QUESTIONS ASKED 



AND ANSWERED. 



767 



strong growth in your plants from the root up, see that 

 soil is well-enriched and well-drained, consisting, if 

 possible, in large part of decayed turf Then prune 

 judiciously. 



2620. Raising Lily Bulbs. These are increased by 

 planting the scales in boxes or in open ground in the 

 spring. Any rich mellow soil is suitable. Water freely 

 when necessary. Those having facilities for forcing will 

 find the process greatly hastened.— Mrs. E. L. P., Pa. 



2622. Winter Treatment of Oleanders. Oleanders 

 do best if kept in the dark a portion of the year, and 

 this is the best time. They should be cut back after 

 flowering, but at no other time, as the next crop of blos- 

 soms is produced on growth of the preceding year. 

 Plants should not be allowed to grow ill-shaped. Two 

 or three months is the length of time given my oleanders 

 for rest.— Mrs. E. L. P., Pa. 



2674. Fuchsia fulgens. This, introduced from 

 Mexico about 1830, is a deciduous greenhouse plant with 

 tuberous roots, and is of shrubby habit, attaining a 

 height of from two to four feet. The flowers are produced 

 in greatest profusion during the summer months. The 

 tube and sepals are of a bright rose, and the corolla of a 

 brilliant carmine. It has been so long neglected that 

 most flower lovers are not aware of its existence, and 

 probably few of our readers have ever heard of a fuchsia 

 with leaves from four to six inches in length, flowers 

 from four to five inches long, and tuberous roots like a 

 dahlia. Even small plants bloom freely, but the finest 

 results are obtained from large well-rooted speci- 

 mens. To grow this fuchsia to perfection, it should be 

 given a compost composed of two-thirds turfy loam, one- 

 third well-rotted stable manure, with two pounds of bone 

 dust added to each bushel of compost. Mix well, use 

 the compost rough, and pot firmly. In potting, use 

 porous or soft-baked pots, of proportionate size, and see 

 that they are well drained. This fuchsia does best when 

 grown rather fast, and in a temperature of from fifty to 

 sixty degrees, but it cannot endure full exposure to hot 

 sunshine, dry soil, or dry air. Having tuberous roots, it 

 can be easily kept over winter by storing the pots under 

 the bench in the greenhouse, or in a cellar where they 

 will not freeze, until the first of March. Then repot in 

 rather small pots, and place in a warm and moist situ- 

 ation until growth commences, after which a tempera- 

 ture of from 50 to 60 degrees will answer very well. 

 When first potted they should be thoroughly watered, 

 and afterwards sparingly until growth begins. When 

 the pots become well filled with roots, the plants should 

 be shifted into larger pots, and this repotting should be 

 continued until they reach the desired size, when liquid 

 manure should be given once ortwice a week during the 

 plant's season of growth. Syringe gently every other 

 evening while in a state of growth. Do not attempt to 

 train this fuchsia into any desired form, but allow it to 

 follow its natural manner of growth. It should be cut 

 into shape when started into growth in March, and from 

 the beginning the plants need ample space for proper 

 development. The plants can be grown from cuttings, 

 and, if liberally treated, nice specimens will soon be 

 obtained. This fuchsia can be grown and flowered in 

 the open air with very fair results, by planting them out 



in a deep, well-enriched border about the first of May. 

 The plants must be given a partially shaded situation, 

 and never be permitted to become absolutely dry at tiie 

 roots. They should also be syringed orsprinkled gently 

 at least twice a week. Take up the plants on the ap- 

 proach of cold weather, place in as small pots as possible, 

 and store as advised for another season's use, — Chas. 

 E. Parnell. 



2678. Preventive for Grape Mildew. The copper 

 remedies are used only for the downy mildew (Perono- 

 spora viticola) which appears in small frost-like patches 

 on the under surface of the leaves, finally causing yel- 

 lowish discolorations on the upper surface and rot of 

 the fruit. The powdery mildew, appearing early in the 

 season as delicate dust-like patches or covering on the 

 leaves, mostly on the upper surface, and on shoots and 

 fruit, is usually fought with dry sulphur, dusted on the 

 vines two or three times during the season. For the 

 downy mildew, and for similar plant diseases generally, 

 the Bordeaux mixture is undoubtedly the most effective, 

 as it adheres with great tenacity to the leaves and other 

 parts of the plants, and is not easily washed ofi!' even by 

 heavy rains. On the other hand, it is much moreexpen- 

 sive, and more inconvenient to prepare and to apply, 

 than the ammoniacal carbonate of copper solution, be- 

 sides being liable to discolor the fruit when late appli- 

 cations are made ; so that, on the whole, we believe it 

 would be no loss to the fruit-grower if the use of Bor- 

 deaux mixture were to be abandoned entirely. With 

 timely applications, repeated frequently during the early 

 part of the season, the grape-grower will find the am- 

 moniacal solution of carbonate of copper fully sufficient 

 for the control of the downy mildew and black rot, and 

 this with far less expense, and far greater convenience 

 than by bothering with the whitewashy Bordeaux mix- 

 ture.— G. R. 



2679. Varleg-ated Funkia. The leaf forwarded be- 

 longs to a variegated funkia, but which particular species 

 we are unable to say. These hardy herbaceous plants 

 are from Japan, remarkable for their fine foliage and the 

 delicious fragrance of the flowers of some of thespecies. 

 They make showy and highly attractive plants for the 

 border. 



26S0. Sale for Water-Cresses. There is demand 

 for this product in all larger towns, and where there is not, 

 it would not be diflicult to create a demand by expos- 

 ing for sale neat little baskets filled with the pungent 

 herb. It is esteemed as one of our salad materials 

 (like ordinary upland cress), and for garnishing, like 

 parsley. 



2681. GrovE^ing Onions from Sets. If your aim is 

 to raise dry bulbs, you can do so in various ways; (i) 

 by sowing seed early in spring directly into the open 

 ground ; (2) by sowing seed in hot-bed in February, and 

 transplanting to open ground just as soon as soil and 

 season will permit ; (3) by planting potato onions, or 

 other so-called "multipliers." Success in the produc- 

 tion of dry bulbs from sets can only be expected when 

 the sets planted are very small. Tlie ordinary sets are 

 too large for this purpose, and are used almost exclu- 

 sively for the production of the green, so-called " bunch " 

 onions. — G. R. 



