+ 
we must attribute in the main the defects 
of these soils; they are almost wholly 
composed of the coarser kind of 
particles, classed as sand, and they contain 
a very small proportion of the _ finest 
particles “which may be termed clay. 
Soils composed chiefly of coarse particles 
possess very little retentive power for 
water ; the surface exposed by the particles 
is comparatively small, so that weight for 
weight there is less surface which remains 
wet after -rain-in a coarse than in a fine-’ 
grained soil; the channels also between 
the particles are naturally larger, and. 
allow water to drain away more readily. 
This explains why the soils we are con- 
sidering “dry out’ so readily, but other 
consequences also follow. A dry soil is a 
warm soil, or rather is more easily warmed 
and cooled, and is, therefore, more sus- 
ceptible to daily and seasonal changes of 
temperature than a soil well supplied with 
moisture. Hence we get a state of things 
which is not entirely congenial to vegeta- 
tion—early spring growth due to the 
ready warming up of the soil, followed by 
checks caused by short spells of drought 
which would not affect a soil initially bet- 
ter provided with water, or by overheating 
while the roots are still near the surface, 
and lastly a renewal of growth in the 
autumn, when the warm soil is again pro- 
vided with plenty of water. 
“All such changes and checks tend to 
curtail the period of growth, and force the 
plant into producing flower and seed be 
fore it has accumulated a proper reserve 
‘in its early period of vegetable activity. 
From the chemical point of view, the 
small proportion of water retained by the 
soil affects the crops injuriously ; the com- 
parative warmth stimulates those decay 
processes in the soil which convert the in- 
soluble nitrogenous compounds of humus 
or manure into the nitrates which serve 
as food for plants. but, on the other hand, 
“not enough water remains in the soil to 
bring into action the sparingly soluble re- 
serves of mineral food. Hence the nutri- 
ment which reaches the plant is badly 
balanced; the comparative excess of 
nitrogenous over the mineral food results 
in a soft growth, susceptible to attacks of 
disease. 
“Per contra, a moderately strong soil, 
which is capable of retaining a considerable 
proportion of the rainfall, and which. also 
is fine-textured enough to be able to lift 
water from the subsoil by capillarity, only 
warms up slowly as the season advaices. 
Growth is, therefore, slow and continuous,’ 
and not liable to checks through drought ; 
it is also more prolonged, because the 
ground parts with its heat more slowly. in 
the autumn, just for the same reason as it: 
rises in temperature more slowly in the 
spring. Such continuous and prolonged 
growth is the most favorable to vegetation, 
and resultsin high quality in the produce.” 
Assuming that the gardener has worked 
up his soil to something like a fair condi- 
tion of richness with its top-dressing of 
mulch, it will be in a proper state to re- 
ceive watering. It is a great mistake to 
water a garden every day. Two or three 
times a week in the hottest weather is all 
soil 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
that is needed. Give a plentiful supply, 
so that the soil gets a thorough soaking, 
and the plants will flourish far better than 
continually keeping the surface moist. 
The water is wanted at the roots, not on 
the surface. When planting out annuals, 
biennials, and perennials this month care- 
ful note of the weather should be taken. It 
should be obvious to any gardener that 
tender young plants taken out of their 
nursery quarters to do battle in the open 
borders should not be moved during a 
scorching sunny day or a killing east or 
north wind. A cool, cloudy day, early 
morning or evening is the proper time. 
Here is a list of summer annuals that will 
soon make the garden gay—-Asters, Zin- 
nias, Balsams, Coreopsis, Portulaca, Minia- 
ture and Double Sunflower, Petunia, Gail- 
lardia, Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth), 
Cornflower, Amaranthus, Sagetes (Mari- 
gold), Cosmos, Cockscomb, Hunnemannia, 
Jackobaea, Mesembryanthemum, Salpi- 
glossis, Nicotiana, Zea, Rhodanthe, Con- 
volvulus, Mina Lobata. ~ 
Every gardener has his or her own parti- 
cular taste, but it should be remembered 
that annuals seem to be most appropriate 
as flowers to fill up spaces. They, however, 
can be turned into beautiful uses in edgings 
and designs for borders. We consider all 
flowers beautiful, some, of course, appeal to 
taste more than others, but; we would like 
to emphasise the claim of Mina Lobata, a 
creeper of extreme beauty that will flower 
in rich profuseness until Jack Frost comes 
along. Chrysanthemums should already 
have been divided up, planted out, and 
labelled. They will go along very well 
this month without much special care un- 
til the topping process comes on. 
must advise again the planting of Bouvar- 
dias. They are charming bushes, with 
flowers from the purest: white to the most 
pronounced richness of colors. 
