March  10,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GABLE NER, 
223 
Odontoglossnm  house  suspended  jus€  below  the  ventilators,  at 
an  angle  corresponding  with  that  of  the  roof.  These  plants 
furnished  well,  and  owing  to  the  lai'ge  number  of  leads  made 
a  fine  show  annually. 
Constant  watchfulness  is  necessary  now  in  each  depart¬ 
ment,  as  all  the  plants  are  waking  up  into  growth  as  it  were. 
In  the  warm  house  the  early  growths  of  Dendrobiums  must 
be  noted,  and  new  compost  given  where  necessary  before  these 
commence  rooting  independently.  Small-growing  block  and 
b.asket  plants  that  may  have  had  the  compost  loo.sened  during 
vrinter  should  be  looked  through  and  tidied  up,  a  few  pegs 
or  ties  put  to  any  loose  part.^,  and  useless  back  bulbs  removed. 
The  scale  insect  is  more  active  now  than  at  any  time  in  the 
year,  the  young  insects  seeking  fresh  pasture  on  the  new 
foliage,  which  they  soon  disfigure. 
The  .soft,  woolly  scale  that  especially  attacks  Cattleyas  and 
L?elias  and  the  Stock  seed  scale  that  affects  Cypripediums  and 
other  tropical  orchids  are  the  most  fecund  in  this  family,  and 
need  the  mo.st  constant  attention.  A  couple  of  fumigations 
should  also  be  given  in  the  cool  house,  where  thrips  .soon  over¬ 
run  Masdevallias  and  Disas  if  not  checked.  The  yellow  form 
is  especially  ti’oublesome  to  the  Masdevallia  flowers,  which 
they  soon  ruin  if  allowed  to  run  over  them. — H.  E.  R. 
Tbe  Flower  Garden. 
ROCK  PLANTS.— A  selection  of  plants  for  furnishing 
rockeries  should  consist  of  a  number  of  low-growing  subjects  of 
a  trailing  or  creeping  habit.  Small  rooted  specimens  or 
divisions  may  be  jrlanted  now  on  ledges  of  soil  on  projecting 
stones,  in  nooks  and  corners,  and  similar  places  between  the 
informally  arranged  rocks.  Furnish  a  fair  quantity  of  soil,  into 
which  the  plants  may  root  easily  and  quickly,  forming  good 
tufts.  Among  the  most  desirable  and  attractive  plants  to  use 
are  Aly.ssum,  Arabis,  Aubrietia,  Arenaria,  Cera.stium,  hardy 
Cyclamens,  Dianthus,  Iberis,  Saxifraga.s,  Sempervivums, 
Ledums,  and  Veronicas. 
HOW  TO  PRUNE  ROSES.— The  middle  of  IMarch  is  a 
good  time  to  prune  Roses.  First  of  all  thin  out  undesirable 
growths,  removing  the  weakly  and  crowded  shoots.  The  rest 
must  then  be  shortened.  In  the  ca.se  of  growing  blooms  for 
exhibition,  close  pruning  is  adopted,  not  more  than  six  or  eight 
buds  being  left  on  even  the  strongest  shoots,  while  the  weaker 
may  be  limited  to  two  and  four  buds,  quality  of  blooms  rather 
than  quantity  being  the  object.  For  decoration,  bush  Roses 
may  have  strong  shoots  left  18in,  and  others  in  proporticn. 
A  fair  quantity  of  good  flowers  will  thus  be  produced.  Where 
shoots  are  left  still  longer,  as  on  the  peggnlg-down  system, 
or  trained  to  walls  or  fences,  they  will  still  ne’ed  some  shorten¬ 
ing,  removing  the  unriire  point.'-'.  Newly  planted  Roses  cut 
back  to  le.ss  than  half  their  length  in  April. 
