Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-11-17
THE CULTURE OF FLOWERS
Discussed by Miss Sanborn at Meeting
of Pathological Society.

Miss G. p. Sanborn of this city. pro-
prietOr of the Ben Venue greenhouses.
read the following interesting paper on
The Care OF Plants for House and
Garden" before the State Pathological
Society at Norway. this week:
1T is one thing to grow plants in
houses heated by steam and quite an
other in those warmed by wood fires.
the preference being for the latter.
Begin in August TO slip the geraniums.
putting the slips in the ground beside
the old plants. which gives them shade
and you know what your slips are like.
When cold weather comes these slips
are just right for small pots. remember
small pots. and will bloom all winter
and be ready for the garden next
spring.
THE best place for the old plants is
in cool fruit cellar. taken UP with the
dirt left on the roots and placed in
shallow boxes. Water three or. four
times during the winter. The first of
April shake off the old earth, cut the
large, hard roots and all the dead
wood. and put in small pots, placing
anywhere in light place where they
will not freeze, and new leaves will
soon, start. Feed with good manure
water, and before time to go outdoors
they will be full Of bloom. cutting In
sures round. even bush. an orna-
mental plant; neglect will give
scrawny plant with few blossoms.
Geraniums grow and flower best
in dry soil. Another desirable plant is
snap-dragon. Plant seeds in box two
weeks before wanted in your garden.
In late summer YOU will have hand
some plants and blossoms Of
all colors. Just before frost
lift Your plants. cut of all
old hard growth. place in small pot
and set in sunny window. This plant
will stand the cold and so is especially
desirable. Another YOU will want is
the nicotiana: plant in sod out of doors
in spring and it will bloom all the fall.
then lift, place in small box or pot. cut
six or eight inches and in January you
will have continual bloom.
"Grow sweet peas in winter, using
coarse poultry wire for them to climb
on: SOW seed in long, narrow box on
the window sill the last OF January in
earth not too rich: when II inches high
branch and you will have beauty and
foliage.
In extremely cold nights place paper
between the plants and windows. Be
sure and give plenty of water after
plants begin to flower, and that no
seed pods form. In cold weather keep
the earth quite dry. Ten weeks stock
makes another fine house plant. Sow
the seeds the last of summer and
transplant into small pots. have
rung the changes on small pots. for
here is the solution of the problem of
winter bloom. Stick to small pots and
YOU will succeed. The large pot is the
cause of failure. A small plant in a
large pot will not grow flowers until it
has filled the pot with roots. The less
root room the. more foliage and bloom.
Easter lilies can be easily grown. Buy
large bulbs, put in five inch pots, water
we'll. place in a dark. cool place till the
pots are filled with roots. then bring
into the light keep well wet down with
manure water until color shows in the
bud then use clear water
"GIadioluses are fine if you have
room, and will bloom in February and
March, The Mammoth oxalis is beau
tiful. Place three or four Dutch hya-
cinths in Il pot which will just hold
them and keep in the dark until the
roots grow, then bring to the sunlight
gradually and you will have something
to feast the eyes on. AS soon as bios
SONS die, dry the bulbs and keep for
the garden. Ferns and foliage plants
are always desirable. Keep ferns in
the shade and Towering plants in the
sun. Ferns die down to the roots once
year. Let them rest. they will come
again. Spray the leaves of your
plants. l would not recommend many
seedlings or ANIMALS for out of doors.
perennials and shrubs are so much
easier grown. Spiraea is one of the
best shrubs; golden glow is another
plant which once established well re-
pays for all trouble.
| mo one in the country should let a
spring go by without having by the
front door a honeysuckle and clematis.
Grow plants and flowers. beautify the
farm homes. add to the attracttveness
| Of the yard and garden, fill the win
dows with flowers and the rooms with
| fragrance and Sweeter. richer lives
| will c,,rolv davolOD unIler their rafi ming