June o, 1907. 
THE HARDENING WORLD 
383 
Primula Siebotdn. 
Like all the Japanese Primulas, this 
beautiful variety of P. cortusoides does 
best in a cool, moist position. Given a 
mod loam, with leaf soil, and just a sus¬ 
picion of sand, with a top dressing of leaf 
oil in early winter, it soon develops 
nto a fine clump, and is a conspicuous 
eature in the border in the early days of 
jvfay. There are a large number of 
lamed varieties, the majority having a 
irhite centre with the outer edges of the 
ringed petals either rose, pink, lilac, 
mauve, or crimson. It is propagated by 
livision, in spring just as the growths are 
ppearing through the soil. It dies right 
lown, and during the winter it is impos- 
ible to locate it, unless properly labelled, 
t is also an excellent plant for the 
ockery and for spring bedding. 
H. Arnold. 
Sauchieburn. 
+++ 
Pyrus spectabilis. 
The genus Pyrus contains a consider- 
ble number of really first-rate flowering 
rees, and P. spectabilis is one of the best, 
t is found in both China and Japan, and 
o>nns, when mature, a tree very similar to 
really fine old Apple tree. The flowers 
f the type are single, inches across 
nd heavily flushed with deep rose; it is, 
towever, the semi-double form that is 
most frequently met with. The flowers are 
uite as large as those of'the type, and 
ery similar in colour, they, however, last 
(inch longer in good condition, the flowers 
leirig semi-double. In addition to this 
orm there is one with double white 
lowers and a semi-double flowered form 
ailed Kaido, which has much deeper 
oloured flowers than the type. P. specta- 
>ilis has a further period of beauty in 
mtumn when the leaves colour brilliantly. 
W. D. 
♦♦♦- 
I 
This is a quaint but pretty border plant 
)f a distinct and uncommon appearance. 
The flowers are of a striking shade of 
■range, and the arrangement of the small 
ubular blossoms is very effective, the 
pips,” or blossoms, being closely ar- 
anged on a short, horizontally-branched 
lower stem. The plant grows to about 
ifteen or eighteen inches in height, and 
s of perfectly-erect habit. The root stock 
s tuberous, and the plant delights in a 
leep rich soil of a peaty nature, although 
have seen a very fine bed in soil of quite 
1 stiff clay-like character. Raising from 
; eed is the best method of increasing 
tock, but the plants do not produce 
lowers until the third season. A colony 
>f from 2 doz. to 3 doz. plants makes a 
ine feature of a herbaceous border, and 
or exhibition, among other hardy peren¬ 
nials, a bunch of Asclepias tuberosa is 
ery fine. 
Heather Bell. 
Asclepias tuberosa. 
Chrysanthemums. 
WORK FOR JUNE. 
Such of the plants as have been re¬ 
potted a sufficient time to allow of the 
roots getting a good start into the new 
soil should now be placed in their sum¬ 
mer quarters in a fairly open position, the 
plants being stood a sufficient distance 
apart to permit a good circulation of air 
and plenty of sunlight all around each 
one. Where space is limited it is better 
to curtail the number of plants grown 
than to crowd them too thickly together, 
this latter system not only leading to bad 
results as regards flower and foliage, but 
also encouraging “rust” and mildew. A 
layer of ashes with a slate or piece of 
board on it makes a good worm-proof 
foundation on which to stand the pot, 
while provision must be made for the 
support of the top-growth by putting in at 
intervals strong stakes or posts on which 
must be strained two lines of galvanised 
wire for the support of the bamboo canes 
to which the plants are tied. Where only 
two shoots are taken up on each plant, 
as for exhibition blooms, the fixing of the 
bamboos to the wires is a simple matter, 
but when it is necessary to use a number 
of stakes, as for bush plants, it may be 
well to cut the ties occasionally and turn 
the plants round, again securing them in 
a different position, thus ensuring a uni¬ 
form ripening of the wood and an even 
supply of good flowers on the whole plant. 
Plants of exhibition varieties appear 
rather backward this season, so that un¬ 
less at this time several inches of fresh 
growth has been made since the first 
break, it is hardly likely that second 
crown buds will be obtainable in time to 
produce flowers the first fortnight in 
November, and therefore first crown buds 
will in many cases have to be retained- 
The present time is probably about the 
worst in the whole year for green and 
black fly, and on no account must 
these be allowed to get a hold of the 
plants or the damage caused by their 
attention to the young growths will be 
apparent later on. Damping the shoots 
and dusting them with tobacco powder 
overnight, to be syringed off the follow¬ 
ing morning, is the best system of getting 
rid of these pests. 
Watering must be regularly attended to, 
and the grower who hopes for success as 
an exhibitor must use his best judgment 
as to when a plant does or does not re¬ 
quire water, a question that is not so 
easily decided as some might think. 
In warm, moist weather growth will be 
rapid, and tying must be done as re¬ 
quired, tender young shoots being liable 
to break off if not supported. Decorative 
varieties should have their last pinching 
this month, and all plants grown as bushes 
must have an abundance of water as soon 
as the pots are well filled with roots, or 
the growth may get prematurely hardened 
and open-eyed flowers result. 
R. Barnes. 
AMONG THE . . 
- ROSES. - 
WORK FOR JUNE. 
Now come the rosy June, and blue-eyed 
hours, 
With song of birds, and stir of leaves 
and wings, 
And run of rills, and bubble of bright 
springs, 
And hourly burst of pretty buds to flowers. 
Though June is not nowadays con¬ 
sidered the month of Roses, there are 
many Kinds that are in the full zenith of 
their beauty during the latter days of May 
and throughout this month. Even as I 
write, and unquestionably the season is 
a late one, the first crop of “ Glories ” is 
lighting up the house wall, R. sinica Ane¬ 
mone is bedecked with its most exquisite 
pink blossoms, and the Scotch Roses are 
on the point of unfolding their neatest of 
buds. Everything points to a favourable 
season. In this district splendid rains 
have fallen, and an abundance of sun¬ 
shine is what is now most needed to en¬ 
sure good blooms next month. The cater¬ 
pillar plague has been quite as trouble¬ 
some as usual, but late pruning has cer¬ 
tainly saved me a lot of work in this 
direction. Owing, doubtless, to the very 
cold winds that prevailed throughout 
April I can detect little, if any, difference 
in the growth of plants that were pruned 
at the end of March, and those that were 
pruned in mid-April. Some people prune 
too early and others too late. For my own 
part I try to strike the happy medium, 
but this year I was later than usual, and 
mv plants seem none the worse. After 
all one can lay down no hard and fast rule 
as to the correct time to prune, for, like 
seed sowing, it all depends upon the 
season. 
