The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-11-21
HOME INTERESTS.
Hints for Amateur FLORISTS.

At this season of the year there are man,
little things which the fower-lover must 30,
70. In the garden all beds planted with bulbs
and herbaceous Perennials should be covered
with leaves, and little earth thrown upol
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, il 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 Dulytra, also of Bridal
Wreath or Deutzia-all the summer-b blooming
bulbs, such as Dabliss, Tgridias, Cannas,
Gladiolus, etc, If not already done, should be
lifted and stored IN a dry, warm closet.
Tnberose bulbs require extra care, for, if they
get touch of frost, they are worthless. Cover
Strawberry beds lightly as soon as the g.ound
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.
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 l recommend
small pots to get rapid bloom, especially 80
when the plant will produce twice as many
flowers, if planted out? The reason Is that the
roots will form quicker in 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: "A plant, if pot-grown.
though less than foot high at the start, will
often make 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."
plaut needs reporting when the roots have
formed a compact mass at the bottom of the
pot To ascertain this first set the potn water,
that the ball of earth may be saturated. Now
spread the fingers across the top OF the pot, in
vert II, and brisk tap on the rim on a shelf
Will make the bsll come out If IL does need
reporting, carefully shake ont the roots, aud
SHIFT into size or two larger, filling up the
space with such soil as i shall describe further
o. Ii 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 III
the dark for twenty four hours in a tempera-
ture of not more than 80 degrees If the water
should freeze on the leaves, they will come out
all right if this treatment is followed.
Hanging baskets are pretty ornaments in
them have plenty OF light and sun, but keep
them away from stoves. real pretty plant,
and a most choice one for hanging basket is
PLEA, or Artillery plant. The leaves are pro-
duced like fern frouds. and are covered with
flowers scarcely as large as pin-head. When
watered, these flowers crack and drop like min
nature artillery, hence the name. Do you want
lovely basket aud only one plant TO do it,
Get a BegoDia Glancophylla. 1t has beautiful
orange flowers, and The habit of the plant is
linz .lxr flnf
short time the basket is entirely concealed. Al
most any one can make a 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 one must be lined
with moss before the earth is put in.
Running vines look nice in window garden.
Where there is abundance of heat Cissus Dis |
color is the handsomest of al. But / advise |
you TO as little fire heat possible, or else
insects will get on your plants, though tobacco |
smoke will eradicate the green spider, a drop
of alcohol put on with sharp stick the mealy |
bug, and water plentfully thrown on the |
leaves will Danish led spider. Iyies 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 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 a rev hOwer5 III the |
window during the winter
"What kind of soil shall / use?"
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-third (by measured each Of good garden |
soil, well-decayed COW manure and sand The
addition Of a little lime will expel and prevent
anglo-worms. Run the whole through sieve
to take out the small stones, and then you will
have a soft, mellow soil fit for anything. Right |
here l would advise every plant lover to lay in
a stock of pottng soil for winter.
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
before potting," and then goes on to
say 4the soil must be baked" / was aston
lshed that 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.
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 time l have recommended it,
but Its wonderful fertilizing influence must be
seen TO be believed. Get some SCOT from a
stove or chimney where wood is burned, put
i in a pitcher and pour hot water upon it.
When cold use it 10 water your plants every
few days, and when the pitcher gets empty fiji
It again. You may take sickly Rose and
treat il as have described and very soon you
will find new shoots, thrifty, clean leaves and
beautiful flowers. Never get discouraged with
IN ailing Rose until you have tried this simple
remedy. Mr. RENNIE.
AINswoRrH, Washington Co, Iowa.
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