188 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



and if sown now will be useful at the end of July, and thence to September ; only a 

 few leaves at a time must be taken from each plant. Sow a k\v more lettuces oa 

 heavily manured ground, and do not transplant them ; sow thin. Stir the ground by 

 flat hoeing between potatoes, and draw a little of the rough crumbs to their stems ; 

 but do not mould them up, as is usually done, for the operation only tends to re- 

 move the tubers further from the influence of sunshine than is good for them. If 

 vegetable marrow plants are not to be obtained, sow seed on a well-manured bed, in 

 patches of three seeds each, five feet apart, and you will have plenty of marrows 

 before the 1st of August. Make a plantation of the forwardest winter greens, and 

 at every opportunity plant out from seed beds. "Weeds grow luxuriantly, and if 

 allowed to riot, will ruin any crop. 



Floiver Garden.— k\\ the more tender kinds of sub-tropical and other bedding 

 plants may now be planted out, the majority of such things delight in shady posi- 

 tions and a rich mellow soil. All kinds of plants may now be propagated with 

 facility by putting cuttings in pots and shutting them up close in frames, or even 

 placing them under the stage in the greenhouse. Cuttings of geraniums put in a 

 sunny border will make nice plants this season, and will be quite gay in August 

 and September. This is the best time to propagate pinks, carnations, and picotees 

 by pipings. They must be put in a shady place. Valuable sorts should be put in 

 pots, and placed on a gentle bottom heat in a frame. This is the best time in the 

 whole year to begin the cultivation of hardy herbaceous plants from seed, as there 

 is ample time for the plants to become strong for the winter. Asters are largely 

 used to make a succession to stocks and other subjects that cease to be beautiful 

 before the summer is over. The simplest way of dealing with asters now is to 

 plant them where they are to remain. If the border intended for them is much 

 infested with vermin, plant out a few lettuces from a seed-pan at the same time. In 

 every case in planting asters, dahlias, hollyhocks, and other subjects that snails and 

 woodlice are fond of, it is a good plan to plant lettuces at the same time, as the 

 vermin will go to the lettuces first, and while eating them, the more valuable 

 subjects will grow out of the succulent condition in which they are most relished by 

 vermin. Put stakes to whatever is likely to require it at the first opportunity, for 

 we never know when a gale may rise and make ruin of all our garden labours, if 

 we have not provided in time against such a contingency. 



Fruit Garden. — Pinching the shoots of apple, pear, and plum trees may still be 

 pursued with ardour ; small trees laden with large crops must be relieved by 

 thinning. Give potted trees abundance of water. In gathering gooseberries take 

 some from each tree, so that there will only be a few on each left to ripen. Those 

 few will attain a large size, and have a fine flavour ; and if there are many trees to 

 gather from, the dessert will be well supplied. But if the entire crop is left on any 

 tree to ripen, the berries will be all small and comparatively flavourless. This is a 

 hint worth the attention of lovers of ripe gooseberries. 



Greenhouse. — Put as many subjects in the open air as possible ; it is astonishing 

 how much better many greenhouse plants look after a month or two in the open-air 

 in summer time. Plants in bloom in the house last longer if cool and shaded. All 

 plants that bloomed early and have been cut back should be allowed to make shoots 

 a quarter of an inch long before they are repotted, but they should be repotted at 

 that stage. A few good ferns, palms, balsams, and zonale geraniums are of great 

 value now to make the conservatory agreeable j indeed, the zonale geraniums are 

 pre-eminently valuable for this purpose. 



*:jt* Past issues of the Floral Woeld contain copious calendars of operations, 

 and the Gabdex Oracle has a complete and concise calendar, adapted for reference. 

 For these reasons the " Garden Guide" will be on a contracted scale this year. 



NEWS OF THE MONTH. 



The Paeis Exhibition is now in a ver}' complete state, and the lovers of horti- 

 culture will find plenty to admire, and perhaps much from which instruction may 

 be derived, in the Pare and the Central Garden. To say nothing of the model 

 villages, the imitation rockeries, waterfalls, and mountains, the collections of trees, 

 succulent plants, and other specialities, a;:e worthy of the fullest attention and the 



