538 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August io, 1907. 
soil is in a moist condition free growth 
and well filled pods of Peas and fine juicy 
tender Beans cannot be produced. 
To accomplish the purpose for which 
they are provided, mulchings must be 
properly applied; that is, the material 
must be evenly spread over the surface of 
the whole area of the roots of the trees or 
plants in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of 
the annexed sketches, and not packed in 
a heap round the stem as shown in Fig. 2. 
It is not advisable to mulch crops during 
wet sunless seasons. Mulchings or top- 
dressings are applied during the winter to 
protect the roots of trees and plants from 
excessive cold and frost. 
Another Botanical Wonder. 
In South America there grows a tree, 
bearing, beside a green fruit like a small 
lemon in appearance, the funny name of 
Papaw. It is from fifteen to twenty feet 
high, with leaves only at the top of a 
bare stem. The negroes use the leaves 
to wash their clothes with instead of soap. 
But, what is much stranger, the fruitjuice 
and tree sap are able to make the 
toughest meat tender in a very short time. 
Even the “ breath ” of the tree has this 
power, so that fowls, joints of meat, and 
so on, are hung among the branches to 
make them fit for cooking. Yet other 
kinds of this family have a bitter, poi¬ 
sonous juice, and their flower a rank, of¬ 
fensive smell. 
tions of the roots soon get deranged, 
it was in a pot when you had ft, and makii 
good growth, all that was necessary was 
put it in a size larger, but not very mm 
larger. The roots will then soon occuj 
this small quantity of soil and the plar 
would not suffer. We think the blotchir 
of the leaves is due to one or other of the 
two causes, and the dropping of the bu< 
may be due to the same thing, or to tl 
large quantity of soil being waterlogge< 
The Fuchsia delights in a light sandy an 
rather rich soil, but must be shifted c 
gradually from one size to another slight! 
larger. Under these conditions they enjc 
a liberal water supply. Indeed, if the coi 
ditions at the root were right and the po 
not. too large they would require water on< 
a day, and probably twice in very dr 
hot weather, which we have not, howeve 
had this year. After watering you coul 
then drench the plant overhead by means c 
the watering-pot, say, at six p.m. Tl 
flowers hang downwards and do not catc 
the moisture, so that a watering overhea- 
serves to clean the foliage and keep it grow 
ing vigorously. 
2080. Cineraria Leaves Tunnelled. 
Could you kindly tell me the cause of m 
Cinerarias going like the leaf enclosed 
They were splendidly healthy plants till 
short while ago, and now quantities of th 
leaves are like the enclosed. Is it a maggot 
and how am I to stop the mischief ? The 
are in a cold house facing the north at pre 
sent. (Mystery, Soms.) 
The leaves of your Cinerarias are bein: 
tunnelled with the maggot of the Chrysan 
'themum leaf miner (Phytomyza nigricornis) 
There is- no insecticide that you can appl} 
that will destroy the maggots, as they livt 
inside the tissues of the leaves. Cineraria.- 
should be closely looked after, and the firs 
indications of the miner checked before-the 
leaves are damaged. The leaf you sent us 
is now quite useless, and all that are so bad 
should be cut off and burned. Those in 
which there is only a small tunnel should 
be carefully looked over on both sides, and 
where you see a slight elevation of the leal 
of a more decidedly yellow hue than the 
tunnels you should squeeze that between the 
finger and thumb in order to kill the grub 
and save the leaf. Cinerarias-, especially in 
the early stage-s, require every leaf they 
have. There may be perfect flies in the 
house, and you should syringe the foliage 
with some strong-smelling liquid such as 
tobacco water, to keep the fly from laying 
eggs upon healthy leaves. Paraffin emulsion 
would, perhaps, even be more efficacious, 
but it should be well diluted to prevent in¬ 
jury to the tender ‘ leaves of the Cinerarias. 
Tobacco water would not hurt them. An- ( 
other year you should keep a close watch 
upon them from the beginning and stay 
the progress of the enemy by the methods 
indicated. 
FLOWER GARDEN. 
2081. Cuttings of Pentstemons. 
Will you let me know the best time and 
also the best way to take cuttings- of the 
Pentstemon, Fuchsia, and Phlox? I might 
mention I have a couple of frames. (Leta, 
Surrey.) 
