246 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



The heat and drouth of sunuiier readily determine 

 whether or not the lawn is well made or not. If it 

 doesn't seem to be holding its own give a topdressing of 

 nitrate of soda, and tine bone meal, until the time for 

 doing a more thorough job the latter part of next month 

 or early Sept. The best expedient to adopt at present is 

 to mark the spots that do not show up well, and leave 

 the grass a little longer without cutting. Humus is fine 

 material for lawns, and where its use is contemplated 

 when remaking the lawn a supply should be ordered to 

 be one hand when needed. The best seeds obtainable 

 are the only ones to use for seeding down the lawn and 

 the heavier the nii.xture is per bushel the better, provided 

 the weight is not due to an excess of white clover seed. 



Plants in frames which are intended for \\'inter flower- 

 ing should be given the best of care at this time for to 

 neglect them now will surely mean disappointment later. 



Freezia bulbs that were forced last year, and had good 

 attention in the way of drying oS will make fine bulbs to 

 plant now. Planted thus early it is not difficult to get 

 them in flower by Christmas and the New Year. Plant 

 them in either pans or flats two or three inches apart, in 

 new well drained soil. Three parts of fibrous loam and 

 one each of cow manure, and leaf mold make a very- 

 good growing medium. Place them in a cool cellar until 

 the growths begin to show through the soil when they 

 may be placed in full light in a cool house. Give water 

 sparingly until the foliage is well developed. 



The carnation plants should be kept growing whether 

 in the field or in their permanent flowering quarters. 

 Those that have been given field culture while the houses 

 have been fitted up to receive them should be planted in- 

 doors as soon as possible now, for the sooner they become 

 established the better. Keep the shoots pinched as they 

 require it, to form bushy plants, and don't be afraid to 

 use the hose should red spiders attack the plants. 



Seeds of such vegetables as it is intended to force the 

 coming Winter should be ordered now, such as tomatoes, 

 cauliflower, spinach, beans, lettuce, etc. If one has a suit- 

 able house where a temperature of round .^0° can be 

 maintained New Zealand Spinach is one of the best pro- 

 ducing crops one can grow\ Sown now it will maintain 

 a continuous supply all next Winter. Parsley may be 

 started from seed either in frames or a cool greenhouse 

 for Winter use. Water cress is easily grown in a violet 

 house temperature, or in frames, but if grown in a tem- 

 perature above 45° it is difficult to keep it free from 

 aphis. 



Chrysanthemums will need to be fed freely now, using 

 liquid manure, and concentrated fertilizers. They will 

 take this food in enormous quantities as they are now 

 growing" rapidly. Spray the plants freely several times 

 a day and keep all possible air on them. Be on the watch 

 for black flies, that always gather on the tips of the 

 growths. 



This is the season for mildew in the rose house, and 

 if necessary a little fire should be started during dull 

 damp weather, and a little sulphur painted on the pipes. 

 Keep the air on as much as possible so that the plants 

 don't get soft. Annuals, for forcing such as stocks and 

 mignonette, may be sown now. They always do better 

 when sown early and grown on slowly. 



Cold storage lilies should be planted this month if 

 early flowers are called for say round Thanksgiving, and 

 on to Christmas. Don't let the bulbs lay around, but get 

 them into the pots as soon as convenient. They will re- 

 quire 5 to 6-inch pots according to their size. Give them 

 a liberal proportion of well decayed manure, and bone 

 meal in the soil, also plenty of drainage as they will need 

 lots of water later on. The best place for them while they 

 are making roots is in a cool cellar, or failing this, under 



the bench in a cool house and covered with e.xcelsior, or 

 other medium. See that they are well watered before 

 they are put away, and as soon as they show top growth 

 they may be removed to a cold frame with some sashes 

 over them but leaving plenty of air on. until they have 

 developed a good root system, when they may be placed 

 in a warm house. 



Early flowering sweet peas should be sown by the end 

 of the present month. To do well in the greenhouse they 

 should have at least 8 inches of soil, but where a solid 

 bench can be devoted to them they are much happier. 

 Whether in solid beds or raised benches a rich growing 

 medium is a necessity. Two parts of good loam to one 

 part of well decayed manure and some bone added is 

 about the mark to aim at. If the space on the benches is 

 not ready, sow out a few pots now and plant to the 

 flowering quarters in four or five weeks. Do not, how- 

 ever, let these plants dry out or become pot bound or 

 they will be liable to prove disappointing. \\'hen plant- 

 ed out in the benches keep plenty of ventilation on both 

 day and night, and on all fine days given them a good 

 svringing. 



CHINESE WISTARIA 



/^XE of the best known vines in cultivation is the 

 ^"^ Chinese Wistaria, ff. cliimensis, the large purple 

 flowers of which do so much toward making the 

 floral display of flowers in Spring so delightful. The one 

 of our notes is the white flowered variety. If. cliinotsis 

 alba and wherever seen in flower it calls for the admira- 

 tion of those who view it. Though long known to hor- 

 ticulturists, it is not nearly as well represented in col- 

 lections as it deserves to be. Its charms are numerous, 

 rivaling in many respects the common purple species. 



The Wistaria takes its time coming into flower, years 

 usually elapsing before a small plant blooms, as it in- 

 variably makes considerable growth before giving its at- 

 tention to flowering. When trained as a bush, it blooms 

 sooner than when set to some support, as it more readily 

 makes flowering spurs while the growth is less vigorous. 

 l>esides flowering earlier, the bush or standard forms of 

 the Wistaria, are beautiful objects when in bloom, for a 

 lawn or similar open position. 



The common species can be propagated from seeds 

 readily, but in the case of the white flowered, or of any 

 other variety, layering is the preferred method of in- 

 creasing them, seedlings not being reliable for coming 

 true to color, though some may do so. 



The Wistaria is also amenable to pot culture and, when 

 so grown, it makes an excellent forcing subject. The 

 Japanese are adepts at producing small specimens which 

 are used for prominent positions in their artistic land- 

 scape gardens. Beautifully flowered plants, some 3 ft. 

 or 4 ft. high, are often exhibited at the early Spring 

 shows in Europe and there is no reason why the Wis- 

 taria should not take a prominent place as a decorative 

 l)lant. It goes without saying that flowering plants can- 

 not be grown in one season, but in this respect it is more 

 or less on a par with other hard wooded plants such as 

 the Acacia. By spurring back the lateral growths, flow- 

 er buds are induced to develop. 



For small standards, the young plants, which are ob- 

 tained by layering young shoots, are kept tied up to the 

 desired height and then induced to break by pinching. 

 A wire frame, or one made with cane and sticks, serves 

 to keep the head in sha])e. To insure a dense head two 

 or three .stems should be carried up. Pots of 12-in. to 

 15-in. are large enough for a plant of fair size. Layers 

 require twelve months before they are ready for sever- 

 ance from the old plant. — Florists' E.vcliaii_s;c. 



