66 



tion for a long time. This being so, care should be taken to see 

 that the land they are to be planted in is deeply cultivated — that 

 is to say, holes should be dug to a depth of about two feet, and 

 from three to four feet across : the same soil should be put back 

 in each hole with a half barrel of rotten manure, or succulent weeds 

 may be mixed with the soil, and in planting, the base of the plant 

 should be placed so that when the soil has settled down, it will be 

 at least three inches below the surface of the surrounding ground. 

 By paying attention to this simple rule, the shrubs or climbers 

 planted will not need half the water and attention if the base of 

 the plant is placed on a level with the surrounding ground, or a 

 little above it. 



The shrubs or climbers having been planted, it is of great im- 

 portance that each plant is given about four gallons of water, to 

 settle the soil about their roots and to start them growing. This 

 copious watering at the time of planting is of the greatest im- 

 portance. 



Beyond watering and keeping clean, the plants will not need 

 any special attention until they are beginning to outgrow the space 

 allotted to them. 



When it becomes necessary to prune the plants, it should be done 

 just as they have finished flowering and before they begin to start 

 into growth again. 



If the plants are attacked by scale insects it will be an indica- 

 tion that they are getting in poor condition, and the most efl"ec- 

 tive and least expensive way of improving their condition will be 

 to prune them back to within about eighteen inches of the ground, 

 and have the soil about the roots cultivated to about fifteen inches 

 deep, and from a foot to three feet wide. In doing this be care- 

 ful not to disturb the soil within a radius of twelve inches of the 

 stem of each plant. All roots met with in carrying out this cul- 

 tivation may be cut away without any harm being done to the 

 plants. When the cultivation has been carried out, that is the 

 same soil and a little manure put back into the trench, a few gal- 

 lons of water should be given each plant. 



To some people the above may seem an expensive way of cul- 

 tivating ; but I can assure them, that it gives the best results in the 

 long run. 



SAFFRON. 



Crocus sativus is a light-purple autumnal-flowering species. It 

 yields the saffron of the shops, which consists of the deep, orange- 

 coloured stigmas of the flowers gathered with part of the style 

 and carefully dried. A grain of good commercial saffron is said 

 to contain the stigmas and styles of nine flowers, and consequently 

 4,320 flowers are required to yield one ounce of saffron. 



