~ 
VOL IL —No 
36. AUP ilelss Price 3d. aa 
) \HURSDAY, NOV. 5, 1993. 
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‘The Flower Carden 
OPERATIONS FOR NOVEMBER. 
There are two factors in gardening dur- 
ing November that require more attention 
and consideration perhaps than most of 
the many other features of work. They 
are soil and water. This month really 
introduces us to summer, and the tempera- 
ture is possessed of many vagaries and 
changes. These changes upset the best 
calculations in outdoor work, and worry 
most gardeners into the feeling that there 
are other occupations which bring fewer 
grey hairs than gardening. We have not, 
however, to deal with those elements that 
are beyond the control of human beings. 
Gardeners have plenty to occupy their 
attention with things immediately under 
their control, and if a blasting east: wind 
comes along and withers up their choicest 
blooms for show and other purposes, the 
philosophy of a good temper and renewed 
energy is worth cultivating. Whether 
the east winds come or stay away is not 
the first consideration, but preparation of 
soil to combat the heat of summer. It 
must be remembered that evaporation of 
water is very largely the cause of dryness, 
and is caused by the plants through the 
breathing pores of the leaves, and through 
the surface of the soil. The first cause 
cannot, of course, be provided against ; 
but a good deal can be done to the sur- 
face to keep the moisture in. It is well 
after soaking the ground by watering or 
by rain not to turn it up to a great depth, 
but keep the surface in a loose condition 
and covered with a mulch of cow-yard 
manure, the mowings of lawns, or leaf 
scrapings. Breaking the surface with a 
hoe or other means of stirring has the 
effect of breaking or widening the 
capillary tubes which carry the upward 
must be absorbed by some means, it is 
taken up by the plants or is carried down. 
An important element to be considered 
in the making of soil is what is known as 
humus, the black or brown animal or 
vegetable decaying substances. To main- 
tain a good consistency of humus the 
accumulations of vegetable matter on the 
soil, together with manure, must be turned 
in with the spade. Amateur gardeners 
often make fatal mistakes in their gardens 
by raking off all the rubbish, so-called, 
instead of turning in to decay in the 
ground. The retention of humus is bene- 
ficial in supplying plant food and in im- 
proving the texture of the soil. © It acts 
as a kind of mulch, preventing undue eva- 
poration, and consequently keeping the 
soil moist. In sandy soils this is especi- 
ally beneficial, and it keeps them warm. 
Worn-out soils are the cause of a great 
deal of disappointment and dissatisfaction 
in gardening, and during this month, 
when the summer annuals will be planted 
out, it is well that the gardener should 
have some knowledge of the condition of 
the soil. If it is poor and starved no 
amount of water on a parched surface will 
induce plants to flower with any degree 
of satisfaction. A very good description 
of worn-out soils is given in an issue of 
the “Gardeners’ Chronicle” which should 
be very useful to the amateur gardener. 
“What are the characteristics of these 
worn-out soils? As a rule they are light in — 
texture, possess very little cohesion, and 
fall apart on drying, when also they get a 
grey dusty appearance, and do not readily 
take water, as though they were oily in 
some very slight degree. At certain sea- 
sons of the year growth is very free on 
these soils, particularly in early spring and 
in autumn; but the growth lacks sub- 
stance, and is very liable to insect or fun- 
goid attack, so that it is very difficult to 
carry green stuff of the Cruciferous kind 
through the winter. 
“Tt is to the lightness of texture that 
