542 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 8, 1905. 
OUR 
• * 
Northern Gardens. 
cured for the modest outlay of a few shil¬ 
lings—that is to say, well within the reach of 
amateur gardeners. Perhaps the two best of 
these are 0. labiata autumnalis and C. Lod- 
digesii, often imported and sold as C. Harri- 
soniae. For many years C. labiata was one 
of the most rare and consequently expensive 
varieties we had, owing to the fact that its 
native habitat was lost for upwards of forty 
years. Since its reintroduction it has been so 
excessively imported that it lias become one of 
the commonest (but none the less beautiful) 
Cattleyas we have. 
Its cultivation, when fresh imported plants 
are procured, is very easy, and it is remark¬ 
able under what conditions it grows and pro¬ 
duces its flowers. I have noted on several 
occasions that extremely adverse conditions 
to the orthodox methods have produced good 
results for a year or two after importing. 
Many enthusiastic amateurs, I have no doubt, 
have been flattered and deceived by their 
early successes and ultimate failure, but they 
have still the satisfaction of early successes, 
and are often tempted to make annual pur¬ 
chases as a means of providing their yearly 
flowers. To depend on a. successful cultivation 
and flowering; of the plants it is necessary to 
have in the first place reasonable facilities— 
that is, the conditions of an intermediate 
house or a moderately warm stove; and 
secondly, flowering at the season when fogs 
are go prevalent thev are not suitable subjects 
to be cultivated in the neighbourhood of large 
towns and in smot-y manufacturim? districts. 
Not oulv do the fogs destroy the buds and 
expanded flowers, but where there is an ob¬ 
struction of 1 irtit through the thickness of the 
atmosphere the flowers are generally then 
found to have a want of substance, and the 
hivhlv-coloured dyes are rarely developed, 
and thev are thus rendered inferior to those 
produced from the same plants when they are 
grown under more favourable conditions. 
The plants do well grown in either pots or 
baskets. Tire plants should be potted up as 
soon as received. The pots should be filled 
to one half their denth with clean, broken 
drainage. The plant should then be placed in 
position in the centre of the not. The dor¬ 
mant eves of the last made or leading growth 
should be about on a level with the rim of the 
pot and slightly above the level of the potting 
compost when potting has been completed. 
The compost should consist of equal parts of 
fibrous peat and chopped sphagnum moss, 
with some broken crocks or rough sand added 
to render it sufficiently porous to prevent 
stagnation. This should be pressed moder¬ 
ately firm about the roots. To hold the plan f 
in position until root action commences an^ 
to add to its shanelv appearance a, few small 
stakes neatly tied will h° found advantageous. 
Very little water will be required until the 
plants commence to root and the new growth 
is developing freelv. but the staging may b° 
damped around them and a reasonably humid 
condition of the atmosphere be maintained. 
The plants are imported in the spring and 
early summer months; The earlier they are 
procured the better, for it is not often that 
late-imported plants are induced to flower the 
first season, owing to the growths not being 
sufficiently ripened. There is some consider¬ 
able variation among them. The white varie¬ 
ties. being much sought after, are valuable, 
n Loddigdsii. while not being so showv as 
th° last mentioned, is particularly interesting 
cud used for cut-flower purposes. The cul¬ 
tural reouireraents are the same as that re¬ 
commended for C. labiata. and it will even 
succeed in lower temperatures than that 
above mentioned. H. J. Chapman. 
i 
Flower Garden and Pleasure 
Grounds. 
Polygonums. — Polygonum bauldschuani- 
cum is undoubtedly the best recent addition 
to our hardy climbers, with its wealth of 
greyish-pink trails of blossom, which will soon 
be appearing. It is a rapid grower. 
Eccremocarpus. —Eccremocarpus scaber, 
and the newer variety E. s. aureus, are both 
very showy for quickly covering trellis work. 
They are perennials, but can be treated as 
half-hardy annuals. 
Heucheras. —The varieties of Heuchera or 
Alum Root, are now done blooming, and this 
is a good time to break up the plants and 
make new plantations. Plant them deeply, as 
they have a tendency to rise out of the soil 
in the same way as Auriculas do. H. san- 
guinea still holds its own, but my two favour¬ 
ites are H. splendens, deep crimson, and H. 
brizoides graeillima, quite a unique variety, 
having a great wealth of delicate pink flowers 
in the way of the old London Pride, but 
better, borne on slender stems. 
