408 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



can be used in the sick room. Now, at the present time the carna- 

 tion happens to be the most valuable, I might say the most fashion- 

 able, flower. They are most used at present, and there are good 

 reasons why they should be used now, if they are desirable. They 

 last twice as long as roses with the same care; they are cheaper and 

 almost as large. As I said at first, they originally had only five 

 petals, but now thej^ have anywhere from twenty-five to fifty. Some 

 of the other flowers that were fashionable a few years ago are 

 scarcel3^ used now. Among them I might luention tuberoses. I 

 think a tuberose has a very offensive fragrance. They are used very 

 little at present; they were used much five or six years ago. 



The narcissus is now used largely, the choice paper white and 

 the yellow, and the last is really more j^ellow than it used to be. The 

 sunflower age developed this last among- the people. Violets seem 

 to hold their own, perhaps, better than any other flower. There is 

 an immense quantity of violets used, still they are not so general, 

 perhaps, as roses and carnations. 



WINTERING GERANIUMS. 



In its natural state the geranium is a plant which is never wholly 

 at rest; it is, however, very amenable to treatment in cultivation 

 and very patient with bad usage. The proper treattuent for bedded 

 plants intended for another season's planting is to take them up 

 carefully and pot or plant in boxes, and stand in a light place in a 

 temperature secure from frost, yet not high enough to excite active 

 growth. Under these conditions a very little water would be suffi- 

 cient during the cold season. When the weather becomes milder in 

 the spring, and plants start to grow, care for them properlj-, regu- 

 late the growth and disposition of the branches, and thus prepare 

 them for planting at the proper season. But one may not have the 

 facilities to care for the plants in this manner, and j'et want to pre- 

 serve them. A damp cellar is not a suitable place, and may cause 

 them to mould and decay. The plants when taken up can be placed 

 in boxes, most of the foliage be removed, and soil be made only a 

 little damp; then place the box or boxes in a dry frost-proof cellar 

 where there will be some light. The leaves will soon all fall. By 

 the first of March it will be best to place the boxes containing the 

 plants in the window of a moderately warm room, and give water 

 and start the plants into growth. Some leave the plants in the cel- 

 lar until the weather is warm enough to set them out; but they are 

 then in a very enfeebled state, and it takes a long time for them to 

 recover. 



TOMATOES UNDER GLASS. 



A successful enterprise at Grimsby, Ontario, is the growing of to- 

 matoes under glass. Two large greenhouses, 200 ft. long, have been 

 erected for this work, and for two or three seasons past they have 

 been shipping beautiful large tomatoes to the city markets, at from 

 30 to 50 cents a pound. Each tomato is carefully wrapped in tissue 

 paper, on which is stamped the grower's name. The "Garden and 

 Forest " notices these fruits as coming into the New York market. 



