THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Edition. 



Fertilizing Principles Made Plain 



John Gall, Inglewood, Ont. 



The pelargonium Paul Crampel here shown 



promises to become one of the most popular 



varieties of the pelargonium. Photo by H. J. 



Moore, Niagara Falls, Ont. 



should be between 60 deg. and 65 deg. 

 at night, for the growing plants. 



Miscellaneous Plants. 



Gladiolus may be planted in deep 

 boxes for spring blooming. The Covillei 

 types are good. Peach Blossom, The 

 Bride, and Blushing Bride being among 

 the best. Window boxes provided with 

 ample drainage, and filled with good 

 soil are convenient receptacles to grow 

 gladiolus in. They must be set in the 

 cellar or dark cupboard until the 

 growth appears, when they should be 

 placed as near the light as possible. 

 They require a temperature of 50 deg. 



Hyacinths and other bulbs coming 

 into bloom should be placed well up to 

 the source of light to insure a sturdy 

 growth. Other batches of bulbs may 

 be brought in to provide a succession. 



Don 't allow the plants you purchased 

 from the florists at Christmas to become 

 dried up at the roots. Living rooms 

 have a much drier atmosphere than a 

 greenhouse, and consequently the de- 

 mand made by the leaves of the plants 

 for moisture will be great, and much 

 more than the roots can supply if water 

 is not thoroughly and regularly given. 



A little careful attention in the mat- 

 ter of watering (so often overlooked 

 during the holiday season) will result 

 in the plants keeping their beauty for 

 a much longer period. 



Mignonette is hai-d to transplant, but 

 ■the seeds may be sown where it is de- 

 sired they shall bloom. 



THE amateur gardener who studies 

 garden literature is apt to be- 

 come bewildered as he ponders 

 the enormous advice that is placed be- 

 fore him with regard to the subject of 

 fertilizers and their use. If he were to 

 make an attempt at following all the in- 

 structions that are set before him, he 

 would have to be a chemist as well as a 

 horticulturist, and a scientist as well as 

 a raiser of a few fruits, flowers and 

 vegetables. That the gardener who has 

 studied the constituents of soils and 

 fertilizers, has a considerable advant- 

 age over his competitor who does not 

 possess his scientific equipment, cannot 

 be gainsaid ; but the amateur gardener 

 who is merely an apprentice in the art 

 of horticulture need not on that account 

 despair of obtaining results which will 

 amply repay him for time and pains 

 which he expends upon the cultivation 

 of his own little plot. The amateur 

 should first fix his faith in natural and 

 animal manures and, until these are 

 thoroughly understood, abstain from 

 artificial or chemical compounds, and 

 all will be well. 



What then are the plant foods neces- 

 sary, which it should be our endeavor 

 to constantly supply? The three im- 

 nortant elements that contribute to the 

 building up of plant life are: Phos- 

 phate, which assists in maintaining the 

 framework, or the hard, woody material 

 of plants ; potash, or salt, which forms 

 tissue, fruits, and seeds; and nitrogen, 

 or nitrate of soda, which goes to the 

 making of leaves, or soft stems. 



These scientific terms, the use of 

 which one finds so frequently employed 

 in connection with artificial fertilizers 

 or manures, might tempt the beginner 

 in gardening to use them. He would 

 probably employ them indiscriminately, 

 and therefore with harm. 



Artificial fertilizers, mostly, are what 

 are known as incomplete manures, the 

 reason being that they do not contain 

 something of every food element essen- 

 tial for the nourishment of the plants. 

 On the other hand, animal manures ob- 

 tained from the farm-yard, are com- 

 plete manures, because they embody in 

 varying degree, but with a properly bal- 

 anced share of each in their composi- 

 tion, all the foods which any plant is 

 likely to require. Hence, for ordinary 

 gardening purposes, the use of good 

 farm-yard manure will supply all that 

 is necessary in building up and the 

 supporting of plant life. 



There are other natural fertilizers 

 which may be used with good effect in 

 the small garden. Their elements are 



both vegetable and mineral, and they 

 include, decomposing green crops, such 

 as peas, beans, the leaves of cabbages, 

 cauliflowers, potato tops and so on. 

 These, with some manure should be 

 piled and composted. If the pile is 

 turned several times a year, the material 

 becomes fine and uniform in texture. 

 The decayed leaves of trees, pond mud, 

 if it can be secured; burnt wood ashes, 

 or the remains of the bonfire heap, soot 

 and lime— these all supply useful plant 

 food, and may be used with every confi- 

 dence in the garden. 



Farm-yard manure may be applied to 

 the ground at any convenient season of 

 the year, but it should never be used in 

 a raw, green state. If it is in this condi- 

 tion when purchased, it had better be 

 left in a heap, and allowed to mature 

 for a couple of weeks or so, turning it 

 over a couple of times before using it. 

 Should it contain a large quantity of 

 long fresh straw, allow this to rot some- 

 what, being excellent for clayey, heavy 

 soil. It should be dug in about a foot 

 deep in the fall. This will help to fertil- 

 ize and at the same time tend to break 

 up the ground. For the enriching of 

 light sandy soils, nothing can exceed 

 the value of cow manure. Besides being 

 an admirable plant food, it Avill help to 

 supply the binding qualities such as are 

 required by light soils. 



Cyclamen in Dry Houses 



B. C. Tillett. Hamilton, Ont. 



Amateur cultivators are often obliged 

 to grow their plants in the dry atmos- 

 phere of a greenhouse, and, in conse- 

 quence, sometimes fail. These plants 

 require a much moister atmosphere than 

 zonal pelargoniums, and when the two 

 kinds of plants are grown in the same 

 house a difficulty arises. This may be 

 overcome to a large extent if the follow- 

 ing hints are acted upon. Place laths 

 on the stage, and slates or sheets of 

 zinc over the laths, then put a thin 

 layer of old sifted coal ashes; syringe 

 the latter, and a very good base will be 

 secured for the cyclamen pots. 



A position facing east, north, or 

 north-west will do if there is not any 

 undue obstruction to the light. The 

 ashes may be kept moist by syringing 

 on warm days, and they will be mois- 

 tened by the surplus water from the 

 plants when the latter are watered. 



If the ashes are damped with weak 

 soot water and manure water, alter- 

 nately, every ten days or so, the foliage 

 of the plants will be much improved 

 and kept from the attacks of insects. 

 This should be done in the new year 

 as the sun gains power. 



