Garden Notes. 651 



GARDEN NOTES. 



By J. Cronin. 



Flowers and Shrubs. 



The principal work during May and June in established gardens 

 is pruning, clearing, and digging beds and borders, planting, and 

 preparation of soil for future cropping. 



Herbaceous plants and annuals that have finished liowering 

 should be cut down, and the tops be either dug in, added to compost 

 heap, or burned. Stools of chrysanthemums should be lifted and 

 sufficient suckers selected for planting next spring, those of moderate 

 and firm growth being best adapted for the purpose. Dahlia tubers 

 should be lifted as soon as the tops have died off, and stored in a 

 dry, cool place, away from the influence of frost. Dahlias have been 

 badly aifected by red spider during the season just past, and all litter 

 from them, and other plants similarly effected, should be collected 

 and burned. Pruning of roses should be commenced generally 

 during June, if wood is ripened, and cuttings may be then inserted, 

 those with a heel from a previous break being preferable. Where 

 specially fine blooms are desired a heavy dressing of cow manure 

 should be dug into the beds, and if the soil is sandy a dressing of 

 heavy loam or clay also. 



Bulbs of various winter and spring flowering species, such as 

 Narcissi, tulips, hyacinths, &c., may still be planted, but no time 

 should be lost in so planting, as many of the different kinds are 

 starting growth. The excessive rainfall of the past spring and early 

 summer caused the death of quantities of plants of all kinds in those 

 gardens that were not thoroughly drained. This want of drainage 

 should be attended to at once, and where drain-pipes (through added 

 freight rates) are expensive the best draining material is charcoal. 



Mr. Gowling, manager of Judge Holroyd's Wandin estate, has 

 drained a portion of the property, using charcoal, with the result that 

 trees and shrubs that were dying owing to excessive moisture at 

 the roots, have completely recovered, and are now healthy and 

 vigorous. 



Where wood is abundant, as it is in most country districts, the cost 

 of such material for draining would be very slight, and would well 

 repay the gardener for the time and trouble, or expense of charring, 

 as, in addition to its superiority as a drainage medium as compared 

 with wood as commonly used, its chemical action on the soil ensures 

 a healthy growth on all plants. All drains shoidd be at least six 

 inches into the clay soil. 



Deciduous trees and shrubs may be planted during June, and in 

 the more elevated districts a fine autumnal effect may be produced by 

 the selection of those whose foliage becomes coloured before falling. 



