658 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 12, 1907. 
1 
other than the one I am considering. If 
bought in larger quantities, it may make 
a colony or mass by itself under decidu¬ 
ous trees; it is particularly pretty on a 
bank. 
I have left myself little space to speak 
of bulbous plants in pots, but there is 
little need to describe the potting process ; 
the main thing is to cover the pots with 
ashes and thus keep the bulbs in darkness 
until the robots have developed. 
F. Norfolk. 
Fruits or Seed Vessels of Crown Imperial. 
Once Grown Always Growi?. 
Layia elegans is an annual which is 
little known, but which should be in every 
garden; it is a bushy plant about one 
foot in height, the flowers being yellow 
with a white tip, of the same shape as 
Calliopsis. They are very free flowering, 
in fact they flower from early spring until 
autumn. When used for filling vases, 
etc., they are very effective. 
They can be sown in a frame, or in 
boxes in the greenhouse in February or 
early in March, and when they com¬ 
mence to grow, transplant and pinch them 
to form a compact bush. In April plant 
them in their flowering quarters about 
ten inches apart. Almost any soil suits 
them so long as it is manured well, and 
they are very hardy. 
Sweet Sultans. 
These beautiful flowers, which deserve 
to be better known, belong to the 
Cornflower family. The blooms are 
borne on long graceful stems, the yellow 
and white being the most beautiful and 
conspicuous. Sow in April for flowering 
in July, August and September. A sunny 
position is best for them, and their 
favourite soil is that which has been in¬ 
corporated with limestone or mortar rub¬ 
bish. Plant them about one foot apart. 
Godetia. 
This is a showy flower of satin texture, 
very hardy and free flowering. Many of 
\ 
the lower branches should be taken off, so 
as to improve the top flowering branches.. 
Sow in September for a spring display, 
and again in March for a succession, 
planting one foot apart. 
Zinnia. 
These brilliant flowers are worth every 
care the amateur can bestow upon them, 
especially the double variety. Sow in 
gentle heat in April, afterwards pricking 
out into a frame, and hardening off before 
transplanting to their flowering places in 
June. A warm situation and rich soil 
suit them best. 
Calceolarias. 
Golden Gem and the bronze variety are 
favourites for bedding purposes ; these are 
free flowering and very showy, and make 
a pretty edging if set alternately. Cut¬ 
tings can be taken in August and Septem¬ 
ber, and wintered in a cold frame, where 
they must be given plenty of air on fine 
days, or they will damp off. 
Verbenas. 
These are very showy bedding plants, 
bushy and free flowering, with a great 
variety of brilliant blooms, and are worthy 
of every attention. They are of the easiest 
culture, provided they have rich soil and 
a sunny position. Sow in March in heat, 
afterwards pricking out into a frame, and 
harden off before planting out in the 
middle of May. 
Gypsophila paniculata. 
For bouquets this plant is almost in 
dispensable. During July and August i 
is a mass of very small white flowers. 1 
sprays of this are used with the othe' 
flowers forming the bouquet it produces 
very charming effect. 
Joseph Floyd. 
» 
Poison in Banana Skins. 
A doctor giving evidence at a We; 
Ham inquest recently stated that Banan 
skins contain distinctly poisonous propel, 
ties. 
Poison in Potatos. 
Under certain conditions Potatos coi 
tain an alkaloid poison known as solanii 
Potatos that are kept over until late i 
the summer also contain a large amour 
of this poison. It is said that in iSc 
and 1893 a great many of the troops i 
the German army were poisoned by tl 
use of such Potatos. Meyer found th. 
old Potatos which were kept in a dan 
place and had begun to sprout contain* 
twenty-four times as much of the solan 
alkaloid as new Potatos. 
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 of 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 wayjl 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 <;he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
following date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left overuntil 
tl ie 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 “F.A.” for the article on “Her¬ 
baceous Phloxes/’ page 644. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “ D.Y.E. ” for the article 
on “ Oleanders *’; and another to “ Helen. 
Colt” for the article on “The Propagation 
of Creepers/* page 646. 
