For June. 1923 



145 



strontf rays of sunshine. They will grow much hardier 

 and will last better when the time arrives to use them. 



Eucharis .\mazonica, which show signs of having coni- 

 pleted a set of leaves, may be dried off somewhat, and as 

 soon as they indicate the least desire to throw up a flower 

 stem, water and feed them well. To flower well, they like 

 to be considerably root-bound. 



Many of the Cattleyas are now growing vigorously, 

 and need plenty of air and moisture. Be sure that they 

 are not over-shaded. This is especially true of the Gigas 

 section, which will not flower unless they get all the light 

 jx)ssible. The earlier Calanthes are rooting freely, and 

 may now- receive weekly applications of manure water. 

 They grow best close to the glass, in a warm, humid 

 atmosphere. Dendrobiums also, when making their 

 growth, like plentj' of heat and moisture, but should only 

 be lightly shaded. Miltonia vexillaria will be passing out 

 of flower, and should not be over-watered, until the new 

 growths begin to emit roots. A sharp lookout for insect 

 pests on all the orchids at this time of the year is neces- 

 sary, as under warm humid conditions they breed fast. 



Early fruit will now be ripe, and all the air possible is 

 necessary. When pot fruit has been harvested, plunge 

 them outdoor in ashes, and syringe and feed them well. 

 .After the crop has been picked on peaches and nectarines 

 indoors, give them a thorough watering and syringing, 

 and thin out any overcrowded parts of the tree. The late 

 grapes will be past setting their fruit, and thinning will 

 be the order. Don't be afraid to give the berries plenty 

 of room. Be sure and not over-crop, twenty-five pounds 

 to a rod of say twenty-five feet in length is safe, if in a 

 healthy condition. A good application of Clay's fertilizer 

 after they are thinned, will help considerably'. Loosen 

 the soil on the surface of the border and give abundance 

 of water. 



SWEET-SCENTED GARDENS 

 I IGHT and shade, goofl lomi and pure color, are desir- 

 •'— ' able in the garden, but, though less evident, the 

 best of leafy and flowering plants that possess a sw'eet or 

 graceful jjcrfume are also enjoyable. Evergreen shrubs, 

 like Sweet Bay, Lavender, ilj-rtle, and Rosemary are val- 

 uable for sheltering hedges, or for sheltered nooks and 

 corners near the house, especially so in mild and sunnj' 

 localities near the sea. Of all seaside shrubs in flower 

 none, perhaps, surpass the Laurustinus, as now- 

 covered with its clusters of snowy blossoms. There 

 are three or four varieties of Lauru.stinus, all beautiful and 

 free blossoming, but perhaps the one with gloss\- leaves is 

 the most beautiful when seen in flow-er. The plant is an 

 evergreen also, which is another advantage, and the per- 

 fume of its flowers is fresh and healthful. Everv garden, 

 even a road-side cottage garden, may boast of its sweet- 

 scented Mezereon bush, its Rosemary, Lavender, Roses, 

 Sweet Briar. Pinks, and Carnations, with its Violets and 

 Pansies beside the Box-edged path or on each side of the 

 door. 



It is true we cannot boast of our Lemon and Orange 

 groves, but our climate is still kind to many fragrant 

 things — to Honeysuckle, \'irgin"s Bower. Jasmine, Sweet 

 Verbena (Aloysia), Magnolia, and to Cherries, Plums, 

 and Hawthorn. In bed and border alike we mav grow 

 hosts of beautiful and fragrant things — \\'oodruft. Pinks, 

 Balm, ^lusk, Violets. Rockets. Primroses. W'allflowers, 

 Carnations, Stocks, Sweet Pea. Mignonette, and many 

 other plants that "distill sweet odors on the evening air.'" 

 We have known outside \'ine borders coated with fresh 

 earth and manure every year, and then carpeted w-ith 

 Mignonette and Xight-scented Tobacco, give delightful 

 results. In one place we know the narrow borders be- 



neath the w-indows of the house are sown every Sjjring 

 niih Mignonette and Xight-scented Stocks, which fill all 

 the lower rooms with fragrance if a window is ojjened. 

 On another large house every spare inch of w^all below the 

 bedrooms is trellised for Magnolias, Tea Roses, Jasmine, 

 Honeysuckle, Chimonanthus, and the Sweet Clematis, or 

 \'irgin's Bower, and from June to October Heliotroj^es. 

 \ iolas. Verbenas, and scented Cape Pelargoniums are 

 jjlanted in the flower beds below. 



When we consider our glass-roofed gardens and plant 

 houses, there is practically no limit to the sweet things, 

 both leafing and flowering, that w^e can grow. The scented 

 Pelargoniums and many beautiful plants and bulbs bring 

 us the perfume of the Cajje or the desert to our doors. 

 Orchids of all kinds, odorous, from the tropics and moun- 

 tains cjf both ea>t and west, the Gardenia and Tuberose, the 

 Eucharis Lily, and tropical flowers of a hundred kinds 

 exhale their perfume for us, even in our most smoky 

 towns. Of fragrant flowering and foliaged plants we can 

 never have too many in our gardens and glasshouses. It 

 is something to remember that even a cottager may pos.sess 

 a sweet-.scented garden around his door, and that no flow- 

 ers are sweeter, however more rare and exj^ensive to ob- 

 tain or to grow, than are the wild \iolets. Roses, and Lily- 

 of-the-\ alley of our own hedges and woods. — Gardening. 



CONSTRUCTING A FLOWER SHOW GARDEN 

 CL \\ visitor^ on entering a flower show and beholding the 

 wonderful sight that greets them, which is created by 

 the classes for large garden exhibits, have but a slight 

 conception of the amount of work, responsibilities, and 

 heart-aches which are entailed in the planning and con- 

 struction of these gardens. 



First comes the forethought of the exhibitor who must 

 outline in his mind the style of garden he desires to 

 create : after which he secures the services of the architect 

 to prepare the plans and specifications, which are in turn 

 handed over to the mechanics to build the understructure. 

 The foundations of these gardens are not all soil, but often 

 have concealed intricate mechanical contrivances to pro- 

 duce some artistic effect. Note the accompanying illus- 

 tration of the '"underground" construction of the John 

 Scheeper's, Inc.. bulb garden at the International Flower 

 Show last Spring, showing the frame work for the rows, 

 plots and garden paths read}- for their plant inhabitants. 

 The plants are not merely stuck in as so many artificial 

 things but are treated as living plants must be to survive 

 the period the garden is to be exhibited. 



The construction work provided for. thought turns to 

 the necessary plant materials, and after it is liberally 

 estimated how many of the dift'erent varieties are required, 

 preparation is made for their forcing, not overlooking the 

 grass for the plots and paths, nearly all of which is accom- 

 plished under glass, and the arrangements for which must 

 be made many months in advance of the show. 



When the time for the flower show approaches, con- 

 struction and planting material and all necessarj' acces- 

 sories are gathered in the exhibition hall within forty-eight 

 hours of its opening and mechanics and gardeners begin 

 work and continue uninterruptedly until the garden is 

 completed. When the opening hour arrives, a tired but 

 happy group of artisans are" found enjoying the fruits of 

 their efforts, while there is not the least evidence to 

 indicate to the visitors the confusion, excitement, and rush 

 of the last hours to bring the gardens to the perfection in 

 whic'n they find them and to whom they appear just as 

 natural as long established outdoor gardens. 



In the garden exhibit here described which covered 

 eighteen .hundred square feet of space, there were used 

 (Continued on page 156) 



