THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 13, 1905 
504 
All dead or decaying foliage should be 
removed, and any mossy, slimy matter accu¬ 
mulated on the pots must be washed off, and 
the atmosphere about the plants kept in a 
sweet state by judicious ventilating, whilst 
‘over-heating should be, at the same time, 
carefully guarded against, as this is one 
great cause of failure with novices. 
Many of what I may term the “hard¬ 
leaved subjects,” such as palms, etc., may 
he washed with a sponge and tepid water, 
Whilst others will do better if syringed to 
remove any deposits of dust from their 
foliage. Top-dressings may be given (after 
the old surface soil has been removed) to 
many things that do not require repotting, 
and the amateur may rest assured that such 
attentions given now will be amply repaid 
later on. 
A Fine Cool-House Shrub. 
Sparmannia africana does remarkably 
well in the cool greenhouse or conservatory; 
in fact, in very small structures it often 
proves such a rapid grower that room cannot 
be spared for it, and it has to be discarded 
solely upon that account. 
Smaller specimens, however, can always be 
obtained at this season by means of cuttings, 
which will strike readily in sand, loam and 
leaf-mould, if placed under a bell-glass or 
in the propagator. Pot up singly as soon 
as roots are formed, and by pinching back 
the main shoots now and again induce a 
bushy habit of growth. Shift the young 
plants on as necessary till about midsummer, 
when, if growing as they should, six-inch 
pots at least will be necessary, then they can 
be hardened off outside until September, at 
which time they will heed re-housing. 
Starting Gloxinias. 
Various tuberous-rooted plants, such as 
Gloxinias, etc., may be started into active 
growth in batches, some being held back for 
use later, as by this method the flowering 
period may be lengthened until the early- 
sown seedlings produce their blossoms, 
which some, at any rate, will do in the au¬ 
tumn if sown at once! It is best to place 
each singly in a small pot of leaf-mould and 
peat, with a little silver sand and charcoal 
added, potting on into richer soil as the 
growth progresses. Of course in large, estab¬ 
lishments, where a great number is required, 
this method would take too much valuable 
space, and the tubers are placed somewhat 
closely in boxes, and then submitted to 
genial warmth, being shifted into pots when 
sufficiently forward. 
Gloxinias from Seed. 
Simultaneously with starting the dormant 
bulbs, seed may be sown in pans or boxes, 
using as a medium peat and leaf-mould in 
equal quantities. This should be passed 
through a fine sieve, which done, one-third 
part of silver sand should be added, and the 
whole well mixed. This forms a most suit¬ 
able compost, and after the seed has been 
sown, which should be done very thinly, it 
may be carefully watered and shaded with 
a sheet of glass to prevent undue evaporation 
of moisture. In a genial temperature ap¬ 
proaching 70 degrees it will soon commence- 
to germinate, and when the resultant plant- 
lets are large enough to handle, transplant 
into other boxes, and from thence into pots 
singly, when every care should be given to 
encourage even and rapid growth. 
Under proper conditions most of them 
should bloom this year t although of course 
the plants must not be expected to give of 
their best until the second season. 
Vines from “ Eyes.” 
This is the best month of the year for the 
amateur to obtain, if he so desires, young 
plants from his favourite Black Hamburg or 
other chosen variety of Vine. The light is 
better than last month, and the wood is na¬ 
turally somewhat more matured. 
The buds or “ eyes ” to select for the pur¬ 
pose should be cut from thoroughly ripened 
wood of last year’s growth. It is not often 
that many young Vines are required, there¬ 
fore each may have a pot to itself. Cut the 
rod cleanly through at an angle, from half 
to one inch above and below a joint, and 
press firmly into the. soil, leaving the swell¬ 
ing bud just level with the surface. Then 
plunge the pot to its rim into the propagator, 
where a bottom heat of 70 degrees should be 
available in order to induce quick rooting, 
and, when active growth commences, watch¬ 
fulness and ventilation are necessary to pre¬ 
vent “ damping off.” 
Celosias. 
The sowing of these showy annuals is 
often deferred till March, but I would advo¬ 
cate a batch being put in now for August 
flowering. It is seldom we see them really 
well grown by amateurs, but there is no rea¬ 
son why this should be so. I fancy they are 
not kept sufficiently moist by syringing and 
other means, for I have invariably noticed 
that any tendency to dryness causes the 
foliage to fall off, which of course greatly 
disfigures the plants. 
Pans or shallow boxes, should be used, and 
the seed sown in light, sandy soil, will soon 
germinate if placed in a genial bottom heat 
of about 65 degrees. Keep the atmosphere 
about the young plants moist, but not stag¬ 
nant, repotting as necessary to prevent them 
becoming pot-bound, as if allowed to reach 
that state they will run to flower prematurely 
and become spoilt. 
Autumn-struck Hydrangeas. 
These may now be shifted into thgir flower¬ 
ing pots, and six or seven inch receptacles 
will be found large enough. Afterwards 
they will require more water and warmer 
quarters to enable them to make good growth 
and throw out their massive flower-heads; 
indeed, whilst growing they must be liber¬ 
ally supplied with moisture, with alternate 
applications of liquid cow manure when the 
flower buds become visible. 