There have been millions of Roses dur- 
ing the last few weeks, and to perpetuate 
their blooming we offer the advice given in 
“The Gardener” upon summer pruning. 
SUMMER PRUNING ROSES. 
The summer pruning of Roses is impor- 
tant, particularly as regards the Hybrid 
Perpetuals and all autumn blooming 
Roses. It consists in pruning back the 
shoot on which a Rose has been produced 
immediately the bloom falls. In summer 
pruning it is necessary to be careful not. to 
cut the shoot too severely. Asa rule, two 
leaves, buds, or joints should be cut off, 
and the result will be that two or threé of 
the top buds will break into growth. If 
strong, all three may remain to produce 
blooms; but if only of moderate strength 
they should be reduced to two, and 1f weak 
only one must be permitted to develop. 
When a shoot is very short, then only the 
flower stalk should be cut off, allowing for 
a new growth or two from the apex. 
In no case should the shoot be cut back 
nearer the base than five or six buds, not 
less than this number being left on the 
shoot after pruning in order to prevent the 
lower buds from starting, three or four 
We ~ 
Nov. 5, 1903_ 
remaining dormant until the winter prun- 
ing for the production of the first blooms 
the following summer. By pruning each 
shoot as soon as the flower drops, a. longer 
succession of bloom 1s secured in late sum- 
mer and autumn than if all the shoots were 
pruned at the same time. 
It is an excellent practice to look over 
Rose bushes after the first bloom to make 
sure that they are not overcrowded with 
weak and useless growths. Stoutness and 
cleanness are necessary to secure substance 
and quality of bloom. Ample space for 
the shoots to develop is imperative, light 
and air being all important for the con- 
solidation and ripening of the growths. 
Therefore, Rose growers should not hesi- 
tate to let light and air into their Rose 
bushes, whether standards or dwarfs, by 
the cutting out of. weak and _ useless 
growths. If this be done as soon as the 
first crop of bloom is over, the summer 
pruning finished, a good soaking of liquid 
manure or top-dressing cf approved fer- 
tiliser applied and washed in, and the sur- 
face mulched to a little beyond the spread 
of the growths from the stem outwards 
with about 2 inches thickness of well-de- 
cayed manure, the late summer and 
autumn flowers will not be much less ex- 
cellent and certainly as acceptable as the 
first or summer bloom.—‘Pictorial Prac- 
tice Artist.” 
Answers to Correspondents. 
“Amateur.’—The very book you are 
asking for is just to hand—Bogue-Luff- 
mann’s “Principles of Gardening for Aus- 
tralia.” 
“Chrysanthemum.” — Chrysanthemums 
should be bedded out this month at the 
latest. 
“Knightsbridge.’—The cutting sent in 
is from a Cercis-Judas tree. The popular 
idea is that Judas hanged himself in one 
of these trees. The name Cercis is derived 
from Kerkis, a shuttlecock, of ancient 
origin. 
“Red.”—The tree you speak of is pro- 
bably an Erythrina coral tree. There is 
a splendid specimen to be seen in full 
bloom just now in the Adelaide Botanic 
Gardens, a magnificent sight. 
“Tulip.’’—Yes, the Cape Tulip (Homeria 
Cillina) has now been brought under the 
Noxious Weeds Act, and you will be re- 
quired to eradicate it. 
“Rose.”—No; Roses are rarely grown 
in pots in South Australia. But that is 
no reason why they should not be. Walter 
Wright recommends the following :— 
H.P.’s: Baroness Rothschild, Captain Hay- 
ward, Mad. Montet, Mad. Gabrielle Luizet, 
Mrs. John Laing, and Ulrich Brunner. 
T.’s and H.T.’s: Anna Ollivier, Brides- 
maid, Catherine Mermet, La France, Mrs. 
W. J. Grant, and Niphetos. 
“Show.”—The finest display of Rhodo-. 
dendrons ever placed on exhibition will 
probably be seen at the Mount Lofty Gar- 
deners’ Show on the 14th inst. 
