GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowliai.") cnarsANTiiEiiuiis. ( Ail cuttings should be sccurcd now and 1 planted out in a spare piLrt oi' the yar- ! tlezi. Chrysanthemums • striKo va-y quickly and vory easily* tuid tho cuttings, if put j out in a. suuny part of the garden, -\yUl 1 bo ready for transplanting iu a very short time. In taking the cuttings chooso strong young shoots from the outside of tho plants, ilako the cut juat below the joint -with a sharp knife. Insert firmly , in sandy soil, and shade from tho bob ! sun for a day or two. Got tho chrysanthemum. bod prepared as soon as possible now. Chrysanthemums will grow ■well,in quito ordinary garden soil, but it must bo well dug and sweetened beforo the j plants aro put out. Turn the soil over uow and leave tho surface rough for a. week or two for tho sun, -wind, ruin, etc., to work on. If some well-rotted manure can bo buried about a foot below the surface, so much the bettor for the plants. Some gardeners lift their plants a-s soon as they are cut back after flowering, and "heel them iu" in the vegetablo garden till tho necessary cuttings aro tafceii. Where this was done, and a crop of oats sown in tho chrysanthemum bed, oil that p needed now is to turn in tho crop of oats, leaving the sjjrf&co rough in tho meantime. When the now plants are boing put out, a little boncdust, should bo worked into tho soil where each on© is to go. # One of tho most important operations in the growing of chrysanthemums is the application of a good mulch during December. It is as well to begin prQpariugr tho material for tho mulch now*. Begin storing, oither in a heap or in a hole, weeds, grass cuttings, dead flowers, and •wood ashes, and rot down tho materials with washing water, household slops, etc. Wherp animal manure can he procured a splendid muloh can bo made. Put a layer of freshly-gathered manure, about a foot in depth, in a secluded spot, and then spread wood ashes or a littlo earth ?«n top. Then add moro manure, and more wood ashes or oarth, and so on. Don't have the heap too highj have it rather flat and spread out. Pour over it water, soapsuds, etc., from timo to time. It h as well to make a little gutter round tho heap. Into this tho surplus ltuuid will run. and it con be iviooped up and returned to tho heap, or used for liquid manure. Lime should ho sprinkled over the heaps from timo to time. M soon as the heaps, both "vegetable rubbish and manure, aro well rotted, they should be turned over once or twice, and watered if necessary. They aro then ready for uso. mtoi. Perennial phloxes are lovely. Piauts of named varieties should be secured as soon as possible now. Once the plants are properly planted they increase *ii. beauty ■ year by year. They lilto <v deep, rich/ wcli-drained soil. Perennial phloxes that arc already well established- should have tho soil about thtra loosened; and a mulch of half-rotted manure spread about them. As soon a-s tho flower buds begin to form, regular 'feeding with weak liquid manure should commence. They are greedy feeders, but well repay one for food supplied. Tho half-starved perennial phlox is not a protty sight. Starvation is written all over it so plainly that none can mistake it. Among named varieties Jeanne d'Arc is a splendid white; Eclaireur has pretty rose-coloured flowers with a salmon centre; Mr«-. Kerslake is dclicato pink, with a red eye; Coquillicot is vivid scarlot. Thlox drummoudii, is ono of the beautiful old-fashioned arinuaj. flowers that wo havi* been associated with all our lives. The colours of tho flowers aro ro varied, some being pure white, others dainty shades" of pink, salmon, and lilac, while others again, especially in the crimson and j scarlet shades, aro rich and velvety. Tho plants spread over the ground, soon cover- ] ing bare spaces with a wealth of beautiful flowers. Tho flowers are most freely j produced over a long period. \ Of lato years ncmcsia seems to have | crowded out this beautiful old-fashioned flower. Nemesia should be in every garl don without a doubt, but not at. tho j expense of our fricud phlox drummondii. As a rule phlox is sown in the open ground. If tho soil is worked to a line tilth, and can be kept evenly moist till ' tho sedLings appear, success may attend j this plan. It. is preferable, however, to ! raise the seedlings in seed-pans in vory | sandy soil. One can regulate tlw amouut of moisture and sunshine the soil receives then. To get tho best effect, it is better to buy packets of separate colours. Knowing the colours, ono ca* arrange