TIMELY TOPICS FOR THE AMATEUR. 



385 



Aga2>e, Amer. Var. 



Fig. 1909. DiERViLLA ( IVezgehd) Rosea. 



particularly susceptible to cold chilly weather. 

 Freesias and Easter lilies started in pots 

 outside, should be taken in before frost. 



Agaves, palms, ficus elastica, azaleas, 

 fuchsias, genistas, pelargoniums and other 

 similar plants may be left outside until the 

 weather gets cooler. Both varieties of the 

 Agave Americanus will bear three or four 

 degrees of frost for one night without injun,', 

 but it is not wise to risk them outside when 

 the thermometer registers at freezing point, 

 unless they are well protected. 



Cinerarias, herbaceous caleeolarias and 

 cyclamens, may be left out in cold frames 

 for perhaps a few weeks, but the sash should 

 be placed over them on cold nights. Re-pot 

 these plants into larger pots as required. 

 Gloxinia bulbs out of flower should be 

 gradually dried off. Re-pot old corms or 

 bulbs of cyclamen. 



Chrysantheumns grown in pots or planted 

 outside, should be taken in about the middle 

 of the month. Although most varieties of 

 those useful plants are almost or quite hardy, 

 a few degrees of frost will materially injure 

 the flower buds, as well as induce an attack 

 of mildew that will mar the beauty of both 

 flower and foliage. Extremes of either heat, 

 cold, dryness or moisture induces mildew, 

 and should therefore be avoided as much as 

 possible in growing these lovely autumn and 

 winter flowers. If large flowers are required, 

 disbudding will have to be attended to every 

 day or two during the next few weeks. This 

 is done by pinching off" with the thumb nail 

 and finger, or removing with a pair of scis- 

 sors, all the small lateral buds, leaving only 

 one or two perfect crown or terminal buds 

 near the top of each branch or stem of the 

 plant. A little liquid manure will help to 



