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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Editic 



some respects, and in the light of the 

 present revelations, some of liis state- 

 ments will of necessity, be greatly dis- 

 counted by thinking men. 



Experiments conducted by the writer 

 with fibrous white begonias have borne 

 out Mendel 's results. Begonia gigantea 

 rosea crossed with B. gracilis alba 

 gave all pinks in the first generation. 

 One plant of these gave seedlings as fol- 

 lows: seven dark pure pinks, fourteen 

 light or impure pinks and seven whites, 

 or three-quarters pink and one-quarter 

 whlLe. In the second generition, the 

 whites bred pure, as did the dark pure 

 pinks, while the impure pinks bred in 

 the same proportions of one part pure 

 pink, two impure pink, and one white. 

 Somettung New. 



One of the impure pink-flowered 

 plants gave 72 seedlings : 18 dark pinks, 

 36 impure pinks, and 18 whites. It may 

 be that in relation to the size of the 

 flowers of these, a discovery of a factor 

 previously unnoticed by scientists may 

 have been made. The largest flowers of 

 each of the plants were measured on 

 three occasions. The eighteen dark 

 pink flowers measured when placed end 

 to end on August 1, 26 11-16 inches, on- 

 August 21, 27 11-16 inches, and on Sep- 

 tember 2, 29% inches. Of the impure 

 pinks 36 measured 50 5-16 to 51 inches, 

 and 56 inches. Of the whites 18 mea- 

 sured 26s^, 27% and 28 inches. The 

 flowers of the seedlings of the white re- 

 cessives (the pure Avhites from the 

 second generation), measured 21%, 

 19 15-16 and 22>^ inches. Upon com- 

 parison, it will be observed that the 

 flowers of the pinks and impure pinks, 

 and of the v'hites of the third genera- 

 tion bred from the impure pink of the 

 second generation, while fairly constant 

 in size, were on an average approxi- 

 mately (in fact almost exactly), 25 per 

 cent larger than those of the white re- 

 cessives. 



Mendel's law teaches us that plants 

 of the first generation should not be 

 thrown .away because they may not be 

 as good as their parents. Eather, seed- 

 lings should be raised from them. These 

 will probably have inherited desirable 

 characteristics which may be put to 

 good use in practical horticulture. 



Storing Gladiolus Corms 

 Mrs. Geo. Bonisteel, Belleville, Ont. 



IMMEDIATELY after a gladiolus corm 

 is planted and growth begins, a tiny 

 new corm starts to form from the 

 different eyes, these usually number from 

 one to three, each absorbing nourishment 

 through the old bulb, and each producing 

 a stalk of bloom if conditions are favor- 

 able. At blooming time these new corms 

 are about one inch in diameter. It is 

 from this stage on that the new bulb is 

 matured for next year's planting. 

 - If the flower stalks are not used for 



cut flower purposes, but left blooming 

 for garden effect, remove them when" the 

 last individual flower is gone. An old 

 stalk going to seed means deterioration 

 of the new conn, because it is robbed of 

 its strength. 



After bloom is over the new corm fills 

 out rapidly, but should have from four 

 to six weeks to mature and ripen. 



Late blooming corms should be given 

 as long as possible, but digging should be 

 done by the last of October. For the 

 writer, from the 15th to 20th of October 

 is the time set for digging. 



After digging, cut tops off three quartei 

 of an inch above the corm spread th 

 corms in a dry, airy place for a few day 

 after which they can be removed to 

 cellar, and left to dry about three weel 

 longer, when the old exhausted bulb ca 

 be broken off and thrown away. 



When thoroughly dry put in shallo 

 boxes or any receptacle not too deep an 

 store in a dry cellar or closet away froi 

 frost, heat or light. 



A temperature of forty degrees is rigl 

 and they require a slightly drier pla< 

 than dahUas. 



