1880. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



139 



sunimor months, when these structures should 

 be the gayest they too often represent a bare 

 and deserted appearance in consequence. I 

 would therefore suggest that those plants might 

 be replaced with Gesneras, Gloxinias, Plocto- 

 pomas, Achimenes, Sinningia Youngii, Codono- 

 phora grandiflora, Pentaraphia longittora, the 

 finer varieties of Coleus, Kalosanthus coccinea, 

 Begonias, Streptocarpus Rexii, Erythrina cris- 

 ta-galli, Caladiums, Fuchsias, etc. Plectoporaas 

 form not only a new group of hybrids, but 

 a novel genus of Gesneracese ; they are summer- 

 flowering, with large-tubed, funnel-shaped blos- 

 soms. Begonias, from their profuse flowering 

 quality and the charming variety of color in 

 their blossoms are extremely showy and effec- 

 ive ; and the value of Gesneras, as decorative 

 plants, can scarcely be over estimated. Most of 

 them have rich velvet-like foliage, which in the 

 respective kinds varies from green to crimson. 

 If only grown for the foliage they are very at- 

 tractive, but during the winter they produce 

 splendid pyramidal spikes of blossom which are 

 extremely handsome. Originally, however, the 

 principal color was orange scarlet ; now, as the 

 result of fertilization, there are various colors 

 and shades, added to which, the spotting on the 

 flowers of some of the varieties is extremely 

 pretty. 



NEATNESS IN GARDENING. 



BY EDWARD L. KOETHENS, PITTSBURG, PA. 



It has often occurred to me on my many visits 

 to various greenhouses in this vicinity and else- 

 where, that there is a general tendency to ne- 

 glect the details and a want of care in all gar- 

 dening operations, both indoors and out, among 

 professional gardeners as well as among ama- 

 teurs, and many are unsuccessful from this cause 

 only. Of these little neglects, — for they are 

 only little things at the time,— I will endeavor 

 in the following lines to point out a few. He 

 who would be successful as a gardener, must 

 make the plants under his care the subject of 

 thought, and he must be constantly on the alert 

 for changes in circumstances which will make 

 changes in the treatment necessary. 



There is probably no operation in indoor gar- 

 dening requiring more care than watering. The 

 quantity and frequency of watering should al- 

 ways be regulated by the state of the atmos- 

 phere, and the condition and requirements of the 

 plants watered. It is a common mistake to 

 give a plant the same amount of water when at 



rest as when in rapid growtli. A train, it is not 

 at all unusual to see watering but half done, 

 when, as a rule, all watering slu.uld be done 

 thoroughly, and then not again until the plants 

 are sufficiently dry to need it. 



"Weeds are often allowed to grow up and ripen 

 their seed, thereby securing a heavy crop of 

 weeds for yourself and neighbor for the follow- 

 ing year. Insect ravages are unobserved until 

 the plants on which they have been feasting are 

 almost entirely destroyed; whereas, by a little 

 attention in the beginning, this damage might 

 have been prevented, and with many kinds of 

 insects it is impossible to dislodge them after 

 they have become established. The same holds 

 good with regard to fungoids, etc., the most of 

 which would make no progress where the proper 

 preventatives are used. 



The usual condition of the propagating bench 

 is another source of annoyance to the eye of the 

 neat gardener. There is no attempt at keeping 

 the sand firm or level, and the cuttings are stuck 

 in without any regard to order, and in such a 

 manner that the varieties must become mixed. 

 Dead leaves are allowed to accumulate in the 

 sand, which are sure to harbor fungoids and 

 eventually destroy the cuttings. 



Greenhouses and hot-beds are left hermeti- 

 cally sealed when they should be well ventilated, 

 and then again they are left open when they 

 should be closed. A short time ago, while visit- 

 ing a private greenhouse on a cold, windy day, 

 I noticed a severe draught of air sweeping down 

 through the middle of the house, and on inves- 

 tigation I found a ventilator open at each end, 

 giving the air a free sweep of the house ; and 

 still the gardener who prided himself on his 

 skill, complained that his roses would suffer 

 from mildew, no matter what he did for them. 

 Overcrowding is another source of failure. 

 Plants which are overcrowded are deprived of 

 their proper amount of air and light, making 

 them spindling and sickly, and in the case of 

 bedding plants, ruining them almost entirely for 

 planting out. This is one of the principal rea- 

 sons why the market is so often overstocked 

 with sickly plants, which would be dear to buy 

 at any price ; for plants when weakened in this 

 or any other way are unable to withstand trans- 

 planting, change of temperature, and the at- 

 tacks of insects and disease. Seedlings from 

 the time of their germination till they become 

 well established plants, require particular atten- 

 tion, and are too often entirely neglected. Wa- 



