284 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



damage always results to the crops from 

 these weeds, and if these expenses are 

 added to the first one, the whole will 

 easily sum up to 20 per cent., or a tax 

 of one-fifth of the value of the farm. 

 To remedy this we would have fewer 

 fences, or we would clean and sow down 

 the fence rows to grass or clover, and 

 mow them twice a year. Ten acres of 

 clover or timothy would at least supply 

 a farm with seed and a few tons of hay 

 every year. We would, in short, con- 

 sider the fence rows as a valuable part 

 of the farm and use them as such. — 

 Dixie Farmer. 



CARE OF PLANTS IN WINTER. 



All roots of ornamental and flowering 

 plants that are kept dry over the winter 

 should be thoroughly ripened during the 

 autumn. If frost overtakes them they 

 should be dug up with earth adhering 

 to them and placed in a light cellar, or 

 other place secure from frost to thor- 

 oughly ripen up and dry. Then keep 

 in a cool, dry place until they are wan- 

 ted for starting in the spring. This will 

 apply to cannas, caladiums, dahlias, 

 gladiolus, and all other plants of that 

 class. 



Tuberoses, begonias, and that class re- 

 quiring ta be kept simply dormant for 

 a time, should have the water gradually 

 withheld, in the autumn, and be gradu- 

 ally allowed to get dry, after the close 

 of the flowering season. About Febru- 

 ary they may be again started by 

 shaking the soil from the roots and re- 

 potting. 



Tender shrubs, like fuschia, oleander, 

 orange, tender roses, and all that class 

 may be successfully wintered in a light 

 cellar that does not absolutely freeze. 

 They should have but little water, only 

 sufticient to compensate for the actual 

 loss by evaporation. In fact the soil 

 should always be kept dry rather than 

 moiat, the moisture never approaching 



the state of wetness during the winter 

 rest. 



SEEDLING POTATOES 



For years past nothing in the way of 

 novelties has met with readier sale than 

 new potatoes. The usual price when 

 first introduced is one dollar the pound, 

 and in one case at least as high as four 

 dollars per pound were paid last sea- 

 son. Farmers might just as well raise 

 their own potatoes from seeds, and thus 

 at very much less expense provide new 

 and valuable kinds for themselves. 



March 15th, planted seeds of the Eng- 

 lish Magnum Bonum in a flower pot 10 

 inches in diameter. The seeds germi- 

 nated as readily as tomato seeds would, 

 so that by April 9th, they were ready 

 to be transplanted to little pots three 

 inches in diameter. On May 20th, a 

 small plot of soil was prepared and 

 enriched with concentrated potato fer- 

 tilizer at the rate of 500 pounds to the 

 acre. The plants were thumped out of 

 the little pots, being very careful to 

 preserve the ball of earth and roots in- 

 tact, and set a foot apart in rows — fel^e- 

 rows three feet apart. No check to the 

 growth was sustained, and, if we would 

 secure tubers of the largest size the 

 first season from seed, this is all-impor- 

 tant. If from becoming pot-bound or 

 too dry, the little tubers cease to grow, 

 that is the end of their enlargement. 

 New tubers have to form, while those 

 first formed become knobby or sprout 

 again and decay. Potato seeds may be 

 sown out of doors in the Spring when 

 settled weather has arrived. But they 

 make comparatively little growth of 

 vine, and the average of tubers will be 

 no larger than small marbles. Besides, 

 j)otato beetles have to be watched very 

 closely or the tender little plants will 

 soon be destroyed. Even a few hours 

 of neglect may destroy every one. — 

 Rural N'ew Yorker. 



