128 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 23, 1907. 
forms, of course, represent the types 
mostly always employed at exhibitions. 
The standard is simply another form of 
training, and could be accomplished by 
taking cuttings in the autumn, rooting 
them, potting them up separately, and 
then allowing the main stem to attain the 
desired height, after which they should be 
stopped to encourage the production of. a 
bushy head. 
The skilled cultivator would understand 
to allow the side shoots to remain upon 
the main stem to'encourage the stem to 
thicken, but they should never be allowed 
to attain such a length as to compete with 
the leader. The more leaves that can be 
left on a stem the stronger it will be and 
the better able to carry a good head of 
foliage afterwards. Those who have suffi¬ 
cient accommodation and heat might well 
copy this new design in summer flower 
bedding for the sake of the variety which 
it affords. 
Horticultural Societies’ 
Diary 
of Forthcoming Meetings. 
Abbreviations used. 
A.—Association 
Am.—A mateurs 
Ohy.—Chrysanthemum 
c.m.—Committee meeting 
Cott.—Cottage or Cottagers 
D.—District 
G.—Gardening or gardener 
Thus :—The Templeton 
Gardeners, Amateurs' and 
ment Horticultural Society. 
H.—Horticultural 
H.I.—Mutual Improve¬ 
ment 
m.m.—Monthly meeting 
S,—Society 
w.m.—Weekly meeting 
G. Am. and Cott,. M.I.H.S. 
Cottagers’ Mutual Improve- 
NOTICE TO SECRETARIES. 
Will secretaries of horticultural societies 
kindly send us at their earliest convenience 
dates of shows and meetings to he held 
during iqoj ? 
February. 
20th.—Ide Hill G. S. (m.m.). 
21 st.—Southampton R. H. S. (m.m.); South 
Shields FI. and H. S. (m.m.); Lee, 
Blackheath, Lewisham and West Kent 
H. S. (m.m.). 
23rd.—Leeds Paxton S. (m.m.). 
25th.—Horsforth G. M. I. S. (w.m.). 
27th.—Harrietsham G. S. (m.m.). 
28th.—Southampton R. H. S. (m.m.) ; South 
Shields FI. and H. S. (m.m.) ; Lee, 
Blackheath and West Kent H. S. 
(m.m.). 
March. 
1st.—Caterham K. S. (m.m.). 
2nd.—Leeds Paxton S. (w.m.) ; Preston and 
D. G. M. I. A. (m.m.) ; Isle of Wight 
H. A. (m.m.) ; Blackburn and D. 
H. S. (m.m.). 
-—- 
Messrs. Sutton and Sons and the 
N.P.S.—Mr. W. H. Adsett, hon. secretary 
of the National Potato Society, writes as 
follows:—At the annual meeting of this 
society the name of Messrs. Sutton and 
Sons was used in a way which might lead 
to the inference that they were in sym¬ 
pathy with a proposal made by Mr. Cuth- 
bertson (which received no support what¬ 
ever) to wind up the society. Messrs. 
Sutton and Sons have expressed no view 
other than as concerns public ekhibitions. 
They are not in favour of London shows. 
Thev regard the proposed experiments at 
Wye in 1907 as of real practical import¬ 
ance, and have offered a subscription to 
the society’s funds with a view to support¬ 
ing such experimental work. 
PRIZE LETTER COMPETITION. 
Readers are invited to contribute to this 
column short letters discussing any gar¬ 
dening subject. 
Letters must not exceed 150 words each in 
length , and must be written on one side 
of the paper only. 
Two Prizes of 2s. 6d. each will be 
awarded each week for the two Letters 
which the Editor considers to be the best. 
To Prevent Weeds. 
When preparing a bed for the recep¬ 
tion of plants, give it a thorough sousing 
with boiling water, which will effectually 
destroy all weed-seeds and also kill the 
roots of perennial weeds such as dock, 
besides putting a speedy end to insect life. 
Another method; which entails greater 
labour, however, is to cover the flower¬ 
bed with an inch deep (layer of 'salt; 
dampen it occasionally and leave it on the 
ground for about a week. Before plant¬ 
ing dampen thoroughly and let it alone 
overnight. In the morning scrape off all 
the salt on the surface and let it remain 
until drv enough to work. 
Mary Selmanv 
Chippenham. 
