906 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
t t 
WORK FOR THE WEEK. I 
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THE ORCHID HOUSES. 
WINTER-FLOWERING CYPRTPEDIUMS 
are now at thoir best. The temperature of 
the house in which they are flowering should 
be rather lower that of late, and kept as 
even as possible. The moisture in the at¬ 
mosphere should also be reduced, and espe¬ 
cially is a drier atmosphere desirable to¬ 
wards evening when the lower temperature 
is reached. We have not now to consider 
only Cypripedium insigne and one or two 
others of the more robust kinds, for there 
are many of the newer kinds whicb are not 
so substantial in texture, and these are easily 
disfi^red by damp when the atmosphere is 
heavily laden with moisture, and the cooler 
conditions outside cau.se a rapid fall of tbe 
temperature inside. It is also a good plan 
when cypripediums are required for house 
decoration, or exhibition, ix> see that the 
potting compost is reasonably dry before 
their removal. Plants rarely suffer from a 
few days’ exposure in the house if treated 
thus, but when wet they suffer badly. 
REPOTTING.—It is not desirable that 
plants of any description should be disturbed 
at the roots until the New Year, but where 
there are so many items calling for atten¬ 
tion at a later period it is often necessary 
to pot any plants needing attention, as soon 
as they have passed out of flower. Many 
will be found to be rooting now, and care 
must be taken that little injury is caused 
in turning out the plants and removing the 
old potting compost. I have on several occa¬ 
sions pointed out that the conditions under 
which cypripediums are grown has a con¬ 
siderable bearing upon the kind of compost 
they grow best in. In the immediate neigh- 
bourho'od of London and other smoky dis¬ 
tricts, where the light is so poor during 
winter, it is generally found that very little, 
if any, loam should be used in the potting 
compost, for the reason that loam retains 
moisture oyer a long period, and the roots 
suffer considerably. In brighter and more 
favourable surroundings most of the green¬ 
leaved section of winter-flowering cypripe¬ 
diums may be grown successfully in nothing 
else but fibrous loam, with sufficient sand, 
charcoal, and broken crocks to render it 
porous, and with ample drainage below. The 
ts should be filled to about one-third their 
pth with drainage material, and whatever 
potting compost is considered most suitable; 
it should be made firm about the roots.— 
H. J, Chapman, Oakwood Gardens. 
CONSERVATORY AND GREEN¬ 
HOUSE. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS.—The main batch 
will now be passing out of flower, and the 
grower must make preparations for another 
season. Before propagation is commenced it 
will be wise to make a careful survey of the 
old stock with a view of discarding inferior 
kinds. There are so many really good varie¬ 
ties now in existence that it is folly to grow 
those which are poor from a decorative point 
of view. The single varieties undoubtedly 
find the most favour, and as these may be 
had both early an<i late, and there is such 
a diversity of beautiful colours among them, 
the bulk of the stock for con^^ervatory decora¬ 
tion should consist of this section. As the 
plants pass out of flower they should be cut 
down and cleaned and placed in a cool, light 
structure as near the glass as possible. 
PROPAGATION.—^This may commence at 
once, provided suitable cuttings are avail¬ 
able. The soil should be prepared, and al¬ 
lowed to remain on the potting shed bench 
for a few days before propagating com¬ 
mences. A suitable compost consists of loam, 
leaf-soil, and coarse sand. There is no better 
place in which to strike the cuttings than 
a box-frame erected on the stage in a green¬ 
house, as near to the light as possible. It 
is often the case that some of the choicest 
varieties are very shy in giving cuttings, 
and these should be placed in a warmer 
house—such, for instance, as a vinery or 
peach house, which has just been started. 
CINERARIAS. — The earliest cinerarias 
are now throwing up their flowers, and, if 
necessary, they may be encouraged to flower 
a little earlier by placing them in a slightly 
warmer house. Plants in cold frames should 
be brought indoors now, as they are easily 
damaged by frost. They will need plenty of 
water, and stimulants may be gfiven more 
fi^uently, and with increased strength. 
Lightly fumigate the house occasionally to 
destroy aphis, and keep a sharp look-out for 
the leaf-mining maggot. 
FORCED SHRUBS.—A few shrubs suit¬ 
able for forcing may now be potted up and 
placed in heat. Lilacs are among the most 
useful, and if a batch is grown in the open 
ground tbsy may be foriced successfully 
every second year. Lift the plants with a 
good ball of roots attached, and pot them, 
using ordinary garden soil. Ghent and mollis 
azaleas, prunuses, staphyleas, viburnums, 
etc., may all be forced now. A few plants 
of Azalea Deutsche Perle should also be 
placed in heat. 
LILY OF THE VALLEY.—Until the turn 
of the year it will be wise to rely upon re¬ 
tarded crowns for a supply of lily of the 
valley. Afterwards clumps from outdoors 
may be forced. Where a large supply of 
flowers is required for cutting, well-estab¬ 
lished crowns may be dug from outdoors and 
.placed over a moderately warm hotbed ih a 
heated frame. Cover the roots with soil and 
water them with tepid water. Keep the 
frame covered with mats until the spikes are 
4 or 5 inches high, then gradually expo'^e 
them to light. — E. Habbiss, Lockings 
Gardens. 
