138 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[May, 



wi:liin two years. It now appears that he recently 

 exhibited two seedHlig Chinese azaleas in bloom at 

 two years from seed. Last year he exhibited 

 plants which showed remarkable vigor at a year 

 from seed, and expressed the belief that he should 

 have them in bloom at two years. He was aston- 

 ished himself at such early flowering, as were 

 M. Van Houtte and all other cultivators, for it was 

 never supposed to be possible. He has quite a 

 number coming on. 



Begonia Davisi.— As a general rule the low- 

 growing Begonias are desirable for peculiarities of 

 foliage rather than for an abundance of flowers, 

 but one here illustrated, introduced by Messrs. 



Begonia Davisi. 



Haage & Schmidt, of Erfurt, is a notable excep- 

 tion. The foliage is as neat as any ordinary leaf 

 plant, while it is as floriferous as the usual sub- 

 shrubby kinds. Such a little gem will be desira- 

 ble, although belonging to a genus in which are so 

 many competitors for popularity. 



Greenhouses of Cornell University. — A 

 correspondent says : " None should visit the cam- 

 pus without inspecting the university conservato- 

 ries, as they are full of vigorous plant life, and are 

 interesting and beautiful. The houses are perfect 

 in every detail. They are in charge of Mr. Shore, 

 who came from one of the finest places on the 

 Hudson— that of Mr. Lillienthall, at Yonkers, to 

 act as head gardener at the McGraw-Fiske place, 

 and who has been transferred to the university 

 greenhouses. He is considered a master in his 

 profession. When it is remembered that last fall 

 the conservatories were virtually empty, and that 

 all the life now to be seen there has been created 



in the dark months of winter, it seems almost 

 magical. The present condition of these fine con- 

 servatories speaks wonders for the future, when 

 their capacity shall have been fully developed. 



"A large lemon tree in the center of the great 

 central or palm house is worth going up the hill to 

 see, so loaded is it with fruit and flowers; and the 

 south or cold house is ablaze with geranium trusses 

 — a splendor that we can seldom witness out of 

 doors, as our summer rains beat the petals off. An 

 impression exists that the greenhouses are open only 

 to those of the university. This is not so. They 

 are open to all who behave themselves while there, 

 just as are the other collections at the university." 



Steam Heating. — The numerous letters which 

 reach us show the intense interest the subject has 

 for those who have greenhouses to warm. Most 

 of the objections to it made in the past are being 

 removed. One of these objections was that we 

 could not heat a house rapidly enough— we have 

 to wait till we get up the steam ; but those of us 

 who remember how long it took to warm up a 

 house heated by flues, or even by hot water, begin 

 to believe the old system is a case of "the more 

 haste the less speed." After the steam is once up 

 a house can be rapidly warmed hundreds of feet 

 away. 



Culture of Winter Flowering Begonias. 

 — Early propagation is indispensable. The cutting 

 should be taken off by March or April, inserted 

 singly in small pots, shifted on as required, keep- 

 ing them well to the light, pinching back the most 

 prominent shoots now and then, maintaining the 

 temperature at about 55° to 6d^ by day, but admit- 

 ting enough air to prevent drawing. By the be- 

 ginning of June the sturdy, vigorous little speci- 

 mens that such treatment will have produced 

 should be placed either in frames or in a light, 

 well-ventilated house. About the latter part of the 

 month shift into 4^ -inch pots ; some of the largest 

 will go into 6-inch pots. The soil should be rich 

 and free— a good mixture consisting of loam, leaf- 

 mould, and well-rotted manure in equal parts, add- 

 ing thereto a good dash of sharp sand. Give 

 plenty of air, shade from hot sun, and if the plants 

 are in frames run off the lights at nights when 

 balmy weather prevails. A little of such exposure 

 will impart to them a great amount of vigor, and 

 the flowers will come much finer than when they 

 are never exposed to the full influence of the open 

 air. When the pots get full of roots a little weak 

 liquid manure should be occasionally given, the 

 great point being to keep the plants well in growth 



