THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



277 



not fit tightly together. Support the 

 box with brackets. In it put some 

 broken flower pots or other material 

 to facilitate drainage and fill with soil. 



If the weather is open and no hard 

 frosts prevail, some of the hardier 

 perennials may be planted this month. 

 .\mong those that succeed well, if 

 planted at this time, are German iris, 

 some varieties of peony, dielytra, and 

 lily of the valley. With the exception 

 of the iris, these plants should be 

 mulched later on with long strawy 

 manure. 



Now is the best time to make new 

 walks and driveways, flower beds or 

 borders. 



BULBS FOR THE HOUSE 



Bulbs for house culture may be 

 potted from September until late in 

 fall. Some growers say that Novem- 

 ber is the best month. 



Make sure that the bulbs in pots are 

 well rooted in the cellar or some cold, 

 dark place before being brought out 

 into the window or greenhouse. Secur- 

 ing good roots to hyacinths, tulips 

 and narcissi is the most important 

 point to be considered in successful 

 bulb culture. Bulbs that were potted 

 in September may now be brought to 

 the light. 



Pots of freesias should be placed in 

 a semi-light place until started, then 

 given the benefit of the sun and suffi- 

 cient moisture to keep the soil moist, 

 but not saturated. Do not give liquid 

 manure to freesias. They do not like it. 



Try some Chinese sacred lilies and 

 hyacinths in water bowls. 



If you start bulbs of Roman hya- 

 cinths early in November, you can 

 have the bloom for Christmas. 



Whv not try a few "pips" of lily of 

 the valley? They are rather hard to 

 grow in the house — unless proper care 

 is exercised. They require a tem- 

 perature of 75 degrees. Some ama- 

 teurs grow them near steam pipes 

 from the house furnace, and even near 

 the kitchen range. If you have a 

 greenhouse, so much the better. 



Gloxinia, tuberous begonia, and fancy 

 Caladium bulbs should be kept dry 

 ind stored away in the pots; or, the 

 bulbs may be taken out, packed in 

 iry soil, and placed in a cool tem- 

 'perature not lower than 45 degrees. 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 



If you have not arranged for potting 

 jil for use later on, do so now before 



is too late. 



Every fine day give your house 

 blants a draught of fresh air, but do 

 Hot have the draught come directly 

 Across the plants. Open a window or 

 Joor some distance from them. 



As the weather grows colder, the 

 iieat must be increased. This will re- 

 jlt in an increased dryness of the at- 



mosphere, and this induces a visit from 

 insect pests. Look out for aphids and 

 red spider. The latter s most to be 

 feared. Sprinkle often with cold water. 

 For aphids, use tobacco water. 



Remember the mistake that often 

 is made by amateurs in regard to the 

 watering of house plants. Do not 

 give water every day. That is wrong. 

 Water the plants only when they need 

 it, and then do not delay. Plants need 

 water when the surface of the soil is 

 dry. This can be learned by tapping 

 the pot with the knuckles and getting 

 a ringing sound for dryness and a dead 

 sound when the soil is wet enough. 

 Dryness may be determined, also, by 

 rubbing the surface soil with the fin- 

 ger; if it sticks to the finger, it is moist 

 enough, but if it feels dry, it needs 



water. When watering, apply enough 

 to penetrate the soil to the bottom of 

 the pot. Do not allow plants to stand 

 in saucers or pans of water. 



When potting plants, water well 

 the first time. Procure new pots if 

 possible. When old pots are ■ used, 

 wash them inside and out. Be sure 

 and put a layer of small stones or 

 bits of broken flower pots in the bot- 

 tom for drainage. 



An excellent decorative plant for 

 the window is A nthericum picturatum. 

 Give it a warm, shady position and a 

 moist soil. Have you a plant or two 

 of Impatiens Sultani, sometimes called 

 the "Patience Plant"? Some varie- 

 ties of this plant are very attractive. 

 A warm, sunny position gives the 

 greatest profusion of bloom. 



Spiraea Van Houttei 



A. K. Goodman, Cayug'a, Ont. 



OF the many choice hardy shrubs 

 that may be planted in November, 

 none give more satisfaction or 

 greater pleasure than that beautiful, 



planted in 1897 and each year its bloom- 

 is so striking as to compel attention 

 from every passing flower-lover. The 

 terrace was made from clav taken from 



Plant a Shrub Like This for a Similar Effect Later On 



free-flowering, white spiraea, Van Hout- 

 tei. Its season of bloom is June, and 

 though, like other shrubs, it loyally re- 

 sponds to intelligent cultivation you may 

 use it in any place and in any soil with 

 advantage. 



The illustration shows one that has 

 been used effectively as a single specimen 

 on the terrace bordering a lawn. It was 



a foundation cellar. The shrub was 

 planted simply; it never was cultivated, 

 dug around, pruned, fertilized or watered. 

 It has grown naturally into one of the 

 most perfect specimens of its kind. 



PlaiU your own garden and water 

 your own soil. Consult experts within 

 reach, but work with your own spade. 



