THE GARDENING WORLD 
The Flower Garden. 
Readers of these notes will doubtless have 
observed that I cannot abstain from refer¬ 
ring to Sweet Peas. 
Sweet Peas. 
Our good friend, Mr. G. F. Drayson, and 
a few other enthusiasts, frequently have 
something to say respecting these flowers, 
therefore I am sure it would come as a 
relief if I steered clear of the subject for a 
change ; but, unfortunately., I cannot, de¬ 
spite the fact that the weather and other 
things have treated me badly. By the time 
these notes “appear I shall have a few 
flowers, but only a few, from varieties that 
are naturally vigorous. But happily, Dame 
Fortune has not treated everyone alike, so 
I have been able to have Sweet Peas con¬ 
stantly on my table for several weeks past, 
and what is more interesting, the flowers 
have all been new and mostly unnamed. 
New Seedlings. 
Take my word for it, there will be a 
plethora of new seedlings at the R.H.S. 
Hall on July 16th. The new seedling, 
George Stark, is sporting freely, one break 
being a close approach to a clear, light, 
rosy scarlet, in Spencer form. Another 
'wonderful pink to be looked for emanates 
from Winchester. Audrey Crier is done 
before it appears, for Miss Linzee is in plain 
talk, a real caution. It is- curious how 
different is the growth of some varieties 
from various seed stock.- Last season I 
saved a good bit of my own selected Coun¬ 
tess Spencer. I foolishly gave away the lot 
entirely, and sowed a reliable seedsman's 
strain for my own use. The result is that 
my batch is wretched, whilst those who are 
growing my selection report tremendous 
growth. I can only assume that the heavy 
soil I have hitherto grown upon is well 
suited to seed saving, yet strangely enough 
my own saved seed is usually a miserable 
sample to look at. The same thing hap¬ 
pens with my own selected Potato seed. 
Curl disease is almost certain to appear 
among bought-in stock, yet anyone to 
whom I have given selected seed report 
wonderful results, and personally I have 
never found such seed to fail me. I am no 
advocate for indiscriminate seed saving, 
but must confess that selection done with 
care, brings about surprising results after a 
few years. 
Tying and Training. 
But, harking back to Sweet Peas, every¬ 
one should be busy tying up growths, if they 
require it. It is bad policy to allow the 
shoots to clutch hold anywhere. If the plants 
are in clumps the growths should be kept 
outside the sticks as much as possible. 
Insect Pests. 
A sharp look-out should be kept for green 
fly attacks. I do not know whether there is 
a special breed of aphis for Sweet Peas, 
but last month I found a number of ex¬ 
ceedingly Large aphis on my plants. These 
pests very quickly injure the young 
growths, and if a shoot appears to be stun¬ 
ted and pale in colour at the tip, a search 
should be made for aphis. Maggot, too, 
is terribly destructive, as it always attacks 
the young shoots. Spot disease is getting 
about, and immediate action must be taken 
should it appear. Picking off the affected 
leaves and spraying with Bordeaux is the 
safest remedy, but it should be done as soon 
as the spots are visible. 
Rose Budding. 
A start may be made at Rose budding if 
the stocks are ready. The dwarf stocks natu¬ 
rally do not need to have strong shoots as 
do standards, because the buds are inserted 
very low down. Standard stocks must pos¬ 
sess two or three good shoots near the top. 
All others should be removed. It is a wise 
plan to bud only one or two shoots, reserv¬ 
ing the other in case the first ones fail, which 
they not infrequently do when inserted 
early. I have been more successful at bud¬ 
ding in early September than in July. One 
must work just when the bark will move 
easily. 
Dahlias. 
Weeds are just as plentiful as ever, and 
the hoe has to be ever at work. See that the 
soil round about Dahlias is kept loose and 
free from weeds. A mulch of manure will 
be very beneficial now that the plants are 
growing freely 7 . Keep the main stems tied 
up closely and loop up the lateral growths, 
so that they do not get damaged by wind. 
I suppose it is safe to say we shall have more 
wind, sooner or later. 
The Leaf Mining Maggot. 
