December 30. 1905. 
THE 
QARDEHINQ WORLD. 
991 
Crotons. & # 
TREATMENT 
AND 
PROPAGATION. 
•> SOCIETY DOINGS. * 
Crotons have now become indispensable as 
decorative plants, playing a most important 
part both in plant stores and in artistic 
grouping. No one, I think, will regret the 
disappearance of the huge specimens that were 
to be seen in our plant stores and exhibitions 
a few years since, the smaller plants in 48 
and 32 pots being more useful for house and 
table decoration generally. Crotons can be 
propagated in several ways, the best being by 
cuttings inserted at almost any time, but 
there should be a fail- amount struck erery 
spring and grown on to meet the demand. 
Side growths should be selected about 3in. 
long, and inserted fire in a 60 pot, using soil 
consisting of equal parts loam and leaf soil 
with a sprinkling of silrer sand. When 
finished place in a propagating case of about 
80 deg. As soon as rooted, pot off singly into 
60’s, using the same mixture of soil as before, 
and place them in the lightest position possible 
in the store, as very little shade is necessary 
eren in summer. If well-coloured plants are 
looked for, syringe them twice daily, whigh 
will help o promote growth and keep down 
ins’ct pests, such as thrjp and red spider and 
I hare always been much interested in read¬ 
ing what has been written at rarious times on 
mealy bug in rineries, and anxiously waited 
for the result of an experiment I tried in an 
old rinery some years ago. I now wish to 
make my experience known to all who would 
care to gire the plan a trial. On taking 
charge of a range of rineries I found an old 
lean-to so much infested with bug that I was 
told for years hardly any of the bunches were 
any use for table. 
I did not think nor could I conceire a house 
more unlikely to be cleaned than this was. 
The first winter I cleaned the house, and as 
far as possible the Vines were scraped, except 
the spurs. They were then dressed as usual 
and the border attended to, but I thought if 
syringing was practised to start them ah our 
compound would be washed off in a. week, 
then what would prerent the bug from making 
its appearance as numerous as 'ever? So I 
started them without syringing, maintaining 
I hare found Canadian Wonder Bean the 
best dwarf for all purposes,' and if sown on a 
sheltered border the last week in April or the 
first week in May Beans may be gathered by 
the 20th of July. They should be 2ft. apart 
all ways for exhibition purposes, and in dry 
weather a good watering with liquid manure 
will greatly assist the derelopment of the 
pods. Strict attention must be paid to pick¬ 
ing as soon as they are ready, as learing them 
on the plants too long stops fruiting a great 
deal sooner than if picked off. Champion 
Scarlet and Giant Scarlet are, in my opinion, 
far the best for exhibition purposes. They 
are also good croppers, and will grow 8ft. high 
mealy bug, the latter being the worst pest to 
get rid of. Methylated spirits, applied with a 
brush, is the best cure for bug, being safe 
and effectual. 
Shift the plants on as they require it, using 
soil with a bit more loam for this potting, 
making the soil around the balls moderately 
firm. As soon as they become pot-bound in 
the 32 pots give them liquid manure and clear 
soot-water twice weekly, and well-coloured 
plants ought to be the result. Old plants 
that have well-coloured tops and have lost 
their lower leaves should be cut off and placed 
into bottles of clean water containing a lump 
of charcoal. • Then place bottles in strong 
bottom heat, which will cause them to push 
out roots into the water in all directions. 
Then take them out and pot up into 48 s. 
I’ll is is the best way I have found to root tops 
of leggy plants more quickly than ringing, 
which is the general rule practised with old 
plants. A few of the best varieties are 
Warrenii, Thompsonii, Angustifolium, Chel- 
soni. Lady Zetland, Aneitense, Weismannii, 
Mrs. Dorman, Ruberrimum, Countess, Pic- 
turatum, Queen Victoria, and Sunset. 
L. S. Small. 
atmospheric moisture by evaporating pans and 
the usual damping-down two or three times 
daily. 
The Vines broke as well as if they had been 
syringed, but in due time a few insects made 
their appearance, but were disposed of uj a 
small pointed stick dipped in methylated 
spirits. That year we had only three bunches 
spoiled. The second year we treated the 
Vines just the same, and when any insects 
made their appearance we used the methy¬ 
lated spirits, and only two bunches were 
spoiled. The third season only a few insects 
were seen, and all the fruit was perfectly 
clean. The fourth season we did not see a 
single insect, so I think I can pronounce the 
vinery clean, the 3 ines and fruit much im¬ 
proved, and only on three occasions was the 
syringe used, when a little spider made its 
appearance. I can strongly recommend any 
of your readers to try this method; they will 
not find it fail. By using the syringe you will 
fail utterly. " Max. 
