520 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 15, 1899. 
||ints for ^mateurs. 
Protecting Fruit Trees and Bushes.—At this 
season when fruit or other trees are just breaking 
bud, it behoves those —and there are many—who are 
incessantly annoyed by having their bushes, Goose¬ 
berries more particularly, stripped of a vast amount 
of buds by birds' ravages, to repulse the marauders’ 
efforts. 
In a garden wherein a whole brake of Gooseberry 
bushes had in a few years been reduced to blind old 
stumps, we found that by “ threading the bushes 
after making our new plantation, we, in a very large 
measure, saved the buds and so secured furnished 
trees. "Threading" is simply the process of 
stringing dark coloured thread to the tips of all the 
outermost shoots. Articles for the purpose are sold 
by any nurseryman. 
The birds when alighting in the bushes and when 
hopping among the shoots are continually tripped 
over until by repetition of the process they become 
mystified and, in fear, renounce the Gooseberry 
bushes. 
Where Standard Apple and Pear trees have not 
reached too great a height it is of the very first im¬ 
portance to have at hand some protective materials 
for the blooming period to be promptly and effectively 
erected whenever the signs of frost appear. For 
trees up to 8 ft. and g ft. high, we have used old 
horse-rugs having their corners tied to stout, tall 
poles, or tree branches, of convenient size, are 
employed. Having these or any such old cloth, 
mats, or rugs, prepared in the same way, two 
persons can make safe from frost a big lot of trees 
in little time by simply hoisting the protectives over 
the trees and pushing in the poles well down in their 
position round the trees. Then for fruit trees on 
walls—Peaches, Apricots, Plums—nothing more 
convenient or suitable than herring nets can be 
employed. A double or triple thickness is so many 
times better. Glass copings are far too seldom seen, 
considering their value. A broad stone coping is 
very helpful, and we have known Spruce branches 
to be fastened so as to project outwards from the 
coping. " Frost," as we know, means simply loss 
of heat by radiation, a process of perpendicular 
refraction, and we but need to intercept this action 
to retain the latent heat in the trees and walls. 
In cases where cordon Apples form an edging to 
walks, that is, Apples looped like a bow and running 
at a level of ij ft. from the ground, are easily 
secured at their blooming period, by laying over the 
blooms soft hay or dried Asparagus, which may be 
saved when cutting down the plantations. 
Walks. —Now that hard frosts are no larger ex¬ 
pected, all who understand how to enjoy their 
garden must busy themselves by repairing or im¬ 
proving their garden walks. It may be they need 
dressings in the case of gravel, ash, and asphalted 
walks, or relaying and patching where grass walks 
are favoured. Regarding the colours of walks we 
like that to harmonise with the surroundings, but we 
advocate red walks—those ashed with the burnings 
from petroleum pits. 
Lawns.—Wherever unsightly places are, remedy 
them now if not previously done. 
Keep worms tormented at least by frequent sweep¬ 
ings in the early morning. 
Apply top-dressings to worn-out lawns, also dress¬ 
ings to kill out moss. 
Cucumbers can now be planted in frames, above 
a hotbed. Frames with Cucumbers or Melons, and 
having a temperrature of 75° or so, can be utilised 
for seed pans and boxes till the Cucumber or Melon 
plants have grown to require the space. 
Chrysanthemums should now, more or less, be 
all in 4 in. or 5 in. pots. They will require to be 
pinched back to 4 in. from the base, and kept free 
from mildew and greenfly, both of which may be 
kept off by careful airing and watering ; and by sul¬ 
phur for the former infection, and by mild fumigating 
or clear water syringing to ward off insect pests. 
Campanula isophylla alba, that sweet and largely 
grown, hanging plant, can now be had in the cut¬ 
ting stage, or can be raised from seed to be had in 
flower by August. 
Prepare the pans, or if it be baskets, prepare them 
by lining with moss,and then fill up to within an inch 
from the top with a compost of sandy loam four 
parts, spent Mushroom dung one part, and one part 
leaf mould. Sow thinly on a fine surface, water, 
and place the pans in a semi-darkened position in a 
house whose temperature ranges from 65° to 70°. 
