740 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 28, igo8. 
gether, our aim is to simplify the picture. 
This 1 attempted to do by trying to 
select my view point so that the nearest 
plants would hide some of those further 
away, so that it would not look quite 
such a confusion. Also 1 aimed at get¬ 
ting as plain and dark a background as 
the circumstances permitted, it will be 
seen from my little print that it was not 
possible to dodge all the parts of the 
background for 1 could not avoid or evade 
the group of small (potted) specimens 
on the floor to our left, but was more 
fortunate on the right hand side. Of 
course, in a private place these pots could 
have been removed and the case simpli¬ 
fied. 
My third example illustrates the case 
when we wish to deal with a group of 
similar specimens. If now we get them 
all just the same degree of sharpness, 
same light and shade and so on, they 
will give us a very eye-confusing picture 
with no beginning or ending, no con¬ 
centration of interest. 
Therefore one or two specimens must 
be selected for our special attention, 
while the rest of them must be made to 
“play second fiddle.” This we can do 
by allowing this latter to be very slightly 
out of focus and yet not so much so as 
to be noticeable; also by going rather 
near the selected specimens we can give 
it the suggestion of importance by 
slightly exaggerating its size, but this 
again must be done with great caution 
and restraint or a false impression may 
be conveyed. Then again, if we can se¬ 
cure the aid of a friend to hold an open 
umbrella up so as to cast a little shade 
on to the background part this will aid 
us materially. 
Thus from these three examples we 
get a few hints as to how we can exer¬ 
cise a certain measure of pictorial con¬ 
trol and yet we do not touch or in any 
way disturb the specimen. But when the 
case permits of a little re-arrangement 
of the specimens we can do very much 
more, of course. 
-- 
The Storing of Onions. 
Many fine Onions are lost each winter 
by being stored in far too warm a room. 
It does not seem to be very widely under¬ 
stood that ripe Onions are very hardy, 
and, in fact, if kept dry, no frost will 
harm them. This is so, however, and 
the best place for wintering Onions is an 
open shed facing north. Be sure that it is 
perfectly watertight, and hang the 
Onions up near the roof. They should 
not be handled while hard frozen, so to 
avoid having to do so a few should be 
placed in some place where they may be 
free from even the severest frost. The 
above refers chiefly to large bulbs. The 
smaller ones can be safely wintered if 
spread out thinly on the floor of a cool 
loft, or shed. They should be looked 
over occasionally, and any decaying 
bulbs removed, the whole crop being 
turned at the same time. If this cool 
treatment be given, it will be possible to 
have good sound Onions well into spring. 
It is, of course, only perfectly matured 
bulbs that keep well, and all those in¬ 
clined to be “thick-necked” should be 
used first, as they very soon spoil. 
C. Blair. 
Preston House, Linlithgow. 
Fig. 3. Agave americana vanegata. 
Sweet Peas 
. . IN NOVEMBER. 
In the 1908 Sweet Pea Annual, Mr. 
Walter Wright speaks of two dangers 
that are threatening the Sweet Pea. O^ne 
is “ streak ” and the other is “ mixed 
stocks.” The latter danger is very real, 
but enough is known about it to be'con¬ 
quered if only the will to do so is suffi¬ 
ciently strong. Of the former danger, 
however, this cannot be said, for prac¬ 
tically nothing is known either of its 
cause or cure. 
As many readers may be fortunate 
enough never to have been troubled with 
it, and as some may not recognise it 
under the name of “streak,” I will give 
a short description of the scourge, or 
rather of its visible effects on the plants 
attacked. The chief sign is the appear¬ 
ance of small pale streaks or dashes on 
the foliage and bine of the plant, and of 
similar marks on the flowers, varying in 
colour according to the variety. Black 
Knight becomes streaked with a very 
pale shade,- and I have known a flower 
affected to be mistaken for a flaked 
variety. Lavender flowers develop mauve 
streaks, and all flowers lose their depth 
and brilliancy of colour, and look dirty. 
At the same time the nlants show other 
signs. Tn bad cases, the growing leaves 
curl up and the shoots show a stunte 
appearance, but growth and the produi 
tion of flowers still continue, althoug 1 
the flower stems attain only half the 
wonted length. The name “ streak ” ce 
tainly seems to be very appropriate, for 
is the surest sign of the trouble, an 
occurs even in white flowers, which lo- 
their purity and show semi-transparei 
markings, which are very noticeabl 
when held up to the light. 
Streak may attack plants at any stag 
of their growth, sometimes it does nt 
appear until the flowering season is ha 
over; at others it shows its presence b< 
fore the plants have commenced t 
flower, and I have known it to attac 
plants raised in pots before they wer 
planted out. I think it possible also the 
seedlings are sometimes affected even be 
fore they are through the ground. Whe 
the plants are' very young there is a pre 
bability of their outgrowing the trouble 
but not so the older plants, althoug. 
partial recovery may be made. 
Streak has been noticed for some year 
past, but last year it seems to have beei 
worse than ever before, although thi 
year it has been hardly so prevalent 
Numerous complaints have been mad' 
