7 ° 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
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6difopial. 
Useful Novelties for the Garden. 
Our pages this week are chiefly devoted 
to novelties in hardy flowers and Roses, 
while fruit and vegetables are confined to 
Tomatos and garden Peas. 
The Sweet Pea takes the pride of place 
as the most popular annual, and the 
novelties are sc numerous that we found 
it most convenient to engage two experts 
to give their opinions on the most striking 
of the novelties for this year. The num¬ 
ber of varieties mentioned are not exhaus¬ 
tive, but all the best are included, and cer¬ 
tainly there is sufficient for one year's 
trial by lovers of this delightful annual. 
The experts deal almost exclusively with 
those being put into commerce this year, 
while other varieties that were brought 
before the public in 1906 at the exhibition 
of the National Sweet Pea Society hold 
out a promise, perhaps, of being offered 
to the public in 1908. The varieties that 
stand out head and shoulders above the 
other novelties are singled out by the 
writers, and it is certain that they will be 
well tried in various parts of the country. 
The other flowers we deal with are 
varied, but all hardy and well known to be 
useful subjects for garden decoration and 
cut flowers. Each carries its own recom¬ 
mendation. and in all cases this is of a 
high order of merit. Every garden lover 
has or should have his or her own tastes 
and preferences, and will be guided in 
their choice accordingly. Many of them 
are improvements on old flowers, and re¬ 
present the annual advancement that is be¬ 
ing made. They will present a pleasing 
change either in form, colour, or size, or 
in all these particulars. 
-- 
The Tree Witch Hazel has kept its 
appointed time in the neighbourhood of 
London, notwithstanding the severe frost 
and snow just after Christmas. 
. 
February 2, 1907. 
Othonnopsis cheirifolia. 
A plant of striking and uncommon ap¬ 
pearance is Othonnopsis, or, as frequently 
rendered, Othonna cheirifolia. It grows 
about one foot or' fifteen inches high, and 
although not what we term hard wooded, 
may correctly be classed among shrubby 
plants. The leaves are borne in pairs, 
are fairly long, and graceful, and of a 
particularly glaucous or powdered appear¬ 
ance, which constitutes the great charm 
of the plant, especially during the winter 
and early spring, when the silvery grey 
tint is peculiarly cheerful and attractive. 
The composite flowers are fairly large, 
and of a bright, glowing yellow-. 
The best position for Othonnopsis is a 
fairly dry bank, or an elevated spot upon 
the rockery, for elxcessive moisture, 
especially in winter, is detrimental to its 
well-being. It is a good subject for 
chalky soils, and should be a good sea¬ 
side plant. 
Some care is needed in the matter of 
propagation, w-hich may be effected by 
means of cuttings. These cannot be 
deeply inserted, and as it is essential that 
they shall be firmly fixed in the compost 
it is a good plan to attach each cutting 
to a quill or splinter of wood, which will 
act as a stake to keep it in position whilst 
rooting. River sand or road grit is ex¬ 
cellent rooting material, with just 
sufficient leaf soil to retain a nice degree 
of moisture. 
Heather Bell. 
-- 
Violets. 
SUMMER AND 
WINTER 
CULTURE. 
To provide a supply of Violets during 
winter, preparation will have to be made 
a considerable time in advance, for it is 
useless to expect bloom from plants that 
have been placed in a border and left 
there with little or no attention until it 
it time to lift and frame them again. The 
primary point in successful Violet cul¬ 
ture is good treatment throughout the 
year; they are perennial, and keep on 
growing after flowering, hence their 
growth should be encouraged throughout 
the year. 
The first operation will be to prepare 
the ground, which should be done as 
early in the year as possible. Dig deeply 
and incorporate well-decayed farmyard 
manure with the soil as the work pro¬ 
ceeds, or, failing farmyard manure, road 
scrapings and burnt garden refuse can be 
used to advantage. The best position 
for Violets during the summer is a par¬ 
tially shaded border or a' position well ex¬ 
posed to the north or north-east, as too 
much sun at this season is detrimental to 
their well-being. By observing these 
conditions one will be following the 
natural instinct of the plants and provid¬ 
ing a position in which they would 
flourish in their wild state. 
About the beginning of April prepara¬ 
tions must be made to plant, prior to 
which the ground must be raked fine and 
made moderately firm. Violets mav be 
propagated by division of the roots; als 
from runners or seeds, the two fornu 
methods being those generally employei 
By dividing the roots of Violet plan 
their vigour is increased, which can \ 
said of most perennials; hence the be 
results are obtained when the plants ai 
divided each year after floweris; 
Runners can also be used by bein 
planted out in April, and by this metho 
a young and vigorous stock can alwai 
be maintained, which will make fii 
plants for winter flowering. In plantm 
out Violet crowns, or runners, allow or 
foot between the rows and nine inchi 
between each plant; the large sing 
varieties can be allowed a little moi 
room. After planting water well, whe 
they will require little further attentio 
beyond being kept free from weeds, an 
pinching off all runners as soon as the 
appear. In about two months’ time th 
plants will be well established, and as th 
weather gets hot and dry they should t 
syringed every evening and thorough! 
watered asi required. A mulching c 
light manure, such as old mushroom be 
compost, can be applied between th 
plants to advantage or an occasional ay 
plication of liquid manure. 
Having dwelt rather lengthily on th 
summer cultivation of the Violet, upo 
which, indeed, depends success, for plant 
so treated rarely suffer from the attack 
of Violet fungus or red spider, I will no- 
deal with their cultivation in winter. 
About the end of September the plant 
can be lifted and framed, a sunny pos: 
tion being chosen, as every ray of sui 
shine is beneficial at this season of the: 
growth. The most suitable compost fo 
placing in the frames is old mellow loam 
and this, with a good sprinkling of lea 
mould, and a dressing of old lime rubb! 
that has been put through a sieve, wii 
suit them to perfection. Fill the frame 
to about 6 inches from the glass for th 
double varieties, and about 9 inches fo 
the single, and plant about 4 inches apart 
After planting, Violets will require littL 
or noi water through the winter, and n< 
attempt must be made to pamper them 
Protect from heavy rain and frost; re 
move all leaves that show signs of decay 
and keep the surface of the bed sweet witl 
an occasional stirring with a pointed stick 
and the result should be a good crop 0 
Violets. 
Spadesman. 
-- 
Rose Mme. Jules Gravereaux. —Th< 
above Tea Rose introduced to thi: 
country- in 1901 proves a very vigorous 
grower, suitable either for exhibition, for 
garden decoration as a pillar, standard 
or bush Rose, or for pegging down. Th( 
flowers are of large size, very double 
chamois-y r ellow, with a rosy peach centre. 
A coloured plate is given in Rosch 
Zeitung for December. 
A Red Sunflower.— A plant was be 
ing sold as a red Sunflower, the product 
of crossing Helianthus multiflorus and 
Echinacea purpurea. The Revue de 
I'Horticulture Beige for January- 15th 
scouts the idea of the plant being a 
hy-brid. M. Fred. Burvenich pere says, 
we have vainly- searched for traces of the 
parents which ought to be present in the 
characters of the new Sunflower. He 
reckons the plant simply a variation of 
E, atropurpurea. 
