314 THE GAY, DEH ND UMA GRAN 7 lies 
a= 
fa. 
CE 1880. 
MARK. 
“Sold by Seed Dealers of America” 
If you have never used Slug Shot go to your 
nearest seed store and say: “Give me a barrel, 
a keg, 25 lbs., 10 lbs., 5 lbs., or a | lb. carton,” 
as the case may be, of Slug Shot. After you 
have tried Slug Shot you will find nothing else 
to be its superior because you know from exper- 
ience that Slug Shot is reliable in everything 
that goes to make a useful insecticide for 
garden use. 
Hammond’s Slug Shot Works 
Beacon, N. Y. 
Free Bulb Book 
Gives all details of our plan 
», to supply you with choice 
) bulbs, direct from Ho!land— 
at the price of ordinary stock. 
Tells all about our list of 
Spring Flowering Bulbs 
Tulips—Hyacinths—Narcissi 
Only large, sound bulbs—every 
one guaranteed. Full of vitai- 
ity, sure to bloom early. True 
to name. Orders for fall de- 
livery must reach us by July 
ist. So write to-day for de- 
scription of our Import Plan 
and Catalogue of our many va- 
tieties. Both free. 
QUALITY BULB COMPANY 
$24 Chamber of Commerce Bldg. 
Rochester New York 
Sladioli 
EXiICLUSIVELY— 
Cedar 
B. HAMMOND TRACY 
Wenham, Mass. 
Box 27 
Horstford’s 
Cold Weather 
Plants 
My list comprises the 
hardiest kinds, that 
have stood Vermont 
winters. You should 
see my catalog before buying 
elsewhere. Write for catalog N. 
F. H. HORSFORD Charlotte, Vermont 
and Flower 
Seeds 
that Grow 
Put Life Into Your House Plants 
Your half dead, limp or wilty winter plants will brighten up, 
grow and blossom same as in summer if you use our scientific 
odorless plant grower and fertilizer. Its action is quick and 
helpfal, enriches the earth and feeds the plants. Two sizes, 
25c and soc sent postpaid. Enough to last the average 
household a year. Write today. 
UNITED FERTILIZER COMPANY, 383-K Ellicott St., Buffalo, N.Y. 
JUNE, 1916 
LUB &S@IETY NEWS 
7-7 a VRCPGN ee aS 
NOOO Cue EVENTS = 
IZA!’ 
ay 
aK 
SA'8 
Meetings and Exhibitions in June 
1. Milwaukee, Wis., Garden Club: meeting. 
Dayton, O., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Marshfield, Mass., Garden Club: meeting. 
Albany, N. Y., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
1-4. International Garden Club: summer flower show, 
Pelham Bay, N. Y: 
2. Pasadena, Cal., Hort. Society: meeting. 
3. N. Y. Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, N. Y.: lec- 
ture, “Flowers from Snow to Snow,” J. Otto 
Thilow. 
5. Retail Florists’ Asso., St. Louis, Mo.: meeting. 
Colorado Florists’ Club, Denver, Colo.: meeting. 
New Bedford, Mass., Hort. Society: meeting. 
6. Florists’ Club of Philadelphia, Pa.: meeting. 
Florists’ Club of Washington, D. C.: meeting. 
Minneapolis, Minn., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Buffalo, N. Y., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Pittsburg, Pa., Florists’ & Gardeners’ Club: meeting. 
Lake Geneva, Wis., Gardeners’ & Foremen’s Asso. : 
meeting. 
7. Short Hills, N. J., Garden Club: meeting. 
8. St. Louis, Mo., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Chicago, Ill., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Omaha, Neb., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Rose féte, Willowmere, Roslyn, L. I., and lecture, 
“Hybridizing Roses,” E. H. Wilson. 
9. Conn. Hort. Society, Hartford, Conn.: meeting. 
9-11. American Peony Society, Museum Nat. History, 
N. Y. City: show. 
10. Shedowa Garden Club, Garden City, L. I.: annual 
flower and vegetable show. 
Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., Hort. Society: meeting. 
The Inconsistent Dahlia 
Y STUDY of the Dahlia has led to me ob- 
serve its extreme fickleness and the fact 
that it can always be depended upon to do the 
unexpected. When raised from seeds from a 
single flower an almost infinite variety may be 
obtained, and if the seeds are saved from an 
especially fine specimen, it can be depended 
upon that none of the seedlings will be like the 
parent. 
Some plants will grow much faster than 
others and bloom more freely under exactly the 
same treatment. For instance, two plants of 
the same variety and the same size, set out at 
the same time and only three feet apart, pro- 
duced entirely different results. One began to 
bloom freely early in August while the other 
did not bloom until after September first, and 
then not at all freely. We are, of course, all 
familiar with their perversity about blooming 
at the pecpel time for exhibition purposes, the 
finest 
after a show. 
There is a great variety of cultural direc- 
tions given by different authorities. One will 
tell you to thoroughly enrich the earth before 
planting the tuber, or plant, while another will 
say to plant in the poorest of soil. One will 
say to water freely while the other says not to 
water at all. Most authorities agree, however, 
that a light soil is necessary for the best re- 
sults. One old gardener, however, told me that 
success depended entirely on the weather! 
After thinking over my numerous failures 
and few successes, I have almost come to he- 
lieve “Inconsistency, thy name is Dahlia.” It 
appears to me that the cultivation of Dahlias 
is almost more a pastime of men than of women 
—of course, in proportion to the number of men 
and women who grow flowers for pleasure— 
and I wonder if their very inconsistency may 
not be the reason why they especially appeal 
to the masculine taste! 
