504 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
June  13,  1901. 
\ 
Notes  on  Figs  under  Glass. 
Early  Forced  Trees. — These,  after  the  first  crops  are  gathered,  should 
be  accorded  generous  treatment,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  swell  the 
second.  Trees  in  pots  require  water  daily,  sometimes  twice  a  day,  and 
some  nourishing  food  should  be  applied,  so  as  to  keep  them  in  healthful 
vigour.  Stable  and  cow-house  drainings  must  be  carefully  used,  as 
they  m ay  contain  little  beyond  urine,  and  should  have  4  ozs.  of  super¬ 
phosphate  added  to  each  gallon'  of  neat  liquid,  then  diluted  with  about 
six  times  the  bulk  of  water.  The  contents  of  manure  tanks  are  still 
more  variable  in  strength  ;  sometimes  the  liquid  is  merely  coloured  with 
manurial  matter,  and  at  others  it  is  as  dark  as  porter ;  the  thing  is,  not 
to  apply  it  too  strong.  Where  these  stimulants  and  nutrients  cannot 
be  had,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  use  surface  dressings  of  fresh  tnrf,  and 
sprinkle  some  approved  fertiliser  over  that  occasionally.  Planted-out 
trees  will  require  water  or  liquid  manure  once  or  twice  a  week, 
according  to  the  extent  of  the  rooting  area,  and  the  roots  should  be 
mulched  with  rich  material,  so  as  to  keep  an  abundance  of  active 
feeders.  Syringe  twice  a  day  to  keep  the  trees  free  from  red  spider, 
or  at  least  in  check,  directing  the  force  of  the  water  against  the  under 
side  of  the  leaves,  and  let  the  applications  be  thorough,  as  one  good 
syringing  is  worth  many  sprinklings.  Thin  the  second  crop  of  fruit 
before  it  is  the  size  of  Walnuts,  and  in  thinning  reserve  the  largest  fruit 
at  the  base  of  the  shoots.  Trees  that  are  to  be  forced  early  another 
year  should  not  be  allowed  to  carry  a  heavy  second  crop,  and  none 
near  the  points  of  the  shoots,  or  they  will  not  be  able  to  produce  a 
full  first  crop  of  Figs  another  season,  which  is  of  the  greatest 
consequence. 
Succession  Houses. — Trees  started  during  the  first  two  months  of 
the  year  have  the  fruit  ripened,  and  require  a  free  circulation  of  air, 
warm  and  rather  dry.  Leave  a  little  ventilation  on  constantly,  so  as  to 
prevent  moisture  condensing  on  the  fruit,  and  increase  it  early  to  dispel 
any  that  would  otherwise  become  deposited  on  the  fruit  through  the 
sun  acting  powerfully  and  heating  the  air  more  rapidly  than  the  fruit, 
the  cooler  surface  of  the  latter  condensing  the  moisture  in  the 
atmosphere  expanded  by  the  sun's  warmth,  and  spotting  of  the  Figs 
at  the  eye  is  not  an  uncommon  consequential  occurrence.  Take  care 
not  to  wet  the  fruit  after  it  commences  to  ripen,  and  afford  all  the  light 
practicable.  Tie  in  and  regulate  the  growths  by  stopping  and  thinning, 
keeping  them  fairly  thin,  and  not  pinching  where  there  is  room,  as  the 
finest  fruits  are  borne  on  extensions,  especially  in  the  first  crop,  spurred 
shoots  giving  good  results  in  the  second  crops.  Do  not  allow  any  lack 
of  water  at  the  roots,  yet  give  less  supplies  than  when  the  fruit  is 
swelling.  If  red  spider  attack  the  trees  the  fruit  should  be  closely 
gathered,  and  a  good  syringing  given,  which  will  not  injure  the 
remaining  fruit  providing  it  is  done  on  a  fine  day,  so  that  the  moisture 
does  not  remain  long  on  the  fruit. 
Young  Trees  in  Pots  for  Next  Year’s  Early  Forcing. — The  growths  of 
these  must  not  be  stopped  much  alter  this  date,  but  have  all  the  light 
practicable,  and  be  kept  as  near  the  glaBS  as  possible  without  touching 
it,  so  as  to  secure  sturdy,  well  ripened  growth,  keeping  this  clean  by 
syriDgiDg  and  the  application  of  an  approved  insecticide  when  necessary. 
Afford  liquid  manure  to  insure  stout,  well  nourished  growth.  When  the 
growth  is  completed  the  plants  may  be  stood  outside  to  induce  rest, 
but  the  wood  must  be  well  ripened  previously,  and  to  be  of  use  for  early 
forcing  it  must  be  matured  early,  and  never  have  its  assimilated 
juices  extracted  by  red  spider  or  scale. — Grower. 
