a 
MARCH 2, 1903 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
varieties that justify glowing descriptions 
in the catalogues and are conspicuously 
handsome features of the flower shows are 
quite ineffective in the garden, because of 
their imperfect habit and an irritating dis- 
position to droop and conceal their blooms. 
Where the collection must necessarily be 
small it is advisable to exclude the dusky 
shades, and giye preference to the bright 
showy varieties of Dahlias. 
During the month many herbaceous 
plants can be (propagated. Amongst 
others, Hollyhocks, Pentstemons, Antirr- 
hinums, and Gaillardias from seed, Petu- 
nias, Fuchsias, Verbenas from cuttings, 
Calceolarias by offsets and cuttings. 
Seeds of Pansies sown in January and. 
February can now be transferred to the 
open border. ‘The soil should be well 
dug and enriched with manure before 
planting them out. ‘Ihey like best a 
well manured sandy loam. Sow seeds of 
the following hardy annuals to come on in 
the early spring and summer: French and 
Shirley Poppies, Lupins, Phlox Drum- 
mondi, Lobelia, Nemophila, Stocks, Vir- 
ginian Stock, Larkspurs, Delphinium, 
Minor Convolvulus, Sweet Sultans, Corn- 
flowers, Eschscholtzia, Coreopsis, Candy- 
tuft, Dianthus, and D. Barbatus, Gaillar- 
dia, and G. Lorenyiana, 
Sow Sweet Peas also this month in a 
well manured, deeply dug loamy soil. 
They should be sown in trenches to admit 
of their being earthed up at various stages 
of their growth. Autumn sown Peas 
make ‘a much stfronger root ‘than those 
sown in the spring, and come in to flower 
much earlier. Additional sowings can be 
made in the early and late spring, and thus 
a succession. will be provided for. 
March is a month very commonly 
chosen for bulb planting. Those who 
have left that operation until now should 
proceed without delay. It is not advis- 
able to plant Narcissus bulbs promiscuous- 
ly in the borders. They dislike the heavy 
dressings of manure that the latter must 
have, and the constant soaking of water in 
summer is more or less injurious. More- 
over, they are greatly in thé way of the 
autumn cultivating, and hinder the pro- 
gress of the spade. Bulbs, more especially 
the Narcissus, should be relegated to the 
kitchen garden or rear garden. ‘The 
blooms may be a temptation to the “bottle 
boys” and similar visitors, but happily we 
can protect ourselves from such depreda- 
tions by picking the flowers in the full- 
bud stage, allowing them to open indoors. 
In allotting them a space to themselves, 
we can have full control of the soil, and 
can renew it with little difficulty as often 
as the health of the bulb requires it; in 
most cases every two or tnree years. The 
soil should be light, deep, and pure. Black 
sand is favorable, and an admixture of sea. 
sand is said to be very acceptable to the 
bulb. If a soil is made for them with 
manure it must first have all its stimulat- 
ing properties taken out by some gross 
feeding crop. It will then be in a condi- 
tion to receive the bulbs. A cool subsoil is 
of the greatest importance. The rule in 
planting bulbs is three times their own 
depth in the soil, but it is better to err on 
the side of deep than shallow planting in 
‘this climate, except perhaps in the case of 
a heavy soil. When it comes to making 
a selection of Narcissus for planting it 1. 
amore difficult matter. The varieties o1 
the Daffodil section especially are so 
numerous and beautiful as to be bewilder- 
ing. Daffodil shows have their uses in 
familiarising us with the various types 
and helping our choice. It is always as 
well to note on those occasions any that 
seem to recommend themselves to our in- 
dividual tastes. Another good way, 
though, perhaps, a little more extravagant, 
is to buy the pots of flowering Narcissus 
that the florists offer in the season; then 
we know exactly what we are getting. This 
id advisable, more especially in the case 
of the choice varieties. They can be 
transferred from the pot to the bulb bed 
without their ever feeling the removal. 
~, 
PESCOSE CSSt= 
Answers to Correspondents. 
2eeeon : 
“KircuEen.”’—An. early sort of peas and 
broad beans may be sown towards the end 
of the month. Also sow lettuce, radish, 
spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, turnip, par- 
sley, carrot, parsnip, and onion, Plant 
largely of all the cabbage family and 
celery. A planting of potatoes may also 
be made. Draw the soil to celery as it 
grows. 