Thin the plants when up to an inch high, and shift 
the pans to a cooler house, say 55 0 . 
If they seem to need nourishment before the 
flowering time, give them liquid manure in weak 
doses. 
Cuttings may be managed in all details the same 
as for seedlings. Strike them in a close-case or near 
the glass in a Cucumber frame, using pans, or pots, 
of light soil, and potting off into whatever articles 
they are desired to be grown in when struck. 
Zonal Pelargoniums,commonly called Geraniums, 
should now at the latest have cuttings taken and 
struck in gentle heat. Pot them into larger pots as 
required for their growth,and keep them sturdy. They 
enjoy rich soil, full freedom to spread out and to 
enjoy clear light, plenty of air—the balmy soft moist 
air—with water never stinted, though caution is 
required just before they establish themselves in pots. 
They are not troubled, as are the Fancy Pelargon¬ 
iums, with insects and are altogether easily grown 
worthy plants. 
Forced Spring Bulbs and other plants brought 
into flower by forcing, are very, very often ruined 
or thrown to the rubbish heap at this season, when 
they have yielded their flowers and seemingly ful¬ 
filled all the requirements expected from them. 
Nurserymen and those who supply the bulbs and 
other plants we force, may no doubt foster the idea 
that such stock is of no further good, or at least is 
too worthless to reward one's care in recuperating 
their lost vitality. It is to their interests to abet 
the idea. Still, it is well to know that by even 
scanty attentions to our forced plants we may so far 
place them in the way of affording us succeeding 
gifts of their beauty in the form of floral produce. 
When Tulips, Hyacinths, Narcissi, Lily of the 
Valley, Crocuses, Ornithogalums, Irises, or any other 
of the many kinds of bulbs we subject to conditions 
of highly unnatural temperature have thrown up 
their blooms, blooms which, as a general rule are 
immediately slashed off, they ought not to be bundled 
off into cold houses, or as in many cases,even put out¬ 
doors, or any other such corner to be subjected to 
such a drastic change of temperature, and this, too, 
after being denuded of everything whereby they 
elaborate and in great measure absorb their nourish¬ 
ment, that is, the stems and foliage. 
We have forced every year a large variety of 
bulbous plants expressly for their flowers, which are 
cut whenever open. But when their contributions 
have been rendered we generally find room to grow 
them for yet awhile in a house whose temperature 
is only slightly below the one in which they previ¬ 
ously were. Watering is seen to with fair regularity 
and alter a short time we are able to dry off and 
shift them about to cooler quarters. When ripened, 
the finishing of which is done while the pots of bulbs 
stand outdoors, we plant them in any odd corner 
where there is a probability at all of their finding 
nourishment. Whole glades and borders and sheets 
of semi-kept lawn or grounds, have been filled up 
during a few years, and are now a source of 
pleasure and profit, gratifying us with a continu¬ 
ance of bloom by coming into bloom when our 
latest forced batches have been demolished. 
Given some decayed stable or farmyard manure 
among the soil when planting out, and by putting 
them well down, 6 inches say, they are enabled to 
start well and continue to uphold their beauty. 
It is just the same thing with Azaleas, Lilacs, &c. 
When we recollect that thousands of Indian and 
German Azaleas are imported into Britain yearly,we 
then must conclude that great waste goes on some¬ 
where. Well, have only a little patience, and care ; 
prune your plants into shape, securing good buds, if 
you can.so that they may start strong,and give them 
a sunny sheltered position out of doors when they 
are hardened a bit; give them due waterings, feed a 
little if necessary, and then even the next year after 
forcing one secures a recompense in bloom, certainly 
not much or very good, but still a little, and by care 
another season, a lot of good then will reward the 
cultivator. Such methods may not really be adopt- 
able by many. If amateurs know of those who 
destroy their forced stuff, it would surely be a lucky 
hit for them to obtain a supply of such stock and to 
nurse it back to vigour, and afterwards to plant out 
their properties, having the assurance that time will 
amply reward their labour.— Beacon. 
