174 Gardening for Amateurs 



Something You May Have Forgotten 





WHEN to Clip Hedges. Ques- 

 tions are often asked as to the 

 correct time for cutting hedges, 

 many people having apparently the idea 

 that clipping at certain seasons is detri- 

 mental to a hedge. Clipping may, how- 

 ever, be done at any season so far as the 

 health of the hedge is concerned, the appear- 

 ance of the shrubs having a more important 

 bearing upon the matter than their health. 

 As a rule, the proper time to clip is when the 

 hedge becomes unsightly. Some people may 

 clip a Privet hedge three or four times during 

 summer and Thorn hedges are often cut 

 twice. Holly and Yew, on the other hand, 

 are usually clipped but once, that being at 

 the end of the growing season. If a very 

 severe cutting back is necessary, it had better 

 be done during winter in the case of deciduous 

 hedges and in April in the case of evergreens. 

 Empress Pansies. One of the best strains 

 of Pansies to be procured at the present time 

 is that known as the Empress strain. From 

 seeds sown in May fine vigorous plants may 

 be obtained to bloom the following spring. 

 These plants are remarkable for their large, 

 shapely flowers and wonderful colouring, 

 for from a packet of seeds, plants with 

 bronze, purple, yellow, and white flowers 

 may be obtained, the blotching of the flowers 

 in many cases being bold and richly coloured. 

 They are easily grown, and make a very 

 effective display ; in fact one of the best 

 displays of spring bedding ever seen in the 

 public parks was almost entirely of these 

 Empress Pansies. 



Sweet Peas and Manure. The amateur 

 Sweet Pea fancier is usually on the look-out 

 for a means whereby he may secure better 

 plants and flowers than his rival, and in so 

 doing sometimes defeats his own object. 

 One fertile source of mischief is the applica- 

 tion of large quantities of rich manure to the 

 soil immediately before sowing. Such treat- 

 ment of ground is detrimental to most plants 

 and most certainly to Sweet Peas. Pro- 

 viding the soil is naturally deep and good, a 

 normal dressing of manure two or three 

 months before sowing the seeds or placing 



plants out, coupled with deep digging, is 

 usually all that is necessary to give excellent 

 results, and if the soil be shallow and the 

 subsoil poor, the grower may then, instead 

 of adding a large amount of rank manure, 

 remove some of the subsoil, and make up 

 the deficiency with good turf loam. Many 

 failures in Sweet Pea culture can be traced 

 to over- manuring. 



To Kill Greenfly on Roses. People 

 are often troubled during late spring and 

 early summer by the presence of green and 

 black fly or aphis on their Rose trees, and 

 if steps are not taken to eradicate the pest 

 at once, the trees or bushes suffer to a con- 

 siderable extent. A good insecticide to use 

 in the form of a spray may be prepared; by 

 dissolving. 1 Ib. of soft soap in 2 gallons of 

 water ; then boil 2 Ib. of quassia chips in 

 4 gallons of water for an hour, strain the 

 mixture, add the two together, and make 

 up to 15 .gallons with clear water. This can 

 be applied during evening or early morning 

 with good results. A pint of paraffin may be 

 mixed in with the soft soap water, but if 

 this is added, care must be taken to keep 

 the liquid well stirred while it is being used, 

 otherwise it may separate from the other part 

 of the mixture and be applied irregularly. 



Weeping Trees. Trees with pendulous 

 branches are usually looked upon with favour 

 by owners of gardens, for such trees, when 

 conveniently placed on lawns, offer ideal 

 retreats on hot summer days, and form 

 pleasant rallying places for afternoon tea. 

 Two of the best trees for this purpose are 

 the common Weeping Ash (Fraxinus excelsior 

 pendula) and the Weeping Wych Elm 

 (Ulmus montana pendula), for both are 

 vigorous varieties which allow plenty of 

 space beneath their branches. Where, how- 

 ever, it is necessary to introduce an air of 

 lightness into the garden, the introduction 

 of the Weeping Birch is to be desired, whilst 

 Salix Babylonica and S. elegantissima are 

 ideal pendant trees to plant near water. 

 The Weeping Beech is a curious but decora- 

 tive tree, for its branches are developed at 

 all sorts of angles and in a picturesque way. 



