THE GARDENING WORLD 
March 9, 1907, 
i?0 
The Flower Garden 
Heralds of Spring. 
One cannot but feel that spring is ap¬ 
proaching at a pretty rapid gait. Of course, 
when we refer back to old calendars we 
find spring arrives on a certain date, but 
we modern people pay small heed to dates 
where the weather is concerned, because we 
can never be certain whether we are to have 
two days alike. Nevertheless, spring is 
approaching. I always feel certain about 
the matter when I see lambs about. It 
doesn’t matter whether it is raining or snow¬ 
ing, lambs usually begin to appear from 
mid-February, and when I see them I know 
that I haven’t got wrong v/ith my dates to 
any great extent. The cold spells that we 
have had did something towards checking 
the precocity of some things. 
Roses are not nearly so forward as they 
were at this time last year, and the same 
applies to other things. I cannot say that it 
has made any difference with regard to pre¬ 
parations. Last year wet weather held us 
up a lot. This season snow or hard frost 
has had a checking effect; although I my¬ 
self never stopped digging, save when it 
rained. 
New Meadowland and Lawns. 
When cutting out beds on some new 
meadowland, I marked the design with an 
axe, and broke through the hard crust with 
a pick. Speaking of meadowland, it is sur¬ 
prising how quickly rough grass will take 
on a lawn-like appearance by rolling and 
mowing constantly. Of course, weed in¬ 
fested meadowland is not likely to make 
good turf, unless one is willing to do a 
bit of grubbing. Thistles, which on meadow¬ 
land are a pest, cause no trouble on a lawn, 
for the constant mowing will scon place the 
thistles hors de combat. 
Removing Bulbs in Flower. 
Bulbs of many kinds are now peeping 
through the soil, and owing to circumstances 
it has become necessary for me to shift 
large quantities. To attempt lifting after 
flowering last year was impossible, save in 
the case of my special late sorts. However, 
these had to be planted last autumn as 
usual, although it perforce could only be 
temporarily. Now that they are through 
the soil they have had to come up, and I 
venture to say our display will not be very 
much worse. It is in such cases as these 
that heavy soil scores. Owing to its clog- 
giness it adheres to the roots, so that great 
halls may be taken up. Bulbs that I have 
taken up include Daffodils, Hyacinths, 
Tulips, Iris, Anemones, etc. 
Bulbs and Rats. 
I have before referred to the destructive¬ 
ness of rats, and steps should be taken to 
prevent them burrowing after Tulip bulbs. 
The rodents do not attack the bulbs until 
growth appears; at least, so I have found. 
Sweet Peas. 
If the soil is in the right condition, the 
present is a good time to sow Sweet Peas 
out of doors. Personally I am a “whole 
hogger ” for sowing in pots, but I have 
stated my reasons. An out-of-door sowing 
will , give flrst-class results if the land has 
been well treated, but I will not say the 
results will equal early pot sown stuff. The 
latter gain in roots, and are able to get 
down to their full depth before they com¬ 
mence to flower. For out-of-door sowing, 
I would certainly advise a three-inch fur¬ 
row, sowing the seed fairly thickly if it is 
plentiful. Cover with one inch of soil, and 
when the seedlings are well up thin out to 
at least two inches apart, and as they grow 
draw in the earth so that the seed is eventu¬ 
ally three or four inches below the surface. 
Keep early pot sown plants growing sturdily 
by allowing plenty of air. The only real 
protection they require is from heavy rains 
and biting winds. 
Sowing Annuals. 
All kinds of hardy annuals may be sown 
if the soil is just nicely moist. Unless one 
does all their own hoeing, or marks off 
every batch of seed with a label, I advise 
sowing in a nursery bed, transplanting as 
soon as the seedlings can be handled. The 
general run of tender and half-hardy an¬ 
nuals may be sown at any time. Great heat 
is not essential, but it is a good plan tci 
cover the frames with mats or sacks at night, 
as a sharp fnost tends to lower the tem¬ 
perature considerably. 
Carnations. 
Get Carnations planted if not already 
done. These fine garden flowers do not like 
rank manure, but they revel in lime and 
mortar rubbish. A fair sprinkling of soot 
is also appreciated. Remember that Carna¬ 
tions need firm ground. Trample the bed as 
hard as a roadway. It cannot be too hard. 
The surface can be hoed up later. 
Pansies and Violas. 
Pansies and Violas that have been win¬ 
tered in frames should also go out. They 
like an early start. 
Violets. 