Pansies should now be propagated for 
autumn planting. Select the young growths 
for cuttings. 
Conservatory and Greenhouse. 
^Hydrangeas. — Cuttings made from the 
more vigorous shoots of old plants should now 
be inserted singly in 3-in. pots and placed 
under a handlight or in a close frame to fur¬ 
nish plants with single trusses for next season. 
H. hortensis is undoubtedly the best for this 
purpose. 
Liquid Manure. —Fuchsias, zonal pelar¬ 
goniums, and other soft-wooded plants that 
are becoming exhausted should be supplied 
with weak liquid manure twice a week. 
Campanula pyramidalis. — Campanula 
pyramidalis alba compacta is a most useful 
conservatory plant; if not already staked out 
it should be done at once. They are best 
grown for a season planted out of doors, and 
then lifted and potted up the following spring. 
Frames. —Shift on Cinerarias before they 
get potbound. Prick off herbaceous Calceo¬ 
larias as soon as they show the first rough 
leaves. Pot on Primulas.—C. C. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Globe Artichokes. —Where these are in 
demand it isiwell worth the trouble to give a 
weekly soaking with liquid manure, other¬ 
wise a good mulching of half-rotted manure 
should be spread round the roots, and copious 
doses of clean water given should the drought 
hold. Care should be taken to keep the 
heads cut as soon as ever they are the proper 
size. If this is. not done the later heads are 
only small and useless. If the freshly-cut 
heads are placed with their stems in wet sand 
and stood in a cool place they remain good for 
a week. 
Herbs.— Cut and hunch these as soon as 
they flower. If left too late the leaves fall 
from the stems in the process of drying. 
Hang the bunches in a cool, airy place until 
cured, or else the bunches may get mouldy 
and lose most of the flavour. 
Kidney Beans. —Where protection can be 
given in autumn it is well worth putting in d 
small sowing at the present time. AiAearlv 
border should be selected, that from which 
early Cabbages have been cleared will answer 
well if well broken up and manured. 
Parsley. —Get. in a sowing of this at once 
for late use. This sowing is also most, valu¬ 
able in spring, as it does not usually “ bolt. ” 
till well on in summer. This is also a good 
time to prepare a frame for the winter supply 
of this popular herb. Make up the frame 
with fairly good soil, and sow the seed thinly 
in rows 6in. apart. When large enough, thin 
out to 4in. apart in the rows. Keep the sashes 
off the frame as long as possible so as to 
induce sturdy growth. 
General Remarks.— If this long spell of 
drought continues much longer vegetables are 
in many cases to be of but poor quality, and 
the yield veiy light. It is, however, splendid 
weather for exterminating weeds, and when 
not watering the Hutch hoe should never be 
idle. Continue planting Leeks and Broccoli 
as they become ready. If dry, water 
thoroughly, and then run the hoe between 
the rows. C. Blair. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Hardy Fruit. 
Young Fruit Trees.— Those trees which 
have been transplanted during the winter 
will be greatly benefited by a mulching of 
farmyard manure which hast been allowed to 
rot thoroughly. This will help to counteract 
the baneful influence of the continued dry 
weather. Before applying the mulching give 
a slight sprinkling of manure to induce the 
roots to 1 the surface, and to assist in keeping 
them up. I have a great belief in dried blood 
or Ichthemic, which makes an excellent ferti¬ 
liser. It. would be well also to pick off all 
fruit, the first year after planting to give 
strength to the trees. 
Where grafts have .been put on in spring a 
little attention will be required in loosening 
ties. Great benefit would accrue from damp¬ 
ing overhead on these dry days. If ties are 
still attached to the buds of last autumn they 
will have to be looked to, as they are swelling 
fast now. 
Tire orchard house trees which have not had 
a sufficient show to warrant their retention 
inside and have been plunged in the reserve 
ground to make and ripen good wood for next 
year will have to get occasional attention in 
pinching and regulating the growth. Super¬ 
fluous growths should be removed as soon as 
possible and all the energies of the plant pre¬ 
served, and the beds for next year well ad¬ 
vanced. Carefuil attention to watering and 
feeding is of the utmost importance. Where 
it. is possible to have pot fruits of Apples, 
Pears Plums, Peaches, cr Figs they are very 
useful to get a few nice dishes for dessert or 
for the exhibition table, where one can see the 
high state of cultivation which fruit can be 
brought to with care and attention. 
J. Fraser Smith. 
The Gardens, Cullen. 
