Full text of "Ornamental gardening in Florida, radio series - 1933-34"

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Florida Agricultural
Experiment Station Library

Gainesnilc. Florida

RADIO GARDEN TALKS

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

1933- 1934

Oil
ubraM

OEITAI.'ISIITAI GAI.'JJilJinJC- IE Ji'T.CLIDA
Badio Series - 1533--193'^
By
The University of Florida Agricultural College,
Experiment Station and Extension Service
In cooperation with the
Florida Federtuion of Garden Gluts
Given over WCOA, TOAE, TFJAX, WQ^A, ai.d TOUF

The Values of the Garden - Mrs. A. G. Cummer, past
president, Florida Federation of Garden Clubs

Minerals in Relation to Plants - L. W. Gaddum, bio-
chemist, Sxperiment Station

Soil Reactions in Relation to Gardening - 0. C. Bryan,
professor of soils and agronomy. College of Agri-
culture

The Role of Beneficial Soil Micro-organisms in Garden-
ing - R. M. Barnette, chemist, E:cperiraent Station

The Influence of Environment on Florida Garden Plants -
M, D. Cody, professor of botany and bacteriology,
College of Agricvdture

Preparing and Fertilizing Garden Soils - W. A. Leukel,
agronomist, Experiment Station

Gardening Literature - Mrs. I. K. Cresap, librarian,
Experiment Station

Plant Names, Whence Derived and What They Mean - Erdman
West, nycologist, Experiment Station

Annual Flowering Plants for the Winter and Spring Garden -
J. V. Watkins, assistant horticulturist. College of
Agricultui-e

Garden Plants that Plant Themselves - J. V. Watkins

Planting and Maintaining the Garden - G. H. Blackmon, hor-
ticulturist, Experiment Station

12 ITov. 29 - Architectural Features of the Flower Garden - Rudolph

Weaver, director, School of Architecture, University
of Florida and Architect for the State Board of Control

13 Dec. 6 - How to Plant Foundations - Earold Mowry, assistant director,

administration. Experiment Station
ih Dec. 13 - Choice Plants to Use in Foundation Plantings - W. L. Floyd,

assistant dean and professor of horticulture, Colleg-j
of Agriculture
15 Dec. 20 - Growing Roses in Florida - Mrs. S. F. Poole, president,
~ Florida State Rose Society

Propagation of Florida Garden Plants - John V. Watkins
Kar^'y Ornamentals for the Florida Garden - Harold Mowry
Deciduous Trees for the F].orida Landscape - G. H. Blac'CTiot:
Ornamental Florida Frtiit Trees - H. S. Wolfe, horticultui'i'; t-

in charge, Subtropical Experiment Station
Rose Varieties for Florida Gardens - H. Harold Hume, assis-
tant director, research, Experiment Station
Spraying for Flower Garden Insects - A. N. Tissot, associ-
ate entomologist, Experiment Station
Diseases of the Flower Garden - Geo. F. Weber, plant paii^L-

ologist, Experiment Station
Pruning Trees and Shrubs or Butchering Them - Wlaich? -•

Chas. E. Abbott, associate professor of horticulture.
College of Agriculture

Talk No.
1

Sept. 13

Sept. 20

Sept. 27

Oct. k

Oct. 11

Oct. 18

Oct. 25

Nov. 1

Nov. 8

Nov. 15
Nov. 22

17
IS

Dec.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.

3
10

Jan.

Feb.

- 2 -

Talk Ho.

2h leh. 21 - Flowering Trees in Florida - A. F. Canp, head of Hor-

tic-ultiiral Department, Experiment Station

25 Feb. 2S - Tlie Development of Garden Plants - P. H. Senn, assis-

tant professor of field crops and genetics, Col-
lege of Agriculture

26 Mar, 7 - Bamboos, the Tree Grasses - R. A. Young, associate hor-

ticulturist, Division of Foreign Plant Introduc-
tion, U, S, Department of Agriculture

27 Mar. ik - Whence Came Our Florida Garden Plants? - M. R. Ensign,

associate horticulturist, Experiment Station
Zephjrranthes: Flowers of the West Wind - H. Harold Hume
Florida's ITative Flowers - Erdraan West

Annual Plants for the Summer Flower Garden - W. L. Floyd
Irises to Enhance the Beauty of Florida Gardens - H. Harold

Hume
Insect Friends of Garden Plants - W, L. Thompson, assis-
tant entomologist, Experiment Station
Hibiscus, Its Place in Florida Gardening - ¥. M. Fifield,
assistant horticu?.tTarist, Subtropical Experiment Sta-
tion
3'+ May 2 - Preparation and Maintenance of Lawns - W. E. Stokes, head

of Af^ronony Department, Experiment Station
35 May 9 - harvesting and Storing Bulbs - R. D. Dickey, assistant

horticulturist, Experiment Station
The Lilies of a Day - H. Harold Hume

Some New and Old Plants of Florida Gardens - W. L, Floyd
Vine-Clad Walls, Trellise-: and Arbors, - Harold Mowry
The Simple Things of Gardening - H. Harold Hume
Uatural Beauties of Florida Roadsides and Their Conserva-
tion - H. Harold Evzae

Mar.

Mar,

Apr.

May 16

May 23

May 30

June 6

June 13

*I'*I**j''I*'pV1*'F

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICF

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk iJO. 1
Septeaiber I3, 1933

THJi; VALUES OF TKE GARDEN

Mrs. A. G-. C-uuTOner
Past President, Florida Federation of Crarden Clubs

I am most confident that I but echo the sentiments of hundreds of those
v;ho ere listening in '.vhen I exprees appreciation and gratitude to the Agri-
cultural Experiment Station and the Agricultu.ral CollGje of the University of
Florida for the opportujiity again ^.^ivon ns to glean information through this
second series of Radio Garden Talks.

While I esteem greatly the cosaplimsnt paid to me when I was asked to
raalce these opening remarks, I speaJc as a ;,iere enthusiast — one who is happy-
over what she has learned and most hopeful as to what she vvill learn.

Probably no word of six letters — save only the words Mother and Fa-
ther — can and d03s bring so much ci help and satisfaction to m-inkind as
does the word gn^rden. It is a passport into foreign lands and -/.lether or not
we speak their tongue, ~3 know that the French word "jardin," the Spanish
"jardin," the German "t'lrten,'' and the Italian "giardino" are, after all, but
our "garden;" and understc-^ndiug their pec iiar langimge each flower brings to
us a smile of joyful recognition, v/hsrever ^'e may meet it.

Believing?- that possibly the surest v/ay to prove the underlying dominance
of the garden in the lives of t'lo h/u^iian race today would be to give a con-
densed history of Gardening Art from its very beginning, I intend to follow
that course of thought.

In E,°ypt , the very cradle of all h-::.iiian civilization, we find, resultant
from the peculiar clmracter of the soil .'-^. u clinate, an early and important
development of garden cultivation. Indeed, all horticulture arose from their
profit-making care of plants. The Egjqptian demanded and obtained from his
garden edible fruits, medicinal herbs, timber and shade. He valued first his
trees, then his vinc:'ards, vG2;ot?hles, flowers, whiles -'ind ■•"v-.ter, nil of which
he enclosed within walls. Thus it v.-as he who definitelj'' established a ma-
terial, commercial, spiritu^d and esthetic value to the garden and from those
days down to the present that a.ppr,'is;'l has held. This information comes to
us authoritatively through the paii.ti.'_';s fo\"<.nd upon the v^alls of the tombs of
kings and men of wealth; very often e\ ?.n the plans of their gardens were de-
picted there. From Egj'pt we learn, too, of the use m^.iicind made, long before
the days of Christ, of the fig, the olive, the syca.rrx)re tree and the date
palm. 'We learn of the papyrus by means of which groat funds of knowledge
have been handed down to us, and of the beautiful lotus flower which, com-
bined with the leaf of the acanthuij , has served as one of the most di.gnified
and artistic types of forr.al decoration.

The Babylonians and Syrians invented the hanging gardens.

- ? _

To the Medes pjid -er^iaus we particvlaxl;7 o^ive our appreciation of trees.
As a me.tter of fact, when t!ie G-reeks in-.^deJ those covntr". es they found mar-
velous parks, which were nientioned repeatedly in their literature. Zencphen
even used the term "Paradise" to describe a Persian garden, and Lysander was
enthusiastic not so :.v-"h over the beauty of these parks as over the clever-
ness of the minds that designed and ordeied them. Groves 7/ere often planted
around tombs — we Icnov/ that years later the body of Our Savior was bui'iod in
the private garden of Arimathea,

We who take the Garden of Eden as the beginning of all things find that
it is described as exactlj'- like the oriental tree parks of Persia,

Jerusalem had its great gardens, which were located outside the city
walls.

Of course, all gardeners knoiY that religion was closely connected with
gardening, and much has come do'vn to us from that son.rce. This is especially
true as regards India, where they worshipped the trees, ''-•'^..i Buddlia had a
different species of tree as his sacred symbol. The follovdng description of
the location and plan of a 3uddhist park would seem to comply absolutely with
the requirements of our parks of today: "Hot too near the town, and not too
far away, well provided with entrances, easily reached bj;- people who like to
come, not too noisy by day. perfectly qi let by ni.ght, removed from disturbance
and crowds, a place of retreat and lonely contemplation."

But we must hasten on in this brief summary of the garden's development.
The Greeks left beautiful villa gardens as an inlieritance to the Romans; the
Bysantines brought oriental influence with its ornateness into general use;
the Italians iiitrodi\ced the baroque style and definitely relegated fruit trees
and vegetables to the kitchen gardens. They, like their immediate predeces-
sors, the BjT-santines, arrangtd the £.:ardtj-i in terraces and deipanded fine vis-
tas and views. Eoof gardens, -vhich we look upon as a recent experiment, were
thriving on the town roofs in the outskirts of old Rome. Truly, in the first
centuries of Imperial Rome the art of .2;ardening had reached a degree of per-
fection t'nat has never been siirpassed. Water was abundant and the fountains
and cascades found in the gardens of Iteiy formed an inspiration for the land-
scape architects of m^.ny nations.

Spain tells its story in the wondorful gardens of the Alhambra and the
Generalife: very e:^tensive, very ornate, very full of s-'onshine, and rath pot-
ted plants everywhere in evidence.

Then came the French influence in the time of the Renaissance. Perfe'.:-
tion of formal planting developed, ieautiful iomitaius abourided. Franct, fwl
lowed the gardening ideas of the Italipn artisans bej^ond the Alps and final? y
cominanded the lead. Germany and Russia vied with each other in aspiring tc
sr.rpass the efforts of the French, but neither of them ever succeeded, for
certainly not the attempt of Frederic the Great in the Gardens of Sans Souci,
nor that of Peter the Great at Peterhof, can compete with the perfection
wrouglat by Louis XIV at Versailles.

- 3 -

England it was in reality wliich gave to us the t^rpe of gai-den that we so
admire today. The broad expanse of lavns, the massing of shrubbery and the
rock garden. Yet, though we liave i'ollowed her exanrple in so many lines, she
still delights in one feature, comparatively unkno\7n to us — I ^illude to the
topiary art.

America, it would seem, lost no time in hui.ioring her innate love for the
garden, since, yoxuig as we are, we may boast of early gardens near Salem,
Massachusetts and Charleston, South Carolina, dating to the late l600's.

But with this cursory outline, we n-.ust /or leave the pa,st and think of
the present and the imi'aediate future. Let us speai; of our own state, Florida,
and of v-hat value a garden may be to her. Perhaps intuitively we first think
of the esthetic and inspirational value of a garden. We should not do so, for,
important as that phase is, the material and commercial service far outbalance
it. Of course, the nearer we can live to Mother Earth the better for us phy-
sically and spiritually — we all know that. T7e knov;, too, that nothing is
of i^ioch more benefit to a city than well kept gardens and parks. Their influ-
ence and exa:rjpl3 are farther reaching than we who plan thera realise. So, if
ill health or other de^^^rrent circvanGtances prevent you frou participating in
various and sundry civic activities, do not for one moment feel that you are
not aiding your community to a mp.rked degree when you give your ovm surround-
ings proper care and attention.

And now, another and a brc vi?r thought, — namely, that we should try
nnich more pains talcingly than we do to malce use of gardens in connection vrith
each and every hotel in our state, whether it ic. located in the heart of the
city or in the suburbs. There is no section too crowded or too costly in the
Old World to influence the hotel ov;ner, v/ho caters to the best of the travel-
ling public, to abandon a garden in connection with his hotel. If one ma,y
dine outside in the capitals of Europe, why not in lovely Florida?

We all know that C. W. Barron, the dean of financial editors, struck a
true key when he affirmed that ours was a "Luxury State;" everything that we
■>•'■■ ve, from our climate and beach^c! to our choice oranges, celery and early
f ■;.■••■ berries, are luxuries. We who live in the irddst of these choice things
h •••.•. •).'■.. •■'••i.lize their values, but ^^(5 should. Our clii..c-';-i' ::.nu soil were here
when ■:>)•.,•■■; ■-.-! Leon arrived. The o.-dinary ma.rkot b;,;":.-.-/: i3 supplied; but the
eztraora '-.ary basket is still not filled to overflowing. The time once v;as,
before methods of transportation and communication -/ere so v/ell perfected as
they now are, t]ia,t alTXist each and ever3' one of us had a kitchen garden. We
lived much less expensively then; those days may be returring. If so, we re-
sidents of this "Luxury State" <v^.y deem ourselves doubly fortunate. We should
appreciate, as Mr. Barron says, that "the way for Florida and particularly for
South Florida, is to coin her simshine a,nd ner soil into food, fruits and
flowers for the great markets of the North," This is, of course, being done
increasingly from year to year. But we mast do more — we .rrust educate our
customers to understand the enjoyment and the value of such things as the pa-
payas, the improved mangoes, the avocado x^ears and our choice pineapples.

Indeed, we must carry on more exhaustive experiments in endeavoring to

- u -

find new tropical friiits adfiptalDle to oiar climatic conditions and new cross-
es (such as oiir yotmgberry) , realizing that ntuch lies before us. Though the
colossal geniris of Thonifis A. Edison may no longer serve us, some one may car-
ry on his experiments, and r;e shall produce rubber right here in Tlorida. It
does not seem impossible ',7hen we realise that such common plants as the olean-
der, goldenrod and flaine vine have a rubber content.

Do you know that one narcissus farm in our state produced more bulbs
than any other such farm in the United States? Could we perchance comrriercial-
ize extensively our gerberas, nerines, watsonias and other plants?

Kuch ti-uly is possible, when so prorrdnent a botanist as the late Dr.
L. H. Pammell, of lo'-a State College, made the assertion that Florida has
the most wonderful plant life of any state in the country*

And yet, however mi.ch I am persuaded cf the healthful and commercial
values of a garden, t?ie fact remains in m^r .rdnd that beyond the shadow of a
doubt there still does and cilways will hover about our personal garden spot
an inexpressible delight in its perfection, an indescribable charm in its
color hariTiony, an luatold joy in the ability to share its beauty v/ith others,
an indisputable privilege of weavin;-'; o\ir o~i: Tsrsonality into its every de-
tail, a never ending op;;':>ri;unity of -:erving OiW Tolant children with a kind-
ness l:!.}':e u".to that best.y/Gd vvo-' our U'coian children, and lastly and predomi-
nantly a wonderful ins-oi ration which i":! ?.-tin to the Divine when we have need
of repose. ''There, indeed, could -'e find vcy : yjn.r..-. --ith the world, more
''•ourage to carry on, more hope for the oti.t'"..'-.- ■.•. (•.■<" t-.i.iorro", than, in that emo-
tion which comes into our soul p,s we r>it • lov..? p.t twilight in a, bcrAitiful
garden, pondering over our pages of th3 -r- •;t, with iheir records of i-.uiCD'^s
r,nd failure, and endeavoring to .■'"o-'-, •. ,] :\,- ?r. outline for the pages of the fu-
ture, as -re h-ujnbly sp.y, "I shall l\\''c vr: Ine ir.'es nnto the hills, froi:. whence
coneth ids'- help."

H. H. &jme
9/5/33

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK
IN

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA,
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE,

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental G-ardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk ITo. 2
September 20, 1933

MIIOIEALS IN HELA.TION TO PLAITTS

Dr. L. W. Gaddum, Biochemist

Florida Agricultviral Experiment Station

We all know that if a plant (or an animal, too, for that matter)
is burned, there remains an ash T/hich forms a very insignificant frac-
tion of the original weight of the plant, say about 1^. In this ash is
found, by chemical analysis, the so-called mineral constituents of the
plant. In the gases arising from the burning process are foimd the car-
bon, hydrogen, oxj'gen and nitrogen of which the organic portion of the
plant, such as sugars/ proteins, is composed. This carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and nitrogen, together with the elements present in the ash, form
the building-stones of which the complex compounds of the plant are built.

ITow, it is clear that during the process of growth, these bxiilding
stones imist be supplied to the plant. The carbon is procured by the
plant from the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide; the oxygen is
available either in the atmosphere or in the water that the plant takes
in. The hydrogen also can be obtained from the water. Consequently,
these elements are usually available to the plant, while the supplying
of nitrogen, as everyone knows, forms one of our fertilizer problems.
The constituents of the ash, that is, the minerals, obviously mast come
from the soil. It is to these minerals that we call attention.

Some 20 or 30 years ago, scientists listed as mineral constituents
of the soil necessary for plant growth the follcving chemical elements:
calcium, magnesium, potassiiiin, phosphorous, sulfur and iron. It is true
that small amounts of copper, nickel and other metals had been reported
as being normal constituents of plant ash, but no physiological signi-
ficance was attached to these. In fact, copper, manganese, arsenic,
boron, zinc and some others were considered toxic.

But science is never satisfied. Methods of chemical analysis were
continually being improved, enabling the analist to detect smaller quan-
tities of the mineral elements in the soil and in the plant ash. As a
result of this improvement in technique, it soon became apparent that the
previous classification into essential minerals and toxic minerals was
inadequate.

The inadequacy of the older classification hinged on two points,
(1) whether or not a given mineral exerted a toxic or a salutary effect
depended in many cases on the amounts of the mineral present, so that
even toxic elements might be beneficial in small amounts, and (2) the
effect of a given mineral was not the same for all plants so that it be-
came questionable whether one could write a list of essential elements
for all plants.

- 2 -

Although copper, rranganese and zinc were previously listed as toxic
elements and '7ere not included in the list of essential minerals, experi-
mental work at the Kentucky Experiment Station about 1925 and. I926 showed
that copper, manganese and zinc axe essential in small amoTints to the
growth of many farm crops. Moreover, about 192? work at the Everglades
Branch of the Florida Experiment Station demonstrated the need of copper
in small quantities for the growth of some 50 or 60 different crops on
the peat soils of the Everglades.

That the effect of a given element is not the same on all plants is
evident from work at the Rothams ted Experiment Station, in England, There
it was shown that certain of the legume plants as broad beans, soy beans,
and some clovers will not grow to maturity in the absence of boron,
whereas some other plants as wheat, barley and rye grow readily to full
maturity without a trace of boron.

Because of this inadequacy of the older concept, it became neces-
sary to revise our notions of plant nutrition. In the preparation of
plant diets, we mast consider not only the traditional nitrogen-phospho-
rus-potash r equirements, but also a balanced ration of essential miner-
als.

The most commonly occurring essential minerals are, of coiirse, phos-
phorous, potash, calcium, magnesium, sulfvir aJid iron. Available phos-
phorous stimulates root growth and consequently assists in reader develop-
ment of small seedlings, while potash is essential for proper stem and
leaf growth. Calcium is important in the transportation of starch with-
in the plant, 'vhile magnesium is a constituent of chlorophyll, the green
pigment necessary for the m£i.nufacture of the plant's organic foods. Sul-
fur is a constituent of plant proteins and the presence of iron is ne-
cessary for the loriTiation of chlorophyll.

