August  22, 1895. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTULE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
189 
is  often  necessary  to  ripen  midseasoa  Grapes  perfectly,  but  with  ventila¬ 
tion  day  and  riight,  to  insure  a  circulation  of  air,  it  may  often  be 
dispensed  with  in  bright  weather.  The  nights,  however,  are  now  getting 
cold,  and  fire  heat  may  be  necessary,  though  a  good  rest  at  night  aids 
Vines  wonderfully  that  are  carrying  heavy  crops  of  Grapes.  Enough 
fire  heat  should  be  given  to  maintain  the  temperature  at  70°  to  75°  by 
day,  and  60°  to  65°  at  night,  allowing  5°  more  for  Muscats  or  similar 
varieties. 
Late  Ilonses. — The  Grapes  will  now  be  nearing  the  colouring  stage, 
and  should  be  given  every  encouragement.  Afford  full  supplies  of 
water  through  a  good  surface  mulching,  sweetened  horse  droppings,  or 
stable  litter  freed  from  the  straw  and  thrown  in  a  heap,  and  when  hot 
turned  inside  to  outside,  answering  well  when  not  more  than  1  to  2  inches 
thick,  continuing  the  supplies  of  nourishment  until  the  Grapes  are  well 
advanced  in  colour,  for  most  late  Grapes  take  a  long  time  to  perfect 
thoroughly,  and  some,  particularly  Mrs.  Pince,  are  not  so  up  to  the 
shank,  which  is  often  a  consequence  of  the  short  supplies  of  foud  ;  and 
in  some  cases  the  consequences  of  too  early  stopping  the  supplies  of 
nutrition  are  manifest  in  the  Grapes  shrinking,  as  not  unfrequently 
occurs  with  Muscats,  and  in  the  doings  of  the  Vines  the  following 
season.  All  late  Grapes  require  time — some  more  than  others  ;  but  all 
ought  now  to  be  colouring,  or  close  on,  while  no  harm  will  come  to  those 
advanced  therein  as  regards  keeping  afterwards. 
In  order  to  effect  perfection  of  berry  in  size  and  finish  a  fair  amount 
of  air  moisture  with  a  circulation  of  air  constantly  is  imperative, 
diminishing  the  air  moisture  as  the  Grapes  advance  in  colouring.  Poverty 
of  finish  is  the  chief  cause  of  Grapes  shrivelling,  cracking  resulting  of  a 
close  atmosphere  following  a  period  of  drought  or  ventilating  injudi¬ 
ciously.  Afford  a  temperature  of  70°  to  75°  by  day  artificially,  80° 
to  90°  with  sun,  and  close  sufficiently  early  to  increase  to  90°  or  95°. 
When  the  sun  is  losing  power  put  on  enough  top  and  bottom  ventilation 
to  insure  a  circulation  of  air,  allow  the  temperature  to  gradually  cool, 
which  rests  the  Vines,  and  increase  the  ventilation  early  with  the 
advancing  temperature.  The  hot-water  pipes  should,  if  necessary, 
have  a  little  warmth  in  them  to  prevent  the  temperature  falling 
below  65°  at  night. 
THE  FLOWER  GARDEN. 
Spring:  riowerlng:  Annuals. —  Much  may  be  done  towards 
brightening  up  the  flower  beds  and  borders  next  spring  with  the  aid  of 
annuals  and  biennials,  the  best  among  these  being  Sweet  Alyssum, 
Candytuft,  Corn  Marigold,  Clarkias,  Coliinsias  bicolor  and  grandiflorum. 
Coreopsis  tinctoria,  Godetias  in  variety,  dwarf  Larkspurs,  Leptosiphon 
androsaceus,  Limnanthes  Douglasi,  Nemophila  insignis.  Pansies,  Poppies, 
Saponaria  calabrica.  Scabious,  Silene  pendula  and  pendula  compacta, 
Venus’s  Looking  Glass,  Virginian  Stocks,  and  Vlscaria  cardinalis.  The 
Silenes,  Saponaria,  Pansies,  and  Violas  move  well,  and  some  of  the 
others  can  occasionally  be  transplanted  fairly  well,  but  as  a  rule  they 
are  best  sown  thinly  in  beds,  patches,  or  lines  where  they  are  to  flower. 
In  either  case  moisten  the  soil  prior  to  sowing  the  seeds  and  cover  lightly 
with  sifted  soil.  This  being  done  not  later  than  the  middle  of  August, 
and  the  plants  duly  thinned,  they  will  become  stout  and  strong,  and 
being  preserved  from  slugs  will  pass  safely  through  the  winter.  It  is 
somewhat  late  to  sow  Violas  and  Pansies,  but  if  the  seeds  are  sown  in  a 
sheltered  position,  and  not  disturbed  till  the  spring,  they  can  be  trans¬ 
planted  and  will  flower  well. 
