July 29, 1S96.] 



Garden and Forest. 



307 



they are pricked into boxes or pots of fine soil. In a week or 

 two they are large enough to put into small pots and then 

 removed to a frame where they are kept until the weather is 

 warm enough to plant them in the garden. Some will think 

 that it is unnecessary work to put the seedlings into small pots, 

 but experience has taught me that it is by far the best way to 

 grow them. When planting time comes they are rooted in a 

 nice solid ball of earth and never stop growing when put in 

 the ground. 



Harvard University Botanic Garden. KOOert Lamcron. 



w 



The Propagation of Tender Plants. 



IDSUMMER is a good time for the propagation of various 

 ■ warm-house plants, for, while some care is required to 

 avoid the damping off of cuttings of tender plants, many will 

 root rapidly now and become well established before winter. 

 Among these are such admirable kinds as Cyanophyllum, 

 Sphasrogyne, Medinella, Rudgea microcephala and the Ne- 

 penthes. They will all root more readily in single-eye cuttings, 

 unless short, stocky side-shoots of firm young growth can be 

 secured, the latter forming useful plants more quickly than 

 the single eyes. The cuttings should be firmly planted in small 

 pots singly, and, as a rule, they will form roots more quickly 

 in cocoa-fibre than in soil. They should be kept rather close 

 during the daytime in a propagating-frame or under a bell- 

 glass, and have more air at night to prevent any undue accu- 

 mulation of moisture. 



The Nepenthes will, I think, make more stocky and short- 

 jointed plants from side-shoot cuttings than from eyes, and 

 plants of this description produce better pitchers. The Aralias 

 can also be propagated to advantage now ; some root quite 

 readily, while others require grafting. A. leptophylla, A. 

 Guilfo'ylei, A. reticulata, A. filcitolia and A. Chabrierii usually 

 root in a reasonably short time, but the beautiful A. Veitchii 

 and A. Veitchii gracillima root rather slowly under this treat- 

 ment, and can be increased more rapidly and surely by graft- 

 ing on A. reticulata or A. Guilfoylei. If kept rather close and 

 well shaded in a propagating-frame the scions will soon unite 

 with the stock and will grow away freely in a warm house after 

 removal from the frame. These two (A. Veitchii and its form) 

 are well worth the extra trouble, both being highly decorative 

 in the greenhouse and also valuable for vases and veranda- 

 boxes during the summer. 



The Dieffenbachias also, of which there now is quite an 

 extensive list, can be propagated at this season quite easily, 

 cuttings with foliage being not absolutely necessary for this 

 purpose. A specimen that has become leggy and unsightly 

 from the loss of its lower leaves will furnish good material for 

 the propagating-bench. The stem should be cut into pieces of 

 a single joint ; the cut surfaces should be dipped into slaked 

 lime to prevent decay, and planted in sand. In most cases 

 they will send out roots and start into growth in a few weeks. 

 Poinsettia cuttings may also be taken now in order to furnish 

 the dwarf specimens in five or six inch pots, useful for winter 

 decorations. These cuttings must be watched closely to pre- 

 vent wilting of the foliage and also overwatering. 



The Bertolonias and Sonerilas form pretty little specimens 

 when several young plants are placed in an eight or ten inch 

 pan in light rich soil, and the plants for this purpose can be 

 rooted in a very short period during the warm weather. One 

 point to be remembered in their cultivation is pinching off the 

 flower-buds as they appear, to insure large leaves and strong 

 growth. 



Dichorisandras .are but little grown, though at least two of 

 them are worthy of a place in a collection of stove-plants. D. 

 musaica and D. undata are both interesting and pretty, and 

 form handsome specimens when several young plants are 

 grouped in a pan. 



The various Begonias required for foliage and for flowers 

 during the coming winter will also require potting on before 

 they become stunted, and a basket of well-grown B. glauco- 

 phylla scandens is an attraction for the conservatory. 



Holmesburg. Pa. W. H. Tap! ill. 



Chrysanthemums. 

 HRYSANTHEMUMS intended for specimen plants should 

 now be gotten into shape. Up to this time it has been the 

 object to develop as many growing shoots as possible. Except 

 for a few runaway shoots, no more stopping will be required. 

