66o 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
October 12, 1907. 
PRIZE LETTER COMPETITION. 
Readers are invited to contribute to this 
column short letters discussing any gar. 
dening subject. 
Letters should 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. 
Cauliflowers. 
These are a most useful edible plant, 
and can be grown with ease if care be 
taken with them. Sow the seeds in 
March on a hot-bed, and shelter from 
frost and cold cutting winds by means of 
an easily constructed frame, so as to 
cover with a hand-light. Plant them out 
at the latter end of April or the begin¬ 
ning of March about 18 inches apart in 
rows 2 ft. apart, in good loamy soil, well 
supplemented with manure. Keep them 
well watered with manure water. Care 
must be taken to turn the ground over to 
the depth of two spits (2 spades), as Cauli¬ 
flowers are deep rooting, and upon the 
proper preparation of the soil the feeding 
of the “ flower” depends. This method 
of culture is the way to obtain large 
Cauliflowers. 
Mr. Wm. Bullough. 
Horwick. 
Lobelia from Cuttings. 
The different sorts of the dwarf edging 
Lobelia are so easily rooted from cuttings 
in spring that this method of propagation 
might be more practised. Plants from 
cuttings prove to be sturdier and more 
free flowering, and not so irregular and 
straggling as those raised from seed. 
Some plants can be lifted and kept over 
winter in 4-inch pots for this purpose. 
The flowers should be trimmed off and 
the plants kept fairly dry during the win¬ 
ter on a dry, cool shelf. The double 
Lobelia should be treated in this way. 
In February, with a box of sandy soil, and 
given warmth and moisture, any quantity 
can be rooted. Those who raise their 
stock in this way, root the plants in June, 
keep them growing in boxes or pots and 
removing the flowers, and then in the 
spring a harvest of green stuff is ready 
for purposes of propagation. 
A. V. M. 
Hypericums. 
As a half-evergreen shrub of consider¬ 
able attractions, the Rose of Sharon 
(Hypericum calycinum) is deserving of at¬ 
tention. Of a low-growing habit, the 
foliage quickly forms a handsome carpet 
under trees, the shadow and drip of these 
in no way impairing its growth. So 
radiant in appearance are the golden 
blossoms as to have suggested for them 
the fancy name of “Imprisoned Suns.” 
There is a somewhat taller variety known 
as Hvpericum moserianum, which is a 
cross between the above and the variety 
H. patulum ; this is, I believe, considered 
to be the best of the later additions to 
the St. John’s Worts. Other good kinds 
are H. hookerianum, H. Androsaemum, 
H. uralum, and H. hircinum. 
These plants succeed in ordinary soil, 
though preferring, if anything, one which 
is cool and light in texture. Propaga¬ 
tion by root division in the autumn should 
be easy and effective. 
Helen Colt. 
South Hampstead. 
To Improve Heavy Soil. 
Very often the ground attached to a 
house has never been used for a garden 
before and one may be inclined to think 
it is almost impossible to make anything 
grow well in it, so my experience may be 
helpful. First I dug the ground two 
spits deep, which was mostly clay, and 
afterwards got a large amount of road 
scrapings, which is very sandy and full 
of horse manure. I mixed a barrow load 
of the scrapings to every four square feet 
of ground. I then got some mortar 
rubble and crushed this very fine, spread¬ 
ing it on the surface and working all 
well together, which made the soil porous 
and open. Any soil that bakes with the 
sun can be improved by this operation. 
Soot and lime are also very beneficial 
to a new soil, as it helps to keep it pure. 
A good mulching of horse manure in the 
autumn is essential. 
Joseph Floyd. 
Westhoughton. 
Roses for Autumn Blooming:. 
Some Roses will give far better results 
than others as regards a second crop of 
bloom in the season. Many have, no 
doubt, made a selection already of plants 
which they intend to make a start with 
or to supplement those already being cul¬ 
tivated. The following names may help 
some of those who are still undecided as 
to what varieties to plant so as to have 
as long a blooming period as possible. 
