7 l6 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 14, 1908. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Dull November. 
With November the dull season may be 
said to have fairly commenced, both in gar¬ 
den and greenhouse, although many of the 
late summer-flowering plants still linger to 
cheer us and mingle with the autumn- 
bloomers, whilst the brilliant “ ’mums,” of 
course, are a real source of pleasure. 
There is little to do in the way of propa¬ 
gating or potting, but nevertheless the ama¬ 
teur must not neglect bis work, for it is a 
trying time when many treasured subjects 
may be lost or ruined by a little carelessness 
on his part. The heating apparatus must be 
regulated in accordance with the 'weather, 
“ damping” being one of the chief things 
to guard against, and this humidity may be 
counteracted by a gentle fire and free ad¬ 
mission of air during the early part of the 
day. All* mouldy or dead leaves and decay¬ 
ing flower-trusses must be removed, as the}' 
collect the moisture and are liable to spread 
disease. 'Any leakages or drips from the 
roof of the structure should be noted and 
remedied as soon as the weather allows or 
this being done, for it is little attentions such 
as these that often spell success in green¬ 
house management. 
Roses for Forcing. 
The national flower is always in great de¬ 
mand, and those intended for forcing into 
early blooms should be well established in 
their pots beforehand. It is useless to make 
the attempt with newly-potted trees, which 
may, however, be kept in frames out of doors 
during the winter to afford them some pro¬ 
tection from the weather, and in due course 
be brought into the greenhouse to open their 
flower-buds, when some clean and good 
blooms may be obtained. 
The specially-prepared ones should now be 
brought forward, and all weak growths hav¬ 
ing been removed and the strong shoots 
pruned back according to their several varie¬ 
ties, may be introduced into a mild and 
somewhat moist heat. At the same time a 
rich top-dressing should be given, supple¬ 
mented by liberal doses of liquid manure. 
Treatment of Freesias. 
These, if petted up as advised previously 
in this column, should now be inspected, and 
those which are the most forward may be 
brought into the greenhouse, leaving the 
others to be treated later on, thus providing 
a succession of their lovely and fragrant 
blossoms. They should be well watered, but 
the chief aim is to encourage a dwarf and 
stockv habit of growth, as they are somewhat 
liable to run up straggling and unsightly. 
Plenty of ventilation and close proximity to 
the glass will assist them in this object, and 
if in each pot four or five light canes_or 
sticks are inserted and tied round with thin 
strands of raffla the plants may thus be kept 
neatly within bounds. 
Freesias require cool treatment, and when 
the flower-buds appear they will benefit by 
an occasional application (say, every third 
or fourth day) of some reliable fertiliser in 
a liquid form, or, if preferred, a pinch may 
be stirred into the top soil and watered in. 
F reesia refracta alba is perhaps the most 
popular, but F. Leichtlini major should also 
be grown by every amateur. 
Home-raised Gloxinias. 
These gorgeous flowers are much prized 
and very interesting to grow from seed, the 
erect-flowering varieties being perhaps the 
best for decorative purposes. This year’s 
seedlings will now require “drying off”; 
that is to say, water should be gradually 
withheld till the foliage dies down, after 
which they should be carefully deposited in 
a dry, warm place till February, when they 
will he brought forward and started again. 
If : I was sown quite earlv in the year, «om« 
of the most forward plants .may have thrown 
up flowers, and this being so, the best can 
be selected for any special use, although it 
by no means follows that the most precocious 
are the'finest or choicest varieties. 
Eougainvilloea glabra. 
This is the best of the group for pot cul¬ 
ture, which, after all, is the most convenient 
form in the ordinary establishment, if only 
oh account of portability; moreover, it al¬ 
lows of individual treatment being accorded 
to each plant more easily than the planting 
out system. They are amongst the most 
gorgeous of all our climbers, and owe their 
beauty, as do the Poinsettias, to the highly 
coloured bracts supporting the flowers. 
As they cease blooming, which they will 
have done ere now, water should be given 
less frequently, and the plants allowed to 
rest till spring, at which season, and not 
now, they may be cut back. 
Pretty Little Pot Plants. 
Ixias, when grown in pots, produce such 
a pretty effect if placed along the front of 
the staging when in flower, that anyone who 
has seen them used thus will not begrudge 
the time and trouble expended now in pot¬ 
ting them up. When planting them out in 
the garden border it is a good plan to re¬ 
serve the most promising bulbs for pot work, 
keeping the varieties separate, as this is al¬ 
ways preferable, in my way of thinking, to 
mixing them up promiscuously. Six or 
eight may be inserted in a five-inch pot, any 
light soil being the medium; plunge the 
pots in ashes till they are filled with roots 
and top-growth commences, when they 
should foe removed to the greenhouse and 
placed on a shelf near the glass. If the 
structure he heated they will rapidly de¬ 
velop, and when in flower their decorative 
qualities may be put to the test as above- 
mentioned. G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Mexican Laelias. 
