ACETYLENE GAS LIME: E. J. H. This material can be used as a manure to supply the constituent lime, but it should be placed in a heap exposed to the influence of the atmosphere for a month or two be. fore being used. It is more suitable for heavy clay lands than for the lighter and more loamy soils, and it is also more adapted for coarse-growing plants such as members of the Cabbage family than for Roses, or flowers generally. Another point to be observed is never to apply acetylene gas lime to land. planted with Potatos, as it is apt to impart a very unpleasant flavour to the tubers. For Roses growing in a lime-deficient soil, use ordinary quicklime mixed with sulphate of magnesia (Epsom Salts), four parts of lime to one part of magnesia and apply 6 ozs. of the mixture per square yard any time during the month of March. In using acetylene gas lime for the coarser varieties of plants on land deficient in lime, 8 ozs. per square yard may be trenched in some time previous to planting. BLUE SWEET PEA: S. B. Dicks. In the review of Sweet Peas and their Cultivation on p. 98, our reviewer stated that blue Sweet Peas were in existence in 1838, and that Mrs. Loudon noted them in that year. The following passage occurs on p. 130 in The Ladies' Flower Garden of Ornamental Annuals, published in 1840". the blue, which has the wing and keel of a pale blue and the standard of dark bluish-purple." BOX DISEASED: P. The Box leaves are affected with the Box rust Puccinia buxi. The best plan to eradicate the fungus is to syriage the bushes with Bordeaux mixture. CHRYSANTHEMUMS: Foosy. All the varieties in your list belong to the Japanese section, with the exception of Mrs. C. Rogers, which is an incurved variety. Several of them, however, are quite out of date, and others in the list, though useful for greenhouse decoration, are of little value as exhibition varieties. EUCHARIS BULBS: C. E. We do not consider the bulbs you send to be of first-class size, but there does not appear to be any disease in them. C a GARDENER'S NOTICE: J. H. The length of notice you are entitled to is purely a question of custom. If you are paid fortnightly, you would probably be held entitled to fortnight's notice, as, although this fact is not conclusive evidence on the point, yet, in the absence of any local custom or special agreement as to notice, the presumption of law is that the parties have decided for them. selves what is "reasonable notice" by their agreement as to payment of wages, and that reasonable notice is the interval between two payments. In the case of domestic servants, wages are calculated at so much a year, and whatever the intervals between the payments, there is a well-established custom of a month's notice on either side. It has been decided that a head gardener, paid at a yearly rate, is entitled to a month's notice. In your own case, as a foreman gardener paid fort dozen per bunches French, per dz. bunches yuas.l Daffodil leaves, per 11 1 doz. bunches... 3 0 4 0 Fern, English, per f C1 dozen bunches 20-30 40-60 10-16 20-30 C1 s.d. s.d. s.d. s.d. Callas, per dozen... 10 0-12 0 60-80 Cinerarias, per dozen Plants in Pots, &c.: Average Wholesale Prices. 8 0-10 0 4 0-60 Clematis, per doz. 80-90 9 0-12 0 Cocos Weddelli60-12 0 ana, per dozen 18 0-30 0 Crotons, per dozen 18 0-30 0 12 0-30 0 Cyclamen, per dozen 9 0-12 0 15 0-24 0 Cyperus alternifo the peat in which your Calanthe Veitchii was growing are the egg capsules of one of the cockroaches The females do not lay their eggs separately as most insects do, but several eggs (about 16) are laid together in a case in two rows of chambers. This case has a longitudinal slit, the edges of which are com. C E H al pressed together, and cemented, so that nothing can enter. When the young are hatched they discharge a fluid from their mouths which dissolves the cement, and the little crea. tures are then able to make their way out. You should destroy every egg case that you can find, for cockroaches are very destructive creatures to Orchids and other plants, as they gnaw the roots and young shoots. The parent insects may be killed by the same means as is adopted for exterminating cockroaches in dwelling houses. LILY OF THE VALLEY FAILING. Puzzled. The Lily crowns are not suffering from disease. The growths appear to have been killed by frost. MAPLE WITH UPRIGHT FLOWERS: M. M. N. The finest of the erect-racemed Maples is Acer macrophyllum, a North American species. The flowers of the Norway Maple are also borne on somewhat erect clusters. Of smaller species (the two preceding are large trees) with erect racemes A. tataricum and A. spicatum are to be recommended. MARKET CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN POTS: A. R. B. The following varieties are selected