672 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 19, 1907. 
tensely decorative piece of planting that 
many amateurs could easily carry out. 
As the season for wintering these subjects 
is drawing near, I think it may be as well 
to say that some few of the cuttings 
should have careful attention, and in time 
receive the necessary training to make 
pyramid or standard forms. 1 happen to 
know that the GARDENING WORLD has 
keen and eager readers in South Africa 
and other countries enjoying the warm 
and happy conditions these tender plants 
love, and where growth is so rapid there 
seems to me a very great inducement to 
form fine and handsome standards, etc. 
Some may say that it is an unnatural 
form of growth, and therefore to be dis¬ 
couraged. But in the formal garden 
these forms have a very special charm, 
a subtle charm that is fascinating. They 
seem to speak of so much human thought 
and affection (if I may say so) having 
been lavished upon them, and there is a 
quaint and tender formality about them 
that makes them, in their own peculiar 
way, beautiful, and while I am speaking 
of standard forms, let me say in conclu¬ 
sion how dainty and beautiful is the Rose 
Dorothy Perkins as a “weeping” stan¬ 
dard. 
F. Norfolk, 
-f+4- 
ON- 
Watering. 
With the approach of the short, dull 
days of winter extra care will have to be 
exercised in the matter of watering. 
Though to the novice and some young 
gardeners the matter of watering may 
seem quite a simple operation, yet the 
man of experience knows that it is one of 
the first and most important points in the 
successful cultivation of all classes of 
plants grown under glass. 
A good waterer must be a close ob¬ 
server of the soil he is handling and the 
special requirements of the plants under 
his care. He must know just when his 
plants require water and how and when to 
apply it. 
Soils of a heavy and retentive nature 
naturally require less frequent waterings 
than those of a sandy nature, not that the 
plants will absorb more water from the 
one than the other, but from the fact that 
the lighter soils do not hold so much 
water as those of a heavier character, and 
that the water they do hold evaporates 
more quickly. In dull days the evapora¬ 
tion is naturally slower and the plant it¬ 
self requires less moisture. It is the 
action of sunlight upon the foliage that 
enables the plant to draw the moisture up 
through its roots, hence in the dull, short 
days, with but a limited amount of sun¬ 
shine, a corresponding amount of mois¬ 
ture only is necessary for the support of 
the plant. 
It is easily to be seen, therefore, that 
the application of too much water under 
these conditions will prove hurtful to the 
plants, not that they will take up more 
water than they can use, but that the soil 
will get overcharged with moisture and so 
turn sour, and, furthermore, under tli'ese 
conditions, less air can get to the roots, 
and the plants will become inactive and 
their leaves turn yellow and sickly. 
Then when the sunshine strikes on the 
plants they will begin to flag just as if 
they were suffering from lack of moisture. 
It is better to err on the dry side than the 
wet during the winter months. 
The best way is to give the pots a good 
sharp rap with the knuckles or a little 
mallet made in the shape of a T, then, 
if the pot rings, it requires water, but not 
otherwise. Another mistake in watering 
is often made by applying just a little 
water when the weather is not so bright. 
This dribbling is worse than no water 
at all; it never reaches the ropts of the 
plants to do them any good, and so 
hardens the top soil that it stops capillary 
attraction, and robs the plants of the sup¬ 
port they would naturally get from under¬ 
ground moisture. 
The best and safest way is to wait until 
the soil is dry, and then give sufficient 
water to reach the roots, letting it dry 
again before applying more, so that the 
air may get through to the roots, as with¬ 
out air plants will not thrive. 
A careful and discriminating waterer 
generally turns out a good grower. 
W. C. H. 
- 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 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 wayt 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 comsidered in 
making *!ie award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
folic wing date of issue. Entries received later 
thj,n Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
t) je following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded eaoh 
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 “Geo. A. Fisher” for the article 
on “ Marguerite Carnations,” page G59. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “ Wm. Bullough ” for the 
article on “ Cauliflowers ” ; and another to 
“ Albert A. Kerridge ” for the article on 
“ Roses for Autumn Planting” page 6G0. 
- Hydrangea - 
/* paniculata 
1 grandiflora. 
We are all familiar enough with the 
ordinary Hydrangea, but the subject of 
this article is not so well known. It is 
adaptable for three purposes, namely, as 
a fine hardy deciduous shrub, a splendid 
subject with white flowers for spring forc¬ 
ing or for exhibition tables, and thirdly, 
when I think it is at its best, as a valuable 
decorative pot plant in the conservatory 
or show house in summer and autumn. 
The .words paniculata grandiflora in¬ 
form us that the flowers are large panicles 
of bloom. These are disposed at the end 
of each shoot, and in good cultivation are 
a foot in length and six inches through. 
The star-shaped flowers open a pale 
green shade, and finally develop into a 
beautiful white. 
Let us occupy the space chiefly with 
plants in pots. By this method oi 
culture the plant differs slightly from the 
ordinary Hydrangea; it produces the 
flower on the wood that is grown in one 
season, with the other it is prepared a 
season beforehand. A good method to 
obtain a stock is to purchase some plants 
for spring forcing. With a moist, warm 
. temperature a number of cuttings will be 
obtainable in March ; these are best when 
3 and 4 inches long, heeled off the ole 
wood. Insert these in small pots 0! 
sandy soil, and plunge in a warm pro¬ 
pagator, shading and damping for a fevt 
weeks. In course of time these can be 
introduced to a cooler house, and kepi 
growing by frequent potting. A five 
and a half inch pot will meet their want; 
the first year, removing them to a frame 
in July, so that the long growth will gel 
ripened towards autumn. The plant; 
can be stored in a frost-proof frame or a 
suitable corner in the glasshouse, and 
will require only a small amount ol 
water. February is a seasonable time ir 
which to prune the plant down to 4 01 
5 inches, so that one may have that num 
her of buds also. Some weeks after thi; 
repot into 7 and 8 inch pots, using ; 
rough open compost of two parts loam 
one part leaf mould, some rough sand 
such as road scrapings, in the usual quan 
tity for giving porosity’, and a 5 inch po 
of bonemeal to a barrowful of soil. Tc 
keep the plants for summer and, prefer 
ably, August blooming, a cool-house tha 
is congenially moist, such as a late Peacl 
house, is the best. Select from four tc 
five shoots which will be a sufficient num 
ber the first year. Frames with a gooc 
depth will suit them in summer, giving 
plenty of air and sunshine, with occa 1 
sional syringing on the afternoons 0 
bright days and no lack of water to th< 
roots, also feeding with liquid manure 
at the approach of the blooms. It shoulc 
be understood that these plants are bette 
when rootbound, so that after flowerinj 
expose them to the open air to maturi 
the wood. In spring prune hard back tc 
a few buds, and allow eight or nine shoot 
to carry flowers of an immense size. / 
substantial top dressing of a rich compos 
is necessary in spring. This procedur 
is equally’ satisfactory for several seasons 
so that when the plants are establishes 
