40 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



tobacco powder, or the soap solution can be dropped into 

 them with the greatest care from a small sponge. 



To procure fine flowers of Violas and Pansies in 

 quantity for other than competitive purposes, the grower 

 could not do better than follow the instructions given 

 in this chapter, but he need not thin and disbud quite 

 so severely. He will no doubt be satisfied with flowers 

 2j inches in diameter if these are produced in abund- 

 ance, whereas the competitor, on the contrary, wants 

 only a few dozen blooms, but each specimen must be 

 3 to 3^ inches in diameter, and of great substance, if 

 they are to win prizes. All through the spring and 

 early summer, the surface of the beds must be kept 

 clean and friable by being frequently hoed or moved 

 with a small hand-fork. In June, a top-dressing should 

 be applied, in order to get the plants to flower well 

 throughout the summer. Before applying the top-dress- 

 ing the surface soil should be loosened and all weeds 

 removed ; then a sprinkling of a good artificial manure 

 should be dusted between the rows, and on the top 

 of that the top-dressing should be spread one inch 

 deep, or rather more. This top-dressing is usually a 

 compost consisting of thoroughly decayed manure mixed 

 with a small proportion of soil and passed through a 

 sieve with one-inch mesh. This treatment serves to keep 

 the roots cool, and it encourages the plants to continue 