Gadding  and  Gathering. 
“  Here  awa’,  There  awa’.” 
Sir  Frederick  Wigan,  Bart.,  of  Clare  Lawn,  East  Sheen,  adopts  an 
excellent  system  of  growing  and  housing  his  splendid  Orchid  collection. 
This  aristocratic  genus  of  exotic  plants  has  attracted  Sir  Frederick’s 
attention,  and  he  gratifies  his  inclination  liberally.  At  his  beautiful 
suburban  residence,  with  its  park  of  green  grass  and  Buttercups  on  one 
side,  and  a  large,  smoothly  undulating  lawn,  here  and  there  adorned 
with  choice  and  well  tended  shrubs  on  the  opposite  side,  here,  I  say, 
Sir  Frederick  has  gathered  together  his  Orchids,  the  delight  of  himself 
and  his  family. 
For  instance,  the  Cymbidiums  are  arranged  within  a  suitable  span- 
roofed  glass  house,  whose  interior  is  not  fitted  with  straight-edged  and 
prosaic  wooden  or  slate  stages,  but  has  by  skilful  hands  been  constructed 
with  a  beautiful  grotto,  fringed  and  adorned  with  the  usual  suitable 
toliage  plants,  while  pockets  have  been  ingeniously  conceived  in  which 
to  fix  the  large  specimen  Cymbidiums  I  have  mentioned.  The  gentle 
spangle  of  falling  water -dribblets  add  vivaciousness  to  the  still  loveliness 
of  the  floral  forms.  Miltonias,  as  another  instance,  occupy  the  whole 
side  of  one  extensive  span-house,  and  when  in  flower,  massed  as  they 
are,  what  a  rich  and  charming  effect  they  furnish  !  There  is  little  doubt 
that  the  method  of  staging  a  unitary  mass  of  any  one  species  or  genus 
like  this  tends  much  more  towards  a  good  effect  than  does  a  promiscuous 
method  of  arrangement.  Sir  Frederick  has  an  able  cultivator  in 
Mr.  W.  H.  Young,  who  brought  home  the  Sherwood  cup  from  the  recent 
show  in  the  Temple  Gardens.  The  Clare  Lawn  collection  is  attractive 
at  the  present  time,  and,  in  addition  to  the  numerous  specimens  of 
Cymbidium  Lowianum  and  Miltonia  vexillaria,  with  its  handsome 
varieties  M.  v.  chelsoniensis  and  M.  v.  Empress  Victoria  Augusta, 
M.  Roezli,  and  M.  R.  alba,  there  are  on  view  some  grand  plants  of 
L®lia  purpurata.  The  pretty  little  orange-yellow  Laelia  Cowani  is  very 
sweet,  while  good  pieces  of  Laelio-Cattleya  G.  S.  Ball,  L.-C.  Hippolyta 
langleyensis,  L.-C.  Edgar  Wigan,  are  other  rare  and  choice  members. 
The  latter  received  a  first-class  certificate  at  the  Temple  Show  ;  it  is 
very  handsome,  having  a  fringed  lip,  as  is  natural,  when  L.  Digbyana 
was  one  of  the  parents,  L.-C.  Aphrodite  being  the  other.  L.  purpurata 
Arthur  Wigan  has  a  larger  and  handsomer  lip  than  the  parent 
type.  L.  Skinneri  and  L.  S.  alba  were  simply  crowded  with  their 
exquisitely  beautiful  flowers.  These  are  two  splendid  Orchids  for  any 
collection. 
Amongst  Cattleyas  were  Mossiaeas  in  large  numbers,  flowering  with 
profusion  and  bearing  handsome  blooms.  C.  M.  Duloe  is  a  specially 
fine  variety.  The  Cypripediums  and  Odontoglossums  in  houses  by 
themselves  were  varied,  and,  like  every  genus  of  the  order  in  the 
Clare  Lawn  collection,  they  were  in  a  most  creditable  condition, 
viewed  from  the  point  of  healthfulness  and  florificalion.  C.  Roth- 
schildianum  is  somewhat  uncommon,  and  so  are  the  white  Cypripediums, 
which  are  so  softly  beautiful,  including  C.  niveum,  C.  bellatulum, 
C.  b.  album,  C.  Godefroyae  leucochilum,  and  the  yellowish  C.  con- 
color.  The  latter  pair  are  special  gems.  Many  other  Cypripe- 
diums  which  are  better  known  are  included  in  Sir  Frederick  Wigan’s 
houses.  Plants  of  the  interesting  Cymbidium  tigrinum  were  bearing 
upwards  of  a  dozen  racemes  each,  in  small  pans.  Odontoglossum 
crispum,  in  some  handsome  flushed  and  spotted  varieties,  furnished 
the  stages  of  some  cool  houses.  0.  excellens,  Andersonianum, 
marmoratum,  and  handsome  pieces  of  triumphans  were  each  pictures 
in  themselves.  Oncidium  ampliatum  majus,  together  with  0.  crypto- 
crepis  and  O.  c.  superbum,  had  large,  wide  spreading  inflorescences, 
quite  magnificent,  and  a  great  aid  to  the  effectiveness  of  any  group  or 
show  of  Orchids.  Bletias,  Thunias,  Spathoglottis,  and  a  host  of 
brilliant  and  some  rare  Masdevallias,  were  further  subjects  whose 
presence  enlivened  and  beautified  the  stages  of  succeeding  houses. 
