140 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Februfii'y  18,  1904. 
of  the  plunging  material,  scoring  the  midribs  with  a  knife  at 
intervals,  will  give  a  host  of  attractive  little  plants  that  are 
especially  useful  from  a  decorative  point  of  view.— A.  N.  Old- 
head. 
(To  bs  continued  ) 
- - 
When  to  Plant. 
The  pitiless  rain,  which  seems  to  show  few  signs  of  with- 
holding  its  hand,  has  brought  the  soil  into  such  a  sodden 
condition  that  unless  a  change  comes  quickly  the  outlook  will 
be  serious  indeed  for  crops  generally,  and  in  gardens  the  early 
ones  in  particular.  Those  having  light  soils  to  deal  with  have 
a  considerable  advantage,  as  the  water  passes  thi'ough  it  so 
freely  that  after  a  couple  of  days  of  fine  weather  digging  may 
in  many  instances  be  proceeded  with,  and  a  light  forking  of  the 
soil  already  dug  brings  it — by  the  aid  of  a  few  hours’  sunshine — 
into  a  condition  suitable  for  sowing  such  early  crops  as  Pea.s 
ajid  Beans.  On  stiff  land,  however,  nothing  can  be  done  for  a 
while  with  any  prospect  of  success,  as  far  as  seed  sowing  is 
concerned. 
Such  adverse  conditipns  must  also  have  greatly  delayed  the 
work  of  planting  trees  and  shrubs,  and  undoubtedly  much 
remains  to  be  done  througliout  the  country  to  complete  such 
work  by  the  usual  time;  but  as  the  conditions  in  regard  to 
rainfall  are  so  exceptional  there  may  with  advantage  be  a 
departure  from  ordinary  practices  in  regard  to  planting. 
During  normal  seasons  the  great  disadvantage  of  late  planting 
is  that  the  trees  start  into  growth  before  they  have  many 
active  feeding  roots,  and  then  by  the  time  such  roots  have  been 
formed  dry  weather  sets  in,  and  very  little  progress,  can  be 
made,  even  if  the  trees  do  not  die  outright. 
This  season,  however,  there  will  be  no  lack  of  moisture  for 
months  to  come,  for  not  only  is  the  surface  soil  Avet,  but  as  the 
moisture  has  penetrated  to  the  subsoil  there  is  a  good  reserve 
capable  of  being  drawn  up  by  capillarity  in  times  of  need,  and 
with  good  surface  culture  ,  this  will  be  diffused  between  the 
particles  of  soil  for  the  benefit  of  the  young  rootlets.  Tho.se 
who  have  folloAved  the  excellent  practice  of  ordering  their 
trees  and  shrubs  early  for  delivery  in  autumn,  and  on  their 
arrival  have  “laid  them  in  by  the  heels,’’  will  at  this  sea.son 
find  them  bristling  with  young  rootlets,  and  under  such  condi¬ 
tions  spring  planting  in  moist  soil  will  often  equal  in  results 
autumn  planting.  In  fact,  autumn  planting,  after  very  dry 
summers,  sometimes  does  not  succeed  so  Avell  as  many  expect 
it  to,  simply  because  there  is  too  little  moisture  in  the  soil 
for  the  formation  of  young  rootlets,  and  hence  arise  the 
conflicting  statements  as  to  "  lic'ther  autumn  or  sining  planting 
is  the  better  plan. 
One  cultivator  may  plant  in  the  autumn  of  a  certain  year 
Avhen,  as  the  soil  .was  in  goqd  condition,  excellent  results  Avere 
obtained ;  another  may  plant  in  the  spring  in  a  different  year,. 
Avhen  the  soil  is  moist,  and' is  folloAved  by  a  Avet  summer,  and 
get  much  better  results  than  by  autumn  planting  in  a  previous 
season,  Avhen  the  soil  AVas  dry  at  planting  time,  and  the 
ensuing  summer  , a  hot  .one  .;  the  former  then  entertaining  the 
fixed  idea  that  autumn  .planting  is  //le  plan,  and  the  latter  is 
equally  certain  that  spring  is  the  better  time  to  plant,  the 
absence  of  a  Alice  diScrihiination  in  regard  to  circumstances 
preventing  either  frofn'  giving  a  really  sound  .iudgment.  The 
tAvo  Avet,  cold  springs  of  recent  years  have  taught  us  many 
things,  among  others  the  necessity  of  planting  main  crop 
Potatoes  later  than  during  the  usual  time  of  April,  and  this 
year’s  experience  Avill,  I  fancy,  shoAv  us  equally  clearly  that 
the  planting  of  trees  may  be  carried  on  AA’ith  success  till  the 
middle  or  end  of  March,  Avhen  suitable  conditions  prevail. 
Those  Avho  are  Avavering  betAveen  tAvo  opinions  as  to  Avhether 
they  should  plant  noAv  or  Avait  till  next  autumn  should  cer- 
tainl,y  take  steps  at  once,  order  the  necessaiy  trees,  and  have 
the  land  prepared  by  the  time  they  arrive,  so  that  they  may 
be  planted  at  the  first  opportunity.  The  conditions  AA'hich 
prevail  noAv  may  be  more  faAmuj’able  than  during  next  autumn, 
for  Avho  can  dispute  the  possibility  of  tAvo  Avet  summers  being 
folloAved  by  a  very  dry  one? 
