6 i8 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
September 26, 1908. 
stored, and this is an advantage in towns, 
especially where there is little accommo¬ 
dation for storing garden materials of this 
rough and untidy character. 
The fibre should not be pressed so hard 
as in the case of ordinary compost in a 
suitable condition for potting, otherwise 
the numerous fibrous roots of the bulbs 
are unable to penetrate it properly. When 
gently pressed, this fibre must even be 
more porous than the ordinary soil, when 
the cultivator has learned the idea of just 
keeping it sufficiently moist and not sod- 
dened. For some time the idea was 
scorned that bulbs could be grown in 
vessels without drainage holes, but that 
has been entirely disproved by Mr. Syden¬ 
ham's cultures. It is simply a case of 
adapting means to an end. 
When the fibre is obtained it is rubbed 
with the fingers while still in the dry state 
in order to break up all the lumps and 
make it of a uniform composition. It is 
then mixed with the ground shell and a 
little water is added, say, about a gallon 
to each half-bushel of fibre. The operator 
then lets it alone for a while till this 
water has been absorbed by the moss, and 
if any more is required to get It to the 
proper degree of moistness some more 
water may be added. The fibre increases 
in bulk as it becomes moist, but no water 
should drop out of it when just in suitable 
condition for potting. Put a sufficient 
quantity of the fibre into the vase, accord¬ 
ing to the size of the bulb, then place the 
bulb in position, cover with fibre and 
press moderately firm. 
-- 
Gladiolus "White Cloud. 
The blooms of this variety are of a 
great size, creamy white and closely set 
upon the stems. Award of Merit by the 
R.H.S. on September 1st, when shown by 
Messrs. K-clway and Son, I.angport. 
Cactus Dahlia Debutante. 
The florets in this instance are of a soft 
pink with a very long, incurved and white 
tip. First-class Certificate by the Na¬ 
tional Dahlia Society on September 3rd, 
when shown by Messrs. J. Strechvick and 
Son, St. Leonards. 
Single Dahlia Mrs. W. W. Merry. 
The rays of this variety are broad, over¬ 
lapping and make a circular flower. They 
are scarlet with orange tips. First-class 
Certificate by the National Dahlia So¬ 
ciety on September 3rd, when shown by 
the Rev. S. S. Pearce, Woodstock. 
Cactus Dahlia Snowdon. 
The blooms of this variety are of large 
size, with regularly arched or incurved 
florets, and white. First-Class Certificate 
by the National Dahlia Society, when 
shown by Messrs. J. Stredwick and Son, 
St. Leonards, on September 3rd. 
Pteris aquilina Nicholsonii. 
The above is the name of a very slender 
and graceful variety of the common 
Bracken. The fronds are narrow, with 
slender stalks and drooping, and two or 
three times pinnate, with usually a long 
terminal segment at the apex of the 
pinnae. The pinnules are narrowly 
linear. The whole frond is of a deep 
green above, paler beneath, and the plant 
was shown by Messrs. H. B. May and 
Sons at the meeting of the R.H.S. on 
September 1st. It was grown in a basket, 
and seems well worthy of the Award of 
Merit it received, especially if grown by 
the method named above. 
Although a few good flowers are still 
obtainable, the Sweet Pea season has 
now nearly ended, and in a short time, 
perhaps, the ground may be cleared to 
make room for another crop. It is at 
this time of the year that the question 
comes up as to- the advisability of 
saving oner's own seed. Now, if the 
seed is of good quality and well 
ripened, there is certainly no reason 
why it should not be equal to any that 
could be purchased from the seedsman, 
but as the amateur frequently grows 
several varieties quite close to one 
another and often intermixed, great 
care must be taken that the seed saved 
is all correct to name. 
Hints on Harvesting Seed. 
Where the intention is to harvest 
seed, it is wise to go round in July and 
specially mark by means of a label the 
flowers from which seed is required. 
