600 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 19, 1900 
IglNIS FOR gMATEURS. 
Bedding-out Preparations.—So much has been 
written in other parts of The Gardening World 
than this amateur’s page,about what we ought to do 
and how we should proceed to do it, in reference to 
the filling of our summer flower beds, that there is 
little now that I need say. Amateurs like to take 
their money’s worth out of their beds, and possibly 
they will not be in such a hurry to clear out the 
plants which now are affording a show of flowers, 
Bulbous plants should be left alone until the new 
stuff is ready for planting. If bulbs must be lifted, 
secure some other bed or border wherein to plant 
them. Lay them together in shallow trenches, then 
firm, and water them. Or, better still, if you can 
afford to do what has at times been advocated here, 
plant them out in good sites on the grass, then do so. 
You are laying up treasure for yourselves by doing 
so, and by looking about you at the buying time 
next year, it need not cost a great deal to re-stock 
your beds with bulbous plants. Let me diverge 
for the nonce, to say that many florists and gar¬ 
deners in large places, who force a great quantity 
of bulbs every season, are often enough willing to 
let any one take away these forced bulbs. I know of 
one very famous public garden wherein it is a delight 
to wander in April and early May, from the fact that 
thousands, perhaps millions of bulbs, are in flower 
all over the rising grounds and around the trees. 
These bulbs, or a very great deal of them, had been 
farced in other places near by, had been 
secured, cared for, and ultimately planted. Now 
they are established and are lovely. 
After the beds have been prepared, pegs and 
stakes may be required. It is well to look them out. 
What the be Is or borders are to be filled with, ought 
not to be left to chance of circumstances. The 
garden is tie place for recreation and for pleasure 
during the summer ; see to it then that you furnish 
your garden so that the greatest amount of happi¬ 
ness can te got from it. The bedding plants 
should by this time be placed out in the open yard 
with only the surrounding protection of a tiffany 
screen, and a like overhead covering. This screen 
can be rolled up and removed during the day-time. 
Plants which are so carefully and gradually inured 
to the changed conditions under which they will 
shortly find themselves, lose little of their freshness 
and receive only a very slight check. If plants have 
to be bought choose only those which have a sturdy 
and firm appearance. 
Roses. — The growth that Roses are making is 
remarkable. Newly pruned standards are sending 
out strong shoots in all directions To enable the 
best shoots to produce the finest blooms possible, 
it is sometimes necessary to " thin out ” the neigh¬ 
bouring shoots. I would therefore advise anxious 
Rosarians to go over their bushes on a few occasions 
to substract one where two shoots emerge from the 
same eye. Or where shoots are too thickly set 
along the length of a branch, judicious thinning 
should be done. In soils which are light and dry— 
the worst for the Rose—use one of the lawn 
sprinklers. They but require to be fixed and 
allowed to revolve for a length of lime sufficient to 
allow of a thorough soaking to the ground. The con¬ 
stant shower of water generally cleanses the bushes 
from those ubiquitous pests, green and black flies. 
So soon as the surface of the soil has become dry 
enough for hoeing, this operation should immediately 
follow. By so doing the moisture is conserved in the 
soil and aeration is more perfectly facilitated. 
Schizanthus pinnatus and its varieties are about 
to bloom, or indeed they are in flower. Where they 
have yet to develop and open, they-will do so more 
freely and will be of better substance and size, by 
having liquid manure afforded to them in a weak 
state. Do not pipch in any of the lateral growths, 
nor stake them up too stiffly. 
Cinerarias.—These are still at their freshest. The 
greatest care at present is to keep the plants entirely 
free from greenfly or other insect pest. These 
insects very soon establish themselves and ought to 
be dealt with while they are scarce and weak. 
Fumigating with XL All Insecticide, Tobacco-paper 
or any of the known materials is alone to be recom¬ 
mended, as syringing would more speedily destroy 
the plants than the flies which we battle against. 
