88 



GARDENING. 



Dec. /, 



Strange to relate, these plants matured 

 seed that dropped, sprouted, and later 

 flowered in my house. I transplanted a 

 few to see what they would do. The 

 plants were about a foot high, generally 

 with but one flower, a terminal one. 



Plants of the old-fashioned kind grown 

 in pots and put under glass about Octo- 

 ber 1st do not open flowers any earlier 

 than those out doors and do not have as 

 fine foliage. I refer to glass without heat. 



The Mammoth Cosmos is about three 

 and one-quarter inches in diameter, pet- 

 als a little over half an inch wide, radi- 

 ating from the center and forming an 

 eight-rayed star. In the perfection strain 

 the diameter is three inches, but the pet- 

 als are fully an inch wide and almost 

 overlap each other forming a shallow 

 saucer. G. A. 



GAMPANULA MEDIUM VAR. GALyGANTflEMA. 



Above is the very long name botanic- 

 ally applied to the highly-prized cup and- 

 saucer Canterbury bells. 



Besides its gorgeous effect when planted 

 in masses, it proves a most satisfactory 

 addition to the list of those plants that 

 can be taken up when in full bloom, 

 pott' d and brought into the house, where 

 it the fading blooms are removed it 

 remains a thing of beauty for several 

 weeks. 



The type C. medium is a biennial indige- 

 nous to southern Europe where it was 

 first described in 1597. The variety pro- 

 ducing the "saucers" is known as caly- 

 canthema. 



The most pleasing colors to me are the 

 pure white (alba), rose (rosea), and 

 striata, being a ground work of white 

 striped with a deep blue. 



They are easily raised and cared for if one 

 has a cold frame. Seeds are sown early in 

 July, pricked off into temporary charters 

 as soon as large enough and in October 

 planted in the cold frame, about forty to 

 a sash. Here they receive the same treat- 

 ment given to pansies. 



In the spring they are transplanted to 

 where they are to bloom. If planted in a 

 mass they are placed about eighteen to 

 twenty inches apart. In June and July 

 they bloom most profusely and are in 

 good form for a long time. Being bien- 

 nial, when through blooming, their mis- 

 sion is ended, and asters or other plants 

 must be provided to take their place. 



In addition to thoe planted for floral 

 effect in the borders, I use a few dozen 

 in my cutting grounds, placing them fully 

 two feet apart. Seven out of ten will 

 assume a symmetrical form and can be 

 used for decorative purposes indoors, the 

 others furnishing cut blooms. When in 

 bloom, if wanted for indoor decoration, 

 thoroughly soak the soil around the 

 plant and take it up with as much of a 

 "ball" as possible. Pot it immediately 

 and place in the shade for a few hours. 



What a choice present to send to some 

 sick friend. The plant here illustrated 

 had been in the house over ten days before 

 being photographed. W. C. Egan. 



Egandale. 



STAKING TALL GROWING PLANTS. 

 How often we see tall growing plants 

 sprawling on the ground after a heavy 

 rain or wind, or worse still tied up in 

 such a manner as to bunch the blooms, 

 crowding the flower heads and destroy- 

 ing all their individuality. A little inge- 

 nuity, a little patience and a small outlay 

 of time and cash, will, if taken in season, 

 preserve in the main, nature's distribu- 

 tion of bloom and defy the winds. For 

 one dollar one can obtain a bundle of 

 bamboo containing a hundred, cfttjes 



CAMPANULA CALYCANTHEMA AS A POT PLANT. 



seven to ten feet long and for a small 

 sum a "hunk" of raffia for tying. This 

 material is the s'rippings of a palm, 

 averages three feet in length, is thin, 

 pliable and strong and can be used for 

 tying bouquets and for many similar pur- 

 poses. It comes in a hunk like the old 

 fashioned yarn, and to have it handy 

 should be uncoiled and a strong string 

 tightly tied around the thicker end and 

 hung on a wall say eight feet high, then 

 the bunch is divided into three strands 

 and loosely braided, and then one or 

 more "strings" can be easily pulled out 

 as wanted. 



Having the material for staking, all you 

 now need is patience and ingenuity-. I 

 will give three examples of tying that 

 proved a success this season. The plants 

 were robust, grew high, and were exposed 

 to heavy rains and violent winds and had 

 they not been staked would soon have 

 been prostrated. To the rear of a peren- 

 nial bed were eight strong plants of the 

 hybrid delphinium six to eight feet high. 

 They were planted two feet apart, two 

 rows. Four of the heaviest canes were 

 forced into the soil near the plant, a foot 

 or more deep, standing at an angle so as 

 to spread some twenty inches at the top, 

 and were then cut off four feet from the 



ground. These canes were placed at the 

 "corners" of each plant. When the del- 

 phiniums had reached a sufficient height 

 a strong piece of raffia was tied to one 

 stake a few inches from the top and then 

 carried entirely around, embracing the 

 four unright canes, being securely tied to 

 each one in succession, thus forming a 

 hollow square. Then the flowering stalks 

 were mentally divided and certain ones 

 tied to the raffia on each side and one to 

 each upright stake, reservingone or more 

 strong shoots for the center, which can 

 be secured by running the raffia diagonally 

 across from one stake to another, doub- 

 ling it twice around each center stalk. 

 Give each bloom stalk room to develop 

 and when in bloom you will be repaid for 

 yourtrouble. No confused mass of bloom 

 interlocked and dishevelled but each 

 spike will assume an airy individuality of 

 its own that is charming. 



Immediately in front of the delphini- 

 ums was a group of eight Lychnis chalce- 

 donica of the double form four and one- 

 half feet high, planted one foot apart. 

 They were well established and threw up 

 numerous flower stalks. Their character 

 of bloom is quite the opposite of the del- 

 phiniums, being flat on the top and is 

 more effective if the flowers can be kept 