With  regard  to  Roses.  February  has  long  been  a  favourite 
month  for  planting,  especially  in  the  case  of  Teas,  Avhich 
during  severe  Avinters  are  often  killed  outright  if  planted  in 
autumn  ;  H.P.’s,  and  other  hardy  varieties,  if  jilanted  noAv  and 
pruned  later  than  established  bushes,  Avill  supply  floAvers  at  a 
time  Avhen  Roses  ai:e  usually  scarce,  coming  as  they  do  after 
the  early  floAvers  on  established  plants  are  over,  and  before 
those  from  secondaiy  groAvths  have  been  ptoduced.  Much 
more  might  be  advanced  oil  the  aboAm  subject,  but  enough  has, 
I  think,  l)een  Avritten  to  shoAv  that  the  next  month  should  be 
a  time  of  hustling  activity  AA'liere  there  is  planting  to  be 
done. — H.  D. 
Feltham  Gardeners’  Society. 
IMr.  Spencer’s  paper  on  “Ferns”  having  been  postponed, 
a  paper  on  “Pruning”  Avas  read  by  the  hon.  secretary  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Feltham,  Bedfont,  and  HaiiAvorth  Horticultural 
Mutual  Improvement  Society  on  Wednesday,  February  10. 
The  Proposed  Gardeners’  Association. 
We  learn  that  a  further  meeting,  to  Avhich  anyone  interested 
in  the  aboA’e  subject  is  invited,  AA’ill  be  held  in  the  Horticultural 
Club  room.  Hotel  'Windsor,  Westminster,  on  Tuesday  next, 
February  23,  at  2  p.m.,  AAhen  a  report  of  the  committee  of 
gardeners  appointed  at  the  December  meeting  Avill  be  presented. 
As  since  that  report  Avas  drafted  some  neAv  suggestions  have 
been  impoi'ted  into  the  matter,  and  these  may  be  advocated 
at  the  meeting,  a  bright  discussion  is  looked  for.  Generally 
Ave  are  informed  the  report  of  the  gardeners’  committee  is  not 
favourable  to  the  formation  of  an  association,  but  there  is  no 
telling  AA'hat,  after  all,  may  be  the  decision  of  the  meeting 
next  Tuesday. 
Presentation  to  Mr.  Paines,  Binfield. 
A  meeting  of  the  Binfield  and  District  Horticultural  Mutual 
Improvement  Society  Avas  held  at  Crix  Cottage  Iron  Room  on 
Tuesday,  February  3,  Avhen  the  members  presented  the  hon. 
secretary  and  treasurer  (Mr.  E.  Paine,  of  Marchfield  Gardens) 
Avith  a  silver  sovereign  purse  containing  gold.  The  pui’se  Avas 
supplied  by  Mr.  Goreley,  of  Wokingham,  and  bore  a  suitable 
inscription.  Miss  A.  E.  Shaen,  of  Crix  Cottage,  made  the  pre¬ 
sentation,  and  said  a  feAv  appreciative  Avords  of  the  value  of 
Mr.  Paine’s  Avork  for  the  society.  The  chairman  (Mr.  Ashman, 
of  Billingbear  Gardens)  spoke  of  the  energy  Mr.  Paine  had 
shoAvn,  and  to  Avhich  the  success  of  the  association  Avas  mainly 
due.  Mr.  Paine  in  reply  thanked  the  members  for  the  hand¬ 
some  present.  A  “Question  Night”  folloAved,  and  proved  a 
pleasant  change  to  the  ordinary  “paper”  and  discussion. 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
The  next  fruit  and  floAver  sIioav  of  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  Avill  be  held  on  Tuesday,  February  23,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
Buckingham  Gate,  Westminster,  1  to  4  p.m.  A  lecture  by  Mr. 
R.  LeAvis  Castle,  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford’s  experimental  gardens, 
on  “  Pomology,”  Avill  be  grten  at  3  o’clock.  At  a  genei’al  meeting 
of  the  society  held  on  Tuesday,  February  9,  eighty-nine  neAv 
FelloAvs  Avere  elected,  making  a  total  of  261  elected  since  the 
beginning  of  this  year.  *  *  The  prize'  of  £10  offered  by  the 
Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  for  the  best  essay 
on  cottage  and  allotment  gardening  has  been  AA'on  by  the  Motto 
“  Observe  and  Practice,”  Mr.  C.  Wakely,  of  Chelmsford. 
Owing  to  unforeseen  circumstances  the  centennial  dinner  of 
the  society  proposed  to  be  held  on  March  3  is  unavoidably 
postponed. 
A  Successful  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
The  Windsor,  Eton,  and  District  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
which  AA'as  started  in  1892,  should  be  proud  of  its  career,  Me 
hear  from  the  secretary  that  each  year  the  balance-sheet  has 
shoAvn  that,  through  the  careful  management  of  the  committee, 
the  receipts  have  just  exceeded  the  expenditure.  In  the,  first 
year  the  prize  money  giA’^en  was  over  £50,  exclusive  of  specials, 
and  the  last  six  years  the  average  has  been  £67  13s.  4d.  per 
annum.  The  balance  for  1903  is  just  over  £10.  The  one  great 
draAvback  to  the  society  is  the  Avant  of  a  larger  hall  for  the  sIioavs, 
a  Avant  Avhich  at  present  M^indsor  cannot  suijply.  The  committee 
consists  of  eight  amateurs  and  twelve  gardeners,  elected  annually 
— nine  of  AA’hom  have  been  members  since  the  commencement — 
and  ai’e  fortunate  enough  of  late  to  have  Mr.  Arthur  Turner 
for  their  chairman,  aa’Iiosc  valuable  advice  and  assistance  is  much 
valued.  'We  trust  there  are  many  other  societies  Avho  could  show 
the  same  steady  advancement,  also  that  the  M’^iudsqr  Society 
may  long  continue  its  useful  and  prosperous' career. 