The less commonly occurring minerals suc'Ja as copper, maaiganese,
boron and zinc, because of the extremely small qiaantities involved, pre-
sent problems of a peculiar nature. In the first place, there arises
the question: for what are we going to use the plant? From some plants,
fruit is wanted, as in citrus; from other plants we hope to secure seed,
as in com; iii other plants foliage is sought, as in some ornamental
plants. It is, of course, desirable to prepare for a particular plant
a diet which will attain the result desired from that plajit. Thus, a
beautifully foliated orange tree would be ornamental, but if the fruit
were made insipid to the point of being unsaleable, the tree could not
pay for its board. Past experience with the use of minerals shows clear-
ly that great 'caution mast be exorcised in the feeding of minerals to
plants.

And yet it is our job to find the particular mineral diet which
will correct abnormalities as they appear in our plants. The accumulat-
ed mass of experimental data on the role of minerals in plant nutrition
s\iggests strongly that the minerals miglit liave specific physiologic funo-
tions in the plant. Thus in central New York, lettuce which should jdeld

- 3 -

solid "heads" produced long leaves laio"m as "rabbit ears;" the addition . n
of copper in minute amounts corrected this trouble. In Florida, absence
or deficiency of copper results in yellowing of foliage (called clilorosis)
This abnormality may be corrected by the addition of a small amount of
copper to the soil. As suggested by Thatcher, President of Llassachusetts
State College, we may soon recognize in plant nutrition certain factors
designated by "anti-chlorosis" (or an ti -yell owing) factor, /the "flower-
ing factor."

A second major problem in the study of mineral nutrition of plants
lies in the possible cusiulative effect of minerals added to the soil.
The continued application from year to year of such minerals as copper,
manganese and zinc might result in such alteration of the nature of the
soil as finally to destroy the fertility we seek. Or, on the other
hand, by repeating small doses of copper or zinc on perennial plants,
the iTineral may accumulate in the plant to its detriment unless the
plant can eliminate the mineral "by defoliation, dropping of fruit, or
some other means.

Attention is called to these two problems simply as a caution a-
gainst a too ready use of mineral supplements to the soil, in particular
the less commonly occurring mnerals. The fact that addition of copper
to the peat soils of the Everglades produces favorable response in a
large number of crops is no criterion tliat the same dosage of copper on
soils of different nature will react favora.bl;r to the growth of plants
in general. The fundamental data pertaining to the effect of the mi-
nerals on the physiologic raechanism of the plant and on the character
of the soil liave not as yet been obtained.

The l''loric"~ ''- ;'ri r. ;il tural Experiment Station is nor; devoting con-
siderable attention to this problem of mineral nutrition of plants. The
physiologic effects of certain minerals on both horticultural and field
crops, the effect of the mineral supplements on the soil, the relation
of mineral supplements to animal husbandrj' problems, such as "salt-sick,"
and the development of a field practice in the use of mineral supple-
ments are some of the problems engaging the attention of various depart-
ments of the station. Prom this coordinated attack on the problem there
most certainly will emerge a better understaiiding of our Florida soils
and a practicable teclinique for correcting some of our soil deficiencies.

Meanwhile, ve need not worr;^ unduly about any possible deficiency
of the loss common minerals in our ornamental gardens. The amounts of
these less common minerals needed are so small tha,t in iiiany cases these
am.ounts are sxipplied automatically in the muck, claj'' or fertilizer tlaat
ma,y be used.

In the case of those minerals which are needed in appreciable a-
mounts, such as calcium, potash and phosphorus, the effect on the plant
is largely dependent upon the soil reaction.

- u -

To briefly ffannarize, there are two general classes of minerals,
those that are commonly knorni and r.re needed in appreciable amounts
and those tlir.t are needed in minute arounts. These less common ones,
such as copper, mangaiiese, zinc and others, are quite vital to plant
grovrth. They are frequently supplied automatically in the soil, mack,
fertilizer, etc. Where there is sa\ actual deficiency of some of them,
study of the special problem is necessary since these minerals react so
differently on different soils said with difx"erent plants.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK •
IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

:OLLCGE OF AGRICULTURE.
INIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
»NO UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
>P AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATtNO

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICB,

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DE.<40NeTRATI0N WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk llo. 3
September 27, 1933

SOIL EEA.CTI01T IN KEIATIOU TO GAEDEIIING
Dr. 0. C. Brj'an, Professor of Soils
and Agronon^r, University of Florida
College of Agriculture

Soil reaction is one of the most deep seated factors affecting the
growth of plants in general, and especially is this true for garden
plants. For a gardener to ignore this factor may mean failure before
he begins.

The term reaction simply means a soil condition which indicates
th?.t the soil is acid, neutral, or alkaline. It is measured in terms
of pH values which gives the amount of active acid or alkali present.
A neutral soil has a pH value of 7.0 while an acid soil has a pH value
of less than 7,0 and an alkaline soil has a value of more than 7.0. In-
creasing the pH val-oe above 7.0 means a direct increase in alkalinity.
But the reverse is true with acids. A decrease in pH value from 7 to 1
means an increase in the amount of active acid present. Since the pH
value is a logarithmic expression of the concentration of active acid,
the value of pHc is ten times as acid as a pH of 6,0 and pHij. is ten times
as acid as pHr, Other things being eajial the greater the acidity of the
soil the greater the loss of calcium, and other bases through leaching
processes.

In hi-'./ld climates the soil processes tend toward an acid reaction,
due to excessive leaching of bases. While in an arid or semi-arid cli-
mate the soil processes tend toward an alkaline reaction because of no
leaching of bases. Intermediate climatic conditions irake for a neutral
soil. Of course, the degree of weathering, or soil processes, and the
nature of the material from which the soil was derived, affect the ajiaount
of acid or alkali present.

The reaction of the soil may influence the plant in several ways:
(l) by direct corrosive effect on the roots hindering normal root de-
velopment, (2) by depleting the soil of lime and other basic nutrients,
(3) by dissolving poisonous substances, such as aluminum, in the soil
and thus poisoning the plants, (U) by retarding the growth and develop-
ment of beneficial soil organisms, and (5) by precipitating plant nutri-
ents like iron and manganese. Any one of these factors may seriously
hinder the growth of plants, and thus cause a poor garden or even a
failure. To get the most from a garden one should adjust the reaction
of the soil to suit the optimum needs of the plants.

As previously indicated, humid soils are generally acid. That
means that most of Florida soils are acid in reaction. This is a very
important consideration for gardeners in Florida. Fortunately, however,
most cultivated plants including our highly prized garden specimens,

•ci^l

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itOB

■ c - -r :

.I",', ,->--r,-»-0

'li-OT

- 2 -

prefer an acid soil. Moreover, a large portion of the nild flowering
plants so common in Florida not only tolerate but prefer acid soils for
best production.

It is not only interesting but a significant character of such
plants as azalea, hydrangea, straxirberry and lily, to gro^r most success-
fully on rather acid soils. This is true of the rose — the princess
of garden plants. These facts are well known by the successful gar-
dener. The time old custom of adding leaf mold ajid pi uty of moisture
to flowering and garden plants induces an acid condition in the soil
— oftentimes a necessary factor for success.

It should not be inferred, however, that all garden plants pre-
fer a distinctly acid soil. Just the reverse is true with some plants.
Such plants as abelia, celery, geranium, poppies and others grow best
in a neutral to slightly alkaline soil. These differences in responses
are inherent characteristics of the plants and can rarely be changed
by man. Without taking these plant characteristics into consideration
the best of gardeners can not make a success. Oftentimes the most se-
rious problem confronting the gardener is Ms persistence in trying to
grow plants on soils with unfavorable reaction, and at the same time
having s\utable corrective materials that he could use.

The cost of controlling soil reaction is relatively small. In
fact, too small to interfere "fith the success of the gardener. After
all, the primarj'- objective of the gardener is to so adjust all his soil
conditions that healthy and beautiful plants may be grown. To do this,
it is essential that the plant be adapted to the reaction of his soil,
or otherwise he must adjust the soil reaction to suit the needs of the
plant. This is of first degree importaiice, particularly for garden
plants.

By the use of physiologically acid fertilizers such as sulfate
of amm.onia, urea, ar-'imonium. phosphate, and leaf m.old the grov/er can keep
the soil sufficiently ecid for the acid-loving plants, — azaleas,
strawberries, and others. Sometimes it may be necessary to use even
s'olfur or alurdnum s'olfate to secure the desired peaction. AluninTOn
siiLphate will increase tho acidity of the soil immediatoly following
application, but sulfur requiros several weeks before it brings about
a more acid condition. The aluminum sulfate should be applied at tho
rate of l/k to 1 pound per square yard (depending on the soil) and v;a-
tered in. The sulfur should be mixed vrith the soil at rate of 2 to ^
ounces per square yard and the soil moistened. It is very essential
to avoid the use of hardwood ashes, lime and alkaline materials in
growing acid-loving plants. 'Thile on the other hand, to grow cabbage,
celery, dahlia and other lime-loving plants successfully it becomes ne-
cessary to avoid the use of much phj'-siologically acid fertilizers. Wi^-h
such plants line, hardwood ashes and alkaline forming fertilizers are
essential, and necessary for success on most Florida soils. With sand^^
soils low in organic matter 1/^ to 1/2 pound of ground lime per square
yard will be sufficient. For soils having ab^'ondant organic matter
these amounts may be doubled. Although hardwood ashes are not as con-
centrated as ground lime, they are more active in bringing about a
change in the reaction of the soil.

- 3 -

Altliou^h a n-joriber of garden plants grow "best on distinctly acid
soils, this does not mean that such plants groTv 'Yithout calciiun and
other tasic nutrients. In fact, many such acid-loving plants require
a high content of calcium for normal development. This moans that for
such plants the grower -^ill need to add calcium in some neutral or acid
form. One of the most practical ways of adding calcium under such con-
dition is in the foru of Superphosphate at the rate of 1/2 pound per
square yard, worked into the soil. With many plants bone meal is a
very desirable calcium carrier. Bone meal is not only safe to use but
it improves the quality of the soil, thus making a more desirable plant.

It should be emphasized that only quality plants make a desirable
garden. This means that a successful gardener ;7ill need to carefully
consider those fundamental factors that influence the internal make-up
of the plant. To influence the plant for quality, the grower will not
only see that plenty of available plant food and moisture are present,
but that the reaction of his soil is properly adjusted for the plants
concerned.

It is just as essential that these adjustments be made for garden
plants, as proper food and envirorjnent e^re essential to animals. The
Roman gardener referred to vjaking a soil "fat" for plants to feed upon.

In discussing the relation of soil reaction to gardening, the ques-
tion of soil texture should not be overlooked, ^liile it is true that
sandy soils respond quickly to treatment, they may rapidly change in re-
action following an application of certain fertilizers, and oftentimes
produce injury to the plants. This means that where a grower desires to
correct the re: ccidn of his soil with soluble fertilizer materials he
will need to be more caref-ol about the amounts to apply on sands than on
loams or clay soils. Soluble fertilizers, such as sulfate of ammonia,
will burn tender plants if placed in contact -vith the roots or leaves.
Therefore, the gardener should be careful about the method and rate of
application of such fertilizers. They should be applied broadcast around
the plants at the rate of 1 to 2 ounces per square yard. Hardwood ashes
or lime applied to sandy soils often will cause chlorosis. To correct
this,alujiiintiin sulfate is a practical material to use.

One of the best ways of avoiding rapid changes in soil reaction from
fertilizer treatment, is to add abundant amo-'onts of orga.nic matter such
as coRTpost, leaf mold, or some other available form of organic matter.
For small areas, the gardener may deem it desirable to add some clay
material to the sands for the purpose of adding a more stable body to
the soil. Where plenty of organic matter and clay is present, the reac-
tion of the soil will be m.ore constant and thus iiiake it possible to grow
a healthy plant and consequently a better plant.

The gardener who has a variety of plants and soils can well afford
to study his soil reaction problem for individual plants. In many in-
stances it will be good business to secure a small soil test kit for
measuring the reaction of his field and garden soils. These kits are
simple and can be secured at a small cost. Some of the companies hpjid-
ling them will supply the gardener with a list of plants together with

k -

their optimum soil reaction. This, as a rule, is very val viable to the
amateur gardener. Although the average laj-man might not successf-ully
use the soil tester, the careful gardener can secure satisfactory re-
sults with a littlepractice. Unless the gardener does give his soil
reaction prohlem careful attention, his chances for success will he
small, especially for certain plants. Proper attention and care at
the riglit time and in the right place will raal:e a successful garden
where others fail.

COOPERATIVE EXTE^4SION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

SOLLKSe OP AaRICULTURC.
'JNIVER6ITY OF FLORIDA.
\N0 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
>P AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

Ornamental hardening in Florida
Ri'dio Series

AGRICULTURAL eXTENSION SKRVICI

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Tall: No. U
October U, 1933

THS RCL2 07 BEl^FICIAL SOIL MICRO-
0HaA2>TISluS IIT GARDSITING

K. K. Barnette, Chomijt
Plorida Agricultui'al Experiment Station

The fo'.uia- tion of successf-jl gardening rests on the establishment
and maintenance of a fertile soil. In the buildin»3 and tending of a
fertile aoil, the skillful gardener is reallv gardening underground,
Ee is evil tiv;.. ting and nurturing an extensive garden of minute plants.
If properly pampered this garden of grotesquely shaped, chaotically ar-
ranged, evn- changing .-nicroplants y'III go a long yray towards insuring a
vigorous a;id healthy garden of higher plants. These microscopic plants
are the beneficial soil :nicroflora. The fertility of the soil depends
on the gro^vth and the activity of these rnicroorganisms to a large ex-
tent. They are the life of the soil.

The numbers and 3:inds of t];e beneficial aoil micro-organisms vary
under different co-iditions. In geii'^ral the more fertile a soil becomes,
the ;5rp.atGr tha nu.Aer of beneficial mi or 0 organisms it contains. An
adequEitely cultivr-.ted, uell-drained soil, i^hich has been ab'Jind&ntly sup-
plied with decomposing organic matter and liberally trea'.ud with the es-
sential fijrtilizer constituents and aniraal nvinures, utsiv'^.lly contains an
ample number of beneficial i.iicroorgi?uiismG. Soil ariidity and unfavorable
raoisture conditions are detrinients to the beneficial soil microflora.
The ntuabers and kinds of these beneficial rnicroplants are as v;? ied and
interesting as those of the higher plants. They have beo'' .mbj xtcd to
study and clascification as havo the higher pl?jtite.

Ic-'^'-y on t' . basis of
■,i rel^iivel^.- simple

The botanist classifies the higher pl-^.nts ■'
their physical growth charact. rictics. Kis '.as'
when compared with thrt of the bactoriol ■.-..x'"''.; m\o mv':. study the inicro-
organisnig under the mici-oscope and u' . d'-i>a and "'■ i-." -0 bring out their
size, shape and compositiou. Th^ v->c oriolo"' -t V-;- differentiated three
general groups of beneficial oOil -Lcroor.fr^ii' .l;; thoj' are the soil bac-
teria, the soil fun,'d or .:^ld- and the :;..il actinoivcctos. Each of these
general groups of : u.oro'pl'.uitc has ••..■. ■ i'cpresentatives which are as in-
teresting t-^ iihvi !>' ivuriologj.^' ; ••. • c.re the numerous species of the hi^er
plsT.t ^ .u i'.c jjiccit lover.

_ o

The fimgii.G oi- :'.ioXd is a 'ffi-Tlti-cellc.-l 'bods". The nujnerous cells form
thrend-lil:e grov;tlis fnionf; vAii ch there is p. division of *:he vjork they do.
Some veget?>.tive raold threads L-;ervo for the absorption of nutrients v/hile
others produce frvlting bodir-ja-, or spores. The molds propagate tViemselves
chiefly by means of spores. The furi[:%i arts active in brepMng dovn-i the
vvoody tissvLBS of pl--nt r,v\teri-'.ls in the soil. They are second in impor-
tance -rnong the soil microorgrjiisms.

The actinoraj^cetes aj-e the third most iimDortant group of the soil
microflora. They re^-.emblo the hi/chcr developed fmigi in that they rrnke
a true branching thread-like tl'rowth — but they resemble the bactnria in
that thf; material of their bodies shot? roany of the propertio:.' of the oac-
terial bodies. Apparentl3' they belong neither to ■':..i molds nor to the
bacteria. The actinomycetes zTpy produce verr' oeautifnl rra,/, yellow,
brovm, blue, green, red or ot^.er pi;,,:iiants when •;ro--- on artificial me-
dia. Cultures of "ctino.a^'cetes oftc:-. ,"iv': -ij^- ui odor similar to the
"earth;'" odor of tac soil and ■■-'/^■io\.'^ uoubt they are responsible for
this odor ir the uoix. They ^re especially active in the deco^.Tposition
of deri j.Lr.r.t parts adasd to the soil,

T'.irfse three ._,:'0i-ps of i:dc.roorgp.nis.'.iS and others as i7ell bring labout
a number o" beneficial trr- .sformr'.tn ons of soil mr.teri'vls. Tliey are es-
"D :ci 11,- active in transcoridn^-; the dead aoiimal and plant parts to forms
which ma.y be assin-dl.-^ted b" the if^rcTin.? x^lrnt. There are three essential-
ly beneficial tr.-msfori.r.tions: (l) the transformation of nitrogen compounds
(2) the trans form-.ti on of carbon coirrpounds (3) the transforrcr.tion of ;:d-
neral substances. 2-ie processes t.-^Jiiin;.: plr-cc in these tr^n'ofor-rtions
?.re continuous '-ind ■.5ro-.~r::Ssive in a fertile ?oil ao. s.^rv^ to help main-
tain a favorr;jln (.ondition for plant ;';rc-'th.

The tr.-'nsformrau.i n 0:. ■■.itro-\/'ri-:j co.'.-i;o-u'""'s b;.' beneficial Joil nd.-
croorganisms includes on ■'''o 0: ■ hand t. t'i--;-'tion of olomcntrl nitrogen
from the air and its elal^oratlon in^o co.::plo:c pw. '"t prrcl,;!; 9 and on the
othc-r h^.nd the conversion of compl .. ■"./ -it -"nd animal proteins into
simpler nitrogen cc:;Tino''.a:u".s -;hich r.'-p;- be utilised b;- the grov/ing plant.
The fixation of nitrogen from the ^ir is accomplished by the bacteria
gro'ving on the nodules of t^'e le^^^uminou-J plants and ''oy a group of free-
moving bactorig called the '" •.aotobacters", Lo-'ru-iiinoiis plants grovn as
ornamentr.ls -^nd for cut flowers thus help to maintain i>. fertile garden
spot by increasing the sup'-ly of ".vril-hle nitroarn. Auiong the more
recently introduced plants, the ornamental species of crotalaria are ver;^
efficiontg'tho.J'-jjrc^-'jf nitro.c^en -nd at the samo ti.ne add choorful colors
to the flovgr bed. It is usur.lly not nocess-.r;'' to inoculate th: crota-
laria so.-d when they ar planted as the org-^nisra necessary for their
inocul-tion is \'idcly distributed in Florida scils. In this connection,
recently E-rold Movrry of the Tlorica Agriciiltur--- 1 3.Tp; -imont St tion has
definitoly proved that the s vcral specio<; 0;' t.i.; A^-^tr"li-.n 't-inu "/hen
proper lyi no cul'^ tod V7itli some soil or. i>Sii will dc^' ? cp nouJ.cs on the
roots and she;? a distincly incroaL,od nitro..v,i. co.-tont over u.-linoc^lIated
trees. The fs o^^ t.-„ A~'.stralir:a pine as a hedge, setting or '.vindbreoi
evi-ieutl,- doi.- not deplete th.. nitro -en supply of tlie soil but rather
na.l^es ."v...il'-'Hir> - greater ..up;?.. 0:' vi trogcn through the fixation proces-
ses.

-3-

The "fvzotob-".cters" or fres-movint: nitrogen-fixing organism arc r.ble
to tr-".p the nitrot^en frora the p.ir --itiout tho presence of r>. host plfjit.
They f^re found in a "ide vr.riety 0/ "^oils. Their rel'-^tive v-.lue as
nitrogen gatherers is not as :.-et f illy evaluated.

