November, 1918 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



123 



Winter Quarters for the Tender 

 Plants 



IN THE case of owners of collections of Palms 

 and other decorative plants the ruling of the 

 Fuel Administration allowing 50 per cent of 

 their yearly consumption (based on an average 

 of the past three years), is certain to work some 

 hardships. But the case is by no means hope- 

 less, and with close application it will be easy 

 not only to save these plants but to have 

 them in tip top condition in the spring. 



In the past it was customary to keep these 

 plants at all times in a growing temperature. 

 This of course meant that the greenhouses must 

 be heated during September and October. This 

 year we have already saved the coal that we would 

 nave burned during that period. We will not 

 make any effort to grow the plants during the 

 winter season, as absolute rest, at a much lower 

 temperature, will assure the safe wintering of 

 this class of plants. 



Until such time as continuous freezing weather 

 prevails, wood fires could be started in the late 

 afternoon. If the body of water is thus prop- 

 erly heated and the greenhouse closed tightly 

 it will retain sufficient heat until the sun strikes 

 the house in the morning. During this period 

 the ventilators will be closed before the sun goes 

 down, trapping much of the sun heat. The 

 plants must be kept comparatively dry at night. 

 If properly hardened, they can stand consider- 

 able hardships. Too much spraying, especially 

 in the evening, or overwatering at the roots will 

 cause the foliage to turn yellow. 



Consider a house of Palms and other exotic 

 plants of similar character that are usually grown 

 at a night temperature of from 65 to 70 de- 

 grees. In these conditions the plants grow rap- 

 idly and they are consequently "soft"; this means 

 they must be spaced sufficiently to avoid crowd- 

 ing, and so the greenhouse is only filled to about 

 two thirds its capacity because of the danger 

 of the plants being injured by contact. Plants 

 that are properly "hardened" and that are 

 being wintered at a temperature of 50 degrees 

 can be stored very close without danger. Doub- 

 ling up the contents of house or compartment 

 will permit the use of proportionately more coal 

 where the exacting plants are being grown, such 

 as Orchids. In order to save the more valuable 

 plants that have taken years to grow it may be 

 possible for neighbors to pool their interests by 

 wintering the valuable plants in one greenhouse. 



WATERING IN WINTER 



Plants that are resting should be kept com- 

 paratively dry. When they are not growing 

 briskly they cannot utilize the moisture normal 

 in a high temperature. Excess of moisture causes 

 mildew, or the foliage turns yellow. The little 

 spraying to be done should be attended to in the 

 morning on a rising temperature; under no cir- 

 cumstances should the foliage ever be wet at 

 night. Wet plants and a low temperature mean 

 certain destruction. 



Any more water in the soil than the plant can 

 utilize is detrimental to the health of the plant. 

 When growing vigorously, there is little danger of 

 overwatering. Soil that remains wet for any 

 time becomes sour and is harmful to plants. 

 Overwatering the plants when resting causes the 

 roots to decay, a condition which is not percept- 

 ible to the eye until it is too late to correct it. 



Nor is it safe to feed plants in a low tempera- 

 ture for the root action is lowered. Well nour- 

 ished roots with an unfavorable atmosphere will 

 not produce a healthy growth, nor will a favor- 

 able atmosphere and an impoverished soil. A 

 poor soil is preferred for plants that are being 

 wintered at a low temperature but don't repot 



the plants now into poor soil. The proper time 

 to repot is after the resting period, when they are 

 starting into growth. 



Just because this land of ours has been a land 

 of plenty, we have been wasteful, and neglectful 

 in small attentions that total heavily. How 

 many owners of greenhouses, for example, have 

 ever had their heating system looked over to as- 

 certain its efficiency? How many have resorted 

 to the screening of the ashes? How many know 

 whether the fires are properly banked during the 

 day? By cutting close on all the corners and 

 applying a little thought to our problems we will 

 be able to save most of the valuable plants which 

 may be lost if we simply become panic stricken. 

 Closing the vents while the sun is still on the 

 house so that as much as possible of the natural 

 sun heat may be saved; having the chimney 

 really cleaned; and the furnace cleaned daily, 

 are but plain common sense applications. The 

 curtailment of fuel does not necessarily spell dis- 

 aster. Quite the contrary, indeed. 



Why Electric Heat Will Fail.— If I could 

 have but one, The Garden Magazine would 

 be my choice. Of course I find some articles 

 more interesting than others, but I read all the 

 text and most of the advertisements and find 

 it all profitable. I do, however, hope The Gar- 

 den Magazine will not treat us to many articles 

 like that of last November on Electrical Heating 

 of Hotframes. The writer opened with the 

 statement that he had never tried it, and then 

 proceeded to demonstrate the practicability of 

 electricity for that purpose. It is not practicable. 

 The expense is prohibitive, not for installation or 

 current, but for repairs. In the present state 

 of the art, none but the fabulously rich can use 

 electricity for heat. The heating units and 

 switches are continually going out of commission, 

 are difficult to repair, and entire new units and 

 switches are frequently necessary. — Arthur Mc- 

 Causland. 



