A YEAR'S GARDENING 



As to manuring, it is well to remember that the Rose is not 

 naturally a gross feeder and should not be subjected to strong, crude 

 " fertilizers." Undoubtedly the soil should be kept in good heart 

 by the periodical incorporation of well-rotted manure, but assuming 

 this is done the best treatment for the soil is to keep it quite loose for 

 5 or 6 inches from the surface. A small, thin-pronged fork is the 

 handiest tool for the purpose and sihould be used constcintly, especi- 

 ally after rainfall or watering, the object being to keep the soil in 

 such a condition that air and warmth can penetrate easily. With 

 the soil kept thus, artificial watering is seldom necessary; but if May 

 should happen to be an exception^y dry month watering may have 

 to be resorted to during the early part of June to nourish the foliage, 

 in which case let a liberal supply of soft water be given at intervals 

 of not less than two days, and during the remainder of the season a 

 mulching of stable litter will probably be sufficient to keep the 

 ground moist. 



Finally, a constant watch must be kept for caterpillars and green- 

 fly, though the experience of the writer has been that if a Rose-tree 

 is in good condition it seldom suffers from green-fly. But this cannot 

 be said of the caterpillar, and nothing is really so efficacious a remedy 

 for this pest as hand-picking. The rough-and-ready method is to 

 pinch the leaf which is rolled up, or the leaves which are stuck to- 

 gether, and thus destroy the maggot within; but a better practice, 

 perhaps, is to carry in one's waistcoat pocket a small camel's-hair 

 brush and by its means remove the grub without destroying the 

 leaves. In any case, constant watchfulness is the main factor; 

 during the season not a day should be allowed to pass without making 

 an examination of the Roses. 



ROSE CAMPION. See Agrostemma. 

 RUDBECKIA. See Echinacea. 



SAINTPAULIA. As a pot plant for the greenhouse or for table 

 decoration S. inonantha is quite worth growing, being a pretty little 

 perennial, some 3 or 4 inches, with fleshy leaves and clusters of 

 bright violet-blue flowers. Seed should be sown in March in a 

 porous compost and kept in a warm, moist air. The seedlings may 

 be expected to flower about September and will continue in bloom 

 throughout the winter. 



SALPIGLOSSIS. A half-hardy annual which has been mudi 

 improved of late, and of which there are now many beautiful strains 

 with flowers varying in colour from delicate creamy white to orange, 

 scarlet, crimson and purple. It has slender, erect stems from i 



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