256 



The Garden Magazine, June, 1922 



Few flower buds are produced, due to the method of handling the 

 stock; and the few which appear are removed as soon as seen. 



The young plants growing in one-year groups, as shown in 

 Fig. 2, were allowed to start a vigorous growth of leaves and 

 roots in the spring of 1921. The two largest ones were then 

 removed. A longer time might have been given so that the 

 two smaller ones could have reached the desired size also. How- 

 ever, the sooner in spring the young plants which have reached 

 sufficient size can be removed and set out where desired and 

 cared for in proper manner, the better the growth made during 

 the season. 



To remove these plantlets, a sharp, thin knife is employed, 

 using care that a sufficiently large portion of the parent rhizome 

 having a good number of vigorous roots goes with each. One of 

 these small divisions properly removed from the parent plant 

 and ready for setting out is shown in Fig. 8. The freshly cut 

 surface of both the young plant and the parent may be dusted 

 with a mixture of hydrated lime and flowers of sulphur if 

 rhizome rot is prevalent. One young plant is always left at- 

 tached to the parent rhizome unless other still younger ones 



can be seen coming on. If this is not done and no new branches 

 start, the parent rhizome is useless since it has no new grow- 

 ing point. 



Be careful in setting out these small divisions that the roots 

 and the portions of the rhizomes are not planted deeper than 

 one to one and one-half inches below the surface of the com- 

 pacted soil. Set at this depth, the rhizomes as they develop 

 to full size will be in about the natural position. 



Small divisions of vigorous varieties removed during the lat- 

 ter part of April and the first part of May will usually reach the 

 size of standard divisions (Fig. 1) by August; and by October, 

 the one-year group size (as shown in Fig. 2). Set 5 to 6 inches 

 apart in rows eighteen to twenty-four inches apart, under favor- 

 able conditions of soil and moisture, they often reach by October 

 the development shown by the plant in Fig. 1 1 , made up of one 

 large rhizome and eight vigorous branches, which may the follow- 

 ing spring be again divided. In addition there are a number of 

 still smaller branches. This plant, which is by no means an 

 exception, showed an elevenfold increase in a six-month grow- 

 ing period. 



^ 



c^~ ' 



FOLIAGE PLANTS THAT DO WELL IN SHADE 



Name 



Variety 



Color 



Plant in 



Height 



Soil 



Geranium 



Mme. Salleroi 



Variegated, green and white 



May and June 



12-18 in. 



Average garden 



Alternanthera 



brilliantissima 



Variegated, green and brown 



May to frost 



8-10 in. 



Rich 



Alternanthera 



versicolor 



Variegated, pink, green and brown 



May to frost 



8-10 in. 



Rich 



Begonia 



semperflorens 



Pink 



March inside, May out 



12-15 in - 



Moderately moist 

 leaf mold 



Caladium 



esculentum 



Brown 



May and June 



3-4 ft- 



Warm, rich, moist 



Achyranthes 



Lindeni 



Dark red 



May to frost 



1.8-24 i n - 



Moist and rich 



Achyranthes 



aureo-reticulata 



Greenish yellow 



May to frost 



18-24 i n - 



Moist and rich 



Coleus 



Golden Bedder 



Greenish yellow 



March inside, May out 



1-3 ft. 



Rich 



Coleus 



Brilliancy 



Variegated 



March inside, May out 



1-3 ft. 



Rich 



CROP FACTS FOR READY REFERENCE 



— Phosphoric acid sets blooms and makes seeds and seed- 

 pods form abundantly. 



— In a mixture, basic slag or any manure containing free lime 

 must not be used with sulphate of ammonia. 



■ — By mixing superphosphate or dissolved bones with basic 

 slag or bone flour, the soluble phosphate will become partly 

 insoluble. 



■ — There is a call for potash in the soil when the Onions seem 

 soggy, the Tomato vines lack sturdiness of stalk, or the trees are 

 not thrifty. 



— Vegetables that store up large amounts of sugar or staich, 

 either in root or top, as for instance Potatoes, require plenty of 

 potash. 



- — There must be plenty of potash for Potatoes or Onions, 

 and phosphoric acid for good crops of grain, or Melons, Peaches, 

 Strawberries, and Tomatoes. 



■ — Sweet Corn, and such vegetables that have considerable 

 foliage, and produce much seed stored in starch and sugar, call 

 for a complete high-grade fertilizer. 



■ — For the production of large quantities of seed, and but 

 little foliage, phosphorous must be largely used. The Tomato 

 is an example in this class. 



— The soil is rich in nitrogen when there is a profusion of 

 wild growth on the farm, and when Tomato and Melon vines 

 run to leaf. 



— Large amounts of nitrogen are needed for such plants as 

 Cabbages, Collards, Lettuce, Spinach, etc., grown for their foliage. 





