THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



721 



BEGONIA GLOIRE DE LORRAINE. 



Bv H. Eaxexdale. 



There are few pot plants of such universal popularity 

 as Begonia Gloire de Lorraine. 



This plant was raised by M. Lemoine & Son, of 

 Waney, about twenty years ago by crossing B. Dreger 

 and B. Socotrana. 



Up to the present time, this plant has not produced 

 fertile seeds, nor has it been used successfully by hy- 

 bridizers. 



It can be readily propagated by suckers or leaf 

 cutting. The latter metlmd is the one mostly used 

 now. 



To get the best results, propagating should start 

 about the end of November or early in December. 

 Take well-matured leaves from the best-developed 

 plant, taking great care to see they are perfectly free 

 from pests, etc. Cut off the lower portion of the leaf 

 stalk and insert in clean sand having a bottom heat of 

 68 degrees. 



Avoid fluctuations of temperature and maintain a 

 somewhat humid atmosphere. See that the sand never 

 gets dry, and shade from bright sunshine. 



About the second week in February, the young 

 plants will be ready for potting up. Use a compost of 

 half-fibrous loam and half-loaf soil, with a liberal addi- 

 tion of sand. 



Pot lightly and keep a little close for a few days. 

 Give them every encouragement to make a good 

 growth before the hot weather. In later pottings, add 

 screened cow manure and a four-inch potful of bone 

 meal to every barrowload of compost. A little fine' 

 charcoal may also be added with advantage. 



This begonia requires shade right up to flowering 

 time. On hot days endeavor to keep them as cool as 

 possible. Let the hose run between the plants and 

 damp the floor several times a day. 



An occasional spray oserhead is also beneficial in 

 hot weather. 



See that These plants never come in contact with any 

 having "mealy bug," as once they become infested it 

 is very difficult to eradicate. 



Tying and staking should be attended to before the 

 plants lose their shape. Some growers pinch them_ to 

 improve their shape, but it is not necessary. 



When they are well established in their flowering 

 pots, they will be greatly benefited by applications of 

 weak liquid cow manure twice a week. 



Where extra large specimens are desired, it is advis- 

 able to save a few of the best plants for another year. 



After flowering, these should be cut down and rested 

 for a time in a cool house and left fairly dry. 



When in bloom, a night temperature of 55 degrees 

 is sufficient, and with care they will remain in good 

 condition a long time. 



WINTERING HYDRANGEA HORTENSIA. 



As soon as freezing weather sets in, it is time for the 

 well-known Hydrangea Hnrtensia to receive its winter 

 protection. Hardly anywiiere north of Baltimore is if 

 safe to leave this bush entirely unprotected, even 

 though one does sometimes see it come through a win- 

 ter in good shape when unprotected, for such cases 

 are usually where the plants have been in some se- 

 cluded place, free from sun and wind. 



Great protection is not called for to ensure its coming 

 through in good condition. It is from the terminal bud 

 that the flowers are to be looked for mainly; therefore, 

 it is to preserve these that protection is necessary. 



When these are lost, flowers may come from the side 

 shoots ; but their appearance is not so certain as with 

 those from the terminal ones. Any way of protecting 

 them so that the shoots are under cover and in darkness 

 is sufficient, writes The Field. 



When plants are not larger than the size of a sugar 

 barrel will cover, there is nothing better than such a 

 barrel. The plant may be filled around with ashes, soil, 

 or leaves, completely buried in them, and the empty 

 barrel placed over all. Some gardeners have had good 

 hick by taking both ends out of a barrel, placing it over 

 the plant, first tying together the branches, then pack- 

 ing the barrel full of ashes or of forest leaves. When 

 leaves alone are used, a good-sized gunny bag answers 

 well, open at both ends to commence with. The plant 

 is tied up as for the barrel covering mentioned, the bag 

 placed over it, then leaves packed in all around the 

 plant and the mouth of the bag tied closely. If all the 

 branches are well covered with leaves so that no sun- 

 light penetrates to them, it won't hurt them to freeze. 

 It is the freezing and thawing in the sunlight that kills 

 plants. When thawed in the shade, little harm is done. 



NEW LIGHT ON CHESTNUT BLIGHT. 



In recent years the United States has lost heavily of 

 its best timber by the ravages of the disease known as 

 chestnut blight, occurring in the timber regions of the 

 East, and attempts to discover the native home of this 

 disease have failed in the past, says the Country 

 Geiitlcinan. Many claimed it was native to the United 

 States; others voiced a suspicion that it was of Chinese 

 origin. But not until the other day was the true source 

 of the disease discovered and a ray of hope shed upon 

 what has in the past seemed a hopeless problem. 



Specimens of diseased bark from American chestnut 

 trees were sent by David Fairchild, of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, to Frank N. Meyer, 

 agricultural explorer for the department, at present in 

 China. Mr. Meyer collected diseased bark from 

 Chinese chestnuts from the chestnut region north of 

 Pekin, and sent these to Washington. 



Careful examinations of this bark followed by tlie 

 pathologists of the Bureau of Plant Industry, who 

 finally pronounced the disease identical with the 

 American form. So this much is established : China 

 is the home of the disease causing chestnut blight. 



This would be of little practical value were it not for 

 the fact that Mr. Meyer found to his amazement that 

 while a number of species of Chinese chestnuts were 

 attacked by the disease, none of them died of it. The 

 great hope of the Department of Agriculture is now 

 that by crossing the Chinese chestnut on certain 

 American species a hybrid can be produced that will 

 withstand the disease as well as the Chinese varieties 

 do. 



The native Chinese chestnuts are not so large as the 

 American species. They may not be large enough to 

 make so good a timber tree as we have been used to 

 here in the United States. But, according to the ex- 

 perts of the department, the fruit should be as good. 

 They begin to bear at from 10 to 15 years of age, and 

 live to an age of from 250 to 300 years. 



But nobody can tell just what will be developed 

 when the department begins to experiment in crossing 

 the Chinese and the .\merican chestnuts. There is a 

 good chance that there will be developed a cross which 

 will withstand the disease as well as the native Chinese 

 species, and at the same time produce timber of suffi- 

 cient quantity and size to relieve the present crisis in 

 the American supply of native trees. 



