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THE CANADIAN H O HI I (' T I/I U R I S T 



Mnv, 



I f m 



Something of the Beauty of a Well Arranged Pergola is Here Revealed 



I'ergolas in the garden are gaiiiiug rapidly in public favor. They make ideal le- 

 treats at almost any time during the growing season. This i>ergola is in the 

 garden of Mrs. D. Lumsden, Ottawa, Ont. 



these thinly and cover Hghtly or they 

 may be sown broadcast if the whole bed 

 is to be planted solidly in one variety 

 of plants. One of the most beautiful 

 beds we ever saw was planted in this 

 manner. It comprised all the mixed 

 poppies in all colors. The beauty can- 

 not be described in words and can only 

 be understood by making a similar bed. 

 Balsam, petunias, phlox or other quick 



growing plants of a like character, are 

 the best for this purpose. Where a 

 border is desired a drill or light furrow 

 one half inch deep, may be made around 

 the edge of the bed with a sharp stick, 

 and sown thinly with the seed of alys- 

 sum, mignonette, portulaca, or many 

 other low growing plants. As the seed 

 is mostly small, give a very light cover- 

 ing of earth. 



Experimental Work with Flowers' 



F. E. Buck, Experime 



SINCE 191 1, the seed of several hun- 

 dred different varieties of annual 

 flowers has been obtained each year 

 from seedsmen in this and other coun- 

 tries, and tested at the Central Experi- 

 mental Farm, Ottawa. Details are 

 not possible here, but some re- 

 sults have been obtained which are sug- 

 gestive and encouraging. Some results 

 have suggested other lines of experi- 

 ment, for instance, the seed of a number 

 of annual plants left over from previous 

 years and saved for a test as to germina- 

 bility, was sowed just before the period 

 of drought of last June and July. A cer- 

 tain number of the young plants which 

 came up did not succumb to the heat and 

 drought but survived under the most ad- 

 verse conditions and gave bloom late in 

 the year after those of the regular test 

 were over. As a point of interest it may 

 be stated that they bloomed with us at 

 Ottawa up till the end of October. From 

 this we conclude that it may be well for 

 us to try out most annuals under similar 

 conditions in order to know what can be 

 recommended to people who wish to raise 

 flowers under conditions that would 

 make a weed b lush to do well. 



•Extract from an address delivered before the 

 Ontario Horticultural Aasooiation. 



lital Farm, Ottawa 



One very interesting point of general 

 interest which has been called to our at- 

 tention by visitors from the old world in 

 connection with these annuals is that the 

 intensity of their colors is greater with 

 us at Ottawa, than it is, say, in England. 

 The brilliancy of the whole patch of an- 

 nuals tested at Ottawa was very great 

 this past dry season. 



To tell you anything about the recent 

 experiments, commenced in 191 1, with 

 roses, more particularly the hybrid tea 

 varieties, other than this, that already 

 a first edition of a pamphlet on roses has 

 been exhaused and another edition will 

 be ready shortly, is unnecessary per- 

 haps, because what we have to say about 

 the test so far will be said in that pamph- 

 let. I must mention, however, that wo 

 started tests with sweet peas about the 

 year 1910. So far these tests have been 

 chiefly variety tests but in future we are 

 planning to make them cover in addition 

 methods of growing, and so forth. We 

 need definite information on several 

 points, such as whether sweet peas will 

 do well when grown under certain condi- 

 • tions in the same position year after year. 

 We want more information as to the 

 control of sweet pea diseases and trou- 

 bles, reliable data regarding which can- 



not be given till definite ob.servalions 

 lia\e been carried on for .several years. 

 We do know certain things alxjut certain 

 methods which seem to contradict certain 

 l)rcvailing opinions. On*; is that sweet 

 peas grown in a trench did not do so well 

 in our soil as those grown by their side 

 which were sown in level ground. An- 

 other is that tho.se planted from six to 

 twelve inches apart did not do so well 

 as those planted about three inches apart, 

 and that those planted closer than this 

 did best during the early part of the year 

 only. 



In all our experimental work at Ottawa 

 we wish to keep in mind at least two 

 things, one is improvement, that is, in 

 the widest meaning of the word. Im- 

 provement is sought by selection, by in- 

 troducing new things and di.scarding old, 

 by rearranging old and new, by modern 

 technique, by methods of culture, of con- 

 trol of insects and diseases, by the cul- 

 tivation of that taste and knowledge of 

 the best which leads to the improvement 

 of those things that make better home 

 surroundings possible. Improvement, 

 that is, in things themselves and in the 

 way of doing things. This must be the 

 raison d'etre, the basis of our experimen- 

 tal work. 



The other thing is this : we do not 

 seek the new things so often as the 

 slight improvement of the old, and there- 

 fore our chances of success are greater. 

 So long as we do not duplicate the work 

 of others but remember to do work called 

 for by local conditions, and do it without 

 deviation, by discouragement of seasons 

 or events, even so long will the experi- 

 mental work be of a quality and quanti- 

 ty justifying, we hope, its continuance 

 and increase. 



Geraniums 



Wm. Hnit, O.A.C., Gnelpb, Oat. 



To secure good geranium plants for 

 flowering in winter, slips should be taken 

 m the fall or very early spring. A nice 

 plant potted from a three and a half or 

 four inch pot into a six or seven inch 

 pot in June in bedding out time and 

 put into good potting soil, will make 

 a good plant for winter flowering. 

 Plunge the pot to the rim out in the 

 open ground early in June. Pinch the 

 tips of each shoot out when about eight 

 inches in length until about the second 

 week in July. This induces a bushy, 

 -Turdy growth. 



Keep all the blooms and buds pinched 

 Dff' until the middle of August. Lift the 

 pot from the ground early in September 

 and bring it into the window when it 

 should flower all winter. The plant 

 should have plenty of water at the roots 

 during the summer when plunged in the 

 ground. After bringing it into the house 

 some liquid fertilizer should be given 

 the plant about every ten days. "Bon- 

 ora," sold at seed stores, is the best 

 plant food for pot plants. 



