240 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 2081. Cyclamen (3 years, from seed). 



hot melted pitch. This latter material, how- 

 ever, is not pleasant to use. Large clumps 

 of moss can, however, be successfully tacked 

 on the boxes ; this can be brig-htened up and 

 made to look very rustic and natural look- 

 ing by dotting" here and there a few pieces 

 of lichen or fungus taken from old decayed 

 trees or stumps. Large strips of coarse 

 bark, taken from old basswood or similar 

 trees, makes a good outer covering for plant 

 boxes, not only giving them a natural, 

 pleasing appearance, but these coverings are 

 very beneficial to the plants, preventing the 

 soil from drying out as rapidly as it other- 

 wise would do. 



Cactus, amarylHs, clivias, pelargoniums, 

 calla lilies, and a few other plants that it is 

 necessary to remove from the window to 

 undergo their customary period of partial 

 rest during summer will require only very 

 moderate waterings. 



This is the only practicable method of 

 giving these plants the rest that they get 

 naturally during the dry seasons that usually 

 prevail where they are natives, and that 

 is so essential to most of them to produce 

 good flowering results during the winter 

 months. 



If you have a pot of freesia bulbs, the 

 growth of which is beginning to look shabby 

 and yellow, stand them just as they are in 



the pot on a shelf in a dry shed or out- 

 building. No more water should be given 

 them during the summer. In August the 

 bulbs can be shaken out and re-potted, and 

 grown on for next season's flowering. 



Old plants or corms of cyclamen should 

 be given very little water during the sum- 

 mer, only just sufficient to barely keep the 

 soil moist. A cool position under a small 

 sash, so as to prevent them from getting 

 too much water, is a good position for 

 cyclamen bulbs until about September, when 

 they can be watered, re-potted, and placed 

 in the window, so as to grow on for next 

 season's flowering. If the convenience of a 

 sash is not available during the summer, 

 stand the plant in the shade out of doors, 

 and place a piece of board above it to prevent 

 it getting too much water. Extremes of 

 either drought or moisture in summer when 

 the bulb should be resting is almost certain 

 to rot and destroy them. 



The Garden. — Many of the perennials 

 will now be at their best in the flower gar- 

 den. Some of the early sown annuals will 

 also be producing their welcome blossoms. 



If you notice the sweet pea vines looking 

 unhealthy, and perhaps a vine or two here 

 and there withering and dying without any 

 apparent cause, make an examination 

 around near the bottom of the vine ; you 

 will very likely discover that the trouble is 

 cut-worms. These destructive grubs are 

 quite partial to either the sweet-pea vines 

 or those of the garden pea. By searching 

 underneath the surface of the soil around 

 the roots of the plants these voracious grubs 

 can generally be unearthed. The cut-worm 

 feeds at night, and can be often caught at 

 its destructive work if searched for by the 

 aid of a lantern after dark. 



Most of the transient or summer occupants 

 of the flower beds or borders, will be estab- 

 lished for the summer by this time. It is 

 best to water these early in the morning 

 during June, as oftentimes the nights are 



