314 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  11,  1901. 
Vegetable  Marrows. — Plants  to  place  out  on  rich  beds  in  May,  with 
due  protection,  should  be  raised  from  seed  sown  in  pots  at  the  present 
time.  Drain  and  partly  fill  3-inch  pots  with  loamy  and  turfy  material. 
Press  one  seed  in  each  pot,  covering  with  soil ;  place  in  a  warm 
structure  until  germination  ensues,  then  grow  on  in  a  cooler  and  more 
airy  structure,  such  as  a  greenhouse  or  frame,  until  large  enough  to 
plant  out. 
Lettuce. — Successional  sowings  of  the  Cabbage  and  Cos  varieties 
should  be  made  in  drills  drawn  a  foot  apart.  All  the  Year  Bound  and 
Continuity  are  first-class  Cabbage  varieties,  and  Bath  or  Brown  Cos 
and  White  Cos  are  suitable. 
Radishes. — Any  of  the  varieties  of  Radishes  which  are  most  appre¬ 
ciated  should  be  sown  broadcast,  but  scatter  the  seed  thinly,  and 
protect  until  it  has  well  germinated. 
Parsley. — A  main  sowing  may  be  made  either  in  a  bed  or  in  long 
drills  where  it  is  convenient  for  gathering.  To  secure  fine  roots 
free  thinning  is  indispensable. 
Young  Gardeners’  Domain. 
Hippeastrums. 
that  have  risen  higher  in  favour  of  late  years 
Comparatively  easy  of  culture,  these  South 
make  a 
Thebe  are  few  flowers 
than  the  Hippeastrum. 
American  bulbous  plants 
magnificent  show  when  in  flower 
during  the  early  spring.  The  flowers 
are  generally  in  pairs  borne  on 
stout  hollow  stems  ;  if  the  stems 
are  extra  large,  three,  or  even  four 
flowers  may  be  expected.  The 
colours  are  in  various  shades  of 
white,  scarlet,  and  crimson. 
For  a  commencement  of  Hippe¬ 
astrum  culture  a  few  bulbs  should 
be  obtained  of  varieties  having 
different  colours,  increasing  these 
either  by  parting  the  side  shoots 
that  are  thrown  up  from  the  bulb 
or  by  saving  and  growing  from 
seeds.  Seeds  should  be  sown 
when  thoroughly  ripened  in  well 
drained  pans  and  placed  in  a 
temperature  of  60°  to  65°  Fahr. 
When  large  enough  to  be  handled 
the  plants  may  be  placed  three 
in  a  60-sized  pot.  After  making 
sufficient  growth  repot  singly  into 
the  same  sized  pot.  Keep  them 
growing  in  a  temperature  of  65° 
to  70°,  repotting  when  found 
necessary  into  48’s.  They  must 
not  be  dried  off  before  the  first 
Bower  is  obtained,  this  usually 
taking  place  in  the  third  year. 
When  flowering  bulbs  have 
been  obtained  the  method  of 
culture  should  be  altered.  The 
plants  should  then  be  dried  off 
annually,  repotting  every  second 
year,  preferably  before  starting 
their  growth  for  the  season.  Use 
well  drained  pots,  which  should 
be  comparatively  small  to  the 
size  of  the  bulb.  Shake  off  all 
the  old  soil  and  clean  the  bulbs 
from  any  impurities.  Use  a  com¬ 
post  of  two-thirds  good  loam, 
one-third  dried  cow  manure,  a  little  leaf  soil,  and  enough  sand  and 
charcoal  to  keep  the  mixture  thoroughly  porous.  If  possible  plunge  the 
pots  in  a  bed  of  spent  tan,  keeping  the  temperature  of  the  house  at  65°. 
Very  little  water  will  be  needed  at  this  stage,  but  it  must  be  increased 
as  the  roots  become  active.  In  a  short  time  the  flower  spikes  will  be 
noticed,  and  when  fully  expanded  remove  the  plants  to  a  lower 
temperature. 
After  flowering,  the  plants  should  be  placed  in  a  warm  house  to 
finish  their  growth.  Afford  plenty  of  moisture,  including  weak  liquid 
manure,  to  enable  the  plants  to  finish  well;  neglect  at  this  time  will  be 
detrimental  to  the  crop  of  flowers  for  the  next  season.  When  the  leaves 
have  attained  their  full  length,  give  all  the  sun  possible,  decreasing  the 
supply  of  water  as  the  bulbs  ripen.  They  may  then  be  stored  in  a  dry 
place,  having  a  temperature  of  50°,  until  wanted  for  the  next  season. 
•Care  must  be  taken  in  watering  the  plants  at  all  times,  anything 
approaching  to  stagnation  of  the  soil  meaning  failure.  Insects  will 
not  be  found  very  troublesome.  If  thrips  make  their  appearance, 
syringe  with  any  good  insecticide,  laying  the  plants  on  their  sides 
during  the  operation. — H.  C.  D.,  Stanmore. 
TO  CORRESPONDENTS 
i, 
plants  of  Pandanus 
effectively. 
