The Canadian Horticulturist. 



317 



i^ foot thick of fermenting materials, consisting of two-thirds last year's Oak 

 or Beech leaves, and one-third short stable-Utter, treading the mass fairly firmly 

 together. This affords warmth and drainage, but failing the leaves and dung, 

 their place may be taken with furnace-clinkers, brickbats, etc., to the depth of a 

 foot, putting a layer of rotten dung, 6 inches thick, on the top of these. The 

 spot chosen for the Cannas should be the hottest in the garden (at the foot of a 

 south wall if cut blooms are looked for), and the plants should stand at least 

 2 to 3 feet asunder, according to strength, so that the sun may reach them all 

 round, and the soil ; mulching in our climate does harm, in preventing the sun- 

 heat penetrating the soil, and its place should be taken by a bi-weekly stirring 

 of the soil to aerate it, and prevent the loss of moisture, a crumbly surface doing 

 this almost as effectually as a mulch. The rest is a matter of water and liquid- 

 manure. The foliage should not be wetted at night, but about seven in the 

 morning if the previous day was hot and it is likely to be so the next. If the 

 bare appearance of the soil in the early stages of growth be not liked, put 

 around the bed a row of Aralia papyrifera (Chinese Rice-paper plant), A. 

 Sieboldi, Farfugium grande, a dwarf Solanum, or some of the taller varieties of 

 tuberous Begonias — now, we fear, almost lost to gardens, but which are as 

 graceful as a Fuchsia. — Garden Chronicle. 



PREPARING PLANTS FOR WINDOWS. 



HE preparing of plants forwindows for winter is very 

 apt to be overlooked at this season of abundance of 

 flowers. It is because of this neglect that very much 

 of the disappointment so many have arises. Those 

 who do not care to prepare the plants or neglect to 

 do so, usually depend on plants dug up from the 

 garden when summer is over, or on what stray 

 plants in pots happen to be available It is much 

 better to start at once to get established in pots 

 a lot of nice plants in good assortment, such as 

 are known to be good winter bloomers. Taking 

 the geranium as an illustration, the best results follow the taking of small plants 

 which have been in pots all summer. Without exception, such plants are the 

 best, whether they be geraniums or anything else suitable for winter. If such 

 plants are not already in pots, dig up from your garden some medium sized 

 ones, prune the tops back somewhat, to make them bushy and to lessen the risk 

 of harm from transplanting, and then place them in pots a little larger than what 

 will hold the roots comfortably. Do this soon. They should then be placed 

 in a damp, shady place for a while, such as a shaded frame, free from much 