« 
and then turn back and reach the ground if 
kept from seeding. I find it the best to dig 
trenches similar to Celery trenches, but not 
quite so deep, and place some decayed manure 
in the bottom, then a slight covering of soil. 
The Beans are planted 8in. apart, "and the 
rows are far enough apart to allow the sun 
to reach both sides of plants. Should black- 
fly appear, give at once a syringing with 
quassia extract, and assist the crop with some 
liquid manure water as soon as a good set has 
been obtained. The pods should get lOin. to 
12in. long if treated thus. 
B. E. G. Bowyer. 
Morton Hall Gardens, Swinderby, Lincoln. 
Never say Die. 
Reference to societies which distinguish them¬ 
selves for pluck in face of discouraging and con¬ 
tinued reverses will hardly prove tiresome. The 
societies which exhibit such admirable determina¬ 
tion deserve recognition and their way of confront¬ 
ing misfortune may incite other lik e associations to 
meet difficulties in the same spirit of resolution. 
Therefoie it gives us great pleasure to place on 
record the fact that the Alnwick Horticultural 
and Botanical Society have unanimously decided 
to bold a show again next year, notwithstanding 
that the last three shows were financial failures, 
and that nearly £70 had to be withdrawn from 
the sinking fund in order to meet deficiencies. 
Each year the wea her has proved unfavourable, 
and this faclor indeed has been responsible for the 
abser ce of success. If it should prove wet again 
next year what time this worthy north-country 
society hold their show, then we shall account the 
Fates even le s discern ng than thej are reputed 
to be. 
Dublin Seed and Nursery Employees 
Association. 
The third annual dinner and social re-union of 
this progressive association was held on Decem¬ 
ber 9th at the Gresham Hotel, Dublin. Mr. J. J, 
Egan. J.P., presided, and the attendance included 
Mr. D Houston, F.L.S., Dr. G. H. Pethybiidge, 
B.Sc., R. L. Praeger, of the National Library, 
Prof. Carpenter, and Mr. Janies Robertson, J.P. 
The toast of the King having been honoured, the 
winners in the recent competitions received their 
prizes. Mr. D. Houston proposed the toast of 
•‘ The Association,” which, he said, had had a 
brilliant career during the last year. The mem¬ 
bership had increased ; they had undertaken four 
excurs ons to places of interest; had two public 
lectures ; while they also had a series of plant 
(lass lectures, in connection with w-hich the mem¬ 
bers bad to do real study and conduct certain 
experiments. The juniormembershad been particu¬ 
larly earnest in carrying out this woik, while the 
average attendance at the classes amounted to 40. 
They also showed great activity in regard to the 
competitions. He very much hoped that the ad vance 
to be recorded would be the establishment of a 
home where they could permanently keep collec¬ 
tions of such grasses, etc., as were the outcome of 
forthcoming competitions. In view of the work 
they had done, it was no wonder there was a 
friendly jealousy among their friends across the 
Irish Sea. Mr. J. J. Egan, J.P., in responding, 
said that the intelligent ap| lication of the science 
of botany in its relation to agriculture and horii- 
culture was essential to the members of the trade- 
-V seedsman was supposed to know everything 
about plants, their diseases and remedies, and this 
knowledge, therefore, became essential. “Our 
Employers’’was proposed by Mr. R. Burn, who 
said they could not have done so much had it not 
been for the interest of their employers. Mr. D. 
MacLeod, in reply, said that the association had 
received at the hands of employers the sup¬ 
port it so well deserved, and the more they 
saw of its members, the better they liked them. 
It had been suggested that they wanted a habita¬ 
tion of their dwn, and he hoped the time was not 
far distant when that would be forthcoming. In 
conclusion he emphasised the words “Go on.” 
The toast of “ Our Guests ” was happily proposed 
by Mr.. W . S. Hall. Mr. Pethybiidge,. Ph D., 
B.Sc., in replying, said that science and practice 
should go hand in hand, and that the oftener the 
scientific man came down from his lofty- pedestal 
and met the practical man, the betterVould be 
the results likely to be attained. The toast of 
“ The Press,” proposed by Mr. Rowan, and “ Our 
Chairman,” proposed by Mr. A. J. Sinclair, 
followed, and, like the others, were heartily 
honoured. The musical programme was excellent, 
the proceedings concluding with the singing of 
“ Aulcl Lang Syne.” 
/Aealy Bug. - N ™“ 
ANTIDOTE. 
DWARF JS, 
FRENCH BEANS AND RUNNERS. 