Aid to Propagation. 
There are some varieties of stove and 
greenhouse plants. that are difficult and 
slow to increase, either by seeds or cut¬ 
tings, and for such subjects some special 
preparation is necessary. Now, when 
smashing up broken flower pots for crock¬ 
ing purposes, much of the material gets 
broken into mere chips and dust, and this 
rubbish forms a good medium for the pro¬ 
pagation of difficult subjects. This 
should be passed through a sieve, and a 
fourth part of these siftings added to, and 
well mixed with, the usual compost when 
mixing up for seeds or cuttings. Many 
subjects that are difficult to braird or root 
in ordinary compost will be found to start 
freely where this pot-dust is used, and 
though I offer no explanation why, I 
know from experience that such is the 
case. Readers are recommended to try 
it with such subjects as prove difficult 
with ordinary compost. ' G. F. 
White Flowers in the Garden. 
Many people do not advocate growing a 
large number of white flowers in small 
gardens, but to see them when well grown 
is to wish for a similar effect in one’s own 
garden. A white-flower border seen in 
the golden light of an August moon is a 
sight never forg-otten. For the hack wall 
a fine specimen of Solanum jasminoides 
shared position of honour with Rose 
Aimee Yibert, and Clematis Duchess of 
Edinburgh at stated intervals in front of 
this snowy-laden wall, tall pillars of six 
varieties of white Sweet Peas filled the air 
with fragrance; white Dahlias, Stocks, Be¬ 
gonias, Marguerites, Verbenas, Asters, 
Violas, Campanulas (in many varieties), 
and a standard Frau Karl Druschki Rose 
finished off this effective bed, which I 
heard was as effective in spring with Snow¬ 
drops and Crocus' borderings. Tulips, 
Hyacinths, Deutzia, and Viburnum, 
autumn seeing Starworts, Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, and Laurustinus, in variety. 
D. Erlam. 
Keeping a Diary. 
To young gardeners who have not kept 
a diary, the JNew Year is a fitting time tc 
begin. Taking note of important seed 
sowing, general propagation and develop 
ment of the offspring with a view to future 
guidance is of immense value. Sudder 
variations of weather, first appearance ot 
spring flowers, and migratory birds art 
interesting and instructive items, too. 
Short extracts from articles in the Garden 
ing Press which the individual may con 
sider beneficial to him at soriie future 
time should be included also, for wber 
written out the subject matter is impressec 
on the memory more firmly than bt 
merely reading it over. This proceeding 
is preferable to cutting out one s owr 
contributions.—an act of spoliation re 
centlv recommended by a writer, whirl 
is only calculated to satisfy the contribu 
tor’s own curiosity or nourish his seif 
conceit. J- M. E. 
The Value of a Diary. 
Those who have not yet kept an accoun 
of their garden operations, crops, etc. 
should make a point of doing so at once 
It is impossible, even with a small bit 0 
garden, to keep a-cooUnt of many litth 
essentials to success. Often the date o 
sowing seed makes a vast difference t( 
the resulting crop, and, when one cai 
refer to the times accurately, a far bette: 
guide is obtained and the results will b< 
those in the e’xact locality; therefore ; 
better guide than a general one. In thi 
way failures may sometimes be guardec 
against, and methods remedied. Thi 
Gardening World Pocket Diary will re 
pay itself by the increased interest on< 
will feel hound to take. But even : 
home-made account will he better thar 
nothing. System lies at the root of al 
success, and a diary promotes systematic 
gardening. 
Albert A. Kerridge. 
Wilts. 
The Culture of Mistletoe. 
The Mistletoe may be grown on thi 
Hawthorn as well as the Apple. Thi 
seed should be squeezed fresh out fron 
its berry and applied to the smoothes 
and healthiest part of the bark. Sonn 
people make an incision in the hark, bu 
it can be affixed by its own natural gluten 
which hardens the seeds in a day or two 
In about a year the first two leaves wil 
show. Many seeds are rubbed off by 
accident, and many more get eaten b; 
bird's. If plenty of seeds are sown in thi 
manner described, I feel sure there wil 
be plenty of Mistletoe in a few years. I 
think it is best to sow the seed 
on the branches, as the plants have beei 
known to penetrate to the heart of a tree 
upon which it has lived. 
AbOL. 
Kent. 
Leamington Spa. 
