28 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



February, 1909 





r«* *rwi*. 



Callas in California 



the country the 

 as a boundary 



TN THIS section of 

 A calla is often used 

 fence between two estates, and there is no 

 reason why it should not be as freely used 

 in the gardens of the North, with as much 

 success as dahlias or any other summer- 

 flowering plant. 



The cultivation of the calla is very easy. 

 While it is a moisture-loving plant, it luxu- 



riates in a rich, well-drained soil, but it 

 must never be permitted to suffer for lack 

 of water at any time during its growing 

 season. It is a gross feeder, and the soil in 

 which it is planted should first be thoroughly 

 mixed with well-decayed manure. Callas 

 can be grown to perfection in good dahlia 

 soil with about half the care required for 

 perfect dahlias. 



The plant likes a position sheltered from 

 the wind but with no overhanging shade. 

 The season of growth extends from the end 

 of February to the last of August, during 

 which time dozens of flowers are produced. 

 When a flower has almost opened, cut it 

 and place it in water; when fully expanded 

 it will be a more delicate white than those 

 which open out-of-doors. 



Callas and geraniums can be safely 

 planted outdoors at the same time. Do not 

 be alarmed if the leaves turn gray after being 

 first set out; they will become a dark green 

 and increase in size as the tubers gain roots. 



In California callas bloom from February until August if planted in a position sheltered from wind 



When the planting out is completed, cover 

 the surface of the soil for about two feet 

 around the -plants with a one-inch mulch of 

 fine decomposed manure. This, not being 

 a medium of capillary attraction, will cut 

 off evaporation and help maintain an even 

 soil moisture. If the weather is such that 

 the plants need watering, the mulch will 

 also keep the soil from hardening on the 

 surface afterward. A good idea that will 

 be found of benefit to callas in hot weather 

 is to draw up with the hoe around the plants 

 a little wall of dirt 'about four inches high. 

 Do this at the time of planting, for after 

 the mulch has been put on all cultivation 

 of the soil ceases. 



As soon as the first killing frost appears 

 carefully lift the tubers and cut off the tops 

 about three inches from the crown of the 

 tubers. When the remaining part is dry, 

 clean the tubers of all dead material and 

 lay them in dry sand placed in a dry, cool, 

 frost-proof place. Examine the tubers sev- 

 eral times during the winter; if any decay 

 shows upon them, cut it out and sprinkle dry 

 slacked lime upon the cuts. 



The variety generally cultivated is Rich- 

 ardia Africana, which grows from three to 

 four feet high. The flowers are large and 

 spreading, of an ivory white, changing with 

 age to a paper white. 



A very pretty variety of Richardia Afri- 

 cana, with smaller leaves, is Little Gem. It 

 grows two feet high and has medium-sized, 

 funnel-shaped flowers with a little spread. 

 They are pure white. 



Richardia Elliottiana has flowers of a 

 beautiful pure golden yellow. This variety 

 is of more recent introduction and is valuable 

 for cut flowers. Its growth is not so strong 

 as the white varieties, and, as far as I have 

 been able to judge, it prefers partial shade. 



Santa Barbara. W. H. Morse. 



How to Increase Your Tomato 

 Crop 



A GOVERNMENT employee in Wash- 

 ington, D. C, by the following method 

 of pruning and staking his tomato plants, 

 greatly increased the yield of fruit. He not 

 only had enough for his own family, but lib- 

 erally supplied his neighbors and had enough 

 preserves to last a whole year. His garden was 

 only the back yard of a small -sized city lot: 



He set the plants as closely as one and 

 one-half feet in rows three feet apart (2x4 

 in the very rank growing varieties). He 

 secured a sharpened stake five or six feet 

 long for each plant and when the plants were 

 fifteen to eighteen inches high began to 

 train them. He removed all the laterals 

 except one or two, which, with the main stem, 

 were tied to the stake with strings of white 

 cotton cloth (which would not break the 

 stem). As these continued to grow they 

 were tied loosely to the stake, the side 

 sTioots being constantly pinched off. The 

 increased productiveness was not so much 

 per plant as in the fact that so many more 

 plants could be grown upon the same area 

 of land. 



Colorado. L. E. Paull. 



