768 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
December 12, 1908. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Work for Odd Minutes. 
Beyond the ordinary care of the plants 
there is, perhaps, little to do just now in 
the Greenhouse, but it is a-S well to look 
ahead, and many a task may be found that 
will save much valuable time later on. A 
stock of pots may be washed in readiness, 
and especially a good supply of “ sixties,” 
which will be necessary for the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum cuttings, and let the deep and narrow 
pattern be selected for this purpose in pre¬ 
ference to the wider and shallower sort. The 
slovenly habit of storing dirty pots .under 
the staging is all too prevalent amongst 
amateurs, and not only renders the Green¬ 
house unsightly, but does real harm by en¬ 
couraging insect pests and other, vermin, 
such as mice, etc. Often too, when in a 
hurry to pot some plant or another, one gets 
used (a clean one not being at hand) to the 
detriment of the same plant, for the roots, 
emerging through the soil, cling tightly to 
the dirty sides of the receptacle, and get 
badly lacerated and torn when it becomes 
necessary to remove for the purpose of 
potting on. 
Zonal Pelargoniums. 
Almost any novice can flower these readily 
enough in summer, but to get a supply in 
bloom worth showing during the dull days 
of winter is quite a different matter, and 
plants must be specially prepared for the 
purpose. Spring-struck cuttings must be 
carefully grown on during summer, pinched 
back judiciously, and not allowed to flower 
until the season intended for their blossom¬ 
ing. 
Damping is the great thing now to be 
guarded against, and all superfluous 
moisture should be wiped up after watering, 
which by-the-by, should only be done when 
absolutely necessary, whilst a dry atmo¬ 
sphere and a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees 
must be kept up. All decaying leaves 
should at once be removed, and even the in¬ 
dividual pips should be deftly picked out 
fiom the trusses as they fade, a pair of 
scissors being used for the purpose, for if 
allowed to remain, they hold the moisture, 
and are liable to spread disease around. 
When a shoot has thrown out two or three 
flower-stalks, it may be pinched back just 
beyond the top one ; this will throw all the 
energy of the plant into the flowers, which 
will be improved if a small quantity of 
Clay’s Fertilizer is stirred into the top 
soil. 
Begonia Tuirnfopd Hall. 
What a splendid companion plant this 
makes to the ever-popular Gloire de Lorraine. 
Grown side by side, they show each other 
off in a very effective manner. The Turn- 
ford Hall variety, although catalogued as 
white, is very faintly tinted with delicate 
flesh colour, this, to my mind, enhancing its 
beauty, whilst the clusters of dainty flowers 
are borne in absolute profusion during many 
months of the year when blossom is scarce. 
If a genial temperature cannot be main¬ 
tained, great care must be taken not to over¬ 
water them, and a little rather weak stimu¬ 
lant now and again will prolong their 
flowering period. Large plants will require 
neatly staking and tying up, and the green- 
tinted Raffiatape will prove very useful for 
this purpose. 
Ew»y-Bearing v. Flowering Plants. 
W hat a pity it is that so many amateurs 
do not make the most of this really useful 
section of plants. Many of them, with their 
br’ghtlv-coloured berries, are eminently 
adapted for enlivening the cool greenhouse 
or conservatory during winter, whilst for 
'able decoration, or the room, small neatly 
n wn specimens have many advantages aver 
flowering plants. 
The latter, when’ brought in from the store 
dr greenhouse, even if gradually accus¬ 
tomed to the change of conditions, do not 
continue long in a presentable state, whilst 
the former, with the minimum of attention, 
last for quite a long period, the brilliant 
beriies and rich green leaves forming quite 
a pleasing contrast. The Solanum Capsi- 
castrum is, of course, well known, and duly 
appreciated, whilst one of the best is 
Ardisia crenulata, a fine, evergreen, shrubby^ 
plant, sometimes attaining a height of five 
feet, and with cool treatment its coral-like 
•berries will be retained till next season’s 
crop is showing colour. 
Heliotropes in Winter. 
Heliotropes raised from cuttings struck in 
April, and grown on for flowering at this 
season, should be given a position as near 
the glass as possible, whilst a nice genial 
atmosphere must be retained if the plants 
are to do themselves justice. Few amateurs 
seem to be aware what really fine win.ter- 
flowering subjects they are, but if properly 
potted on and pinched hack during the 
summer and autumn months, fine sturdy 
plants should now result, showing flower- 
buds at the extremity of every shoot, and an 
occasional application of liquid manure will 
soon bring them to perfection. 
Two of the best varieties are Lord Roberts, 
a fine deep violet in colour, and, as a con¬ 
trast, White Lady, the name of which de¬ 
notes its tint, sharing with the former the 
Heliotrope’s delicate fragrance. , 
Watering Vallotas. 
