088 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 2, 1905 
unnoticed spots that lack colour, to rest on 
glowing masses such as I have described. 
Other schemes of colour sufficiently re¬ 
moved from the first will readily suggest 
themselves, and can be equally effective 
though less typical of autumn colouring. 
Use Uniform or Self-colours. 
I have one final hint to give, and that is 
to caution the novice against using too large 
a proportion of those varieties having the 
reverse of their petals of a contrasting tone 
of colour—at any rate, where the decorative 
effect of the plants is the chief aim. The 
whole colours give a more massive display ; 
even Goacher’s Crimson, our most treasur- 
able out-of-door Chrysanthemum, loses some¬ 
thing of its intensity of colouring by having 
it broken up by the gold reverses. And 
though the colour here is rich and deep, so 
that we may use it generously, it is better 
not to extend the use to too many other 
varieties with this character. 
I find I have omitted the name of one 
excellent red-bronze variety—Emperor of 
Russia, valuable because it is later flowering 
than others of similar hue already mentioned, 
so that it extends the display for many 
weeks. F. M. Wells. 
Successful Culture of the . . . 
. . . Wreath Nasturtium. 
(Tropaeolum polyphyllum .) 
We saw this season in a garden remark¬ 
able for its fine rock and wall gardens a won¬ 
derful show of Tropaeolum polyphyllum, 
which was thriving in a manner which could 
not well be surpassed, and amply testified to 
the perfect understanding of the plant on the 
part- of that governing hand that had laid the 
foundation of the great masses of vigorous 
growths and cheery flowers. The site chosen, 
or, rather, prepared, for this brave display 
was the face of an almost perpendicular rocky 
wall composed of rough, porous stones 
averaging about double the size of a brick. 
The wall was built up against a big bank of 
turfy soil, and the stones were so arranged 
that soil-filled crevices of an inch or so in 
depth separated the layers of stone. The 
tuberous roots of the Tropaeolum were placed 
at the back of these stones, so that they had 
an unlimited root-run through the bank of 
soil, which was kept cool and moist by it's 
facing of stone. The stems found their way 
through the crevices, and hung in long fes¬ 
toons down the wall, fully exposed to all the 
warmth of the sun. The glaucous stems and 
leaves and the bright yellow blossoms were 
a sight to behold, and even during the drought 
and heat of this phenomenal summer have 
retained a perfectly healthy and happy ap¬ 
pearance. The position of the roots, too, is 
such as to render them absolutely safe from 
the severest frosts, consequently they go on 
strengthening from year to year, and may ba 
relied upon to reproduce next year the won¬ 
derful and delightful show which has been so 
noteworthy a feature of au exceptionally well- 
stocked garden during the present year. 
Heather Bell. 
D’Audilly, the translator of Josephus, found 
pleasure in planting trees and shrubs. 
Fruit Garden. 
Indoors. 
Peaches. — Ill the majority of instances 
most of the trees will be relieved of their crop 
by now, and where the growth is inclined to 
be crowded a thinning should be undertaken 
by cutting away those shoots that have borne 
fruit, except one here and there required for 
extension of the tree, thus giving the remain¬ 
ing growths made this season the necessary 
light and sunshine to thoroughly ripen the 
same, which will be the wood to supply next 
year’s fruit. It is usual to keep the borders 
containing the roots slightly drier as the 
fruit begins to ripen, but on no account must 
this continue afterwards ; therefore, examine 
the border, and give a good watering if on 
the dry side. Another item sometimes over¬ 
looked is neglect in thoroughly syringing the 
foliage after the crop has been gathered. 
One good bath will usually suffice each day, 
and for preference choose the evening for 
this operation. 
Should any tree in the early house have 
made extra strong wood, the best remedy for 
this is root-pruning, which is best carried out 
while the foliage remains intact, and is 
achieved by opening out a trench 2g ft. to 
4 ft. distant from the bole of the tree with 
a spade down to the drainage, and then 
gradually forking away the ball of soil to 
within a foot or eighteen inches of the said 
bole, working the fork well under the soil. 
With a pruning-knife shorten back all strong 
fibreless roots, making a clean upward cut, 
when all will be ready to replace the soil. 
