January 26, 1907. THE GARDENING WORLD. 
The Flower Garden. 
A Wonderful Daffodil. 
Things are moving. The old double 
Daffodil is already coming through the 
around in some parts of my garden. "What 
1 wonderful Datf. is this old stager—Tele- 
monius plenus, to give it its correct title. 
It is the first Daffodil to come into flower, 
making a display that even the most expen¬ 
sive varieties cannot surpass. The rapidity 
with which it increases is astonishing, and 
the hard knocks it will put up with is not 
less so. 
Several years back I widened the grass 
verge of a’lawn bed, which abutted on the 
drive. I was unaware there was a row of 
these old Daffodils near the edge, and when 
spring came, Mr. Telemonius popped up 
through the grass. When in flower they 
made a grand display, but the foliage looked 
bad later on. Not wishing to lift the turf, 
I cut the Daffs. right down* and mowed 
constantly afterwards. Next season the 
bulbs bloomed as freely as before. 
Again they were cut down after flowering. 
The following season I could not see any 
difference in the quantity of blooms, but 
they were certainly smaller. 
It was not until the season next following 
that the bulbs really began to give in, al¬ 
though many flowered. 
I can already see them pushing through 
again, yet as I have pointed out, they have 
been totally deprived of foliage each year. 
I have lifted clumps of these bulbs when in 
bud, and on one occasion they had to stand 
out of the ground for quite a fortnight or 
more, yet they never seem to mind in the 
least. I am doubtful, however, whether 
other varieties would put up with such 
rough treatment. 
Spade and Fork Work. 
Digging is occupying most of our time 
now, although the land is just a wee bit 
cloggy. If I were a magistrate, and had a 
wife-beater brought before me, I would sen¬ 
tence him to dig half an acre of land like 
my own, and the only tool he should have 
would be a spade. Spades are first-class 
tools for digging on light soils or on land 
that is very firm, but for heavy clinging 
loams, in a rather moist and soft condition, 
I much prefer a three-pronged fork, with 
broad prongs. Indeed, if I were ordered to 
dig my land with a spade, I should at once 
go on strike. Some people whose soil is 
suitable for spade work, try to make us be¬ 
lieve that the spade is the only real digging 
tool, but, personally, I do not believe in 
making gardening a torture, when there are 
tools which will materially lessen the labour 
and do the work equally as well, if not 
better. 
Turf-laying. 
Do not delay in getting down new turf. 
The moist soil and turf quickly bind to¬ 
gether, and if well beaten, there should be 
very few cracks during the coming summer. 
A turf-beater, as I have before described, is 
a heavy block of wood fitted with a handle 
set obliquely. The weight of course must 
be governed by the man who is to use it, 
but I certainly should not consider a beater 
of much account if it did not weigh 18 or 
more lbs. This, if wielded by a strong 
man, will fall with a great deal more force 
than I should like upon my pet corn. 
Frames. 
See that plants in frames are not forgot¬ 
ten. Give plenty of air on bright days. I 
myself never close frames containing Pent- 
stemons and the like, except when the 
weather is very severe. 
Canterbury Bells. 
The terrible weather we had a short time 
ago has caused a large number of blanks 
in my Canterbury Bell plot. Everyone 
should have a goodly batch of these grand 
biennials, and if there have teen any serious 
losses, I would strongly advise that more 
be procured before the plants get too large. 
I might add that Canterbury Bells make 
beautiful pot plants, and if lifted with 
good balls and afterwards stood in airy 
frames, for a week or two, they may be 
taken into cool houses. No great heat must 
be given, or green fly and other troubles 
will follow. I dare say my colleague 
“Sunnyside” can tell readers more about 
Canterbury Bells under glass. 
Privet and Quick Hedges. 
The present is an excellent time for plant¬ 
ing shrubs and hedges. For the latter there 
are few things that can equal the common 
Privet. If well clipped in after years, it 
makes a very dense and beautiful hedge. 
It stands frost wonderfully well, but our 
late December snap singed nearly all the 
foliage of our hedges. Quick is of course 
impenetrable, but it is slower, and it does 
not hold its foliage so long. All hedge 
plants must be cut' back hard at planting 
time. 
