February  13,  1902, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
141 
Apple,  Stirling  Castle. 
On  page  147  we  illustrate  a  prolific  bush  Apple  tree,  of  the 
variety  Stirling  Castle.  This  is  another  of  the  well-grown  fruit 
trees  as  represented  in  the  gardens  at  Uffculme,  the  residence 
of  Mrs.  Richard  Cadbury,  at  King’s  Heath,  near  Birmingham, 
where  Mr.  G.  Menzies  is  head  gardener.  Stirling  Castle  Apple 
is  a  favourite  in  gardens  far  and  wide,  and  Mr.  Menzies  finds  it 
one  of  his  most  productive  trees. 
Rhododendron,  Christmas  Cheer. 
This  is  a  new,  early  flowering  variety,  which  is  much  reconi- 
anended  for  early  forcing  for  Christmas  and  New  Year.  It  forces 
very  easily,  flowers  freely,  and  is  considered  by  many  to  be 
superior  to  the  old  well-known  type  Nobleanum.  The  colour  of 
the  flower  is  white,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  rose,  which  gives  it  a 
delicate  appearance.  Specimen  flowers  of  the  above  were  exhi¬ 
bited  by  Mr.  John  Downie,  Beechhill,  Murrayfield,  at  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Scottish  Horticultural  Association. 
Grammatoph.yllum  speciosum. 
Apropos  of  our  remarks  regarding  the  specimen  of  this  Giant 
Orchid  now  flowering  at  Kew,  a  French  journal,  “  Le  Moniteur 
d’Horticulteur,”  in  a  recent  issue,  cites  our  paragraph,  and  also 
announces  that  a  Singapore  journal  contains  a  notice  of  the 
flowering  of  this  remarkable  species  in  the  Botanic  Garden  there. 
We  learn  that  the  Singapore  specimen  carries  fifty-five  inflor- 
•escences,  supporting  a  total  of  three  thousand  enormous  flowers, 
in  colour  apricot  yellow,  maculated  with  greenish  brown ! 
Melon  Flants  in  Pits  and  Frames. 
In  these  the  plants  have  the  shoots  trained  over  the  surface  of 
the  soil,  and  require  somewhat  different  treatment  from  plants 
ctrained  on  trellises  in  houses.  The  plants  being  pinched  at  the 
second  leaf,  will  produce  two  or  more  shoots,  and  these  being 
stopped  in  turn,  will  result  in  four;  if  more,  reduce  to  that 
number,  and  train  two  to  the  front  and  two  to  the  back  of  the 
frame  or  pit.  Shoots  springing  from  the  collar  should  be  rubbed 
off  wliilst  quite  young,  and  do  not  encourage  any  laterals  nearer 
the  stem  than  Gin.  This  will  keep  the  collar  clear.  Stop  the 
principal  shoots  when  within  a  foot  of  the  sides  of  the  frame  or 
pit,  and  thus  throw  the  vigour  into  the  laterals,  which  will  show 
fruit  at  the  second  or  third  joint,  stopping  them  when  one  joint 
beyond  the  fruit.  Cover  the  lights  with  double  mats  at  night, 
and  see  that  the  linings  are  properly  attended  to,  reneAving  the 
old  linings  as  required.  The  bottom  heat  of  fermenting  beds 
should  be  85deg  to  90deg.  Shift  later  some  plants  into  larger  pots, 
•or  add  soil  as  the  plants  advance,  stopping  those  for  frames  and 
pits  at  the  second  leaf,  not  stopping  those  for  trellises,  but 
placing  a  small  stick  to  each  for  support,  and  rubbing  off 
laterals  as  they  appear. — G.  A; 
Melons  in  Houses. 
In  a  Melon  house  a  ridge  the  Avhole  length  of  the  bed — about 
2ft  wide  at  the  base,  with  the  top  flattened  so  as  to  give  a  depth 
-of  lOin  to  12in — is  preferable  to  hillocks,  the  soil  being  made  firm. 
The  plants  can  be  placed  21ft  asunder,  the  leading,  or  primary, 
shoots  being  taken  ujj  Avithout  stopping  until  fully  two-thirds 
the  distance  they  are  intended  to  travel  is  reached ;  then  pinch 
■out  the  point  of  each.  Some  varieties  aauII  show  fruit  on  the 
first  laterals,  and  as  early  Melons  are  a  consideration,  let  them 
remain,  taking  out  the  point  of  the  shoot  at  a  joint  above  them. 
To  allow  all  the  laterals  to  remain  would  very  much  overcrowd 
the  foliage ;  therefore  rub  off  the  alternate  laterals  Avhilst  they 
are  quite  young.  After  stopping  the  first  laterals  the  succeeding 
laterals  will  shoAV  fruit  at  the  second  or  third  joint.  The  plants 
Avill  require  but  little  water  as  yet;  nevertheless,  maintain  the 
soil  in  a  moist  condition.  Sprinkle  the  paths  and  Avalks  in  the 
morning  of  bright  days,  and  again  at  closing  time  or  early  in  the 
afternoon,  and  ventilate  carefully.  Keep  the  night  temperature 
at  65deg  to  70deg,  falling  to  GOdeg  in  the  morning ;  75deg  by  day, 
rising  to  80deg  or  85deg  from  sun  heat  and  90deg  to  95deg  after 
•closing ;  bottom  heat  to  be  kept  steady  at  80deg. — A. 
Onions. 