HARDY FRUITS. 
PEARS.—These may b? pruned in favour¬ 
able weather at any time from now until 
March. When dealing with bush trees, keep 
the heads fairly thin, as nothing is mCrre 
harmful that overcrowding with useless 
wood. All the main leaders will need to be 
shortened more or less; in the case of full- 
sized bushes they should be shortened to 
within a few buds of the last year’s wood, 
and side shoots to within a couple of good 
buds. In the case of young trees, allow the 
fresh growths to remain 12 or 15 inches in 
length, cutting just above a bud pointing in 
the direction the next growth is required. 
WTien pruning, do not forget, if grafts are re¬ 
quired, to take care of as many growths as 
are needed, keeping them true to name, and 
heeling them in on a north border until re¬ 
quired. 
ESPALIERS.—Remove a few of the old spurs 
each year along the main tiers, and thus en¬ 
courage plenty of healthy fruit buds close 
to the main wood. Inferior varieties, if 
the trees are healthy, should be grafted in 
spring with more suitable kinds. In the 
ease of good varieties, if the trees are some¬ 
what old and the branches clothed with old 
and useless snags, they can be gfreatly im¬ 
proved by cutting away the branches near 
the main stems and training fresh shoots 
in their place. It is marvellous how well 
the new wood grows and produces large 
fruits for many years. 
MORELLA CHERRIES.—We have finished 
the nailing and training of Morelia cherries, 
as I like to get the work done before the cold 
weather sets in. Only young trees have been 
Novembre 29,1913. 
taken entirely from the walls. Older <»*. 
which were thoroughly overhauled W 
autumn needed very little fresh trainin. 
but have been carefully examined Tk 
young shoote are kept straight and trained 
all over the trees, both for supplyinE voul 
fruits and for filling up any gaps that mar 
occur. A good dressing of lime will be 
phed over the roots of these trees, with tC 
addition of loam and bone-meal. When 
dealing with young, newly-planted tN>«» 
allow plenty of time for the settling of the 
efoil before finally securing them to the 
walls, then select suitable shoots and train 
them .straight from the stem in the diffep?nt 
directions tx) form an evenly-balanced head, 
shortening them more or less as required! 
When once the framework is properly m\ 
there should be very little further trouble in 
maintaining good, fruitful trees. 
STRAWBERRY BEDS.-Most of our old 
beds have been well mulched, and t^ 
younger stock will be by. this date. I know 
.some gardeners do not recommend early 
mulching, but much depends on the nature 
of the soil and the situation in which tbe 
strawberries are planted. Should very ijeveie 
weather set in, mulching may prove valuable. 
—H. Mahkham, Wrotham Park Garden.s. 
THE KITCHEN CARDEN. 
DIGGING AND TRENCHING.-AdTan. 
tage should be taken of every favourable op 
portunity to prepare the soil for next season's 
crops; if this matter is left over until late 
in the season, the presence of other work 
often causes it to be done in a hurry, to the 
detriment of future crops, and disappo nt. 
ment of the cultivator. It is advisable to care- 
fullv plan out the positions to be occupied 
by the various kinds of vegetables during 
the forthcoming season, and deal with each 
plot so as to meet the requirements of iU« 
prospective occupants. By following thi« 
method, confusion and much unnecewary 
labour and trouble will be avoided. A few 
instances may be noted. Carrots, parsn^. 
and beet do Wst on land that has not been 
freshly manured, and usually these iwi 
crops follow celery. Plots 
early potatoes should have very bttle strong 
manure, or the haulm will be unduly la^ 
and the tubers proportionately 
onion crop is an im^rtant one, and should 
have liberal treatment in the way of 
and deeply tilled soil. The ^ition 
to cauliflowers should be well a • 
either double-dug or bastard-trenched, ^r- 
ticularly so if Pi-eviously wcupi^ by ^ 
of the Brassica family. 
soils may be treated 
there be snow or frost. On the otter lar<|, 
heavy soils require careful 
possible, should be dug or 
reasonably dry—at all tunes lea' 
face in a rough condition. It is a 
to throw the soil into ridges, ^ 
north to south, so as not to have a wet^w 
and a dry one; a liberal addition of 
scrapings, well-rotted 
ashes from the rubbish fire, will mat 
help to make the soil more friable. 
TURNIPS.—If roots ^ 
have reached normal size, they 
lifted and laid closely 
covering them with soil; ^® 
or bracken placed over them will lac 
lifting if severe weather sets in. 
PARSNIPS AND grmmd 
CHOKES.-These f of^n ad- 
and lifted as nequixed, but ^ ^^geient 
visable to take up and store a - . 
for two or three weeks’ 
winter; this means a sainng of laDou 
in frames and pits shouW be ^ j^^pt 
outside-grown plants. 3”^^! and ha« 
perfectly free from fhem: 
the soil Hghtly stirred betw^n tw ^ 
air daily, the lights being thickly 
bright weather. Seeds may material 
in Ws once a fortnight to 
for cutting in the ^^d'ens. 
SENGEE. Woolverstone Park Gara 
