624 



GARDENERS' CHROMCLE 



THE QUESTIONNAIRE 



Subscribers are im'ited tc make free use 

 of this department to solve problems that 

 mav arise in their garden work. Questions 

 on' the ordinary pursuits of gardening, that 

 can be readily answered by applying to the 

 usual refereiice books should not be re- 

 ferred to the Questionnaire. 



If any of our readers can tell us 

 where Gunnera can be obtained in this 

 country, will they kindly address the 

 Questionnaire? — Can. 



I have a large triangle here I am going 

 to plant in Vincas in the mass with a 

 border of Coleus en outside. Could you 

 please inform me how to plant them so 

 as to leave no bare spots? I propose 

 to plant the Coleus eight inches from 

 side of triangle. Is that correct? If so, 

 how far should the first row of Vincas 

 be from Coleus. Would it be advisable 

 to start from center of triangle or side? 

 — W. J. McK., Kan. 



Presumably it is the I'lnca rosea wliicli 

 is to be used in the triangular bed, and the 

 space usually given for massing is one foot 

 apart, therefore the lirst row should be 

 one foot from the Coleus, and by planting 

 each row one foot from the preceding one, 

 a finish would be made in the center with- 

 out any bare spots. As it is a tropical plant 

 it is the general practice to start seeds not 

 later than February and grow at a tempera- 

 ture of from sixty to sixty-five degrees so 

 as to have strong plants in three-inch pots 

 by the time it is safe to plant in the open 

 ground. If smaller and more backward 

 plants are used setting them out at eight 

 inches apart would give a mass effect at an 

 earlier date. This would, of course, also be 

 the case however strong the plants were. 

 In the case of a very large bed it would 

 probably be found more convenient to start 

 from the center so as to avoid stepping over 

 the ground already planted. — A. S., N. J. 



There is not a wood-cutter but knows 

 that the weight of the ax and the swiftness 

 of the stroke are what tell in the cutting of 

 the tree; that the sharpness of the ax is 

 nothing unless there be weight and swiftness 

 behind it. There is not a man wh(i would 

 go into the wilderness expecting to clear 

 his farm with sharp-bladed penknives or 

 well-polished scissors. Yet the same men, 

 as they look around for their heroes, or as 

 they give votes, are as likely as any men to 

 be misled by the brilliancy of accomplish- 

 ment, and to forget the necessity of the 

 weight and force which belong only to 

 character. — E. E. Hale. 



Here and There 



VALUE OF FALLEN LEAVES 



Decaying leaves provide one of the 

 finest top-dressings one could desire for 

 shrubs, especially those of an evergreen 

 nature, such as the Rhododendron, A:alea, 

 Kahnia. Camellia, etc., whose roots arc fond 

 of surface nutriment. I know of no shrub 

 or tree which does not derive considerable 

 benefit from a top-dressing of dccaving 

 vegetation, into which the lowest branches, 

 if they touch the ground, layer themselves 

 freely. .\n example of this occurred here. 

 An extensive plantation of Laurustwus 

 {I'ihiirnum titius) was encroaching upon 

 the paths to such an extent that restriction 

 became necessary. As the work proceeded 

 it was found thai, without exception, the 



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lower branches had rooted into the layer of 

 decaying leaves which had been left undis- 

 turbed. Scores of these rooted plants were 

 revelling in this layer of spent leaves. These 

 will be lifted and planted in the nursery for 

 future use. 



Gardeners usually despise a bit of rotten 

 wood as being liable to set up fungus 

 among fruit and other trees, but I think 

 this supposition is open to question as a 

 great many shrubs are seen to feed raven- 

 ously on rotten wood, the little fibrous roots 

 eating into its very core until none re- 

 mains. On examining the vigorous j'Oung 

 roots of this Lauruslinus it was found that 

 they had penetrated through the white 

 patches of fungus, which, instead of weak- 

 ening them, had increased their vigor and 

 apparently helped their rooting. This show-s 

 how root action is increased and the roots 

 in frosty weather protected. 



Sir Herbert Maxwell, writing in one of 

 the gardening papers, deplores the practice 

 he saw in one of our great London parks 

 recently, and this is quite a common one in 

 many of our gardens, where men were 

 clearing all the leaves from beneath the 

 shrubs as — to use his words — scrupulously 

 as a housemaid cleans a grate. This 

 foolish practice arises from the an.xiety of 

 gardeners to keep places tidy, and the fear 

 of being brought to book if this is not so. 



It is a mistake to clear away fallen leaves 

 from flowering shrubs as we often do. leav- 

 ing the surface quite bare. If such leaves 

 must be disposed of it is far better, in the 

 case of choice shrubs, to cast a few shovel- 

 fuls of fine soil over them to keep them 

 down. This clearing away of valuable 

 lilant food takes up a lot of time which 

 might be devoted to work of much greater 

 importance. Anyone possessing groups of 

 peat-loving shrubs, especially where these 

 are carpeted with Snowdrops. Crocus, Daf- 

 fodils, and other Spring bulbs, should 

 scatter any surplus soil they may have — or 

 even fine ashes — over the surface of the 

 soil. The leaves so buried become in due 

 course an excellent rooting medium. — Gar- 

 dening Illustrated. 



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1 Large Mugho Pines E 



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i Large Cedars 1 



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THE FLOWER GROWER 



Published Monthly for both Amateur and 

 Professional Flower Growers 



GARDEJ^ERS: You should grow flow- 

 ers in quantity and help beautify your 

 surroundings and brighten the lives of 

 those who visit your gardens. 



The subscription price of THE FLOW- 

 ER GROWER is $1.00 per year, three 

 years for $2.50. Sample copy 10c. 



Madison Cooper* Publisher, Calcium, N Y, 



ORCHIDS 



We are Specialists in Orchids. We collect. 

 ^rnw. import, export and spU orchids ex- 

 clusively. If you are in the market for Orchids, 

 we solicit your inquiries and orders. Cata- 

 logues and special lists on application. 

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 •rthld Growers and Importen 

 Summit, N. «J. 



OlALITY RED POTS 



Made of best material by skilled 

 labor, uniformly buroed and 

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 Famoos "Moss-Aztec" Wan 

 includes Azalea Pots, Fern 

 Dishes, Hanging Baskets. Lam 

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 and price list. 

 The ZaDe Pottery Company 

 So. ZancsvJIle, Ohio 



CUT FLOWER BOXES 



EDWARDS FOLDING BOX CO 



MANUFACTURERS 



PHILADELPHIA. PA. 



