34 § 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
PRIZE LETTER COMPETITION. 
Readers are invited to contribute to this 
column short letters discussing any gar¬ 
dening subject. 
Letters should not exceed 250 vtords each 
Growing- Sweet Peas in a Dry Garden. 
Sweet Peas are very apt to die of 
drought, in spite of frequent watering, if 
grown in a very light soil. I have found 
it a good plan to sink a good-sized empty 
flower-pot in the centre of my intended 
patch of Peas, then to sow the seed in a 
ring all round the flower-pot, at about a 
couple of inches distance. The plants 
should be supported by means of stakes 
and strings, or a cylinder of wire netting 
if preferred. When the Peas grow up the 
pot is not noticed, and the roots can be 
kept moist much more easily, the pot act¬ 
ing as a reservoir of water. 
L. S. B. 
Colchester. 
Bunny’s Tail. 
A rabbit’s tail often plays a very im¬ 
portant part in the indoor cultivation of 
the Peach, etc., it being used to .fertilise 
the flowers, but seldom do we bear of it 
being used on fruit trees growing out of 
doors; and, while we have the humble 
“ bumbee” busily at work on the Goose¬ 
berry, Currant, and Raspberry bushes 
when in flower, we are not so fortunate in 
securing its services on the Apple and Pear 
trees. Now, if bunny’s tail were brought 
to bear on these trees when in flower, those 
with small gardens, containing only a few 
young Apple trees, would doubtless find 
that a little while spent on fine days when 
trees are in flower would bring good re¬ 
sults. More especially would this apply 
to most parts of Scotland, as, owing to the 
long winters and cold springs, beekeeping, 
I fancy, is on the decrease. 
J. R. B. 
Grevillea robusta, from Seed. 
Many fail to raise this very useful and 
popular evergreen plant from seed, 
through improper sowing. The seeds 
should be sown in the pots or pans of 
light sandy soil, edgewise, in the way 
usually recommended for sowing Cucum¬ 
bers and Melons. Placed in a tempera¬ 
ture of from 60 to 70 deg. they will soon 
germinate. Grevilleas are now exten¬ 
sively used in various ways for bedding 
purposes, while their foliage, which is 
very elegant and graceful, renders them 
one of the most useful plants for table 
decoration. They are not .quite hardy, 
but cool greenhouse treatment seems to 
suit them admirably. For growing in 
pots a compost of equal parts of peat and 
loam, with plenty of sharp sand should 
be used, and the voung plants should be 
kept as near the glass as possible in order 
to induce sturdiness, drawn or weakly 
plants being of very little use. Five or 
six inch pots will afford sufficient root 
room for quite large plants. 
F. A. 
Worthing. 
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■which the Editor considers to be the best. 
Hardening- off Plants. 
Plants grown in greenhouses, hot beds, 
etc., should be thoroughly hardened off 
before being planted out in the open 
ground, ora certain set-back will result. If 
they are gradually accustomed to the out¬ 
door atmosphere of wind and sunshine, no 
such disappointment will ensue. At first 
they should be only fora short time in tire 
open air and in favourable weather; then 
they should be left out more and more 
each day until planting time, but they 
should never be exposed to frost, piercing 
winds, or sleet. However hardy and firm- 
looking a plant may seem before bedded 
out, unless it has been properly hardened 
off, it will turn yellowish and lose its 
leaves. 
Absala. 
Chippenham. 
Spring Attention to Vines. 
Vines grow so fast at this season that it 
is difficult to follow the work to be done, 
for if neglected they will soon be found to 
over-run their space. When growth has 
broken from the spurs, only one shoot, 
and the most promising, should be left. 
After the bunches are formed the shoots 
should be stopped to one or two leaves 
beyond this. If space be limited, it is 
better only to leave one leaf beyond the 
bunch than to crowd. Any shoots that 
touch the glass should be brought down 
a few inches towards the point where they 
will be tied later. Avoid over-cropping, 
and have only one bunch on a shoot, and 
if here and there a shoot should not have 
a bunch, the Vine will crop better the 
following year. Damp all parts of the 
house twice a day, but not the Vine. 
