May  11,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
391 
BRODIJLAS. 
These  are,  indeed,  very  showy  plants,  especially  the  Vegetable  Fire¬ 
cracker,  which,  I  believe,  is  the  Yankee  name  for  coccinea.’  ^This  species 
is  so  distinct  from  all  other  flowers  that  when  once  known  it  is  not  easily 
forgotten.  Brodimas,  although  closely  resembling  various  species  of 
Allium  and  Triteleia,  nevertheless  have  a  distinctness  which  renders  them 
very  desirable.  They  are  easily  cultivated  either  in  pots  or  in  the  border. 
A  few  of  them  increase  abundantly  in  their  favourite  spots,  and  they  are 
extremely  pretty  in  masses.  Coccinea  is  perhaps  the  tenderest  of  all, 
but  it  will  stand  outside  all  the  year  if  the  position  it  occupies  is  well 
drained  and  facing  south  or  west.  The  precaution,  of  course,  can  be 
taken  of  lifting  the  bulbs  and  potting  them,  so  that  they  can  be  put  in  a 
place  of  security  for  the  winter.  It  richly  deserves  such  a  small  amount 
of  attention. 
Most  of  the  other  species  to  be  mentioned  require  little  attention  if 
planted  in  moderately  rich  light  soil ;  in  fact,  every  lover  of  hardy  dowers 
should  have  a  special  border  prepared  for  the  reception  of  choice  hardy 
bulbs.  In  preparing  such  a  border  it  is  necessary  to  insure  drainage  and  a 
good  depth  of  soil,  which  of  course  can  be  qualified  to  suit  the  several  and 
variable  requirements  of  any  particular  set  of  plants.  The  Brodiaeas  are 
all  natives  of  North  America,  confined  for  the  most  part  to  the  Western 
States.  B.  coccinea,  represented  by  fig.  87,  is  a  handsome  species.  The 
flowers  are  fourteen  to  sixteen  in  number,  tubular,  the  tube  from  1  to 
IJ  inch  long,  about  half  an  inch  through,  of  a  deep  reddish  crimson 
colour.  The  scape  is  from  1  to  3  feet  high.  It  is  a  most  distinct  and 
handsome  species,  flowering  very  freely  and  well  adapted  for  pot  culture 
or  for  a  small  border.  It  is  not  quite  so  hardy  as  most  of  the  other 
species,  but  if  the  bulbs  are  planted  deeply  and  the  surface  of  the  soil 
slightly  covered  during  the  winter  it  will  be  safe.  Grandiflora  has  very 
Barrow  leaves,  nearly  round.  The  flower  scape  is  from  5  to  12  inches 
high.  The  tube  is  of  a  purplish-blue  colour.  It  is  a  very  handsome,  free- 
growing,  and  hardy  species,  flowering  in  July  and  August.  I  should  add 
that  coccinea  blooms  in  the  open  from  June  to  August. — T.  R, 
YENTILATION. 
To  know  how  and  when  to  ventdate  can  only  be  mastered  by  care¬ 
fully  observing  its  effects  upon  different  plants,  together  with  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  constitutions  and  requirements  of  the  plants  being 
treated.  The  quantity  of  air  we  can  give  a  house  of  plants  will  also  very 
much  depend  upon  how  we  begin  with  .them,  and  the  time  of  year  they 
are  started  into  growth.  A  number  of  Melons,  for  instance,  planted  in 
January  must  of  necessity  make  their  growth  with  very  little  ventilation, 
and  that  helps  to  render  their  leaves  thin  and  fragile,  consequently  they 
must  be  more  carefully  ventilated  than  those  planted  two  months  later, 
because,  to  begin  with,  the  latter  wohld  have  more  light  and  air,  which 
would  result  in  a  robust  constitution,  and  hence  be  capable  of  enduring 
§udden  changes  of  temperature  with  impunity. 
