me 



GARDEN MANAGETMEOT'. 



■who do not know how tx) make a cutting, that the usual practice is to cut part 

 of a branch level across at'the base of a single leaf or pair of leaves, to remove 

 this leaf or leaves, and place this part, the bottom or thick end of the cutting, 

 in the soil, vrater, or damp moss, until it is rooted. Great importance is 

 attached to the manipulation or dressing of the cutting. As far as cutting it 

 level across at a joint is concerned, I believe this is useful, although by no 

 means indispensable. The removal of the leaves is of no consequence what- 

 ever : it may hinder, it cannot possibly accelerate, the emission of roots ; and 

 with most flower-jjarden plants it is a sheer waste of time. 



1927. But, having said so much about how to propagate, I will now give a few 

 hints about what to propagate. What ? — only the best varieties of everything. 

 Oh ! the newest fashion, say you ? — these are beyond our means. — Nothing of 

 the sort ; I mean just the contrary. How many new things, or dear things, 

 did you notice in my lists of flower-garden plants, or plants for ribbon-bordei's ? 

 Perhaps one or two new geraniums, and Gazania splendens, which is probably 

 as old as the hills, and as cheap as any bedding-plant in the world. New, 

 indeed ! No, no. Generally, the usefulness of a plant for bedding is in the 

 inverse ratio of its newness. Novelty is all right and proper in its way and 

 place ; but in these pages sterling worth is the main consideration. I here 

 condense for the million, what I have handled, seen, and proved, of floral 

 beauty, and therefore what must look well in their gardens. What will you 

 propagate ? — Rely on any or all the plants enumerated in the foregoing lists ? 

 These are not enough. — Well, then, we will give you some more, although 

 these furnish gardens many acres in extent. 



192S. I myself grow two thousand Purple King verbenas, one thousand 

 White Perfection and Mr. Holford, five hundred Robinson's Defiance, and 

 from a dozen to a thousand of the following varieties : — 



Ariosto, — dark mnlberry. 



Blue Bonnet, — blue. 



Admiral Dundas, — bright crimson. 



Fire-fly, — rich scarlet ; fine habit. 



Lord Eaglan, — carmine-scarlet. 



Mrs. Woodroofe, — scarlet. 



Geant des BataiUes, — brilliant crimson. 



General Simpson, — carmine. 

 King of Verbenas, — rosy purple. 

 Moonlight, — nearly white. 

 Parfum de Madeline, — lilac. 

 Eeine des Amazons, — blush. 

 Imperatrice Elisabeth, — finely striped, 

 Pulehella alba, — white. 



1929. The following are also good useful varieties :- 



Snow-fiake, — good white. 



Fairest of the Fair, — white; violet eye. 



Earl of Shaftesbury, — blush-crimson ; 



white eye. 

 Prince Arthur, — rose, shaded. 

 Eosea compacta, — pure lake. 

 Mrs. Elphinstone, — puce tints ; fine. 

 Foxhunter, — scarlet ; white eye ; fine. 

 Ariosto improved, — rich mulberry ; robust 



habit ; large truss ; continuous and fine 



bloomer J good bedder. 



Sultana, — rich crimson ; good tinge. 

 Invincible, — shaded slate-blue. 

 Garibaldi,— rich indigo. 

 Julie, — pale peach ; white eye. 

 Cupid, — cerise pink ; white eye.' 

 Ocean Pearl, — purple ; white eye. 

 Odorata, — superb rosy purple. 

 Star, — deep rosy crimson ; lemon eye. 

 Titian, — plum, shaded cerise. 

 Volunteer, — dark purple maroon; white 

 eye. 



1930. Of geraniums, again, I grew four thousand improved Frogmore scar- 

 let; two thousand Mangles' silver, variegated ; five hundred French scarlet; 

 about the same number of Browne's compactum ; nearly a thousand Flower 



