THE GARDENING WORLD, 
June 24, 1905. 
501 
present the funds stand about £81, but a 
much larger sum is necessary to enable the 
Association to procure a London office, with 
'a Ipaid 'secretary to attend to business. 
None but those in direct connection with the 
Association are fully alive to the difficulties 
of establishing such an organisation in face 
of the deeply-rooted aversion which many 
gardeners and others have had from time 
immemorial against it- When once set to 
work in its legitimate sphere and its good 
work begins to become evident, we have no 
doubt there will yet be a very large influx 
of members. In the meantime, all who are 
interested in its welfare should make an en¬ 
deavour to supply the necessary funds to set 
it on a firm foundation. 
The Garden City. 
On the 31st ult., the Garden City was 
visited by the Worshipful Company of 
Gardeners. Letchworth is the proper name 
of the Garden City, and lies within an hour’s 
journey from King’s Cross. About one 
thousand persons are now settled on the 
estate, which covers 3,800 acres. At the 
present time eighty or ninety cheap cottages 
are in the course of erection for the purpose 
of a prize exhibition next month. Great 
interest is being taken in this cheap cottage 
exhibition, and prizes to the value of £60(. 
or £700 are being offered for the five best. 
Work is also being actively conducted in 
the building of gas -works, a railway siding, 
factories, and -something like 200 or 300 
new houses. The rents of the cottages have 
been fixed at 5s. a week. An open-air school 
is being prepared on the residential part of 
the estate. The company has had posses¬ 
sion of the estate for eighteen months, so 
that great advancement has been made in 
the building of their city. About 300 of the 
unemployed from the Mansion House Com¬ 
mittee had been provided with work during 
winter, but have now left the estate. During 
the afternoon, Mr. Osman, deputy-master of 
the Gardeners’ Company, named an open 
space the Howard Park, in honour of the 
founder of the city. Mr. Osman expressed 
himself pleased with the houses, cottages, 
and space between them. He also said that 
if the Letchworth golf links should become 
popular “ they will go like steam.” The 
Gardeners’ Company invited the directors 
of the Garden City Company to dinner in 
town that same evening. A lecture on 
“ Garden Architecture,” was given by Mr. 
Mervyn E. Macartney, illustrated by lantern 
slides. 
Floral Resources of the Royal Gar¬ 
eevs. —Yast quantities of flowers for decora¬ 
tive purposes were brought up from the Royal 
gardens at Frogmore to Buckingham Palace 
for the Court held on May 30th, for the final 
Court on June 2nd, and for the Derby Day 
banquet to the Jockey Club. Fresh supplies 
were sent up both from Windsor and San¬ 
dringham for the Spanish royal visit, and 
this week large demands will be made upon 
the resources of the Royal gardens in connec¬ 
tion with the Royal wedding. But all these 
demands can be met without any difficulty. 
The Rose ground at Frogmore now embraces 
several acres, and the area under glass is 
very large. 
The Flower Garden. 
Dahlias. — Few plants are more popular 
among all classes of gardeners than Dahlias, 
and their popularity is well merited, for 
nothing affords a finer display in late summer 
and autumn than a, good clump> or bed of 
Dahlias. Those of the Cactus class are very 
popular at present, and they are certainly 
highly ornamental, but there is considerable 
beauty in many of the dwarfer show' varieties, 
such as “ Rising Sun ” and the older decora- 
tives like “ Glare of the Garden” and “ Flam¬ 
beau.’ Dahlias like generous treatment in 
the way of soil, and the beds should be deeply 
dug and well manured, as they are essentially 
gross feeders. They should be planted firmly 
and staked at once, as the shoots are easily 
broken. Should dry weather prevail after 
planting watering must be resorted to, but 
avoid this as much as possible when the plants 
are growing ; rather keep the surface soil well 
stirred, as this induces a much sturdier 
growth. As the plants increase in size and 
■commence branching, thinning out must be 
practised, as far better results are thus 
obtained than by allowing every branch to 
grow. At least half of the branches should 
be removed, when those remaining will pro¬ 
duce much finer flowers. The dwarfer kinds 
should be planted 2 ft. apart, and for taller 
sorts 3 ft. will not be too much. 
Heliotrope.— To succeed late spring flowers 
an excellent subject will be found in Helio¬ 
trope, which, rejoicing in plenty of warmth, 
does better when not planted out too early. 
