A Canadian Letter 
Mrs. A. M. Mac Pherson of Winnipeg 
writes an interesting letter about her flower 
growing, deer and other problems in her - 
section of the world. Following are some 
special remarks: 
In reading your magazine, I noticed you 
mentioned Alaska Cotton. I visited Churc- 
hill three years ago and I was so intrigued by 
it. I brot home some plants; they are alive 
and seem to be in good condition, however, 
they are not growing like they do up North. 
The one I planted in the home garden has 
rich sweet soil, while the one at the summer 
home at Hawk Lake, the soil is acid and 
sandy or gravel; I cannot understand what 
sort of soil suits it best. 
At Churchill there is not a tree for 
hundreds of miles and the soil, what there 
is, must have a salt content, because the 
Arctic ocean beats against the rocks and it 
must reach the plants. Its a very beautiful 
vine and crawls over the boulders and each 
little leaf is rolled up and a beautiful shade 
of red. when this unfolds it is a glossy green 
with red veins. 
The seed seem to be attached to a bit of 
white fluff-like cotton batting; I imagine a 
soil test would tell the secret. 
No doubt but you will think I am a terr- 
ible person offering suggestions, however, I 
hope you will not be offended when I suggest 
something to improve your magazzine; rest 
assured it won’t be a request to publish re- 
ports on all the garden shows, neither will 
it be pages on flower arrangements but I 
think it would be very helpful for a quest- 
ion and answer column, for example. 
How does one raise the Bell Heather? 
Editor’s remarks: Your letter is especially 
of interest because you touch on many points 
I have been trying to get across to our read- 
ers besides there are some that is of special 
personal interest. 
First, I want to thank you for your re- 
marks on the Arctic Cotton. Why can’t we 
get more readers to write about different 
flowers, like you have done? You could 
have included a little personal mention on 
your trips and about other items of interest 
on flowers you notice along the way; so 
many things can be seen about a flower when 
it is in its native territory. such things as 
shade, sun, protection of bushes, kind of 
soil and many many other such indications 
as to its requirements. It is also of interest 
to note the range of growth type as well as to 
flower form and the colors. 
Your remarks about flower shows, etc., are 
also of interest because we, too, feel that the 
reports in themselves are not very interesting 
to the average reader and we have yet to 
receive a report from a show that gives any 
information about a winning flower, other 
than who won it. We do not mean that 
flower shows are not a -good thing, for they 
are, but unless some especially good new 
plant is shown, there is little of interest other 
than local. 
We wish more readers would write on flow- © 
ers of which they have an opportunity to ob- 
serve, and especially items on their uses and 
cultural requirements; too many just ‘“‘des- 
cribe” the flower. 
About a “Question and Answer’ column. 
We would be glad to do this, but to tell you 
the truth, there are very few questions asked! 
Probably our readers are better posted, and 
we do feel that this is true because our pub- 
lication does cater more to the serious mind- 
ed flower grower, rather than to the less post- 
ed growers. I am afraid that many of the 
“questions” in these columns are written at 
the same time as the “answer”. However, 
153 
ZINNIA - ENDING LIST AGAIN 
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— DIMONDALE MICHIGAN 
we do answer every question asked us and 
we are going to ask Will Ingwersen to say 
something on your question; he is an Eng- 
lishman, you know, but ought to be better 
posted on Heather than we here in the U. 
S. A., where so little of this is grown. 
Speaking of Churchill; I have always want- 
ed to go there. The Arctic and the old fur 
trade in the far North has always been of 
great interest. There is a lake called Ox- 
ford lake, some 90 miles north-east from the 
northern end of Lake Winnipeg, that I have 
always wanted to visit, for a vacation, but 
never have been able “to get away’. And 
every time I read a letter from some one in 
that section, I immediately get started to 
make the trip; recently we had a subscript- 
ion addressed c/o the Hudson’s Bay House 
in Winnipeg, which really had me ready to 
go but then winter is coming on so it will 
be next year! ? 
Our magazine is entirely different from 
any other publication. We are not trying to 
fill it up with display advertisements; its not 
a money making undertaking; its main object 
is to make it possible to distribute every 
known seed of value and to furnish all the 
information possible as to the uses and cult- 
ural practices necessary. Much of this in- 
formation has to come from readers. Just 
now we are changing the two column seed 
listing to one column, because it will allow 
more cultural information to be included as 
well as allowing the use of pictures. We 
hope our readers are going to like this 
change. 
HELLEBORUS or CHRISTMAS ROSE 
A great many seem to have trouble in 
growing Helleborus from seed. I suggest 
that you mix the seed in some moist sand 
or peat, place in a glass jar and hold in the 
refrigerator for 60 days, before starting the 
seed. It might be well to plant part of the 
seed in your usual way, as a check, and we 
shall appreciate reports on your operations. 
No doubt, you will find Helleborus seed 
germinating better if the seed pan is kept in 
a dark place, rather than exposing it to the 
direct sun light. 
To propagate by divisions, this is best 
done immediately after it blooms early in 
the spring or it can also be done in the aut- 
umn. 
Do not disturb Helleborus too much; they 
are better when in partial shade. 