Ventilate the Greenhouse night and day, a very 
little top air at night, with both top and bottom ven¬ 
tilators open (unless on harsh, cold-winded days) 
when daylight lasts. Allow a temperature of 47 0 or 
50° minimum, up to 6o°, when the day is at its 
warmest. Any plants out of flower may be thrown 
away. I do not advise saving one's own seeds. 
Where seed-raving is done, it ought to be exchanged 
for seeds of good quality from another district. 
Seeds should be sown early next month to provide 
plants for next year’s flowering. Prepare shallow 
pans, crock them 2 in. deep, cover the crocks over 
with fibrous material such as the stuff which can be 
sieved from very fibrous loam, or clean moss or 
leaves do well, when used judiciously. Mix up a 
sandy compost and fill the pans, pressing the soil 
moderately firm, over the even surface of which the 
seeds may be carefully scattered. Merely cover them 
with sifted soil, then to moisten the soil, immerse 
the pans to their rims in tepid water, and after the 
pan and its soil has become properly damped, with¬ 
draw and place a circular piece of glass across the 
surface rim of the pan. A shaded position in a warm 
pit should then be given. 
Dahlias.—I hinted last week to see about pre¬ 
paring and enriching the sites for the Dahlia plants. 
The plants about to be planted ought to be inured 
bit by bit to fuller and yet fuller exposure. The air 
is nearly always genial at the present season, so that 
except for the evenings and nights the Dahlias should 
now have the frame sashes always tilted about 
1 ft. 
Chrysanthemums.—Sometimes a break-out of 
" rust ” has to be combated with at this changeable 
season. It is now, if ever, that vigilance should un¬ 
remittingly be given. The summer spores of the 
rust are beginning their active life. Soon they 
spread from leaf to leaf and from plant to plant. 
Nothing but being first in the field and proving more 
persistent than those uredospores will take you 
through to victory. Three pounds of Kill-’m-r’ght 
dissolved in 2^ gallons of water when boiled and 
stirred, should be used (when cool) at the rate of a 
wine glassful to every two gallons of water. These 
two gallons of water are sufficient to spray both 
sides of a row of 160 plants. Or half an ounce of 
sulphide of potassium to each gallon of water, 
syringed twice a week, will pronouncedly effect a 
check to the advance or establishment of the fuDgus. 
Other cultivators again use a solution made from 3 lb. 
of sulphate of copper, lb. of lime with thirty 
gallons of water. 
Potting into 5-in. pots is the order of the day. 
Bush plants should be pinched when about £ ft. high. 
Place the newly-potted plants in a cold frame, well- 
positioned to secure good light. Keep the frame 
nearly close for a couple of days, and give slight 
shade. After this they may receive more ventilation. 
Dew them over in the mornings of all bright or 
warm days. 
Coleuses.—The final shift can now be given to 
Coleuses. If bushy and pyramidal plants are 
desired pinch the basal shoots when they have 
grown to a length of just over 1 ft. By their length 
the point at which to pinch the longer ones can be 
judged. The top-most or leader shoots will be 
required for the increase in height. A porous but 
rich soil and well drained pots should be employed 
for this final shift. Coleuses for sub-tropical bed¬ 
ding ought to be grown hard. 
Neat Lawns and Walks.—There is no comparison 
between a half-kept and a neatly trimmed garden, 
ff we are to " garden ” let us garden thoroughly. I 
refer here more especially to smaller gardens, which 
are strictly, or at least in large part, formally de¬ 
signed and surrounded on all sides by dividing walls 
or hedges. Few of us could expect extensive por¬ 
tions of larger gardens to be so thoroughly ordered 
as those small gardens of one or two acres. Lawns 
should be as level as possible, firmly rolled, and 
mown very closely. They should be watered to pre¬ 
serve their freshness, and have their edges closely 
and constantly trimmed. The garden paths should 
contain not a weed, and should be smooth and 
firm. 
Cyclamen.—The earliest batches of these, sown 
last August, should now be in 3 in. or 4 in. pots, 
according to circumstances. Whatever you do be 
sure you keep them free from insects. Plants which 
have been flowering during the past season for the 
first time should now be rested. Growth ought not 
to be at a complete standstill, but very nearly so. 
