May, 1917 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
239 
sod, and bone meal in the proportion of i to 
io is invaluable, firm the plants thoroughly 
when planting, using a potting stick. Keep 
the plants well sprayed, indeed, several times 
a day on bright days is none too much. 
CARNATIONS INDOORS OR OUTSIDE? 
T HE chief objections to benching the plants 
are that you can’t use the house for any 
other purpose during summer, and ofttimes the 
plants get infested with red spider from in- 
sufficient ventilation, yet if you prefer the 
method of planting directly into the green- 
house, the plants should now be set the cus- 
tomary distance apart (from 12 inches to 
15 inches according to the variety), the 
benches first having been cleaned out of all 
old soil and painted with a coat of hot lime, 
then filled with good turfy loam from the com- 
post heap. The other method of handling is 
to plant the roots outdoors and grow them out 
there. 
For outdoor planting the rows should be at 
least 18 inches apart so the ground can be 
worked properly with a cultivator, the plants 
can be set out from 9 to 12 inches apart in the 
row, they should be pinched regularly, culti- 
vated regularly, and sprayed with bordeaux or 
copper solution at frequent intervals. 
DRY OFF THE ORCHIDS 
DRACTICALLY all winter flowering Or- 
chids require a rest during the summer to 
ripen up the bulbs; this is only giving them the 
natural weather conditions they enjoy in their 
natural habitats. As these plants are usually 
Cucumbers of the English forcing type are a splendid crop 
for the greenhouse. Sow the seeds in pots, and when well 
rooted, plant in hills 
grown in a high temperature it is impossible 
to rest them under such conditions, and the 
best method is to place them in a small house 
which should be shaded by a roof trellis of 
some description. Under no circumstances 
allow the plants to dry up so as to turn the 
foliage yellow, but they should be partially 
dried to ripen up the bulb and harden the 
foliage, the plants should be sponged if they 
are infested with scale or other insects. 
Orchids flowering during summer or in active 
growth should not be treated in this man- 
ner. 
Gardenias intended for flowering next win- 
ter must be kept growing vigorously, as this is 
the season to put all possible growth on the 
plants, since later on they must be rested up 
before the forcing starts. See that the plants 
are well supplied with plant food, keep them 
well sprayed using a mild insecticide occa- 
sionally to keep down mealy bug and other 
pests, keep all flowers picked off, and keep the 
atmosphere charged with moisture and heat at 
all times. 
WHERE FRUIT IS GROWN 
l/'EEP the laterals picked from your grapes. 
The secret of good grapes is constant 
pinching. You never see good grapes where a 
monthly assault is made on the grapery and 
great quantities of growing shoots are re- 
moved at one time; do a little every day, 
never let the growth get so large that you need 
a knife, just the thumb and forefinger should 
be all that is necessary to remove the laterals. 
Proper watering of fruit borders is an art, it is 
hard to tell from surface appearance the true 
condition down in the border where the bulk 
of the roots is located. A good scheme is to 
make holes with a small crowbar to test the 
condition. Liquid manures are also useful 
during the growing season; these can be mixed 
in barrels and dumped right on the border, the 
top, being afterward raked. 
POINS ETTIAS FOR CHRISTMAS 
' 1 'HE Poinsettia is one of our best Christ- 
mas plants, and is always acceptable as a 
cut flower or in pots. The old stool should be 
brought forth now and started into active 
growth, make cuttings of all the young shoots. 
They root readily. The cuttings must have a 
high temperature and bottom heat is pre- 
ferred; if no bottom heat is available, build a 
little glass propagating case where the high 
temperature can be held. \ 
Pot plants, such as Cyclamen, Primula, etc., 
will by now be out in the frame for the sum- 
mer, set on cinders to assure good drainage. 
Keep the plants sprayed frequently but very 
lightly. 
Winter flowering greenhouse bulbs such as 
Callas, Freesia, etc,, in pots, should now be 
absolutely ripened up, by being laid on their 
side in a dry place where no water will touch 
them, they can be left in this condition until 
later in the summer when it is time to pot 
them up for forcing operations again. 
GREENS FOR CUT FLOWERS 
Z^UT greens to mix with flowers are usually 
short each winter. 1 he time to provide 
against any event is now. Beds of Smilax or 
Asparagus for cutting can be planted now; 
spaces underneath the benches and right on 
the edge of the walk can be used for the more 
hardy types of Fern such as Crytomium, 
Pteris, etc., as they do not take up any valu- 
able bench space and they will be one of the 
most profitable yielders. Don’t neglect to 
plant plenty of Ferns and use a good range of 
varieties and a rich yet light soil. 
Bedding plants of all kinds can be set out 
late this month; where any quantity of bed- 
ding is practiced this is quite an item, releasing 
a large amount of greenhouse space that mav 
be devoted to other things. Of course, before 
setting out the plants are to be properly hard- 
ened off so they won’t get checked after plant- 
ing. 
AMONG THE ROSES 
DLANT Roses this month; the benches 
being first painted with hot lime, and 
then some rough sod and manure placed in the 
bottom to prevent the soil falling through the 
openings in the benches; then the bench 
should be filled level with the top of the sides, 
with good finely chopped soil front the compost 
heap. It can then be marked ready for 
planting. After planting the soil should be 
well firmed, Roses do not like a poorly drained 
soil, and a loose porous soil does not drain well. 
A brick may be used to firm the Rose bed, but 
don’t on the other hand get it unduly hard. 
A little judgment is necessary. When water- 
ing simply apply water to the bench adjacent 
the plant, the other portion of the bench will 
only need moistening occasionally. Keep the 
young plants well sprayed and ventilate 
freely. 
When the roots form a perfect net on the outside of the 
earth is the proper time to repot plants. Knock them out 
and examine them 
