The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-11-20
HOME INTERESTS.
Hints for Amateur Florists.

little things which the fower-lover must see
TO- In the garden all beds planted with bulbs
and herbaceous Per ennals should be covered
with leaves, and little earth thrown upon
them to keep them from being blown away.
Roses Of the tender sorts should be bent to the
ground and covered with coal ashes, or, if one
does not like the appearance Of ashes on
lawn-bed, the roses may be enveloped in straw.
Lift and pot for winter blooming clump of
Bleeding Heart or DuIytra, also of Bridal
Wreath or Deutzia-all the summer blooming
bulbs, such as Dahlias, Tigridias, Cannas,
Gladiolus, etc, if not already done, should be
lifted and stored IN dry, warm closet.
Tuberose bulbs require extra care, for, if they
get touch of frost, they are worthless. Cover
Strawberry beds lightly as soon as the gtound
is frozen; also, if you desire Rhubarb early
next season, you will find covering of marsh
hay will cause it to START much earlier into
growth 5@G
If the window garden was prepared, and the
plants potted as suggested in former letters,
many of them will have put forth new leaves,
and some of them even budded, especially if
they are in small pots. Why do recommend
small pots to get rapid bloom, especially SO
when the plant will produce twice as many
flowers, if planted out? The reason is that the
roots will form quicker in a cramped space,
and in nearly every instance this early growing
in small pots is beneficial to the after growth
of the plants Peter Henderson, speaking of
the Wistaria, says: CA plant, if pot-grown,
though less than a foot high at the start, will
often make a growth of ten feet the first sea-
son, while, if the same sized plant were taken
from the open ground, there would scarcely be
any perceptible growth whatever the first sea-
son." #
A plaut needs reporting whenth roots have
formed a compact mass at the bottom of the
pot To ascertain this first set the pot in water,
that the ball of earth may be saturated. Now
spread the fingers across the top of the pot, in
vert it, and brisk tap on the rim on shelf
will make the ball come out If it does need
reporting, carefully shake out the roots, aud
shift into SIZE or two larger, filling up the
space with such soil as I shall describe further
on. If you want flowers very early, pack the
soil into the pots as lightly as possible Lily
bulbs and Roses should be potted tight
Frozen plants may be rescued by sprinkling
them with cold water, and setting the plants in
the dark for twenty four hours in tempera-
ture of not more than so degrees. If the water
should freeze on the leaves, they will come out
all right if this treatment is followed.
1dugluB-DdSk6tS are pI0Iby ~OIudluouIS Ill
winter, either in the parlor or kitchen. Let
them have plenty Of light and sun, but keep
them away from stoves. A real pretty plant,
and most choice one for d hanging basket,yis
PLEA or Artillery plant. The leaves are pro-
duced like fern fronds and are covered with
flowers scarcely as large as a pin-head.s When
watered, these flowers crack and drop like min
iature artillery, hence the name. Doyou want
a lovely basket, and only one plant to do it,?
Get Begonia Glancophylla. 1t has beautiful
orange flowers, and the habit of the plant is
trailing. 1t grows so rapidly that in very
short time the basket is entirely concealed AL
most any one can make hanging basket, but,
if you cannot, copper wire one can be pur-
chased or not more than half a dollar Of
course the sides of such an one must be lined
with moss before the earth is putin.
Running vines look nice in a window garden.
Where there is abundance OF heat Cissus Dis
color is the handsomest of all But / advise
you to use as little fire heat as possible, or else
insects will get on your plants, though tobacco
smoke will eradicate the green spider, 8 drop
of alcohol put on with sharp stick the mealy
bug and water plentifulIy thrown on the
leaves will Danish red spider. Ivies of the En-
glish and German or parlor kinds, Ivy Gera-
NUNS and Cobeas are all desirable.
The seeds of Sweet Alyssum and Mignonette
may be sown now and at intervals Of three
weeks apart for succession of flowers in the
house. A postage stamp will secure you seed
of either one; and as they will bloom in from
six weeks to two months from time of sowing,
no one need be without few flowers in the
window during the winter.
What kind of soil shall / use?" v
This question is propounded at least three
times more to me than any other. For nearly
every plant such as an amateur florist grows
the following compost will give satisfaction:
One-thlrd 10y measure) each of good garden
soil, well-decayed COW manure and sand The
anglc-wOrms. Run the whole through q sieve
to take out the small stones and then you will
have soft, mellow soil fit for nything. Right
here would advise every plant lover to lay in
a stock of potting soil for winter. S #s@-4
| find great many ridiculous theories about
the culture of flowers in my exchanges. [ have
just been reading of a woman who says, The
sand must be thoroughly washed from any soil
whatever before potting," and then goes on to
say "the soil must be baked" I was aston
ished that q practical florist should admit such
nonsense into his paper. Friends give you
no theories. Such information as give you in
these letters has all been acquired by actual
labor in the various branches of the florists
profession. f.4 RI 8|&l<&
Tea Roses are the very best of this class of
plants for winter blooming. Many people say
they cannot grow them. Did you ever try
SCOT? Many a time I have recommended it.
but It's wonderful fertilizing influence must be
seen to be believed Get some SCOT from a
stove or chimney where wood is burned, put
it in a pitcher and pour hot water upon it.
When cold use tito water your plants every
few days, and when the pitcher gets empty fl
it again. You may take a sickly Rose and
treat it as have described, and very soon you
will find new shoots, thrifty, clean leaves and
beautiful flowers. Never get discouraged with
an ailing Rose until you have tried this simple
remedy. % Mr.. RENNIE Ri
A1NswoRrH, Washington Co., Iowa. ra'a ~~assssa
Aunt Lucy and the Children.