2 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
JULY 1, 1902. 
to those who live in cities, and being 
subject to the claims of hurrying business, 
have not time to search widely for infor- 
mation. 
It is impossible in a prescribed intro- 
ductory article to give any adequate idea 
of the information to be published in 
“ The Australian Gardener,” suffice it to 
say that everything of practical, scientific, 
and artistic interest will be submitted from 
every possible source of literature, includ- 
ing translations from the works of foreign 
countries, as well as news from all English - 
speaking people, and islands beyond the 
seas. Special features of the publication 
will be the distribution of knowledge 
regarding the native plants of Australia 
that may be brought into cultivation, and 
we shall welcome any contributions from 
those who perforce of circumstances have 
to live ‘‘far from the madding crowd,” 
yet retain a love for the beautiful in 
Nature. Forestry is yet another subject 
peculiarly interesting to Australians, and 
will be largely dealt with. 
Though mainly devoted to flowers “The 
Australian Gardener” will also contain 
information of a practical character upon 
the kitchen garden, the orchard, and the 
vineyard. A publication of this kind 
would hardly be complete without it. 
No effort is being spared by the Manage- 
ment to make this paper acceptable ‘to 
those interested, and to those who are not 
for that matter, in gardening in every State - 
cf Australia, and beyond her sea-girt 
shores. na ees : 
~The paper will be artistically illustrated, 
and descriptive in character of ornamental 
gardening, always with the view of 
practical assistance. (ed ; 
The circulation of the paper will cover 
the whole of Australia and on to New 
Zealand and Tasmania, and South Africa ; 
all deliveries being through the post 
offices, except where other means may be 
found equally prompt and sure, 
By reference to the commercial column 
on the front page it will be seen that 
communications may be sent to offices in 
all the States of Australia and beyond, and 
from the Head Office in Adelaide will be 
posted free ‘‘The Australian Gardener” 
for the very moderate sum of threepence 
per month, or three shillings and sixpence 
for twelve months. 
We invite the co-operation of all 
“gardeners, the teaching staffs of all public 
schools, and officers and menibers of 
Horticultural and Floricultural Societies 
throughout the Southern Hemisphere, 
and with this assistance success will be 
assured. 
12,000 
COPIES ISSUED FOR THE MONTH 
OF JULY. 
Send Orders for Twelve Months’ Subscrip- 
tion with Postal Note for 3/6. 
Orders for Advertisements should be sent 
in at once, 
Gardening Operations for July. 
PRINANINAINININANANINANANA NS 
THE OPEN BEDS. 
The month of June is perhaps one of the 
ugliest of the twelve in many respects from a 
flower gardening point of view. Invariably 
the gardener who takes some pride in his 
“flowers, and who does not for that matter, 
will tell his visitors that he has nothing tc 
show now. Being a midwinter month all the 
beauty of autumn flowers, such as Chrysanthe- 
mums and Zinnias, which are amongst the 
showiest bloomers, have given signs of decay, 
and the erstwhile beautiful Dahlia plants 
all help to fill up the beds with gaunt-looking 
objects that have done their duty in flower- 
ing. ‘Thus it may be regarded that June is 
the scavenging month. 
It must be presumed that all the flowers 
with useless top growth. have been dug up 
and cast aside. But a word or two might be 
said about the plants themselves before they 
are done with. The majority of amateur 
gardeners are too apt to throw aside plants 
indiscriminately on to the rubbish heap, 
without considering that they are of any 
further use. This is a mistake, because they 
will be wanted again in a month or two. 
Before setting fire to the rubbish heap care 
should be observed to see that a stool of each 
variety of Chrysanthemum has been carefully 
set aside in some sheltered corner, kept for 
the purpose of preserving them. ‘They will 
be wanted for replanting in August or 
September. The same with the perennial 
Phloxes. 