Correspondence. 
Questions asked by amateurs on any subject pertaining 
to gardens or gardening will be answered on this page. 
Anyone may give additional or more explanatory answers 
to questions that have already appeared. Those who desire 
their communications to appear on this page should write 
"Amateurs' Page " on the top of their letters. 
Flowering Climbers for a House.— D. W.: You 
should secure climbers that will flower at different 
times of the year, thus giving you a succession for 
as long a period as possible. One of the most 
charming for flowering in May is Clematis montana, 
the flowers of which are pure white, and produced 
in the greatest profusion on well established plants, 
with firm wood. Where afforded plenty of room it 
would in time cover most of the front wall, but you 
must restrict it and every other climber to the space 
you can afford. Wistaria chinensis flowers a little 
later with light mauve flowers, but it requires a 
sunny aspect and plenty of space. Jasminum 
officinale flowers in summer, and J. nudiflorum in 
winter. Gloire de Dijon Rose should be included in 
the list if possible, for it flowers most of the summer 
and autumn when well treated. The Fiery Thorn 
(Crataegus Pyracantha) grows slowly, and produces 
bright orange berries that hang on all the winter. 
C. P. Lelandi produces flowers and berries much 
more profusely in its earlier stages. 
Yallota purpurea .—Tyro : It may be that the pot 
containing the bulbs is too full of roots, and that they 
are starved. If so give a size larger pot without dis¬ 
turbing the roots very much beyond taking out the 
crocks. Use good fibrous loam with quite a fourth 
part of well decayed cow manure. Give good 
drainage, and make the freshly added soil quite firm, 
even if you require a label or strip of wood to press 
it down between the pot and the ball of soil, but 
leave plenty of space for watering, and feed with 
liquid manure after the bulbs have made growth, 
and previous to flowering. 
Planting out Arum Lilies. — M. B. : The process 
is very simple. Soon after the plants have flowered 
the foliage begins to die down, and the plants go to 
rest for a time. Some time in June, after all danger 
of frost has gone, you may select a piece of rich 
ground, and dig out trenches as for Celery, only they 
need not be so wide or deep. Some well rotted cow 
manure may be dug into the trenches, and the Arum 
Lilies planted at once. Plenty of water during dry 
weather and the pulling up of weeds will be the 
chief after-care necessary, until you must lift the 
plants towards the end of September, before frost 
has a chance of spoiling the foliage. 
The Pampas Lily. — E. J. : This is a name applied 
to Withania origanifolia, a member of the same 
family to which the Potato belongs. The small, 
white flowers resemble those of the Lily of the 
Valley, hence the name. We are not sure if the 
right method of treatment for it in this country has 
yet been found. In rich soil it makes vigorous 
growth even in dry seasons, but does not flower very 
freely. It may be that a poor soil would suit it 
better and cause it to flower more profusely, or the 
plant may ultimately favour the same result when it 
gets thoroughly established and the soil permeated 
with roots. A little patience is needed, but you 
might raise young plants for trial in different posi¬ 
tions and soils. 
Antirrhinums to Flower this Season. — Case : You 
should be able to flower them this year, provided you 
sow the seeds in a little heat, and stand the seedlings 
as near the glass as possible as soon as they come 
through the soil to prevent their becoming drawn. 
When they have made a rough leaf or two trans¬ 
plant them into boxes of soil, with which plenty of 
sand and leaf soil is incorporated. When the seed¬ 
lings commence to grow in this the boxes must be 
transferred to a cooler place, that is, if the one they 
are in is at all warm. They must not be drawn up 
for want of light and air, as that might ruin them 
for the season. After the seedlings are 2 in. or 3 in- 
high they should be hardened off by full exposure 
during the day at least, and when inured to the open 
air they may be planted in a sunny position where 
they are to flower. When they come into bloom you 
can mark the very best to take cuttings or seeds, 
whichever you prefer. 
The Artillery Plant.— Ell. : The Artillery Plant 
