Gardening for Amateurs 



Pokers or Kniphofias which flower the first 

 year from seeds should result in these plants 

 being grown more extensively. The height 

 of the spikes the first season is from 2 to 

 o feet. The plants commence to flower in 

 July and continue to October. 



Viola. The bedding Violas and Pansies 

 are readily raised in quantity for flowering 

 in summer and autumn. Seedling Violas 



are very effective for flower beds, especially 

 as seeds of the most distinct colours may be 

 purchased separately. The most important 

 point in their cultivation is to pick off the 

 old flowers as soon as they fade, otherwise 

 the strength of the plant is exhausted in 

 maturing seeds instead of a succession of 

 flowers, and the Violas fail to do themselves 

 justice. 



Hydrangeas in Large Pots and Tubs. 

 The value of good specimen Hydrangeas in 

 pots and tubs for the decoration of large, cool 

 conservatories, terraces, and other precincts 

 of the house in summer, when clothed with 

 masses of pink blooms can hardly be over- 

 estimated. A most important consideration 

 in favour of their cultivation is the fact that 

 the plants are easy to manage in winter. 

 The first touch of frost causes the leaves to 

 fall, when they should be placed in a frost- 

 proof shed or cellar, and kept fairly dry, 

 but not parched at the root. In spring 

 gradually bring the plants out into the light, 

 give the soil a thorough soaking with water, 

 remove 2 or 3 inches of the loose surface soil, 

 and replace with fibrous loam and old cow 

 manure. The fact that Hydrangeas are 

 grown very successfully in the open border 

 in the warmer parts of the country is abund- 

 ant evidence that a lot of artificial heat in 

 the greenhouse is unnecessary. If it is 

 available, grow the plants in a large airy 

 greenhouse with plenty of light until June, 

 then remove them to the flowering position 

 outside, unless it is intended that they should 

 be used for conservatory decoration. To 

 keep the plants bushy and a good shape, 

 pruning each year after flowering is necessary. 

 When grown with a view of giving plenty of 

 flower-heads each year, these must not be 

 left on the plants late in the season, but 

 removed in time for the plants to make good 

 growth before winter. In most seasons it 

 will be sufficient to cut off the old flower- 

 heads with from two to four pairs of leaves 

 attached. To prevent their becoming too 

 large, however, and the growths crowded, a 

 hard cutting back to the old wood and 

 thinning of the stems must be done once in 

 four or five years. As this means sacrificing 



the earlier flowers the following summer, 

 only a percentage of the plants should be so 

 treated each year. When the pruning is 

 done is also the best time for repotting. 

 With large specimens, however, provided 

 the drainage is in order, repotting is seldom 

 necessary ; an annual top-dressing similar 

 to that given in spring will suffice. Specimen 

 Hydrangeas delight in liquid manure. 



Crocuses on Lawns. Flowering very 

 early in the year as they do, Crocuses are 

 always valued, but for effect nothing can 

 approach large drifts of them on lawns 

 where conditions are favourable for such a 

 display. But even in small gardens they 

 may be usefully employed by planting them 

 round the bases of large trees, or on banks. 

 Where more than one colour is used mix them 

 well, and always avoid planting in lines or 

 any other formal manner. It should be 

 remembered that if the bulbs are to continue 

 flowering annually, the grass must not be 

 cut until the growth of the Crocuses has 

 turned yellow. 



Destroying Wasps' Nests. Many and 

 varied are the methods recommended for the 

 purpose of exterminating wasps when the 

 nests have been discovered, some of them as 

 dangerous to the operator as to the insects 

 themselves, and unreliable withal. A remedy 

 that can be recommended as unfailing if 

 properly used is the following : Procure 

 some cyanide of potassium. When the wasps 

 are all at home after dark, dissolve it at the 

 rate of 1 ounce to 1 gallon of water, and 

 pour into the holes, afterwards stopping 

 them by means of rags soaked in the solu- 

 tion. The fumes will kill every wasp, and 

 in double quick time. As the cyanide is 

 poisonous care must be exercised when dis- 

 solving it not to inhale the fumes. 



