284 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  G,  1899. 
TJIE  YOUNG  (iAKDENEIiS’  DOMAIN, 
A  Word  of  Tiianks  to  Mr.  T}iomson. 
Ab  one  of  the  oldest  writers  in  the  “  Young  Gardeners’  Domain,’’  I 
l)Og  to  heartily  thank  Mr.  Thomson  for  his  kind  and  encouraging  remarks 
on  i)nge  202.  I  trust  that  many  of  my  fellow  gardeners  will  not  be  slow 
to  turn  his  sound  advice  into  practice.  I  have  always  considered  that 
much  can  be  learnt  by  the  aid  of  “  our  Journal,”  and  we  who  profit  con¬ 
siderably  thereby  ought  to  consider  it  a  great  privilege  to  add  our  mite 
of  experience  in  return  for  all  wo  have  received.  I  wish  more  new 
writers  would  avail  themselves  of  these  advantages,  which  are  certainly 
for  their  own  benefit.  1  hope  that  ere  many  weeks  have  passed  Mr. 
Thomson  will  see  results  from  his  teaching,  so  that  when  he  addresses  us 
again  he  will  be  more  than  satisfied  with  the  efforts  to  follow  in  the  path 
he  has  so  ably  pointed  out. — J.  F.  B.,  Yurka. 
Lironias. 
Tiiksk  pretty  greenhouse  plants  are  not  so  extensively  grown  as  they 
deserve  to  be.  They  flower  during  the  dullest  months  of  the  year,  and 
with  their  free  and  compact  habit,  should  receive  the  admiration  of 
all.  Tney  are  valuable  for  conservatory  embellishment,  and  the  cheerful 
scarlet  and  yellow  flowers  of  lloribunda  stand  remarkably  well  in  a  cut 
state.  Libonia  penrhosiensis  is  ejuite  as  free  flowering,  and  considered 
to  surpass  even  lloribunda.  The  colour  is  rich  crimson  red. 
The  cultural  re(iuirement8  of  Libonias  are  simple.  They  succeed 
admirably  in  pits  through  the  summer  months  if  care  is  taken  to  keep 
them  free  from  thrips  and  red  spider,  and  a  light  shade  is  provided  in  the 
hottest  weather.  A  substantial  compost  of  rich  fibrous  loam,  leaf  mould, 
and  mortar  rubble,  with  a  fair  sprinkling  of  sand  and  sweet  horse 
droppings,  will  be  found  suitable.  No  dilliculty  will  be  experienced  in 
obtaining  useful  plants  from  cuttings  rooted  now.  Never  allow  the  j)lant8 
to  become  root-boiiml  in  small  pots,  but  keep  them  growing  vigorously 
with  copious  supples  of  manure  water  until  they  are  set  with  tlower  buds. 
At  this  stage  an  intermediate  temperature  is  necessary,  or  loss  of  foliage 
will  ensue,  which  greatly  detracts  from  the  ui)pettranee  of  the  plants. — 
F.  W.  G. 
O.NIONS. 
'rut:  ()nioii  is  grown  more  or  less  in  every  garden.  The  piece  of 
ground  chosen  for  the  s[)ring  sowing  should  be  well  manured  and  deeply 
(lug  at  the  end  of  aimitnn  so  that  the  frost  can  get  well  into  it.  As 
regards  sowing  no  hard  and  fast  rule  can  be  made — it  has  to  be  done 
according  to  the  weather.  Marly  in  March  is  the  best  if  the  weather 
permits.  Make  the  ground  linn  and  level  before  sowing,  and  draw  the 
rows  about  an  inch  in  depth  and  a  foot  apart,  as  this  will  leave  plenty 
of  room  for  cleaning.  After  the  seeds  are  sown  cover  them  and  again 
make  firm. 
When  the  seedlings  ajipcar  above  the  surface  and  the  rows  can  be 
distinctly  seen  it  is  a  good  plan  to  hoe  between  them  to  destroy  any 
weeds  that  are  coming  up,  and  thin  the  Onions  a  little  where  they 
are  very  thick.  As  time  goes  on  and  tho  plants  grow  attend  to  the 
cli^aning  and  thinning,  about  which  I  may  say  that  when  the  final  part 
is  completed  tho  Onions  when  fully  devclojied  should  be  touching  each 
other  in  tho  rows,  and,  as  it  w'ere,  lifting  each  other  out  of  the  ground. 
About  tho  middle  of  August  tho  bulbs  will  be  ripe  and  ready  for  lifting, 
and  the  store  should  be  got  in  readiness  to  receive  them.  Choose  a 
fine  day  for  this  ojieration,  and  when  pulled  up,  if  the  weather  is  dry, 
let  them  remain  outside  for  a  few  days  with  their  roots  fully  exfiosed 
to  the  sun  to  give  them  a  complete  finish.  Care  must  bo  taken  in 
storing  them,  for  if  they  are  knocked  about  and  bruised  they  will  decay 
very  quickly. 
