796 



Gardening for Amateurs 



but unless the soil is light and well drained, 

 the practice can hardly be recommended. 

 Moreover, a sheltered position should invari- 

 ably be chosen. Those who have heavy or 

 wet and cold soils to deal with will be well- 

 advised to defer sowing until the New Year. 

 A good Longpod variety should be selected 

 for present sowing. 



Ground- work. Although to the un- 

 initiated the winter may appear to be a 

 time when little or nothing can be done, 

 experienced men know differently. Indeed, 

 it may be said that during this period the 

 foundation of success for the next season 



is laid. The preparation of the soil for 

 various crops needs a good deal of care and 

 forethought, and the haphazard man, w r ho 

 treats the whole garden similarly, and 

 probably defers the preparation of the 

 various plots until the last possible moment, 

 can scarcely hope to be successful. Speak- 

 ing generally, only light soils should be 

 trenched or dug at this season ; where the 

 land is heavy it is best left until early spring. 

 But this does not mean that such soil should 

 be left as it is ; throw it up in ridges so 

 that the frost may get into it, and the labour 

 will certainly not be lost. 



A Trap for Slugs and Woodlice. 

 One of the best means of clearing a garden of 

 slugs and woodlice is to use flour, beer, and 

 thin pieces of wood about 6 inches by 3 

 inches. Moisten one side of the wood with 

 beer, shake on as much flour as will stick, 

 and then lay these among the plants with 

 the flour side downwards. In the rockery 

 and in the small town and suburban garden 

 this trap will prove a great boon, being more 

 effective than Lettuce or Cabbage leaves and 

 pieces of Potato. Each morning scrape off 

 the slugs and woodlice from the pieces of 

 board with an old table-knife into a tin, 

 and subsequently fill the tin with boiling 

 water. Once a week is usually often enough 

 to renew the beer and flour. 



Ghoisya ternata. This shrub will per- 

 haps be better recognised as the Mexican 

 Orange Flower, and to those who are un- 

 acquainted with it this name will convey 

 some idea of the blossoms. It needs a posi- 

 tion that is somewhat sheltered from the 

 north and east, especially in cold districts. It 

 flowers early in summer, and in some seasons 

 in the autumn also. The plant being ever- 

 green, and with ornamental foliage, it is 

 useful for planting against warm walls, for 

 even when not in bloom the Choisya is 

 quite an attraction. 



" Feathery " Chrysanthemums. There 

 are many varieties of Chrysanthemums hav- 

 ing blossoms distinct altogether from the 

 usual form of flower. The florets are feathery 

 or thread-like, giving the plants quite a 

 novel appearance ; and as they do not 



appear to be extensively grown, a few in the 

 greenhouse will never fail to attract atten- 

 tion. They require the same cultivation as 

 the varieties usually grown for decorative 

 purposes, but they need not be given pots 

 larger than 7 inches in diameter. The fol- 

 lowing are a dozen of the most distinct varie- 

 ties : Alice Carter, bronze and gold ; Bertie 

 Bindon, white ; Crimson Tangle, gold re- 

 verse ; Golden Shower ; Houppe Fleurie, 

 yellow and red ; Jitsujetui, pink ; King of 

 Plumes, golden yellow ; Little Herr, crim- 

 son ; Mrs. Filkins, yellow ; Sam Cos well, 

 pink ; Sparkler, Indian red and gold ; and 

 White Thread. 



Australian Acacias. The owner of a 

 ccol greenhouse would do well to remember 

 the Australian Acacias when making a 

 selection of plants, for they are of consider- 

 able decorative value, not difficult to grow, 

 and require little fire heat. A greenhouse 

 from which frost is just excluded suits ad- 

 mirably for these plants, whilst the addition 

 of a little extra heat hastens the period of 

 flowering if so desired. They thrive in equal 

 parts of loam and peat with sand, but must 

 have thorough drainage. After flowering, 

 cut the branches back moderately hard and 

 keep the greenhouse rather close and moist 

 for a few weeks. When the young shoots 

 are about \ inch long any necessary repotting 

 should be done. About the end of June the 

 plants may be stood in the open air in a 

 sunny position until September. Good kinds 

 to grow are A. armata and its variety angusti- 

 folia, A. hastulata, A. leprosa, A. Riceana. 