Planting for Winter Effect 



W. E. Groves, 



IN planting, sufficient attention is not 

 always given to the autumn and 

 winter effects that are possible with a 

 little extra care. There is a beauty of 

 form and color that is pleasing and rest- 

 ful even during the dull winter days. 

 Though it is not suggested that planting 

 only for these effects be done, it is a real 

 truth that a garden attracting attention 

 for but a brief period in summer, beauti- 

 ful though that may be, does not possess 

 half the charm necessary to make it 

 what a real garden is designed to be, a 

 continuous source of surprise and beauty. 

 The grace of the birches and the willows, 

 the bold outhne of the elm, the distinct- 

 ness of the maple and poplar, the ap- 

 pearance of dignity and strength given 

 by the oak, each have their special signi- 

 ficance and stand out in detail against 

 the sky, even though seen only through 

 the house windows. In thinking of form, 

 mention might be made of the large 

 number of evergreens of fine pyramidal 

 habit that in appearance give such a 

 note of definiteness. 



Warm Gilors EfFective 

 Of the trees already named, both the 

 birches and willows are very attractive 

 where there is sufficient room to plant, 

 the warm colors of some of the willow 

 varieties being quite effective. Planted- 

 in small groups and pruned hard every 

 spring a clean fresh growth is secured 

 that usually puts on the highest color. 

 Quite a number of shrubs are well worth 

 planting in this connection and these will 

 appeal more strongly to the city gardener 

 than vrill trees. Cornus with red, yellow, 

 grey or brilUant green bark are easily 

 procurable and used with discrimination 

 give fine results. Eleagnus with its 

 silvery foUage has a reddish brown bark 

 that makes it a fine winter plant. Kerria, 

 though green, has such a shining appear- 

 ance that it is well worth planting for 

 this effect alone. Some of the native 

 roses are also equally valuable on account 

 of their red stems. 



Berry Producers 



In addition to the color of bark there 



are quite a number of varieties that are 



berry producers, these being of special 



interest to bird lovers. Varieties with 



Hamilton, Ont. 

 red berries are berberis in two or thr« 

 kinds, Cornus florida, eleagnus, euoni 

 mus, Viburnum opulus, Symphoricarpi 

 vulgaris. Those with berries blue < 

 black in color, include Amelanchie 

 Ligustrum, Rhamnus cathartica, Vibu 

 num lantana and dentatum. Symphoi 

 caroes racemosus bears quantities 

 white berries well earning its betti 

 known name of Snowberry. Some of tl 

 Hawthorns retain their berries all winti 

 as also does the mountain ash, the latt 

 with its clusters of rich, orange colon 

 berries being very attractive. Ro 

 rugosa is also a valuable addition, tl 

 orange scarlet fruit lasting a long whi 

 after frost comes. There are a numb 

 of other berry-bearing shrubs but as the 

 are chiefly at their best during tl 

 summer they do not come within tl 

 scope of these notes. 



Vines with Attractive Fruits 



Vines with attractive fruits are amp 

 lopsis in variety, Celastrus scanden 

 Euonymus radicans and Lyciura chii 

 ense. For purely winter decoration the 

 are not so attractive as shrubs but the 

 may be made to serve a useful purpo! 

 in some locations. 



Many shrubs with no particular cole 

 of bark or berries to recommend thei 

 are not without value, even for winte 

 and more especially might this be sai 

 of plants made to serve as specimen 

 In group planting if varieties retainin 

 their foliage until late in the Autumn ai 

 planted with kinds producing show 

 berries and vivid bark a pleasing effe< 

 can easily be secured for the winte 

 And if it is possible to have some ev< 

 green in association, the effect will I 

 intensified. 



w^ 



Early celery is best bleached 

 boards or paper. Earth may be used C 

 late celery. Earth is likely to caui 

 early celery to rust and decay. 



Buy bulbs now for planting this fa 

 TuUps, hyacinths and daffodils mal 

 good house plants. Tulips and crocus 

 may be planted in the yard or garden i 

 advantage. Get both Darwin and ear 

 flowering sorts. 



