THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



35 



and drv goods are objectionable, and 

 should be largely dispensed with. 



"In many cases a corsage is left for 

 each lady and a boutonni^re for each 

 gentleman. When the table is decked 

 with carnations and hly of the valley, 

 the lady should have a pink carnation 

 and some valley tied with white cord. 



while the gentleman receives only the 

 valley. When roses and violets, or 

 roses and valley are used, a rose is 

 given to the lady and some violets or 

 some valley to the gentleman." 



If cut flowers cannot be secured, a 

 nice pot plant of low growing habit is 

 an excellent substitute. The dwarf 



ferns are admired by many. A bushy 

 specimen of geranium, or impatieus, or 

 any plant that can be induced to bloom 

 in winter, is preferred by others. Most 

 of the common flowering house plants 

 can be used for this purpose if the 

 bloom is kept off during the late fall, 

 and extra care given them. 



A.n A.inateur*s GreenKouse in February 



A. Alexander, Hamilton, Ont. 



IK" 



THE prevailing color of the January 

 house was white, from the predom- 

 inance of Roman Hyacinths, Paper- 

 white Narcissus and white Primulas — 

 these are now in tl)e background, and 

 pink and yellow reign supreme. The 

 pink from a large number of pink or rose- 

 colored Begonias, and the yellow from 

 scores of Daffodils, which, though bought 

 for Von Sion from two different firms, 

 have .turned out to be "Trumpet- 

 Major" — not one Von Sion bloom in 

 the 150 bulbs! I am curious to find 

 out if the experience of my brother- 

 amateurs in this matter coincides with 

 mine. I do not regret it, for they are 

 very beautiful, and I am satisfied. 



The following is a partial list of plants 

 now in flower in addition to those 

 mentioned : — 



Poinsettia pulcherrima, Bouganvillea, 

 Azalea, Begonias, Cyclamen, Freezias, 

 Abutilon, Lantana, Geraniums, Dutch 



yacinths, etc. 



Not alone for flowers is the Amateur's 

 Greenhouse useful for keeping up a con- 

 stant succession of beauty throughout 

 the dreary months, but also in prepar- 

 ing for the coming work out of doors in 



the garden, hence this month of Febru- 

 ary should see sundry boxes and pots 

 containing seeds and cuttings standing 

 about in, or on, the sand of the propa- 

 gating bed. Neither should the kitchen 

 garden department be neglected, for if 

 a few tomato seeds are put in, and 

 potted on, by the middle of May you 

 will have plants with fruit set, ready to 

 plant out. 



Let me also recommend that now is a 

 good time to put in sand, or moss, a few 

 tuberous-rooted Begonia tubers just to 

 start them off before potting. They 

 are most desirable for the amateur's 

 house; they are easily handled and give 

 great satisfaction. I get a shallow box, 

 two or three inches deep is enough, put 

 in an inch of moist sand, lay the tubers 

 on this and fill in between with the 

 sand, just leaving the tops visible, but 

 be sure it is the tops. Cover with a 

 piece of glass to prevent too much 

 evaporation, and shade with a piece of 

 paper. As soon as the first signs of life 

 appear remove the glass and, when the 

 sprouts are about an inch long, put 

 each in a suitable pot in good soil, and 

 in about two or three months you will 



Cypripedium Insignis as Grown in Mr. Alexander's 

 Greenhouse. 



be delighted with the resulting beauty. 

 There are also many hardy peren- 

 nials that may be started this month, 

 and which will flower the first year. As. 

 an example, about this time last yearjl 

 sowed in a shallow box in the greenhouse 

 a few seeds of perennial Delphiniumjfor 

 Larkspur, which planted out in June, 

 about 100 plants. In September I had 

 70 of them in bloom — some of them 

 quite new and valuable. Some of the 

 spikes of bloom were three feet in length, 

 of every shade of blue, from indigo to 

 nearly white. With a small greenhouse 

 and some bottom heat, all the annuals 

 and other plants you need for outside 

 may be raised. 



Flowers are alwaj^ a source of joy, 

 whether we pluck them from our own 

 little garden or whether we order them 

 ready made from the florist. — Mrs. W. 

 J. McLenahan, Appleby. 



Another Corner of an Amateur's Greenhouse in February 



Do not be a back number. Improve 

 your surroundings and keep up with the 

 procession. Flowers will grow where 

 weeds and thistles will grow. — N.^S. 

 Dunlop, Montreal, Que. 