from among the best seen in the market during the past season. The season of flowering varies considerably, according to the treatment afforded the plants. Madame Desgranges was one of the earliest seen in Covent Garden in the autumn of 1906, but last season the best plants of it were not marketed until October. All the various sports from Madame Marie Masse are valuable for early flowering, Horace Martin and Ralph Curtis being the most useful. Market White forms a good pot plant for early blooming, as do Lady Fitzwigram, Harvest Home, Goacher's Crimson (the two lastnamed, unless grown under careful treatment, lose their foliage), Geo. Wermig, and Nivette are all to be recommended. Carrie is one of the best of the early yellow varieties. Maxim (chestnut-red), Perle Rose (a pretty shade of pink), and Souvenir de Petit Ami are also worthy of culture. Of the later or second early varieties may be mentioned Mrs. Wingfield, Miss B. Miller, La Pacatole, Boule de Neige, Kathleen Thompson, Market Red, W. Holmes, Caprice du Printemps, Moneymaker, Soleil d'Octobre, Ivory, Pink Ivory (known in the market as White Star and Pink Star respectively), New Phoebus, Ryecroft Glory, and Nellie Brown, and to follow later in flowering are A. J. Balfour, Western King, Niveum, Framfield Pink, La Triomphante, Mathew Hodgson, and W. H. Lincoln. The culture of really good pot plants for market requires considerable experience and skill, and much depends upon the conditions of things at the start. Short thick cuttings should be secured, and as soon as they break into growth they should be allowed plenty of light and air and fire-heat sufficient only to keep out the frost. Pot the plants firmly in good loam, to which stable manure and some bone meal have been added. The plants should be stopped when they are about 4 inches in height, and they may require stopping again later. The culti vator should aim at securing from six to twelve shoots of equal strength and height on each plant. If more shoots than are required are present, the weaker ones should be removed. Disbudding should be attended to as early as possible, and an important matter is to have the buds in such a condition that they will all open at or about the same time. When the plants are placed in the open, plenty of room should be given them to allow a free circulation of air about them. The pots may be plunged into the ground or in a bed of ashes. Regular attention must be paid to watering, especially after the buds are set. Liquid manure may be used freely at all times, unless the plants should appear to be too vigorous at the time the buds are setting, in which case stimulants should be withheld for a time, or until the buds begin to plump up. The liberal use of clear soot water will do much towards keeping off insects, and will also stimulate the foliage, but it is important that the soot water should be prepared some time before it is required for use, as it should be quite clear when used for syringing purposes. Our NAMES OF FLOWERS, FRUITS AND PLANTS.-We are anxious to oblige correspondents as far as we consistently can, but they must bear in mind that it is no part of our duty to subscribers to name either flowers or fruits. Such work entails considerable outlay, both of time and money, and cannot be allowed to disorganise the preparations for the weekly issue, or to encroach upon time required for the conduct of the paper. Correspondents should never send more than six plants or fruits at one time: they should be very careful to pack and label them properly, to give every information as to the county the fruits are grown in, and to send ripe, or nearly ripe, specimens which show the character of the variety. By neglecting these precautions correspondents add greatly to our labour, and run the risk of delay and incorrect determinations. Correspondents not answered in one issue are requested to be so good as to consult the following numbers. PLANTS: W. C. & Sons. Eucalyptus Globulus; your specimen has reached the adult stage, in which the foliage undergoes a remarkable change from that of the ordinary or seedling plants usually met with in gardens.-J. F. The berries are probably those of Solanum nigrum, a very common weed in gardens in the south of England.-J. H. B. 1, Nephrolepis Piersonii; 2, Selaginella amona; 3, Nephrolepis ensifolia; 4, Gymnogramme Pearcei; 5, Nephrolepis pectinata; 6, Pilea muscosa; 7, Nephrolepis tuberosa; 8, Polypodium appendiculatum; 9, Lastrea Filix mas; 10, probably Tecoma jasminoides; 11, Carex variegata; 12, Davallia dissecta; 13, Polypodium pustulatum.-E. W. S. a, Catt leya Triana; b, Cypripedium venustum; c, Cypripedium barbatum Warneri. Cym. Cymbidium giganteum.