THE GARDENING WORLD. 
April 27, 1907. 
290 
The Flower Garden. 
Insect Pests. 
It is evident by the frequent queries ap¬ 
pearing in ithe “ G.W.” that insect pests are 
just as plentiful as of yore. Some people 
declared that the severe weather last winter 
—what a long time ago that seems !—would 
destroy many of the insects in the garden. 
Were the constitutions of insects built upon 
the same lines as those of the animal world 
it would, perhaps, be so, but unfortunately 
insects of all descriptions are little, if at 
all, affected by extreme cold. 
Slugs and Wire worm. 
Slugs are extremely plentiful this spring, 
while wireworms and other beetle larvae are 
as active as ever. For these latter pests I 
know of nothing to surpass Vaporite, used 
as directed, while slugs also ifa.ll a prey to 
it; Slugene is a terror if dusted over these 
slimy customers when they are out on the 
prowl. 
Woodiice. 
Woodlice, too, are tremendously active this 
season, and not a few complaints have come 
to hand respecting their depredations in 
greenhouses. Phospho-Niootyl is the latest 
remedy for this latter pest, and it is miles 
ahead of poisoned bait. It clears and keeps 
out woodlice, and the big market growers 
are using it largely. 
Greenfly. 
The appearance of greenfly on Roses al¬ 
ready indicates that severe weather does not 
affect the eggs laid in the autumn. And it 
will he found that the Rose Maggot will ap¬ 
pear at its appointed time. 
Roses. 
Speaking of Roses prompts me to advise 
the use of the hoe on the beds whenever the 
surface appears to be hardening. If there 
are a few robins about they will spy out 
many little grubs, turned up in the hoeing 
process. The best hoe for Rose beds is un¬ 
doubtedly the Sproughton, especially if the 
beds are numerous, as it gets over the ground 
at a great pace, providing the soil is not 
sticky. 
About Hoes. 
It seems to me that there is room for more 
patterns in hoes. It is an admitted fact that 
special tools will do a certain class of work 
better and quicker than ordinary standard 
kinds. I must confess that the Americans 
are a long way ahead with the weeders, 
scufflers, and other hoes—cultivators, the 
Americans are pleased to term them—and 
they make them in dozens of patterns and 
6izes. American truck farmers are great 
hustlers, and when they find one kind of 
tool works too slowly for their liking they 
straightaway get the tool maker to make a 
hoe that will come up to their requirements. 
A well-known writer once said that the 
Americans are not such hustlers as is 
imagined. They are really lazy people, for 
they want tools that will do a maximum of 
work with a minimum of labour, and in as 
short a time as possible. Their inventive 
genius comes to their aid, and so they are 
able to turn out express work. 
The American Spading Fork. 
And is there not true sense in this? The 
American spading fork is supplanting the 
spade, because it penetrates the ground with 
less effort, and does not clam. The spading 
fork, by the way, is a three or four tined 
tool with flat prongs, the ends being square, 
not pointed. 
Sweet Peas. 
It is time that Sweet Peas were in their 
flowering quarters. With, me planting has 
been spread over the past two or three weeks, 
and even now I still have a number of pot¬ 
fuls not ready for shifting. The variability 
of germination has made it impossible to 
plant all at one time, and I must own that 
the behaviour of some of the novelties .is 
not suggestive of healthy growth. Apart 
from this trouble, some of my plants were 
attacked by mice, which are given to biting 
off the seedlings when they are up an inch or 
so. This beheading of the plants in so young 
a stage has no detrimental effect, save that 
it checks the seedlings a little. They al¬ 
ways break strongly, however, and flower 
little if any -behind the untouched plants. 
Nevertheless, I do not advocate pinching, in 
the early stages, as I like my plants to jump 
ahead and get up the sticks. 
Sowing Perennials and Biennials. 
Those who desire to raise a stock of peren¬ 
nials and biennials may now sow seed. I 
myself prefer early sowing, instead of wait¬ 
ing until June, as is often advised. At the 
latter time there is plenty to -do without 
looking after tiny seedlings, which, might 
get scorched up unless attended to at fre¬ 
quent intervals. Wallflowers, Sweet Wil¬ 
liams, Brompton Stocks, and the like, when 
sown now, make nice little plants for prick¬ 
ing out before the real hot weather comes, 
and so they get established. Such peren¬ 
nials as Delphiniums, Oriental Poppies, 
Aquilegias, etc., will make nice little bloom¬ 
ing plants for next season, if sown now and 
pricked out into good soil later on. Aquile¬ 
gias are better when sown early in heat, as 
they are terrible slow growers the first sea¬ 
son. After that, well, they simply smother 
time, and anything else in their way. 
