GARDENING NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LIV, Issue 99, 23 October 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

GARDENING NOTES.

$ Work for the Week, [By Ageicola.J THE FLOWER GARDEN. Alpine Auriculas. — These pretty Springflowering plants are useful for small beds or borders, and seeds may be sown now for raising plants to flower next year. From a packet of good seed a great variety of colours may be obtained. As the seeds often germinate slowly and irregularly they are best Bown in boxes of rather light soil, just covering: the seeds, afterwards standing in a cold frame where shade may be afforded until the seedlings appear. The soil must not be allowed to become dry. Old plants may be pulled in pieces as soon as flowering is over, and be dibbled in in some shady spot ; and these will make strong plants for another season, larger than those raised from seed now. Primroses and Polyanthuses may also be raised from seeds forthwith, to flower next Spring. A shady border or frame on a spent hotbed will be a suitable position for sowing the seeds, scattering them thinly in shallow drills, drawn but a few inches apart. Any special varieties now in bloom, of which it is desired to save seeds, should be marked, and if possible isolated from others. Campanulas.— Canterbury Bells are very effective border plants, and in masses are very showy, being at their best in December, but will flower for some time longer. They are perfectly hardy, and if seedlings are raised during November these can be grown to their full size by next Winter. Sown in pans not too thickly, lightly covered with fine soil, placed in a hand-light or close frame, the seed germinates quickly, and if the plants are first pricked out in other pans or boxes they ought to be ready for the open borders in February. Wallflowers. — It is of the greatest importance that 1 these be raised early, plants obtained by sowing after the stress of other garden work is over usually being too small and weakly to flower well. Sow the seed at oace, preferably in open borders, well prepared and got into a free working condition. Open shallow drills lOin apart, water these if at all dry through a rose pot, sow the seed somewhat thinly, and cover with a little fine or sifted soil. Thin out the seedlings early where at all crowded, leaving them say about 3in apart, and later on transplant every other one to other borders or beds. The Double German Wallflowers to be similarly treated. Brompton Stocks.— These, though they do not transplant well, are yet frequently very serviceable, strong plants flowering freely at this time of the year. They are quite at home in mixed borders and in separate beds, always provided they can be well established in their flowering quarters during the Summer. The seed may be sown now, or during the early part of November, and the plants treated much as advised in the case of Wallflowers. Antirrhinums and Pentstemons. — Seeing that these plants are among the most showy for borders, and not to be despised for the flower beds, more than ordinary pains ought to be taken with young plants that may have been raised from either cuttings or seeds. Unless they are got out early on fairly rich, good ground, the flowering period will be late and the spikes weakly. They transplant well from boxes or beds of soil in which they may have been temporarily pricked out. They are really very effective bedding plants, a dry season appearing to suit the antirrhinums well. Herbaceous Phloxes.— To have these at their best they must be well-fed at their roots, and young plants in fresh soil will in any case surpass the older clumps. The latter, however, may be greatly improved by having the roots bared and a mulching of manure and a soaking of water given prior to returning the soil over the manure. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. Planting between Potatoes.— Where the rows of short- topped early potatoes are not less than 3 feet apart, good sites for rows of Borecole, Autumn Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussels Sprouts are ready directly after the Potatoes have had the soil ridged up to them. These plants will move best after a good rain, and should be firmly replanted with the trowel at distances of two feet or rather more apart. If transplanted in dry weather they must be watered frequently, ceasing when they are growing strongly. Peas. — The more robust varieties, Buch as Carters' Anticipation, Stratagem, Sir Harry Atkinson, and Yorkshire Hero, should be sown now. Sow thinly in freely manured, deeply dug ground. A mulching of strawy manure ought where possible to be applied to all the mid-season and late rows of peas, and would not be wasted on the earlier rows. If water or liquid manure is given let it be in sufficiently heavy quantities to thoroughly moisten the ground. Pickling Onions.— To obtain small onionß for pickling and other purposes, sow a small quantity of seed now on land that has been made thoroughly firm by treading. The seeds may be sown broadcast and rather thickly, covering them with half an inch of fine soil, after which roll or beat down firmly. The Silver- skiu and Queen are the best varieties. Thinnings from the main bed also form useful bulbs for this purpose if dibbled in thickly together in poor soil. Kidney Beans. — A good breadth of Canadian Wonder may be got in where dwarf beans are appreciated, or in places where runners do not succeed. Plants from this sowing will be quite safe from the kte Spring frosts. Any that may be showing through the soil must be given some kind of protection in all except the most favoured localities. As a guard against cold winds a few leafy twigs, stuck along one or both sides of the rows, will be of service.