8o 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



February, 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Annuals of the hardier sorts, like Sweet Alys- 

 sum, Dianthus, Antirrhinum, Stocks, Petunias, etc., 

 may be sown for earliest flowers. 



Camellias after blooming to be kept somewhat 

 warmer than when in bloom, but with the air not 

 dry. For those in bloom, a night temperature of 

 45° is the most suitable, with 10° to IS*' higher dur- 

 ing the day. For late bloomers, only enough heat 

 now to well prevent freezing will answer best. 



Chrysanthemoms- The desirable varieties 

 should be decided upon and started up at once for 

 propagating material. Do not grow inferior sorts 

 when the more beautiful ones are quite as easily 

 raised. In the sorts Elaine, Mrs. Wm. Mincke, Tokio, 

 Yellow Prince, Ab-del-Kader and Moonlight will be 

 found variety enough to please every one. 



Cotton Plant. Sow the seed now in good soil and 

 the plants will be ready by spring. This makes a 

 a good house plant, its beautiful yellow flowers 

 being followed by large balls of the genuine cotton 

 and this is quite lasting as well as ornamental. 



Dahlias of any rare kinds, or others, are easily 

 propagated from cuttings. For this the tubers 

 may be started and cuttings taken from the young 

 growth a little later on, and such will make good 

 plants during the summer. 



Fuchsias in a dormant state to be re-potted, cut- 

 ting back one-third or even more, to induce a good 

 shape. With good treatment the young growth to 

 come will blossom profusely. If any earlier plants 

 show cuttings these to be put in for summer stock. 



Hyacinths growing in water are sometimes 

 troubled with furred roots; such should be cleansed 

 by laying them on a sheet of paper and sponging 

 the fur off, afterwards rinsing in clean water. 



Hyacinths and all other bulbs should be brought 

 in for a succession of bloom. At no other time will 

 they make a better showing than now. 



Oleander flowers may be enjoyed early by bring- 

 ing some of the plants to light, and inducing activ- 

 ity of growth by the use of a fertilizer in the water 

 given to them, or by a top-dressing of manure. 



Overhauling'. Most house plants need over- 

 hauling about this time. Any that have be- 

 come weak and spindhng from much blooming 

 or insufficient light, re-pot in fresh soil, or top- 

 dress with fine manure. Any surplus plants 

 might now be cut into sMps for stock for the 

 coming season's use. 



Oxalis should be started up if this has not 

 yet been done. The plants need but little care, 

 aside from good supplies of water and light. 



Pansies, If it was neglected in the autumn 

 to sow of these, one may still catch up by now 

 sowing some in the house, for plants for spring 

 and early summer bloom. 



Plants still in the cellar must, as a rule, 

 never become outrightly dry. To harden them 

 by airing occasionally is a gain in various ways. 



Pot-hound plants. Reference is had to such 

 as have grown weU for a considerable length 

 of time in the same pots and which might ordi- 

 narily need a shift into larger ones. In this 

 state they will usually bloom better, though, in 

 part, at the expense of the finest foliage. Better 



In the latter case one can almost always better ar- 

 range with growers for filling a definite order at 

 planting time, by doing the bargaining now, than 

 to wait. The grower will view it as a sure sale, and 

 can aff"ord to fill the order at a discount. 



Bulbs and Boots of border plants such as Can- 

 nas. Dahlias, Caladiums, Gladiolus, etc., to be 

 looked over, seeing that they are in good condition, 

 and removing any that might show signs of decay. 



Hot-beds are a great help in providing plants for 

 summer; their making is now a seasonable matter. 

 See under Vegetable Garden. Herewith is shown 

 the cross section of a bed heated with an oil stove, 

 and which for neatness and efficiency should com- 

 mend itself to many. We think the engraving is 

 clear enough to guide any one in constructing such 

 a bed. It may be said, however, that the horizontal 

 board surface midway between the stove and the 

 soil is for equalizing the heat; it should not come 

 nearer than four inches from the sides of the bed, 

 and should have some holes bored into it about 

 midway between the center and the edges. 



Lawn. Every second or third year the turf to re- 

 ceive a coat of about three inches of fine manure, or 

 else a dressing of some standard lawn fertilizer 



Plans should be devised now so that work may 

 go on intelligently and without delay when the 

 spring season of operations is at hand. There is 

 economy also in carefully planning work and meth- 

 ods beforehand, rather than to wait till the last 

 minute and then jump at conclusions without 

 thought. 



Seed Sowing. At the South hardy Annuals may 

 be sown out-of-doors. In the North, Annuals for 

 summer bedding, like Balsams, Globe Amaranths. 

 Portulacas, Bracbycomes, Tropseolums, Lophos- 

 phermums, Acrocliniums, etc. , may be sown in heat 

 before the month is out. 



Shade Trees. Too many about the house cause 

 unbealthful shade to human beings, and to the grass 

 and small plants as well. Some should be re- 

 moved, and this leisure season is the time to do it. 

 Cut near the ground, depending on the roots rotting 

 away, or, better stUl, dig down a foot below the 

 surface, cutting to about that line. 



Shrub Pruning may be done at the South. In 

 this work bear in mind that all shnibs are not alike 

 as to the extent of the cutting they will bear with 

 benefit. Such as bloom on the early growth of the 

 same year can be trimmed to almost any degree 

 of severity and be the better for it, both in shape 

 and as to the flowering. Of these the Althasas, 

 Roses, Hypericum, Coronilla, Amorpha, Late- 

 flowering Spiraeas, Burning Bush, and Hardy Hy- 

 drangeas, are the chief ones. About all other kinds 



Begonias, Tuberous. Any that were kept in 

 pots over winter may be started up, a little later 

 giving them fresh soil. Pot those that are out of 

 soil. Seed may be sown now for flowering plants 

 for use late in the summer. 



