May I, 1895.] 



Garden and Forest. 



177 



grown so lank and long that they would be unable to recover 

 their proper sturdiness. It is better to uncover too early than 

 too late. Although the winter was severe, I find nearly every- 

 thing has come through in good condition ; indeed, much to 

 my surprise, I find that some tubers of Bletia hyacinthinae, 

 planted four inches deep and entirely unprotected by cover- 

 ing, are alive and sound. Some tubers of Smilax, also uncov- 

 ered, appear sound, but about them I am not sure. Both of 

 these I have grown successfully out-of-doors with a few inches 

 of leaves over them, and Lt now seems tliat even that precau- 

 tion is not always necessary. Until three years ago I did not 

 care much for Ixias — not that I did not admire their beauty, 

 but it was too much trouble to grow them under glass ; but of 

 late I have grown them out-of-doors with complete success. 

 They should be planted very late, so that they shall not make 

 an autumnal growth (the end of November is a good time), 

 and should then be covered with several inches of some ma- 

 terial, the leaves of the Pine in preference. Over these I have 

 heretofore laid shutters to turn off the rain, but I find this not 

 really necessary ; the bulbs will do as well without it, but will 

 be a little later in starting. I planted last November a great 

 many Tntonias and .Spara.xis with the Ixias ; the former are 

 not yet up, but the Sparaxis are doing finely. S. (Dierama) pul- 

 cherrima is dead, I am sorry to say, and somewhat surprised 

 as well, for Mr. Putnam has wintered it in Salem, twenty miles 

 farther north than Canton. 



The Snowdrops, of course, are past, but Erythronium albi- 

 dum, which began to blossom before they did, has still a 

 flower or two. The first Narcissus this year is Miumius, a 

 perfect gem, of the same shape as Emperor, and comparing 

 with it as David with Goliath. Scoticus, which usually takes 

 precedence, is, as yet, hardly showing bud. The flowers of all 

 varieties of Narcissi in my grounds are likely to be very few. 

 No Tulips are yet showing color, the most advanced at the 

 present time being White Pottebakker and Tulipa Greigi, the 

 latter being bulbs kept over winter in the cellar, and planted 

 out April 1st. I tried the same plan last year both with that 

 Tulip and Iris Susiana, and found it perfectly successful. 



Canton, Mass. l^. E. Elldicott. 



Work of the Season. 



C FECI MEN Gloxinias are now in eight-inch pots, and the 

 •^ earliest have a good spread of leaves and promise to 

 be in bloom by the middle of May. A second batch, from 

 seeds sown late last summer, will come in in July. They will 

 be our earliest next season. We find it better to raise a lot of 

 small bulbs each summer, as these always make much finer 

 plants than seedlings raised the current season, no matter how 

 early the seeds are sown, and, besides, it is easier to raise 

 them during the heat of summer. Of late years we have found 

 it better to keep the bulbs in the pots or boxes in which they 

 have grown, than to shake them out and store them in 

 sand. Whenever the bulbs shrivel, as they must when kept 

 in this way, a loss of vitality results, no matter if they phmip 

 up when watered. Our bulbs are kept under the greenhouse 

 benches, protected from the direct influence of hot-water pipes 

 by boards. They will need water two or three times during 

 the dormant season, but we always try them, and if firm they 

 are passed by. Despite the moderate temperature, growth 

 commences early m March, and as fast as a few leaves show 

 we bring them to the light. Our finest plants last season were 

 those which we did not repot. We grew them over, with the 

 aid of a little manure-water, when coming into flower. Success 

 with these does not depend so much on soil, although I used 

 to think it did. Proper location is more important. The best 

 structure to grow Gloxinias in is a low, close house, so venti- 

 lated that direct air does not strike them near the glass, but 

 yet screened by a light shading. These conditions are essen- 

 tial. For a while our plants are kept on the dry side. In fact, 

 they are never thoroughly watered until considerable growth 

 has been made. Gloxinias are to a great extent surface-rooters, 

 and to wet the whole mass of earth means stagnation. Proper 

 aeration of the soil is important. Whenever we find a plant 

 not doing well in a pot we can nearly always trace it to a defect 

 in this particular. 



Seed of Chinese Primulas should be sown nov/ for autumn 

 and winter blooming. I make no choice of the many strains 

 offered. If obtained from a reputable seedsman they should 

 be good. Free drainage and light soil are essential for these 

 in the earlier stages. When well-rooted and ready to go into 

 the flowering-pots late in August a little heavier soil may be 

 used. Opinions vary on this point, and I have seen first-class 

 Primulas grown all through the season in very light soil. The 

 plants will do better during the summer months in cold frames 

 having an easterly exposure, with the sashes slightly shaded 



and well tilted to allow of free circulation of air, night and day. 

