36 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 18, 1908. 
The Flower Garden 
Much work may be done in the flower 
garden while the weather is dry. One hour 
each day may be very profitably spent in 
this department on fine clays, as it is very 
unpleasant to be amongst shrubs and trees 
while they are dripping with water. 
Frozen Lawns. 
At this season one may expect frosts, and 
when these occur do not trample upon, nor 
take wheelbarrows over the lawn, else the 
blades of grass will be bruised, and al¬ 
though the roots will not be materially 
damaged, there will be brown patches and 
streaks across the lawn after the frost has 
gone, and these marks will look very un¬ 
sightly. 
Pruning Shrubs. 
By the judicious use of the pruning knife 
shrubs which have been neglected for a con¬ 
siderable time may be made shapely. Shrubs 
which are growing in borders under large 
trees ought to be pruned every year. If 
neglected in this respect they soon assume 
a straggling habit, and the new shoots an¬ 
nually made are very weakly. But the prun¬ 
ing strengthens them very much, and, more¬ 
over, they do not smother any other kinds 
of plants which are growing near them. 
Specimens growing on lawns should also 
be pruned. Fig. i shows how to prune a 
shrub. The side A is represented as having 
been pruned; the side B is unpruned, and 
the dark lines across the branches show 
which ones must be cut off in order to im¬ 
prove the appearance of the specimen. Use 
a sharp, strong knife, and not a pair of 
shears, as the'latter mutilate many leaves, 
as shown in Fig. 2. 
It is a pity to indiscriminately cut through 
large leaves, such as those of the Common 
and Portugal Laurel, Bay, etc. After a 
little practice you will be able to cut away 
surplus branches in such a way that the 
passer-by will no,t be able to detect where 
they have been removed. 
The Birds and Loose Soil. 
During frosty weather the birds will be 
busy scratching away the soil and top-dress¬ 
ing material around herbaceous and other 
plants in search of worms and other food, 
thus leaving the roots exposed to the frosty 
air. The choicest plants should be examined 
daily, and any disturbed soil, or other cover¬ 
ing material, replaced, and where littery 
manure has been put down make it secure 
in position by driving in a few pegs. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Advantage should be taken of dry, frosty 
weather to get manure wheeled to the fruit 
quarters. If there is still some pruning 
and clearing-up to be done the manure may 
be left in small heaps among the trees and 
bushes, as it is bad management to dig in 
such foreign matter as bits of wood and 
leaves of vegetables that have been blown 
there by strong winds. Many leaves form 
hiding places for injurious insect pests, and 
if they are dug into the soil they will come 
forth again late in spring. The best plan 
is to collect all the leaves and the prunings, 
and even some of the surface soil from be- 
peath Gooseberry and Currant bushes, and 
Fig. 1: A, side of tree -pruned; B, side of 
the tree unpruned. Fig. 2 shows how leaves 
are mutilated if shears are used and not a 
knife. 
burn the whole in 'a smother in some out- 
of-the-way corner. All such burnt refuse 
is of value, and should be returned to the 
soil. 
s: 
How a bush fruit tree should be planted. 
Planting Currant and Gooseberry 
Bushes. 
Whether it be necessary to put in odd 
plants, or make new plantations, no time 
should be lost in carrying out the work. 
Potatos for seed •> How to arrange the tubers 
in boxes . 
But the weather must be open and rather 
mild at the time. Do not plant in frosty 
weather, and do not open out holes before 
you are ready to put in the bushes. Fig. 
shows how a bush fruit tree should 
planted. The most frequent mistake is th 
of making the hole too small, especially 
width. Instead of simply digging out 
couple of spadesful of soil and then era 
ming in the roots and burying them so, ma 
a wide, shallow hole in which all the roots 
can be spread out without touching the sides, 
as shown in the sketch. Then scatter a small 
quantity of soil on the roots, take firm holi 
of the stem of the bush, and shake the soil 
down among the roots; put in more soil, and 
gently press it with the foot before filling 
up the hole; the last layer of soil -should 
not be trodden down. 
Young Strawberry Plants. 
Young Strawberry plants which have had 
a good top dressing of littery manure placed 
around them should be carefully examine! 
at least twice every week, as the birds, i 
scratching the manure about in search 0 
food, bury the crowns, and although th 
litter will not injure the crowns, the mor 
solid matter, if allowed to remain on them, 
will cause decay. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
1 
Potatos. 
Some tubers of early varieties should now 
be placed neatly in boxes where this wort 
has not already been done. Place the tubers 
close together with the “eyes” uppermost, 
as shown in Fig. 4, and put the filled box 
in a light position, to encourage the growt 
of sturdy sprouts. 
An ideal set should possess one stron 
sprout, dark blue-green in colour, or almos 
purple, according to the variety. The sk 
of the tuber must be firm, not shriveile 
and this condition is obtained by keepi 
the Potatos in a cool, light structure sa 
from frost. Hundreds of bushels of se 
Potatos are spoilt every year through ti 
owners allowing them to remain throug: 
out the winter and early part of spring i 
a heap covered up. Long sprouts grow, an 
these are removed from time to time, thr 
sapping the strength of the tuber. 
Eas-ly Broad Beans. 
A few rows of Early Mazagan Beans ma 
now be sown in well-prepared ground. So 
in single rows about 18 inches from row 1 
row, then every plant will grow sturdi; 
and bear a full crop of pods. 
Peas. 
Prepare ground on a warm border for tl 
early Peas. The round-seeded sorts are t: 
best, and the ground for their receptb 
should be well manured all over, and r 
merely in the rows. 
Foxglove. 
The Amateur’s Greenhous 
Propagating Tree Carnations. 
Where Tree Carnations have been k< 
growing all the winter, there should nc 
or soon, be a number of cuttings ready i 
propagation. A very useful wrinkle in ci 
nection with these that I learnt from , 
old gardener, who was greatly skilled 
their culture, may be of assistance to th 
readers who find a difficulty in getting- 
cuttings to strike. Instead of detaching 
shoots at one operation, pull them smai 
downwards, until they hang by a port 
of the bark, but are not broken off. L 
short time a callus will form at the base 
each root, and they can then be inserted 
cutting pots with a practical certainty 1 
success. I prefer to give each cuttini 
small pot to itself, and if this is d( 