The  ground  intended  for  the  Onion  crop  being  dry  on  the 
surface,  the  lumps  may  be  thoroughly  broken  doAvn,  and  the 
surface  made  firm  by  treading  or  passing  a  roller  OAmr.  It  is 
essential  to  make  the  surface  fine,  as  the  drills  must  be  shalloAV, 
and  the  seed  evenly  distributed.  One  of  the  best  methods  of 
forming  the  drills  is  to  stretch  the  line  across  the  space,  and 
press  the  back  of  an  iron  rake  alongside  it  to  the  depth  of  a 
quarter  inch.  The  drills  should  be  a  foot  apart,  and  the  seed 
scattered  evenly,  but  not  thickly;  afterAvards  covering  carefully 
and  making  the  surface  firm.  Varieties  of  merit  are  Ailsa  Craig, 
Reading,  Bedfordshire  Champion,  Rousham  Park  Hero,  James’ 
Keeping,  and  Cranston’s  Excelsoir. — S. 
Halesia  tetraptera. 
This  beautiful  flowering  tree  ijroves  quite  hardy  in  the 
southern  districts  of  England,  and  Avill  succeed,  AA'hen  properly 
sheltered,  in  northeni  parts.  It  groAVS  into  a  roundish-headed 
tree,  20ft  high,  and  all  Avho  have  had  the  privilege  to  see  a 
healthy  young  tree  bedecked  Avith  its  Avhite  SnoAvdrop-like 
floAvers,  Avill  corroborate  the  statement  that  this  is  one  of  the 
best  of  May-floAvering  shrubs.  We  have  found  it  doing  Avell  on 
sandy  loams  in  a  free  and  airy  position  of  the  ornamental  grounds; 
but  one  authority  states  that  “  it  is  happiest  by  a  running  stream, 
or  Avhere  it  can  be  sheltered  in  a  soil  that  is  deep,  moist,  and 
sandy.  It  Avill  groAV  anyAvhere  provided  it  is  not  too  dry,  and  can 
be  raised  either  in  spring  or  autumn  from  root  cuttings  or  layers.” 
We  shoAv  a  small  piece  of  a  floAvering  branch  on  page  140. 
Peas. 
So  soon,  noAV,  as  the  ground  is  in  a  sufficiently  Avorkable  con¬ 
dition,  and  does  not  become  a  pasty  mass  Avhen  trod  upon,  several 
rows  of  early  Peas  may  be  soAvn.  An  open  position  should  be 
chosen,  yet  if  the  ground  is  moderately  sheltered  it  is  all  the 
better,  and  the  soil  ought  to  be  of  a  light,  rich  character,  having 
been  Avell  trenched  or  dug,  and  a  liberal  dressing  of  manure  in¬ 
corporated.  Break  down  the  soil  if  lumpy,  and  make  the  surface 
even  and  fine.  The  drills,  Avhich  should  be  about  Sin  deep  and 
Gin  Avide,  may  be  draAvn  at  various  distances  apart  according  to 
the  height  of  the  Peas  soAvn.  The  width  betAveen  the  roAvs 
ought  not  to  be  less  than  the  height  the  stems  groAv,  and  more 
space  between  may  be  given  if  convenient.  Scatter  the  seeds 
evenly,  and  about  half  an  inch  apart,  all  over  the  base  of  drill. 
Cover  carefully  with  fine  soil.  Under  ordinary  circumstances 
the  seed  is  safe  until  germination  ensues,  Avhen  protection  must 
be  given  at  once.  Should  mice  be  liable  to  find  the  seed  before 
growth  begins,  traps  should  be  set.  As  protectors,  use  wire  Pea- 
guards,  but  strands  of  black  cotton  over  the  rows  are  very 
effectual.  Good  varieties  to  sow  now  are  Chelsea  Gem,  American 
Wonder,  Bountiful,  William  the  First,  English  Wonder,  and 
Gradus. — E. 
Ranunculus. 
The  season  has  now  aiwived  for  planting  these  very  beautiful 
and  elegant  flowers.  The  soil  of  the  bed  ought  to  be  in  fine  con¬ 
dition,  neither  Avet  nor  dry.  To  prove  its  state,  take  up  a  handful, 
gently  squeeze  it,  and  let  it  fall  about  half  a  yard  ;  if  it  is  in  right 
condition  it  will  fall  in  pieces.  Proceed  then  Avith  the  rake  to 
level  the  soil ;  and,  having  finished  that  operation,  then,  with  a 
triangular-shaped  and  rather  small  hoe,  or  Avith  the  corner  of  a 
common  hand  hoe,  draAV  a  drill  across  the  bed,  2in  deep  ;  draAv  the 
next  5in  distant  from  the  first,  and  so  on  till  the  Avhole  bed  is 
finished.  Commence  this  some  fine  morning,  Avhen  there  is  a 
prospect  of  the  day  continuing  fine.  When  the  drills  are  all 
finished,  sprinkle  at  the  bottom  of  each  drill,  some  fine  sand ; 
then  bring  out  your  Ranunculus  roots,  Avith  a  numbered  label, 
made  either  of  lead,  Avith  the  number  stamped  upon  it,  or  of 
Avood,  with  each  number  written  upon  it  Avith  a  blacklead  pencil, 
upon  a  coating  of  Avhite  lead.  Begin  then  to  plant  the  variety 
written  in  your  book  opposite  No.  1.  Take  each  root  and  place 
it  at  the  bottom  of  the  drill,  very  gently  pressing  it  doAvn  in  the 
sand  to  about  half  the  length  of  the  claAVS  of  each  root.  Place 
the  next  at  4in  distance  from  it,  and  so  proceed  till  you  have 
planted  all  the  first  kind.  Follow  on  in  this  manner  till  the  bed 
is  filled.  As  soon  as  that  is  completed,  cover  the  roots  just  over 
the  croAvns  irith  some  more  of  the  fine  sand ;  this  sand  prevents 
the  roots  from  getting  too  wet  or  moulding.  Having  proceeded 
thus  far  successfully,  take  the  rake  again  and  carefully  level  down 
the  soil  into  the  drills. 
