Preparations for Winter and Spring Flowers 



Quite naturally September is looked 

 upon as the end of the gardening sea- 

 son. But to those who would have 

 those early blooms next spring, it is 

 just the beginning. 



The peony, which has very truthfully 

 been described as the "Queen of spring 

 flowers," should be planted this month. 

 It is of easy culture, and enjoys tTiat 

 immunity from insect pests and disease 

 that few other plants possess. An open 

 border is the most suitable place to plant 

 f)eonies, though they will thrive almost 

 equally well in partial shade. 



Spade the ground to the depth of two 

 feet and incorporate a good dressing of 

 thoroughly decayed barnyard manure. If 

 the ground can be prepared some time 

 previous to planting it would be a de- 

 cided advantage, as there would be less 

 likelihood of the manure coming in con- 

 tact with the roots, which undoubtedly is 

 the cause of many failures. 



SETTING THE PLANTS 



Set the roots just deep enough to allow 

 four inches of soil over the crowns, and 

 place them four feet apart in the rows. 

 Quite frequently it is found that too deep 

 planting is a cause of failures that were 

 attributed to uncongenial soil and weath- 

 er conditions. The roots exhaust their 

 food supply before the young growths 

 reach the surface of the soil. 



.'Vs the peony season lasts a month at 

 the most it is well to give some atten- 

 tion to the selection of varieties, so as 

 to have a fair range of colors. Don't be 

 misled by the extravagant claims made 

 for some of the novelties, which are high 

 in price, and very often unsatisfactory. 

 Many of the old varieties are still un- 

 surpassed by any of the recent introduc- 

 tions, and for the amateur are likely to 

 prove the most satisfactory. The fol- 

 lowing is a list of varieties that have 

 proved all that is claimed for them : 



White — Festiva Maxima, Couronne 

 (I'Or, Duchess de Nemours, Marie Le- 

 nioine, Octavic Demay and Marie Jac- 

 quin. 



Pink and white — Umbellata Rosea, 

 Golden Harvest, Madame Coste, Ma- 

 dame de Vatry, Princess Beatrice and 

 Beaute Francaise. 



Red — Augustin de Howe, Louis van 

 Houte, Henry Demay, Dr. Caillot, Felix 

 Crouste and De Candolle. 



Red, various shades — Meissonier, Mon- 

 sieure Marchel de McMahon, Madame 

 Burquet, Rubia Superba and Emperor 

 Nicholas. 



Deep pink — Madame Ducal, Living- 

 stone, General Bertrand, Modeste Guer- 

 in, Alexander Dumas, and Modele de 

 Perfection. 



PCIBCHABE BULBS NOW 



Now is the time to purchase your 

 stock of bulbs which are to furnish you 

 with flowers during the winter indoors, 



Henry Gibson, Staatsburg 



and out in the beds and borders in the 

 early spring. Don't buy cheap bulbs; 

 they are dear at any price. You will feel 

 amply repaid for any extra outlay by 

 the increased quality and substance of 

 your flowers compared with the poor, 

 weak specimens produced from cheap 

 bulbs. 



One of the greatest mistakes the ama- 

 teur makes in purchasing bulbs is that 

 he wants too many varieties. If you 

 only want a few dozen bulbs don't get 

 as many varieties as you would if you 

 were getting a few hundred. 



Of all spring flowering bulbs, tulips 

 are perhaps the most popular. Their 

 brilliancy of colour, beauty of form, 

 and gorgeous shades render them the 

 most effective of all bulbous plants for 

 bedding and planting in groups or bor- 

 ders. For pot culture and forcing for 

 winter bloom in the window garden there 

 are many desirable varieties. 



Tulips should not be planted too soon 

 out of doors as they are liable to get 

 caught by late soring frosts. Wait un- 

 till the early fall frosts have cut down 

 your bedding plants, and then set them 

 out. Plant the bulbs five or six inches 

 apart, each way, and six inches deep. In 

 the meantime if you have received your 

 bulbs, spread them out on a dry, cool, 

 cellar floor, where there is a free circula- 

 tion of air. They will then keep in first 

 class condition until you can plant them. 



DWARF VARIETIES FOR POT CULTURE 



Due Van Thol tulips are of dwarf 

 habit, growing only about six inches 

 high, and are the best for pot culture. 



Five or six bulbs to a six inch pot will 

 be enough. Plant them deep enough so 

 as to allow the top of the bulb to come 

 on a level with the soil, which when 

 firmly pressed down should be at least 

 half an inch below the rim of the pot. 

 Give them a good watering and set 

 them away in a cool place, covering 

 them with about five inches of sand or 

 ashes. 



Dutch hyacinths are indispensable 

 where a variety of bloom is required. 

 They are not only suitable for pot cul- 

 ture and planting in the open ground, 

 but they are admirably adapted for grow- 

 ing in glasses. For pot culture select 

 heavy bulbs, and plant as early as pos- 

 sible, using a four inch pot for a single 

 bulb, or three of one variety may be 

 put into a six inch pot. Plant and set 

 away as directed for tulips. 



For planting in the open ground these 

 subjects like a deeply cultivated soil. The 

 bulbs should be planted as evenly as 

 possible, about six inches deep and from 

 five to six inches apart, setting each 

 bulb in a handful of sand to ensure drain- 

 age. 



BULB OUI/rUEE IN GLASSES 



Bulb culture in glasses is not prac- 

 ticed nearly so much as it should be. It 

 is one of the most fascinating phases of 

 indoor gardening. A glass with a wide 

 top is required so that the bulb can be 

 rested on it without falling into the 

 water. Glasses made for this purpose 

 can he purchased from almost any flor- 

 ist for a nominal sum. Single hyacinths 



22. 



