September 17, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
735 
The Flower Garden. 
Spring bedding plants such as Arabis, Alyssum, Aubri-eitias, 
Polyanthuses, Wallflowers, etc., have madei rapid progress 
lately, owing to- more frequent, rains and a moisten atmosphere 
at nio'lit'. Every attention must be given to ‘the above so as 
to have sturdy well-grown plants ready for removing to their 
flowering quarters' towards the end of this month, and the be¬ 
ginning of next. Small weeds are apt to appear among tufts 
of Arabis, Alyssum, etc., and if not goiti rid of now will be 
lifted along with the plants, and prove a, constant nuisance in 
spring. 
The present affords a, suitable time for getting in cuttings 
of Pentistenions, Calceolarias, Gazanias, and the like. These 
may all be rooted under similar conditions, viz., a cold frame, : n 
which has been placed a sufficient quantity of sandy soil. 
After the cuttings have been inserted a thorough watering 
must be given to settle the soil about the cuttings; keep close 
for a few weeks until the cuttings have oallused, shading lightly 
in bright weather to prevent flagging. 
Pentstemon campanulatus. — Although probably not 
so showy as some of the newer varieties of Pentstemon now 
becoming so justly popular, yet the above species is not to be 
despised, blooming as it does over a lengthened period. The: 
flowers are: pink or rose coloured and freely produced. There 
is, however, a. variety, Albai, which is a distinct acquisition 
to the flower garden, the flowea*s being pure white and plenti¬ 
fully borne. The species and variety both grow to a. height 
of above 2 ft., and, as already noted, continue in bloom for a 
long time. 
Cuttings of the dwarf white and dwarf yellow Antirrhinums, 
largely used in the North for bedding out, will root readily 
under similar conditions toi Pentstemons. Seedling Antirrhi¬ 
nums raised in autumn, and wintered in a cold frame will pro¬ 
vide useful plants 1 for bedding out in May. 
Verbena erinoides, a, species with, reddish violet 
flowers produced in close terminal spikes, is worthy of notice 
as a carpet for taller growing subjects. In habit the plant is 
dwarf and spreading, quickly covering the space on which it, 
is planted. The variety Alba is similar in habit and growth, 
and is probably more valuable on account of the white flowers ■ 
both succeed best when treated as half hardy annua®. 
Abutilon vexillarium (megap-otanicum). — This is an 
excellent plant for use in the flower garden ; as a, pot plant it 
is exceedingly useful, the graceful drooping habit of the shoots 
rendering it well adapted for this purpose, while the dependant 
flowers with a dark red calyx give it an additional beauty; the 
leaves are small and mottled with yeilow. Cuttings) inserted 
now will soon, root in ai warm propagating case. 
B. W. J. 
Hardy Herbaceous Border. 
Pentstemons. — During the latter half of the' present month 
and the beginning of next is the best time for inserting the 
cuttings of the main batch of these, and as they are now being 
produced freely it will be advisable to get them in without 
delay. We find the best way to propagate them is to use 
boxesi 2 ft. in, length by 1 ft. in width and 41 in. deep, a box 
of this size holding between forty and fifty plants. They 
should be well drained) by placing large pieces of crock over 
the holes in: the bottom, and these covered with dry leaves or 
fibre rubbed out of the loam heap. We prefer leaves*, as the 
plants are fond cf this) valuable material and root into them 
strongly when, they commence new growth in the early clays 
of sipring. A suitable soil will consist of half-decayed leaf-soil 
and half of good loam, with sufficient silver or road sand to 
maintain the whole in a porous condition. This should be 
thoroughly mixed together and used in just a moist' state. 
Press firmly into the boxes and fill within -1- in. of the top, 
and then sprinkle over a little sand. One variety of cuttings 
should be taken at the time, and in making them sever the 
stems just below a. joint with a sharp' knife. Cuttings about 
3 in. long wall be of sufficient length. Dot not. allow them to 
flag, if possible, and insert very firmly with a wooden dibber. 
