November 2, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
707 
Qeraniums in Flower. 
Watch these when raia falls aad move 
them where no drip enters the open flower 
trusses, as wet is fatal to them. Keep the 
soil rather too dry than too wet, pick off 
all yellowing leaves, and remove dead 
flowers from the centre of the trusses with 
1 pair of Grape scissors. To get fine trusses, 
pinch the point out of the shoots just above 
the flower buds, and give a sprinkling of 
Clay’s Fertilizer once a week. 
Sunnyside. 
Orchids for Amateurs. 
Deciduous Dendrobiums. 
The whole of the species and hybrid Den¬ 
drobiums of this section should now be 
carefully examined to ascertain the condi¬ 
tion of growth. The plants which have 
matured their growth should be placed in a 
light position in the house, and where there 
is the least amount of moisture in the at¬ 
mosphere. Where there is a cool house, 
such as an early vinery, the plants should 
be gradually removed from one lower tem¬ 
perature to another, so that checks may be 
avoided, until they may with safety be 
placed in the vinery. Only sufficient root 
or atmospheric moisture to retain the pseudo¬ 
bulbs in a plump or normal condition will 
bs necessary. Excessive moisture, especially 
with warm conditions, is almost certain to 
induce secondary growth at the base of the 
last-made growth. In some cases, such as 
with Dendrobium "wardianum, it is quite 
usual for plants to commence growing again 
often before the previous growth is com¬ 
plete, but no heed should be paid to this, 
and the usual resting conditions must be 
afforded if satisfactory flowering conditions 
are desired. The flowering of this section 
of Dendrobiums depends greatly upon the 
proper ripening of the pseudo-bulbs. It 
may thus be readily understood that the 
plants should be afforded a position in which 
they may obtain the maximum amount of 
available sunlight at the present season. An 
occasional syringing overhead when the out¬ 
side conditions are favourable will keep red 
spider in check, as well as assist in retain¬ 
ing the plump state of the pseudo-bulbs, 
but all excess of moisture must become dried 
before the cool evening temperatures are 
reached. 
Where accommodation is limited and the 
plants have to be treated according to the 
requirements of the other kinds of plants 
grown in the same house, there is bound 
to be some degree of difficulty with some 
of the kinds belonging to this section when 
the resting period is reached. Under such 
circumstances, one can do a great deal by 
carefully watching the pseudo-bulbs. Allow 
the plants to reach the verge of shrivelling 
before giving root moisture, and place them 
in the most suitable position available to 
obtain the full benefit of light. The greatest 
difficulty I have found under such condi¬ 
tions is that with so much humidity in the 
atmosphere there is generally a tendency to 
start new growth, and frequently under 
such liberal conditions the pseudo-bulbs pro¬ 
duce young shoots from the nodes where 
flowers should be had. But as this is a 
later consideration, I may hope to deal with 
it at the proper time. 
Plants that 'are backward with their 
growths should be given every encourage¬ 
ment to reach maturity. They should be 
placed in the hottest available position of 
the house, and in such a position that they 
may acquire the full benefit of all available 
sunlight; this is important, as strong light 
will not only assist growth, but will also 
help to harden At as it develops; full ad¬ 
vantage, therefore, should be taken of the 
accommodation thus offered during the next 
two or three weeks, after which time the 
sun’s power will become so much weakened 
as to afford little assistance in the ripen¬ 
ing of growth, which then becomes a matter 
of considerable difficulty. The conditions of 
the warm Orchid house should be such that 
the coldest or night temperature should be the 
driest, so that damping therefore should be 
Ventilating and Damping the 
House. —All checks to steady growth 
must be avoided. The principal cause of 
checks is allowing the temperature to fall 
very low on dull days, and during the 
night time. 
Open the top ventilator a little about 
nine o’clock in the morning before the 
sun shines powerfully on the glass, and 
A strong -plant ready to put out in either 
a frame or a house. 
if the day promises to be a warm sunny 
one syringe the foliage, and damp the 
floor of the house as early as half past 
seven o'clock when June comes. Never 
allow the atmosphere to become very dry ; 
damp the walls and floor of the house fre- 
r-:ently, but do not syringe the leaves. 
Side ventilation will not be necessary 
until the fruits commence to ripen. 
On a rather dull day close the house 
at two o’clock in the afternoon, and be 
satisfied with damping the pathway, but 
if the day is bright and warm defer clos¬ 
ing until three or four o’clock, and, in 
addition to damping floor and walls, 
syringe the plants with tepid water. 
Support the swelling Melons by wrap¬ 
ping broad strands of matting round 
them and securing the ends of the matting 
to the wires (see fig. 13V In frames the 
Melons should be raised on empty in¬ 
verted flower pots. 
If left without support of this kind the 
weight of the fruits would cause them to 
part from the stems before the ripening 
process was completed. 
done sufficiently early in the day to allow 
the moisture in the atmosphere to become 
distilled before the night temperatures are 
reached. On cold mornings abstain from 
damping until the normal temperature of the 
house is reached. 
H. J. Chapman. 
Treatment while the Fruits are 
Maturing. — When you observe the skin 
of the Melons turning yellow, and a 
slight crack in it around the stem, or 
footstalk (see fig. 14), the ripening stage 
has been reached. A warm, buoyant 
atmosphere must be maintained until the 
fruits are gathered. Less water will be 
needed at the roots, but sufficient must 
be given to keep the leaves plump and 
fresh. Cease applying manure water. On 
hot days the floor of the house should be 
damped occasionally, but do not syringe 
the plants. Keep the hot water pipes 
warm on bright days, too, and apply more 
heat if the weather be dull. 
At this stage the front ventilators, as 
well as the top ones must be opened; 
ventilate freely if the sun shines clearly, 
and leave a little open chink at both top 
and front of house all night too, but not 
sufficient to cause a cold draught. 
Gathering and Keeping Ripe 
Melons. —Cut off the stems about one 
inch above and below the footstalk of the 
fruit (see fig. 15), but do not carry the 
fruit by the stem, else it will break away 
from the Melon. It is.not a wise plan to 
take a newly-cut fruit direct from the 
house to the table. Keep the ripe Melons 
in a cool dry room for a couple of days 
at least, as the flesh will be more agree¬ 
able to the palate after such treatment. 
Insect Pests and Diseases. —Red 
spider will become very troublesome if 
the atmosphere of the structure in which 
the plants are grown is allowed to get 
very hot and dry; but if judicious syring¬ 
ing of the foliage and damping of the 
house are attended to regularly, this in¬ 
sect will not be likely to gain a hold on 
the leaves. 
Strands of matting (new) fastened and 
crossed beneath fruit at A, and secured to 
wires, B. 
Fruit Growing 
9.—MELONS. 
(Concluded from p. 550.) 
for Amateurs. 