Carnations. Plants for the main stock to have 

 the cuttings struck with little delay. Keep newly 

 propagated plants in a cool airy place. When such 

 become strongly established and several inches 

 high, they should be stopped about one inch up. 



Cinerarias. One should aim for fine foliage 

 quite as much as for fine flowers. Water the plants 

 regularly. Give some air almost daily. 



Fumigating with tobacco, as heretofore directed 

 is one of the important details ; now let it be attended 

 to regularly. Conditions suiting plant growth suit 

 Aphis, etc., as well. At this growing time if plants 

 are allowed to become infested, hard work will be 

 required to get them in clean shape by spring. 



Gloxinias. One should not wait for the bulbs to 

 start into growth before pottiug. A suitable soil 

 for them is loam, leaf mould and plenty of white 

 sand. Be gentle in watering till well started. For 

 bulbs two inches across use 6 inch pots draining well. 



Hollyhocks may readily be raised from cuttings 

 taken from old plants that have been started up. 



Pelargoniums should be kept growing with un- 

 broken vigor, having fair pot room until broughtto 

 the flowering state. Light, rich soil, no lack of 

 water and fair airing are among their requirements. 



Petunias. The best doubles will be raised from 

 cuttings, and these should be enclosed by a bell 

 glass while the rooting process is going on, 



Poinsettias to be dried off and be set in a moder- 

 ately cool place, which need not be very light. 



Propagation. This is a leading operation for 

 this month, the extent of the stock in May will de- 

 pend directly upon how closely it is followed up 

 now. Many cuttings also that strike with difficulty 

 at other times will now be found to root readily. 



Sedum Seboldii niay be brought from winter 

 quarters and after starting be divided and repotted. 



Schizanthus. In point of blooming qualities few 

 plants surpass this. The fall sown plants are best 

 off in rather small pots during winter, and kept in 

 a low greenhouse temperature. Fi'om now, shift 

 them on, finally getting them in 6 inch or S inch pots 

 for flowering. Air must be freely given. Use a 

 rich open soil and one-third dried cow manure. 



OOR 



FRUIT GARDEN ANDORCHARD. 



Currant Bushes. C'oal ashes apphed as a mulch 

 will help these Pruning may be done at any 

 time when it is mild enough to make comfortable 

 work. The same of Gooseberries. If it is de- 

 sirable to propagate, save the cuttings covering 

 them with damp earth until planting-out time. 



Grafting. *>ne should get ready for this 

 work in good season. Grafts may be cut in 

 mild weather, if not yet done, packing them in 

 fine damp moss or any similar substance that 

 will preserve their natural moisture, and no 

 more. Grafting wax must also be prepared, 

 for doing which see recipes given on another 

 page. The mode of applying the wax is not 

 important so long as the essential object of com- 

 pletely excluding air from the wound on both 

 parts of the graft is effected. In all the different 

 methods of grafting the one essential thing to 

 be amied for is to secure a speedy union between 

 the scion and the stock. Directly to this end 

 and to success the condition of securing an un- 

 interrupted flow of sap from stock to graft 

 must be made certain The particular point to 

 observe is to have the cambium layer (the line 

 between bark and wood) in each part to exactly 

 correspond. Where both are of equal size this 



foliage, but with less flowers, wUl result from ^ 



an abundance of pot-room. Any pot-bound CROSS-SECTION OF A HOT-BED HEATED WITH AN OIL STOVE ^^^^^ ^^y enough, but with large stocks and 



plants, however, to be so kept need free watering 

 and some liquid plant food as well. 



Koses are easily kept too warm. Guard against 

 vermin always. As buds begin to show, small 

 quantities of liquid manure will help matters. 



Sickly plants, Any such are probably suffering 

 either from too much water or from insects, quite 

 often the former. The soil for healthy plants should, 

 by being porous and underlaid with drainage, dry 

 quickly. Sick ones to be re-potted into about the 

 smallest pots possible. In such pots they should 

 remain until a new healthy growth is made. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Bedding Plants. Decide early upon the number 

 that will be wanted, whether to be raised or bought. 



should be pruned but sparingly at this time, only 

 enough, indeed, to direct general form; for, blos- 

 soming, as they mostly do, on wood of the former 

 year's growth, much cutting would result in much 

 waste of bloom. Pruning this class should for the 

 most part be done immediately after they are 

 through blooming and before the regular growth of 

 the season has begun. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Annuals. During this month such kinds as 

 Cockscomb, Amaranthus, Stocks, Cobeeas, Mimulus, 

 Snapdragon, Chinese Pinks, etc , may be sown for 

 the earliest plants. Most other kinds, if brought 

 along too early, become unsightly as a result of this; 

 for sowing such, next month will be time enough. 



email scions the latter must be brought to the 

 one side or the other, or else, two be used. Waxing 

 over every portion of the cut parts and the points 

 of union with care completes the work. 



Manuring Grapes; if growing in a dry situation, 

 stable manure answers as well as any fertilizer; on 

 damp ground it is different. Here diseased vines 

 would result from its use. A much better article 

 is found in wood ashes, bone dust and the like. It 

 may be added that roots of vines in damp places 

 should be encom-aged by surface culture, to keep 

 near the surface. 



Old Orchards whether under cultivation or not 

 require a liberal top-dressing each year of old fine 

 manure. A compost recommended by an ex])eri- 

 enced orchardist is lime and salt, mixed with tan or 

 saw-dust and this saturated with manure water. 



