104 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Notes of Practical Interest 



VIOLETS and Primroses in Pots. 

 Those who possess only a cold 

 greenhouse should certainly make a 

 point of growing a few Violets, Polyan- 

 thuses, and Primroses in pots for a dis- 

 play in early spring. In greenhouses 

 where a little heat is available, they are 

 not less useful, especially the Violets, on 

 account of their fragrance. The only point 

 that must not be overlooked is that the 

 plants are perfectly hardy ; thus a high 

 temperature will do more harm than good. 

 Hints on Taking Cuttings. Though 

 the work of taking and putting in cuttings of 

 various plants is very simple to gardeners 

 and experienced amateurs, the novice is apt 

 to overlook several little details of importance. 

 The first essential is to select the right kind 

 of growth. This should invariably be short- 

 jointed instead of " drawn " and weakly, 

 the latter kind seldom roots satisfactorily. 

 After removing the growths or shoots, trim 

 off the lowest leaves, and cut through the 

 stem immediately beneath a joint (where 

 the leaves join the stem), as roots are emitted 

 there more readily than at a point between 

 two joints. Some kinds of cuttings Gera- 

 niums are a good example root better if 

 allowed to He about for a time after being 

 trimmed, while others should not be allowed 

 to droop, and for this reason are placed in 

 a close atmosphere. When cuttings are 

 required " with a heel " they are obtained 

 by pulling off side-branches with a small 

 portion of the main branch attached ; this 

 forms the " heel." To avoid decay, all cuts 

 must be cleanly made with a sharp knife. 

 The length varies according to the sort, but 

 the majority of greenhouse and half-hardy 

 plants, and also a good many others, are 

 best trimmed to a length of about 3 inches. 

 The most suitable soil is made of two parts 

 sifted loam, one part sifted leaf-mould, and 

 a liberal addition of sand or grit. Pots or 

 pans are better than boxes, and cuttings 

 root more readily round the sides than in 

 the middle. Free drainage is essential. Make 

 the soil fairly firm, and cover the surface 

 with a layer of sand, so that a little falls 



to the bottom of each hole as it is made, to 

 drain moisture from the base of the cuttings. 

 Insert firmly, and see that each cutting really 

 touches the bottom of the hole instead of 

 being " hung up." 



The Hardy Maidenhair. Where cut 

 flowers are in constant demand, and con- 

 sequently also some kind of " greenery " to 

 go with them, the hardy Maidenhair should 

 be included among other suitable plants. 

 As its common and botanical names indicate 

 (the latter is Thalictrum adiantifolium), its 

 foliage resembles the fronds of the Maidenhair 

 Fern, and as it is of far easier culture than 

 any indoor fern, taking care of itself when 

 once planted, it should be extensively grown 

 where likely to be useful. A variety with 

 somewhat larger leaves is T. aquilegifolium. 



Canterbury Bells. Very few people 

 have anything to say against the Canterbury 

 Bells as grown in the flower borders, and 

 indeed a mass of them in bloom is something 

 to live in the memory. But in addition to 

 the ordinary method of growing them, a 

 few should be tried in pots. Pot them in 

 5-inch pots in the autumn, and grow in a 

 cool house with as little artificial heat as 

 possible. Another excellent plan is to plant 

 them in window boxes, when the display 

 will be both striking and novel. 



A Bedding-out Hint. It may be 

 necessary to plant out or complete the 

 bedding scheme during windy or sunny 

 weather, when seedlings or young plants are 

 in such circumstances apt to fall down on 

 the surface of the soil, and are either bruised 

 severely by the hard earth or else choked with 

 dust. If there should be the slightest ten- 

 dency for plants to topple over, do not 

 accentuate the evil by syringing them and 

 splashing them over with mud, but stake a 

 few twigs round them to prevent them from 

 falling ; in a windy position these sticks 

 must never be neglected. If two twiggy- 

 sticks are placed on either side of the seed- 

 ling they will support it for a long time, and 

 perhaps render further staking unnecessary ; 

 the twigs are soon hidden by the branching 

 plant and become invisible. 



