March 13, 1909. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
179 
at once, in pans or boxes of light, sandy 
soil, but it is essential that the seedlings, 
at an early stage, are fully exposed to the 
light, in order to render them sturdy and 
stocky, though it is as well perhaps to give 
them partial shade when the sun is at all 
powerful. 
The best plants (and in the case of Ten- 
week Stocks it is. generally found that the 
most backward seedlings prove eventually 
to be the double varieties) may always be 
reserved and potted on to bloom in the house, 
and when well-grown are by no means to be 
despised. 
Popular Pelargoniums. 
These are everybody’s flowers, and to ob¬ 
tain good plants, careful training is neces¬ 
sary. Both show' and zonal varieties must 
be trimmed into shape as they grow, cutting 
out all superfluous or ill-placed shoots, 
which, if desired, may be struck as cuttings, 
whilst the tops of the main growths may be 
pinched to induce them to throw out side- 
shoots. A temperature of about 50 degs. is 
sufficient, and syringing during the fore¬ 
noon is beneficial. Whilst giving them free 
ventilation during the mid-day hours, it is 
as well to close the house early in the after¬ 
noon, and, by growing the plants near the 
glass and turning them occasionally, strong 
plants, full of vigour, should result. 
G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
“ How long, approximately,” asks Mr. 
H. E. Staddon, “ does it take the flowers to 
mature under normal conditions of the more 
generally cultivated species? For instance, 
I have Oncidium leucochilum with flower 
spike four inches long. Would this be out 
in early July? This information would 
help me to retard or 'slightly force a plant 
that was required for a show.” 
In answering this question I am afraid 
that no stated time can be given in the cases 
of the more generally cultivated species. 
There are particular Orchids which when 
grown under normal conditions usually, but 
not always, produce their flowers about the 
same time annually. If we take the case of 
Oncidium macranthum and its allies, we 
find often that many months, in fact the 
greater part of the year, is required, between 
the time of the flower scape showing and its 
coming into flower; but to give an answer 
which may be appjied generally, I should 
say that from three to four months would be 
the time the flowers of a Cypripedium or 
the spikes of Odontoglossums, Oncidiums, 
Calanthes, Phaius, Miltonias, Dendro- 
biums, etc., would take to develop. After 
all, there is a great deal in the situation 
and conditions under which the plants are 
grown, for what one might consider normal 
conditions another might regard as anything 
but normal. As my correspondent has not 
stated what he considers normal conditions, 
I am unable to ascestain this. I should cer¬ 
tainly think his Oncidium leucochilum 
should be open, from the condition he states 
it is in, by the middle of May. It lasts 
several weeks in perfection, so that if wanted 
for July it should be kept in a retarding 
position for the next few weeks. 
The same correspondent asks : ct How can 
one tell the difference between a flower spike 
and a new growth, in its early stages, in 
such species as Lycastes and Cymbidiums? 
It has often puzzled me until its growth has 
advanced some weeks.” 
I fail to see how any mistake in respect 
to growth and flower buds can possibly be 
made in the case of Lycastes. In this case 
I must say that nothing could possibly be 
more distinct, and if once seen should not 
be mistaken again. In the case of some of 
the Cymbidiums, such as C. traciyanum, C. 
cj'perifalium, C. grandiflorum (hookeria- 
num), and C. giganteum, when the flower 
scapes advance thgy certainly do resemble 
the advancing growth, and a very close 
examination is necessary to determine the 
question. In most cases the advancing 
flower-scape is more rounded and solid in its 
very early -stages. The growth invariably 
springs from the extreme base of the last 
made pseudo-bulb, and thus forms a connect¬ 
ing rhizome, whereas the flower-scape is, as 
a rule, produced from the side of the pseudo¬ 
bulb and without the usual rhizome attach¬ 
ment -seen on young growths. As these 
plants generally produce their flower-scapes 
and new growths in the early stages pretty 
rapidly, I would advise my correspondent 
to be content to wait, if he is at all puzzled 
in future. I can assure him that to be a 
successful cultivator of Orchids a consider¬ 
able amount, in fact more than an ordinary 
amount of patience, is necessary, and many 
disappointments will occur whether they are 
anticipated or not. H. J. Chapman. 
