462 
July 6, 1907. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
trees, and has had the sharp frosts of the 
previous winter through it, for there will 
be less chance of it containing any mag¬ 
gots, but if that cannot be obtained, bake 
some in an old bucket over a good fire 
for a few hours, so as to make certain 
that it contains no kind of insects. Now 
is the time for propagation by means of 
offshoots. When top-dressing,- all side- 
shoots with roots should be removed and 
potted up in well drained 60 size pots, 
of sandv soil, and then placed in a frame 
and kept close until they recover, watch¬ 
ing very carefully and sparingly to pre¬ 
vent “ damping off,” and when they ap¬ 
pear to have recovered, air should be 
freely admitted. 
In the case of some of the choicer seed¬ 
lings or plants that are “shy” at making 
side growths, thev may be encouraged 
by taking off the' top of the plant and 
treating it the same as if it were a side- 
shoot, and in a short time several shoots 
will break out. By this means we shall 
obtain a number of plants much quicker 
than if this were not done. 
After top-dressing, the plants will need 
more water, and when in flower, watering 
will require careful attention, for if the 
soil become dry the flowers will soon 
shrivel. In bright, sunshiny weather, 
some kind of temporary shading should 
be afforded or the rich colours will be 
quickly spoilt, especially so in the case 
of the'darker coloured varieties. 
As the heads of bloom are gradually 
opening, it would be wise to throw some 
mats on the frames as a protection 
against frost; for one night’s frost would 
ruin a whole year’s work, for even though 
the flowers may not be opened, it is im¬ 
possible to get flat, even flowers after 
they have been touched by frost. 
As soon as flowering is over, the plants 
should be repotted, and no matter what 
size pots are used, they must be well 
drained, and it will be much better for 
the plants if some pieces of charcoal are 
placed over the drainage. Remove the 
old soil carefully from the roots of the 
plant with the sharp end of an old label, 
and with a sharp knife cut back any thick 
tap roots to where the new rootlets are 
forming, and also remove any of the old 
roots that may be at all damaged. Do 
not pot too hard, for none of the Primula 
class will do well under the hard potting 
system, and in potting, keep the collar 
of the plant well above the surface of 
the soil. Remove the plants again to 
the frames, and keep close for a few days 
to encourage root action, and if the soil 
was in a moist condition at the time of 
potting, water will not be required for 
nearly a week. 
If the plants are to be grown in frames 
all the year through, it will be better to 
have such as may be moved at will, for 
during the summer months the frames 
should have a north aspect, and in the 
winter south is the best aspect for them. 
Protection must also be given by means 
of mats round the sides of the frames, 
and over the lights during frosty weather 
but excepting during actual frosts, air 
must be given at all times. During wet 
weather the lights should not be removed 
but be tilted by placing a small.pot or 
brick at one end. 
Plants that are grown with a good cur¬ 
rent of air passing around them are much 
better than those that are grown in close 
frames all the year, for they have well 
ripened crowns and good stout foliage. 
Those plants can better resist all attacks 
of disease than those that have been 
grown in a stuffy atmosphere. 
The best compost for potting Auriculas 
during the summer repotting is, three 
parts of good loam, one part of rotten 
cow manure as before mentioned, and 
one part of silver sand and charcoal 
mixed. The charcoal should be broken 
up into small pieces, but if that cannot 
be obtained, the ashes from the burning 
of the garden refuse, hedge clippings, 
etc., will make a good substitute. 
The worst insect pest we have to con¬ 
tend against is the green fly, and it 
should be got rid of by sponging the foli¬ 
age with a soft soap solution, or by a 
light fumigation. It is far better to fu¬ 
migate just as the heads of bloom are 
showing, even if at that time no flies are 
to be seen, for it will not do to fumigate 
when the blooms are open, and at no 
Spring 
Bedding. 
Planning 
for Next Year. 
The beauty of spring flower beds is 
over, and it is now time to glance over 
the results of the past season. Successes 
should be carefully noted, failures 
marked for future avoidance, and new 
ideas worth using be written in our note¬ 
book. If the plans of last autumn were 
well thought out, we may have had this 
season some fine colour combinations. 
But sometimes plans that seem sound in 
theory, are unsatisfactory in practice, 
and it is only by carefully taking notes 
that we gain experience of how to avoid 
failure. 
