AMONG THE FLOWERS WITH REXFORD 



163 



A MODEL BED OF CROCUSES 



E. V. Pickett (Edgewater, Colorado) 

 sends the following practical advice about 

 the planting of water lilies. It will be 

 found useful by those who are contemplat- 

 ing an aquatic garden : 



NEW LIGHT ON" W^ATEE LILY CULTURE. . 



"Success with water lilies will be much 

 more certain if the plants can be started 

 into growth before planting out in their 

 permanent quarters. This may be done 

 by planting the tuber as soon as received 

 in a basket, preferably a braided one of 

 thin material. The square baskets hold- 

 ing two or three quarts that California 

 grapes are packed in will answer admir- 

 ably, and may be had at almost any 

 gTocery store for the asking. Use the best 

 soil obtainable. Rich garden soil is just 

 the thing, or any soil of the fields may be 

 mixed with one-third its bulk of well- 

 rotted stable manure. The basket may 

 now be set in a tub placed in some sunny 

 position out of the wind, indoors if pos- 

 sible. The writer makes use of a poultry 

 house with a large south window, placing 

 the tub where it will get the most sunlight 

 possible. The tub should now be partly 

 filled with water, using just enough to 

 cover the plants. As new leaves appear 

 water should be added, just enough to keep 

 the whole plant submerged. When four 

 new leaves have come to the surface and 

 fully developed, the plant may be safely 



transferred to its permanent resting place, 

 if the weather be fine and warm, by 

 simply placing the basket where the plant 

 is to remain. The open work in the basket 

 will permit the free development of lateral 

 or fibrous roots, and the woodwork will 

 soon decay and will not retard growth in 

 the least. By this method the plant is not 

 only much better able to withstand the 

 shock of transplanting, but conditions are 

 very much more favorable out-of-doors 

 by reason of the advancement of the grow- 

 ing season.'' 



* * * 



Mollie S. Hudson (Marshall, Mis- 

 souri) writes very interestingly about her 

 "old-fashioned flowers" — a subject which 

 appeals keenly to the editor, who is just 

 old-fashioned enough to love the good old 

 stand-bys a little better than he does the 

 new comers who have crowded them into 

 the background. 



A REAL OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN. 



"As SO many bright letters come to me 

 from month to month, I feel I shall like 

 the pleasure of thanking all the contribu- 

 tors — especially Jacob F. Bucher, who 

 wrote on ornamental shrubs in the Sep- 

 tember issue. I have a small area between 

 the front yard and a well in the lawn I 

 want to plant in shrubs, and shall utilize 

 his suggestions. Fred Myron Colby's state-, 

 ment — ^Once in a while in the country yon 



