November, 1912. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



261 



My Favorite Flower and How I Grow It* 



Gladys Muir, St. Catharines, Ont. 



NOVEMBER winds shrieked wild- 

 ly at us, vainly trying to dis- 

 suade us from our purpose as 

 we walked down the garden path. 

 ,'\11 in vain, however, for we con- 

 tinued our way to the goal in mind — a 

 plot of ground which is exposed in morn- 

 ings to the sunlight on the hillside. Here 

 we thrust our fingers deeply into the 

 light, worked-up soil and brought forth a 

 handful of earth which we, looking like 

 grave scientists, examined with critical 

 eyes. Ah, yes, we had put in sufficient 

 fertilizer, which in this case consisted of 

 burned refuse of bonfires and wood 

 ashes. 



The loose soil was in ideal condition 

 for planting, so we lifted from the depths 

 of a large basket some two hundred curi- 

 ous round objects looking as if they were 

 wrapped in white paper. What ugly 

 things they were! "Bulbs," one called 

 them. Better to have named them mum- 

 mies, and this their burial service. For 

 that is what we proceeded to do — bury 

 them at a depth of four inches, and at 

 intervals of six inches apart in holes we 

 made with a light spade. We then pack- 

 ed the ground down flatly on top and 

 over all placed a protection of leaves 

 from the maple trees, dedicating the 

 whole with a liberal sprinkling of wood 

 ashes. "Dust to dust, earth to earth, 

 ashes to ashes !" 



Our task was o'er. Pausing at the 

 home door, we glanced backward with 

 satisfaction. How comforting the 

 thought that yonder slept "not empty 

 shells with the spirit flown," — ah, no, in 

 each was a life which waited only weary 

 weeks for the magic wand of spring to 

 set it free. 



SPRING'S REWARDS 



After months of rain and snow and 

 bitter cold, April smiled. Then came the 

 resurrection ; fjeeping through the mulch 

 of decayed leaves, the tender shoots of 

 green appeared. Carefully we loosened 

 the leaves around each to give them more 

 freedom in growth. From now on the 

 plants made pleasins^ progress, the re- 

 sult of the ash-fertilizer, which is par 

 excellence as a promoter of raoid growth. 

 Seldom indeed was the sprinkler brought 

 into use, as the mulch of leaf-mold re- 

 tained sufficient moisture. 



At last came the reward of patience. 

 Odd-shaped buds, topping graceful 

 stalks, opened into pure white glories — 

 and can one ever forget the wonderful 

 essence which issued therefrom? Behold 

 the lilies ! Not even Solomon in all his 

 glory was ever arrayed as one of these. 

 My favorite garden flower! Symbol of 

 purity the world over. 



•One of the competing <*i8ayfl oTi this subject 

 in the contest for prizes offered jointly by 

 Measrs Hermann Simmers, Toronto, and R. B. 

 Whyte, Ottawa. 



Independent, the lily requires practi- 

 cally no care, which is an ideal commen- 

 dation to the lazy or indifferent novice. 

 No spraying and trimming and weekly 

 aphis hunts. The lily is above requir- 

 ing such lowly aid. Her's is a brief but 

 glorious reign. What millions pay her 

 variations tribute in every land ! Far 

 better to hold a few weeks dazzling court 

 than a whole season's intermittent court, 

 as does her rival, the rose. 



The lily ! How the sight of her glad- 

 dens the hearts of our friends, both ail- 

 ing and aged ! Useful alike in decorating 

 the bride entering upon life's threshold, 

 and in consecrating the departure of the 

 One whom the Angel of Death has 

 blessed — a fitting tribute of God's treas- 

 ury on all occasions is this flower. 



And when the long autumn days shall 

 come, and she withdraws with no assist- 

 ance within the shelter of Mother Earth 

 again, awaiting a coverlet of snow, how 

 supreme in the hearts of all her lovers is 

 the fair, white memory which blossoms 

 as the years go by into increasing re- 

 membrances, for the lily cannot die. 



The sweet pea of to-day is one of the 

 most popular hardy flowers in cultivation, 

 and is held in such high appreciation 

 that it ranks quite on an equality with 

 the rose and carnation in the esteem of 

 many. 



Planning for Future Flowers 



J. McPherson Ross, Toronto, Ont. 



The difficulty in wintering biennial 

 plants, such as hollyhocks and foxglove, 

 with heavy foliage, deters some growers 

 who have failed to winter them success- 

 fully. It is not so much the severe frost 

 that does the harm as the alternate freez- 

 ing and thawing, and the object is to 

 keep them covered from the sun and 

 at the same time to give air. Strong 

 brush, such as old prunings or pine 

 branches, are useful. Anything that will 

 hold the leaves or dry litter and the snow, 

 besides giving air, will winter these 

 plants successfully. 



A practical method and a sure one 

 of wintering these flowers is to put stout 

 pegs at the corners of the bed and on 

 these stretch a layer of wire netting. 

 Wire used for poultry netting is suit- 

 able. Place it the whole length, and 

 have the netting raised above the plants 

 at least a couple of inches. On the wire 

 place a layer of leaves, then double your 

 wire back again to hold the leaves in 

 place. Thus you provide simply a mat- 

 trass of leaves, a sure, safe and dry cov- 

 ering from wind and sun, and allow the 

 air to reach the plants and foliage, which 

 otherwise would rot and die, or heave 

 out. 



If apples are stored in the cellar, it 

 should be kept very cool or the fruit will 

 not keep as well. Just above the freezing 

 point is about right for keeping apples. 



A Garden in Northern Ontario Which Show. What the North Can Do 



srT; 



The sweet pea« here shown were grown in the garden of J. I">'',"««??"P°"^J''' ,w '^I^^JfnJ'"*' 



Therwi^ven foet high and loaded with a crop of long, well 8^ ^^^^^'^L^",'^,"*^ 



nine t<. eleven peas each. The variety Is the Aldorman. This seed was sown June iva 



and the photograph was teken Angn^ \Vh. The only fertiliier used was a 



little Muriate of I'otaah. 



