When a “Little Glass” is Appreciated 
New York 
The life of bulbs in flower will be considerably prolonged by 
their being put in a cool place 
T HIS is the time of year (just between 
winter and spring), when the real gar- 
dener feels the need of frames, at least, 
to bridgeoverthegap. Heated frames, 
of course, are more useful than plain unheated 
ones and can be used now for all kinds of early 
sowings for the garden; and next month, with 
the heat shut off, they are fine to harden the 
plants before setting out. If you have a green- 
house you need frames, too; and if you have a 
garden you surely need frames as they will pay 
for themselves in increased crops. 
Flowers for Present Use 
JN THE greenhouse, too, there is plenty of 
opportunity to forestall' the summer de- 
mand for flowering plants as well as for cut 
blooms, and at the same time, the Roses and 
Carnations] are giving their harvest from the 
work of last summer and fall. They must 
needs be kept up to pitch by feeding freely, 
giving them a couple of applications of liquid 
manures every week. Use a variety of foods 
— sheep manure, cow manure, guano in differ- 
ent forms — and some of the stronger chemicals 
such as nitrate of soda rather than any’ one 
alone applying of course in liquid form. Also 
spray frequently to keep insect pests, especi- 
ally aphis, under control. 
Gardenias will do well from cuttings 
started now, but don’t make the attempt 
unless your greenhouse has abundance of heat. 
Lse a bench with bottom heat if possible. 
After rooting carry over in pots until they are 
in four inch pots from which they are usually 
transferred to the benches. Use the richest 
compost you can make up with enough 
leaf mold and sand to keep it open. Such a 
soil with plenty of heat and moisture will give 
good Gardenias. 
Young plants of the various greenhouse 
plants such as Bouvardia, Abutilon, Eupa- 
torium, Stevia, Paris Daisy, ^Swainsona, 
Chorizema, Fuchsia, etc., can be potted up 
just as soon as they have rooted in the prop- 
agating bed. As most of these are grown in 
pots, it is advisable to keep them in as small 
a one as possible. Let them exhaust the soil 
in one pot before they are transferred to an- 
other. 
Preparing for Summer Flowers 
Y OU lose half the value of a greenhouse 
unless its services are utilized at this 
time to help forward the stock of summer 
flowering bulbous plants. 1 here are, indeed, 
some very showy things to be had for the 
greenhouse or conservatory during summer, 
and they deserve more attention. One of 
the best yellow summer flowers is the Yellow 
Calla; the Gloxinia is one of the most gorgeous 
of all flowers — a little fastidious in require- 
ments, but not really hard to grow. The 
little blue Achimenes is one of the few really 
blue flowers, and too well known to need any 
description is the Tuberous Begonia. If 
started at interv als all will flower continuously 
during summer. 
Cuttings for Bedding Out 
XJOW it will surely happen when the sum- 
■L ^ mer comes that you will require Gerani- 
ums, Coleus, Alternanthera, Ageratum, Helio- 
trope, etc., for the beds or boxes, etc., all of 
which can be easily taken care of now. Keep 
on propagating if you are at all short, not 
neglecting to pot up the cuttings immediately 
they are rooted, because they soon get drawn 
and spindly in the propagating bed. Cannas 
should be started before potting, or they may 
be handled in a frame. And if you have any 
favorite Dahlias, the bulbs can now be started 
into growth and cuttings taken to increase 
stock. 
Of course, you want good Chrysanthemums 
in November! So, don’t be afraid to throw 
away varieties that are not “top notchers,” 
Ventilate frames freely, so as to harden off young seedlings 
prior to planting out 
and replace them with the best new comers. 
Poor varieties require just as much attention 
as good ones. Therefore, get some of the 
best novelties, and don’t neglect the cuttings; 
spray frequently until rooted, and pot up as 
soon as rooted; more promising batches of 
Chrysanthemums are destroyed in the pro- 
pagating bed than at any other one time. 
Start right by keeping the young plants clean; 
you can’t have good Chrysanthemums if you 
allow them to become infested with blackfly. 
All Your Seeds Sown? 
TT IS far better to have a surplus than a 
*• shortage, and the cost of a few seeds is a 
small matter, as against a satisfactory supply 
of Antirrhinum, Asters, Petunias, Salvias, 
Sweet Sultans, Salpiglossis, Heliotrope and 
other “annuals.” Seeds sown in heat now 
will give strong early plants, but they need 
proper care, and if that can’t be given, don’t 
sow indoors at all. When the young plants 
make the third leaf, dibble off in boxes or on a 
bench in the greenhouse far enough apart so 
they will have sufficient room to grow until 
they may be safely set out — about 2 inches 
each way. Water carefully until they have 
started root action, and do not grow warm 
as they then suffer greatly when set outdoors. 
Vegetables are handled exactly the same as 
the young flower seedlings; cauliflower, cab- 
Constantly stir the soil about young plants; it prevents "damping off” and keeps the 
soil fresh 
Transplant into the frames seedlings of vegetables and flowers as soon as they are ready, and 
ventilate freely 
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