GOO 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 29, 1905. 
OUR . . . 
Northern Gardens. 
same conditions as the cool house Odonto- 
glossums. It produces its long racemes of 
yellow and brown flowers during the autumn 
and winter. 0. ornithorhynchum is another 
autumn-flowering species suitable for cool 
house culture. Where the plants are well 
cultivated the graceful light racemes of pale 
rosy-pink flowers are most attractive, and are 
very useful for cut flower purposes. The 
white variety, O. o. album, is a rare and valu¬ 
able plant, which flowers a little later than 
the typical variety. I have always found 
this, the white variety, does best when grown 
a few degrees warmer than the normal condi¬ 
tions of the coo] house. 
0 . incurvum and its variety 0. i. album 
are winter-flowering kinds, and are very suit¬ 
able for our purpose when grown in a cool 
house. There are many other kinds which 
can be included here, especially those of 
botanical rather than floral interest. They 
are by no means difficult to cultivate, and if 
properly attended to and kept free from 
insect pests there need be no difficulties 
anticipated in their cultivation. 
H. J. Chapman. 
A Decorative 
Japanese Evergreen. 
{Nandina domestica.) 
Anything which appears in The Garden- 
INg Would from the pen of “ Heather Bell ” 
is always instructive and interesting, and it 
is a pleasure to read his note on p. 565 of 
your issue for July 15th respecting this beau¬ 
tiful Japanese evergreen. It is without doubt 
one of the most ornamental shrubs we have 
received from that country, and I am pleased 
to say we have grown it for several years in 
the shrubberies here with success. Of its 
hardiness there is but little doubt, but it is 
advisable when planting to select a position 
which is sheltered from cold north and east 
winds, so that one facing south and pro¬ 
tected by larger shrubs at the back would 
suit this shrub admirably. The first winter 
or two after planting it is advisable to give 
a slight protection, bat after becoming estab¬ 
lished there is little need of this, except, of 
course, during a spell of very severe weather 
On the cold clay here Nandina domestica 
grows freely, and I have also heard of it 
doing well in Scotland. It may be well to 
say that there are two forms of this shrub, 
the one with reddish foliage, as described by 
“Heather Bell,” and the other with green 
leaves, but the former is the better of the two. 
Both, however, are sufficiently beautiful to 
warrant inclusion in any collection. 
A. E. Thatcher. 
The Water Melon grows wild all over Africa. 
It was cultivated in Egypt b.c. 2500. 
* * * 
Mutual Antipathies of Flowers. — 
Struggles to the death are waged between 
some flowers as ferociously as any between the 
armadas of rival nations. Those learned in 
floral history declare that certain flowers bear 
a deadly enmity to others of their kind. Roses 
and Mignonette, for instance, cannot endure 
each other’s society. The Lily of the Valley 
is also a bitter enemy of most other flowers, 
and will kill them if it gets the chance. Helio¬ 
trope and Carnations, on the other hand, 
seem to evince a mutual sympathy for one 
another. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Beans. —As soon as Broad Beans show a 
sufficient quantity of bloom to form a good 
crop pinch the point out of each plant. This 
not only induces the Beans to set and swell 
faster, but also prevents the straw growing 
too tall, and so suffering from strong winds. 
The runner varieties should also be stopped 
after they have gained sufficient height. In 
some seasons even the Dwarf or Kidney Beans 
require pinching. That will hardly be neces¬ 
sary during the present season, however. 
Potatos. —These will ripen .early -this 
year, and I strongly advise lifting the earliest 
varieties as soon as they part easily from the 
shaws. This, of course, refers only to tubers 
meant for seed next season. After lifting, 
spread out thinly on a hard ash walk for ten 
days or so. It will be found that potatos so 
treated will keep well and, what is of very 
great importance, escape) the dreaded disease. 
Naturally the skins will be rather tender, but 
with a little care there need be no damage 
done, and the skins will toughen and mature 
as well out of the ground as in it. 
Onions. —It is yet too early to sow the main 
crop of autumn Onions, but where there 
is a big demand for flavouring early in the 
season a few rows should be got in at once. 
Select a dry open place if possible, and do not 
manure very heavily or the growth will be too 
soft to stand the winter. I find Trebour as 
good as any for this sowing, and the old Welsh 
is very hardy, but bolts at the earliest oppor¬ 
tunity in spring. 
