144 



GARDE^'ERS^ CHHOMCLE 



Rutabaga turnips may be sown in July. lUanched tops 

 of this root are enjoyed by some during the Winter and 

 quite a number can be used for supplying the same. Sow- 

 more lettuce and endive for succession. These need tying 

 up to secure nice blanched hearts — 1 mean the Roniaine 

 or cos type of lettuce. 



Keep the tomatoes tied up. Sometimes egg plants and 

 peppers are also better if given some support. A little 

 nitrate of soda helps tlie tomatoes after they have started 

 to bear fruit. Onions also appreciate extra plant food, 

 as do parsnips, leeks, etc. By frequent watering in dry 

 weather the soil soon gets exhausted, which will show oil 

 the crops if extra i>lant-food is not given. 



Cultivate the jiotatoes well and kee]) them sprayed with 

 arsenate of lead, so that the potato bug will be checked 

 before any damage is done. 



When the fruit is all picked from the strawberries look 

 out for the strong runners. See that they are layered 

 well to secure good roots as early as possible for trans- 

 planting. 



The currant bushes also need attention after the fruit 

 is picked, (."ut out the old woody shoots so diat the 

 young wood will have a chance. This also applies to 

 gooseberries 



Outdoor frapes thrive better if a few leaves are stop])ed 

 ahead of xh*: bunch. .A.ny loose shoots should be tied in. 



Apples Meed to be watched for any outbreak of late 

 hatching < aterpillars. and sprayed to prevent damage to 

 the foliar e. The fruit is all the better to be thinned out. 

 removins;' the unshapely and poorer fruits, and if any 

 part of the tree apjjears to be too crowded with branches, 

 it may be thinned out. This is more easily seen when the 

 foliage is fully grown than when leafless in Winter. The 

 wound also heals over more quickly. 



Peaches should have some of the poorer fruits removed, 

 saving all the good ones that turn towards the sun. The 

 peach borer is the worst enemy of the peach. It may now 

 be controlled by using" I'ara-dichlorobenzene. The trees, 

 however, must be over four years old before they are 

 practiced on, but it is said to do damage to apple trees, so 

 that it is better to l)e careful and take no chances. 



I\ THE Greexiiocsic 



Witii all the beauty of outdoor borders at this season. 

 let us not forget the greenhouse, as the foundation of many 

 of our next \\'inter's flowers is laid at this time. Young 

 roses should be planted by the last week in June. The 

 benches are better if emptied a day or two to give them 

 a good, thorough cleaning. There is nothing better than 

 a good painting on the inside of the bench with hot lime, 

 which is an excellent disinfectant and makes a sweet 

 foundation for the new comjxist. The comix)st should be 

 a good. rich, strong loam. If a little clay is in it. so much 

 the better. Plant the young plants firmly and place the 

 wires in jxisition so that a tie or two may be given. They 

 need syringing every bright day. but all foliage must be 

 dry Ixjfore night. On carried-over plants, we dry them 

 off just sufficient to clear out a good deal of the old soil. 

 right down to the bottom boards. Cut them down to a 

 foot alx)ve the bench. I am not a believer in drying 

 carried-over |>lants severely before pruning back, for in 

 my experience they are harder to start — root action being 

 destroyed a good deal by severe drying. Our plants have 

 their foliage quite green when they are cut down. I'roni 

 my observation they start much stronger eyes. We have 

 carried the same plants for seven years, and had as many 

 flowers the last year as the first. It all dejiends on the 

 treatment they are given. 



Young Carnations do tietter if benched as early as jxis- 

 sibJe. esjiecially if good length of stem is exjjected in the 

 Fall. They are more easily controlled as regards insect 

 pests indoors. It stands to reason also that when they are 



lifted in the field, after they attain considerable size, their 

 root action receives a se\ere check, which takes some time 

 tp overcome. The result is short-stemmed flowers for a 

 first crop in the Fall. C.ive all the air jxissible in the 

 carnation house, also moisten the floors and under the 

 benches during the hotter i)art of the day. L.et the plants 

 get a little on the dry side before watering, and then give 

 the plants a thorough syringing, making sure that there 

 is plenty of time for thetii to dry off before night. 



Keep a sharj) look out that young begonias do not get 

 too well rooted in the small pots, .\love them along, and 

 keeji them growing, if plants of fair size are desired, 

 liood fibrous loam, flaky leaves, preferably oak. and de- 

 cayed cow manure in equal parts, adding a fair sprinkling 

 of charcojd. is what they like to grow in. Keep them well 

 up to the glass, and have the house in a good moist con- 

 dition, never letting the plants get dry. There are no 

 more handsome plants than well grown sjiecimens of the 

 tuberous rooted Socotrana hybrids. 



.\ batch of poinsettia cuttings should now be rooted. 

 Pot each cutting in a mixture of finely sifted sphagnum 

 moss and sand, adding a little finely powdered charcoal. 

 Set them in a tight case, and water every bright day. until 

 they show signs of rooting. .\ir the case out for a few 

 minutes, two or three times a day. and you will hardly 

 ever lose a cutting. 



Euphorbia Jacquini;cflora is one of the showiest and 

 most useful plants that flower around Christmas, and 

 later. They are easily rooted if not over-watered. We 

 have had good success by placing them in small pans in 

 sand, and watering them well. Then we set them on a 

 shelf near the glass in a w arm close house. Do not give 

 them any more water until the sand gets quite dry. I'.y 

 this method, they will root in a month to si.x weeks. 



Don't neglect the Mippcastrums or. .Amaryllis ]>lants. 

 b^ed them well, and get a good strong growth by placing 

 them on a light bench until their growth is complete, or 

 the chances are that you will not get them to flower well 

 next Winter. 



Select a cool shady position for the young calceolarias, 

 cinerarias and primulas during the hot weather. .\ frame 

 on the north side of a building or wall, if one has not a 

 greenhouse facing north, is the best place for them until 

 Fall. 



-Antirrhinums intended for flowering next Winter 

 should now be ready for potting off. It is Ijetter not to 

 pinch them until they show a flower bud. They then 

 lareak strong from the base of the plant, furnishing later 

 on those strong stemmed spikes of flowers which we all 

 delight to see. 



If the greenhouses are crowded, cool hardwdud ]ilants 

 may be plunged in ashes outdoors. They should be gone 

 over several times a day, to make sure that they do not 

 suffer for want of water. Syringing on all bright days 

 is also essential for them. \Vhen .growing well, feeding 

 is also in order, until they set their flower buds. Weak 

 cnw manure water and Clay's fertilizer, we find a.gree 

 with them, and alter they have set bud, soot water gives 

 added lustre to foliage and flowers, and does not excite 

 the plants into growth. 



Xerines will now have finished their growth, and to 

 make them flower well they need a thorough iKiking in 

 the sun. We find that the nearer the glass they are, the 

 better they will flower after they are ri]>ened. 



Palms will require plenty of plant-food, especially if 

 thev have not been jiotted recently. Cive all ferns plenty 

 of room to develop their folia.ge. and have a free circula 

 tion of air throu.gh them. This is necessary, especially tor 

 .\diantums, and other fine foliaged sjiecies. If they are 

 crowded, they are ajit to .get brown in the centre. .Avoid 

 too heavy a shade over them, just enough to break the 



