184 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



November, 1909 



Notice the limited earth, space given to this palm. 

 It will grow better for this 



Florists slip geraniums and put them 

 in sand; many people put the slips into 

 water to form roots, but it is easier far 

 for you children and for schools to place 

 the slips immediately into the earth of 

 the window-box. 



The slipping process itself is easy. Sup- 

 pose we have a big old geranium from which 

 to take our slips. It is full of branches. 

 These branches or stems have around them at 

 intervals rings called nodes. The space 

 between two nodes is called an internode. 

 On the nodes are what seem to be small 

 leaves. Press one aside, notice between it 

 and the stem what appears to be a very small 

 bud. Here a new shoot can start. 



So choose a branch, pick off all the large 

 leaves except two at the extreme end. If 

 there are more than two, choose the two 

 smallest leaves. Now it is ready to cut. 

 About four inches down the stem cut it off 

 between two nodes. Do not cut straight 

 across the stem but cut slantwise. 



You have now in your hand a geranium 

 slip which is four inches long. At one end 

 of the stalk are two leaves, the other end is 

 cut obliquely across. Before you plant this 

 slip look between the two leaves and see if 

 there is a small bud. If so, and it is all 

 green, leave it. For this green means that 

 as the bud develops only leaves will unfold. 

 If you see any other color in the bud, pinch 

 it out with your fingers The color tells us 

 that the bud is a flower bud. If this be left 

 on the slip, all the strength of the little plant 

 will be taken up in forming the blossom. 

 A new plant is not strong enough to stand 

 this. It needs all its power for plant growth. 



Plant the slip in your window-box, burying 

 it in earth above the first node. That is 

 the node just above the cut. Thus you have 

 buried in the earth the place where roots 

 will form. 



Crowd the slips in three or four inches 

 only apart. They should not be exposed to 

 the full glare of the sun at first. Some gar- 

 deners say to let the slips wilt before water- 



ing. But it is quite safe to water a little 

 from the first. But do not soak the soil, or 

 the young plants will decay. 



Taking Up Bulbs for the Winter 



"DULBOUS plants, as cannas and dahlias, 

 *-* may be left in the ground until after 

 the first frost comes. 



Some fine, cool day in late fall dig them up, 

 cut off old leaves and stalks, shake off all 

 adhering soil and dry in the sun. When all 

 moisture is dried off they are ready to pack 

 away for the winter. 



The best way to leave them for their final 

 rest is to pack them in a box with some light 

 soil about them to prevent the shrinking and 

 shrivelling of the bulb. If left without pack- 

 ing they lose by shrinkage. It is not neces- 

 sary to bury them. Just a little soil about 

 the bulb is sufficient. 



The box should be left in a cool place, but 

 not where the temperature is likely to drop 

 to freezing. When thus fixed, they may 

 safely be left until the spring planting. 



One Way Clubs and Societies 

 Can Help 



THE time to help children in their work 

 of planting is not past because fall 

 has come and the regular garden season is 

 over. There are splendid opportunities now 

 for help. One of the finest lies along the line 

 of bulb culture. Why not make it possible 

 for every child in your town, neighborhood 

 or district to have his own hyacinth or tulip ? 

 To have a blossoming plant all one's own is 

 a source of great delight, a cultural influence 

 inestimable. 



A little local society in the north of Eng- 

 land has done this sort of work for years. 

 This society makes it possible for every child 

 in the town to have bulbs. Then in mid- 

 winter is a bulb show. The children bring 

 in their blossoming plants and great is the 

 rivalry. It all means much, not to the 

 children only, but to the whole community. 



It is not necessary, hardly advisable, to 

 give bulbs free of all charge to the children. 

 It is better far to charge a nominal amount. 

 A penny places a hyacinth bulb within the 

 reach of almost all children. A child values 

 far more that which he has paid something 

 for. Here is an ethical side which ought not 

 to be ignored if we hope to have self-respect- 

 ing people. 



Bulbs distributed, a lesson given on the 

 planting and care of these same bulbs, is a 

 worth while piece of work for your club to 

 take up this year. The Garden Magazine 

 will gladly help you in this. If you care to 

 have a demonstration lesson given to any 

 number of children, the "children's editor" 

 will come and present it. The October 

 issue tells of varieties of bulbs best worth 

 buying. 



This is an equally good avenue to open up 

 to working girls and all who must lead 

 restricted lives where beauty and growing 

 things play but a small part. It is impos- 

 sible to estimate the influence of a growing 

 plant upon these, our sisters. 



Another society tried this plan. Instead 

 of giving the bulbs to the children to plant, 

 the ladies planted the bulbs, caring for them 

 until the plants came from their resting per- 

 iod in the dark. Then these were sold at 

 a small figure to the children. In this way 

 it was made a surety that a child had a 

 plant well on toward blooming. There is 

 always a certain amount of risk in those 

 weeks of darkness. The bulb may dry up, 

 may freeze, may have numberless calamities 

 befall it. On the other hand, what is gained 

 in security is lost in care. For a child surely 

 values most that for which he cares and 

 works. 



Again we suggest this work to all who wish 

 to add something beautiful to some child's 

 life this winter. 



A Bulb Contest 



A RE you ready ? This is a bulb contest. 

 ■*"*■ Can you raise the best daffodils or 

 tulips or any other bulb in the United States ? 

 If you can you shall have the little garden set 

 of books. It takes up all kinds of gardening. 

 There are eight volumes in it. It's worth the 

 race. Send us your names early with the 

 kind of bulb or bulbs you intend to enter in 

 the race. 



When the blossoming time comes you send 

 us a picture of the result with a written paper 

 on the planting, the time you left the bulbs 

 in the dark, and the weeks from this time to 

 blossoming. 



Suppose you come in second. Then you 

 receive one large book. You may choose any 

 book in our large "Nature Library." 



The third prize will be The Garden 

 Magazine for one year. 



Suppose a whole class at school competes ? 

 Well, that would be all right. Such a win- 

 ning class may choose any two books from 

 "The Nature Library" or receive Country 

 Life in America and The Garden Maga- 

 zine for one year. 



Get into the race, all. We shall be glad to 

 answer any questions, only — you get busy ! 



Dracena is a beautiful foliage plant . The red-leaved 

 varieties are very effective 



