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Gardening for Amateurs 



White. White Enchantress and White 

 Wonder are splendid varieties, and the latter 

 has well-formed blooms produced on long 

 erect stems. 



Red Shades. In British Triumph we have 

 a most desirable crimson Carnation of fair 

 size and free-flowering habit, and the growth 

 is healthy. Carola has large deep crimson 

 blossoms, but the plant is somewhat sub- 

 ject to disease. The flowers of Scarlet Glow 

 are exceptionally bright when seen at their 

 best ; but Britannia is hard to beat as a 

 scarlet the blooms have clean-cut petals, 

 and are produced freely. 



Other Colours. Sunstar is an especially 

 beautiful Carnation ; the blossoms are clear 

 yellow, tinged with pink, and the plant is 

 a healthy grower. Benora is an attractive 

 fancy variety with clear white flowers pen- 

 cilled with red ; they are full in the centre 

 and well formed. The deep heliotrope blos- 

 soms of Mikado are popular with many, and 

 they form a pleasing contrast with the pink 

 varieties. 



A Simple Cloche. Gardeners who are 

 also amateur photographers would doubtless 

 welcome a use for their waste plates. Use 

 them as small cloches. Procure some wire 

 about T V inch diameter ; cut off lengths of 

 twice the width of the plate plus 1 inch (7^ 

 inches for J plate), bend up \ inch at either 

 end into narrow hooks, then bend the wire 

 in the centre at right angles with the hooks 

 outward. Slip in a glass plate on each side, 

 and you have a miniature cloche at a trifling 

 cost. Remove the films. 



A Simple Propagator. Get two ordi- 

 nary bricks and stand them edgeways, and 

 a small lamp such as is used for a night 

 light. Then take an 8-inch pot and make 

 the hole at the bottom \ inch larger. Get a 

 saucer which is used for flower pots, and see 

 that it is small enough to drop about half- 

 way into the pot. Fill up with fibre to \ 

 inch from the top. Sow your seeds, moisten 

 the fibre, cover with a sheet of glass, and 

 light the lamp. For raising seeds of To- 

 bacco, Salpiglossis, African Marigold and 

 others this is a most useful device, which 

 will give a temperature of 65. 



Gathering Everlasting Flowers. 



Those who grow Everlasting Flowers, which 

 cover a range of subjects like Helichrysum, 

 Rhodanthe, Acroclinium, and Xeranthe- 

 mum, and also include Catananche. Gypso- 

 phila (paniculata). Echinops (Globe Thistle) 

 and Erj'ngium (Sea Holly), often render 

 the blossoms useless by permitting them to 

 remain until they are fully open before cut- 

 ting them. To be of any service for winter 

 they should be cut when half opened, for 

 after that, in the process of drying, they 

 expand farther. If left on the plants until 

 they reach maturity they simply drop to 

 pieces afterwards. A fine day ought to be 

 selected for cutting, and the blossoms spread 

 out to dry, the Helichrysum and Cata- 

 nanche being wired. A few silvery pods, 

 of Honesty and Lavender may be added to 

 the collection, or dried grasses like Agrostis 

 nebulosa and Hordeum jubatum improve 

 bunches of " Everlastings." 



To Establish Mistletoe upon Apple 

 Trees. If you take thoroughly ripe Mistle- 

 toe berries at the end of February or during 

 March, and place them in cracks or crevices 

 in the bark after roughly separating them 

 from the pulp, then cover them with a little 

 damp moss or canvas to keep them from 

 birds, they will be likely to vegetate during 

 the spring, but you will see very little 

 growth for a year or two. There is no ne- 

 cessity to cut the bark in any way. 



Pampas Grass. This is suitable to plant 

 in an isolated group on the lawn ; it also 

 looks well associated with hardy Bamboos, 

 and near ornamental water. It is sometimes 

 seen planted in the centres of large flower- 

 beds, and succeeds admirably in such posi- 

 tions. Pampas Grass is practically hard}*, 

 but in localities where cold is intense it ia 

 advisable to give protection by placing mats 

 round the clumps. It should at all times 

 be planted where it is sheltered from high 

 winds, which do much damage to the plumes. 

 March is a good time to divide and replant 

 Pampas Grass. It prefers a deep, rich 

 loamy soil, and the position should always 

 be thoroughly prepared for it by digging 

 and manuring. 



