8 Oct., 1907.] Garden Notes. 609 



Selection of Varieties. 



Many of the older varieties of sweet peas are unwortliy of culture in 

 comparison with new varieties of the same colour, and may be discarded 

 with advantage, as the seeds of the better varieties are offered at cheap 

 rates. A good collection should include Helen Lewis, Gladys Unwin, Mrs. 

 Alfred Watkins, Nora Unwin, Frank Dolby, Queen Alexandra, Evelyn 

 Byatt, Romolo, Piazzani, Black Michael, Helen Pierce, Henry Eckford, 

 E. J. Castle, Countess Spencer, Mrs. Walter Wright, Miss Willmott, 

 Black Knight, John Ingman, Dorothy Eckford, Hon. Mrs. E. Kenyon, 

 Navy Blue, and Earliest of All, the latter being the earliest sweet pea. 

 Perennial kinds: — LatJiyrus latifolius, and the white variety alHis, Pink 

 Beauty, splendeiis, graiidiflora, and piibescais. 



Flower Garden. 



Cultivation of the surface should be continued regularly, especially 

 after a crust is formed after rain, or until the surface soil is brought to 

 a condition of fine tilth. Fertilisers are practically useless unless the 

 soil IS in good physical condition, viz., well pulveiized and mellow. A 

 fairly drained soil of any description may be brought to a condition 

 that will enable the cultivator to produce maximum results by a systematic 

 and thorough working of the soil to a fair depth when being prepared for 

 cropping, by the addition of material necessary for the class of soil as 

 humus, sand, ashes, or clay, and afterwards by maintaining the surface in 

 a loose and pulverized state. In dry districts, particularly, or where water 

 is not available for gardening purposes, frequent cultivation of the surface 

 is a necessity. A depth of two or three inches is sufficient, and will solve 

 the problem of weeds while maintaining moisture. 



Roses will produce their best spring blooms about the end of this 

 month. If fine flowers suitable for exhibition are desired the flowering 

 shoots should be reduced, the buds thinned, and the plants supplied with 

 liquid manure occasionally. Any misplaced shoots should be removed as 

 they occur, and where several shoots are developing in a bunch all but 

 one or two that are well placed should be suppressed. Pruning of 

 Banksian, and other rambling roses that flower early in spring, should 

 be done after flowering. The old shoots that have bloomed should be 

 cut entirely away, leaving only the young growths and training them as 

 required. A close watrh should be kept for caterpillars of geometrid 

 moths, which destrov the flower buds and voung growths. Mr. French 

 recommends the use of white hellebore or nicotine, applied in the form 

 of a spray. 



Chrysanthemums intended for the production of exhibition blooms 

 should be planted this month. Light soils should be firmly trodden before 

 setting out the plants or the resultant growths and flowers will be coarse. 

 A number of kinds of plants u.sed for planting in beds such as alternan- 

 thera, iresine, salvia " Bonfire," &c. , may be planted. They are effective 

 in mixed borders and mav be used to replace annuals and biennials that 

 have flowered. 



Seeds of tender annuals may be sown, or young plants raised under 

 shelter transplanted. Seeds of Mina lobata, a beautiful climbing annual, 

 if sown now, will produce plants that will cover a small trellis or break- 

 wind and bloom freely during autumn. Divisions of dahlias and corms 

 of gladioli mav be planted. 



11518, u 



