The Garden Magazine, August, 1922 



351 



Ground not required for late crops, to be spaded and sown with some 

 cover crops; say Vetch or Rye, or a mixture of both. It adds 

 fertility to the soil, prevents erosion during the winter, and greatly 

 increases the moisture holding capacity. 



Greenhouse and Frames 



See to necessary repairs in glass structures which will soon be needed 

 for winter crops. This is indeed the beginning of the new year in 

 the greenhouse. 



Seeds for Present Sowing 



Annual Gypsophila and Clarkia grown in flats and disbudded to single 

 stems, make fine material for table decoration during October. 

 Sow succession batches to maintain supply. 



Schizanthus for Christmas to be sown after middle of month. 



Sweet-peas may be sown about the middle of the month for flowers by 

 Thanksgiving. Be sure that winter-flowering strains are used for 

 this. Calendulas sown in a coldframe or cool greenhouse will 

 provide cut blooms at Thanksgiving. 



Sow Mignonette in 25-inch pots for planting to be benched next month. 

 Young plants of Asparagus Sprengerii may be planted to perma- 

 nent quarters in the benches. Root cuttings of Ivy, Zonal Gera- 

 niums, and Show Pelargoniums. 



Winter-flowering Stocks to be sown for subsequent transplanting to 

 flats, and then to small pots, and finally benched or repotted to 

 flowering pots. 



Sow Cineraria stellata for flowering next Easter and Primulas for late 

 winter and spring bloom. Allow about seven months from date 

 of sowing until blooming time and sow accordingly. 



Chrysanthemums Now Growing 



Keep Chrysanthemum house well watered at this stage. It is not 

 enough to just wet the tops of plants during extra hot spells. Get 

 the water under the leaves, on the walks and under the benches. 



After August 15th, buds may be "taken" on most of the midseason 

 varieties; while those of the late varieties may be "taken" during 

 next month. This means, of course, the selection of the flowering 

 bud and removal of all others. 



Fertilizers may be applied in moderation after the buds have formed 

 and before they show color. Excessive feeding is the cause of 

 imperfect flowers and cracked stems. 



Roses Indoors 



Roses are in a critical period right now. Hot, muggy days combined 

 with cold, clammy nights are not conducive to the welfare of the 

 plants. Fire heat will be essential at times and a little sulphur 

 painted on the heating pipes will assist checking mildew as will 

 "grape dust" blown over the plants with a pair of bellows. En- 

 courage growth and give all necessary care to induce free breaks 

 to lay a foundation for the winter work. 



Orchids to Have Attention 



While we may have warm weather for some time yet, the days are 

 getting shorter, and the nights perceptibly cooler; and some humid 

 cloudy weather will be experienced before the month is out. There- 

 fore, see that the shade on the house is not too dense. If on a 

 cloudy day the house looks dark inside, the shading is too dense. 

 Under such conditions Cattleyas will have nice green foliage, but 

 will not flower well. Water during the morning. 



Temperature is a variable quantity during August, but keep as near 

 6o°-65° as possible. It will run higher some nights and no harm 

 will accrue if it falls to 58 on cool evenings. Do not close the 

 house up tight on a cool night. 



Fruit Houses 



Borers are liable to attack Peach and Nectarine trees inside just as they 

 do those in the orchard. At the first sign of dust coming from the 

 tiny hole, promptly either cut out the borer or kill by running a 

 piece of wire into the hole. 



Grape vines will have been making unrestricted growth (with no little 

 benefit to the roots) since the crop was removed from the early 

 vinery. Water the border well, and give the roots plenty of food 

 in the late vinery where the berries are fast swelling. If a mulch 

 is already there, give clear water first then dust on the fertilizer 

 and water that. Pinch out all sub-laterals and give an eye to 

 red spider, sponging the foliage at once when that pest is found. 



It may not sound very seasonable to speak now of Tomatoes for winter 

 work, but in sections where early frosts occur it is not too soon to 

 make a sowing to keep up a supply after the outdoor crop is done. 

