8 June, 1908.] Garden Notes. 371 



Culture. 



The soil most suitable is a rather light loam, well drained, and moder- 

 ately manured. Abutilons, however, wdll thrive fairly in most garden soils 

 where the ordinary routine phases of cultivation that make up fair manage- 

 ment are practised. Excessive manuring, or excessive watering when the 

 soil is rich, will promote rank growth that will fail to bloom satisfactorily, 

 and, in the case of the variegated forms, cause them to revert to the green. 

 They are also accommodating in regard to position, and may be planted 

 with a prospect of success in any aspect excepting those excessively wind- 

 swept. Plants may be set out from pots at any time during the season 

 of active growth, spring or early autumn being preferable. They will 

 require to be watered during dry hot weather until established, and will 

 l>enefit bv the application of a mulch if the conditions are severe. 



Pruning is necessary to insure well balanced plants. When young 

 plants are being formed pruning consists mainly in pinching, or lighth 

 topping, any shoots of excessive vigor. The object is to check these and 

 permit the weaker shoots to overtake them. When the plants are formed 

 they occasionally become crowded in the centre. A moderate amount of 

 thinning is required so that light and air are admitted to all parts of the 

 plants. Old plants are liable to become tall and straggling in habit and 

 should be pruned in winter, cutting the shoots well back. The result on 

 healthy plants is the production of vigorous growth that requires to be 

 regulated as in the case of the young plant. 



Abutilons are propagated from cuttings and seeds. 'Cuttings of the 

 young shoots inserted in pots of sandy soil, and placed in a cold frame, 

 root readily. When the cuttings are rooted they should be potted, and. 

 when established, planted out. Such plants are not likely to receive much 

 check by the transplanting and wath a little care in pruning usually develop 

 into nice specimens. Cuttings of the strong shoots will also root readily in 

 the open ground if taken and inserted in sandv soil during winter. These 

 may be allowed to grow in the nursery until autumn, and then lifted and 

 transferred to their flowering quarters. Such plants require to be pruned 

 hard to compensate for the loss of feeding roots destroyed in the removal. 

 Seeds should be sown in pots or boxes of light soil in spring. The plants 

 should be potted when about an inch in height,' and grown in pots until 

 they are about a foot in height, when they may be transplanted into the 

 beds or borders. If a good strain of seed is sown improved varieties may 

 result. 



Desirable Varieties. 



A number of fine varieties are procurable in INIelbourne. A few of the 

 best are : — Boule de Neige, Driven Snow, Fleur de Neige, Golden Fleece, 

 Aurelia, Sydney Belle, Brilliant, Emperor, Scarlet Gem, Cerise unique, 

 Violet Queen, Roseoeflorum, and vexillariuni, the foliage of each being 

 green. Varieties in w^hich the leaves are variegated are: — Sawitzii (rather 

 delicate). Souvenir de Bon, Aureum variegatum, Darwinii tessalatum and 

 vexillarium variegatum. 



Flo^^A^er G-arden. 



Planting deciduous trees or shrubs, which may be taken to include such 

 subjects as roses that are practically in a state of rest ; and digging and 

 manuring as advised last month are seasonable features of gardening at 

 present. Propagation of hardy deciduous plants by the insertion of cuttings 



