THE PLANT WORLD 169 



The Home Garden and Greenhouse. 



Conducted by F. H. Knowi.ton. 



[The editor of this department will be glad to answer questions of a rele- 

 vant nature, and also to receive short articles on any phase of this subject.] 



Protection Against Cut-worms. — It is a well-known experience that 

 young plants, such as tomatoes, egg-plants, cabbages, etc., are frequently 

 injured or ruined by the depredations of cut- worms. This danger may 

 be entirely obviated by wrapping the stem of each plant loosely with a 

 piece of old newspaper. The paper should extend for an inch or more 

 below the surface and for two or three inches above, and can be held in 

 position by the earth as it is firmed about the plant. The injury of the 

 cut-worm occurs just at the surface of the ground and so slight a barrier 

 as a thickness of newspaper is sufficient to keep them away. The 

 growth of the plant is not impeded by the loosely-wrapped piece of paper 

 and by the time the plant is able to take care of itself the paper has 

 disappeared. 



Tuberous-rooted Begonias. — "Some years ago I was very much im- 

 pressed by a display of superb single- and double- flowered Tuberous-rooted 

 Begonias in the Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, and resolved on my 

 return to the East to attempt their culture. I was informed that they 

 could be rather easily grown from seed, so I secured a package of the 

 best seed obtainable ; but before planting them I consulted with one of the 

 experts at the Department of Agriculture as to the best method of sow- 

 ing and handling them. He told me that the best thing to do was to throw 

 the seed away, as it was impossible to succeed with them in Washington. 

 This was discouraging indeed, and I followed his advice and did not sow 

 them. This spring, however, I determined to make an attempt, which 

 could only fail, and if it succeeded I knew would be ample reward. I 

 purchased half a dozen bulbs of Henderson and potted them, using rather 

 fibrous, sandy loam with a liberal mixture of artificial fertilizers. These 

 pots were set in larger ones of half their height and the intervening 

 space packed with earth. They were placed in an eastern window and 

 kept well watered, and they have had a mass of blossoms, all averaging 

 two inches or more in diameter. The colors are superior to those of the 

 finest geraniums." — J. R. Thompson. 



The Easter Lily from Seed. — It has always been supposed that the 

 length of time necessary to grow Easter Lilies from seed was so great 

 as to put it outside the limits of practicability ; in fact it was stated at the 

 lily conference in London in 1901 that it would require about five years 

 to raise flowering plants from seed. The lily industry has grown to be 

 of much importance in this country, not less than 5,000,000 bulbs 



