_ 
A ugust i, 1905 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
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ROSES - 
The rose garden will require special attention. 
Manuring and digging having been completed 
and standards staked, the growth will be advanc- 
ing, and it is at this period that the first effort 
should be made to combat the attacks of aphides, 
which, if allowed to breed unchecked, often 
destroy the beauty of the rosary. They will 
cause but little trouble if the rose trees are 
sprayed occasionally with soapy water or a solu- 
tion of Burford’s emulsion. A gallon of water 
provides mixture enough to destroy any num- 
ber of them 
CARNATIONS 
Propagate carnations by slips or shoot 
pulled off the sides of the stems, Trim off the 
lower leaves and pot them, six in each 5-in pot 
using a compost of equal parts sand and good 
soil, The pots should be set ina glass frame, 
which must be kept closed and shaded from sun- 
shine Tho tree kinds of carnations are amongst 
the most nseful, as well as the most beautifu 
of flowers, as they are scarcely ever without 
blooms. The carnation has grown rapidly into 
avour, 
BEGONIAS 
_ Another grand flower which has found favour 
is the tulerotis hegonia, on account of its easy 
culture and splendid flowering qualities. The 
begonia, whether double or single, deserves a 
place in every garden. It will now be emerging 
from its dormant state, and will require a little 
water. All the old soil should be shaken from 
its ro ots, and it should be repotted in a mixtur 
of peat, decayed manure, and sand. 
ANNUALS 
Hardy annuals may be planted, and care 
should be taken to water them so soon as 
planted. A little short manure put round 
them as a mulch would prove of great assistance 
Sow in warm, sheltered borders seeds of early, 
Summer annuals; the soil must be very finee 
with a good proportion of sand, and should b 
kept constantly moist. Manure and fork 
amongst chrysanthemumis and roses. 
Plant phlox, calliopsis, gaillardia, mignonette 
salpiglossis, also':perennials, as petunia, verbena, 
A London Letter. 
By A. Hemstiey, 
in “The Florists’ Exchange.” 
Tuer Royat Horricurruran Socte'ry. 
Continued prosperity seems assured to 
this society. The shows at the new hall 
attract large numbers of visitors. A‘ the 
last, cne of the most prominent fe-tures 
was a large group of platyceriums *>m, 
Messrs. Hill & Son, Edmonton. J bave 
often advocated thlesd quaint! ferns for 
decorations, and I feel sure that there is 
money in them. A’ gentlemen in 
America, writing ‘me some few years ago, 
told me that he fous? them de hatter in 
the house then say olscr P22 Uo he had 
tried, and they were alwzys a source of in- 
terest to thos: who had not previously 
gsen them. ‘The sorts Mess». Hill showed 
“3 
. 
ase sieadieeatineetantl 
were alcicorne, ethiopicum, also known as 
straminea, Willincki, Veitchii, Halli, an- 
glolense, and a. magnificent specimen of 
grande. The two first named are the most 
useful for general purposes, and these may 
be readily propagated. If fixed on blocks 
of peat, root bulbils are readily formed, 
and these soon develop into young plants 
which are easily detached, and will soon 
grow into a useful size. Hobbies, Ltd. 
(J. Green) showed rose Philadelphia Ram- 
ble. It was hardly up to the standard as 
regards culture. Yet it was evident that 
the individual flowers are better and the 
color a more pleasing shade than is Crim- 
son Rambler. Messrs. Robert Veitch and 
Son, Exeter, again showed their Erica 
Veitchii, this time a compact plant densely 
covered with bloom, and an award of merit 
was given. for it. 
In roses shown by George Mount, 
Liberty and Ulrich Brunner were the 
best reds. Captain Hayward wag also good. 
Mrs. Sharman-Crawford, one of the best of 
several pinks. Messrs. Cutbush & Sons, 
Highgate, showed carnation General 
Kuroki, a very fine scarlet variety, of habit 
similar to the American varieties. This 
gained an award of merit. 
