242 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



leaf mould, and sharp silver sand. The Paris Daisy has 

 one great enemy, namely, the Celery-fly. This eats away 

 the inside of the leaf, and may be readily detected. There 

 is only one real remedy, namely, to pinch the pests, when 

 seen, between the finger and thumb, or to pick them out. 

 Insecticides are of little value. The golden rule is never 

 to let this enemy make headway. Chrysanthemum 

 frutescens is its botanical name. 

 Mignonette for Winter. — It was formerly supposed that 

 the Tree Mignonette was a distinct variety, and was 

 struck from cuttings to make certain the true kind was 

 obtained. Any variety of Mignonette may, however, be 

 grown into a tree-like form, as it is a matter of culture. 

 An essential point, however, is to secure a good strain. 

 All the best growers save their own seeds from selected 

 plants, and though one is accustomed to regard 

 Mignonette as an annual, it assumes a perennial character 

 when planted out under glass. 



The way to secure Tree Mignonette is to sow the seeds in 

 March or April, in small pots, putting three or four seeds 

 in the centre of each pot, which should be placed in a 

 warm frame, such as that devoted to Cucumbers. As soon 

 as the plants appear move them to a light, airy house or 

 frame, and pull up all except the most vigorous in the 

 centre of each pot. Shift into larger pots as soon as the 

 soil is occupied with roots, and give small shifts, never 

 permitting the plants to become pot-bound until they 

 have had their final shifl into the puis in which they are 

 to flower. These may be from 7 i n . to 9m. in diameter, 

 according to the vigour of the plants. As regards training, 

 either pyramidal or standard form may be adopted. In 

 the former case a stake is placed to the main shoot, and 

 the side ones are encouraged to grow out. All (lowers 

 should be pinched off. A well-grown pyramidal Mignonette 

 by the autumn may be 3ft. to 4ft. in height, and hall as 

 much through. In training a standard the main stem is 

 led up and all side shoots pinched back to the first pair 

 of leaves, which are left for a time to help strengthen the 

 main stem, but they will ultimately be removed when 

 the plants require this assistance no longer. When 

 the leader has reached the requisite height, stop it, and 

 encourage the side shoots to send out laterals to make a 

 round, well-balanced head, a circular wire being fixed to 

 the stake at the top to support the branches. Liquid 

 manure may be supplied, as soon as the pots are filled w ith 

 roots, to promote size in the flowers. Mignonette must 

 have good soil, and firm potting is necessary to gain the 

 best results. Good loam two thirds, and one third of 

 two year old cow manure with a little charcoal dust, such 

 as is found at the bottom of heaps, and sand enough to 

 keep the soil open, form an excellent compost. A little 

 bone meal may be given at the last shift, and as soon as 

 the plants flower give liquid manure twice a week. After 

 the weather is warm and settled, in June, the plants may 

 stand in a sheltered place out of doors where the wind 

 cannot break the shoots. Place the plants, however, 

 under cover before the rains and frosts of autumn occur. 



Mignonette in 5m. and 6in. pots. — Mignonette is very 

 useful for autumn and winter flowering when grown in 

 the sized pots mentioned. Procure seeds of a good strain, 

 such as a well-selected stock of the variety Machet. 

 Make the first sowing for autumn flowering in July, and 

 prepare the pots well, taking care that the best compost 

 only is obtained, especially as regards the loam. Ram it 

 firmly into the pots, not trusting to the fingers, rather 

 using a blunt stick. Fill the pots to within an inch of 

 the rim. Press level, and sow the seeds thinly, covering 

 lightly with finely-sifted sandy soil. If the soil be dry, 

 water before sowing, and scatter the seed evenly over the 

 damp surface. Place the pots in a cold pit until the seeds 

 germinate, then ventilate freely, and as soon as the plants 

 are sufficiently strong, pull up all except five in the 

 smaller-sized pots, and seven in the 6in. ones. If the 

 soil has been made firm the plants will be dwarf and 

 sturdy. Sow again in August, September, or October, 

 and for spring blooming sow in January, in heat. During 

 winter the plants must have a light position in a fairly 

 warm greenhouse. 



