168 
OPERATIONS FOR AUGUST. 
In promiscuously-planted herbaceous borders, many species will have ceased to flower for the 
season. These should have their stems cut down, unless they still retain a healthy green hue, 
and have an ornamental habit, when the flowers and their peduncles alone may be removed, 
observing, as before directed with other plants, that this is managed so as to avoid a stiff and 
unnatural appearance. If the stems are cut down, other plants, such as annuals in pots, ready 
to burst into flower, should be planted beside them, so as to occupy their place in maintaining 
beauty. Where tall plants are required to fill up the opening thus created. Sweet Peas in flower, 
which have been grown in small pots, to confine their roots, and kept in a rather shaded place, 
will be a most suitable substitute, as they will continue to bloom for the remainder of the season. 
And these plants are usually more attractive when not turned out of the pots till they begin to 
flower, than when planted out young, and allowed to grow the whole season in borders. 
Many of the early-sown annuals will require to be removed, and their places supplied with 
others ready to flower. The beauty of many, such as Eschscholtzia, Iberis, Erysimum, Eutoca^ 
&c., may be prolonged, when planted or sown in beds, by continually pinching back a few of the 
flowering shoots. This will induce the formation of lateral branches, to flower at a later period, 
without creating any visible diminution of present show. The same remark will apply with equal 
propriety to many varieties of China and other Roses, which, by successively removing some of 
the flowering heads, and cutting back those that have shed their blossoms, may be continued in 
an abundant and uniform blooming state, as long as there is sufficient warmth to develope them. 
But although flowers may be well cultivated and borders kept tidy, but a very indifferent 
effect will be produced unless all other parts are made to correspond. The unclipt edging of a 
lawn, or a gravel-walk filled with weeds, or covered with moss, will detract greatly from the 
appearance effected by the most skilful management and elaborate neatness amongst the gayer 
features. No opportunity must be left unimproved, that can minister towards attaining the 
most perfect propriety in all these points. 
If the propagation of border-plants has not already commenced, set about it immediately, in 
order that the young plants may be better established, and the risk of losing them during winter 
diminished. Those who have not frames at liberty may strike many of the plants commonly used 
for border purposes, in a bed prepared in the garden, shaded from the sun, and protected from 
rain and wind, by a canvass covering stretched out on a skeleton, formed of strong lathes, and 
placed over them with a slight inclination to the north. Verbenas, Petunias, Salvias^ Cinerarias, 
and Calceolarias, and many hardy plants, less frequently cultivated though scarcely less deserving, 
may be successfully increased in this way. The cuttings may either be inserted in the bed in 
fine sand, or very sandy soil, or in pots and boxes filled with the same material. If the former 
method be adopted, they must be shifted into pots as soon as they have made roots. The removal 
of cuttings will be beneficial to the plants, in causing the production of two or three additional 
shoots, each bearing as much bloom as that abstracted would have produced had it been allowed 
to remain. And it will be of -still further advantage to shrubby plants in making them more 
bushy, and preventing the lower portion of the shoots from becoming naked. 
The atmosphere of the greenhouse must now be maintained in a less moist condition than has 
been recommended for previous months, as the object must now be rather to promote the 
maturity of the wood already formed, than to seek for a further increase, that the plants may be 
less susceptible of injury from sudden depressions of temperature, and require a smaller expen- 
diture of fuel throughout the winter. To aid in this object, the doors and ventilators may be 
more freely opened than at an earlier season, and the plants less constantly shaded, and gradually 
inured to bear more and more light. This must be done carefully, that the health of the plants 
may not be injured. 
These observations will extend also to the Orchidacese-house and stove, though in a somewhat 
modified degree. In the Orchidaceee-house, especially, any alteration in shading must be chiefly 
confined to damp and cloudy weather, for the majority of these plants are by nature formed to 
grow only in umbrageous forests, and, consequently, are unable to endure full exposure. Where 
there is the conveniency of two houses, those species that have completed their growth may be 
removed to the cooler house, and kept in a drier state. 
Plants against conservative walls need frequent tendance to tie in the growing shoots, and 
remove all that are not wanted, or that would interfere with the proper exposure of others. 
