0 A 
the attention they deserve. 
AUGUST 1, 1962. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER, 
mirer :—Miranda (rose), ‘Titania (purple), 
Maculata (striped), Ruffled Giants (deep 
throats of yellow, white, black, green or 
maroon), Lady of the Lake (fringed pure 
white, double), Mr. J. Everest (rose). The 
fringing, blotchings, veinings, and markings 
are the florist’s delight. 
RHODANTHE (from rhodon, a_ rose, 
and anthos, a flower ).—These are yet another 
variety of everlastings, and for grace, ele- 
gance, usefulness, and beauty they claim 
aspace in every well-regulated garden. They 
are easily grown from seeds in a sandy loam, 
with leaf mould, and cow manure swell rotted 
when planting out. They well repay atten- 
tion, and as cut flowers they are valuable. 
SALPIGLOSSIS (from salpinx, a tube, 
and glossa, a tongue, referring to the style in 
the tube of the flower ).—Strange to say, this 
flower is so little known amongst cottage 
gardeners. It is one of the most fascinating 
pants to grow, and eminently suited to our 
Australian climate. The markings, vein- 
ings, rich colourings of each particular bloom 
make the flower a constant interest, and a 
plot of them cannever be passed by without 
notes of admiration. 
WALLFLOWER (Cheiranthus, from 
cheir—the hand, and anthos, a flower, from 
the custom of carrying Wallflower nosegays). 
What shall we say about Wallflowers ? 
Ask grandma, she brought them to Aus- 
tralia many years ago, she could not live in 
a cottage. without them in the garden. It 
would not seem.like home. Ask anybody 
and everybody about Wallflowers, and the 
Opinion goes all one way upon their de- 
lightful perfume, and rich colourings. 
ZINNIA (named after Zinn, a German 
betanist).—These flowers have not received 
They delight. in 
the summer sun. Reyelling in the heat with 
plenty to drink, they make our summer 
gardens delightful. There is plenty of 
variety in shades of colour and marking, and 
wil stand lots of neglect, though with proper 
attention they do well, like everything else 
that is cared for in the garden. 
0 —_--—. 
BULBS. 
The culture of bulbs is a fascinating 
Study with many gardeners, some of 
Who n have made it a hobby, and have 
gained famous names for theme'ves, 
In this connection the name of Peter 
Barr, ‘the doffodil king,’ at once comes 
to the memory of Australians who a 
Short while ago had the pleasure of 
Meeting this genial old English gentleman 
and hearing him talk about’ his pet 
flower. Several Australians are also on 
the high road to fame in the same 
direction. In the realm of flowers 
Specialists work in the same way as those 
In she scientific laboratory. Much, very 
Much, of their work never sees the 
daylight of public recognition, but it 
S0es on all the same, seen or unseen, and 
the inspiration that keeps them working 
1S pure love, without any ulterior motive 
than that of success in reaching their 
ideals. Ifthe botanical specialists were 
to suddenly cease working, professional 
gardeners would soon feel the pinch of 
poverty, and the amateur would find his 
garden on the down grade. 
Johnson’s work gives a very succinct 
description of bulbs. He explains that a 
bulb is really an underground bud. Tis 
fibrous or real roots die annually ; but the 
bulb remains stored with elaborated sap, 
and retaining the vital powers of the 
plant, ready for reproduction at the 
appropriate season. Besides root bulbs 
(such as the onion) there are stem, or 
caulinary bulbs, equally efficient for 
propagation. The stem bulb consists of a 
number of small scales closely compacted 
together in an ovate or ccnical form, 
enclosing the rudiments of a _ future 
plant, and originating sometimes in the 
axil of the leaves, and sometimes at the 
base of the umbel of flowers. In both 
cases it is nourished by the parent plant 
till it has reached maturity, at which 
period the bond of connection is solved 
and the bi'b falls to the ground, endowed 
with the power of striking root in the 
soil by sending out fibres from the base, 
and so converting itself into a new 
individual. 
