April, 1919 
£3bfc Slower (Brower 
35 
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MRS. AUSTIN’S TALKS 
= [ Written expressly for The Flower Grower. ] 
mum mi mi iiiiim nun 
Reflowering America — 
Hints for Commer- 
cial Gladiolus 
Growers. 
Everywhere we hear peo- 
ple talking of reconstruc- 
tion, and we quickly grasp 
its meaning when reference 
is made to the devasted 
areas of the war zones. 
Reconstruction— the renewing or re- 
building of parts torn away or de- 
stroyed— is an old story, yet always 
new, of Nature’s method of covering 
her scars and healing her wounds. 
Even now the wild rose is budding on 
the graves in France. 
Perhaps never has there been so 
much sorrow, so many heartbreaks, in 
the same period of time as in the re- 
cent past, yet those of us who have 
felt its keenest edge, who have suf- 
fered the loneliness, and known the 
emptiness of life when loved ones left 
us, realize that we must throw off the 
wave of despondency and take a fresh 
start. We must readjust ourselves to 
the new conditions that have come to 
us. 
once one has become inter- 
ested. Planting time is now 
at hand and every flower 
lover should feel it an obli- 
gation to plant and grow 
more flowers than ever be- 
fore, and to aid and try to 
interest his neighbor in the 
mysteries of their culture 
to the best of his ability. 
The illustration shows a 
back yard made beautiful 
by plantings of Gladioli and Cannas. 
There are also beds of Peonies and an- 
nuals not shown in the photo. At the 
sides are various shrubs, which to- 
gether with those grown by the neigh- 
bor, on his side of the invisible wire 
fence, form an attractive shrubbery 
row between the two lots. And all of 
those plantings are on ground that on 
most city lots is left idle. It is the 
garden of a man of affairs, his sanctum, 
where he relaxes from the cares of 
business in a most delightful recrea- 
tion. So great is his enthusiasm that 
he cannot come home fast enough, nor 
jump into those garden clothes quickly 
enough, and — yes, it does require some 
little time, when the edge of evening 
comes, to don mosquito proof apparel, 
A portion of the garden of Mr. C. A. Kirtland of St. Paul, Minn. The parties in the garden 
are Mrs. Kirtland and Mr. W. F. Christman, Secretary of The N. W. Peony and Iris Society. 
The pleasing occupation of flower 
gardening is very soothing and restful 
to tired nerves and in looking about we 
are impressed by the fact that there 
are now many millions less flowers 
grown than before the war. Gladly 
were they given up when came the call 
to help in food supply, and now just as 
gladly and happily should they be re- 
stored. There is a great field of cheer- 
ing work before us in the reflowering 
of America. The little kitchen garden 
has now become a factor in homes 
where vegetables had not before been 
thought of, and it is equally important 
that the flower garden should have as 
prominent a place. Vegetables are of 
material value but flowers have a re- 
fining spiritual influence impossible to 
estimate. It is surprising how quickly 
room may be found for flowers when 
for mosquitoes there have spikes that 
almost equal those of the Gladiolus — 
but thus equipped he works and visits 
with his pets until the gloaming pur- 
ples into black. Such is the garden 
and the work of a flower enthusiast. 
A work that is contagious for many 
others have, through him, become in- 
terested. A Business Men’s Garden 
Club is in a flourishing condition and 
I feel sure will do its part in brighten- 
ing America with flowers. 
HINTS FOR COMMERCIAL GLADIOLUS 
GROWERS. 
Black bulblets should be the first to 
be planted, and as early as possible 
while the soil is full of moisture, for 
the hard shells are slow to soften even 
when well stored, and if they have 
been allowed to become somewhat dry 
in storage they might lie in the ground 
a long time before starting into growth. 
The No. 6 size or white skinned bulb- 
lets, as they are often spoken of, are 
the smaller sizes that were grown 
from the black hardshell bulblets the 
previous season. They will start into 
growth quickly and may be planted 
later giving the opportunity to make 
an early planting of large bulbs of the 
early flowering varieties for cutting. 
As the storage trays are emptied 
they should be thoroughly cleaned to 
free them from unnoticed bulblets that 
may have become lodged in between 
the strips of lath that form the bottom. 
Brush well, being careful that the cor- 
ners are well swept, then give them a 
few smart raps across the lath with a 
stick. It’s good luck to “ knock on 
wood,” anyway, and it surely is in this 
case if you happen to find even one tru- 
ant bulblet, for bad mixtures may some- 
times be traced to careless cleaning of 
storage trays. Stack the trays in a 
dry, clean place in readiness for quick 
use when again needed. 
Mrs. A. H. Austin. 
C. S. Harrison. 
The death of C. S. Harrison at the 
age of 87 years occurred at his home in 
York, Nebraska, on February 23, 1919. 
Mr. Harrison was well known to a wide 
circle of acquaintances in horticultural 
and floricultural work, and his writings 
in this line are well and favorably 
known. 
Mr. Harrison was born in Otsego 
county, N. Y., but removed at an early 
age to Chicago. He studied at Beloit 
College and commenced work as a 
home missionary in Minnesota in 1857. 
He was for 45 years engaged in active 
ministerial work in addition to assist- 
ing in colonization work. 
It was at about the age of 40 years 
that Mr. Harrison first became inter- 
ested in horticulture and when at the 
age of 66 his health failed and he was 
obliged to retire from active ministerial 
work, he naturally turned his attention 
to the nursery business and gave espe- 
cial attention to the Iris, Peony, etc. 
His writings include manuals on the 
Peony, the Phlox, the Iris and Ever- 
greens. His published books are ‘‘The 
Gold Mine in the Front Yard,” “The 
Undiscovered Country at Home,” 
“Adorning the Beulah Land of the 
Hither Shore” and “The Gospel of 
Beauty and Intelligence in Trees.” 
The latter he considered his most im- 
portant work. 
As an example of extreme activity 
in old age, Mr. Harrison will long be 
remembered. His love for nature and 
his interest in all sorts of activities 
were well known and few men can 
claim as great accomplishments during 
what are commonly called the “declin- 
ing years” of life. 
Additional prize offers besides those 
published in the March issue have been 
made for the next A. G. S. Show and 
will be published in the May issue. 
