ee 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
August 2, 1909 
ges: 
MILDRED GRANT ROSE. 
The Flowet Garden. 
Notes for the Month. 
— Summer Annuals. — 
Beds should be made up at once for 
raising summer annuals. The simplest 
way to raise these flowers successfully ‘is 
‘to put a heap of new stable litter some 
2 feet deep and broad enough to set a 
‘frame upon, the frame of course having a 
‘glass covering. In this spread some fine 
rich sandy soil, 9 inches deep, and make 
firm by treading. The glass is then 
-affixed and the frame kept closed until 
the manure has generated heat by fer- 
mentation, which will occupy about a 
week, when the soil should be carefully 
watered. This will cause all weed seeds 
to germinate, and when they have 
appeared and been destroyed the seeds of 
annuals should be sown. In this way a 
perfectly clean seed-bed is secured, this 
being an important point in the raising 
of delicate plants, as it is difficult to dis- 
tinguish the plants proper amongst a lot 
of weeds. So soon as the annuals are 
fairly well grown above the surface the 
glass frame should be opened an inch or 
two, and the ventilation gradually 
increased as the plants mature, so that 
they may become gradually hardened for 
planting out. All digging should be 
finished by the end of the month, or the 
growth of. many plants will be injured, 
for although no injury is done in digging 
when plants are at rest it will ruin many 
when they are in a growing state. 
— Trees and Shrubs. — 
Evergreen trees and shrubs may be 
planted to the end of the month if a 
liberal supply of water can be given 
through the summer. Those planted in 
autumn will now be well advanced, and 
this should show the advantage of 
planting them at that season. - a 
Put in cuttings of shrubs, such, as 
Vincas, Veronicas, Pimeleas, Spiraea, and 
Diosma. Young growing points should > 
be used for cuttings, but they must be: 
put under glass until rooted. A good 
plan is to half-fill a pot with sandy soil, 
dibble the cuttings round the sides, and 
cover with a sheet of glass. Then set 
them in a shady place until rooted. 
Plant, prune, and train climbing shrubs, 
including Tecomas, Jasminums, Bougain- 
villeas, and Rhyncospermums, at once. 
— Roses. — 
The rose garden will require special 
attention. Manuring and digging having 
been completed and standards staked, the 
growth will be advancing, and it is at 
this period that the first effort should be 
made to combat the attacks of aphides, 
which, if allowed to breed unchecked, 
often destroy the beauty of the rosary. 
They will cause but little trouble if the 
rose trees are sprayed occasionally with 
soapy water or a solution of Burford’s 
emulsion. A gallon of water provides 
mixture enough to destroy any number 
of them. 
— Lawns. — 
Lawns of couch or buffalo grass may be 
laid out, and both these grasses should 
be treated in the same manner. The soil 
should be dug deeply and manured 
liberally. Before planting the surface 
should be made perfectly even. The 
roots should be dibbled in an inch or two 
apart. Small tufts with little roots 
attached should be planted with just the 
tips showing above the surface, In 
putting in couch grass it is a good plan 
to sow some seed of the same after the 
planting is finished, at the rate of 1 oz. 
to the square rod, and run a rake lightly 
over the surface to bury the seed. 
— Weeds. — 
One important operation during the 
month is checking the weeds that spring 
up and grow so rapidly at this time. 
Nothing adds so much to the labor of 
gardening than the neglect to hoe at the 
proper time. When -the weeds first 
appear above the surface the slightest 
stirring with the hoe destroys them, and 
_ the work can be rapidly performed, but 
_ when neglected for a few weeks, particu- 
_ larly if the soil is moist, the work is much 
slower, and often the weeds are merely 
transplanted. Early hoeing is the mest 
