142 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 
Routine Work. —The Flower-beds .—The groups 
of flowers in beds are now all planted, and will require 
considerable attention to keep them in due order and 
neatness. You will now find all the articles you 
manufactured in winter of great use; we mean such 
useful tilings as flower-sticks, hooked pegs, and labels. 
Verbenas. —These useful plants, for filling beds, 
will now begin to grow quickly and will require peg¬ 
ging down. Previously to doing this, let the surface 
of the soil be stirred rather deeply with the Dutch 
hoe. Do this on the morning of a day that promises 
to be a bright sunny one. The sun will then destroy 
all the young weeds effectually. In the latter part of 
the afternoon you can rake the beds carefully, so as 
not to injure tire plants, clearing away all the rubbish 
from each bed as you proceed. Thus, if suddenly 
called off or stopped by showers of rain, your garden 
will not appear littery and neglected in any part. 
After this operation is completed, let the plants be 
pegged down regularly all over the beds, concealing 
the pegs as much as possible, so as to give the idea 
that the verbenas had grown so close to the ground 
naturally. Sweep the grass, to clear away all litter, 
and then you will have finished your job in a work¬ 
manlike manner. 
Petunias may be treated similarly, but will re¬ 
quire a little more care or the branches will break. 
The same instructions apply to the following: roses, 
grouped in masses, to fill a bed or beds with one 
colour; scarlet geraniums, gaillardias, heliotropes, 
and some others of less note. All these, to keep 
them close to the ground, require the same manage¬ 
ment. 
Mixed Flower-border. — In small gardens tins 
method of cultivating flowers will be necessarily 
adopted. The agreeable appearance of the border of 
flowers, planted in this manner, will depend greatly 
upon the way in which it is furnished. Tall growing 
varieties should be planted or sown at the farthest 
distance from the edge, medium-sized ones next to 
them, and the low growing varieties in front. Gene¬ 
rally speaking, these borders will be filled with her¬ 
baceous perennials, but, although these are sufficiently 
numerous, yet there are so many beautiful flowers 
very desirable that are not of that class, the amateur 
or cottager is quite justified in cultivating them. 
Such plants, as we have mentioned as suitable for 
grouping in beds, may be, with great propriety, 
planted in the mixed flower-border; but we do not 
recommend, in that case, the use of hooked pegs, as 
that plan causes the plants so treated to occupy too 
much space. Instead of pegging them down, we 
advise tying them up to short sticks. Place round 
each verbena and other trailing plants four or five 
sticks, and tie a shoot to each. Let the sticks be 
placed at such distances from each other as will, 
when the plants are grown and in flower, give each 
the appearance of a large specimen, some 1:2 or 18 
inches across, according to the size each plant is 
likely to attain. This operation of tying them up re¬ 
quires almost a daily attention, so that they may not 
become too long or brittle to take the desired form. 
Sweet Peas. —In some gardens it may be desirable 
to have a row of these sweet-smelling pretty flowers, 
to serve as a division between the vegetable or fruit- 
garden, separating these from the flower-border or 
garden. They will now, whether sown in a row or 
in patches, require support. The most common ar¬ 
ticles used for the purpose arc the brandies of hazels. 
They should be straight, and well furnished with 
June 
small spray for the tendrils to catch hold of. Clip off 
all straggling twigs, and stick them in close to the 
bottom of the plants, to support them t’U they reach 
the higher twigs of the taller sticks. A neat, useful, 
and effectual support for sweet peas was sent to us 
some weeks ago by Mr. John Roberts, of 34, East- 
cheap, London. It is made of wire in a circular 
form, about eight inches diameter, with six uprights 
and half circular bands of wire attached. It is 
so contrived as to be in two pieces, which join 
together with slides, and then form a circle to sur¬ 
round the plants. Mr. Roberts has registered this 
article, and intends advertising it in The Cottage 
Gardener. If made stronger and higher than the 
one sent us for inspection it would form a good sup¬ 
port for dahlias, hollyhocks, and other tall-growing 
flowers. Should any of our readers wish for further 
information about this useful article, Mr. Roberts will 
be happy to give it by post. 
Insects. — Slugs .—Several of our correspondents 
have written to us for information how to destroy 
these destructive pests, one of which we answered 
last week; but, as we find that they prevail unusually 
this season in various parts of the country, it may be 
advisable to enter more fully into the means to relieve 
the gardens of such of our readers as are plagued 
with them. We remember, more than 20 years ago, 
complaining to an old Scotch gardener, of the de¬ 
struction that woodlice had effected among some seed¬ 
ling polyanthuses, and asking him how to get rid of 
them. His reply was short and pithy, “ Catch them, 
an crush them atween twa stanes.” This, though an 
effectual way of getting rid of such vermin, whether 
woodlice or slugs, is rather too tedious. Where a 
garden is very much infested with slugs, the follow¬ 
ing methods should be perseveiingly put in practice. 
First, lay traps for them of brewers’ grains or cabbage- 
leaves, placed in small heaps in various parts of the 
garden. Every night and very early every morning 
gather up all that may have crept out to the traps to 
feed, and destroy them. All crops just springing from 
the ground should be frequently dusted with quick¬ 
lime and soot. The lime will destroy all the slugs it 
touches; and the soot will prevent them from feed¬ 
ing upon the young and tender leaves, besides being 
beneficial to the crops as a manure. Lastly, if those 
means fail, water the ground with clear lime-water 
two or three nights in succession; this will destroy 
worms as well as slugs, and will not injure the ten- 
derest plants. As we observed before, all these pre¬ 
ventives and destructives must be used perseveringly. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
Tulips. —As soon as the leaves of these beautiful 
flowers are tinned yellow take up the bulbs immedi¬ 
ately. If delayed some time, and the weather should 
be wet, there is danger of their starting fresh roots, 
which would injure tire bloom next year. When 
taken up, expose them to the sun a few hours every 
morning until they turn brown ; and when perfectly 
dry, divide from the flowering bulbs all the offsets. 
Have your bags ready to receive them, with the name 
of each kind fairly written upon each bag. You may 
either keep the offsets and flowering roots separate or 
not, as best suits your convenience. Some florists 
have a nest of drawers to keep their bulbs in, and a 
good plan it is, but small growers may keep their 
roots of tulips very well in paper bags. They should 
be kept in a cool dry room till the planting seasou 
arrives again. 
Pansies. —These flowers will now be producing, if 
