AMONG THE FLOWERS WITH REXFORD 



109 



growing this class of begonias be very sure 

 to provide the best drainage, and be care- 

 ful not to overwater. Eex begonias flour- 

 ish best when kept a little on the dry side. 

 Keep out of sunshine, always, and never 

 wet the leaves, except it is absolutely neces- 

 sary to do so, as in applying Copperdine. 



Begonia TroiihIe.— {^lTS. C. L.) The 

 leaf sent shows disease of a bacterial na- 

 ture. The remedy is Copperdine. I know 

 of nothing else that will check the disease, 

 except Bordeaux mixture, and that leaves 

 a disfiguring sediment on the foliage of 

 all plants to which it is applied. Cop- 

 perdine is essentially the same, prepared 

 in paste form, readily soluble in water, 

 but without the sediment of the "mixture'\ 



Marguerite Carnafioiis. — In potting 

 plants for winter, select the smaller ones, 

 if you are sure they have fine flowers. 

 Some seedlings will give nearly single 

 flowers. These are not desirable for win- 

 ter use. If you have to make use of large 

 plants, cut away a good share of the stalks, 

 leaving the young shoots which are sent 

 up about the base of the plant. 



Renovating Asparagus Beds. — Aspar- 

 agus culture is "out of my line". Those 

 who contemplate starting new beds or 

 renewing old ones would do well to get 

 Dr. Hexamer's book on "Asparagus Cul- 

 ture." The publishers of Ho:\IE axd 

 Flowees can send it if desired. This 

 gives all the information needed, and is a 

 standard work on the subject. 



Lilies. — I would not advise planting 

 these in strong shade. All the shade they 

 require is a little to ward ofl the intense 

 heat of the afternoon sun. They would 

 not be likely to do well if planted near 

 grape-vines, as the latter would rob the soil 

 of nutriment to a great extent, as their 

 roots reach out widely in all directions. 



Celastrus. — This is the correct name of 

 the vine known in many localities as bit- 

 tersweet. It grows in most western states. 

 It is an excellent vine for use about the 

 house where a tall climber is desired. It 

 bears great quantities of scarlet berries. 



enclosed in orange capsules. These are 

 as ornamental in winter as flowers. 



Perfume from Rose Geranium. — The 

 only way in which the amateur can make 

 use of the leaves of the rose geranium for 

 perfume is by placing them in boxes or 

 drawers and letting them dry there. Per- 

 fumers make use of them by a process 

 of distilling the oil which produces the 

 fragrance peculiar to this plant. 



Soil for Bulls.— (Q. W. M.) The soil 

 of which you send sample is good. By 

 the use of well-rotted cov; manure, or bone 



I — , .-—r^— ^ I 



BACHELOR'S BUTTONS 



meal, you can give it any desired degree of 

 fertility. What bulbs like best is a sandy 

 loam, well drained, and quite rich. The 

 soil that suits bulbs is good for hardy per- 

 enials. 



Wiiitering Geraniums. — Old plants can 

 be wintered by hanging them up by the 

 roots in the cellar. Cut away a good deal 

 of the top. Give them a cool place, and 

 let it be quite dry. Or, you can pack the 

 roots close together in a box, and place in 

 the cellar. Give no water during winter. 



Moonflower. — ISTot being familiar with 

 the climate of Oklahoma, I cannot say 

 what the chances would be of wintering 

 the moonflower in the open ground. I 

 would advise lifting the roots and winter- 

 ing them in a cellar. 



