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Gardening for Amateurs 



Mrs. Parton, gold centre, maroon margin ; 

 Prime Minister, outside of the flower golden 

 bronze, shaded red round golden centre ; 

 Prince of Tyre, rich violet, white eye ; 

 Phyllis Douglas, an extremely handsome 

 white centred flower, with a maroon-purple 

 margin; Robert Bruce, large white centre, 



outside purple, shading to a lighter tint at 

 the edge ; The Bride, distinct rosy-buff, 

 yellow eye ; Uranie, rich blood-red, sur- 

 rounding a golden centre ; and Ziska, very 

 deep crimson, lighter and brighter at the 

 edge. A selection from this list will form 

 the nucleus of a good collection. 



Lilium Longiflorum. The long, white, 

 tubular flowers of this handsome Lily are 

 familiar objects to everyone during spring, 

 for large quantities are grown for market 

 purposes, the supply being at its height 

 about Easter. In fact one of the common 

 names of the plant is Easter Lily, on account 

 of its being so popular for church and other 

 decorations at that period. It is also known 

 as Bermuda Lily, on account of large quan- 

 tities being grown in Bermuda for ex- 

 portation. Unfortunately it is a Lily which 

 cannot be kept long in this country, and as 

 a rule it is grown for one year and then dis- 

 carded in favour of newly imported bulbs. 

 If the bulbs are kept for a second year, how- 

 ever, they usually produce a few flowers. 

 Bulbs procured during autumn or early 

 winter may be placed singly in 5- or 6-inch 

 pots, or 3 together in a 7-inch pot. Rich, 

 loamy soil containing manure should be 

 used, and the tops of the bulbs should not 

 be above the middle of the pot. Do not 

 cover with soil at this period, but wait until 

 growth is active, and stem roots are forming 

 on the shoots, then fill the pots with fibrous 

 loam and dried cow manure in about 

 equal proportions. When the soil is well 

 filled with roots provide liquid manure 

 frequently. Greenfly will be found a very 

 troublesome pest if the greenhouse in 

 which Lilies are growing is at all close. 

 Fumigation with a nicotine preparation is 

 the best treatment. 



Cabbages and Club-Disease. Many 

 people experience a considerable amount of 

 trouble in the cultivation of Cabbages owing 

 to their contracting club-disease, a condition 

 easily recognised by the swollen state of the 



roots and the wilting of the leaves. It has, 

 however, been indicated by a leading 

 mycologist that by a little care the cultivator 

 may largely avoid this disease, but he must 

 raise his own young plants. It has been 

 found that the fungus which is responsible 

 for the disease can only attack the plants 

 during the first few weeks of their life, and 

 that the fungus spores are easily destroyed 

 by fresh lime, therefore by forking a little 

 unslaked lime into the seed bed and sowing 

 a little lime amongst the seed the fungus 

 may be destroyed before it can injure the 

 plants. 



Hollyhock Seedlings. Hollyhocks from 

 a sowing made at midsummer will in most 

 districts have to be wintered under the 

 protection of a frame, especially if the soil is 

 wet and heavy. In localities where more 

 favourable conditions prevail, however, plant 

 them in their permanent positions early in 

 the autumn. 



Leaders of Young Ornamental Trees. 

 It is essential that the leading shoots of 

 young ornamental trees should be kept clear 

 of rivals, and that side branches be not 

 allowed to outgrow them, for it depends 

 largely on the centre growth retaining a clear 

 lead as to whether a tree will grow eventually 

 into a handsome specimen or not. Therefore, 

 care should be taken to remove any shoots 

 likely to interfere with its development, 

 and if any assistance can be afforded, either 

 by helping it to assume an upright position, 

 in case it is likely to be blown on one side by 

 wind, or by any other means, such help 

 should be forthcoming. The cutting in of 

 side branches has often a helpful effect upon 

 the development of the leader. 



