February 11, 1905. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
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num between the rim of the pot and edges of the wood. Jf 
the block is kept slightly below the rim of the pot the seed 
will not be so liable to become floated off in watering. Bruised 
pieces of Pine, sawdust, and cocoanut fibre refuse are all advo¬ 
cated as suitable material for seed-beds, so there is no lack 
of methods for experiments. 
Treating after Sowing. — Hot, humid conditions are un¬ 
doubtedly desirable ; any convenience at hand that may tend 
lo facilitate germination should be employed. A propagating 
case where there is a regular temperature of about 80 deg., 
with a saturated atmosphere, will afford all that is necessary. 
In such a case very little watering will be necessary, but when 
it is afforded care should be taken to see that the water used 
should be of a slightly warmer temperature than that of the 
interior of the case. A very fine sprayer should be used in 
watering. Orchids are so very light that they are easily 
boated and washed off the surface of the seed-bed. I am 
sure there has been more failure from the careless use of 
the water-pot than from any other cause. In such conditions 
as the above germination takes place in some cases in a very 
short period. If the seeds are good a few days will suffice to 
easily distinguish them. Where there is no propagating case 
at disposal the seed-pans should be placed in the wannest and 
most humid position in the house. Germination will take 
longer in such a position, and greater care will be necessary in 
affording water. Shade carefully from direct rays of the sun, 
but afford ample light. Odontoglossum seeds are best sown 
on the compost in the pots that imported plants are growing in, 
if possible. Great care is necessary to prevent floating the 
seed from the compost. H. J. Chapman. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
The mild spell with which we have been favoured is very 
welcome after the sharp frosts of late, as it will enable one to 
continue the work in this department, and no time should be 
lost in pushing forward all work connected with the transplant¬ 
ing of deciduous trees and shrubs. The buds of many are now 
commencing to swell, and if the operation of removal is care¬ 
fully performed these will start away into active growth with¬ 
out receiving any check.. It is a good plan with those that 
were removed before the frost to go round and firmly tread 
the soil round the roots, as this will naturally have become 
loosened. 
The Massing of Shrubs.—Where sufficient space can be 
allotted there is no more effective method of cultivating shrubs 
than grouping them in quantity, and I am sure this form of 
planting will be much more largely carried out in the future 
when its merits are better known. At present one is able to 
: see this system well carried out at Ivew and in some of the best 
; gardens in the country, but whether a large or medium amount 
of space is at command it is a subject worthy of the best con- 
, sideration. There are so many subjects well suited to the 
purpose that excellent results may be obtained throughout the 
four seasons of the year. For instance,, we now have the full 
beauty of the various coloured barks, followed in spring by a 
large variety of early flowering shrubs of which the beautiful 
Spiraeas play an important part; then in summer more wealth 
of blossom and the numerous forms of liighlv coloured foliage ; 
and in autumn the always welcome variety of tints. So it 
will be seen that at every season there is fresh and varied 
beauty, and by well thought out. and judicious planting most 
: excellent results can be obtained which in the mixed shrubbery 
it would be impossible to produce. Another important point 
is, that a list of shrubs suitable for the purpose would be 
almost entirely composed of subjects which can be bought in 
j Quantity quite cheaply, so that a large outlay is not necessary. 
If the ground has been prepared as before advised by digging 
or trenching and adding some feeding material, it "is a very 
suitable time now to proceed with the planting, and in the 
case of such as Leycesteria formosa, Pyrus arbutifolia, For- 
sythia suspensa, etc., it is advisable to allow plenty of room, 
as these make large shrubs in time arid nothing is gained by 
overcrowding. Those, however, which annually need cutting 
to the ground can be planted closer, which includes such as 
Spiraea Douglasii, S. canescens, the Symphoricarpus and others 
which increase quickly at the roots. These will eventually 
become a thick mass, but it is a simple matter to lift the whole 
of the bed and divide the roots. The soil can then be dug and 
the best pieces replanted, and that which is left can always be 
found room for. This, however, does not require doing very 
often, certainly not more than once in five or six years, but 
every spring it is necessary to fork over the beds lightly, 
especially of the larger shrubs, and the addition of some de¬ 
cayed leaf-soil or manure will prove of great assistance. 
Plantations of any of the llubus family can now be pruned, 
and with such kinds as the American Blackberries and I!, 
ultnifolius flore pleno the old canes should be entirely removed 
and the young vigorous ones only partially shortened, forking 
over the bed afterwards. The various kinds of Cornus, Salix, 
Sambucus, etc., should be left until the end of next month, 
but the propagation of any of these can be easily performed 
by cutting the stems into I-ft. lengths and inserting firmly 
in some light soil on a shady border. Here they will root 
readily and make good plants for putting out-next autumn. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. A. E. Thatcher. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Asparagus.—The permanent beds of this will sometime 
since have received a heavy dressing of farmyard manure, and 
this should now be covered in by excavating the soil from the 
alleys. This has a two-fold effect. It sweetens the soil and 
brings it into a nice workable condition, and-at the same time 
the beds present a fresh and tidy appearance. Each bed 
should be properly marked out, and at each corner stout but 
neatly-made Oak posts should be well driven in ; these will 
need no other attention till early in April, when the surface 
will be well raked over and all the roughest of the material 
placed in the bottom of the alleys. Continue to keep up a 
regular supply by gentle forcing, though this may be pretty 
easily brought forward in almost any warm structure. I find 
the best results follow by using portable frames on very mild 
hot beds. Few vegetables answer to forcing more readily 
than Asparagus, and few, when well grown, are more appre¬ 
ciated. 
Jerusalem Artichokes.—The whole of this crop should now 
be lifted and sorted over. The best and most shapely, which 
will be required for table use, should be stored in sand or fine 
cinder ashes under a north wall or in the coolest place 
possible. These Artichokes do not object to being grown on 
the same site for several years in succession, providing the 
land is deeply stirred and heavily manured each season. The 
tubers should be planted at a distance of 3 ft. apart between 
the> rows, and from 2 ft. to 2 ft. 6 in. between the tubers. 
These will require very little further attention during the 
summer, except to well hoe the surface two or three times 
during the early stages of their growth. The somewhat new 
white variety is much to be preferred in everv wav to the 
old purple one. 
The Chinese Artichoke (Sfachvs tuberifera) should also 
be lifted, and a selection of the tubers made both for table 
and planting. Each should be stored in sand and kept in a 
cool place. The planting of these will be best deferred till 
next month, but the ground should be got. in readiness, either 
by trenching or deep digging-, well manured, and if of a 
retentive nature give a thorough surface dressing of lightening 
material, such as road-scrapings, old mortar-rubble, and good 
leaf soil. 
Globe Artichokes.—The protecting material should be re¬ 
moved from these during the day in mild weather, or this will 
in all probability do more harm than good. Thoroughly 
clean the old plants and apply good mounds of finely-sifted 
cinder ashes, which will have a two-fold effect, answering both 
for protecting the young growths against severe weather, and 
