634 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 12, 1905. 
Hardy Herbaceous Border. 
In many districts a very welcome rain has 
fallen, which has been much appreciated by 
all flowering plants, but those who have not 
been so fortunate will have to give strict 
attention to watering, otherwise the hot 
weather will soon play sad havoc with many, 
especially those which do not root deeply. 
In addition to giving good soakings at the 
root, thorough drenchings should also be 
given overhead, and the best time for this 
is when the sun is off the plants during the 
evening. All who practise mulching can tes¬ 
tify to its value, especially during such a 
season as this, when we have long, dry spells, 
as by so doing the work of watering is much 
lessened. The various plants which have 
gone out of flower and whose stems are turn¬ 
ing brown, should be removed, so that no 
untidy appearance results, but others yet to 
flower should be kept supported as they 
require it. 
Summer-flowering Chrysanthemums are 
looking well, and should give a fine display. 
Feeding should be practised by giving weak 
doses of manure occasionally until the buds 
appear, but it should be discontinued then, 
and only clear water given when necessary. 
If any insect pests appear in the points of 
the growths give a dusting with tobacco 
powder in the evening, and syringe off next 
morning, or give a good syringing with some 
reliable insecticide. Keep the growths well 
supported, as these are liable to become 
damaged by heavy rain. 
Isatis glauca. —Although an old occupant 
of some gardens, this excellent plant is not 
nearly so often seen as it deserves to be, for 
at the present time it is one of the most con¬ 
spicuous plants in the border on account of 
the light, feathery cloud of bloom which is 
produced on each stem, somewhat reminding 
one of the single Gypsophila when well 
established. This Isatis grows between four 
and five feet in height, and if the stems are 
staked out to the best advantage a very 
pleasing display results. It is occasionally 
used for bedding, and in a mass proves very 
conspicuous, the glaucous foliage and stems 
being by no means the least interesting part. 
Propagation is quite simple, as numerous 
suckers are produced throughout the summer. 
A. E. T. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Now that all shrubs are in full leaf it is 
a good plan to carefully look through the 
shrubbery and see if any are becoming too 
crowded, and will need removing next fall. 
Those which require the most looking after 
are the smaller and choicer ones which have 
been placed among the larger shrubs for 
protection and have not yet been given their 
permanent position. It should also be seen 
that the larger specimens are not becoming 
too crowded, though these can often be re¬ 
stricted by pruning, and in some cases where 
they are common varieties and not required 
for protection, etc., it will pay to cut down 
and remove entirely. Many, i know, would 
object to such a drastic method, but it has 
been proved beyond doubt that this course 
is advisable in many cases, especially where 
space is limited. 
Bash Roses. —The recent spell of hot 
weather has caused mildew to appear in 
many places, and where this is so means 
must be taken to check and destroy it. The 
old method of dusting with sulphur is a good 
remedy, but it has been superseded by others 
still more effectual. The best remedy I am 
acquainted with is a mildew specific manu¬ 
factured by Messrs. Bentley, of Hull. This 
is mixed with water and syringed over the 
affected parts, and if done again at an in¬ 
terval of about five days it will completely 
rid the foliage of this disfiguring disease. 
The fallen petals should be picked off the 
beds and the soil kept clean with the hoe, 
which does much to prevent mildew spread¬ 
ing. The same may be said of climbing 
Roses, which should also receive a syringing 
to clean them of insect pests, and the growth 
made this summer will need tying in. 
A. E. Thatcheb. 
Aldenliam House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Tomatos.-— Plants which are being culti¬ 
vated in the open, either on walls, fences, or 
stakes, in a sunny position in the garden, 
should by this date have their fruits set and 
swelling, or it will be useless to expect per¬ 
fectly matured specimens. A severe thinning 
of the growths should be persisted in, the 
bottom leaves taken off, and the upper ones 
shortened back. The ground should be well 
mulched with half decayed farmyard manure 
and abundance of water given at the roots 
during spells of dry weather. The smaller 
and all imperfectly formed fruits should also 
be removed. Immediately any show signs of 
colouring cut and allow them to finish under 
glass, if possible, carefully handling them 
and arranging them on a bed of soft wood¬ 
wool, turning them over every other day. 
