THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
313 
Red clover and the bean can only be fertilized by the 
bumble bee, the nectar in these being situated at the bot- 
tom of a long flower tube ; these are the only bees with a 
proboscis long enough to reach it. It is most interesting 
to watch the bumble bees when beans are in bloom, how 
they nip a piece at the base of the bean flower, making 
an entrance by a short way to the nectar. In New Zea- 
land no red clover seed could be grown till after repeated 
attempts bumble bees were carried over in a dormant con- 
dition in a refrigerator and liberated. Thev are such a 
success that New Zealand people are able to do a large 
export trade in red clover seed. 
In reviewing the foregoing, think for a moment what a 
work is required to be done by the little bees, and how 
largely we are indebted to them for the delicious fruit we 
enjoy. 
Every gardener and every fruit grower should there- 
fore keep bees with the object of insuring crossfertiliza- 
tion, looking to the honey yield as a secondary considera- 
tion, for while the bees gather nectar for themselves they 
confer a far greater boon on mankind by giving magnifi- 
cent crops in return. 
I hope I have been able to direct the readers to observe 
some of the smaller items in the animal and vegetable 
creation. For to attain success we must drink at the well 
of nature and work in conjunction with those natural 
laws that govern everything. — /. D. Thomas, in South- 
ern Florist. 
SPIR^AS FOR GREENHOUSE DECORATION 
TN common with Cinerarias, Calceolarias, Cyclamen and 
Primulas, the Spiraeas of the japonica and astilboides 
sections have received increased attention from cultiva- 
tors, with the highly satisfactory result that they are now 
grown more extensively, and consequently great improve- 
ment has taken place in the production of new varieties. 
Indifferently grown plants have not disappeared from 
the conservatory, but they are steadily making way for 
the neatly grown and densely flowered specimens which 
bespeak cultural skill of a high order. Not only are the 
flowers greatly attractive, but the leaves add much to the 
beauty of the plant, being gracefully divided and of a 
bright pale green color, which harmonizes with the soft, 
tinted flowers. 
For greenhouse decoration the plants are generally 
grown from imported roots, which, for the main part, are 
received from Holland. Now that restrictions are being 
placed on the importation of bulbs and roots, it is evident 
that growers will have to resort to cultivating the plants 
suitable for forcing. This may be readily done by grow- 
ing the plants in a moist position in the garden, where 
they should be allowed to remain for at least three vears. 
Rich soil is necessary in order that the plants may build 
up good crowns, as it is essential that the rudiments of 
the flower spike be already formed in the plant if it is 
to respond to conditions usually adopted in the forcing 
of flowers. 
During September and ( )ctober, as soon as the foliage 
has completed its work, the roots should be lifted and 
divided so as to fit into 5 in. or 6 in. pots. The roots 
should be allowed to practically fill the pots themselves, 
so that very little soil will be required to complete the pot- 
ting. The pots should then be stood on ashes, and if 
some of the plants are required for flowering at Christ- 
mas, no time should be lost in introducing a batch into a 
structure possessing a temperature of from 70 to 80 de- 
grees. Abundance of water is required during all stages 
of growth. Less fire heat will be required when forcing 
is carried out after Christmas, and if the weather is bright 
and sunny, slight shading should be afforded in order to 
obtain the delicate bright green in the foliage. Indeed, 
it is possible to obtain flowering specimens all the year 
round by the use of roots from a refrigerator, where tliey 
will remain in a dormant state for months without harm. 
It should, however, be stated that pot plants find but little 
favor for decorative purposes during the summer months, 
as at this time there is an abundance of cut flowers to be 
obtained from the garden. 
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Sfinca Queen Alexandra , a Soft Pink. 
After flowering, the plants may again be planted in rich 
soil in the garden, but it will be some vears before they 
are strong enough to withstand the conditions of forcing. 
Varieties are numerous, and of these Queen Alexandra, 
soft pink (illustration herewith), is one of the best. 
— The Gardeners' Magazine (English). 
CULTIVATING THE IMAGINATION. 
TMAGINATION, constructive imagination, is the 
greatest faculty of our minds. The man with fore- 
sight, the man who sees vision; and dreams dreams, has 
ever been the leader in the progress of the human race. 
No America would have been discovered by Colum- 
bus, bad not this faculty been largely developed in his 
mind. The Wright Brothers first saw in their mind's 
eye a picture of the airship they later flew so success- 
fully. The architect first sees the skyscraper before 
he puts a mark on the plans of the imposing structure. 
Even in prosaic industry or vegetable growing im- 
agination plays its part. The man with vision sees a 
field of Celery or Onions on the mucky swamp that is 
a menace to the health of his community. The seed 
breeder pictures the ideal plant he wishes to produce. 
The gardener sees the crop he wishes to produce be- 
fore he puts the seed in the ground. Every gardener 
needs to cultivate this faculty of the mind, construc- 
tive imagination. 
Sit down some evening this winter and write out 
your plans for the coming season. Study these plans, 
test them in the light of experience, revise them. Let 
your imagination picture the results that would fol- 
low from different methods. There will come to you 
another advantage of this exercise of the imagination 
— the development of the habit of doing things sys- 
tematically. "Writing maketh the exact man." The 
pleasure of doing things and knowing the reason why 
will compensate you for any extra labor. — Exchange. 
