210 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 28, 1908. 
. . AMERICAN . . 
Tree Garnations 
Propagation Notes. 
One of the greatest events recently oc¬ 
curring in English horticultural circles 
has been the successful invasion of the 
American Tree Carnations. 
May I remark to intending purchasers 
of these fine Carnations that care must 
be taken to secure plants that are abso¬ 
lutely free from rust and spot diseases — 
those twin curses of the would-be success¬ 
ful grower, by getting a guarantee from 
the vendor that his stock is absolutely 
clean; if he cannot give this, buy else¬ 
where. 
In importing new varieties direct from 
the States, to bring our collection up-to- 
date, we were sent young plants fairly 
strong, but full of rust spores, and these 
have caused unlimited trouble, being 
varieties of too much importance to con¬ 
sign to the furnace, and much care and 
attention has been necessary to keep the 
fungi down and our previous stock free 
from the evil. 
As regards propagation, my remarks 
will be few and to the point. The first 
question usually put is: “What is the 
American method?” Just this, the cut¬ 
ting bench. Explanation must follow. 
Many greenhouses and plant-houses are 
fitted with slate or cement benches, with 
the hot-water pipes running directly 
underneath, thus keeping the benches 
perpetually warm. Just the thing; cover 
the surface of one of these benches with 
four inches of sharp, rough sand (beaten 
firm), and fasten a strip of board along 
the front. Choose a position that is prac¬ 
tically free from draughts, and as much 
as possible let the air admitted from the 
ventilators pass over the pipes, as far 
away as possible from the bench. Ar¬ 
range shading on bamboo rods, so that 
top and sides can be shaded from sun¬ 
light. An apparatus with calico or thin 
canvas on rings is easily made and handy 
to use. 
Saturate the sand before inserting cut¬ 
tings, making the sand firm round each 
row. Spray carefully during the morn¬ 
ings, look carefully to shading, etc., and 
keep the shade away during night time, 
etc. Keep the bench not too dry and not 
too wet, just the happy medium, and your 
cuttings should be rooted in three or four 
weeks. 
A small home-made bench can easily 
be built, using a wooden framework to 
enclose the pipes, and covering the bed 
with slates or thin tiles, and following 
the foregoing instructions. 
Now a word for our English methods, 
very useful where only moderate numbers 
are grown :— During the dull season cut¬ 
tings are made and inserted in sandy 
loam in small 60-sized pots, half-a-dozen 
to a pot, and placed under vacant lights 
on the north side of the propagating 
house on a bed of cocoanut fibre. By 
giving a fair amount of air, attention to 
watering, and keeping the glass free from 
moisture, perfect success is assured. The 
average heat, whether in the propagating 
house or in the greenhouse with the cut¬ 
ting bench, should average 60 degrees, 
more than this is unnecessary, while a 
much lower temperature is seldom alto¬ 
gether satisfactory. 
This last summer, as an experiment, • 
we rooted these Americans in handlights, 
out of doors, but in this situation the 
hardest cuttings were most successful. 
As regards successful propagation, we ad¬ 
vocate October to the end of February 
as the best time, stock plants for cuttings 
should be grown as cool as possible, and 
should not be allowed to blossom. 
Varieties and novelties are continually 
brought before our notice ; some are good, 
others worthless. Among the finest are 
Enchantress and Floriana, pale pinks; 
Nelson Fisher, Mrs. T. W. Lawson, and 
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, rich rose col¬ 
ours; Cardinal, Robert Craig, and Vic¬ 
tory, scarlets; Governor Roosevelt and 
Harry Fenn, crimsons; White Lawson, 
Lady Bountiful, and Norway, whites. 
Among the variegated forms, Mrs. M. A. 
Patten, Variegated Lawson, and the en¬ 
chanting Prosperity reign supreme. 
P. S. Hayward. 
- G. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS. —Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any wayf any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making *iie award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
follr wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thn-n Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ G. A. Laing ” for the article on 
“A Gas-lieated Greenhouse,” page 196. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “J. 0. Scammell ” for the 
article on “ Runner Beans ” ; and another to 
“H. Stevens” for the article on “ Solanums,” 
page 196. 
Sweet Pea 
rs. Hardcastle 
Syki 
For a year or two past there was me 
call for seeds of this variety than t 
raiser and grower was able to supply. \ 
hope, however, there will be sufficient 
go round on this occasion, for the varit 
is one of those undoubtedly in the fre 
rank for size. It belongs to the Spenc 
type, having a wavy and sometimes flut 
standard. The colour is a charming a 
delicate blush-pink, one of those lig 
colours which ladies like to wear and 
use for table decorations in a great varit 
of ways. These light shades are adm 
ably adapted for tasteful arrangemen 
and when set up not too thickly with soi 
light greenery to show off their pai 
cular beauty nothing can be more sr 
able or pleasing on a warm summe 
day. 
It is the largest flowered variety hith 
to put into cultivation, but when it has 1 
come well established we daresay ma 
growers will be trying to get its parti 
lar qualities into other varieties, or rati 
would be trying to add the colours 
other varieties to this, and by that mea 
help forward the improvement in the m 
ter of size. When well grown, each st< 
bears three to four flowers, a large pex« 
tage being of the latter, but readers mi 
not forget that this is largely a matter 
cultivation, so that they should adc 
every modern plan whereby that end c 
be secured. Fresh soil goes a long way 
wards high development in Sweet Pe. 
but good cultivation is also necessary. 
Needless to say, the variety is equal 
well adapted for exhibition as for decoi 
tive purposes, and the reason why it h 
not been more abundantly shown is tl 
growers were unable to procure seeds 
it. In-any case, it stands at the top of t 
iist of blush coloured Sweet Peas,'a: 
was present in eight first prize exhib 
at the show of the N.S.P.S. last yet 
Mr. Robert Bolton, Warton, Carnfort 
the raiser and grower of this variet 
claims for it the title of Queen of Swe 
Peas. His stock of it was sold out soi 
time ago. 
The Production of Ammonia. 
There are few cultivators not interest! 
in the question of a supply of nitrogi 
for the proper cultivation of fields ai 
gardens. Several methods . have be: 
adopted for securing combined nitrogi 
in some form or other that plants c; 
absorb. A recent method is the produ 
tion of ammonia by the moist oxidation 
peat by the Woltereck process. This co 
sisfs in passing a mixture of air and wat 
vapour over peat in specially devised fi 
naces where the heat is very moderat 
Some experiments were first made on t 
subject and the success obtained result 
in works being installed by the Sulphate 
Ammonia Co., Ltd., at Carnlough, C 
Antrim, Ireland, where the sulphate 
ammonia is to be manufactured on a coi 
mercial scale. An illustrated pamphl 
sent out by the company shows the worl 
also the peat moor from which the peat 
being cut on this Irish hillside, as we 
as some other sections of the works. 
