864 



Gardening for Amateurs 



plants are Berberis stenophylla and B. 

 Darwinii. They flower gloriously each year. 

 Pruning may be carried out after the flowers 

 are over, the one pruning sufficing for the 

 year. Escallonia macrantha forms an excel- 

 lent flowering evergreen hedge in the south- 

 west counties ; it grows quite 6 feet high and 

 stands clipping well. Fuchsia Riccartoni 

 may also be used as an effective hedge in 

 the same localities, whilst the various kinds 

 of Tamarisk are suitable for formal or 

 informal hedges round the greater part of 

 our coast line. Euonymus japonicus, clipped 

 or unclipped, is often planted in the south 

 and west counties, whilst Olearia Haastii 



makes a useful informal hedge 3 or 4 feet 

 high. Roses are amongst the best of all 

 shrubs for informal hedges, particularly 

 those of the Rugosa and Sweet Brier groups. 

 Rosemary and Lavender are popular for 

 low, informal hedges in special parts of the 

 garden; their fragrance of leaf and flower 

 add to their value. Hydrangea Hortensia 

 and the more vigorous kinds of shrubby 

 Veronica are sometimes used with effect in 

 the south and west, whilst the Sea Buck- 

 thorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), though not 

 often planted, forms a really valuable and 

 strong hedge in places which are fully 

 exposed to the sea. 



Thinning Raspberry Canes. Raspberry 

 plantations are sometimes ruined by in- 

 attention to the removal of suckers and old 

 canes at the proper time, or if they are not 

 spoilt the vigour of the plants is endangered 

 and a serious loss of fruit is likely to occur 

 next year. As soon as the suckers or stems 

 are a few inches high all should be removed 

 except those required for the following year. 

 As soon as the crop is gathered, cut all the 

 old canes out at once in order that full sun- 

 light and air shall have free access to the 

 young stems. This is the only way that 

 thorough ripening can take place. 



Cyclamen Coum. This pretty little 

 hardy Cyclamen might be used more largely 

 than at present for naturalising in light, 

 moist ground, either in a semi-shady place 

 or in moderately bright sunlight, for it 

 thrives well amongst short grass and also 

 when planted with Ferns and Primroses for 

 companions. A native of Greece and Asia 

 Minor, it is a low plant 2 or 3 inches high, 

 forming dark green leathery leaves and 

 bearing pretty reddish flowers in spring. 

 Associated with either of the above-men- 

 tioned subjects it is very charming, the 

 colour of the flowers being a change from 

 the predominating yellow of spring. Corms 

 can be procured at a reasonable price in 

 early autumn. 



Paraffin Oil Emulsion: Caution. 

 Few insecticides for use in the garden will 

 be found to excel a well-made paraffin 

 emulsion, yet unless it is properly used the 



oil is only too prone to do damage to the 

 softer tissues of the plant. In the first 

 place, no beads of oil should float on the 

 surface after the emulsion has stood aside 

 for five minutes, and, secondly, on no 

 account should the emulsion be employed 

 in strong sunshine or during very drying 

 weather. When the plant is soft and in 

 active growth, too, never let the oil dry on 

 the foliage ; the active principle in the 

 liquid soon performs its work, and in three 

 or four hours at most the foliage ought 

 to be s} 7 ringed with tepid water. In the 

 greenhouse and in the stove the emulsion 

 can be employed with excellent results 

 under these conditions, and no flowering 

 plants of any kind will suffer or have their 

 foliage discoloured by it. 



Water Lilies. The cultivation of Water 

 Lilies in tubs has become increasingly 

 popular during recent years. Almost all 

 amateurs can grow them if so disposed, for 

 the varieties of moderate growth are quite 

 successful in tubs '2 to 3 feet in depth, and 

 2 to 4 feet or more in diameter. If space 

 cannot be found to plunge the tubs to the 

 rim in the ground, they may be stood in a 

 sunny corner. Water Lilies are propagated 

 by division during March and April ; a small 

 portion of the rootstock with a bud will 

 soon make a good plant. April is the best 

 time to purchase young plants, which are 

 sold in pots just ready to plant in the tubs. 

 Place a layer of loamy soil 9 inches to 

 1 foot deep in the bottom of the tubs. 