The complex nitrogen cotiipoundj oi" plants and animals, the proteins,
must hs converted into simpler :iitroi:n co."^pou-',ds ^-ich as anirnoniiim
3-'?.liDhato, ••:"lcn!.,. potassi-um, r.^gnesii-u.! ■•\'^i sodium nitr-'tes "before t'lfy
C'l. be utilizsa by the growinr: plant, Thu '•;••" -.'i.-'ial microflora aro
resnonsible for the chpjige of the nitrogen of fcheit: co-ipl-ix: proteins into
a form available to the gro' .'■nf- plant. The microorgani&i:ic un-:' the pro-
teins as a food sup-ily and ■". jnvsrt the excess nitrogen into si;:r:;l2r forms.
First the nitrogen is conv. i't;:d into ammonia by one gro-ap of organism?,
then another group tnlces th^i '^-inonia and converts it into nitrites and
still a third group tpj^eo t'l'^ nitrites and cha:-v^-oi t'lera into the readily
availa.ble nitrates, Th.:-.- pi'ccesses in the soil ar- continuous and pro-
gressive. They aro der):.ident upon an available supply of proteins in
the soil and they -• present orc of the most important V.ransormr.tions
which the soil 'licroflora "br'-n.; about.

Thi- j:lr->-oor£:- .;.ioi.. are also rcfiponsible for the transforiration of car-
bon cOiipounds in the r.oil, Tho c? ■ bon couTpounds include not only the
proteins but also such nitrogen-.:'re-- r.aterials as sugars and celluloses
(wood fiber) in the tissues of plf-.t and animal bodies. These latter
compounds are attacked bj'- some groupL' of the microflora as r source of
food. They are broken down into corapo'-av'c which may be used ir. building
up the bodies of the microorganisms. In this process there are waste
materi Is, water and carbonic aci(-, formed "rom the pl-^-nt and auimal
j-et;ri Is. The carbonic acid is fo .Tied by .'..e combination of carbon
dioxid.-; aiid water and this acid att--.:s the soil minerals a.nd briigs
.''.•-ny desirable nutrients into solutior, tiius mpMng them availa':.!' to
tho plant.

Non-1 osiu'ainout strraws rjid other plant -rv.tsrials '.7hich are Iot in
nitrogen cont'.nt '-v-ould not be added directl:' to a garden soil in ;Vreat
qiiaJitities, The ni'^rogen content of these m^ti^rials is so low that in
the process of rottr;^ them in the soil, the r.." croorganisi/, '-.ast call on.
the supply of avail ole nitrsgen coiwDounds in th'. soil for the n:cessary
nitrogen to build up Vneir bodies --^iid propagate t-ora-v.-lve;-. . Thus they
compete with plants arrowing in the soil for th, nitrorn coripounds. Non-
leguminous '-^r.aws an: like rna.terials should be compo::t:d or used as a
mulch. In 'h compoL-; ; ..ng process, the celluloi.es, sugars --.nr other pl-^nt
compounds n- c broken ; 'p and there results a ir--.terial which hr.s ca higher
percentage of protein-^ due to the protein for-.ied in the bodies of the
dead and liv^n,- microorg.'.nisas. This corpostod irr.terial will still decay
in the soil '•nd due to its high percentage of protect, nitrogen corapo-ands
available to "he growing pl^nt will be formed.

The tr'^nsfornif tion of rdnerals in the soil is an csv-ential activity
of the be-"efici;l :'oil mj.cro organisms. The minerals 0" the soil parti-
cles are ;ria.de available to thc; growing plait by the p eduction of acids
in the processes ntntioned above. In addition, plajit "A animrl tissues
conta^.i minerals \:hich are set free "bj tho decomposite oi. processes. The
microbial bodies thtmselves contain nitrogen, carbon n: minerals, Wlien
the organisms die, other microorganisms decompose their bodies - usifl^S a
part of the ria.teri.-.ls as a source of energy, but at the same time setti?>^

free a part of them for the grovin,. plr-nt. There r.re nany other trans-
fornvitions which pre hrought nlrat ay the beneficial soil nicro organisms
hut thosG mentioned fi"bove are -■r-.o-"..- the most important.

Thus these minute plants difc-p.''- the itia.terials of the soil and maVwc!
available to the growing pi-' v:^ tho . ■•^■"' essential elements necessa- for
its gro'vth and wellbeing, Ti'js dl ~c?.i;io-.: -process is continuous ».■:!
progressive in a fertile soil a--.' il- i---iU't:s thu pl-:;:t p. «t;--d;. ;ud
balanced (?.'. -t 'vith fe'-v sur/^iL.'- ^■." f oodstul".. .- rnA fer starvation r-riods.
The difo 'Lion processes ''.--rri -u jut by the nicroiio.-a oi vh^ svil are
thus '■- jrtial for the ■o:->\:, ;.f active utilization of the ferf. li::er loa.-
teri'io by the plant, ? .&■ "• •i.-ure vigorous, healthy plantf.- -vith rn
abundanc!' ■^f AJ.I r--/'jct ■.'."l . ''ers. These r: y.-v.^-su-- r-."? .•lopr-vucnt upon
th--, life in the soii, Thu l.ife in the soli is a pendant '■.pon the numerous
benpflrial •-icropl.-.ntJ. Is j.t then, sin^.ilar that t:.'^ uia.r:. of a ^ooi gar-
•io:.er is found in :..:•■• i.oili •.;.■■ to succo^^^iully garc- .1 underground!

.;.:'.•. 0.

■ ..rrr.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

SOLLBaS OP AGRICULTURE.
IjNIVERSlTY OF FLORIDA.
kNO UNITED STATES Oi^PARTMENT
9r AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION aiRVICI

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental (Jardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk iJo. 5
October 11, I933

THE ryUTZ-O?. OF EiP7IH02-:/EilT ON FLORIDA GARDEN PLAl^'TS

P/ - lil.D. Co'ly, Professor of Botany and Bacteriology,
University of Florida.

Along v..-:lth the nineralc and the role thir.- ;;lay in plant production, as well
as on the types of soils and ho"v they i7iay co prepared and fertilized to best
advantage in our gardens , we ;:.uc;t co^iSlder the influence of environment on
garden plants.

'The factors that comprise ar. enviroranent are vvater, teiiiperature, air, light,
soil, plant food, animalo and other plants. Any change in the normal position
of a plant requires time for I'tadjustment to its new environment. Failure to
make this proper readjustment results in ov"-normal growth or death of tnn plant.

The importance of "^at'^r has already "been "orout^^ht out in considering its role
in n.ineral transportation in the soil, as viell as other fuiictions pf rf orraed by it.
It is very vital to the plant in keeping the tender parts from collapsing, to
supply the needed minerals and to provide a proper mediur. for fia-'.-hing the cells
of impurities. For example, an ai^.n-iua to thrive must have an abvjidance of water,
yet good drainage is equally essential.

The response of plants tr. ater is siach as to group thj-m under three distinct
divisions: (l) those which demand an abundance of water, s"i.ch as submerged
aquatics and swamp plants; (2) those that require a irciueratd thougii constant
supply of water, such as most of :ar annual z^-"^'<-''^ ^^ic' a^'-icultural plants, anc.
(3) those which do best on very l.^t'^le i"j,fcei". such as occ\ r on a very dry soil,
as cacti, liatris, sunflowers and g?'''llar^.ia. The water requirements of a plant
should be studied and then carefully applied for best development.

Plants often suffer in th(5 garden fio.! too much water rather than from too
little. A water-soaked coil, Is lo-,v in oxygen, and it ttnids to become sour from
decomposition that goef: on. The- fir? u condition can be corrected through
drainage, and the second by a judicious use of lime. A wet soil is also cooler,
which retards germination and grovjt';.. Too frequent watering tends to shallow
rooting, c'..ud when watering is deLzyed or stopped the roots may be unable to go
down deeper into the soil, and insufficient moisture rises to meet the increased
demands; conseq-j.ently, the pl.-j-ts wilt and soon die. The rose is a good example.
The soil becomes packed fror. frequent watering and is lov7 in oxygen content.
Other dangers from too wet a soil are scalding of the lower stems and mildewing
of the leaves. Danping of.'!, one of the most destructive pests of seedlings,
is encouraged by •;et soil s :.d poor aeriation.

-2-

Prequently one has noticed ho'v plants dronp f>nd their leaves wilt or curl
when exposed to dry winds or severe h3at , but hc" they recover gradually when
these conditions subside. This wilting is a means of checking the evaporation
of water (transpiration) frorA within the plant. Toward dusk the plant recovers
its forcer rigidity "because less water is lost than is absorbed. Calr-dium,
hydrangea and many other broad, thin-leafed plants illustrate this condition.

We are quite familiar with the value of starting bulbs in thf dark for
proper root development and while the leaves are almost colorless this is
corrected shortly after bringing them into the light. Yet '.hen th'^ j-;.l:s are
allov-ed to start in the light thu roots s.-' poorly forrrsd and the leaves are
short and slender. The flower star:r ?.re also "hurt.

Nast'artiim, sunflo"er, gaillrrdia, --.elia mid many other plants fare best
in f-oll sunii^lit for at lea~t the groriter part of the day than in the shade.
Arbor-vitae, junipers, roses, sage paLr: and :;.a:i7 of our conifers require much
light for their best development; hov;ever, Liany of them will gro\7 in moderate
shade.

Often we become discouraged with o"a.r la',7ns because the grass does not
spread well ■'binder tho trees and shr^abbery. The lack of S'ufficient light may be
the cause of such failure. 3err;rada grass requires co-'.3idsrable light for bc-iSt
development. St. Ai-^g'ustine grass car. adjust itself to moderate light. Other
factors, such as lack of s';iiiicicnt moisture for thu grass roots, since the
other vegetation absorbs it faster, or the toxic effect produced by root
excretions of other plants nay also co-itribv;.te to the lail-ure of the grass in
such areas.

We have observed how certain plants struggle for light. Plants kept
before a window and allowed to receive li^^it only from one direction will lean in
this direction, and unless their position is changed will become "one-sided".
Plants in a crowded seed-bed, or Eaplin;;s crowded in a gro.-t,, are spindlirig
largely because of their straggle for light. Grap • , Vi-rgir.ia creeper, clematis,
okunbergia and a number of vii.„L- climb over .-n; so^-t of a support for light, a..d
in some instances will shut off practically .ill lifht from the plants upon v/hich
they are clinging. A very good cxcj^.nle of this is the effect the Florida or
^panigh Moss has upon o-cjt trees. Ti.l.:- plar.t is not a parasite, as some believe,
but the air, light and moisture it cuts off reduces the vigor of the tree.

Light is very vital' to all green plants because it enables the chlorophj'-ll,
or green coloring matter, to naice plant food. Yet sometimes the 'light is too
strong so the plants have to change the position of their leaves, or modify
their leaf -form to correct the light. YoiUig, tender leaves and stems are
frequently of a reddish tint. Tl:is pig-ment tends to shield the chlorophyll from
the destructive effect of the li;iilit. Often hairs occur upon the surfaces of
leaves and stems, to reduce t.o-':. only light but also transpiration. These hairs
reflect much light, thereby reducing the direct influence of the rays.

-3-

The d;ir-''^ion of li^^^-it affects tl..- loor-iing and fruiting of many plants.
Plants ha-e 'a-oii sroutjed as lor.A£-day, sh'./: t-day and plants indifferent to length
of day, accox._j..;fr- tj the liirnber of hours c- r!?,ylight reqtiired for proper
fro-iting. Lettace, cabbage, beans, tomatoo;-,. ruelons, iris, ^/cmflocers, zinnia,
nasturti-ajK aiid verbena require from 13 to l6 hours of li,~-;'- for bloor.ing, and are
regarded as long-day plants, nhilo asters, chrysa:L.thc;;.-.u.:., cosuos, certain bidens,
liatris and poinsetta req^'iirc less than 10 ho'-<rs of light to flovrer. These are
short-day plants. 3y darkening th^. fJj:-it-day plsjits for a portion of a ir.id-
suminer* s day tl.c-y have, been induced to b"oo". The converse is trjie for the long-
day plai-ts.

T7ith a decreaon in terq erature ,tq a certain rflininiijin, gro'rth in size is
retarded, at lo-.r tempera t^ires thsWpl • ;•; ceases to nake its'food, and rith still
letter temperatures tc^i'irc.i:.:- „ ca^s'sc ■"■-id death ensues. Thus, terperaturo is not
only necessary for life procciSGow; 1' atfSilso f •.rnio:...js the enerQ' for then.

A plant thriving in a rr-r;;. place and moved to a cool one becomes inactive
until it has adjusted itself to its nev: home. Possibly it can never do this.
The reverse is true. Some plants are so fixed in their habits that much time is
required to overcome them. This is v;3ll bro'oght out by the deciduous habit of
many of our northern plants on being brouglit southrv-ard. Every year' the shedding
of tHe leaves occurs at about the same. ti;;e as in the original home, yet. after
a time, shedding of foli?ige starts a little letter in accordance r.'ith the period
in v/hich the plant is in. Southern plants carried north'vard are readily caught
by early frosts and are frequently unprepared for the northern -.Tinters because of
the slov/ness in ripenin.~ of their uood.. Frequently, \7e in Gainesville have light
touches of rinter before Christmas which tempers off the r;ood and permits the
vegetation to withstand the colder '.-.'eather that follov;s, while farther dov/n in
the state vegeta-tior. sho-^c greater suffering even though the temperature does not
drop as Iotv as in the northern portion of th.- state at tras later period. This
tolerance to lo-. temperature i.- tied \.^ largely •.rith certain chemical changes
occuring in the wood of the pla...t, rhich are induced by the first touch of cold
that causes the sap to fall. Dry Soeds can r;ithsta;id a temperature of 100 degrees
Centigrade or a little above for varyin,-; periods but water-soai-jcd seed are readily
killed at 70 degrees Centigrade, so plants rich in sap are more susceptible to
injury from temperature extremes than those low in sap.

Many plants are limited solely 'oy temper.at"xr... l>-ny costly attempts have
been made to grow quinces, cherries, as well as certain desired varieties of
peaches in certain regions of the South, but too prolonged high tem.peratures of
cvjamer, and insufficient cold in winter to stimvlate the plants for proper grov7th
and production h-ave resulted. Tymperat'ire is a barrier to northern migration of
citrus, water hyacinth, c^.-press, bidens, leuco-nthn., crepe m.yrtlG ajid rnany of our
strictljr' southern plants, v/hile peony, ac-.;illo.gia, tulip, prince's feather,
tamarack, spruce, liLac and other t,-,T)ical northern plants have not succeeded in
the South, except where extra care has been t.3l:on to provide the proper habitat.
Potatoes give highc-st yields in regions v;ith the lov.'S5t s-jnr..ur t-mperature.

niinati^^f9but many/of . vi.iem are" inse.iicvis- cruS-j^highly entertaining. Hanj-- of
atiatad 'and' slender t a- ilar flov/ers are highV-; specialized for this

'Many of our T7orst .-'Ids, rots and r-art,tk.'cf the fearden develop best during

warn, muggy weather. ,

••."/■

Helatibn tetw .er' plants and aniap'lo is "bro-ught out through the process of
poll: •• •'-" " --.^^A.-l-: .....^x-._ _,__._ m.„_ ^.__ ._.-,. _»^

permit a detail' .a^accp^nt,.of;/t:|ii'8pCw/:al; device developed by plants to ins'iire
aff;air

pol 1 ilia, i/i oil j^,;"jjs

di s seniip° ■•■ ■i'^>-:'*^>

the lahi

perfomiahce. . ;7.« .■' V. V', ■

I'oles, crickets, 'wr-r'.-:sV rodents and ii.sects d6^^;Oi,4iderable damage to
plants. The nematode, ;D.-,,eol-;7orm, is also a very s: 'r^ii?'"_^j pest in most of ov.r
soils, and can he contiY^led largely by selecting plant'tL^fr^t are resistant to
its infection. Some o'i' ,the barrcv;i.:£^yii^pur soil>j- "^y- thJSjO ^['cj'ganisms helps
to stimulate root gro'.tih and also'tQ^'^^5^- t^^;<:cil; !:o'.7C\*^"'jJat may do moro
damage than good at zho time. _' ' "f^^^'^'^^f""^.* ' ''" ',?*»

■ if '■ ■■". . . ' V"- ' '"^^ . •'V'!*.' " '.

The inportancc''^rthB'''S^^at-m^;^^'in -fertilizing the Sunati^;'^.ig: the
bumblebee in relation 'to scod^: r^r'bduction of red clover; the value oi"^J<h;;: honeybee
in our
plant
proble

mesois. The relation of 'aicro'-organisms,..;;.^ ui]
important, ' :.;•'>' a'V

One can wGll-^afford to giye^!c. ^-■^^il^'^thought to the > selection of plants for

the particular situat'ibnVint'c.r'^.-Vchs they arc to be i'-troduco'd by giving special
regard to the

Lar sit\.Tatibh .int'c, '.-"^."Vchs they arc to bo i'
\o irif luehcos ' of-:. their '"ntv; .,i-\-i.i'o-.ai;;nt.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

:OLLEG8 OP AantcuLTuflB.

INIVER3ITV OF FLORIDA.

tNO UNITCD GTATeS DSPARTMCNT

tP AGRICULTURC.

COOPCRATING

Ornamental G-ardening in Florida
Radio Series

AORICULTUItAL IXTENBION SBRVICK

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WOHK.

Talk ITo. 6
October 18, I933

PREPARIIIG AED FERTILIZING GARDEJT SOUS

By- W. A. Leukel, agronomist,
Florida Experiment Station

The fertilisation of an ornamental garden is a matter "7here considerable
judgment must be used ''oy the individual. Only a few fundamental facts concern-
ing the chief essentials of garden fertilization can be given in the time al-
lotted here.

Tlie establishment of a proper soil environment for plant growth is one of
the first essentials in ornamental gs.rdening. Such a plant environment means
a friable soil high in organic matter. This soil condition not only provides
various plant nutrients but conserves soil moisture so essential for plant
growth. Organic matter when needed can be supplied to garden soils from four
sources — namely: woods-mold, barnyard iTianure, muck or well rotted compost.
Barnyard manure, when used, should be well rotted. A sufficient amount should
be used to prevent leaching in sandy soils and also to bring about a more fri-
able condition in heavier soils. Manure should be plowed under and well incor-
porated with the soil before the soil is used for the growth of garden plants^
If added while moist, its value will be enhanced. Where manure is not avail-
able, a good muck may be incorporated with the soil to equal advantage. Mucks
should likewise be incorporated with the soil sometime before garden crops are
planted. Most mucks are low in bacterial flora and therefore vrhen well incor-
porated with the soil a better bacterial activity is created in the soil-muck
mixture.

Well rotted compost can be applied and used to increase soil organic mat-
ter in the same manner as in the case of muc-;s and barnyard manure. This ma-
terial can be prepared by composting all waste vegetation during the growing
season./ Compost should always be prepared in connection with garden fertili-
zation/

TIThere soils have a high clay content, packing or puddling often occurs
after heavy rains. Such soils are hard to cultivate when in this condition.
Where the garden area is not too large, saiid may be incorporated with the soil
to give them a loamy consistency and make them easier to cultivate. Where the
garden area is of considerable size, lime ma;'' be supplied to the soil in vary-
ing quantities depending upon its clay content. This treatment has a tenden-
cy to make the soil more friable and easier to cultivate. Tlie application of
lime to sandy soils should be practiced ver^' sparingly or not at all. It may
stimulate growth temporarily but later retardation of plant growth often oc-
curs. Competent advice should be sought before using lime on these kinds of
gardeii soils.

- p

To further provide a proper soil environnent for plant gruv/th, some sys-
tem of drainage should be provided to carr^^ off the excess surface water af-
ter hea-vj- rains and the free soil water. Tlie underground plant parts such as
roots, 'b-olbs, etc., need a proper air supply as v;ell, just as do the aerial
growth parts. A water-logged soil deprives the lower plant parts of a proper
air supply, and a retarded growth results. Plants utilize the water held by
the soil particles or the so-cailed film water. Water that flows freely te-
tween the soil particles should be allowed to drain off and permit a proper
circulation of soil air for plant respiration and bacterial activity.

