278 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  31,  1898. 
CULTURE  OF  MARGUERITES. 
Few  easily  grown  llowers  have  enjoyed  such  a  pronounced 
popularity  as  the  white  ^Marguerite.  A  few  years  ago  there  was  no 
lack  of  prophets  who  predicted  that  they  would  rapidly  decline  in 
public  favour.  Instead  of  such  being  the  case,  I  am  bold  enough  to 
assert  that  Marguerites  were  never  more  largely  grown  than  they  are 
at  the  present  time.  The  truth  about  the  matter  seems  to  be  that 
plants  which  may  be  so  managed  as  to  produce  white  flowers  at  any 
season  of  the  year  are  not  yet  numerous  enough  to  enable  us  to 
dispense  with  such  comparatively  common  flowers  as  white 
Marguerites.  They  possess,  moreover,  a  type  of  beauty  which  ordi¬ 
nary  individuals  do  not  easily  become  tired  of,  and  are  also  extremely 
serviceable  in  supplying  both  cut  flowers  and  pot  plants. 
For  many  years  I  have  made  a  practice  of  inserting  a  number  of 
cuttings  in  September.  These  are  transferred  to  small  pots  some  time 
during”  October,  and  kept  in  cold  pits  unless  very  severe  frosts  are 
experienced.  By  covering  the  glass  w’ith  a  double  thickness  of  mats 
such  plants  are  quite  sale  when  not  more  than  12  of  frost  occur. 
During  the  last  two  winters  1  have  kept  a  good  stock  in  frames 
without  having  lost  a  plant.  I  arrange  them  thinly,  and  thus  secure 
very  sturdy  growth.  Some  time  during  March  I  place  the  whole 
stock  in  their  flow^ering  pots,  the  stronger  plants  being  transferred  to 
pots  6  inches  in  diameter,  and  the  weaker  ones  into  5-inch  pots.  Two 
parts  loam  or  good  garden  soil  to  one  of  well-decayed  manure  (or  that 
from  a  spent  Mushroom  bed),  with  a  little  sand  and  soot  added,  is  the 
standard  mixture.  The  soil  is  pressed  into  the  pots  very  firmly,  and 
after  being  kept  somewhat  close  in  a  cold  pit  or  frame  for  a  few  days, 
abundance  of  air  is  given  on  all  favourable  occasions. 
A  week  after  the  operation  of  potting  has  been  performed  the 
points  are  removed  from  each  shoot,  and  as  growth  advances  the 
plants  are  being  continually  given  more  space,  to  cause  them  to 
maintain  their  sturdy  habit  of  growth.  This  continual  thinning  out 
is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  production  of  good  pdants,  and 
although  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  perform  it  just  at  the  right  time 
through  want  of  space,  the  exercise  of  a  little  ingenuity  will  usually 
help  one  out  of  the  difficulty.  1  have  frequently  placed  some  in  a 
sheltered  pjosition  in  the  open  air  and  protected  them  with  canvas 
rather  than  spoil  the  whole  hatch  by  overcrowuling. 
As  soon  as  the  roots  have  permeated  the  -new  soil  I  like  to 
commence  feeding,  as  this,  like  all  other  species  of  Chrysanthemum,  is 
a  gross  feeder.  Soot  w'ater  applied  two  or  three  times  weekly  is  an 
excellent  stimulant  to  begin  with.  After  a  few  w'eeks  of  this  treat¬ 
ment  one  of  the  many  good  fertilisers  now  in  the  market  should  be 
applied  as  a  top-dressing  once  a  fortnight,  and  liquid  manure  from  the 
drainings  of  stables  or  cow  sheds,  diluted  with  ten  times  its  bulk 
of  water,  be  given  three  times  weekly.  During  bright  weather 
in  April  and  May  I  like  to  remove  the  lights  from  the  pits  or  frames 
so  as  to  leave  the  plants  fully  exposed  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  day. 
