Gardening for Amateurs 



963 



Round the Year in the Garden; What to do 

 early in January 



AMONG THE FLOWERS 



WINTER Work. Before com- 

 mencing the routine tasks of 

 another year it should be the 

 gardener's aim to overtake any arrears of 

 \vork, and this applies to all departments 

 equally. Of course, at this season all 

 outside work is governed by the weather ; 

 nothing is gained in fact, a good deal of 

 harm may be done by attempting that 

 which obviously can only be properly car- 

 ried out in fine weather. 



Planting. If necessary, the work of 

 planting trees, shrubs, perennials, etc., may 

 be continued during mild weather, but very 

 little can be said in favour of the practice, 

 as it is impossible to be certain that severe 

 weather will not immediately follow plant- 

 ing. A better plan is to leave the work 

 until March, when it may be undertaken 

 with less risk. 



Alterations. Such alterations to the 

 garden as do not necessarily involve much 

 transplanting may go forward. The laying 

 of turf, for instance, must not be unduly 

 delayed, or the result will be far from satis- 

 factory in the event of a hot, dry summer 

 following. New paths can be made now, 

 and be careful always to see that a good 

 foundation is laid with large stones, clinkers, 

 etc., before surfacing with finer material. 



Leaves in Shrubberies. Where these 

 are conspicuous they must be cleared out, 

 but in other places they will do good if left, 

 acting as a mulch and when decayed feeding 

 the surface roots. If desired they may be 

 buried by turning over the soil lightly. 



Plants in Frames. Give air to plants 

 growing in unheated pits or frames when- 

 ever the weather makes it advisable. When 

 watering becomes necessary it should only 

 be performed on a bright day. In very 

 severe weather keep the frames matted up 

 close until the return of milder days. 



Violets. If it is impossible to afford any 

 sort of protection to plants growing outside, 

 the flowers at this season will probably be 



few and far between, but in frames which 

 are slightly heated there should be a regular 

 supply of fragrant blooms. In most cases, 

 however, the plants are grown in cold frames, 

 and these will give good returns if ventilated 

 freely in mild weather. Keep decaying leaves 

 picked off, and stir the soil between the 

 plants occasionally. 



IN THE GREENHOUSE 



Bulbs. These should be placed in warmth 

 gradually after being removed from the 

 plunging material. Give support to Hya- 

 cinths, Freesias, Narcissi, etc., in good time. 

 Split bamboo is suitable for this purpose, 

 and green raffia for tying is inconspicuous. 

 Later bulbs must be removed from the 

 ashes before much growth is made. They can 

 be kept in a cold frame until required to be 

 brought into flower. Cover with mats on 

 frosty nights, and do not overwater them. 



Sowing Begonias. Seed of tuberous 

 Begonias for blooming in pots or planting 

 out may be sown now in a warm greenhouse 

 where the temperature does not fall below 

 60. Drain the pots or pans thoroughly, 

 and fill them with a compost made up of good 

 loam 2 parts, leaf -soil 1 part, and plenty of 

 sand. Make a fine even surface for sowing on, 

 and water the soil a couple of hours before 

 sowing by immersing in water. Sow thinly, 

 and scantily cover the seed ; each pot or 

 pan should be covered with a pane of glass 

 and a sheet of paper to prevent too rapid 

 evaporation. 



Chrysanthemum Cuttings. The chief 

 lot of Chrysanthemum cuttings should now 

 be taken. The most convenient method is 

 to insert three cuttings in a 3-inch pot filled 

 with sandy soil, the label being placed in 

 the centre. After watering, stand the pots 

 on a base of ashes in a box covered with 

 a sheet of glass. The latter ought to be 

 turned or wiped frequently. 



Perpetual Carnations. These may be 

 propagated with success in the same manner 

 as Chrysanthemums, except that it is best 