The time for planting will soon be upon 
us (i.e., where autumn planting is pre¬ 
ferred) and those named below have given, 
this year especially, splendid results both 
as regards first and second crops. Chas. 
Lefebvre, A. K. Williams, Killarney, 
Marie van Houtte, Hon. Edith Gifford, 
Gloire and William Allen Richardson. 
The second crop of Gloire de Dijon has 
been a remarkably fine one, and as for 
W. A. Richardson since August 1 3th to 
date I have cut 305 blooms from one tree. 
Albert A. Kf.rrtdge. 
Chippenham. 
-- 
“ Manures for Fruit and Other Trees.” 
The above is the title of a book which 
will be ready shortly, and has for a sub¬ 
title “A Practical Handbook for the Gar¬ 
dener, Horticulturist and Student.” It 
has been written by A. B. Griffiths, 
Ph.D., a well-known authority on this 
subject, and will be published by Mr. 
Robert Sutton, 43, The Exchange, 
Southwark, S.E., at 7s. 6d. net. 
The Royal Horticultural Society & Horticulture 
Mutual Improvement Societies. 
The President and Council of th( 
Royal Horticultural Society, having ; 
very high opinion of the benefits accruing 
to gardeners throughout the kingdom by 
the establishment and maintenance 0: 
horticultural mutual improvement socie 
ties, and being desirous of promoting am 
assisting them in every reasonable way 
have resolved to form a 
Union of Horticultural Mutual Im 
l'ROVEMENT SOCIETIES ; 
and further: — 
(1) That a register of horticultura 
mutual improvement societies shall bt 
kept at Vincent Square. 
(2) That a register of competent lec 
turers, with their addresses, and, as fa 
as may be, of the subject of the lecture 
shall be kept at Vincent Square. 
(3) That a copy of the rules and regu 
lations, and of the current season’s ar 
langements, or syllabus of each mutua 
improvement society, shall be kept ai 
Vincent Square. 
(4) That 1, 2 and 3 shall be open t< 
inspection at any reasonable hour by thi 
secretary of any mutual improvement so 
ciety joining the Union. 
(5) That an annual conference of thro 
delegates from each mutual improvemen 
society joining shall be held at Vincen 
Square at 2 p.m. on the second day of th 
annual British Fruit Show, or at sue! 
other time as may be preferred. 
(6) That a series of typewritten lecture: 
with lantern slides, shall be prepared fo 
the use of mutual improvement societies, 
and hired out to them at the lowest pos 
sible charges. 
(7) That any mutual improvement sc 
ciety forwarding to the secretary of th 
Royal Horticultural Society a copy e 
their rules and regulations, and the sylla 
bus of their arrangements for the ensuin; 
season, together with a fee of 5s. per an 
num to cover incidental expenses, shal 
be considered to have joined the Union 
and be forthwith enrolled therein. 
The objects in view are:— 
(a) To strengthen existing mutual in'J 
provement societies. 
(b) To promote interchange of led 
turers. 
(c) To provide interesting lecture 
where lecturers cannot be ol. 
tained. 
(d) To increase the number of sue 
societies all through the kingdon 
(e) To furnish them with an outlin 
of rules, regulations, and syll; 
bus. 
The secretary of the Royal Horticu 
tural Society, Vincent Square, Westmir 
ster, will be glad to hear from the seen 
taries of all and any horticultural urate: 
improvement societies, who may be ir 
clinecl to look favourably: on the propose 
Union. 
W. Wilks, 
Secretary. 
By: Order of the Council. 
Vincent Square, 
October 1st, 1907. 
N.B.—The Council wish it to be undo) 
stood that they retain the right to declinj 
(or to determine) the union of any societ: 
which possesses a political basis or whosj 
rules appear to them unsatisfactory. 