There  are  very  few  operations  more  difficult  to  teach  young  men  than 
that  of  ventilating,  simply  because  they  fail  to  realise  its  importance 
further  than  to  prevent  the  rise  or  reduce  the  already  too  high  temperature. 
N  ery  much  more  than  that,  however,  is  included  in  “giving  air,”  for  the 
manner  in  which  it  is  done  often  determines  the  difference  between  a 
healthy  and  a  sickly  house  of  plants,  while  it  is  certain  we  should  hear  of 
and  see  less  mildew,  red  spider,  aphides,  and  other  insect  pests  if  the 
ventilators  were  always  rationally  worked. 
_  Like  many  other  gardening  operations,  it  is  impossible  to  give  detailed 
instructions  for  ventilating  that  can  be  strictly  applied  under  all  CTCum- 
fitances,  hence  only  a  few  general  principles  can  be  pointed  out,  and  some 
practical  observations  made  upon  them,  while  these  will  be  useful  in 
proportion  as  they  are  intelligently  applied.  Medical  advisers  tell  us 
that  It  IS  not  when  becoming  hot,  but  when  cooling,  that  the  system  is 
the  most  susceptible  to  chills,  so  that  after  getting  hot  we  should  try  to 
reach  the  normal  temperature  gradually  and  uniformly,  hence  w^e  ought 
to  avoid  draughts.  Now,  experience  proves  that  these  remarks  are  to  a 
large  extent  as  applicable  to  plants  as  animals,  so  that  we  do  not  think  of 
taking  plants  directly  from  hothouses  to  the  open  air,  but  we  prepare 
them  for  the  change  by  “  hardening  them,” 
The  fact  that  many  plants  can  be  grown  so  well  without  ever  opening 
the  ventilators  proves  that  high  temperature  does  not  injure  them,  ard 
the  grower  should  bear  this  in  mind  when  he  has  neglected  to  open  the 
ventilators,  and  the  temperature  has  run  up  to  20°  or  30°  too  high  ;  he 
should  remember  that  the  evils  which  follow  will  very  much  depend  upon 
how  he  manages  the  ventilators,  and  nothing  should  induce  him  to  let  in  a 
large  volume  of  cold  air.  h'ar  more  care  is  needed  in  ventilating  when 
toe  temperature  has  been  allowed  to  rise  too  high  than  when  ventilated  at 
toe  proper  time,  because  the  air  that  would  be  comparatively  warm,  or 
just  cold  enough  to  be  invigorating  in  the  latter  case,  would  be  chilly, 
and  often  productive  of  baneful  results  in  the  former. 
The  aim  should  be,  under  such  circumstances,  to  reach  the  normal 
temperature  as  imperceptibly  as  possible  by  opening  the  ventilators 
gradually.  Not  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  inch  must  be  allowed  at  first, 
and  this  should  only  be  at  the  top  of  the  house,  unless  the  bottom  venti¬ 
lators  allow  the  air  to  circulate  round  the  hot-water  pipes  before  coming 
in  contact  with  the  plants.  Even  then  the  top  and  bottom  ventilators 
should  not  be  open  at  the  same  time  until  after  the  proper  temperature  be 
reached,  for  that  would  create  a  draught,  which  is  always  injurious,  mbre 
especially  to  over-heated  plants  ;  indeed,  according  to  my  experience  the 
bottom  ventilators  are  better  kept  closed,  except  in  houses  where  plants 
have  finished  their  growth,  or  on  very  warm  still  days.  They  are 
certainly  better  closed  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  if  we  wish  to  be  free 
of  red  spider. 