G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Cool House Orchids. 
Many of the various species and hybrid 
Odontoglossums will now be developing 
their flower spikes. Those in the most for¬ 
ward stage of development should be placed 
in a position where they may obtain the 
maximum amount of light; this may be done 
by placing the plants on stands or inverted 
pots, also by suspending them from the roof. 
There can be no doubt that the substance and 
qualities of the flowers are considerably im¬ 
proved at this time of the year, when the 
plants are given the full advantage of light. 
One of the greatest troubles with which we 
have to contend, at the present season, when 
the young flower scapes are advancing, is 
slugs. This pest secrete themselves in the 
potting compost and axils of the leaves, and 
even with every care and attention in look¬ 
ing for them we find that they frequently 
destroys the work of a twelvemonth by eating 
out the flower scapes in a very short period. 
It is a good plan to wrap a small piece of 
cotton-wool around the base of the flower 
spike, for although this not actually pre¬ 
vent them eating off the spikes, it forms'a 
barrier which they find difficult to surmount 
and thus in some measure it tends to preserve 
the flower scape. Small patches of bran, or, 
better still, of brewers’ grains-if procurable, 
placed on pieces of crock or glass, and laid 
about the stages and on the surface of the 
potting compost, offers a good feeding 
ground for slugs and snails, then by the aid 
of a light they are easily caught and de¬ 
stroyed. 
Masdevallias. 
Many of the early-flowering varieties of 
this genus will now be producing their 
flower scapes. It is to be regretted that such 
a large £enus df Orchids as this, and r- 
tainly one of the most interesting, attract e, 
and easily cultivated, should have fallei ;o 
much out of favour among prominent Ore d 
cultivators. It seems only a few years s :e 
that the whole of the Masdevallias and 1- 
lied genera were one of the principal 1. 
tures in every Orchid collection. Nothin ; s 
more serviceable to make a display or n :e 
attractive and useful for exhibition purp- ;s 
than such species as M. ignea, M. Veitci, 
and the various tinted forms of M. cocci a 
(harryana). While these are showy, t e 
dwarfer growing kinds such as M. sclb- 
deriana, M. polysticta, M. caudata, [. 
racemosa, M. Estradae, M. muscosa, an a 
host of others, have all their especial po ts 
of beauty and interesting characterist 3. 
Then we have another section in the [. 
Chimaera family, that produce their fl.ov-5 
during the spring and summer months, , d 
are worthy of every consideration. ' .e 
whole of the Masdevallias may be rec 1- 
mended as suitable subjects for every a i- 
teur’s collection. 
They do well in a temperature of abou' 0 
degrees normal in winter. They are , 0 
very suitable to be grpwn among Ferns i a 
cool house, as they are particularly shr :- 
loving plants, especially so during the la¬ 
test months of the year. As stated abt ■. 
these not being fashionable Orchids, fly 
are procurable at a modest outlay, in re t 
cases costing not more than a shilling or to, 
and therefore are within the reach of e 
most humble amateur. They like a cc . 
humid atmosphere while growing, wi 
slightly drier conditions during the dorm t 
season, but they must - not be permitted n 
remain in a dry state- for any lengthen 
period. 
H. J. Chapman 
-- 
The Essex County Council have z- 
plied to the Home Secretary to sanctii 
a bye-law for the protection of Ferns a'l 
wild plants in the county. 
Croydon Gardeners and Soil Inoculation. 
At the last meeting of the Croydon a! 
District. Horticultural Mutual Impro'- 
ment Society, Mr. Mark Webster, 1 
Kelsey Park Gardens, Beckenham, ga; 
an interesting lecture on the nitro b;- 
terine culture. The results of his expe- 
ments do not appear to have been sem- 
tional. He considered poor subsoil t: 
best medium for inoculation, and thougt 
that soil containing roots which had bei 
treated with this culture would be muii 
benefited for successional crops. Seeif 
that the cost of collecting and distribute; 
this nitrogenous matter was so very sm;l 
he could not understand why . such f- 
horbitant prices were charged for t; 
article.—The ninth annual dinner of U 
Society was held at the Greyhound Hot , 
Croydon, on the 10th inst. 
Spraying Fruit Trees with a Fire Engine. 
Some interesting experiments tookplu 
at the Duke of Bedford’s Experiment 
Fruit Farm, at Woburn, on January 251, 
under the superintendence of Mr. Spenc 
Pickering, F.R.S., the director of t: 
establishment. It was considered that! 
jet of steam might be used as a winfl" 
spray for fruit trees, and at the suggesti 1 
of Messrs. Merryweather and Sons, wb 
are now making a great speciality > 
spraying apparatus, the Duke’s fire engi' 
was pressed into service. It was fouj 
quite possible to spray a jot of steam 
a temperature that should be sufficient 1 
kill the eggs, lying in the interstices ! 
the bark, but whether the method is pn 
ticable from a commercial point of vitf 
still remains to be seen. 