Many  cultivators  do  not  seem  to  recognise  the  great  value  of 
syringing  the  plants,  but  I  make  a  practice  of  doing  so  each  after¬ 
noon  if  the  weather  is  bright,  and  I  am  convinced  that  it  helps  greatly 
in  maintaining  healthy  and  vigorous  growth,  and  also  in  warding  off 
the  attacks  of  leaf  miners,  caused  by  the  deposition  of  eggs  by  the 
fly.  At  one  time  I  used  to  dread  the  attacks  of  this  destructive 
pest,  but  by  resorting  to  remedial  measures  at  an  early  stage  I  am 
now  always  able  to  successfully  combat  it.  The  plan  I  adopt  is  this  : 
As  soon  as  I  notice  a  single  maggot  in  any  leaf  I^dissolve  2  ozs.  of 
softsoap  in  a  gallon  of  water,  and  add  to  it  half  a  wineglass  of 
petroleum,  mix  this  thoroughly,  and  syringe  upon  the  plants.  This 
will  destroy  all  eggs  it  touches,  and  will  also  make  the  leaves  dis¬ 
tasteful  to  the  fly.  Starved  plants,  which  are  grown  in  a  dry 
atmosphere  and  receive  insufficient  quantities  of  water,  quickly  fall  a 
prey  to  this  destructive  pest,  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that 
during  the  month  of  May  I  could  cause  a  weakly  plant  to  become 
badly  infested  with  maggot  solely  by  negligence  or  bad  culture, — 
Plantsman. 
CALCEOLARIAS  FOR  BEDDING. 
The  usefulness  of  these  plants  for  the  embellishment  of  the  flower 
garden  during  the  summer  months  cannot  be  disputed,  yet  they  have  of 
late  years  fallen  into  somewhat  bad  repute.  This,  doubtless,  is  largely 
owing  to  many  of  the  plants  dying  suddenly  in  the  beds  when  they  should 
be  at  their  best,  which  necessitates  planting  a  large  number  in  the  reserve 
garden  for  the  purpose  of  filling  up.  A  discussion  on  the  causes  of  this 
failure,  and  the  means  of  preventing  it,  would  be  of  great  value  to  many 
readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  for  the  Calceolarias  stand  almost 
alone  for  distinctness  of  character  and  profusion  of  flowering  until  late  in 
the  summer. 
One  cause  of  failure  may,  I  think,  be  attributed  to  coddling  the  young 
plants  in  the  winter  whilst  under  glass.  Then,  again,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  the  plants  will  root  more  freely  in  a  cool  soil,  the  time  for 
planting  in  the  beds  is  often  deferred  till  the  end  of  May.  By  this  time 
the  soil  has  become  warm  from  the  action  of  the  sun,  and  is  therefore 
prejudicial  to  the  plants  starting  root  action  at  once. 
The  second  week  in  March,  if  the  weather  be  favourable,  or  at  the 
latest  the  end  of  the  month,  the  plants  should  be  lifted  carefully,  and 
replanted  in  a  bed  of  moderately  rich  soil  in  rows  6  inches  apart,  the  same 
distance  being  allowed  in  the  rows.  The  beds  can  be  made  up  in  any  old 
frame,  or  even  a  turf  pit  in  the  open,  provided  they  can  be  sheltered  from 
severe  frosts  and  keen  winds,  which  often  prevail  during  March  and 
April.  Throughout  this  time  no  more  covering  should  be  accorded  than 
is  absolutely  necessary.  Early  in  May  the  position  in  the  beds  which 
they  are  to  occupy  should  be  decided,  and  after  giving  them  a  good 
dressing  of  rich  cool  farmyard  manure  { cow  manure  for  preference)  or 
trench  and  digging  this  in,  the  plants  may  be  carefully  lifted  and  replanted 
with  as  little  delay  as  possible,  and  be  well  watered  in  should  dry  weather 
prevail.  They  should  receive  copious  supplies  of  water,  the  early  morning 
and  the  evening  being  the  best  time  for  supplying  it.  By  following  the 
lines  here  laid  down  we  lose  only  a  very  small  percentage  of  plants.  Our 
soil  is  of  a  very  light  open  nature,  and  I  incline  to  the  belief  that  a 
retentive  soil  suits  the  Calceolaria  much  better. — Calceolus. 
NOTES  ON  CURRENT  TOPICS. 
Azaleas. 
The  painstaking  article  on  page  232  of  your  Journal  has  all  my 
sympathy,  and  so  have  these  beautiful  useful  flowers.  They  are  sadly 
neglected,  and  thus  improved  varieties,  although  abundantly  existing, 
have  been  rarely  seen  during  the  last  ten  years,  and  were  little  heeded 
five  or  ten  years  before  that.  The  varieties  then  introduced  have  hardly 
become  generally  known  in  the  declining  taste  for  these  flowers,  and  yet 
they  are  a  distinct  advance,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  on  such  older 
varieties  enumerated  by  your  contributor,  who  only  names  Deutsche 
Perle  of  the  newer  ones.  Within  my  recollection  Sigismund  Rucker  and 
John  Gould  Veitch  presented  a  new  departure  some  thirty  years  ago  as 
being  the  first  instances  of  flowers  of  good  substance,  with  a  bold  white 
border  with  salmon  and  lilac  centres. 
