340 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



In giving them manure-water, take pains and make certain that it reaches the roots. I 

 find a good plan is to first carefully remove the surface soil round all the trees, making a 

 hollow, holding about 2 gallons. If the ground is very dry, I go all round and give them 

 clean water first, then go back to the first tree and give them the manure, and, when 

 I have finished with that, some more clean water." Any of the Climbing Roses men- 

 tioned in the lists will suffice for this purpose; they should, however, be the more 

 vigorous kind. 



Ordering Seeds. All seedsmen issue lists of their seeds, and one of these lists can 

 always be had on application to the trader. It is good policy to obtain two or three lists, 

 one especially being from some first-class firm, because new things are more likely to be 

 found in such a catalogue. Of these novelties purchase a few yearly to try them. Some 

 will give great pleasure, some will be disappointing. Always look carefully over the lists, 

 write out clearly on paper what is required, and order in good time, that is, several weeks 

 before sowing, as it is so useful to have the seeds at hand when wanted. Do not order more 

 than sufficient, as too liberal a quantity tends to encourage thick sowing. Potatoes may 

 not be sent out in hard weather, but seeds may be got in at any time. Be careful to keep 

 them dry. 



Packing Flowers. The best way to pack flowers is to wet some moss and wring it 

 out in the hand, and either tie it on to or lay it loosely but firmly among the stalks, and 

 envelop the whole in some large fresh leaf like Cabbage, Rhubarb, Spinach, Lettuce, 

 Dock, or even Ivy. If the box is larger than the space the specimens actually occupy, 

 it is well to fold the green leaf over the flowers, and to fill the rest of the space with 

 crinkled paper of any kind, wood or paper shavings, or any such material, in order to 

 keep the flowers quite firm, and not allow any movement whatever. It is much better to 

 pack very tight, only short of crushing, than to leave any space which would allow them 

 to move. It should be remembered that a postal journey is a train journey, and that the 

 unceasing vibration means a constant grinding of any surfaces which may be in contact 

 with each other. Only tight packing prevents injury from this cause. In all such pack- 

 ing exclusion of air is also of the utmost importance, and therefore tins are the best kind 

 of receptacle. There is generally a Cabbage leaf in the kitchen, and there is often only 

 too much ivy on the house. 



Plants for Rooms. No book upon gardening intended for the beginner would be 

 in any sense complete without a chapter upon Window and Room Plants. Many lovers 

 of flowers have no greenhouse or even garden to pursue their pleasurable inclinations, and 

 it is then the room becomes the indoor garden, where those things that will succeed in 

 this atmosphere are grown in as great a variety as possible. Dwellers in "flats " usually 

 lighted by electricity not by health-destroying gas, may brighten their apartments con- 

 siderably by judiciously selecting a few good things. At present room gardening is not 

 always successful. There are more failures than successes, and unless certain golden rules 

 are unfailingly observed, it is hopeless to expect plants to live for more than a few weeks, 

 whereas with correct treatment their life would have been of considerable duration. It is 

 very easy to deal with insect pests, as the plants are under close and constant observa- 

 tion, but the failures may be attributed to injudicious watering, draughts, foolish applica- 

 tions of violent fertilisers, and dust. There are others, and one of them is not purchasing 

 the right sort of plant. Things forced in heat merely to sell, glistening green-leaved 

 india-rubber plants, glossy palms, and so forth, are invariably a failure. We have no 

 wish to say hard things about the hawker, but he buys from the marketman, who puts 

 things in the market in the pink of perfection by unnatural forcing in heat. So go to a 

 good nurseryman who has grown the plants in about the same temperature as the room, 

 then success, with correct after-treatment, may be expected. It is a mistake to buy at all 

 in the winter, unless, of course, for temporary decoration. 



Draught is a fruitful source of failure. The plants are stood about the floor in the 

 draught from doors when cleansing operations are going on in the early morning, or the 

 windows are left open, and the foliage flutters in the keen early wind. All this means 

 that in time (not very long) the deep green of the leaf changes to brown, and plant grow- 

 ing is given up in disgust. Then in the winter frost attacks the plants. The temperature 

 drops far below freezing point in an unwarmed room, and the plants in the window have 

 an unhappy time, even in a room used during the day. Never fail to bring the 

 plants into the centre of the room when a sharp frost is expected, and this may be easily 

 managed with an iron or strong wire stand. Never leave the door and window open at 

 the same time or allow cold draughts to blow upon the plants. 



In large towns constant attention is needful. Dust accumulates on the foliage, 

 especially in the case of thick-leaved plants, such as the Aspidistra or Parlour Palm, 

 Aralia Sieboldi, Palms, and similar things. Free the leaf surfaces from dust with a 

 bit of sponge moistened in tepid water. Unless this important duty is frequently 

 attended to it is hopeless to expect healthy plants. Dust chokes up the pores and 

 suffocation ensues. 



