254 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  20,  1902. 
interest  is  increased  by  its  origin,  wliicli  gives  it  tbe  character 
of  being  one  of  the  few  graft-hybrids  we  grow  in  our  gardens.  It 
proceeded  from  grafting  Kitaibelia  vitifolia  upon  Abutilon 
Thompsoni,  with  the  result  that  the  graft-hybrid  has  its  leaves 
prettily  marbled  with  yellowish  white,  and  yellow  along  with 
green,  having  apparently  taken  this  feature  from  the  well-known 
Abutilon.  Kitaibelia  vitifolia  is  a  little-grown  Slavonian  plant, 
growing  from  Oft  to  8ft  high,  and  having  vine-shaped  leaves  and 
white  or  rose  floAvers.  Kitaibelia  Lindemuthi,  which  has  been 
named  in  honour  of  its  raiser,  Mr.  H.  Lindemuth,  of  Berlin,  is 
said  to  grow  from  6ft  to  Oft  high,  and  to  be  perfectly  hardy.  An 
illustration  before  me  represents  an  effective  plant,  Avhich  might 
be  of  service  in  the  garden.  I  hope  to  give  it  a  trial  this  season. 
Primula  marginata. 
Among  the  chaos  of  Primula  names  and  contradictory  autho¬ 
rities,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  a  few  whose  recognised  cognomens 
.seem  undoubted,  and  which  are,  at  the  same  time,  easily  grown- — 
not  a  characteristic  of  all  the  Primula  species.  But  for  the  risk 
of  confusion  with  P.  Auricula,  var.  marginata,  a  totally  different 
plant,  those  who  order  P.  marginata  from  a  nurseryman  are  either 
sure  to  get  it  or  else  the  vendor  is  ignorant  of  the  plants  he  sells. 
It  is  a  remarkably  handsome  and  distinct  little  plant,  whose 
small  flowers  (although  larger  than  those  of  many  of  the  species) 
are  produced  so  plentifully  as  to  make  up  for  their  want  of 
dimensions.  Yet  I  am  not  sure  if  we  ought  to  admire  it  princi¬ 
pally  for  its  blooms,  for  its  leaves  are  so  pretty  with  their 
delightfully  silvered  margins  that  they  look  charming  at  any  time. 
The  pretty  violet-purple  flowers  are,  of  course,  always  welcome 
when  they  come  at  their  wonted  season— in  spring.  It  is  such  a 
regular  bloomer,  when  in  a  suitable  place,  that  it  has  many  claims 
upon  us. 
The  flowers  vary  in  colour  and  size.  Major,  grandiflora,  and 
Dr.  Douglas’  varieties  are  all  good,  but  I  find  that  most  people 
prefer  the  bluest  of  the  set,  one  called  cserulea,  which  is  very 
pleasing,  and  quite  blue  in  its  tints.  Those  who  think  a  blue 
Primrose  unnatural  will  find  in  this  form  of  this  wilding  of  the 
Continent  a  proof  that  the  colour  seems  present  in  the  family  in 
a  wild  state,  as  well  as  when  introduced  through  Mr.  G.  F. 
Wilson’s  perseverance.  It  is  one  of  the  privileges  of  this  Primula 
species  that  it  is  easy  to  grow,  and  that  its  habit  is  such  that  it 
does  not  requii-e  either  the  glass  protection  in  winter  needed  by 
some  of  the  species  or  the  annual  replanting  of  others.  It 
naturally  grows  with  its  stems  above  the  soil,  so  that  it  will  not 
suffer  if  not  top-dressed  or  replanted  for  several  years.  It  is 
thus  a  good  rockwork  plant  for  positions  Avhere  these  cultural 
details  cannot  well  be  attended  to.  It  makes  offsets  pretty 
freely  also,  and  thus  the  pretty  little  Primula  marginata  is  one  of 
the  species  most  to  be  prized  in  our  gardens. — S.  Arnott. 
- - 
Culinary  Vegetables. 
Young  Carrots. 
