262 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 24, 1909. 
extremely handsome plants, and formed 
the nucleus for a charming greenhouse 
fernery. Indeed, as subjects for a cold 
house the finer and more beautiful of the 
hardy Ferns are not used anything like 
they should be. 
There is another point, the novice often 
thinks that Ferns once planted need no 
attention, year in and year out, but that 
is a mistake. A spring top-dressing of 
leaf-mould is always beneficial, a thor¬ 
ough watering occasionally in dry weather 
helps to keep them growing luxuriantly, 
and liquid manure niay be given from 
time to time, even a little salt now and 
then—given to the roots, never overhead 
—is acceptable nourishment. 
F. Norfolk. 
-- 
- Orchids - 
= For Amateurs. 
A notion seems to prevail among ama¬ 
teurs that only tip-top gardeners can grow 
these choice plants, but this is a mis¬ 
take. Certain varieties may be as easily 
cultivated—provided proper care is taken 
—in the small greenhouse as in the spaci¬ 
ous structures in the grounds of the rich. 
One of the most useful kinds, and most 
easily grown, is the Odontoglossum cris- 
pum, a variety which possesses the added 
advantage of being a coolhouse Orchid. 
Another of its merits is that it will bloom 
at any time of the year, so that if plenty 
of plants are kept coming on in rotation 
a continual supply of these beautiful 
flowers may be had. 
Prepare the pots by putting in plenty 
of drainage — small pots should be chosen, 
as the roots do not require much material 
to grow in—then fill up with a compost of 
a vegetable nature, such as peat fibre and 
sphagnum moss in equal parts and well 
mixed. After planting keep the roots 
constantly moist with clean rain water. 
Tentilate the house as much as the 
weather will permit, not forgetting to 
open the low ventilators underneath the 
stages. The first signs of flower spikes 
must be watched for, and then they must 
be guarded from the attacks of slugs and 
other pests by placing the plant on an in¬ 
verted pot in a shallow dish of water. 
Another plan is to wrap the base of the 
tender spike with cotton wool, over which 
slugs cannot crawl; even the smallest will 
soon destroy the plant if not kept back. 
The plant’s habit is to form new growth 
at the base of the last completed one, 
and when this has developed to its full 
size the flower spikes will begin to ap¬ 
pear also from the base of the growth. 
After flowering the plant usually takes a 
rest before pushing forth any fresh 
growth, but it may happen occasionally 
that new growth may be visible before the 
blooms are over, in which case it is best 
to cut the flower spikes when fully ma¬ 
tured, so that the nourishment of the 
plant may be directed to the new growth. 
The flowers keep in bloom such a long 
time that if left on while new shoots are 
forming the plant will be'well-nigh ex¬ 
hausted before the new growth is 
thoroughly started. The cut spikes can 
be kept nice a long time if put in water 
and allowed to remain in the greenhouse. 
If taken to the dwelling-house the dry air 
of the rooms will soon destroy them; 
they revel in humid, moist warmth. But 
if occasion arises when the flowers are 
reallv required in the home for any length 
of time, they can be preserved by placing 
the vase of water that contains them 
under a glass shade, such as those that 
hold those old-fashioned abominations 
which may sometimes be seen yet in cot¬ 
tage parlours—artificial flowers and fruit. 
As a rule one plant only produces one 
spike carrying from a dozen to sixteen 
blooms, if more spikes appear it is at cost 
of the flowers in size and number. 
E. Vyner. 
-- 
Top-dressing the Border. 
The best time for top-dressing a border, 
especially if the soil is light, is, speaking 
generally, the middle or end of July, not 
the autumn or early spring, as is often 
advised. 
United Horticultural Benefit and Provident 
Society. 
The monthly committee meeting of this 
Society was held at the Horticultural 
Hall, Westminster, on April 5th. Mr. 
Thomas Winter in the chair. Nine new 
members were elected. The usual quar¬ 
terly payments were granted and several 
members over 60' years of age availed 
themselves of the opportunity to withdraw 
their interest as in Rule 18. The annual 
report and balance-sheet has been posted 
to members. Any member not having 
received one will please write to the 
secretary. 
Orchid Classes at the Temple Show. 
