8 
es 
Buds of Sprin gS 
GOGO 
ALTHOUGH in the summer months tke 
activity of vegetative life is marvellous 
enough, yet its manifestations are far 
less striking than in the first week or 
two of the spring, when the leafage, 
under the genial influence of the sun and 
shower, is rapidly decking the erstwhile 
skeleton trees with fresh and verdant 
growth. We take little note of the further 
development and ripening when once the 
leaf has shaken itself and expanded more 
or less into its normal shape, it is merely 
a matter of addition, but at the outset 
there is asuddenness about the develop- 
ment which strikes the eye forcibly. One 
day the trees are bare and its buds black, 
the next a flush of delicate greenery is 
perceptible, and on closer investigation 
every point is seen to have broken bounds, 
and the tiny tiplets of the coming foliage 
are just in evidence, This stage reached, 
eXpansien goes on by leaps and bounds, 
the glistening buds shake out the leaves 
almost as we look at them, and within 
the compass of a single week the tree is 
clothed with verdure, which, as yet un- 
sullied by dust, unworn by breezy friction 
and unb:tten by predatory vermin, has a 
freshness and charm which the more re- 
dundant foliage of summer days ca 1 never 
boast of. Nature, too, demonstrates in 
every bud a most marvellous capacity for 
packing; take one of these buds just 
opened and examine it. The whole bunch 
of leaves is complete as it emerges, and 
although they have been built up by the 
_ busy cells within the hard resistant shell 
which is now discarded, there is not a 
crease in the wrong place, nor a single 
vein of all the myriads distorted. Mark, 
too, as the separate segments expand how 
the stalks lengthen, and each radiating 
leaflet assumes precisely the cight distance 
to prevent subsequent overlapping, and 
consequent invasion of its neighbours’ 
tight to the sunshine. Each clust«r of 
leaves cheys the same law as regards its 
own little community, and, although 
there is an eventual struggle amongst the 
many comn.unities,the whole tree assumes 
the best form possible to accommodate 
the majority. HEvery bud, too, has its in- 
dividuality, even on the same tree, but 
taking different varieties, species, and 
genera, the study of the bursting bud is 
soon seen to be of inexhaustible interest. 
Take the various fruit trees, apples, pears, 
plums, and so on, with their diverse leaf 
and flower buds, all determined Ly the 
subtle influence of past and fergotten 
‘sunbeams. The potent power of these 
has been hoarded up in those little hard 
knobs at the tips of the twigs all through 
the winter, and now break out here into 
barren leafage, and there into bunches of 
snowy or rosy blooms, each wtth a luscious 
embryo fruit in its bosom, and a store of ( 
honey as a sweet reward for the labour of 
love which the bee is ever ready to under- 
take and perfect. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Gloxianas ; 
UM ew 
GLOXxIaNAs are usually rec\oned ag hot- 
house flowers, but this is more from the 
fact that they require the moist atmos- 
phere of a hothouse than from any neces- 
sity for great neat. 
From the time they are started in early 
spring until the buds are well advanced, 
they must be surrounded by a moist at- 
mosphere, with a temperature from 6) to 
80 deg. This can easily be secared even 
in a zreenhouse by arranging fur them a 
box contailing an inch cr two of damp 
ashes at the bottom, and having a glass 
cover, as this gives light as well as pro- 
tection from dry heat. This glass-covered 
box should be placed over the hot-water 
Pipes so as to ensure the requisite 
warmth; it can be raised ‘on bricks 1f the 
heat should be too great, or made warmer 
by cutting a little of ‘the bottom away, 
just sufficient to let it down on to the 
pipes, a piece of small meshed wire net- _ 
ting being laid over the holes. amen 
Moss, which has previously been dipped 
into boiling water to destroy all insect 
life, is very useful as a layer over the 
ashes, to retuin the moisture. but is not 
absolutely necessary. ‘The sinall pots in 
which the tubers are started can be sunk 
tu the rim in them. The glass should be 
taken off and wiped dry every worniny. 
as it is very undesirable that the drops 
collected on the top should fall on the 
plants, and the ashes at the bottom of 
the box must be kept quite moist, always 
using warm or tepid water for the plants. 
Glox.unas object to the full sunshine. 
If ina very sunny position, it is better to 
shade the glass over them in the middle 
of the day with one layer of newspaper : 
they do well without this under the shade 
of vines, and a vinery is an excellent 
place for them, if the fires are kept up at 
night till the nights are warm. Gloxianas 
treated in this way should be hardened 
off for a week gradually,.s soon as their 
blooms open, before being used in a room 
or a- dry conservatory, always avoiding 
any sudden check from change of atmos- 
phere or temperature. © 
Gladiol us and 
Sweet Pea 
FINEST COLLECTION IN 
AUSTRALIA 
L. EX. Howell, 
GLADIOLI SPECIALIST, 
Mount Victoria a NSW. 
Catalcgues Free on application. 
Szprempyr 1, 1906 
Boronias. 
GX] OXD 
Amona the sweetest-scented plants the 
boronia takes a foremost position, and a 
whiff of its delicious perfume, which is 
that of the cowslip greatly intensified, is 
something not readily forgotten. The 
boronia belong to the 
Hakp-Woopep SrcTion oF PLANTs, 
mostly from New Holland and various 
parts of Australia, and like many other 
plants from the same districts they need 
careful culture, and will not succeed with 
the rough and ready treatment often given 
without harm to soft-wooded plants, but 
with a fair amount of care they are not 
difficult, and they fully deserve the at- 
tention they need. 
Ir 1s ApvISABLE to Buy Puants 
in spring, just about the time they are 
showing their buds, and we will take this 
asa starting point iu our remarks on 
culture. Place the plants on a nice light: 
soil and attend carefully to watering, so 
that the rvots are never allowed to get 
quite dry, neither must they be kept over- 
wutered—failure to observe these items - 
fully heing sure to lead to disaster. After 
flowering, let the soil get a little on the 
dry side; then cut the plants down to 
within three joints of the last pruning 
or stopping. For some weeks progress 
will be slow, and very little water must 
be given, though it may be increased very 
gradually as growth is made. The plants 
may be put out ona bed of ashes in a 
garden frame, from which the light should 
be drawn off in all weathers except when 
rain is falling; the exposure they thus get 
to air, light, and the night dews finishes 
up the wood and sets the flower buds. 
Any plants which appear to require pot- 
ting should be taken in hand just as the 
season’s growth is completed, as roots are 
then furmed most readily. Take care not 
to over-pot, as the very slender-foliage 
plants do not require a great body to 
support them, and if given it only turns 
sour. 
Tue Besr Sort 
is good peat and light, fibrous loam in 
equal proportions and pulled up into 
small lumps, which may readily be ram- 
med into the small space between the 
ball (which should be lifted intact except 
for the removal of the drainage at the 
bottom) and the sides of the pots. Mix 
with the svil sufficient silver sand to make 
it tecl gritty and:to keep it open and 
* porous. é 
Por FirMuy anp Soir, 
addirg only a litile soil at a time, so that 
no hollow spaces may be left, and elevate 
the ball so that none of the stem is buried 
below the old sojlline. Drain the pots. 
carefully with one large piece of potsherd 
placed with the concave side downwards, 
and so trimmed with the hammer that it 
will not rock when in position. This 
should be covered with half an inch of 
small pieces, and on this again, to receive 
