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Gardening for Amateurs 



to those in the beds ; the paved paths are 

 extended on two sides to meet the garden 

 walks. Parallel with the main lines of the 

 square is a series of plain oblong beds, while 

 at one end is a long, continuous border 

 devoted to hardy perennials, and backed by 

 a hedge of Yew. If the garden were laid out 

 as one complete in itself, the long border and 

 Yew hedge could be extended on the other 

 sides and thereby form an enclosed area, 

 broken, of course, where the pathways enter. 

 The Yew hedge would then form an ad- 

 mirable setting and background for the 

 flowers. The immediate centre of the garden 

 lends itself for the display of a figure group, 

 large vase, or other architectural feature, 

 which should be some degrees heavier than 

 those embellishing the angles of the squares. 

 For the circular beds along the margin of the 

 gravel walk tall Standard Roses in weeping 

 form have been chosen this idea could be 

 readily adapted to any straight walk by 

 making the circle beds change positions with 

 the first line of oblong beds, thus bringing 



the lowest plants to the edge of the walk, 

 with the tall Roses behind, or if there is 

 not sufficient space for such an arrange- 

 ment then place the circular and oblong 

 beds alternately in the same line. The 

 oblong beds surrounding the inner square are 

 devoted chiefly to plants of annual duration, 

 and in order to harmonise with the general 

 plan of simplicity, a distinct kind or variety 

 is assigned to each bed. The inner garden 

 would give a charming effect if planted with 

 dwarf Roses in variety, to which a ground- 

 work of some soft-toned Viola would be a 

 fitting complement ; the circular bed in the 

 centre is marked on the plan for Ten- Week 

 Stocks, but a fine effect would follow if it 

 were planted with Viola Royal Scot, which 

 gives a dark mauve effect around the central 

 figure group. An appropriate groundwork 

 to the Roses consists of Viola Maggie Mott 

 or Lady Swettenham, botli of which are pale 

 mauve. The Roses should be decorative 

 varieties, chosen for their free-flowering 

 qualities and vigorous growth. 



Soot. Soot is the bete noir of many a 

 person's existence, from our civic fathers, 

 who wish to banish it from the atmosphere, 

 to the housewife who dusts the rooms daily ; 

 yet I wonder what we gardeners would do 

 without it ! Nothing I have yet seen excels 

 the homely soot as an insecticide or preventive 

 for use against attacks from all kinds of 

 pests. After exposure to the atmosphere it 

 can be dusted over buds and foliage, clinging 

 to them with a tenacity that defies the 

 storm ; fresh from the chimney it may be 

 sprinkled over the soil, away from all plants, 

 to the detriment of slugs and other pests ; 

 while when mixed with soil it becomes a 

 fumigant of quite respectable powers. It 

 is a manure, too, for under its dark cloud 

 there lurks some 5 to 10 per cent, of silvery 

 ammonium salts that are washed down to 

 the plant roots, and furnish them with the 

 nitrogenous stimulant of which they are 

 ever in need. Soot water is frequently 

 advised as a suitable preparation for some 

 plants why ? Is it not much better to 

 use the concentrated sulphate of ammonia, 

 with the same powers and none of the dis- 



advantages that follow the use of the greasy 

 compound which hardens on the surface of 

 the soil ? Soot for the lawn no ! Sulphate 

 of ammonia for the lawn under all circum- 

 stances. Beware of mixing soot with lime 

 when its manurial richness is to be taken 

 advantage of ; of course this mixture is 

 very efficient as an insecticide and slug 

 deterrent, but the moment that it is 

 made up the ammonia volatilises and its 

 fertilising power is reduced to a minimum. 

 Soot is a dirty substance a clinging, per- 

 sistent, won't-be-washed-off kind of dirt that 

 renders its use a matter for careful con- 

 sideration. Tie the soot up in a loose muslin 

 bag and suspend this from the end of a stick ; 

 it can then be freely dusted over the border 

 and on the plants. Flue dust is not soot, 

 remember, though it can be mixed with soot 

 to make it go further as an insecticide ; 

 don't use fresh soot on foliage or it disfigures 

 the tissues, but first of all let it be exposed 

 to the air for a few weeks, while sheltered 

 from rains. Considerable harm is often 

 done to plants by sprinkling soot fresh from 

 the chimney on their leaves 



