126 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Kloral Edition. 



The work of students In bulb culture at the Guelph Agricultural College, in the department 

 where Mr. Wm. Hunt is the chief presiding genius. 



shrubberies completed as soon as pos- 

 sible this month. 



There are numerous varieties of 

 hardy annuals that are close rivals of 

 the best of the bedding plants. Many 

 of them are very useful for house and 

 table decoration. Moreover, by select- 

 ing!: different varieties these annuals 

 may be had in bloom from June to 

 frost. Almost all of them love plenty 

 of sunshine, but there are a few that 

 will thrive in shade. Among the latter 

 may be mentioned nasturtiums. They 

 do not require a rich soil at any time, 

 and when grown in the shade no man- 

 ure whatever should be used. Such 

 subjects as poppies, mignonette and 

 <>larkias, when thinned to a foot apart, 

 will branch freely and flower for two or 

 three months. 



Next to the sweet peas, the early 

 hai-dy outdoor chrysanthemum is one 

 of the best flowers for garden decora- 

 tion. Old plants that have been pro- 

 tected in a cold frame over the winter 

 months will now be throwing up strong 

 groM^ths and can be divided into several 

 pieces each ^vith two or three shoots. 

 Plants obtained in this manner are very 

 little inferior to those raised from cut- 

 tings. They .should be planted firmly 

 when set out in the garden and given a 

 good watering as soon as planting is 

 completed. 



In addition to the gladioli and 

 iriontbretias mentioned, there are 

 some other bulbs that may be 

 set out in May, and which will 

 add color to the beds and borders later 

 in the season \\-'hen the beauty of the 

 annuals is fading. Amaryllis of the old 

 belladonna type, planted now,' will en- 

 liven things with a rich variety of color 

 during the latter days of August, as 

 will crinums and Hycinthiis Candicans. 

 The latter is an excellent companion 

 plant for delphiniums and similar tall- 

 growing subjects. When planted in 



groups, Hj^inthus Candicans produces 



a very pleasing effect when in bloom. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



Potatoes should be put in the ground 

 as soon as possible. If you have had 

 trouble with scab, don't hesitate to 

 treat the seed with formaldehyde. One 

 pint of the material diluted with thirty 

 gallons of water is the regulation 

 strength to use. The seed should not 

 be allowed to remain in this solution 

 for more than two hours. Be sure to 

 lay the seed out to dry before planting. 



Several sowings of peas, beans, and 

 other vegetables should be made this 

 month to provide a succession for the 

 kitchen. No hard and fast rule can be 

 laid down for this, at least as to the 

 quantity, for each one must be guided 

 by the quantity consumed. Late cab- 

 bage, cauliflower, and other brassicas 

 may be sown. If 3'ou have early plants 

 of melons and cucumbers to put out, 

 wait until the end of the month, but in 

 the meantime you would do well to sow 

 a few seeds of these plants in the pre- 

 pared hills. In doing this you are as- 

 sured of a crop should those early ones 

 you set out be caught by a belated 

 cold spell. The seeds will not be up 

 through the ground for some time, and 

 therefore will survive any cold that 

 comes along at this time of the year. 



Make an effort to arrange the plant- 

 ing of the various crops in the vege- 

 table garden so that those crops that 

 remain in the ground all the season are 

 all together. Among these we may men- 

 tion Swiss chard, chicory, cardoon, arti- 

 choke, eeleriac. parsley, parsnips, sal- 

 sifv, and New Zealand spinach. 



All root crops that are liable to the 

 attacks of maggots should have the 

 ground dusted with soot previous to 

 planting. Many growers use and re- 

 commend lime, but personally we pre- 

 fer the soot, and use about one quai-t to 

 twentv feet of drill. 



The Invalid's Garden 



By Eunice Buchanan 



If there is a delicate person who needs 

 some interest to draw him out of doors, 

 try a small cold frame in a sheltered, 

 yet sunny spot. The frame can be of 

 the professional type, or it can be an 

 ordinary home-made affair, of four 

 sides, and a storm window for lights. 

 Take out the soil within the square for 

 a foot, or even two feet, and fill in the 

 hole with rich friable soil, to which has 

 been added a (|uantity of rotted 

 manure. 



The invalid may not be the only mem- 

 ber of the family who desires such a 

 garden, especially if they patronize the 

 seat put beside it, or a comfortable bag 

 of hay, or other kneeler put there for 

 the invalid to work upon. A good steel 

 trowel is a necessity, while a garden 

 box fitted with tools, and a watering 

 can add to the pleasure. A set of child- 

 ren's garden tools is also useful, 

 e.specially for working at the back of 

 the frame, where it is difficult to reach 

 with the short handles. 



A square wooden box is easily made 

 into a garden "basket" by nailing a 

 piece of barrel hoop over the centre for 

 a handle, and tacking straps inside for 

 the accommodation of scissors, weeders, 

 hand fork, labels, seed packets or what 

 ever the gardener fancies ; but an ordin- 

 ary four-tined table fork will, with the 

 aid of the trowel, do nearly all the in- 

 tensive culture needed. 



The choice of flowers to be grown, 

 naturally rests with the owner, but I 

 have found that nothing gives greater 

 satisfaction than pansies, which by 

 shutting the frame on cold nights dur 

 ing spring and late fall, give an enorm- 

 ous quantity of blossoms from one end 

 of the season to the other. Of course 

 it is necessary to pick the flowers be- 

 fore they form seed, and here enters the 

 .]oy of giving. 



The little English daisy also gives a 

 continuous supply of flowers, if treated 

 in the same way. Where the plants are 

 close together, and the ground moist, 

 slugs will appear, also there are little 

 worms which eat the pansies, but theae 

 may prove blessings in disguise, and 

 give the owner an extra excuse to pet 

 the plants. 



There are also annuals which may be 

 selected from the catalogues, thus al- 

 lowing the invalid to share the pleasure 

 of the ordinary gardener's plans before 

 the spring comes. Carnations answer 

 well to this treatment, the frame afford- 

 ing, with the evergreen brush laid on, 

 sufficient protection for the winter. 

 We leave the frame open all winter. 

 but cover with brush. 



If annuals have been grown, the 

 frame should be dug and put in order 



