126 
THE LADIES’ FLORAL CABINET. 
very largest flowers are obtained, only one flower to each 
shoot is allowed ; all side shoots and buds are rubbed or 
pinched out with thumb and finger, except those selected 
for flowering ; the side shoots are pinched out from time 
to time, and the small flower buds are removed as soon as 
they are as large as radish seed, which is during the latter 
part of August and September. The plants are watered 
with manure water, and always well cared for, protected, 
and treated as the standards. 
“For out-door culture, set out during May, in a good 
open spot, on rich ground, as many plants as you de¬ 
sire. Put them not less than from two and a half to 
three feet apart, giving the treatment just described. 
There is no better place than a good vegetable garden to 
plant them. Don’t let them lack for nourishment. At any 
time before the end of September decide on some spot, 
according to the quantity of plants, where a bed can be 
planned; carefully dig up the tallest plants first, placing 
them in line, so that there is just room for daylight be¬ 
tween them, and dividing the number of plants into equal 
parts so that they may be arranged about four feet deep, 
with the tallest at the back, the shortest ones in front. Of 
course all the soil must be kept on, as far as possible, and 
they must be firmly planted and well watered. Four 
posts are to be set in the ground, two at each end. Let 
each post be two feet taller than the plants—this will give 
you the tallest at the back. Nail an inch board, four to 
six inches wide, edgewise all around, the edges to be flush 
with the pitch of the posts. A board should also be nailed 
on edge at bottom on surface of the ground. If the bed 
is longer than ten feet, more posts will be required as 
supports. On the side and at both ends, tack a roll of 
canvas, cloth, muslin or any material that will simply pro¬ 
tect the flowers from cutting winds. Cover the top, which 
will be on a slope, with the same material, nailing it at the 
upper side and attaching it to a roller, so that it can be 
easily let down and taken up. This should be let down 
on the approach of the first cold snap—which is generally 
early in October, and which lasts only one or two nights— 
and on cold nights and very stormy days afterward the 
plants should be kept covered, As a matter of course, 
provision will be made to securely tie the canvas in case of 
high winds. We have not given any dimensions as to the 
size; that can best be determined according to the num¬ 
ber of plants. We can, however, tell our friends that they 
will be delighted with the experiment; that the flowers 
will be nearly equal to those opened in the greenhouses, 
and that the canvas cover will be sufficient to keep them 
from being injured 1 by the frost, and will serve the same 
purpose many years. 
WHAT CHRYSANTHEMUMS DO LIKE: 
To be planted firmly, in rich soil; 
Plenty to eat, and 
Plenty to drink; 
To have at least four or five hours’ sunshine a day; 
To be mulched after July i, with grass or manure; 
To be well soaked with water or weak manure-water 
often from August to October ; 
To be divided every year; 
To be tied up so as not to be broken by the wind ; 
To be protected from severe frosts when in flower. 
WHAT CHRYSANTHEMUMS DON’T LIKE: 
To be planted loosely, in poor soil; 
To be planted beneath the shade of trees, where there is 
no nourishment; 
To be starved; 
To be dry; 
To be smothered all summer by vines or other plants; 
To be left for years without dividing; 
To be placed where the sun never shines on them; 
To be blown over by the wind ; 
To be severely frozen when coming in flower ; 
To be in hot, dry and gassy rooms. 
“We regret to know that, with all the information so 
easily obtained, there are yet many people who do not 
understand even that plants of all kinds must have some 
consideration and have at Feast a chance to live before 
they can be expected to flower. We frequently—almost 
daily—hear the following: ‘ Well, I am disappointed ! I 
bought so many of this and so many of that, but they did 
not do well—-how is it ? ’ During our late home exhibi¬ 
tion of- chrysanthemums, a lady from a long distance 
went into ecstasies over them, but sadly remarked that 
she had obtained nearly all of our expensive and new 
varieties last spring, and had scarcely had a single one 
blossom. On inquiry, we found they had all been planted 
in a bed immediately under some large peach-trees where 
the ground was already too much occupied, where the sun 
never smiled on them, and where they never had a drop 
of water during the very dry August and September. In 
truth, they were actually starved to death.” 
SOME CAPE BULBS. 
T HE interest taken in the cultivation of freesias during 
the past three or four years has brought about the 
collection of other Cape bulbs, among which there are 
many desirable varieties. Comparing with and perhaps 
surpassing the freesias in beauty are babianas, ixias and 
sparaxis. 
The treatment required for all varieties is so simple that 
it is strange that they are not more frequently grown as 
window plants, for which they are well adapted. They 
should be potted early in the fall, October at the latest, in 
soil that is light and sandy. A pot four inches in diame¬ 
ter is large enough for six bulbs; good drainage should 
be provided and care taken that the bulbs are not kept 
too wet before they are well rooted, or they will decay. 
This applies to nearly all Cape bulbs, especially to the 
corm-like, or, for comparison, bulbs having the same form 
as the gladiolus. A temperature of sixty degrees is warm 
enough for them ; they are not subject to insect depreda¬ 
tions and can be easily kept over from spring to autumn in 
a dry cupboard or closet. Every year they form new bulfSs, 