-T. H. 1, Cym bidium longifolium; 2, Restrepia trichoglossa; 3, Dendrbium cymbidioides.E. R. M. A variety of Cypripedium Harrisianum. POTATOS FOR MARKET: Hants. By referring to our weekly market reports you will be enabled to ascertain the principal varieties cultivated for market purposes and their relative value. The amount of the crop per acre will depend upon the quality of the soil, the variety of Potato grown, the cultivation applied, and many other details. An average crop is from six to ten tons per acre. TO DESTROY TREE STEMS: E. D. The butts of the trees may be destroyed by blasting with dynamite. They may also be destroyed by pouring a saturated solution of saltpetre into the butt, and afterwards setting a light to the saltpetre, when the whole will be destroyed by fire. A hole should be bored in the top of the stump in which to pour the liquid. TRUFFLE: H. R. The fungus you send is the common Truffle (Tuber æstivum), a species indigenous to Britain and the Continent. Another species, Tuber brumale, which is the most common on the Continent, sometimes also occurs in this country. Altogether ten species or Truffle have been found in Britain, but some are small and only the above two species are eligible to rank as esculents. We cannot determine your species, found under Cedars, merely from description, but if you will send specimens we will examine and determine its name. VIOLETS DISEASED: H. H. There is no fungous disease present on the specimens you send, but they exhibit a loss of vigour and strength. Try a more generous treatment in the matter of feeding, and afford more ventilation to the structure in which they are growing. WEEVILS: A. L. The creatures feed on the foliage of Ferns and other plants at night time. They may be caught by laying white cloths under the plants upon which they are feeding, and after it has been dark for about an hour throwing a bright light on the plant, when the insects will be alarmed and fall to the ground. Should they not fall the plant should be shaken. Weevils hide themselves in the most cunning manner during the daytime. COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED.-Beckenham Hort. Soc.-J. C. -J. M.-J. Whittow-T. L.-H. M. V.-F. J.-A D.H. R. H.-Anxious-F. M W.-Rev. D. R. W.- S. A.Chloris-G. B. M.-W. D., Jr.-A. J. L.-C. T. D.J. O'B.-W. G. S. - A. C. N.-H. Miller-G. D.-S. LowGardener-Mrs. J, B. D.-A. D., Hindhead-W. MillerW. H.-D. P.-P. G.-G. M.-F. G.-E. M.-E. W. D.S. C.-H. T.-C. H. C.-S. X.-W. A.-H. D. & Son W. G.-V. H. L.-W. F.-R. L. H.-Tulips-C. TD.Miss B.-F. J.-F. L. B.-C. B.-F. H.-H. R. W.W. R. H.-F. E. G. THE HIPPEASTRUM. HAPPENED recently to look into that excellent botanical work the Amaryllidaceae, by the Hon. and Rev. William Herbert, published in 1837. Herbert was not only a botanist, but an indomitable hybridist and horticulturist. He monographed the genus, writing elaborate descriptions of the various species known at that time, and his keen horticultural proclivities were displayed in the work of hybridising in his own garden at Spofforth. He enumerates 31 distinct crosses of specific forms made under his own direction. In the matter of selecting names for his hybrids he had to face a difficulty which seems to give some trouble even at the present day. For instance, a cross between H. striatifolium and H. vittatum he named striatifolio-vittatum. Other names were H. solandrifloro-bulbulosum, H. reticulatobulbulosum, and from these semi-species he proposed to give such names as Juno, Ceres, Camillus, Napoleon, &c. These were termed sub-ordinary varieties, and deserved no place in a botani so on. To seedlings cal arrangement. It is interesting to remark that the varieties of Cattleyas, Lælias, Cypripediums, &c., are now losing their botanical character in much the same way. In some cases the evidence as to the original species cannot be detected in the seedlings, and to simplify matters they will have to be named after heathen gods and goddesses as Herbert advised in the case of Hippeastrums. It is not likely that any of the hybrid Hippeastrums raised so many years ago are now in existence. While Herbert was working in England, Mr. de Graaff, as early as 1790, was cultivating the Hippeastrum at Leiden in Holland. I have a letter before me from Mr. S. A. de Graaff, dated January 30, 1890, .in which he states that his father's uncle had cultivated H. Johnsonii and H. vittata since 1790. He might have cultivated the parents of the first-named variety at this early date, viz., Reginæ (1728) and vittatum (1769), but he could not have grown Johnsonii, as this variety was raised by an amateur named Johnson, who had a small garden in Lancashire in 1810. We know, however, that Mr. de Graaff, senior, was a raiser of seedlings from 1830, and Mr. S. A. de Graaff since 1862; and