220 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



fective decorative work. Guml strai-iht ct>lorcd singles 

 are much better. The double flowered kinds are not 

 nearly as free flowering as they were nearly forty years 

 ago, when, as a boy, I first became acquainted with them. 

 When it comes to names, well, to say the least, they are 

 bewildering. 



If the weather becomes dry, see that any lawns which 

 have been seeded down recently are well watered ; the 

 voung grass will not yet be well routed and will suffer if 

 neglected. 



If there are any evergreens to be planted, let it be done 

 without delay so that they may become cstal)lished before 

 Winter. 



Ix THE Greenhouse 



This month is one of the hardest for the greenhouse 

 man. Everything has to be brought into its ^^'inter quar- 

 ters, and on nearly every place plants have to be some- 

 w-hat over-crowded until the chrysanthemums are out of 

 the way. Cold frames are very useful at this season, as 

 manv of the more dwarf growing plants may be kept in 

 them until well into December with a little protection> 

 Care, however, must be exercised that they are well aired 

 on all bright warm days to prevent damage from damp- 

 ness. 



Azaleas should be sorted out into hatches, the earlier 

 flowering varieties may be immediately placed in a cool, 

 light, airy greenhouse. Later on a few that may be de- 

 sired early in the year can be forced in a little more heat. 

 A good cool pit is the best place for storing the main 

 batch, watering them carefully. Any young growths that 

 may appiear around the flower buds must be picked oft'. 

 Occasional waterings with soft coal soot water will keep 

 the foliage in good color and will not stimulate young 

 growths. A collection of the lovely Kurunie azaleas 

 ought to be secured. The different shades of color are 

 most charming and are sure to be appreciated by anyone 

 with refined taste. 



Acasias, Heaths and all greenhouse hardwood plants, 

 known as Xew Holland plants, may be kept in any light 

 structure from which frost is kept. They resent any at- 

 tempt at forcing in a high temjierature. Stevia and 

 Buddleia asiatica may be also treated like hardwood plants 

 and brought into a slightly higher temperature as re- 

 quired. 



Chrysanthemums need j^lenty of attention as regards 

 feeding, as they swell their flower buds. The old stand- 

 ard plant food '■"Clay's Fertilizer'' is hard to beat, and it 

 is also safe. The plants seem to take it up as they recpiire 

 it. The bush plants may \x staked out as soon as they 

 set their llower buds. Put in cuttings of the I'aris daisy 

 (Chrysanthemum frutescens) which will make useful 

 plants by Spring. As cut flowers they blend well with 

 anv f)ther Spring flowers. 



hive the llouvardias a good position in an intermediate 

 temperature. They may be fed a little if at all put bound. 



Commence watering and feeding .Xerines as soon as 

 they pu.sh up their flowers. It is not advisable to re-pot 

 the.se plants as long as there is plenty of room in the \y>t 

 to hold water. They flower much better when the ])ot is 

 well filled with hull^s. Every greenhouse should have a 

 l>atch of them, as they bIcK)m just as other flowers are 

 cut down with frost outdoors, .^rrangc(l with ferns their 

 bright .-ol(;rs apjK'ar i^rettv and cheerful. I'rinuila si- 

 nensis, olx-onicn. stellata, and the early batch of mala- 

 coides will soon l)e ready for a shift into their flowering 

 pf>ts. They grow well in a good rich, sandy loam. Prim- 

 ula kewensis is another primrose that is useful in the 

 Spring, both as a ])lant and for cut flower purposes. 



A frost-proof frame of English ])rimroses gives quanti- 

 ties of flowers very early in the Sjjring, and continues in 

 flower quite a long while. 



Keep \-iimg fuchsia plants which were routed about 

 August first, potted right along ; never allow them to get 

 pot bound. Give them a rich oj>en soil. Pinch the centres 

 about every six joints, always taking the strongest break 

 for a leader. The side breaks also need judicious pinch- 

 ings to form nice specimens. 



\\'e have had verv poor success in forcing Iris tingitana, 

 since the foreign supply was cut oft' by our over-zealous 

 friends in Washington. A friend in California writes to 

 me that the whole trouble seems to be in the ripening. He 

 says outwardly he can grow bigger and better looking 

 bulbs than the imported ones of bygone days, but he ob- 

 tains very few- flowers. He, however, is not discouraged 

 and hoi>es in the near future to solve the problem. 



How much we owe to the pioneers in horticulture in 

 the years behind us ! It is cheering, however, to realize 

 that we have men today in our land who, in the face 

 of baffling problems in our life work, are keeping at it. 

 Many of them are far from friends of their youth and 

 living an obscure life in out of the way regions, that some 

 day others may enjoy the fruit of their labors. How 

 much of our honors, and pleasures belong l)y right to the 

 other fellow, we should do well to think about sometimes. 

 But we are getting away from our subject. 



Iris tingitana must be grown cool and in a light position 

 to thrive well, even if we are unsuccessful in obtaining 

 flowering bulbs. 



To those who have a house suitable for growing sweet 

 peas, the present is a good time to start them. Three seeds 

 to a three-and-a-half-inch pot are plenty, and if one strong 

 ])lant develops from them, will be sufficient in each {>ot, 

 when planting out time arrives. Keep them as cool as 

 possible until they are transferred to their growing and 

 flowering quarters, after which they may be kept in a 

 night temperature of 50 deg. 



Secure bulbs of such lilies as L. candidum, L. For- 

 mosum, and L. giganteum. also L. Harrisii. The last 

 named may be forced quite early. We have noticed lately 

 that L. Harrisii. which some years ago was badly affected 

 by disease, has been much less subject to it. It would be 

 interesting to know the reason why. I have long held the 

 opinion that, if all the lilies mentioned aliove were grown 

 from seed, they would be much more vigorous. With the 

 exception of L. candidum, the others are all forms of L. 

 longilluruiii. and ]irobably would not come true to form. 

 Ciigantennis are better if placed under a bench when 

 ])otted. until they are drawn up about four to five inches, 

 as they are likely to flower too short in the stem. They 

 like also to be kept in a steady temperature around 60 deg. 

 until they oi>en their first flower, when they may be kept 

 in cool quarters for a long j^eriod. On the whole, for a 

 private greenhouse, we like Formosum the best. It comes 

 along in a lower temperature with us. much l>etter than 

 either L. Harrisii or giganteum. and gener;dly has more 

 flowers to the stem. 



In the tro])ical house it will be better, with a few ex- 

 ceptions, not to excite the plants by stinuilation, to make 

 any further growth this season. .\ir freelv on all favor- 

 able days and avoid extremely high temperature at night. 

 The aim should be for a firm growth, so that, if they 

 arc used for any decorative work they will nut suffer 

 nuich. 



Crotons, Dracsenas, and ;in\ uther i)lants which re- 

 quire light and sunshine to bring out their beautiful 

 markings, ma\- now be given a position where no shad- 

 ing is used. If tlie\ have been grown all .Sunmier as 

 they should, that i>. just enough shade to kec]) the foliage 

 from burning, it will do them no harm. 



Roses will need all the care frum now on that we are 

 ca])able of giving them. Through the Fall, ;uid until 

 the drivs begin to lengthen, he;ivy muKhing of cow 

 i Coii!iiiiir(l on poi^c 224) 



