1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
59 
Geraniums; Palms. 
H. C. C. Af ., New Haven County , Conn — 1. What 
is the best temperature in which to grow Gera¬ 
niums, to have them bloom well ? Will they suc¬ 
ceed in a lettuce house ? 2. I have a few small 
palms purchased from a florist last winter. They 
are in four-inch pots, but are not doing well; the 
leaves are turning brown at the tips. How shall 
I treat them to induce growth ? Ho they need re¬ 
potting ? 
Ans.— 1. The Geraniums should do well 
in the lettuce house, if they have plenty 
of sun, which is one of their chief re¬ 
quirements. They do not require an extra 
amount of heat, but sunlight is an actual 
necessity. In a very warm house, they 
are likely to run up and make a spind¬ 
ling growth, with few flowers. Hut, to 
flower freely iu the winter, they should 
he prepared for this use. Cuttings made 
in .July and August should be brought 
along without any checks to growth, 
flower buds being removed until they 
are brought in for the winter. An occa¬ 
sional watering with liquid manure is an 
advantage. 
2. The palms are, apparently, suffer¬ 
ing from leaf blight, which frequently 
troubles them. Cut off and burn the 
affected tips. An occasional dewing with 
Bordeaux Mixture has been recommended 
for this trouble, but we cannot offer any 
certain assurance that this treatment 
would be effectual. In addition to this, 
a diseased condition of the leaves may re¬ 
sult from poor root action, but we cannot 
tell whether this is the case, without fur¬ 
ther details. It would not be wise to try 
to hurry the growth of the palms at this 
season. Most of the palms in ordinary 
culture should make their growth during 
the summer, when they may be kept out¬ 
side, and store up enough healthy vitality 
during this time to carry them through 
the winter. Regarding potting, palms 
differ very much in their necessities. The 
Kentias commonly grown (K. Belmore- 
ana and K. Forsteriana) will thrive for 
several year’s in the same pot; they do 
not mind being rather crowded. Areca 
lutescens, however, likes room, and must 
be repotted more frequently. If repotting 
be needed, it may be done at this season. 
Diseased Fern; Begonias. 
Mrs. E. L ., Dutchess County , N. Y.—l. I inclose 
a fern frond ; what is its name, and what ails it ? 
Dark spots come on the leaves almost as soon as 
they are full grown, and spread until the whole 
leaf is dead. The soil is decayed wood and sandy 
loam mixed; I don’t think that it is kept too wet. 
It acted the same way during the summer while 
out doors. The old leaves or fronds die as fast as 
new ones come on, so the plant is no larger than 
it was a year ago. 2. I also inclose two leaves of 
Begonias for name. The small green leaf has 
light pink flowers, grows small and bushy. The 
other grows like a Rex. This leaf is small and 
not very well colored; the light zone becomes a 
rose color. 
Ans.— 1. The fern in question is Pteris 
serrulata, commonly known as the “Rib¬ 
bon fern ”, and its condition is, in all 
probability, due to the soil in which it is 
potted. Decayed wood and moderate 
moisture provide the most favorable con¬ 
ditions for the propagation of fungus in 
the soil, and this would account for the 
loss of foliage from the fern. Try rich 
sandy loam of the same character that 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mis. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— AJjv. 
would be used for a Geranium, and a 
better result may be obtained, unless the 
plant has gone too far to recuperate. 2. 
The small-leafed Begonia with pink 
flowers is, apparently, B. Weltoniensis, a 
charming species, and an old favorite for 
the window garden. The second Begonia 
is one of the Rex section, and resembles 
the variety known as Louise Chretien, 
but there being such a multitude of Rex 
varieties of this character, it is difficult to 
determine from such a small and im¬ 
perfectly-colored leaf. w. if. tapi.in. 
Propagating Coleus. 
A. C. C ., Clermont County , 0. —1. When should 
Coleus slips or cuttings be started in the green¬ 
house for bedding out next summer? 2. When 
should Coleus seed be sown in the greenhouse, 
and can plants suitable for bedding next summer 
be grown from seed ? 
Ans. —1. Coleus cuttings are made dur¬ 
ing January, February, March and April. 
The earliest are made by florists with 
the idea of again taking cuttings from 
the young plants. If this is not desired, 
there is no need to begin operations so 
early. Coleus are among the easiest of 
all plants to root, and they grow so 
rapidly that, for an amateur, March is 
usually early enough to begin propaga- 
ting. 2. Coleus seed sown in February 
and March gives plants for bedding out 
the same season. It is hardly worth while 
to winter over any Coleus except the few 
needed for stock ; they are not very satis¬ 
factory, and are extremely likely to be 
infested with mealy-bugs. 
Chinese Water Chestnut. 
A reader in Pennsylvania describes a 
curious seed, which, he is told, comes 
from China, and asks what it is. It is in 
shape suggestive of the head of an ox, 
with stoxxt, curving horns on either side ; 
the seed is hard, woody, and drab in 
color, about two inches aci’oss. 
