JO April, iqt^.] Orchard and Garden Notes. 261 



Flower Garden. 



Seeds of all hardy annual and perennial plants should he planted 

 without delay. It is ad\isal)le to have these well advanced in growth 

 liefore the cold weather sets in and retards their growth for the. winter. 



Towards the end of the month a start should be made with the winter 

 digging. A top dressing of eitlier manure or lime may he given hefore 

 <ligging, the latter wherever the soil is at all sour, where sorrel is present, 

 -or in stiff clav .soils. In addition all garden refuse and litter should be 

 dug in ; this will all form plant food, it will assist in lightening the soil, 

 and it will he a means nf easv disposal of all garden rubbish. 



The winter digging may be as deep as possible, and the soil may t)e 

 left in a fairly rough condition for the rains and frost to mellow down. 



Chrvsanthemums will now re<]uire weekly supplies of liquid manure, 

 which should be maintained until the blooms begin to open. 



All bultjs should now Ije planted and these should be preserved from 

 attacks of snails and slugs. A plentiful supply of such remedies as 

 tobacco dust, Pestend, lime, carbolized sawdust, &c., will all assist to 

 protect the )oung growths. 



As each season continues, some formerly neglected, and so-called old- 

 fashioned flower is brought into prominence in a considerably impro\ed 

 form. Previous seasons have seen improved forms of Scabious, the old 

 pincushion, Zonale Geraniums. Sweet Peas, and so on. The pre.'-ent 

 form of such plants are vast improvements upon the old strains, and are 

 valuable additions to our garden flowers. 



Among the latest additions to this class of flowering plants is the 

 iStrain of Gloxinia-flowered Pentstemons. For years the cultivation of this 

 useful herbaceous perennial has languished, hut with the advent of the 

 improved type, we are enabled to furnish our gardens with clumps of a 

 very fine improved strain. 



The late Mr. Kerslake of Sydney was the pioneer in Australia in 

 advancing this plant again to the front, and some very fine varieties are 

 now purchasable. The flowers are unusuallv large, as compared with the 

 older types, and well merit their name " Gloxinia-flowered." The trusses 

 carry very many large flowers, and for summer flowering hardy i)Ianis, 

 the.se pentstemons are extremely desirable. 



Some of the valuable v'arieties are: — Unique, rose pink, with dark 

 streaked throat; Brilliant, rich pink, white throat ; Iris, petunia, streaked 

 throat; Hercules, pink, streaked throat; John Louder, deep purple; A. J. 

 Tymms, bright rose red. with marked throat; and Louis Laplastrier. rose 

 purple, with brightly streaked throat. 



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