342 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
<* % 
I WORK FOR THE WEEK. I 
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THE ORCHID HOUSES. 
SEEDLINGS.—Seeds sown during the late 
summer and autumn of last year, and some 
of the early sowings of the present year, will 
have developed into seedlings of a size that 
will require pricking off into store pots, or 
singly, as the case may merit. We generally 
find that young plants left in the seed beds 
after they have developed their first leaf and 
the first root makes its appearance, become 
more or less retarded in growth, and, as it 
is not desirable to run any risk of delay, it 
is advisable to deal with the young plants as 
soon as the new root makes its appearance. 
The amount of pot room afforded to young 
seedlings generally depends on the amount of 
storage space available for their accommo¬ 
dation. Where it becomes a question of 
room it is desirable, perhaps, to prick off 
several together in Sin. or 4in. pots or shal¬ 
low pans. Where plenty of room is. avail¬ 
able the sooner a plant can be potted singly 
the better. All young plants do not possess 
the same Vigour, hence the desirability of 
separate pots. This applies to cattleyas and 
the epiphytal kinds generally. We find a 
suitable compost in finely-chopped peat and 
sphagnum moss, with sufficient sand and 
finely-broken charcoal to render the compost 
porous. The pots used should be clean and 
drained to about two-thirds their depth with 
clean broken crocks. Advanced seedlings, 
say, of one year and upwards, of the epiphytal 
kinds may now have attention; use a coarser 
oomj^t as the plants become stronger and 
require larger pots. 
TERRESTRIAL KINDS, such as cypripe- 
diums, cymbidiums, calanthes, phaius, etc., 
make rapid progress directly after gennina- 
tion. If we take cypripediums alone some 
kin<k germinate almost immediately after 
sowing, and others remain in a dormant state 
for months. These are all best treated 
singly as soon as they can be safely trans¬ 
ferred from the seed bed to the small pots, 
but it is always best to have the first root 
developing before removal. This enables the 
roots to push into the new compost with the 
least possible check. For the whole of this 
section we find that a small proportion of 
good fibrous loam is an advantage, inter¬ 
mixed with the before-mentioned potting 
compost. 
SEEDLING CALANTHES AND PHAIUS, 
raised from seeds sown laot year, will now 
show signs of restarting into growth. In 
the case of calanthes the young plants make 
considerable advance if g^ven suitable 
encouragement the second year. It is desir¬ 
able that they should be potted singly, using 
small pots, aqd, after a certain stage of 
growth and rooting activity, they may be. 
transferred to larger pots. ' The result of 
this encouragement often induces the plants 
to produce flowers at the end of the second 
year’s growth. — H. J. Chapman, Oakwood 
Gardens, 
STOVE PLANTS. 
THYRSACANTHUS RUTILANS. — If 
pruned as recommended after flowering, 
these plants will now be producing numerous 
side growths, which may be taken with a 
slight heel of the old wood, and inserted as 
cuttings in a fairly sandy compost. They 
will soon root if kept close, moist, and 
shaded. When ready put them singly in 
small pots, eventually transferring the 
largest into 32*8, and the smaller plants into 
48’s, growing on fairly fast. A suitable com- 
p<»t is one consisting of good light loam, 
with the addition of a little leaf-mould, well- 
decomposed manure, and sand. Good drain¬ 
age is essential, for as the plants become 
pot-bound liberal supplies of water will be 
necessary. At this stage an occasional ap¬ 
plication of an approved fertiliser will mate¬ 
rially assist them. In the early months of 
the year a batch of this graceful plant, with 
its long, pendulous racemes of scarlet, tubu¬ 
lar flowers, is very pleasing. Its worst 
enemy is perhaps brown scale, and for this 
the plants should be examined occasionally, 
and kept clean with the aid of a small soft 
brush, and an approved insecticide. 
ISOLOMA HIBSUTUM is a ver^ pretty 
gesnerad not frequently met with, but 
worthy of cultivation in small quantity. Old 
plants may have their tops reduced, be 
shaken out of the pots and repotted, or 
cuttings of the new growths may be taken; 
they are easily rooted, and in a season make 
good-sized plants in five or six-inch pots. 
Soil and treatment as usually afforded ges- 
neras will be found suitable. 
CALADIUMS.—The small-growing forms, 
as C. argyrites and C. minus erubescens, 
though making very pretty plants in small 
pots, are perhaps seen at their best when 
grown in 54’s and 48’s. A few of the best 
plants may now be selected for this purpose. 
The larger varieties now becoming estab¬ 
lished in their final pots should be given 
plenty of room to allow them to attain faill 
development. Ventilate on all possible 
occasions, and lightly shade only when neces¬ 
sary to induce coloration and induce firmness 
in the foliage, always maintaining a moist 
atmosphere by frequently damping down. 
STOVE CLIMBERS. — Rapidly-growing 
stove climl^rs will now require frequent 
attention, if they are not to be allow^ to 
become a mass of tangled growths. As far 
as possible keep each growth to its own 
string or wire. Should mealy bug or other 
insect pest be present endeavour to keep it 
down by means of sponging. This advice 
applies especially to such plants as stephano- 
tis, Hoya carnosa, passifloras, and Hexa- 
centris mysorensis, the latter now commenc¬ 
ing to bloom will continue for some weeks 
a pleasing objwt if a good rooting space and 
plenty of trellis or roof room can be allowed 
for its development. AUamandas and dipla- 
denias will also need attention, and should 
be tied down as becomes necessary.—H. 
