394 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 15, 1907. 
. . A COMBINED . . 
and 
- 
Conservatory. 
It may be interesting to readers of the 
Gardening World to hear how I ar¬ 
ranged and managed a little fernery and 
conservator)' combined. 
Originally there was a tool shed be¬ 
tween the walls of our own and our neigh¬ 
bour's house, about 7ft. by 4ft. As our 
dining-room is 4ft. wider than the draw¬ 
ing-room, we arranged an entrance into 
the passage from the former room. We 
put up a slanting roof of glass and at the 
end of 7ft. the conservatory proper com¬ 
mences, which is about 12ft. by 9ft. This 
little glass passage is kept very warm and 
sheltered, from the fact of its being be¬ 
tween the sides of the houses and because 
our neighbour’s kitchen helps to form one 
-of its sides, so we came to the conclu¬ 
sion that it was the very place for Ferns, 
as it was not light enough for flowers. 
The floor was tiled and a border was 
made about ift. wide in which was 
planted Creeping Moss, which forms a 
carpet of green. A shelf was placed all 
down one side about 3ft. high, from which 
were hanging Ferns in baskets, just the 
ordinary greenhouse Ferns that can be 
bought for 2d. or 3d. a tiny pot. These 
helped to hide the ugly bare wall. On 
the shelf are grouped pots of Ferns, 
Pteris, different varieties, Adiantums of 
many kinds; different varieties of Maiden¬ 
hair, and many others which, if bought 
voung, will have much more chance of 
success than larger specimens. From 
this side of the roof hang large baskets 
of virgin cork, and the Ferns do splen¬ 
didly in them. I have only lost two, 
and I have over eight of these baskets. 
The}' are from time to time fed with fresh 
moss and jadoo. The Maidenhair Ferns 
do especially well. 
On the other side, which is of course 
our own wall, nails are driven in to the 
pannelling of wood, which is about 5ft. 
up, and brackets holding little Ferns, 
while on the floor stand Ferns of different 
sizes. A shelf is also fixed this side about 
6 T ,^ft. up, and on this also virgin cork 
baskets stand, and cuttings do well here. 
As the side of the roof is much higher, 
we have induced a beautiful scarlet Gera¬ 
nium to climb above the shelf ; it starts 
in the conservatory and is a thing of 
beauty, while all through the winter we 
pick blossoms from it. Aspidistras and 
cool greenhouse Palms such as Latania 
borbonica all do well on the floor. I have 
a Smilax which I train up the roof, and 
a very large pot of Asparagus droops from 
its large wire basket. 
Now, of course. Ferns want a great deal 
of attention, and I am very fond of them, 
and of flowers also. I spend a lot of time 
with them every spring. I turn up the 
earth in each pot with a fork and add good 
Fern earth or jadoo, and occasionally I 
water with soot water, as it gives vigour 
to the plant and imparts a healthy green 
to the foliage. The real watering I give 
bv a long hose with a rose at the end, 
and in hot weather I keep the ground 
cool by throwing water down. In the 
winter I of course water sparingly with a 
water-can. 
The little fernery has four side lights 
and one top one, and is very well built 
and quite separate from our neighbour’s 
house. The conservatory proper is always 
bright with flowers, and I have never yet 
found one to interfere with the other. 
There are many people who have a 
similar place and would like to do some¬ 
thing with it. I hope I have been of 
some use to them. Our dining-room 
faces due north, and by opening a door 
intoi this little passage we have brought 
sunlight into what was a very dull room. 
I bought nearly all my Ferns from a 
reliable nursery; true they were only shell 
specimens, but they were the best, as they 
are everlasting plants if not grossly mis¬ 
managed. It is always best to try a good 
sort, and most kinds increase readily by 
division of roots., Many of my Maiden¬ 
hair Ferns I have had for nearly twenty 
years. Of course they have to be close 
together, as I have not much room, so 
that I often find seedlings which I care¬ 
fully transplant. 
Taffy. 
- Q. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.—Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress ot the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making f he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
folk wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thin Tuesday (first post ) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ H. Arnold ” for the article on 
A Chat about Herbaceous Borders,” page 378. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize was 
awarded to “James L. Gray” for the article 
on “Doronicums in the Greenhouse”; and 
„ another to “ Salsafj' ” for the article on 
“Salsafy and Scorzonera,” page 380. 
Apricots 
. . . And Their . . . 
Summer Treatment, 
This delicious fruit deserves every ei 
couragement where trees can be grow: 
I am aware this is not in every garde: 
In many it cannot be done. Mai 
growers get disappointed throuc 
branches dying, etc. I am apt to thir 
if more thought were given to them tl 
failures would be less. In this gard< 
the soil and situation are by no means tl 
best, being very low, with a most unsu: 
able soil naturally. Still, we have on 
missed one crop in 19 years, our large 
number being 130 dozen. Fruit from th 
wall has obtained a distinction at the Ho 
ticultural Hall, London. 
Our border is made with chalk, this b 
ing about 6 inches thick. On this is fro 
12 to 18 inches of sandy loam, with 0 
dinary garden soil. From lack of spa 
we have to crop every inch of the bord 
with one or more crops. Every year v 
remove the surface soil, adding a goc 
coat of manure near the roots during tl 
early months of the year, returning fre: 
soil from an open quarter of the garde 
From having to crop the border we mal 
a rule to give it several soakings of wat 
from a hose. When the early vegetabl 
are gone we give a good dressing of ar 
ficial manure, watering it to the root 
This is about the time they have finishi 
stoning. It is astonishing how this hel 
them to swell their fruit. We make 
point not to allow them to be dry at tl 
roots in summer. I am convinced whe 
the borders are thin they need mu< 
water at this time. 
Regarding summer pruning, I ha- 
come to regard pinching the your 
growth .to 3 or 4 leaves necessary, ebcce 
where growth is needed to fill the wa' 
We have now (end of April) spur shoo 
with six or eight fruits on them, and muc 
thinning is needed. We eventually kei 
planting as soon as branches die 0: 
training the shoots to fill the wall regar. 
less of shape, thus keeping the wa 
covered. Our frees have a gLass coppit 
and covered in front with curtains. 
Con. 
--M-f- 
The Journal of the B.G.A. 
The Executive Council of the Britis 
Gardeners’ Association, which body v 
are pleased to hear is increasing in men 
bership, have issued the first number ( 
a monthly journal which is to be tl) 
official organ of the Society. “Tb 
Journal of the British Gardeners’Associ; 
tion” will have “for its sole object the we 
fare of the gardener and the promotion 1 
his interests, no matter whether he hoh 
a commercial, private, or public appoin 
ment. ” In addition to notices of mee 
ings of the B.G.A. and official inform, 
tion, the journal contains a number « 
well-written articles of special interest ' 
gardeners and a useful exposition of tl 
Prevention of Corruption Act. Tl 
journal, which is published at 3d., may 1 
obtained of Mr. J. Weathers, hon. seer' 
tarv of the B.G.A., Talbot Villa, Talb< 
Road, Isle worth, W. 