many very fine garden varieties have been raised at Leiden in recent years. I can well remember the sensation caused by the introduction of the variety Empress of India some 20 or 25 years ago. Messrs. Veitch, of Chelsea, obtained the stock of this fine variety, and with their own superb crosses from H. pardinum and H. Leopoldii an impetus was given to the culture of this fine genus, which has resulted in the magnificent varieties now cultivated in gardens. Perhaps no gardener in the world has improved the genus so much as Mr. A. Chapman, gardener to Major Holford, of Westonbirt, Tetbury. Not every gardener has the opportunity or the means of obtaining such a collection, and many, if they had, would not make such good use of it. I have seen perhaps every collection exhibited from Major Holford's garden in London, and noted the improvement in form, colour and substance of petals year, by year. In April, 1906, quite a hundred splendid varieties were exhibited, and many of them had received certificates and Awards of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society and other societies. The many rich crimson and dark red forms in the Westonbirt collection were remarkable on that occasion. In some varieties the characteristic green centre was present, in others this had disappeared; "stamped out" Mr. Chapman terms it, and so deep was the tinge of colour that the back of the petals in some instances had the same rich tone as the front, and many of the spikes carried four of these exceedingly large and wellformed flowers. What an improvement such varieties as Radiance, Lord Dalhousie, Poetry, &c., are upon the early crosses from Chelsonii and Empress of India. The ad vance in form, size, and substance of petals is as much marked in the light-coloured varieties. White varieties had been in existence for some years, but the first white varieties to be produced from seed were of weakly constitution, and the flowers themselves were thin and not of good substance. Mr. Fielder produced a white variety, Fielder's White, far in advance of any other, and equal in quality to the best of the Westonbirt seedlings. There were many very fine whiteground varieties in the collection, marked with pink principally. There is no doubt that the Westonbirt collection marks the furthest advance yet made in Hippeastrums. CULTIVATION. The Hippeastrum is an ornament in any garden and, its requirements being understood, it is easy to grow. Sometimes, the proper cultivation is not understood. I remember being shown round a garden where expense was no object, and was surprised to see a collection of the best-named Hippeastrums out of doors. The plants had been turned out after flowering to ripen their bulbs." It is astonishing how this idea clings to some gardeners, and is equivalent to turning out Azaleas as soon as they have finished flowering instead of putting them into a warm, moist atmosphere until the flower-buds are properly formed. Hippeastrums require a period of growth after flowering in order to develop the bulbs. Not until the bulbs have well plumped up and the leaves have begun to decay should water be withheld and air freely admitted to the structure. By that time, the season being advanced, warm weather will have set in, therefore the ventilators of the house may be allowed to remain open night and day. This will help in keeping the plants free from thrips, red spider, and other pests. My collection was repotted in January, the flower-pots being plunged in a moderate bottom heat. The bulbs at such a time should be well furnished with healthy roots. It is a grave error to treat them so that the roots decay at the base of the bulbs; this is sometimes caused by keeping them for many weeks together on a shelf near the glass in a cool house, or it may result from excessive applications of water in the resting period. The best treatment is to allow them to remain in the plunging material. The roots run freely into this, and they require no water after the decayed leaves have been removed until it is time to repot them. The potting soil I use is one composed of good, fibrous, well-decayed loam four parts, decayed manure one part, and leafmould or fibrous peat one part. The largest single bulbs may be repotted into 8-inch flower-pots, and smaller sizes into pots measuring 7, 6, and 5 inches in diameter, but taking care to avoid over-potting. The bulbs should be placed about half their depth in the potting soil; if this is fairly moist, as it should be at the time of using, no water will be required for two or three weeks, and even when it is applied, it should be poured from a small water-pot round the inner rim, to avoid wetting the base of the bulbs until the roots have freely started. The 'heat at first