Tuberous  Begonias. — Late-raised  seedlings  of  these  should  be 
taken  good  care  of,  as  they  will  form  small  bulbs  for  storing,  and  be  of 
a  serviceable  size  next  summer.  If  they  are  at  all  thick  in  the  seed  pans 
transplant  carefully  to  either  a  frame  or  to  boxes,  using  a  fairly  rich 
light  soil,  and  disposing  them  3  inches  apart  each  way.  Keep  them  in 
a  moist  state  at  the  root  while  growing  strongly,  and  when  the  tops  die 
store  them  in  a  cool  dry  place,  where  severe  frosts  cannot  reach  them. 
Larger  sizes,  if  not  wanted  for  the  flower  beds,  would  have  been  best 
located  in  nursery  beds.  All  that  flower,  in  fact  Tuberous  Begonias 
generally,  should  be  labelled  according  to  their  habit  of  growth  and 
flowering,  or  whether  the  flowers  are  erect  or  pendulous,  the  former  being 
the  best  for  beds  and  the  latter  for  vases  and  hanging  baskets.  Note 
their  respective  colours,  so  as  to  be  able  next  season  to  mass  the  colours, 
the  most  effective  arrangement.  Now  is  a  good  time  to  take  cuttings  of 
the  best  varieties.  Trim  off  the  lower  leaves,  cut  to  a  joint,  and  then 
dibble  them  in  at  the  foot  of  a  sunny  wall  or  on  a  raised  south  border,  a 
little  sharp  sand  only  being  added  to  the  ordinary  garden  soil.  Thus 
treated  they  will  strike  root  as  readily  as  Zonal  Pelargoniums,  and  form 
small  tubers  before  dying  down. 
Verbenas. — Though  not  so  generally  used  as  of  old  these  are  yet 
among  the  most  effective  of  the  summer  bedding  plants.  The  greatest 
difliculty  is  usually  experitnced  in  getting  clean,  healthy  cuttings  both 
now  and  in  the  spring,  but  unless  these  are  forthcoming  a  poor  stock  of 
plants  will  be  raised.  This  season,  being  cool  and  showery,  suits  the 
Verbenas  well  in  some  respects,  plenty  of  flowerless  young  shoots  now 
springing  up  from  the  centre  of  most  of  the  plants.  No  time  should  be 
lost  in  preparing  plenty  of  these.  Bottom  heat  is  not  needed  at  this 
early  date,  but  would  be  necessary  if  the  propagation  is  much  longer 
deferred.  Place  a  single  light  frame  on  a  hard  bottom,  half  fill  with 
partially  decayed  leaves  and  manure,  treading  it  down  firmly,  and  on 
this  spread  3  inches  of  fine  light  soil,  finishing  off  with  a  surfacing  of 
silver  sand.  Shorten  quite  young  flowerless  shoots  to  the  third  joint, 
removing  the  lower  pair  of  leaves,  and  dibble  them  in  1  inch  apart 
each  way.  Water  gently,  keep  the  frame  close,  shading  heavily  on 
bright  days  and  more  lightly  on  duller  days.  Do  not  let  them  suffer  for 
want  of  a  dewing  over  occasionally,  and  it  will  benefit  the  cuttings  by 
having  the  lights^  drawn  off  on  tine  nights.  Thus  treated  they  soon 
strike  root,  and  before  the  roots  become  interlaced  all  the  plants  ought 
to  be  carefully  raised  and  placed  in  pans  of  fairly  rich  soil,  being 
returned  to  frames  till  re-established.  In  this  manner  a  capital  lot  of 
sturdy  stock  plants  will  be.prepared,  these  wintering  best  in  a  cool,  airy 
house,  only  enough  heat  being  turned  on  to  keep  out  frosts. 
PLANT  HOUSES. 
Palms. — Where  these  are  infested  with  small  scale  every  endeavour 
should  be  made  to  clean  them.  This  scale  is  easily  destroyed  with 
petroleum  and  water,  but  great  care  is  necessary  in  its  application. 
The  oil  drains  into  the  centre  of  the  plant,  and  often  proves  injurious 
if  strong  applications  are  used  and  the  plants  stood  upright  again 
directly  they  have  been  syringed.  Three  ounces  of  the  oil  may  safely  be 
used  to  each  4  gallons  of  water,  but  the  first  application  will  not 
destroy  all  the  scale  ;  it  may  have  to  be  repeated  three  or  four  times  in 
succession  at  intervals  of  a  fortnight.  The  best  way  to  syringe  Palms 
with  this  solution  is  to  slightly  incline  the  pot  so  that  the  stem  and 
fronds  of  the  plant  hang  downwards.  This  prevents  any  oil  reaching 
the  centre.  The  leaves,  if  possible,  should  not  be  allowed  to  touch  the 
ground,  or  they  may  be  injured  by  the  oil  that  collects  and  floats  on  the 
surface  of  water  on  the  floor.  The  best  plan  is  to  move  the  plant  to  a 
fresh  position  as  soon  as  it  has  been  syringed,  so  that  its  leaves  are  free 
from  the  floor. 
Clssus  discolor. — For  covering  the  back  wall  of  a  stove  or  other 
warm  house  few  plants  are  more  beautiful.  The  main  branches  of  the 
plant  should  be  trained  at  the  top,  so  that  all  the  young  growths  will 
hang  downwards  in  a  natural  manner.  When  trained  under  the  roof  and 
well  treated  it  grows  so  rapidly  that  it  quickly  forms  a  dense  shade. 
