GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW. 



29 



as recommended for gfreenhouse plants is 

 probably the safest method of disposing' of 

 green fly on window plants. 



Spraying and syringing the foliage, es- 

 pecially the underneath side, as often as pos- 

 sible, at least two or three times a week, is 

 not only the safest remedy, but the best pre- 

 ventive of the destructive attacks of the 

 dry-air pest, viz., the red spider. Keep as 

 moist an atmosphere as possible around the 

 plants, and spray or syringe the foliage on 

 fine sunny days. Ventilate the rooms also 

 on fine warm days when possible. This 

 should be done by lowering the top sash of 

 the window ; this avoids chilling the plants. 

 The bottom sash should be raised for ven- 



tilation only when the thermometer registers 

 several degrees above freezing, 45" to 50 

 being safe figures to act on, if the wind is 

 not cold and biting. Water the plants thor- 

 oughly at the roots, but only as often as it is 

 needed. The latter point can only be deter- 

 mined by close observation of the needs and 

 requirements of each individual plant. Bulbs 

 while forming flower buds and when in flower 

 require plenty of water, as well as soft- 

 wooded plants, such as geraniums, stevias, 

 spireas, etc. Freesias require plenty of 

 water for a time after they have done flower- 

 ing, and even a little liquid manure to help 

 develop the new bulbs for next season. 

 Hamilton. Hortus. 



Gladioli After Flowering. — I watch 

 my Gladiolus beds very carefully, and as 

 some sorts are earlier than others, I take 

 them up as they ripen-off", and put them 

 into the house. In the back kitchen there 

 is a copper close to a patent kitchener, 

 where there is considerable heat, and there 

 1 place them. They remain for a couple of 

 weeks until they are quite dry, when I put 

 them in paper bags and lay them by. That 

 they will bear some considerable drying-off" 

 I have proved, for a small box of mixtures 

 was forgotten for some weeks, and when 

 taken out I did not think they were good 

 for much. I, however, planted them in an 

 out-of-the-way place under the shade of 

 trees, and there they have grown and 

 bloomed most vigorously. The Gladiolus 

 disease seems in some way to be connected 

 with climatic influences, and results, proba- 

 bly, from exceptional causes. These may 

 be removed, and the bulb itself acquire more 



hardiness. Hollyhock growers will remem- 

 ber that some years ago the same thing 

 took place in that plant. Collections were 

 cut up, and the attempt to grow the flowers 

 pronounced hopeless. It, however, after 

 some years of much heart-burning to grow- 

 ers, wore itself out, and the plant is now 

 being grown again. So with the Gladiolus, 

 I believe. Those who have seen a collec- 

 tion of them as cut blooms will desire to see 

 them extensively grown. As cut flowers 

 they have few rivals. They bloom so well 

 in water, daily expanding their flowers, and 

 are so vivid and varied in their color, that 

 they must be great favorites. My ideas on 

 their cultivation would be. Dry the roots 

 well, keep them in a cool place to prevent 

 their growing too early, manure highly in 

 the autumn, again give a slight coating in 

 spring, and do not plant too early. — Garden 

 Work. 





