1 
686 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 26, 1907. 
short of sharp grit or silver sand. Cinera¬ 
rias seem especially to like it. I should 
say that I use smaller pieces for potting 
than in the border and the powder crush- 
ings that fall from the broken fragments. 
F. Norfolk. 
-- 
Pentstemons. 
Propagation 
and 
Management. 
One of the showiest and best plants for 
making a display in the flower borders 
the Pentstemon — is worthy of good cul¬ 
ture, and only by this can the best results 
be obtained. They are propagated either 
by seeds or cuttings, the latter being the 
method usually adopted. I will, there¬ 
fore, deal with that first. 
A good place to strike the cuttings is 
a cold frame that can be well protected 
from frost during winter. A bed of any 
rough material should be made up in the 
bottom of the frame to allow of good 
drainage, and on this about six or eight 
inches of old potting soil from the potting 
shed, sifted through an inch sieve. Spread 
evenly, and make very firm, and give a 
good sprinkling of road sand on the sur¬ 
face. The side shoots make ideal cut¬ 
tings, and these should be about four or 
five inches long. Cut with a sharp knife 
across a joint, and remove the two lower 
pairs of leaves. Make the holes just deep 
enough for about half the length of the 
cutting to drop into, and allow a little 
of the sand to drop into each hole for the 
base of the cuttings to rest on. Make 
very firm, and put each sort in rows, and 
correctly label them. Give them a good 
watering with a rose-can, and close the 
frame. They should be damped over on 
bright days, and shaded to prevent them 
flagging. When they show signs of 
rooting, which they will do by not flag¬ 
ging, air should be admitted, sparingly 
at first, allowing more as time goes on. 
During the winter, the plants should be 
kept rather on the dry side, as the Pent¬ 
stemon resents a close and damp atmo¬ 
sphere, especially during the worst 
months of the year. Of course, failing a 
frame, they may be inserted in boxes, 
making them well drained and firm, but 
in a frame I think they are more easily 
managed, and make the best plants, 
having more root run in the early spring. 
As regards the other method of propa¬ 
gation, seed should be sown in any light 
soil in pans about the end of January, 
and the young seedlings transferred to 
boxes or frames when large enough to 
handle, taking care to always keep them 
sturdy by allowing plenty of air and light. 
They will not, however, flower so early 
as those raised from cuttings, but form a 
good succession. 
Planting out in the case of the cuttings 
may commence about the end of March, 
taking care to transfer them with good 
balls of soil, and plant firmly. If in¬ 
tended for a mixed border the best effect 
is obtained by planting good large 
clumps, especially of the taller growing 
varieties. During dry weather, the 
plants will be benefited by good 
heavy waterings, and occasionally, if 
obtainable, diluted liquid manure. They 
are also very effective planted in rows on 
a narrow border, the tallest plants as a 
back row, and so on, using, if possible, 
one colour in each row. With good treat¬ 
ment the plants raised from cuttings 
should flower splendidly during July and 
August, and the seedlings will make a 
good show during September and October, 
if the weather be mild and open. There 
are many fine varieties now, the plant 
having been improved so much during the 
last few years that the old sorts are hardly 
worth growing. Some of them attain as 
much as' four and five feet in height. A 
good mass of these makes an effect not 
easily imagined, and once seen still less 
easily forgotten. It is advisable to stake 
the tallest growers if they are planted in 
an exposed position, as rough winds would 
knock them about and bruise the flowers. 
Some varieties are rather shy in produc¬ 
ing cuttings. These should be cut down 
when they have flowered to induce them 
to throw strong shoots from the base. A 
little feeding will greatly help them in 
this respect. 
R. Thatcher. 
Market Harboro’. 
-- 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. Tire 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 OF TEN 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 <-je 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 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 “W.O.H.” for the article on 
“ On Watering,” page 672. 
AMERICAN TREE 
Carnations 
And their Culture. 
/ 
These are no doubt one of the best anc 
most useful flowers for exhibition anct 
buttonhole purposes. Their sweet seem 
and lovely appearance make them invalu 
able if they are grown well, and my ex¬ 
perience of them is that they are easily 
grown. 
Cuttings can be easily struck by taking 
side shoots with a good heel attached 
and putting them into coarse sand ip 
shallow boxes, and placing in a medium 
warm frame. I find that by using coarse 
sand success is more easily obtained. 
After taking the cuttings, and before in¬ 
serting them in the sand, it is a great ad¬ 
vantage to split them at the heel with a 
sharp knife, they will then root much 
quicker. Care must be taken to see that 
they are perfectly clean, and free from 
rust, or it will give the grower a great 
deal of trouble later on. If any of these 
plants should have rust about them, the 
best remedy is to syringe them with a 
mixture of one part of methylated spirit 
to 100 parts of water, say once a week. 
If the plants are required to flower in 
August in ib’s pots, cuttings should be 
taken in October. To grow them on to 
good healthy plants rooted cuttings 
should be potted in 72’s pots, in a compost 
of good yellow loam, with a good bit ol 
sand, the next shift being into 48’s, and 
finally into 16’s, where they give a splen 
did show of flowers. All flower bud: 
showing should be picked out, as the} 
make such poor blooms, and also help 
to rob the plant of its strength, which i: 
wanted during the winter. 
When they are given their final shift 
some good yellow loam should be used 
mixing with it about two shovelfuls 0! 1 
sand to a barrow load of mould togethei 
with one 48 pot of Thomson’s manure : 
giving the compost a thorough mixing 
before using. Pots should be well 
crocked so as to afford good drainage, as 
the plants generally stand a year in these 
pots. Very great care should be i 
taken with the watering, especially up tc . 
the time they are well rooted, or they 1 1 
will be liable to rot off. These plants dc j 
not require warm treatment. 
About the end of May they should b( 
stood outside in a sheltered place, anc 
housed again in September, and shoulc 
be syringed twice on warm days. Befon 
standing them outside a firm stake shoulc 
be put to each to which they should be 
securely tied as they easily break. Be 
fore the flower buds begin to expand i 
is advisable to give each pot about : 
dessert spoonful of Thomson manure 
this will lend them new life. Also con 
tinue to give them soot and stable liquid 
The following are the names of the bes 
sorts to grow :—- 
Enchantress (flesh pink): Harlo 
warden (dark crimson); White Perfectioi 
and Lady Bountiful (white); Rober 
Craig, Britannia and Flamingo (scarletl 
Mrs. H. Burnett (salmon pink); Mrsi 
T. W. Lawson (rose pink); Nelson Fishej 
(carmine); and Mrs. M. A. Patten ann 
Jessica (variegated). Any of these 
should advise to be grown, as they are al 
good sorts. A. V. ParRAT t - 
