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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Sditioo. 



The modesl Kruenhouse of Mr. H. Goodchild. St. I-«,mbert. Que., made out of odds and ends, at 



an expense of about fifteen dollars. 



them is on the radiator. An even bet- 

 /ter method of providing moisture in 

 .the room is to have a flat tray of 

 galvanised iron, two inches deep, for 

 the plants to stand on. Pill it with a 

 layer of white pebbles, one and one- 

 half inches deep. The tray can be 

 made the length and width of the 

 window shelf. This arrangement is a 

 wonderful aid in watering, since the 

 superfluous water runs away among the 

 pebbles, and quickly evaporates, thus 

 saving the necessity of having to de- 

 vise some means of getting rid of it 

 and at the same time supplying much 

 needed moisture. Moreover, the whole 

 affair is neat and practical. 



The same idea can be carried out to 

 a certain extent by filling the saucers 

 that the plant-pots stand in with peb- 

 bles, but the saucers are much more 

 trouble to look after. The evil of let- 

 ting plants stand in saucers half full of 

 water is an old one, that should be 

 avoided. Try and remember that your 

 plants are living things that have cer- 

 tain functions to perform in order to 

 live. It is impossible for air to pass 



into the soil of a plant if the pot is 

 standing in water, yet in order to pro- 

 .perly carry on their work the tiny 

 roots must have air to breathe. 



Every window devoted to plants 

 during the winter, should be double 

 glazed, if at all possible. Great care 

 should be exercised in airing the room 

 on very cold days, as it only takes a 

 few minutes to freeze a plant when the 

 temperature outside is much below the 

 freezing point. When circumstances 

 compel you to subject your plants to a 

 high temperature during the day they 

 should have a correspondingly low 

 temperature at night. A temperature 

 of seventy-five to eighty degrees dur- 

 ing the day should fall to fifty -five to 

 sixty degrees at night. 



The cultivation of plants does not 

 depend so much on a study of 

 formulas ,or on higher education or 

 deep studies in botany, nor is it alto- 

 gether one of soils and fertilizers. It 

 is simply a question of whether or not 

 you are sufficiently enthusiastic to 

 study the needs of your plants, and 

 willing to supply them. 



The Gloxinia 



H. J. Moore, Queen Victoria Park, Niagara Falls,tOnt. 



f 



THE gloxinia is one of our best 

 tender perennial flowering plants. 

 It is easy to grow, and as it 

 flowers in six or seven months from 

 seed it usually affords a quick return 

 to the grower. The tubers may be car- 

 ried over for another year if desired, 

 although it is hardly necessary to do 

 so except in the case of desirable 

 varieties. Seedlings will furnish well 

 flowered and saleable plants. 



Sow the main batch of seeds in Feb- 

 ruary or March. The plants from 



these will flower in September and on- 

 ward. Seed sown in July or August 

 will produce an early spring display 

 which will be most desirable at that 

 time. 



Gloxinias require a light porous soil. 

 Fibrous loam, leaf soil and sand in 

 equal proportions will suffice if good 

 drainage is afforded to the pot. When 

 sowing the seed see that the pots are 

 clean. Fill them to within one-half 

 inch of the top, sprinkle or screen a 

 layer of fine soil over the surface upon 



which sow the seed thinly. It is not 

 necessary to cover the seed, bat if such 

 is done the lightest covering of soil 

 possible will be sufficient. Immerse 

 the pots in water until the soil is sat- 

 urated. Do not sprinkle the fine seeds 

 overhead. Place them in a warm posi- 

 tion with a humid atmosphere, and 

 .shade from sunlight. 



When the seedlings are ready to 

 prick off do this singly in small pots, 

 lifting them carefully and planting 

 them so that their leaves rest directly 

 upon the soil. Do not cover the heart 

 under any circumstances. Shade from 

 intense sunlight through summer, and 

 air on all favorable occasions. Do not 

 crowd the plants, but allow their larger 

 and handsome leaves room to develop. 

 Crippled foliage will spoil the appear- 

 ance of the plants, the leaves being 

 equally as valuable as the flowers. 



Repot finally into five-inch pots, and 

 as the flowering stage is reached re- 

 duce the humidity of the atmospher. 

 by ceasing to sprinkle the benches and 

 floors. The gloxinia requires aerial 

 moisture when in a growing state, but 

 resents it when the flowers appear. 

 Great damage may be done through 

 the damping of the flowers, their 

 beautj^ being marred and the sale of 

 the plants thus precluded. 



A temperature of 60 to 70 degrees 

 eminently suits the gloxinia. See that 

 it does not fall or rise to any great de- 

 gree beyond these points. Afford 

 liquid manure twice every month, dis- 

 continuing this when the plants show 

 their flowers. 



The gloxinia is one of the plants it 

 pays to hybridize, for the seedlings 

 may produce nearly all the known 

 <rolors and shades. The fall is the time 

 to do this work. The seed of all good 

 varieties should be collected by the 

 grower. One plant of each will pro- 

 duce more than enough for his re- 

 quirements, and he will have the satis- 

 faction of knowing that his next year's 

 plants will be at least equal in quality 

 to the parents. A well flowered batch 

 of gloxinias for beauty of foliage and 

 of flower is hard to surpass. When 

 dying off the gloxinias for their win- 

 ter's rest the amount of moisture at 

 the roots should be gradually reduced. 

 A gradual dying off is the only satis- 

 factory method of preparing the tuber 

 for winter storage, as the leaves will 

 fall naturally, leaving the tubers plump 

 and solid. Store them away on 

 shelves, spreading them on a layer of 

 peat or cocoanut fibre, also cover them 

 lightly with this material to prevent 

 undue evaporation of moisture from 

 their tissues. Prevent excessive dry- 

 ness and dampness, which alike are de- 

 leterious to the tubers. It is usually 

 well to discard the old tubers after the 

 second or third year, as at this age 

 deterioration usuallv occurs. 



