286 
Seeds to Sow. 
Radishes, Mustard and Cress, Turnips, 
Peas, Spinach to form a succession,, and 
Beetroot. 
Foxglove. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Cinerarias. 
These are of such easy culture and so 
interesting withal to raise from seed, if only 
on account of their great variety, that it is 
not worth while to keep plants that have 
done flowering, excepting, of course, any 
double or extra-choice variety the grower 
wishes to perpetuate. Such plants should 
be cut down, when the flowers fade, to 
within 4 or 5 in. of the base, and increased 
by division of the roots. Seed sown now 
will produce fine plants for autumn flower¬ 
ing. 'Cover the seed pan with a sheet of 
glass, and place in a shady position in the 
greenhouse. Prick off the seedlings, when 
of sufficient size, to other pans or boxes, or 
singly, ii preferred, in small pots, and keep 
fairly close for a time to encourage root 
formation. By and bye, when the cold 
frames have been cleared of the bedding 
plants, and all danger from frost is over, 
the pots containing these young plants may 
be placed therein for the summer months. 
Repotting: Azaleas. 
These beautiful, hard-wooded shrubs, and 
more especially the very popular Azalea 
indica, may be termed stock plants in the 
amateur’s greenhouse, and several should be 
kept with a view to a succession of blossom. 
Plants that have now done flowering should 
have all seed-pods removed, and any strag¬ 
gling or over-crowded branchlets cut back, 
to ensure symmetry of growth. If neces¬ 
sary to repot, it should be done carefully, 
and therein to a great measure lies the 
secret of future success. Remove all crocks 
and such of the old soil as can be done with¬ 
out unduly disturbing the roots, and replace 
in a clean pot, in a compost of two parts 
peat and one part each of fibrous loam and 
silver-sand. Press the soil down firmly 
with a potting-stick, as loose potting allows 
the water to drain through without entirely 
saturating the roots. One other point to 
remember is to have the surface soil sloping 
slightly towards the edge of the pot', for 
should water collect around the stem it is 
often fatal to the welfare of the plant. 
Melon Culture. 
These luscious fruits prove very grateful 
to the palate during the hot summer months, 
and a home-grown supply is always appre¬ 
ciated. Plants raised from seed sown now 
should produce fruit in August and Septem¬ 
ber. Golden Perfection .and Sutton’s Ai 
are good varieties, and the seeds should be 
inserted singly in small pots nearly filled 
with fibrous loam, and if well moistened, 
will require no further watering until they 
have germinated. It is a good plan to 
plunge the pots in a propagator or box of 
fibre over the hot-water pipes, covering the 
same with a sheet of glass. ~ Treated in this 
manner, good plants will result in readiness 
for planting out in the latter part of May 
in the frames which will then be empty, 
and, if desired, some may be retained and 
planted in the border of the house. 
Propagating Epiphyllums. 
A collection of Cacti, however small, is 
always an interesting feature in the green¬ 
house, and none are more popular than the 
Epiphvllum or Winter Cactus. During the 
summer months they can dispense with the 
shelter of a house, but a temperature of 55 
deg. or 60 deg. in winter is desirable. Cut¬ 
tings taken '.during April, of last year’s 
growth, will readily strike in small pots, 
say, 3 in., in a mixture of loam, sand, and 
pulverised brick rubble, and will eventually 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
make nice hanging or basket plants. The 
cuttings should be allowed to dry for a 
short time before inserting^ and instead of 
placing in the propagator, as is usual with 
cuttings, they will succeed better if placed 
on a shelf near the glass, and require but 
little water till active growth commences. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. 
Plants that have made the greenhouse gay 
with blossom during the dull months of the 
year will now yield cuttings for a supply of 
plants to bloom next autumn and winter. 
Cut off each shoot below a joint, and remove 
the botitom^most leaves. Then place the 
slips on a dry shelf for a few hours before 
inserting in small pots of sandy soil. The 
old plants are not yet done with, but may 
be retained, trimmed into shape, and 
watered sparingly until new shoots appear. 
They should then be repotted in a compost. 
of loam, leaf-mould, and sand, and when 
established give plenty of air and sunshine, 
care being taken to remove any flower-buds 
that may appear during the summer, so re¬ 
serving the full energy of the plant for its 
legitimate blossoming period. 
Greenhouse Carnations. 
Tree or perpetual-flowering Carnation cut¬ 
tings taken early in the year should now be 
filling the pots with roots. This can be 
ascertained by turning them carefully out 
with the ball of earth intact, and, if roots 
are visible, they are ready for immediate 
“ potting on.” Allow these young plants 
plenty of light and air, to ensure sturdy 
growth; firm wood and short joints should 
be the aim in the culture of these indis¬ 
pensable plants. Somehow, I have a de¬ 
cided preference for the smooth-edged varie¬ 
ties, but many of the choicest sorts have 
serrated edges, and any amateur starting a 
collection- should see them in bloom and 
select according to his own fancy. Ha-rlo- 
warden, that finest of crimson seifs, should, 
however, upon no account be omitted. 