The extent of spring bedding has been 
much widened of late years. Our ideas 
were formerly confined to a limited 
range of bulbs, principally Tulips. That 
is now changed. We still have Tulips 
in their stiff glory, but now a carpeting 
of dwarfer plants takes away the stiffness 
without lessening any of the glory. One 
of the best plants for this purpose is 
Arabis albida fl. pi. As a background 
for scarlet Van Thol Tulips it is unsur¬ 
passable, the elegant white blossoms 
showing up the scarlet cup-like blooms 
to perfection. It would do equally well 
for any other brilliant early flowering 
Tulip.' White Tulips, with Myosotis 
Star of Love, is another good combina¬ 
tion. Tulip Cottage Maid, with its 
strong growing large pink and white 
blooms, looks well against a mauve back¬ 
ground. Primula cashmeriana tried with 
it was not a successful combination, 
blooming too early, so that only seed- 
heads remained when the Tulips were at 
their best. Aubrietia, the variety Dr. 
Mules, flowers at the same time, and 
would form an uncommon contrast. 
Other good arrangements for small 
beds and borders are, White Tulips with 
yellow or crimson Polyanthus, Yellow 
Tulips and double White Arabis, blood 
red Wallflower bordered with Myosotis 
Queen Victoria, an upright, compact and 
time must the fumigation be strong. 
Alpine Auriculas are hardier than the 
show varieties, and can be grown after 
the first year without any protection what¬ 
ever, but if required for exhibition they 
must be cultivated the same as the show 
varieties. Alpine Auriculas like a good 
rich light soil. It is a great mis¬ 
take to move them, or transplant each 
year, for they do much better if left un¬ 
disturbed for a few years, but if they get 
overcrowded, thin some of the side 
growths out and pot them in the manner 
already described. Each year a top¬ 
dressing of good soil will be of great 
benefit at the time that the side growths 
are thinned out. Alpine Auriculas will 
always sell well when anyone has a good 
collection, and as they throw out so many 
side growths many an amateur could re¬ 
duce the expenses of his garden if he 
were to sell his surplus stock of these 
plants. SCRIPTOR. 
brilliant variety. Golden Wallflower 
may be surrounded with dark brown Poly¬ 
anthus. Primula cashmeriana edged 
with P. nivalis, and dotted over with an 
early flowering contrasting Tulip, per¬ 
haps Chrysolora, make a very good and 
effective bedding arrangement. 
These results cannot be obtained with¬ 
out due preparation the previous sum¬ 
mer, and now is the time to begin. Wall¬ 
flower seed, if not already sown, should 
be put in at once, in beds of finely pre¬ 
pared soil mixed with leaf mould and 
firmly made. When large enough to 
handle transplant to beds where they 
may remain until required for autumn 
planting. Myosotis can be sown through¬ 
out the summer; also increased by di¬ 
vision of old plants. Cuttings of Arabis 
should be taken in July, and it is safe to 
always take more than is wanted in case 
of losses. Short, sturdy shoots are best, 
pulled off the old plant, and firmly in¬ 
serted into ordinary soil. Shading and 
watering are necessary until the cut¬ 
tings have struck. The same treatment 
is suitable for Aubrietia. Polyanthus 
can be raised from seed, but better re¬ 
sults are got from dividing old plants of 
good colours. The young plants require 
shade during summer, and a sound water¬ 
ing from time to time, when they will de¬ 
velop into good plants ready to be trans¬ 
ferred to beds for spring flowering. 
G. J. W. 
-♦++- 
Slugs Among the Strawberries. 
These pests in some gardens do a lot of 
damge among the ripe fruit, and a good 
dressing of lime and soot will be of great 
advantage before the plants come into 
blossom. The rains will wash it in and 
it will make the slugs very uncomfortable 
and otherwise benefit the crop. Straw¬ 
berries may be planted now, if desired, 
on deeply-worked land, but fruit cannot 
be expected this season unless' strong 
plants out of pots are planted. These 
can generally be purchased if any one 
cares to pay the price. If young plants 
are set out there should be no crop this 
season, but rows of Onions may be 
planted between the rows of Strawberries. 
Very good crops of Onions have been 
grown in this way, 
A, V. Parratt, 
Boxtndstone. 
