THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



339 



GRASS SEED 



For open lawns, pleasure grounds, terraces, shaded places, pastures, hayfields, and for spe- 

 cial purposes. Our stock for 1913 consists of close to a million pounds. We're grass seed 

 headquarters. 

 Send for our Seed Catalog. It might be worth your while. 



MICHELL'S SEED HOUSE 



517 M£urket St. Philadelphia 



RASPBERRIES. — These fruit upon the canes grown 

 the previous summer. As soon as the fruit is gathered 

 the old canes should be cut away and the new ones 

 thinned out where necessary to enable those which 

 are left to become fully ripe before the winter. At this 

 time the young canes should be topped, although some 

 prefer to leave the topping until just before growth starts 

 m the spring. The fruiting season is prolonged by cut- 

 ting some of the canes down to half their length. 

 Newly transplanted canes should not be allowed to fruit 

 the first year, but cut down to about 18 inches from the 

 ground. BLACKBERRIES require the same treatment, 

 excepting that the canes should not be stopped. 



FLOWERING SHRUBS.— The less pruning these 

 have the better, and shearing them should never be as 

 much as thought of. A shrub should always have room 

 enough to grow in a natural manner and this is the only 

 way its real beauty can be obtained. 



In the course of years, especially upon rich soil, shrubs 

 sometimes become very dense, so much so that the center 

 shoots begiij to die. Before things go so far as this some 

 of the oldest wood should be cut out close to the ground 

 so as to encourage the younger growth which is always 

 the most floriferous. If it happens that a rampant 

 growing species should stretch out so far as to cause a 

 less vigorous one near to be in danger of becoming 

 smothered, the ofifending branch or branches should be 

 cut out close to the ground, not shortened, as the latter 

 method alwaVs spoils the look of a shrub. 



The necessary exception to every rule is, in this con- 

 nection, the 



HYDRANGEA. — This should be severly pruned back 

 every spring before growth starts. The immediate re- 

 sult is an eyesore, for which the ultimate efi'ect both in 

 quantity and quality of flowers more than compensates. 



When for any reason it is considered necessary to use 

 a knife upon a flowering shrub, it should always be borne 

 in mind that some species form their flow-er buds the 

 previous year. 



I cannot perhaps conclude this article better than by 

 putting a previous remark into an axiom, that (with the 

 exceptions which are obvious from what has been stated 

 above) it is better to use the finger and thumb today than 

 a knife six months hence. 



SPRAYING PLANTS INDOORS. 



The necessity of spraying to keep down insect, pests 

 and plant diseases in connection with all outdoor horticul- 

 tural pursuits becomes more apparent every year. It is 

 even more necessary in connection with indoor plant 

 growing on account of the more unnatural conditions 

 prevailing in the greenhouse and w'indow, such as a dry, 

 arid atmosphere produced by artificial heat and lighting, 

 or possibly an impure atmosphere produced by gas fumes. 

 No better element to counteract the bad effect of these 

 last-named on plant life can be found than moisture, 

 whether by water applied directly to the plant or as a 

 vapor induced by the process of evaporation. 



Not only is a moist atmosphere and moisture necessary 

 for the health of plants from a cultural point of view, but 

 it is just as necessary as a preventive of insect pests, few 

 of which can exist or endure the direct application of 

 water or thrive in an atmosphere impregnated with mois- 

 ture. The dry and almost super-heated atiuosphere out 

 of doors in summer are ideal conditions for the increase 

 and spread of insect pests. 



Tropical climates, where a moist, humid atmosphere 

 prevails, are almost immune from many of the insect 

 pests that are common here. Hence the desirability of 

 moisture to counteract aridity arising from the artificial 

 heat that prevails in our dwellinghouses in winter. At 

 the same time, it is quite possible to go to the other ex- 

 treme by injudicious spraying, that will induct plant dis- 

 ease in some form, more especially with the more tender 

 foliaged plants. 



All greenhouse men know the absolute necessity there 

 is for spraying or syringing in greenhouses. A few 

 words on the main points may be of service to those who 

 have small greenhouses. 



The spraying or syringing of plants should be a dis- 

 tinct and separate operation from the watering proper. 

 If the two operations, watering at the roots and spraying, 

 are attempted at the same time, neither of them can be 

 done successfully. Either the plants are soddened with 

 too much water or some are missed altogether. Water 

 the plants as required at the roots first, then do the 

 spraying after. 



I have seen batches of small plants and many 

 fine speciment plants badly injured by the care- 

 less ajiplication of water to the foliage under heavy 

 pressure from the hose. A fine spray, thoroughly applied 

 so as not to miss any part of the plant that requires 

 spraying, is better than a heavy application only partially 

 applied. Thorough, not necessarily heavy, applications 

 are quite as necessary in all spraying operations as the 

 proper mixing of the material if insecticides are applied. 



Glaucous or glossy leaved plants, can be sprayed very 



