THE GARDENING WORLD . 
March 25. 19C5. 
What is a Potato ?—One of Mr. A. Findlay's critics asks 
“What is a Potato?” Well, it is an angiospermous, dicotyle¬ 
donous, bicarpeliate, gamopetalous, solanaceous plant, with 
bilocular, multi-ovuiate, syncarpous, gynaecium, amphitropous 
ovules, perisperraic seeds, curved embryo, succulent, indehiscent 
berries, petandrous, quadrilocular, epipetalous androecium; 
rotate hypogynous corolla, plicate aestivation, pentamerous 
calyx, alternate, exstipulate, interruptedly pinnatisect leaves 
on the ? plan of phyllotaxy, and hypogeai, tuberous ramifica¬ 
tions. Doubtless it has. many other characteristics, but these 
may serve. To the cultivator the hypogeai tuberous ramifica¬ 
tions are the most important point to remember.— Solanttm. 
* -X- * 
The Henry Eckford Testimonial: A Shilling Pend. — A 
com mi (tee meeting to launch this, estimable project was held 
at the Hotel Windsor on Monday, the 20th inist., Mr. Percy 
Waterer presiding. It was resolved that the fund should be 
a shilling one, so as to embrace not only the large growers, but 
also those whose appreciation' of the work of Henry Eckford is 
none the less sincere because it is. expressed in a modest way. 
It was further decided that the horticultural Press be requested 
to co-operate in a practical manner by publishing a. weekly list 
of subscribers, which will be furnished by the secretary. Mr. 
Percy Waterer was unanimously elected chairman, Mr. Walter 
P. Wright treasurer, and Mr. Horace J. Wright, 32, Dault 
Road, Wandsworth, London, to whom all correspondence should 
be addressed, secretary. The subscriptions promised and re¬ 
ceived to date are as follow : - Messrs'. Sutton and Sons and 
Robert Sydenham, each 42s. ; Pobbie and Co. and Percy 
Waterer, each 21s. ; J. Wright, V.M.H.. Richard Dean, V.M.H., 
H. J. R. Digges. R. 1’. Brotlierston, E. T. Cook, and W. P. 
Wright, each 10s. 6 d. ; C. W. Greenwood, E. F. Hawes, Chas. H. 
Curtis, J. Harrison Dick, G. H. Mackereth, each 5s. ; Dr. 
Douglas L. Freeland, 2s, 6 d. ; and Mr. W. C. Pagram, Is. It 
is the particular desire of the committee that the testimonial 
shall have universal expression, and to this end it is anticipated 
that the shilling fund will substantially contribute. A.s early 
as possible a circular setting forth the aims of the promoteis, 
with a subscription form attached, will be widely distributed. 
In the meantime the secretary will be 1 pleased to hear fiom those 
who sympathise with the movement for conveying to Mr. Henry 
Eckford the thanks of the horticultural world for his work in 
the evolution of the Sweat Pea. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
The Editor invites enquiries for replu 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 eich 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 
enve 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. 
LichenaUas not Flowering. 
We potted up our Lachenalias last August to get them into 
bloom early, and about Christmas put. them iu a stove to biing 
them along. They are not looking so well as before the shift, 
the leaves looking shabby. Is a night temperature of 60 degrees 
too high for them? (L. C.) 
As these bulbs come from the Cape of Good Hope, a greenhouse 
temperature is better than a stove temperature for them. Hard 
forcing in any way is entirely against them. About 48 degrees 
to 50 degrees would be quite sufficient for them, and at the same 
time th^plant must be kept near the glass and. freely ventilated 
whenever the weather is favourable. It is just possible the 
leaves may have been injured by green fly, and if so a light 
fumigation, if done sufficiently early, would have prevented the 
injury to the foliage. 
Soil for winter flowering Carnations. 
What do you consider the best compost for winter-flowering 
Carnations after they are rooted? (T. W. T.) 
Rooted cuttings should be put into 60-size pots in a compost 
of fibrous loam, leaf soil, and sand. The pots should be placed 
in a well-lighted situation close to the glass, with a night tem¬ 
perature of 45 degrees, allowing a rise of 5 degrees by day. 
