4 



THE FLORAL IVORLD 



WREATHS FOR CHRISTMAS TABLE 



For years I have grown the halli- 

 anna honeysuckle and bitter - sweet 

 (Celastus Scandens) vines for Christ- 

 mas decorations. The former, if well 

 grown, is a beautiful evergreen here, 

 and will stand hard freezing, the fo- 

 liage remaining green and glossy. 



Make wreaths about twelve inches 

 in diameter of the green vine and the 

 bitter-sweet, now in its prime, with 

 its scarlet berries. I use two bunches 

 together, tied in four equal places, 

 on the wreaths. Then tie with bows 

 of silk flag ribbon one and one-half 

 inches wide. Place one or two 

 wreaths on the table and set the cake 

 (on cake stand) in a wreath. Make a 

 small wreath of the green single vine 

 and tie bows with one-inch "red, 

 white and blue" ribbon — one - piece 

 ribbon, I mean. 



I dump bushels of barn-yard sweep- 

 ings around my vines semi-annually. 

 The vines I have named are pretty for 

 yard decoration all winter. 



Illinois. Annie J. Paddick. 



CARNATION PINKS 



In May I secure my plants from a 

 first-class florist, which I think is 

 cheaper than sowing the seed. Then I 

 can select the colors I like best. I plant 

 them with a little leaf mold or woods' 

 earth mixed with the common soil. 

 When the plants begin to grow I pinch 

 them back, taking out the whole of the 

 heart so they will make a bushy 

 growth for winter. As the buds appear 

 I pinch them ofC. This makes the 

 strength go to the plants. I keep the 

 soil well stirred and free from weeds, 

 using a common table fork. I wet 

 them a couple of times a week with 

 manure water (using cow manure). 

 About the middle of August I lift the 

 plants and pot them for winter, shad- 

 ing a few days to keep from wilting. 

 As soon as they are back to their nat- 

 ural state again, I remove them to the 

 place from which I lifted them. There 



they are set on a board to protect them 

 from worms. I let all buds grow as 

 they appear, and when ready to move 

 in the house I have carnations full of 

 blossoms and buds. 

 New York. Mrs. G. E. Passage. 



A WINDOW GARDEN 



By this time all flower lovers should 

 have their plants in winter quarters. 

 Our sunny windows are a source of 

 great pleasure. Each morning our 

 plants are looked over for new buds, 

 and it is with keen satisfaction a tiny 

 bud is spied. Flowers need much at- 

 tention, but a real flower lover does 

 not consider it a trouble to care for 

 her choice plants. Each day we look 

 to see if a single plant is afflicted with 

 insects. If one is found, immediately 

 the unfortunate plant is taken to the 

 sink and given a thorough bath in 

 luke warm water and soap suds. 



A choice abutilon of mine has been 

 dying, and I could find no cause. To- 

 day I emptied the pot, and there I 

 found four angle worms. The roots 

 were nearly destroyed. I removed the 

 worms, baked the soil, cooled it, and 

 then repotted it. If you have a 

 drooping plant, look for worms. They 

 are a terrible enemy to pot plants. 



Try to let your plants have a breath 

 of fresh air each day. It does house 

 plants much good to shower the fo- 

 liage once in a while. We use a com- 

 mon tin clothes sprinkler. Pick off 

 dying leaves and soften top soil when 

 it becomes packed. Once a week a lit- 

 tle plant food will encourage them to 

 do well. 



I believe plants do better for not 

 continually turning the pots. Let 

 them face the sun one side. Remem- 

 ber, Jack Frost is around, and unless 

 you watch will put his icy fingers on 

 your plants. Beware of him. "An 

 ounce of prevention is worth a pound 

 of cure." 



Mrs. Charles F. Tuthill. 

 Nevi^ York. 



