172 FLOWERS AKD THE FLOWER GARDEN 



of leaf-mould, and the manure of an old mushroom 

 bed passed through a coarse riddle. A sprinkling of 

 soot and lime will trouble injurious insects. Moss and 

 cocoa-nut fibre also make good materials for mulching. 

 The especial benefit of this mulching the surface of the 

 borders is, that it tends to produce roots near the 

 surface, and bloom, whereas manure deeper down makes 

 the plants run to luxuriant foliage at the expense of 

 flower. Cocoa-nut fibre arid moss both make a nice 

 looking surface. 



Liquid manure may be given to free-growing Roses, 

 to bedding plants, and other flowers, on the beds in 

 which it is advisable to promote freer growth. Where 

 mildew shows itself water the spot where it appears, 

 and sprinkle sulphur over it. 



Cuttings of herbaceous plants may be struck under a 

 glass on a north border. Choose the small shoots 

 which are without bloom. 



As the season gets on, general tidying in the garden 

 gives plenty of work, and all the climbing trees must 

 have regular attention in necessary pruning and train- 

 ing, keeping under the too rampant growth of the most 

 luxuriant among them. The garden should be gone 

 over regularly at least once a week, to place stakes and 

 sticks wherever they are needed, prune back rampant 

 growth wherever it appears, cut off dead flowers and 

 withered sprays, stir the earth and keep it light and 

 neat, and weed incessantly everywhere. The weeds on 

 the paths alone want constant attention, especially after 

 every little spell of wet weather. Weeds on the lawn, 

 too, require constant cutting up, with care not to make, 

 in doing it, unsightly bare places in the grass. The 

 flower beds, too, the shrubberies, and all parts of the 

 garden, require regular careful hand-weeding, or chop- 

 ping over with the hoe, according to how they are 

 planted. Pay especial attention to any weeds which 

 seem likely to go to seed. Weeds should not be 

 allowed to show themselves in a garden, much more 

 their progeny. 



In making dwarf Chrysanthemum plants, as men- 

 tioned in Chapter X., if there seems a difficulty in getting 