This will keep them growing slowly and sturdily and at the 
same time developing the root system. About the end of April 
the roots should be well through the soil, when the plants can 
be transferred to 48-size pots. The compost at this time should 
consist of fibrous loam and leaf soil in equal proportions, with 
sufficient sand to make the whole perfectly porous to allow the 
passage of water. At this potting some cow manure may be 
added to the compost, provided it is dry so that it can be rubbed 
through a 3 -in. sieve. When the plants are about 5 in. high 
they may be stopped to make them bushy. About the end of 
June the plants should be ready for final potting into 8 -in. pots. 
Use the same compost as previously, adding some 5 -in. bones, 
together with some soot and a sprinkling of some artificial 
manure. Very careful watering should at all times be exercised 
until the roots have got hold of the fresh compost. By the 
middle of August the plants should be well rooted, when you 
can assist them with a fertiliser, erring on the weak rather than 
the strong side. Throughout the whole period of cultivation 
the plants must be well exposed to light, with ample ventilation 
according to the period of the year and the nature of the weather 
for the time being. 
.Ampeiopsis Yeitchi in boxes 
We have some very high windows where we would like to grow 
Ampeiopsis Veitchi in boxes for covering the sides of the 
windows. The difficulty with wooden boxes is that- they soon 
decay, especially if left outside all winter. Would it be neces¬ 
sary to pull down the Ampeiopsis every autumn and nail it up 
fresh in the spring? (A. F. C.) 
A ooden boxes do indeed rapidly decay if left standing out¬ 
side and filled with soil all the winter. Wood is cheap, however, 
and strong boxes made on purpose will serve their time, when 
they can be replaced by new ones. There are, however, terra¬ 
cotta boxes which would answer the purpose admirably. The 
danger with them is that the soil might be very wet in winter 
or the drainage might he stopped up, thus causing the soil to 
become frozen and burst the boxes. In such a case it would 
probably be advisable to use wooden boxes to guard against 
the danger of the terra-cotta ones breaking and allowing pieces 
to drop on the heads of people beneath. The boxes could be 
filled with hardy plants that will stand the winter, if so pre¬ 
ferred. On the other hand, if you decide to remove the boxes 
in winter the Ampeiopsis could be lifted out, the ball of soil 
reduced and placed in a pan or small box to stand throughout 
ihe winter. On the whole, we think that the boxes might he 
allowed to occupy the windows permanently, as new ones can 
be substituted for the old ones simply by lifting out the Ampe¬ 
iopsis with a quantity of soil about the'roots. 
Aucubas in pots. 
Can you tell me through tile medium of your valuable paper 
how we may get Aucubas to produce berries in pots, so that we 
can use them for decorative purposes in winter? (AY. W.) 
If you have a plantation or batch of young Aucubas outside, 
you should lift and pot them at once so that they can have all 
the season to become established. This might be done before 
growth commences. The plants may be stood in a pit, frame or 
cool greenhouse where the flowers will be sheltered from vain, 
frost, and wind. At the same time an abundant ventilation 
should be given so as to keep the atmosphere of the structure 
dry, cool, and airy. This will assist the distribution of the 
pollen. You may, however, adopt artificial means to ensure 
fertilisation. For instance, you ought to know which plants are 
male and which female when potting them up, as you must 
have both kinds. The berry-hearing plants could have their 
flowers brushed with the pollen from the male plants by means 
of a Camel-hair brush. This will avoid mere chance in the 
setting of the berries. With plenty of ventilation and an airy 
house, with the two forms of plants* you would almost certainly 
get berries, hut it would be more certain to hand fertilise the 
flowers. 
A1 lum in Florists’ shorn 
For some time past I have seen a beautiful white Allium in 
the shop windows. Could you tell me the name of it ? Can the 
bulbs be grown in this country for forcing, and what would be 
the best way of treating them? (W. D. H.) 
The Allium you have quoted is almost certainly A. neapoli- 
tanum. It is perfectly hardy, though not so much grown in 
this country as it might be, considering the beauty of the 
flowers, which resemble Hawthorn. The bulbs may be obtained 
in this country in moderate quantity, but we believe the bulbs 
forced for market are grown in Holland. We think, however, 
that they could be grown with perfect success in this country 
by selecting light well-drained sandy soil and planting the 
bulbs about 3 in. apart in the rows and 9 in. to 12 in. between 
