70 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



severely from lack of such treatment as we 

 have described, the leaves drooping badly, 

 and the flower clusters failing to reach their 

 full development. 



For a conspicuous place upon the lawn, 

 either as a single specimen, or in a group, it 

 is one of the most desirable ot all shrubs. 

 Its time of flowering is in August or Sep- 

 tember when there are very few other shrubs 

 in bloom, and then there is nothing that can 

 in any way compare with it. 



Mr. A. H. Ewing, of Woodstock, Secre- 

 tary of the Canadian Horticultural Associa- 

 tion, speaking of Hydrangea paniculata 

 grandiflora says : " No shrub pays better 

 for good treatment and good feeding than 

 this. Young plants should be planted in the 

 spring, in good rich soil that has had lots of 

 well decayed manure dug in, and they should 

 be kept well watered during dry weather ; 

 when in full growth they may have liberal 

 doses of liquid manure. With this treat- 

 ment they are sure to have large panicles of 



flower towards the end of the summer. 

 They should be well cut back every year, 

 before the buds begin to swell, leaving only 

 two or three strong eyes to each shoot, ex- 

 cept, perhaps, in order to shape the plant, 

 when more may be left, but the less eyes 

 left the stronger will be the growth. It is a 

 most beautiful shrub, and will well repay all 

 the attention bestowed on it. The flowers 

 last a long time — well into October ; it 

 should be in every garden. Here is a de- 

 scription of a round bed of them at Eliza- 

 beth, N. J. , taken from \.\\q American Florist: — 

 " The bed was 25 feet in diameter, and 

 contained thirty plants, the centre plants 

 reaching to a height of eight feet. The 

 plants will be seven years old next spring. 

 They were in bloom August ist, and made a 

 handsome show for two months. When at 

 their best there were two or three thousand 

 panicles of bloom, the largest measuring 

 fourteen inches in length and ten inches in 

 diameter at the base." 



PLANT FOOD 



To induce free blooming and also to 

 econoniize in space, small pots are more de- 

 sirable than large ones. When the roots 

 become somewhat pot-bound, the plant 

 grows more slowly, and turns its attention 

 to blooming; but very likely it has exhaust- 

 ed nearly all the available plant food con- 

 tained in the soil, in making its growth, so 

 if we expect it to give us a generous supply 

 of blossome we must supply needed food at 

 regular intervals. There are a number of 

 " Plant Foods" on the market, and provided 

 one lives near a seed house, perhaps the best 

 way is to buy the prepared food, and use it 

 as directed on the package. The following 

 mixture can be put up at any drugstore, and 

 used as advised will give satisfaction : 



Three-quarter pounds Sodium Nitrate, 

 one-quarter pound Sodium Phosphate (dry), 

 one-half pound Potassium Sulphate. 



Pulverize the materials and mix them 

 thoroughly (dry). Dissolve one rounding 

 tablespoonful in one gallon of hot water. 

 Let it cool before using; pour the liquid on 

 the soil. One-half teacupful is sufficient 

 for a six-inch pot. Use once in two 

 weeks. 



A good plan is to water plants by stand- 

 ing the pots in water hot enough to steam, 

 leaving them in until the top of the soil 

 shows moisture. The warm water at the 

 roots, and steam on the leaves and branches 

 have a very beneficial effect. 



