FLORAL NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER. 



375 



tirely underneath the soil is unnatural and 

 invites rot and disease to the plant. The 

 German Iris will succeed in almost any kind 

 of soil, or in any part of the garden, but a 

 rich, loamy- well drained soil, and a position 

 shaded from the sun for a few hours at 

 •noonday <gives the best flowering results 

 and prolongs the flowering period of the 

 plants. 



The several varieties of Hemerocallis or 

 Lemon^ Lily can also be transplanted suc- 

 cessfully at this season. 



I have also had good success in trans- 

 planting many other hardy border plants in 

 early autumn. Amongst others may be 

 mentioned the Japanese Spireas, as well as 

 the hardier double and single varieties of 

 Spirea filipendula, both of which are pretty 

 and useful border plants. 



Pack the soil firmly around the roots 

 when planting, and water the plants well 

 once if the weather is very dry. Packing 

 the soil firmly will help to prevent the plants 

 lifting, from the action of severe frosts. 

 Another point to be considered in trans- 

 planting these, or indeed, any hardy peren- 

 nial plants, is to carefully pick out from the 

 clumps every vestige of any perennial 

 weeds, such as twitch grass, yarrow, dande- 

 lions, etc., as the bane of all perennial bor- 

 ders and border plants are perennial weeds, 

 and there is no better time for eradicating 

 these than at the time of transplanting. 



Seed Saving. Many varieties of plants, 

 both of annuals, biennials and perennials- 

 will now be producing seed that might be of 

 service at least in supplementing the supply 

 usually purchased. The saving and drying 



of seeds, so as to have them of the best 

 quality possible, requires watchfulness nd 

 care. Many varieties, such as balsams, 

 portulacca, aquilegia (columbine) and others 

 require to be picked early in the pod, as if 

 the pods are allowed to stay on the plant 

 until the seed is ripe much of it is lost. In 

 drying seeds never tie them up in close ir- 

 tight bags when first picked, as this plan in- 

 duces mildew and possibly rot. Either 

 spread the seeds or pods out on a tray or 

 fine sieve and place them in a cool, dry, airy 

 place until they are quite dry, or tie them up 

 loosely in coarse muslin or cheesecloth bags 

 and hang them up in a dry, airy place under 

 cover from rain or heavy dews. Placing 

 the seeds outside in the sun in the day time 

 and removing them under cover at night 

 will hasten the curing and drying of seeds 

 without injuring the germinating property 

 of the seed. Avoid drying seed too near a 

 hot stove, as they are often spoiled in this 

 way. Large seed growing establishments 

 usually have kilns built expressly for dry- 

 ing seed. Even these, built as they are on 

 scientific and practical principles, are often- 

 times responsible for the immature and 

 weak germinating power of many seeds 

 that would have been of much better quality 

 if ripened off and dried more gradually. 



Seed should always be saved from what 

 have been the best specimen flowers, so as 

 to secure as good a type of flower as the 

 original' if possible. By careful selection 

 of the best typical blossoms of each variety, 

 much can be done toward the improvement 

 of strains and varieties of plants, more es- 

 pecially annuals. 