Water is the so-called universal solvent. Tne availability and utiliza-
tion of fertilizing ma,terials depend upon the extent to which such materials
are dissolved by the soil water and thus made available for plant growth.
The utilisation of fertilizing materials by plants can be realized only
through an adequate \?ater supply- The growth behavior of different plants can
be controlled by proper fertilization only to the extent to which such mate-
rials are made available to plants by water. Ve.'^etative growth is often stimr-
tilated through higher nitrogen fertilization supplemented by an ample water
supply. Flowering and seed production in many plants is bro'ught about not
onljr by decreasing the supply of nitrogen but also by retarding the availa-
bility of such nitrogen by diminishing the available water. Besides facili-
tating the availability of plant nutrients, water is essential for the va-
rious metabolic processes that taJce place within the plant. The transloca-
tion and assimilation of the variou.s plant nutrients within the plant ai-e per-
formed in a soluble forra and water is required for tlus purpose. To further
carry on these processes a certain turgidity mast be maintained within the
plant. This condition is brought aboiit by maintaining a required osmotic
pressure within the plant, Without an available water supply this condition
cannot be maintained. Respiration and plio to synthesis in plants require a
moist surface within the pore spaces of the leaves for the absorption of oxy-
gen and carbon dioxide. Plants in a wilted or semi-wilted condition are un-
able to cariy on those vital processes efficiently and therefore are retarded
in their growth.

The various requirements for water by plants necessitate some form of
irrigation to furnish them with the needed supply. The individxial can best
judge for himself what form of water supply system meets his needs. Water
should never be applied to plants in quantities beyond their growing needs.
Such excess results in surface erosion and in the leaching of plant nutrients
from the soil in the drainage water. Excessive evaporation of water from the
soil surface can be avoided 'oy irrigating garden plants din'ing the cooler
part of the day v;hcn such evaporation is at its lowest. Soil moisture can be
further conserved through the use of mulches and the eradication of weeds^
Weeds utilize a groat part of the soil moisture nccessarj'- for garden plants,
and their eradication should not be overlooked.

Tile fertilizers to be used for gard n plants depend upon the kind of
plants grown and the stage of growth at which such plants are to be utilized.
Besides the various forms of anirrial manure used for garden fertilization, va-
rious commercial fertilisers are available, both in the organic and inorganifj
form. Hiosc known as complete fertilizers gencrallj'' contain the three chief
fertilizing constituents — nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium — in various
proportions or percentages.

Siiiiilc fertilizers grncrallv contain one of thoso constituents. If ne-
cessary a coinpl.:.tc fortilizcr high in nitrogen should be incorporated ^vith the
soil "before planting or shortlj^ after the plants togin to prodv.co top grov/th.
The proccd-oro to he followed after this depends "upon the kind of garden plant
and tho purpose for which it is grown.

Por fertilizing purposes, ornamental garden plants maj'- he divided into
four classes:

1. Toliage plants

2. Plowering plants
Pruiting plants
BuLhs or flcslij' roots

Poliage plants maj'' ho anmaals or perennials. Hiesc plants are grown for
their leafage or foliage. To produce this kind of growth they must he irnpt
in a vigorous vegetative growth condition. After adding a complete fertilizer
early in the season, fertilizing materials high in nitrogen should he applied,
at short intervals during the growing season. This fertilization should al-
ways be accompanied b;'- a sufficient water supply to make siich materials avvl"/-
able to the plants. Wliere the iron content of the soil is insufficient for
ample photosynthetic activity in the plants, a light application of coppeva'^
added to the soil in the form of a thin spray will be helpful. In case :!
perennial foliage plants nitrogen fertilizers should not be applied too jato
in the season so as to have the young succulent growth killed b?/ early f.ve,5t.
Fertilizers lower in nitrogen applied du-ring the late growing season will", be
stored within the plants and result in early vigorous growth the following
spring.

To bring about a maximum production of flowers on plants a certain rela-
tive organic composition of the plants must be attained, especially betT-3-?n
nitrogen and carbohydrate compounds in the parts of the plants where such
flowers are produced. A vigorous vegetative growth should be attained by
these plants during the early growing season^ To attain this condition fer-
tilizers rather high in nitrogen should be supplied to the plants. This fer-
tilization brings about an abundant leafage for the elaboration of carbohy-
drate materials in the plants. After a sufficient size of plants with ah.n-
dant leafage is attained, nitrogen fertilization with its accompanying waver
supply should, be reduced. Tliis brings about a lower nitrogen supply to tlie
plants. Tlie continual elaboration of carbohydrates by means of the large let-f
area results in a high carbohydrate content in the plants in relation to ni-
trogen. This composition relation is associatei with reproduction or flower-
ing in such plants. If all other factors are f-avorable such as light, tem^;era-
ture, moisture, etc., aburivlant flowering will take place.

To keep plants in a flower producing stage, flowers should not be per-
mitted to form fraits or seeds. Contintial removal of flowers before fruit
forma.tion reverts the flo-^ or bearing parts of the plants to a vegetative growvh
condition, and the plant gradtially grows back to the reproductive or floweri::^;
stage. After fertilization of the flowers or gar.ietic union in flowering pla-t-j^
the plants acquire an increased capacit;r for absorbing plant nutrients, 'ihe
process of reproduction appears to stimulate this feeding power of plants vr^
to the time of fruit formation. Tlie application of fertilizing materials not
too high in nitrogen at this advanced flowering pei-iod will keep plants in a

U -

vigorous grov/lh condition by supplying sufficient mlnp.ra?. nutrients for
ab'ojidcint flov/er production. To promote this increased capacity of plants,
fruit forma.tion inust not be permitted to talre place.

TnThere the fruit of the plant is sought in ornamental garden plants, vi-
gorous flowering is a pre-requisite for such fruit production. In addition
to this, the plant must possess a stored supply of organic and inorganic
foods so as to develop the fruit when it once begins to form. To obtain this
condition in plants they should be fertilized with fertilizers rather high in
nitrogen so as to produce vigorous vegetative parts with abundant leafageo
This increased leaf area is needed for the elaboration of organic foods bt■^-
yond the growing needs of the plants. These excess foods are stored within
the plants and later utilized in the development of the fruit. As in the case
of all flowering plants, when sufficient vegetative growth is produced the irl-
trogen supplied to the plants should be decreased. This with a slightly de-
creased water supply will bring the jDlants into flowering which is pre-requi-
site to fruit production. As formerly stated, plants have an increased ab-
sorbing power for soil nutrients after fertilization of tlie reproductive
parts. Commercial fertilizer applied during this period will supply the plant
with abundant nutrients for later production of fruit. After fruit formation
occurs translocation of plant foods to ths fruit forming areas takes placb
within the plant. If, before this period the plants have been properly fer-
tilized, well formed fruits will result.

Tlie fruit wood of many plants is formed the year previous to fruit forma-
tion. After reproduction in such plants, fertilization v?ith a compiete fer-
tilizer stimulates the storage of plant foods and the production of fruit
growing areas for the following season. During the late growing season phos-
phate and potash fertilization furthers the storage of plant foods for the fol-
lowing season. High nitrogen fertilizers at this time keep the new growth
too succulent and susceptible to frost injury.

Plants grown for the production of bulbs or flesh.y roots sliould be ferti-
lized so as to stimulate the grov/th of the underground plaiit parts. Ferti-
lizers applied to such plants should be his^i in soluble phosphorus. Tliis ele-
ment has a tendency to increase root or bu.i.b production on these plants. Early
vigorous vegetative growth is essential for the production of a large top
growth with sufficient leafage. Roots and bulbs require the elaboration of
large quantities of organic ms,terials, especially carbohydrates. Therefore
an abiuidant leafage is essential for this purpose. Mtrogen fertilization
early in the season is necessary for a good top growth, fertilizers applied
later should be lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus. Where sugarr. f'ji-m
a large part of the materials in bulbs and roots, potassium is ver;;; essentia"^,
for their elaboration. Fertilizers applied after early growth should har^, \hii
element increased in their mixture.

To summarize briefly, garden soils should be high in organic matter con-
tent, they sliould be well drained and adequately watered. As to fertilizers,
let us keep in mind that after applying a general commercial fertilizer earl"^
in the season fertilizers high in nitrogen will produce vigorous growth arf.
fine foliage. If the plants are growA for flowers or fruit they should firs ■■
be rnade to grow off vigorously, and then the nitrogen content of the ferti-
lizer should be reduced. For bulbs, fertilizers higli in phosphorus are best.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

[college: of agriculture.

university of florida.

and united states i3gpartment

|oF AGRICULTURE.

COOPERATING

Orn'^ment"! G-^rdening in Florid'
H-'dio Series

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION GCRVICR

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

T-lk Ho. 7
October 25, 1933

G-ABDEiaiTG LITEEATUEE
By - Mrs. Id-" Keeling Cresrp, libr^ri-'n
rioridr Experiment St'^.tion

T;.ie liter-^ture of orn^mentpl g-irdening h^s h'd ", difficult time to come
into its own. It hrs been hidden under rll sorts of subjects "nd only within
the lT.st cjU'-^rter of n century hrs it been brought out into the light of dry to
develop in its own impor truce.

It is possible thr^t long before the -^dvent of the book in the forn of
cl'y tablet or roll of p-^pyrus, mm prrcxiced some sort of orn'-'ment-'d garden-
ing. Ve kiaow th'-^t he hnd laiovrledge of pl-^nts, ^iid. he lipd '"' certain love of
beauty 's is evidenced ^oy the pictures r ipped in stone th^t hpve been dis-
covered from time to time by ^rchf'.eologists in their exC'-^vtions. Orn^mentr-
tion of the body w-^.s evident, out whether this extended to m-^n's surroundings
we do not kiio?v.

Clpy trblets ?,nd papyrus rolls were used for records in nncient times
to ^. cert'^ii:. extent, but it wis not until the 15th century when the Germria
Gutenberg invented the method by which p.-'per could be printed from mov^.ble
blocks in r printing press, that n literp,ture on -nj'- subject wrs r.ssured. Al-
most immedirtely it developed th-^'t m-T.^' people h'^xl the urge to write so th-^t
with the p-'-ssing of the ye-^rs the world hns become fairly well stocked with
good, b^d ^nd indifferent books.

Up to this time -"^ll the gardens h.^d been n=>de following f severely for-
mal style. Tney T;ere plr^nned j-nd I'id out with geoi: '.^tric^l precision. This
Wf>s true to such rn extent th-t in 172S B.-tty L^r;-" y, in •", book on "Hew Prin-
ciples of G-rdening," devoted ^11 of P^rt I to geometry. "Eie el-'bor^te de-
signs r>nd figures could be secured only by the nost careful computJ^tion.

Tliis type of g-^rden hnd existed for so long thr^t gr-^du'^lly it became
irksome to those people v/ho longed for ^ more n'^tur-^l '■rr^ngement . Pin.-^lly,
the poets ''lid p-^inters beg'^n to m'-ke v/ritten r^nd p-^inted fppe'^ls for less Tti -
fici-"lity '^nd more n^tur'^l beauty. Milton, Pope, Xddison r^nd the Dutch pr>in*ers
becme insistent for this chrnge in orn-'-ment'^l plantings '"nd planning.

In 176U Willirm Shenstone in "Unconnected Tliouglits on Gardening" wrote:
"Grrdeni^ig mf^y ^e divided into three species — kitchen-gardening - p-rterre-
g-rdening - --nd Irndskip, or picturesque-g-^rdening. Tlie letter tj.-pe is the
one in which we -''.re most interested. It consists in pie-sing the im-'^gin-'^tion
by scenes of gr-^^ndeur, beauty or variety. Convenience merely h'-s no sh-'^re
here; f^r^y f-rther th-'^n rs it pleases the im-^.gin'-tion." It is believed th-t in
this writing of Shenstone origin-ted the term "l-ndsc-pe g'-rdening." It would

- 2 -

seem to me thrt in his expression "picturesque garden" he h'^s ''.Iso been respon-
sible for our modern "ornr-ment'-l g'-rden" for ^n orn'^ment-'^l grrden worthy of the
nnme certainly mast he picturesque.

line

In Shenstone's ovm be"utiful garden, engr'-ved on ->. t^^blet, were these

•

"Here in cool grot rnd mossy cell.
We rur'^.l frys r-nd f?>eries dwell;
Tho rarely seen by mort-^l eye,
Hilhen the p-'le moon, ascending high,
Dr.rts thini yon limes her quivering be«ms,
We frisk it near these cryst^^l streams."

Ti:n.t r. berutiful picture this brings to mind ^^nd how suggestive of m
iderl Florid? garden!

It v^s some time before the idep advanced t; the poets for picturesque
gardens sprerd through E'arope. M'^ny people persisted in continuing a practice
about which Bacon hrid written over r century before: "As for the mpMng of
Knots or Figures, with divers Colored E'rths, they be but toys, you m'^y see as
good sight mrny times in Tarts ... I do not like Im^^ges cut out of Juniper, or
other g'-rden- stuff; they are for Children."

The grrden based on the elaborate geometrical design was doomed, and
while its imiredi-'^te successor was different from the g-Tden of todP^r, it was
gradually approaching it.

It is a str?nge f-ct that much if not most of our early horticultural
literature wrs written by persons who hrd no pri-rrry interest in horticulture.
I have already commented on the part pl-^yed "oy the poets rnd pr^inters in chf-ng-
ing the form of the garden. It remained for the physici'-^n "nd n^tur-list to
give the world first knowledge of plants -nd pl-'jiit life. The old "Herb-'ls"
written by them J^re of immense import-'^nce.

It ws the physician '^nd the n5«turalist who were first interested in the
pl.-nt life of America. One of the e-rliest known AmeriC'-^n writers to list
plants from Ingl-'-nd th'^t would or i;70uld not grow in this country w?^s John Jos-
selyn. In I672 he published v book entitled: "ITew England's R.-^rities Dis-
covered in Birds, Beasts, Fishes, Sei-pents, -nd Pl--nts of the Country." His
list of pl-nts consisted of '.n rissortLient of veget'^bles -nd flowers, including
with C'lbb-'ge r>nd lettuce, the hollyhock, gilly floiTsr, marygold (spelled m---ry-
g-ol-d) -^iid he comments that rosemar:,^ will not survive there. This is the only
authentic account of vvh'-t grew in those e^rly llew Engl-"nd gardens.

In 1791 Willinm B-^rtr-'m published his: "Tr.-vjls through ITorth ajid South
Cnrolina, Georgi-'^, E-^st -^nd West Florida." B^rtr-ra w-^.s --> n-'^tur'^list <-nd he
visited these st'-^tes for the purpose of collecting plr'nts. His list of plants
found growing in Florida was the first one to be published. It is '^n iraport-^nt
contribution to the e^rly pl-nt literature of the st-te rnd South.

- 3 -

In his "ITew Cyclopedi-" of American Horticulture," L. H. Bailey descritea
the colonial gardens most interestingly. He writes: "The colonial orn^ment'-^l
gardens were unlike our own in the rel'^tive poverty of pl-^nts, in the ''.hsence
of the ly^ndsc^-pe •'^rrnngement, in the rarity of greenliouses, '^nd the lo.ck of
smooth-sh-^ven Irwns (for the Inmi mower w^s not iu. 3".-.ted till this century)."
He gives r brief description of the privte g-^rden of Governor Peter Stuj'ves^'nt
of ITew Amsterdam (now ITew York) which the Governor c-lled the "Bouwerie." It
required kO or 50 negro slr.ves f^nd several white servants to c«^.re for it. The
site of th-^t frmous old garden is the location of ITew York's "Bowery" of todry
— truly r. grert ch-"nge.

TIae Bulletin of the Grrden Cluh of America is replete with -Tticles r-
bout the g-^rden. One in p-^rticulrr of special interest ^;^s published in the
September 1928 number of the Bulletin. It w^s "Colonir-l Grrdens," by Rr'.chel
McM. M. Hunt. One interested in Florid^ gardens should rc^d it.

With the beginning of the 19th century -'. number of American books on
••agriculture beg'ii to be published. The tern "agriculture" wns inclusive of
horticulture, riid. floricultiire or grrdening usu-^lly were given some mention.
In ISOU, John Gr.rdiner "nd Df^.vid Hepburn published -t W'shington, D. C, r^ very
smrll book, measuring only four by six inches, entitled: "Tlie American G-^rden-
er, containing -^mple directions for working r>. Kitchen G'-^-rden, ever5'- month in
the yep,r; pnd copious instructions for the cultivr-tion of Flower Grrdens, Vine-
yards, ioirseries, Hop-Y^rds, Green Houses, pnd Hot Houses ." Tlie authors cer-
tninly wrnted to cover everything while they were r.t it.

Another example of including inform^.tion nbout vegetrbles, orn.-^mentrls
or floriculture is shown in a book published in 1823 "^Y Willi?m Cobbett; "Tiie
American G'-.rdener. A treatise on the situ-tiou, soil, fencing y'lid l.-^ying out
of g.-^xdens; on the m?>king and mpjirging of hot bc^ds rnd greenliouses, pnd on the
propagation rnd cultiv^.tion of the several sorts of vegetr.bles, herbs, fruits
pjid flowers."

Tiie first gre'>,t l-ndscrpe grxdener of Americ: wns Andrew J?.ckson Down-
ing. He \7as born nt Hewburg, IT. Y., on October 30, 1S15 rnd died by drowning
on July 2S, 1852. In iSUl he published: "Trertise on the Tneory -"nd Pr-ctice
of L.-ndsc-pe G-rdening -nd Cottrge Residences." Pour ye.-rs 1-ter he published:
"Fruits '^nd Fruit Trees of Americr.." Tlie I'-tter is credited with aborting more
influence in arousing the interest of people in fruit growing tl:^j.i --^11 other
books i.t th.-t time. After the Author's derth it r.-^s continued '^nd sever^-l
times revised by his elder brother, Ch-'rles Downing.

It w-'S not until 1223 th-t ^ writer published a book devoted exclusively
to flowers. Tl-.is wrs Rol^^nd Green's "Treatise on the Cultivation of Flov.'ers."
It W--S follov^ed in IS39 by the first Americ-n book devoted to one flower. Tl'-is
wrs published by Snyers '"nd v.fs p. treatise on the dnhli^".

F.-.ile the horticultur-"l book w^s of £:re-t inrport-nce to the gardener,
during the last fifty years of the 19th century it w-s the agricultural mi^ga-
zine th-^t proved the most helpful.

- U -

In our ovii st-^te, the Florid'' Dispatch, 1' ter becoming the Florid"
Frrraer -nd ?ruit 3-rower, puolished with r few interruptions fror. I869 to 191O,
rnd the liorid^ Agricultui'ist, from lo79 to ISH, carried m^ivj articles of in-
terest to the gardener. Ti-ese furnished the e-rliest information to be h^d
concerning the growing of flowers ^^nd l"?rns in Florid".

In considering the literature of orn-"ment!"l grrdening one must not over-
look the published proceedings of the Florid-, St'te Horticultur-1 Society. r.:e
Society '.-ns org-nized in lu3S "nd for the first four ye^rs the proceedings were
published in the Florid". Agriculturist. In 1'j32 the 5th Proceeding ws pub-
lished sep'-r-itely, which h-s been the custom ever since.

By t'le beginning of the 20th century "cooks --nd ms^g^^zines were so numer-
ous th"t the g'-rdener, "long with others, h"d diff: julty in selecting v;h"t
would be most helpful to him. In 1906, L. E. B"iley in his "Cyclopedir- of
American Horticulture" stated th^.t -"t th"t time t>ere v/ere more thr^n 60O books
on i!daeric"n horticulture. Tli'^t number h"s been nultiplied m"iiy times now.

Krny of you will rec"ll the series of t"llcs given over the r"dio l^st
ye-ir on "Crnrmentrl &."rdening." Tnere "re .", few copies of these t^lks left.
If you would c."re for them write to the Floridn, JU:ricultur"l Experiment St"-
tion, 3-^ine£ville, "nd reouest them ^nd you will be sent copies. Tl'.ey will be
rn import"at -"ddition to your collection of g"rdening literature.

Eie p-"rt played by the ^^gricultur^l experiment st'tions in developing
the orn"iiientpl garden f'nd its literrture is beyond estim?^te. Research "^Aid ex-
periments in soils, fertilizers, insects "nd dise"ses h".ve been carried on by
the Florid." Agricultur"! Eri^erir.ent St' tion, so th-t tod^y the Florid". g"rdener
does not '.irve to rely on wh-t he thinks m-y be the best procedure in prep"ring
his g"rden, but wh."t he knows is best. The bulletins issued by the E:cperiment
Stations "nd United St"tes Dep-rtment of Agriculture "re sometimes considered
too ephemer"l to be cl^^-ssed ".s re^il liter"ture but this is f'",r from true, x'o
Florid' librrry's g".rden collection will be complete without including these
v"lu".ble publications.

