GARDENING TERMS EXPLAINED 



Bedding Out. This term grew out of the practice which obtained, 

 about the middle of the nineteenth century, of filling flower-beds on 

 lawns with plants of one description, such as Pelargoniums, Verbenas, 

 Calceolarias, Lobelias, &c., in the early summer, although, because these 

 things were tender, they had to be cleared from off the beds in the 

 autumn. Thus the beds remained empty all the winter until the practice 

 of filling them with bulbs, certain spring-flowering plants, and shrubs, 

 became common ; thus rendering the work of bedding only compulsory 

 twice a year. This practice is almost as common now, but the 

 "bedding" methods have been greatly improved. 



Blanching. To make some vegetables edible or tender that would 

 not be so naturally, it is needful to blanch them. This practice is 

 adopted with Celery, Leeks, Seakale, Asparagus, Cardoons, and to some 

 extent, Rhubarb, and a few other things. When they are fully exposed 

 to light and air the stems are mostly green, and perhaps hard or bitter 

 to the taste, or generally not fit for food. Blanching is done by either 

 putting these things into a quite dark place, or covering them up closely 

 in the open air, so as to exclude light. Thus Celery is earthed up with 

 soil so as to quite cover the leaf stems, and in a few weeks the green 

 colour is expelled, and the stems are white. They are then also very 

 tender and crisp. Cabbage hearts become blanched and tender when 

 hard, so also Lettuce hearts, and Endive, which are so hard and bitter 

 when green if covered up become white, tender, and sweet. Blanching 

 is really expelling from vegetation the green colouring and hardening 

 matter. 



Budding. The practice needs some skill, but anyone with supple 

 fingers can soon learn to perform it. The operation means taking from 

 one plant such as a Rose, or an Apple, for instance a dormant leaf 

 bud, with a very small portion of bark or rind attached, and placing it 

 on a shoot or stem of another Rose or Apple-stock, by opening the bark 

 of the latter and placing the bud under it, so that only the bud germ 

 projects, and tying it in firmly and neatly. To do this work successfully 

 the sap in both the plant or tree from which the bud is taken, as also 

 in the stock to be budded, must be active. Thus, any shoot of the 

 same season's growth on the Apple or other fruit tree should be fit to 

 have buds taken from it when in leaf, and when fairly stout and 

 firm in the wood. Then the rind lifts freely. Before using the bud 

 any piece of hardwood in it left in removing it from the shoot must be 



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