G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Thunias. 
This genus of terrestrial, deciduous 
Orchids is worthy of every consideration 
from amateurs who are in possession of 
facilities, such as a- plant stove or warm 
intermediate house temperature, in which to 
grow them. The plants are best treated by 
annual repotting. About the present season 
of the year the young growths commence 
advancing from the base of the previous 
season’s growth, which has been lying dor¬ 
mant since the leaves- were cast in the au¬ 
tumn of last year. As soon as these young 
growths have advanced about an inch or so 
in length, new roots are emitted from the 
base; it is when in this state that repotting 
should (be attended to. The plant should be 
carefully turned out of the pot, the old com¬ 
post carefully shaken away, and -any back 
growths cut away, leaving only last season’s 
growth with the new one advancing from its 
base. Having seen that all unnecessary mat¬ 
ter has -been removed, a stick sufficiently 
large to secure the plant in position should 
be affixed to each of last season’s growth. 
This will serve to hold the plant in position 
until such time as the new -roots may estab¬ 
lish themselves in the fresh potting compost. 
The size of the pots used must necessarily 
depend, on the number of plants that are to be 
placed in each. If it is desired to grow 
only a single plant in a pot, 5 in. or 6 in. 
pots will he ample, -but the plants are never 
so effective as- when massed several together 
in a pot, so that when in bloom they make 
a fine specimen. 
The pots used should be filled to about one- 
third their depth with drainage, either 
broken crocks or chopped bracken roots. The 
, April 25/1908. 
material we use consists of two parts fibrou? 
yellow loam and the remainder of broker 
peat and leaves partly decayed, with suffi 
cient -sand and finely-broken crocks inter 
mixed to render the compost porous. 
The plants should now be placed in posi 
tion. I prefer to keep them about half ar 
inch below the rim of the pot, when pottin; 
is completed, as :it gives a -better opportunity 
oif supplying the aroolt moisture. The soi" 
should be carefully worked in and pressec 
moderately firm, yet not so hard but tha 
the roots may penetrate freely through th< 
compost. When potting is completed wate: 
with rain water, taking care to wet the com 
post through. The plants should then b< 
arranged in a light position and need on! 
be shaded, after they become established 
from the scorching rays of the sun. A grea 
deal of water will not (be required at first 
but they are quick rooting and soon fill th- 
pots with roots ; when this is the case plent 
of root -moisture is necessary and a littl 
weak -cow m-anure water will be found bene 
ficial just before the flowers- expand, appliei 
about onoe a week. The flowers are prc 
d-uced from -the apex of the new growl 
when the latter is reaching maturity. 
Red spider and thrips are the worst in sec 
pests to be contended with, but if syringe- 
carefully in bright weather with water an 
occasionally with “ XL-A 11 ” wash flies 
pests may be kept in Check. 
Propagating:. 
To increase the stock of Thunias any c 
the old plants’ Ibulbs may be cut into length 
of two or three of their nodes and -inserte 
as cuttings -in the usual way in a compo- 
of chopped sphagnum moss and silver sane 
These may be either placed in a propagatin 
case or in a moist position of the house an 
kept moist. When the growths from the. 
have advanced sufficiently long to emit ne 
roots, -they should then be potted up sepa 
ately in small -pots, and every encourag- 
ment should -be given to develop the pseud- 
bulbs. 
H. J. Chapman. 
-- 
Gardeners on Strike. 
Paris gardeners are on strike and d 
mand an increase of wages and a redu 
tion in the hours of labour. The men a 
accused of resorting to acts of sabotage 
that is, damaging their employers’ pr 
perty. .During the night 100 Rose bush 
were destroyed at Le Perreux, and 
shrubbery was also devastated. 
Centenary of the Royal Agricultural ai 
Botanic Society of Ghent. 
This society is now celebrating its ce 
tenarv, the exhibition commencing < 
25th April and continuing till 3rd Ma 
The schedule of the exhibition shows th 
prizes consisting chiefly of gold, silver-g: 
and silver medals, are offered in 7 
classes. The last class is meant to be 
repetition of the first exhibition of tl 
society organised .for 7th, 8th, 9th ai 
10th February, 1809. This includes 
large number of plants which were tb 
considered rare, or amongst the mo 
difficult to cultivate. Nevertheless, it 
interesting to note that amongst the 
were many well known plants, such 
Arbutus Unedo, Camellia japonica, t. 
Cineraria, Cyclamen persicum, Erica h( 
bacea the Heliotrope, Gardenia, Olea 
der, the common Rhododendron pon 
cum, the China Rose, Reseda arborescer 
which was probably the common MigiKv 
ette subjected to certain cultural tre: 
ment, and several other now well-knot 
plants. 
