580 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 22, 1905 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Endive. — Among all vegetables cultivated 
for the purpose of making mixed salads there 
are none which play a more important part 
than the various kinds of Endive from August 
onward through the winter; consequently 
small sowings should be made at intervals of 
every ten days from now till the end of Sep¬ 
tember. This plant enjoys a deeply tilled and 
well-enriched soil to produce it at its best. 
The improved form of the Batavian is un¬ 
questionably the most serviceable, nevertheless 
small quantities of the curled-leaved varieties 
should be cultivated, as these have a pleasing 
effect in the salad bowl. Constant waterings 
at the root during spells of dry weather will 
not only improve the growth, but the quality 
also. When large enough, thin out to one 
foot apart all ways. Chicory is another most 
important item to grow for this purpose, and, 
being so easily cultivated, is alike valuable for 
either large or small gardens. The last sow¬ 
ings should be made about the end of the 
present month. 
Mushrooms. — The structure where these 
are being cultivated should be kept as cool as 
possible, the walls and paths damped down 
twice daily, and beds which are in bearing will 
be much benefited by applying a good water¬ 
ing of farmyard liquid. Now is a capital time 
for making up beds for giving a supply during 
autumn and early winter, either under cover 
or in the open. Do not be in too great a 
hurry in placing the manure together, but 
turn frequently, and allow the rankest of the 
heat to escape before doing so. It is im¬ 
possible to make the beds too firm, and the 
firmer this is rammed together the better and 
more continuous will be the supply. 
Coleworts _Make one more good sowing 
of these and London Hardy Green. Choose a 
shady part of the garden, thoroughly net 
against birds, and well water in. 
E. Beckett. 
Aldenham House Gardens, Elstree. 
The Flower Garden. 
Propagating Pinks. —Few plants are more 
popular for furnishing cut flowers or for 
garden decoration than the many beautiful 
varieties of Pinks. Now that the earlier 
sorts, such as Mrs. -Sinkins, are passing out 
of flower, a suitable opportunity is afforded 
of raising young stock or of augmenting that 
already in hand. Occasionally some little 
difficulty is experienced in obtaining a good 
“ strike,” owing to a tendency on the part 
of the pipings to damp off. With reasonable 
care, however, satisfactory results can usually 
be obtained. 
The following is a simple and effective 
method, which only requires a cold frame or 
hand light to carry out: —Mix together a 
compost of finely-sifted soil, adding quite half 
the bulk of sharp sand, place in a cold frame 
to a depth of 3 in., or a small bed can be 
formed of the compost on which the frame 
or hand light can subsequently be placed ; 
finish off with a good layer of sand over the 
entire surface, and thoroughly soak the whole 
with water. The young shoots, called pipings, 
should be removed from the plants with a 
slight heel. This can easily be done by bend¬ 
ing the shoot in a downward direction away 
from the main stem. Trim off a few of the 
bottom leaves and any portion of the main 
stem which may adhere to the heel, then 
insert the pipings thickly in the compost. 
No dibble is required, as the compost being 
wet the shoots are easily pressed in with the 
fingers. When the frame or light is full, 
give another watering and keep close and 
shaded.for about three weeks, admitting air 
for an hour or so in the morning to prevent 
damping off. 
When rooted, harden off by admitting more 
air, and finally remove to flowering quarters. 
Autumn Flowering Bulbs or Corms 
Very pretty effects can be produced in late 
summer and far into autumn by the judi¬ 
cious use of a few of the above subjects. 
Crocus speciosus and some other varieties, as 
well as the Meadow Saffron, Colchicum 
autumnale, and Colchicum speciosum, are 
lovely in little colonies by the margins of 
lawns or in nooks between shrubs. The 
varieties just noted can ha bought fairly 
cheap nowadays, and should be planted early 
in August at the latest to flower this autumn. 
They should be planted 4 in. to 5 in. deep. 
If planting in the grass is proposed, simply 
remove the turf in patches with trowel or 
sjxade, add a little sand, insert the conns, 
and replace the turf. 
The flowers of Colchicum autumnale are 
rosy-purple, as also are those of C. speciosum, 
the latter, however, being much larger. In 
both cases the leaves are produced after the 
flowers, generally in spring, and should be 
allowed to die naturally. Crocus speciosus 
has lovely bluish-purple flowers, with bright 
orange-red stigmas, and is a perfect gem in 
sunny autumn days. B. W. J. 