The  collection  is  altogether  one  of  the  finest  around  London,  and  I 
hope  to  have  more  to  say  on  another  occasion. 
The  fruit  and  other  houses  and  garden  generally  are  in  up-to-date 
condition,  the  crops  being  at  perfection,  while  every  rood  of  the  area  is 
neatly  dressed  and  kept,  and  admirably  designed.  Mr.  Bain  is  gardener, 
and  has  plenty  to  oocupy  his  attention  in  maintaining  this  lovely 
suburban  garden  in  its  interesting  and  truly  gardenesque  condition. 
Sutton’s  of  Reading. 
Such  is  the  occupation  of  gardeners,  that  no  sooner  have  the  results 
of  one  season’s  thought  and  efforts  been  attained  than  fresh  preparations 
have  at  once  to  be  instituted,  if  succeeding  repetitionary  results  are 
desired.  Almost  before  the  blooms  fade  upon  his  Chrysanthemums 
the  grower  has  inserted  the  cuttings  that  are  to  give  flowers  during  the 
autumn  or  winter  of  a  year  hence;  and  so  with  many  other  plants, 
before  one  season’s  flowers  have  gone,  new  efforts  are  exerted  to 
provide  the  harvest  that  lies  away  in  the  months  to  come.  So  thought 
1  when  inspecting  the  Aquilegias,  Myosotis,  Polyanthuses,  Wallflowers, 
and  Pansies,  a  couple  of  weeks  ago,  in  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons’  trial 
grounds  at  Reading.  The  plants  were  still  briskly  flowering,  but 
already  seeds  are  being  ordered,  and  sowings  will  almost  at  once  be 
made  to  furnish  the  plants  that  will  beautify  the  flower  beds  and 
borders  next  spring. 
Efforts  are  being  made  by  the  seed  growers  to  provide  a  varied 
selection  of  suitable  Myosotis  (Forget-me-nots),  than  which  no  dwarf, 
early  flowering  plant  is  better  adapted  for  carpeting  spring  beds. 
Already  the  Reading  folks  have  red  (or  rather  pink),  white,  and  blue 
varieties,  and  we  cannot  now  say  that  it  is  impossible  to  design  a 
“  Union  Jack”  for  an  April  display  out  of  doors.  These  colours  have 
evolved  from  Sutton’s  “  Gem  ”  type,  with  erect  branches,  from  S  inches 
to  1  foot  in  height,  and  covered  with  flowers.  A  well-grown  bed  thus 
presents  a  handsome  and  showy  effect.  The  old,  early  flowering 
dissitiflora  furnishes  a  capital  subject  for  use  in  carpeting,  while  the 
beds  may  be  filled  with  bulbs,  &c.,  which  flower  above  the  Myosotis. 
The  varieties  named  respectively  Dwarf  White  (which  matches  with 
Silene)  and  Dwarf  Blue  are  suitable  for  the  same  purpose,  or  for  edging ; 
other  uses  suggest  themselves.  It  seemed  incongruous  and  a  trifle 
cruel  (!)  to  one  with  tender  feelings  to  view  the  true  Water  Forget-me- 
not  (M.  palustris  semperflorens)  taking  its  chances  with  the  other 
subjeots  on  the  dry  Reading  soil;  nevertheless  it  was  flourishing,  and 
appeared  quite  happy.  But  for  a  telling  and  distinct  blue  variety  let 
me  recommend  Royal  Blue,  which  equals  the  bluest  sky,  and  is  besides 
both  free  flowering,  very  early,  and  long-lasting.  M.  Sutton’s  Perfec¬ 
tion  deserves  a  greater  notice  than  can  be  given.  This  variety  is 
remaikable  in  that  the  corolla  has  ten  segments,  and  would  point  to 
development  toward  doubling.  A  true  double  blue  Myosotis  would 
meet  with  a  ready  demand. 
The  Pansies  are  another  class  of  suitable  spring  and  summer 
bedding  plants.  What  have  been  named  the  Striped  Bedding  Pansies 
