272 



GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



course, it is easier to reach in a frost-proof cellar, but if 

 stored thus, in sand, the roots must be kept fairly moist 

 and air admitted whenever the weather is favorable to 

 do so. 



Onions may be cleaned as soon as they are thorou,<;hl\- 

 ripened and spread out thinly on airy shelves ; the building" 

 in which they are wintered should just be kept above 

 freezing point. 



Hrus.^iels sprouts are improved in tiavor by a little touch 

 of frost but before they become too wilted with freezing 

 should be protected. Stored cauliflowers need every at- 

 tention as regards airing, if they are expected to keep 

 well. 



There is still time to lift roots of parsley and pot them, 

 or plant them out on a bench: however, seeds should be 

 sown right away, if a supply is to be kept u]j, as roots 

 lifted from outdoors soon run to seed. 



Do not let the time slip by before the French (ilobe 

 Artichokes are well protected. 



Parsnips winter best in the ground where they are 

 grown. W^e remember only one Winter in thirty-three 

 years when they were injured by frost, and that year we 

 had very little snow; the glass went twenty-four below 

 zero, which is a very unusual occurrence in this locality. 

 A part of the planting may be covered with leaves, or 

 other litter, so that a Winter supply may be obtainable 

 when the ground is frozen. 



Do not cover the Strawberry plants until the ground 

 freezes quite hard, and on no account put on a heavy 

 covering. Thev winter far better if they remain in a 

 frozen condition, and they are like many other plants in 

 that good drainage is essential. We have had very fine 

 success by having a good width between the rows, and 

 before the ground freezes hard by running a deep furrow 

 on each side of the rows, keeping about nine inches away 

 from the plants. 



Lettuce in frames needs plenty of air ; the heads ought 

 to be quite well formed before it is necessary to place the 

 sashes over them. 



Tomatoes that have been grown in pots for Fall use 

 should l>e well covered with green fruit. A simny position 

 in a greenhouse, with a night temperature close to sixty 

 degrees, is necessary to ripen them. 



Keep collecting good horse manure for a successional 

 crop of mushrooms. The earlier beds will now be bear- 

 ing, and watch carefully that they do not get too dry. 

 Water with rain water if it can be obtained, taking care 

 that the chill is taken out of it. As the bed shows signs 

 of exhaustion, a large teasjxjonful of nitrate of soda may 

 be added to every three gallons of water used. 



Give the pot Strawberries that are to be forced about 

 ten degrees of frost before storing them in a cold frame, 

 or if frame space is not available cover them over with 

 straw in some convenient corner where it is easy to get 

 at them when the time arrives for forcing a batch. 



In December the outdoor fruit trees may be s]>rayed 

 for scale and other diseases that affect the wood ; also, if 

 any tree is going too much to wood and not bearing, tun- 

 nel under it and root prune it. .\ny root that is inclined 

 to run straight down into the soil cut back (|uile hard. 



1\ line (Ikf.k.vhoisk 



The greenhouse will now claim quit? a gcjod deal of 

 time and attention, as any neglect during the dull months 

 is sure to be felt later on. Nothing should now be over- 

 watered, rather, keep the plants on the dry side until the 

 sun begins to get stronger. On all mild days air freely, 

 and if at all possible, u.se a little extra fire heat rather than 

 neglect this very imjjortant oi)eration. A weak, soft 

 growth will be the result if the houses are kept closed to 

 save a little extra fuel. I have U-en watchinir oil heatiu"- 



quite closely during the past year, and, from what I have 

 learned from close observation, it is away ahead of coal 

 as a fuel. I am not referring to crude oil, but to one of 

 the more refined grades. It practically takes care of itself 

 when properly equipped and so far is more economical. 

 How long this saving will continue I suppose will depend 

 u])on demand and monopoly. 



The Cbrysanthenuim by the last half of November will 

 be on the wane, and no time should be lost to clear the 

 roots off the bench so that the space may be utilized for 

 a successional crop. Be sure and save enough stock for 

 next year. Each variety may be set close together in a 

 cool house. We use a cold frame but, of course, if early 

 cuttings are wanted for specimen blooms next year, that 

 would be out of the question, as some varieties are slow at 

 throwing up basal growths, and it is necessary to keep 

 them a little more comfortable than in a frame. Don't cut 

 the stems too low. Dust the crowns with flowers of sul- 

 phur and powdered charcoal. As the blooms are cut, keep 

 filling in the space gradually with Antirrhinums, Diinor- 

 l)hotheca, Lu|jins, Didiscus, Stocks, and any other annuals 

 that will give variety for cut flowers later on. 



If the Camellias have at all done well they will now be 

 covered with Inuls, in fact, a little thinning out would be 

 helpful if larger flowers are desired. During the dull, 

 short days watering must be done more carefully, as over- 

 watering is harmful to the roots at this season. Any 

 plants that need a shift I believe should be shifted at this 

 season, as I find that the root action of the Camellias is 

 about as dormant at this part of the year as at any other 

 period and less injury to the points of rcHjts is liable to 

 happen in the potting operation. Be sure and not over- 

 l^ot these plants, and use a good fibery upland loam, pre- 

 ferably a little acid. A good fibery peat will give quicker 

 growth but I do not think they set buds quite so freely as 

 in loam. 



Begonias of the Lorraine type will. now be well ad- 

 vanced to the flowering stage. See that they are properly 

 supported with light stakes. We have found that B. 

 Cincinnati, Melior and Mrs. Peterson are better keepers 

 than the original Lorraine, although they do not attain to 

 such large specimens in the same length of time from a 

 leaf cutting. The Cincinnati raised ones may be had over 

 quite a long period if kept in a cool, airy house after they 

 have set their flower buds. There is no doubt that the 

 Socotrana tuberous rooted hybrids are the finest Be- 

 gonias we now have in cultivation. There is quite a pleas- 

 ing range of colors among them, and for a private green- 

 house they are among the choicest of plants. .\ good 

 house is neces.sary to grow them in and a temperature 

 around 65 degrees should be maintained while they are 

 growing. They also need to be kept thoroughly clean, 

 as regards insects. Leaf cuttings of Begonias may be 

 jMitted along as soon as they throw up a shoot from the 

 base. 



talla lilies will now re(|uire attention regarding food 

 for they are heavy rooters. We grow ours in nine-inch 

 ]K)ts and find that occasionally a handful of bone meal 

 scattered on the surface of each pot speedily disapi)ears, 

 the roots absorbing it very quickly. We also water with 

 manure water weekly. They like to l>e kept moist at the 

 roots and syringed under the leaves on bright mornings. 



Cinerarias and .Schi/anthus nuist not get root bound 

 until the desired size of pot is attained, which for large 

 specimens is geuer;dly about a nine or ten-inch pot. A 

 night teni])erature from forty to forty-five degrees is hi.gh 

 enough, and during the day a rise of about fifteen degrees. 

 Keep them in full sunshine until about March the first. 

 We generally pinch the heart out of the Cinerarias once, 

 and ."^cbiz.-inthus we stop four times before allowing them 

 to run to lliiwer. 