From  time  to  time  liberally  but  judiciously  thin  the  shoots,  so  that  a 
good  percentage  will  hang  in  a  natural  manner.  This  plant  does  not 
display  half  its  true  beauty  when  trained  in  a  stiff  formal  manner. 
With  good  treatment  and  liberal  feeding  it  will  continue  to  grow  until 
the  end  of  the  year.  Perhaps  at  no  season  does  it  look  more  beautiful 
than  during  the  sunless  days  of  autumn.  The  foliage  can  then  be  used 
with  advantage  for  many  forms  of  decoration. 
Bertolonlas. — Side  shoots  may  now  be  taken  off,  as  they  root  freely 
in  sphagnum  moss  and  sand  in  a  close  propagating  frame,  or  under  bell- 
glasses  in  the  stove.  A  few  tops  may  also  be  taken  and  rooted,  so  that 
cuttings  will  be  produced  for  next  year’s  stock.  Young  plants  rooted 
now  pass  the  winter  in  better  condition  than  plants  with  large  well- 
developed  foliage.  The  latter  are  almost  certain  to  damp. 
Aralla  leptophylla. — Specimens  that  have  grown  too  tall  for  use 
in  5  or  6-inch  pots  may  be  cut  up  at  once  for  yielding  suitable  decorative 
plants  in  the  spring.  If  the  old  plant  is  cutoff  close  to  the  soil  it  will  break 
again  into  growth,  and  in  due  time  make  a  good  specimen.  The 
remainder  of  the  stem  should  be  cut  up  into  lengths  of  a  little  more  than 
2  inches,  and  inserted  singly  in  small  pots  in  sandy  soil.  If  plunged 
in  the  propagating  frame  and  shaded  from  the  sun  all  will  form  roots 
and  break  into  growth  from  the  top  eye.  At  the  first  potting  after¬ 
wards  the  portion  of  old  stem  above  the  soil  in  the  small  pots  can  be 
buried.  Plants  required  for  decorative  purposes  during  the  autumn  and 
winter  becoming  too  tall  in  their  present  quarters  should  be  gradually 
hardened  and  given  cooler  treatment  for  a  time. 
Ananassa  satlva  varlegata. — A  few  well  grown  plants  are  worth 
a  place  in  a  stove  on  account  of  their  distinctive  character  and  striking 
appearance  amongst  other  plants.  To  produce  good  plants  quickly 
leave  the  suckers  on  the  parent  until  they  are  sufldciently  strong  for 
5  or  6-inch  pots.  If  inserted  in  sandy  loam  they  will  root  freely 
enough  arranged  in  the  stove  with  other  plants.  The  only  defect  in 
this  plan  is  that  the  soil  is  liable  to  get  wet  before  it  is  filled  with  roots. 
Where  practicable,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  plunge  the  pots,  covering  the 
surface  of  the  soil  and  rim  of  the  pots  with  the  plunging  material 
until  they  are  well  rooted.  By  tnis  means  no  water  will  be  needed 
before  roots  are  formed  if  the  soil  has  been  moderately  moist  at  potting 
time.  If  suckers  are  not  freely  produced  before  the  plant  fruits  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  getting  the  necessary  quantity  afterwards. 
Anthericum  varlegatum. — In  from  4  to  6-inch  pots  few  plants 
are  more  conspicuous  in  appearance  or  more  useful  for  various  forms  of 
decoration.  This  plant  will  certainly  thrive  in  a  cool  house,  but  it 
grows  much  more  quickly  in  heat,  and  young  plants  should  be  treated 
to  nearly  stove  heat  until  they  attain  a  decorative  size.  Under  cool 
treatment  the  plant  is  very  slow,  but  in  heat  suckers  are  produced 
much  more  quickly.  It  is  necessary  to  grow  the  stock  plants  moderately 
warm  for  this  purpose.  It  grows  freely  in  good  loam,  sand,  leaf  mould, 
and  one-seventh  of  manure. 
Tlllandsla  (Vrlesla)  bieroglypblca. — For  rooms  and  various 
forms  of  decoration  this  plant  might  be  grown  much  more  generally,  for 
few,  if  any,  plants  last  in  rooms  in  good  condition  for  the  same  length 
of  time.  For  this  purpose  propagation  by  suckers  is  too  slow,  and  there¬ 
fore  seedlings  should  be  obtained.  Hitherto  we  have  failed  to  save  seeds, 
but  found  no  difficulty  in  having  seedlings  obtained  for  us.  This  plant 
requires  4-inch  pots,  and  grows  freely  in  loam,  peat,  leaf  mould,  and 
sand.  Plants  in  this  size  are  very  effective  when  from  6  to  8  inches 
high,  especially  if  a  few  small  seedling  Ferns  and  dwarf  mosses  have 
been  established  on  the  surface  of  the  soil.  They  require  stove  heat, 
but  after  they  are  large  enough  they  will  stand  for  weeks  in  any 
structure  without  injury. 
