21G 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 12, 1904 
usual methods of discussion. First, and -foremost- is the need 
of a good chairman. -Secondly, a great point may be scored 
if a useful and interesting subject is chosen. 
It is a mistake, as a. rule, to take the culture or treatment 
of any one plant-, unless a specialist is to speak on his spe¬ 
ciality, or unlesisi the plant be one recently discovered, or one 
which is generally misunderstood, and consequently wrongly 
treated. The writer should get up bis subject well and should 
not be ashamed to be- unable to answer a-, few of the questions 
showered a:c him. Papers! written, from practical experience 
are vastly superior, as a rule, to those copied, more or less, 
from hooks:, pamphlets, etc-. It would not be a bad plan, if 
practicable, to invite a “ bag ” gardener, occasionally, to give an 
address on his own particular subject. Titles for papers which 
might he read and discussed with advantage to young gar¬ 
deners, are: “Women versus Men asi Gardeners,” “Women’s. 
Place in, Horticulture,” “ Fruit Culture,” “ The Gardeners’ Asso¬ 
ciation,” “ Landscape Gardening,” etc. The society should 
arrange a subject to be taken up. at each meeting. The paper 
may be. read first and be followed by a discussion on the subject, 
or, in another way, sides- may be taken by two speakers, one 
for and one against, each being supported in discussion; after¬ 
wards by bis followers. 
In such an arrangement the chairman should allow -each 
speaker a certain time in which to speak, the two openers, of 
course, being allowed longer than others who may speak after 
them. 
Each member present should endeavour to say a. few words 
one way or the -other in the discussion. The “ Gardeners’ 
Debating Society” should be made well known among gar¬ 
deners and amateurs in the vicinity. 
The advantages of a society of this kind are so obvious that, 
it is surely cnlv necessary to introduce the subject- to- the notice 
of young gardeners to .see thei formation of numerous! such 
societies in. all counties. D. A. D. 
Essex. 
Pelargoniums from Seed for Early Flowering 
This useful claissi o-f plant is well worth growing for early 
flowering, and may be had by sowing the seed early in March 
in well-drained -shallow potsi or pans-. The soil -should be rich 
and light. Press the seed down gently and cover it with about 
s in. of sifted soil. Give a slight watering, and place in a 
gentle heat; a hot-bed that, has been at work for -a- few weeks 
will -suit admirably. The seed will quickly germinate, and then 
should be removed fro-m the hot-bed- and be placed upon a shelf 
in the greenhouse near the glass. Water moderately, or the 
seedlings will be apt to; damp off. As soon as they have made 
their second leaf, pot them off singly into 2-in„ pot® in a 
compost of equal parts of loam and leaf-mould, with a liberal 
addition of silver sand. Replace them on the shelf and keep, 
them -shaded for a time from hot sunshine. The seedlings will 
soon, fill their pots with roots, and must then be repotted into; 
pots a, size larger. After this potting the plants may be, 
treated in the same way a,s plant® raised from cuttings- Keep 
them close- to the glass, and give abundance of air on all 
favourable occasions:. As soon a:s the weather will permit, 
place them out of doors, on a, bed 1 of ashes 1 -sufficient, in thickness 
to keep- out, worms. The situation should be light and open, 
to, ripen the wood and induce bushy growth, -so as to ensure 
their flowering the following spring. 
When there is fear of autumnal frosts the plants should be 
t-a-ken into the greenhouse again,, keeping them -a® close to the 
glass a-si possible, which will serve to 1 keep them dwarf and 
bushy. There is no: neied to. stop, these plants, as: recommended 
for plants raised from outtings, as the object is to get them, to 
newer early. Give air on all favourable occasions, keeping 
the house as dry as possible. Give them a, due supply of water, 
but, no more. The temperature of the house should not- exceed 
&U deg., nor should it go below 40 deg. ; for if kept too hot, the; 
plants: will draw up. weak and spindly; if too cold the leaves 
Will turn yellow, -spot,- or damp- off. Journeyman 
Round the Nurseries. 
Messrs. Cripps and Sons. 
Tunbridge Wells is an ideal placet for a, collection of trees 
and shrubs- -such as that for which the nurseries of Messrs. 