Before doing this, get a peck or so of lime 
and mix with it, and in filling-in make it. 
quite firm, and lay out the roots in different 
tiers, with their points inclining upwards, 
adding a little fresh fibrous loam for the last 
4 in. or 5 in. of soil. Unless the latter is 
dry, afford no water for ten days or so, but 
keep the foliage lightly syringed two or three 
times daily, when fresh roots will soon be 
made. Later trees requiring this treatment 
may be tackled towards the end of the month 
and early October. 
Outdoors, 
Figs. —We never had a better crop, the fruit 
being very fine, but it is most difficult to keep 
them from blemish, the wasps proving such 
a nuisance. Go over the trees each day, and 
gather only those that are fit, as they are of 
much better flavour when allowed to ripen or, 
the tree. Wasp-proof netting alone keeps 
off these depredators when the fruits are 
nearly ripe ; allow the latter to hang until 
they reach that stage—an unripe fig is worth¬ 
less. Where the rainfall has been light, 
afford the trees a plentiful water supply at 
the root, using a stimulant in some form to 
assist the swelling of backward fruits, and 
stop any shoots inclined to make undue head¬ 
way to the detriment of the weaker ones. 
Better crops of Tigs would be secured in most 
districts if the branches were trained in a 
pendulous manner, instead of fan-shape. In 
general, this would entail an iron framework 
to be erected, say, about 5 ft. from the base 
of the wall and about 6 ft. in height, or it 
may extend to the height of the wall, and 
reach to within 2 ft. of the ground. Under 
this treatment growth is not so strong, but 
bears freely and answers well down West. It 
may be tried on a small scale further inland, 
the only argument against its general adop¬ 
tion being whether the wood would ripen 
well enough to withstand severe winters in 
the colder counties. 
The Grape Vine, where cultivated on 
open walls, must be protected from birds, 
wasps, and flies, or the fruit will quickly dis¬ 
appear, dusting with flowers of sulphur should 
mildew set in on the bunches. Drought is 
quite as likely to bring this on as an excess 
of moisture ; therefore see that the roots get 
a full supply of water, and keep sublaterals 
in abeyance. Suspend bottles of sweetened 
liquid near the Vine to trap these pests—in 
fact, we adopt this course among all wall- 
trees, and trap thousands during the months 
of August and September, although many 
declare this bait encourages them to the 
garden, but it is doubtful whether there is 
much truth in the assertion. 
James Mayne. 
Bicton Gardens, Devonshire. 
The Flower Garden. 
Bulbs.— What visions of charming colour 
the very word calls up as memory recalls the 
glorious swathes of nodding Daffodils, the 
brilliant beds of Tulips, Crocuses, etc., which 
graced our gardens last spring. Fortunately, 
bulbs of all kinds are now so cheap that even 
those who have but small means and equally 
small gardens can yet have a charming display 
for a very small sum. 
No time should be lost in making up the 
bulb order, though it amounts to only a few 
shillings. The earlier most bulbs are got in 
the better, as they quickly commence to make 
roots, and good roots mean good flowers. Most 
people are loth to dispense with summer 
flowers before it is actually necessary, but by 
the end of September it will be possible to 
remove the majority of common bedding 
plants, and arrangements for bulbs must be 
made betimes. 
The soil in which Tulips, Daffodils, H) T a- 
cinths, etc., are to be planted should be of 
fairly good quality, and not too heavy. If 
the soil is inclined to be heavy, a quantity 
of sharp sand or road grit will help to lighten 
it. Sandy soil will be improved by the appli¬ 
cation of a good dressing of leaf mould or 
very short manure, but the manure must be 
kept well down where it will help to conserve 
moisture and yet be away from the roots of 
the bulbs, as the latter do not care to be in 
direct contact with fresh manure. Soot also 
forms an admirable dressing, and should be 
lightly scattered on the surface and dug m. 
It is advisable, when finished digging, to 
lightly tread the bed op other place where the 
bulbs are to be planted, and then level with 
the rake. 
Early-flowering Tulips, like Artus, Samson, 
Cottage Maid, and Chrysolora, should be. 
planted 6 in. apart and 4 in. deep, while the 
later-flowering, strong growers, such as the 
Darwins, should be placed 8 in. apart and 
6 in. deep. 
