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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



(OF AMERICA) 

 Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 



I Vol. XXIV 



FEBRUARY, 1920 



No. 2 ■ 



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LIBRA 5? Y 



Things and Thoughts of the Garden m^^^^:"" 



tut: r>xil r^r^vcD GAi.\ ,-, 



THE ONLOOKER 



A REAL live topic of interest in our horticultural 

 world at this time is that of plant propagation, 

 which has been brought to the attention of many 

 nurserymen and florists in a rather abrupt manner by 

 the enactment of the much abused Plant Quarantine Act. 

 Perhaps the inconveniences resulting froni this drastic 

 measure may not have such a lasting effect as was gen- 

 erally expected. Time alone will tell. In the meantime 

 we may Ije sure that enterprising men are giving more 

 time and attention to this subject than has hitherto been 

 found necessary' or profitable, and furthermore a good 

 propagator ought to be assured of a steady job for some 

 time to come. It is fascinating work, especially when 

 there is opportunity to practice it with a large variety 

 of plants. Knowledge of the various methods by which 

 plants are propagated is open to all who seek it, but it 

 is not given to all to be equally successful in putting that 

 knowledge into practice. Some men seem to be born 

 with the happy knack of being always able to do the 

 right thing at the right time. Some call it intuition, 

 some call it luck, but call it what you will it is a won- 

 derfully good asset. In combination with a keen love 

 for plants, a thorough understanding of their likes and 

 dislikes, together with a good stock of patience, we have 

 the chief essentials which go to make a first-class plant 

 propagator. 



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\\ ithin the next few week millions of seeds will be 

 sown both under glass and out-doors, and the results 

 awaited with eager interest. It is safe to say that a 

 goodly proportion of these seeds will from various 

 causes fail to realize the expectant hope which was 

 kindled when they were sow-n. It seems a simple inatter 

 to open a packet of seeds, scatter them in the soil and 

 look for a big germinating percentage. Sometimes it is 

 as easy as that, yet those who have handled seeds in 

 great variety know there is difference enough to keep 

 one up to the mark in the strict observance of certain 

 details if anything better than negative results are to be 

 obtained. Seeds of good vitality are of course the first 

 essential, and practical experience has shown that the 

 largest and heaviest seeds produce the best plants, so 

 that plant selection might well begin at the beginning — 

 with the seeds. 



Seeds more than one year old are not necessarily dead, 

 at least in the case of most, if not all of our common 

 garden plants. Several kinds of vegetable and flower 

 seeds I have sown after keeping five years have given 



jjractically as good results as at first. To be on the safe 

 side it is just as well to make a germinating test of 

 doubtful seeds, at the same titiie bearing in mind that 

 old seed is slower and more irregular in germinating. 

 This may be partly overcome by soaking the seeds in 

 hot water for a few hours. Seedlings get a better start 

 if the soil is of a light, friable nature. In the green- 

 house, where conditions are under control, better results 

 are sometimes secured by germinating the seeds in sand, 

 cocoanut fibre or sphagnum moss. In the open many 

 seedlings perish in hard ground that could be saved if 

 the drills were filled in with old compost. Thousands 

 of fine seeds every year are suffocated because buried 

 too deeply; others rot because sown too soon in wet. 

 cold soil, while others fail to appear because of shallow 

 covering during hot, dry weather. 



Damping-off fungus claims many victims because of 

 careless watering and ventilation, or by reason of over- 

 crowding and the postponement of transplanting till a 

 more convenient time. Sow thinly and thin or trans- 

 plant early is a pretty good maxim to follow. In the 

 case of seeds which may take months to germinate the 

 soil in the seed pans may become coated with algas with 

 disastrous eft'ects. Sterilization of the soil and "the use 

 of boiled water will be found helpful in overcoming this. 



-Many people regard mid-summer as the proper time 

 to sow seeds of hardy perennials, but where there is 

 greenhouse space at command, there are certain advan- 

 tages to be gained in doing it right now. The amount 

 of space required for ordinary purposes is verv 

 little, dozens of seedlings can be raised in a four-incii 

 pot, while for transplanting a flat three inches deep and 

 about twelve inches square will accommodate three dozen 

 plants nicely. After this their sojourn in the greenhouse 

 need not be long if cold frames are handy, and bv the 

 middle of May we have sturdy plants ready to set out 

 in nursery rows, becoming well established" before the 

 likelihood of summer heat and drought and well able to 

 go through their first winter safely with just ordinary 

 protection. A few kinds will flower late the first season 

 when sown thus early, and in the case of hybrid strains 

 this is an advantage if color efifects are seriously con- 

 -sidered, as it aflfords a chance for selection before set- 

 ting the plants in their permanent quarters. 



:.■= * « 



Few winter-flowering greenhouse plants of recent in- 

 troduction have been received with such general favor 



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