Pot-pourri from a Surrey garden

satisfactory than the old-fashioned Calceolaria amplexi- caulis. It does not grow to any perfection in the beds, the soil being too dry ; but, potted, it makes a splendid show through the late summer and autumn months. A red-brown kind, little grown now, which I brought from Ireland, and which I cannot name, also succeeds very well. They both want potting-up in good soil in April. The shrubby Veronicas (Speciosa rubra, Imperialis, and the variegated Andersoni) I grow in pots because they flower beautifully in the autumn ; and the drowsy bumble- bees love to lie on them, in the sunshine, when the Sedum spectabile is passing away. They are not quite hardy with us, as they cannot withstand the long, dry, cold springs. This in itself justifies the growing them in pots ; in mild, damp districts they are large shrubs. The small bushy Michaelmas Daisies we put into pots at the end of July, and they fill up blank spaces on the wall late in the year. The blue Cape Agapanthus everybody grows in tubs. They have to be rather pot-bound and kept dry in the winter, to flower well ; as the flower-buds form, they want to be well watered and a weekly dose of liquid manure. Hydrangeas I find difficult to grow when planted out. The common kinds do exceedingly well in tubs, in half- shady places, if they get a good deal of water. A varie- gated half-hardy shrub called Procosma variegata makes a showy and yet restrained pot-plant. Large standard Myrtles I have had covered with blooms in August in tubs. My large old plant, which I had had many years, was killed this spring by being turned out of the room it had wintered in too early, because we came from London sooner than usual. The great difficulty in small places is housing these large plants in winter. They do not want much protection, but they must have some ; and the death of large old plants is grievous. We have just built MAY 115 a new greenhouse, which we are going to try with no heating beyond a lamp-stove in very cold weather. If I lived in the country in the winter, I should grow small Evergreens in pots and try various experiments, which are of no use to me, as I live in London. In many cases the plants would not get injured by frost if one pot were sunk inside another. i2 16 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN JUNE Hands and fingers after weeding — Shrub-pruning — Boxes for birds — Bobins in greenhouse — 'Burning Bush' — Two Polygonums— Strawberries — Geraniums and cuttings — Cactuses — Freesia bulbs — Qloriosa superba — Luncheon dishes — Cucumbers. June 2nd. — It must be admitted that one of the great drawbacks to gardening and weeding is the state into which the hands and fingers get. Unfortunately, one's hands belong not only to oneself, but to the family, who do not scruple to tell the gardening amateur that her appear- ance is ' revolting.' Constant washing and always keeping them smooth and soft by a never-failing use of vaseline — or, still better, a mixture of glycerine and starch, kept ready on the washstand to use after washing and before drying the hands — are the best remedies I know. Old dog-skin or old kid gloves are better for weeding than the so-called gardening gloves; and for many purposes the wash- leather housemaid's glove, sold at any village shop, is invaluable. Good gardeners tell you never to cut flowers except with a sharp knife.