FEBRUARY, 1916 
EE 
GARDEN MAGAZINE 31 
brightness and splendor to the woods 
that no other tree does. 
It is so adaptable to garden purposes. 
It can be trimmed back to a compact 
shape or else allowed to grow its own 
superb way. If planted when quite 
small and close together it makes a 
hedge to last for ages. It grows more 
rapidly than one suspects. The new 
green leaves in the spring and the tiny, 
delicate scented flowers along with 
the old leaves of a darker hue last long 
in the memory of a nature lover. In 
transplanting in the spring, pull off all 
old leaves, keep the roots, moist and 
plant immediately after digging from 
the woods. 
Plant some Swamp Magnolia, Sweet 
Bay or Laural Magnolia (M. glauca) on 
your lawn or in the garden. It grows 
to a small sized tree, that is easily fif- 
teen or twenty feet. The glossy, large 
ovate leaves with a silvery gray lining 
and the sweet scented white blossoms 
are an addition to any garden. 
A word too for the Scotch broom 
(Cytisus scoparia), for although it is 
not a native but rather an escaped 
plant, like Hall’s Honeysuckle, it is gen- 
erally spoken of as wild. . The older 
farmers still hold a grudge against one 
of our farmer Presidents, Thomas Jef- 
ferson, for having brought the first 
plant from Scotland and setting it out 
on the lawn at Monticello. The whole 
little mountain is covered with it now 
and many a field too, for hundreds of 
miles away. Its long, tender, delicate 
branches are a vivid rich green all win- 
ter and in early May it is a shower of 
golden pea-shaped blossoms. It clothes 
sandy soil, railway cuts, etc., in princely 
manner. 
Besides the native evergreens there 
are others which are so hardy and of 
such rapid growth that one should by 
all means have them in one’s garden. 
Most ornamental for the formal garden 
is the Irish Juniper, which grows in a 
slender columnar shape, and has a blu- 
ish, green tinge. Its age of usefulness 
is scarcely more than eight years, how- 
ever, and its maximum height is eight 
feet, so one should keep a succession of 
them coming on. 
The Taxus baccata or Yew has the 
same effect and is very long lived. It is 
not as fast growing, however, and the 
color is a very dark green. 
The Arborvitaes are pretty in leaf 
and shape for a few years only. They 
soon get thin and scraggy, but while 
they last are lovely in color and form. 
Plant evergreens singly, in groups 
and as hedges. Then the garden and 
lawn will always look inviting. 
Why You Need a Greenhouse—py W. C. McCollom, ¥5 
AN HONEST STATEMENT OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF A SMALL GREENHOUSE—WHY 
YOU CANNOT GROW EVERYTHING AT ONCE—WHAT YOU ACTUALLY MAY GROW AS COMPANIONS 
HE greenhouse serves two decided 
purposes in the summer garden 
economy — through its aid the 
yields from the flower and veg- 
etable gardens together are increased 
tenfold and the plant enthusiast is en- 
abled to grow for outside work many 
plants that, without a greenhouse, can- 
not even be considered. Quite apart 
from this is the production during the 
long dreary days of winter, of plants 
and flowers to make our homes attract- 
ive, fresh vegetables that far outclass in 
quality the finest outside grown product, 
while the almost indispensable service 
of the hotbed and frame is pretty gen- 
erally recognized. Yet many people to 
whom the question of cost is not a seri- 
ous one are still prone to consider the 
greenhouse in the light of a luxury 
rather than as a machine for increased 
efficiency. 
In selecting a site remember to avoid 
wet, low ground or greatly exposed 
places; that gentle slope to the south 
is ideal; but most important of all is the 
relation to the surroundings, which 
means convenience of access from both 
garden and residence. If the green- 
house be built with a southern exposure 
the service building should be on the 
west end which gives free access to the 
morning sun; if run north and south, 
put the adjuncts on the north end, 
which means shelter from cold winds of 
winter. An even span is generally the 
best, the only exception being on a steep 
southerly slope, in which case a three- 
quarter span house may be more eco- 
nomical to build. Water is the best 
means of heating (and be sure you have 
plenty of it), all coils to be valved on 
both flow and return so that separate 
compartments can be controlled as sep- 
arate units. 
Provide ventilators on both sides of 
the ridge no matter which way the 
greenhouse faces. Ventilation can then 
always be given on the leeward side. 
Though the width of a greenhouse is 
but a matter of preference, the decision 
must be made with regard to certain 
fixed considerations. For instance, the 
narrower the house the less will be the 
available headroom and the greater the 
percentage of surface exposed to radia- 
tion, and in consequence a higher pro- 
portionate cost both of erection and 
maintenance. From a growing point of 
view the wider the house the better. 
Experience shows that a greenhouse 18 
by 50 feet, divided into two compart- 
ments, is very practical and is about the 
minimum size for all-the-year-round 
efficiency. It is large enough for really 
big returns, it has sufficient head room 
to accommodate practically all forcing 
plants, such as Sweet Peas, Roses, 
Snapdragons and other tall plants. 
With two compartments a greatly in- 
creased variety of plants and flowers is 
available because of the different grow- 
ing conditions maintained in the differ- 
ent compartments. Many plants require 
starting at a lower temperature and 
finishing in a higher one. For example, 
the forcing type of Lilies, Freesias, 
Callas; subjects having decided grow- 
ing and resting periods (such as most 
Orchids and Amaryllis). Hard-wooded 
forcing shrubs, such as Lilac, Wisteria, 
Azaleas, Hybrid Perpetual Roses, etc., 
do better when started slowly in a low 
temperature and taken into a higher one 
when actual growth is started. 
ASKING FOR TOO MUCH 
The one great cause of failure in the 
small greenhouse is attempting too 
great a variety, under the thought that 
a greenhouse should produce every- 
thing. True, a greenhouse will grow 
everything, but not all at once! Differ- 
ent classes of plants demand different 
growing conditions and the very first 
thing for the grower to decide is what 
group or class he favors. The only way 
to have an unlimited variety of plants 
under glass is to have a big range of 
growing houses with numerous com- 
partments. 
Mrs. Jones visits Mrs. Smith’s place 
and comes home with a few cuttings of 
a.new Begonia. On her next trip she 
gathers in a few roots of a wonderful 
new Snapdragon; then it is a slip of 
Allamanda or some other tropical vine, 
perhaps a rare Orchid. And these vari- 
ous plants, gathered from various 
greenhouses, she expects to grow under 
one condition or even two. It cannot be 
done. A greenhouse with two compart- 
ments is usually heated for the two 
standard crops, Roses and Carnations. 
These are taken as standards express- 
ing temperatures of about 60 degrees, 
nights, in one compartment, and from 
50 to 55 degrees in the other. These 
temperatures will be found satisfactory 
for a larger variety of forcing plants 
than could be grown under any other 
two temperatures. 
IN A ROSE TEMPERATURE 
The young Rose plants are usually 
put into the bench during May or June 
and a growing condition for them must 
be maintained from that time on, as the 
Rose is very exacting and will not take 
second place. This prevents the use of 
the house for any plant that cannot 
be grown under the conditions re- 
quired by the Rose. Among such are, 
however, quite a number of desirable 
plants. 
Asparagus plumosus and Smilax can 
be grown, and will be very useful for 
cut green during the winter and, as they 
are very productive, only a small corner 
need be given them. Begonias and Glox- 
inias can also be grown in the rose 
house during the summer. Swainsona, 
if started the same time as the Roses, 
will be in prime condition for cutting in 
