I02 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



May, 1908 



nual. Seeds of this should be sown in- 

 doors or in a hotbed or frame as early 

 as possible in April. Sow three or four 

 seeds in a three-inch pot. Place the 

 .seeds on edge about a quarter of an inch 

 under the surface of the soil. Grow in- 

 doors or in a hotbed until danger of frost 

 is over. Do not plant out-of-doors un- 

 til quite late, about the first or second 

 week in June or later. A light rich soil 

 suits this climber. Its blue and white 

 cup-and-saucer shaped flowers are very 

 showy. 



DWARF GROWING CLIMBERS 



The climbers already mentioned grow 

 to from ten to twenty feet in height. The 

 following are two varieties not so rank 

 in growth and more suitable for window 

 boxes or rustic stands as trailers or climb- 

 ers ; seeds of these should be sown early, 

 two or three in a pot : Canary Creeper 

 TropcEolum Canariense), and Lophos- 

 permum scandens. The latter is a very 

 effective trailer for hanging baskets or 

 window boxes. Its large purple gloxinia- 

 like flowers are very showy. 



CLIMBING NASTURTIUMS 



Climbing nasturtiums or Tropaeolums 

 succeed well grown from seed sown out of 

 doors about the second or third week in 

 May. If early results are wanted, the 

 seed can be sown earlier indoors, or in a 

 hot bed or greenhouse. Sow two or 

 three seeds in small flower pots, and 

 transplant in border when all danger of 

 frost is over. The leaves of the com- 

 mon climbing, and also the dwarf nastur- 

 tium are very tasty and nice used as a 

 salad. The seeds when picked green also 

 make a splendid pickle by merely putting 

 them in jars in vinegar as soon as picked. 



TRANSPLANTING CLIMBERS 



Annual climbers do not transplant very 

 readily, owing to their length of roots. 

 When quite small they may perhaps be 

 transplanted ; even then it is risky. Sow 

 the seed in the border where they are to 

 grow, .'\bout the first or second week 

 in May is a good time to sow most of 

 them. By sowing .seed early in pots the 

 roots are confined in a small space and 

 transplant easier. The roots of annual 

 climbers should be disturbed as little as 

 possible, at any time, to ensure suc- 

 cess in their culture. 



.'\ll of the climbers mentioned except 

 the sweet peas, are quite tender, so care 

 must be taken to protect them from late 

 spring frosts. If sown near a fence or 

 building, the growth should be kept at 

 least several inches from the fence or 

 building, especially if sown in a position 

 having a north aspect, to prevent the fol- 

 iage being burned by the hot sun. 



The Narcissus Indoors and Out 



Mow the lawn frequently. It will keep 

 down most weeds. 



Frank Gilbert, 



UNTIL Mr. Baker of Kew Gar- 

 dens, classified the narcis- 

 sus some twenty-five years ago, 

 no one had attempted to put into 

 order, the different types of this flower. 

 His nomenclature is generally accepted, 

 comprising some twenty-four species 

 and upwards of three hundred varieties. 

 Natural and garden hybrids are still 

 on the increase. Hybridists are giving 

 great attention to this popular flower 

 and giving us flowers of great beauty, 

 size, form and color. Mr. Baker has 

 chosen to divide the plant into three 

 gi oups : 



1. Magnicoronati, — those with the 

 long trumpet, with Ajax and Emperor, 

 singles, and Van Sion, double, as the 

 type. 



2. Mediocoronati, — those with short- 

 er trumpet, with Sir Watkin, Leedsi and 

 Stella, singles, and A'^. incomparabilis , 

 for the doubles. 



3. Parvicoronati, — with saucer-shaped 

 cup, the poet's daffodil, of which N. 

 poeticus oinatus, Burbidgei singles, N. 

 poeticus alba plena, the lovely scented 

 Gardenia flower, for the doubles. Un- 

 der this group comes also the Polyan- 

 thus or bunched flowered, of which Pa- 

 per White and Grand Monarque are 

 types. 



