What Amateur Gardeners Can Do in February 



IF you want to grow the best kind of 

 vegetables and flowers in your garden 

 next year, secure catalogues from the 

 firms that advertise in The Canadian 

 Horticulturist. Read them carefully 

 and make your selections. They are in- 

 teresting not only for the lists of varieties 

 that they contain, but also for the many 



etc., earlier in the spring, if you sow the 

 seeds inside about the last of the month 

 or early in March. When large enough, 

 the plants may be transplanted to a cold 

 frame. If this is not available, trans- 

 plant to other boxes in the house. 



Keep a close watch on the window 

 plants for insect pests. Syringe or 



ChildrcD's Exhibit of Alters at Flower Show Held Uft Sninmer by Woodstock Horticultural Society 



This society is one of the most useful in Ontario. Its worlc among the school children has been particularly 

 valuable. Last year, BOO packages of aster seed were distributed to them. The president of the society.is Mr 

 J. \V^. Armstrong and the secretary, Mr. W. 11. Vroman. 



excellent cultural directions that they 

 give. It is wise to order early. 



The earliest annuals of the garden may 

 be secured by sowing the seed in Feb- 

 ruary. Seeds of verbenas, lobelias, 

 cockscombs, double petunias, sweet sul- 

 tan and others may be sown in pots or 

 boxes in the window towards the end of 

 the month, for use in window boxes or 

 hanging baskets. For bedding-out pur- 

 poses, sow seed early in March. Towards 

 the end of the month, sow a few seeds 

 of sweet peas in pots or boxes for plant- 

 ing outside in spring, as soon as the 

 weather and soil will permit. 



You will have beets, lettuce, beans, 



A Bed of Cannas and Caladiams 



sprinkle the foliage two or three times a 

 week with luke-warm water. A weak 

 solution of tobacco applied once a week 

 will be beneficial. Do not have the plants 

 too close to the window at night. Should 

 they become frozen, avoid bringing them 

 into a high temperature. Keep them 

 where it is only a few degrees above 

 freezing. Cover them and keep in the 

 dark for twenty-four hours, or until the 

 frost is out of them; If they were not 

 frozen too severely, they may be saved 

 in this way but keep them away from 

 bright sun-light for a week or two after- 

 wards. 



About the end of the month, fuchsias 

 that have been resting, mav be started 

 into growth. For further information on 

 how to do this, send enquiries to the 

 "Question and Answer Department" of 

 Tiii; Canadian' Hortici'Lturist. 



If you want to keep your freesia bulbs 

 after flowering, withhold water until the 

 foliage turns yellow, and then srive no 

 more. Place the pots in a cellar until 

 next fall, when the bulbs may be taken 

 from the soil and repotted. 



SOME WORK OUT-DOORS 



If you have not yet pruned your cur- 

 rant and gooseberry bushes, the work 

 may be done any time during the dor- 

 mant period. These fruits are quite 

 hardy and will stand more abuse than 

 others. 



If your fruit trees have become infest- 



ed with insects and fungous pests, plan 

 to have them sprayed this spring. It 

 will be too early this month, but you had 

 better plan ahead. If the orchard is 

 small, purchase a knapsack spray pump, 

 but better results would be obtained by 

 the use of a barrel sprayer. To make 

 the expense easier, it would be well to 

 club in its purchase with a number of 

 your neighbors. Consult the spraying 

 advertisements in this issue of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist. Write for 

 catalogues and choose the sprayer that 

 you like best. You will never regret it. 

 In other colurhns of this issue may be 

 found further information on spraying. 

 This will be supplemented with some ex- 

 cellent articles next month. 



A First Prize Garden 



In the amateur competition for best 

 lawn and flower garden conducted last 

 summer by the Peterboro Horticultural 

 Society, the first prize was awarded to 

 Mr. Wm. J. Kennedy, of Peterboro. A 

 glance at the illustration will show at the 

 left a border of geraniums and foliage 

 plants. The flower bed at the right hand 

 lower corner comprised geraniums bor- 

 dered with Madam Saleroi ; the one in 

 back ground, cannas bordered also by 

 silver-leaved geraniums. 



At the right, not distinctly shown, is a 

 border of asters, petunias, stocks and 

 phlox. These were started in the house 

 in early spring from seed and planted 

 outside in June. Three specimens of 

 cacti adorn one side of the walk. Near 

 the back of the lot is a wire fence with 

 two rows of geraniums in front and a 

 vegetable garden on the other side. The 



A Prize Garden in Peterboro 



entire garden and lawn was well cared 

 for and presented a pleasing appearance 

 throughout the season. 



When spring-time comes, take a pho- 

 tograph of your backyard or garden be- 

 fore any improvement is made. Then 

 give the plot as much attention as you 

 can and, when it appears at its best, take 

 another photograph. Send both (o Tni 

 Canadian Horticulturist for publica- 

 tion. "■ 



