,„ 24 190 b. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
- OUR - 
NORTHERN GARDENS. 
Flower Garden and Pleasure 
Grounds. 
Watering. —When a prolonged drought 
occurs watering must be attended to, but the 
driblet system should be avoided. Water 
only when necessary, and then give a good 
soaking, and keep the surface stirred by 
means of the Dutch hoe. 
Pinks should now be propagated by means 
of cuttings, or pipings, as they are usually 
called. They can be struck under hand- 
lights or in a cold frame, keeping them close 
and shaded till rooted. Among whites Her 
Majesty and Mrs. Sinkins are probably the 
best. But the old fimbriata alba is still 
worth a place for edgings and such like. The 
laced varieties are too numerous to mention 
here. 
Iris germanica —These have been very 
attractive for the past fortnight. Before they 
go out of bloom attention should be given 
to labelling where necessary. This is also 
the best time to make notes if any modifica¬ 
tion of the collection is contemplated. 
Rhododendrons. —Where not already 
done, the seed pods should be picked off to 
prevent the waste of energy in this direction. 
Conservatory and Greenhouse. 
Calceolarias. —In keeping with the hint 
given here three weeks ago, seed should now 
be sown. 
Cinerarias. —These must be potted before 
they become crowded in the boxes into which 
the seedlings were pricked. Use pots from 
3 in. to 4 in. in diameter, according to the 
vigour of the plants. Equal parts of loam 
and leaf soil, with a dash of sand, will still 
meet their requirements. 
Nicotiana Sanderae .—Where it has been 
grown cool in pots this new Tobacco plant 
will be throwing up its flower stems ; assist 
them with some stimulant. I regret to say 
that the flowered examples shown at Edin¬ 
burgh last month were poor compared with 
the coloured illustrations so much in evi¬ 
dence in the seed lists this spring.' 
Lobelia tenuior. —This is a new break in 
Lobelias; it will probably never be popular 
as a bedcler, but it is a decided acquisition 
as a conservatory plant. As it reaches a 
height of from 12 in. to 18 in., it requires the 
support of slender stakes. It will flower 
from now right into the late autumn. 
.C. C. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Asparagus — The beds should receive 
copious drenchings of liquid *manure, and an 
occasional dressing of salt. This vegetable does 
not succeed everywhere, and even in favour¬ 
able localities it is often spoiled by being cut 
too close. It should be remembered that if no' 
strong, healthy shoots are left next year’s 
crop will be but poor. Some method should 
be tried to prevent rough winds from breaking 
over the stalks. Perhaps nothing is more 
satisfactory than a few Pea stakes stuck firmly 
here and there in the beds. 
Broccoli. —This is often planted too eaidy 
and on too rich ground. The best of all 
positions for this important crop is on a border 
facing west. The soil should be in good heart, 
but should not be dug or manured for Broc¬ 
coli. If it has been dug, tread as hard as 
possible, or there will be small chance of the 
crop passing saiely through the winter. I find 
that Snow’s Winter, Cattel’s Eclipse, Dal- 
meny Park, and Methven’s June are very re¬ 
liable. 
Chicory. —-Sow this in drills a foot apart on 
good ground. When ready thin to 9 inches 
between the plants. This can be used during 
winter as a substitute for Seakale, and also 
makes a delicious salad. 
Onions. —Dust these occasionally with fresh 
soot, as it not only acts us a stimulant but has 
the further recommendation of warding off 
the dreaded maggot. An occasional sprink¬ 
ling of guano, or sulphate of ammonia, also 
greatly helps to rush this crop past the dan¬ 
gerous stage. On light soils common salt, too, 
has a wonderfully beneficial effect on the 
Onion. 
General Hints.— A snuff of some fast-grow¬ 
ing Cabbage should now be sown, Sutton’s 
Earliest being first-rate for the purpose. This 
sowing gives nice tender heads late in autumn. 
Continue planting and thinning as it becomes 
necessary, and keep the ground well stirred 
among growing crops. Stake Peas and 
Runner Beans in good time, as when allowed 
to knuckle over befoi'e staking they never 
take so kindly to the supports, and generally 
prove very unsatisfactory. C. Blair. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Hardy Fruit. 
Strawberries —At this season it is well 
to thoroughly look over all Strawberry beds 
and have any weeds removed and give a 
slight hoe to loosen the surface. It is a great 
advantage now to give a good watering with 
a little weak liquid manure, which will 
greatly assist the fruit to swell, and I find 
nothing better for that purpose than liquid 
from the farmyard tank ; and when the ani¬ 
mals are extra well fed the better the liquid 
will be. I would, therefore, strongly advise 
never to use it stronger than four-parts of 
water to one of liquid. Those who have not 
the opportunity of that can substitute it by 
using some of the light manures now so much 
in use—ichthemic guano, muriate of potash, 
steamed bone flour and soot—or an equal 
proportion of each would make an excellent 
dressing well watered in with clean water. 
After watering I should strongly advise a 
r niching of some kind in between the rows 
for the double purpose of saving evaporation 
and to sei*ve to keep the fruit clean, and also 
to prevent slugs, which are a terrible pest 
some seasons. I have used with very great 
effect dried Bracken Fern. Cut in the wood 
in winter they prevent slugs better than 
anything else I know when dessert fruit is 
required early, and when a plantation is 
being helped on on a south border. Roofing 
tiles of houses, either old or new, can be use ! 
to great advantage to forward the crops ; by 
laying them along the side of the rows an 1 
509 
letting the fruit rest on them, will materially 
assist to hasten on the crop. Young breaks 
which were planted this year are now in a 
nice growing state, and should be well hoed 
and all flower stalks removed to give strength 
to the plants. A crop of winter Onions can 
be grown between the rows of plants without 
any bad effect, where ground is scarce for 
other crops. J. Fraser Smith. 
TO PROTECT . . 
TENDER PLANTS. 
A Cheap and Ingenious Device. 
The object of the accompanying sketches 
is the protection of tender plants from frost, 
heavy rains, etc. I find it most useful for 
putting over all seeds. When planted, it 
keeps them from being overlooked or scratched 
up, and, should the sun be too strong, the 
glass is easily whitened. In reference to the 
sketch, A represents an American hard-wood 
clothes-peg, B a long French nail, C a 
wooden stake, usually about 12 in. long. 
The pegs cost lOd. a gross, or five gross for 
3s. 6d. The wood for making the stakes is 
| in. by 1 in., and costs Is. per 100 ft. 
R. C. Hammoxd 
The Black Currant Pest. —The supply of 
Black Currants from the Yale of Evesham has 
been greatly curtailed by the Black Currant 
mite, and no really satisfactory means of deal¬ 
ing with the pest has so far been discovered. 
Now is the time to attack the pest, for it is 
during May and June that the mites change 
their quarters from the old buds which they 
have occupied last season into the young buds. 
Spraying with a mixture, at intervals of ten 
days, of soft soap and quassia—2 oz. of the 
former and 4 oz. of the latter to each gallon 
of soft water—is recommended. After the 
leaves have fallen in the autumn the bushes 
should be examined for any “ big buds,’’ and 
these should be picked off and burnt. A 
dressing of manure should also be given to 
the bushes to enable them to grow freely. 
