ia) 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
March 1, 1905 
matter to what class they belong, look 
better when exhibited as naturally as pos- 
sible. I have been to the midland show 
on four different occasions. It is, I sup- 
pose, the first show of its kind (Carnation 
and Picotee) in the land where the biooms 
are staged by the thousand in every con- 
ceivable form as button holes, sprays, bou- 
quets, table decorations, dressed and un- 
dressed, but the exhibits of Carnations 
that have impressed me most of all were 
the non-competitive exhibits put up by 
Mr. Tom Lord at Old Trafford three and 
four years ago. They were arranged three 
blooms of one variety in a vase with long 
stems, and a few buds and foliage. The 
flowers were dressed a little, and had very 
small cards to hold them in position. The 
cards, however, did not show. It was a 
superb exhibit, and formed an ideal object 
lesson how Carnations ought to be shown. 
‘The Gardener.” 
SALPIGLOSSIS. 
Have you ever seen a bed of Salpiglosses 
in bloom? My experience leads me to 
say that there are many who, whilst de- 
lighting in Petunias for bedding and vases 
and boxes, entirely overlook the beauty to 
be found in the Salpiglossis. Like Petu- 
nias, they are possessed of a straggling 
habit, and it is this informality, together 
with the beautiful funnel-shaped blossoms, 
that charms a first acquaintance with 
them. In one respect they are to be pre- 
ferred to Petunias, inasmuch as the blos- 
soms are borne on long stalks which are 
convenient for cutting, but they resemble 
Petunias in so far as they may be raised 
from seed sown in shallow pans, the seed- 
lings being pricked off and hardened pre- 
paratory to planting out. If you have 
never grow the Salpiglossis a trial wall 
convince you of its utility and beauty. 
PANSIES AND VIOLAS. 
Probably there are thousands of old 
plants of the above now apparently ti riving 
in many gardens, and the owners will be 
tempted to keep them for use during next 
summer in the same borders. The plants 
will not be entirely useless if retained, but 
they will most likely prove unsati:factory 
just when they are required at their best. 
The long, hollow stalks have not the vigor 
of younger and shorter ones, and they fail 
to continue blossoming in a satisfactory 
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has imported per steamship Fifeshire 
TEN CWT. 
ELADIOED 
embracing 
200 Finest European Varieties, 
for 
Autumn Flowering. 
manner after the spring of the year is 
passed. The withering away of the leaves 
and old stems is more rapid in hot weather, 
and especially is this the case when the soil 
is very rich in farmyard manures. In hard 
and somewhat poor ground the plants will 
live longer, but the flowers produced are 
very small. 
A stock of sturdy cuttings is a valuable 
asset where these plants are grown exten- 
sively for spring aud summer flowering in 
the pleasure garden. Scotland is a couutry 
where Pansies and Violas are largely 
grown. A head gardener once told me 
tbat, when he was a youth just beginning 
his gardening career, much consternation 
prevailed in a certain garden one morning 
after the usuai bedding plants had been put 
out in the flower garden; indeed the work 
had been finished the day previous, as a 
severe frost had occurred in the night and 
ruined the majority of the plants. Fourtu- 
nately the head gardener had fille, a num- 
ber of borders with Violas and Pansies, 
and, having a considerable number in re- 
serve, these took the place of those spoiled, 
and so constituted the main feature of the 
summer bedding that year So successful 
were they that for many years afterwards 
the ‘‘fill-gaps’” were mostly depended upon 
as summer bedding plants. 
In those days rooted cuttings were nearly” 
always put out; but now we may raise 
thousands of seedlings in spring which will 
answer the same purpose. and that, too, at 
a small outlay. I advise growers to cepend 
upon rooted cuttings and seedlings rather 
than old plants, especially where whole 
beds are occupied with the plants 
Pansies aud Violas certainly thrive best 
in a cool, rich soil. I have seen very 
striking beds of them growing iu almost 
pure sand, and that, too, under a hot sun. 
