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Gardening for Amateurs 



Paragraphs Plain and Practical 



CLEANING Stones or Paths 

 Covered with Green Matter. 

 Stones that are exposed to the weather 

 frequently get coated with a thin green growth 

 which is extremely difficult to remove, and 

 persists in coming back time after time unless 

 thoroughly removed. We have tried various 

 preparations for the purpose ; water or 

 water and soap may serve to remove much 

 of it, but not all, and soon the stone is as 

 badly covered as ever. Solutions of copper 

 sulphate (bluestone) or of iron sulphate 

 (copperas) are both fairly serviceable, but 

 it is noticed that the green matter returns 

 as soon as rain has washed all traces of them 

 away. Perhaps the best method for the 

 amateur is to sprinkle chloride of lime over 

 all the stone thinly, then to scrub the whole 

 with water after a short time. Cemetery 

 managers commonly use diluted hydro- 

 fluoric (fluoric) acid for painting over 

 tombstones, but this liquid is a dangerous 

 one in the hands of an inexperienced 

 man. 



Covering Corrugated Iron Buildings. 

 Useful as these buildings undoubtedly are, 

 it cannot be said that their presence im- 

 proves the appearance of any garden, and 

 the wonder is how so many w r ho love their 

 gardens tolerate their existence, often in a 

 very prominent position, without making 

 any attempt to render them less conspicuous. 

 To cover them with creepers is not such an 

 easy matter as dealing with walls, but we 

 overcame the difficulty by driving in strong 

 nails, about a foot apart, at each corner of 

 the building. Upon them was stretched 

 strong wire, which affords adequate support 

 for such rapid growing subjects as Hop, 

 Cobaea, Virginian Creeper (non-clinging 

 variety), and Polyantha Roses, with the 

 result that instead of being an eyesore that 

 particular shed is attractive throughout the 

 whole summer. A neighbour who uses one 

 of the modern iron windmills for pumping 

 the water adopted the same plan for covering 

 the whole length of this, and each summer 

 the 20 feet or so of iron work supporting the 

 fan is covered with a mass of beautiful green 



leaves which effectually hide the structure 

 beneath ; the green gives place in autumn 

 to the many beautiful tints peculiar to the 

 Virginian Creeper. 



Keeping in the Greenhouse Fire. 

 If the greenhouse is not large, naturally the 

 boiler must correspond, and in many cases 

 this means that the body of fire is so small 

 that considerable difficulty is experienced in 

 keeping the fire from going out during the 

 night. A good idea is thoroughly to wet 

 equal parts of ashes and small coal, and 

 after banking off the fire at night throw a 

 shovelful or so of this on the fuel. As the 

 fire reaches this it forms a " cake," and thus 

 lasts a considerable time. Another frequent 

 cause of fires failing to last the night where 

 upright boilers are in use is too much draught, 

 even when dampers are right home. By 

 leaving the top or feeding door slightly open 

 this fierce burning can usually be checked. 



Value of Making Notes. The gardener 

 who does not carry a notebook must always 

 be surpassed by his friend who does, unless 

 indeed he possesses a particularly retentive 

 memory ! A notebook should be the en- 

 thusiast's constant companion in every 

 department of the garden, as well as when 

 he is visiting the gardens of friends, flower 

 shows, or any meeting dealing with horti- 

 culture. If the points that appeal to him are 

 jotted down then and there, in time the 

 notebook will be almost worth its weight 

 in gold to the garden lover. 



Growing Mistletoe. Mistletoe is always 

 in demand during the festive season of the 

 year, and those who think they would like 

 to grow their own branch may easily do so. 

 First secure the seed when the berries are 

 ripe, and then select the host-plant, prefer- 

 ably an Apple tree. There are many other 

 trees upon which Mistletoe will thrive, but as 

 the Apple is most likely to be found in the 

 garden, it is mentioned as being most suit- 

 able. Make a cut in the bark on the under- 

 side of a branch, and press the seed into this. 

 Cover with muslin or some similar material 

 to keep birds from taking the seed, and the 

 operation is completed. 



