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ladies' flowek gardener. 



Mildew and blight infest roses and honey-suckles. Soap-suds 

 thrown over rose bushes ; heavy waterings with tobacco- water, 

 or the water in which potatoes have been boiled, is successful in 

 a degree, but the best way is a very troublesome one to perse- 

 vere in. Pinch every leaf well which curls up, by which you 

 may know a small maggot is deposited therein. By so doing 

 you destroy the germ of a thousand little monsters. 



Mildew and blight come from the east ; therefore honeysuckles 

 should be sheltered from that aspect ; for, as they rise and spread 

 widely, they are not so manageable as a rose-bush. A mass of 

 luxuriant honeysuckles is beautiful to the eye and delicious in 

 fragrance : but covered with mildew, it is a blackened and miser- 

 able object. Mildew, fortunately, does not make its appearance 

 every spring ; but once in four or five years it comes as a plague, 

 to desolate the garden. A great deal may be raked away if 

 taken off as soon as it spreads its cobwebs over these lovely 

 flowers ; but it should be done without delay. 



I cannot lay too great stress upon the neatness in which a 

 lady's garden should be kept. If it is not beautifully neat, it is 

 nothing. For this reason, keep every plant distinct in the flower- 

 beds ; let every tall flower be well staked, that the wind may not 

 blow it prostrate ; rake away dead leaves from the beds, and 

 trim every flower-root from discolored leaves, weeds, &c. ; re- 

 move all weeds and stones the moment they appear, and clear 

 away decaying stems, which are so littering and offensive to the 

 eye. There is always some employment of this kind for every 

 week in the year. 



Old iron rods, both large and small, are to be procured cheap 

 at the ironmongers. These old rusty rods, painted green, or lead 

 color, are excellent stakes for supporting flowers, and do not 

 wear out. The slighter rods are very firm upright supporters 

 for Carnations, Pinks, &c, while the taller and larger rods are 