Vegetable Marrows. —Where these are 
growing strongly it is well to thin out some 
of the growths where these are crowded. 
Pinch the leaders, too, when they attain a fair 
length, and thus induce the fruits to swell. 
Marrows require very heavy waterings, and if 
the position they occupy is insufficiently 
manured copious clrenchings of liquid manure 
must be given them every week. 
General Work. —With the break of the 
long drought weeds are suddenly becoming 
uncomfortably plentiful, and must be kept 
under at all costs. It is well also to go over 
the vegetable quarters and make up any 
blanks that may have occurred among the 
Brassicas. This final making up of blanks 
will allow of any surplus plants being now 
removed and the ground freed for something 
else. C. Blaib. 
Preston, Linlithgow: 
Flower Garden and 
Pleasure Grounds. 
Bedding Plants. — These should now be 
covering the ground. Pick off from time ro 
time all blooms of foliage Pelargoniums, and 
remove all decaying blooms from flowering 
plants. Dot plants plunged in pots must 
have special attention as regards watering in 
dry weather. 
' Carpet Bedding is not so popular as it 
once was, but a little of it in isolated spots 
makes a pleasing variety. The scissors must 
be kept going, so that the lines are kept 
clearly defined, and the plants kept down to a 
uniform height. 
Daffodils. —The foliage of these has now 
decayed, and where any changes are to be 
made the bulbs should be lifted and ripened 
off in the sun for a little previous to replant¬ 
ing. Varieties that are grown in quantity 
should be graded when planting to ensure 
uniformity. The above remarks are also 
applicable to May-flowering or late Tulips. 
Conservatory and Greenhouse. 
Stage Pelargoniums. —Cuttings of the 
half-ripened wood should now be taken. In¬ 
sert them singly in thumb pots filled with 
sandy loam, covering the surface with a 
sprinkling of silver sand, and place in a 
frame, admitting just sufficient air to pre¬ 
vent damping off till roots are formed, when 
air should be freely admitted. 
Cyclamens. — Preparations should now be 
made for sowing, which should be done early 
in August. The seed should be sown very 
thinly and regularly in well-drained pans, 
using a compost of equal parts of loam, peat, 
leaf soil, and silver sand. Cover the seeds 
lightly, cover with a pane of glass, and place 
on a spent hotbed or ordinary cold frame ; 
keep shaded till germination takes place. 
- . C - C - 
Hardy Fruit. 
Strawberries are now in full swing, and 
will require a good deal of attention, picking, 
and carefully attending to the fruit where 
slugs are troublesome and birds destructive. 
The dessert fruit must be very carefully 
selected, and the small-sized fruit are best 
for preserving purposes. Such varieties as 
Royal Sovereign, Leader, The Laxton, Presi¬ 
dent, Sir Joseph Pa-xton, and Fillbasket are 
all excellent varieties, with Myatt’s and Elton 
Pine as late sorts. Vicomtesse Hericart de 
Thury is the finest of all as a preserving 
fruit for colour, size of berry, and flavour. 
For my part, if I were to grow only one 
variety it is- the one I should prefer. It is 
sometimes confused with Garibaldi, but I am 
still of opinion it is quite distinct from that 
variety. This, with some Eliza Rivers and 
John Ruskin, which is an improvement on 
Black Prince, are considered the best preserv¬ 
ing varieties, being of a nice dark colour, 
medium size, and remain whole in the boil¬ 
ing, and are considered an acquisition in that 
way. 
Green Gooseberries are now in a proper 
state for gathering for preserving, and are 
better not to be too large or too far advanced 
in a stage of ripeness. Early Sulphur A el- 
lows are now turning in for dessert. 
Raspberries are coming on fast, and will re¬ 
quire attention in covering with nets. Being 
tall they are not so easily managed to get 
them made secure, and the best class of nets 
should be reserved for them to keep out the 
depredators. I find a width of wire-netting 
round the bottom saves the net very much 
from resting on the ground ; and it is better 
still when permanent sides all round Goose¬ 
berry breaks can be made with wire-netting 
6 ft. high, and then only have a net to throw 
over the toji during the ripening stage. This 
is by far the cheapest way in the end. Many 
places nowadays are even covering in the top 
as well with netting, which makes it so much 
more convenient for ladies getting under to 
pick fruit off the bushes for themselves, which 
many prefer. J. Fkaser Smith. 
