The Washington times., 1905-07-16

xr 18th garden Ioam to be had
for the asking, and plants
" " sturdy with the splendid life
that summer winds and
weather put into the sap, It's time to be
making ready for the plants you've
planned to have in bloom at Christmas.
II you want 20 transplant the different
varieties and want them at their best in
the winter begin by pinchinS of bios
SONS while they are sUiil IN bud 1t
takes Spartan courage to do this, for
if you are true flower iover you want
ali the bloom around you possible TO
get-you feel Ike coaxins out more hlos-
SONS instead of forcing single one
back But the later bloom win pay for
presen. deprivation. and the plants will
( branch out. growing more compact and
ready for their winters work.
As good way, and one shat leaves
the plants free to bloom ts they please,
is starting new PLANS from slips. IL
YOU do this, cut healthy little branches
off close 10 4 bud masking long, slant
| ing cUt Break oil all the leaves on
your slip except the Iin1est ones at the
tip tIet these stay ~on the little plant to
breathe with. and plant IN pots or
boxes, so that they may be protected
from heavy storm, or any of the lit
tie accidents which are only incidents TO
the growing plants, out which would
prove fatal to the slips.
Make a hGie in the earth for them with
your dnger-3ont by any means. Just
push the slip down through the earth
and press the earth nrmiy around 1t. u
should be set in from an inch TO an inch
and nalf deep.
As it grows. give the leaves and the
wee branches that soon begin 10 ap-
pear full play but curb any attempt
that shows signs. Of resolving itself
| into q flower. Keep the slips AWAY
! from too much sun, they re not strong
enough for it. and give them FREQUENT
drinks of water, taking care that there
is an outlet for any excess of water
| Otherwise il will rot the slip.
When the roots are firmly set, and
tie wee plant has begun putting out
| leaves, give it ali the sun and air and
water II needs. 0ut don't water IT when
the sun is high. night and morning are
! the best tines
! Nasturti,Irns will grow from slips as
/; well as geraniurls. and will bloom in
i the house all winter They will even
| grow in water, but do better, OF course
| 1.ith the dwarf varieties. or with the
/ cIiIn Ding nasturtiums trained around
strings that frame the window, make
/ the cheericst sort of room
| But with nasturtiums, iet them bloom
all they want and pick all OF the bios
SONS you choose-tEe more you cut,
the more viii come out.
| Sweet peas can hardly be ceaxed to
! bloom indoors and the hiooEa Is never
satisfactory; they need the fierce heat
of summer sun to come out IN their
| glory.
! Most of the Towering bulbs will
| bloom if they are properly started:
| Hyacinths should not be started until
| Iater-fuH six weeks before Christmas.
/ is time enoush-and they should be
kept fairly dark and cool until they are
| well started But don't make the mis-
/ take of putting them where they can
| Ireeze-as so many people have done,
rnistaking -'cocl and dark for cold and
i dark.
Most of the narcissus tribe bloom with
a little care; but like hyacinths- keep
| them cool and rather dark. not exposing
to the direct rays of the sun until the
| bloom is well out
| If you grow bulbs in water, see that
| they are shielded from the sun in The
hottest part of the day, or the water
/ viii get h3t enough to impair che growth
and the bloom, II not actually kill the
| plant
Kenilworth ivy grows well in hanging
| baskets and SO many interesting new
| baskets and hanging pots have come out
| lately that these little trailing plants
| are much more in demand than they
have beer for a long while And Kenft-
worth ivy. Wandering Jew, and a NUM-
| Der OF others will grow from slips.
] Those hanging pots, by the way.
should never have the flowers planted
| directly in them, but in an inner pot.
water, which. as in the case of slips,
rots the roots And the inner pots
should be taken out occasionally, giving
| the plants a chance TO breathe Unless
| you do this they re apt TO die down
perhaps actually die.