102 



* * * GARDENING. 



Dec. I 



plants, for many place the mulch only on 

 the plants when they should cover all the 

 land. 



THE STRAWBERRY FUNGUS. 



My young seedlings are not free from 

 the leaf blight. This does not trouble 

 me. When we consider what the leaf 

 blight is and how it works we can tend 

 our plants in such a manner that the 

 blight troubles us not. All observing 

 strawberry growers know that the blight 

 only attacks the old leaves which have 

 their growth after the bearing season in 

 new beds. Now, by yearly renewals 

 (which are not hard to make) we can 

 keep the blight in a great measure in 

 check. To be sure we plant in our re- 

 newals plants with diseased leaves. But 

 throughout the winter these leaves die 

 and a young growth comes in the spring 

 with all clean leaves which carries the 

 fruiting plants along to maturity. In 

 yearly renewals the fruit is always of the 

 finest quality and in the greatest abund- 

 ance. F. K. Steele. 



Festus, Jeff. Co., Missouri. 



The Greenhouse. 



TWO NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



Prominent among the numerous new 

 chrysanthemums seen at the late exhibi- 

 tion were the two varieties William H. 

 Chadwick and Mrs. C. L. Peiree, illustra- 

 tions of which are presented in this issue. 

 The former is a variety of much promise, 

 the flowers being of the largest size and 

 white in color with a slight tinge of pink. 

 Mrs. C. H. Peiree is a fine clear yellow, 

 the flowers of good size with florets very 

 strong in texture. 



There are, of course, many new varie- 

 ties to which we would like to refer, and 

 while space will not permit it at this 

 time, we hooe to be able to call attention 

 in an tarly number to all new sorts of 

 real merit. 



SIMPLIFIED CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTURE. 



In a recent number of Lvon-Horticole 

 Mr. F. Marcband describes his method of 

 avoiding the usual repeated pottings of 

 chrysanthemums, saving thereby much 

 of the labor and promoting the growth 

 of the plants. 



The cuttings from the best stems are 

 not to be taken before the latter half of 

 April, and are started in 2Vi-inch pots in 

 a mixture of three-fourths sand and one- 

 fourth leaf mold. Pinch back when five 

 or six inches high. In May pulverize and 

 richly manure the soil in which they are 

 to grow. Let it be in full sunshine and, 

 if possible, sheltered from wind. In this 

 sink 6-inch pots, with their bottoms 

 knocked out, leaving their brim above 

 the soil and at a distance of two feet 

 apart each way. Fill the pots with the 

 following compost: One-fourth leaf mold, 

 one-fourth hot bed soil and one-half gar- 

 den soil. In these pots the plants are set 

 about the last of May, preferably on a 

 cloudy day. Give the same care as if 

 growing in pots, only they need much less 

 water. Apply sulphur and sulphate 

 every two weeks. About the middle of 

 September the plants are transferred to 

 9-inch pots, using a compost of well 

 rotted mold, with one-quarter sand and 

 one-third simple soil. Good drainage, 

 preferably of charcoal, is strictly neces- 

 sary. The 6-inch pot is to be dug up with 



NEW CHRYSANTHEMUM WM. H. CHADWICK 



the soil, and all the roots and soil which 

 extend beyond the bottom are cut off 

 with a knife. After lifting the usual care 

 is to be given as if otherwise grown. For 

 the production of fine plants and develop- 

 ment of the largest flowers, Mr. Mar- 

 chand says this method is much superior 

 to continuous culture in pots. E. R. 



CAMELLIA JAPONICA. 



The camellia is a shrub well worthy of 

 cultivation for the decoration of the 

 greenhouse in winter; its elegant form 

 and laurel-like foliage make it a decora- 

 tion plant even when not in bloom. Why 

 it is not more generally grown is prob- 

 ably owing to the prevalent demand for 

 cut flowers with long stems. For cut 

 flower' work three or four inches of the 

 wood may safely be cut along with the 

 flower, and a piece of annealed \\ ii <■ run 



through the calyx to prevent the ffl 

 falling from the stem. 



Twenty years ago I had charge ( •> 

 specimen that used to bear annual!.' «' ;l 

 four hundred to six hundred bloon ' 

 was that fine old white variety, W 

 Plena, and was planted in the S 

 house. The flowers were sold at I 

 per dozen — about 11' cents each. ft" 

 white-flowered varieties always •<* 

 manded higher prices than other CO.* 



Put r.part from its usefulness to t f 

 flower trade, which should not 1 th 

 sole criterion in our appreciati 9 

 plants, the camellia comes in very l»J 

 to fill the space left vacant by cbWt 

 themums. 



It is of very easy culture. sta| 

 when inured to it, several degrees c 

 without injury. This plant dot 

 "force" well, as if subjected to nun 