Every bulbous rooted plant has its 
management given in its proper place ; 
but there are a few rules of general 
applicability. They should be moved 
where necessary while ina state of rest. 
This occurs to the summer flowering 
bulbs in early autumn, and to autumn 
flowering in spring:.. Many require to be 
taken up annually or, at furthest, every 
second or third year, to remove the 
accumulated offsets. No bulb should be 
kept long out of the ground, and, even 
during the time it is necessarily so kept, 
it should be stored in a dry well venti- 
lated room or shed. 
Their culture is very simple. They do 
wellin any rich well drained soil, pre- 
ferring sandy loam. Very little attention 
is required, and many of them bloom 
year after year without being removed at 
all. The application of fresh manure is 
very often a cause of injury to them by 
unsuspecting ‘and inexperienced  gar- 
.deners ; bonedust and chemical manures 
“are also ‘injurious. 
Only .well rotted 
manure should beused, arid this ought 
never to touch the bulbs. March is the 
best month to plant the spring flowering 
bulbs, and winter and early spring for the 
summer flowering. 
Bulbs, tubers, and corms that are 
included in the spring flowering list that 
should be making a good show this month 
and next include :— 
Anemone Jonquil. 
Alium Lachenalia 
Babiana Narcissus 
Crocus Polyanthus-Narcissus 
Daffodil Ranunculus 
Freesia Sparaxis 
Grape Hyacinth — Scilla 
Hyacinth Snowflake 
Tris Tritonia 
Ixia Tulip 
‘carefully applied between the rows. 
- temperature is kept at 50° by day and 45° at 
5 
Carnation (rowing 
IN AMERICA.* 
HE housing is carried out in August 
and September. The houses are 
cleaned thoroughly, whitewashed and painted, 
and fresh soil is placed on the stages. Good 
loam mixed with manure the preceding winter 
or autumn, and supplied with some bone- 
meal and chemical manure, is generally 
recommended. It is very important that all 
natural manures shouldbe thoroughly decayed, 
as the Carnation does not develop healthily 
where fresh manure is present in the soil. 
When the plants are lifted in the field all 
the soil is removed from the roots, this 
operation being best performed with a digging 
fork, one man lifting the plant whilst another 
gently shakes the soil off. A few years back 
the general practice was to shift the. plants 
with a ball, but this method is now entirely 
abandoned. It does not pay to carry a 
quantity of old exhausted soil inside. If the 
houses be well shaded, in the course of a few 
days the plants look as if they had never been 
disturbed. In the newly-planted houses great 
care is taken as to watering and frequent 
syringing is practised. 
The first full crop of flowers is borne about 
twelve weeks after planting, although man 
flowers may be cut even a month after. As 
the plants make their best growth in the field 
in August and September, late planting has 
its great advantages, and planting in the 
latter part of September gives the best crop 
for Christmas. No good prices can be 
expected for Carnations before the Chrysan- 
themums are over. : 
Attention in winter is simple. When days 
get shorter all syringing is discontinued, and 
the water, which is given with the hose, is 
The 
night. It is agood plan even in mild weather 
to keep the fire going and to open the 
ventilators, as the Carnation likes a’ dry 
atmosphere, and fresh air tends to open the 
flowers well. 
Most varieties need some support, which 
is always given by means of galvanised wire 
rings placed: one over the other, and at- 
tached to stakes in the soil. The use of wire 
rings is much preferable to tying strings ; it 
gives a tidier appearance, and, whilst keeping 
the plants together, permits of a free natural 
growth, and, what is an important point, 
makes the cutting of the flowers easy. The 
wires are, of course, rather more expensive in 
the first instance, the best costing 27 dols. 
per 1,000, but they last seven to eight years 
and are extremely easy to put up. 
» A very important item is the feeding, espe- 
cially where the plants have been grown on 
the stages all the summer. To apply liquid 
manure with a watering-pot would not pay, 
as it would take too much time. It is gene- 
rally distributed from a main tank with a 
steam pump and hose. The stages are fre- 
*An essay read before the Kew Gardeners’ 
| Society by A. E. Casse,and published by Zhe 
Garden, 
