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Gardening for Amateurs 



and even where the soil approaches a clayey 

 nature. A little peat mixed with loamy 

 soil is always an advantage, however ; but 

 it is a mistake to excavate beds li or 2 feet 



A splendidly-blossomed Rhododendron 

 bush. 



deep and fill them entirely with peat, for the 

 peat decomposes and acts as poison to the 

 roots. Anyone who possesses good loamy 

 soil, whether light or heavy, after he has 

 satisfied himself that it contains little or no 

 lime, would do well to dig it 1| feet deep, 

 remove a few inches of original soil, and 

 spread about 6 inches of peat over it. 

 This may then be forked 

 into the upper foot of 

 soil. When planting, care 

 must be taken to keep 

 the upper roots quite 

 close to the surface of 

 the soil. In order that 

 they may not be exposed 

 to sun and drying winds 

 a layer of leaves should 

 be placed round each 

 plant. This encourages 

 surface rooting, the leaves 

 act as a mulch, so keep- 

 ing the roots cool and 

 moist during hot weather. 

 The various kinds are 

 not difficult to trans- 

 plant, and the work may 

 be done any time be- 

 tween the early part of 



September and the end of April, while with 

 care they may even be removed during 

 summer. The chief point to remember at 

 planting time is to keep the top roots close 

 to the surface of the ground and to make 

 the new soil firm. 



Providing the plants are well top-dressed 

 with decayed leaves, they will not require 

 much feeding. But should old bushes show 

 signs of deterioration, due to over-flowering, 

 they may be assisted by watering several 

 times during summer with weak cow manure 

 water. Surface dressing with manure is 

 sometimes recommended, but liquid manure 

 is far to be preferred. Guano is occasionally 

 used as a fertiliser, but cow manure is safer. 



Pruning. No regular pruning is required, 

 but if a plant appears to be growing too 

 rapidly in height and is not branching freely, 

 the growths may be shortened with advan- 

 tage during early spring, or as soon as the 

 plant has flowered. In the same way plants 

 which are outgrowing their positions may 

 be cut back without injury. April is the 

 best time to do the work, for then new growth 

 is soon made, and there is a long growing 

 season in prospect. If pruning is delayed 

 until after the flowers are over the growing 

 season is greatly curtailed, therefore the 

 owner must decide whether he will sacrifice 

 flowers or growth, and the advice given is 

 to select the earlier date. Quite old clumps 



Rhododendron garden at the Great International Flower Show 

 at Chelsea. 