Tho  time  for  autumn  sowing  should  bo  about  the  middle  of  August, 
and  every  preparation  must  be  made  to  receive  them,  carrying  out  the 
same  instructions  as  stated  for  the  spring  sowing  e.xcept  for  the  early 
thinning.  'I’heso  may  be  left  until  they  are  larger,  for  they  come  in 
very  useful  for  salads.  1  do  not  think  it  will  be  worth  mentioning  what 
varieties  to  sow,  as  there  are  at  present  so  many  to  choose  from,  and 
different  growers  have  their  own  individual  favourites. —  1’.  J{. 
Dkainaok  and  CDMI’OBT. 
By  this  time  most  of  the  inside  borders  and  bods  of  fruit  trees  and 
other  plants  will  have  been  renovated,  and  preparations  are  being  made 
for  the  general  potting  that  is  carried  on  as  time  and  weather  permit. 
Before  the  season  is  too  far  advanced  1  should  like  to  mention  a  few  items 
vespecting  drainage  and  composts. 
With  regard  to  the  former,  it  appears  to  me  that  not  infrequently  too 
oany  crocks  are  used,  thus  taking  up  space  which  the  compost  ought  to 
fill,  whereby  the  plants  would  have  a  deeper  root  run.  Of  course  this 
would  not  apply  to  such  plants  as  Orchids.  It  is  not  the  quantity  that 
insures  a  good  drainage,  but  rather  the  manner  in  which  I  hey  are  placed 
in  the  pot.  A  perfectly  flat  piece  is  to  be  avoided  for  the  bottom  of  the 
pot,  as  is  one  too  much  the  reverse  ;  tho  former  is  often  the  cause  of  plants 
becoming  waterlogged,  while  the  latter  admits  the  too  free  passage  of 
water  and  air.  When  potting  jdants  that  are  in  time  again  to  be  repotted, 
such  as  Balms,  Pandanus,  and  Imantophyllunis,  which  have  thick  fleshy 
roots,  judgment  must  be  exercised  in  regard  to  size  of  crocks  used.  Pieces 
that  would  pass  through  an  inch  mesh  sieve,  or  thereabouts,  are  best,  as 
these  are  easily  extracted  without  mutilating  tho  roots. 
Occasionally  one  reads  of  carefully  drained  pots  for  Tomatoes,  which 
consider  is  not  essential,  as  the  market  men  generally  insert  one  large 
ock  only,  and  then  cover  with  the  rougher  rjarts  of  the  composts.  It 
is  the  careful  watering  that  one  ought  to  study  rather  than  too  much 
drainage. 
In  speaking  of  composts,  it  is  not  my  intention  to  dwell  on  those 
suitable  for  general  purposes,  but  rather  on  those  where  peat  is  considered 
such  an  important  article.  Some  of  us,  I  fear,  are  apt  to  use  peat  too  freely 
for  the  good  of  such  plants  as  Ferns,  Crotons,  Coleus,  and  Achimenes. 
I  have  observed  that  when  peat  is  used  too  freely  the  leaves  are  rarely 
so  highly  coloured  or  have  so  much  substance  as  when  turfy  loam  and 
leaf  mould  are  employed  in  larger  proportions  ;  added  to  this  they  do 
not  require  such  frequent  watering,  potting,  and  feeding.  That  these 
fdants  can  be  grown  almost  entirely  in  peat  I  do  not  attempt  to  deny,  but 
n  the  end  the  results  arc  not  so  satisfactor}-.  In  several  instances  I  have 
seen  that  noble  Fern  Adiantum  Farleyense  fail  to  do,  chiefly  through 
using  too  much  peat  in  the  compost.  Bequiring  abundance  of  heat  and 
water  as  this  Fern  does,  the  peat  soon  becomes  sour,  and  the  roots  fail  to 
work  actively,  hence  a  miserable  plant  is  the  result. 
Before  I  conclude,  there  is  still  one  more  article  I  should  like  to  bring 
to  notice — viz.,  sand.  When  we  consider  that  sand  is  used  principally  for 
rendering  the  compost  porou.s,  we  should  also  bear  in  mind  that  the  more 
used  the  poorer  the  compost  becomes,  therefore  it  behoves  us  to  look  for 
something  more  substantial.  This  is  readily  found  in  charcoal.  As  a 
proof  of  thi.s,  the  feeding  roots  of  plants  may  often  be  seen  clinging  to 
charcoal  when  used  in  potting,  as  besides  containing  a  certain  amount  of 
pota.sh,  it  keeps  the  soil  more  porous  and  sweeter  than  sand. — Parvo. 
