January, 1916. 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Suggestions for January 



THERE is little work of any kind 

 that can be done in the garden 

 now that the ground is hard 

 frozen to a considerable depth, and in 

 most places covered with snow, save 

 perhaps the trimming and pruning of 

 the fruit trees. Authorities differ as 

 to when is the proper time to prune. 

 Some contend that fall and winter, 

 when the tree is dormant, is the best 

 time, while others just as strongly con- 

 tend that early spring, just when the 

 buds are beginning to swell, is the 

 proper time. Personally, we believe, 

 and it is our practice, that any fine day 

 during the winter is a good time for 

 pruning, and in this connection we 

 would say that if you have not done 

 the necessary pruning yet, get busy 

 with it on the first opportunity. 



The object of pinining a fruit tree is 

 to increase its bearing of fruit, enhance 

 its beauty and secure fruit of better 

 quality. Fruit trees that have a ten- 

 dency to grow low and dwarfish, and 

 are required to grow taller, should be 

 pruned to discourage lateral growth, 

 and promote upward development. On 

 the contrary, should the tendency be 

 to grow too tall, and it is desired to 

 dwarf, then the tops and the shoots 

 that grow upward should be cut out 

 and those encouraged that grow later 

 ally. For a tree to produce well de- 

 veloped sunkissed fruit, it must have 

 sunshine and air. Therefore, when the 

 limbs become so numerous, and the 

 foliage so thick that air cannot cir- 

 culate freely, the top must be opened 

 by cutting out the superfluous limbs. 



All dead wood should, of course, be 

 cut out. Look over the tree, size it up 

 and down and decide whether or not it 

 is necessary to remove any of the large 

 limbs in order to admit sun and air. 

 After you have attended to the large 

 limbs, go over the tree again, this time 

 for small details, cutting such small 

 branches as are superfluous. The 

 annual growth may be cut back to one- 

 third its length. 



In pruning always bear in mind that 

 a tree with a moderate top will always 

 produce better fruit than one with a 

 large head, be it ever so abundantly 

 supplied with sunshine and air circula- 

 tion. 



All branches should be removed close 

 to the main stem, so that in time they 

 will heal over without any tendency to 

 decav, as would be the case if a stub 

 was left,. With large limbs, it is always 

 advisable to cut an inch or two on the 

 under side first, so as to prevent tearing 

 of the bark when the limb falls. If 



Henry Gibson 



damage is likely to be done when a 

 limb falls, it would be good practice to 

 throw a rope over a nearby branch, and 

 gently lower the severed limb to the 

 ground. All cut surfaces should be 

 painted over with coal tar as soon as 

 made, thus saving the necessity of going 

 over them a second time. A sharp saw 

 and pruning shears are the proper im- 

 plements to use, not an axe. 



The Indoor Garden. 



Plants in the indoor garden are gentle 

 reminders of the garden that was, be- 

 fore frost and snow overcame it, and 

 the new seedsman's catalogue for 1916, 

 some of which are already out, bring 

 visions of the forthcoming summer gar- 

 den. May it be better, larger, and more 

 delightful than ever. As the catalogues 

 come to hand, go through them care- 

 fully, for it is not too soon to formulate 

 plans for the summer garden. Don't 

 forget the novelties. Many of them 

 have merits and are very desirable, yet 

 don't allow your enthusiasm to run 

 away with your discretion and order 

 every novelty in the catalogue. Some 

 are sure to be disappointing and should 

 you happen to get several of these your 

 ardor may be damped for a long time 

 to come. These remarks apply with 

 equal force to either the flower or vege- 

 table seeds. 



For those who have a small green- 

 house, the following are a few of the 

 many seeds that may advantageously 

 be started now: Aquilegias, delphin- 

 jums, petunias, verbenas, thunbergia. 



salvias, shasta daisy, solanums (Christ- 

 mas Cherry), sweetwilliams, helio- 

 tropes, asparagus, tomatoes, lettuce, 

 etc. 



Tuberous Begonias. 



Tuberous begonias make useful 

 plants for home and conservatory de- 

 coration. A batch started now will 

 make fine plants by April and on 

 through May, when a display of the dif- 

 ferent shades of white, yellow, pink and 

 red are most pleasing and attractive. 

 The tubers may be started in shallow 

 flats, on the bottom of which has been 

 placed two inches of sandy soil. 



On this plant the tubes, close to- 

 gether, and cover with just enough 

 sifted loam to fill up the spaces between 

 them. It is not necessary to cover them 

 completely, if they are well shaded 

 from the sun, for as they start into 

 growth they should be potted into 

 three-inch pots. Two parts good loam, 

 one part leaf mold, and enough sand to 

 make it porous forms a good compost 

 for the first potting. Well decayed 

 manure, or commercial fertilizers may 

 be added at subsequent pottings. 



Bottom heat is an indispensable fac- 

 tor in starting tuberous begonias into 

 growth. Should you not have a green- 

 house, where this is readily available, 

 the flats may be elevated on bricks 

 above the radiator in the house, and the 

 young flats placed in a light position as 

 they are potted off. Keep the tubers 

 fairly moist and every one will start 

 into growth. The average temperature 



r* ""V ■„■: 'v-Ni 







•\v,?' ■ 



'"4- ic'C V ' ji-- ■< ' 



f. 



mmmmmrmimimim 



n 



This novel ohrysanthomiim plant had over 1,200 blooms. It was IB feet In diameter and 6 feet high. 

 It was shown at an exhibition held recently In CI eveland, Ohio, where It won a $250 prize. 