Late Sown Annuals. 
Another sowing of annuals made now will 
come into bloom just when early sown stuff 
is reaching its best. By making several sow¬ 
ings a lasting display is kept up. Late sown 
hatches, however, must not be transplanted, 
as the weather is generally too hot to allow 
them a good chance. 
Frame Raised Annuals. 
The bulk of frame-raised annuals will he 
ready for picking out now. Much depends 
upon the heat given. Some no doubt have 
stuff large enough to plant out, but I am 
quite content to have my plants in nice 
rough leaf at this time. A little rotted 
manure and leaf mould will encourage free 
rooting. Keep the seedlings moist, but never 
overwater. Keep some slaked lime handy 
to check damping off disease. 
Sheep Manure. 
Speaking of rotted manure reminds me 
that. a reader was enquiring about sheep 
manure for garden purposes. This is un¬ 
doubtedly a very valuable manure, and for 
mixing with potting soil it can hardly be 
surpassed. In America several firms send 
out sheep manure in a dry form, and market 
florists use it largely in their greenhouses, 
both as a dry manure and for making 
liquid manure. 
Lawns and Grass Paths. 
The lawn and grass paths will be claim¬ 
ing constant attention now, ifor the grass is 
moving rapidly. It is -not too late to sow 
seed. I myself am contemplating sowing 
a large patch within the next week or so. 
Dahlias. 
Young Dahlia plants are now available 
from the nurseryman, and those who intend 
securing new stock should not delay in or¬ 
dering. The ground should be in good trim 
for the young plants, which should be 
covered at -night if frost threatens. 
Frames. 
All other tender plants should be sub¬ 
jected to a thorough hardening process be¬ 
fore being set out. Keep the lights well off 
the frames whenever possible, but shut up 
at night if cold winds prevail. 
The Fruit Garden. 
Weeds. 
The hoe should not be allowed to stand 
idle here. In old gardens weeds quickly ap¬ 
pear, but they are easily slaughtered if 
stirred up when quite young. 
Black Currant Mite. 
Black Cur-ran-ts infested with mite should 
not be overlooked. The sulphur lime dry 
dusting will check the pests now that they 
are migrating. Be sure (the lime is per¬ 
fectly fresh. -Slaked lime is of little value. 
Wall Fruit. 
Continue to attend to the thinning and 
disbudding of wall fruits. 
Strawberries. 
Thoroughly clean Strawberry beds before 
laying down straw or litter. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
Onions. 
Onion seed I find is germinating well this 
season, and as soon as it -is clearly up a 
light dusting of soot and lime should be 
given. A very small quantity of salt may 
be added to the mixture, as it has a good 
effect on Onions. 
Early Potatos. 
Early Potatos are showing strongly, and 
they must be protected by -drawing the earth 
over them. Where care has been taken to 
use only sprouted seed I observe a very pro¬ 
mising start. 
Beans. 
Beans, both dwarf and runners, are safe 
if sown now. The former if sown about now 
are little if anything behind earlier sowings 
at the finish. Runners should be given three 
inches of room, and afterwards thinned to 
six inches. New and expensive sorts are 
safer if sown in boxes and transplanted 
later. Where wireworm is abundan-t it is 
almost fatal to sow Beans in the open, as 
the pests drill the seeds like a honeycomb. 
Personally I favour the single row for run¬ 
ners, but it is really a matter of taste. 
Peas. 
Late or maincrop Peas should go in with¬ 
out further delay. 
Beets and Carrots. 
Beets and Carrots should be sown now. 
Also small pinches of Lettuce and other 
salads. ... 
Frame-raised Plants. 
Frame-raised plants such as Onions, Cauli¬ 
flower, etc., should be set out at once if 
hardened off. Early raised Celery must not 
be kept too close or it will become drawn. 
Prick out later (batches if ready for the. 
shift. 
Commence to (thin out seedling greens 
where too thick. 
Mint. 
Make new plantations of Mint, setting oui 
only small pieces. This herb is a terrible, 
thing to run, and should be planted an 
nually, or it will soon get beyond bounds. 
