TAKING CARE OF THE TENDER THINGS 
T he safe storage of such tender porch 
and piazza plants as Acuba, Hy- 
drangea, Bay trees, English Laurel 
and other tender plants used so 
extensively in decorating during the summer 
must be seen to now. A cool greenhouse is the 
ideal place and they should not be watered 
too freely, so as to harden up for the winter. 
Failing greenhouse space, a cool cellar (which, 
however, must be frost proof and must have 
enough windows so the evergreens won’t turn 
yellow) will do. 
This is the last opportunity to get Bouvar- 
dia, Stevia and other forcing plants potted up 
or benched indoors; it must not be put off any 
longer as freezing weather can be looked for 
any time after the middle of the month and 
even though it does not freeze a succession of 
cool nights will harden the wood too much. 
All pot plants for forcing such as Calcorlaria, 
Cineraria, Primula and Cyclamen must now 
be brought indoors. Place tobacco stems 
between the pots as a preventive of green fly, 
and spray frequently with tobacco prepara- 
tions, as those plants are very subject to 
attacks of insects and preventive measures 
are better than cures. 
Tender bulbous plants must be brought 
indoors as soon as the tops have been frozen 
out of doors. Under tbe benches in a cool 
greenhouse makes good storage, but provision 
must be made to keep the bulbs dry. Plants 
of this class are Canna, Dahlia, Montbretia, 
Gladiolus, Caladium, etc. 
Keep Cbrysanthemum flowers free from 
black fly as it is a very hard matter to get rid 
of them if the plants are once badly infested, a 
good fumigation just as the flower begins to 
unfold should dispose of this pest. Individual 
flowers found to ne infested can be fumigated 
separately by using a fumigating paper and 
suspending it directly under the flower. Be 
sure that all plants are correctly labelled, and 
start selecting your stock plants when the 
plants are in flower, select your best flowers 
and put a check mark on the label. The stock 
plants will of course be stored later on in a 
coldframe or cool greenhouse. 
Strawberries intended for forcing can be 
placed in a frame where the water conditions 
are under your control, water being reduced so 
the resting period will start earlier than would 
be the case under actual conditions. They 
must have a fairly good rest before any attempt 
is made to force. 
If you are to force bulbs this is your last 
chance. Plant as soon as received and store 
in trenches outside (until they have rooted) 
the hardy bulbs, such as Tulip, Narcissus, 
Hyacinth, etc. Tender bulbs such as Lilies, 
Freesias, Ixias, etc., must be stored in a cool 
frame until they have rooted. Spirea clumps 
should be potted up and stored outside until 
well frozen. 
Just as soon as the foliage falls from the 
potted fruits they should be stored in a cool 
cellar, barn, garage or some similar place 
where they can be rested. Although the 
trees are fairly hardy it is not advisable to 
leave them outside as they are very apt to 
winter kill on account of the roots being re- 
stricted. 
All bedding plants that are raised from 
cuttings or where the old stool is brought into 
the greenhouse for safekeeping, must be 
attended to at once, a frost is liable to cut 
them down at any time. Cuttings can be 
taken from Geranium, Coleus, Acalypha, 
Achyranthes, Ageratum, Carnation, Helio- 
trope, etc. Old plants of Alternanthera, 
Hydrangea, Geranium, Fuchsia, Vinca, etc., 
can be lifted and stored. 
Acacia, Azalea, Camellia, Genista and other 
hard wooded tender plants must be brought 
into the storage pit or cool greenhouse. Don’t 
water them too liberally as they should have 
a good rest before the forcing period starts, 
yet on the other hand don’t withhold the 
water enough to cause the foliage to turn 
yellow. 
Roots intended for forcing, such as rhubarb, 
asparagus, seakale, etc., must be ordered at 
once, or if you have your own they can be 
dug up and made ready any time after' the 
tops have died down, storing them out of 
doors with a little covering of hay until they 
have had sufficient rest is advisable. 
Poinsettias, Eucbaris and Gardenias are 
heat lovers and they must have abundance of 
it. When they are growing fast feeding with 
manure water is advisable. 
Roses that are doing well can have a mulch 
of cow manure. Keep the pipes painted with 
sulphur to kill mildew. Spray on all fine days 
for red spider using a good force of water. 
Carnations must be watered carefully, par- 
ticularly if you have a heavy soil, a sandy 
porous soil drains quickly. Disbud the 
flowering shoots and put the supports in place 
just as soon as you are ready to let the plants 
flower, I like the wires run lengthwise with 
cross strings, this gives the necessary support 
and with absolute freedom to the plants. 
All palms and stove plants require a reason- 
able amount of rest, therefore as winter ap- 
proaches reduce the spraying and give less 
water at the roots. They must not be allowed 
to really suffer for want of water, but the 
growth must be gradually stopped and the 
plants held in this condition for several months. 
Seeds can be sown now of Calendula, Candy- 
tuft, Clarkia, Stocks, Schizanthus, Nicotiana, 
Rhodanthe, Mignonette, Nasturtium and 
other annuals intended for forcing. All these 
(with the possible exception]of the Mignonette) 
should be grown in pots. 
In the ideal propagating house the heating pipes are enclosed to give bottom heat 
Roses are now coming into fiower and need attention to keep down disease, etc. 
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