In these days the plants are chiefly grown 
to form a groundwork under taller subjects, 
such as Fuchsias, Liliums, Ivy-leaf Gera-- 
niums, and many other kinds. 
During the winter cuttings which were 
put in in autumn should be examined once 
each week and the soil gently pressed around 
them, and afterwards the surface lightly 
scratched over with a pointed stick. Every 
batch of seedlings should be examined in 
Spring, and it there are any amongst them 
which are throwing out runnere destroy 
such forthwith, as they will spoil the ap- 
pearance of the whole later on. A goed 
‘specimen should be compact and sturdy.— 
“The Gardener.” 
VIOLETS. 
Few flowers are more generally appre- 
ciated than the fragrant violets, and espe- 
cially are they beloved: in the dull days of 
winter and early spring. The time is now 
approaching when plants growing in the 
open. will have to be lifted and transplant- 
ed. Although the cultivation of violets 
is a simple matter, yet to ensure a supply 
- of fine flowers during winter requires some 
amount of preparation and attention ta 
various details throughout the year. 
The method of propagation usually prac- 
tised is thati of dividing the plants which 
have done duty for one winter. The young 
crowns, each having roots, are then planted 
on a prepared plot of ground in rows, and 
watered at the roots and overhead as oftem 
as necessary. Syringing should be perform— 
cd three or four times a day to promote 
quick root action, and a slight shade willl 
prove helpful to the newly planted crowns 
until they have established themselves. A 
border under the garden wall facing north 
is a capital place for the plants, as the sum 
does not then play upon them during the 
hottest part of the day. Frequent syring— 
ings are not only conducive to robusé. 
growth, but assist in. warding off attacks of 
that dreaded pest—-red spider. Weeds and@ 
runners must be kept down, and early 
flowers should also be assiduously picked 
off, or they will rob the plant of nutriments 
which should now be concentrated on the 
main crown. The soil I find suits violets 
well consists of two-fifths leaf-soil, two of 
good garden soil, and one is loam, adding 
some road-grit or river sand as thought 
necessary to make the whole porous. 
About 8 in. depth of soil is sufficient for 
the plants, but the latter should be brought 
as near the glass as possible without touch— 
ing it. Violets delight in abundance of ai 
and light, therefore abundance should be 
provided so far ay the state of the weather 
permits. 
Do not bury the violet: crowns, neither 
plant them so that they are set up above 
the ground. Afford sufficient room from 
plant to plant to allow of free development 
of the leafage, and to admit air and sun- 
shine. When planted give a good watering, 
and keep the structures close for a week 
or so, when air should be gradually admit~ 
ted until, finally, the lights may with ad- 
vantage be removed entirely on fine days 
and evenings. The aspect of the frames 
should be south or south-west, so that the 
maximum amount of light may be secured. 
Damp, foggy weather is very harmful te 
violets during winter, and great care musts 
be exercised in admitting air at such times, 
or the leaves will decay and the flowers 
will open imperfectly; at the same time, 
I do not advise keeping the fr2mes close, 
but air must: be cautiously admitted. 
A stimulant is highly beneficial to then 
during active growth, and this may be con~ 
tinued up to within a few days of lifting. 
With reference to suitable manures for 
them, I depend chiefly upon the drainings 
from. the farmyard, but an approved arti 
ficial fertiliser may be given occasionally, 
afterwards using only clear water for # 
few days. 
eGRASS GARDENS, 
The charms of bulbous flowers are never 
better exemplified than when the blooms 
are seen rising from the soft green tif and 
swaying in the slightest breeze that blows. 
Their popularisation for this purpose is 
largely due to the admirable manner im 
which they have been emploved in the 
betanic gardens in various parts of the 
country, notably at Kew, where the an: ual 
displays rank with the most beautiful horti- 
cultural features of the year; to tha splen- 
