January, 1910 
contrast of brown against the white 
snows, and Spircea Lindleyana, whose 
bright colored stems also enliven the lines 
of the gray landscape. 
Start the tuberous plants, Gloxinias 
and Begonias, now, if you would have 
them bloom early. Put them in flats, 
thickly together, and cover lightly with 
sandy earth. Avoid their rotting, and 
pot as soon as roots are developed. 
If you would become more adept in 
the art of gardening study up some of 
the matters which you will have less time 
for when the busy days of spring arrive. 
It is well to post oneself on the matter of 
fertilizers and soils, since an understand¬ 
ing of such matters will foster gardening 
success. 
Winter mice and rabbits may be gird¬ 
ling your trees. If so, bind strips of 
tar-paper around each tree thus attacked, 
high enough, however, to be above the 
probable snow-line. 
These are the principal flowers whose 
seed may now be sown in the greenhouse: 
Pansy, Lobelia, Verbena, Marguerite, 
Carnation, Snapdragon, Petunia. Daisy, 
Forget-me-not, Wishbone plant, Im- 
patiens, Salvia and Cannas. 
If there is carting and wheeling to be 
done around a place now is a good time 
to do it, when the ground is hard and the 
turf will not be cut up by wheels to leave 
unsightly streaks across the summer lawn. 
Plan early to order your Chrysan¬ 
themum cuttings so you will have good 
material for fall exhibition. 
It is too early of course to make 
hotbeds outdoors throughout northern 
states, but one may sow almost all kinds 
of vegetable seeds indoors for early crops 
if care is taken and proper light, heat and 
ventilation provided. 
See that the spots in your garden 
where you have had Campanula growing 
are carefully protected. 
Send to your seedsmen for catalogues 
if you have not done so already, and give 
careful thought to the contents of these, 
not only in the matter of selecting the 
things you like and admire, but "with 
forethought of planting effects. 
Cape Bulbs 
T OFTEN see the term “Cape bulbs” used by 
A persons writing of indoor gardening. Will 
you kindly tell me just what is meant by the 
term? 
Cape bulbs is the name given to that 
class of small bulbs which are found at the 
Cape of Good Hope and thereabouts, such 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
Oxalis ceruna, one of the best known Cape 
bulbs, easy to grow and very decorative 
as the Freesias, Ixia, Sparaxis, Oxalis, 
Babiana, and Tritonia (the Montbretia, 
of the gardener). Oxalis and Freesias are 
easily growm, but the Ixia and Sparaxis 
are rarely met with, though they are well 
worth the trouble it takes to bring them to * 
successful flowering. This plant is much 
better known in Europe. Cape bulbs are 
grown extensively at the Channel Islands, 
where they thrive remarkably well. Free¬ 
sias are seldom grown in Holland, but the 
trade in them is growing in the Bermuda 
Islands, while California leads in the 
United States. Ixias have been raised 
successfully for commerce near Boston, 
and of course they are grown for the 
trade in California. All the Cape bulbs 
flourish in the Azores, where some of the 
most beautiful gardens in the world are 
to be found. 
Cutting Back Rubber Plants 
I HAVE only a small space by a sunny win¬ 
dow in which I keep my plants, and lately 
my Rubber plant has grown too tall to look well 
or to fit into the limited space I have for it con¬ 
veniently. Is there any way of cutting it back 
The decorative qualities of stems and branches 
add to winter effects 
43 
safely? I have tried to exchange it for a 
smaller one, but we have no florist in our vil¬ 
lage, and no one cares to take so large a plant. 
The Rubber Plant ( Ficus elastica ) may 
be reduced safely by cutting the stem down 
to about a foot and a half from the soil of 
the pot. New shoots will soon appear, 
to transform the stub into a rounded, 
shapely head. 
Neglected House-Plants 
'\'X 7 ’HILE we were away from the city on a 
» * trip abroad, the people to whom we 
let our house either neglected to care for our 
plants properly or did not understand them. 
Consequently, the tips of the ferns and palms 
have turned brown. What should be done 
towards restoring them? 
The best thing to do is to send them 
to your florist, for it may need months of 
careful attention to bring them back to 
their original vigor. 
Fertilizing House-Plants 
T AM told that house-plants require manurial 
stimulant. Will you please advise me 
about this matter? 
Manures may be used in mixing soils 
for potting; however, they should be used 
most sparingly as they are too strong to 
be used in quantities within the confines 
of the flower-pot, and when added in too 
great a quantity will burn instead of 
nourish the tender plant-roots. 
For Sunless Windows 
W HAT plants thrive in windows that do 
not receive much sun? One of my 
rooms which I am planning to use as an up¬ 
stairs sitting-room has a window in which I 
wish to place such plants. 
Geraniums, all fibrous-rooted Begonias, 
and Fuchsias are some of the better known 
plants that thrive with less sunlight than 
some others. 
Century Plants 
I S it true that the century plant blooms but 
once in a hundred years? I have been 
told this is not true, and as I live in the coun¬ 
try I nave no access to any library, so cannot 
look up the information myself. 
No, this plant, the Agave Americana , a 
desert habitant, seldom reaches bloom 
at all under cultivation because sufficient 
room is not allowed for its potting. The 
roots need plenty of room and nourish¬ 
ment—plant food and water, often denied 
them because it is known they are native 
to arid countries and plant lovers suppose 
they are to be treated like prisoners, for¬ 
getting that they are not there exposed to 
desiccated hot air. Under good treat¬ 
ment these Agaves have been known to 
blossom within twenty-five years. As 
soon as its seeds mature it dies, but the 
plant may be perpetuated by the suckers 
forming at the base of the parent plant. 
