkling t 
rough sand. Press the compost sufficiently firm to hold v 
plant in position and cover the surface with a layer of elioppd 
sphagnum moss. Water the. plants as soon as they have bin 
potted, using rain-water poured through a. moderately coa a 
rose on the water-can. The plants; may then be suspend! 
to the roof of a house, where little shade is used, and wli e 
the temperature is retained at. about 60 deg. at night it 
the present season. New growths will soon make their apptr- 
ance, and the new roots being emitted from the base of e 
developing shoot, more liberal treatment may be afford! 
When growth is completed the plants should he removed o 
a. cool, airy, and dry house, where only sufficient root moist ,'e 
is necessary to retain the pseudo-bulbs, in a. plump stf?. 
affording the advantage of all the available light. 
A.s ! the days begin to. lengthen towards the spring the flow's 
will be observed advancing from the miniature sheath in 
centre of the leaves. The plants should then he removed;' 1 
