The Flower Garden. 
ilbs. 
From what I can learn bulbs will be 
st class this season, both home grown and 
reign, while in many instances they will 
cheaper than usual. A reader has asked 
. to quote a short list of varieties suit- 
le for out of door gardening, so I venture 
do so. In the first place, I might men- 
n that most bulb merchants put up coi¬ 
tions, but these very often contain sorts 
t desired. Many people are apt to he led 
'ay by specious advertisements dealing 
th collections containing some hundreds 
bulbs for a few shillings. I remember 
ce seeing an American advertisement 
iich offered ioo summer flowering bulbs 
r 10 cents. Those who were gullible 
ough to send the money received some 
'xed Oxalis in an ordinary envelope, so 
may be guessed they were small. Bow¬ 
er, I do not say home advertisers work 
ch oracles, but it may be taken for 
anted that a lot of bulbs for little money 
sans there will be more 'Crocuses than 
yacinths. But that by-the-way. 
arieties for the Garden. 
Named Hyacinths are hardly necessary 
•r bedding purposes as they cost a good 
sal, and may not be any better than those 
lught under colour at half the price. 
Single Early Tulips : Belle Alliance, 
hrysolora, Crimson King, Cottage Maid, 
eizerskroon, Proserpine and White Swan. 
Double Ditto: La Candeur, “Tournesol, 
ex Ruhrorum, Rosalie, and Couronne d’Or. 
Late Flowering Tui.irs : Golden Crown, 
esneriana major, Retroflexa, Vitellina, 
icotee, Fulgens, Gesneriana lutea, Mrs. 
loon, Rose Pompon, Yellow Rose, Silver 
ueen, Darwin’s Early Dawn, Pride of 
aarlem, Harry Veitch, La Candeur, Gul¬ 
in, Medusa, Mrs. Krelage, Mark Twain, 
nd Gretchen. 
Daffodils : Emperor, Empress, Grandis, 
lenry Irving, Golden Spur, Madam Plemp, 
ladam de Graaff, Sir Watkin, Barri Con- 
ficuus, Figaro, Ornatus, Princeps, and 
tella. 
Apart from these, of course, one should 
! ave Crocuses, not necessarily named, 
panish Iris, Snowdrops, St. Brigid Ane- 
lones, Scillas, etc. None of the sorts men- 
ioned are outrageously expensive, but I 
eed hardly say there are hundreds of other 
arieties, some very cheap, others very much 
he reverse. The point to bear in mind is 
Ip plant as soon as possible. Large bulbs 
ike Hyacinths are better planted five or 
ix inches deep, and Daffodils and Tulips 
learly the same depth. 'Many amateurs are 
ipt to plant all bulbs too shallow, but it 
-s better to err on the side of deep planting 
ban otherwise. Crocuses often fail to make 
’ood bulbs for the following season, owing 
o shallow planting. Plant deeply, and 
Bant right side up. 
Puttings of Pinks. 
Those who have not gone to the trouble of 
aking cuttings of Pinks may still increase 
be stock by simply dividing the plants up 
so as to get a bit of root on each piece. If 
bere are not enough roots to go round, 
: olant the pieces without. The chances are 
I bey will grow. Keep the pieces moist. 
Sweet Peas. 
I have more than once expressed my views 
on autumn sowing of Sweet Peas. Those 
who have light soil, and a well-drained one 
to wit, may sow with confidence. Sow 
where they are to flower and not too thinly. 
The overplus may be pulled out in the 
spring. 
Borders and 'beds are giving plenty of 
work now, for the warm weather coming 
after the heavy' deluges has set things 
going. Clear away all dead flowers and 
cut back any plants that look unsightly. 
Chrysanthemums and Asters. 
Chrysanthemums and perennial Asters pay 
for looking after at this season, for soon 
they will have it all to themselves. Either 
of these subjects may be lifted after a good 
soaking and planted to fill gaps that are 
very conspicuous. There is not much 
affinity between Asters and Chrysanthemums, 
although thev both belong to "the composite 
order. By disbudding the latter the re¬ 
maining buds may be relied upon to give 
superior flowers. The removal of Aster 
buds only results in one thing : fewer 
flowers and very very little, if any, better 
than those left alone. One would have a 
lively task if they started disbudding such 
varieties as horizontalis or ericoides. These 
small flowered types are dwarf growers and 
somewhat spreading, and therefore require 
very little support. Indeed, they look bet¬ 
ter if all stakes are removed. The tall 
kinds like cordifolius require firm stakes 
or they will prove troublesome. 
