File:The century book of gardening; a comprehensive work for every lover of the garden (1900) (20401017538).jpg

Title: The century book of gardening; a comprehensive work for every lover of the garden
Identifier: centurybookofgar00cook (find matches)
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Cook, E. T. (Ernest Thomas), 1867-1915, ed
Subjects: Gardening
Publisher: London, The Offices of "Country life" (etc. )
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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124 THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. water should be given, while a mulch of well-decayed hot-bed manure in March will generally be found to strengthen the growth. Propagation may be effected by division of the tubers in the autumn, but it is a pity to disturb the plants if they are healthy. A light covering of rough leaf-mould or cocoa-nut fibre makes an effective protection during the winter months. Other so-called Orchises, such as the Bee Orchis, Humble-bee Orchis, Fly Orchis, Spider Orchis, Saw-fly Orchis, and Looking-glass Orchis, though belonging to theOrchidaceae, are classed under the name of Ophrys. These should be grown on sunny rock gardens in sandy loam with which chips of limestone or chalk 'nave been incorporated, otherwise the cultural directions already given for the terrestrial Orchids will apply. OrnithOgalumS. - This extensive family comprises about eighty species, natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, P/id America. They are bulbous plants, and the greater portion are only fitted fin culture under glass, chough a few are hardy, and well fitted to assist in the embellishment of our gardens. A rich, sandy soil is found most adapted to their requirements. The taller kinds are well su-^ed for planting in the herbaceous border, while man_> of the dwarfer species are seen at their best when naturalised in the grass. One of the greatest merits of these Stars of Bethlehem, as they are prettily styled, is the length of time they remain in bloom, the flower spikes of some of the species remaining in condition for close upon three months. The following are amongst the best of those suitable lor culture in our own country : 0. armeniaciim, a native of Armenia, bearing its white flowers in umbels during May ; height, 6in. to gin. 0. arabiClim, a beautiful flower from Algeria, blooms white w ith black eve, I in. to 2in. in diameter, borne on a tall flower stem, attaining, under good cultivation, a height of nearly 3ft. In England it usually blooms in May or June. Although not, strictly speaking, hardy, it generally passes through the winter unharmed in sheltered situations in the Southern Counties. In colder climates pot culture will be found most suitable. 0. COmOSlim, Europe, a perfectly hardy plant, bearing racemes of white flowers, and growing to a height of bin. It blossoms in May and June, and is well adapted for positions in the rock garden 0- exscapum, Europe, a very dwarf, hardy species, bearing umbels of large, white flowers just clear of the ground ; an April bloomer. 0. fimbriatum, from the Crimea, hardy, producing greenish white flowers. A dwarf plant useful for naturalising in grass; blooms in early spring. 0. glaueophyllum, Asia Minor, hardy, bearing umbels of white flowers, height about 6in., blossom- ing in May and June. 0. latifolilim, a native of Tauria, hardy, bearing a tall head of as many as a hundred large, while flowers. Under generous treatment it attains a height of 3ft., and flowers during the months of May and June. It is very valuable for open-air culture. 0. montanum, Europe, dwarf, hardy, bearing racemes of greenish white flowers. 0. narbonnense, Europe, a hardy plant, bearing white flowers, iin. in dia- meter, on stems 2ft. in height. It blooms in June, SINGLE P/EONIES. and is in every way desirable for grouping in the border or wild garden. 0. nutans, Europe, bearing loose racemes of drooping white flowers with green reverses, height, 6in. to loin. ; a June bloomer. This bulb had better be relegated to the wild garden or naturalised in the grass, as it quickly spreads and is with difficulty eradicated, if planted in a border, without unduly disturbing the other occupants. 0. pyramidale, Europe, is the noblest of all the Ornitho- galunis, producing tall spires of white flowers 3ft. to 4ft. in height. It blossoms in June. When grown in rich deep soil, and allowed to remain undisturbed, it forms fine clumps, which are exceedingly decorative in the border or in the wild garden. This is a variety ol O. narbonnense. 0. pyrenaicum, Europe, producing long racemes of pale yellow flowers, height 2ft., flowering in June. This species is found wild in parts of England. 0. limbellatum, Europe, a hardy, well-known kind, bearing its white flowers in umbels some 6in. in height. It blooms in May, and is seen at its best when naturalised on a grassy bank. There are thirty-three other species which were introduced from South Africa, while of the remainder six hail from America, O. alliaceum, O. bifolium, and O. corymbosum being natives of Chili, O. biflorum's habitat being Peru, and that of O. chloroleucum Brazil, while O. ixioides is a Californian bulb. OrobUS.—See Lathyrus. Oxlip. — See Primula. Pajonies are divided into two classes, the herbaceous, which dies down every winter and shoots up from the ground the succeeding spring, and the shrubby, or tree section, which forms large, permanent bushes. Though differing greatly in their manner of growth, herbaceous and tree Paeonies require very similar treatment. They luxuriate in deep, rich soil, in fact it may be said that the soil cannot well be too deep or too rich. Where practicable, the bed in which the Paeonies are to be planted should be excavated to a depth of 3ft.—indeed, strong-growing herbaceous Paeonies send their roots down to a greater depth than this—and well enriched with cow manure in all but the heaviest soils, where stable manure may be substituted. The bed or beds should not be close to trees or very vigorous-growing shrubs, whose roots will impoverish the soil, though, at the same time, a certain amount of shade is beneficial, and shelter from boisterous winds is a desideratum. The best time for planting Paeonies is early in the autumn, the month of September, when they are in full leaf, for choice. When carefully lifted and planted at the time advised, and given a copious watering, they will quickly recover from the shift and push out roots into thesurroundingsoil, whereas they often remain dormant for weeks after a spring planting, and make little or no growth during their first season in new quarters. In dry situations it is always well to plant in a slight depression, so that when water is given, as it should be liberally and often dur- ing dry weather, it may not run away, but thoroughly permeate the soil. Surface mulchings of manure given in the early spring have a very beneficial effect on Paeonies, as the stimulating properties of the dressing
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