miSH GARDENING 



119 



they grow, stalks in the air, apple stalks down- 

 wards. 1-14. 



Damsons.— Damsons which are a very light crop 

 should be picked as soon as soit and ripe, and made 

 into preserves and bottled. The Merryweather 

 is by "far tlie best variety. Damson trees may be 

 planted as screens to orchards, but they take 

 several years betore tliey come into bearing, re- 

 quiring very little pruning; just keep the branches 

 thinned to allow air and sun to reach the centre. 



ir'EACH .\ND IN ncTARiNiiS.— J.aLe Feachcs require a 

 little assistance to finish their crop properly owing 

 to cold, sunless weather which generally prevails 

 at this time of the year. Any trees that are making 

 too gross wood should be lifted and replanted, 

 trimming the large, coarse roots. Add a good, 

 sweet compost, with plenty of lime rubble; if 

 suffering from Red Spider give a thorough clean- 

 sing with XL Insecticide. 



Cherries.— Where Sweet Cherries are to be 

 planted choose a warm wall, either south or w'est. 

 Take out all the existing soil to a width of four 

 feet and a depth of two feet, add nine inches of 

 drainage if on'cold, heavy soils. Mix up sufficient 

 loam, adding plenty of lime rubble, and make very 

 firm, and give a thorough soaking of clean water 

 to settle the whole. The following varieties are 

 good in their respective seasons. — Early Rivers, 

 Biggarreau de Schrecken, Froginore, Biggarreau, 

 Early Black and May Duke. Late Duke may be 

 planted on north walls with Morellos, but it is 

 difficult to obtain that lucious fruit that one ex- 

 pects from Cherries. 



Top-DRESsiNG Fruit Trees Generally.— Nearly 

 all fruit trees are greatly benefited .by a liberal 

 top-dressing of good soil and manure when they 

 are bearing heavy crops of fruits. Notice when 

 feeding how young roots push out of the very steins 

 whilst the surface becomes like a mat of fibre; 

 thorough soakings of manure water are most bene- 

 ficial. 



Plantixg. — Have everything in readiness to 

 carry out fresh plantings of all fruits at the earliest 

 convenience. The soil is still warm, and the roots 

 will recommence action at once. Have plenty of 

 fiesh composts in readiness for completing the 

 work quickly. Label each tree, and firmly stake. 



P\owER Gardex and Pleasure Ground. 



Spring Bedding.— Once the summer bedding is 

 finished clear, manure, and deeply dig the beds 

 for the next relay of plants to form the spring 

 display; endeavour to get this work finished 

 quickly to enable the plants to get established be- 

 fore the winter weather sets in. Start at one set 

 of beds and finish before moving away, and so on 

 till all are planted. Do not lift more plants than 

 can be got in before night, and if a scheme was 

 drawn up last spring it will greatly help forward 

 the work. Watch the colouring and keep every- 

 tiiing in perfect harmony. I think more displays 

 are spoiled by using too strong contrasts or colours. 

 If one is not sure on this subject I would strongly 

 advise the purchase of a colour chart as a guid- 

 ance. 



Sweet Peas. — To obtain the best and earliest 

 Sweet Peas a sowing should be made in pots or 

 l)Oxes for next season. Raise in cold frames free 

 from mice, and keep as sturdy as possible. Keep 

 plenty of soot dusted in the frames as a protection 

 from slugs, etc. 



Tuberous Rooted Begonias. — Carefully lift the 

 tubers as soon as the growth has died down; leave 

 a quantity of soil on the roots, and place in cold 



frames or fruit hou.ses till they are resting, when 

 they should be stored in boxes with a little dry 

 soil scattered through them; label each variety 

 and keep every tuner, as one generally loses a 

 few during the winter months. 



Echeverias.— Although not nearly so extensively 

 grown as formerly these jjlants make good edging 

 to a strictly formal garden. They may be stored 

 by placing under a south wall, one on top of 

 another forming a wall, sprinkling a little fine 

 soil between the plants in frosty weather; place a 

 few lights over them, thus affording sufficient pro- 

 tection. 



Herbaceous Border. — As the plants die down 

 shorten the growths. I do not believe in cutting 

 hard down, as is often practised for neatness sake; 

 although striving to keep a garden in the best 

 possible condition one is sometimes a little too 

 severe on these plants; the colouring of some of 

 the stems alone is worth considering. Watch all 

 hollow stem plants are cut to a joint otherwise 

 water will gather from the rains and cause serious 

 damage in frosty weather. Continue to trench 

 and make new borders to give the plants a good 

 start for next season. 



Montbretia. — To obtain the very best results 

 from Montbretia they need re-planting every 

 season. Jiift and re-plant to 12 inches apart and 

 about 6 inches deep in a fairly strong border. 

 Should the ground be very wet and heavy they 

 would be safer stored till next spring; they have 



A Fine Specimen of 

 lUM Auratum platyphvllum. 

 (See " Bulb Planting.") 

 P. 115. 



