What Amateurs Can Do in December 





WHEN looking for Christmas gifts, 

 do not forget that there are m^iny 

 horticultural products that will be 

 acceptable. Flowering and ornamental 

 plants will add cheer to the festive ssa- 

 son. Make your selection early, and 

 ask the florist to hold them for you. In 

 flowering "plants, select those that are 

 not far advanced in bloom buds. They 

 will be more appreciated because they 

 last longer. 



Among the many plants suitable for 

 Christmas presents are Gloire de Lor- 

 raine begonias, Baby Rambler roses, 

 cyclamen, Jerusalem cherries, hyacinths, 

 narcissi, daffodils, primulas, azaleas, 

 genistas, rubber plants, araucarias, 

 poinsettias, screw pines, ferns and many 

 others. 



Other gifts that will be appreciated 

 by amateur gardeners are books on hor- 

 ticulture. There are scores of good ones, 

 well printed, illustrated and nicely bound. 

 Write to The Canadian Horticultur- 

 ist for our book catalogue. A nice gift 

 Would be a year's subscription to The 

 Canadian Horticulturist. Read the 

 special offer on the inside front cover of 

 this issue. 



Various kinds of fruits make excellent 

 presents. What would be nicer than a 

 box of No. I Spys, Fameuse, or of some 

 other seasonable variety? 



THE WINDOW garden 



While potted bulbs bought from flor- 

 ists would be appreciated as gifts, they 

 would be doubly acceptable if the recip- 

 'ient learned that they had been grown by 

 the giver. If you are growing some for 

 Christmas, watch them closely. Keep 

 them well watered. Keep them where it 

 is not too warm but within reach of sun- 

 light. 



Avoid draughts of cold air on house 

 plants. Ventilate on calm,' warm days. 

 Moist air and intelligent watering at the 

 roots of plants are necessary to attain 

 success in window garden work. 



When re-potting plants, use pots only 

 one or two sizes larger than those in 

 which the plants now stand. Water well 

 as soon as potted and do not repeat until 

 the soil shows signs of dryness. 



OUTDOOR WORK 



If you have not mulched the bulb beds, 

 do it now. Strawy manure or spruce 

 boughs make good material. A cover- 

 ing of leaves with brush to hold ?hem 

 and to catch the snow is excellent for 

 the purpose. 



Protect the tender and half hardy per- 

 ennials. Mulch the lilies, especially the 

 Japanese varieties. 



Make a compost heap of the fallen 

 leaves. It will come in useful next year. 



Wrap and protect tender vines and 

 shrubs. Remove and burn garden rub- 

 bish. Saw dead limbs from trees. Seek 



eggs and cocoons of insects and destroy 

 them. Clean garden tools and cover 

 the iron work with grease to keep them 

 from rusting. 



some photographs of the garden if you 

 have them. 



Watch the lawn and shrubbery for the 

 time when the winter effect is most beau- 



*^. 







The First Prize Group of Orchids at the Ontario Horticultural Exhibition 



Exhibited by T. Maiiton, EKlinton, Out. 



successful this year with tiful. It will be a pleasant surprise to 



Were you success! ul this year 

 your garden? Did you try something 

 new, and what was it? Did your gar- 

 den teach you anything that you did not 

 know before? What pointers can you 

 give to other amateurs? Answer these 

 questions in a letter for publication in 

 The Canadian Horticulturist. Send 



many persons who think that the lawn 

 is of use only in summer. Take some 

 photographs when the trees and shrubs 

 are drooping beneath a weight of snow. 

 .Send them to The Canadian Horticul- 

 tirist for publication with some descrip- 

 tion of the plants in the scene. 



Some of the Flowers and Fruit at the Ontario Horticultural Exhibition held in Toronto last month. 



