Gardening in Californi 



Place the plants in a close frame and shade them during the hot 

 sunshine, avoiding cold draughts of dry air. 



The tubers of the handsome, Winter-blooming Gesneria 

 should now be started. Place five or six tubers in a six-inch pot, 

 in soil composed of two- thirds fibrous loam and one- third peat, 

 with a little leaf-mold and sand to keep the soil open. Cover 

 the tubers to the depth of half an inch ; place them in the warm- 

 est corner of the greenhouse and give them water as required at 

 the roots but avoid sprinkling the leaves as that will spot them. 



JUNE. 



Neatness and cleanliness should always be evident in the 

 flower-borders, spent flowers, faded leaves and weeds being 

 removed at least once a week and the surface of the soil stirred 

 frequently with the push-hoe or hand-fork. 



Continue to stake and neatly tie in Carnations and all plants 

 requiring support, doing this before the stems begin to fall or 

 bend over. Vacant spaces, rendered so by the passing of the 

 late-Spring flowers, may be planted after being fertilized and 

 spaded, Dahlias, Salvias, Chrysanthemums, etc., being utilized 

 for late-Fall flowering. 



Dahlias, of course, all require stakes which should be set 

 before the work of planting proceeds, and the shoots ought to 

 be fastened loosely to the stakes so that they may not be broken 

 by the wind. 



Roses should have all spent flowers removed, partly for 

 appearance's sake and partly as a relief to the plants. After the 

 first crop of flowers is past, sprinkle a little bone-meal or other 

 artificial fertilizer around the plants and stir the surface of the 

 soil, leaving it a little rough so that when water is applied, which 

 should be done immediately, the water will wash the fertilizer 

 rootward. A few hours later, or as soon as the soil will work 

 freely, dress the surface neatly with the rake. 



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