254 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



cannot so well endure continuous roasting as geraniums and petunias, 

 which really rejoice in sunshine. A very common cause of failure is 

 the practice of putting out plants that have been starving in small 

 pots several months previous to the planting season. It is a grievous 

 mistake to propagate the stock for bedding early in the season, al- 

 though it is generally supposed that early propagation is necessary 

 to secure strong healthy plants by planting time. When struck 

 early, and necessarily kept starving in pots for several months, the 

 constitution becomes impaired so much that they are unable to resist, 

 with any degree of success, the attacks of red spider, thrips and 

 mildew, three most formidable enemies they have to contend with. 

 The month of April is quite early enough for striking verbenas in- 

 tended for bedding purposes. The tops of the healthy shoots should 

 be taken off at the early part of the month, struck in a brisk bottom- 

 heat, and potted into store pots, and carefully hardened off; these 

 planted out as early in May as the weather will permit will grow 

 away freely, and the beds in which they are planted will soon become 

 a blaze of colour. The compost in which they are potted should be 

 rich and nourishing, and for that reason nothing suits them better 

 than a mixture of good turfy loam and decayed hot-bed manure 

 mixed together at the rate of two parts of the former to one of the 

 latter, with a sprinkling of sand to keep the compost open. 



THE GARDEN GUIDE FOR AUGUST. 



THE FLOWEE GAEDEN. 



GOOD stock of bedding plants should be secured at once ; of geraniums 

 and fuchsias, ripe hard shoots make the best plants, both for winter 

 keeping and next season's blooming. Strike verbenas and petunias 

 from the points of young shoots ; calceolarias should not be struck 

 till next month. Herbaceous plants may also be struck in quantities, 

 to keep over wiuter in frames, such as pansies, dielytras, double walls, double 

 canterbury bells, double feverfew, and hollyhocks. Sow hardy perennials and 

 biennials for next season's blooming, if not done before, but by this time the 

 plants ought to be fit for planting out, in which case, plant them where they are 

 to remain, to get thoroughly strong. Keep dahlias well fastened, and put stakes 

 tochrysanthemums before their heads get heavy, as a protection against storms. 

 Pompones may still be struck for blooming in pots. Plant out pinks and car- 

 nations, in nursery beds, in well-manured loam. Bud roses as the season permits, 

 choosing dull moist weather, when the bark rises freely. Give plenty of water to 

 chrysanthemums, with occasional doses of strong liquid manure. Roses budded 

 last month will probably want the ties loosened, and the best way ia to cut the 

 ties at the back, and let the swelling of the bark loosen the bass in its own way. 

 Give plenty of air to auriculas, and repot such as need it in a size larger ; but 

 frequent shifts are not desirable. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



Sow the main crop of winter spinach; thin out the rows of parsley, so as to 

 get rid of every plant not well curled ; sow saladings, succession lettuce, turnip 



