4 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
; Avausr 6, 1906 
Annuals. 
Annual chrysanthemums, poppies, cen- 
taurea suaveloens, martnia fragrans, bar- 
tonea aurea, and a few other rank- growing 
but handsome plants can be sown in the 
open beds, because the snails and slugs 
do not attack them ; but itis best to grow 
everything in nursery beds, where the 
young plants can be easily attended to. 
Pampas Grass. 
Cut pampas grass close down, so that 
it may make stronger growth with the 
approaching warm weather. Some fer- 
tiliser is good for this grass. The plumes 
should be cut directly they open, and be 
hung up by the stem in a shady place unti 
dry. This will prevent them falling to 
pieces and making a litter in the room. 
Edging and Hedges. 
Trim edgings of thrift, box, etc., and 
fill up gaps in the line by pegging down 
shoots from the nearest adjacent plants, 
because new plants cannot live where an- 
other of the same kind-has recently died. 
Deciduous plants, if necessary, should be 
pruned now, and any evergreens also if 
not too large or straggling. Hedges will 
be stronger and denser if the plants are 
interlaced as they grow. This causes 
lateral growths and fills up the bottom, 
so that pigs, dogs, cats, and boys cannot 
crawl through without cutting their way, 
Tf any large branches are cut from a 
plant cover the wound With grafting wax, 
or else white lead paint, and sprinkle with 
fine sand over the paint. 
Pruning. 
The rule with regard to pruning of any 
plant is to do the work when the growth 
has ripened or hardened. Very young 
growth may be rubbed out without injury, 
but when the sap is rising freely it may 
result in bleeding if the branches are cut. 
Dry Soil. 
Where the soil is allowed to become 
too dry during hot weather there is a 
possibility that the trees and plants may 
become scorched during the afternoon of 
a very hot day, owing to deficient flow of 
sap. In neglected crchards and flower 
gardens it is not uncommon to find all 
the fruit trees, standard roses, and other 
plants completely dead and dry on the 
western side. To prevent this disaster in 
the amateur’s garden it is necessary to 
keep the surface soil pulverised to a depth 
of two or three inches, or to mulch, or to 
supply water freely and frequently. Roses 
should have enough foliage to protect the 
stems against the afternoon sun, or have 
a board or other shelter to the stems on 
the western side. It is best to dispense 
with standards and half-standards and 
grow roses naturally upon their own routs, 
except where it is desired to grow flowers 
for show purposes. ; 
Lawns, . 
Lawns made with rye grass, Pca praten- 
‘sis, lawn mixture, clover, or other grasses 
for winter effects should be rolled with a 
heavy roller to press in the stones, then 
crowned with the scythe and finished off 
with the lawn mower. Water with 1 oz. 
of sulphate of ammonia, 2 oz. nitrate of 
potash, arid 3 oz. superphosphate to 6 
gallons of water. Break up bare places 
in buffalo and couch lawns, supply plenty 
of old stable or other manure, make level 
surface, and at end of month plant roots 
of either grass, 
Greenhouse. 
Give plenty of light, without direct 
rays from the sun, through glass upon 
the plants, and admit air freely when not 
too rough and cold_ It is a good plan for 
amateurs, who cannot be in constant at- 
tention to the shading with blinds, to 
cover the underside of the glass with 
whitening mixed with sugar water, and 
dashed on with a sponge. Syringe over- 
head, and do not omit to give water also 
at the roots. .Do this about midday, and 
use sun-warmed rain water if possible. 
Soft- wooded plants make most of their 
growth prior to floworing, but hard- 
wooded kinds start new growth after 
flowering. Any repotting should be done 
whilst the plants are dormant (or when 
the wood is ripe). The water supply 
should be regulated accordingly—more 
whilst the plants are making new growth 
than when the growth is slow. 