G. Waller. 
Surbiton. 
Weeds on Lawns. 
I cure my lawn of weeds easily and 
effectually, and have recommended my 
plan to neighbours with like result. Take 
a small oil can, as used by sewing- 
machinists, fill it with paraffin oil, press 
the bottom of the can and squirt the oil 
into the centre of the plantains and they 
will never appear again as I have tested. 
Treat Dandelions, etc., the same way. 
These weeds die, but the paraffin does not 
kill the grass'. I freed my lawn from 
ants bv the same method. Knock the 
hills over until the eggs are visible, and 
squirt the paraffin over them, and repeat 
if necessary. I am trying, and so far with 
success, to exterminate Horse Radish, an¬ 
other nuisance when not wanted. I dig 
down a foot or so and dose the roots well 
with paraffin, and there appears to be an 
end to them. 
I. McC. 
Dumfriesshire. 
May 25, 1907. 
Orchids and Moisture. 
Orchids in their growing season are 
moisture loving plants. Therefore • to 
cultivate them successfully this point 
should not be overlooked in the use of the 
ventilators. Seeing that they love an at¬ 
mosphere laden with moisture by day, the 
top ventilators should remain closed, the 
outside blinds being fitted so that when 
down they remain about gin. above the 
glass. This space will allow the air to 
pass through, thus keeping the house 
cooler than if they were closed. Artificial 
heat should be kept well under during 
bright weather, the plants sprayed over¬ 
head once or twice, air admitted by the 
bottom ventilators, and floors and stagings 
kept moist, allowing these to become drier 
at night when the weather is favourable. 
A little top ventilation at night will be of 
benefit. 
H. Ross. 
London, N.W. 
Cyclamen libanoticum. 
This is one of the most beautiful, and 
also one of the largest, of the hardy Cycla¬ 
men. It is now in flower with me. The 
flowers are about || in. long, the colour 
is delicate pink, shading to nearly pure 
white at the mouth, and here on each petal 
is ,a red blotch, deepening in colour inside, 
altogether giving a beautiful flower. The 
leaves are large, ij4 to 2 in. across, and 
marbled with silver. It may be grown 
either out of doors in half shade, or in 
pots. Soil, half lime rubbish, quarter 
loam, quarter leaf mould. If in pots, 
.after the leaves have died down, it should 
be kept plunged in a cold frame without 
water, and have a good baking on the 
surface. A pan full of this in flower in 
the Alpine House at Kew on April 5th last 
year was a beautiful sight, and all in¬ 
terested in this genus, should purchase 
it. 
Birmingham. E. B. ANDERSON. 
The Value of Deep Cultivation. 
Those who are careful to dig two spades 
deep, whenever possible, find the truth 
of the proverb, “ Plough deep while slug¬ 
gards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell 
and to keep.” Especially apparent is the 
value of deep digging during a dry period. 
When the hard pan of earth, which often 
forms the second spit, has been broken 
through (1) the plants are able to increase 
their root run in search of moisture; (2' 
the top soil is far less likely to crack, 
and (3) a gradual mixing of the two spits 
takes place'and there is great improve¬ 
ment in the texture of the soil in conse¬ 
quence. Funny time to mention such ti 
matter some may say. Not at all. Gar¬ 
deners must be observant, and as th< 
vagaries of our climate are proverbial 
those who use eyes and brains will be abb 
to prove by experience that the above re 
marks are worth remembering. 
Albert A. Kerridge. 
Chippenham. 
- + + 
The Kyrle Society. 
Lord Munkswell appeals for spare cu 
flowers, plants, bulbs, or seeds to help t 
cheer the poor workers in the crowde 
city tenements of London. They shoul 
be sent to the Kyrle Society, 2, Manches 
ter Street, London, W. 
