THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



to a cool, partially shaded position out 

 of doors during the hot summer 

 months. The north side of a building 

 or fence is a good position. The pots 

 may be either plunged in, or stood on a 

 bed of coal ashes. Water and syringe 

 frequently, never allowing the roots to 

 be quite dry. A few tobacco stems 

 thrown around outside each pot will 

 materially assist in keeping down red 

 spider and thrip, the two insect pests to 

 be dreaded by the Azalea grower most 

 of all. 



Roses for Amateurs. 



1091. Sir,— Are budded or own root 

 roses best for amateurs ? 



Answered by Webster Bros , Hamilton. 



If by an amateur is meant one who 

 can scarcely tell a rose from a cabbage, 

 well decidedly, roses that can produce 

 nothing but flowers of the variety he has 

 purchased, or own root roses, are the 

 best. However, we find the majority of 

 the amateur rose growers are well versed 

 in varieties, etc., and to this question it 

 would not do to say plant own root 

 root roses, because you cannot tell the 

 difference between the general Jacque- 

 minot foliage and that of the Manetti, 

 or that of the briar on which it is 

 budded. Budded roses will give a 

 quantity and quality of flowers, the 

 first of the season after planting, that 

 cannot be had from own root plants. 

 Budded roses will not stand late plant- 

 ing as well as the own root stock. 

 Plant them as soon as the ground can 

 be nicely worked and set the union of 

 the rose and the stock rose three to five 

 inches below the surface, to give the 

 good rose a chance of ultimately estab- 

 lishing itself on its own roots. The 

 Manetti rose has seven leaflets, while 

 most of the H. P. roses have five. 

 The briar has very light colored wood 



and small leaflets, which are very dis- 

 tinct. Neither of these stock roses 

 should be mistaken for a worthy vari- 

 ety, by any one who is sufficiently inter- 

 ested in his roses to notice a difference 

 of wood and foliage. 



Public Meeting of Societies. 



1092. Sir,— We find it a little hard to 

 get the members to attend the public meet- 

 ings of our Society. Could you suggest any 

 way in which we could make them more in- 

 teresting ? M. TULLY, 



Sec. Midland Hort. Soc'y. 



We think it a mistake to depend too 

 much upon one big meeting for the life 

 of a horticultural Society. Frequent 

 smaller meetings, of a somewhat social 

 character, will accomplish more, and 

 need cost little trouble or expense. 



Some of our Societies have monthly 

 meetings — say, the ist Monday evening 

 in each month during the winter and 

 early summer. These may be held in 

 a small hall, or, on invitation, in houses; 

 and in the proper seasons, a fair display 

 of cut flowers or pot plants may be 

 made on the dining-room table. These 

 will form a centre for conversation until 

 the time comes for reading a paper by a 

 member of the Society, or a lecture by 

 some gardener, which should be fol- 

 lowed b'' questions or open discussion. 



A little music will enliven the occa- 

 sion. 



The plant distribution in the spring 

 should always take place in a public 

 hall, at the close of a programme of 

 music and addresses. Some call out 

 the names of the members, who come 

 forward and receive their basket of 

 plants, and such a public gift night 

 greatly helps the membership. 



Ants. 



1093. Sir, — I am at a loss to know 

 what to do to destroy the ants that infest my 

 plum orchard. They are building mounds 

 all over, and a favorite place is around the 



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