V September 16, 1905. 
THE GARDENING 
WORLD 
723 
have been treated as before advised, these will 
now be in full flower, and one will derive 
much pleasure from examining them and 
■selecting any which appear distinct. These 
should be plainly marked if it is intended to 
grow them another season, and the cuttings 
put in as advised before. When these are 
grown with the intention of producing new 
varieties one should be careful to obtain seed 
of the best only, as much disappointment 
often results through getting the seed from 
a poor stock, and which give quite as much 
trouble to grow. In selecting the seedlings 
pick out those which are quite distinct in 
colour, with well-shaped spikes and good-sized 
open flowers. A. E. T. 
Fruit Garden. 
Indoors. 
Melons, —Much care must be exercised 
with plants growing on hotbeds or .in un¬ 
heated pits, or the crop may be spoilt, and 
even those in warm structures must receive 
due attention. An overdose of water in eithe-r 
case may spell ruin to the crop. Naturally, 
those mentioned first would be the earliest .to 
suffer from any neglect; therefore, see that 
the plants are well eared for until the fruits 
are cut. The unsettled weather of the past 
few weeks has given the plants a check, 
probably, where no fire heat could be applied, 
but much- may be done by lessening the 
amount of ventilation as well as moisture, 
and by closing earlier in the afternoons now 
the days are shortening and the sun has less 
oower. Should frame plants still have green 
Tuit, apply fresh linings around the box and 
:over the lights at night, cutting away all 
ateral growth likely to shade the fruit, and 
lust with freshly-slaked lime should trouble 
occur at the base of the 'plants. Pollinate 
succession crops in heated structures at mid- 
lay, selecting from two to four fruits of an 
even size as soon as such begin to swell, and 
supply manure water of moderate strength 
wice or so each week until the fruit begins to 
ripen. Syringe daily to ward off red spider 
ind thrip, and fumigate if aphis appear on 
he foliage the trio being a great dread to the 
Melon cultivator. Support swelling fruits 
with nets or thin boards, as previously advo¬ 
cated in these calendars. 
Figs -Houses where the second crop has 
been cleared should be fully ventilated and 
i he foliage syringed occasionally if red spider 
ibounds. Where fruit is ripening lay aside 
lie syringe, and rely upon the rose water-can 
or damping down the border, etc., giving an 
ibundance of air during the day, and apply¬ 
ing root waterings when necessary. See that 
iot trees, in whatever position, get a plentiful 
later supply; these may be repotted or top- 
Iressed soon, using good fibry loam, with lime 
>r mortar rubble and a little bone meal, pro- 
ecting the pots from heavy rain for a few 
veeks, and nibbing off any small fruits that 
nay be found on the wood. 
Outdoors. 
Opportune Remarks —Shorten back to the 
rst leaf all secondary growths on early- 
ropped trees of Apples, Pears, and Plums, 
aking a note of any that have made, robust 
rood inimical to the formation of fruit-buds, 
uch trees to be root-pruned during the coming 
lont-li. As 1 Morel lo Cherries and Plums are 
1eared from the trees, give the latter a 
borough cleansing with the garden engine or 
yringe, adding quassia extract or “ Abol ” 
‘here aphis abound, first securing leading 
shoots to the wall if necessary. Peach and 
Nectarine trees must be gone over every other 
day at least-, preferably in the early morning, 
and gathering what fruit freely parts from the 
tree. Late varieties that do not ripen until 
the end of the month or early next must be en¬ 
couraged with frequent manurial waterings, 
and each fruit exposed to every particle of sun 
if colour and high flavour are required. 
During the next month frequent examinations 
of the different Apples and Pears must be 
made, harvesting only those that readily part 
from the tree. Early and mid-season varieties 
claim attention now ; late ones will be much 
improved in size, also colour, yet. Should 
pressure of other work postpone the cutting 
out of old Raspberry canes or the trimming up 
of Strawberry plants, lose no. time in execut¬ 
ing the work, as the season is fast advancing, 
which means shorter days and a lesser amount 
of solar heat to perfect remaining growth, that 
it may be better able to withstand the winter’s 
frost. Give another look over Apple trees 
that have been troubled with American blight, 
using methylated spirits, Gisliurst compound, 
or paraffin—the latter on old wood or in very 
bad cases. Do not allow the flat hoe to be 
laid aside, as weeds are springing up every¬ 
where under the frequent showers of last 
month ; and though this advice may often 
appear, it is work often ignored, yet it is one 
of the greatest aids to promote healthy growth, 
for it destroys worthless weeds and encourages 
the roots to the surface by admitting warmth 
to the soil at this season. 
James Mayxe. 
Bicton Gardens, Devonshire. 
Hardy Trees and Shrubs. 
