FLORAL XOTES FOR JUNE. 



235 



in the shade and given no water until they 

 are started into growth again in August. 

 Pots of Freesia bulbs should be kept quite 

 dry and the pots stood away in a dry shed 

 until August or September. 



Winter Flowering Geraniums. — Now 

 is a good time to start preparing a few 

 young plants of geraniums for winter flow- 

 ering. Secure a few young, healthy, bushy 

 growing plants of these, such as florists 

 usually sell for bedding out at this time of 

 year. Pot the plants into good rich soil In 

 six or seven inch pots, according to the size 

 of the plant. Plunge the pot in the ground 

 up to the rim in an open place in the gar- 

 den. Water the plaj?t thoroughly when it 

 requires water, two or three times a week 

 perhaps, or every day in hot weather. Pinch 

 off all the flower stems as soon as they ap- 

 pear, before the buds have time to open, and 

 pinch out just the tips of the young shoots 

 as soon as they attain the length of four it 

 five inches. Possibly the tips of the shoots 

 will require pinching out when they are first 

 potted. The pinching out of just the wee 

 small leaves at the tip of the shoot merely 

 checks its growth and causes it to throw 

 out more shoots down nearer the roots, thus 

 making a nice bushy, stocky plant. This 

 pinching will require to be done about once 

 in every three weeks until the middle of Au- 

 gust, when the plants should be allowed to 

 grow freely- but the blooms can be kept 

 pinched off until early in September, a week 

 or so before the plants are taken into the 

 window. Pinching off the blooms lessens 



the strain on the vitality of the plant and 

 throws all the strength of the root into the 

 growth, whilst the pinching keeps it bushy 

 and symmetrical. 



Cuttings of geraniums started now and 

 treated as I have described, will make nice 

 plants for the window before winter. 

 Smaller sized pots will, however, have to be 

 used than for the larger plants. 



A little fertilizer of some kind, not too 

 strong, given the plants during August, will 

 help them considerably, when the soil in the 

 pots has become partially exhausted. Once 

 or twice a week will be often enough to ap- 

 ply the fertilizer. Weak liquid manure 

 made from chicken or cow manure is very 

 beneficial to all growing plants when grow- 

 ing out of doors, but is not suitable for ap- 

 plication indoors, for sanitary reasons. 

 Specially prepared commercial fertilizers or 

 plant foods are best to use for window 

 plants when the plants are indoors. 



La Favorite (white), Jean Viaud (pink), 

 Le Pilote (scarlet), Bruant (scarlet), C. 

 Morel (scarlet), Mme. Charlotte (rosy sal- 

 mon), are some of the best winter flowering 

 doubles, whilst Gettysburgh, Airs. E. G. 

 Hill, Rev. H. Harris- Countess of Roseberry, 

 Fanny Thorpe and Madonna will be found 

 to be a good collection of single flowering 

 varieties for winter. 



Mme. Saleroi (silver leaf). Marshal Mc- 

 Mahon (bronze leal), Mrs. Parker (silver 

 leaf), and Corrine (double flowering with 

 golden foliage), will also make useful addi- 

 tions to window plants in winter. 



Ferns in a Tree. — Ferns grow usually m 

 deep, cool woods, and not in trees, as does 

 a dainty little ferri called the scaly polypody, 

 which is found in beds high on the sides of 

 branches of trees. They grow in a thick 

 mat, completely hiding the bark, plant en- 



twining plant. The roots penetrate the 

 heavy outer bark of the tree, rot it and feed 

 upon it, while the mass catches falling leaves 

 and twigs and holds them until they have 

 added to the bit of soil to contend with many 

 dry summers. — Country Life in America. 