These florists’ flowers are propagated by 
taking side shoots that have not flowered, 
about 3 in. long. Cut them below a joint 
and remove the lower pair of leaves. 'Use 
a light, sandy soil, consisting of equal por¬ 
tions of loam, leaf mould and sand. It 
is customary to take cuttings of Pentstemons 
and Phloxes some time in September and 
insert them firmly in boxes of the compost 
above-mentioned. Give them about 2 in. 
apart each way, make the soil quite firm 
about the cuttings by means of a peg, and 
as each box is filled give it a good water- 
Ortijs. 
Address: The Editor, The Gardening 
World, 37 and 38, Shoe Lane, London, E.C. 
The Editor invites enquiries, which may 
cover any branch of gardening. Questions 
should be as brief as -possible and written on 
one side of the paper only; a separate sheet 
of papef should be used for each question. 
Replies cannot be sent by post. 
Garden Plans .—Gardeners who would make 
the best use of this column are invited to 
prepare and forward to us a rough outline 
drawing or -plan of their gardens, indicating 
the position of beds and lawns, the charac- 
STOVE AND GREENHOUSE. 
2077. Name and Treatment of Plant. 
Would you tell me through your enquiry 
column the name of the plant, a leaf of 
which I enclose, and what sort of soil it 
requires? (H. D., Surrey.) 
The leaves are those of Begonia weltoni- 
ensis, one of the fibrous-rooted hybrids, 
which may be grown in a greenhouse, frame, 
or in a window. It seems almost as easy to 
cultivate in a window as the old B. evansi- 
ana. The soil may consist of two parts 
good fibrous loam, one part of leaf mould, 
and a good dash of sand. If it is a good, 
healthy specimen, a little well-decayed 
cow manure broken up fine and mixed with 
the compost would prove suitable and give 
vigour, if you are careful with the water¬ 
ing. Use a clean pot and crock it care¬ 
fully. It remains green all the winter, so 
that you should not attempt' to dry it off. 
Less water will be Required in the winter, 
but the soil should not be allowed to get 
dust dry. 
2078. Gladioli After Flowering. 
What should I do with Gladioli in pots 
that have finished flowering? (Mystery, 
Soms.) 
You should keep on watering the plants 
until the foliage becomes- yellow, as this 
will assist the corms to become plump and 
strong for next year’s flowering. If you 
cannot keep them in the greenhouse you 
might place them in a cold frame, giving 
plenty of air night and day. - While the 
leaves are perfectly fresh a little weak 
liquid manure, say, once a week, would be 
beneficial. In any case the water supplied 
must be continued till the leaves turn yel- 
ter and height of the fence or wall; posi¬ 
tion of vegetable garden, orchard, etc. The 
north side of the garden and any over¬ 
shadowing buildings should be denoted. It 
should also be stated whether the garden is 
flat or on a declivity, and all large trees 
should be marked. Particulars of the na¬ 
ture of the soil will also help us to give 
satisfactory replies. When such plans are 
received they will be carefully filed, with the 
name and address of the sender, and will be 
consulted by the Editor whenever an enquiry 
is sent. 
low. If any.-seed pods are attempting to 
form the flower spikes may be cut off, but 
preserve every leaf carefully. 
2079. Fuchsia Buds Dropping. 
I bought a fairly largq Fuchsia this 
spring. It seemed healthy enough except 
that some of the leaves had a brown blotch 
on them like the enclosed leaves, I gave 
it some Clay’s fertiliser, but now, when the 
buds seem to have formed a fair size, they 
drop off. It has been covered with buds for 
some time. I have it in a tub filled with very 
decent soil. Can you tell me what I can do 
to cure the leaves of the blotch and also 
stop the buds, from dropping? (Leta, Sur¬ 
rey.) 
The leaves you sent us have evidently 
been subjected to unfair treatment. When you 
had it it probably came out of a greenhouse 
which had been kept close and warm for 
the purpose, of urging the plant into good 
growth. You do not tell us whether you 
have it out of doors, but we suspect that you 
put it out immediately, and the leaves, 
being exposed to the cold atmosphere by 
night and the sun by day — when there was 
any:—have been killed in places. Plants- of 
all kinds that are taken out of houses 
where they have been kept close and warm 
should be thoroughly hardened off in a dry, 
cool house before they are subjected either 
to sunshine or to open-air conditions. There 
is- a possibility, also, of unfair cultural 
treatment. You say you have placed it in 
a tub in good soil, but in all probability 
the quantity of soil is altogether too great 
for the present requirements of the plant. 
Under such' conditions it requires very 
careful watering to keep the soil from get¬ 
ting sour, and if that is the case the func- 