In  the  spring,  or,  rather,  at  the  present  season,  the  time- 
honoured  manure  bed  is  requisitioned  for  the  forced  growth 
of  Carrots,  to  replace  those  we  have  grown  accustomed  to  during 
the  winter,  and  which,  by  that  time,  will  be  getting  old  and 
indigestible.  There  is  nothing  unusual,  it  is  true,  in  the  frame 
growth  of  Carrots ;  but  what  I  intended  to  bring  forward  was  the 
small  tender  root  obtainable  without  forcing  or  frame  protection 
in  the  open  ground  all  winter  from  sowings  made  in  autumn — 
August  and  September.  The  custom  obtains  such  a  strong  hold 
on  the  garden  routine  to  sow  for  an  early  crop  outdoors,  and  then 
for  winter,  or  main  crop,  to  put  a  lot  of  ground  into  occupation 
with,  it  may  be  intermediate,  or  other  of  the  bigger-rooted 
Carrot.  There  is  certainly  a  necessity  in  making  due  preparation 
for  these  roots  in  a  proportion  to  their  demand,  but  I  have  my¬ 
self  lost  touch  somewhat  with  the  practice  of  sowing  a  large 
breadth  in  spring,  and  making  these  do  for  so  many  mqnths.  In 
the  interchange  of  cropping  throughout  the  summer,  there  often 
occur  vacant  plots  that  can  be  put  to  use  for  Carrots  after  they 
have  borne  an  earlier  summer  crop.  When  a  sowing  is  at  once 
made  at  the  end  of  summer  on  ground  cleared  of  Potatoes, 
Cauliflowers,  or  such  like,  and  free  from  weeds,  small,  delicately 
flavoured  roots  are  available  in  the  winter,  much  more  edible  in 
flesh,  and  much  more  appreciated  than  the  coarser  root  for  use 
as  a  vegetable.  For  the  purpose  of  flavouring,  which  is  the  fate 
of  Carrots  generally,  the  larger  varieties  and  earlier  sown  beds 
afford  the  right  material.  It  is  a  custom  with  some  gardeners  to 
make  this  late  summer  sowing  a  portion  of  the  routine,  and  it 
may  be  done  by  many  others  as  an  augment  to  the  general  crop, 
and  to  afford,  too,  a  change  of  the  kitchen  “  stock.”  Some  gar¬ 
deners  take  a  great  pride  in  the  growth  of  fine  shapely  Carrots, 
but  when  one  thinks  of  their  destination,  and  the  commonplace 
appreciation  placed  on  them  when,  in  their  final  state,  they  help 
to  fill  the  “stock  pot,”  there  does  not  seem  much,  after  all.  to 
give  rise  to  such  ambitions. — W  G. 
Onions. 
Oil  wet  and  heavy  soil  it  may  liave  been  impracticable  to  have 
sown  the  Onion  crop.  If  a  sufficient  dry  surface  is  now  available 
break  up  the  surface  and  remove  all  rough  material.  Level  and 
work  into  a  fine  tilth,  then  sow  the  seed  thinly  in  shallow  drills 
12in  apart.  Where  Onion  seed  has  been  sown  in  boxes  the 
seedlings  will  now  be  growing.  They  should  be  afforded  a  light 
and  airy  position  in  a  cool  house  or  frame.  Plant  out  the  autumn 
sown  Onions  in  rows  a  foot  apart.  Gin  being  allowed  between  the 
plants.  Select  a  piece  of  rich  ground.  Plant  with  the  roots 
straight  down,  but  do  not  bury  the  bulbous  parts  too  deeply. — 
G.,R.  S. 
Tomatoes. 
As  seedlings  become  strong  enough  pot  them  off  singly  or  place 
round  the  edges  of  pots  to  strengthen.  Move  established  plants 
in  small  pots  to  larger  before  they  become  root-bound.  Give  all 
the  lightest  possible  positions,  with  a,  free  circulation  of  air  and 
sufficient  heat  to  induce  free  grotvth.  For  heated  houses  the 
strongest  plants  must  be  planted  out  in  borders  or  in  pots.  Con¬ 
fine  each  to  one  stem.  If  grown  in  pots  make  the  soil  very  firm 
round  the  balls,  and  leave  plenty  of  room  for  future  to])-dressings 
of  rich  soil,  commencing  when  the  plants  begin  to  fruit.  For 
borders  little  soil  should  be  allowed  to  commence  with.  Additions 
can  always  be  made  with  advantage  to  their  progress  in  growth 
and  fruiting.- — S.  G. 
