4 § 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
A year or so ago the theory of nitro- 
bacterine culture for Sweet Peas was ex¬ 
plained in these pages. During the past 
year it has been tested in many gardens, 
but the practically universal experience 
has amply justified the doubts that were 
cast on its practical value. It may now 
safely be said that for use in our gardens 
it is worthless. In most cases the in¬ 
oculated plants were no different from 
the uninoculated, and it is probable that 
where it was thought that benefit had been 
derived, the difference existed only in the 
imagination. 
Sowing Sweet Peas in Pots. 
We have now reached the season when 
the majority of Sweet Peas that are raised 
under glass are sown. Where time and 
space are available, it is jtrobable that it 
is better to raise the plants singly in small 
pots, but the advantage is very slight, and 
by far the more general practice is to 
sow from four to six seeds round the edge 
of a pot from four to six inches in dia¬ 
meter. 
An alternative method is to sow the 
seeds in boxes about five or six inches 
deep. This method is more economical 
of greenhouse or frame space, and 
although it entails the disturbance of the 
roots when the seedlings are planted out, 
the results are almost equal to those ob¬ 
tained by the other method. 
Soil. 
The soil used for raising the seedlings 
should be only moderately rich, and 
should have enough sand in it to keep it 
porous. Whether pots or boxes are used, 
care should be taken that the drainage is 
good. After the seeds are sown, the 
box or pot should be given one or two 
sharp taps to make the soil settle, and 
it should then be watered. All parts used 
should be clean and dry, and boxes should 
have holes in the bottoms to allow the 
water to drain away. The coarser portion 
of the potting soil should be placed on 
top of the crocks used for drainage. 
No more heat is required than is neces¬ 
sary to ensure germination, and directly 
the plants appear above the surface of 
the soil, they should be placed as near the 
glass as possible, in a light airy position. 
There is not any advantage in soaking 
the seeds in water before they are sown, 
but where mice are a nuisance—and in 
some cases they seem very fond of Sweet 
Pea seeds—they should be coated with red 
lead, which readily adheres when they are 
damped, and the lead is sprinkled over 
them and the seeds rolled in it. 
An alternative protection against mice 
is to soak the seeds in paraffin for a short 
time, but I believe the red lead to be 
better, as I have heard some growers com¬ 
plain of the seeds being injured by the 
paraffin. 
Where expensive varieties are grown it 
is important, of course, that all the seeds 
should germinate, and to help this, the 
skin of the seeds should be slightly filed 
or nicked with a knife. As soon as the 
yellow inside of the seed is visible, the 
filing should cease. The scar showing 
the spot on which the seed was joined to 
the pod should not be chosen for the 
filing. 
Selection of Varieties. 
The selection of varieties is of the 
utmost importance, for the man with 
Countess Spencer should beat the man 
who grows only Prima Donna as a pink, 
no matter how well the latter treats them. 
Of course all readers would like to grow 
the very best of each colour, but in some 
cases the best are very expensive, and 
consequently are beyond the reach of 
many growers. The following twelve 
varieties, however, are all thoroughly re¬ 
liable, and can be obtained very cheaply. 
For ordinary garden decoration and cut¬ 
ting they will be found excellent, and 
many of them are not to be despised as 
exhibition varieties. Dorothy Eckford is 
still esteemed by many experts as the 
finest white. It is smaller than Etta 
Dyke, but it is purer. Miss Willmott is 
the grand orange pink that, gave way only 
to Helen Lewis. Lady Grizel Hamilton 
is the popular lavender variety. King 
Edward VII. is a large bold crimson 
flower. Mrs. Walter Wright is a splendid 
mauve. Hon. Mrs. Kenyon is very little 
behind the more expensive cream varie¬ 
ties. Black Knight is still almost the 
best maroon. Helen Pierce is marbled or 
veined blue on a white ground. Jeannie 
Gordon has a rose standard and cream 
wings. Sybil Eckford is apricot cream. 
Gladys Unwin is a rose pink, and Phyllis 
Unwin, rose carmine. 