Cripps and Sons are so well known-, for the natural surround¬ 
ings lend themselves so readily to the -effective display of orna¬ 
mental trees 1 , and thus the nursery is- more like an ornamental 
garden, than a trade establishment. As most gardeners are 
aware,, this nursery has two. great specialities—Coniferae and 
Acers. At the time of my visit the Aoers were leafless, but it 
wa,s easy to judge the quality of the plants and to ascertain 
that in bulk they are of the same high -standard as -those 
exhibited year by year a-t- the Temple Show. Everything is 
graded and in perfect order, and, most important of all, there 
is no- crowding; everything has ample space for its proper 
development, thus! giving every specimen, a, chance to retain its 
lower 1 branches. The Conifera,e from this nursery should 
never feel the effect® of transplanting, for they are so trans¬ 
planted as, t o induce them to keep the roots close -at- home, and 
to develop, an abundance of fibrous feeders. I watched the 
men at work for some time and was- astonished to see the com¬ 
pact masses of roots and the- -ease with wliicli the ball was re¬ 
tained. I believe -this system, of transplanting is being more 
generally adopted, especially in those establishments Which 
have a, -reputation to uphold. 
The nursery of Messrs. Cripps and Sons wa,s first established 
in 1837, and iisi at the present day one of thei finest in the 
country. The collection, of Abies is a specially good one, and 
contains some very fine specimens of the, newest varieties. 
Abies pungens glauca pendula is a, variety worthy of special 
note, as, for a, lawn specimen:, I know o-f nothing to equal it, as 
both the: habit and colour are very pleasing. Abies Douglasii 
glauca, and Abies excelsa, inveirta are: also very attractive; the 
latter, very -often known, a® the: Weeping Spruce, is not, nearly 
so- often seen as it deserve® to be. The Gryptomerias were just 
in their best colours', and, interspersed with their more sombre 
neighbours,, they made a very conspicuous -display. This- genus 
has no cultural difficulties that I am aware o-f, but stall it b} 
seldom seen,, -except in, the: very best collections. It, is one of 
those many unexplainable things, for, -although being quite 
easy to, grow and ranking amongst the most effective of the 
whole, natural order, it is strangely overlooked. The form® 
that always appeal -specially to, me are Ciyptomeria, elegans, 
C. japonica,, C. j. nana, and C. pyramddalis compaeta. Cupres- 
susi lawsonianai and its many varieties! are grown in enormous 
quantities. A few of the best I noted were: Allumi, argentea, 
Triumph of Boskoop, pyra-mida-lis alba sp-ica,, lutea, Silver 
Q ue-en, -an d W esterm anni. 
The- Rett-inospora collection is a-lsoi a, remarkably fine one, 
both in point of varieties', and in, quality. Amongst- them I 
noticed the true and somewhat rare specie®, R. filifera, a-lso R-. 
lycopodioides:. The new variety of R. o-btusa., known; asi 
C-i ippsdi, is one of the most- -handsome Conifers I have yet seen-, 
f’oi it is indeed a, true golden Conifer, keeping its beautiful tints 
all through the winter. The habit isi perfect, and its con¬ 
stitution appears to be exceedingly robust, for the stock in the 
open ground was; the picture of health and vigour. The original 
ti ec stands in the midst of its progeny and is one, of the most 
i-andsome specimen, Conifersi I have yet: seen, in spite of the 
hea-vy demand on it for propagating purposes-. Not only is it 
an excellent shrubbery plant, but, also an ideal pot plant. 1 
well remember the interest it created at the first Drill Hall 
meeting at which it was. exhibited 1 . There was at once a, great 
ernand for it, and it was the general opinion that- it was 
destined to become one of the most popular of its, family. It 
i® seldom that one meets with the pendulous form of Welling¬ 
ton,la, gigantea,, one of the most peculiar o-f all the order. 
About- this nursery there are many fine Piceas, -and the fine 
i ee immediately inside the gates is: always an, object of interest 
1° both visitors and pa&sersi-by. It, cannot lay claim to much 
eauty, but. it is, soi distinct, that, it should be favoured more 
than it isi. 