This seed is often sold as a curiosity ; 
at the time of the World’s Fair, it formed 
one of the trifles sold as souvenirs on the 
streets in Chicago. It is the seed of the 
Chinese Water chestnut or Bing, Trapa 
bicornis, an aquatic plant. It is a valued 
article of food in China. Fortune, the 
plant collector to whom we are indebted 
for the introduction of so many orna¬ 
mental shrubs, described the manner in 
which the Chinese harvest it, nearly 60 
years ago. The plant grows very abund¬ 
antly in quiet, rather shallow water, and 
the people gathering the seeds, as de- 
sci*ibed by Fortune, paddle about in large 
tubs, which hold the seeds and also the 
gatherer, being easily propelled through 
the floating plants without in juring them. 
The plants have thread-like roots and 
rounded leaves with stalks slightly 
swollen, which help to buoy them up ; 
they recall the Water hyacinth in this 
peculiarity, though the stalks are not 
nearly so much swollen. 
A European variety of the Water chest¬ 
nut, Trapa natans, produces seeds which 
are ground into flour and made into 
bread in some parts of southern Europe. 
In Italy, they are called Jesuit’s nuts. 
These seeds are all very starchy. The 
seeds of the European variety have four 
points at opposite angles, and this pecu¬ 
liarity caused the plant to receive the 
name of Water caltrops, caltrops being 
implements of warfare having several 
points so arranged that, no matter how 
they were placed, one point always pro¬ 
jected upwards; they were used to im¬ 
pede cavalry by endangering the horses' 
feet. The name is also given to a family 
of tropical plants having very prickly 
seeds, which are annoying to cattle. 
Seasonable Notes. 
In the window garden, there is little 
beyond routine work to be done at pres- 
ent. Decayed leaves should be removed, 
and the soil kept free from molds. These 
low organisms frequently occur in a cool 
place, even without overwatering. The 
surface should be lightly stirred to pre¬ 
vent this growth, which is objectionable, 
although ordinarily, it does not lead to 
any great harm. If Red spider appear, 
hard spraying with cold water must be 
used on the under sides of the leaves. 
The presence of the spider is indicated 
by a pale, unhealthy appearance on the 
upper sides of the leaves, while the 
minute rusty-reddish insects congregate 
underneath. 
Easter lilies, now gi’owing rapidly, 
will show the need of more nourishment 
to develop their flowers properly. If not 
already done, they should receive a top¬ 
dressing of rich compost, which will aid 
the surface roots. Some of the profes¬ 
sional growers have been ti’ying the 
effect of moving Easter lilies into larger 
pots when they have filled the first pot 
with roots, this being done in the begin¬ 
ning of January. Good results are being 
reported from this. Greenfly must be 
watched for ; it is one of the worst ene¬ 
mies of these lilies. 
The winter here has been so mild and 
open that many of the bulb beds have 
been left entirely xincovered. It would 
be wise, however, to give them a light 
covering now, because the constant freez¬ 
ing and thawing of the next six weeks 
are likely to injure them. Enough cover¬ 
ing to keep the surface frozen will pre¬ 
vent the early start that results in seared 
and frostbitten leaves a little later. 
HALtP® 
Vegetable Sicilian 
[AIR RENEWER 
It has made miles and miles 
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Enameliite 
THE MODERN LABOR SAVING, 
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Produces a jet enamel qloss. 
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SOLD! 
UNDER A 
Positive 
Guarantee 
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even to the wristbands and 
collar of the dirtiest shirt, 
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This applies to Terriff’s 
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wholesale price. If not 
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write Portland Mfq. Co.,Boxl4, Portland, Mich. 
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FOR V 
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Ex-Gov. W. J. NOItTHEN, 
Manager Georgia Immigration and Investment 
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Fergus Falls, Minn. 
Minnesota Lands 
OAFO 
^VICTORIES.^* 
FOUR MEDALS—3 Gold and 1 Silver, World’s Centennial 
Cotton Exp osition, New Orleans, 1884. 
HIGHEST AWAR DS—Nebraska Agricultural Fair , 1887. 
DIPLOMA—Alabama Agr'l Society, Montgomery, 1888. 
AWARD—Chattahoochie 
bus, Ga., 1888._ 
Valley Exposition, Colum- 
The lamp-chimney Index 
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Write Macbeth Pittsburgh Pa 
TEASm COFFEES 
AT GREATLY REDUCED PRICES. 
Tea Set, Toilet Set, Watch or Clock FREE, with 20 
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20 pounds Tea, and get your Premium and Special 
Presents. THK GREAT AMERICAN TEA CO., 
31 and 33 Vesey Street, New York. P. O. Box 289. 
HIGHEST AWARDS—St. Louis Agricultural and 
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GOLD MEDALS and 6 DIPLOMAS-World’s Colum- 
bl an Exposition, Chicago, 1893, __ 
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SIX GOL D MEDALS and D iplomas—Cal. Midwinter Falr^94. 
SILVER MEDAL —Industrial Exposition, Toronto , Canada, 1895. 
345,584 Home Comfort Ranges Sold to Jan. lst,’97 
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Made of open hearth, cold rolled steel-plate and malleable 
Iron —will last a llfe-tlme with ordinary care. 
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Western Salesrooms and offices: DENVER, COLO, 
fy We manufacture and carry a complete stock of Hotel Ranges and Kitchen goods; also the 
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