626 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



wall or space where it is likely to be wanted, and well worth the trouble of the slight 

 preparation needed for taking on or off quickly. If the sheet has a strong tape or webbing 

 sewn to the top and a few stout rings, and the wall is provided with corresponding hooks, 

 it is soon put up and taken down, and is easily folded up when out of use. If several of 

 the sheets are in use, it saves much trouble to have them numbered ; best by paint- 

 ing in white or grey a 3-inch square patch in one top corner, on which, when dry, a 

 number in darker colour is painted, also painting the same mark on the wall ; then there 

 is no fumbling about or loss of time in finding out which sheet is for which place. Con- 

 trivances for keeping the sheets down in windy weather will suggest themselves to 

 intelligent persons, but the great thing is to have the protection at hand. A number of 

 hurdles thatched with straw, or reeds, or heath are always of use to be put over Christ- 

 mas Roses, Violets, or Iris stylosa. The sweet bloom of any Chimonanthus trained to 

 a wall shrivels and is spoilt in severe frost, but may be saved by hanging over the bush 

 some boughs of Spruce or Scotch Fir. If the protecting boughs are hung up by their 

 stem ends they are easily lifted or moved aside so that the flowers may be picked. 



Watering. Much judgment is needed in learning how to water plants or crops 

 properly. Plants in pots are best when occasionally allowed to become root-dry, but only 

 just for the moment, as the drying of the soil sweetens it. But if dry long the plant 

 flags and suffers, and that should not be the case. Then the soil should be well saturated, 

 giving sufficient water to fill the pot to the top and even twice filled if needed. Where, 

 however, soil seems moderately damp then dp not water but miss that pot. Too many 

 people water all alike and seldom stop to consider whether it is proper or not. Outdoors 

 remember that as a rule roots go deep, and that in dry weather it is better to give a 

 thorough soaking once a week rather than a moderate watering, which only moistens a 

 few inches deep. After such good watering either cast some dry soil over it to prevent 

 rapid evaporation by sun heat, or put on a mulch of long manure or cocoa-nut fibre 

 refuse. 



Window Boxes. This is a familiar form of window gardening. At one time the 

 VVardian case was very popular. When the " box" is merely a strip of board tiled or 

 coloured in some way, pot plants are intended to be used ; that means, of course, shrubs or 

 flowering things purchased or grown in the greenhouse for the purpose. But well-drained 

 boxes of soil, such as one would put a Geranium in, are suitable for the growth of many 

 plants and bulbs. Daffodils, Tulips, Scillas, Chionodoxes, Snowdrops, &c. , are pretty for 

 the spring, planting them the previous autumn. We have seen, too, the exquisite early- 

 flowering Irises grown in this way by an enthusiast who had no suitable place in the 

 garden, but would not be without his cherished bulbs. The Netted Iris (/. reticulata), 

 a full violet purple and filled with strong violet scent ; /. bakeriana, and the little yellow 

 /. Danfordice maybe grown in this way. Of course, this form of gardening is not for the 

 usual run of flower lovers. They must place their faith in the Musk, the Periwinkle, 

 Creeping Jenny; and for temporary effect the Zonal Pelargonium or "Geranium," Fuchsias, 

 Petunias (very free-blooming and bright flowers, even in quite hot positions). We must 

 point out the importance of the quite dwarf things, the Mossy Saxifrage (Saxifraga 

 hypnoides], the large, white-flowered S. Wallacei, or Stonecrops, which look well with 

 bulbs planted between. 



During winter make good use of quite dwarf evergreen shrubs, such as Cryptomeria 

 japonica (a Conifer), but better still Aucuba, Box, or Laurel, as Conifers, in places near 

 towns, often fail. 



When the position is very sunny the soil dries in the pots quickly, and constant atten- 

 tion will be needful, not forgetting also the importance of stimulants occasionally. 



Wood Frames. Frames of moderate size and having glass lights for tops are most 

 useful in gardens. Although not generally available for forcing except on dung beds, 

 they are excellent to raise seeds in, to winter many fairly hardy plants, such as 

 Lettuces, Cauliflowers, Cabbage, Radishes, &c. , and to plant out Potatoes in March 

 for early cropping. Also may be wintered in them many fairly hardy plants, es- 

 pecially if covered up with mats or sacks, during hard frosty weather. Where stable 

 manure can be obtained and hot-beds made up in the spring tender seeds may be raised 

 in a frame, cuttings rooted, or Cucumbers grown on. Frames of this kind should be kept 

 vrry clean, and especially the glass, and all the woodwotk should receive a couple of coats 

 of paint every t wo years at least. 



