GARDENING BY M YSELF. 1 2 \ 



tious in me, dealing as I profess to do with 

 things attainable by everybody, to instance 

 Black Haivk of all my geraniums. For that 

 is a twelve-shilling novelty — one that I should 

 not have had myself, but for the open hand 

 of a great florist, who is as generous as he 

 is skilful. 



If you would keep your garden from de- 

 generating into very seedy real life, as the 

 summer goes on, you must keep all dead 

 flowers picked off. Sweet peas, for in- 

 stance, will bloom the season through, un- 

 less you let them ripen seed. Then the 

 vines spend all their strength upon the 

 swelling pods, and presently turn yellow at 

 the root, and cease to be a thing of beauty 

 or a joy. So with pinks, so with many other 

 flowers. Some, indeed, take care of them- 

 selves. Petunias drop their blossoms and 

 leave no sign that mars the plant, and pan- 

 sies seem to have strength for everything ; 

 but verbenas and geraniums, though they go 

 on blooming, yet soon get a sort of encum- 

 bered look if- the seed-heads are left on. Of 

 II 



