i8 97 . 



GARDENING. 



179 



HYPERICUM MOSERIANDM 



light frost will cut to the ground, and 

 the labor and expense will all have been 

 in vain. 



We grow a great many bulbs, in fact 

 the garden is alive with them, from the 

 modest snowdrop to the choicest bulbs 

 that money can buy, and we leave all our 

 bulbs in the ground from year to year. 1 

 think the secret of our success lies in the 

 fact that we do not mulch any of our 

 bulb beds till spring. For some time the 

 narcissus have been showing above 

 ground, and there they remain, the frost 

 seeming to have no effect on them what- 

 ever. In March, when the frost is partly 

 out of the ground, we will give all the 

 beds a light coating of decayed manure; 

 this will be left on all summer to act as a 

 mulch and feed the plants when they 

 most need it. 



The more tender class of roses, such as 

 the hybrid tea and tea, which have been 

 heavily mulched, should now have part 

 of it taken off, as the plants may begin to 

 grow under the covering. All the cover- 

 ing should not be taken off at once, as 

 the sudden change may injure the wood 

 and buds. The hybrid perpetuals can 

 now be pruned, cutting out all weak 

 wood to one eye and the stronger shoots 

 accordingly. It is well to leave the mulch 

 on these roses all summer; this keeps 

 them from drjing out so quick. It is ad- 

 visable to renew the mulching in June; 

 this will help to feed the plants more and 

 cause them to make a stronger growth 

 for the following year's flowering. 



Climbing roses do not need much prun- 

 ing; the long shoots should have the 

 ends cut off; this will cause them to break 



more evenly and give more flowers. All 

 dead wood should be cut out and the 

 weak wood thinned. 



The cold frames will now need more 

 attention in the way of airingand water- 

 ing. The ground around the plants 

 should be kept well cultivated; this will 

 encourage the plants into more rapid 

 growth and to give early flowers. Our 

 early sown pansies are now in fine flower 

 in the frames; these will be left there and 

 they will give us a good supply of flowers 

 till late in spring. The daisies (Bellis 

 perennis) are also in good flower; these if 

 potted up now make nice plants for 

 the greenhouse or window and last a 

 long time in flower. David Fraser. 



Mahwah, N.J. 



VINES TO COVER fl BOARD FENCE. 



On the north side of my lot, separating 

 it from a public lane, is a tight board 

 fence, six feet high and about 100 ft. in 

 length. I would like to plant some climb- 

 ers of rapid growth so as to change its 

 unsightly appearance to one of beauty. 

 What would you recommend, either 

 climbing vines or annuals, to give suffi- 

 cient variety, to produce flowers and to 

 have rapid enough growth to cover the 

 fence in the season? How close should 

 they be planted? Any other cultural 

 directions will be appreciated. 



Ontario. C. E. G. 



We will presume that the position 

 referred to obtains a fair amount of sun- 

 light during the growing season. If a 

 permanent luxurious vine effect is desired 



a border 2 to 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep 

 should be made close to the fence and 

 filled with good soil, mulched with ma- 

 nure in the winter and watered in dry 

 seasons during summer. If any large 

 trees are growing near the bed on either 

 side, place boards against the side of the 

 trench toward the tree fully ten feet each 

 side of the nearest point of the tree to the 

 trench. These boards should extend from 

 within four inches of the top of the bed to 

 the bottom, being intended as a barrier 

 against the encroachment of the tree 

 roots which would rob the bed of its 

 moisture and nutriment. 



If the scantling framework of the fence 

 is towards you run galvanized clothes- 

 line-wire from scantling to scantling in 

 perpendicular lines eight to ten inches 

 apart, carrying the wire up to the top of 

 the fence boards and staple them there. 

 The little triangle formed by the boards, 

 upper scantling and the wire, allows the 

 vines to get in behind the wire and obtain 

 sufficient support to allow them to trail 

 down without danger of breaking away. 



If the smooth or finished side is towards 

 you, run 1x4s along the face parallel to 

 those on the opposite side, painting them 

 the same color as their surroundings, if 

 they are painted. Commencing at the 

 rear of your lot place some Ampelopsis 

 quiaquefolia (the Virginia Creeper) four 

 feet apart, for quick effect. This vine is 

 not suitable for the decoration of one's 

 own house, but is all right on a neigh- 

 bors', where you can see it at a distance 

 from your window when it is in the glory 

 of its fall coloring. Then plant a batch 

 of the Cinnamon vine (Dioscorea Batata) 



