1056 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
December 26, 1903. 
well-berried plants are unique as table or ball-room ornaments 
at this season. We have but few plants better adapted for 
winter decoration than these, and a, lengthy sojourn in rooms 
or corridors will not harm them. 
Myrsiiphyllum Jasparagoides (Smilax), with its trails of bright 
green leafage will be much in. request for tracing on the table, 
and for draping in many ways that will present themselves to 
the decorator. Other plants now in flower comprise Ciner¬ 
arias, Primulas, Cyclamen, Begonias, Callas, and various forced 
bulbs and hardy plants and shrubs that have been, forced. 
Lily of the Valley. —These fragrant flowers are favourites 
with all, and those who cultivate them in the open garden may 
now lift some clumps and pot or box them up for flowering in a 
few weeks’ time. It is not advised to commence forcing home^ 
grown crowns before this date, as they will not have had the 
necessary rest. The fine sprays one sees in shops in. the early 
winter are the produce of imported crowns specially selected 
and retarded. To depend entirely upon home-grown, plants for 
forcing, it is necessary to grow them in. quantity, as those that 
are lifted and forced this year should be replanted when flower¬ 
ing is over, and left undisturbed for two or three year's, when, 
they may again, be lifted and forced. There are two distinct 
methods that can be adopted with good results, viz., to lift 
strong clumps, placing them at once in boxes as they arei with 
some diy potting soil worked among them ; secondly, to lift, 
and divide the clumps, selecting only those crowns that are 
plump and as stout a,si the point of one’s little finger. These 
may be. potted up* in a, 48-sized pot and introduced to 1 a, strong 
moist heat as required, and the remaining crowns replanted for 
lifting in, two or three years’ time. It should be borne in mind 
that but little root action takes place during forcing, therefore 
any kind of light sandy soil will answer. Abundance of water 
will be necessary, hence it, is imperativei to efficiently drain the 
pots in order that superfluous water may pass freely away. 
KM. 
Among the Orchids. 
Seasonable Notes. —How different are the facilities provided 
a,t the present day for the cultivation of Orchids compared 
with that of a decade ago! What abundant facilities are pro¬ 
vided by the weekly publications and the advice and assistance 
rendered for all who seek the aid of the horticultural Press! 
The thanks of all interested in horticultural subjects are due 
for the facilities afforded by the gardening papers, for the 
trouble and attention given to the various subjects (new and 
old) that they place before their readers, and for the assistance 
rendered, when queries are addressed and advice so readily 
afforded on the methods of culture, whereby many of our best 
collectors even may gain some interesting information that 
leads to the 'better cultivation of the plants contained in their 
collections that have previously been regarded difficult sub¬ 
jects to cultivate. Perhaps nothing will illustrate this conten¬ 
tion so fully as the now almost commonly-adopted “ leaf soil ’’ 
inclusion in the potting compost, which has considerably mini¬ 
mised the difficulties^ previously existing: in the cultivation, of 
Orchids. 
To continue still further the benefits derived from the in¬ 
fluence of the gardening Press, which by drawing attention to 
the books 1 treating especially on the subject of Orchid cultiva¬ 
tion has permitted those otherwise uninformed to gain the 
necessary information that, has ultimately led to the formation 
of many of the largest collections now in existence. 
Hybridisation was only practised with any degree of success, 
by a very small number of people twenty-five years ago. To-day 
there is scarcely a private establishment where there is any 
pretence to grow Orchids but has its batches of seedlings in 
various stages of growth of the subjects that may be at hand 
for hybridisation purposes. The writer who is; penning these 
lines feels much indebted to, the facilities offered through the 
various organs which make up the gardening Press, and I am 
sure others will not only support the gratitude I express, but 
will also forgive my wandering somewhat from the usual paths 
of cultural notes in thanking the proprietors, editor, and staff 
for the splendid opportunity in the first year of The Garden¬ 
ing World in its new and progressive apparel they have 
afforded since the beginning of the present year. I hope 
readers will do all possible in return to support it, that it may 
continue on the lines for which it has made itself so much 
appreciated. 
At the present season of the year the temperatures inside 
the houses should be maintained at the minimum degree. 
Fluctuations of the outside temperature are very considerable. 
It is never so difficult in maintaining a low temperature inside 
when the outside conditions are so unfavourable, but when a 
high inside temperature is attempted the fluctuations that 
will necessarily occur will have a greater possible injury on 
the plants. Especially will this be the case where the warmer 
treatment incurs more moisture requirements, for when a plant 
is wet at the roots at a time when these sudden drops in tem¬ 
perature occur, the plants are more liable to checks and injury 
owing to the fact that the wet, condition of the potting com¬ 
post will be found colder than the condition of the house, and, 
like a glass of water placed in a cold room, it attracts a great 
portion of the moisture in the atmosphere, and acts practically 
as a condenser. If an illustration is necessary, select a plant 
that is in a wet state at the roots on a cold morning ) blow a 
little tobacco smoke on the Moss at the surface, and providing 
the hole at the bottom of the pot, is free and the plant kept 
still, it, will be interesting to watch what takes place, and will 
fully illustrate what I have contended above. H. J. 
Potatos and their Propagation. 
There is every reason to, fear that the exacting methods of 
propagation now being adopted to increase absurdly high- 
priced Potatos—propagation, by cutting and by eyes after 
cuttings have been removed—will in the end, and not lono- 
hence,, be productive of great harm to the constitution of the 
varieties so treated. That being so, anyone purchasing stocks 
of these dear varieties should exercise great caution. Prac¬ 
tically, they would act wisely to, refrain from, purchasing for 
another year, and thusi compel holders of stocks to plant all 
they have and to grow them under natural conditions. By 
then prices would rule easy, and anyone purchasing would risk 
very little. It should be within the knowledge of all Potato 
grower s here 1 , that, the best-boomed varieties are by no means 
to be regarded as. the only best for cropping or quality, so 
many influences are brought to bear on the booming, and all 
that is read should be taken with a big grain of salt. 
There are now in commerce and selling at moderate prices 
really fine varieties, great, croppers, and possessing all the best 
average disease-resisting properties found in the more recently- 
raised one ,sl Evergood, Man, of Coil, The Factor, The Crofter, 
Ninetyfold, Up to Date,, Edward VII., are a few, and there 
are others which have proved to, be first-rate- ini crop and of 
excellent quality. Let intending purchasers obtain some of 
these, if they have them not, and thus get a, good return for 
their outlay without, risking much. Raisers are apt to be too 
hasty in putting a new variety into commerce. It should 
always have six years’ testing from the; seedling stage, and 
also have been grown in several other parts of the kingdom 
ere it isi offered to the public. By that time the tine 
character of the variety will have been well shown.. When 
many years ago very costly American Potatos were well 
boomed, what wretched failures most of these proved to be! 
Many of them also had their constitutions weakened by un¬ 
natural propagation,. A. D. 
Potato and Orange Imports.— In the first- week of December 
our importation of Potatos (the- crop in this country having 
partially failed) was no less than 332,550 cwt., as compared with 
70,791 cwt,. in the corresponding week of 1902. On the other 
hand, the importation of Oranges has fallen in the same week 
from 244,408 cwt. to 173,270 cwt. 
