February 8, 1908. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
after frost, so that if they did actually get 
a touch of frost they would thaw gradually. 
Dry papers, however, keep out a deal of 
frost. By this time the tubers will probably 
be showing what has occurred. If they have 
been damaged by frost, portions of them, at 
least, will begin to decay. In that case the 
best plan to save those that have fresh crowns 
-would be to put them into heat and start 
them into growth so as to check any more 
decay. Some growers practise this plan and 
take cuttings, rooting them early merely be¬ 
cause obliged to do so to save some of the 
varieties which were decaying. If your 
tubers were not attacked by frost it is pos¬ 
sible that they were not properly ripened 
off in the autumn. Many tubers must have 
been wet and spongy, owing to the lack of 
sunshine last year, and in some cases they 
wexe kept for a long time in the ground 
as the autumn was mild, allowing them to 
bloom, in many cases, till November. If 
you have no means of starting them in heat, 
you could cut off the decayed portions and 
dust them over with dry powdered charcoal 
to stop the decay. If the crowns are gone it 
would not be worth your while to try to pre- 
serve them, as you would be unable to get 
shoots in spring. 
2577. Malvastrum coccineum, 
Re Question 2520. If “ M. O., Mores.,” 
has not been able to get the seeds of Mal¬ 
vastrum coccineum and Gilia coronopifolia, 
he will find them listed in Bees’ Catalogue 
No. 14, 1908. (T. W. Howson.) 
There was a previous reply to “ M. O., 
Worcs.,” and we put him on the way to get 
the necessary information, so that he has 
probably got the seeds by this time. 
2578. White and Blue Edging. 
Please name white and blue edging, giving 
management. (Beginner, Norfolk.) 
You omitted to state what the edging is 
for, as the material to hand is practically 
unlimited. For bedding purposes in sum¬ 
mer, white and blue varieties of Lobelia are 
very appropriate for edgings. They could 
be planted alternately, but the most common 
plan is to put a complete line of one inside 
the other, thus making a double edging. 
Other two plants suitable for this purpose 
are Sweet Alyssum (Alyssum maritimum) 
with white flowers, and Ageratum Imperial 
Dwarf Blue. The latter is pin. high, and 
should be planted inside the Alyssum. All 
of these require greenhouse treatment. A 
few Lobelias should be kept in pots all the 
winter, and in spring cuttings for raising a 
stock could be obtained from them. Lobelias 
could also be raised from seeds, sowing them 
in February or early in March. Sweet 
Alyssum and Ageratum could also be raised 
by sowing them early in March. When they 
have produced a couple of rough leaves they 
should be transferred to boxes about iin. 
apart or r^in. Here they, will grow till bed¬ 
ding time at the end of May. They should, 
of course, be transferred to frames some time 
previous to the time you plant them out. 
The Ageratum if kept over the winter re¬ 
quires a rather higher temperature than the 
others. All of them could be rooted as cut¬ 
tings about the beginning of September by 
way of stock for planting out in the follow¬ 
ing year. As we said before, however, it is 
better to get a few old plants of the Lobelia, 
as cuttings are liable to damp in winter. 
2579. Dwarf Flowers. 
Would you kindly give me the names and 
management of a few dwarf flowers. (Be¬ 
ginner, Norfolk.) 
We should have wished if you had given 
us some more particulars as to what you wish 
to do with the flowers, and also what con¬ 
venience you have for keeping plants in win¬ 
ter, as it would have helped us consider¬ 
ably. As it is we have selected a number 
of plants that may be grown in a green¬ 
house, and another lot that may be raised 
in heat in spring and then planted out. 
Plants that may be kept in a greenhouse are 
Pelargonium Paul Crampel (fiery scarlet), 
Snowdrop (white), Fuchsia Ballet Girl 
(double and light coloured), and Rose of 
Castile (single light coloured). Calceolaria 
Golden Gem might be propagated by put¬ 
ting cuttings in a cold frame in October. 
Tuberous Begonias may be grown because 
the tubers can be kept in boxes of cocoanut 
fibre during winter in some house where the 
frost will merely be excluded. If you chocse 
to get tuberous Begonias, name the colour, 
93 
such as scarlet or white, asking for unnamed 
seedlings for bedding purposes. The Cal¬ 
ceolarias may be planted out early in May, 
the Fuchsias towards the end of May, and 
the Pelargoniums just a little later. The 
Begonias may be planted about the begin¬ 
ning of June. These, of course, should be 
started in a greenhouse some time in April, 
so that they would have made some growth 
before time to plant them out in June. If 
dry weather occurs about the time they are 
planted out, it would be necessary to water 
them until they get established. The tu¬ 
berous Begonias are more likely to require 
Sweet Pea JVlrs. jVI. Shelter?. 
Sweet Peas in new varieties are bound 
to make their appearance in greater or 
less numbers every year, but although no 
summer ever produces a failure in the 
flowering of Sweet Peas, it does not al¬ 
ways happen that the weather is suffi¬ 
ciently favourable to harvest seeds in 
good condition. Early in August last we 
obtained a photograph of a beautiful 
variety named Mrs. R. M. Shelton from 
Messrs. Baker’s, 67, 69 and 71, Lichfield 
Street, Wolverhampton. This variety 
has a large and bold, upright standard, 
while the wings are also well developed 
and beautifully formed. The colour is a 
light rosy carmine. The variety in go.od 
soil invar-iably comes with four flowers- on 
a stem. These remarks will be borne out 
by reference to our illustration jp f this 
variety, where the standard is seen to be 
beautifully veined, well formed, and of 
good substance. Unfortunately this 
variety cannot be sent out until 1909. - 
About the time we had the photograph 
there was every prospect of a good harvest 
of seeds, but Messrs. Baker's, like many 
other growers, have been disappointed 
owing to the dull, wet weather and lack of 
sunshine during last year. A large 
breadth of it will, however, be sown this 
year, and readers may hope to get it in 
1909. 
Sweet Pea Mrs. R. M. Shelton. 
