THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



liquid manure, meets their requirements 

 in summer. They can be kept in a 

 semi-dormant condition during the 

 winter as before described. 



Winter flowering plants such as freesias, 

 cyclamens, winter flowering begonias, 

 primulas, Callas, Bermuda and other 

 kinds of lilies should be well started into 

 growth by this time. The Bermuda or 

 Easter lily often suffers from attacks of 

 aphis or green fly which appear chiefly 

 at the top of the plants just as the buds 

 are showing, or perhaps earlier. Tobac- 

 co water or tobacco dust are the best 

 remedies. A little dust from tobacco 

 stems sprinkled on the plants where 

 affected, will generally destroy the in- 

 sects without injury to the plant and 

 can be washed off before the plants are 

 in flower. 



Holland or Dutch bulbs should soon 

 be ready to take from the cool, dark 

 positions they have been started in 

 Roman hyacinths especially should be 

 showing good growth and may be 

 brought into the house at intervals so 

 as to have succession of them in bloom 

 from Xmas, and even as late as Easter, 

 their beautiful waxy white spikes of 

 flowers being particularly suited for 

 Easter decoration. The different varie- 

 ties of hyacinths, including the pink and 

 blue Romans which are very similar in 

 habit to the Dutch varieties, as well as 

 narcissus, tulips, crocus, etc., require to 

 be well rooted in their pots before 

 growing them on to flower. A cold 

 frame or the sides only of a box of the 

 required size, and about ten or twelve 

 inches deep, is a splendid place in which 

 to start the bulbs. Pot the bulbs in 

 good loamy potting soil and water 

 thoroughly, place the frame or box out- 

 side in the garden, dig out a sufficient 

 quantity of the soil inside the box, so 

 that the pots when set in will be about 

 level with the surface of the ground ; 



cover the pots with about an inch of 

 sandy soil and spread over this some 

 straw or long manure, sufficient to pre- 

 vent frost from penetrating. A few 

 boards over the top of the box to keep 

 out the snow is advisable. The pots will 

 require no more water until they are taken 

 from the frame, which will be in three 

 or four weeks from the time they were 

 potted. They can be left as long as 

 desired if kept from severe frosts and 

 brought in as required, when water must 

 be given them freely whilst growing. A 

 .cool dark cellar, shed, or room, will 

 answer as well as a frame for starting 

 bulbs in. 



Dahlias, Cannas, Caladium esculen- 

 tum, etc., ought now to be indoors, 

 packed in sand away from frost. The 

 last named bulb keeps best packed in 

 dry sand in a warm room with a tem- 

 perature never below 45 ; dahlias and 

 cannas can be kept in a warm cellar or 

 root house free from frost. The latter 

 also keeps well laid under the benches of 

 a greenhouse, and can be brought out in 

 April or May, potted and grown on for 

 planting out in the beds in June. By 

 this method the plants are in good con- 

 dition when planted out, and at once 

 make a display without having to wait 

 for several weeks, as one often does if 

 they are planted out direct from their 

 winter quarters. It is best to stand them 

 outside in a sheltered position for a few 

 days before planting them out. 



For geranium plants that have already 

 done good service in beds or borders, 

 and which are often allowed to remain 

 and freeze, some favorite oftentimes 

 being lost entirely, as the cuttings that 

 have been taken from it may fail to 

 root. Possibly a few words as to the 

 method I have successfuly followed for 

 years in keeping old plants over winter, 

 may be acceptable to our readers. 



I have often seen geranium plants, 



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