They may possibly appeal on account of the 
freedom of bloom and the extent to which the 
flowers and even the plants may be cut back 
without injury and even with the very best re- 
sults. The more you pinch off the new shoots 
and buds the larger flowers you have, but also 
the fewer. I believe that, starting with but 
one stem at the ground, it is desirable to allow 
but one third the shoots to develop; pick off 
two out of every three both on the main stalk 
and also the branches. This produces a plant 
small at the base and broad at the top, allow- 
ing a free circulation of air. A plant of this 
kind (if she is feeling in the humor) will de- 
velop quantities of fine flowers, provided the 
roots are able to supply sufficient nourishment 
and moisture. 
After a plant has bloomed a month or so and 
a new shoot starts out near or below the 
ground, it is often desirable to cut off the old 
The Readers’ Service will gladly furnish information about Retail Shops 
owers always appearing immediately - 
N. Y. Botanical Garden, Bronx Park, N. Y.: lec- 
ture, “Mysteries of the Flowers,” H. W. Faulk- 
ner. 
Cincinnati, O., Florists’ Club: meeting. 
Park Garden Club, Flushing, LL. I.: meeting. 
Rochester, N. Y., Florists’? Association: meeting. 
N. Y. Florists’ Club, N. Y. City: meeting. 
13. Syracuse, N. Y., Rose Society: show. 
14. Morris Co. Gardeners’ & Florists’ Society, Madison, 
N. J.: meeting. 
Short Hills, N. J., Garden Club: meeting. : 
Nassau Co. Hort. Soe,, Glen Cove, L.I.: rose show. 
Marshfield, Mass., Garden Club: meeting. 
Cook Co. Florists’ Asso., Chicago, Ill.: meeting. 
Garden Club of New Rochelle, N. Y.: flower show. 
16. Pasadena, Cal., Hort. Society: meeting. 
19. Florists’ & Gardeners’ Club of Rhode Island, Proy- 
idence, R. I.: meeting. 
20. Gardeners’ & Florists’ Asso. of Ontario, Toronto, 
Can.: meeting. 
Gardeners’ & Florists’ Club of Boston, Mass.: 
meeting. 
Portland, Ore., Floral Association: meeting. 
21. Tarrytown, N. Y., Hort. Society: meeting. 
Rhode Island Hort. Soe., Providence, R. I.: meeting. 
Short Hills, N. J., Garden Club: meeting. 
22. Worcester Co. Hort. Society, Worcester, Mass.: 
Rose and strawberry show. 
23. Conn. Hort. Society, Hartford, Conn.: meeting. 
24. Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., Hort Society: meeting. 
26. Park Garden Club, Flushing, L. I.: meeting. 
28. Short Hills, N. J., Garden Club: meeting. 
12 
. 
15 
stalk just above the new shoot. The new one 
will then grow exceedingly fast and blossom in 
a couple of weeks, the rapid growth being due, 
of course, to the fact that it has a fully devel- 
oped root system in good working order. 
This root system, to properly feed the plant, 
must be so situated that it can absorb from the 
ground plenty of nourishment. This means a | 
porous, light soil through which the small roots 
may spread as far as they will—also through 
which an abundant supply of moisture may 
reach their roots, which moisture should con- 
tain the requisite plant food. 
Whatever the results obtained one season, 
and in spite of the inevitable disappointments, 
the following spring finds one’s enthusiasm as 
great as ever, and we are more determined 
than ever to obtain some of the ten-inch flowers 
so glowingly described by Dahlia specialists. 
‘Lewis C. RicHARDS. 
Garden Club of New Rochelle, N. Y. 
What to Plant with Hibiscus 
UCCESSION crops always interest the ama- 
teur who believes that borders should be 
filled throughout the season and who objects to 
bare spaces where well-raised plants should rear 
their lovely heads. A large grovp of Hibiscus 
Moscheutos fills a well chosen place in my long 
border and nothing is lovelier than the warm 
mallow pink and creamy white of the splendid 
blossoms in August and September; but alas, 
Hibiscus is herbaceous! Moreover, it makes so 
late a start and the tender shoots are so slow 
in acquiring stature that constant mortification 
was my portion during that time of glory, the 
Tulip period, until I planted thickly in and 
through the Hibiscus pe colonies of 
Mertensia virginica and Tulips George Shaw 
and Princess Elizabeth. Mrs. Francis King 
recommends Tulip Le Reve with Mertensia and 
it should be lovely, having an advantage over 
the Darwins in being lower in stature and 
therefore presenting its cups of an altogether 
indescribable shade of faded rose and buff be- 
low the Mertensia. Certain yellow eae Mrs. 
Moon and Moonlight, and the pale Vitellina, 
with Blue Bells, would also make a spring pic- 
ture worth space in any garden. 
By midsummer, when the Hibiscus has made: 
a thrifty stand of many tall shoots crowded 
with bright green leaves, both Mertensia and 
Tulip have disappeared and underground are 
preparing for another spring. i 
A plantation of great beauty at very little 
cost is the species Tulip, sylvestris, beneath the 
drooping boughs of an old Willow. The poetic 
beauty of long Willow withes clothed in tender- 
est green of baby leaves, noe above cups of 
warm yellow which sway with the grace that is 
found only in those sappy flowers which have 
never been “improved,” leaves a lasting memory. 
Pennsylvania. HeLen M. SHARPE. 