Hard-wooded plants must not be sup- 
plied with fertilizers stronger than a little 
peat or humus, but soft-wooded planis, 
whilst growing quickly, may have some 
weak liquid manure twice or three times 
a week. Neyer make the soil sloppy or 
saturated, but maintain a moderately 
moist condition. If too much water is 
supplied it drives out the air, and the 
roots are killed. ~ , 
Select the very best of Primula chin- 
ensis for seedbearing, and place a mark 
so that the seed may be collected when 
ripe. There is nothing to be gained by 
nursing old plants for next season, because 
young ones can be raised more easily. 
Pot up cinerarias into the next larger 
sizes directly the roots reach the sides of 
the pots, and use rich, sandy loam. Giye 
each plant plenty of space, for, if crowded, 
they will be weak 
Fuchsias and pelargoniums intended 
to flower late should be pinched off at the 
end of the shoots. This will cause lateral 
growths. Fuchsias will take a good deal 
of water, bat should not be stood in 
saucers, and they should have some weak- 
liquid manure twice a week. 
Caterpillars, scales, thrips, and aphides 
will probably be found on the plants. If 
these are attacked at once there will be 
much less trouble with them later on, as 
they multiply with frightful rapidity. 
~ Four ounces each of waste tobacco and 
soap boiled a few minutes in each gallon 
of water will prove an effectual spray 
for most of the pests, but the scale insects 
need a dose of resin wash. 
Support hyacinths and’ other weak- 
stemmed flowers with a wire round the 
stem and the other end in the soil. Pot 
up coloeus plants and place them in a 
good light and warm place. If fumigation 
of the house is necessary, remove cinera- 
rias and dust them separately with insect 
powder, else the tobacco smoke will help 
them. 
Repot hydrangeas into rich, light soil 
with plenty of drainage below. Pot up 
petunias and strike cuttings. 
The Shadehouse. 
Take down the climbers from the roof’ 
and thin them well to let in the light. 
All plants about to blossom should be- 
taken into the greenhouse, where they 
should have plenty of room for light 
and air, 
Daphne indica and many other hardy 
plants will thrive in the beds of the 
shadehouse, while the outside conditions 
will be too many for them. 
Cuttings of show pelargoniums may be 
grown well in this place. 
The Stovehouse. 
Maintain an equal temperature, about 
70 to 75 deg F. Give fresh air whenever- 
outside conditions are mild, and from over 
the boiler when cold rough weather pre- 
vails, 
Pot up begonias, caladiums, gesneras,. 
gloxinias, dipladenias, Cissus discolour,. 
and similar plants, using fibrous loam : 
with equal parts of leaf mould or peat. / 
Pits and Frames 
One frame should be dung-heated and. 
another might be used for growing mush- 
rooms, 
The other pit should bekept filled with: 
seedlings of all kinds of tender annuals. 
and cuttings of all sorts. 
The Fernery 
Towards the end of the month repot 
everything, and shake off as much of the 
old'soil as appears to be safe. 
Use best peat for the finest ferns, and 
a mixture of peat, leaf mould, and coarse 
sand for the others. 
Except with the large ferns it is best 
to pot into the smaller sizes and pot into. 
larger sizes when growth has been made. 
For some time after repotting the ferns. 
will not require very much water, and. 
should be kept close except when the 
weather is fineand warm, Of course none: 
but the hardy ferns will be in the house- 
at thigtime, the rest being in the stove- 
house. 
Sow spores of ferns on a soil made up 
with pulverised peat, leaf mould and 
sand, made smooth. Scatter the spores 
on the surface and cover with a sheet of 
glass, which must be lifted when the- 
young plants begin to appear, when they 
must be removed to a shady place. 
Look out for snails, slugs, and other 
pests. Remove dead vegetation. Make- 
hanging baskets and fill them with suit- 
able ferns or some of the asparagus. 
species. 
Fix elkshorn and staghorn ferns upon. 
blocks of virgin cork, and hang them on. 
the walls, 
DIGGING 
is a more important operation than is 
usually considered. Itshould be not only: 
