For April, 1923 



89 



estate, is not so useful as that grown in pots. These 

 can only be used as cut flowers, whereas the pot plants, 

 grown to a single flower, may be used in a greater variety 

 of ways when it comes to groaiping plants, and vei'y often 

 after they have done duty in a decoration they are still 

 there to use for vase work. The bush plants are now 

 laying the foundation whicli determines their future size 

 and shape. Pinch them as evenly as possible which will 

 make it all the easier when the time arrives for their 

 final training. 



Young carnarion plants that are to be grown in pots 

 imtil the benches are available, may now be placed in a 

 cold frame. Lift off the sash when weather permits, and 

 pinch them as soon as there is any indication of a, flower 

 bud. A clean cut through the stem is better than break- 

 ing with the fingers. Field grown plants may be planted 

 out by the first of jNIay if weather is at all normal, and 

 they have been grown cool and sturdy. I personalh' 

 do not favor field grown plants for a private estate. 



Young roses will have been secured by this date. They 

 ought to have a good position, and the best of care 

 that it is possible to give them. 



The Fall sown cyclamen plants, to obtain such plants 

 as I saw at the New York show, need all the love and 

 cultural skill which that poj^idar plant has brought forth 

 in recent years, bestowed upon them. A special article 

 by those excellent growers in The Chronicle would be 

 veiy profitable to us all, provided every detail were given. 



Early gloxinias will now be better to have a little as- 

 sistance towards flower production. Stimulate ihem to 

 that end bv applications of cow manure water and soft 

 coal soot. Keep it awa}- from the foliage which is easily 

 disfigured by water in any form. However, until gloxinias 

 expand their flowers, abundance of moisture is necessary 

 in the compaitment they are groiwn in, to bring out their 

 full development. In the tropical house, as mucbi space 

 as can be allowed for each plant from now on, should 

 be the aim of the grower. Later on w'hen plaiits are set 

 outdoors, another hoiise may be utilized for these plants. 

 Overcrowding mars the beauty of their foliage. Floors, 

 and the benches between the pots should he sprinkled 

 several times a day, and when the weather gets tropical 

 outdoors aboundance of air given. 



Don't forget to have the Primulas and Cinerarias sown 

 by the end of April. A later sowing of Cinerarias may 

 be necessary-, also of Primula malacoides. The plants 

 of this Primula at; the Xew York show were the finest 

 for culture which I have seen equaled only once, and 

 the strain at that time was very inferior to the Xew 

 York plants. 



Orchids should not be coddled in too warm quarters 

 after this season of the year. They all delight in iilenty 

 of pure air, even the most tropical, and advantage should 

 be taken of the weather outdoors, when it is most favor- 

 able, to see that the structures they are grown in have 

 the atmosphere conditions suitable to the different genera. 

 From my experience with orchids, they ail, in their 

 growing sea,son. delight in plenty of moisture, especialb,' 

 in the atmosphere, watering at the roots should be thor- 

 oughly done when anv is applied, and before any more 

 is given, they may be allowed to be a little on the dry side. 

 Sometimes it is a little deceiving for the compost may 

 look dr\- on top. but if examined a little below the surface, 

 will be found to be quite moist. Watering is learned by 

 experience and almost becomes an instinct. 



The fruit houses are at various stages of development. 

 The very early forced fruits, such as grapes, peaches and 

 nectarines, are ripening with some, no doubt. Syringing 

 must stop until the fruit is harvested, use judgment about 

 the condition of moisture in the borders, rather on the 

 dry side as the time approaches for gathering, and have 



plenty of top and bottom air \\-hen the weather is at all 

 favorable. A little extra fire heat, if a raw biting day 

 prevents airing, as one can do on a warm Spring day may 

 counteract to some degree the conditions outdoors. 



Let the late fruit houses come along naturally without 

 any forcing. Rub off all extra buds on the spurs as 

 soon as the strongest can be seen. Be in no hurr)- about 

 tying down the shoots. If there is plenty of head room 

 above the wires which every grape house ought to have, 

 let the weight of the bunch do that work, and there will 

 be no loss of shoots by snapping, which is often caused by 

 premature tying into the supposed position. 



W e ha^•e Iiad a very trying Winter, in which many 

 of our calculations and theories have been somewhat upset. 

 Let us lie certain to profit by it. 



NEWCOMERS IN OLD GARDENS 



A LTHOLGH the Blue Lace Flower has been cata- 

 ^^ logued sparingly for se\xral years, it is still a nov- 

 elty and is seen in only a few gardens as yet. There have 

 been misconceptions about this annual. It has been spoken 

 of, for example, as a form of Queen Anne's Lace, which 

 grows wild in the fields, but in truth is an entirely differ- 

 ent plant, coming from Australia, and bearing the name 

 (if Didiscus coerulea, writes E. I. Farrington in The 

 Christ ion Science Monitor. Aloreover, it has been known 

 to botanists for many year's, but did not win favor with 

 gardeners until introduced by a New York florist, who 

 surrounded it with a mild mystery at first and thus excited 

 ptiblic interest. Old as it is, therefore, it is yet a novelty 

 and an attracti\'e flower, which is especially good for cut- 

 ling. The amateur should remember, however, tliat the 

 ^eeds are rather slow to germinate. Starting them in 

 boxes in the house in April is the best plan, although, if 

 given careful attention, they can be sown in seed beds 

 O'Utside Avhen danger of frost is over. Barely cover the 

 seeds with soil and give them two weeks to sprout. 



The old-fashioned sunflowers are not usually repre- 

 sented in the intimate garden, but there are several small- 

 flowered, rehnerl sjiecies and varieties which are well 

 worth a place in the hardy border. A newcomer in this 

 class is called .\utumn (ilory, and deserves its name, 

 flowering as it does very late in the season and presenting 

 great masses of golden-yellow blooms that suggest giant 

 daisies. The plants grow four or five feet high, and al- 

 though perennials, coming up year after year, they \vill 

 bloom the first _\ear if seed is sown early. 



Egypt contributes a novelty this year in Dimorphotheca 

 eklonis. evidently a species of the Soiith African daisy 

 which has been grown for several years and is a good 

 garden annual. The new flower is a dwarf, growing 

 scarcely more than 1.^ inches high and the blooms are 

 star-shaped, fairly large and white with a deep-blue disk. 

 It has yet to prove its merits, but seems likely to grow 

 as well as its cousin. 



For vears zinnias were looked upon as plebeian, but 

 within the last two or three seasons have been raised to a 

 much higher estate. Now the most fastidious gar^den . 

 makers are growing them. The reason lies in the develop- 

 ment of flowers in new and most delightful shades, par- 

 ticularly soft pastels, which make them unsurpassed for 

 house decoration. 



There are many new and probably improved varieties 

 of the old-time favorite garden flowers, some of which 

 are worth experimenting with. This is especially true in 

 respect to snapdrag-ons and larkspurs, both of which are 

 such delightful garden subjects that any new offerings 

 among them cannot well be overlooked, even by cautious 

 gartde'n makers who are prone to view all novelties with 

 suspicion. 



