March 20, 1909. 
193 
couraged, as they may be -utilised later on 
for cuttings, and by this means the amateur 
can readily increase his stock of these most 
useful plants. 
Seedling- Tomatos. 
A few days is sufficient for Tomato seed 
to germinate if the boxes containing it aie 
placed in the propagator or near the pipes 
and covered up, but the busy man, who can¬ 
not be always pottering about ” in his 
greenhouse, must take care that they are not 
left thus too long, or the seedlings will be¬ 
come drawn up and useless. 
As soon, therefore, as they become visible 
the box or pan should be removed (by de¬ 
grees, of course) to a lighter and cooler posi¬ 
tion near the glass. Partially shade them, 
whilst very young, from strong sun, but 
light and air are absolutely necessary to en¬ 
sure a strong and sturdy growth, and as re¬ 
gards watering, it is always better where 
Tomatos are concerned to keep them on the 
dry side.” 
A Pretty Dwarf Climber. 
Treated as an annual, the dainty Mauran- 
dyas, especially M. barclayana, deserves a 
place in every amateur's greenhouse. The 
seed should be sown at once in a compost of 
loam, leaf mould and silver sand., in equal 
quantities. When grown on the plants may 
be planted out or flowered in fairly large 
pots, as convenient. During the summer and 
early autumn the pretty purplish blossoms 
are very pleasing, and if variety is desired, 
M. scandens may also be taken in hand and 
raised in the same manner. This differs 
both in foliage and flowers, and any super¬ 
fluous plants may be placed out in the open 
garden during May, and will prettily cover 
a low fence or trellis, providing the situation 
is a warm one and the soil light and well 
drained. 
Treatment of Bouvardias, 
If properly managed, it is possible to 
have a succession of these beautiful plants 
in bloom throughout nearly every month of 
the year, but of course it is only by raising 
young plants periodically that this arrange¬ 
ment can be successfully carried out. Old 
plants that have finished flowering should 
be given a rest previous to cutting back, in 
order to obtain a batch of strong young 
growths for this purpose. 
Bouvardias invariably do better if the 
staging is covered with fibre or ashes, which 
should be kept constantly moist, whilst the 
atmosphere must be kept in a genial condi¬ 
tion by spraying and syringing, which will 
also prove effectual in keeping at bay their 
special pest, the red spider. 
Starting Tubers. 
The tubers of Dahlias and that fine pot 
plant, the Marvel of Peru, will now, if 
placed in damp fibre early in the month, be 
producing young growths, each one of which 
will make a plant if cut out with a portion 
of the root attached and potted up singly in 
small sixties. To start them well, plunge 
the pots for a few days in slight bottom 
heat, this conducing to rapid root formation. 
The latter is really a fine subject for the 
summer decoration of a cool conservatory 
or greenhouse. 
G. A. F. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Mr. H. E. Staddon puts a further querjq 
namely :—“ Should Cvpripediums flower 
regularly every year ? I have a few plants 
of similar varieties grown side by side, one 
plant will bloom regularly, the other will 
not. Is this a general experience?” 
In answer to this question I may say I 
have for many years advocated in this 
column that -Cypripediums are the most suit¬ 
able Orchids for any amateur to grow. I 
have done this for two reasons. I regard 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Cypripediums as everybody’s plants, and I 
consider it a most hopeless case, for anyone, 
who cannot induce Cypripedium insigne to 
grow', to ever attempt Orchid culture. The 
second reason that has influenced me has 
been the regularity of their flowering, and. 
the durability and utility of the hlooms. 
There should be no difficulty in flowering 
the two plants of the same variety. If one 
flowers to the satisfaction of my corres¬ 
pondent there must be a cause for the other 
failing to do so. I may ask have the 
plants been treated exactly alike, potted at 
the same time, afforded the same amount of 
drainage and potting material? Has one 
become root bound and starved, so that 
strength has been so diminished and 
weakened that the growths have not had the 
necessary vigour to produce flower scapes? 
Has anything been done to cause the plant 
to get a chill ? This would have a consider¬ 
able effect on the normal vigour of a plant 
should it have occurred. On the other hand 
has the plant been too liberally treated? It 
will frequently occur that where a plant is 
grown with plenty of root space, given 
liberal and unlimited supply of moisture, 
and a warm temperature, that it will con¬ 
tinue to produce new growths prematurely, 
and this will generally more or less affect 
the flowering. Perhaps some of the sug¬ 
gestions might be applied in this case. 
There can be no doubt there is something 
fa.ultv in the treatment of the plants or their 
condition. 
The Making of Hedges 
Holly, Yew, Laurel, Privet, 
Whitethorn, &c. 
