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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Floral Edition 



cate operation, and should be done as 

 seldom as possible, as there is danger of 

 breaking the ball of earth and the roots, 

 which latter would seriously injure, if not 

 ruin, the bulbs altogether. After examin- 

 ation, the bulbs should be watered at 

 once to settle the earth around the roots. 

 The bulbs should be left in their cool, 

 dark quarters for several weeks after 

 being rooted, if desired, but must be 

 brought to the light when the top growth 

 has attained a height of about two inches; 

 otherwise, the flowering results will not 

 likely be as good as they might be. When 

 brought into the window, place the bulbs 

 in a not too sunny position. See that the 

 soil is kept moist by regular enough water 

 to moisten all the soil in the pot. 



A Word About Freesias 



THE freesia is a bulb in a class by it- 

 self. It is not necessary to place it 

 in a cool, dark cellar to develop the 

 root system. It may be started into 

 growth at once in the window. Place 

 seven to nine first size bulbs in a four- 

 inch pot, putting them at least one inch 

 below the surface of the soil. Give a 

 good watering to settle the soil, and then 

 water moderately afterwards. The free- 

 sia is one of the best and sweetest bulbs 

 we have for winter use. It is not suited 

 for outdoor culture. 



some of the manure. Fig. 7 is a box 

 covering several roots set close together 

 in the ground and over this manure and 

 leaves are spread thickly, 



Forcing Roots in Winter 



ANYONE possessmg a warm cellar 

 can force rhubarb, seakale and other 

 roots all winter if they wish to do 

 so. All that is necessary is to place the 

 roots in warm sandy soil, watering when 

 needed with tepid water. Fig. 1 in 

 Diagram shows a good way to grow the 

 roots. A two-inch by twelve-inch plank 

 is set on edge at one end of the cellar and 

 a bed of sandy soil made in which to 

 plant the roots. Rhubarb roots such as 

 shown at Fig. 5, are placed close together 

 in the bed nearly touching. Seakale 

 roots (Fig. 4), and chicory are spaced 

 about six inches apart. Rhubarb forces 

 better after it has been frozen. r^P^r» 

 When the bed is made up all the at- 

 tention necessary is to water twice a 

 week with tepid water; the warm cellar 

 will do the rest. The edible portion of 

 seakale is shown at Fig. 2, and spinach 

 beet at Fig. 3. To keep up a constant 

 supply of ^rhubarb and salad it is neces- 

 sary to brmg in the roots in small batches, 

 say one root of rhubarb and six each of 

 spinach beet, chicory, and seakale every 

 week, till the supply starts outside in 

 spring. 



Two other ways are shown of forcing 

 roots suitable for those who have no 

 cellar. Fig. 6 is a pit three feet deep and 

 covered with planks made in the garden 

 for forcing rhubarb or any other roots 

 The heat is supplied by manure which 

 IS spread on top, four feet thick. To 

 gather the crop it is necessary to remove 



How to Store Potatoes 



THOUSANDS of bushels of potatoes 

 are lost annually by careless storing 

 — by being put in wet in compara- 

 tively warm and illy-ventilated cellars 

 and by being piled in great heaps. Touch- 

 ing on this matter, the Dominion Horti- 

 culturist in Bulletin No. 90 of the Dom- 

 inion Experimental Farms, that is to be 

 had on application to the Publications 

 Branch, Ottawa, furnishes advice that 

 could profitably be well heeded. 



In the first place, potatoes should be 

 stored as far as possible in perfect dark- 

 ness in a cool, well-ventilated cellar. In- 

 stead of heaping the potatoes against the 

 wall, slats should be nailed, a little apart, 

 about six inches or more from the wall. 

 A temporary floor should also be laid 

 about a similar distance above the per- 

 manent floor with cracks between the 

 boards. This plan will permit air to 

 circulate under and through the pile. If 

 large quantities have to be stored and the 

 piles have to be made very large, square 

 ventilators formed of slats and running 

 from the top to the bottom of the heaps 

 can be placed here and there, which, with 

 the ventilation derived from the spaces 

 below and at the sides, will keep the 

 potatoes in far better condition than if 

 they are packed solidly. Another plan 

 for storing the tubers is to put them in 

 large crates made from slats with small 

 interstices between. 



While every precaution should be taken 



against frost, the heat Should not exceed 

 from 33 to 35 degrees F. A further 

 matter of importance is to provide some 

 means of letting in cool air when spring 

 is at hand to prevent sprouting. The 

 best method is to let the cool air in at 

 night and keep the cellar closed during 

 the day. 



r 



Timely Reminders 



Some very destructive bean diseases, 

 including pod-spot, are carried in the 

 seed; so it is extremely important to 

 observe the general rule that no seed 

 should be saved from diseased plants 

 when saving beans for seed. Never save 

 seed from pods which are not bright and 

 clean. 



Roses must be protected in most 

 places in Canada to help ensure their 

 coming through the winter alive, and 

 protection is not always successful. 

 The most reliable method of protec- 

 tion is to cover the plant with soil. 

 Where this is not easy or possible, 

 the base of the plant can be mounded 

 up with soil to a height of twelve 

 inches or more, and the top then bent 

 over and held down with soil. Then 

 if boughs or leaves are thrown over 

 the top to help collect the snow and 

 give greater protection it is desirable. 

 In the case of climbing roses, a good 

 plan is to cover them with a box filled 

 with dry leaves, making the top water 

 tight so the leaves will keep dry. — 

 W. T. Macoun, Dominion Horticul- 

 curist. 



Methods of Forcine Roots In WInixt 

 A warm cdlar and a UtUe planning wiU provide anyone with rhubarb, seakale, and other root crops all winter The 



accompaning article tells how. 



