718 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 22, 1903. 
pollen of C. Moorei to the flowers of C. longifolium. On examina¬ 
tion, several intermediate characters can be noted. The leaves 
reach 4 ft. to 5 ft. ini length, and taper towards the apices, 
having the strength and great substance of C. longifolium, while 
they inherit the green colour of C. Moorei. 
The site chosen for this subject should be sheltered and warm, 
aiganst the south or west side of a wall is most suitable. If the 
sotl be at all poor it should be excavated to 3 ft. or more (the 
roots have been known to penetrate 4 ft. in depth. Six inches 
of drainage can then be put in the botton, laying turves over 
this, and filling with good loam, manure, or road grit, but the 
manure should not touch the bulbs. Plant the bulbs deeply m 
spring; deep planting is a protection in winter, and they are 
less affected by drought in summer. Water can be applied freely 
for the first summer. When well established they can take care 
of themselves, and in a few years form large clumps. Dry leaves 
and litter can be spread over the crowns in winter as a safeguard. 
Seed is not produced, so that propagation is effected by offsets. 
Crinuin Moorei, a native of Natal, is one of the parents, an 
useful for open air culture in the south of England, thoug 
scarcely so vigorous as C. Powellii. The leaves are almost uniform 
in width, softer, and more easily broken. Also as a. cool green¬ 
house plant it well deserves a place, giving a substantial compost 
as before recommended, potting it into 10 in. or 12 m. pots and 
not disturbing it much at the roots, it usually blooms freely 
every season. Continuous potting is unnecessary, a good top- 
dressing in spring being all that is needed, any offsets that form 
beTng r°emove P d, s°o as to obtain a strong bulb. After flowering 
they can be plunged in a sunny place to keep the growth clean 
and ripen the bulbs. During the winter they can be dried oft 
and stored under the greenhouse stage or any frost-proof places, 
Crinuin longifolium (syn. capense) is a somewhat smaller mem¬ 
ber of the family, coming from the Cape of Good Hope. 1 
very accommodating, growing well in a sandy or loamy soil 
and doing well when intermixed with, hardy perennials m th 
border. The leaves have quite a distinct glaucous tint, whi 
the flowers range from rose to white, several varieties being 
described: if planted several in a batch they, form a handsome 
o-roup The large bulb-like seeds are curious m that they often 
start germinating while, still above ground ; the stock can be thus 
increased, also by division of offsets. LoulmnniAN. 
Fibrous-Rooted Begonias. 
We hear and read a good deal in the summer months about 
tuberous Begonias, but no one seems to have a single word ot 
praise for the equally useful, if more modest, fibrous-rooted 
section I do not intend to mention more than one section ot 
these, and it is only that they seem to be neglected or overlooked 
in the present craze for size and bright colours that induces 
me to bring them to the notice of those who may not have given 
them a trial. , T , 
I refer particularly to the semperflorens type and 1 know 
of few plants that give such a display for so little trouble, i 
advise getting a good strain to begin with. I myself grow 
Sutton’s, and in the near future I intend growing these more 
largely than ever. , , ,, , 
They can easily be raised from seed. Some of Sutton s varie¬ 
ties come absolutely true, notably Fairy Queen. It is, however, 
a »ood plan to get a packet of mixed seed, and then you get 
far more variety. Of course, for good bedding it is essential 
usually to have colours separate. What I am advocating, how¬ 
ever, is that these Begonias be grown in pots for conservatory 
and table decoration. 
They flower well in comparatively small pots, so lor tne 
dinner-table are most useful. The seed can be sown at the be¬ 
ginning of February, and nice plants can be had m flower by 
In the early stages treat exactly like tuberous Begonias, only 
they germinate and grow much faster, and are less fastidious in 
their °wants. As soon as ready, prick off into pans or boxes, 
and before they get overcrowded transfer to 2 in. pots. Keep 
close for a time, then gradually admit more air and induce 
sturdy growth. As soon as the small pots are tilled with roots 
(not potbound) shift into larger pots. As 5 in. pots are so 
useful, I think this size should, as a rule, be used for these 
plants. Of course, some of them may be shifted first into 4 in. 
pots, and then use 6 in. for flowering them in. Good loam, peat, 
and old Mushroom dung suits them admirably, with plenty of 
sharp sand to keep it open. Do not pot firm, as this stunts the 
„rowth, and the fine graceful shoots that are so handsome never 
extend.’ Towards the end of the season the tops may be cut 
off the plants, and for small vases nothing could look better, 
using only their own foliage. After flowering, cut the plants 
back, but not too severely. A greenhouse temperature suits 
them during winter, and not too much water. Do not, however, 
attempt to dry them off. 
