350 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



namentation. All flowers and vegetables 

 that need an early start should be grown in 

 a hot-bed at home. 



The principle of the proper management 

 can be seen at a glance by visiting any gar- 

 dener in springtime. In this way you can 

 grow tomato, cabbage, cauliflower and 

 celery plants and annuals that need an early 

 start, such as aster, phlox, petunias, carna- 

 tions, etc. This keeps down expenses and 

 desirable varieties are ensured. Nor must 

 the poultry be forgotten. For a family of 

 six, 15 or 20 hens are enough. A cheap 

 house, free from draughts, will do for them. 



Enclose the poorest ground for runs. They 

 must be confined, but they should have at 

 least 20 square feet for each fowl. Poul- 

 try netting is cheap and easily put up. 

 Three runs are needed : one for the old 

 fowl, one for the young, and a spare run. 



A diary should be kept and a record made 

 of the date of the last spring frost ; the first 

 fall frost ; the dates of sowing the different 

 seeds ; the dates of their coming above 

 ground ; the date of the first flower blooms ; 

 the first and last ripening of the different 

 fruits. This furnishes data to w^ork upon 

 in succeeding seasons. 



EARLY FLOWERING BULBS 



FEW plants give more beauty for the 

 labor and expense involved in their 

 culture than do the early-flowering bulbs. 

 They are grown chiefly in Holland, but are 

 easily handled in beds or borders in almost 

 any garden. Hor best success it is w-ell to 

 prepare a deep rich bed in September and 

 plant the bulbs four to six inches .^eep in 

 these as early in the fall as they can be ob- 

 tained. Most flower-growers have a few, 

 but for a collection of numerous species 

 there are not many who can present as fine 



a display as Mr. Thos. Bog, of Picton, Ont. 

 " I get my bulbs direct from Holland," re- 

 marked Mr. Bog to a member of The Horti- 

 culturist staff, " and generally plant them 

 in October. They must be planted when 

 the ground is dry. If the ground is w-et 

 there will be no growth as the bulbs rot. It 

 is essential that the beds be well under- 

 drained. Sandy loam suits them best. 

 They need frequent watering when growing 

 and especially when in flower. 



" I never let them go to seed, as that 



Beds of Tulips in a Lovely Hamilton Park 



