THE GARDENING WORLD. 
96 
The Culture of 
Azalea indica. 
This beautiful plant, which makes the 
greenhouse look gay with its lovely 
coloured flowers in March and April, is 
not-very difficult to grow, but the blooms 
may be quite easily spoiled. When the 
buds are expanding they must be well 
supplied with water at the roots, for if 
the soil is allowed to get dust-dry they 
begin to wither and fall off, so ,care must 
be taken when potting to allow enough 
room for the water to soak through, as 
this is the cause of many failures. In the 
earlier part of the growing season the 
plants do not require so much air, but a 
little may be applied every day to give 
strength to the wood and leaves. When 
the flowers are expanding shading may be 
given for a few hours in bright weather, 
but this must not be overdone, as it will 
make the leaves thin and weak. A few 
top-dressings of chemical manure'may be 
given at this time. As the buds come in¬ 
to flower give an abundance of air, and 
the floors may be damped if bright 
weather prevails. 
The best time to pot Azaleas is about 
a month after flowering. They can be 
grown in light loam or peat, but the latter 
is much the best; it should be rich and 
fibrous, and a sufficient quantity of sand 
must be used, one-sixth part not being too 
much if mixed properly. Be sure to drain 
the pots well, as Azaleas cannot be kept 
in health if the soil gets waterlogged. 
Azaleas do not require so much root room 
as many things. When potting, use the 
stick well to make the soil quite solid. 
When potted, syringe the plants liberally 
every afternoon, so as to thoroughly wet 
them, as this will help them to make 
growth for the next year, besides checking 
the red snider and thrip, for if these pests 
get possession they do great harm. 
When the growth has become hardened 
the plants may be stood out of doors, 
choosing a warm, sunny spot for them, 
and as soon as the weather changes to 
cold and damp they must be removed in¬ 
side. Although Azaleas can stand a little 
frost, the temperature should not be lower 
than 35 degs. 
Propagation by cuttings may be done 
by taking young tops about 3 inches long. 
Fill a pot to within an inch of the top 
with sandy peat, fill up the rest with 
silver sand, put the cuttings in thickly, 
water gently, and place them in a tem¬ 
perature of 55 degs. to 60 degs. and shade 
from the sun. They should then remain 
till rooted. They may be placed, in a 
greenhouse for a week or two, after which 
they may be potted off singly into small 
pots and placed in a close frame till fresh 
roots are made. 
G. H. H. 
-- 
Professional Gardeners’ Lodge. 
This Leeds branch of Oddfellows 
possesses funds amounting to £1,564 13s. 
nd. During the past vear £71 os. rod. 
was distributed among sixteen members 
in sickness benefits, and £20 in general 
allowances. £200 has been invested with 
the Leeds Corporation at 3! per cent.. 
This year’s annual show of the Flam- 
borough and District Horticultural So¬ 
ciety will be held on August 19th. 
Bumble-Bee and Closed Gentian. 
Gentiana Andrewsii is an American 
species, and not very often seen in gardens 
in this country. We have a native 
species named ,G. Pneumonanthe, which 
also has closed flowers, but it is rare in a 
wild state, and not very often seen in 
gardens. A writer in “ The American 
Botanist ” came upon a batch of G. An¬ 
drewsii in New Jersey, and while look¬ 
ing at it the flowers were visited by a 
bumble-bee, which solved the problem of 
fertilisation of this particular type. Be¬ 
ing closed at the mouth small insects can¬ 
not enter the flower, but without hesita¬ 
tion or ceremony the bumble-bee alighted 
on the flower and commenced to tear the 
petals apart so as to effect an entrance. 
It then entered bodily, much in the game 
way as we -see bumble-bees entering the 
flower of a Snapdragon. The bee then, of 
course, visited other flowers in the patch, 
and served them in the same way, thus 
showing how the flowers are pollinated in 
nature, even although closed. 
G. W. 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS!— Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,t any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be oare- 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OF TEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making the award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post mt later than the Monday 
following date of iss le. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, an 1 we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
A prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ 1). Chapman.,” for the article 
on “Making a Herbaceous Border,” page 72. 
The Prize Letter Competition was crowded 
out last week for lack of space. 
February 13, 1909. 
Winter-Flowering 
- Geraniums. - 
Winter flowering Geraniums reqye 
very careful attention in order to prod e 
good bushy plants, and also plenty if 
bloom, at a time when flowers are n< e 
too numerous. 
In February cut back the old pla s 
and reserve all the tops for cuttim. 
Insert five or six in 48 sized pots, afl 
stand them in a temperature of 45 de 1 ;. 
to 50 degs., using fairly sandy soil, f 
the old plants that are cut back, sel t 
the best for potting, when well brok, 
as these make better specimens than v 
one-year-old plants. As soon as the c.- 
tings are rooted, pot them singly in ) 
size pots. The compost should consist f 
loam, leaf-soil) and sand, with a little p i 
added to keep it porous. Place them s 
near the glass as possible so as to ensr; 
sturdy growth. When well rooted in th<; 
pots, pinch out the tops, which will ma. 
them break with several growths, and > 
get a foundation for good bushy plants. 
In about a month after stopping, tlr 
will be ready for their final shift. ; 
this potting a compost should be prepar! 
consisting of good fibrous loam, leaf-sc, 
lime-rubble, and sand, with a sprinkli 
of Clay’s Fertiliser. Pot them firmly . 
32 size pots, being sure that the pots a; 
well drained. 
The old plants should also be rea' 
for potting by this time. Reduce the cl 
ball, and give a liberal shift. Place the. 
all in a cold frame and keep rather do'; 
for a few days. At the end of June, th 
can be placed by the side of walks, 
some other convenient nlace, where th 
can be fully exposed. When establish' 
in these pots, feed with Clay’s Fertilise 
and an occasional dose of sulphate 
ammonia, at the rate of half an ounce 
the gallon of water, will greatly assi 
them. Pinch all growths at the secoi; 
leaf, and all flowers off until the midd 
of September. Spray them twice a wee 
with weak soot-water to prevent caterp 1 
lars attacking them. 
At the end of September the plan 
should be placed in a well ventilate 
house, where the temperature can be ke 1 
at about 50 degrees. Watering should 1 
done in the morning, so. that the hou: 
is dry again by night. This will help 
prevent the blooms from damping. Kea 
a sharp look out for caterpillars, whid 
will play havoc with both plants an 
blooms, if not destroyed. 
A few good varieties are Univers< 
Suvania, Herrick, Scarlet Tinio ar 
The Sirdar (scarlet), Hall Caine, Jam! 
Barrie, Phyllis and Zenobia (pink), la 
Maclaren, Mrs. Pole Routh, Mrs. D’On : 
brain (salmon), Eucharis and Dr. Nansej 
(white). 
E. W. 
The Royal Agricultural Society cf 
England will offer prizes for fruit tre 
spraying machines at their show £1 
Gloucester, to be held from June 22b 
to 26th. 