Before concluding I "m going to give you ^ list of references of in-
terest to " grrdener. Some of the publicr.tions were written strictly for Flo-
rid^ ind Florid-", conditions; others "re of -''. gei-.er"l n"ture; -"s the fund^iraen-
t"ls of gardening ."re the s"me, no m."'oter where one lives, '^11 should be of in-
terest.

BULu3Ti:?S .iMT) BOOKS Oil 0.7..XC:::' S AITD GAEDS-Ji:-&
Florid". Bull. .■ s

Tlie Florid", Agricultur-"! Experiment Strtijn rnd the Florid". Agricultur-
-".1 Extension Service "t G"inesville h.^ve issued " number of inform"tive bulle-
tins on ornnrient"ls "nd g.-rdening. As long p.s t.ie supply l-sts, these m"y be
obt"ined free by Florid", residents.

In the follovdng classified citations, "11 bulletins listed "s "St-'^tion''
bulletins or press bulletins should be ordered from the Agricultural Experiment
St-tion, (Js^inesville, Fl"., while those listed "s "Extension" bulletins s'iOula
be ordered from the Agricultur.1l Extension Service, (J.-'inesville, Florid".

- 5 -

G-^rden Flov/ers
Anim-^l Flowering Pl--nts for Florid-? — Jolin V. Wrtkins, Extension Bui. 73-
Growing A:inurl Flowering Pl.-nts — ¥. L. Floyd. Press Bui. UU3.
Herb^^ceous Perenni-ls — John V. W-^tkins, Extension Bui. jS.

Hoses

Rose Growing — W. L. Floyd md John V. Wntkins. Extension Bui. 59-

L-'wns •'^nd Shi-ubs
L.-,rns in Florida ~ C. R. Snlow nnd W. E. Stokes, Strtion Bui. 209.
Found -^.tion Pl-'-ntings for Floridp. Homes — A. ?. Spencer. Extension Bui. 72.

Soils
Tlae Soils of Floridp, — 0. C. Bryrn. Extension Bulletin h2.

Trees, Pr^lms, Vines -^nd Ferns
Asp-^rfigas pltimosus — Hr'rold Mowry. Press Bui. 3'^^'
Ifi^tive ."^nd Uxotic P^lras of Florid,^ — Hnrold iiowry. Str>tion Bui. 22S.
Orn'-ment'-l Trees — H?.rold I'owry. Station Bui. 2S1.
Orn'^raent'^1 Vines — H^xold Mowry. Station Bui. 1S8.

Disei^ses -"nd Insects
Brovrn P^tch of Lr'wns rnd Golf Greens, -^nd Its Control — Geo. F. Weber, Press

Bu.1. U37.
Florid'^. Truck rnd G-"rden Insects — J. R. W-'tson. St^'^tion Bui. 232,
Tlae Flower T/rips — J. R. 'J^tson. St-'^tion Bui. l52.
E.i.ster Lily Fos-"ic — 3rdm'-n West. Press Bui. kk^.

Mosaic Diseases of Vegetf^ble Plants — Geo. F. IVeber. Press Bui. UU6.
Rose Canker ~ William B. Shippy. Press Bvd. UU7.
Bl-'>ck Spot of Roses ~ William B. Shippy. Press Bui. UUS.
Powdery Kildew of Roses — ¥illi?^in B. Shippy. Press Eul . kkS.
Yellowing of Centipede Gr^ss --nd Its Control — 0. C. Bry^n. Press Bui. U50.
Prep "r'-.t ion of Lime-Sulphur Sprry — Geo. F. Weber. Press Bui. k^2.
Methods of Prep-'-Ting Bordeaux Mixture — Geo. F. Weber. Press Bui. U53«
Clitocybe Mushroom Root Rot of 'vYoody Plmts — A. S. Eio-^ds. Press Bui. U5U.
Selectior. ^:id Shipment of Pl-nt Spec:aens for Diagnosis or Identification —

Geo. F. Weber. Press Bv.l. U55.

Other Bull 3 tins
Tlie Strte DepTtmer-t of Agriculture ^,t Tdl*. ?ssee has issued a number
of bulletins on ornrmentsls and other garden subjects for free distribvition.
Also, t'.-is U^utod Stetes I)ep?rtment of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, has a
list of publications available for distribution. Eiis list can be obtained
from the Deprrtment, and bulletins on ornamentals ?nd g&rdening which are of
interest ca:i be ordered.

Gardening Books for the South
The following books should prove to be of interest to Florida gardeners.

Baker, Mary Francis.

Florida, wild flov/ers. An introduction to the flora of the Florida
Peninsula. 'Jew York. Hacmillan Co. 192S.

- 6 -

Claiborne , HI i zabe th .

lisnual of gardening for use in the central southern states.
Heshville. Prrthenon Press. 1932.

Dillon, Julia Lester.

Tlic tlossom circle of the year in southern gardens, i^ew York.
A. T. De La Mare. 1922.

Dorn, Mabel Tihite and Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

Eie book of twelve for south Florida gardens. 192S.

Hume, H. H.

Gardening in the lower South. Hew York. Kacmillan.. 1929*
(Rural science series).

McLaren, J.

Gardening in Caliiornia, landscape end flower. }d ed. rev. San
Francisco, Am. Robertson. 192U.

Raiidall, G. I.'.

Dutch and French bulb-culture in Florid?, elso diversified farming.
DeLand, Florida. The E. 0. Painter Printing Co. 1926.

Simpson, Charles Torrey.

In lower Florida wilds. l«ew York. Putnam. 1920.

OrnFmental gardening in Florida; a treatise on the native and exotic

decorative plants adapted to Florida a.nd their cultivation, with

suggestions for the ornamentation of our homes and grounds.
Little River, Florida. Tlae Author.

Out of doors in Florida; the adventures of a naturalist; together
with essays on the wild life and the geology of the stf>te. Miarai.
F. B. Douglas Co. 1923.

Small, John Eunkel.

Ferns of Florida, being descriptions of and notes in the fern-plants
growing naturally in Florida, irew York. Science Press. 1931'

Flor? of Southeastern states. (A new edition of which will be pub-
lished shortly.)

Wilson, Llrs. Millar and Mrs. J. A. Ferg^ason.

In Florid? gardens; s\igge3ted pl-ntin^ material both native and
cultivated for Florida gardens. J.^cksonville, Florida. Tlie Authors.
I92U.

Storied gardens of the old South; Kichaux's garden, Kiddleton Plr,ce. Garden

'■lagazine and Eome Builder. Vol. Uo, number }, p-ges l65-l67- i'ovem-
ber 192^.

- 7 -

Tiie Bulletin of the G-'rden Club of America, Washington, D. C.

Other Boo^ijs on Grrdening

Bailey, L. K.

Tlie cultivated conifers in l^forth America. Hew York. Macmillan. 1933«

The pruning "book. Hew York. Mrcrnillan, I923.
and Ethel Zoe Bailey.

Hortus, e concise dictionary of gardening, general horticulture end.
cultivated pl?nts in North America. Few York. Macmillan. 1930*

Barron, L.

American home hook of gardening. Hew York. Doubleday. 1931*

Barnes, Parke t T.

Plouse plants pnd hov? to grow them. Hew York. Doutled^y, Prge & Co.
1927.

Benl, Alvin C.

Tlie glfidiolus ?nd its culture, hov; to propagrte, grow rnd hrndle
glp.dioli outdoors nnd ui:ider glass. Hew York. Orf^nge Judd Pub. Co.
1527.

Bennett, J. K.

Eordside development. Hew York. Mr.craillr«n. 1929*

Bottomley, M. 3.

Tae design of small properties. A book for the home-owner in city
piid coTontry. Hew York. Macmillrn. 1929 •

Correvon, Kenry.

Rock garden rnd --^Ipine plrnts. Hew York. Mrcmillrn. 1930.

Er^ton, Writer Prichrrd.

!]3verytody ' s gprden; t^lks on n^turrl design -^nd the use of simple mr-
terirl. 2Tew York. A. A. Knopf. 1932.

Pairbridge, Dorothea.

Gprdens of South Africa. London. A. & G. Bl-^ck. 192U.

Findlny, K.

Garden m.-^king "nd keeping. Pop. ed. Hev/ York. Doubled-'^y. 1932-

S'ox, Mrs. Helen Morgenthau.

Patio grrdens. Hew York. Macmill?^ji. 1929'

Harwood, !7. S.

Hew cref^tions in pl^nt life. An ruthorit^tive account of the life
r-jd work of Luther Bujrbank. Hew York. Mrcmillfn. 192U.

8 -

H."wks, 311 is on.

Pioneers of pl-'-.nt study. T.)is boolc vrz originrll3' plr.nr.ed, "^nd some

parts of it written, in collp.bor'^tion with the lr,te G. S. Boulger.

London. The Sheldon Press. 192S.

Hole, S. Reynolds.

A book r.bout roses. Hov; to grow nnd show them. London. Edw-rd
Arnold. 1906. (Cut of print but recently reprinted)

Hottes, A. C.

A book of perennials. 4th rev. ed. Hew York. A. T. De L^ Mr^re Co.

1931.

1001 grrden questions rnsvTered. i\ew York. A. T. De Ln U^re Co. 192S.

Pr-^tic^l pl^nt propngrtion. i-Iew York. A. T. DeLfi Urre Co.

T.-.e book of shrubs. Iv'ew York. A. T. De Lr '>re Co. 1925.

Hubbard, Henry Vincent nnd Theodor-'^ Kimb'^ll.

An introduction to the study of l»^adscrpe design. ICew York. M.-icmillnn.
1927.

Hume, H. H-rold.

Azalers rnd C"jnellir.s. 17ew York. Mr^millrn. 1931'

McCurdy, Robert M.

Book of grrden flowers. G'-rden City, i'ew York. Doubled^y, Doran £. Co.
1931' (Previously published xinder titles Garden Flowers Worth Knowing
r. d G-rrden Flovvers).

McFTlf-nd, J. Eor''ce.

Kodern roses. A uniform descriptive list of ^11 important roses in
cormerce. Few York. Mr.cmill'^n. 1930-

Tlie rose in Americ". JTew York. Mrcmill-n. I926.

Moore, '£ . J.

Culture of flowers. Toronto. Ryerson Press. 1931-

Morgenthru, Helen.

Gardening T;ith herbs for flrvor nnd fr^gr-^-nce. i;Tew York. Mrcmillrn.
1933.

Ortloff, li. S.

Annunls in the g-rden. ITew York. I':-CT.illr.:. 1932.

. '"nd H. S. R-yraore,

G- rden m'^inten-nco. New York. K'^cmillrii. 193^.

Inforir-1 g-rdens. I-'Cr York. M-cr.iill-'^n. 1933.

Perenni-"! g-'^rdens. Ifew York. H^caill^ii. 1931.

Rexford, ^ben H.

Indoor g-rdei:iiig.. Riil-ixielphi" . J. 2. Lippincott. 191O.

Hocte/ell, 1. I.

D-^hlirs. irew York. H-^cnill-'^n. 1929.

G-l'-diolus. 'Hevi York. M-'^cmill'^n. I93O.

L-^.wns. ITew York. M-cnillnn. 1929*

Roses. Few York. M'^cmill'^n. 1930.

Shruts. rew York. :f.-cmill-r.. 1925

1:-'.e book of bulbs. A guide to the selection, pi ■anting, ^nd cultivat-
ing of bulbs for spring, summer -"nd -^uturon flov7ering - ^nd to Pinter-
long beauty from bvJbs indoors, "'^w York, ""-^.cmill^n. I929.

Ro/'dc.S. S.

Scented garden. Boston. H-^le, Cuslim^n -nd Flint. 1931.

Rush, •/:. W.

Ignor-'-mus g-^rden book. Tew York. Se--rs Pub. Co. 1931.

Simonds, 0. C.

L-'ndsc-'pe g-^rdening. ITer York. I'I-crnill^:.i. 192O.

Stevens, G. A.

Climbing roses. I'ew York. M'^CHillrn. 1933-

Volz, D. C.

Iverybody's g.-^rden. I'ew York. Or-nge Judd Pub. Co. I928.

Ho.ae flower-groT/ing. r,'et,' York. M-cmill-n. 1923.

Wr^lte, W. H.

Hodern d^hli-- culture. ITew York. A. T. De L,". Mr re Co. 1928.

le-'.thers, John.

Tl'e bulb book on bulbous rnd tuberous plants for the open ''It, stove
-•^ndgreenl-.ouse. London. John M-arrs>y. 19II.

- 10 -

Weston, T. A.

All -"-"bout flowering 11-111133 for home r^ni. gr.rden. ITew York. A. T. De
Lr> llr-rc Co. 1931.

Wilder, Louise Beebe.

Adventures in p, suburt'^.n g-irden. Hew York. Mncmilloji. 1931 •

Wilson, Ernest H.

Aristocr--^ts of the g-Tden. Bo.-ton. The Strp.tford. I926.

Chinn, Mother of gn,rdens. Boston. The Strntford. 1929-

Pelt nnd Ernkin.

Insects pnd dise-'^.ses of orn^montrl trees r;v- shruhs. New York.
Mncfflillnn. 1933.

He-'-ld, Frederick De Forest.

Mnnunl of pl.-^nt disen.ses. iTew York. McG-rrw-Hill. 1926.

Mason, A. Freeman.

Spr^iying, dusting '-^nd fumig-'tion of pl''.nts. iMew York. Mncmillnn.
192s.

Rijikin, W. Howr.rd.

M'^nurJ of tree diseases. Hew York. Macmillan. 1923-

Voorhees, Edward V.

Fertilizers. Nc-j York. A. T. De La M-ire Co. I926.

G-J^rden Literf^ture

Dyer, ll^.t^lLe L.

Ancient gnrden hooks. G^irden cluh of America'. Bulletin. Vol. 5t
mjunber 1, p.-^ges 6U-69- Jnim-iry 1933*

Jensen, L. P.

F-'^scinr'ting old cooks on gr-rdeuing. G-'-rdeners' Chronicle of America.
Vol. 31, number 2. p-^ges 3J-36, kz. Fetrurry 1927 .

Trr.ub, H.

Tlie development of Americra horticult-.irr.l literature, chiefly between
1800 rnd 1550. iT".tionnl horticultm- 1 mpgr'.'nc, vol. 7. n\imber 3t
pp,ges 97-103. July 192s.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLSOE OF AORICULTURE.
UNIVGRSiTY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
3F AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL CXTCNBION SCNVICC

COUNTV AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
?.-.dio Series

Talk lo. g
November 1, 1933

PLANT imBS, WHEHCS DERI7ED AITO T7HAT THEY MEAN

By - Erdrnan West, Mycologist
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station

For the past six weeks our fence rows, woods and many of our gardens have
"been gay with a native shrub bearing dense clusters of brilliant purple berries.
Many of my audience will recognize it at once. TTlj-at is its namef ''Tell, the
popular name is French Mulberry. B^it the botany books say it is a native of
America and does not occur in Prance. Further, they do not classify it among the
mulberries. Then what do they call it? The scientific name or botanical naue :.s
Callicarpa americana. But you say "Botanical names are so difficult. And they
don't mean anything to me." Perhaps a little explanation of the form and
derivation of botanical names will help us to appreciate them.

Many other popular names are just as misleading as the one just mentioned.
Spanish moss is neither a moss nor Spnnish, being closely related to the pireappio,
Corn in the United States means something entirely different from corn in England.
A few popular common names, however, are used consistently and mean definite
plants, as Cherokee Rose r;id live oak. Many others are very ambiguous. Papaw
may mean either one of tv/o very different plants. The term "bay" is applied zo zu
many different plants that I will not attempt to list them.. Moreover, no English
popular name would be understood in Russia or France or Japan. The object i.ons to
popular names then are that they are indefinite and not widely understood.

The use of Latin binomials to designate plants dates from the time of
Linnaeus about 1753 • Up to the time of this great Swedish naturalist, plantii had
been studied and described principally for their reputed medicinal propertie:;.
Close relationships araorg them had been recognized arii related plants had bs'^.n
grouped under a common name. For instance, all roses were grouped under "Hoija",
the Latin word for rose. The various kinds of roses were distingui.^hed oy shcrt
descriptions. Sincd Latin was the common classical lang^oage of the period, ■(ihe-'-'e
descriptions also were in Latin. Linnaeus hit upon the happy plan of design'/iiiitf
each kind by one Latin adjective in addition to the group name. A white roso u:'.'

i-^.nnaeus' time, he catalogued as Rosa alba and followed thio with a desc.ip'../. T

''■be plejit. Piper was the Latin word for pepper and so the plant that produced th-
black pepper of commerce became Piper nig roan, followed by the complete descilpci'....
of the plant .

Probably Linnaeus did not intend this combination to-be the name of the plar .
when he first used it. He was resorting to it merely as an indicator to save zr.p
trouble of reading through each entire description. However, it soon became
customary to refer to a plaiit by this combination without appending the descriptic.
and thus the binomial system, as it i s called, was established. Sir:ce then?
attempts have been made to extend the combination to ^ncxuce three or mors names,

but the two'-name combination has he^-one established throughout the '.Torld for the
•scientific designation of plants and animals. Certain codes of rules have been
established for the formation of these names both in A-nerica and Europe,
differing in minor respects but agreeir^ for the most part.

The botanical name of a plant, then, consists of two definite parts. The
first part of the combination, as we have seen, indicates the group or genus to
which the plant belongs. The second name tells the s-pecj-es or particular kind
in the genus. Thus Linnaeiis' white rose was Hosa alba. The nruiie Rosa indicates
the affinity of the plant with all the other roses. The alba part of the name
distinguishes it from all the others in the group. So all the different ros-^^s
would have Hosa for the f:".rst part of the name. The second or specific part of
the name indicates the individual i;ind of rose. Rosa sinensis is a Chinese rose,
because sinensis in Latin means Chinese. Rosa Carolina is a rose from Carolina,
Rosa lancifolia is a rose with lance-shaped le;:.ves.

In the beginning, the generic names were the Latin names for the plants bu-
as new plants were found or described, new genus names had to be found for the
various groups that were discovered. Sometimes the name of the man who discovei'cd
the plant was used as a basis after being Latinized. Generic names vieve frecr^ientl;.
coined to honor famous botanists or patrons. Thus, the stiiikring cedar of the
Chattahoochee River has the genus nai'ne Torreya commemorating the famous American
botanist Doctor Torrey. The banana sbrub has the genus name Michelia to
memorialize the famous Italian botanist, Peter Michel,

Old C-reek names were also used after being Latinized. The name of the
I'rench mulberry to which we referred earlier is an excellent example. The
botanical name, you remember, is Crillicarga americana. Callicarpa comes from two
G-reek words meaning beauty and fruit. So Callicarpa means beauty fruit. America?
is a Latin adjective meaning America i. A free translation of the whole Latin nanc
would be American Beauty Berry, which is far more appropriate than French Mulberr-;
the popular name it bears. The tulip tree or tulip poplar j Liriodendron, comes
from two G-reek words meaning tulip and tree. Many modern generic names are forme;
by taking some Sreek word or combination of words thcit indicate an outstanding
characteristic of the group and using it for the generic name. For instance,
Cereus is the name of a genus of cacti, while Nyctocereus is a closely related
genus the members of which bloom at night. Sycto couc-s from a Greek word meaning
night. Another exainple is the forget-me-not, Hyosotis. This generic name comep
from two Greek words which mean moiise and ear, and was applied to this plant
because the leaves resemble the ears of a mouse in shape. The derivation ar.l
meaning of most generic i.araes are given in such books as Bailey's "Cyclopedia cf
Horticulture" and Gray's "Manual of 3otan^/."

The second part of the binomial, the specific name, is frequently
•'.escriptive in character. Quite often the specific name is a Latin or
Latinized Greek descriptive adjective. For instance, the summer grape is Vitis
aestivalis , Vitis being the classical name for grape and aesti-valis meanir.g
summer; the potato is Solaxi^am tuberosum, the tuberosum part of the name referr;-.:).;
to the fleshy tubers.

