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HOME AND FLOWERS 



desire a large hedge. If allowed to grow 

 to suit themselves the- plants w^ill be more 

 pleasing than they are likely to be when 

 closely clipped, as they will have less 

 formality. 



This shrub should preferably be set in 

 spring, thongh fall planting can be done 

 if necessary, without any risk of losing the 

 plants. Spring-set plants get a better and 

 earlier start. 



If a standard is desired for some prom- 

 inent place on the lawn, select for the pur- 

 pose a strong, well-rooted plant. Cut 

 away all but one shoot, and do not allow 

 this to branch until it has reached the 

 height where you desire the head of your 

 little tree to be. Then nip off the end of 

 it. This will induce branching below. 

 Allow only five or six branches near the 

 top, to grow. In this way you secure a 

 foundation for the body of your plant. 



Hydrangea otaksa is grown from cut- 

 tings. The most satisfactory method of 

 securing a plant is to purchase a young 

 one from the florist. Pot it in rich loam, 

 and give it plenty of water when growing. 

 It will generally make its strongest growth 

 during the early part of the season, though 

 it grows more or less all summer. Small 

 plants not more than six or eight inches 

 in height often produce clusters of flowers 

 larger than the pot they are growing in. 

 But if you want a large plant with which 

 to decorate 3^our porch discourage early 

 blooming, and force the plant to throw 

 all its energies into the production of 

 branches. If not allowed to bloom it will 

 grow vigorously, but if a small plant is 

 permitted to develop flowers you can not 

 expect much else from it that season. 

 Better postpone flowering until you have 

 formed a strong plant with at least a dozen 

 branches, each of which ought to give 

 you a cluster of blossoms next season. 

 Make the soil strong and rich, and keep 

 it so as long as growth is going on. See 

 that the plant never gets dry at the roots. 

 As a general thing buds are formed soon 

 after growth begins. These develop into 

 flowers along about midsummer — some- 



times earlier — and they last until the time 

 comes to put the plant in the cellar for 

 winter, though in September they take on 

 a reddish green look which is far less 

 ornamental than the pink tints which 

 characterize them while in their prime. 

 To secure a fine specimen repot it when- 

 ever its roots fill the old pot, and keep on 

 doing this until you have a plant of the 

 size you desire. After that do not shift 

 to a larger pot or tub, but depend on liquid 

 fertilizers to keep it vigorous. Frequent 

 cutting back has a tendency to thicken up 

 a plant and make it compact, as the illus- 

 tration which accompanies this article 

 shows. The plant from which the photo- 

 graph was taken is five years old, is grown 

 in a tub eighteen inches across, and goes 

 into the cellar in November each year and 

 remains there until March. Last season 

 it had over two hundred flower clusters 

 on it at one time. While in the cellar it 

 is kept quite dry. Frequently it loses 

 many of its old leaves, but no harm is done 

 if this occurs. While in cold storage keep 

 it as dormant as possible, thus imitating 

 the process by which nature cares for de- 

 ciduous plants out-of-doors during the 

 winter. If kept in too warm a place, and 

 especially one where there is considerable 

 light, premature growth often sets in. 

 This must be prevented if you want a 

 strong plant. Keeping it dry at the roots 

 discourages early growth, but a low tem- 

 perature is also necessary, and the ab- 

 sence of light is quite desirable in order to 

 secure complete dormancy. 



Whatever pruning is done should be 

 done early in spring before much growth 

 is made. Cut away superfluous branches 

 and all weak ones, and shorten those which 

 have outgrown others, until you have 

 brought the plant to symmetrical shape. 

 If repotting is to be done, do it then. If 

 your plant has reached the limit of root- 

 room which you feel disposed to give it 

 apply whatever fertilizer you prefer as 

 soon as active growth begins, hut not he- 

 fore. Some persons do their pruning after 

 the young branches have got well started. 