The Scarboro’ Lily (Vallota purpurea) 
whether grown as a greenhouse or window 
plant, should never be dried off, as it is, of 
course, not a Lilium, but during winter, the 
supply of moisture must be considerably 
lessened, although the soil should never be¬ 
come dust-dry. 
Some years ago we were promised a pure 
white variety, which would be an acquisition 
indeed, although, of course, there is the 
Vallota eximea, the White-throated Scarboro’ 
Lily, which many think a great improvement 
on the type. 
G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Early Flowering' Dendrobiums 
Some amateurs who grow the deciduous 
section of Dendroibiums in quantity, will 
probably wish to have a few of their plants 
in flower early in the new year. To do this 
it is necessary to select the hardest pseudo- 
-bulbs, and plants that have best ripened for 
the purpose. These plants should be gradu¬ 
ally removed from their resting quarters, 
and transferred to the warm house or stove. 
To place plants direct from their resting 
quarters into excessive heat would probably 
excite too rapid growth, and the result 
would prove, that instead of flowers, side 
shoots would make their appearance; even 
when plants are gradually brought from one 
temperature to another by degrees, unless 
the pseudo-bulbs are thoroughly ripened, 
exactly similar results of growth instead 
of flowers are produced. Another cause of 
growth production, and one that frequently 
occurs, even later in the season, is too liberal 
treatment. The plants will require very 
little water at the roots, only sufficient is 
necessary to retain them in a plump state, 
and it is really surprising hew little is re¬ 
ar ired, when the atmosohere is at all 
charged with moisture. There is no neces¬ 
sity to give root moisture until the flower 
buds Lave advanced to that stage when they 
commence to separate one from another, 
then every encouragement will be necessary. 
Treatment Necessary. 
Where it is desirable to have Dendrobiums 
in flower early in the season, the plant- 
should be placed in a position where the' 
may obtain the maximum amount of light 
a position where they may be suspended nea 
the roof glass is desirable. Some of th 
most useful kinds for this purpose are D 
aureum and D. nobile among the species 
and D. Cassiope, D. Ainsworthii and it 
allies among the hybrids. 
I am not in favour of advising amateur 
or encouraging too early flowering of Den 
drobiums. There can be no doubt that fa: 
more satisfactory results are obtainable 
where the flowering takes place in thf 
months of March and April, and there i 
then less possibility of the plants producing 
growths instead of flower buds. So tha 
unless it is desirable to commence early ir 
the year, I would advise their being brough' 
info flower later in the season when th< 
outside conditions are more favourable to the 
production of satisfactory results. 
Coelogyne cristata 
Is another species that is frequently usee 
as an early flowering plant. Where the 
plants are grown in a stove or warm inter 
mediate house there is not much difficult-, 
in getting C. cristata into flower by the end 
of January and through Febiuary. Where 
the plants are extensively grown for cut 
flower purposes it is at the above mentioned 
periods that their white flowers are most 
appreciated and useful. Here again care: 
■is particularly necessary not to over water. 
It is quite soon enough to apply liberal root 
moisture when the flowers can be distinctly 
seen on the scape. Coelogyries are altogether 
unsatisfactory subjects in fog-affected and 
smoky areas. The flower scapes even in 
an early stage turn black and become 
moisture-laden. It is therefore advisable to 
keep the plants as cool as possible, and to 
retard the growth and flowering, until such 
time a$ favourable outside conditions are 
likely to occur. The plants do very well 
during the resting period among the Odonto- 
glossums, or even in a cool airy vinery. 
H. J. Chapman. 
-- 
In the south most varieties are quite 
hardy, and but little difficulty is experi-i 
enced in bringing them safely through 
the winter in the open air. With growers 
in the north things are entirely different, 
and with the exception of the Masse 
family and one or two others, all must 
be wintered under glass. A cold frame 
will suffice to keep them alive, but I find 
it much more satisfactory to give the 
boxes of plants the protection of a pit 
from which frost is excluded, as by this 
means much earlier cuttings can be pro¬ 
cured. As some varieties produce cut¬ 
tings very slowly, the importance of an 
early start cannofe«be overrated. I always, 
box up as many old plants as I consider 
will produce the number of cuttings re¬ 
quired. Some writers advise propagat¬ 
ing in autumn, but as many of the finest 
sorts give no cuttings at this season, how 
is it possible to follow this advice? Such 
gems as Polly, Rosie, Carrie, Market 
White, Mytchett White, Goacher’s Crim¬ 
son, Craigmillar Park, and Lillie, send 
up no suckers in autumn here, so that; 
lifting the old roots is the only practical 
plan. 
C. Blair. 
Preston House, 
Linlithgow. 
