188 



CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



the '' Orange Rust of the Blackberry." 

 It is I regret to say common on both 

 blackberries and raspberries. The 

 remedy I believe is prompt removal and 

 burning of the affected plants. My 

 books are all packed up still but, from 

 memory, I think it is called C<coma 

 nitens. There was an article on it in 

 the Prairie Farmer of either 1885 or 

 1886 : I think the former. 



Oleandeps and Aupieulas. 



74. What is the proper soil and cultivation of 

 Oleanders, also that for Auriculas ? I have 

 been very successful in raising the former from 

 cuttings, but I think I could do better with 

 proper advice, etc. — Richard Henry Light, 

 Kingston. 



Reply by D. W. Btadle, St. Catharines, Ont. 

 Oleander — -Well rotted sods enrich- 

 ed with old manure and leaf mold is the 

 best soil in which to grow the Oleander. 

 It should be kept in the winter at a 

 temperature of from 35° by night to 45° 

 by day, and in summer may be placed 

 in the open ground in any part of the 

 Province where peaches can be raised 

 successfully. It is best propagated by 

 cuttings of nearly ripe wood, immersed 

 in phials of water, which are kept in a 

 warm place, if possible on bottom heat. 

 These cuttings will soon emit roots, and 

 as soon as the water is nearly filled with 

 them may be taken out of the phials 

 and potted singly in small pots These 

 plants are subject to attacks of an in- 

 sect known as " Scale," and sometimes 

 are infested by the " Mealybug." These 

 can be kept in subjection only by care- 

 ful watchfulness on the part of the cul- 

 tivator, removing them as soon as they 

 make their appearance. A little spirits 

 of turpentine applied with care, is an 

 effectual remedy with the "scale." I 

 have usually been able to dislodge the 

 " mealybugs " by syringing them with 

 a mixture of whale-oil-soap and tobacco- 

 water, to which has been added a little 

 spirits of turpentine. 



Auriculas — In treating of the culti- 

 vation of these plants, I may as well state 

 at the outset that our climate is by no 

 means as favorable for the cultivation 



of these flowers as that of Great Britain. 

 Our summers are too hot and our win- 

 ters too cold to admit of their being 

 treated in the same manner as cultiva- 

 tors in England treat them. Your 

 subscriber will probably succeed better 

 by obtaining seed from some tirst-class 

 reliable seedsman which he will sow in 

 boxes in the greenhouse in the month 

 of March or April in light soil ; as soon 

 as the plants show some four or Ave 

 leaves, transplant them into pots which 

 have been tilled with soil made largely 

 of rotten sods, enriched with well rotted 

 manure, not less than two years old, to 

 which has been added about an eighth 

 of coarse sand. These should be kept 

 in a mild temperature where they will 

 get a little sun, until all danger of frost 

 is past, then they may be transplanted 

 into the open border on the north side of 

 the house or high fence, where they will 

 be protected from the direct rays of the 

 sun. The border should be made quite 

 rich with well decayed couipost, and 

 thoroughly underdrained, so that no stag- 

 nant water can remain about the roots. 

 When these plants bloom he can 

 mark those that he wishes to preserve, 

 if he is desirous of raising only hrst- 

 class blooms; but if not particular in 

 this respect he may build a frame about 

 them all, and as the cold weather comes 

 on, nearly cover them with dry leaves, 

 and place a sash over them, giving them 

 air on mild days, and keeping them 

 from being soaked with the rains ; and 

 as the weather gi'ows colder, keeping 

 them well covered until the mild 

 weather appears in the Spring. Should 

 a spell of warm weather occur during 

 the winter it may be necessary to 

 open the sash sufficiently to give them 

 a little air, taking care, however, that 

 the leaves with which they have been 

 covered, do not become soaked with 

 rains or melting snows. Great care 

 will be needed as the spring comes on 

 to give them air in the mild weather 

 and protection at night until danger 

 from frost is past, when the sash 

 can be removed and the covering 



