Saier’s 
GARDEN MAGAZINE 
DIMONDALE, MICHIGAN. 
VOL. 3, ..No. 5. (10) JULY, 1953. 
We have had some letters regarding the 
change in the name of the business from 
Pioneer Seed Company to Harry E. Saier. 
We would have explained this a little more 
in the last issue if we had thot anyone 
would be interested. The main reason being 
the great number of Pioneer Seed Compan- 
ies, our packet supplier tells us they have 28 
Pioneer Seed Companies on their books. 
Another reason being due to the necessity 
of cutting down on one’s operations dur- 
ing these difficult times. 
Orders on file will be handled just as 
if there was no change in the name. 
A word about the magazine. Only enough 
copies are printed to fill the needs for the 
regular subscribers, plus a few extras that 
are bound in with the seed list. Few sample 
copies are being mailed out so if you find. 
the magazine section of value to you you 
should subscribe and then you will get each 
issue as well as the current seed list. We 
believe the seed list should also be of value 
for its cultural information as well as for 
the seed listings. These seed lists are’ print- 
ed often during the year; the type is kept 
set up and as soon as the printed copies 
are exhausted, the type is corrected as to 
the listings and then put back on the press 
and the amount needed for the next 60 
days are run off. All subscribers get a 
copy of each seed list; all customers who 
have purchased since the list issue get a 
copy; all requests are sent a copy, but there 
is no general mailing except for the issue 
at the end of the year, when all customers 
during the proceeding 12 months are sent 
a copy of the magazine and seed list com- 
bined. Costs are too great to operate any 
other way. 
When does your subscription expire? 
Above in the date line is the figure (10). 
On your address: you will find a number in 
the upper right hand corner; if it is 10, 
then your subscription expires with this 
issue; if, say, it is 15, then you have 5 more 
copies due you. 
If there are any clubs that would like 
sample copies for their members at any 
particular meeting, we will try to furnish 
them without charge, especially will this be 
so if there is an article in the issue of special 
interest to the group. 
We are anxious to have pictures that 
will be of interest and if readers will mail 
copies or the negative, they will be returned 
promptly. 
The front cover pictures are always a 
problem. We would particularly like to 
show American gardens, but we will have 
to get suitable pictures first. Do you have 
something along this line that you are proud 
of? If so, we will cooperate so others can 
also enjoy it. 
VIGOR IN WHITE FLOWERED TYPES 
White or albino varieties of flowers usual- 
ly are hardier than the colored varieties 
White flowers also are more fragrant. 
This fact can be. especially taken advant- 
age of in plant breeding where hardiness is 
especially wanted in the crosses. 
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341 
The Cultivation of South African Proteaceae 
Continued from Page 340 
better control of watering and control of 
pests. 
Manufactored galvanized iron tins (about 
4-6 inches) which can be opened for removal 
of the plants with minimum disturbance at 
planting time, or 2 lb. jam tins, are suitable 
except for the Silver Tree, which is a robust 
grower and requires a larger tin. 
The soil for tinning is any average light 
type of soil enriched with some compost or 
leaf-mould, also a little bonemeal. The 
tins should have the usual provision for 
drainage. 
In tinning the seedlings, the cotyledons 
should be kept just above soil level. It is 
advisable also to sever the growing tips of 
the tap roots if this was not broken in lifting’ 
from the seed bed. In any case a slight 
reduction in lenght of the tap root if unduly 
long would not do any harm. The effect 
will be to encourage a fibrous root system, 
apart from actually facilitating transplant- 
ing. Watering should be carefully regulat- 
ed, as excessive moisture at this stage might 
cause wholesale damping-off. 
As the plantlets gradually increase in size, 
so watering can be increased accordingly. 
In mid-summer the intensity of the heat and 
rapid drying out of the tins can be minim- 
ized by placing the plants under a lath 
shelter (Iaths fairly widely spaced to pre- 
vent soft growth taking place in tne plants). 
In due course the young plants should 
have the growing tip removed (except with 
the Silver Tree) to encourage bushy growth. 
Species such as Protea cynaroides and Mim- 
etes lyrigera, which branch naturally from 
the base, do not require this ‘stopping’. 
Towards the end of the summer the young 
plants are best stood right out in the open 
to harden their growth. Should they show 
signs of starvation in the tins, a little feed- 
ing could be resorted to. Any rooting 
through of the plants should be guarded 
against and emerging roots from the tins 
removed as they appear. 
