GARDENING NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 47, 23 August 1902, Page 4 (Supplement)

GARDENING NOTES.

[By Experience.]

TREATMENT OF SEEDLINGS.

As pointed out in the last "Notes," shade, or, rather, darkness, is necessary for tho germination of seed of tender subjects. 'J.Jie rule is not an unbroken one, but, like most rules, has doubtless its exceptions. Yet, nevertheless, no experienced practical gardener will be likely to cavil at the statement that darkness is necessary at this stage. But this is not exactly because the seed will not germinate in light, but because the germs are often so extremely sensitive tliat a few minutes of sunshine before they have struck into the soil would be sufficient to destroy them. Hence, seeds not covered with' soil should be carefully covered with glass and paper as previously described. But as soon as the seed leaves appear the shade must be lessened— at first it may be just to tilt the glass a bit to let air in, then by removing the paper, and at this time, if the glass of tho frame or greenhouse is not shaded, a smear of whiting over the glass covering the seedlings will serve to keep them from burning. In a few days the seedlings may be freely exposed, except to bright sunshine, from which they must at all times be lightly protected. Neglect in this matter, perhaps for only a day. might ruin the plants. It is astonishing how rapidly voting seedlings may become useless by being drawn up in the slmde — they get long, leggy — as gardeners term it — and are more or less spoiled.

The next operation will be pricking off the seedlings. This should be done as soon as they can be handled — as a rule the sooner the better, because the extra space they" will get will give them light, and room to spread themselves outwurdK -the only way to form good sturdy stuff for planting out or potting on. Boxes similar to thoce used for the seed — viz., about 3£in or 4in deep --'are useful for this purpose ; a layer of balf-decayed manure may be placed over the bottom of the box. Fill up with soil nearly to the brim. The soil may be prepared as described for seed-sowing, but for the strong-growing things like Astert, Stocks, Tomatoes, etc., a little decayed manure that will pass through a sieve of medium mesh may be added, and a dash -of bone-meal at tbe rate of a Gin pot full to a barrow-load of 1 Soil. • ,The seedlings should be, kept in a light place, but lightly shaded from the sun, till ready to harden off outside ; this will be when growth has pretty well occupied the space between each plane. Greenhouse seedlings should be potted before the plants get crowded.

FLOWER GARDEN.

It is' now getting late for planting things of a permanent nature, like Rose? and shrubs of various descriptions, and though it would be wrong to say that it can't be done, yet as a rule it should aow be regarded as a matter of expediency rather than of choice, fur though in some cases plants may still be successfully transplanted, yet in many instances the roots will not have got sufficient hold before the trying time of hot weather sets in to enable them to make satisfuc tory growth. The exceptions will ba where soil and position uve extra favourable, and when the plant* liave been specially prepared for transplanting, or tire {ilanted out of pots. Any one planting loses alter now will prolkbly find they have young shoots on them, as growth haa commenced for some' time. These shoots may appear to give promise of blooms to come, but this will almost surely prove a false hope, as there is not reciprocal root action to bring them to maturity. In all such ciiKes the plants should be very severely pruned — cut right back every shoot to the original Btnrting point from the stock : by this means only can good growth be got. Neglect this, and in all probability the plants will languish on* through tho season and be half dead at the close. Treated as advised, the blooms will, of course, be late, but will be satisfactory in every other wnv.

Get the planting of Lilies completed, also Japanese Iris, and plant bulbs of Hyacinthus candicans, and conns of the larse-flowering Gladioli of all the sections. That pretty little bulbous plant Nerine crispa may be planted now before it breaks into' new growth. It flowers very lnte in autumn, and comes a gem when good flowers are scarce. Tho various kind" of Hemerocallrs may al«o be planted without loss of time ; the old variety Fulva is well known, Aurantiaca major is a yellow variety far surEa^sing the old one Hemerocallis thunerpii or micldendorfi is quite distinct from the others, being dwarfer in habit of growth ; the flowers are yellow, single, and very fragrant; it is very similar to -the bulbous plant Chlidanthus fragrans, and is known to some growers as Chlidnnthus major. I his is a very desirab 1 © plant. Another class of plants which claim a good deal of attention are the Cannae ; many of the new varieties are very handsome. Now is the time to plant them THE GREENHOUSE. Primulas, meaning the Chinese varieties, are among the most noticeable plants in the greenhouse at this time. Truly they are worth growing, but they claim their toll: it's work all the year round with them. They are in full flower"* in the greenhouse, and now we have to sow our seed to procure a like harvest the next season. Ah!, well, theie's no royal rond to success in the garden ; it's all the time thinking, scheming, and working. However, no (-eedtime, no harvest ; so get -your Primula seed in, or when the next season comes round your greenhouse will lose half ita charm. The seed is easy to raise if the seed is fresh, but it travels bndly, and imported ■seed requires a little more care. Sow in very sweet soil, with plenty of sand and leaf-mould ; the proportion to the loam may be about half. It (should be sifted rather fine, and the pans or boxes should be efficiently bill not over drained The seed should be evenly scattered and be just covered with very fine soil. Shiide the pans, and if convenient put on a mild hotbed, or iv a stove-house. A little bottom-heat is of great assistance to imported sseed ; it may often be got up with a little heat when if left to the slower process it might decay. Pelargoniums, both show and zonal, should now be got into their floweringpots. Use good iibiy loam, with a little sand and leaf-mould, fine jadoo fibre, or veiy old manure; add a dash of bonemeal. Pot very firmly, and not in pots too large, or growth will be rank. x A bhtch of Libonia cuttings put in now will make nice plant* next spring Our p.ui.ts 01 li. llmibuml.i are now m full flower — nice plants about a foot through ; the> were cuttings nt this time last year. Tho dwarf variety y,eems to flower a little Inter, but are now opening, and are handy litt,le plants the same age as tfe taller variety. Theso are two plant's thut should bo grown in quantity. « Muulenlinii Ferns that were cut down soma time ago m.iy now be puvhing up new frond*; if ko, it will be tuno to re-pot. Knock them out of the pots, remove the old drainage crocks, and cut awny two or three inches of the lower part of the ball Have. ready a conyost composed of very fibry turf,' with about a fourth its bulk of good leaf mould, a good sprinkle of broken charcoal, and sand in proportion as the loam is adhesive or the reverse Drain the pots efficiently — a few crocks at the bottom, a piece of furf with the soil shaken out over the crocks ; put in soil to the depth required and press it firm ; put iv the plant and fill the soil round it ; ram the soil quite firm around the b:>ll with a blunt stick.