146 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



June, 1907 



retentive soil is used and attention given 

 to watering the bed often. Water cress 

 is propagated by seed or from pieces of 

 the stem used as cuttings. When once 

 estabUshed, it will take care of itself year 

 by year. 



CULTIVATED DANDELION 



The cultivated dandelion also may be 

 used for salads. It is quite different 

 in quality and appearance from the 

 ordinary weed. The plants attain a 

 larger size, and the leaves are much 

 more tender. Seed may be selected from 

 the best field growing plants, but it is 

 better to buy the French seed of the 

 seedsmen. Sow in springin well-manured 

 soil, either in hills or in drills one foot 

 apart. The first cutting of leaves will 

 be had in the fall. The leaves should 

 be blanched to improve their deHcacy. 



Rose Pests 



With the increasing heat of summer, 

 insect pests are sure to make their ap- 

 \ pearance on the rose bushes. It is wise 

 to adopt preventive measures rather 

 than to rely on an attempt to cure when 

 the insect appears. Too often the ap- 

 plication of remedies and preventive 

 measures for the extermination of insect 

 and fungous pests is left until the plants 

 have become too badly infested that 

 they are hopelessly spoiled for floral or 

 decorative purposes for the rest of the 

 season. 



It is a wise course to give rose bushes 

 a sprinkling of hellebore powder as soon 

 as the foliage is partly developed and 

 before the flower buds have shown them- 

 selves prominently. By doing this and 

 repeating the operation about ©nee a 

 week, until the flowers commence to 

 open, the foliage as well as the flowering 

 buds can be saved from disfiguration and 

 partial ruin, particularly from the rose 

 slug. The best time to apply the helle- 

 bore is early in the morning, whilst the 

 foliage is damp with dew. 



Another insect that is troublesome 

 throughout the whole season is the rose 

 thrip. It secretes itself on the under 

 side of the leaves, and oftentimes is not 

 detected until the foliage has become 

 bleached and whitened by its destructive 

 attacks. A close inspection of the 

 foliage will detect them. The bushes 

 should be treated early in the season. 

 An application of tobacco in some form 

 is the best and most effective preventive. 



Another enemy to the successful cul- 

 ture of the rose is the red spider. Climb- 

 ing roses are more hable to attacks than 

 are bush roses. The red spider delights 

 in a dry atmosphere. Roses that are 

 trained close to a wall or fence offer 

 splendid inducements for its ravages. 

 One of the first indications of the pres- 

 ence of this pest is an unhealthv, whitish 

 appearance of the leaves and finallv the 

 constant falling of the dried, half-de- 



voured leaves, unless they are stopped 

 before they have reached this stage. As 

 the red spider cannot exist in a damp 

 atmosphere, constant syringing and 

 sprinkling with cold water is the best 

 preventive. 



The aphis or small green fly is also 

 troublesome. Constant syringing or an 

 application of tobacco water usually 

 rids the bushes fairly efficiently of this 

 insect. Remedies for all insect pests 

 should be appHed early in the season and 

 before the pests have become uncon- 

 trollable. 



Cultur.e of Gladioli 



H. H. Groff, Simcoe, Ont. 



The gladiolus is not exacting in its 

 demands upon the soil. I have grown 

 it on one block of land yearly for over 

 fifteen years, the only fertihzer used 

 being well-rotted stable manure and 

 hard wood ashes applied before plowing 

 in the autumn. No fertilizers are need- 

 ed on strong new soils as a rule. 



Profuse watering at intervals is de- 

 sirable where local peculiarities of soil 

 and hmited rainfall prevail during the 

 season of active plant growth and bloom- 

 ing. A brief period of ripening before 

 the latter season is beneficial, if not too 

 severe, as this hardens the plant tissues 

 and assures flowers and spikes of in- 

 creased durability and quality. Ex- 

 cessively succulent growth is not bene- 

 ficial to plant, flower or corm. 



For best results, plant in full exposure 

 to the sun. in locations having a free 

 circulation of air, avoid crowding by- 

 other plants or overshading by trees, 

 buildings or hedges. Plant from two to 

 four inches deep according to the size of 

 the corms — matured corms never less 

 than four inches — two to four inches 

 apart in double rows, which may be 

 made as close as twelve inches in beds 

 or borders. The greatest satisfaction 

 is secured by growing several thousand 

 in the vegetable garden for daily cutting 

 as the first flowers open. In the next 

 issue of The Canadian Horticulturist 

 will appear an article on how to cut and 

 care for the flowers. 



• Bedding Plants 



When striking and pecuhar effects 

 are desired in the flower garden or on 

 the lawn, it is customary to make use 

 of what florists term "bedding plants." 

 This term is used to designate such kind 

 of plants that bloom well when planted 

 out in beds or have striking foliage whose 

 colors take the place of flowers. 



The most important bedding plant is 

 the geranium. No other gives such a 

 brilliant show of color throughout the 

 season To keep a geranium blooming 

 from June until frost, it is necessary only 

 to remove the flowers as thev fade, and 



thereby prevent the formation of seeds 

 The double varieties are the most popu 

 lar for bedding, as the flowers last longii 

 and give more soHd color effect. 



Tuberous begonias are excellent bed- 

 ders. They are rich in color and produce 

 a fine effect. The verbena is one of the 

 best, being a very free and constant 

 bloomer, and having intensely rich and 

 beautiful colors. Other flowering plants 

 that are popular for the purpose are 

 salvias, petunias, fuchsias, asters, cannas, 

 gladioli and Phlox Drummondii. 



Among the fohage plants, the most 

 popular is the coleus. By planting it 

 closely together and keeping th^ plants 

 well cut back, soUd effects of color can 

 be obtained. The colors being: so 

 varied and distinct, the coleus is much 

 used in carpet bedding, in which a set 

 pattern is worked out. Other plants 

 that bear cutting well, and that are used 

 in the production of pattern effects, are 

 achyranthes and alternanthera. Cen- 

 turia gymnocarpa has a soft, gra^' leaf 

 that contrasts well with coleus. Sweet 

 alyssum also may be used for the border. 



For most bedding plants, a medium 

 heavy loam is best, as it retains the 

 moisture for a longer time. Before 

 planting, the soil should be dug deeply. 

 It will not need fertilizing if the bed was 

 left in good shape last fall. If tulips or 

 hyacinths were planted, however, the 

 bed will require a heavy coat of well- 

 rotted manure. For putting out the 

 plants, choose a cloudy day if possible. 

 Water them well and shade for a day or 

 two. Stake those that require it. The 

 plants should be tied to the stakes fre- 

 quently as growth develops. 



I 



To Gro-w Oood Poppies 



R. B. Whyte, Ottawa 



The best soil for poppies is a sandy 

 loam ; if good garden soil, it will not re- 

 quire any manuring, but if very poor, 

 spread about two inches of well-rotted 

 stable manure over the surface before 

 digging, and turn it well under, so that 

 none of it will touch the seed. After 

 digging, rake the earth with a sharp 

 rake till it is as smooth and fine as you 

 can make it. Make your bed where it 

 will get the sun all day if possible. 



A convenient shape for the seed bed is 

 about two and a half feet wide and 15 

 feet long. The seed may be planted in 

 rows one foot apart and about four to 

 six inches apart in the row ; or it may 

 be scattered over the whole surface, 

 thinning the plants out after they come 

 up, to eight or nine inches apart. As 

 the seed is very small you must be care- 

 ful not to cover it too deep. A good 

 wav is to plant it on the surface, and 

 then draw the rake very lightly over the 

 top so as to stir the soil a little, then 

 pat it firmly with a hoe or piece of board, 



