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Gardening for Amateurs 



Hints for Amateur Gardeners 



FUMIGATION of Glasshouses. 

 For keeping plants growing under 

 glass free from insect pests, or for 

 ridding them of the same when they 

 have become infested, the practice of 

 spraying with various insecticides has 

 largely given way to the easier and more 

 effective method of fumigation by nicotine 

 compounds. Provided the structure is air- 

 tight when doors and ventilators are closed, 

 fumigation has much to recommend it, and if 

 it is done according to directions there need 

 be no fear of damaging plants. Calm weather 

 should be chosen for the operation, and the 

 plants and atmosphere inside the house 

 should be dry. Although one fumigation 

 would probably be effective, it is preferable 

 to carry it out twice on successive evenings, 

 if possible, using a smaller quantity than for 

 a full fumigation. Many gardeners fumigate 

 all the houses under their charge at frequent 

 intervals, whether greenfly is observed or 

 not, and the plan is commendable, for one 

 can then be assured that the plants are 

 clean. Such regular fumigations should be 

 light, and the plants should always be well 

 sprayed with soft water the following morn- 

 ing. An economical plan is to remove plants 

 which are attacked into a frame or pit for 

 fumigation, for, of course, a much smaller 

 quantity of the compound will be needed 

 than for a greenhouse. This can hardly be 

 carried out in the winter owing to the danger 

 of cold nights. The frames should be covered 

 with mats to confine the fumes. 



Plants for Shelves near the Glass. 

 Most glasshouses contain one or two 

 shelves erected near the roof -glass, as plants 

 placed on them receive the maximum 

 amount of light, and are thus induced to 

 make short, sturdy growth, whereas the same 

 plants accommodated on the ordinary stag- 

 ing, especially if they are somewhat crowded, 

 become drawn and weakened. Therefore 

 the nearer such shelves are to the glass the 

 better, but one thing should be remembered 



when they are being erected. Plants growing 

 in such positions need more water than others, 

 so that room must be allowed for this work to 

 be properly carried out. Xow, a novice may 

 become puzzled when he reads article after 

 article on the cultivation of various green- 

 house plants, each advising the standing of 

 plants on a shelf near the glass. It is, of 

 course, impossible to accommodate more 

 than a fraction of the number of plants grown 

 on such shelves, therefore he may be excused 

 for wondering which plants will suffer least 

 by being given less favourable positions. 

 But really the matter is quite simple. It is 

 the soft -wooded plants, those that are com- 

 paratively quick in growth, that need most 

 light ; while those known as hard- wooded, 

 which grow slowly, while, of course, needing 

 plenty of light, will not become ruined so 

 quickly as the first-mentioned if kept at some 

 distance from the glass. As an instance, the 

 Cineraria may be mentioned as a soft-wooded 

 subject, and the Azalea as one with hard 

 wood. 



Using Boards for Planting, etc. 

 When a bed or border is of considerable 

 width it is impossible to plant it out without 

 stepping on it, and if this is continually 

 done the work of digging has to be repeated. 

 Again, certain work in connection with plants 

 may often be carried out when the soil is 

 quite wet, and the treading will here also 

 make extra labour. But there is a simple 

 way of overcoming such a difficulty. Pro- 

 cure some boards 1 inch in thickness, and 

 not less than 6 inches wide ; they may 

 with advantage be several feet in length, but, 

 on the other hand, they will be serviceable 

 if not longer than 18 inches. When it be- 

 comes necessary to get upon the soil after it 

 has been dug and prepared for sowing or 

 planting, lay these boards down and step on 

 them instead. They will, of course, make 

 an impression, but it will be level, and rather 

 an advantage than otherwise, as the soil will 

 be " firmed " sufficiently, but not too much. 



