February Dawning Spring 



rate of 2 ounces per square yard, is largely used by 

 Sweet Pea growers. The seeds are sown about 6 inches 

 apart in a double row, and covered with 1 inch or so 

 of soil ; if mice are troublesome the seeds should be 

 moistened and coated with red-lead before being sown. 

 Since disease is so common among Sweet Peas, it is 

 advisable to sterilise the seeds before they are put in the 

 ground, and this may be carried out by soaking them in 

 a solution of permanganate of potash for a few minutes. 

 A few varieties especially recommended for garden 

 display are Dorothy, lilac or pale mauve ; Bobbie's 

 Cream, cream ; lolanthe, wliite ; Tennant Spencer, bright 

 mauve ; R. F. Felton, lavender ; Edith Taylor, rose pink ; 

 and Maud Holmes, crimson. Among older varieties still 

 largely grown may be mentioned Dorothy Eckford, 

 white ; Lady G. Hamilton, lavender ; Zarina, pink ; Mrs. 

 Townsend, white with blue edge; Helen Pierce, white 

 veined with blue ; Mrs. Hardcastle Sykes, pale pink ; 

 Flora Norton Spencer, pale blue; and Helen Lewis, 

 orange and rose. 



Pruning Early-flowering Shrubs. Quite a number 

 of shrubs blossom during February and March when 

 outdoor flowers are scarce, and for that reason they are 

 additionally welcome. The interest of a garden is, I 

 think, dependent very largely upon the length of its 

 flowering season ; the border having nothing but leaves 

 and stems to show nmtil spring is waning to summer, 

 and little more when summer is passing, lacks many 

 good things of the flower world, and not least among 

 them are the early shrubs. The pruning of shrubs 

 generally seems imperfectly understood by many amateur 

 gardeners, and it may be worth while to mention a few 

 of those now in bud or blossom, and to describe how 

 they should be pruned. Almost everyone grows the 

 winter Jessamine (Jasminum nudiflorum), but few prune 

 it at the proper time, which is as soon as the flowers 

 are over ; the growths that have blossomed are cut back 



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