— Our correspondent is probably quite correct — 

 we are not converted to the idea of electric heat 

 ourselves, but the article was written as a pres- 

 entation of the possibilities because several 

 readers had actually raised the question — and 

 we tried to satisfy their search for knowledge 

 by telling how it could be done. — Ed. 



The Rose Bug. — Will you kindly advise me 

 is there any precaution I can take with prepara- 

 tion of the ground this fall against the ravages 

 of the rose chafer or rose bug? I have bought 

 an old place that has not had attention for several 

 years. With it some fine old grape vines that 

 once bore more than thirty bushels from one vine. 

 In June the vines were set as thick as leaves with 

 buds, and after an invasion of rose bugs only 

 one bunch that hung under a chipping sparrow's 

 nest was left to develop. Hand picking was 

 out of the question. Everything was completely 

 covered. They also attacked the new hardy 

 Hydrangea hedge, Deutzias and a few old 

 fashioned Roses. Color seems to make no differ- 

 ence. 



As they go into the ground it seems as if 

 something could be done to saturate it. I am 

 anxious to put in a fine Rose garden but dare 

 not try it until this pest is under control. I 

 sprayed with bordeaux and heavily with arsenate 

 of lead and kerosene emulsion but it seemed of 

 no avail. — 0. U. Swift, Bennington, N. H. 

 — The rose bug bores into the ground during 

 the winter. Would spraying the ground with 

 bisulphide of carbon, which being heavier than 

 air will penetrate the ground, be effective? It is 

 of course useless to attack insects with a fun- 

 gicide, like bordeaux. — Ed. 



Dreer's "Matchless Dozen" 

 Hardy Perennial Phlox 



Twelve distinct varieties selected from a collection of over one 

 hundred sorts, some of them new varieties and colors of recent 

 introduction, others the cream of the best older sorts. An 

 assortment of twelve varieties that is not possible to surpass. 

 You can plant Phlox at any time so long as the ground is not 

 actually frozen. 



Elizabeth Campbell. Bright salmon-pink with 



lighter shadings and dark crimson eye. 

 Europa. Vigorous white with decided crimson- 

 carmine eye. 

 Gefion. Tender peachblossom pink with bright 



rose eye. 

 Mrs. Jenkins. The best all round pure white. 

 Riverton Jewel- Beautiful shade of mauve-rose, 



illuminated by a brilliant carmine-red eye. 

 R. P. Sruthers. Bright rosy-carmine, with claret- 

 red eye. 

 Rynstrom. Beautiful carmine-rose. 

 Thor. Beautiful salmon-pink, overlaid with a deep 



scarlet glow, large white halo and aniline-red eye. 

 Von Lassburg. Purest white with exceptional 



large flowers. 

 Viking. One of the latest to flower, a pleasing soft 



salmon-rose. 

 W. C. Egan. One of the largest flowering sorts, a 



pleasing shade of soft pink. 



Widar. Bright reddish violet with large white centre. 



25 cts. each; $2.50 per dozen; $15.00 per 100. 



The set of 1 2 varieties for $2.50 postpaid. 



Our Fall Catalogue also gives a complete list of seasonable Seeds, 



Plants and Bulbs for outdoors, window garden and conservatory. 



A copy mailed free to anyone mentioning this magazine. 



HENRY A. DREER 



714-716 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 



Clear Out the 

 Dead Wood! 



Clear out the shrubs 

 winter killed last year. 

 It is still time to 

 transplant a 1 1 

 hardy nursery 

 products that 

 start to thrive in 

 very early 

 spring. 



Over 800 acres of specially selected stock to choose from. 



Our nurseries are 20 minutes from Penn. Terminal N.Y.C. 



Pay us a visit, phone or write. Booklet on request. 



American Nursery Co. Flushing, L. I., N. Y. 



ORCHIDS 



Largest importers and growers of 

 Orchids in the United States 



Send twenty-five cents for catalogue. This Amount will bs refunded 

 on your firit order. 



LAGER ft HURRELL 

 Orchid Growers and Importer* SUMMIT, N. J. 



i 3ii'.} r I>estroy Tree Pests. Kill San Jose Scale, Apple Scab, 



vfei-*-'.. ; Fungi, lice, bugs and other enemies of vegetation by 



■ ;j spraying with 



COOD'SSSSRSHiOIL 



SOAP3N?9 



Doe* not harm the trees— fertilizes soil and aids healthy 

 growth. Used and endorsed by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



rprr Our valuable book on Tree and Plant 



r IxEiJli Diseases. Write for it to-day. 

 James Good, Original Maker, 2111-15 E. Susquehanna Ave., Phila. 



Hicks Bi$ ii 

 Save Ten Ye) 



You will be de- 

 lighted with a truck 

 load of trees like 

 these, fruit trees 

 that bear sooner 

 than usual, old li- 

 lacs, syrinsra and 

 tall evergreens to 

 make the place 

 cozy all winter. 



Safe arrival by 

 rail and satisfactory 

 growth guaranteed. 



Hicks Nurseries 



Westbury 



Long Island 



Box M Phone 6S 



Advertisers will appreciate your mentioning The Garden Magazine in writing — and we will, too 