Zinnias will have been dug out of most 
garden plots, although in favourable situations 
they may be kept going in flower even up to 
the end of the month. But the bulk of these 
plants are now on the rubbish heap, and 
probably a number of gardeners have not 
troubled to keep the seeds. ‘This should 
have been done from the best flowers, and 
set aside for sowing in the early spring. 
Coxcombs, too, in like manner, should have 
had the seeds taken out for planting in 
spring. By the way, it is a little strange that 
these very showy plants are so much 
neglected by the amateur gardener. They 
are just as easily cultivated as any other 
flower, and make a good variety for any 
garden. 
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum), — perennials, 
have for some months been giving a con- 
tinuous supply of seeds after their vari- 
coloured blooms, some of which are exceed- 
ingly pretty, and the best of them having 
been kept, named, and planted, are coming 
on again as seedlings to be planted out during 
the month of August, although forward plants 
from the nurseries will be full of growth 
already. 
Balsams, which were flowering right up to 
the middle of June, are amongst the most 
highly prized open garden plants, although, 
being thirsty growers, they require a plentiful 
supply of water. ‘The beauty of these flowers 
is not shown to the best advantage, because 
of the close growth of the leaves with the 
blooms, but as pot plants they can be much 
better appreciated. The blooms haye a 
modest habit, to, of hanging their heads, 
possibly owing to the weakeness of the flower 
stem. They should be much more popularly 
cultivated. Some of the Solferino variety 
and the Victoria are charming blooms. ‘The 
double and the single blossoms are equally 
pretty and the seeds of these should be kept 
for planting in the spring. 
The month of June then we notice, is 
largely regarded as the dead month, for we 
have seen the greater portion of the autumn 
beauties die away to give place to the young © 
seedlings coming on for spring. 
THE RUBBISH HEAP. 
A word or two more about the June 
rubbish heap. 
an unsightly spot on the premises, and its 
ugliness is due to neglect. 
In the first place, this heap is _ 
We would not — 
argue that a rubbish heap could by any ~ 
amount of care or ingenuity be 
artistic, but with a little attention it can be 
obscured from view, and if that alone is 
made ~ 
accomplished some good is effected in this — 
way, and at little cost. 
Procure six or eight — 
sheets of galvanised-iron. Old material will — 
do. ‘Take four pieces of old gas or water — 
pipe, each about six feet in length, and drivé 
them into the ground to form four corner 
posts. The galvanised iron may now be laid 
lengthwise on edge and wired on to three — 
sides to the posts, leaving the fourth side 
open to receive the rubbish. ‘To secure the 
iron to the post, punch holes at the corners, 
and a piece of stout wire passed through the 
holes and around the posts will hold securely. 
The height of the screen, that is, whether 
one, two, or three sheets laid horizontally, will 
be determined by the position in which it is 
placed. ‘This will provide a permanent, safe, 
and by no means unsightly structure for some 
retired corner of the garden. 
Wheel the rubbish into this, and nobody 
will see it, if placed in an obscure corner, 
and in this it can be worked. If the 
rubbish recess is painted it looks all the 
better. 
mould from the rubbish, throw it over a little 
partition a couple of feet high, and a con- 
tinuous supply of stuff is available for top — 
dressing, with the manure heap, which can | 
be kept in another division of the rubbish | 
A little systematic work in this way | 
screen. 
Mix some soil and sand with the © 
saves a great deal of trouble, does away with — 
an eyesore, and, like a tidy tool chest, the | 
thing you want is always at hand. 
YOUNG PLANTS, 
Annuals, Biennials, Perennials, and 
Seedings. 
By the first of this month most of the | 
hardy and half-hardy annuals will have been | 
planted out into well-dug plots, put into good 
heart by a full layer of old stable or cowyard | 
If possible to get it the — 
best manure is obtained from stables bedded — 
manure turned in. 
with sawdust. This makes a compost, after | 
having been well rotted, that will grow most 
plants. 
It is not too late in the season to remark 
