The Floral World 



A Journal For Home FloricMlture 



Vol. I, No. 1 Springfield, Ohio, October, 19OI 25 Cents a Year 



GERANIUMS FOR WINTER 



If one wishes nice plants for winter 

 blooming they must begin in the spring 

 and pinch out all buds and also the 

 new shoots, so the plants will be in a 

 strong, healthy condition and do their 

 best in the dull days of winter. A lit- 

 tle fertilizer worked into the earth 

 will greatly benefit them, and with 

 care they should give an abundance of 

 blossoms. Don't use too large pots or 

 there will be more leaves than flow- 

 ers. Mrs. E. E. Cady. 



Vermont. 



HANDY WINTER PROTECTION 



For tender roses, carnations, ver- 

 benas and chrysanthemums left in 

 the ground before freezing weather 

 comes, invert a small box or barrel, 

 according to size of plant, over each. 

 Before severe weather comes on bank 

 up the earth around the boK. In the 

 spring the cover should be left off on 

 sunny days only, until all danger of 

 freezing weather is past. I have kept 

 plants nicely in this way. Gladiolus 

 bulbs I dry and put in the cellar in a 

 box. Dahlia and madeira vine roots 

 keep best in a box of dry sand. Last 

 winter I set my bedding geraniums in 

 small boxes of dirt, crowding several 

 in each box, and set the boxes upstairs 

 in a cool room and watered them once 

 in two weeks until spring. The larger 

 geraniums I dug up by the roots and 

 hung in a damp cellar. All of my 

 plants did well. Mrs. A. A. Sigler. 



Indiana. 



AUTUMN HINTS ABOUT CACTI 



Early in September, and not later 

 than October, is the best time to order 

 cactus. The cactus is indigenous in 

 the Southwest and tropical climates, 

 and naturally begins to blossom in its 

 native haunts very early in the spring. 



Many cacti lovers have been dis- 

 appointed in their culture owing to 

 this fact, as they begin to order cactus 

 after blossoming time, and become dis- 

 couraged before the next year, and 

 discard them in disgust. 



Bchino cacti in its numerous genera 

 lends, itself to the many drawbacks 

 of window culture more readily than 

 any variety I know of. It is quite 

 hardy, has beautiful spines, and 

 blooms brilliantly as well as profusely. 

 Needs little attention till January, 

 then water with luKewarm water co- 

 piously till after flowering. 



There are no plants or bulbs that 

 will withstand the neglect that the 

 family of cactus will. 



All lovers of the curious and beauti- 

 ful in plant life should try a few 

 Echino cactus. E. Wislizenii is a very 

 hardy variety, has strange, hooked 

 spines like a flshhook, and blooms 

 readily with the simplest of care. Cut 

 off roots close to plant, pot in sandy 

 soil, well drained; water well in early 

 spring till after blooming, then grad- 

 ually withhold water, giving water 

 only when soil seems very dry. Sun- 

 light is the cacti's greatest need. 



Mrs. Sudie L. Patterson. 



New Mexico, 



