Novemser 1, 1906 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
Il 
The Flower Garden 
Flower Garden. 
THe CHRONICLE. 
In planting the garden for a summer 
show do not forget to put in a few scarlet 
Salvias and a few Celosias. The first 
mentioned is a shrubby little plant’ 
varying in height from 9 in. to 2 ft., 
according to the variety; it grows very 
easily and flourishes well in the summer, 
provided it gets an occasional watering, 
The foliage is of a refreshing green, and 
at the point or extremity of each shoot is 
produced a spike of bloom of an intense 
crimson or scarlet shade ;: this spike keeps 
on blooming for a few weeks, and when in 
full bloom the plant is one blaze of color 
and very effective. It is easily propa- 
gated by seed or by cuttings of the young 
growths placed in sand. Seedlings and 
Plants can be procured from any nursery - 
man at a cheap rate, so that the plant is 
accessible to all. The showiest varieties 
to grow are “Glory of Stuttgardt,” 
*‘Ingeneuer Clavenaud,” and “ Bonfire.” 
Celosias, or feathered cockscombs, also 
make a magnificent show in masses or in- 
termingled with other plants. The flower 
“spikes are borne in great abundance on 
low bushy plants, and resemble in ap- 
pearance an ostrich feather. In this 
respect they vary from the old flat or 
curyed cockscombs which presents rather 
a heavy ungainly appearance, whilst the 
Celosias are very graceful. The colors 
vary from pure white to deep purple, 
whilst the yellow is represented in several 
shades. Sow from seed in light sandy 
soil: at this time of the year they could 
safely be sown in the open. 
Tuberous Begonias should now be show- 
ing foliage if potted oarlier in the season, 
Should this be the case, gradualy give 
them more water and occasional watering 
with liquid manure will do them no harm 
Where the bulbs haye not been potted 
Pot up at once in small pots in a loose, 
sandy mixture of sharp sand, composit , 
and well-rotted manure, but see that 
plenty of drainage is placed at the bottom 
of the pots, For drainage broken char- 
coal is very good, as it helps to purify the 
soil. Give very little water at first, 
gradually increasing the supply as the 
leaves expand. When the pot is filled 
with roots turn the plant into a larger 
pot, pressing the new soil firmly around 
the ball of roots, and feed up well with 
liquid manure. 
In potting plants never put a small 
plant into too large a pot, as soil is very 
apt to get sour in such pots, and the 
plants do not thrive. All plants do better 
if grown in small pots first and then 
gradually potted into larger sized pots as 
soon asthe plant gets pot-bound. 
———E—E—E———— 
Irrigation: For Flower-Beds. 
(By S.) 
The term irrigation covers a vast mul- 
titude of schemes for distributing water 
over the surface of the earth, for the 
promotion of vegetation of a very varied 
nature; but I only intend to write a few 
words on this occasion on irrigation 
applied to flower-beds and borders. 
I have nodoubt many who read this 
have seen some people watering their 
borders in a most unscientific manner, 
and those, too, in many cases, who should 
know better. I have seen some take the 
hose in their hands, and squirt the water 
indiscriminately over flowers and shrubs 
without properly wetting the ground, 
others will let the water on too heavily, 
and knock holes in the ground, as well as 
seriously injure the plants by breaking 
them down with the force of water. This 
sort of plantirrigation should be avoided. 
Irrigation should be done properly, or 
left alone, because this branch of garden- 
ing, to a very great extent, is the secret of 
producing a grand display of flowers and 
foliage throughout the summer. In no 
case should flowers be squirted with the 
hose, unless the borders have been previ- 
ously mulched with a good rotten stable 
This 
practice will not only save a great quantity 
of water, but the water that is distributed 
on the mulching will carry all the nourish- 
ing matter the mulching contains to the 
manure, or some similar substance. 
roots of the plants, causing a vigorous 
growth. Of course, any method of ap- 
plying water must be carried out carefully 
and at the proper time of the day. If the 
weather be hot, early morning or evening 
will be found most suitable. Where a 
good force of water is procurable, sprink- 
ling is perhaps the speediest method : but 
if borders have to be irrigated without 
mulching, I have found the best plan to 
adopt is to cut shallow trenches with a 
hoe, zig-zag, or any way so that the water 
runs slowly. By this means the moisture 
works itself through the ground to the 
roots of the plants, but if it be allowed to 
run fast along the trenches this effect is 
lost. Care must be taken to thoroughly 
soak the bed or border in question. The 
trenches should then be nearly covered 
when the surface is sufficiently dry to be 
workable. ; 
Sprinklers have their advantages as well 
as disadvantages. ‘To my mind, they are 
more adapted to lawns and carpet bed- 
dings. TI have had a good deal of exper- 
ience with this class of irrigation, and 
have found it very injurious to plants 
that are in flower, not only by knocking 
them down, but in taking the colors out 
of the flowers. 
{ aa 
The necessity for a systematic thinning 
of fruit has been especially brought 
homerto us this year. Owing to stress of 
work, we were unable to thin the apples 
and pears, and on examining tho trees for 
Codlin Moth, it was noticed that in almost 
every case where the grubs had begun to 
attack the fruit, they had commenced on 
the inner side of the cluster of fruit, just 
where the poison could not reach them. 
It also shows that, however carefully we 
spray, there is a big per centage of grubs 
escape the poison, and we shall have to 
adopt a more effectual method of dealing 
with the insect. The high winds have 
thinned the crops to some extent and 
have also dried up the moisture in the 
ground. 
- Gladiolus and 
Sweet: Pear 
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