Erythrina Cristagalli.— During the latter 
part of August and throughout September 
when flowering shrubs are scarce there are 
few which attract more attention than the 
above, and though it is seldom seen outside 
of botanical and large gardens, yet it is 
deserving of -a place in every collection. It is 
often considered not sufficiently hardy for 
growing outside, but this is quite an erroneous 
idea, and anyone who has a south or west wall 
will not experience any difficulty in this 
respect. We have for several years grown this 
shrub at the end of a greenhouse, and though 
the soft wood dies back in winter, that which 
has become hard remains, and from this is 
produced numerous growths which reach a 
height of 6 to 8 feet, with large spikes of 
coral-red flowers fully 3 feet in length. 
It is by no means fastidious as to soil, a 
good heavy loam suiting it well, but one must 
be careful at first- to give a thorough and last¬ 
ing drainage. If plenty of water is given in 
dry weather with an occasional dose of weak 
manure, this shrub should prove one of the 
most interesting and beautiful during the 
early part of autumn. 
Dwarf Roses. —Those who make a careful 
selection of suitable varieties will have a good 
display from the second crop of blooms. It is 
nearly certain that mildew will put in an 
appearance, and to prevent it from spreading 
the foliage should be dusted with sulphur or 
syringed with some mildew specific. The 
fallen petals should be picked up before they 
are able to rot, and the surface soil kept well 
stirred with the Dutch hoe. Some of the best 
\ arieties for giving a good display throughout 
the summer and autumn are Papa Gontier, 
Lady Battersea, L’lnnocence, Grass an 
Tt-plitz, Mdme. A. Chatenay, Mrs. W. .T. 
Grant, Tour de President Carnot, and 
Marquise Litta. A. E. Thatcher. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Housing Plants.— As I have before pointed 
out in the pages of The Gardening Would, 
cleanliness in the structures wherein plants 
are grown plays an important part in success¬ 
ful culture, and at no time of the year is a 
thorough cleaning more necessary than now, 
just before housing the various plants that 
have been growing either in the open or in 
frames during the summer months. Gener¬ 
ally speaking, those plants that have afforded 
a late summer display in the conservatory or 
greenhouse are now past their best, and they 
may be turned out in order to make room for 
such plants that are to provide flowers for 
winter and spring, such as Pelargoniums, 
Primulas, Cinerarias, Cyclamen, Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, Azaleas, and a host of other subjects. 
If the work is taken in hand betimes there 
will be no necessity to rush the plants in hur¬ 
riedly on the approach of frosty nights, which 
we may experience at any time. Thoroughly 
scrub all glass or woodwork, and replace the 
permanent plants, then commence to cleanse 
the plants themselves. If there is evidence of 
insects upon the foliage, lay the plants care¬ 
fully on their sides, and syringe well with an 
approved insecticide before taking into the 
house. See that the drainage is in good order, 
and remove with an old label all moss and 
weeds from the surface soil. Repot or top- 
dress those requiring it with a compost best 
suited to their individual requirements. The 
outsides of the pots should be scrubbed. 
When all are safely housed give two fumiga¬ 
tions at intervals of a few days, thus com¬ 
pleting the destruction of any remaining 
insects. It should be borne in mind that 
sudden changes of temperature are harmful to 
all plants, and especially to such as have been 
in the open air for some time ; therefore give 
-abundance of air day and night for the first 
few weeks after housing. Admit- all the light 
possible, and if any shading remains upon 
the glass, remove it. Commence with those 
plants that would be most liable to injury 
from slight frosts and cold rains, leaving 
those growing in frames until the last. Late- 
flowering Chrysanthemums will be better left 
out for a few weeks longer, provided severe 
frosts are not imminent. Proceed with 
potting up all greenhouse plants that are 
growing in the open, and keep them syringed 
and shaded until re-established. K. M. 
A Blue-flowered Shrub. 
(Hibiscus syriacus Coclcste.) 
During August and September in warm 
seasons the old Althaea frutex, more correctly 
given under the above name, flowers freely in 
the south of England, and is really a beautiful 
shrub. In late seasons it does not always reach 
its best condition, as it may be crippled 
by an early frost. Those who have been in 
Paris during August will have noted how 
freely our French neighbours use varieties of 
this, the Syrian Mallow, in tubs in front of 
their doors on the boulevards. These shrubs, 
of course, being subjected to more heat- than 
in this country, usually flower well, and, 
being able to withstand a deal of bad usage, 
they are favourites with the French. 
The above variety is a very handsome one, 
and lias been flowering for sometime past in 
a bed on the grass at Ivew. The flowers are 
of large size, rich sky blue, with a dark purple 
centre, freely produced, and therefore very 
handsome at this season of the year, when 
flowering shrubs are by no means plentiful. 
The flowers are about Tjrin. across. The 
variety is evidently a much earlier bloomer 
than the ordinary form. 
