January 7, 1905, 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
21 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for reply in this Column, These 
enquiries may cover any branch of gardening. Questions should be put 
as briefly as possible, and written on one side of the paper only; a 
separate sheet of paper should be used for each question. 
Readers are also invited to give their fellow gardeners the benefit 
of their experience by sending supplementary replies. 
Replies cannot be sent by post, even if a stamped, addressed 
envc'ope is enclosed, and the return of specimens cannot be undertaken. 
Anonymous communications are treated in the usual editorial manner. 
Address letters: The Editor, “The Gardening World,” 37 and 
38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
Winter flowering Climbers. 
Please name a few hardy climbing plants that would flower 
on the wall of a house during winter. When most trees and 
shrubs are bare a few climbing plants would give a warm tint 
to the building. (R. W.) . . , M 
There are several climbers which flower m winter, but the 
time of flowering and the quantity of blossom at any given time 
is dependent upon the nature of the weather. Fine weather 
for a week or two is sometimes sufficient to give a tine display 
of Jasminum nudiflorum. That is, of course, deciduous, but 
the brandies and shoots maintain their green colour at all 
periods. This cannot be said of Chimonanthus fragrans grancli- 
florus, which has very dull green or brown shoots after the 
leaves fall, but it is an interesting plant on account of the 
fragrance of the flowers, which is very appreciable even in the 
cut' state, belonging, as it does, to the Allspice family. Loni- 
cera fragrantissima and L. Cavendishii are two Honeysuckles 
which lose many of their leaves during winter, especially the 
last named, but their fragrant flowers are always appreciated 
at a time when outdoor flowers are scarce. The first-named 
Honeysuckle often flowers in autumn, dependent upon the 
weather, but L. Cavendishii may be said to flower in early 
spring rather than winter. There are also some evergreen sub¬ 
jects which flower at various periods, but their leaves being 
evergreen add greatly to their value. Azara micropliylla 
flowers in winter under favourable conditions, though the 
flowers are small, and by no means conspicuous. The foliage, 
however, is very handsome at all seasons of the year, on 
account of the small size of the leaves and their arrangement, 
almost like the fronds of a Fern or similar plant; this plant 
is rather more tender than any of those previously named. 
Viburnum Tinus is an evergreen Guelder Rose which may 
flower at any time from November till March, and even in the 
bud state is effective on account of the quantity of buds and 
their bright red tints. The flowers when fully expanded are, 
of course, white. Garrya elliptica has leathery evergreen leaves 
and produces an abundance of long tassel-like spikes of flowers 
which render the plant attractive and interesting during the 
early spring months. You might also be inclined to try several 
of the Cotoneasters, which are very hardy and effective in winter 
on account of their berwies, while the foliage of at least C. 
microphylla is perfectly evergreen. In districts remote from 
smoke of towns C. Simonsii also retains its foliage and berries 
during a great part of winter. The Fiery Thorn (Crataegus 
Pyracantha) is perfectly hardy, more especially on walls, and 
keeps its berries through the winter to a much greater extent 
than the Cotoneasters, because birds do not pick them until 
pressed for hunger by severe snowstorms. The variety C. P. 
Lelandi is generally more appreciated than the type, because 
it produces berries very freely. In the open it forms a dwarf 
bush, but when placed against the wall it is highly amenable 
to training as a climber. 
Annual Chrysanthemums in Pots. 
I.ast summer we had a great failure with our annual Chry¬ 
santhemums in pots, owing to the leaf miner, the foliage being 
simply disfigured. The same varieties outside were scarcely 
touched. Would it be possible to prevent the same thing 
occurring again this year? (Chkykaxt.) 
We presume that you grew the pot plants in a frame or a 
greenhouse, or, at least, some very sheltered place. This seems to 
favour the operations of the fly to a greater extent than where 
the plants are grown in the open. Usually the leaf miner proves 
most troublesome to Marguerites, and if you had these along¬ 
side of the annuals it is more than probable that the infection 
was thus introduced to the annual ones. The- autumn-flowering 
perennial species of Chrysanthemum do get attacked, but only 
to a slight extent as a rule. We should suggest that the annual 
Chrysanthemums in pots bo frequently syringed with strong¬ 
smelling tobacco water during the earlier stages of growth, 
say at intervals of a fortnight, until the plants are about to 
come into bloom. After this they would probably remain p< r 
fectly presentable till the end of the flowering period, uft<-r 
which they may be burnt if they have been attacked b\ the 
fly. By always burning the plants which have gone out of 
flower or are otherwise useless you serve to keep the pest in 
check, and prevent a repetition of the evil in the following 
season on a large scale. We should recommend you also to 
grow the plants as sturdily as possible, by giving them abundant 
light and ventilation and keeping them at a distance, if pos¬ 
sible, from any Marguerites which you may have on the place. 
