60 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



on from later sowings, but when they are plainly exhausted 

 excellent results frequently accrue upon cutting them boldly 

 down to within 3 feet of the ground and starting them on 

 a new lease of life. The soil must be carefully loosened, 

 all mulching either pricked in or entirely removed ; water- 

 ing and feeding with liquid manure must be rather more 

 generous than was the case before ; a fresh application of 

 manure should be put on ; each plant must be limited to 

 three stems, and the reward will be a second crop of blooms, 

 about six weeks later, almost equal in quality and quantity 

 to the first flowers. This system does not always yield the 

 desired results, as much depends upon soil, situation, and 

 management, but the frequency of success is sufficient to 

 warrant a trial in all gardens. 



No reference has yet been made to nitro-culture, which 

 was much talked about a short time ago. It now seems 

 clear, after most careful trials, that in thoroughly culti- 

 vated and intelligently manured garden soils the system of 

 treating the seeds or the soil with nitro-bacterine cultures 

 does not materially improve matters ; in some soils it 

 may be advantageous, while in others there is no differ- 

 ence between plants so treated and those grown in the 

 ordinary manner. 