Magnolia Campbellii, from ai private 
source, was one of the finest we have seen, 
the large flowers being of a beautiful 
rosy pink on the outer and nearly white 
inside. Lathyrus pubescens, a very pretty 
azure blue variety, with rather small 
flowers, and about a dozen. on each stem, 
came from the gardens of Leopold de 
Rothschild. S. Mortimer, Farnham, 
showed. a fine wallflower-leaved stock with: 
large double white highly fragrant flowers. 
It was named “All-the-year-round,” and is 
said to flower at any time according to the 
time the seed is sown. It should be useful 
for market. H. Langston, of Marston, 
Herefordshire, showed violet Princess of . 
Wales, one of the finest blues we have. 
The flowers shown were of remarkable size. 
We alss see this fine variety in the market, 
end there is no better, though La France 
may run it very close. 
ORCHIDS. 
The steady growth of the orchid in. popu- 
lar favor has led to its special cultivation 
commercially. In the picture of the 
“Willewmead Orchidry,” at Hast Orange, 
N.J., is given a type of modern orchid 
house, with its rows of suspended: pots and 
baskets—the Willowmead pot and basket, 
in this case—and its benches well filled 
wit plants in the double pots. Its owner, 
Dr. J. M. W. Kitchen, has told his expert- 
ence repeatedly before gatherings of the 
craft and regards the cultivation of the 
orchid as a simple thing as long as a few 
general principles are observed. The doc- 
tor’s inventive genius has directed itself 
also in the direction of heating, and the 
visitor ig shown the “Torrodoow’ fuel and. 
heat saving appliance, which can be at- 
touched to any furnace, and which will pay 
for itgelf in a remarkuply shew snaee of 
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time. A manual describing the appli- 
ance he sends any interested reader. 
The picture represents the main house 
opening out of which are ten smaller ones, 
which are used for the cultivation of 
special kinds or for resting. The presiding: 
genius of these is W. Warner, who will be 
remembered by the visitors of former times 
to the houseg of Pitcher & Manda, at Short 
Hills, N.J. Some of the results in the 
flowering of these plants are given in the 
pictures of the cattleyas and dendrobiums. 
The great difficulty of the leading 
florists now is to find flowers sufficiently 
rare and expensive for their best patrons, 
who do not wish to wear such things as 
common folks can afford, and here and at 
the other establishments devoted especi- 
ally to the orchid are found full gratifica- 
tion for this feeling. “What does the re- 
tailer get for an orchid bloom for which he 
pays me one or two dollars?” asked Dr. 
Kitchen at a gathering, where a promi- 
nent florist was present. “It depends 
upon just how much! the fellow around 
the corner is asking,” wag the very diplo- 
matic reply. 
The expenditure of from 3,000 dollars 
to 5,000 dollars for flowers at fashionable 
weddings is not at alll uncommon now, and 
a decided increase in the employment of 
the orchid in the farewell floral offering to 
the passenger upon our outgoing steamers 
because of its valuable keeping qualities ig 
on the increase. It is the rarest of all 
Easter plants, the graceful poise and dove- 
like form of some of its species making it 
particularly appropriate upon this anniver- 
sary. 
Orchids bearing flowers in racemes are 
becoming popular at the present time for 
table decoration, because of their graceful 
combination with asparagus. and adian- 
tum, and are even sold in their pots and 
baskets for gifts because of the continuous 
bloom of one plant for several weeks. Nor 
do all orchids resent greatly being taken 
from. the conservatory to the drawing- 
room, though it frequently means to the 
Srower the sacrifice of the next season’s 
flower, but even this has been found an 
advantage, for from the enforced rest. has 
come increased size of the next following 
season’s bloom. 
As we understand the cultivation of the 
orchid’ better, the number of flowers upon 
a single plant is increased through the skill 
of the grower. An example’ of this ig men- 
tioned at an exhibition at Sandown, Eng- 
land, where a plant cf the widely known 
Dendrobium nobile was staged lsearing no 
fewer than 1,350 blooms. The science 
of window-gardening, yet in its infancy in. 
American, cities, hag many valuable addi- 
tions in the orchid, when our dealers wake 
up to this fact, particularly when simple in- 
structions for their cultivation accompany 
the sele of each plant. As its capability of 
harmonious arrangement in evening: cos- 
tumo has so recently been discovered here, 
though extensively practised abroad, on~ | 
florists find in the orchid not a flows 
