House and Garden 
removed to a cooler house when in bloom, fifty 
degrees at night is sufficient at the start. 
There are many beautiful varieties of the begonia. 
Now is the time for propagation. There is nothing 
more pleasing for pot culture or for planting under 
benches and in rockeries. 
Every year witnesses an increased desire for plants 
in pots at Christmas time. The poinsettia with its 
rich red, and blending of red and green, appeals 
strongly to the sentiments of warmth natural in the 
breasts of all civilized people. Also for this use the 
ardisia has charming qualities, while the berried 
solanum meets with favor though not so popular. 
Both the red and white varieties of azalea receive 
kindly attention. 
Mice should be kept from stored plants and bulbs. 
A very effective way is to take some strychnine and 
dissolve it in hot water, having enough water to cover 
the kernels of grains or corn which should be put in 
the solution to soak while the water is yet warm. 
The corn will soften and absorb the strychnine; 
after the absorption dry the corn perfectly and use as 
needed. The mice will nibble out the kernels but 
only a few will live to finish the meal. 
If not already done immediate attention should be 
given to the vines about the garden. They should 
be carefully and securely tied up to prevent damage 
by the weight ot snows and sleets. Cover the bulb- 
beds with a heavy spread of mulch which may be 
made of the leaves which have fallen about the place. 
Protect half-hardy roses. Heap coal ashes about 
the roots and wrap straw about the plants. See that 
all avenues of drainage about the yard are open. 
Garden Correspondence 
W. C. EGAN 
DYING OF BKRBERIS HEDGES 
IX/TY hedge of Thimbergii, some years old, 
is dying out in spots and some of the other 
plants have a yellowish look. A gardener tells me 
it is because the drainage is not good. He may be 
right, as the water often stands on the surface near it. 
What can I do to remedy the matter t Shall I re¬ 
place the dying plants M. F. C. 
The gardener is right. All of the Berberis family 
like a dry situation. I advise you to tile drain tbe 
soil. If this is impossible for any reason, you must 
replant on a raised bed. Take up and destroy the 
plants you have. They are probably all weakened 
and it is better to start with fresh young stock. 
Remove all roots and bring in enough fresh soil and 
well-rotted manure, which, when well mixed with the 
old soil, raises the bed fully twelve inches. Get 
young, bushy plants a foot or so high and plant them 
eighteen to twenty inches apart. In time the over¬ 
arching branches will spread over the bed and hide 
the fact that the bed is raised. In the meantime, 
plant at each side masses of spring flowering l ul s, 
crocus, scillas and chionodoxas will do well there for 
some years and cost but little. 
DISEASE OF THE LEAVES OF THE HOLLYHOCK 
Can the disease that attacks the leaves of the holly¬ 
hock be overcome ? I have some fine double ones 
but they became so shabby in foliage last year that 
I came near abandoning them. S. E. P. 
I do not think the disease can be wholly overcome. 
By commencing when the leaves first appear, to 
spray them with a Bordeaux solution and continuing 
it at intervals during the season, spraying both the 
under and upper surface of the leaf, you may hold 
the disease in check. The doubles are more subject 
than the singles. Often in farm gardens one may 
find healthy single hollyhocks of good color. Get 
some of them and plant them in a section of your 
garden where your other plants have not been; but 
first burn your old plants. There is a race of holly¬ 
hocks that bloom the first year from seed, that seldom 
show signs of disease until late in summer. 
PLANTING SHRUBS ALONG FOUNDATION WALLS 
I wish advice regarding shrubs to be planted along 
foundations with southern exposure. What would 
you suggestWould the barberry be suitable 
Also what would you suggest for clumps of shrubbery.? 
F. B. 
'Four climate and the exposure admits the growing 
of many of the choicer shrubs, excluding mainly those 
that require much moisture. Barberries thrive best 
in well-drained soil, which your foundation walls 
afford, as they convey extra moisture quite rapidly 
to the tile below. There are several barberries, but 
those most suitable are tbe common Berberis vulgaris 
in its green or purple leaved form, whicb is a tall up¬ 
right grower with arching branches, or B. Thunbergit 
more spreading in habit and more noted for its fall 
coloring. One shrub of this, will in time, if in good 
soil and close to a wall, cover the wall twelve feet 
or more wide and four high. Spircea Van Houteiiy 
one of the new bridal-wreaths, will do well there 
as will the golden bells, Forsythia fortunei. The 
Japanese Rosa rugosa, and its hybrids, especially 
the charming Conrad F. Meyer, would give flowers 
and good foliage all the season through. 
Any of the above would also make good clumps. 
216 