Planting Out 
The young plants in tins are planted out 
as one-year-olds. In the Cape this coin- 
cides with the advent of the rainy season 
in autumn, but elsewhere regular watering 
would be required at that time to assist the 
newly set-out plants in becoming established. 
Before attempting to remove the plants 
from their containers, they should receive 
a good watering. In removing from jam 
tins, squeezing the top of the tin and then 
giving the bottom rim a few sharp taps 
with the trowel, will facilitate removai of 
the plant ball intact. 
The holes for receiving the plants should 
be prepared beforehand by removing a 
spade’s depth of soil and breaking up the 
bottom layer in the hole, mixing in a little 
leaf-mould or compost, after which the top 
soil is returned and likewise enriched, plus 
a little bonemeal and/or a dusting of super- 
phosphate. Planting must be firm. 
The majority of the species of South 
African Proteaceae, being mountainside or 
koppie plants or otherwise growing in well- 
drained situations, experience has shown that 
the bbest results in cultivation of this class 
the best results in cultivation of this class 
is a well-drained loam. Only in rare ex- 
one or two others, are marshy conditions 
desired. The great majority require full sun. 
Under cultivation pests and diseases are fort- 
unately not unduly troublesome. Gener- 
ally speaking the adaptability of the memb- 
ers of this family to various soils and con- 
ditions is remarkable. Their flowering stage 
is also reached reasonably soon, according to 
species, after the sowing of the seeds. 
‘In Situ’ Seed Sowing 
For gardeners not able to carry out tho 
seed-bed and tin method as described, it is 
possible to modify this method by planting 
the seedlings directly from seed beds inta 
their permanent positions or, alternatively, 
sowing the seeds ‘in situ’ in prepared pos- 
itions where the plants are to remain per- 
manently. Three seeds should be sown in 
each spot and any resultant surplus could 
be transplanted, remembering that this must 
be done early on. 
But while ‘in situ’ sowing may appear ta 
be labor-saving, there is less control over 
the welfare of the seedlings. Likewise, sow- 
ing the seeds in pots or flats, has drawbacks; 
experience has shown that, excluding one 
or two species, this latter method gives un- 
reliable results, as fluctuations in the degrea 
of warmth and moisture precludes good re- 
sults being obtained. 
NOTE: One must keep in mind when 
reading this article that the writer is in 
the Southern Hemisphere and thus the sea- 
sons are reversed. 
Seeds of the species mentioned will be in 
future seed lists. 
The New Insecticide 
Du Pont’s Malathon 
The American Cyanamid Company has 
just developed a new insecticide named 
MALATHON which takes the place of PAR- 
ATHION with the small gardener. Parath- 
ion has a high degree of human toxicity 
requiring special handling precautions and is 
not practical for use in the home garden. 
In addition to the ease and simplicity of 
handling, Malathon has shown an extremely 
high degree of insect control. For example, 
California reports that nearly 100% control 
and magazine for February and I think it ig 
cellaneous potted plants using a Malathon 
spray mixture; 100% control on soft scala 
on* Orchids (Phalaenopsis and Cattleya); 
i00% control of Monterey pine scale and 
the same of two-spotted spider mite on 
Gardenias moderately infested. Aphidg 
were also controlled at the same time. 
Malathon insecticides applied to flowers 
and ornamentals will control such destruct- 
ive insects as: aphids, thrips Japanese beet- 
le adults, mites, mealy bugs, tarnished plant 
bug, scales, leafhoppers, four-lined leaf 
bug and many other insects found in the 
home garden. 
Malathon is the basic material and it is 
available in many commercial garden in- 
secticides; the labels will state if it contains 
Malathon. 
BAD PYRMONT BATHS 
I was interested in the article on Bad Pyr- 
mont in the February issue. 
I went once with my aunt to Nauheim. 
The Kur Hous had the most superb Rose! 
garden I ever saw. It was a joy to sit 
there in the early evening and enjoy it. 
I agree with you the Cures in this country 
are great bores. There is nothing for rest, 
pleasure or dirversion. 
Mrs. E. Hollingsworth Siter, East Hampton, 
N. Y. 
Do not transplant Endive as plants arg 
very liable to bolt to seed. 
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