But  the  rational  use  of  ventilators  is  not  to  reduce  but  to  prevent  the 
rise  of  temperature  beyond  a  certain  point,  so  that  on  favourable  days  a 
little  air  should  be  admitted  as  soon  as  the  temperature  beg'ns  rising,  and 
it  ought  to  bo  gradually  increased  as  required.  Sudden  checks  must  be 
avoided  in  fruit  and  plant  culture,  for  nothing  is  more  productive  of  insect 
pest  and  disease.  We  want,  if  possible,  to  supply  our  houses  with  fresh 
air  without  creating  a  draught,  and  without  unduly  lowering  the 
Fig,  87. — Beodi^ea  coccinea. 
temperature,  but  this  can  only  be  effected  with  the  ordinary  arrangements 
by  the  exercise  of  care  and  forethought.  It  may  seem  superSuous  to  say 
that  more  air  will  pass  thiough  an  inch  space  when  the  wind  is  rough 
than  would  pass  through  a  foot  when  it  was  still.  The  direction  of  the 
wind  should  always  be  noted,  especially  when  it  is  rough,  and  if  possible 
ventilate  from  the  opposite  side. 
There  are  days,  however,  when  it  is  better  to  allow  the  temperature  to 
rise  considerably  than  to  open  the  ventilators.  There  is  nothing  more 
trying  for  forcing  than  hot  sunshine  with  a  high  scathing  wind,  or  alternate 
hot  sunshine  with  sudden  cold  storms,  and  that  especially  after  a  period 
of  dull  weather.  On  such  days  I  prefer  keeping  the  fires  low  and  the 
ventilators  nearly  closed,  with  plenty  of  moisture,  and  for  tender  plants 
shade.  This  I  find  much  better  than  opening  the  ventilators  during  such 
trying  weather,  which  require  very  great  care  and  constant  attention,  or, 
to  the  least,  an  attack  of  red  spider  would  be  the  result.  Low  span- 
roof  houses  are  best  ventilated  through  iron  grates  fixed  into  the  wall  a 
little  above  the  ground  line,  and  just  under  the  hot-water  pipes,  and  if 
more  air  be  wanted  open  the  doors  at  one  or  both  ends  as  required. 
Plants  very  much  object  to  a  stream  of  air  flowing  directly  on  them  ;  it 
often  has  the  effect  of  drying  and  stunting  them,  and  this  cannot  be 
avoided  if  top  ventilators  be  used  in  low  houses,  hence  the  advantage  of 
grates  and  opening  the  doors.  Top  ventilators,  however,  should  always 
be  provided,  as  they  are  useful  during  hot  still  weather. — Peactice. 
Rates  foe  Gaeden  Peoduce. — We  observe  that  the  South- 
Eastern  and  Chatham  and  Dover  Railway  Companies  have  decided  to 
adopt  the  system  of  conveying  farm  and  market  produce  at  low  rates 
between  various  stations,  the  conditions  to  be  enforced  being — that  the 
produce  shall  be  packed  in  the  boxes  on  sale  at  the  different  stations,  or 
similar  ones  ;  that  the  boxes  shall  be  secured  by  nails,  and  not  by  rope  or 
cord  ;  that  the  produce  shall  be  conveyed  at  owner’s  risk,  and  the  carriage 
prepaid,  the  prepayment  being  made  by  parcels  stamps  on  sale  at  the 
stations  ;  and  that  no  box  shall  be  of  greater  weight  than  60  lbs.  If  these 
conditions  are  fulfilled,  the  produce  will  be  conveyed  at  4  1.  for  every  20  lbs. 
and  Id.  additional  for  every  5  lbs.,  or  part  thereof,  up  to  60  lbs.  (including 
delivery  within  the  usual  limits),  from  all  stations  (except  those  within 
twenty  miles  of  Charing  Cross)  to  Birchington,  Broadstairs,  Deal  and 
Walmer,  Dover,  Folkestone,  Hastings  and  St.  Leonards,  Herne  Bay, 
Hythe,  Littlestone,  Margate,  Ramsgate,  Sandgate,  Westgate-on-Sea,  and 
Whitstable,  and  also  from  all  South-Eastern  and  Chatham  and  Dover 
stations  to  London  and  stations  in  the  companies’  suburban  district.  The 
boxes  are  to  be  sold  at  the  stations  at  prices  ranging  from  Ijd.  to  5d. 