Whether for privacy or for use as a 
border line, a well-kept hedge is always 
a pleasing thing in a garden. It may 
also serve the double purpose of acting as 
an ornament and of separating the flower 
garden from the vegetable portion, hiding 
the latter entirely from the view of the 
casual visitor. It looks well all the year 
round if an evergreen variety is chosen. 
The amateur who is undecided what to 
plant would be well advised to try Holly 
or Yew. Both grow close and tall, and 
are of a good bright green, the Holly be¬ 
ing especially useful at Christmas time, 
when sprigs of the plant are required for 
decorative purposes. 
The ground must be fairly dry ; 
a hearty, ill-drained soil is fatal. If 
sandy or impoverished, it must be well 
manured and deeply dug. A good plan 
is to trench the strip of ground to a width 
of six feet and at least two spits deep, mix¬ 
ing in plenty of manure as you proceed. 
Choose a mild day for the planting and 
plant firmly, spreading out the roots well 
and treading down the soil evenly over 
them. Evergreen hedges must not be 
cut the first year, but after then August 
is the best month for clipping and trim¬ 
ming. Laurel is sometimes used as an 
evergreen hedge, but is not so satisfactory 
as Holly or Yew. 
Privet and Whitethorn are good kinds, 
also Beech, but as these are deciduous 
they should not be chosen where much 
privacy is desired. Rhododendron ponti- 
cum is pretty, but a point to bear in mind 
with regard to this plant is that it must 
never be planted in soil that contains 
Cypripcaiums. 
While on the subject of Cypripediums I 
may add that amateurs should now overhaul 
any of the winter flowering section of tins 
genus, and attend to any repotting require¬ 
ments that may be necessary. I do not ad¬ 
vocate the annual repotting of this section 
of -Cypripediums, so that when they are re¬ 
potted sufficient root room should be 
allowed, with the view of leaving them un¬ 
disturbed in the same pot for more than one 
season. I consider this an advantage to the 
plants, as they usually grow better, and 
flower more satisfactorily when treated in 
this way. 
With the view of retaining the plants for 
a prolonged period in the same pots, the 
first care is to see that the pots are properly 
drained, for stagnation must be avoided at 
all costs. The potting compost should con¬ 
sist of equal portions of fibrous peat, turfy 
loam, and sphagnum moss, with sufficient 
sand and finely broken crocks added to ren¬ 
der the whole porous. This should be 
pressed moderately firm. Where plants do 
not require repotting, all dead and decaying 
leaf bracts should be removed, and the sur¬ 
face of the old potting compost replaced 
with new. .Thoroughly water with rain 
-water, and protect from the direct rays of 
the sun during the middle of the day, and 
in the case of newly potted plants retain a 
moist atmosphere about them until the new 
roots get hold of the potting compost. 
H. J. Chapman. 
chalk or lime, as these are very dele¬ 
terious to Rhododendrons. The best soil, 
for these is a good peaty loam. Planting; 
should be done at once, so that the shrubs- 
may become -well established before the 
drying winds of March sweep our gardens 
from all sides. In order that the hedge- 
may be close and compact at the bottom,, 
cut the leading shoots, both at top and 
sides and near the base of the plants. If 
this is neglected, the hedge will have an 
untidy, straggling appearance and be 
quite ineffectual as a screen. Apply a 
thick mulch of manure and water 
copiously in dry weather. When spring 
comes weeds must be kept down, the sur¬ 
face chopped with the hoe and another 
mulch given. 
It is never of any use making a hedge 
in the vicinity of large trees, as the roots 
of the latter keep the ground so poor, and 
the branches shade every bit of sun, that 
it is simply time and money wasted. The 
position must be carefully chosen and the 
ground well drained, if Nature has not 
already seen to that; then, with good 
manured loam and liberal watering, a 
hedge cannot help but thrive and be of 
constant use and ornament in any garden,. 
large or small. E. Vyner. 
-- 
“ Lawns.” 
A pamphlet of 20 pp. has been written- 
on this subject by Mr. W. J. Stevens,. 
F.R.H.S., for the Agricultural and Horti¬ 
cultural Association, London. The vari¬ 
ous grasses that are suitable for the mak¬ 
ing of lawns are passed under review r 
with illustrations and descriptive text by 
the author. While various well-known 
and useful grasses are passed under re¬ 
view, the author has little or nothing to 
sav concerning the utilitv of the annual 
meadow grass (Poa annua), notwithstand¬ 
ing the fact that it is the most abundant 
grass in some gardens in London and the 
suburbs. The pamphlet may be obtained 
' for id. 
