28 



HOME AND FLOWERS 



Floicers for Marl:et.— (Mrs. C. H. and oth- 

 ers.) I can not undertake to advise those who 

 contemplate the cultivation of flowers for mar- 

 ket. This is a matter they must decide for 

 themselves. They ought to know better than 

 any stranger the conditions that must be met 

 and overcome, and they certainly ought to look 

 up for themselves the chances for sale before 

 investing anything in an enterprise of this 

 kind. That is all the advice I can give. 



Asters. — (Washington.) To grow Asters well 

 give them simply a good rich soil, and keep it 

 light and free from weeds. Large flowers de- 

 pend to a great extent on variety, instead of 

 culture. I consider the Branching and Comet 

 sorts best. They do best in loamy soil. Barn- 

 yard fertilizer is as good as anything for them, 

 but commercial fertilizers containing guano or 

 bone meal are good substitutes. Sweet Peas 

 were treated on in the April number. 



Lice on Aster Boots.— (Mrs. A. M. F.) When 

 I discover lice at the roots of my Asters I dig 

 away considerable soil from about them, spray 

 the exposed roots, and dust them over thickly 

 with powdered Tobacco — Tobacco dust, the 

 florists call it. Then I return the soil to the 

 roots, and sprinkle the dust over it liberally. 

 Generally one application of this kind will be 

 found sufficient. Be sure to get Tobacco dust 

 which is fresh and strong. 



JS^ on-Blooming i?ose.— (Mrs. J. A. C.) If 

 your Moss Eose is four years old and healthy, 

 and does not bloom, I am inclined to think that 

 it was originally a grafted plant, and that the 

 graft has died off, and the present shoots were 

 sent up from the root upon which the graft 

 was worked. Grafted Eoses often behave in this 

 way. If your plant is strong and healthy it 

 certainly ought to bloom, unless, as I surmise, 

 it was a grafted plant. 



Oxalis and Freesias.— (Mrs. M. W.) If your 

 bulbs were potted in a compost containing one- 

 third barnyard manure they certainly did not 

 need any liquid manure. The use of the latter 

 once a week simply forced the plants to produce 

 foliage instead of flowers. By feeding plants 

 too liberally we defeat our attempts to secure 

 flowers. If your Calla root was not frozen it 

 mil probably send up new leaves after a time. 



Chrysantliemum Troubles. — (Mrs. C. V.) If 

 the ants overrun your Chrysanthemums scatter 

 powdered borax about the plants. Some say 

 that Tansy leaves will keep ants away. Better 

 try it. Aphides can be routed by the use of 

 Ivory soap infusion, prepared as heretofore ad- 

 vised in this department. Be prompt and thor- 

 ough in its use. 



Pansies in the House.— (A. M. T.) Pansies 

 will not do well in the house because the air is 

 too hot and dry for them. They like a cool, 

 moist temperature. If I knew the character of 

 your soil I could form some idea of what kind 

 of a fertilizer it needed in forcing Violets. But 

 as I do 7iot know this, and as soils vary so in 

 quality and kind, I would advise you to consult 

 some local florist. 



Trouble With Oleander.— (Miss N. D.) Your 

 Oleander has scale. Use Fir-tree oil soapsuds 

 on it, scrubbing stalks and leaves well. Scale 

 is pretty sure to attack all firm-textured, smooth- 

 leaved plants. You can rid your plants of it 

 by treating them as advised, but it is likely to 

 reappear at any time. Eternal vigilance is the 

 price of freedom from insects, 



Calceolorias.— (Mrs. M. E. X.) Sow the seeds 

 of this plant in June. Pot off singly when the 

 young plants have made third or fourth leaf. 

 Keep them growing steadily until September, 

 by which time they ought to need repotting. 

 Six or seven-inch pots will be large enough for 

 them to flower in. Keep watch of them or 

 the aphis will injure them. 



Leafless Vines.— (Mrs. E. J. S. F.) Your vines 

 are without leaves along the lower part of their 

 growth either because they have not received 

 such treatment as was calculated to preserve 

 the foliage originally there in a healthy condi- 

 tion, or because they have ripened the early 

 foliage and shed it naturally, as many plants 

 are in the habit of doing. 



Bulbs After Blooming.— (Mrs. G. E. C.) I 

 never advise any one to attempt to force a bulb 

 a second season. They may bloom, and they 

 may not. You have to take the chances, and 

 one hardly cares to run the risk of getting no 

 flowers. They can not be depended on to bloom 

 a second time. It is always best to get fresh 

 bulbs. 



Maiden-Hair Fern.— (Mrs. A. J. MeM.) This 

 Fern is not adapted to house culture. The air 

 of our living-rooms is too dry and warm. It will 

 live on indefinitely and continue to throw up 

 fronds, but these generally die off before fully 

 developed. You will find the Boston Fern more 

 satisfactory, if not as beautiful. 



Callas.— (S. F. B.) The yellow Calla is a 

 summer plant, and blooms then, "Little Gem" 

 Calla deserves the name of "Big Fraud" Calla, 

 so far as my experience goes, and, judging 

 from the many complaints I receive about its 

 failure to bloom, the experience of many who 

 attempt its culture tallies vdth mine. 



