330 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 22, 1905. 
the plants being kept under glass would induce them to make 
growth and to bloom earlier than they would in the open. Our 
photographs of the above two subjects were taken in the Dit- 
ton Hill Nursery of Messrs. Barr and Sons, King Street, Covent 
Garden. 
Pot Annuals. 
The appreciation for these gems is becoming more and more 
universal; and why not? Cheapness, floriferous, easily raised, 
and their special aptitude to flower quickly are recommenda¬ 
tions. My predilection is that a knowledge of pot annuals will 
be more advantageous than a study of hard-wooded and slow- 
growing greenhouse plants. The existing notion for cut. 
flower, variety, effective' flowering plants for mansion decora- 
tion has to no small extent ousted many typical greenhouse 
plants. Camellias, Epacris, Ericas, and trained Lapagerias 
and Azaleas are being thwarted from the glass structure, and 
may come to be considered rare subjects. Such plants seem 
to< have had their time. The prevailing order is, study 
economy, be rapid and effective. It must be admitted that 
annuals have shared in banishing these slow-growing plants 
with a. poor return of flowers, that is to' say, if the labour 
which such specimens entail is considered. Cleaning of the 
plants not so easily propagated, occupying much space mostly 
in permanent stations, of formal and rigid symmetry, are all 
against them. No new arrangement can be devised. It is a 
creditable sphere of labour to the old school of gardeners-—this 
is a recent term frequently used—namely, growing specimen 
Azaleas, Lapagerias, etc. I doubt if the young school are 
efficient in that particular hobby. 
Schizantlius deserve preference for pot annuals. Excellent 
contributions have appeared in our columns that Schizantlius 
must be a fixed greenhouse example, and it would be invidious 
to reiterate its culture, so simple. But 1 take occasion to 
repeat that annuals in relation to- other plants are discarded 
as worthless because treatment is faulty, that they receive no 
attention whatever, and that, annuals present a sickening- 
appearance. At many a place have 1 observed annuals drawn 
up, entangled in a mass, that is consigned to the rubbish 
heap as worthless and not worth pot room. I agree that they 
are useless when so treated ; but what is worth growing is 
surely worth growing well. S. wisetonensis is unrivalled for 
floriferous, dwarf, and stiff stems; 5 i'n. pots are a suitable 
size. However, S. pinnatus adapts itself to. 6-in. or 8-in. pots. 
The finest display of Schizantlius is got by sowing in Novem¬ 
ber and flowering in the spring months. Cool treatment is 
requisite, a few degrees above freezing point. Nemesia 
strumo-sa- Suttoni may go along with Schizantlius for a display. 
Torenia Foumierii grandiflora is a type of greenhouse annual 
rarely in evidence. I am sure it is of more beauty and lasts 
longer in bloom than Achimenes. It. is good for pots or baskets. 
The flowers are spotted and stained with indigo and yellow, 
and the stems grow a foot in height. 
Sow in pans of fine soil, taking caution to. have no- artificial 
manure in it. Fresh loam, leaf-mould, and sand are best- 
utilised for annual seed, as old Chrysanthemum soil. Potting 
soil may contain artificial manures to poison tender seedlings. 
The seed is minute, so a dusting of sand will suffice to cover 
the seed. Beplace in a stove temperature, and keep shaded to 
have a quick germination. As the seedlings appear, inure 
them to an intermediate structure. Prick off five to six plants 
into 6-in. pots; keep growing on in warm temperature till the 
flowers are almost expanded ; a cooler house will be suitable 
then. The plants will give a continuity of bloom for six weeks. 
Successional sowings will give an incessant show which many 
costlier plants and more difficult to cultivate could in no way 
supplant. 
Alonsoa and Ithodanthe of sorts do well in pots. The latter 
is an everlasting, and seems to thrive best in pots. 
(To be continued.) 
Achimenes. 
These popular flowers are well worthy of cultivation. Their 
profuseness of flowering places them in a foremost position 
among indoor plants. To ensure success the conns should be 
placed in pans of light, rich, open soil, and started in a stove 
heat-. Water moderately till growth has commenced. Many 
cultivators place the corms in the pots in which they are in¬ 
tended to flower. When the shoots are about 2 in. long they 
may be transferred to pots or baskets wherever it is intended 
to grow them. If grown in pots, eight to ten for 3-in. pots, or 
6-in. pots will take a few more. As the growths lengthen, 
place a neat stick. Some growers make a practice of thinning 
the tops out to induce a bushy growth. Achimenes require 
whilst growing a temperature of about 60 deg. with a moist 
atmosphere. When the flowers begin to open they may be 
removed to the conservatory or greenhouse. 
Many of tlie varieties are adapted for growing in suspended 
baskets. The best- way to effect- this is to line the basket with 
moss and insert- the young plants through it by making a hole 
with the finger, commencing at- the bottom of the basket and 
filling in with soil as the work proceeds. Having filled in all 
around the basket, place a few on the top, carefully watering 
them in. If they are treated in this maimer, when they 
bloom they will not- be easily forgotten. Achimenes delight in 
a light, rich, open soil, a compost of good fibrous loam, leaf- 
soil and peat, with a good sprinkling of silver sand to keep it 
porous, and a little dried cow manure. Thorough drainage is 
veiy essential. As soon as the flowering season commences, 
liquid manure or artificial will prove very beneficial to them. 
The following are some of the leading varieties:—Achimenes 
coccinea, scarlet; A. grandiflora, violet ; A. longiflora, violet: 
A. Masterpiece, rosy, shaded violet ; A. Marvel, blue; A. longi- 
flora- alba, white. The two last named are truly magnificent, 
and should find a place in every collection. A. J. 
Basket Beds. 
A basket flower-bed is always a pleasing and interesting 
feature in a garden. There are few gardens where a suitable 
niche could not be found for one at least, and in many 
gardens isolated spots could be found for several. 
As- the basket is to- be covered with some suitable plant, it 
does not. much matter what material it is made of, so long as 
it is substantial. A basket built of brick is practically in¬ 
destructible. For a hexagon, or octagon, ordinary bricks are 
suitable, but f or a- circle, “ circle- ” bricks should be used. 
A substantial and inexpensive ba-sket- can be made of Larch 
or Spruce thinnings cut in the desired lengths, and pitted about 
a foot into the ground according t-o the desired pattern, and 
then bound together inside by light rod iron at top and bottom, 
a fencing staple being driven into each spar. 
The handle or bow should be formed of rod iron. The size 
of the basket must be determined by circumstances, but in the 
case of a circle I would advise a diameter of from 7 ft. to 8 ft., 
with a- depth of from 2 ft. to 21, ft. 
I have no- hesitation in saying that one of the numerous 
varieties of Ivy is the best thing for clothing the basket, but 
Cotoneaster microphylla is also- quite suitable both for cover¬ 
ing the ribs and the handle. Any of the varieties- of Euouy- 
mus radicans. Periwinkle, and so on can also' be used, but it is 
desirable to use something that is suitable for covering the 
handle as well as the ribs for the sake of uniformity. 
As regards s-o-il for filling the baskets, use the best- available: 
if turfy- loam can be had, so much the better. As to planting 
these basket-beds, I would say always use something choice, and 
this can be done the more readily as the quantity required is 
comparatively small. 
Although spring bedding is not practised in the establish¬ 
ment, one or two basket-beds could surety be filled with some¬ 
thing choice in the- way of Hyacinths, Narcissi, etc. 
Then, in summer, the baskets could be filled with a choice 
selection of, say, Begonias, or Cannas, or Pelargoniums, oi 