Perennials. * 
Planting of perennials is a job that can 
well be pushed on whenever weather per¬ 
mits. In dividing old plants, always retain 
the outside growths and discard the centre, 
unless stock is limited. After one season 
there will never be a shortage of such plants 
as Rudbeckia Golden Glow, Helianthus 
giganteus, Achillea Snowball, etc. Last 
spring I divided my R. Golden Glow into 
very small pieces, not more than two or 
three shoots apiece. Each piece is now 
about 15 inches in diameter. Chrysanthe¬ 
mum max. grandiflorum is another great 
grower. Four years ago I had one very 
small plant, I have not endeavoured to in¬ 
crease stock largely until last year, when, 
owing to having a big plot vacant, I cut up 
my plants into about 80 pieces. If I were 
to divide hard now, I am sure I could make 
a thousand plants. What wonder then that 
such plants become cheap! I remember 
paying 25 cents for a tiny fragment of Rud¬ 
beckia Golden Glow when it was first intro¬ 
duced in America some years ago. I wish 
I could get the same price now ! 
Sweet Peas. 
It is about time to think of Sweet Pea 
sowing if frame or house space is available. 
In future I intend to sow three seeds in a 
small pot, and afterwards plant out direct 
without dividing, giving each trio 2ft. in 
the row. I observed when I was viewing 
Robt. Bolton’s Sweet Peas last year that 
this was the system he adopted. Imitation 
is a sincere form of flattery, ’tis said, but 
57 
it pays to imitate a successful man. Tommy 
Jones, the famous Welsh amateur, grows 
his plants in clumps, but I believe he adopts 
the small pot system as mentioned above. 
Although I have grown some really fine 
specimens, I am prone to think that a point 
is lost through planting singlv, owing to the 
check. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Bush Fruit and Birds. 
Pruning should be now completed, al¬ 
though some argue that it is better to let 
red and white Currants and Gooseberries 
stand over for a time, because birds are not 
likely to.clear all the buds. My experience 
is that when birds start bud pecking, they 
keep on till no buds remain. A thicket of 
shoots, such as one finds on an unpruned 
Gooseberry bush, in no way checks birds 
eating the buds, or spurs on the old woed- 
Gooseberry Mildew. 
What a stir is being made over the 
American Gooseberry mildew. Prof. Sal¬ 
mon says it is dangerous; Prof. Masse savs 
it is not. Personally, I go all the way on 
the former, as he has never suggested that 
Black Currant mite can be exterminated bv 
smearing the bushes with cart grease. I do 
know that in America Gooseberries are 
practically impossible owing to mildew. 
Raspberries. 
Raspberries should be tied up after clear¬ 
ing away all old wood. The fruiting canes 
should be cut back a little according to their 
vigour. 
Strawberries. 
Do not delay in getting ground ready for 
Strawberries that are to be planted later. 
Fruit trees and bushes should be in their 
stations as soon as possible. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Cabbages. 
Sea that the Cabbage bed is kept free 
from weeds. Blanks should be filled up. 
digging. 
Digging and trenching, of course, are not 
done with in this department, but make the 
most of opportunities. 
Brussels Sprouts. 
Brussels Sprouts are beginning to look 
very scraggy now, and if other greens are 
available for continuous supply, pull up the 
sprouts and destroy them. 
Horseradish. 
If Horseradish is favoured, lose no time 
in planting straight thongs on well-prepared 
ground. 
Parsley. 
It will soon be time to think about seed 
sowing. On warm soils Parsley may be 
sown at any time onward. 
Horti 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Tree Carnations. 
These like a little extra heat when the 
buds'start to show colour, and if a tempera¬ 
ture of 55 degrees by day can be given the 
flowers will open more kindly. Air must 
be given on every possible occasion, more 
especially if the temperature is at all low. 
A low temperature and moist atmosphere 
mean spotted -foliage, and badly spotted 
foliage means a home on the stokehole fire. 
Clay’s Fertiliser has a wonderful effect on 
Carnations, and if used weak to start with, 
may be ultimately given in very strong 
doses with advantage. An old plan of pro- 