Planting  Potatoes. 
As  opportunity  permits,  all  the  second  earlies  and  main  crop 
Potatoes  may  now  be  planted.  In  light,  fertile,  pulverised  soil 
draw  the  drills  4in  to  Gin  deep,  and  place  the  sets  along  the 
bottom  at  not  less  than  a  foot  apart,  having  the  drills  2ft  asunder 
for  varieties  that  do  not  make  much  top.  Those  of  medium  strength 
require  2ft  Gim,  w'hile  the  very  strong-haulm ed  late  sorts  must 
have  3ft.  In  some  cases  it  may  be  desirable  to  place  the  majority 
of  varieties  in  rows  at  the  maximum  distance  between,  so  that 
winter  greens  can  be  planted  conveniently  and  occupy  the  ground 
after  the  Potatoes  are  dug.— P. 
Crossing  Among  Peas. 
A  correspondent  to  the  “  Morning  Post  ”  writes :  “  I  know 
little  about  botany,  and  am  therefore  uncertain  whether 
the  following  occurrence  is  rare  or  common.  To  me  it  seems 
unusual.  Last  summer  the  oAner  of  a  certain  garden  in  Surrey 
grew  a  large  number  of  Sweet  Peas.  In  one  case  they  were  near 
to  the  place  in  which  he  grew  his  edible  Peas.  When  the  Sweet 
Peas  benan  to  produce  pods  these  were  found  to  be  unusually 
large,  and  on  being  opened  were  seen  to  contain  peas  which  looked 
as  if  they  might  be  edible.  When  the  pods  had  ripened  and  the 
seeds  were  collected  they  proved  to  be  almost  twice  the  size  of 
Sweet  Pea  seeds,  and  of  a  clirty  yellow  colour.  Presumably  there 
had  been  cross-fertilisation.” 
Green  Mint. 
New  Potatoes  have  their  flavour  accentuated  by  the  use  of 
Mint  in  their  cooking,  which  in  spring,  or,  rather,  the  summer, 
becomes  an  everyday  necessity,  but  in  the  early  days  of  January, 
when  these  Potatoes  were  raised  from  their  state  of  rest,  the 
thought  of  Mint  suggested  itself  without  premeditation,  and 
search  was  made  for  green  leaves  with,  it  must  be  said,  a  forlorn 
hope,  but  with  the  happy  result  of  finding  the  unexpected.  It  is 
often  a  custom  to  force  Mint  for  early  winter  use,  but  only  when 
the  demands  of  the  kitchen  require  it.  That  Nature  should 
have  been  so  accommodating  at  so  inopportune  a  time  is  deserving 
of  acknowledgment;  but  so  it  waS,  sufficient  green  tips  were 
forthcoming  from  the  outdoor  bed  to  give  the  desired  flavour  to 
the  dish.  With  such  alternative  weather  as  that  experienced 
during  the  past  autumn  and  winter,  it  was  not  a  little  surprising 
that  green  growing  tops  should  have  been  available  at  mid¬ 
winter. — W.  S. 
Fruit  in  California. 
From  10  to  15  million  dollars  worth  of  fruit  products  are  yearly 
shipped  from  Southern  California,  a  country  which  was  in  many 
places  almost  a  desert  until  water  was  applied  to  it  from  its 
nuinerous  streams.  There  are  still  large  tracts  west  of  the  Mis¬ 
souri  River,  observes  “  American  Gardening,”  amounting  to 
millions  of  acres,  which  are  awaiting  development  through  the 
application  of  water.  In  time  these  lands  will  he  the  homes  of 
large  populations  adding  their  share  to  the  business  and  develop¬ 
ment  of  the  country,  when  the  rivers  which  run  through  them 
are  used  to  make  the  land  fit  for  agriculture  and  life.  Many  of 
these  streams  are  now  being  studied  bv  the  hydrographers  of  the 
IJ.S.  Geological  Survey,  as  a  part  of  the  water  resources  of  the 
whole  country,  and  the  facts  concerning  their  flow  and  high  and 
low  water  conditions  are  being  collected,  which  will  be  needed  as 
demands  are  made  upon  their  waters  for  the  development  of  the 
adjacent  lands.  These  are  hints  for  our  South  African  colonists. 