All  correspondence  relating  to  editorial  matters  should  be  directed 
to  “  The  Editor,”  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers,  Fleet  Street, 
London,  E.c.  It  is  requested  that  no  one  will  write  privately 
to  any  of  our  correspondents,  seeking  information  on  matters 
discussed  in  this  Journal,  as  doing  so  subjects  them  to  unjustifiable 
trouble  and  expense. 
Fruit  Trees  and  Bushes  (7.  T.  W.). — A  correspondent  asks,  “Isa 
man  who  is  leaving  a  house  and  garden  permitted  to  take  fruit  trees 
and  bushes  with  him,  having  planted  them  himself  ?  ”  The  answer  is, 
that  the  oocupier  is  not  entitled  to  remove  fruit  trees  or  bushes  at  any 
time  within  a  twelvemonth  of  the  determination  of  his  occupancy. 
**  Calvary  Clover”  (Reader) . — Medioago  echinus  we  believe  to  be 
the  plant  usually  termed  “  Calvary  Clover,”  so  called  because  of  the 
dark,  blood-red  cross  mark  on  the  three  leaflets.  The  Christ’s  Thorn  is 
Paliurus  aouleatus,  and,  according  to  some  authors,  Zizyphus  Spina- 
Christi,  both  being  found  in 
Palestine,  and  both  related  to 
our  Buckthorn,  Rhamnus  cath. 
artious. 
Carpet  Bedding  Design  (Geo. 
Bird). — We  furnish  the  accom¬ 
panying  design  as  a  suggestion  to 
you,  for  without  some  plan  to 
guide  one,  mere  text- descriptions 
are  apt  to  be  very  confusing.  Eaoh 
of  the  panels,  or  “  leaflet  ”  parts 
of  the  design,  should  be  raised 
up,  but  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
allow  moisture  and  rains  to  be 
retained.  The  bed  in  general 
should  be  6  inches  above  the  grass. 
At  the  base  of  the  mounded  or 
raised  portions  such  plants  as 
Bcheverias  should  be  planted  to 
maintain  a  firm  bottom  edge. 
Gardeners’  Wages  (St.  George). 
— To  a  great  extent  the  wages  of 
gardeners  are  governed  by  the 
general  wage  rate  of  the  district 
in  which  the  gardens  are  situated, 
except  in  a  few  of  the  chief 
establishments  of  the  aristocraoy, 
landed  gentry,  and  wealthy  pro¬ 
prietors,  who  take  special  interest 
in  their  gardens,  and  very  properly 
remunerate  a  man  according  to 
his  skill  and  attainments,  local 
circumstances  having  no  weight  in 
the  matter.  It  is  no  doubt  true 
that  men  who  accept  positions 
where  the  wages  are  low,  only  do 
so  as  a  matter  of  convenience 
until  they  can  find  a  better 
appointment.  It  is  only  natural 
that  they  should  do  so,  and  it  has 
not  infrequently  happened  that 
a  gentleman  has  been  a  loser 
rather  than  a  gainer  under  those 
circumstances.  We  wish  the  case  was  exactly  the  reverse — namely, 
that  employers  could  see  the  advantage  of  engaging  well-trained, 
intelligent,  and  competent  gardeners,  and  remunerate  them  according 
to  their  skill.  We  are  intimately  acquainted  with  many  cases  where 
the  so-called  “  cheap  gardeners  ”  are  in  reality  very  costly  in  the  end, 
and  on  the  other  hand  we  are  proud  to  know  many  men  who  are  well 
remunerated,  and  whose  economical  working  prove  that  they  are  really 
the  most  inexpensive  of  servants.  Besides  this,  a  capable  and 
enthusiastic  man  will  make  far  more  than  one  blade  of  grass  grow 
where  oply  one  grew  before — to  be  figurative,  and  the  utilitarian  yield 
and  enjoyment  of  a  garden  under  his  care  will  be  infinitely  greater. 
Wages  are  likely  to  rise  all  round,  however,  from  the  faot  that 
journeymen  gardeners  are  now  scarce,  so  keep  up  heart. 
Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  Propagated  from  Leaves  (W.  H.  P.). — 
The  leaves  that  have  been  struck  in  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  and  since 
potted  off  into  60-size  pots,  and  these  are  fast  filling  with  roots,  will 
in  due  course  push  stem-growth  and  leaves  after  a  rootstook  has  been 
formed.  It  is  necessary  that  some  elaborated  matter  be  accumulated 
before  buds  can  be  developed,  this  being  effected  at  the  upper  part  of 
Carpet  Bedding  Design. 
Groundwork  of  Herniaria  glabra  or  Mesembryanthemum  cordifolium 
variegatum ;  2,  Alternanthera  amoena ;  3,  Iresine  of  any  good  or 
striking  variety  ;  4,  Alternanthera  paronychioides  ;  5,  A.  aurea  ;  6,  two 
rows  of  Echeveria  secunda  glauca,  with  a  little  Sedum  glaucum 
between.  In  the  centre  you  could  have  a  neat  little  Trachycarpus 
(Chamserops)  excelsus,  and  toward  the  apex  of  the  middle  panels  neat 
Veitchii.  Carex  brunnea  could  also  be  used 