Since  then  brighter  tints  with  a  white  border  have  been  added.  The 
very  brightest  of  them  all.  Souvenir  de  Prince  Napoleon,  rich  cherry-red 
with  a  clear  white  border,  is  seldom  seen,  although  supplied  at  the  time  by' 
Messrs.  Veitch.  Varieties  like  Madame  de  Greve,  Madame  de  Kerchove- 
Lippens,  as  well  as  Fanny  Boye,  are  very  distinct  in  another  way,  having 
a  smaller  but  more  intense  yet  substantial  blotch  heavily  bordered  with 
white  and  most  attractive.  I  think  Madame  Louise  de  Kerchove  of  very 
great  merit,  as  w’ell  as  the  rather  paler  Princess  Louise,  both  bordered 
with  white.  Among  dark  seifs  are  Argus,  Louis  Lubbers,  and  the  newer 
variety  of  immense  size,  Memoire  de  L.  Van  Houtte,  quite  a  first-class 
variety.  A  great  contrast  to  the  latter  is  Comte  Charles  de  Kerchove  de 
Denterghem,  with  a  remarkably  rich  variety  of  tints.  Lastly,  but  not 
least,  among  coloured  varieties  is  Madame  L.  Van  Houtte,  a  highly 
superior  variety,  very  large,  tender  carmine  margined  with  white.  It 
lasted  five  to  six  weeks  in  flower,  and  no  collection  should  be  without  it. 
Of  white  varieties  Madame  Marie  Planchon  is  excellent,  semi-double, 
with  undulated  edge.  Baronne  de  Vriere  is  very  large.  Many  more 
might  be  named. 
The  mention  made  of  these  plants  deserving  a  house  to  themselves  is 
well  justified  ;  but  a  combination  with  other  classes  succeeding  well  under 
similar  treatment  would  probably'  suit  amateurs  better.  I  will  refer  to 
them  on  a  future  occasion.  Meanwhile,  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the 
claims  of  such  old  favourites,  with  the  supplement  of  newest  varieties, 
should  induce  growers  to  show  them  at  the  Drill  Hall  during  the  next 
month  or  two,  where  many  might  see  the  best  of  them  for  the  first  time, 
and  certainly  the  younger  generation  would.  If  Camellias  are  worth 
howing  as  they  are,  surely  Azaleas  have  a  claim.  Even  our  Continental 
originators  of  these  lovely  plants  might  be  called  upon  t  >  show  what 
advance  has  been  made  ;  and  as  their  appearance  at  the  Drill  Hall  is  by 
no  means  unheard  of,  the  present  flowering  season  of  Azaleas  seems  to 
furnish  an  appropriate  opportunity. 
Lane’s  Prince  Albert  Apple. 
In  some  horticultural  journals  this  Apple  is  referred  to  at  this  season 
as  excellent  either  “for  dessert  or  cooking.”  A  test  would  dispel  the  idea. 
It  seems  surprising  that  it  should  be  described  as  suitable  for  dessert. 
Certainly,  if  dished  to  be  looked  at  only,  as  at  the  Drill  Hall  meeting 
recently,  it  may  be  suitable  for  dessert  as  “  a  thing  of  beauty,”  but  as  to 
flavour  it  is  in  tartness  hardly  beaten  by  Dumelow’s  Seedling  “  at  this 
season,” 
In  penning  such  statements  as  to  the  quality  of  dessert  Apples  writers 
must  not  overlook  the  fact  that  they  may  disappoint  numerous  readers, 
w  ho  would  find  out  their  mistake  only  after  growing  trees  a  few  years. 
A  similar  and  frequent  mistake  is  made  wiih  regard  to  the  early  variety 
Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  when  recommended  as  an  eating  or  dessert  variety', 
whereas  it  is  a  suitable  complement  in  the  trio  of  sorts  named  by  me 
which  are  as  sour  as  a  lemon,  figuratively  speaking,  and  only  useful  for 
cooking  purposes, 
I  should  describe  as  an  early  eating  Apple  the  Yellow  Transparent 
(syn.  Grand  Sultan),  which  is  indeed  surprisingly  sweet  when  fully 
ripe  and  eaten  from  the  tree  in  July  and  August.  It  is  a  pity  Beauty  of 
Bath,  Duchess  of  Gloucester,  and  James  Grieve  cannot  be  classed  with 
the  last  named.  They  are  described  usually  as  dessert  Apples,  to  which 
their  tartness  does  not  entitle  them,  however  bewitching  their  looks, 
which  is  the  only  claim  they  can  advance. — H,  H.  R.,  Forest  Hill, 
