August 22, 1908. 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
545 
The Flower Garden. 
The Flower Beds. 
These have been very gay with varied 
coloured blossoms during the past four or 
five weeks. The plants have, in most in¬ 
stances, quite filled up the space in the 
borders, and also made a big demand 
on the nourishing foods contained in the 
soils. The latter are richer in some dis¬ 
tricts than in others, and consequently the 
same treatment is not beneficial . to all. 
Where naturally poor soils obtain the 
growth of the plants will not be as luxuri¬ 
ous as where they are rich. In the first case 
the plants will be small, but full of flowers. 
Here we have a case where judicious feed¬ 
ing will be beneficial, and especially so 
where fine-foliaged, or sub-tropical plants 
are grown. But the feeding must be very 
carefully carried out. See that the soil is 
moistened with clear water to a good depth 
before applying the liquid manure. Where 
the plants are very gross feeding it would 
do more harm than good in the case of flower¬ 
ing subjects. There should be a good bal¬ 
ance maintained between the growth of the 
foliage and the flowers. During this week 
a very careful inspection of and summing 
up of the strength of the plants should be 
made, and treatment accorded with a view 
of prolonging their good, healthy condition. 
Violas. 
Cuttings, or slips of these, may still be 
inserted. Fig. 1 shows the best kind of 
cutting to select. It should be taken from 
the parent plant as near the base A as pos¬ 
sible. In some instances the slips may be 
obtained with a heel attached to them, then 
it is only necessary to cut the base across 
smoothly before insertion; otherwise the 
stem must be severed with a sharp knife as 
shown at B just below a leaf joint, the leaf 
C being also cut off. 
Put in the prepared cuttings in sandy, 
but firm soil, on the north side of a wall 
and keep them fresh and the soil moist. 
Border Chrysanthemums. 
The flower buds are now opening rapidly, 
and in all instances a good soaking of the 
soil with liquid manure will be beneficial. 
But first be sure that the soil is moistened 
with clear water either from rain or through 
the watering-can. One application will not 
be sufficient, several should be given at in¬ 
tervals of a few days. 
Lifting the Plants. 
Where the plants are lifted and placed 
in pots, it would be a wise plan ,to do the 
work gradually. First insert the spade 
deeply in the soil all around the plant and 
about nine inches from the stem. Do this 
during the present week, then keep the soil 
well watered, and lift and pot the plant ten 
days hence. 
Cuttings. 
The cuttings of bedding-out plants are 
now occupying pets and boxes. The Zonal 
Geraniums should be kept in the open air 
as long as possible, and only placed under 
cover to avoid heavy rains and early frosts. 
Decayed leaves will be found on the cut¬ 
tings, and they should be removed without 
dislodging the latter in the soil. Where 
there are failures insert more cuttings in 
fresh boxes, or pots, and not in the old 
ones, making up gaps as it were as the 
partly-rooted and new cuttings require dif¬ 
ferent treatment. 
Fig. 1. A cutting or slip of a Viola plant 
statable for propagating. 
Falling Leaves. 
The leaves of large trees are commenc¬ 
ing to fall, and they must be gathered up 
Fig. 2. Strawberry runners to be removed. 
and placed in heaps in suitable quarters. 
Thus you will maintain neatness in the 
flower garden and provide useful leaf- 
mould. 
Fig. 3. Good and bad plants of winter 
greens. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Strawberries. 
Do not neglect the Strawberry plants now 
the luscious fruits are all gathered from 
them. Some persons allow weeds to grow 
amongst the plants to the extent of almost 
hiding them from view ; they also neglect 
to remove the numerous runners from the 
old plants. Fig. 2 shows the runners A, A, 
which should be forthwith removed close to 
the parent plant B as denoted by the dark 
lines. Weeds should be pulled up, not cut 
off with the hoe, except in the case of seed¬ 
ling weeds, and these are easily killed by 
hoeing on a bright, warm day. 
New Strawberry Plantations. 
The young plants, already put out, 
should be watered regularly during dry 
weather and syringed about six o’clock in 
the evening. Put on a mulch of littery 
manure at once if this work has not already 
been done. By giving close attention to 
these details the plants are strengthened, 
and the crowns swell up before early frosts 
occur. 
Ripening Fruits on Walls. 
Peaches, Nectarines, Pears and Plums 
ripening on trees or walls should be closely 
watched and protected from wasps, earwigs, 
woodlice and birds. Also examine the soil 
and give a thorough watering if the borders 
are too dry. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Winter Greens. 
Ground which has been occupied by 
Potatos is suitable for planting winter 
greens on. The old manure in the soil is 
sufficient for the requirements of the plants, 
and as there is now a good deal of space in 
most gardens the young plants should be put 
out as quickly as possible. 
The first thing to do is to level the sur¬ 
face soil and tread it down firmly if it be 
of a light, sandy nature. Then carefully 
select the young plants, putting out sound 
ones only. Plants with “clubbed” roots 
and those that are blind, must not be se¬ 
lected as they are useless. In fig. 3 A 
shows a blind plant, and B one with a free 
growth. The leaves on the blind plant 
will grow to a large size, but they will not 
increase in number, and no heart, or central 
growth will form. 
Winter Spinach. 
Thin out the seedlings, from late sowings, 
freely. A strong, robust young plant will 
withstand the winter weather better than 
one drawn up weakly, and timely thinning 
out is the best way to secure such strong 
plants. 
Parsley. 
This does not succeed in every garden, 
especially in the winter time. The young 
seedlings grow satisfactorily at first and 
then die, or become sickly. Even in the 
same garden Parsley will do well in one 
plot and not in another. It is advisable to 
transplant the seedlings, forming several 
nursery beds in various positions as Pars¬ 
ley is always much appreciated during the 
winter and early spring months. 
Leeks and Celery. 
Place some soil to the rows of plants for 
blanching purposes. Where slugs are 
troublesome use a mixture of fine ashes and 
sand for placing against the plants, then 
cover with ordinary soil. 
Foxglove. 