 If stopping has been properly carried out the tying of plants 

 into a neat bushy form will be comparatively easy. It is a 

 good plan to keep this work well forward. It is a difficult 

 matter to properly adjust the shoots of plants which are over- 

 grown, especially when the season is advanced. Some injury 



c 



must necessarily result to the roots from severe staking, and 

 the sooner the plants are well spread out, and as many stakes 

 put into the ball of earth as it is expected to use, the better it 

 will be. We always aim to complete this work some time 

 during August so as to interfere as little as possible with root 

 development later on. After staking out is finished the use 

 of manure-water should be discontinued for a week, or until 

 root action is again well established. 



In growing fifty or more plants for a season there is some 

 peculiarity about each variety which a careful cultivator will 

 not fail to notice ; whether it is in the soil or the manner of 

 potting, or in the porosity of the pot or in natural conditions 

 peculiar to the plant. Some varieties will take more water 

 than others. It is of the utmost importance that this circum- 

 stance should be carefully noted. It would be an easv matter 

 to overwater Ivory or Cullingfordii at any time, or G. W. Childs 

 early in the season, though later it will take an abundance of 

 water. Louis Boehmer, Golden Hair, Minerva, Jos. H. White 

 or W. H. Lincoln might be watered ten times a day without 

 injury. If these conditions are noted they should be kept in 

 mind" when using manure-water. Weak plants may be ben- 

 efited by stimulants if they dry out freely, but if slowly it is 

 better to use it sparingly. That weak plants need or will bear 

 more than stronger plants is the reverse of true. 



We have tried many kinds of stimulants with varied results. 

 The safest are the best. Unless the exact strength of chemi- 

 cal fertilizers is known it is best to avoid them. Drainings 

 from the barnyard contain nearly all the elements of a com- 

 plete plant-food. If collected in a basin they should be well 

 stirred before being used, as all the valuable ammoniacal salts 

 lie at the bottom. They should be diluted to one-twentieth 

 part to begin with, and made stronger as experience dictates. 

 Sheep manure is excellent when used either as a top-dressing, 

 half and half, with loam, or in a bag to leach out its strength in 

 a tub of water. One pound to ten gallons of water makes the 

 liquid about right for use. Sheep manure is highly charged 

 with ammonia, and its action is quickly seen. If beneficial 

 the foliage will be green and fresh-looking ; if injurious itsoon 

 changes to yellowish green. When this misfortune happens 

 it is due to the manure being too strong, and it must be dis- 

 continued at once. Root injury is the cause of the trouble, 

 but by keeping the plants underwatered for a week or two 

 they will generally recover. I have had this injury happen 

 more than once. Some of the plants affected not later than 

 the end of August have come out healthy, and they have been 

 among the winning groups at the Boston show. 



Many of the plants intended for specimen blooms will be 

 showing the July bud. Except for a few varieties, it is best to 

 discard it. It it appears on Edwin Molyneux, on plants which 

 have been rooted in March, toward the end of the month of 

 July and up to the 15th of August, it should be retained. This 

 variety needs special management in this respect, and buds 

 taken before or after the dates given nearly always produce 

 blooms out of character. 



The terms " crown " bud and " terminal " bud are confusing 

 to many people, even to some growers. " First " bud and 

 "last" bud would be more easily understood. The crown 

 bud terminates the stem at one stage of its growth, the ter- 

 minal bud is so named because it is the last bud formed. 

 Shoots proceeding from below the first bud may bear termi- 

 nals, or last buds. Often, however, on plants from cuttings 

 rooted during May there will be a second or modified crown 

 bud, below which true terminal, or last bud, shoots proceed. 

 It is not an easy matter to define these buds with the terms we 

 have. There are invariable structural characters, but a prac- 

 ticed eye only will note them. All crosvn, or first buds, are 

 bractea'te, and occur singly. All terminal, or last buds, are 

 bractless, and occur in clusters of from three to ten buds. 



Having discarded the first crown bud when it appears in 

 July, we are left to take one of the other two. Either bud is 

 good, and growers are guided by experience. The terminal, 

 or last bud, is generally a few days later in maturing, but 

 is better in color, though not so heavy in build. Where head- 

 room is a consideration, the August bud is the bettor. 



Wellesley, Mass. T. D. Hatfield. 



The Globe Artichoke. 



THIS is one of the table luxuries thai has rapidly come into 

 use in recent years, and now in all gardens of any 1 

 sions we see it cultivated lor the succulent portion ol the 

 flower-head. The plant, Cynara Scolymus, is a perennial, and, 

 indeed, were it not of culinary value, would be prized as a 

 border plant of no mean pretei sion, owing to the huge this- 

 tle-like heads of showy blue flowers and elegantly cut luxuri- 

 ant gray-green foliage. 