OUTDOOR  CHRYSANTHEiMUMS.— The  hardy  border 
Chrysanthemums  spreading  into  large  tufts  and  becoming  over¬ 
grown  may  be  lifted,  divided,  and  replanted.  Some  varieties 
are  very  prolific  of  suckers,  which  spread  out  round  the  original 
plant.  The.se  afford  an  ea.sy  means  of  increasing  the  stock, 
lifting  and  replanting  them  to  form  new  clumps,  discarding  the 
thickly  crowded  centres.  Rich  soil  is  not  neces.sary,  though 
the  ground  should  be  well  broken  up  to  a  fair  depth,  and  .some 
enriching  material  added  if  necessary.  Only  varieties  of 
proved  excellence  should  be  grown,  the  chief  merit  of  outdoor 
Chrysanthemums  being  their  earline.ss  in  blooming,  combined 
with  free  flowering,  decorative  value  for  cutting,  and  display 
throughout  the  aiitumn  to  as  late  a  period  as  pos.siblG. 
PHLOXES. — Phlox  decu,s.sata,  the  hardy  perennial  Phlox, 
is  represented  by  many  excellent  varieties  of  dwarf  and  sturdy 
habit  suitable  for  mixed  beds  and  borders,  or  even  to  grow  in 
beds  which  may  be  filled  with  one  variety  or  colour  only.  In 
the  latter  case  they  are  grown  to  produce  a  decorative  effect, 
which  they  will  do  owing  to  lasting  in  bloom  for  many  weeks 
either  in  wet  or  dry  weather  during  August,  September,  and 
October.  The  border  plants  may  be  re.served  for  cutting  from. 
The  present  month  is  a  suitable  time  to  plant  them,  breaking 
up  the  ground  well,  previously  adding  leaf  soil  and  manure. 
In  the  case  of  large  clump.s,  division  is  necessary  every  three 
years.  Plant  a  foot  to  loin  apart. — E.  D.  S.,  Gravesend. 
Rainfall  at  Borden  Wood,  Liphook,  Hants. — February, 
total  for  the  month,  o.l3in,  falling  on  twenty-six  days;  maxi¬ 
mum  of  1.11  in  on  the  12th.  January,  total  for  the  month, 
d.OTin,  falling  on  twenty-seven  day.s;  maximum  of  l.Slin  on 
the  27th. — E.  Platt. 
Onions.  — The  main  crop  of  Onions  should  now  be  sown  if 
not  already  done.  The  soil  shoidd  be  dry  and  the  drill  may  be 
drawn  early  in  the  day  in  order  to  warm  them.  Sow  more  .seed 
than  usual  to  guard  against  failure,  as  the  soil  is  exceptionally 
wet  and  cold  and  the  .seed  harvest  was  an  indifferent  one. 
***  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  unjustifi¬ 
able  trouble  and  expense.  In  naming  plants  we  only  undertake 
to  name  species,  or  well-marked  varieties,  and  only  six  on  any 
one  occasion.  Florists’  flowers  we  do  not  name. 
REPORT  OF  MEETINGS  (G.  G.,  Ware).— We  should 
be  irleased  to  have  the  notes  you  suggest. 
CLAIM  FOR  DAMAGED  CHRYSANTHEMUM  BLOOMS 
(G.  W.  D.). — Mr.  Bei.sant’s  action  again.st  the  railway  comjiany 
is  reported  in  our  issue  of  August  1,  1901.  He  claimed  £100, 
and  succeeded  in  obtaining  £60. 
HOW  TO  PICK  MUSHROOMS  (J.  R.  E.).— Some  care  is 
required  (ju.st  as  in  cutting  young  Asparagus  growths),  in  order 
that  the  developed  Mushroom  may  be  severed  or  snapped  off  by 
a  side  jerk,  while  leaving  the  undeveloped  “buttons”  firm  in 
the  matrix.  It  is  vandalism  to  tear  up  whole  iiatches  in  the- 
waj'  you  suggest  is  being  done. 
WATERCRESS  CULTURE  (G.  W.  S.).— There  was  no 
article  on  Watercress  culture  in  any  of  our  is.sues  of  last 
summer,  and  indeed,  except  for  occasional  short  paragraphs 
and  notes  in  answers  to  queries,  the  subject  has  not  been 
very  fully  treated  .since  June  30,  1898,  where,  at  page  539, 
there  is  a  u.seful  article,  with  an  illustration  of  large  Cress 
beds.  This  issue,  unfortunately,  is  out  of  print,  but  we  shall 
reprint  the  article  next  week. 