After four weeks or four to six weeks of rest they 
may be shaken out and repotted in a compost con¬ 
sisting of two and a half parts of nice, fibrous, 
maiden loam, that is, loam never before used, and 
quite fresh, one part of clean leaf mould, one part 
of dry cow dung, a small quantity of broken up 
charcoal, and about half a part of coarse silver 
sand. After potting start the plants (which are now 
eighteen months old), but do not hurry them, and 
treat them as the young plants should later on be 
managed. 
Other Work.—Hollyhocks may be planted out in 
richly prepared soil at any time. Petunias need not 
be too soon planted out. The pot plants should be 
kept clean and freely ventilated. An early sowiDg of 
Wallflowers should be made. Zinnias may also be 
sown during the present month or early in ths 
following one. Ten Week Stocks may be planted 
out in thoroughly well prepared beds or borders. 
Mowing and general cleaning up must be persis¬ 
tently attended to.— Beacon. 
• » »-- 
Correspondence. 
Questions ashed 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 ol their letters. 
Covering unsightly Fences.— V. TV.: Climbing 
annual Tropaeolums (otherwise known as Nastur¬ 
tiums), and T. speciosum, Canary Creeper, Ampe- 
lopsis Veitchii, A quinquefolia, Convolvulus major, 
Sweet Peas, Hops, Roses planted from pots, and 
Clematis in the same way, are subjects often sug¬ 
gested and unique for the purpose. 
Pelargoniums losing Flower Buds.— J. Kellor: 
The probable causes are : (1) A severe and sudden 
drying at ihe roots; (2) Too cold an atmosphere. 
Though we have had some warm weather, yet this 
spring seems loathful to leave the lap of winter ; 
therefore, it is possible that your greenhouse has 
become too chilly and damp. Keep up a mild best 
in the pipes and regulate the temperature by judici¬ 
ous ventilation. Fancy Pelargoniums require a good 
deal of careful watcbiog. Maintain a day tempera¬ 
ture of 58° to 63°, down to 50° to 55 0 at night. 
Violets for Outdoor Planting.— L. M.: Given 
thoroughly worked borders or sites, which are en- 
ricbel and prepared to the liking of Violets (deep, 
cool, moist, and sweet), your frame plants might be 
expected to do fairly well, and to return some flowers 
after the shift. 
Roses for Planting Now.—L. H.: Climbing 
Roses, Teas, and some H.P.’s, which can be obtained 
as pot plants, may safely enough be planted out. 
Make the space for the roots open and unconfined, 
plant a well moistened root ball, loosening as many 
of the roots as can safely be done, and firmly fill in 
the soil. Water thereafter, syringe the foliage twice 
or thrice a day, and shade the plants from bright 
sunshine. 
Smilax in Boxes.— A. McK. : Try a little feeding. 
Perhaps the roots have quite filled the box. Thom- 
son’s.Clay's.or Canary Guano manures should all be 
effectual in increasing the strength of the shoots. A 
slightly warmer house, too, say with a temperature 
of 65° to 70 0 seems more likely to incite robust 
growth. A moist, moderately shaded position, 
absolute cleanliness and care in watering are neces¬ 
sary items of culture which you should look to. 
Insecticides.— W. S.: The “Hints,” which re¬ 
ferred particularly to Insecticides, will be found on 
page 616 (May 27th, 1899) of last year’s volume. 
Besides the commonly advertised insecticides we 
find London Purple, arsenate of lead, and Paris 
Green employed against sawflies, gall Insects, and 
the like. These are all deadly poisons, and can only 
be used with the greatest of caution. For insects 
like Aphides, bugs, and scales, petroleum and paraf¬ 
fin emulsions, that is, these with water and soft 
soap are highly effective. Kerosene is also used 
Pyretbrum and tobacco powder, with hellebore, sul¬ 
phur, and resin washes. Fumigants are adopted, 
and these include sulphur, tobacco paper, Xl All In¬ 
secticides, &c. 
