THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
9 
form is perhaps the best. Those who intend to train should take 
them in hand in a young state, for it is a difficult affair to get an 
old plant into shape after being allowed to grow wild for several 
years. 
The single and double azaleas are grown in precisely the same 
manner, and in any case the double varieties should, on account of 
their fine characters, have a conspicuous place in even a small 
collection. 
BALCONY AND AREA GARDENING. 
BY JOHN R. MOLLISON. 
late years balcony and area gardening has become very 
fashionable in some parts of London, and others of our 
large towns. The art is only in its infancy with us as yet, 
but by-and-by, instead of being confined to a few streets 
and squares, we shall see the balconies and windows 
everywhere draped with verdure and gay with countless flowers of 
every hue. On the Continent this style of town gardening is carried 
out to a far greater extent and in greater perfection than with us. 
Of course our climate will never allow us to compete with our con- 
tinental neighbours with anything like success in this matter, but 
still, a very great deal more might be done. A roomy, well arranged 
balcony, with its little rockery, flower-pots, and boxes, and creeping 
plants, is one of the best, cheapest, and most enjoyable of town 
gardens, a never-failing source of pleasure, and a very oasis in the 
desert of town life for the wearied eye to rest upon. It is surprising 
how flowers and plants will flourish in a balcony or area garden, if 
suitable plants be chosen, and well supplied with water, both at the 
roots and overhead. A daily syringing or overhead watering with 
a fine rose is one of the necessary attentions to be paid to them in 
this situation. Without this daily washing, your balcony or area 
gardening soon gets dusty and unattractive. In the morning before 
the sun is very strong is the proper time to do it. In dry warm 
weather the plants should all be watered at night after sundown. 
It is very refreshing to them after a hot dusty day, and braces them 
up for the coming morrow. 
The best way to cultivate flowers on a balcony is by means of 
boxes, which are preferable to pots, as they do not dry up so soon 
and the roots of the plants have more nourishment and room to 
spread. The best sort of soil is the same as that recommended for 
window boxes. And no lack of useful flowers need be experienced, 
for nothing looks better on a balcony than some of our hardy common 
flowers which may be bought in the market for a few pence per 
dozen, such as Wallflowers, Stoclcs, Arribis , Daisies, Bepaticas, double 
and single Primroses and Polyanthuses , Pansies, Violas, and Forget- 
me-nots, and Auriculas, not forgetting the splendid, hardy border 
January. 
