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HOME AND FLOWERS 



that big stone heap. If he had been a 'cow' of 

 uncertain temper it might happen that way. 

 Miss Betty was lighter of foot than a chamois 

 or a mountain goat, if she climbed anything 

 that 'Old Bruiser' could not! I hope you will 

 take this as it is meant, and if you ever visit 

 New York state, my husband* and myself will 

 extend a hearty welcome to you and yours. The 

 conservatory of which I wrote is an ideal place 

 for plants, and I have splendid success with 

 them, due in a large measure to what I have 

 learned from your writings. Success to Home 

 AND Flowers and to you." 



The only explanation I have to offer is this: 

 Old Bruiser, like many men, felt that the fact 

 that he had his victim at a disadvantage, and 

 could Tceep her so, was more satisfactory .to him 

 than more summary punishment would have 

 been. He preferred to tantalize her indefinitely, 

 because he was such a knowing old fellow that 

 he understood how much Miss Betty, being a 

 woman, would resent such treatment. See? 



OUR READERS^ PERPLEXITIES 



'Roses and Chrysanthemums.— H. B.) The 

 fact that your Kose was transplanted in spring 

 may account for its failure to bloom. But the 

 scorched appearance of its foliage, coming 

 later in the season, indicates a diseased con- 

 dition. I would strip and burn all crippled 

 foliage, cutting back the branches most badly 

 affected. I would manure the plant well, using 

 old cow manure in preference to anything else, 

 and bone meal if cow manure is not at hand. 

 Aim to increase, by liberal feeding and the 

 removal of all weakened growth, the lowered 

 vitality of the plant. As to Chrysanthemums, 

 I think you must have misunderstood the florist 

 somewhat. What he meant was this: In order 

 to secure very large flowers, nip out all the huds 

 but one or two on each branch. This throws 

 the strength of the plant into the development 

 of these buds, and if this treatment is accom- 

 panied by liberal feeding enormous flowers re- 

 sult. But I wouldn't advise you to do this. I 

 much prefer a plant with a good many branches, 

 and a good many flowers on each branch. If 

 you fertilize your plants well you will have 

 flowers of good size, and* a cluster of them will 

 be found much superior, in an artistic sense, 

 to an overgrown blossom which is nothing more 

 or less than a floral monstrosity — something to 

 wonder at for its bigness rather than to admire 

 ■for its beauty. The secret of fine Chrysanthe- 

 mums is high culture— plenty of nutriment in 

 the soil, and the liberal use of water. Never 

 let a plant get dry at the roots or starve. 



Coppe?-dMie.— (Mrs. J. S.) Copperdine is a 

 preparation similar in character to the Bor- 

 deaux mixture so extensively used by market 

 and small fruit gardeners to destroy bacteria 

 and fungus on plants and fruits. It is, prac- 

 tically, the same thing as the "mixture," but a 

 concentrated form of it put up for the con- 

 venience of those who do not care to go to the 

 trouble of making the ordinary fungicide. Sev- 

 eral correspondents have written me that they 

 are unable to procure the article of any drug- 

 gist, and that many florists tell them there is 

 no such preparation. This assertion only goes 

 to prove that some florists are not as up-to-date 

 as they ought to be. There is such a prepara- 

 tion, and all the leading plant dealers keep it in 

 stock, or can procure it for their customers when 

 requested to do so. Directions for its use will 

 be found in the jars or bottles in which it is 

 sold. Its effect is exactly similar to that of 

 the popular Bordeaux mixture, but, unlike that 

 preparation, it leaves no sediment of lime on 

 the foliage to disfigure it. It is the only thing 

 I know of that will prevent the spread of 

 bacterial diseases among plants in the window 

 garden and greenhouse. 



Japonicas.— {Mrs. J. E. S.) This correspon- 

 dent writes: "My Japonicas are dying. Please 

 tell me what to do for them?" I can not be 

 expected to answer such questions, because they 

 leave me entirely in the dark as to the cause 

 of trouble. Plants may die from many causes, 

 and the only means I have of forming an 

 opinion as to the cause, in each case, is the 

 knowledge given by the questioner as to how the 

 plants have been treated. I am as much at a 

 loss, when a question like the one given above 

 is asked me, as a physician would be if you 

 went to him with the information that a mem- 

 ber of the family was sick, and expected that 

 to be suflicient for him to diagnose the case 

 from. When your plants get sick tell me how 

 they have been cared for, all about soil, water- 

 ing, fertilizers used, insects, etc., and from this 

 information I may be able to tell you what is 

 wrong, and suggest a remedy. But not without 

 it. Bear this in mind. 



CaUa.— (E.) This plant can be kept growing 

 all summer, and the year round, if one prefers 

 that method, but it generally results in few 

 flowers — sometimes not any. The plant needs 

 a season of rest. My method is to put the plant 

 out-of-doors in summer. I leave it in its pot, 

 which I turn down on its side. No attention 

 whatever is given it. Of course, the old leaves 

 die off. In September I take the root out of 

 the old soil and put in rich, fresh earth. I 

 water sparingly until growth begins. Then I 

 give more and more, as the plant develops. 