may be 50°, raising it as growth progresses to 55°, 60°, and ultimately to 65°. When the plants are in full growth water may be applied freely, but pots plunged in a hot bed do not require water frequently. The bulbs are likely to flower in three or four months after the repotting. RAISING SEEDLINGS. Every grower of Hippeastrums should raise seedlings by crossing the best varieties. It is easy to remove the anthers from the partly-opened flowers with the fingers before the pollen is scattered, and as soon as the seed-bearing flower is fully expanded it is ready to receive the pollen from another variety. The seed will ripen in June or July, and may be sown at once. If it is sown thinly the plants need not be pricked out, and they will form quite strong plants by the end of the season. The leaves of these seedlings remain green during the winter, and if three of them are repotted in January or February into a 5 or 6-inch flower-pot according to their size, many of them, under fair treatment, will produce flowering bulbs by the end of the growing season. They will not, of course, be fully grown, but strong enough to pro BROUGHTON CASTLE, OXON. (See Supplementary Illustration and figs. 57 and 58.) FROM the appearance of this beautiful old building, as seen in our Supplementary Illustration, no one would suspect that it was erected as far back as the year 1301, during the reign of Edward I. The castle is in a remarkable state of preservation, and forms the country residence of Lord and Lady Algernon GordonLennox. Broughton Castle is situated a distance of about three miles from the town of Banbury. The Supplementary Illustration, which depicts the south front and the eastern end of the castle, shows that the surroundings of the old buildings are most picturesque, and this-apart from the natural beauty of the spot-is due to beds have been planted with cultivated flowering plants and ornamental trees and shrubs. The flowering plants are such as have a good effect when viewed from a distance, especially when seen from the mullioned windows of the old castle. The plants include broad breadths of Pæonies, Roses, Sunflowers of the choicer species, Foxgloves, Liliums, Kniphofias, Shirley Poppies, and many stately herbaceous perennials. The Sea Buckthorn (Rhamnus catharticus) finds in the banks a suitable rooting medium, and the tree. flowers and fruits in profusion. In the water are broad patches of the white Water-lily (Nymphæa alba) with other native aquatic plants. In the centre of the lawn and almost in the middle of our picture is seen a plant of Yew clipped to resemble the gnomon of a sundial, and the figures duce two or even three flowers on a spike. The plants must be kept in good health during and after the flowering period. A strict watch must be kept for thrips, as this species frequently gets upon the leaves during summer, and it is not easily destroyed by fumigating, as the insects drop into the plunging material and get up again next day; therefore fumigate the plants if it is even suspected. A species of mealy bug or aphis hides itself in the loose material at the apex of the bulbs, and if this pest becomes numerous it is difficult to exterminate. All the loose skins must be removed and tobacco powder dusted on the parts infested. J. Douglas. the work and artistic tastes of Lady GordonLennox, who is an enthusiastic gardener. The water seen in the foreground of the picture is part of a broad moat which entirely surrounds the castle, but it is not, as is often the case, close up to the walls of the old fortress. Thus there is a considerable area of ground, forming as it were an island, in the centre of which stands the old baronial dwelling. The keep (fig. 57) is seen in our Supplementary Illustration to be midway between the castle and the parish church of Broughton, and adjoining the keep are some ruined embattlements. The waters of the old moat in summer time reflect the sheen of the Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), Spiræa Aruncus, Iris and other British plants. But in addition, large are planted in a circular band with the motto, Memory lives but the hour flies," in a similar outer band. At the left of the sundial and opposite the windows of the drawing-room is a design worked out in flower beds cut in the turf. A central one is planted with golden Yews that are clipped somewhat formally, and beneath is a groundwork of Berberis (Mahonia) japonica. The remaining beds of the design are largely planted with annual and perennial flowering plants, but several circular areas are occupied by Roses. A short distance away, and in this same lawn, is a small water basin for the accommodation of choice Nymphæas of the "Marliac" type. It is encircled by borders of Roses. |