222 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



PlopaJ Bditloa. 



September Activities in the " Home Garde 



en 



This fine specimen of criniim was grown by 

 Walter T. Ross, Secretary of the Picton Horti- 

 cultural Society. The flowers are white and 

 sligrhtly fragrant. 



buds may be cut just before they are 

 ready to open, and if placed in a re- 

 frigerator or cool, dark cellar they 

 may be brought out at intervals when 

 they will expand as perfectly as when 

 on the plant. Change the water every 

 day and remove a small portion of the 

 end of the stem with a sharp knife. 

 After the blooming period is over give 

 water less frequently, allowing the 

 plant to complete its annual growth 

 leisurely. During the month of August 

 do not water at all unless the drouth is 

 very severe. 



Early in the fall dig in around the 

 plant a good dressing of well rotted 

 manure or pure bonemeal. Dig it in 

 several inches deep, mixing thoroughly 

 through the soil. After freezing wea- 

 ther sets in bend the old tops down 

 over the roots and cover all with a 

 three or four inch layer of half rotted 

 manure which may be left as a mulch 

 in the spring, dug in, or removed as 

 desired. In all spring operations the 

 greatest care should be exercised not to 

 injure or disturb the plant. 



One of the all-important features of 

 strawberry growing is plant quality. 

 When we understand that runner 

 (plants inherit the eharacteristics of the 

 mother plants which produce them, we 

 will then realize the importance of set- 

 ting plants that have been produced 

 by carefully selected and highly bred 

 •mother p^lants. 



Geo. Baldwin, F.R.H.S., Toronto 



SEPTEMBER, although it sees the 

 end of the growing season, is 

 really a busy month. The ama- 

 teur, who is up to date, will find plenty 

 to do in taking care of this season's 

 matured crops and preparing for next 

 year's. There are many things that 

 may be done, but there are two things 

 that must be done, namely, to plant 

 new, or transplant old paeonies, and 

 plant datTodil bulbs, that is, if you do 

 not want to sacrifice next spring's 

 blooms. I noticed several gardens this 

 spring where daffodils did not come to 

 bloom, simply because they were not 

 planted soon enough to get good root 

 before winter set in. Other important 

 items to be attended to, are securing 

 bulb catalogues, making your selections 

 and ordering immediately. 



Gather seeds from the best floM-ers 

 that you want to save, pull up all dead 

 and withered plants, gather all rubbish, 

 and make a bon-fire. Water and culti- 

 vate around the flowers that are yet to 

 bloom, such as helianthus, gladioli, 

 chrysanthemums, and roses. Overhaul 

 your shrubberies and perennial bor- 

 ders. Don't defer till the foliage is all 

 gone, as there is danger of pulling up 

 the wrong one. Tie a piece of string 

 or drive in a stake to the tree, shrub, 

 or pereiniial you wish to dispose of or 

 transfer later on. 



Prepare for Frosts. 



Be prepared for early frosts, which 

 often visit us at the close of this month. 

 In transplanting and re-arranging the 

 perennial border, take advantage of the 

 opportunity to manure the ground. 

 Where Iris Germanica, phlox and other 

 perennials have overgrown themselves 

 sub-divide and hand the surplus over 

 the fence to your neighbors. 



If you wish to make your border a 

 little more attractive next year, dis- 

 card the common golden glow, for two 

 other rudbeckias which are much more 

 useful and ornamental, namely, R. 

 NewnAnii and R. Echinaces. Also put 

 in two or three clumps of Lilium 

 Henryii and Lilium Candidum. They 

 cannot be improved upon for effect and 

 hardiness. Continue to give roses every 

 attention in cultivating, feeding and 

 spraying, if you want roses up to the 

 end of November and again next 

 spring. 



If you want flowers in your parlor 

 vases all winter, cut off the sprays of 

 Hydrangia Paniculata, and H. Arbor- 

 sens. The blooms of all Statices, 

 mixed with Heliehrysums, will supply 

 that M'ant and without water. ' 



In the vegetable garden take up all 

 the early varieties of potatoes, culti- 

 vate once more amongst the late vari- 

 eties, cultivate in between ro^\-s of 



beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips and 

 onions, and draw the fine soil around 

 the roots if you wish to avoid the sun- . 

 burnt appearance which is detrimental I 

 for exhibition purposes. ^ 



Celery should be ready for a first 

 handling, and mu.st be earthed up 

 slightly now. Keep it cultivated be- 

 tween the rows and feed with liquid 

 manure and nitrate of .soda, two table- 

 spoonfuls of the latter to a pail of the 

 former. Continue this until the end of 

 the month, when final earthing up 

 should be done. 



La\vns may be renovated or remade 

 now. Use a good loamy soil, equal 

 parts of Kentucky Blue Grass and 

 White Clover, roll well, and keep moist. 



It is not too late to make over, or 

 plant a new bed of strawberries for 

 fruiting next June. 



Now is the time to take hard wood 

 cuttings of currants, gooseberries and 

 grapes. Tie them in bundles, and in- 

 sert in the ground deeply for planting 

 out in the spring. 



Garden Suggestions 



Henry Gibson 



BECAUSE it is near the end of the 

 season is no reason why the 

 lawns should be neglected." Now 

 is the time to repair the bare spots 

 Put on some good soil, and get the seed 

 sown as soon as possible. New lawns 

 may be made at this time. The ground 

 should be well worked, and made ready 

 by several deep cultivations which will 

 also kill weed growth. Use plenty of 

 good seed, an average of from five to 

 six bushels an acre will ensure a good 

 stand. Some autJiorities use more than 

 this, claiming that in doing so they ob- 

 tain a fine, dense mass of grass almost 

 free from Aveeds. While it is generally 

 conceded among gardeners that the use 

 of manure is conducive to weed growth 

 in lawns, yet from the standpoint of 

 the average amateur, a go«d coating of 

 manure is a good way to ensure hav- 

 ing a good lawn. Commercial humus is 

 a good substitute. ^ ; 



Herbaceous borders may be over- 

 hauled at this time, and one is afforded 

 an opportunity of showing individual- 

 ity in one's methods. No two borders 

 can be exactly alike. In making a new 

 border the first consideration is the 

 preparation of the ground. This should 

 be done to the extent of turning out 

 the soil to a depth of two feet and re- 

 placing it with fresh soil, if that turned 

 out is not good, together with a liberal 

 supply of manure, bone meal, and 

 wood ashes. One cannot have the soil 



