8 July, 1907.] Garden Notes. . 437 



Selection of Varieties. 



A number of varieties of many of the types undermentioned are avail- 

 able in Melbourne, from the nurserymen or seedsmen. Iris Germanica, 

 many varieties ; Ksempferi, many varieties ; fimbriata, fiorentina, pavonia — 

 the peacock iris; Xiphium — Spanish iris, many varieties; Xiphioides — 

 English iris, many varieties; ochroleuca, pallida, reticulatum ; stylosa, and 

 stylosa alba — winter flowering species ; bicolor, and many others. 



Flower G-arden. 



The continuance of manuring and digging flower borders, and the pre- 

 paration of beds for special subjects, and pnming roses and other plants 

 may be styled routine work for the present month. Beds for chrysanthe- 

 mums and other plants cultivated for specially fine blooms should be pre- 

 pared now, as far as adding stable manure and roughly digging to sweeten 

 the soil. If the plants previously grown in the beds were infested with 

 aphis or other insects, a dressing of gypsum (sulphate of lime) is advisable. 

 It will destroy many insects and act as a manure also, and is a cheaper 

 and better dressing than the slaked lime so commonly used. 



Roses may be pruned during this and next month. Hybrid perpetuals 

 should be pruned first ; hybrid teas and teas later. The hybrid perpetuals 

 are practically without leaves now, and may be cut hard back without 

 detriment. Many of the tea roses are still in full leaf some even making 

 new growths, and though they may be thinned it is not wise to behead 

 them too' early in winter. 



A deal of improvement is noticeable in methods of pruning flowering 

 plants generally, which is in a great measure due to the various horticul- 

 tural societies in the State. Lectures are delivered, papers read, and 

 practical demonstrations carried out by competent persons at meetings 

 arranged by these societies, and information on important matters is 

 spread over a greater range than would be likely from a few larger asso- 

 ciations. Combined exhibitions may be wise and even necessary, but nume- 

 rous, if small, societies and frequent meetings are undoubtedly of benefit 

 to cultivators of all grades. 



The most common fault in pruning roses is overcrowding of shoots, 

 especially in the top of the plant. More thinning, i.e. entire removal 

 of shoots, and less shortening back of those allowed to remain would be of 

 benefit. The centre of the bushes should be fairly open, and old and weakly 

 wood pruned away leaving a few strong well arranged shoots. In shorten- 

 ing the shoots that are reserved, the pruner must be guided by the vigor 

 of the specimen dealt with, and in a measure with the characteristics of 

 the variety. Weakly shoots must be cut back much harder than strong 

 ones, and the plants will be better, much larger, and will produce finer 

 blooms than if an excessive number of branches was saved. In the case 

 of climbing varieties, old shoots should be cut right away, and the voung 

 shoots that have developed tied or trained in their stead and lightly 

 topped. This treatment should not be applied to the Banksian, Fortune's 

 Yellow, and ether early blooming kinds, which should not be pruned 

 until after flowering in spring. Newly planted roses should be pruned 

 hard at time of planting. 



Sweet peas may be sown for late blooming, and bulbs of early gladioli 

 planted. Summer blooming liliums may also be planted, care being 



