January 9, 1909. THE GARDENING WORLD . 
The Flower Garden. 
locites ies. 
While the weather is sufficiently mild take 
he first opportunity to thoroughly examine 
our rockery plants. Usually, the severest 
,-eather of the winter begins about the mid- 
le of January, so that the work I suggest 
ou should undertake is very important. If 
ou will examine Fig. 1 you will see at A, 
hat some of the soil has fallen away from 
ae roots of the Fern, exposing them to 
rosty weather when it comes. But be in 
ime, and make up all such holes with a 
ompost of fibrous loam 2 parts, peat 1 part, 
nd leaf-soil x part. 
All rockeries require attention at this sea- 
on because leaves and other foreign matter 
ollect amongst the stones, and if left there 
t all harbours injurious insect pests which 
rey upon the tender fronds of dormant 
■'eras, as shown at B, when they commence 
0 grow again, and the mischief done by 
he insects is hidden from view as long as 
he leaves and other rubbish remain there, 
oolets. 
The weather has, during the past few 
reeks, been very unfavourable to Violets in 
rames near large towns; also, in a less 
legree, to plants in the open borders. Damp 
s a great enemy to these plants, and every 
;l'fort should be made to keep them free from 
lecaying leaves, and the surface soil from 
11 O 6 S. Stir up the soil gently with the aid 
>f an ordinary wooden label and admit air 
Krth day and night when the weather is 
.avourable. 
Flower buds will soon appear in profu¬ 
sion on healthy plants, and these should not 
ya lost through present neglect. 
Calceolarias in Cool Frames. 
Roots are now freely forming on these 
.’oung plants, and where cuttings, bearing 
;mbry<j flower-buds, were inserted, the latter 
lave developed considerably and must be 
cinched off forthwith, as they weaken the 
plants if left to grow more fully. 
Any faded leaves found near the base of 
.bese young plants should be pinched off, 
iressing the leaf downwards until it parts 
from the stem; if pulled in an upward di¬ 
rection the act of removing the leaf would 
.oosen the roots of the plant and thus retard 
:he progress of the latter. 
Like Violets, Calceolarias do best when 
jqiven abundance of air and treated as 
tardily as possible. 
Potting Soils. 
In a very short time, it will be necessary 
:o commence the plotting of bedding-out 
plants from the boxes. In the meantime 
procure some good loam, leafsoil and sand, 
and keep these ingredients tinder a shelter, 
but in the open air, the idea being to keep 
iff the rain and snow. 
The old soil taken from pots in which 
Chrysanthemums have been grown should 
also be taken care of and duly stored, as it 
is very suitable for potting soft-wooded 
bedding plants in. 
; POt9. 
_ Collect, and place these in their proper 
sizes after washing them : thev will be re¬ 
quired presently, as well as the composts, 
and by getting such work as this well for¬ 
ward, you will benefit bv it later on when 
a great variety of work is more pressing. 
Mats and other Covering Material. 
Dry all mats and straw or Fern used for 
the protection of tender plants from severe 
fxosts. By doing so you will preserve them 
and render them also more efficacious when 
used for this purpose. 
Fig. /. Examine rockeries now; A shows 
where the soil has fallen away from the 
roots; B, Ferns in ifi dormant state. 
Fig. 2 shows how to bury or heel in cuttings 
of fruit trees for grafting -pur-poses in 
spring. 
Fig. 3 shows how to make up Mushroom 
beds on the floor of a shed or cellar; A, hot¬ 
bed; B, spawn; C, a covering of soil; D, a 
covering of dry straw. 
19 
The Fruit Garden. 
The Prunings of Fruit Trees. 
Select a number of well matured shoots of 
Apple and Pear trees, when you are engaged 
in pruning the latter, and tie them into 
bundles as shown in Fig. 2, inserting each 
bundle, correctly named, in damp soil in a 
north aspect. These shoots cut off the 
healthiest trees will then be useful for graft¬ 
ing purposes in April. 
Bury the lower part of each bundle about 
5 inches deep and tread down the soil very 
fit ml}' around them again. 
Mending Walls. 
Where the branches of fruit trees are 
fastened to walls by means of strips of cloth 
and wall nails, the mortar between the 
courses of bricks or stones gets much worn, 
and in the holes injurious insect pests find 
a hiding place. There is no time more 
suitable for getting the damaged walls 
mended. Use the best grey lime, not 
cement, as nails will not readily enter the 
latter. Work of this kind done qow, while 
the walls are moist, lasts longer than when 
the latter are dry. Moreover, you are able 
to get at the joints easily, as you can un¬ 
fasten the branches of the trees for the pur¬ 
pose. 
Cleaning the Branches. 
Take, this opportunity of getting the 
branches of fruit trees cleansed before re¬ 
nailing them to the walls. Avoid damaging 
the buds, but use an approved insecticide 
and thoroughly clean the bark. 
Strawberry Plants in Pots. 
All outdoor Strawberries are not planted 
at the end of the summer, or early in the 
autumn; many are planted in the spring. 
The autumn is the better time, but in cer¬ 
tain circumstances it is not convenient, so 
that spring planting must be done. The 
young plants, now in small pots, should be 
well looked after. Pack the pots close to¬ 
gether on a dry bed of ashes and surrounded 
with leaves. The leaves and crowns of the 
plants will not be injured by frost, but the 
roots would, and the pots also. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
More Mushroom Beds 
During the winter time there is, usually, 
plenty of stable manure available, also tree 
leaves. Autumn-made beds for Mushroom 
culture should now be supplemented by 
others, and these may be made up in any 
shed, as well as in the open air. But, fail¬ 
ing a specially-constructed Mushrcom house, 
make use of a shed or cellar. Fig. r shows 
how you may construct a bed on the floor of 
a shed or cellar. The hotbed A must be 
beaten down firmly, and be about 16 inches 
deep. Put in the pieces of spawn B, when 
the heat is declining and registers 3 5 de¬ 
grees ; C shows a covering of soil ijr inches 
deep, and D a covering of clean straw. 
Seeds to Sow. 
A few seeds of Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, 
and Lettuces may be sown in boxes, and the 
latter placed under the protection of glass. 
Preparing Ground for Broad Beans and 
Peas. 
It will soon be time to sow some seeds in 
the open borders, and you will be acting 
wisely if you at once deeply dig the ground 
and put in a generous supply of decayed 
manure. Leave the surface rough and 
lumpy ; the frost—if any comes—and 
weather generally, will render the soil 
friable, and make the task of seed sowing 
a very pleasant one. 
It is now time you should make out vour 
seed lists, and get them despatched, so as to 
have the seeds at hand when required. 
FoXgi.ovf.. 