Dahlias. 
Dahlias may be relied upon to give plenty 
of bloom for some time to come providing 
frost does not pay an unwelcome visit. 
I somehow fancy that frost will come and 
strike hard, earlier than usual, for time 
after time I have seen the meadows glisten¬ 
ing and some morning old Jack may prove 
a trifle more vicious. 
Carnations. 
If Carnation layers have not been severed 
from the parent plants it is advisable to do 
so now, as it will make them independent 
and cause them to increase the roots. 
r cntstemons. 
Pentstemon cuttings should be set in 
frames as fast as they are obtainable. Do 
not keep the lights closed, say for a- day 
or so, or damping may occur. 
The Fruit Garden. 
This has been a glorious Gooseberry year. 
Better crops and cleaner bushes I have never 
seen. 
Gooseberries. 
We have been much scared by the reports- 
ooncerning the Gooseberry mildew, but I 
am glad to say I have not seen it, although 
the disease has got a sure grip on the 
Evesham district. 
If summer pruning has not been done it 
will be of some service if the young growths 
are cut back a bit. I't will give the Wood 
a chance to ripen and swell the buds for 
next year’s crop. Gooseberries are so easily 
raised from cuttings that one can quickly 
increase the stock. Insert good sound wood, 
as previously stated, and there will be noth¬ 
ing further to do until next autumn, when 
the young plants must be cut back hard to 
605 
induce bush growth. If wanted for walls, 
the single stem or cordon is best. Such 
plants become perfect ropes of fruit of first- 
class quality and size. 
Currants. 
Currants, both white and red, may be simi¬ 
larly treated. Black Currants also are 
raised from cuttings. All young fruit trees 
that are growing too rampantly should be 
lifted and replanted. It will check their 
exuberance. 
Trenching. 
The wise gardener who intends to make 
new plantations will be at work trenching 
the ground. It is hot work at this period, 
but the days are getting short, so there is 
no need to worry about long hours. 
Raspberries. 
Raspberries should have been set to rights 
by this time, no old or weak wood remain¬ 
ing. 
Fruit Picking. 
Do not pick Apples or Pears that will not 
part readily unless not wanted for storing. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
I have often wondered why the kitchen 
has a garden to itself. Apparently the 
flower and fruit gardens belong to no par¬ 
ticular part of the house, but, nevertheless, 
a great deal of fruit finds its way into the 
kitchen. Why not Vegetable Garden ? Will 
anyone tell me? Surely the dining-room 
has a claim here. 
However, I suppose it’s merely the cus¬ 
tom, and that the drawing-room has every 
right to seize upon the flower garden if it 
wishes. Apart from this I would just point 
out that there are several items needing at¬ 
tention in the kitchen garden. 
Potatos and Celery. 
Potato lifting should continue and earth 
be drawn up still further against Celery 
that needs it. 
The hoe should be kept at work aimong 
winter greens and decaying leaves removed. 
The soil about Leeks not ready for earthing 
should also be stirred. 
Cabbages. 
More Cabbages may be planted. Frames 
not wanted for other purposes may be filled 
with Lettuce and Endive if the plants are 
of fair size. 
A few roots of Parsley are safer in a 
frame. Such things do not object to being 
crowded- 
Tomatos. 
Encourage Tomatos to ripen by exposing 
the fruits to full sunlight. Do not water 
too much. 
Horti. 
The Amateur’s Greenhouse. 
Decorative Pelargoniums. 
The last of these should now be breaking 
nicely into growth after cutting back the 
shoots, and may be potted forthwith. It is 
always wise to repot this class of plant every 
year, as thereby a chance is afforded of 
getting rid of the old, worn-out soil and 
replacing it by new. I have had Pelar¬ 
goniums fifteen years old in 5 in. pots by 
following a drastic course of cutting back 
and repotting annually. After the old soil 
has been shaken away, cut back the roots 
about half their length, and repot in a pot 
just big enough to take them comfortably. 
Use plenty of sand in the compost, pot 
firmly, and stand the plants in a warm 
corner of the house, where they can be 
syringed twice daily. Very little water will 
be needed until growth is active, and when 
this is the case air in abundance should 
also be given. 