After growth starts in spring, either top-dress with some fresh 
soil and a sprinkling of Thomson’s manure or knock part of 
the old soil carefully away, and repot in same size pots with 
fresh soil. After the plants are well forward, frequent doses 
of weak liquid manure may be given, also ichthemic guano in 
a liquid state. Stake with slender sticks about 18 in. long, and 
the result will well repay the small amount of trouble they 
require. C. Blaib. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Soot as a Stimulant. 
I wonder how many of us know the real value of soot, either 
stimulant in liquid form for such plants as Chrysanthemums, 
Pelargoniums, Begonias, Primulas, Cinerarias, etc., or as a 
top-dressing for growing crops ; it is good for almost everything. 
Now for a growing crop, be it Onions, Carrots, Beet, Peas, 
Beans, and Brassica of all sorts, I prefer it to anything. I have 
used it now for a number of years in place of guano ; in fact, 
it is very little of the latter I use now, except for Cucumbers, 
Melons, Tomato®, etc., and occasionally as a change for a 
few other things ; but my favourite stimulant is soot. 
I will now try to explain how I use it. For pot plants, or, ;n 
o+her words, as a liquid, I put half a bag of soot into a paraffin 
cask of water, and when well soaked it is ready for use. Of 
this liquid T take about half, and half clear water, or weaker, 
according to the class of plants for which it is intended. I 
never apply it to pot plants until the roots are active, and then 
two or three times weekly. I know of nothing that can give 
such beautiful and healthy-looking foliage as soot. 
Now, for a growing, crop of vegetables, I sow it thinly all over 
them for a young crop, and increase the quantity as they 
grow older. Of course, it would never do to throw it down in 
handfuls, as no crop can stand it to excess, but when properly 
used I consider it the most useful of manures, also the cheapest. 
If sown on spring Onions it prevents the Onion disease, as 
well as stimulating the crop. On Carrots the effect is the same. 
In some gardens it is very difficult to grow Carrots, owing to 
the ends of the roots being taken by the maggot, when they soon 
wither up and die. Now, if they get an occasional sprinkle of 
soot there need be little fear of a failure from that source.' 
Speaking of Carrots, if any of your readers have a bed looking 
sickly, it can be found on pulling them up that the maggot has 
been at work. Just try soot and lime in equal quantities, mixed 
with water and stirred up well. Apply it through the spout of 
a water-pot to the roots of the Carrots, and in nine cases out 
of ten it will save the crop ; that is, if they are not all affected, 
as nothing can save those that have been eaten off at the root; 
but the above mixture will kill the maggot and save those not 
affected. 
Soot sown thinly on Turnips when well through the soil will 
hasten the growth and prevent the fly. Sown on Celery, it will 
prevent the Celery 'fly. Sown on Peas, it work? wonders, and 
the sparrows do not like it. I never guard my Peas ; we have 
plenty of sparrows, too. 
It is a good thing sown on all kinds of Brassica ; it nourishes 
the plant, kills the slugs, and prevents the fly and caterpillar. 
And so I could go on writing in reference to all crops. Soot is 
a tiling that can be used on almost anything with excellent- 
results, and for those who do not use it, I say give it a trial. 
I generally sow it on the garden before sowing seeds. The 
way I apply it is to rake the soil fine, then sow the soot (not 
too thick), and draw the drills, sow the seeds, and rake in, and 
so rake in the soot. The best time of all to apply soot on 
all crops is early morning, while wet with the dew. 
J. Smith. 
Mb. William Thicker, in charge of the aquatic garden de¬ 
partment of Tl. A. Dreer and Co., Riverton, New Jersey, U.S.A., 
and author of the “ Water Garden,” has been appointed superin¬ 
tendent of the new estate of W. K. Vanderbilt, jun., at Great 
Neck, L.I. The estate runs to 500 acres, and Mr. .Tricker has 
been entrusted with the laying out and development of the 
same. Much planting on the estate is in contemplation. 
*** The prize last week in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to Mr. John C. Dick for his article on “Plants 
and Stimulants,” page 701. 
