IN MY LADY'S GARDEN 



we have many delicate tints in white, blue, and yellow ; but 

 it seems to need the warmth of summer to produce the 

 wonderfully beautiful shades of the autumn apricot, metallic 

 purple, creamy white, carmine, and crimson being often 

 represented on one leaf alone in the inimitable painting of 

 Nature. 



When all the brilliancy of the garden is over, we shall 

 still have the rich colours of the chrysanthemums to which 

 to look forward. These plants are getting tall, and will now 

 need care on windy nights, for their growths are very brittle, 

 and a sudden storm may do irreparable damage to them. 

 Perhaps the best plan to prevent this is to tie the shoots to 

 extended wire in a sheltered position in the garden ; but 

 where this is not feasible, it is better to place the pots on 

 their sides on the lawn (taking care that they are not liable to 

 roll in a strong wind) whilst the gale lasts, but they must not 

 be left long in a recumbent position. They should not be 

 taken into a heated conservatory until the buds show colour, 

 and it sometimes becomes a problem how they are to be kept 

 safe until that time. Plenty of nourishment will now be 

 needed for the swelling buds ; yet there is a danger in over- 

 doing the feeding, and small, weak doses of artificial ferti- 

 lisers given on a wet soil are far preferable to strong ones. 

 Many amateurs seriously injure their plants by giving 

 chemical foods too often and in too strong doses, for the 

 tendency to over-feed chrysanthemums is tempting to the 

 novice, who hopes in this way to secure enormous blooms, 

 but may destroy the plant. 



At this time of year the conservatory is apt to look more 

 colourless than usual. The tuberous begonias are almost over, 

 and will soon go to rest ; achimenes and gloxinias are mostly 

 dormant, and the bright flowers of the libonias, poinsettias, 

 and chrysanthemums, which will give a wealth of colour in a 

 few weeks, are yet unopened. 



Asclepias curassavica, with its glowing little blooms in 

 crimson and gold, is very useful just now (for it blooms late 

 if not much forced in the spring), and it is an easy plant to 

 grow in any greenhouse from which frost is excluded. 



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