MyrtUS (the Myrtle). — A well-known and popular ever- 

 green that is hardy in particularly favoured spots in this 

 country, and forms quite a feature along some parts of the 

 Mediterranean Coast. The white flowers with their 

 prominent stamens are very beautiful. Besides the common 

 kind there is a dwarfer form with narrow leaves. Cuttings 

 will root if taken about midsummer, put in a close frame, 

 and shaded from the sun. 



Nerium Oleander (the Oleander) is a loose -growing, 

 Willow-like shrub that flowers during the summer 

 months. There are many varieties, varying in colour 

 from white to crimson, with both single and double 

 blossoms. The Oleander is a general favourite in the 

 South of Europe, and in this country it may be kept in 

 large pots or tubs, as is often done in the case of the 

 Camellia. It flowers in the summer. Cuttings root 

 readily either in sandy soil or in water, even in a window, 

 but a greenhouse or propagating pit is better. Oleanders 

 require plenty of water, especially during the summer. 



Oxalis. — This is an extensive group, many of the members 

 ol which are low-growing, Clover-like plants, with 

 bright showy blossoms of different colours. Several of 

 them form underground tubers, which in one or two 

 cases have been used as vegetables. A selection of the 

 best would include Oxalis Bowiei, loose clusters of 

 bright rosy red flowers i^in. across ; O. cernua, yellow, 

 and its double-flowered form, O. cernua flore-pleno ; 

 O. Deppei, reddish purple ; O. enneaphylla, white ; 

 O. rosea, rose ; O. variabilis, white, flushed red. The 

 whole of them are of easy culture, and increased rapidly 

 l>v division. 



Pelargonium. — Nearly all the Pelargoniums are, in a 

 wild state, natives of South Africa, and some of them 

 are very beautiful. As decorative plants, however, these 

 native species are greatly inferior to the numerous garden 

 hybrids raised therefrom, and which are now divided into 

 several distinct groups. All of them are readily propa- 

 gated from cuttings, put in at any time except late in the 

 autumn and in winter, and the principal points in their 

 culture are to maintain a free circulation of air around 

 them and to keep the foliage free from aphides or green-fly, 

 which quickly injure the plants. The different sections 

 of Pelargoniums are : 



Zonal, which includes those commonly known as 

 Geraniums. They are much used for bedding out during 

 the summer, and embrace all shades, from white to 

 crimson. 



Double Zonal. — These resemble the last, except that 

 the flowers are double, and, being stronger growers than 

 the single kinds, they are not so useful for bedding out, 

 but as pot plants in the greenhouse they are much used. 

 There are variegated leaved forms of both these sections. 



Show. — The varieties grouped under this head are 

 sometimes called large-flowered Pelargoniums. The 

 three lower petals are plain and unspotted, while the two 

 upper ones are blotched with maroon, thus forming a very 

 regular flower. 



Decorative. — This also includes those to which the 

 terms Regal, French, and Spotted have been applied, as 

 no line can be drawn between the different groups. The 

 flowers resemble those of the show kinds, but are less 

 regular in shape and marking, the lower petals frequently 

 being heavily spotted. The decorative class is that so 

 largely grown for market. 



Fancy. — The Fancy varieties are characterised by 

 smaller flowers than any of the above, but as a set-off 

 they are borne in great profusion. 



Ivy-leaved. — The loose, procumbent habit of most of 

 these eminently fits them for many purposes, such as 

 hanging baskets, furnishing balconies and window-sills, 

 and in the summer for planting in vases in the garden. 

 Both single and double flowers occur in this class, but 

 some of those with double blossoms, though charming 

 for pot culture, are rather too stiff for the purposes 

 above mentioned. 



As regards varieties, it would be better to consult the 

 catalogue of some specialist, such as Messrs. Cannell, of 

 Swanley, Kent, or Messrs. Pearson, of Nottingham. 



