306 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



quire a great deal of care and attention. With the best 

 of care many of them will die. 



In Fall planting the soil has a chance to become firmly 

 settled around the roots and some slight root action takes 

 place before cold weather. In other words, the plant has 

 a better chance to establish itself before starting to do 

 its work of producing flowers in the Spring. Unless 

 planted very early in the season, Spring planting causes 

 double work for a plant, since it is then necessary for it 

 to make roots as well as produce blooms. Consequently 

 a plant set out in the Fall, having its root system well 

 established by the time the blooming season arrives, may 

 direct all its' energy towards producing flowers. This 

 means flowers of better quality. 



Another point in favor of Fall planting is the fact that 

 as soon as growth starts in the Spring the plants may 

 be fed with either manures or commercial fertilizers. 

 With Spring planting, a month or six weeks must elapse 

 before it is safe to force the growth by feeding. Since 

 it is more advantageous to produce the growth during 

 the Spring for summer flowering rather than in the Sum- 

 mer for later flowering, it will be seen that the fall plant- 

 ing is of decided benefit. 



The two factors which cause the greatest loss in late 

 Spring planting are the drying winds and hot sun. A 

 great deal of careful attention is necessary to overcome 

 this loss and to bring the plants safely through. They 

 must be frequently sprayed with clear water and shaded 

 every bright sunny day for at least two weeks. This may 

 be entirely eliminated by Fall planting, for the wood is 

 ripe and there is no action in the top or branches of the 

 plant at this season. The accompanying illustrations will 

 show more clearly than words the proof of the foregoing 

 statements. 



In figure No. 1 is shown the strong, fibrous, natural 

 root system of a dormant field grown plant. This plant 

 was not selected to show an especially fine root system, 

 but rather one which is typical of this class of plant. 



Figure No. 2 shows the roots of a pot grown plant. 

 It must be understood that the term "pot grown" does 

 not mean that the plant has been grown to its present 

 size in a pot. No indeed. They are usually lifted from 

 the field at one year old, and then potted in the late Fall 

 or Winter. The top growth and flowers are forced dur- 

 ing the Spring. Note the curled and cramped position of 

 the heavier roots. This was caused by crowding them 

 into too small a pot. (Of course small pots take up less 

 room in the greenhouses than the larger ones, and are 

 therefore cheaper to handle. These roots will retain 

 their cramped and twisted form even after being planted 

 for two or three years. In fact, this plant had been in 

 the garden fourteen months. Naturally roots in this con- 

 dition cannot absorb the same amount of nourishment 

 from the soil as the roots in Figure No. 1. As No. 2 is 

 the type of plant which must necessarily be used in 

 planting after the middle of May or later, the illustration 

 clearly shows why our choice is with the former. 



(It' is to be admitted that for late plantings where 

 immediate effect is desired, the pot grown plants are 

 the only choice). 



No. 3 .shows a plant of the beautiful climber Dr. Van 

 Fleet which was planted in the Fall. Note growth it 

 has made as compared to No, 4. This is another Dr. 

 Van Fleet of the same age and size in the Fall when 

 No. 3 was set out. No. 4 instead of being planted was 

 potted, carried over Winter in a greenhouse, and put out 

 in the Spring. The soil conditions and culture after 

 planting were the same in both cases. Which is the bet- 

 ter looking plant? 



Numbers 5 and (i show two plants of the H. T. Vis- 

 comtess F"olkstonc. number 5 being planted in the Fall. 



and number 6 planted the following Spring from a pot. 

 Undoubtedly some rose fanciers will not agree with 

 the Fall planting, especially in the milder climate such as 

 Philadelphia and vicinity. For such latitudes as permit 

 early Spring planting, the writer does not advocate this 

 plan, since he has had no experience in the milder parts 

 of the country. However, in the colder parts of the 

 country where the soils are heavy and Springs late and 

 wet, he is convinced after ten years" work that Fall plant- 

 ing will give the best results. 



THOSE WHO WORK IN GARDENS 



.1/. 0. B. Wilkinson 



HOW strong they become who work in gar- 

 dens for the sheer love of it! 

 They are always learning, loving, seeking 

 to understand and to utilize. 



They foster the beloved zivak and fight the in- 

 imical strong. 



They root out the fulness which is a fault and Ull 

 the emptiness that cries for more. 



They are able to beget and breed beauty. 

 Those who it'ork in gardens plant other things 

 than seeds and bulbs, tubers and cuttings. They 

 plant hope and faith- a)td love. 



They gather in more than crisp zrgetables, lucent 

 fruits, and flushed Hozvers, for they gather hardi- 

 hood and health and a rich fulfillment. 



Having planted according to the law, they e.vpect 

 germination according to the law, and the Hoiver 

 and the perfect fruit. They do not worry lest what 

 ought to be will not be. They have the confidence 

 of seers, zi'herefore they are seldom disappointed. 



Those zi'ho z^'ork in gardens zvork in the labora- 

 tory of life. They knozc as much as any one of its 

 coming and its going; and far more do they knoiu, 

 than most' of us, of its grozmng and striving, fight- 

 ing, zi'inning, blossoming, becoming and being. They 

 sec many meanings unintelligible to others. 



God has giz'cn into their hands a book of secrets. 

 As they press the earth zi'ith kindly hands they 

 smile inscrutably, and the earth yields up her smil- 

 ing strength as their rcz^ard. 



In a gardei.1 there is as much chance for self- 

 e.vprcssion as in any art, if only the soul of the gar- 

 dener be free of a money bond. 



For a garden may be compact enough to reveal 

 the careful soul, zvliimsical enough to shozs.' the 

 dreamer, stately for the proud, homelike for the 

 hcarih-lover, fragrant for the serenely religious. 

 The variety is endless. The condiinations can not be 

 counted. 



But ahi.'ays, those zvho zvork in gardens, make 

 them, in something, like themsclzes. 



And there is in a garden as great a chance for 

 altruism as in any philanthropy. 



The sick of soul zi'ill lag beside a sloping lazi'n, 

 or under the generous, shade-bestozi-ing tree. The 

 zi.'eary of Iteart can find a bit of peace in benez'olent 

 arbors, or in bozvers of friendly shrubbery. The 

 poor can forget their debts for a space zchile they 

 zvatch bezi'itching poppies nodding to each other. 

 And are there not a few convicts zvho zvould be 

 gentler zmth their arms full of roses? 



Hozi' natural it is tliat those zvho zvork in. gardens 

 should be strong. They are very close to the heart 

 of life. Perliaps. also, they are close to God! 



