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Gardening for Amateurs 



Hints for Amateurs 



HOW to Obtain Soft Water. 

 Hardness is due to the presence of 

 sulphates and chlorides of calcium 

 and magnesium. If sodium carbonate 

 (commonly known as washing soda) is 

 added to the water, the hardness will be 

 destroyed. 



To Make Ivy Cling to Smooth Sur- 

 faces. I have often noticed Ivy and various 

 creepers growing against smooth walls or 

 wooden structures and even sheet iron 

 fences, hanging several feet downwards, 

 especially the young growths, and having 

 no hold whatever upon its support. To 

 prevent this is but little cost or trouble. Get 

 four handf uls of cement (lime will answer) and 

 two handf uls of sand, and mix them well in 

 water until fairly sloppy but not too thin ; 

 then with an old brush give the structure a 

 good coating. If it should appear unsightly, 

 sufficient can be done each year for one 

 season's growth. Any Ivy or other creepers 

 cling readily to this, and it is in no way 

 injurious to their growth. 



The Apple Sucker. This sometimes 

 becomes a terrible pest amongst Apples. 

 The grower may see his trees in full blossom 

 and be looking hopefully forwards to a crop 

 of fine fruit, when some day he wonders 

 what can be the matter, as he sees the blooms 

 turning a dirty brown colour and falling 

 without becoming fertilised, or the small 

 fruits dropping to the ground. If the 

 spaces between the flower stalks are ex- 

 amined they will be found to be crowded 

 with greyish white insects, from which 

 exudes a filthy sticky fluid. These insects 

 extract the juices from the blossoms to such 

 a degree that they become incapable of pro- 

 ducing fruit ; sometimes, indeed, they ex- 

 tend their ravages to the foliage. As a 

 remedy Nicotine in some form or other is 

 usually advised. This, however, is very 

 costly at present ; besides, there are one or 

 two proprietary washes on the market which 

 will destroy the pest without damaging the 

 trees. These washes are not too expensive, 

 and require no special preparation in using. 

 Lime and salt solution applied in the winter 



for the destruction of the eggs has been 

 much recommended, and does no doubt get 

 rid of a good many. But where attacks have 

 been severe winter spraying alone will not 

 eradicate this pest, and it is therefore 

 advisable to be prepared to apply some- 

 thing which will destroy the insects im- 

 mediately the petals of the flowers have 

 fallen. 



Begonia evansiana. This is an old- 

 fashioned Begonia which, being nearly hardy, 

 may be grown successfully in a cold green- 

 house or window. The flowering season is 

 from August to October. It has a bulbous 

 rootstock and the plants die down in late 

 autumn, when the pots may be stored away 

 in a frost-proof shed or cellar until March 

 or April. If it is brought into the green- 

 house or window then, and given water, 

 young growths soon push up. If an increase 

 of stock is desired, take off sufficient young 

 shoots and insert as cuttings under a bell- 

 glass or handlight. In autumn, small pieces 

 of the stem fall off, forming a kind of bulbil ; 

 these, if kept in a little soil during the winter, 

 start into growth in spring. The plants 

 grow from 18 inches to 2 feet in height, and 

 freely produce large numbers of dainty 

 flesh-coloured blossoms. Begonia evansiana 

 is a native of China and grows freely in 

 ordinary potting soil such as one uses for 

 Fuchsia. 



An Evergreen Flowering Privet. 

 Though usually grown for their foliage, one 

 or two of the Privets are attractive flowering 

 shrubs. Among these Ligustrum lucidum 

 is perhaps the most valuable, as the bushes 

 are laden with panicles of white flowers dur- 

 ing September. It is an evergreen shrub 

 with dark shining green leaves, and forms 

 a large bush, upright rather than spreading. 

 Privets, as is well known, thrive in most soils, 

 and are readily increased by half -ripe cuttings 

 inserted in a frame during August and 

 September, or by ripened growths put in 

 sandy soil outside during October and 

 November. Ligustrum lucidum, which is a 

 native of China, is a splendid bush for town 

 gardens. 



