The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-16
CARE OF FLOWERS
Instructions for Care of Plants
During Winter.
Superintendent of Parks Give
Out Garden Dope.
ANSWERS MANY QUERIES
Many Plants Must Be Stored
During Freezing Weather.
Every Little Flower Has a
Formula of It's Own.

At this season of the year E. F. A.
Reinisch, city superintendent of parks.
receives many inquiries re garding the
protecting of garden plants and
shrubs Hollyhocks need no protec-
ton in this climate. Now is the prop
er time to transplant peonies. Cannas
and dahlias should be dug up and the
roots stored ir the cellar.
For putting the hardy perennials
to bed for the winter. such as peonies,
columbines, iris. platycodons and
perennial peoples, coating of ma
nure or litter three or four inches
thick will do no harm and may do
much good should the winter be I'M
cured at the city crematory free OF
charge. The covering protects the
plants from freezing to a depth cut
ting off their water supply.
Protect Hardy Perennials.
Cover hardy perennials. such as
bines, iris, piatycidons and perennial
peoples with good coating of manure
or other litter to a depth of 3 or
| inches. In more southern localities
| this will hold the frost in the ground
and keep the plant from alternately
freezing and thawing; in more north
ern regions the manure will protect
| the plant from freezing to a depth
| that will cut off it's water supply.
AS soon as the tops of cannas.
dehlias, gladiolus, caladiums and sim
, liar plants are killed by frost, dig up
the roots or bulbs and store them in
cellar where the temperature will
remain at 55 degrees, and should
never go below so or about go de-
] grees. Do not shake any more earth
from the clumps of cannas and
| dahlias than is necessary in removing
| them from the ground. Place the
| plants on racks or in slat boxes so the
air may circulate freely through them.
No frost must reach the roots nor
must they become too warm or dry.
Hydrangeas Are Strong.
ydran g (semi-herbaceous)
when the winter is mild will last
| through the winter out of doors, If
properly cared for. The tops should
be protected with straw or brush.
This may be held in place about the
bushes with a little manure or stones.
The flower buds of the hydrangea
form in the fall, and this cover will
keep them from winter-killing while
shielding the bush from winds and
sun. To be safe, hydrangeas must be
taken up, planted in tubs and placed
in the cellar.
The shrub known as brugamansia.
also called thorn apple, should be
treated as is the hydrangea. They
are not sohardy.
Don't Trim in Fall.
AS a rule shrubs should not be
trimmed in the fall. This process is
timely Immediately after the bloom
ing period, if this is IN the spring, as
in the case of the SNOWFALL. II the
shrubs bloom in the fall, as do some
hydrangeas, the rose of Sharon, and
some lilacs, they should not be cut
directly after blooming, but in the
spring of the following year. Lilacs,
SnOwballS, and mock orange should be
let alone during the winter. being
neither trimmed nor covered with
straw and manure.
The Care of Roses.
Some roses, as the prfar and rugosa,
need little or no protection, but such
varieties as the hybrid perpetuals, teas
and hydrid-teas, need special care. A
little manure to prevent alternate
freezing and thawing is usually suf-
ficient, butthose who wish to take ex-
ira precautions. may cut the tops to
within thirty inches of the ground.
Cover the roots with coarse manure.
or leaves similar litter. Hold this
in place with evergreen boughs, or
with other brush.
Mounds of earth about six or eight
inches IN height should be drawn
about the base of the rose bushes to
keep them from mice. AS an added
the ground to freeze slightly before
winter protection is supplied. In fact,
roses should not be protected until
after the first light freeze. which may
be expected in washington, d. c.,
about the first of December. but
earlier farther north.
Crimson Ramblers and other climb
ing roses of equally hardy variety need
no protection. Where 1t is possible to
do SO with the less hardy varieties, re-
move the climbing roses from their
supports, and cover the branches with
a little dirt. A little fall trimming
might be desirable to lessen the space
occupied by the branches on the
ground. Such side branches as are not
to be needed for next seasons bloom
ing may be cut off. Such cutting off
and shortening of the ends as would
otherwise be done in the spring, may
be done in the fall before covering,
merely for convenience.
. Flour mills in California YEARLY nav