In preparing the bed for Heliotrope a light 
dressing of some artificial manure and soot 
will prove beneficial, subsequently digging 
over the bed a spit deep. After digging, tread 
firmly and rake level. The plant grows 
rapidly, and should be set out at least 
15 in. apart. As the shoots grow and extend 
they should be pegged down to the surface of 
the soil, thereby causing them to form side 
breaks, each of which will flower, and the 
whole bed will be a mass of bloom. 
Verbenas may be treated in exactly the 
same manner as outlined for Heliotrope, and 
if growers are fortunate in getting the time 
“ Scarlet Defiance ” a splendid disiilav will 
result. 
Iresines, Altemantheras, and other such¬ 
like foliage plants may be planted out now in 
succession to spring flowers gone off. 
Strict attention should be given to Pansies 
and Violas, removing all withered flowers 
before seeds are formed. During showery 
weather a light dusting of artificial manure 
among the plants will give them fresh life 
and vigour. B. W. J. 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Pits and Frames. —Now that these have 
been cleared of bedding plants it is a. good 
time to attend to any repairs or painting 
these structures may require. All portable 
frames, whether containing plants or not, 
should be placed on bricks, placed, one at each 
comer. This will prevent decay of the lower 
part, and the air passing through will be 
beneficial during summer to any plants con¬ 
tained therein. Cold frames are indispens¬ 
able adjuncts to any garden, therefore every 
care should be taken to preserve them by re¬ 
pairing and painting them at least once in two 
years. By commencing the work early anl 
doing one irame at a time several may be put 
in thorough order before bad weather returns. 
The plants should be removed to a vacant 
frame or in a sheltered position in the open 
whilst the work is in progress, replacing them 
two or three days after applying the last coat 
of paint. 
Sowing Perennials. —The time is oppor¬ 
tune for sowing such seeds as Aquilegias, 
Hollyhocks, Foxgloves, Wallflowers, Gail- 
lardias, and a host of other subjects that aie 
now popular for ' he embellishment of borders 
and for -eutting. Any old rough frame will 
answer in which to raise the seedlings for 
ultimate planting out. For drainage place a 
good layer of rough potsherds or clinkers, 
and over these any rough material to prevent 
the soil running among it, and finally put in 
about 5 in. of good garden soil, or old 
potting soil. Tread lightly and rake level, 
then sow the seed thinly in shallow drills, and 
cover slightly with finely-sifted soil. 
Pelargoniums for Winter Flowering- 
Assuming these have been shifted on into 
their flowering pots, viz., 32’s, and have been 
encouraged to form new roots by affording 
gentle warmth, they will be ready tor removal 
to cold frames. Remove all flower-buds and 
pinch the leading shoots to make stocky 
plants. When it is known that the roots 
have reached the sides of the pots commence 
feeding with liquid cow or sheep manure. 
Weak soot water applied once a week will also 
be beneficial. Allow plenty of room between 
the plants in the frames, and admit sun and 
air freely. It is. good practice to remove the 
lights for the evening, and replace them about 
7 or 8 a.m., the night dews being very bene¬ 
ficial to these plants. K. M. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Celery. —There are few more valuable or 
important crops cultivated in the kitchen 
garden than this, and nothing pays better lor 
attention bestowed on it. Lose 1 no time in get¬ 
ting out successional sowings in well-pre¬ 
pared trenches. lie liberal with good farm¬ 
yard or horse manure. Single rows are much 
to be preferred to two or three in a trench, 
as it is much more easily managed, and the 
results are generally much better. Where 
sufficient width has been allowed between 
the early rows of Peas, and ground is some¬ 
what limited, it will form a. capital place, 
and should the weather be hot these will 
afford the young plants just enough shade 
to give them a good start. 
Celeriac, or Turnip-rooted Celery, should 
also be planted, choosing an open position 
where the ground has been richly manured 
and deeply worked. Plant on the flat, and 
keep well supplied with water. 
Beetroot.- -Attend to the thinning of this 
before the young seedlings become drawn 
and should there be any vacancies, as, un 
fortunately, there are in many places this 
season, carefully lift and plant any surplus 
ones, choosing a dull day, if possible, foi 
the purpose. Thoroughly water in, and shoulc 
the weather be bright, shade for a few days 
when these will make good serviceable- roots 
Chicory. —Make the main sowing of thisj 
on ground which is not too rich. This is on* 