The following four varieties will pro¬ 
bably prove more expensive, but they are 
of such great merit that they should be 
grown by all, and are worthy of inclusion 
in even the most expensive collections: -- 
Countess Spencer (rose pink), Helen 
Lewis (orange pink), John Ingman (rose 
carmine), and Mrs. Hardcastle Sykes (blush 
pink). These are distinct enough to be 
all included in a collection of twelve 
varieties, but an a collection of six, either 
Countess Spencer or Mrs. Hardcastle 
Sykes should be omitted. All these varie¬ 
ties should be obtainable in fixed strains, 
but it is well to remember there are still 
many unfixed strains on the market, and 
that it is not always true economy to buy 
the lowest priced. 
True stocks of John Ingman are some¬ 
times sold under the name of George Her¬ 
bert or Mrs. W. King, and Countess 
Spencer may often be bought as Para¬ 
dise or Enchantress. 
January 23, tgoQ, 
Another variety that will improve ai 
exhibitor’s collection is Frank Dolby, 01 
better still, Mrs. Charles Foster, althoug 
the latter, from many seedsmen, will pro 
bably prove rather unfixed. Nora Lr 
win is an excellent white. Queen Alex 
andra is a better colour than King Ec 
ward VII., but rather ' smaller. Henr 
Eckford is good when well grown an< 
shaded, for it is unique in colour. Phe 
nomenal is a pretty white with a biu 
edge. Of course such novelties as Evely 
Hemus, of last year’s introduction, 0 
Zephyr, of this year’s, will materially uc 
prove an exhibitor’s chance of success 
but these have been discussed, or will b 
discussed, elsewhere. G. F. Drayson. 
-- 
TRADE NOTICE. 
LOW’S CARNATION FERTILISER. 
Messrs. Hugh Low and Co., Bush Hil 
Park, Middlesex, have sent a sample 0 
their Carnation fertiliser, with which w< 
intend to make experiments ourselves dur 
mg the growing season. It seems a use 
ful compound, and from its concentratec 
nature and the ease with which it can be 
kept it seems capable of being not onh 
useful for growing Carnations, but van 
ous other subjects. It is purely an or 
ganic manure, cool and regular in it; 
action, and while it has no injurious effec; 
upon either cuttings or flowers, it develop; 
the root system and plants generally. 
We are informed it is reliable in its 
action, and quite safe in the hands of 
amateur gardeners. ■ It is the result of 
many years’ experiments, and besides 
mineral matter, contains nitrogen in 
three forms at various stages of develop¬ 
ment. It is in use in their own nurseries, 1 
and has given splendid results with Car¬ 
nations grown in pots. 
-- 
Calanthe Angela. 
This hybrid was raised from burfordi- 
ense crossed with Chapmanii, and has the- 
merit of being the darkest coloured 
Calanthe in cultivation. The sepals and 
petals are of a rich crimson-purple. The 
large lip, on the contrary-, is of a very, 
dark velvety crimson. The colour was 
quite unexpected from the parentage, and 
the difficult question arises where the 
colour came from. The R.FI.S. awarded 
it a First Class Certificate on December 
22nd, When shown by N. C. Cookson, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. H. J. Chapman), 
Oakwood, W'vlam-on-Tyne. 
Acanthus montanus. 
All the better known forms of Acanthus 
are herbaceous plants, but this is a shrub 
coming from West Africa, and may be • 
had in plants from 1 ft. to 3 ft. in height 
or more, according to age. Plants raised 1 
from cuttings bloom in the following 
autumn, while about a foot high. The 
leaves are horizontal, 12 in. to 15 in. 
long, and light green with dark green 
blotches on the upper surface. They are 
spiny at the tips and edges with usually 
a prickle on the centre of little elevated . 
spots on the upper surface. The flowers 
are white and the calyx is pink, netted 
with green. It was accorded a First Class | 
Certificate on December 22nd by the . 
R.H.S., when shown by Messrs. J. Veitch 
and Sons, Chelsea. 
