rS 97 . 



GARDENING. 



163 



A FIELD OF IRIS K.EMPFERI IN BLOOM. TOKIO. JAPAN. 



grown, as so many of them are near alike. 



The bulbous irises after flowering die 

 rlown and should be planted in small 

 clumps or rows. Where other summer 

 plants are planted in this way a bare 

 spot in the garden is avoided. There are 

 many more species and varieties all worth 

 growing, and they should find a place in 

 all herbaceous gardens. 



Mahwah, N.J. David Fraser. 



GROWING TENDER BULBS IN GOLD FRAMES. 



I would like to ask Mr. Fraser the fol- 

 lowing questions regarding the article 

 that appeared under above heading in 

 Gardening for Dec. 15. 



1. Is it necessary to have a sunken 

 box with a bottom in it and drainage 

 underneath this? 



2. How deep should the frame be that 

 goes over the box? 



3. Shoidd the sash be put on at once 

 after the bulbs are planted? 



4. Are not the frames to be filled with 

 leaves or mulching to exclude frost? 



0. Should no frost get near these ten- 

 der bulbs? 



6. How can we keep out (rost with 

 the thermometer sometimes registering 

 20° below zero? Mrs. F. N. B. 



1. Yes it is necessary to have a sunken 

 box to grow these tender bulbs success- 

 fully. The box should come level with 

 the bed, and have a good strong bottom 

 in it with drainage if the location is in 

 any way wet. In this way you have the 

 bulbs under your control as regards 

 watering and ripening the bulbs; it is 

 also a security against mice and rats, 

 which are verv fond of these bulbs, and it 



helps to keep the bed dry, which is one of 

 the most important points. What is 

 wanted is to keepthebulbs from growing 

 much before spring. 



2. A frame 9 inches in front and 15 

 inches at back is just about right. We 

 use the French frames for covering our 

 bulb beds; the sash is 4 feet wide by 4 1 2 

 long; the 6-foot sash makes the bed rather 

 wide. 



3. As the bulbs are not planted till late 

 in the fall it is necessar3 r to put on the 

 sash, but remove them on all fine days so 

 as not to excite the bulbs into growth. 

 Keep all rain from them or they will 

 begin to grow and you may have trouble 

 to keep the foliage from freezing. 



4. No, the frames should not be filled 

 with leaves or anything else. The soil in 

 the frame being on the dry side, frost 

 does not have the same effect it would if 

 the soil was wet; and if the bulbs did 

 begin to grow, the mulching would tend 

 to draw and bleach the leaves. 



5. No. frost should not get near the 

 bulbs. Plant them about four inches 

 deep and bank around the frame with 

 long manure, covering the sash with 

 straw or hay with shutters or mats on- 

 top. We use old wood-ash bags sewed 

 together the length of the frame, putting 

 them three deep over the frame. These 

 are handy to roll up and keep all frost 

 out. We always uncover every day if the 

 weather is good, and give plenty of air. 



6. The above covering has kept out 

 12 degrees below zero with us. I think 

 if you follow the same you will have no 

 trouble. Our frames are protected on the 

 north and west by wind-breaks 10 feet 

 high, made of corn stalks. 



Mahwah, X. J. David Fraser. 



ALSTROMERIflS. 



I propose to adopt a suggestion made 

 in Gardening, vol. 3, page 6, and plant 

 these bulbs in wire boxes or frames, mak- 

 ing the boxes six inches across and of the 

 same depth, with a 2-inch mesh. Will 

 these dimensions answer the purpose? Or 

 would it be better to make the boxes 

 large enough for 4 bulbs, and if so, of 

 what dimensions. R. M. W. 



Toronto. 



I would not advise a wire basket of less 

 dimensions than a foot in diameter and a 

 foot deep. If made square, ten inches in 

 width would do. This plant spreads rap- 

 idly in good light soil, sending out long 

 tender fleshy roots, hence some depth ami 

 width is requisite in order to allow con- 

 siderable of a ball of soil to be taken up 

 in the basket when removed, thus dimin- 

 ishing chances of root disturbance. 



See Gardening for Xov. 1, 1896, where 

 is illustrated a group that remained out 

 over winter under extra protection. That 

 group bloomed earlier than some win- 

 tered in a cold frame, showing that even 

 when grown in these baskets the removal 

 causes some disturbance. It is a lovely 

 flower. Try some plants both ways, but 

 be sure of good drainage. W. C. E. 



UNSIGHTLY GOLD FRAMES. 



If your cold frames are in the vicinity 

 of the flower garden be sure to grow 

 something extra to put in them after the 

 pansies and other hardy plants are out. 

 Xothing looks worse than a frame full of 

 weeds when it could be made a place of 

 beauty. Sow some stocks or antirrhi- 

 nums now and have them ready to plant 