There are numerous species and several 
natural hybrids, among the Mexican Laelias 
that are of easy cultivation, and are thus 
suitable subjects for the attention of ama¬ 
teurs. Where a small structure can be set 
apart for the cultivation of the Mexican 
and other light loving Orchids there is little 
difficulty in producing satisfactory results, 
and although some of them may not flower 
so satisfactorily when grown under the 
same conditions as the Cattleyas, or in an 
ordinary plant store, they are generally 
found to grow well under such treatment. 
They are a distinctly winter flowering class 
of plants. 
The various forms of L. autumnal is are 
the first to commence, and are lovely, 
sweet-scented flowers, the white variety, L.a. 
alba, being scarce and valuable. The 
plants are usually imported in large quan¬ 
tities annually, and are procurable for a 
modest outlay. This species is .almost im¬ 
mediately followed with the typical varie¬ 
ties or the coloured forms of L. anceps. 
The coloured varieties of this species always 
succeed .and usually flower well under the 
same conditions as the Cattleyas, but must 
be placed in the lightest position of the 
house. The white varieties, with the excep¬ 
tion of L.a. alba, L.a. Dawsonii, and L.a. 
percivaliana, do not flower so freely, and 
unless exposed to plenty of strong light they 
cannot be induced to bloom satisfactorily; 
so that unless a house can be set apart for 
their culture, or the conditions for cultiva¬ 
tion are such as are generally found in the 
Western Midlands, I consider it a waste of 
time for amateurs to attempt their culture. 
L. superbiens produces a flower scape seve¬ 
ral feet in length, with a cluster of a dozen 
or more flowers at the apex. This plant re¬ 
quires plenty of ligfort, and should not be re¬ 
potted too frequently. L. albida has small 
flowers very highly perfumed. It is a minia¬ 
ture growing plant, and thus is best accom¬ 
modated in a pan or basket. 
Other Species, etc. 
There are several other species and hy¬ 
brids which are worthy of attention, and 
among the latter I will only mention L. 
gouldiana, showing the influence derived 
from intercrossing L. autumnalis and L. 
anceps. In its better forms it is a most at 
tractive plant, and lasts a long time in per¬ 
fection. The treatment of the whole of this 
section is practically similar. After flower¬ 
ing -the plants take a long season of rest, 
during which dormant season only sufficient 
root -moisture is necessary to retain the 
pseudo-bulbs in a normal plump state, a nor¬ 
mal temperature of about 50 degrees being 
ample during this period, and the plants 
should be subjected to ample light and a 
free circulation of air. 
Repotting. 
Ais soon as the plants show signs of re¬ 
starting into growth they will need more 
encouragement -both as regards a warmer 
treatment and root moisture. When in this 
state any repotting or top dressing required 
may be attended to. The surface moss as a 
rule needs annual replacing, but otherwise 
do not repot too frequently. Care should 
also be observed not to force growth too 
rapidly. It is generally the plants that com¬ 
mence growing -last that flower the best. 
Give ample light and moisture as growth ad 
vances and treat liberally until the flowers 
have been removed. After this they may 
again be transferred to or placed under rest¬ 
ing conditions. H. J. Chapman. 
-f+4- 
Viola cornuta purpurea. 
This is an enlarged V) cornuta of a 
rich violet-blue. Award of Merit by the 
R. H. S., in September last, when shown 
by Messrs. Gunn and Sons, Olton, War¬ 
wickshire. 
H. T. Rose Mrs. Wakefield Christie Miller. 
The blooms are of large size, cup¬ 
shaped, rose in the centre, and the soft 
pink outer petals are folded back. Award 
of Merit by the R. H. S., in October last, 
when shown by Messrs. S. MacGredy and 
Son, Portadown. 
Japanese Chrysanthemum Shanklin. 
The blooms of this variety are S in 
in diameter, massive, white and tinted 
with lilac in the centre. First-class Cer¬ 
tificate by the N. C. S., on October 7th. 
when shown by Mr. Martin Silsbury. 
Shanklin, Isle of Wight. 
Chrysanthemums Mrs. J. Kempley and Kath¬ 
leen Lambrick, 
The above are decorative varieties 
The first named has flowers of soft buff- 
salmon-rose. Kathleen Lambrick is soft 
flesh coloured with much material in the 
centre. First-class Certificates by the 
N. C. S., when shown by Mr. W. Seward, 
Hanwell. 
Four Early Flowering Chrysanthemums. 
October Gold has bronzy gold flowers: 
Provence has salmon-pink flowers like a 
Chrysanthemum-Aster; the soft rosy pink 
florets of La Parisienne are closely re¬ 
flexed and whorled; Nellie Riding is a 
single bronzy red variety of medium size. 
First-class Certificates were awarded to 
each of the above by the N. C. S.. on 
October 7th. when shown by' Messrs. V 
Wells and Co., Merstham. Surrey. 
