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Gardening for Amateurs 



if sown in spring will soon form good plants. 

 There is a white variety, S. galegifolia alba. 

 Any old and exhausted shoots may be cut 

 out in spring before growth recommences. 



Tacsonia. The Tacsonias are nearly re- 

 lated to the Passion Flowers, which they 

 much resemble in appearance and cultural 

 requirements. In Tacsonia the flower stem 

 is very long, so that the starry blossoms 

 hang down for some distance. Among the 

 best are Exoniensis, violet-pink ; manicata, 

 scarlet ; Smythiana, bright pink ; and Van 

 Volxemii, scarlet, with a violet sheen. The 

 pruning needed is the same as for the 

 Passifloras. 



Tecoma jasminoides. A free-growing 

 climber with handsome dark green pinnate 

 leaves, and loose clusters of tubular flowers, 

 white with purple throat, during summer. 

 It flowers best when so situated that it is 



well exposed to the sun. If space is avail- 

 able this will bloom all the better if allowed 

 to go unpruned. If needed to be kept 

 within bounds cut back in spring. 



Tropaeolum. Some of the climbing 

 Tropaeolums (members of the Nasturtium 

 family) are particularly valuable for winter 

 flowering, as they will bloom for a long time. 

 They are Ball of Fire, scarlet, and Fulgens, 

 light scarlet. Both these have single blos- 

 soms. The double-flowered kinds Beauty 

 of Darmstadt and Crippsii are of deep yellow 

 colour striped with red. They strike root 

 very readily, and grow well in ordinary pot- 

 ting compost. The tuberous-rooted Tropaeo- 

 lum tricolorum, with scarlet and black flowers, 

 should be potted in autumn, when it will 

 flower in the following summer. It is a 

 pretty climber for a small house, where its 

 striking flowers are brought near the eye. 



Winter Care of Peach Trees. Peach 

 trees, whether growing under glass or out 

 of doors, should be looked over carefully 

 each winter while they are dormant, in case 

 any destructive insects may be lodging about 

 the branches. Two fertile sources of injury to 

 Peach trees are found in scale insects and 

 mealy bug, and the best time to deal with 

 them is winter, for at that period strong 

 insecticides can be used which at any other 

 period would injure leaves, shoots, and fruits. 

 All trees, whether infested or not, are the 

 better for being sprayed with a caustic wash 

 (particulars of which are given in another 

 part of this work) during winter, whilst those 

 known to be infested with insects should, in 

 addition, be scrubbed with paraffin emul- 

 sion, and the young flower-bearing shoots 

 be painted over with the mixture or be other- 

 wise hand-cleaned. 



Primula Forbesii. Within the last 

 twenty years a large number of new kinds of 

 Primula have been introduced from China, 

 many of them being not only interesting by 

 reason of distinct characters of growth, but 

 of decidedly ornamental appearance. Primula 

 Forbesii is one of the number, and its intro- 

 duction has added a valuable plant to the 

 cool greenhouse or conservatory. Of modest 

 appearance, there is little about its leaves 



to prepare us for the graceful inflorescences 

 of small lilac flowers which are the attractive 

 feature of this kind. It may be grown from 

 seeds sown in spring or early summer in pans 

 or boxes in a'greenhouse. When large enough 

 to handle the tiny plants should be pricked 

 off in pans or boxes and eventually potted 

 singly or placed several together in shallow 

 pans. If grown in a cool and moist, frame or 

 greenhouse they may be expected to blossom 

 within six months. 



Early Vegetables and Salads. An 

 ordinary frame placed on a hotbed in a sunny 

 position in the kitchen garden is a valuable 

 asset, for by its aid the owner is able to pro- 

 cure vegetables and salads several weeks 

 earlier than is possible on the best placed 

 open borders. For this purpose a hotbed 

 should be made very firm so that the heat 

 will be moderate and retained for the longest 

 possible time. Light and moderately rich 

 soil should be placed on the bed to a depth 

 of from 6 to 9 inches according to the crops 

 to be grown. It must be made moderately 

 firm, and after being allowed to heat for a 

 day or so seeds may be sown or young plants 

 inserted. Carrots, Cauliflowers, Potatoes, 

 Radishes, Lettuces, and Turnips may be 

 raised in this way. Attention to watering, 

 airing, and shading are necessary. 



