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Gardening for Amateurs 



At any particular year, then, we have a plot 

 in Potatoes, one in Peas and Beans, one 

 in root crops, and one in leaf crops, the 

 whole supplying the needs of any ordinary 

 kitchen. Naturally, many crops not men- 

 tioned will be introduced into some particu- 

 lar plot and kept in strict rotation through- 

 out the years. A glance at the scheme 

 shows that four years elapse between the 

 times when any particular crop is grown on 

 the same soil. 



In the Flower Garden rotation should 

 be practised as far as possible, and no par- 

 ticular bed should contain the same kind of 

 plant more often than once in four years. 

 Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to draw 

 up a scheme here without knowing what 

 plants are likely to be grown, but the gar- 

 dener who makes constant use of a certain 

 series of plants will soon manage to arrange 

 them in a suitable way. Herbaceous bor- 

 ders, which in some gardens have never been 

 anything else, do not permit of the usual 

 kind of rotation, yet if some kind of scheme 

 should be practised much enhanced results 

 are obtained ; the plants are improved by 

 a change of position, and the soil then is 

 not exhausted in the same degree if the 



roots are lifted every third year and given 

 a change of site, e.g. Chrysanthemums may 

 exchange places with Campanulas and so 

 on ; this obviates the removal of the whole 

 of the plants to another border. Rose 

 bushes, too, are improved by being trans- 

 planted into a new border or in the same 

 hole among a supply of fresh, rich compost 

 in order to obtain the benefits of rotation ; 

 but the slow-growing, woody plants should 

 have their system of rotation extended to 

 a much prolonged period, even throughout 

 several years. 



Alternative Practice. Manures are 

 quite unable to refresh the soil thoroughly 

 and give that vigorous action so essential 

 to intensive gardening. One plan only 

 allows of an alternative course, and that is 

 the changing of the soil year after year, 

 If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, 

 Mahomet must then go to the mountain, 

 and so when we find it inconvenient to 

 change the plants in any particular border 

 we can change the soil instead, removing 

 the old surface layer and adding an enriched 

 compost to take its place, thus giving a new 

 lease of life to the plants and enhanced glory 

 to the border. 



Club Root or Finger-and-Toe. This 

 fungoid disease is one of the most trouble- 

 some in certain districts. Curiously enough 

 it never affects any but cruciferous plants, 

 like the Turnip, Cabbage, Wallflower, Char- 

 lock and Shepherd's Purse. The spores have 

 the power of remaining dormant in the soil 

 for many years, and they are carried about 

 by infected roots or soil ; an infected root 

 left in a plot will also in time spread the 

 disease throughout the whole ground. The 

 disease manifests itself in tiny nodules and 

 swellings on the roots of seedlings. Amateurs 

 who buy in their plants by the dozen should 

 always examine the roots carefully, and 

 reject any showing signs of the disease. 

 Soil which bore an infected crop ought not 

 to grow any similar plant for four or five 

 years at least, and all weeds must be rigor- 

 ously kept down during that time. The 

 worst weeds for carrying the disease are 

 Charlock and Shepherd's Purse, two very 



common plants where they are not wanted ; 

 gardeners are apt to overlook them, but they 

 should always be pulled up and burned not 

 merely left to wither. The risk of infection 

 is greatly increased by allowing the roots 

 to decay, and the fungus to inoculate the soil 

 with its innumerable spores. The practice 

 of allowing Cabbage roots to remain in the 

 soil is a bad one, as one root may do a great 

 deal of damage by infecting the surrounding 

 soil. 



The fungus thrives best in an acid soil. 

 Fresh organic manure and certain acid 

 artificials ought therefore to be avoided if 

 the fungus is feared. Lime should be used 

 in large dressings, for it is the best antidote 

 for acidity and for club root. The Board 

 of Agriculture advised us to dress the soil 

 with lime immediately after removing the 

 crop, whether the plants were attacked or 

 not ; we find this good advice, and never 

 neglect to give a good heavy dressing of 