WOKK.Fo^™WEEK.. 
FRUIT  FORCING. 
Cherry  House. — If  the  trees  are  heavily  laden  with  fruit,  the  demand' 
for  nutriment  will  be  greater,  as  such  trees  will  be  less  vigorous  than 
those  with  few  fruits,  and  whilst  the  former  will  be  benefited  by  the- 
application  of  liquid  manure,  the  latter  should  have  clear  water  as  often 
as  required,  to  maintain  tho  soil  in  a  thoroughly  moist  condition.  Inside 
borders  are  more  .suitable  for  trees  subjected  to  early  forcing,  as  they 
afford  a  better  temperature,  more  corresponding  to  that  of  the  house 
or  that  in  which  the  trees  are  growing,  rendering  the  progress  of  the 
crop  more  certain  and  satisfactory,  provided  due  regard  be  paid  to  the 
affording  of  needful  supplies  of  water.  Attend  to  ventilation  and- 
temperature,  admitting  air  from  50°,  and  liberally  at  05°.  Syringe  the 
trees  twice  a  day,  and  keep  the  surface  of  the  border  damped.  When  the 
shoots  have  made  four  or  five  joints  they  should  have  the  points  taken 
out  so  as  to  form  spurs  ;  but  those  required  lor  furnishing  the  trees  ought 
to  lie  tied  in  position  early,  and  be  carefully  trained  in  their  full  length. 
Aphides  must  be  kept  under  by  repeated  fumigation,  as  if  they  obtain  a 
hold,  they  are  not  only  difficult  to  exterminate,  but  spoil  the  appearance 
of  the  fruit. 
Pines. — Suckers  or  Plants  Started  Early  in  March. — These  will  now 
reijuire  attention.  The  pots  must  be  full  of  roots,  but  before  the  plants 
are  root-bound  shift  them  into  10,  II,  or  12-inch  pots,  watering  them  a 
day  or  two  previously,  so  as  to  have  the  .soil  moderately  moist  when  they 
are  potted,  d’ake  advantage  of  the  removal  of  the  plants  to  examine  the 
beds,  replenishing  them  if  need  be  by  the  addition  of  fresh  tan.  mixing  it 
with  the  old  to  a  depth  that  will  afford  the  temperature  required — namely, 
05°  at  the  base  of  the  pots  until  the  rcots  reach  the  sides,  when  90°  is 
more  suitable.  Keep  the  air  about  such  plants  well  charged  with 
moisture  during  the  time  the  house  is  closed,  employing  no  more  fire 
heat  than  is  absolutely  necessary  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  70°  to  75° 
on  mild  nights.  Ventilate  slightly  at  80°,  liberally  at  90°,  closing  with 
sun  heat  at  85°,  at  which  time  syringe  the  plants.  This  treatment  will 
be  suitable  for  fruiting  plants,  except  such  as  are  in  bloom,  which  should 
not  be  syringed.  Examine  the  plants  twice  a  week,  and  water  those  that 
require  it. 
Jdants  Started  into  Fruit  Early  in  the  Year. — These  are  fast  approaching 
the  flowering  stage,  and  will  be  benefited  by  an  occasional  sprinkling 
at  the  time  the  house  is  closed,  but  when  in  flower  they  must  not  be  so 
treated.  The  foliage  being  as  yet  tender,  it  will  be  desirable  in  the  case 
of  houses  with  large  panes  of  glass  to  afford  a  slight  shading  for  an, 
hour  or  two  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  until  the  foliage  becomes 
inured  to  the  sun’s  influence.  When  the  flowering  is  over  the  fruit  will 
advance  rapidly  if  the  roots  are  in  good  condition,  and  plentiful  supplies 
of  weak  liquid  manure  will  be  requisite.  Attend  to  ventilating  early  in 
the  morning,  commencing  when  the  temperature  is  at  80°,  and  closing  at 
85°  with  sun  heat.  Keep  the  atmosphere  moist  when  the  house  is  closed 
and  the  bottom  heat  is  steady  at  80°  to  90°,  night  temperature  70°,  and 
7.5°  by  day  artificially.  As  the  suckers  appear  remove  all  but  one  to  each 
plant. 
Vines. — Early  Houses. — Where  the  Vines  were  started  early  in 
December  the  Grapes  will  lie  taking  their  last  swelling,  and  if  any  of  the 
bunches  are  too  crowded  remove  a  few’  of  the  least  promising  berries. 
The  inside  border  must  be  duly  supplied  with  water  or  liquid  manure, 
and  they  must  not  be  allowed  to  become  dry  after  the  Grapes  are  ripe. 
