248 



HORTl CU LTURE 



September 2, 1905 



loam desirable. The plant is not to be starved, however, 

 and there should be some substance to the soil used. 

 During the dark months, it will make some soft growth 

 that wilts quickly when the sun comes out, and the 

 foliage should be sprayed at these times, but the plant 

 should never be soaked. It is absolutely essential for 

 best results to keep it staked and tied up at all stages 

 of its growth. It usually attains a large size and 

 requires light and air, therefore, will not bear crowding. 

 Very satisfactory results have been obtained by placing 

 the pots in different parts of the house among lower- 

 growing stuff. 



A grower might, at some time, select a plant pos- 

 sessing in the highest degree, the essentials of a forcing 

 corn-flower. Using it as a parent, he might apply the 

 doctrine of selection and thus bring out a race of seeds 

 and plants that have adapted themselves, in a measure, 

 to the conditions of producing bloom out of season. 



Its color is nearly, if not wholly, unique among 

 winter flowers, and for this and other reasons the corn- 

 flower has a possible future before it as a standard 

 florists' flower. 



Bordeaux Mixture 



,i^ayui4^ 



How to Renew an Old Orchard 



To stand on the rounds of a ladder, or the branches 

 of the tree to do all the grafting that an old tree needs 

 to have done is a very uncomfortable job, to say nothing 

 of the perplexity of trying to do the work so that a union 

 of the scion and stock may be reasonably certain. The 

 grain of the branches of old trees is usually winding 

 and will not split straight and makes the adjustment of 

 Minn the more difficult. Besides being uncomfortable 

 and ilillieult, it is very expensive to renew an old orchard 

 by grafting, and it requires two seasons to accomplish the 

 work, as it will not do to remove the whole top at once. 

 I have found it a better way to cut the tree off close to 

 the ground in the wintii- mid Imd tiie sprouts the next 

 summer (in Augii-i i ; tho-.- l.iul- will grow up and bear 

 fruit as soon as thi' -('((hkI >ct of -rafts, where renewal 

 by grafting is practised. Such trees are practically 

 young trees and will grow better, while grafts are usual- 

 ly short lived and unsightly, as the scion will, for a few 

 years, grow much faster than the stock or branch and 

 bulge out twice as large, the old branch having ceased 

 to grow much, if any. Another advantage of this meth- 

 od is that it admits the establishment of a low head, 

 which is obtained by cutting back the first year's growth 

 of the bud, leaving but four or five buds. The advan- 

 tages of a low head are too well known now for me to 

 mention them. I have bearing trees on my place so low 

 that I can step from the ground into the top. It is best 

 to let all the spmuts grow the first year for the benefit 

 of the roots. It is also best to bud two or three sprouts 

 to make sure of one union. 



This method has many advantages over top grafting 

 and is much cheaper. The writer claims to have been 

 the first to grow low head apple trees in nursery rows. 

 He had one tree that spread over fifty feet, with lower 

 branches over one foot in diameter, where joining the 

 trunk, about one foot from the ground. 



A spray to be good must be cheap, easy of preparation, 

 convenient to spray, adhesive, and with a light precipi- 

 tate. Bordeaux mixture thus far fulfills these condi- 

 tions the best of anything known, and is therefore the 

 mainstay in combating fungus diseases. WTiile easy to 

 prepare there are still a few simple rules that must be 

 observed or a poor unsatisfactory mixture will result. 



The formula for ordinary use is 4-4-50, although this 

 is hnodified for special uses.. The numbers refer to the 

 amounts of material used, that is, four pounds of lime, 

 four pounds of copper sulphate and fifty gallons of 

 water. 



The lime must be fresh and well-burned to give the 

 best results. The best is found in the centre of the 

 lumps taken from the middle of the barrel. 



The copper sulphate is put in a cloth bag and sus- 

 pended in a tub containing twenty-five gallons of water 

 until dissolved. 



The lime is slaked carefully with w-ater, care being 

 taken not to drown or burn it. Wlien of the consistency 

 of cream water is added to make up twenty-five gallons 

 and the whole is strained through burlap. 



When cold the lime and copper sulphate solutions are 

 poured slowly and at the same time into a clean barrel, 

 and thoroughly stirred. The result should be a clean, 

 bright blue solution with no sediment in the bottom. 



The lime is added to neutralize the copper sulphate 

 so tliat it will not burn the foliage, hence an excess of 

 lime will do no harm. If a clean knife blade shows a 

 copper deposit on being held in the mixture it is a sign 

 of free copper and more lime should be added. 



If four ounces of Paris green is added to every barrel 

 (50 gallons) of Bordeaux the spray will have an 

 insecticidal as well as a fungicidal value. 



hn.tru/t:> 



Early-Flowering: Gladiolus 



The gladiolus as a decorative plant is well known, 

 also as a cut flower for the florist. At this season of 

 the year when new bulbs are making their appearance 

 it is well to lay in a few hundred bulbs of the early- 

 flowering gladiolus of the Colvillei type. They are not 

 such stately plants as the gandavensis or Brenchleyensis 

 types, but they surpass these in graceful effect and 

 distinct character. They embrace the most delicate and 

 beautiful combinations of color, all of dwarf branching 

 habit and free flowering and especially adapted as a 

 pot plant for tbi -ncii lnni^^e and conservatory, and as 

 a cut flower, hum 1 ;iimI .l.-irahle. The spikes should be 

 cut when the fir^i lluwur; expand and they will continue 

 to open, and last a long time. The bulbs may be 

 planted as soon as they can be obtained and planted in 

 bulb pans or 6-inch pots using moderately rich soil. 

 Place the pans in a partially shaded position, keep 

 moist but not w^ct. When growth is apparent, the 

 plants should receive full light and a temperature of 

 65 degrees should be maintained ; under such conditions 

 they will flower at Easter when they will jirove very 

 acceptable. There are several varieties. The following 

 are distinct and extra good for forcing: G. Colvillei 

 nlbus (The Bride). G. delicatissimus, G. Rose Queen, 

 G. Peach Blossom, G. Rosy Gem, G. Pink Perfection. 