Many specific names are derived from the countr:/ of origin of the plant.
Thus we get Citrus sinensis, meaning the citrus from China; Azalea indica, the
azalea of India; and Fraxinum americana, the Fraxinum or ash of An-ierica.

-3-

Other specific names indicate the habitat of \.iie plant. Pirms^ Tjalustris
is the pine of the sv/araps; Aleurites nontana is the Aleurites on the mountains,
and so on.

Very frequently, the specific nan:e honors the collector or discoverer of
the plant. Phlox Druramondii thus honors Druramond; and Que reus Michauxii was named
for Andre L'ichaux who found this oak.

In contrast to my earlier comments concerning common names, let me draw your
attention to how appropriate some botanical names are. In v;estern Florida aud
further north is a small plant, hugging the earth at all times and perfuming the
air in spring. Its comni.on name is Trailing Arbutus. Botanists call it EpijErea
regens which literally translated means "creeping upon the earth" and describes
perfectly the habit of this beautif-'ol little wild flower. Another particularly
apt name is that of the common flame vine that covers buildings with its fiery
orange red blooms in spring. The botanical name Pyrostegia venusta means
beautiful fiery roof.

There is a third part of the botanical name of a plant that is important anl
interestirg too. This is the name or initials that follow the genus and species
name, as in the botanical name of the mango, Mangifera indica L. This L. stands
for Linnaeus and indicates that the scientist Linnaeus first gave the mango this
scientific name. Sometimes, there are two names following the specific name,
one of them in parentheses, such as Wisteria f rutescens (L^) Poiret, with the L
in parentheses. This means that Linnaeus first described the plant and gave it
the name f rutescens but put it in som6 other genus than Wisteria. Poiret later
examined the plant and decided its affinities were vdth wisteria and put it in
that genus, so we get the present name. T^iat a sroty this little botanical name
tells when we know the key that unlocks it I

The pronunciation of botanical names is another bugbear for many gardeners.
Anyone who has had an introduction to Latin should have no trouble with
botanical names. Many books on the classification of plants give simple direc-
tions for pronouncing the names. While on this subject, I might mention some
common plants, the names of which are often mispronounced. Many people say
Ca-me-lia for Ca-mell-ia; Pitt-o-sporum for Pit-tos-porum; Sto-ke-sia for
Stokes-ia; and Ag-er-a~tum for i,*»ger~atum

A very delightful treatise on this subject of plant names has been
published recently by the Macmillan Company. It is "How Plants Get Their Names,"
by L.H. Bailey. In it you will find a more complete discussion of the deri;: t\:r-:
It includes an appendix giving the meanings of most specific names, and a guile
to the pronunciation.

Botanical names have other advantages which I have hinted at previously.
A botanical name is definite in its meaning. Common names may be very local in
their application and several may be applied to the same plant in different pla^-:
but a botanical name, with few exceptions, is always the same and refers to a
single kind of plant. Moreover, being written in Latin it can be understood by
botanists anywhere in the world. 'Che botanical name of a plant is the same the
world over, no matter what nationality may be using it.

-Il-

With these practical advantages in favor of the Latin names of plants, it
seems desirable to learn and to use them. This is especially true when v;e
consider the meanings of the names, their aptness to the plants they designate
or the associations they "bear to eminent botanists, intrepid explorers and
other famous men. Really we are missing part of the pleasure of laiowirg our
plant friends when we do not Icnow their real names and hov/ they received them.
A little time with some botanical book such as Gray's Manual or Bailey's
Cyclopedia of Horticulture, will open a new field of pleasure. Or the author
of this paper will be glad to help you if you willv write him.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLL&QE OP AaRicuLTune.
UNIVERSITY or FLORIDA.
• NO UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OP ASRrCULTURE.
COOP! RATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 9KRVICK

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME 0<M0N5TRAT|0N WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk No. 9
Hoveniber 8, 1933

AITITUAL FL0T7ERI1IG PLANTS FOR THE WINTER AND SPRING

GARTEN
By: John V. Watkins, Assistant Horticulturist,
University of Florida College of Agriculture

Bj' far the greatest variety of annurlc that we enjoy in Florida be-
long to the cool-'-'feather group that blossom in the mnter and early
spring. The number of kinds tlis.t fall into this already long list are
increasing each year as new sorts are being introduced by the seed
houses. In addition to giving us new sorts, plant breeders have been
constantly improving the old and tried species. Larkspur, nasturtiurr^,
snapdragons, calendulas, California poppies and petunias are some of
the old favorites that have been vastly improved in size, color, sub-
stance and design during the past few years.

The cool -weather annuals that bloom in the winter and early spring
are, for the most part, cold-tolerant, and unless extremely low tem-
peratures are experienced they will thrive during the months of October
through April.

Ifeny successful gardeners make their first plantings of the winter-
blooming kinds in late Augu.st and early September, at first protecting
the tender seedlings from the direct rays of the sun by shades of cloth,
dog fennel, moss, etc., unti?. they have become sufficiently robust to
grow, \anshaded, in the open. Som.e of the late spring blooming annuals
will not germinate i,7ell during hot weather and it is necessary, there-
fore, to wait until November to sow the seed of this general group.

The following lists may be helpf'^ol in regard to planting time:

Annuals that may be started in A"iagust or September include Alyssum,
Babys ' Breath, Blanket Flower, Blue .3yed African daisy, Calendiila,
Chinese Forget-me-not, Lobelia, Lupine, iioroccan toad flax, Kastuctium,
Pansy, Petunia, Phlox, Pinks, Sna.pdragon, and Sweet Pea.

Annuals that may be started in November for late winter or early
spring bloom inclxide Alyssujn, Babj'-s' Breath, Butterfly Flower, Cali-
fornia Poppy, Candytti-ft, Carnation, Cornflower, Double English Daisy,
Hunnemania, Larkspur, Leptosjme, Lupine, ••'igvionette, Nicotiana, Orange
African Daisy, Painted Tongue, Poppies, Scarlet Flaix, Statice, and.
Stocks,

In those varieties there is room for wide choice as to color and
kind of flowers. Discussing some of the leading ones, let's take
Alyssum first.

2 -

The several varieties of S-zeet Alyssiim, with white or lilac flowers,
are among the best of aimuels for ecging and for planting in the rock
garden. Low grooving, seldon exceeding a height of 12 inches, this plant
should have a place in everj'' garden, window box or hanging basket.

Babys' Breath. The irhite, rose or carmine flo7;ers of the three
varieties of babys' breath are especially valuable in flower arrange-
ments; particularly is this true if sturdy flowers, such as bla^nket
flowers, dv;arf sunflowers, carnations or pinks, are the principal subject
of the bouquet. The tiny flowers on wiry stems add a daintiness, a
softness, to an arrangement that might be somewhat stiff and lacking
in gracefulness.

Blanket Flower. The annual forms of the blanket flower, single,
semi-double and full double, are of great value in any garden. The red
and yellow daisy-like blossoms are desirable for cutting on account of
their cheerful colors, long stiff stems, and excellent keeping quality,

Blue-Eyed African Daisy. Oracefvl, light blue, daisy-like flowers
about 2^ inches across, v/ith steel blu.e centers, are profusely borne by
these plants. Tliis daisy is one of the n-.ost easily grown of the hardy
annuals and, like the blarlcet flower, it succeeds in trying situations,

volunteering each year.

Calendula. A universal favorite, the calendula is one of our most
important winter-blooming anmvils. The charming double flowers in
shades of orange and yellow are not only excellent as part of the garden
picture but they are ■'onsurpassed as cut flo^Ters.

California Poppy. This is especially effective when gro'Tn in large
groups in a sunny garden. F.ecentlj- the seedmen have offered varieties
in creams, white and reds, tlir.t are striking deviations from the typical
yellows.

Calliopsis (Cal" li op' sis). The Calliopsis or coreopsis is
another type of the nijunorous daisy-like flowers that play so important
a part in an annual boi-ier. The flo-'ers in shades of yellow, some va-
rieties with maroon or terra, cotta, are borne in profusion on stiff,
wiry stems, and a.re valijaole both in the garden and in bouquets.

Carr^tion. The hybrid ann-uAl carnations which have recently been
developed by plant breeders will supply everj'thing save size, for which
the perfect florist carnations are prized.

Cornflower. This lias long been a favorite and somehow seems
characteristic of the old-fashioned garden. The single and double
flowers of white, pirik, red, blue and purple, borne in profusion in ear-
ly spring, contribute beautiful clear colors to the border and are ex-
cellent for cutting.

Double English Daisy. Although the English Daisy (or Bel lis) is
really a perennial, in Florida it will not thrive after the advent of
warm v/eather in Ifey, and is grov-in as a winter annual so that it may en-
joy the cool growing season. For edgings or for rock gardens, the Eng-
lish Daisy is excellent. The :_^lants are merely flat, tight rosettes of

■i ,;. i-.

i.:\..

^;:irFC-"i

- 3 -

shining green leaves froni which the flo-jer stems arise.

G-ilia (Gil' ia) . Anotlier blue flo'-rer of merit that blooiris in the
late spring is Gilia. The foliage is lace.7, fern-like and is an at-
tractive feature in itself. The flcvers are rough, globular heads, a-
bout an inch in diameter and are borne in profusion all over the plant.
As yet something of a novelty in Florida, the gilia has proven its a-
bilitj,'- to thrive here end should be tried in everyone's garden.

Godetia (Go de' sha) . Although the Godetia, or satin-flower, like
the Gilia, is not often seen it will succeed in Florida, especially in
a. partially shaded situation, and it undoubtedly deserves consideration
as a spring flowering annual.

nunneniania. The h'onnernania, sometimes called tulijj poppy, resem-
bles a sulphur-yellow California poppy of giant size, is coarser and of
greater substa,nce. The plants, about tv/o feet in height, are very pro-
lific, hardy and easy of culture after germination. Difficiilty in c^-t-
ting a good sta,nd is the general rule.

Larkspur. The well-knowii Larkspur is so popular, so widely grown,
that it seems hardly necessar:- to clo?-cribe this most valuable annua.l..
Single and double flowers of white, ouff, rose, blue, lavender and
purple are borne on erect spikes during the er.rly spring. Some of the
newer creations, named varieties having verj'' rouble flowers of clear
colors, are very charming, and should find places in ever;'" garden.

Lobelia. Lobelias, in their beautiful shades of blue, may be had
in the d'^arf, conr .ct form, which is so c.esirable as an edging and also
in the trailing or hanging form which i? used in rock gardens, pots,
boxes and baskets. The ch-arming dwa.rf plants, under six inches in
height, with many tiny branches, sre covered with tiny blue flowers
throughout the blooming season.

Lupine. As subjects for a tall border the annual lupines are very
effective, and they are no less striking as cut flowers. Their keeping
q-uality is excellent.

Moroccan Toad Flax. Of comparatively recent introduction into
Florida gardens, this little toad flax from Morocco is rapidly gainirg
the popularitj' it so rightfully deserves. It is a dwarf grower of
exceeding hardiness that bears its spikes of tiny, snapdragon-like
flowers throughout the '"inter and early spring.

Pansy. Nothing can approach pansies for edging or for bedding in
the late winter and early spring. The newer, highly developed strains
are characterized by gigantic flowers of most striking brilliance and
endless variety of design. The pansy is distinctly a cool weather plant;
seeds will not germinate well in the warmth of late summer, the young
plants that are produced are sicklj'- and slow growing.

Petunia. No garden would be conplete without petunias. The humble,
sn-iall single sorts are valuable for color effects, while the more pre-
tentious, single and double fringed and veined g^^-'t^ts a' ways attract a
great deal of attention because of their -onus-oal text-ore, size and

1+ -

colors.

The small single varieties are very easily groTm from seed, tut
the double flowered va,rieties are best secured from florists.

Phlox. The annual phlox is one of the easiest of all plants to
gro^ from seed. A Hi(?-3 variety of color is offered by the trusses of
charming little flo-^7er3 that cover the dwarf, spreading plants through-
out the early spring. It is excellent as an edging, for ribbon beds,
as a ground cover for a siinny expanse, and for naturalizing.

Pinlzs, PirJcs are very ^nuch at home v/ith us; numsrous kinds thriv-
ing as annuals can be used as perennials if they are cut back in the
early s'ommer and fertilized for a second period of bloom. Ho R,ttempt
nil! be raa.de to distinguish the species or hybrids, but it is suggested
that different kinds be tried so that the gardener can select those
which are best suited to his conditions.

Poppy. The poppies have long been garden favorites. The bold,
bright colors of the hybrids of the opium poppy and the fragile, fine-
textured, delicately tinted flor/ers of the Shirley group, offer us va-
riety in substance, color and design. Poppies do not transplant well,
the seeds do not sprout in hot weather; hence it is best to sow the
seeds in Hoveraber where the slants are to grov;.

Scarlet Flax. This red-flo-rered aamual variety of flax that is
gradually gaining popularity as a garden subject in Florida deserves
every gardener's consideration. A hardy, bushy annual, to two feet,
of exceedingly graceful habit, it is covered with charming red open
flowers throughout the spring.

Snapdragon. Although this is really a perennial, in Florida it is

treated as an annual because it rarely survives the high teniperatures

and heavj'- rains of oijj surajr.ers. Like the pansy ^=',ii«K^'the lari'^pur, it is

distinctly a cool -eather plant and is really successful only when it

is grown tlirough the vdnter and early spring months.

Statice. The annual kinds of statice are well adapted to our gar-
dens, thriving, if necessarj;-, under difficulties. Statice sinuata has,
in the spring, tall spikes of blue or white flowers arising from dwarf,
tight rosettes of lobed, spatuLate leaves. The bonduelli variety is
verj'' similar in habit but produces yellow flowers, while suworori, tb;
rat-tail statice, bears tail graceful spikes of delicate pinl: flowers.
This last named species deserves wider trial as it is especially good
and receives favorable cominent ■•'herever seen.

Stock. Stoclcs arc old favorites that have developed wonderfully
at the hands of plant breeders. Full, double varieties in ma.ny colors
belonging to different strains, the plants of which vary in habit and
ti:r.e of bloora, are offered by the s^cd hor^-ses.

Sweet Pea. These are -.Ithout doubt among the most important of
our winter and spring bloomin'; annuals. Their fragrance, dclicacj'- of
texture and design have won for them a place in every heart, but at
the same time it must be conceded that the hoot of pests that prey

- 5 -

upon them is most alarming ^^Jid often most difficult to control.

The Spencer sweet peas, non the nost populp.r group, hftve rep.chod
e. rempirkftble state of perfection. Winter flowering, or "oftrly" strains
plnnted in the early fnll should start blooming in Doceaiber if condi-
tions are favorable, and the spring or "late" flovzoring strains, if
planted in tho -TTinter, should produce a uealth of bloom in March,
April or liry. The list of varieties is long — no kinds can be recom-
mended as being preferable to others; one most trj' different sorts in
order to discover which are best for the desired purpoBo, or be content
T7ith the "mixed paclcete."

Plant the seeds in a staggered dotiblo roTv so the.t the trollia may
be orocted between the rows. TThen the seedlings emerge treat the bed
with a soil sterilizing compound to control damping off. It is beet
to thin the pls'.nts to stand a foot apart. When the plwits are six
inches liigh apply steamed bone meal so as to make the grou»d 'vhita,
then stir it in lightly. A mulch of oal: leavee or peat moss is valu-
able in conserving; tl-.o moisture, Wnen tendrils appear some sort of
support must be provided. This may bo poultry netting stretched be-
tween, posts, a trellis of cotton cords running verticjxlly over horizon-
tal bars at top and bottom, or a line of brush stuck firmly into the
©round between the rows.

The Tines '/ill stand considerable cold but the flower buds are so
. easily injured thrt protection on cold nights is suggested after the
plpjits have Oooaraenced to bloom.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OP AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

Srnamental G-ardening in Florida
Radio Sei^ies

AORICUUTURAL EXTtNSlON SERVICE.
ffdwr^tMVWj'fRATTOW WORK

IToveniber I5, I933.

PIAUTS THAT PLAITT THEIiSSLVES

By: John V. Watkins, Assistant Horticulturist,

Universit;;- of Florida College of Agriculture

ITature has endov/ed certain plants '7ith the ability to reproduce and
establish themselves so easily and so retpidly that one often marvels at
the magnificent displays of periv7in.kle, phlox, coreopsis, gaillardia and
petunias that have escaped from cultivation, re-seeded, voluiiteered,
and blossomed in profusion v7ithout the aid of man. In Florida we find
nujabers of exotic plants so thorouglily at home that they successfully
exclude their neighbors from their colonies.

Of the annual garden plants that plant themselves one of the most
satisfactory is Sweet Alyssum. This plant in its several varieties, with
white or lilac flowers, is one of the best winter blooming annuals for
edging or for the rock garden. Portuaiately this dwarf, compact plant
produces myriads of viable seeds that will furnish an abundance of volun-
teer seedlings for each season's planting. These tiny, self-planted in-
dividuals irny be lifted and transplanted as they appear in August.

One is continually impressed with the self-planted Blanket Flowers,
or G-aillardias, tliat are encountered on the high, dry sand dunes of our
East Coast. Year after year the gay sprightly flowers are produced from
the seed of volunteer plants that are being scattered farther and farther
from their original garden sites. Usually there are abundant tiny Gail-
lardia seedlings appearing in the garden in October or llovenber.

That striking daisy-like flower, the Blue-Eyed African Daisy, is
one of the most accomodating of the plants that plant themselves. If
one has ever gro^mi this flower and has allowed the seeds to ripen and
drop from the plant, he will certainly have enough plantlets in the au-
tvimn to supply not only his gardening needs but those of all his neigh-
bors as well. Of easiest culture, admirable as a cut flower, the Blue-
Eyed African Daisy should have a place in every self-planting garden.

The California poppy furnishes an abundance of warm tones of yellow,
orange and flame color throughout the early spring and very fortunately
for those lazy but sensible gardeners who depend in some measure upon
volunteer seedlings, it also produces literally hundreds of plants each
winter. These aa:y be thinned to stand a foot apart or they may be
transplanted if care is taken to move the long taproot intact in a ball
of soil.

The Calliopsis, or Coreopsis, is one type of the several daisjr-like
flowers that play so important a part in a garden th^t plants itself.
Of easy cxiltxire, growing in difficult places, said often naturalizing in
large colonies, the calliopsis can be most highljr recommended.

- 2 -

For blue flowers in ths garden tliat plants itself, one should cer-
tainly consider the Chinese for-get-me-not, or Cynoglossura. The volun-
teer seedlings th^.t are usually foijnd in fair numbers bloom in a very
short time. Possiblj;- its greatest use is for blue color masses in the
garden, because the flower spikes u.sually wilt badly when they are used
as cut flowers.

The old-fashioned Corn Flower will sometimes, especially in disease-
free soil, furnish enougli volunteer seedlings to be considered a subject
for the self-planted garden. However, it is not nearly so dependable as
are most of the other plants we have mentioned.

Probably every one who is garden-conscious has remarked at one time
or another about a gorgeous display of spriglitly yellow that is furnished
by e. chance patch of late or Klondyke Cosmos. A rather between-season
annual, the late cosmos comes into bloom in October or Hovember when
blossoms are sorely needed. This tall, coarse, composite is apparently
not at all particular as to its requirements, as it succeeds without
care and escapes from cultivation at the slightest provocation.

AgeratuTii, sometimes called Floss Flower, is a, perennial in frost-
free areas, but is a tender, heat-tolerant amroal in those localities
that experience sub-freezing temperatujes . In any event, it re-seeds
readily and deserves a place in our volunteering garden.

G-lobe Amaranth, also Icnown as Bachelor's Button, thrives during
hot weather, volimteers profusely, and can be depended upon to succeed
\mder almost all conditions during the sijinmer.

Annua.1 Larkspur is one of the most striking, yet dependable garden
flowers for the spring. It is distinctly a cool weather plant, the
seeds of which v/ill not germinate during hot weather. If larkspur has
been allowed to mature its seeds, an abunda:"ice of tiny seedlings will
be found at this tine of the yea.r. These transplant with the utmost
ease. The flowers borne hy volunteers will probably be single.

