Mrs. Lance Rawson

“ If you have plenty of money of course you can make your fernery and garden beautiful almost at once, and your flowers will be a pleasure and an interesting study to you, and if you are—as I was—badly off, quite unable to spend one shilling upon it, then you must work all the harder, and make it not only self-supporting but a means of profit to yourself. In short, earn money by your plants and flowers. Sell your pot plants, your cuttings, your cut flowers, and the interest in the work will be increased ten-fold. ”

“ At another station the large well-filled fernery opens directly out of the drawing room; originally it was built from the verandah, then that part of the latter was stocked and arranged, giving a most beautiful effect, particularly at night when lighted up. But what one man can do another can; I go even farther and say what a man can do a woman can, in the matter of gardening and tending flowers. ”

“ If you live in the bush you will be able to find plenty of ferns and orchids with which to start your fernery. No matter how common they help to fill up and make an artistic whole, and by and bye you can weed out those ferns that have not improved, or that you do not care for. I have seen maiden-hair develop from a poor weedy variety to a fine handsome fern. The same applies to pot plants. Liquid manure is a great help, but it must only be used sparingly, and when the plants show the need of some stimulant. ”

“ Some authorities prefer the flat roof, others one with a very steep pitch. It is, I think, all a matter of taste, save where heavy storms are frequent, when it is advisable to protect the ferns and plants from too much water, then it is advisable to cover with light boughs or twigs. As to soil, it is best to make the whole of the soil, and if doing it altogether yourself, I would suggest your taking a small portion of your fernery at a time. If living anywhere near a scrub, a dray load of the soil could be obtained. Scrub soil is good and rich. ”

“ Lay out your fernery in beds all round, protecting the edges with a board, or even two boards, one on top of the other, so that the box-like bed so made can be filled up with rich soil. If obliged to make your soil I would suggest the following as a good foundation:—To three spades of ordinary garden mould put one of fowl house manure, one of loose sandy soil, one of stable manure, and one of fine ashes. Manure from the cow yard is also very good, but this soil must be allowed to stand a few weeks, being turned over and over every few days. ”

“ The fuchsia can be trained to almost any shape, but the one that best shows off the blossoms should be chosen. If you do not train against a frame the plants must be tied up to neat light stakes when they are about six inches high, or they are apt to straggle too much. You can pinch off the tops of the lateral growths to make them branch, but all this must be done quite a month before you expect them to flower. Care must be taken in watering, and not too much given, especially to newly potted plants. When the buds begin to show, liquid manure can be given with advantage, but not too often. ”

“ It should be raised in a pot stood in a saucer or some receptical for water, as no water should be applied over it. Keep the saucer filled,and it will draw up all the moisture it wants. It is very subject to the ravages of a small green grub, which will often destroy a healthy plant in a day or two. Fumigation with tobacco smoke is the best remedy, but as these little pests are easily found under the leaves they may be picked off and killed. When you notice that the leaves are eaten just lift them gently, and if you cannot find the grubs look in the earth round the roots. ”

“ When all the leaves have fallen, let the plants rest for a couple of months, and then prune into shape. If you have a bed as well as a stand it is well to plant out the older ones and keep the young ones on the stand. In many parts of the colonies the fuchsia grows well in the open garden with no more attention than the other plants receive. ”

“ The reason the cuttings are put in slanting, is to let the full weight of the sand be on them, so that it will close tighter round them. A pot is is the best to strike, because it is warmer than a box. For draining flower pots, pieces of bone are much better than broken crockery or stones, as the plants suck the fertilizing qualities from the bones. ”

“ What is said here about the fuchsia will apply to all plants of the same family.
HINTS ABOUT FLOWER GROWING.
In growing flowers the first and foremost consideration must be the selection of those that are best adapted to the climate and situation, for it is useless to try and grow flowers simply because one is fond of them, if the aspect of the garden is not, suitable. One cannot grow snow drops in Queensland any more than one can grow coleouses in England in the open. If one has but a small piece of ground, those flowers that are most effective should be chosen. ”

