Bridging the Gap from Winter to Spring. W.C. McCOLLOM 
APRIL ACTIVITIES IN THE GREENHOUSE — GETTING FLOWERING PLANTS READY TO GO OUTSIDE — 
PLANNING FOR FALL BLOOM 
jk T THIS season of the year the con- 
/\ tents of the greenhouse are in a “tkan- 
Y \ sition” stage. Many plants have 
done their work and must be dis- 
carded or put aside to reestablish themselves 
for another year. Many plants that have 
been kept indoors during the winter will soon 
be taken from the greenhouse to the porch 
or the dwelling rooms. Yet the change of 
treatment must be done with care; Palms 
that are to be used around the grounds or as 
decorative plants in the house must not be 
suddenly changed from a high temperature and 
intensely moisture laden atmosphere to out- 
door conditions. They must be “hardened 
ofF” by gradually reducing both watering at 
the roots and overhead spraying so as to check 
the growth, and at the same time establish 
a lower temperature by degrees. The change 
must be gradual or the plants wall lose their 
color and turn yellow. By starting the change 
early in April there will be a sufficiently long 
tempering period before the plants are needed 
or indeed before it is safe to use them out of 
doors. At the same time watch things inside 
and don’t let aphis and other pests get ahead. 
Spray with mild insecticides frequently as a 
preventive, for if done regularly you will 
not have to resort to fumigation very often. 
If a real fumigation is necessary hydrocy- 
anic acid is by far the most effectual means. 
You can get the formula by writing to the 
Readers’ Service Department of The Garden 
Magazine. In milder attacks some of the 
regularly offered tobacco preparations may be 
used. They are perfectly safe to handle, but 
not so powerful. 
Don’t neglect to “harden off” properly all 
lants that are to be taken to the gardens, 
all such can be placed in one greenhouse it is 
rather an easy matter to gradually reduce the 
temperature until the plants are well hardened. 
If only a small quantity is to be handled, a 
cold frame will answer the purpose very well, 
and by the way, plant a good big supply of 
lettuce in the frames. It grows so easily at 
this time of the year that there is no reason 
why. any one owning a few hot bed sash should 
not have quantities on hand. 
TURNING OUT PLANTS THAT WERE FORCED 
/'"'LUMPS of perennials that have been 
forced in the green- 
house should be planted 
outdoors for it takes these 
plants a season or two to 
get back to normal. It is 
really preferable to use 
new stock every winter 
that has been grown on 
rapidly, the spent plants 
being used in the perennial 
borders. 
Get ready out of doors as 
soon as possible, a border 
for grow ing on Paris Daisy, 
Bouvardia, Stevia, etc. It 
is as w T ell to have this border 
near the greenhouse so the 
plants will not be neglected, 
and use plenty of manure 
and bone meal when getting 
the ground ready. It is a 
little early to set out these 
plants, -but getting the 
border ready now will save 
a hurry-up job later. Get busy ^ 
Fr 
Cut out weak wood on late fruit trees under glass, which 
must now be started into growth 
CARNATIONS, ETC., FOR NEXT WINTER 
TN THE latter part of the month Carna- 
tions can be planted out in the field; so 
prepare ahead by spading into the soil a 
liberal quantity of manure, also giving a 
coating of lime. Set the plants in rows about 
two feet apart so that a wheel cultivator can be 
used to keep the soil well worked. When 
setting out break the bottom of the ball of 
roots with your fingers so the roots w ill start to 
penetrate down right away. Then cultivate, 
spray with bordeaux mixture and pinch 
frequently. Don’t neglect the plants during 
summer because next winter’s success under 
glass depends upon the earlier treatment in 
the field. 
If you want to keep up the quality of your 
Carnation flowers to the last, the plants 
should be shaded; some sort of roof trellis, 
that breaks the sun rays is preferable, and 
in heat and transplant in time. The seedlings in the seed pan are right size to 
handle 
such accessories can be attached to the green- 
house. 
Also turn out the young Violet plants in 
a well-prepared border. Rich soil is important 
and the runners must be kept removed and all 
diseased leaves kept picked off. All spent 
bulbs that have been forced can be placed out 
of doors or knocked out and dried prior to 
planting them out. Roots of Spirea, Tulips, 
Narcissus and all the smaller bulbs can be used 
for outdoor planting, but not for forcing again. 
ROSES AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND OTHER 
FLOWERS 
Rose plants must be ordered if you 
^ ' are to plant new stock and have not taken 
your own cuttings. Have all arrangements 
made so the young plants can be benched just 
as soon as they are received; but, before plant- 
ing, give the rose house a thorough renovating. 
Clean out the benches and paint with hot 
lime, rake up under the benches, and if the 
house needs painting or repairing now is a 
good time to attend to it. 
Keep right on propagating Chrysanthe- 
mums; put in quantities of the Single type as 
they are very 7 useful for cutting. Don’t neglect 
to pot up the cuttings as soon as they are 
rooted; and keep spraying them to prevent in- 
festation with black fly. Antirrhinum, Pri- 
mula, Cyclamen and other pot plants that are 
being grown along for forcing in the greenhouse 
should be removed to a frame out of doors; a 
good practice is to place about one inch of 
coarse cinders in the frame to place the pots on 
and some slat trellises will be required later to 
shade the plants. 
Continue making cuttings of the best 
varieties of Dahlia. The young plants should 
be petted up just as soon as they are rooted, 
and not be allowed to become pot bound. 
Don’t, under any circumstances, take a chance 
on planting out until after June ist, as a cool 
spell will cause a severe set-back. 
Canna roots should be potted up to get well 
rooted before they are planted out the latter 
part of May. 1 he better developed the plants 
the quicker the desired bedding effect is had. 
All summer-flowering bulbous plants such 
as Gloxinias, Begonias, Achimines, etc., can 
now be fed freely with liquid manures, care 
always being exercised that the manure 
waters are not spilled on 
the foliage which is apt to 
burn. 
This is the right time to 
start plantings of Aspar- 
agus, Smilax, etc., for cut 
green. These plants are 
rank growers, and of course, 
require good, rich soil. By 
planting in the greenhouse 
now, you will have good 
large well-established 
clumps that won’t feel the 
effects of cutting later on. 
PLANTS FOR* THE WINDOW 
GARDEN 
CUCH popular subjects as 
^ Geraniums, Fuchsias, 
Begonias, etc. for window 
cultivation must be started 
now. They can be carried 
along the summer in pots 
plunged out of doors and 
will be in excellent con- 