In the autumn, when the pods become 
brown, they should be gathered and 
dried, but they must not be allowed to 
burst open and scatter the seeds. In 
wet seasons it sometimes happens that 
seeds germinate in the pods before the 
latter have become brown. Where 
there is danger of this, it is. advisable 
to gather pods that are nearly ripe and 
complete the. drying under glass. 
When Seed Should Not be Saved. 
It is a notorious fact that many stocks 
of such fine varieties as Counters 
Spencer and Helen Lewis only give a 
proportion of plants true to type. If it 
has been the misfortune of the reader 
to have grown one of these unsatis¬ 
factory stocks, it is unwise for him to 
save seeds of even the best and true 
plants, for it is unlikely that the next 
year’s plants will show much improve¬ 
ment in trueness. It is much wiser to 
obtain a fresh stock from another 
source. 
If seeds are saved from unfixed plants 
or from new types that it is desired to 
fix, seeds from different plants of the 
type should never be mixed, but should 
be saved and sown separately. It is 
often the case that one plant will pro¬ 
duce a,n absolutely fixed strain, while 
another will produce a stock that is 
hopelessly mixed. 
Autumn Sowing in the Open. 
The question of autumn sowing has, 
on more than one previous occasion, 
been discussed in this journal, and it 
will be remembered that although some 
growers cannot succeed with this 
method of culture, others obtain their 
best results by its means. Results de¬ 
pend much upon the locality and also 
upon the season, and those who have 
never experimented in this direction are 
advised to do so this year. Seeds in 
the open ground may be sown more 
thickly than is usual in the spring, and 
the varieties grown need not be the 
most expensive. Seeds should be sow 
soon now, but they may succeed if sow 
in a month’s time. A dry, sheltere 
spot should, if possible, be given then 
Sowing in Frames. 
Those who have cold frames can so 
in the autumn in pots, about five seed 
to a six-inch pot. The quality of th 
flowers exhibited by Mr. Breadmore 
the envy of many of the trade as we 
as of the amateur, and Mr. Herber 
his grower,.^ tells me that the fine: 
flowers they have are always produce 
by this method. The lights may fre 
quently be lifted, except during w( 
and very cold weather. 
Raising Under Glass. 
Now, also, plants may be raised fc 
early bloom under glass. Burpee 
Earliest White is the most suitable fc 
this purpose, and ihis Earliest of A 1 
and Earliest Sunbeams are also gooc 
The so-called winter flowering Swee 
Peas, several stocks of which are no¬ 
on the market, are early and are in 
greater diversity of colour than those 
have named, but the standard varietic 
should not be crowded out by the earl 
varieties, as the latter do not includ 
any nearly so fine as Helen Lewi: 
Countess Spencer, Dorothy Eckt'orc 
or Queen Alexandra. 
Winter Flowering Sweet Peas. 
The winter flowering Sweet Peas ow 
their title to the fact that the perio 
between sowing the seed and flowerin 
is. considerably shorter than in the cas 
of the ordinary varieties. 
The greatest requisite for success wit 
early Sweet Peas under glass is nc 
heat, but light. With sunlight, the 
may flower at Christmas and, in fact 
all the year round, but this is not t 
be obtained in sufficient quantitic 
round large towns. However, it iseas 
to keep them alive during the darke: 
months, and in March or April the 
will commence to flower freely. 
Preparing for Next Year’s Display. 
It is not too early to prepare for ne> 
year's display, and the old advice t 
order novelties early still holds gooc 
Last year, such good things as Evely 
Hemus, Mrs. Henry Bell, and a nun 
her of others were sold out within 
very short space of time, and it is pre 
bable that there will be disappoin 
ments this year. It sometimes happen 
also that, rather than refuse order: 
seedsmen send out inferior stocks c 
scarce varieties after the best have bee 
exhausted. 
Two Popular Peas. 
Nancy Perkin, a Spencer formi c 
Henry Eckford, of which Mr. Bolto: 
holds the stock, is one which, I undei 
stand, will not be plentiful, and the dc 
mand for Dobbie’s “The King” is als 
sure to be immense. G. F. Drayson. 