Attention having been drawn to the 
possibility of misunderstanding arising 
from the use of the word “ unrestricted ” 
in Classes 1, A and B, in connection with 
the forthcoming Temple Show, the secre¬ 
tary of the Royal Horticultural Society 
states that it must therefore be clearly 
and fully understood that the word is 
governed by Rule 4 which gives 200 
square feet as the maximum. In other 
words, Classes 1, A and B, are unre¬ 
stricted in size only so long as they do 
not exceed the 200 square feet permitted 
by the Rule. 
“ Clay’s Successful Gardening.” 
The fourth«edition of this useful manual 
of gardening is now on our table, and the 
fact that it has gone through so many 
editions in so short a time speaks for the 
value and success of the book. All the 
articles have been completely revised, 
while there are new chapters on Melons 
and Cucumbers, suburban gardens, rock 
gardens, garden pests, growing and sow¬ 
ing. Needless to say, the volume has in¬ 
creased in bulk from 203 pp. to 275 pp., 
including a good index. No effort has 
been spared in making the book a manual 
of reference for all seasons. It deals 
with fruit, flowers and vegetables, both 
under glass and in the open, including 
chapters on various floral specialities such 
as Begonias, Carnations, Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, Roses, Sweet Peas, etc. These 
various articles have been written by 
expert horticultural writers, as well as 
cultivators, and the book is therefore an 
up-to-date handbook on gardening gene¬ 
rally. 
“ The Warren ” 
Garnatior? 
Nurseries 
Mr. Charles Blick was head gardene 
and Carnation specialist to the late Marti 
R. Smith, E-sq., of Carnation fame, an* 
since the death of his master, Mr. Blic 
has founded a nursery close by the estal; 
lishment which he conducted for man 
years. His new address is The Warre: 
Carnation Nurseries, Hayes, Kent. Whei 
Mr. Smith died he bequeathed the mag 
nificent collection of Carnations to hi 
faithful gardener, Mr. Charles Blick, ant ' 
wished him to continue the work upon th< 
same lines which had proved so success 
ful, and Mr. Blick has lost no time ii : 
founding a nursery for the purpose o 
carrying on the work not only begun, be 
splendidly advanced by his late master, j 
We have on several occasions visite< 
The Warren, when, of course, it was car 
ried on simply as a private hobby by Mr 
Smith. On the first occasion we fount 
a plantation of something like ten thou : 
sand Carnations flowering for the firs 
time. Those were, of course, rearec 1 
under glass in the previous,.year ant 
planted out in the open to grow and stanc 
the winter where they were to flower. A 
gardener can well imagine what an im 
mense amount of work was connected wit! 
the raising of those ten thousand’Carna 
tions, but on the last occasion of our visi 
that probably had been actually doubled 
The ground was prepared by trenching 
and heavily manuring previous to th( 
planting out of the seedlings. In the 
course of the following summer these bed: 
of Carnations had to be inspected day b\ 
day and from time to time in order tc 
single out promising varieties worthy 0 
a further trial. These were, of course 
marked while in flower and propagatec 
in the usual way by layering. With the 
immense number of seedlings to be in 
spected, needless to say, a most rigorou; 
selection was necessitated to weed out the 
great numbers that must inevitably go tc j 
the rubbish heap, as in this garden, like 
similar institutions, there was no spare 
ground to waste upon new comers, unles; 
they actually excelled some one of theii 
own type already under cultivation. The 1 
first flowering necessarily took- place in 
the open ground and the very best, se 
lected as the result of many inspections, 
were layered and potted up for culture in 
pots under glass. In course of time a 
number of houses got filled with these se¬ 
lected seedlings, all of which were grown 
in 6 in. and 8 in. pots. 
The production of seeds for new varie¬ 
ties was not a matter of chance, as the 
plants intended for the production of seeds 
were located in the special house from 
which insects were kept out so as to en¬ 
sure more definite results for the work 
of the raiser. Mr. Smith himself did an 
immense amount of crossing of the se¬ 
lected varieties and his success was en¬ 
tirely due to the careful selection oil 
parents as a result of previous work. Mr. 
Smith, being intensely interested in the. 
subject, spent many happy hours in the? 
production of new varieties, while Mr.- 
Blick was hand and glove with his master 
