February, 1913 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



35 



Floral Hints for February 



R. S. Rose, Peterboro 



Above all things, now is the time to 

 send for all the catalogues. Look at the 

 back of any of the magazines, such as 

 The Canadian Horticulturist, The 

 Ladies' Home Journal, Saturday Even- 

 ing Post, and others, for addresses, and 

 get all the florar catalogues they adver- 

 tise. It won't cost you anything and 

 they will more than amply repay you for 

 the trouble of sending for them. After 

 looking through the catalogues, put 

 down what seeds, plants, and so forth, 

 that you want, then draw out a plan of 

 the garden, and stick to it. If you 

 have kept notes of last year's garden, 

 look them up. Have them before you 

 always. By doing this you will know 

 what you have failed with, and will not 

 make the same mistakes over again. Al- 

 ways keep a copy of your order so that 

 you can refef to it each year, as you 

 order fresh seed. Opposite each item on 

 order copy make notes as to how your 

 seeds have done, how tall they have 

 grown at full height, and color and 

 bloom, and when and how long the 

 bloom lasted. If this has not been done, 

 try it this year and you will see how 

 much easier it will be to order and plan 

 out the garden next year. 



Here are a few don'ts that I saw in an 

 article written by Miss Frances Duncan 

 for February, which I cut out and al- 

 ways refer to. This is pasted in front 

 of my garden scrap book. This book is 

 full of all kinds of odds and ends re- 

 garding flower culture. These don'ts 

 are not only for beginners but for all 

 amateurs : 



I. — Don't try for bargains in plants; 

 get good, carefully packed stock from a 

 trustworthy, well-established firm. 



2. — Don't begin your garden experi- 

 ence with extraordinary novelties. Such 

 plants usually require expert care to 

 bring forth anything but disappoint- 

 ment. 



3. — Don't send in your order the last 

 minute and expect to get the choicest 

 stock. 



4. — Don't try too many sorts, nor 

 plan too large a garden. A few plants 

 well grown and a small garden well car- 

 ed for are better than many unhappy 

 plants or a large area. 



5. — Don't slight the preparation of 

 the ground. 



fi. — Don't economize on manure. 



7. — Don't use any but well rotted 

 manure. If that is not available get 

 commercial fertilizer. 



8. — Don't fail to find out all you can 

 .ibout the soil. 



9. — Don't forget to order manure. 

 Oet it as early as you can. 



There is not much time left to make 

 \our plans, so get busy. March is the 

 time for cold frames, and once these are 



A Glimpse into the Prize Garden of R. W. Rewbotham, St. Thomas, Ont. 



started things will come along so fast 

 and crowd you with work that you will 



not have time to think how to plan your 

 garden. So, do it now. 



Simple Sprays for Flow^crs 



A. V. Main, Ottawa 



The flower catalogues are nearly all 

 overflowing with sprays, insecticides, 

 and the latest spraying devices, yet fine 

 young fruit trees, shrubs and plants suf- 

 fer considerably from the injudicious ap- 

 plication of some timely solution. This 

 is especially the case with city people, 

 and enthusiastic suburbanites, although 

 the grower who is engaged in commer- 

 cial gardening also often suffers in this 

 way. The best sprayer I can recom- 

 mend for amateurs, small growers, and 

 even those who have only a few plants 

 in the house is the garden syringe. 



It is a good old stand by, and could 

 well afford to be lauded a trifle more. 

 Bucket spray pumps, the sprayers and 

 others have not as yet altogether supple- 

 mented the effective and reliable syringe. 

 It is convenient, works well, and is of 

 moderate price. It is best to buy a good 

 one. One having heavy brass and a 

 nozzle spray, with two other fine sprays 

 attached, may be obtained for from two 

 dollars to four dollars and a half. Just 

 get one and find its value for spraying 

 your rose bushes, the fruit trees, and 

 keeping the green flies that molest your 

 house plants in check. With a can and 

 your mixture and the syringe in your 

 hand, you will find it a nieasurablo gar- 

 deing duty to rid some infested bush or 

 climber of insects. Sulpho-tobacco soap 



is splendid for foliage house plants and 

 Nikoteen is recommended as a good 

 cleanser and preventative of insect life. 



I am sometimes asked what I consider 

 the best home made spray for house 

 plants, and outdoor plants that are at- 

 tacked by red spider, thrip, caterpillars, 

 aphis or green fly, plant louse, mealy 

 bug, or other similar pest. For conven- 

 ience and economy I would recommend 

 as a preventative to the amateur grower, 

 one ounce of any ordinary kitchen soap 

 dissolved in a gallon of water. To this 

 add a wineglassful of coal oil or par- 

 afline. Keep this well irritated with the 

 syringe while application proceeds. In 

 the town or city, or where gardens are 

 polluted with the refuse from smoke 

 stacks this simple remedy is a wonder- 

 ful cleanser of foliage. It adds much to 

 the benefit of the smaller fruit bushes. 



In my experience I have found the 

 mixture given by Mr. R. S. Rose in the 

 January issue of The Canadian Horticul- 

 turist, of one cupful of coal oil to a gal- 

 lon of water, too strong for sprinkling 

 house plants. With a syringe and a pail 

 of solution keep at bay these insects that 

 disfigure plants, particularly your half- 

 dozon fruit trees or currant bushes. If 

 you are an enthusiast get this old time 

 sprayer. The more you use it the more 

 you will value its assistance. 



