148 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
Mabch 1, 1913. 
ample drainage must be given, and plenty 
of moisture at the roots. The kochias 
when fully grown, form neat, compact, 
pyramid-shaped bushes, from two to three 
feet in height. As dot plants for small 
beds they are admirable. 
Given a warm soil, a sunny position, and 
well-drained beds or borders, Amaranthiis 
superbus and A. tricolor splendens may be 
safely used as bedding plants. From a 
decorative point of view' these are equal 
to many fine-foliage hothouse subjects. 
Vsed as dot plants over a suitable ground¬ 
work, such as lobelia, dw'arf ageratum, or 
Cineraria maritima, the effect produced is 
very pleasing. Sow the seeds in heat dur¬ 
ing March, pot the seedlings as required, 
giving greenhouse or warm frame treat¬ 
ment until planting out time. 
This brief list of foliage plants would be 
incomplete without including the ever-use- 
ful Zea gracillima variegata. Given a good 
strain of this variety, for general useful¬ 
ness and effect it is hard to beat. Given 
the same treatment as the amaranthus 
excellent plants are obtained by the end of 
May. A sheltered sunny position—^such as 
a sunk garden—free from rough winds, 
suits it best, for if unduly exposed the 
foliage suffers, and becomes unsightly. Zea 
quadricolor perfecta is also a desirable 
variety, the foliage being beautifully 
8tripe<l with purple, rose, and yellow. Both 
these varieties of maize grow to a height 
of three to four feet only. 
W. Hedlet Warren. 
ROYAL HORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY’S CHELSEA SHOW. 
References have recently appeared in the 
Press indicating the disappointment felt in 
the City that the Royal Horticultural So¬ 
ciety’s “ Gi-eat Spring Show,” or, as it is 
better known in the City, the * “ Temple 
Show,” is no longer to be held at the Temple, 
but in the Royal Hospital Gardens, Chelsea, 
where it will occur for the first time on May 
20 to 22 next. 
The Council fully appreciate this disap¬ 
pointment, and sympathise with it; nor was 
it without long and careful consideration 
that they could bring themselves to consent 
to the change. As pmnted out in their an¬ 
nual report, “ the society has received much 
kindness from the Master and Benchers in 
being allowed for so long a time to make use 
of their gardens, but for several years past 
the feelings of attachment to the Temple 
Garden and dislike of the overcrowding have 
been struggling together for the mastery. 
. . . The Council have unavoidably come 
to the conclusion that it is their bounden 
duty, in the interest of the vast majority of 
Fellows, to move the show in future to Chel¬ 
sea, which affords a space nearly three times 
as large as the Temple.” 
The change having thus not been sought bv 
us (far from it), but forced upon us by the 
intolerable crowding, the Council of the so¬ 
ciety hope that all fair-minded men in the 
City will fall in with the inevitable and 
unavoidable change which, after all, is only 
an outward expression of the splendid work 
being done by the society and of its progress. 
Even at this early date, we can promise a 
show which will far exceed any of the so¬ 
ciety’s previous shows, and repay even busy 
City men for the very few additional minutes 
taken W the journey to Chelsea. 
The Council have also, in response to the 
suggestion of a City banker, decided to keep 
their fortnightly shows at Vincent Square 
open one hour later than hitherto, thus 
clearly showing that they are by no means 
unmindful of the interest of thoee of their 
Fellows whose daily work lies in the City. 
The alteration cjannofe, unfortunately, be 
brought into action this year, as all notices, 
ete., have, some time since, been printed and 
circulated, but it is ordered to begin in 
January of next year. W. Wilks. 
SELECT PEAS OF MEDIUM 
HEIGHT. 
are not easily obtained the varieties of 
garden peas of medium height are gene¬ 
rally preferred to the taller ones. At the 
same time it must not be supposed that 
these are equal, in many instances, to some 
of our best-known tall varieties, either for 
appearance or productiveness. 
As is generally known, much attention 
has been paid during recent years to the 
improvement of these highly-esteemed 
vegetables in relation to quality and earli¬ 
ness, and, indeed, for maintaining an un¬ 
limited supply till quite late autumn. 
I'nfortunately, the numbers of names in 
catalogues are most puzzling, especially to 
those who are not fully acquainted with 
the relative merits of varieties, and, in my 
opinion, it would be a great gain if these 
varieties were reduced considerably. Very 
many cultivators feel that they are bound 
to grow old varieties, and others are in¬ 
clined to those which generally do well 
in their various districts. There is, of 
course, a great deal to be said for this 
inclination, but there are a certain num¬ 
ber of sorts which seldom fail to produce 
the best results in any locality, providing, 
of course, good cultural skill is brought 
to bear upon them. For some years past 
I have advcTcated dispensing with the 
old white-seeded varieties. These are so 
inferior in every respect to the late addi¬ 
tions of the marrowfat type, and at the 
most are only a day or two earlier, that 
they are hardly worth the expense and 
trouble of cultivating. 