CUTTING  DOWN  HYPERICUM  CALYCINUM  (S.  P.), 
— It  is  usual  for  this  plant  to  become  rather  untidy  in  the- 
spring,  as,  though  nearly,  it  is  not  quite  evei’green.  Tho 
flowering  is  not  likely  to  be  affected  prejudicially  by  cutting 
down  the  plant  to  a  few  inches  of  the  ground,  as  the  sere  con¬ 
dition  of  the  foliage  can  effect  but  little  in  the  way  of  evapora¬ 
tion  and  assimilation  of  matter,  hence  the  young  growths  spring¬ 
ing  from  the  ba.se  of  the  plant'  annually  would  certainly  not 
be  materially  weakened  by  the  cutting  down  of  the  preceding 
year’s  growth  at  this  time  of  year,  but  it  is  questionable 
whether  the  cut-down  appearance  would  not  be  quite  as  objec¬ 
tionable  as  allowing  the  old  stems  and  foliage  to  remain.  We- 
have  not  practised  the  cutting  down  process,  but  have  occa¬ 
sionally  cut  away  some  of  the  most  sere  looking  stems  with 
their  foliage,  and  the  result  has  been  quite  as  strong,  if  not 
stronger,  and  freer  growth  and  flowering  in  the  summer.  It 
is  not  advisable  to  cut  down  the  plant  in  autumn,  a.s  the  old 
foliage  acts  as  a  sort  of  protection  to  the  crowns  during  the 
winter,  and  also  as.similates  some  matter  for  .storing  and 
favouring  the  succeeding  summer’s  growth  and  flowering. 
CROSS-FERTILISING  NARCISSI  (L.  B.  W.).— 1.  The 
flowei-  intended  to  be  fertilised  mu.st  be  deprived  of  its  anthers 
before  the  pollen  is  discharged,  to  prevent  self-fertilisation. 
It  is  performed  before  the  flower  oiiens,  and  therefore  before  any 
foreign  pollen  can  have  reached  the  stigma.  It  usually  suffices, 
in  the  ca.se  of  the  Narcissus,  to  cut  open  the  cup  as  soon  as  the 
perianth  has  sufficiently  developed,  and  cut  off  the  stamens 
near  the  base  with  a  pair  of  small  and  sharp-pointed  scissors 
which  cut  well  at  the  point.  The  flower  thus  emasculated  must 
be  tied  up  securely  in  a  muslin  bag  or  other  material  that 
will  not  allow  pollen  grain  to  pass  through  it.  2.  The  pistil 
is  ready  to  receive  the  pollen  as  soon  as  its  stigma  matures, 
being  fully  developed  and  become  viscid,  the  stigma  having  a 
shining  and  glutinous  appearance.  The  pollen  must  then  be 
applied  carefully  and  abundantly,  covering  the  whole  surface 
of  the  stigma.  As  soon  as  the  pollen  is  applied  to  the  stigma 
the  flower  should  be  tied  up  again,  and  the  bag  should  remain 
a  week,  or  until  the  stigma  has  died  and  all  danger  of  another 
pollination  is  removed.  3.  The  .seed  is  usually  not  ripe  until 
July  or  August,  and  there  .should  not  be  any  attempt  at  remov¬ 
ing  it  until  the  plant  has  died  down,  and  the  cap.sule  is  turn¬ 
ing  yellow ;  but,  of  course,  always  before  bursting  open  and 
the  .seeds  di.spersed.  4.  The  process  of  raising  plants  from  seed 
is  a  slow  one.  Seeds  .shonld  be  sown,  soon  after  being  collected, 
in  pan.s  of  sandy  and  rather  loamy  soil,  covering  them  about 
half  an  inch  deep,  and  placing  in  a  cold  frame,  freely  ventilat¬ 
ing  on  all  favourable  occasions,  or  the  seed  may  be  .sown 
outdoors. 