The leaf mining maggot is prevalent 
again, I find, and it seems to be quite at 
home on Sweet Peas and Chrysanth. maxi¬ 
mum, as it is on the Marguerite. There is 
only one way to deal with them, that is pick 
the foliage where the maggot is seen. Some 
strong smelling insecticide like paraffin 
emulsion will scare away the flies that pre¬ 
cede the maggots. ' , 
Violas and Pansies. 
Cuttings of Violas and Pansies may be 
taken, and they will root readily if shaded. 
Seed of Pansies sown now in boxes will 
make fine plants for setting out in the 
autumn. 
Carnations. 
Carnations are blooming in warmer situa¬ 
tions. See that the stems are kept well sup¬ 
ported. Keep the ground well hoed and en¬ 
courage the plants to make grass by giving 
a sprinkle of some good fertiliser round 
the roots. Search out any maggots that aie 
affecting the plants, as they do much damage 
by 7 boring into the stems. 
Attention to border plants is essential. 
Tying up and the removal of decaying 
leaves and flowers go a long way towards 
keeping the plants healthy. 
Seedlings. 
Seedling Primroses will need pricking out, 
but see they are given a cool place. Such 
biennials as Wallflowers and Sweet Wil- 
Watering. 
The water-can has to be called into requi¬ 
sition nowadays, but never play at watering. 
The man who sprinkles with a rosed can 
every night will never do so well as the man 
who gives a good soaking once a week. 
The Fruit Garden. 
The main item that calls for attention is 
the destruction of insect pests. 
Insect Pests. 
Aphis and thrips are plentiful everywhere, 
July 6, 1907. 
the latter being greatly attached to the Cur 
rant. 
Hoeing and Feeding. 
Keep the ground well hoed among th 
various bushes and trees, and where neces 
sary give plenty of water and liquid manure 
Strawberries. 
Strawberry layering is better done early 
as the plants are then ready for earl- 
autumn planting. Never overlook the fac 
that young plants pay better than old ones 
Many market men treat Strawberries en 
tirelv as annuals. 
Plums and Cherries. 
Wall Plums and Cherries will be needins 
a little pinching back. 
Peaches and Nectarines. 
Peaches and Nectarines should be thinner 
if the fruits are numerous. Keep al 
growths well in their places and remove am 
that tend to crowd. 
Wall Figs. 
Wall Figs need much the same attention 
Plenty of liquid is desirable. 
The Kitchen Garden, 
This is an interesting place just now. I 
may not look so bright as the flower garden 
but one has a comfortable feeling wker 
picking Peas, etc. 
Broad Beans. 
Broad Beans are later than usual, bu 
they have made great progress during the 
past two or three weeks. Where they havr 
a tendency to fall over a stout string shoulc 
be run down each side of the rows. 
Runner Beans. 
Runner Beans should be kept to theii 
proper supports, and not allowed t< 
scramble over each other. Where growr 
without supports constant pinching is neces 
sary 7 . 
Celery. 
Celery is thirsty stuff, and on dry soil; 
it must have plenty of water. Watch foi 
the fly and ward it off by spraying with tai 
water. Later batches may be set out where 
Peas have been cleared. 
Plant out more winter greens wherevei 
space is available. 
Onions. 
Onions will appreciate constant hoeing 
and a dressing of soot will help to keep 
away the fly. For big bulbs liquid manure 
is essential in very dry weather. 
Carrots. 
Keep the hoe going among Carrots, ani 
see that the soil is kept over the crowns. 
Turnips. 
Turnips must not stand too long. Use a; 
soon as fit. 
Vegetable Marrows. 
Give plenty of water to Marrows, nov 
they have got into full growth. 
Utilise the spaces between Celerv rows fo: 
Lettuce and other quick growing crops. 
Horti. 
Feeding Oleanders. 
The Oleander is one of the most notoriou; 
gluttons for drink that the greenhouse con 
tains, and analyses of the plant’s constitu 
ents show such an alarming amount of watei 
that one wonders where the wood comes in 
But something a little stronger than watei 
is also relished by this producer of beauti 
ful blossoms, and whenever the manure car 
is in the greenhouse it should always pay 
its respects to the Oleander. A noticeabk 
peculiarity of the Oleander is that at th< 
same time flower buds show, leafy shoot; 
commence to push out near them. Thest 
hams need an early shift, so as to prevent 
their becoming drawn in the seed bed. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse 
