582 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



The Greenhouse, Month to Month 



W. R. FOWKES 



MAY and June are important periods, for many 

 exacting operations must be executed in order 

 that the greenhouses may be beautiful next Win- 

 ter, and it is necessary to know what will be needed to 

 furnish the conservatory and home next Fall. 



Chrysanthemums must be given their final shift. If 

 grown in pots the 'imnns can be put anywhere one wishes. 

 If grown in the bench, they make a showing but are not 

 as useful in the small place as if grown in pots. Nine 

 inch pots are as large as is necessary for specimen blooms 

 of the largest kinds that were propagated early, but eight 

 inch fMDts will do for most varieties, and take less space. 

 The soil is the niost important subject now that the plants 

 have to go in their blooming pots. Fibrous loam, chop- 

 ped roughly with the fine left out is necessary ; one part 

 well rotted cow manure ; leaf mould, if the soil is of a 

 clay nature, mortar rubble to sweeten, to which the roots 

 cling; best quality bone meal, a six inch pot full to a 

 wheelbarrow load of soil, will make a good compost. 

 Good soil is essential, being the daily bread, and if one 

 cannot obtain the best, then the best results cannot be 

 attained. Water each plant well before repotting. This 

 is important to the amateur. The expert knows well the 

 disastrous work of yellow flagging leaves after the care- 

 ful soil preparation, due to the dry balls of earth, which 

 the water going through the new soil will not reach, and 

 no doubt many anxious questions will be addressed to 

 experts about the new 'mum disease. Put a few crocks 

 in the pot with rough pieces of soil, firmly rammed. 

 Next, place the plant in the centre, and then the compost, 

 which should be in a semi-drj' state, must be pressed 

 down very firmly, leaving two inches at the top for water 

 and topdressing. Now jjlace them in a cool house in full 

 sunlight, and do not water for two days ; ventilate thor- 

 oughly and spray lightly, but see that they are dry at 

 night. Some varieties need less spraying and will lose 

 their leaves if excessively sprayed, and these should be 

 separated from the others. 



That noble variety, Corporal J. Fred Piper dislikes too 

 much on its crown. Nagirroc is another, and the potting 

 system is advantageous to them. If the plants are dusted 

 every week with Srape Dust, fungus will not appear. 



Carnation planting should be in progress and the arch 

 disease, stemrot. will make its way if care is not exercised 

 in planting deeply ; also do not allow the plants to be 

 blown about by every wind. To prevent this, it is advisable 

 to tie each plant to a short wire stake, and then stemrot 

 will not have as good a start. Use lime in the soil also. 



The Begonias from leaf cuttings of the Lorraine type 

 should be placed in baskets lined with moss and light soil ; 

 set about twenty-four of the rooted cuttings through the 

 sides and bottom of the basket, and you will have a per- 

 fect ball of flowers next Christmas. Patten and Mrs. 

 Peterson should be in four-inch pots in cool frames. 



Sow the Cineraria hybrids in a pan and place in a cool 

 frame. This is the earliest batch. 



Many of the palms and decorative plants will be placed 

 outdoors, and more room will be at hand for many of 

 the young plants. 



The poinsettias that have rested can be repotted. Use 

 a little bone in the soil for these cut back plants, and 

 start them on the dry side. 



.Some of the orchids can go into a cool frame in a 

 shady place which will be of advantage to the plants. 

 Cypripediums of the iiisigne type, Calogyne cristafa can 

 go out. The June orchid, Cattleya GaskcUiana, is send- 

 ing out its blooms, not as lovely as some of the tribe, but 

 indispensable for the June weddings. Miltonia vexillaria, 

 the pansy orchid, is now in flower, and is a good keeper. 



Orchids are not difficult to grow- as is generally be- 

 lieved. If kept clean with sponging once a month, and 

 if from now on they are given free air and shaded from 

 the burning sunlight, they will be a rare pleasure to the 

 beholder. 



Feed the peaclies «ith a top dressing of loam, mortar 

 rubble and Thompson's \lne Manure, and as the plants 

 develop and the fruits commence to color, put them in a 

 cooler place. More air is necessary- for the development 

 of the fruit. Spread nets underneath the plants to catch 

 any fruit dropping in the night. 



Rose plantnig should be in order now-. Do not fail 

 to grow the pink Dunlop if you need a good, cool-loving 

 kind. It will give more flowers to the plant than any 

 rose grown, and many commercial men of note are 

 extending the planting of it. I counted sixty blooms and 

 buds on individual plants m the Totty greenhotises last 

 month. The Dunlop is wonderful as grown in that estab- 

 lishment with a low night temperature. 



Tuberoses that were started should now be in five-inch 

 pots and kept warm and well syringed. Their fragrance 

 is. always acceptable. 



Give the Celosias and Clarkias their last potting. Use 

 dried horse manure for the final shift in light soil, and 

 StrcptocarpHS and Gloxinias from later started bulbs can 

 be potted and they will give a .succession of bloom all 

 Summer. Bouvardias need not be grown in larger than 

 five-inch pots if fed with Clay's. Gardenias to bloom 

 perpetually must have light top dressings of Ichthemic 

 Guano and leafy soil every ten days, just a little, but 

 often. 



Boronias, Chorizemas and Ericas should be outdoors 

 plunged in ashes, care being taken with the watering. 

 Rain is sometimes deceptive in this respect, some plants 

 being water-logged and others dry. 



Azaleas that have blossomed should be w-ell syringed 

 and placed in a semi-shaded spot outdoors, and the drain- 

 age attended to. Angle worms, the pests of these plants 

 are disastrous. Spray all well with soot water, which is 

 a fine fungicide. 



The Camellias will delight also w-ith soot water. Mix 

 a little with some .strong loam, and topdress where the 

 water has washed the soil from the roots. The Camellia 

 has Its buds already formed for next year's blooming, 

 and any stimulant used must not be too forcible or you 

 will lose the buds. 



Topdress the cuctimbers in the house with a rich mix- 

 ture and cut off any worn out laterals, and brown leaves. 

 Burnett's North Pole is the best I have grown this time 

 of the year. It will stand the sun better than Telegraph. 

 They must be tied regularly and pinch one joint past the 

 fruits. Do not over crop ; rub off half that appear and do 

 not have the plants dry, or bitter flavor will result and 

 red spider will make its appearance. A damp place and 

 not too much air are what cucumbers enjov. 