Plants under glass should now be giving 
abundance of good fruit, and frequent appli¬ 
cations of manure water will much assist to 
jrerfect them. These, too, should be cut as 
they commence to colour, otherwise they will 
in all probability split. Now is a capital 
time to sow seed for winter and early spring 
use, such as Sutton’s Winter Beauty and 
Carter’s New Sunrise. The latter variety is 
of great promise, having been awarded a 
First-class Certificate this season, by the 
Royal Horticultural Society. Both are 
grand varieties for sowing at this season. 
Cucumbers, whether cultivated in houses, 
pits, or frames, should for the next six 
weeks or two months produce an unbroken 
supply of good fruit, but to ensure this fre¬ 
quent thinnings out of the old growths must 
be done, and where the plants show the least 
sign of exhaustion give a good mulching of 
decayed cow or horse manure and turfy loam 
m equal proportions. The plants' must 
never be allowed to suffer for want of water, 
which should always be given in a tepid con¬ 
dition. Air early in the morning, and 
syringe and shut up in good time in the 
afternoon, conserving as much sun heat as 
possible. 
Make another sowing singly in small pot 
for succession in a gentle heat. Ridge varie 
ties, which are excellent when well grown 
should also be kejit well thinned, and tin 
young growths pegged out ; the fruits shoulc 
be cut immediately they are large enough 
Keep well supplied with moisture both a 
the roots and overhead, which should be dom 
in early afternoon. 
Radishes should be sown at intervals o 
every ten days in a shady part of the garden 
E. Beckett. 
Aldenliam House Gardens, Elstree. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Cypripediums. —The winter-flowering sec 
lion of the so-called Slipper plants are al 
growing freely, and will need every encou 
ragement to assist them to properly develop 
and mature their growths. In the firs 
place it is desirable that the potting compos 
should become fairly dry between waterings 
care must be observed to see that the plant: 
do not remain for any length of time in a dr; 
state. Having nothing but the leaves b 
store a supply of moisture, and the root 
being in such an active state of development 
the plants quickly suffer if subjected to ex 
cessively dry conditions. Usually it is de 
sirable to procure robust and thoroughly 
ripened growths, without which it is impos 
sible to produce satisfactory results when tin 
flowering season is reached. Care must thu: 
be taken to provide a good circulation of air 
so that there may be constant change in th 
atmospheric conditions of the house. 
This class of plants are naturally moistur 
and shade loving subjects, so that care mus 
be taken, while affording ample ventilation 
to see that the normal atmospheric moistur 
is maintained. I prefer the use of the lowe 
ventilators at all times, which facilitates th 
retention of the moisture in the atmospher 
that would more readily escape where the roo 
ventilators are brought into use. Thoug 
shade-loving, it is necessary also to use dis 
cretion in affording light. It is impossibl 
for the growth to mature in a satisfaotor 
manner without sufficient light to enabl 
them to ripen. That which is termed sof 
growths are practically unripened growths 
which can rarely indeed be induced to pro 
duoe their flowers in a satisfactory manner 
Protect the plants from the direct scorchim 
rays of the sun, but all shading should be re 
moved as soon as danger from scorching is 
passed, now that the growths are reaching 
maturity and while they are developing thei 
flowers. I am no advocate of manure of an; 
description for Orchids. I consider where ail 
ample supply of rain water is at hand al 
that is needed is thus afforded. 
Insect pests are often troublesome at thi 
season of the year, •when the hot and dr; 
outside conditions prevail. Occasional fund 
gation with one or the other of the saf 
vapourisers and spraying the plants with ai 
approved wash about, once a fortnight wil 
keep most of the pests in check. Yello\ 
thrip is perhaps the worst enemy to Cypripe 
diums. Where they get established in th- 
axils of the leaves dipping the plants is th 
most satisfactory method of dislodging thesv 