Prime, Hatfield House Gardens. 
FRUITS UNDER CLASS. 
EARLY PEACHES.—^The fruits in the 
earliest house will now be gathered, or 
nearly so. Where this is the case syringe 
the tr^s well night and morning to keep 
the foliage clean and healthy, and give the 
borders a thorough soaking of water, and 
avoid an arid atmosphere, as the latter 
is not conducive to thorough ripening of the 
wood. Keep the ventilators wide open day 
and night, and at the end of the month, 
where the lights are removable, these may 
be taken off and any necessary repairs be 
made. IVeee in houses where the fruits are 
approaching ripeness should receive a tho¬ 
rough soaking with clear water, giving no 
more until the fruits are gathered. Put 
aside any leaves which shade the fruits, to 
fully expose them to light and ensure their’ 
being high-ooloured and well-finished. Dis¬ 
continue the use of the syringe on ripening 
fruits, also lessen the atmospheric moisture, 
gradually increasing the quantity of air by 
leaving the top and bottom ventilators par¬ 
tially open at night, at the same time using 
a little artificial heat, especially should cold 
winds prevail. By these means good-flav¬ 
oured fruits are obtained. 
SUCCESSIONAL PEACH HOUSES.— 
'^e^ tree? must receive regular attention 
in disbudding, tying of the shoots and thin- 
10, 19U. 
nmg of the fruits. Remove every .W- 
which IS not required tor troit-beiri^T!! 
furnishing the trees, and so give l!! 
that IS left a chance to become well rine^ 
Appy liquid manure and quick-actiBgrt: 
ficaals to trees swelling their fruit/^ 
cia.Uy in the case of old trees, as whinTtt 
drainage IS g^ there is little or no dta^ 
of watering being overdone. Thoroi^ 
syringe the t^ night and moruin^il 
soft water, and fumigate at once if ctJ. 1, 
should appear. 
STRAWBERRIES.-To secure fruit of tk, 
finest flavour the plants must receive ibui 
dance of air and a cool atmosphere for a kw 
days after they are coloured. Continue u 
(bring forward sucvcessional plante an tke 
earlier ones are cleared out, and give copiont 
swingings, and daily applications of ^ 
liquid manure until the fruits change colon 
also pay attention to early thinning of thi 
fruits. Where it ie intended to plant m 
forced plants some rough protection is neenv 
sary for a few days, or they will reoeifes 
severe check from which they take a cot 
siderablo time to recover.—F. Jordan. 
ter Priory, York. 
THE FLOWER CARDEN. 
GENERAL WORK. — Every opportune 
should be taken to forward as muen as 
sible all work of the general routine cham’ 
ter. in view of summer bedding operatioii, 
At this season lawn mowing and the gm 
edgings to paths and borders require moil 
attention than at any other, and unless tk 
work is kept well in hand it proves foy 
troublesome during bedding-out tame, 
cially where labour is none too pientiiiL 
The occupants of herbaceous borders in 
greatly benefited by frequently hoeing be 
tween them; this procedure not only 
weeds, but it prevents the soil beconuif 
baked and hard during hot weather. Saa 
subjects as pseonies and delphiniums shoilj 
be given occasional waterings with Uqw 
manure whenever practicable, as this h* i 
marked effect on the development of tk 
flowers. 
THE ROCK GARDEN, which is very at¬ 
tractive at the present time, with a 
variety of plants in flower, must be "J 
from weeds, which now develop very quic^ 
if left only for a short time, and soon » 
poverish the soil, for, when they are alloij 
to establish themselves, they cannot » 
rooted out without disturbing the room « 
the rock plants. As the different subi^ 
pass out of flower, and time ^ 
dead flowers should be removed; 
a tidy appearance to the rockery, ^ ^ 
fill to &V plants, especially the most 
cate ones. . 
ATTACKS OF GREENFLY are alr^^ 
coming troublesome among roses, espera^ 
so with the members of the -j. 
The pest must be eradicated 
with quassia extract, or ^ for 
wash. A sharp lookout should 1^ P. ^ 
the leaf-curling grub, which J P 
its appearance a little later on, a 
disfigures the foliage and flowers, ^ 
to remain. Hand-picking this 
most effective means of cnravinR- 
pest, it being difficult to reach by sp P 
BEDDING plants.—N o troub erf ^ 
be spared in the process of bar ^ 
these subjects, and this othef* 
in a gradual and thorough 
wise severe checks to Ije quicJdy 
Those which have been brougM along ^ 
in a moist, close atmosphere wi ^ 
most care in this respect. t®® 
raUy being very tender, and i 
suddenly to the air and Larf® 
they will become severely et^ 
specimen plants of f'^^bsias, he ^ 
after being subjected to full xent^ 
fore removal to the open, 
when exposed, but I. ^ 
them in a sheltered position . * dr*^ 
with a double thickness of ners^^^ 
over a light framework, ^her 
harm and their hardening-ott i» 
—T. B. Field, Wych Cross Flaoe 
