358 THE GARDENER. [Aug. 



many to grief, and often injures the whole stock: practical men are 

 often obliged to do much of this, because of meeting demands for 

 which they have inadequate means. The most successful amateurs we 

 are acquainted with grow their specialities, and do not attempt to work 

 beyond their means. 



Among the beds and borders a quantity of decaying leaves may be seen when 

 the cuttings are taken otl". A general cleaning over should take place, and 

 the necessary picking, trimming, and regulating must be persevered in wher- 

 ever high keeping is desired — and a llower - garden without such is simply 

 ridiculous. Each colour should be quite distinct from its fellow, and each 

 form kept to what was intended. On the contrary, with herbaceous plants, 

 like shrubs and trees, they form outlines of their own, and should not be 

 trimmed into formahty like bedding-plants. All borders of mixed plants must 

 be kept free of decaying flowers and leaves. Stake those which require it. 

 Hoeing and keeping weeds dowa are matters always requiring attention. 



Hollyhocks, Dahlias, &c., require strong stakes and ties, which will stand 

 the force of winds : exposed positions require this in particular. In the Ptose- 

 garden budding may be persevered with. A border for the stocks may be in 

 a part not much frequented, where the work of budding will not be considered 

 a nuisance, from the litter of tj'ing, &c., which attends the operation. Stan- 

 dard Ptoses we never cared much for (exce[)t in pots for forcing), and this 

 season we have seen so much destruction from la'-t season's frosts that our 

 objection to planting them is increased. Trim off decaying flowers. Look 

 after svickers from stocks, and top-heavy shoots which are taking all the growth 

 from the others. Pose hedges (beautiful objects) should be thinned and 

 trimmed with the knife — no clipping should be tolerated. Always cut close to 

 a bud, and then dead and dying wood will be in a measure avoided. Roses 

 trained on walls or trellises should be cut within bounds, to prevent matting. 

 Many kinds of the Hybrid Perpetuals and Bourbons do well as moderate climb- 

 ers, and are very manageable, Gloire de Dijon, Souvenir de Malmaison, Mrs 

 Bosanquet, Climbing Devoniensis, Marechal Niel, and some others of this class, 

 do well for climbing from 12 to 20 feet. But for growing wild and covering 

 large spaces, one has to look for such kinds as Fortuneii, Dundee Rambler, 

 and suchlike. 



Plant- Structures, 



Summer and autumn flowering -plants will now be abundant, and great 

 care must be exercised, so that show-houses of any pretension may not form a 

 part of the "bedding system." To have a mass of plants closely packed 

 together (the one killing the other, and the whole struggling for the mas- 

 tery), is simply an outrage on good taste ; something like distinctness and 

 gracefulness should be attempted. They should be kept thin, turned round 

 frequently, well treated with water, and kept clean (both plants and pots). 

 Fuchsias (especially standards). Pelargoniums, Petunias, Achimenes, Glox- 

 inias, Coleus, Gladioli in pots, Lantanas, Campanula pyramidalis. Cocks- 

 combs, Begonias, Balsams, &c., mixed with well-grown specimens of Tree- 

 Ferns, Cordalines, Araucaria excelsa, variegated Phormiums, Dracoenas, half- 

 hardy Palms, and suchlike, would at any time command admiration in a 

 show-house in any position. In our district we know of some half-dozen 

 mechanics who have neat little glass-structures placed by their cots (mostly 



