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HOME AND FLOWER 



prise you by doing well. The only way to make 

 sure is by trying them. There are also many 

 more hardy plants which you could exj^erimeut 

 with, if so inclined. 



FLORAL PERPLEXITIES' FROM 

 THE SOUTH 



By Mrs. G. T. Drennan 



[All questions regarding floriculture, from 

 the Ohio and Potomac Elvers to tbe G-ulf of 

 Mexico - which are the limits of Southern gar- 

 (iens — w'ill receive careful attention and prompt 

 responses.] 



Mr. Benj. Morse, Atlanta, G^a. — The Tama- 

 rix is evergreen, of weeping habit and produces 

 long panicles of feathery pink flowers. At a 

 glance it has the singular appearance of a 

 Cedar in bloom. Perfectly hardy in Ne^v Or- 

 leans, but would require a heavy mulch or some 

 protection in exposed positions in Atlanta. 



Miss Mary T., Memphis, Ten)!. — The Bird of 

 Paradise is a species of Poinciana, bloozning 

 the second year from seeds which are borne in 

 pods, like legumes. The foliage is quite like 

 the Mimosa; the flowers sulphur yellow with 

 long, protruding, brilliant red anthers. Xot 

 hardy in Memphis. The plants require protec- 

 tion, during the winter in Lexington, Miss., 

 which is considerably south of Memphis. The 

 Poinciana, in Louisiana and Florida, makes a 

 beautiful little tree. It blooms from April or 

 May till frost. 



Mrs. J. C. C, Kyle, Hays county, Texas.— 

 Madame Moreau, in deep rose-color, and Blanche 

 Moreau, in pure white, are reliable ever-bloom- 

 ing Moss Roses. Both are heavily mossed. 

 They can be had of any floral firm. Your 

 Tuberoses evidently suffer for water. Unless 

 the soil under the roots that put forth under 

 the bulb is kept moist and never allowed to dry 

 the flowers will be imperfect. In pots, unless 

 the bulb and its rootlets are kept moist, the top- 

 most buds of the Tuberose stalk will wither 

 and none of the flowers open ^vide. Give your 

 garden-grown bulbs more water and have the 

 soil open for it to penetrate. 



Mrs. W. Sc't. H., Newport News, Virgima.— 

 Your Asparagus Fern is probably turning yel- 

 low from stagnant moisture. Drain the soil by 

 free openings under the bottom of pot. Water 

 sparingly and set in the shade. On signs of re- 

 covery, give more water, and more sunlight. 

 Also mulch the surface with some rather rough, 

 fibrous garden soil. The surface roots may be 

 exposed. Unless your Chrysanthemums are in- 



tended for exhibition purposes, let the side 

 shoots grow; or draw them from the soil, run- 

 ning a sharp knife betAveen each and the main 

 root and pot in damp, sandy soil, set in the 

 shade. Roots will form at once. Unless your 

 Jerusalem Lherry is in a pot, I would advise 

 not to ship, until late fall or winter. If pot 

 and plant, without any disturbance of the roots, 

 can be shipped, one time is as good as another. 

 Xo plant should be uprooted when full of fruit. 



Mrs. J. G.., Baton Bouge, La. — October is a 

 good time to put out Palms. Your pot boun 1 

 Palms will do well turned from the j)ot into th^' 

 garden in well dug and watered places*. Th ' 

 Date Palms or Phoenix, and Cycad revoluta 

 would be hardy in Baton Rouge. The Umbrella 

 China makes an elegant shade tree for lawn:^. 

 Any of the Arbor Vitae trees would bear prun- 

 ing as you describe; also Juniper, Pittosporuin 

 and Euonymus can be pruned into any de- 

 sired form ; or planted in hedges, closely pruned. 



Miss Geenie M., Fort Deposit, Ala. — Fill your 

 pots for Geraniums Mith dairy compost an 1 

 sand. Broken up and dried compost is suitabl-. 

 Geraniums require water constantly, and good 

 drainage. Let them have sunshine. If they 

 are doing well, let them alone, and repot next 

 spring. Liquid fertilizer once a week is often 

 enough. Regarding your Ferns, keep them con- 

 stantly moist and in the shade. 



Mrs. B. T. M., NasiiviUe, Tenn.— 'Roses never 

 do well, as winter bloomers, for amateurs. Pro- 

 fessionals have special Rose houses, and force 

 the blooms at greart expense. The -Rose is a 

 queen and must have a palace in which to reign, 



Mrs. Clias. H., Murfreeshorough, Tenn.— 

 Cape Jasmines are half-hardy evergreens. Prob- 

 ably they would withstand your winters, outside, 

 if covered with evergreen boughs and some 

 lightly constructed frame of lathes or boards, 

 overhead. Give them a heavy top-dressing of 

 rich compost, and the benefit of the doubt. 



Miss Mary B. P., Borne, Ga.—luet your Hibis- 

 cus remain where it has stood all summer. Cut 

 the tops down; cover the crown of the roots 

 heavily, with rich compost, late in November, 

 and uncover in April. It will probably be the 

 handsomest flowering shrub in your garden from 

 May tiW frost. 



Mrs. B. S., Mobile, J Asparagus Spren- 

 geri is the handsomest of all basket plants. Do 

 not discard it because there are no red seed- 

 berries. This deficiency arises from the baskets 

 being copiously watered when the sprays are 

 full of blooms. The pollen washes out and 

 wastes, hence no seed formation. Then the 