As each box is completed, it should be damped over with 
slightly chilled water and placed on a bed of cinder ashes in, a 
cold frame. Keep’ this shut up closely until the cuttings look 
quite fresh, damping over lightly each day, and shade if the 
sun is bright. It is not necessary for the plants to make a 
large root or leaf growth during the winter and early spring, 
so that after a few days air should be admitted sparingly at 
first and then freely ; in fact, on fine mild days, the lights 
may be removed altogether. A light syringing or damping 
with a, fine-rose waterp-ot should be given occasionally, but 
never let the soil become soaked, or the plants will, in all 
probability, rot off. Plants -of choice varieties which were 
struck earlier in thumbs should be potted on into large sixt-y- 
sizeid pots as they need it, a compost as advised for cuttings 
above being suitable. 
Rockets —If one wishes to obtain the very best results- from 
these-, or even to- retain some varieties, it is necessary that 
they should be taken up-and wintered in co-id frames, especially 
on heavy, wet- soils, where they invariably die unless a little 
trouble is taken with them. It is unfortunate that some of 
the varieties which w r ere once common in gardens are new 
remarkably scarce, probably owing to the above cause. We 
grow four double varieties here, three of which can, claim to 
be among the best of border plants; these are Hesperis 
matronalis -alba plena, H. matronalis 1 lilacina plena, and a very 
pale lilac variety, the name of which I have not yet been able 
to ascertain,. The other is H. matronalis purpurea plena, 
which, however, i-s rather difficult- to grow well, and no-t to be 
recommended for general culture. It has dark purple flowers 
on- ve-ry dwarf -stems), which when seen in a, mass are attractive. 
During late summer and autumn Rockets make a plentiful 
supply of young growths from the base of the plant, and if 
the plants' are lifted and the -soil shaken off the growths can 
then be taken off with some roots attached. If potted up in 
comp-o-st similar to that advised for Pentstemons) -and kept in 
a, cold frame through the winter, they will make nice plants by 
the beginning of April. The most beautiful variety and the 
scarcest is H. matronalis lilacina plena, which obtained an 
Award of Merit, from the R.H.S. this year, and the best way 
to grow it is to restrict each plant to, one spike of flower. It 
then reaches a -height -of 2 ft. to' 2-|ft., with numerous side 
branches, carrying closely 'Set, very double flowers. 
Asters. —These should' have- the shoots finally tied, and if 
mildew has only -appeared in a small quantity, means should 
be taken immediately to check -and destroy it. Sulphur is a 
good remedy, but a preparation manufactured by Messrs. 
Bentley and called XL ALL wei have found very effective. 
If the whole of the plant is thoroughly syringed with this, all 
traces of mildew disappear. 
Violas. —Young, healthy cuttings' of these should now be 
taken and inserted in cold frames. It will not be necessary to 
put them into boxes, as they will root readily in a, frame 
partly filled with soil, using some cf a finer nature for the 
surface which contains a good quantity of decayed leaves. 
A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham Ho-us-e Gardens, Elstree. 
A Good Plant for Use among Trees and Shrubs. 
Plants that will thrive and furnish a, bit of colour under 
the shade and drip of trees and shrubs are so few in number 
that one feels justified in, drawing attention to Arnica, Cliamis- 
sonis, which we have used for the purpose with marked success. 
Its hardiness and the vigour of its ramifying underground 
shoots is such iaisi to render it unsuitable for most herbaceous 
borders, but makes it an admirable, subject where -space is less 
valuable and more difficult to fill, while it-s clear yellow 
flowers are far from being unattractive; in fact, may -serve 
to brighten, many an erstwhile dull and uninteresting spot. 
In planting, cate should be taken that the rhizo-mous under- 
oTowth is not broken, being of a, brittle nature, and that they 
are not too deeply buried. A. J. MacSelf. 
Formby. 