In late September, througli October, when there is a paucity of flow-
ers, the Marigolds contribute their bright yellow and orange blossoms to
our gardens whose brightness has begun to wane. Certain tj.'pes of mp.ri-
golds will pl-'^.nt themselves year after year.

Moroccan Toad Flax, althougii of comparatively recent introduction
into Florida gardens, is rapidly gaining the popiilarity it so riglitfully
deserves. It is a dwarf grower of exceeding hardiness that bears its
spikes of tiny snapdragon-like flowers in the winter and early spring.
This Linaria self-sows and volunteers most readily, apparently not de-
teriorating as regards the quality or the color of the flower even
though chance seedlings are used as the planting stock j'-ear after year.

ITo spring garden is complete without Petunias. The giant ruffled
sorts do not set seeds readily, but the small flowered, single variet.es
that you h,ad in your garden this year have lavishly sown their seeds
for your convenience and when you arrange your garden at this time of
the year there should be ariTple pla.nting stocl": for you and your friends.

- 3 -

The Periwinlrle is a perennial in the lo?7er penins-ola, where great
"beds of this charining plp.nt are forever causing coninent among garden-
rdnded people. 'Where frostc are the rule the plants nip,y be killed hut
it is certain that there are enoiogh seeds in the groimd to perpetuate
the colonj?-. Exceedingly cosmopolitan, demanding nothing from man, this
Periwinlrle froin Ifedagascar is truly at home in Florida and should he
grown in everyone's garden.

The annual Phlox is one of the easiest of all plants to grow from
seed. Self-sov/n seedlings are miraerous in the vicinity of old plantings
and even in places where discarded plants have heen piled. Phlox is
relatively free fror. pests, transplants most easily and succeeds in
dry, light, sandy soil. It is excellent as a ground cover for a large
sunny eicpanse. In parts of Florida it covers large areas, hlooning in
its season.

Poppies have long heen garden favorites, and certainly they can
never lose the miiversal popiolarity they have always enjoyed. The !iy-
hrids of the opium poppy are plants that plant themselves par excellence
as they self-sow ahundantly and do not transplant readily. Often the
same garden spot is occupied year after year hy these bold brigjht giants
of the spring show.

The Moss Verbena is possibly a perennial strictly speal:ing, but
should the garden experience very low teiirpsratures the roots would be
killed out in all probability. Self-so7/n seeds will, no doubt, be pre-
sent in sufficient nun;bers to assure the continuance of the culture.
The lavender or occasional white blossoms of this dainty verbena that
are borne in the greatest profusion througliout the summer, are p. vital
part of the garden that plants itself.

Zinnias are probably the most i.niiortpjit of our heat-tolerant sum-
mer annuals, without which our gardens weald be colorless indeed from
July to ITovember. As early plantings become old, chance seedlings may
be found under the parent plants and these r;iaw be transplanted to new
locations for late summer and early autumn blooms. However, the seeds
cannot be depended upon, ordinarily, to carry over the winter and fur-
nish seedlings for the spring.

Probably the tallest of the annuals that plant themselves is the
sunflower. Certain small flowered varieties that are excellent for
cutting during the summer persist year after year, successfully main-
taining their colonies. These volunteering sunflowers are particularly
noticeable on the sand dunes of our east coast, grov.lng side by side
with the blanlcet flowers.

We have discussed only anntual flowering plants, as these are best
adapted to a garden that plants itself. When one has grown any of these
persistent, hardy varieties and wishes them to plant themselves, he nrast^
of course, allow the old plants to remain long enough to r.vature their
seeds and drop them to tlie ground. Then they can be removed to mpke
room for a new planting. In preparing the sord, spading should be sha?.-
low so th^t the self-sown seeds are not covered too deeply. Even thoiij^

k -

tlie gp.rden beds iray be in const-ijit use, volunteer seedlings of most of
the plants '.7e lip.ve mentioned vrill apper".!- in con-^iderable numbers nt
their proper seasons, if cultivation is not practiced too continually.
If sand paths are a part of the garden scheme, it 'Till be found tKat
myriads of tinj- volunteers will spring up along the edges of the paths.
Close oboervption on the part of the gardener is necessary so that the
seedlings na.y be discovered and transplanted about the time they have
developed two pairs of true leaves. Probably the most difficult feature
is the ability to identify the plantlets at tre.nsplanting time. One
must learn, by experience, to distinguish the varieties so that they may
be used in the garden spots best siiited to their lia.bit of gro'vth, size,
color and so on.

In addition to the garden use of these plants thpt plant themselves
some are admirably adapted for roadside use. Some 'Till persist year
after year in spite of mowing and gi^azing of the ropd shoulders. For
roadside use the lowest growing sorts are more desirable, and one of the
best is the blarJret flov/er or gaillardia. This plant is not liked by
cattle, and is very persistent in its growth.

■

As a roadside plant, annual phlox he.z already been used by several
garden clubs in the state and has proven fine. It is a hardy grower
and spreads rapidly if not pulled up by admiring passers-by. Eight
here, let's put in a caution against this destruction of roadside
beauty. A tourist vrill say, "My pulling a few of those flowers will
not hurt," but what if every one who passes that way says the same? The
big trouble is that r:p.ny pull the plants out by the roots instead of
picking them. These plants that plant themselves have to produce seed
or there will be no flo'-ers the next year. So iTia.y we all stop aiid thiiik
before we become a party to destroying roadside beauty that is ours only
to look at and enjoy in passing.

Another good roac.sif.e plant that plants itself is the Periwinlcle.
It will do well if not mowed too frequently. Calliopsis is another
that is good, although it attains a height of 18 to 20 inches. Though
seldom used, moss -^.-erbena will make any roadside a place of beauty. It
has proven its value in several places in the state on railroad right-
of-ways where it has established itself in magnificent colonies.

In conclusion, let us all pay more attention to letting these
plants have a chp/nce on our roadsides and in our flower gardens.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE or AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED S-ATES DEPARTMENT
OP AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTCNSION SSRVICB.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental (hardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk No; 11
JTov. 22, 1933

PLAlITIiTCr AND IvIAINTAIlTING THE G.!fflDEy.
G.H. Blaclanon, horticulturist, Florida Experiment Station.

The aesthetic beauty of a city, town, or coirmunity is dependent largely upon
the appearance of the home grounds. It matters not how well kept the pa.rl:s and
streets, if the residential grounds are not attractive the beautiful effects can
not result. The plantings about the home grounds are, therefore, important. They
are an integral part of the general landscape and should be raade with much careful
thought and planning.

The plant material should be selected that will grow properly and give the
ddsired effect for a well planned and executed planting v.'ill be a great disappoint-
ment if plants are used that are not adapted to the locations. Some have
experienced poor results in plant growth ''oy using material that was observed
growing satisfactorily in other states, but the mere fact that plants succeed in
ether sections is no criterion that they will thrive under different environmental
conditions.

Florida is wonderfully blessed with an abundance of native plant material
that will fulfill the requirements in a great maiiy instances in planting the home
grounds. Then again, there are m.any introduced species that will give good
results when suitably located according to the demands of the particular plants
being used. Here it should be borne in mind that most hardy shrubs and nlants
ave generally best transplanted d^uring the dormant season from about November 15
to March 15 .

The transplanting of native shrubs direct from the wilds is generally more
hazardous than trajisplanting plants from the nursery where they have been grown
for a year or more. Native plants, however, can be successfully moved to the
home grounds and other desired locations when proper precautions are taken and
the material is suitably situated. The new locations should simulate as nearly
as possible the conditions where the plants are grooving naturally.

Plants grown wild seldom have the heavily branched root-system usually found
on those produced in the nursery, and this is one of the principal reasons why
they present a special problem in transplanting. Shrubs that are to be moved into
the gardens should be pruned back severely and kept well watered at all times if
the best results are to be had. If the needs can be anticipated for some months
in advance, it would be advisable to transfer the native plants to a bed or row
the previous planting season where they can be carefully looked after, watered
and fertilized so that they will produce good root-systems before they are
transplanted to permanent places.

-2-

Some fertilizer should be applied at the time of transplanting. Steamed
bone meal and cottonseed mea.l are excellent materials to work into the soil
around the roots as the plants are being set. Organic material is of much
iraportance to all garden soils and it can be supplied in composted manures, peat,
and muck. Leaves in large quantities are supplied by oaks and should never be rakdd
away from where they collect in among the shrubs as they are valuable sources of
organic material and provide an excellent mulch in addition to their fertilising
value .

When shrubs are received from the nursery if they cannot be planted at once,
they should be removed from the packages and "heeled in" to keep them in good
condition until ready for planting. The location for any group of plants should
be such that adequate growth and m:aximum vigor can be maintained, and the soil
should have the proper drainage and exposure required by such plants. Those that
will not tolerate shade should be used only in sunny locations, while t?iOSe with a
high shade tolerance can be planted vdiere there is relatively little sun.

The soil should be well prepared before setting the plants. Organic material
and fertilizers should be added to have a suitable condition for adequate growth.
Everything shoiild be done with the idea of plea.sing the plant. Since azaleas,
for example, cannot be grown successfully in a dry soil, during periods of dry
weather they should be frequently '."/atered.

The supply of soil moisture is of extreme importance, 'Without moisture the
proper functioning of the plants cannot proceed as it is through the mediijim of
m.oisture that the plant foods are taken from the soil. Iloisture, as sap, conveys
the plant foods to the leaves and the available foods from the leaves to various
parts of the plant for the production of growth. Catering the soil should not be
postponed until there is a wilting of the leaves; on the other hand adequate
moisture should be present at all times. A copious supply of water should be made
rather than the applications of scanty amoionts that just ;vet the surface. The
soil should cGDntain the right amount of moisture throiighout that portion occupied
by the roots of the plants. For those plants that require a moist atmosphere, much
sprinkling must be done diiring dry weather, and where there are trees that remove
large quantities of water from the top IS inches of soil it is necessary to apply
water at more frequent intervals than where such trees are not adjacent to the
plantings.

A permanent sprinkling system installed among the shrubs will make watering
an easy task if the cut-off valve is properly located and the nozzles are so
spaced that there will be a slight overlapping of the spray during the times when
there is the lowest water pressure. The ordinary garden hose, hovvever, is
c omraonly msed and will maintain a satisfactory moisture condition if it is con-
btantly looked after. To give best results it should have attached a good simple--
'..'orking sprinkler.

We come now to another one of the i.nportant problems in connection with the
handling of garden plants, that of supplying the necessary plant foods. If the
soil was properly prepared at the time of setting the plants, it will contain
sufficient nutrients to start and maintain the growth for some months, but by
June or July additional materials should be aptjlied.

-3-

In addition to the importance of organic matter as previously mentioned,
some commercial fertilizer shoxild be applied to the soil in which the plants are
growing. This can be in the form of a complete fertilizer such as 5~7-5 or the
materials can be applied separately. The average home gardener will find the
complete mixture more satisfactory. Bone meal and cottonseed meal, however, are
find additional fertilizers for most garden plants.

l^Tewly planted shi-ubs should have been fertilized when tliey were set, hence
it will not be necessary to give them a spring application, but for established
plant beds, a complete fertilizer sliould be applied in the scoring. This should
be applied evenly over the surface of the soil and ral:ed in at the rate of about
5 pounds to each 100 square feet. A second application possibly containing more
nitrogen should be made in July. No fixed rule can be made that is applicable
under all conditions as the composition and amounts to apply will vary somewhat
vdth different soil types and conditions. The experienced gardener, however,
does not go so mrach on measured amo^juits but imows vrhen the plants need feeding
and applies fertilizers accordingly. It is important to remember that nitrogen
is the most important in producing growth, and is also the element that is most
readily lost by leaching from the soil. It should, therefore, be supplied in
rather liberal amiounts.

The art and practice of pruning is as iirportant as the planting itself.
Tfc matters not how perfect the plans nor hov; carefully the plant m.aterial is
s-ilected and arranged, if the growth is not kept within the size that it is
£-apposed to be, the main effect may be lost and the plants become leggy and
straggly. Instead of being ob,iects of beauty, they will present an unl:ept and
unattractive appearance.

Most shrubs will require a certain amount of judicious pruning to I'eep them
from out-growing the bounds within which their tops and branches are supposed to
la'^iain. A plant may be of a dwarfed habit of growth and fulfill the requirements
of such a type admirably when young, but may become -onsightly in several years if
allov/ed to develop along lines of least resistance. In groups, certain plants
will often outgrow others and crowd them out of the picture to such an extent
that they become out of shape and fail to produce the effect for which they were
planted. When plants get into such a condition thrcogh lack of attention, it is
too late to maintain their original beauty without interruption and, while it is
often possible to cut them back in such a way as to revive them and in a measure
bring about the desired appearance, it is much better to direct growth of the
individual plants by a proper and systematic pruning from the start.

Foundation plantings should be v.-atched and not permitted to grow out of
shape, as shoots can be cut out when the growth is ii-properly located without harm
to the plant So This will prevent the group from developing into one too large or
o.ie that is one-sided.

The pruning of plants in general used mostly for a rjxss of foliage, such
as, banlrings, foundations and screenings, should be done during the late winter
months just before the initial bud growth. This permits the new top to shape
itself and keep its desired type and form with a miniraun of care throughout the
growing season. The flowering plaiats will have to be pruned at a time that will

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not interfere with flo"'er production. A general and safe rule to follow is to
learn the flowering habits of the shrubs. Prune in the winter only those that
bloon on v/ood of the current season's groivth, and -orune those that bloom on second
year wood shortly after they are through blooming. Dead v;ood will occasionally
occur in plants growing in crowded locations. This should be carefully removed
as it develops, and the cut should be made well into the green wood area at the
junction of the branches or to a bud so that growth renewal will readily take
place.

To briefly sumiviarize; I'lative shi^ubs should be c\it bac^: rather severely when
transplanted, and the soils and locations should simulate those where such plants
are growing naturally. Adequate amounts of organic materials should be thoroughly
incorporated v-ith the soil a.nd additional applications should be made annually
in addition to the applications of commercial fertilizers.

Generous amounts of bone meal or cottonseed meal should be worked into the
soil, being placed arourii the roots and the soil should be thoroughly watered
when the plants are transplanted. All plants should be set as deeply as they
grew in the nursery, it being better to set them an inch or two deeper than to get
Them too shallow.

Copious watering of the soil is much more satisfactory than if the surface
:^f the soil only is moistened. Plants tha.t require a moist atm.osphere should be
sprinkled frequently during dry times in addition to keeping plenty of moisture in
the soil.

The mere fact that you are interested in gardening is siifficient evidence
that you are vitally concerned about the beauty of the home grounds. May I
re-emphasize , therefore, the im'oortance of handling plants in a way that y/ill
pex-mit their proper development, as nature has so generously provided and intended,
CO the end that such plants can contribute their bit towards the ultimate beauty
of the landscape.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

HlNIVeRSITY OF FLORIDA.

iND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
IF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

STATE OF FLORrOA

AQRICULTURAL EXTCNSION SERVICF

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental G' rdeninr; in Florida
Efc?;lo Seriec

Talk llo.
ITov. 29,

12
1933

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF THE FLOliYER GARDEU
Rudolph Weaver, Director, School of
Architecture, University of Florida, and
Ai'chitect for the State Board of Control

To those of you who are following this series of garden talks it re-
quires no argument, I am sure, to convince you that the possession of a gar-
den enriches your life. If you do not already own a garden then I hope you
are planning one in the immediate future. If you ere, then, of course it
will he necessary to give .-orae consideration to certain architectural fea-
tures of your garden.

In this talk I am assigning that any feature of a. garden which cannot
be classified as plant material is, in some form or another, an architectural
feature. Such elements sre planned pnd devised as p setting for the plant
material, to enhance, if possible, the beauty of the trees, vines, shrubs and
flowers. All of which should be tied together into one harmonious whole pjid
into unity with the house or other edifice, which, with the grrden, is de-
signed to delight the senses ^^nd beaiitify the lives of those whose good fortune
it is to behold the garden or to wn,lk therein.

Our aesthetic sense dcm-'inds thnt there should be a. bplpnce established
between the elements of ? g'-^rden. So, therefore, since JTr'.ture is generally
inform?'! it is possible -"nd desirable to introduce into the grrden composi-
tion some architectural fer^tures which act p,s p. tj:^., accenting by their dif-
ferences the charm of growing things. But it should be recognized as a prin-
ciple that great restr-^int should be used and no features should be added
th-'t could be omitted. Tliere is nothing th^t so easily spoils a garden as p,n
overabundf^nce of architectiiral elements. Avoid overcrowding. Also make your
a.rrangements simple. Do not mistake ingeniousness for design.

Another principle which sho-old be accepted is that all garden archi-
tectural p.ccessories should be of such cfera.cter that they will harmonize with
the character of the house. Hiis should include stylistic chara.cteristics —
if there ire any — simila.rity of materials, scale md. color. These are ele-
ments of unity, and unity between house pjid garden should be highly esteemed.

The first step in the procedure of developing the architectural fea-
tures of a grrden is to coi-sidt.r the house plan it:.alf . Wliere should the walks
le-ad from the house entmnces? TTha.t views do you have from the windows? Is
it desirable to terminate these views v?ithin the grrden with some feature?
Through such an analysis you mpy develop the logical location of the archi-
tectural elements, those structural features about which the planting will taice
place. Ideal results pxe, of course, obtained when both house and garden are

- 2 -

planned together by one capable mind or through the cooperption of several
minds working in hprraonious collaborrtion.

After the plan hns been devised th^n the drt-'-ils should receive care-
ful considerrtion. In such p brief discourse as tiils it is obviously impos-
sible to tell whrt should be included in r p-Tticulp.r gnrden so the most thrt
cm be done is to en'umer'"te some of those rrchitecturnl features which have
been used in mrny fine gardens in various parts of the world, and which,
through repeated use, have indicated their desirability as garden elements
and which, furthermore, m'-^y be found in both simple and world famous gardens.

"Eo discussion vtIII be n^Ae here as to the desirability of formality
or informality of structural fe-^tures; it is only necessary to follow your
persons'l desires -"^nd use restraint.

In enumerating certain architectural features, I will first s-uggest
the w^Il. Walls should be of course, when possible, of the s^me m'-^terial as
the house itself — or of the same mr'teri->l as the foundation of the house.
Wr^lls m-"y function in various capacities. They maj be used to create dif-
ferent levels, either grerit or small.

Walls rre, perhaps, the perfect background for growing things, especial-
ly when consideration is given to the color combinrtion between the wall and
the plant material -''Jid betv;een the w-'ill and the bloom, if -'^ny. There is a
fine old wall around the garden of the Alcazar in Sp'^in. It is covered with
a. lovely boug.'^inville. Wliile the a.rrnngeraent is simple, the effect is regal.
It is a good example for the Southern ga,rden maker.

Wa.lls of cement or plaster-covered masonry are the perfect backgro-und
for the long sh^dow-fonns of swaying stems and blossoms — sun-printed in
f^iry shapes for the eyes of those who can see — contrasting the light of
the sun with the restful coolness of the sh-,dows v/J ich it creates. Here we
have the completeness of opposites which are comj" -entary; manifest.''tions
of Nature's generous gifts such as dark --^nd lighL, v.-'rm -"^nd cool, and when
huraaji skill assists we may arrange to ep.ch individual's satisfaction complete
harmonies of color, as soft yellow walls to make a b?^ckground for lavender or
purple bloom, or pjn.y other harmony to satisfy the soul.

If, at a certain place beyond the wall there is a view, then the wall
may be pierced and in the opening may be placed an iron grille or other orna-
mental device, architectural in character. Such screen-filled opening soft-
ens what may otherwise seem a severe handling and also brings into the garden
added charm by permitting glimpses of the outside world.

Wliere different levels are possible by all means use a few steps.
There is something about r flight of steps which adds a regal touch to a gar-
den; wide lov/ trends, c-oggeatir^ leisure to the feet -^nd adding variety to
the terrain.

Where a v;all is possible and -appropriate, Vi/hat could be more lovely
than '> vine covered pergola placed against it? ?iTiether the pergola be formal
or informal makes little difference. Against the v/'^ll it cre.'^tes aji outdoor

- 3 -

semi-living room effect 'r'here one mr^y enjoy the "best tl.e g-rden h'-s to offer;
where one ir.'-y entert-'in or rerd, or b-'^sh in the softened stmlight nnd enjoy
the perfume provided in '11 well pl-^nted gj^rdens.