-- 
Croydon Gardeners’ Society. 
Mr. Harry Boshier, hon. secretary of 
the Croydon and District Horticultural 
Mutual improvement Society, sends us a 
copy- of the society’s rules and syllabus of 
lectures, etc., which has been produced 
in the form of a little bound book, 4 in. 
by in., and can thus be very conveni¬ 
ently carried in a waistcoat pocket. At 
the meeting of the society on February 
16th Mr. R. Edwards, Beechey Lees Gar¬ 
dens, Sevenbaks, gave a lecture and de¬ 
monstration on table decorations, which 
was highly instructive and greatly appre¬ 
ciated'. 
1 
ECKFORD’S 
Giant Sweet Peas 
W HY purchase seed of inferior quality for your garden, when by sending to Eckfor 
at Wem, the best can be obtained ? The success of your garden depends upon the 
seed supplied, and it therefore becomes a question of QUAJLITY—not quantity. 
V OrV COO cl CQTl I nnf V\ TT n 1 c /in nn fr, 11 tt / 1 TT /1 Yu 1 11 n/1 Vvtt Vi a *i4 a *1 d V- mT. i- 1 1 . 
| ff/\. '» \Jivery seed sent out by me is carefully examined by hand, and brighter colours, larger 
I ¥'}'■*'' W & flowers, and longer stems will be the result of growing seed bought from Wem. 
I Mr /fW NOYEJLTIES FOR THE SEASON. 
1 - Dodwell F. Browne (waved). A beautiful intense bright crimson, almost a self. 
7 seeds, 6d., 15 seeds 1/-. 
Evelyn Hemus (waved). A warm cream shading to yellow, with a piootee 
iA^aa*i*****iM edge of terracotta pink. 20 seeds, 11 -. ^ 
^ Apple Blossom (waved). As its name denotes, this is a beautiful flower of 
Apple Blossem colour. 20 seeds, 6d., 40 seeds, 1/-. 
Queen Victoria (waved). Extremely large flowers, with a background of 
f , deep primrose, flushed with rose. 10 seeds, 6d., 20 seeds, 1/-. 
r Menlo Christie (waved). The standard Is an intense purple mauve, with f 
wings of a somewhat lighter shade. 12 seeds 6d, , 25 seeds, V- /. 
Mid Blue (Dobbie s). A medium sized erect flower of deep sky-blue, nearly a § 
self. 10 seeds, 6d., 20 seeds, 1/-. § 
Saint George. Bright fiery orange standards, wings slightly deeper than § 
the standard. 7 seeds, 6d., 15 seeds, 1/-. # 
VILLA (B) COLLECTION. 
24 splendid varieties, suitable for 
exhibition, 50 seels of each, 5s. 6d. 
VILLA (C) COLLECTION. 
12 splendid varieties, suitable for 
exhibition, 50 seeds of each, 2s. 9d. 
A Booklet giving full particulars 
on the Culture of Sweet Peas given with 
every order. 
VILLA (E) COLLECTION. 
12 extra varieties, suitable for 
exhibition, 25 seeds of each. Is. 6d. 
SPECIAL NOVELTY OFFER. 
1 full-sized Packet of each of the 7 Grand Novelties, and also the Villa (B) Collec¬ 
tion, post free for 11s. 6d. £ Packet of each, post free for 6s. 
1 Packet each of the 7 Grand No'velties, and also the Villa (0) Collection, post 
free for 9s. 6d. £ Packet of each, post free for 5s. 
Send us your name and address and we will forward you, ei 
tirely free of charge, our artistic coloured Catalogue for 
1909. This contains full particulars of Sweet Peas, 
Vegetable, and all Seeds for the Carden. 
ICKFORD, Dept. 8, 1 WEM, SHROPSHIRE. A 