To ensure gathering at the earliest pos¬ 
sible moment I strongly advise sowing the 
early and second early varieties thinly in 
boxes, and raising them under glass in a low 
temperature, either in unheated houses or 
pits, or even in cold frames. Though this 
may appear to involve additional work 
and trouble, it is really not the case, and 
much better results are sure to follow. The 
seeds germinate much more freely under 
glass than they would do in the cold ground 
in early spring, and one has them under 
better control, and can more readily pro¬ 
tect them from inclement weather, and 
the ravages of the various pests, such as 
rats, mice, slugs, and birds. 
Peas ought not to be coddled, but should 
have a free circulation of air about them 
on all favourable occasions, and, after 
being properly hardened, may be planted 
out in a warm sunny position during 
favourable weather. 
At the time of planting the supports 
should be added, and there is nothing better 
than good bushy hazel sticks, generally pre¬ 
pared for the purpose. Where birds abound 
some means should be taken t^ prevent 
these injuring the young growths. If care- 
fully and firmly planted on well-prepared 
ground, the plants will be found to pro¬ 
gress much more rapidly than those sown 
in the open, and will come into bearing 
much more quickly. Capital varieties for 
Ws purpose are Gr.adus, Early Morn, Early 
Giant, and Edwin Beckett. Each of these 
varieties will rise to a height of from 
three to four feet, according to the season 
and the condition of the ground. It is 
a common mistake to sow and plant these 
indeed, all kinds of peas, too 
thickly. Five or six seeds are frequently 
sown where one would suffice, the result 
being poor quality and the bearing season 
much shortened. 
Sutton’s World Record is unques- 
tionably a very fine pea, absolutely 
distinct, and the flavour all that can be 
desired. This variety seldom exceeds three 
feet in height; an ideal pea for very small 
gardens. Thomas Laxton is another grand 
variety of superb quality, and generally 
succeeds well in any locality; height, thr^ 
feet. For successional crops King Edward 
can be strongly recommended, and is one 
of the best varieties with which I am ac¬ 
quainted ; the quality is of the highest, and 
the height from two and a-half to three 
feet. Triumph is ceidainly a good pea 
averaging about 3ft., and very prolific. The 
Gladstone is much cultivated in the North 
and is a very fine variety for exhibition;' 
height, four feet. Unfortunately this do^ 
not succeed in all districts. 
Veitch’s Perfection is an old, but 
very reliable variety, and succeeds well 
in most gardens. The height is from three 
feet to three feet six inches. Autocrat, 
in my opinion, is one of the finest peas 
ever raised for producing late supplies. 
It is of first-rate quality^ pods fill well, 
has a most robust constitution, and unless 
overcrowded seldom becomes affected by 
mildew. It is possible in many districts, 
unless exceptionally severe weather inter- 
ven€s,to gather from this variety until quite 
the end of November. Masterpiece is no 
doubt a selection from the above, and a 
very fine one. too. The pods are slightly . 
larger, but otherwise it is much the same as 
Atitocrat. I have grown this for many 
years, and can testify to its good qualities. 
The above two varieties will rise to a , 
height of from four to four and a-half !• 
feet. 
For midseason and later supplies too 
much care can hardly be taken in the pre- 1 
paration of the ground. The labour of 
preparing trenches much in the same way 
as is practised for celery will be well re¬ 
paid. When the trenches are made fill / 
them with good well-decayed manure. Peas 
always enjoy a good root run and also an 
abundance of moisture w hen in full growth. ^ 
Both clear water and liquid manure shouM : 
be liberally applied during periods of 
drought, as this does much to ward off the 
attacks of mildew. At the same time apply 
a good mulching of short stable litter to 
check evaporation. It is a capital plan, ^ 
both for early and very late sowings, to | 
pinch out the points of the leading growths, | 
and remove all side growths after a fair 
crop of pods have set. It is surpris¬ 
ing what an influence this has on the de¬ 
velopment of the pods. 
Edwin Bbckett, V.M.H. 
Aldenham House Gardens. 
An Interesting: Competition 
was arranged by the Cardiff Gardeners ^ 
Association during the current session, ana 
the results were made known at the recent 
monthly meeting. Prizes were offered for 
skill in pruning, and for papers on the cu 
tivation of violets for winter flowering- 
Mr. H. C. Davies, Palace Gardens, Landatt, 
obtained the premier award in the prun^^S 
competition^ and Mr. C. H. Oldham, , 
Park, was first in the contest for the prize® 
for papers on violets. . 
Birming:ham Horticultural 
Society will hold its second annual ex 
hibition in Handsworth Park on Friday an 
Saturday, July 18 and 19. The sch^ul^ 
prizes is now ready, and may be obtain^ 
from Mr. W. Carradine, the secretary 
Hamstead Road, Birmingham. Cash ana 
trophies, to the value of over 
offered as prizes in a series of a 
and eighty classes. Of special 
are the classes for groups, a rock gar ® » 
a floral hanging basket, table d®coratio^^ 
fruit, sweet peas, and the series of traa j 
displays. 