Trailers for Vases. 
We have some large vases in various parts of the grounds, 
and the prdinary Nasturtium was planted round the sides, to 
hang down and give them a more graceful appearance, but I 
did not consider them a success. They were more inclined 
to climb over the Pelargoniums and other plants than to hang 
down. Can you mention anything more suitable? (R. M.) 
We feel certain that Tropaeolum Ball of Fire would suit your 
purpose much better than those raised from seeds of the ordinary 
form, which has rather stiff stems. The variety which we name 
is more essentially a climber or trailer with weak stems, and 
unless carefully trained up stakes or wires it always hangs down 
as soon as the stems attain any considerable length. It would be 
well to go over the vases occasionally and arrange the stems of 
the Tropaeolum s in the younger stages of growth so that they 
will be inclined to hang down instead of climbing up upon their 
neighbours. Another plant which has more recently come into 
use as a climber out of doors in summer is Cobaea scandens, a 
tender greenhouse climber, but of course this would not affect 
your case. The usual method is to raise it from seeds every 
year, and plant out the seedlings about the end of May when 
they have been hardened off, like other bedding plants. If the 
vases are well attended to in the matter of water these seedlings 
will make very lengthy growth during the season, and might 
even require regulating occasionally to prevent them falling 
about on the grass. Closely allied to this in habit are two climbers 
with smaller but brighter flowers, which might be serviceable 
and less common than some of the bedding plants used fox- 
similar purposes. We refer to Lophospermum scandens and 
Maraundya barclayana, which may also be l-aised from seeds. 
Forcing Lily of the Valley. 
We have no proper forcing house, but have to use the stove 
for what forcing we require. As it is only kept at 60 degs. by 
night in winter it seems scarcely warm enough for the Lily of the 
Valley. What is the best temperature for foi-cing it eai-ly, and 
could you suggest means of getting over the difficulty in this case ? 
(Valley.) 
Lily of the Valley will stand a great deal of heat, and usually 
requires it in the eai-ly part of the year, but if your crowns had 
been subjected to fi'ost pi-evious to their being put in the stove 
they would come along more easily. You should try, however, 
to raise the temperature to 70 or 80 degs. If the plants are in 
pots these may be phxnged in a box of cocoanut fibi-e. Then you 
should prepare a case at the warm end of the stove, even if only 
a temporary frame with glass over the top. This you might 
manage to secure at the end of the stove next the boiler by re¬ 
moving any materials which may form a bed to the staging ovei’- 
lying the hot water pipes. If you could manage this without 
much alteration of your present arrangements you could get all 
the benefit at least of the heat at your command. The case 
should be placed as near the hot water pipes as possible, and if 
the pots are plunged in boxes no other bed would be necessaxy. 
The glass over the top would serve to l-etain the heat. In the 
event of this being inconvenient it may be possible to place the 
boxes containing the Lily of the Valley ci-owns over the boiler in 
the stock-hole or shed. Another box could be placed over the 
top, so as to retain any heat and moisture that might be genei-ated 
amongst the cocoanut fibx-e. Light would be unnecessary in the 
earlier stages of growth, but as soon as the flower spikes have 
reached their proper height, and the bells aboxit to open, the pots 
could be taken into the stove to complete their flowei-ing. When 
in full bloom the flowers would last longer if placed in the con¬ 
servatory or greenhouse. 
Improving Clay Soil. 
A piece of land was recently added to the garden, but it turns 
out to be very heavy clay. Previous to clearing the ground it 
was covered with a few trees and underwood. We have been add¬ 
ing coal ashes to lighten it, but it is possible to overdo this. 
Could you advise anything different? (E. M. R.) 