The Stove and Greenhouse. 
Pelargoniums. —These will by now have 
passed out of flower, and the plants should be 
pruned back to within an inch of last year’s 
wood. Gradually lessen the water supply, 
finally laying them on their sides in a frame 
exposed to the full sun, in order to complete 
the ripening of the wood. A fortnight of this 
treatment will suffice, after which time the 
plants may be turned out, and after reducing 
the old ball of soil and pruning back the 
thickest roots, repot into as small pots as they 
can conveniently be got into. A cold frame 
will answer for a few weeks, and the syringe 
should be plied about them twice or thrice 
daily. But little water will be required at the 
roots until they again become active. All 
weakly sunerfluous shoots should be rubbed 
out when they attain an inch in length thus 
concentrating the plants’ energies to the 
strongest and best-placed ones. 
Hydrangea hortensis. — We have few 
greenhouse flowering plants that surpass these 
for general utility and beauty, and they are 
exceedingly easy to cultivate. Stout cuttings 
of the half-ripened shoots may now be inserted 
for providing good plants for flowering next 
summer. I usually strike the cutting in 48- 
sized pots, placing five or six in a pot, using 
a light sandy soil, and standing them in a close 
frame. Never allow them to flag, but shade 
well, and keep close and moist until rooted, 
afterwards affording abundance of air. Pot 
off singly into dj-in. pots, and grow on gently 
in a cold frame until September, when a shelf 
in the greenhouse will suit well for the winter. 
As the foliage begins to turn yellow, reduce 
the amount of water until the time arrives 
for restarting into growth in February or 
March. 
Kalosanthes coccinea. - This is an old 
inhabitant of our greenhouses, and was once 
immensely popular. Cuttings root readily at 
this time if inserted in light soil well drained. 
A frame having a somewhat dry atmosphere 
is best for these, and they should not be 
syringed. Five cuttings may be inserted in 
48-sized pots, or seven in a 32. This plant 
resents over-watering, especially during the 
dull days of winter. Efficient drainage is very 
essential, and the compost may consist of two 
parts friable loam, one of leaf-soil, and one 
decayed cow-manure, adding a good sprink¬ 
ling of mortar-rubble, charcoal, and sand. 
To bring out the flower’s brilliant scarlet 
hue the plants may be stood in a fairly sunny 
spot in the open whilst the flowers are ex¬ 
panding. K. M. 
Fruit Garden. 
Peaches under glass, whether early or 
late, require frequent washing with the 
syringe or garden hose, but with the latter 
care must be taken that too much force is not 
brought to bear on the foliage, or it will be 
sure to get ribboned. Trees as they are 
relieved of their crop should be gone over and 
the bearing wood of the past season cut out, 
so that the young growth of this-, which will 
carry next year’s fruit, can have the full 
benefit of sun and air to ripen up satisfac¬ 
torily. As stated in a recent calendar, expose 
the fruit to all the sun by tying in any shoots 
and tucking aside all foliage likely to obstruct 
toe same from reaching them. Supply 
abundance of water to the roots, and trees 
carrying full crops will take a stimulant 
either in the way of -an artificial character 
or drainings from the stable or cowyard 
mixed with clear water three times its bulk, 
although a deal depends xxpon the strength 
of the latter, but Peach trees will stand it 
fairly strong. If not already done, mulch the 
borders with half-decayed manure or strawy 
litter, whichever is at command, which will 
retain the moisture to a certain extent, as 
borders quickly dry up when left to them¬ 
selves. Syringe or -engine all trees twice a- 
day in fine weather soon after 6 a.m., and 
again from 4 to 5 p.m., when closing. 
Pines. — This is a suitable date to over¬ 
haul the plant now the earliest batch of fruits 
are cleared. Resei-ve any suitable suckers fox- 
placing in 5-in. or 6-in. pots, -and convey the 
old stools to- the rubbish heap, washing the 
pots inside and out, when they will be again 
ready as soon as dry to be crocked or di r ained 
to shift on succession plants for winter friiit- 
ing. 'Procure the best fibrous loam obtain¬ 
able, with the addition of a little bonemeal 
and soot, all nicely blended before using, 
and should the loam be minus of fibre, do not 
