34 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



May Miller, a deep rose ; Thomsonii plena, 

 with golden spotted leaves ; Lanata, deep red 

 flowers ; with Darwinii in bright orange, veined 

 with red, make a fine collection and not ex- 

 pensive. 



They have few superiors as balcony and 

 garden plants ; are continuously in bloom ; and 

 with the exception of the geranium there is no 

 class of plants that has been more improved by 

 cross fertilization. It requires much sunlight to 

 grow to perfection the variegated sorts, and if 

 this is not abundant, choose, by all means, the 

 plain leaf. The running or trailing Megapot- 

 amicum variety, of bright red, yellow and brown 

 centre, makes a nice border next a row of Dar- 

 winii, and then a line of Lantana, and, is pos- 

 sible, a centre of the golden spotted Thomsonii 

 plena. 



A bed of two or three dozen of these flowers, 

 arranged tastily, is one of the handsomest found 

 in a large and expensive garden ; and from one 

 plant each we can grow as many as we 

 wish. 



Some are slower in growth than others, there- 

 fore the Darwinii should come next the border. 

 Cutting back is a blessing to them truly, so do 

 not fail to trim well. 



They harmonize finely with Crotons, Dracce- 

 nas, Ferns, Palms and kindred plants, and well 

 grown are a joy forever. A cool rather than 

 warm location suits them best, yet not too cool. 



Too much heat is inducive of red spider, and 

 gives them a straggling appearance. Shower 

 them upper and under frequently, and if done 

 with regularity, the spider will not trouble them. 



If pots are plunged in the ground, take the 

 greatest care the roots do not come through 

 the bottom of the pot. To avoid this set the 

 pot on a flat stone, or cork them. Set in pots 

 they are quite as thrifty and require less labor, 

 and the growth is more compact. 



In the country, never more than one or two 

 of these modest and attractive flowers are usu- 

 ally seen in the house, but an assortment will 

 give as much pleasure as a fine bed of pansies 

 do in summer, and both prefer a somewhat 

 sheltered place. At the closing day of my life, 

 I find the love of flowers increasing instead of 

 diminishing, and the need of a small conserva- 

 tory more pressing since I have lost every 

 treasure I possessed in this line by the blasts of 

 winter. 



M. Agatha Hoskins. 

 Newport, Vermont. 



Cauliflowers That Were Profitable. — A 

 noticeable exhibit at the Hamilton Society's 

 Flower Show on the 8th and 9th of November, 

 was sorne immense heads of cauliflower sent in 

 by Mr. H. H. Hurd, of Burlington. From 2]/^ 

 acres Mr. Hurd gathered 14 tons of cauliflowers, 

 and the cash proceeds were $600 ! 



Q^m i@®lk T^M(i. 



Catalogues. — Herb and WuUe, seed and bulb 

 growers, Naples, Italy. General catalogue of 

 seeds. 



Strawberry Catalogue and price list: Charles 

 H. Snow, Cummings Bridge, Ont., for spring 1900. 

 In addition to the standard varieties, Mr. Snow 

 advertises a new berry called Snow's Perfection. 



Ornamental Shrubs for garden, lawn and park 

 planting, with an account of the origin, capabili- 

 ties and adaptation of the numerous species and 

 varieties, native and foreign, and especially of the 

 new and rare sorts suited to cultivation in the 

 United States, by Lucius D. Davis; fully illustrat- 

 ed, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York 

 and London, 1899. 



This book of 338 pages embellished with over 

 100 illustrations in one of the most comprehensive 

 and valuable yet published on the subject of 



shrubs. It is addressed to both scientific men and 

 those who while lovers of plants have no know- 

 ledge of plants. It is handsomely bound and 

 printed in large type on good paper. We are sure 

 all garden lovers will be interested in it. 



How TO Plan the Home Grounds by S. Par- 

 sons, Jr., ex-superintendent of parks. New York 

 city, with illustrations by W. E. Spader, published 

 by Doubleday & McClure, New York, 1899. 



The author of that charming work " Landscape 

 Gardening " has again given the public another 

 valuable work on horticulture, less expensive, and 

 if anything more practical than its pi'edecessor. 

 It sets forth the simple basic principles whereby 

 the home grounds may be made beautiful. In the 

 short space of 250 pages all the elements of land- 

 scape art seem to be treated of and dealt wnth 

 by the hand of a master. 