a bed .co artistically. Mixed seed never gives one so much satisfaction, as there is | bound to be some colour that one would I rather not have. Before planting out i tha seedlings appear, tuccoss may attend | off to induce bushy growth. The soil in j the beds should bo thoroughly pood, but j not too rich. A dressing of bonedusfc, and j tlw addition of some snncV to the Poil. t will help the plants. A suuny position ij should be given. I ROUTINE WORK. 1 The flower borders are beginning to look ! lovely just now, with their wealth of early spring: flowers. Yiolets no longer shelter beneath their leaves, but send their lovely lieatLs ■well up into the warm sunshine. PriMroses aro fast opening their daintily-coloured and delicately-perfumed flowers. Tho scent of • violets, ■ freesiivs, S and hyacinths oomes in at overy open j window just now, but it is not till ojio i] walks along the garden paths that one notices tho delicate fragrant© of primroses. Forget-m6-nots, snowflakes, and anemones are unsconted, but one would not bo without their gay flowcra in tho spring garden. All bordors should bo carefully gone over, woeds should bo pulled out, plants staked and tied up, and any dead, leaves or flowers at onco removed. Tho cartli should be loosened and stirred to admit all the warm air thero is. Everywhere plants aro beginning to respond to tho call of spring. Tho dainty flowers oE narcissi aro coming out very fast; croouses, anomones, hyacinths, primroses, violets, and forget-me-nots aro filling tho gardens with ell tho delicate colours that belong fo essentially to early spring. The pink flowers of Beauty of Nice stock and early-flowering snapdragon add yet another pretty shade. Sprinfe-flowcring deciduous trees and shrubs aro clothing themselves with the daintiest of flowers beforo putting forth their fresh greon leaves. In the orchard, early plums, almonds, and peaches are already in flower, aud : other trees aro fast swelling their buds. And' as a setting for all this fresh beauty • the soil must' bo well tilled, borders and paths free from weeds, and lawns well mown. Onco all the borders aro thoroughly in order, ■ a top-dressing of halfrotted manure or wclMecayed vegetaolo rubbish-'may- be given. Primroses very much appreciate a top-dressing of halfrotted manure just now. It should bo tucked well in under ithe leaves and arounc 1 . tho plants. • Ono Quickly sees tho result of this attention in tho added length of stem, and the increased size of tho flowers. Violets, too, are all the better for such a top-dresdsng just now. Hold aside tie leaves, etc., with ono hand, and work tho manure weU ill under tho plants with the other. Tho plants have already been floworing for a long timo, and a good top-dressing will help them to keep ' hp the quality of the blooms for somo timo to come.' ltose bushes, iiias, gladioli, liliums, stocks, and many other plants apprecialc this early, spring top-dressing. Thero Is, however, ono thing to bo careful about, and that is not to give a heavy, t-op-dressing. llememher that it is important to admii. as much warmth as possible just i:n\y to tho soil surrounding tli& roots of . plants. l'usli on the with tho planting of rose bushes, fruit trees, elirubs, etc., and got in orders for new chrysantlicuras, dahlias, and Michaelmas daisies. Stretch threads of black cotton across f,irnation plants to prevent birds nipping off tho new shoots. VECETABUES. Seeds that may be sown tUL- week, weather permitting, are:— Radish.—French breakfast is the best. Sow broadcast in rich, firm grouud, and in a warm sunny position. Short Ilorn or Nantes llorn Garrot.—Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Turnips.—Early snowballs or early white stone. Sow in ground that was richly manured for a previous crop of greens, or in ground that was manured early iu the autumn. Hake the grouud very firm. Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. . Peas.—Sow in drills from two to three feet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and should have wood ashes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in tho drills at tlio timo of sowing. Soafc peas in warm water for a few hours before sowing. Parsnips.-'Sow in ground that was well manured for a previous crop. Work tho

soil to ft fine tilth for a, depth of at le-ist 18 inches. Any lumps may cause doformed and worthless roots. Work into the ooii ashes from a, rubbish lire, and boncdusl Hoz. to square yard). Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about:—Kwcet, peas, routine work, and vegetables.