Gardening for Amateurs 



1021 



Sowing Peas. Make a sowing of a re- 

 liable early variety, such as Gradus or May 

 Queen, in boxes in a cold frame. Any fairly 

 good soil will suit, and the Peas should be 

 placed 2 inches apart. Do not " coddle " 

 Peas or Beans at any time, but give them 

 plenty of air to ensure sturdy plants. On a 

 warm border outdoors sow Bountiful, a 

 round-seeded variety. Moisten the Peas and 

 dust with red lead previous to sowing. 



Cauliflowers. A small sowing of an 

 early variety should be made in boxes under 

 glass or on a hotbed. First Crop or Early 

 London can be recommended for the purpose. 

 The resulting plants will succeed those from 

 an autumn sowing, at present accommodated 

 in frames. These latter should be given air 

 at every favourable opportunity, but during 

 very severe weather keep the frames covered 

 with mats. 



Onions for Exhibition. Although ex- 

 hibition requirements probably initiated the 

 sowing of Onion seed in warmth at this season, 

 many who are not interested in exhibiting 

 follow the practice with advantage. Sow in 

 rich soil in a warm greenhouse, temperature 



about 60 degrees, and when the seedlings 

 appear keep them in full light, and prick 

 them out into other boxes early. Shortly 

 afterwards remove to a cooler temperature. 



Sowing Tomatoes. Seed may now be 

 sown to obtain plants for fruiting under glass. 

 Sow thinly in pots ; if sown thickly the 

 young plants are apt to become drawn and 

 " leggy " before they are large enough for 

 potting. A temperature of not less than 

 65 degrees is needed, and a sheet of glass 

 placed over each pot renders watering un- 

 necessary for some time. 



Seed Potatoes. Lose no time in placing 

 early Potatoes in boxes or trays, or on shelves 

 in a light position. Thus packed, with the 

 " eyes " upward, shoots will not be long in 

 forming. Keep in a cool position, as it is 

 not desirable to force growth in any way. 



Leeks. Either now or early in February 

 make a sowing of Leek seed in a box, and 

 treat in the same way as advised for Onions. 

 If the plants are not checked, fine specimens 

 may be obtained from such a sowing. A 

 good strain of The Lyon cannot be surpassed 

 for general purposes. 



Geanothus is an important group, for it 

 contains many very beautiful flowering 

 shrubs. The various species or wild types 

 are natives of North America, more particu- 

 larly California, and there is a large number 

 of varieties. The species are easily divided 

 into two distinct groups by reason of their 

 method of flowering. One group produces its 

 flowers in spring from axillary buds on 

 growths matured the previous year ; the 

 other group bears its flowers in summer and 

 early autumn from the points of the current 

 year's growth. This necessitates different 

 methods of treatment. The spring-flowering 

 kinds are, as a rule, rather tender, and it is 

 usual to plant them against walls ; the 

 branches are then cut back as soon as the 

 flowers fade. Those which bloom in autumn 

 are hardier, and are often grown in beds in the 

 open. They are also pruned vigorously, but 

 the pruning is done in February, the previ- 

 ous year's wood being cut back to within a 

 few buds of the base except when a new 

 branch is required to take the place of an 



old one showing signs of deterioration. In 

 such a case the dead point of the shoot only 

 should be removed. All the Ceanothuses 

 can be grown in well-drained, loamy soil, 

 and all may be increased by inserting cut- 

 tings of young shoots in sandy soil in a 

 closed frame in summer. Of the early flower- 

 ing kinds the following will be found a useful 

 selection : C. rigidus, C. thyrsiflorus and 

 variety griseus, C. papillosus, C. veitchianus. 

 All will attain a height of 15 feet, and the 

 flowers are in most cases blue. C. thyrsi- 

 florus is the hardiest, and forms a fine bush 

 in the open about London. Of late-flower- 

 ing kinds the two available sorts are C. 

 americanus and C. azureus, whilst the fol- 

 lowing are useful hybrids : Albert Pittet, 

 rosy-lilac ; albus plenus, double white ; Bijou, 

 blue ; Ceres, rose ; Fleur d'Ete, carmine ; 

 Georges Simon, rose-carmine ; Gloire de 

 Versailles, blue ; Lucie Moser, dark blue ; 

 Indigo, dark blue ; Marie Simon, rose ; Perle 

 Rose, rose. Probably the showiest of all 

 is Gloire de Versailles. 



