114 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



May, 191 1 



Among the best varieties are Big Bos- 

 ton and Black-seeded Simp*)rt. Two 

 of the best onions are Yellow Globe 

 Danvers and Red Wethersfield. A good 

 parsnip is Holland Crown. For early 

 squash plant the White Bush Scallop ; 

 for later varieties in the order given, 

 grow Summer Crook Neck and Hub- 

 bard. 



Keep the surface soil stirred and cul- 

 tivate the soil around all growing crops. 

 It will kill the weeds as soon as they 

 sprout, saves moisture, and assists 

 plant growth in many ways. 



AMONG THE FRUITS 



Remove the mulch from the old straw- 

 berry bed and leave it between the rows. 

 It will help to save the moisture, protect 

 the fruit from the earth and make the 

 work of picking much pleasanter. If 

 your garden does not contain straw- 

 berries start a patch this spring. These 



fruits are easily grown and deserve a 

 prominent place in every amateur's gar- 

 den. Plant in rows three feet apart, 

 with plants fifteen to eighteen inches 

 apart iii the rows. If the garden does 

 not already contain them, plant currant 

 and gooseberry bushes five feet apart. 

 Raspberries and blackberries also de- 

 serve a place ; if space is lacking they 

 can be trained up against the fence. 



PRUNING ROSES 



The best time to prune roses is just as 

 the buds are starting. Cut out all dead 

 and weak branches. Head back the re- 

 maining branches to within a few inches 

 of the old wood. Remove all dead and 

 weak wood from your climbing roses. 

 Cut back the remaining branches to 

 about five feet, unless you wish the bush 

 to cover the screen or fence more 

 quickly. By shortening each year a more 

 compact climber is secured. 



should be kept close to the grass in front 

 and not come next to the structure itself. 

 Carpet bedding may be placed on ter- 

 races or in the angles of the paths or 

 near gateways. Vases or any other arti- 

 ficial work must never be placed in a 

 patch of lawn by itself. 



Spring and Summer Bedding Plants 



E. F. Collins, Toronto 



FIRST and foremost, every gardener 

 should consider color arrangements, 

 in fact, it is really the chief point to 

 study. Cheap plants and bulbs well ar- 

 ranged as to color are always pleasing to 

 the eye of even the poorestcritic, while the 

 best of material forming poor combination 

 of color, is mean to look at, and a meaner 

 advertisement of the taste and ability of 

 the person planning the display. We 

 sometimes hear complaints as to the short 

 life of such plants as tulips and hya- 

 cinths. This is true in some seasons 

 when they are slow to open. I have found 

 that by planting combinations of bulbs 

 and plants that this objection is partially 

 overcome. Let us take a bed of red or 

 pink tulips when they are out of the 

 ground about six inches. Plant white 

 daisies between them. If there is not 

 room just plant the daisies as an edging 

 to the bed. 



A mass of blue and white hyacinths 

 looks well edged with the different blue 

 shades of pansies, or a bed of any of the 

 single narcissi, such as Golden Spur, 

 Emperor, Empress, or bi-color Victoria 

 looks splendid with a groundwork of all 

 the dark shades of pansies. Plant the 

 pink and red shades of daisies as a back- 

 ground for white hyacinths or tulips. It 

 is surprising what a beautiful display can 

 be made with a few plants by a little fore- 

 thought and good judgment. 



After the bulbs are over, if you want to 

 change the bed, the bulbs can be lifted, 

 and stocks, balsam, or any upright grow- 

 ing plants set between the pansies or 

 daisies. If they are kept well supplied 

 with water and the seed pods kept off 

 they will flower until frost. 



SUMMER BEDDING PLANTS 



The arrangement of summer bedding 

 plants is even of more importance with 

 regard to the color arrangement and the 



point of view the plants will be seen from. 

 I find all pink shades look best when 

 seen with a background of trees and 

 when looking away from the sun. Other 

 white or light color combinations also 

 look best in the same position and in 

 partial shade. Reds, bronzes, yellows, 

 and all rich, bright colors appear at their 

 best when seen looking towards the sun. 

 It will be seen that it is of much import- 

 ance which side of the walk or the loca- 

 tion in the pleasure grourrds that the 

 different colors are placed. 



SCREENING OF FENCES AND BUILDINGS 



All fences and buildings should, if pos- 

 sible, be grouped together with tall plants 

 and tropical foliages, with bright splashes 

 of colors here and there. These colors 



Arrangement of Lawn and 

 Flowers 



R.E. R6we, BrantUrd 



Running down the west side of the lawn 

 shown in the illustration is a wood fence, 

 which divides my lot from the neighbor- 

 ing one, and against which was planted 

 half way along assorted sweet peas, 

 which grew and flowered in great pro- 

 fusion, almost covering the fence. From 

 where the sweet peas left off petunias be- 

 gan, assorted colors, which continued to 

 the end of that side of the fence, the 

 whole making a very striking and pleas- 

 ing border. 



On the north the lawn was bordered 

 by a deep row of various colored asters, 

 and behind which was a row of dahlias, 

 the whole hiding from the casual obser- 

 ver's eye a beautiful bed of tomatoes. 



On the east side, which is partly bor- 

 dered by a brick building, verbenas and 

 nasturtiums grew and made a very ef- 

 fective border. 



In the centre of the lawn, in a small 

 diamond bed, was a profusion of red 

 geraniums, which stood out in striking 

 contrast to the green of the lawn. Close 

 up against the side of the house were 

 several perpetual blooming rose bushes. 



In closing, I might mention that I ob- 

 tained first prize for the best kept lawn 

 in this ward in the year 1909. 



Repair the lawn and re-seed if neces- 

 sary. Dig out dock, dandelion and per- 

 ennial weeds. 



First Prize Lawn 

 The property of Mr. R. E. Eowe. Brantford, Ont. 



See above article by Mr. Rowc. 