PLANTING AND CARE 



The narcissus will grow and flower 

 well in almost any position, planted on 

 the lawns, under the shade of trees, but 

 prefers a moist sandy loam of good 

 depth, sheltered from the cold winds in 

 the spring. Plant it where it is to re- 

 main for several years undisturbed, un- 

 til it shows signs of being crowded. 



After the foliage has died down, us- 

 ually by end of July or August, the 

 bulbs should be lifted, sized-up and re- 

 planted, taking care not to let them 

 shrivel. Plant to the depth of four inch- 

 es above the bulb. A good mulch of 

 rot manure should be given. Planting 

 should be done towards the end of Sep- 

 tember. 



In giving a list of the best sorts, one 

 is confronted with a long list. The aim 

 should be, to prolong the season, com- 

 mencing with Princeps, Mascimus, Van 

 Sion, Emperor, Enjpress, Sir Watkin, 

 Mad. de Graffe, Leedsi, Horsfieldii, Cyn- 

 osure, Stella, the varieties of poeticus, 

 and finish the season with the lovely 

 sweet-scented double Gardenia flower. 

 N. poeticus alba plena, which should be 

 included in every ones list. 



GROWING NARCISSI INDOORS 



The hoop-petticoat daffodil (N. Bulbo- 

 codium) and many other varieties re- 

 quire a greenhouse treatment, as they 



Orillia, Ontario 



are not hardy. Although gems in every 

 way, with their rush like leaves, they 

 are hardly large enough for commercial 

 purposes, or to be left to take their 

 chance with the rest of the family; these 

 come from North Africa. N. Triandrus, 

 known as Angel's Tears, comes from 

 Spain and several varieties of this small 

 group of botanical interest. 



Some varieties force well and make a 

 delightful change in the early months 

 of the year. Paper White can easily be 

 had in bloom by Christmas, also Mas- 

 cimus, Princeps, Horsefieldii, Emperor, 

 Exquisite (white), Van Sion, Sir Wat- 

 kin, Leedsi, Stella, Cynosure, and the 

 Incomparabilis. The poeticus section do 

 not force readily. N. poeticus ornatus 

 is the earliest. This type has two flow- 

 ers on one stalk. 



As soon as the bulbs are received for 

 forcing, no time should be lost in potting 

 or boxing them. Boxes four inches deep 

 are the best where cut bloom is wanted. 

 Use light rich soil with a little well-rot- 

 ted manure broken finely. Fill the 

 box half full with a slight layer 

 of sand. Then squeeze the bulbs in 

 closely, fill in and make firm with your 

 fingers. Give a good watering and set 

 on a cold ash bed, in the open. Cover 

 to the depth of four inches of coal ash 

 or sand, to induce the bulbs to make 

 roots, before they make top growth. 

 This will add greatly to the size of the 

 flower. A strict watch must be kept 

 on this growth. As soon as one inch of 

 top growth is made, usually in about six 

 weeks, take out of the ash bed and place 

 where they can readily be brought into 

 the greenhouse. 



To Make Straight Rows 



It is much more satisfactory to work 

 with straight rows than with crooked 

 ones. The work may be done with reel 

 and line. If these are not available, :< 

 simple plan to provide straight mark? 

 for planting is to use a wheelbarrow a.= 

 a marker. 



Nail a cross-piece against the front 

 board to project on both sides of the 

 barrel, equal distances from centre of 

 wheel. Bore holes every six inches on 

 each side of cross piece, then get a chain 

 with a hook on one end to hook in the 

 hole that will give the desired distance, 

 allowing the chain to drag on the ground 

 a foot or more. Pass back and forth 

 across the path to be marked, being 

 guided by the last mark made. Always 

 move the chain to outside of your work, 

 at the end of the row, letting the wheel 

 of the barrow follow in the mark last 

 made by the chain. 