“Pyowsrs.”—Plant all spring flowering 
bulbs. Make a good sowing of hardy an- 
‘nuals, finish planting biennials, divide 
and replant violets, primroses, polyan- 
thuses, and other spring uowering herba- 
ceous plants; put in cuttings of all bed- 
ding plants; also roses, and keep all 
flower borders well forked up to encourage 
moisture. 
“Funcor.”—On specimens of leaves of 
carnation marked A. and B the diseases 
found were as follows: A. Carnation rust 
» (Uromyces caryophyllinus (Schrk Schroet). 
B. Carnation fairy ring (Heterosporium | 
echinulatum, Cke.). As to the rust, some 
varieties are more liable than others, and 
if has been suggested in propagating the 
sorts liable to disease that extra care 
should be taken in the selection of the cut- 
tings, using only those free from disease 
and from the plants least seriously affected. 
As to the fairy ring, picking off the diseas- 
ed leaves is the best policy, and the same 
course may also be followed with the rust, 
remembering, of course, that work of this 
nature is more effective when done at the 
commencement of the outbreak. Also in 
watering avoid wetting the leaves, as this 
favors the spread of the fungi. 
“ GRENVILLE GLEN.”’—In the paragraph 
you mention the word “so” is a printer’s 
error-for “ and.” The staking of aspara- 
gus is commonly practised with plants 
from which seed is desired, and to young 
one or two year old plants. The object 
is to prevent the wind from bending or 
breaking the stems. In the former case, 
the seed could not come to such perfec- 
tion as required; and, in either case, the 
latter more especially, it is apt to cause 
injury to the crown and interfere with 
- gence of readers. 
z 5 
the development of new shoots. The 
best French authorities recommend 
growers to save their own seed, thus 
having the opportunity for making a 
better selection of crowns and rejecting 
inferior ones. The latter part of the 
paragraph referred to the case of young 
plants requiring a certain amount of water 
in a very dry season. oe 
“T._The climatic differences in the 
States as affecting gardening operations is 
a matter that must be left to the intelli- 
The variation is not so 
very ‘extreme as between Victoria and 
South Australia that advice is likely to be 
misleading. Asa matter of fact, localities 
and climate in Australia vary in a small 
radius considerably, but not so much as 
the intelligence of gardeners. 
“Sou.”—It is quite true that the advice 
upon gardening with particular flowers in 
America, England, and Europe is not 
suitable or applicable in every way to 
Australia. It was hardly expected that 
gardeners, or even those who are not gar- 
deners, would suppose for a moment the 
advice should be followed literally. The 
object of their publication is to show how 
specialists succeed in their triumphs of 
beauty, and their devices are left to the 
wisdom of growgrs to apply according to 
the different conditions of climate, soil, 
and so on. 
““Untrey Park.”—The vague descrip- 
tion given is utterly insufficient to say 
what kind of insect is meant. Kindly 
send a few specimens, and we shall be 
very pleased to supply the information. 
“ Bausam.”—Some varieties of Balsams 
have a distinct perfume. A visit to the 
Botanic Gardens will give you all the 
information you require. 
“CHRYSANTHEMUM.” —Yes, during this 
month. Cowdung, with a little soot 
added, placed in a bag and hung in a tub 
of water, squeezed until the colour of 
dark brandy is obtained, is the safest 
liquid-manute. Use about twice a week, 
alternating with pure water.’ 
“ Mitpew.”—Dust your Chrysanthe- 
mums with sulphur while the dew is on 
them. 
“Jars.”—Take the crown bud, not the 
terminal, in that case. . : 
ree X SSSES 
Single Pyrethrums. 
Single Pyrethrums are preferable to double 
ones for indoor decoration, for the simple 
reason that they are lighter, and more varied 
in colour, some of the tints being soft, and 
hamonising better with the furnishing of a 
room. This is on the authority of a lady 
who has had considerable experience in the 
floral arrangements of tables. | However 
beautiful some of the double sorts may be, 
they are clumsy looking in comparison with 
the single sorts. Most of us think of grow- 
ing Pyrethrums from division, but seldom 
think of the less expensive way of propagat- 
ing from seed. This may be done by sowing 
in a frame.—‘ Gardening.” 
~<— 
