Gardening for Amateurs 



159 



Kniphofia (Torch 

 Lily or Red - hot 

 Poker). This is a 

 brilliant flowering plant 

 for beds and borders 

 in late summer and 

 autumn. Different sorts 

 vary from 2 to 6 feet 

 in height. Several of 

 the dwarf kinds should 

 find a place in the rock 

 garden, and are also 

 effective in groups 

 along the front of the 

 mixed border. The 

 vigorous varieties are 

 very useful for plant- 

 ing in the shrubbery. 

 Kniphofias may be 

 raised from seeds, but 

 the usual method of 

 propagation is by 

 dividing the clumps in 

 April ; if the work is 

 done at this season the 

 plants start growing at 

 once, whereas if divided 

 in autumn many of the roots, and some- 

 times the plants, rot off in winter. Fre- 



Flag Irises are admirable for cutting. 



be used. The 

 if the old leav< 



quent transplanting is 

 not desirable, unless 

 increase of stock is 

 wanted; once in five 

 years is sufficient, as 

 established clumps pro- 

 duce many more spikes 

 of flowers. A liberal 

 mulching of well- 

 decayed farmyard 

 manure about the mid- 

 dle of June is very 

 beneficial. 



Winter Protection. 

 During severe winters, 

 particularly in heavy 

 soils, a little protection 

 should be given. Tying 

 up the leaves in large 

 knots and placing old 

 coal ashes round about 

 the base of the clumps 

 is one of the simplest 

 and most effective 

 methods. Bracken, 

 Heather, or Michaelmas 

 Daisy stems may also 

 plants look much neater 

 3 are cut off in spring. 



Phtf : All**. RttttiHflt 



An Iris walk. 