 As naturally the plants bloom early, only large specimens can 

 be had by taking out the flowering scapes as they appear until 

 within three or four weeks of the time they are required to 

 bloom. At the same time any poor varieties can be weeded out. 



It is probable that many t)f the large specimen plants of 

 Cyclamen Persicum exhibited in Horticultural Hall, Boston, at 

 the last spring show, were two year-old bulbs. It is a com- 

 mon practice to raise seedlings the preceding summer, and 

 keep them growing for fifteen or eighteen months. For ordi- 

 nary decorative purposes plants in six-inch pots, with about 

 twenty-five flowers, are large enough, and usually can be 

 grown from seeds sown in December. In the early stages 

 light soil should be used. Some growers use dry sphagnum- 

 moss, chopped fine, and broken charcoal mixed with the 

 loam. Charcoal, as an auxiliary in draining and sweetening the 

 soil, is not as generally used as it should be. Heavier soil 

 may be used later. The summer treatment accorded Chinese 

 Primulas suits Cyclamens exactly. Cyclamens have not done 

 well with me of late years. I have been compelled to throw 

 away handsome-looking plants every year, through attacks of 

 the root-gall, presumably, nematodes of some kind. It is diffi- 

 cult to get loam free from them. 



Looking months ahead, sometimes a whole season, we 

 divide up our last year's stock of Astilbe Japonica for lifting 

 next autumn. Those forced this season need resting ; so also 

 with Deutzia gracilis. A few cuttings put in every year keeps 

 our stock replenished ; soft shoots taken now from plants in 

 bloom answer well. I can bear out Mr. Craig's statement that 

 it is better to grow these plants altogether in pots, as I have 

 grown mine in this way now for three years. It is better to 

 propagate Marguerite Daisies and Stevias in June and grow 

 them in pots than to plant them out. Thus treated they are 

 more easily handled and kept in better shape than when 

 planted out. The little blue Paris Daisy, Agathrea coelestis, is 

 an excellent winter bloomer. It is equally good in summer. 

 It seems to me it would make a good bedding-plant, although 

 I have never seen it tried. Cytisus of all kinds when small 

 should be grown in pots ; large specimens, with a good ball of 

 earth, do better turned out. Indian Azaleas may safely be 

 planted out, and even Camellias, but care must be taken that 

 the surrounding soil is packed firmly to the ball of earth. 



Wellesley, Mass. H. 



Indian Azaleas. 



MANY people who have bought Indian Azaleas for Easter 

 decorations will hardly know what to do with their plants 

 when out of bloom. The majority, no doubt, were imported 

 plants, potted in indifferent soil, as a medium for forcing and 

 convenience in handling, rather than for growing them on 

 continuously in the pot. All dead flowers, with the seed-ves- 

 sels, should be picked off, and any soft growth, which often 

 comes with the blooms, should be cut away, so as to keep the 

 plant in neat bush shape. Ample time will be left for new and 

 more even growth to develop and properly ripen before the 

 autumn. It is customary in small towns to " board " the plants 

 until the next season with the neighboring florist. This is, no 

 doubt, a good plan for those who have no garden ; but those 

 who have — and such people are, as a rule, interested in caring 

 for their plants themselves — will have no difficulty in growing 

 them. They will do well in any good garden-soil. A partly 

 shaded position is best suited for them, suchas might be given 

 on the north side of an Apple-tree or Pear-tree. In turning 

 the plants out of the pots it will be found that very few new 

 roots, if any, have been made. The original ball of earth 

 should be pricked, or, rather, scratched, over with a pointed 

 stick, so that the new soil will belter adhere to it. The plant- 

 ing ought to be made in a slight depression or basin, with the 

 ball covered not more than an inch, and the soil packed firmly 

 about it, so that when water is given it should run through it 

 rather than between the sides and the new earth. This is 

 important. The planting out may be done any time after 

 danger of frost is past, and from then until the first of Septem- 

 ber abundance of water should be given — twice a day iluring dry 

 weather, and even^ day or two after rain, although the soil may 

 appear moist enough, it would be safer to give water. After 

 the first of September less water will be needed, but it should 

 never be withheld long enough for the ball to get dry. Some 

 time in October the plants will need repotting, and as only a 

 few fine roots will be found on the outside of the original ball 

 a pot but little larger tlian the one in which it was flowered will 

 be large enough. Some fine sandy loam should be carefully 

 sifted in, so as to make sure there are no air-spaces left, and 

 the whole made still further firm with a lath jammed in along 

 the sides of the pot. The flower-buds will be already set, and 



