2 5 8 
April 18, 1908. 
must have a dry position and a sunny 
one, and old mortar rubble should be 
used freely with the soil. A sloping posi¬ 
tion suits them, as the drainage is sharp.. 
The blossoms are not over and above 
showy, but they have a delicate and re¬ 
fined beauty of their own. In a very 
dry, warm and sheltered spot an experi¬ 
ment may be made in growing the hardier 
varieties of Opuntias in the open. 
F. Norfolk. 
-4~F4- 
Ixias 
For the Greenhouse. 
We are indebted to South Africa for 
supplying us with a considerable propor¬ 
tion of the most splendid flowers which or¬ 
nament our greenhouses, particularly the 
Heaths, Pelargoniums,. Sparmannias, and 
bulbous-rooted plants, such as the 
Gladioli, Sparaxis, and Ixia. It is to the 
latter genus that the following remarks 
a pp!y- 
These pleasing additions to our spring 
flowers for the greenhouse are easily 
grown. When people fail to grow them 
it is chiefly from inattention to their 
simple requirements. Besides lending 
additional variety to our spring-flowering 
bulbs, these plants when in flower always 
attract attention. Some of them are 
marvellous in the peculiarity and delicacy 
of their colouring, varying from the rich¬ 
est shades of crimson and carmine to 
white, yellow, orange, rose, red, and sea- 
green, the latter, a colour quite unique 
among cultivated plants, being found in 
the variety viridiflora. When well grown 
the wiry arching stems carry their 
panicles or terminal clusters of salver¬ 
shaped blossoms in an exceedingly grace¬ 
ful manner, requiring little assistance in 
the way of staking. 
I generally pot mine during the first 
■week of October along with the other 
spring-flowering bulbs, placing six bulbs 
in a five-inch pot. The compost I use is 
equal parts of light sandy loam and leaf 
mould, with a little sharp sand added, 
passing it through a sieve together (not 
separately), thereby giving a more 
uniform and open texture to the mass. 
After potting, water occasionally as the 
soil becomes dry and until the leaves ap¬ 
pear, when they must be watered accord¬ 
ing to their progressive growth. See 
that the pots are well drained, for, al¬ 
though they like a full supply at their 
roots when growing, anything approach¬ 
ing a stagnant condition is fatal to their 
well-being. After potting I stand them 
in a dark corner of the potting shed, and 
after they begin to grow they are shifted 
to a peach-house, where they get plenty 
of light, freedom from frost, and air at 
all times when the weather is favourable. 
In the spring as they approach flower¬ 
ing, they should be placed near the glass 
to prevent the stems and flower spikes be¬ 
coming drawn, the latter being naturally 
tall enough 
In their natural habitats they enjoy a 
dry, airy atmosphere, hence they are im¬ 
patient of anything approaching an ex¬ 
cess of moisture, either in the atmo¬ 
sphere or at their roots. Their dry, leaf 
texture seems to render them incapable 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
of enduring opposite extremes of drought 
and moisture, or of long-continued expo¬ 
sure to strong sunlight, or parching cur¬ 
rents of air. 
Though they do not force readily, they 
can be got to come along nicely in the 
early spring in an intermediate house, 
with a temperature of about 55 degrees, 
and grown in an ordinary greenhouse 
they will flower by the end of April. 
Desirable varieties are:—Beauty of 
Norfolk, Bucephalus Major, Conqueror, 
Fair Helen, Grand Duke, Hubert, The 
Czar, Titus, William the Conqueror, and 
Viridiflora. 
S. H. 
Stirling. 
-- 
Liverpool Horticultural Society. 
Mr. Harold Sadler, secretary of the 
above society, writes to say that they will 
not, as previously announced, hold a 
spring show this year. 
The Snowdrop is a very star of hope in 
a season of wreck and decay, the one 
bright link between the perishing good of 
the past and the better which has not yet 
begun to follow.— Tories Watson. 
- a. 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 wayjl 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 *-he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
follr wing date of issue...Bntries received later 
th an Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
t) ie 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 
aie too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ T. H.” for the article on “ About 
the Germination of Seeds,” page 242. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “C. T.” for the article on 
“A Useful Hint” ; and another to “T. Oorrie” 
for the article on “ Table Decoration in Early 
Spring,” page 244. 
Bedding 
Geraniums 
And their Propagation. 
About now is the time for the propaga 
tion of bedding Geraniums in heate 
greenhouses. Many valuable plants ai 
lost during the winter even in houses th; 
get the best attention, and the loss shoul 
be ascertained and the stock replenishe 
by taking cuttings from those plants whic 
were potted in the autumn; these shou! 
make excellent compact plants by be<l 
ding-out time. 
The cuttings may consist of two or mo 
eyes (dormant buds), which begin to grc 
as soon as roots are formed and flow 
immediately they are planted in the be 
To prepare a cutting it should be sever- 
through the joint in the stem, and 
sappy or unripe should be allowed to 1 
on a warm bench for a few days; ev 
if it shrivel uji a little, this will not han 
it, as the action will only cause roots 1 
be "formed quicker than if the cutting v; 
inserted while still full of sap. 
Procure some small clean pots, placa 
little turf at the bottom instead of crou 
for drainage, and fill up with a sarr 
compost, a little silver sand being piaci 
on the surface to fall in the hole made y 
the dibber, which will greatly assist rc- 
ing. This sand on the surface should e 
dry to prevent decay of the cutting .t 
this point. 
Only a little moisture will he requid 
till growth begins; once watering th> 
ougfily will sometimes suffice, but a:r 
roots are formed, water need be gin 
only when they really require it. 
If some of the newly-potted plants jo- 
pear to grow lanky the top should >e 
pinched out, which will compel ie 
plants to branch outwards and beetle 
bushy instead of being drawn, and.n 
place of one flower spray, we shall g' a 
plant full of bloom, which is a gat 
point in bed.ding-out stuff. If wate is 
withheld a few days prior to plamg 
out, to give a check in the--'growth, is 
action will cause them to burst into fleer 
immediately they are planted in the bis. 
Joseph Floy 
^pUances. 
A very useful and instructive catah t> e 
is issued by Mr. E. H. Taylor, Web n- 
Herts., which concerns all those who > ve 
to take part in the keeping of l es ' - 
whether for themselves or their ma; er - j 
Every conceivable and up-to-date aph 
ance is mentioned in this list, and apj 
large number of them are illustrcd, 
both in section and complete. Fo in¬ 
stance, there are bee hives made bo; ot 
wood and straw; sections for the' re.ing 
of queens ; . storing cabinets for Aph’'- -a 
Pears, Potatos; swarm catchers for f 
wax balls; honey boards; conve blc j 
feeders;. sections; honey squec’P'- 
bottles for storing, honey.; smoker 101 
driving bees, etc. Much useful inf< lia ) : 
tion concerning bees, foul brood, anji°" : 
to cure it; honev ; bee calendar, and the' 
information is also given. 