Violets in frames will soon '.be finishing 
up. Go over the plants, and remove all de¬ 
caying leaves, and, after stirring the soil, 
dust round with a little soot. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Black Currant Mite. 
A further move should be made with re¬ 
gard to the Black Currant mite. All swollen 
buds should have been rigorously picked off. 
The migratory period of this pest is fast 
approaching,, and it will be a safe plan to 
start right away with the sulphur lime spray 
fluid. It is made by boiling 3 lbs. of fresh 
lime and 3 lbs. of common sulphur in six 
gallons of water. Boil down to two gallons. 
A pint of this mixture should be stirred into 
20 gallons of water. A little less water 
will do no harm, while the trees are bare 
of foliage. Spray or syringe the trees at 
intervals of a fortnight until mid-May, un¬ 
less the flowering trusses open earlier. It 
is rather risky to spray when the trusses are 
forming. 
The Birds. 
This fluid will help to choke off birds 
from Gooseberries if the latter are sprayed. 
Birds are doubtless very busy just now. 
Plum and Cherry buds never ccme amiss 
then. 
Planting Strawberries. 
Strawberries from pots may now be plan¬ 
ted, provided the soil is not too wet. This 
fruit must have firm soil. To do them well, 
plant 18 inches apart, and after one season 
take out every other one. 
Blackberries and Loganberries. 
If the improved forms of Blackberries 
are grown, they should be treated as p 
Raspberries, if not already done. Loga 
berries also require the removal of old fru 
ing canes. Retain all the strong new woo 
The Kitchen Garden, 
Tomatos. 
The present is a very good time to a 
Tomato seed,, providing an even temperatu 
is available. Sow the seed thinly and sh; 
low, and prick the seedlings out when 
rough leal. Holmes Supreme dees excee 
ingly well as an outdoor Tomato, as dr 
Carter’s Sunrise. An American variety th 
pleases many of my friends who have lig 
soil is Garden Sowing. It is a very vigoro 
variety, and has the merit of doing w« 
when sown in late March in a cold fran 
So far as I know, there is no other varie 
that will ripen heavy crops out of doc 
from such a late sowing. 
Various Sowings. 
It is time now to think about sowing su- 
things as Broccoli, Sprouts, Early Carro 
Spinach, late Broad Beans, Radish, ei 
Spinach must be sown where it is to stan> 
between the Peas is a good position, 
pinch of Celery should be sown in the fran 
if not already done. Another sowing 
Peas may now go in, choosing a main cr- 
variety. Later Peas like fairly rich sc 
but artificial manures will give good i 
suits. Autumn sown Onions require plai 
ing out at once. Get in a few early I 
tatos whenever possible. 
Hobti. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse 
Sowing Half-Hardy Annuals. 
I always like to get the bulk of the ha 
hardy annuals sown about the middle 
this month. The date may be a trifle eai 
for some few things, but these can easily 
placed in a cold frame when ready, a 
so have a long time for hardening off. 
only a few plants of each kind are require 
5 in. pots may be used for sowing. Th< 
should be half-filled with crocks for dra: 
age, and then filled to within one inch 
the rims with a compost of sifted loa 
leaf mould, and coarse sand in equal par 
By leaving this space at the top of the p< 
a pane of glass may be placed on the t 
to form a miniature propagating fran 
Where many sorts of seeds have to be sow 
and only a very few of each kind of pla 
are required, the box system, previously c 
scribed in the “ G.W.,” should be employs 
Hyacinths and Narcissi. 
These should be given liquid manure 
assist the development of fine flowers. ( 
no account use patent manures at a grea 
strength than is advised with the instn 
tions given with them. Beware, too, 
nitrate of soda. I have recently seen a fi 
batch of bulbs ruined through an overdc 
of this powerful stimulant. If used at t 
rate of ^ oz. to a gallon of water at the co 
mencement of feeding it is perfectly sa 
and may be increased to ^ oz. per gall 
later. Used thus, it gives splendid resul 
Stake and tie the flowers before they bear 
flappy, avoiding injury to the bulbs 
doing this. I always use a forked-foot 
wire stake for Hyacinths, as this “straddle 
over the bulb. Keep plants in flower as c<. 
as possible, and shade them from sunshii 
Bedding Plants. 
All cuttings that were struck and w ■ 
tered in boxes or pans should now be pott. 
off singly. This operation pays doubly a- 
trebly, for good plants are thereby obtains 
which fill up the beds rapidly. I like > 
see the plants meet in the beds by the '< 
ginning of July; many never meet at a. 
frost intervening too soon. Use no crcc 
in the pots now, simply few three pa > 
