TIMELY TOPICS FOR THE AMATEUR. 



479 



readers an idea of the almost tropical 

 weather experienced in Southern Ontario 

 during the past few weeks. On the 6th of 

 October at 2 p. m. the mercury registered 

 86° in the shade, at 6 a. m. it was 72'. 

 These were about the highest points reached, 

 although the temperature for the whole of 

 October to the present date has been very 

 much higher than is generally experienced. 

 It cannot, however, be reasonably expected 

 that the summer weather we are enjoying 

 can last very much longer, and it is quite 

 possible that many of our semi-hardy plants 

 will require even better protection during 

 winter than usual. Tropical weather in 

 autumn is not reasonable, and certainly not 

 suited to prepare plant life to withstand a 

 rigorous, severe winter which it is possible 

 we may experience. 



The Greenhouse. — This department will 

 now require close attention. Increasing the 

 amount of fire-heat will develop a rapid 

 increase in insect pests, especially green fly 

 or aphis. Give these latter a dose of 

 tobacco smoke, or tobacco water, before 

 they injure the plants. Frequent fumiga- 

 tions, and not of too severe a nature, are 

 much better than heavy fumigations at long 

 intervals. 



Chrysanthemums will be in the height of 

 their beauty now. The earlier varieties, 

 such as Midge, Pride of Pacific, etc., will 

 be about over their best. Overhead syring- 

 ing of these plants should not be indulged 

 in when they are in flower. Give all the 

 air possible without risking the safety of 

 other plants. A little liquid manure will 

 help the late flowering chrysanthemums to 

 swell their buds and produce finer blooms. 

 " Fostite " will check rust on chrysanthe- 

 mums, as well as on carnations, but will not 

 apparently eradicate this troublesome 

 disease entirely from these plants. Flour 

 of sulphur and dry air-slacked lime mixed 

 together in equal parts and dusted care- 

 fully on the under side of the foliage of 



Fig. 1950. RiciNus. 



chrysanthemums will partially check this 

 disease. Red spider will be almost certain 

 to make his appearance about this time. 

 Keep the atmosphere of the greenhouse or 

 conservatory as moist and humid as possible 

 and springe well on the underneath side 

 of the foliage, especially that of roses. 

 Cinerarias must be potted into larger pots 

 as required ; don't allow the plants to 

 become pot-bound with roots. Thrip often 

 attacks these plants. If the foliage does 

 not look healthy and the leaves are blotched 

 with dull white specks or spots, the minute 

 little pest, " the thrip," is causing the 

 trouble. Dipping the foliage of the plants 

 in moderately strong tobacco water is the 

 best remedy for these almost invisible pests. 

 The underneath side of the leaf is the part 

 of the plant they usually attack, a micro- 

 scope being often needed to locate them at 

 their work of destruction. The tumes of 

 tobacco takes no eff"ect on these minute 

 little pests, but raw tobacco stems placed 

 around and underneath the pots will check 

 their ravages to a great extent. Cuttings 

 of geraniums, etc., that are rooted in the 

 cutting bed, or in boxes or pots, must be 

 kept fairly moist at the roots, but should 

 not be syringed overhead, as this induces 

 ' ' damping off " of the foliage. 



Spiraeas that have started growth will 

 require plenty of water at the roots. Re- 

 member when fumigating to lift these plants 



