THE GARDENING WORLD. 
The Flower Garden 
New Growth. 
In, favoured districts the young shoots of 
Rose trees are growing quite freely. It is 
pleasing to see signs of spring atound one, 
Fig. i. Begin the -potting of zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums now,. A shows the drainage ma¬ 
terial ; B, the stem not buried with soil. 
but in the case of Roses it would be much 
more satisfactor}' if the buds were back¬ 
ward, as the first bieaks are nearly always 
killed or seriously crippled, with loss of 
whole branches sometimes, by cold east winds 
and late frosts, when the young shoots are 
very early. 
This happened last spring, and I would 
advise inexperienced cultivators to abstain 
from very early pruning ; do not be tempted 
to do it. 
Then there is the new growth of bulbs and 
also of bedding plants which will remind 
the flower gardener that the time has come 
for activity in the potting shed. 
Potting Zonal Pelargoniums. 
With the possible exception of some of 
the tricolors, the main batch of these will 
be grown in boxes, the tricolors being 
more safely wintered in flower pots. Now, 
in dealing with the potting of zonals gener¬ 
ally, it would be a good plan to pot them 
in two ways, namely, the well-rooted cut¬ 
tings singly in 6o’s and those badly rooted 
in large 6o’s, placing three in each pot near 
the sides in the same way as when cuttings 
are inserted. 
This plan will involve a little more 
trouble, but it is worth it. In a very short 
time the badly-rooted cuttings will make 
progress placed so in the fresh pots, and 
in due course they must be potted singly. 
I am quite sure that many readers of The 
Gardening World have experienced losses 
in their batches of zonals after the potting 
has been done. The losses are due to either 
the potting of the plants too deeply or to 
the potting of cuttings with scarcely any 
roots to them. 
Fig. i shows how the potting must be 
done : one crock only is -required for each 
pot, .and a small quantity of rough compost, 
half-decayed leaves or similar material, as 
shewn at A. The stem B should not be 
buried more than a half inch deep with new 
soil. Use good compost, but not too rich; 
old Chrysanthemum soil is quite suitable. 
Marguerites. 
As soon as possible the potting of these 
must also be done; the roots of the young 
plants are growing through the holes and 
other openings in the boxes, and if left in 
the latter much longer the plants will become 
sickly and infested with aphis. The com¬ 
post for these plants should contain a little 
well-rotted manure and a 5-inch potful of 
soot to each bushel of soil. After being 
potted, Zonal Pelargoniums must be placed 
in a warm frame greenhouse or vinery which 
has just been closed ; but Marguerites thrive 
best in a cool frame at this season. Put 
mats on the glass only during frosty nights. 
Tender Bedding-Out Plants. 
These will also need repotting or reboxing. 
As much use as possible must be made- of the 
heated pits and hotbed frames for these 
plants as the moist atmosphere and genial 
temperature are conducive to a steady growth 
and you will probably require a number of 
young shoots for propagating purposes. Al¬ 
though many kinds of bedding-out plants 
will do well in boxes, pot all the best of 
them in pots. Swdet leafsoil, sand or road 
grit should be mixed with the loam for the 
potting of tender kinds. 
Fig. 2 shows how to deal with the branches 
of Fig trees; A, small shoots which must be 
removed; B, branches to be retained; C, 
main stem; D, small shoots to be cut off. 
Tuberous Begonias. 
Before the tubers commence to grow in 
their store pots or boxes, carefully examine 
them and place them in shallow boxes three- 
parts filled with leafsoil, loam and sand 
mixed. The tubers may be placed almost 
close together, as in a vety short time it will 
be necessary to pot them singly or shift them 
to other boxes. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Fig Trees., 
The knife or pruning shears must never 
be indiscriminately used among the branches 
of Fig trees. For many years I had charge 
of a row of Fig trees, which extended the 
whole length of a wall about two hundred 
feet long. The branches were allowed to 
grow out from the wall and cover a perg<. 
8 feet from the wall. The border soil v; 
not too rich and the knife was never usj 
among the branches, the result being tl; 
the latter were nearly all like those mark 1 . 
B in Fig. 2 and were very fruitful. 
Other specimens growing in richer S' 
gave trouble. They produced a number 
sbft, sappy shoots similar to those shown 
A and D in Fig. 2. 
My method of dealing with them was 
cut out all young shoots of this kind in t 
autumn or spring and afterwards to rub <1 
tender shoots while they were quite tiny, 
this way a thicket of young branches w 
avoided and the trees retained their fruitf 
habit. 
Fig. 2 shows at A small stem shoots to 
removed; at B branches which will be 
fruits. C shows the tree stem on whu 
young sucker-like shoots often grow as d 
noted by D; cut them off quite close to'tl 
old stem. 
Crops Under Fruit Trees. 
In most gardens there are standard, bu 
or pyramid-shaped fruit trees growing 
the kitchen garden, and vegetable crops a 
now being attended to. Do not, howeve 
dig up the soil too near the roots of the fra 
trees and be sure you do not put Cabbag 
Cauliflower or similar plants there as th< 
will rob the trees of much nourishment. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Onions. 
The earliest plants raised in boxes unde 
glass must now be transplanted. Fill dee 
boxes with a rich compost as shown in Fig. 
A shows the plants and B the compost an 
drainage. Cinders may be placed in the bo 
tom of the box, and on them a layer of hal: 
rotted leaves, then one of well-rotted manui 
and finally the rich compost. The boxe 
should be 6 and 7 in. deeD. The seedling 
will be ready for planting in the prepare 
beds early in April. These plants are to t 
grown for the supply of large bulbs. 
Cucumbers. 
The earliest plants in hotbed frames mu.- 
be kept warm, especially at night. Put th 
plants m the prepared beds at once. 
Potatos. 
A good batch of tubers should be plante, 
on warm borders this week, and the mai 
crop ones placed in boxes or placed out on 
floor to prevent the growth of weakly sproui 
as would be the case if they were kept in 
large heap. 
Seeds to Sow. 
Put in, according to requirements, Ma 
rowfat and round Peas, Winter Bean 
\ 
Fig. 3 shows how to transplant Onions . 
boxes, to be grown on for large bulbs. / 
the plants; B, the compost and drainag, 
Celery and Tomatos in boxes, - Mustard air 
Ciess, also in boxes; Turnips, Spinach an. 
Globe Artichokes in pots for planting out. 
Foxglove. 