“ Keep on adding the earth till the water is absorbed, and the bottle is a mass of roots, then you can break it, and plant out your slip. The striking in bottles is very interesting, a constant amusement to children who learn much about nature and her laws by watching the gradual development of each little root. ”

“ But re pot plants: any one who has time and inclination to devote to the matter, can produce changes and effects undreamt of by combinations of soot, sand, salt, soda, charcoal, coloured earths and many more. Just use your own wit and try anything you can. If you lose a few plants, never mind, you are gaining experience, but I would suggest to all gardeners of this class to study the plants they experiment upon, and their natural soils.
The fernery requires a thorough watering once a day. Many people make the mistake of over-watering. ”

“ If the posts of the building are of the rough varieties of timber all the better, as ferns can be grown upon them. In the bush, and particularly in scrubs, many curious formations of branches or bark can be picked up, and help to beautify the fernery. Hanging baskets made of wire netting and lined with moss, filled with mould and ferns, look very effective when hanging about. To make a basket, cut off a piece of wire netting about five or six inches deep and a couple of feet long, fasten the two ends together with wire, which will give you a ring or hoop of wire netting ”

“ When starting a stand geraniums are the quickest growers, soonest make a show, and nothing is prettier than the double varieties.
To improve the poor ferns in your fernery when once they have taken root and you are sure they are growing, then begin to treat them with applications to enlarge their fronds. Liquid manure, and another stimulant I have used successfully is ammonia and water, a teaspoonful to a small watering can of warm water.
I am a great believer in salt for some plants. ”

“ A good plan is to have a strong post, say twelve feet high, and nail the four roof sticks on to it. You will now have a very good frame of a summer house, and you can close in a portion of each side with roughly-arranged ti-tree saplings, or a better plan is to fix a length of wire netting from the wall plate to the ground in the centre of each side, leaving a space on each side. ”

“ This is one of the most easily grown of all pot plants and also one of the greatest favourites, you see it on almost every stand. It requires plenty of light, heat and moisture, and can be propagated from the leaves as follows: Press a leaf down flat in wet sand, and keep it moist, even wet, or the leaf won't lie. There is a variety that does well bedded out. The tuberous-rooted variety, they will grow and flower generously almost anywhere. ”

“ But it is very much better and more convenient to have the stand portable, so that it can be moved according to the time of year and season, and if a broad shelf is put at the back, any pots not in bloom, or not looking well can be put there. A stand can be made any size, and, for that matter, any shape, according to the maker's fancy but a five foot stand is the most useful, one advantage being the ease with which all the pots can be watered and reached. ”

“ They are easily propagated from cuttings, and are also raised from seed. I believe about August is the best time to strike the cuttings, and in choosing, select those that have five joints, cut the leaves off at the two lowest, and make a clean cut with a very sharp knife just below the last joint. Fill up your pots, putting some charcoal at the bottom (see how to strike cuttings) ; a light rich sandy soil is the best; put in your cuttings, the two lowest joints below the soil, and then give a thorough watering. Keep in a warm shady spot till rooted, putting out in the dew at night. ”

“ In some instances I have seen the root attract the earth till it formed quite a little ball around it. Gradually as the slip strengthens add more earth, always being careful not to alter the position of the slip. ”

“ Look over your plants every morning for grubs, spiders, and other insects. The little spiders do a lot of harm to fuchsias, often causing the leaves to turn yellow and drop off. If they get infested with insect life tobacco smoke blown in among the leaves is the best remedy. ”

“ When finished flowering, place them in a sunny position to ripen their wood for next year, and give very little water, as you do not want to make wood now, but only to ripen and strengthen it for next year's flowering. ”

“ Then work round the top edge, and with the nippers turn over all ends of wire, run a strong piece of galvanised wire round the edge, and bend into shape. It is wonderful what very pretty baskets can be so made. To hang them, twist a length of wire in each corner and let them meet at the other end, and twist into a ring. Very quaint receptacles for plants can be made out of bark, and hollow logs sawn into lengths also make rustic pots for shrubs, tree ferns, etc. ”

“ They must be protected from hot sun and rough or strong winds, either by erecting calico frames, or what is far better, glass frames. On dull or wet days, and during the warm calm nights they should be moved out. ”