 If grown in pots until a later sowing comes into bearing they 

 do not occupy any permanent bench space. 



WINTER FLOWERS UNDER GLASS 



AN ADEQUATE supply of flowers for the winter months must be 

 L provided for on a definite plan, worked out to make the most of 

 the restricted space available. It is a mistake to try to grow too great 

 a variety in a small house; yet, with a definite programme it is possible 

 to secure a continuous feast of flowers in great variety until we can get 

 outdoors once more. An example of such management is this: 



Plant Freesias in 4-inch pots, and let them come along in a cold- 

 frame. Sow a good strain of Pansies also in coldframe. By the first of 

 October, the Freesias can be planted out in rows across the bench in 

 the greenhouse. Don't divide, but set them out just as they come out 

 of the pots. At the same time more Freesias may be planted directly 

 into the benches for a later crop. Between these, some of the young 

 Pansy plants may be set out, the rest of the space being used for Myo- 

 sotis, Calendulas, or Dwarf Snapdragons. By the new year the Freesias 

 out of the 4-inch pots started now will be out of the way and these 

 places can be replanted by others, or by Gladiolus America. More 

 Gladiolus may be started in 32-inch pots to follow these; and in the 

 meantime Spanish Iris will be available to follow them. 



In January double Corn-flowers may be started and grown on in 

 small pots, to be planted between the Pansies in early spring and will 

 not interfere with them for some time. 



When the first Gladiolus are cut, a change to things edible may be 

 made. Comet Tomatoes from seed sown in January may be planted 

 in place of them, grown to single stems with 1 5 inches of space between 

 the plants; or more Gladiolus may be used. A scheme like this will not 

 meet the needs of everyone, of course, but it affords a clue to the method 

 of ensuring a succession of crops from limited space which may carry 

 suggestion. 



There is hardly a handsomer winter flower than Bouvardia, and 

 plants set outdoors earlier in the season should be lifted and benched 

 with a good ball of soil adhering to the roots. Pinch back the growths 

 before lifting, and in a month after benching pinch again. Spray 



freely overhead until they are established. Godfrey Callas to be 

 potted up three to a 6-inch pot, later shifting to 8-inch size. Finish 

 planting Carnations as soon as possible. Give plenty of shade for a 

 few days, and discontinue as soon as plants show signs of becoming re- 

 established, or growth will become soft. Syringe overhead frequently. 



Snapdragons for early winter-flowering to be benched as soon as 

 possible. Stevia planted outdoors to be kept pinched back, as they are 

 likely to get too tall and they break only too readily at best. Where 

 there is room make preparations to have the plants lifted and potted. 

 If possible put into a deep frame where they can be shaded until re- 

 established. 



Cuttings of Coleus, Alternanfhera, and other bedding plants root 

 readily at this time, and will make nice stock plants by November, and 

 will then furnish any number of cuttings. Bench Marguerites for 

 winter-flowering. Plants carried along from the spring in 4-inch pots 

 with the wood somewhat hardened give the best results. 



Lilium formosum bulbs to be planted, and allowed to come along in a 

 coldframe covered with six inches of soil. 



Small plants of the winter-flowering Begonias may be purchased in 

 small pots and grown on for Christmas. They do most of their growing 

 during the next two months and with only ordinary care good results 

 may be expected in any greenhouse. 



Adiantums weakened by frequent cutting need rest by gradually 

 letting up on the water supply, and maintaining a progressively dryer 

 atmosphere. When the plants show any renewed activity, top-dress 

 with equal parts of old cow manure and good loam, or some approved 

 commercial fertilizer. 



Bulbs for forcing to be ordered at once and planted as soon as re- 

 ceived. The early Roman Hyacinths and Polyanthus Narcissus are 

 the first to hand. Use fibrous soil intermixed with one third well- 

 decayed manure. Water well after planting and place in a bulb cellar 

 to root, or outdoors covered with six inches of soil or coal ashes. 



