26 
For spring flowers the seeds are sown in 
November or December. These are slow 
to appear above ground because a little bulb 
is formed before the first leaf shows. As 
soon as two leaves have been made, trans- 
plant the seedlings to 4- or 5-inch pots,placing 
several in a pot and putting them near the 
outside. These young seedlings are very apt 
to suffer from too much water and over 
potting—when the plants have about half 
a dozen leaves shift them to 3-inch pots. 
They will not need another shift until the 
middle of summer when I should put them 
in 4-inch pots. In September shift them to 
5- or 6-inch pots in which they will flower. 
The best soil is a good fibrous loam and 
leaf mold, well decayed horse manure and 
sand in about equal parts. 
THREE SHOWY GREENHOUSE VINES 
Beautiful easily grown vines with which to 
adorn the greenhouses are the Bougain- 
villeas (B. glabra and its var. Sanderiana), and 
the purple wreath (Petrea volubilis). ‘The 
striking feature of the Bougainvillea is the 
large, highly colored bracts. In B. glabra 
they are a rosy scarlet but in the variety 
Sanderiana they are of a deeper shade. 
The purple wreath is not often met with. It 
is a choice plant and a valuable addition to 
a collection. The flowers are borne in 
spikes, six inches long and the individual 
flower has the appearance of a five-pointed 
star of lilac with violet in the centre. 
All these plants are easily grown either in 
pots or trained to columns or rafters. ‘These 
plants are flowered in April or May but may 
be had at Christmas by resting them earlier. 
Withhold water for a week or ten days. 
Then shake out the soil from among the 
roots and repot in fresh soil. Prune the tops 
back to suit your taste. When potting give 
good drainage and until the plants become 
and cut flowers all winter! A 
Some fun in this, 
specimen plant of double nasturtium 
‘WEE, (GAR D BN aVIsAy GAC 7IeNGE 
the greenhouse 
growing flowers in the teeth of a December gale 
Having fun. Pottering about in 
well established keep them in a moist atmos- 
phere, give a light syringing daily, and 
shade during midday. In June put the pots 
outside where they can have the full sunlight. 
In September after the plants have finished 
growing and the wood is thoroughly ripened 
store in a light cool place where they can have ~ 
the sun and yet be cool enough so they will 
not grow. Give only a small amount of 
water for the plants must rest. To get these 
into flower will require about eight weeks in 
a night temperature of 50° or 55°. When 
in flower put them in a cool, airy place 
with perhaps a very light shade and the 
season of bloom will be lengthened. 
A FLOWER THAT OPENS ONLY IN THE SUN 
The fig marigolds (Mesembryanthemum) 
are but little grown in this country. Two 
of them which are showy annuals that may 
be grown either from seeds or cuttings are 
M. pomeridianum, with yellow flowers, and 
M. tricolorum whose yellow flowers are blood 
red inside. When grown in pots for green- 
house decoration they should be in a well 
drained, sandy soil, and an addition of old 
brick rubbish finely broken up may help the 
mechanical texture. Grow them in a light, 
cool, dry atmosphere and give them only a 
small amount of water during the dark 
winter months. 
AN EASILY GROWN YELLOW PEA-LIKE FLOWER 
The genista (Cytisus Canariensis), a hand- 
some evergreen shrub, bearing many spikes 
of small, yellow, pea-shaped flowers, is very 
easily handled and I would not be without 
some good specimens. After they have 
flowered, in March or April cut back the 
plants, give them a small shift and put them 
in a close atmosphere and syringe daily until 
well established, then give plenty of air and 
AvuGusT, 1906 
a slight shade. As soon as the danger of 
frost is past put them out of doors for the 
summer, and syringe daily. Leave them 
out until frost threatens, then store them in 
a cool greenhouse one having a temperature 
not exceeding 40° at night, or in a pit or deep 
coldframe where frost will not reach them. 
See that they have plenty of light and air, as 
they mildew easily. When ready for forcing 
give them a temperature of 50° at night and 
they will flower in a few weeks. 
NASTURTIUMS FOR PICKING 
The nasturtium (Tropeolum majus) is a 
very showy and useful plant to grow in the 
greenhouse during the winter. Give it a 
sunny situation and a wealth of red or yellow 
flowers will be produced from which daily 
pickings can be made. Sow the seeds in 
July or August in 2-inch pots, and as they 
grow shift gradually until in sixes, which is 
ample room for a single plant. Train the 
plants to the posts or rafters of the house. 
Very pretty effects can be had by growing six 
or seven plants in a large pot, training the 
vines over a frame. Nasturtiums thrive 
equally as well in boxes. In this way they 
succeed admirably when grown in a living 
room window. Any good, rich, well-drained 
soil will suit them. 
PLANT FOOD 
The best and most easily handled plant 
food is manure water. To make this, put a 
five-pound package of sheep manure in a 
barrel (so gallons) of water, or use fresh 
horse or cow droppings, putting in enough 
to give the water the color of very weak tea. 
This should be used while still fresh. Never 
water the plants with manure water if the 
soil is dry, as it will do them an injury. 
sal 
Mesembryanthemums—hard to pronounce, but easy 
to grow, and pretty. They open only in sunshine 
