192 



HORTICULTURE 



February 7, 1914 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



Our Novelties for 1914 are ready for immediate delivery 

 on such varieties as Meudon, Jas. Fraser, Mrs. R. H. 

 Bog-gs, Mrs. Paul Moore, Daily Mail and Mrs. Ernest Wild at $2.00 plant; $20.00 per dozen. 

 Chieftain, $5.00 per dozen. 



We had over twenty acres of 'Mums growing outdoors last year in order to guarantee our stock 

 being propagated only irom plants that had not been fed or forced in any way. 



Send for our catalogue of over four hundred and fifty varieties, including the Gold Medal 

 Singles ; the Caprice Family, which we introduced last year ; the Early Flowering varieties which 

 are becoming the rage and all other vStandard varieties. 



CHARLES H. TOTTY, Madison, N. J. 



PINK SUPREME 



THE CARNATION FOR 

 MONEY PRODUCTION 



Early, free, persistent, makes ideal plants in field; lifts easily. Color, light-shell pink. Does not fade 

 in hot weather. Tested thoroughly by five competent growers and easily outblooms all others of its 

 color. Awarded Report of Merit by Gardeners and Florists' Club of Boston, 1913. First prize at show 

 of Co-operative Flower Market, April, 1913. In heavy demand at every high class store in Boston. 



Rooted Cuttings Now Ready. $10 per 100, $100 per 1000 



I H. LEACH S SON 



NO. EASTON, 

 MASS. Or 



J. M. COHEN, 



Co- 



operalive Flower 



Flo 



Marbe 



2 PARK STREET, BOSTON, MASS. 



light wooden framework and by nail- 

 ing ordinary builder's lath spaced 

 about an inch apart. Through this the 

 plants seem to get all the light neces- 

 sary, a free circulation of air, and the 

 flowers will not burn. 

 Labeling. 



It there is one thing more exasper- 

 ating than another to the sweet pea 

 grower, it is to find that when his 

 plants come into flower the varieties 

 are more or less mixed. This is more 

 likely to happen where the plants are 

 sown and grown in pots. To avoid 

 this, we recommend a label in each 

 pot and when planted out make a plan 

 and keep a record of the location of 

 each variety; by such means con- 

 fusion and annoyance will be avoided. 

 This will be of great importance if 

 we go in for crossing and seed. 

 Crossing and Seed Saving. 



To those who have had no experi- 

 ence in attempting to cross fertilize 

 the sweet pea some puzzling situa- 

 tions may occur, but they must learn 

 that several days before the blossom 

 opens the pollen is ripe, the stigma is 

 ready, and fertilization has taken 

 place, if it is ever going to take place. 

 Therefore, being equipped with this 

 knowledge, we proceed to carefully 

 open the keel of the bud and upon ex- 

 amination of the anthers with a 

 pocket lens we determine whether we 

 are too late by finding out if any of 

 the pollen grains are shed or ready 

 to shed. Provided we find them in- 

 tact, we cut all the anthers clear 

 away, leaving only the stigma, and 

 upon this stigma apply the pollen 

 from the flower which you wish to 

 make the cross with and your work 

 is complete. It is well to fertilize all 



the flowers on a stem as in that way 

 you are more sure to get the cross 

 you are aiming at, or if you do not 

 think that advisable, cut away the 

 unfertilized flowers. Tie a small dura- 

 ble label to the stem with the records 

 of the cross. 



To make sure of good seed, either 

 artificially or naturally fertilized, July 

 is none too early to begin, as the 

 plants are then at the height of their 

 vigor and you get a chance to get 

 your seeds ripe before the fall rains 

 set in. If you determine to save your 

 own seed you will go carefully over 

 your rows and remove all those not 

 true to type (and, alas, there are al- 

 ways a goodly number) before allow- 

 ing any seed to set. In raising and 

 flowering your crosses you will have 

 many disappointments as well as some 

 delightful experiences and it is well 

 to remember that it takes several 

 years for a cross to settle down to a 

 fixed type, but this delightful uncer- 

 tainty is only one of the many charms 

 of raising new kinds. 



Insects and Diseases. 



Even the dainty fairy-like sweet pea 

 is not exempt from the attacks of in- 

 sect pests and among these green fly 

 is perhaps the worst. The only remedy 

 for this pest, is some form of nicotine 

 spray, of which there are a number on 

 the market, and a careful grower will 

 not let this or any other insect get a 

 very strong hold on his plants before 

 he takes measures for its eradication. 

 Red spider may be kept in check in 

 water applied forcibly with the hose, 

 and thrips, like the green fly, must be 

 fought with a nicotine spray . 



Of the fungoid diseases, mildew is 

 at once the most common and perhaps 



the hardest to deal with, for while 

 there are many preparations on the 

 market for the prevention and cure of 

 mildew, the best way to combat it is 

 to keep up the natural resistance of 

 the plants by conserving their vigor 

 as long as possible. A soil well sup- 

 plied with potash is supposed to pre- 

 serve the plants from attacks of the 

 so-called streak disease, but healthy 

 plants set out on new ground annually 

 is the surest way of avoiding all the 

 diseases. 



Various Methods of Planting. 



No one should think that rows are 

 the best and only means of planting 

 the sweet peas. Rows undoubtedly 

 are the most satisfactory means where 

 cut flowers and economy of labor are 

 the main objectives, but where a pleas- 

 ing artistic effect is desired, then we 

 may plant in clumps at the back of 

 herbaceous borders, or in beds or In 

 curved lines, or yet in tubs for stand- 

 ing on terraces or verandas, or they 

 may be planted to hide an unsightly 

 wall or building; in fact, there is al- 

 most endless scope for the grower's 

 ability in forming harmonious color 

 combinations and pleasing effects In 

 general by the proper disposition of 

 this charming plant. 



What Varieties to Grow. 



There is such a host of varieties to 

 choose from that the prospective 

 grower may well be bewildered in 

 making a choice, and with the Idea 

 that it may aid some, I will name a 

 few of each color, that, having grown 

 them myself, I know to be good: 



White — King White, Snowdon, Nora 

 Unwln. 