The pergolr in iteelf is one of the morjt ch-^rming '^rchitectur'^l fertures
of ^. garden. Do not ra^ke the posts too slender. If timher is used let the
posts "be suT3st.'>nti-''l. Fnen the timbers "^re l.->rge enough vines ^re more ^t home
bec'>use they cr^n tv;ine nbout such structur^'^l members more gr^cefullj". Of
course the pergol" should t«^ke its proportions from the house rnd v^hether or
not it connects with the house it should still seem to be p-Tt of it — echoing
its ch-'rp.cter. If, for instance, the house is of cement plaster, the pergol."
posts mry be of the s'^me m^teri.'^l. The s-^^me kinds of m'^teri'-l recurring here
rnd. there tend to unify the elements, which is so desir-'^ble. This simil'^.rity
of m-'.terii.ls rvoids fussiness ^nd gives thrt ever-so-v"lued restfulness th^t
induces pe-^ce rnd c"lm where one m^^y cniickly retrert rnd rest from -"^n over-hec-
tic v'orld.

To the foregoing m-^y be .-^dded, when sp'ce permits, w-^ter effects. In
nil times '^r.d countries mrn hn.s provided reflecting pools -.herein he m--^^ see
the chTm of his garden inverted in reflections; where the sky mry be brought
down <"nd m-'^de nn element in the effect; where the mirrored clouds m^y be seen
to mingle with the other reflections in the pool, thereby bringing to the nr-
ture lover more r^nd more of the ple^-'sures of the out-of-doors. Those who h^^ve
seen the pools in the g-i.rdeu of the Luxembourg in P'^ris; the b'',sin in the Al-
hnmbr-i. in ^rmr^Ar; the chr.rming cr.nrl in the garden of the Generrlife, thnt
masterpiece of Moorish skill --^.bove the city on the hill opposite the Alh?>mbrr,
or the C'-^ai--^! of the Trj IL-^hrl, or r-ny of the pools in m'-ny of America's beruti-
ful gr>.rdens, cannot but be impressed by the chnrm of this device r.s one of
m'^n's happiest inventions.

TTr.ere w-ter is possible the rippling wrterfrll or the bubbling foimt^in
is of course be?>utiful to the eye rncl "nother element soothing to the soul. In
the g-rden of the Vill", d'Este, n.t Tivoli, It'^ly, is r demonstrr>tion of the do-
mestic gr'^ndeur which en be r>,c;-.ieved through the rrchitectur-"l use of w^ter.
Here -^re low willed terr-^^ces hundreds of feet in le: gth nlong which innumer^^ble
w^ter jets spurt upward, cooling the rir with spi-:, falling into long n^-rrovir
basins -^nd flowing pgr-in into still other bnsins on lower levels f^nd rg'^.in col-
lected "iid relef^sed in other locr.tions -it still lower levels. TThrt resident in
". w-'^rm country- would not envy the possession of such r. garden? One who con-
templates " comp'^rrtively sm'^Jl g-'rden -'"nd desires p knowledge of how to use
wter should study this g'^rden -"t Tivoli rnd the g-^rden of the Generf^life.
Here one finds n. well b-'^l'-'nced interdependent series of ".rchitectur^l features
of infinite ch-^rm — -a we.->lth of suggestion for g-^rdens both Irrge .-^nd sm'^11.
From such grrdens, planned by m-"sters of the r,rt, you mry find just the fe'^ture
th.-^t properly modified mry become your own garden's gem.

I hr-ve "Ire^dy s-iid th^t the house riid the g-^rden should be contributing
P'-^rts to the ensemble. A properly -appointed scheme should, of course, be pro-
vided v'ith f^ b-^lus traded g?llery, or " bj^lcony where the grxden's owner mf^y
view from ."bove the picture which he h^-^s cre-'^ted. F.iere the beauty of color,
form, light rnd sh^de, '^nd sh"d.ow, m.-^y delight the eye, while the delicate
scent of blossoms by d-y or the pxingent perfume of the night blooming j.-^smine
mry be enjoyed. F.iere the witchery of moonlight over the scene m-y transport
one to -another world "nd where one m'-y spy with the Ar'-^b who crrved on the wrllB
of the Alh-'mbrp "How toe'^uteous is this gnrden; where the flowers of the er-rth
vie witli the stnrs of he'^ven. Wla-'^t c-^n comp-'-Te with yon "lib.'^ster fount'^in
filled with crystal wpter?"

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

f;OLLEG& OP AGRICULTURE.
IjNIVEHSITY OF FLORIDA.
!VND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
or AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

Ornamental G-ardening in Florida
Radio Series

KOW CO PLAIT FOUlTDA'^IOrS
Harold Movry, Assistant Director
Florida SxperiTient Station

AGRICULTURAL KXTENSION SERVICE.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Talk Fo. 13
Dec. 6, 1933

Foundation plantings constitute one of the major elements of land-
scape design. Much la'oor, time and thought have been riven to the proper
treatment of this phase of ornamental planting hy eminent landscape archi-
tects and the follov/ing exnressed thoughts on the subject are in large part
drawn from such authorities as Waugh, Johnson and Van Ifelle.

All groupings of plant materials designed in particular relation to
a house in its imvediate surroundings are aptly termed foundation or base
plantings. Such groupings form a comple.nent in living green to the archi-
tecture of the home and serve to blend its structural lines v/ith the general
surroundings landscape. 1!^.ey are probably of less importance on the larger and
more extensive estates; their value and effect to a large degree increase with
the decrease in size of the grounds about the building.

The use of plant materials in home building has uiade remarkable pro-
gress in recent j'-ears, and home owners and home builders more and more are
considering a home as bein.; incomplete vithout an accompanying setting of fol-
iage* It is true, of coarse, that many houses have no complerentary plantingsbut
w'iihtheir value being demonstrated to a 2;reater e::tent than ever before it is
no longer considered as an overly ez-DS'-sive adjunct but as an onoortunity toward
improvement v/ith comparatively little labor and expense.

Fnen prot)erly made, a foundation plantinr serves several definite
i:airposes. It connects the house with the grounds and adjacent plantings so
that after a tii/ie the house and grounds will appear to have ^ror'n together
into a permanent unity, each an integral part of the other. Shrubs and vines
tend to soften and blend architectural lines, imparting to the building a
finished and complete appearance that is in harmony vdth its surroundings.
Then, too, there are in mai-.y instances ob.iectionablo feat\ires that can--ot be
avoided in the back lot but which one does not care to have exposed to the public
view. These may be effectually screened by the prober use of either shrubs
or vines. Of course, all such views should be eliminated as far cs possible,
but in those instances where this cannot be accomplished, suitable plantings
will help materially, and in addition will aid in the improvement of the general
apcearance of the whole place.

Around the high and open a.nd unsightly foundation that is in common
use because of the ventilation afforded during the sumr.er months is indeed one
place where foundation plantings are of decided worch, since they allow the
wanted ventilation and at the same time remove the stilted arroearance of the
house. Again, properly placed plantings dress up a property, increase its
value, and transform it from just a house to a home.

ITot so Ion? ago the possible effects of plants on architecture were

-2-

obscured by house design itself. There vas that period nhen ornate building
frills were in vogue and fancy scroll v/ork in wood and wrought iron were con-
sidered, rather than plants, as the means of ornamentation.

However, with the passing of the unduly conspicuous building modes
and the entrance of the simpler and more logical architecture there came also
a clearer understanding and appreciation of the close relationship between
home architecture and planting. It was readily seen that a well designed
house, -with its fitting complement of plants, had resulted in combining
architects' plans with plantsmen's plans into a unit that opened up a new era
in the principles of architectural planting and led to that highly specialized
branch of agriculture nov; so well known under the name of landscape architec-
ture.

Fortunately, there are no highly specialized or so-callad standar-
dized designs which require the usage of certain plantt to the exclusion of
others and since ever, the sano varieties of plants differ ■'■aterially in size
and growth habit it is seldou tl'^at two separate plant in, :g ar^ seen that bear any
strikin,';^ resemblance. Thus, each planting is more or loss a distinct entity
and there is little liklihood of sameness or monotony in landsr.ping designs.

Any house reflects the realtion of nearby plants aiid plantings. Un-
suitable plants detract from its appearance; on t>e o^her hand, it will gain
from congenial association. Sarrounding plantin^^s ii^part of th^^ir nature, and
no home is complete until planted.

Plantings reflect ji.r personal preferences for plant materials, but
only those she -Id be us^d whi ^h are compatible with the outer characteristics
of the home. Thi<!! is well illustrated in the different architectural types
in Florida wherein Colonial, Old 3•^■?;lish and Spanish modes are found. Many
of the gaily colored acalyphas, crotons and other tropical plants are used to
advantage in the tropic;-! portions with the Spanish types, but the same plants
could hardly be co'siderod to be so W3ll adapted for the others; and likewise,
the coniferous varieties adapted to the Colonial or English types would not be
so well fitted to the Spf ■ _sh. The point ca-.:.not be too strongly emphasized that
the primary aim is tov;ard plant effects and rot the masimum development of plant
specimens.

Tlie usual and dosiratle scheme of planting allows for visibility of
the house from the strcot or road. Tliis calls for open lawns -J.nd imparts the
desired appearance of spaciousness. In plar.-ing, the scheme should first be
thoroughly vorked out and clearly visualized with duo corsideration being given
to each of the different typos of plants that will be Ui^cd — their adaptability
to the soils and location, their ultimate size, and compari'Civo rates of grovth.
Their resistance to insect or disease attack should not be overlooked. Plants
should not be chosen merely because they have an apoeal in the nursery row nor
because their size at the ti.ae is suitable. Adaptability and eventual develop-
ment must bo considered. For those who are inexperienced in planting or unac-
quaintod v;ith the many available plants suitable for foundation plantings,
there are numerous Florida nurserymen who will cheerfully furnish ideas or
schemes of planting, together with lists of plants best adapted. Many books
and bulletins are also available tliat will supoly the wanted information as to
arrangement, adaptability, selection, and care of ornamentals suited to founda-
tion planting.

-3-

Ir. the choice of plants there are several factors that if given due
consideration before planting 'Till make for more satisfactory results in the
later development of the planting. Because of the variation in cliniatic con-
ditions in the latitude extremes of Florida it is of primary importance that
the plants chosen be hardy enough to nithstand the coldest temperatures of the
region w'here planted. I'othing is quite so disap-ooin-cing and discouraging as
the loss of a portion of one's plantings by freezing, for the gaps left in tlie
foundation are later difficult to fill quickly and satisfactorily. The sea-
sonal effect of flo'.Terii-'.g varieties must not be overlooked and blossom colors
can be chosen to obtain the most striking and harmonious effects. Attention
must be given to soil acidity; not all plants will thrive under like soil con-
ditions even though every effort has been directed toward giving them adeqiiate
attention in the way of coil fertility. The type of foundatior, whether it
be high or low, more or less open, or closed except for ventilatorsj V7ill have
a strong influence on the type of shrubbery suited as well as on the arrange-
ment of the plants. G-enarally with open foundations the effort is toward an un-
broken bank of green, while with the low concrete, brick or stucco foundation
the groupings are more scattered and smaller-growing plants are used. Heavily
shaded locations usually require an entirely different treatment from sunn^
situations, since many plants a,re not adapted to both exposure extremes.

In foundation plantings there should be free use of evergreens, not
necessarily conifers, but anythin? other than a predominance of deciduous
plants. Florida planters have a distinct advantage over those of northern
latitudes in that the variety of plants ad.apted to this use is extremely wide
and varied. iTearly any desired effect can be secured, as there is ar. almost
endless variety of tj'-pes, heights, and outlines, as well as foliage variations
among them. Usually the conifers are sDari:".gly used, their placement being
where accent points are desired with the balance of the planting consisting
of a well-chosen variety of broadle: ved evergreen shrubs.

In the arrangement of materials it is not practicable to lay down
any hard and fast rules for the creation of good foundation plantings. Plants
in pots or tubs may be tried at different places before they are finally set.
Eacli situation has its own peculiarities and presents a problem of its ovm.
Conventional planting schemes need not necessarily be followed. Bold planting
after a creful study of the requirements of a sitxiation usually brings desir-
able results. Such a method ass^ares an effect differeiit than th-<t of one's
neighbors ana gives a sense of individuality t'l t should be reflected in every
phase of home building.

As the informal typii; of planting is the more desirable and most com-
mon, it is a K\'eneral practice to choose two or three, or more, accent points
on each side of the house to be planted. Such accent points might be corners,
wide spaces between windows or doors and on each side of entrances. At these
points the principal emphasis is -iven by planning the largest grclng and
most conspicuous plants. It is not at all necessary that the foundation plant-
ing be continuous, r)articula,rly if the foundation is of brick or stone. Vines
have a prominent place and each, unless a solid wall coverirg, can represent a
considerable accent.

A few "don'tg" might be included to advantage.

Don't overplant. Over-planting is a common fault and the crowding
of too much miscellaneous nnterial into a foundation planting is one of the

conmonest errors ;5tf arnateur enthusiasm.

Don't depend too much on annuals as the basis of the planting. They
require continuous replacement and during sone seasons of the year cannot
he expected to have much ornamental effect. Perennial evergreen sliruhs
should form the primary planting -^^'ith the annuals to "be used as a supplement if
they are desired. i

Don't use too large or too conspicuous materials. 2rees can he ad-
vantageously utilized only against the largest of buildings and some of our
variegated foliage plants do not fit in vrell v;ith all types of architecture.

Don't use too mar^'' conifers. There is almost no restriction in
variety of broadleaved evergreens that are ideally adapted to foundation
plant ing .

Don't be afraid of your or.'n ideas as to plants and planting. Yours
may give as good effect as if it had been planted from a blueprint. This is
not offered in disparagement of landscape designs, but since many of us can-
not afford the services of a landscape architect V7e should not let such a
short-coming dampen our enthusiasm.

Lastly, don't fail to plant some sort of a foundation planting, if
it has not already been done. There are yet too many houses, both rural and
urbRn, that are bare of plantings. Tne ti.ae, money and effort expended will
be returned many times over in the satisfaction derived from the enl-.anced ap-
pe.rv;rc,nce and valuation of your home.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

^OLLIGC OF AGRICULTURE.
INIVERSITY OP FLORIDA.
iND UNITED STATCS DEPARTMEN
)F AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SCRVICC.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk' No. lU
Dec. 13, 1933

CHOICE PLAMS TO USE IN FOU^IDATION PLMTINGS.
3y - W.L. Floyd, assistant dean and professor of
horticulture, University of Florida College of
Agriculture.

In a subtropical climate such as ours, plants that grow and look green when
those of more northern regions appear bare and lifeless are especially desirable.
The broad leaved evergreens are fine for this purpose and Florida has a nunber
native to the state and many others that have been introduced from foreign climes.
Time does not permit enumerating the many fine plants available for foundation
plantings in Florida, '''e will, hov/ever, discuss a fevi of the choice ones.

Cherry laurel is the first one we'll discuss. It is a native shrub or small
tree. It may be kept pruned to shrub size for a long time. It has dark green,
oblong leaves, 2 to U inches long, bears small, white fragrant flowers in racemes
in late winter and spring. The fruit ripens in late autumn and resembles a cherry
except that it is black. Cherry laurel is easily propagated from seed, it may be
planted in a garden row much as peas or beans, allowed to grow for a season or two
and then transplanted. It is valuable as a hedge plant. It stands shearing well,
and stools out at the base, thus forming a wall of green from the ground up.
Wien placed where it has plenty of room and pruned from the bottom it develops
into a small, attractive tree. Cherry laurel requires a well-drained soil, it
being practically worthless on wet, poorly drained soils.

Wsjc privet is another choice foundation plant. It com.es to us from^ Japan and
is one of the most popular members of the privet fainily. No foundation plant is
seen more often about Florida homes. Occasionally, we hear uncomplimentary
references to it because it is so common, but such are ill advised as the plant is
attractive and worthy of a place in the most carefully developed planting.

It has broad oval leaves U to 6 inches long. They are dark green, shining
as though waxed, which probably suggested its common name. Flowers of white or
cream are produced abundantly in spring. The frait is blue-black, berry-like with
1 to U seeds. These may be used for propagating new plants, but like most
seedlings of shrubs and trees do not come true to the parent type. The plant is,
thus, best propagated from cuttings. Wax privet stands pruning well, and grows in
soil of medium or low fertility in sun or partial shade. It is attacked by root
knot to a limited extent. There is a variety tricolor which has leaves variegated
with yellow and pinl: wh^n young.

Other privets sometimes grown in Florida are the Japan, California and Amoor
River. The two latter, because they are hosts of whitefly, should not be planted
in citrus growing sections.

-2-

Found so often along with' wax privet as to be generally thotight of as its
companion plant is Pittosporum, having no well known comirion name. It, too, is a
native of Japan. The leaves are somewhat lighter green, smaller, more leathery
arxL of different shape from privet, with which they form a pleasing blend. The
branches develop in whorls of from 3 to 6 from the nodes, and the flo'vers are
creamy-white in fragrant umbels borne in spring. The fruit is an inconspicious
capsule. There is a variety with leaves variegated with white but it is not so
well suited for foundation planting as the green.

The viburnums are a large group of well kno'-vn shrubs, among which are several
native species most of which are deciduous! the two most desirable evergreen
species the sweet or odoratissimumi and suspended or suspensurn come from India and
Lin Kin Islands. They are much' alil:e , the leaves of the first being somewhat
smaller, the plant m.ore erect, and the flowers in small erect panicles, while
those of the latter are drooping. The leaves are glossy, light green, differing
in color and texture enough from those already described to give pleasing variety
when planted with them. They are quite free from insect pests and diseases,

Abelia, we must not leave out. It is a shrub of wide range, of long willowy
growth. Its small oval leaves often show pink or red while young and turn
bronze in autumn. The small tubular flowers of white tinged with pinlv are borne
in panicles from June to November. It is a native of Chiiia, likes full sun, and
is propagated mainly by cuttings,

Severinea is a spiny shrub worthy of oxir consideration. It has oblong
dark green leaves about 1^ inches long.' Its flowers are white, fragrant,
opening in late winter and early spring, followed by a fruit which is a sruall beriy
that is black. Severinea is low and spreading, thrives in sunny positions, is
related to citrus and comes to us from the same region, south China.

The Jasmines form a valuable group. Many of them are climbing or half
climbing, the latter m.ay ee.sily be pruned to grow as dropping shrj.bs, a
characteristic which is cdesirable in some plants of a mixed planting such as
those made against foundations usually are.

The graceful and the downy varieties each have bright green leaves, and bear
white fragrant flowers in dense hanging heads through a greater part of the year.
They are so much alike that they are often confused, and because of the
appearance of their white, star shaped flowers so conspicuous amid the wealth of
small, green leaves they are often called Star Jasmine, as are two or three
others of the Jasmine group.

Then, there's the primrose Jasmine. It bears yellow primrose like flowers,
has dark green shiny, compound leaves of three leaflets. Its young stems are
also green, the flowers are 1 to 2 inches across and flowering continues through
a long period. It is a native of China, grows well in sandy soil under a
considerable amount of shade.

All the Jasmines are easily propagated by cuttings or layers, occasionally
forming natural layers about old plants where drooping branches rest on the
ground .

^•ti:-

■%:!(> ■•

'v 'i J*^ '

/.•'. ■>:■

-3-

Another choice foundation plant is t?ie Feijoa, The Peijoa comes from South
America and is important hecause of its gray-green foliage, which gives an added
shade in the coloring. It bears lovely purplish flowers singly in spring, later

,j ripens a few oval edible fruits about the size of peaches. They are green with a

fi tough of crimson. The Feijoa is easily propagated from seed.

A pleasant reminder of our readings in classic literature where heroes
were crowned with myrtle and laurel is Sweet Ilyrtle which has been brou^t to us
from Southern Europe and is the classic myrtle. Its leaves are oval about one
inch long, it has shining and aromatic flowers that are srfiall white or rose
tinted, and the fruit is a s:;ali blue-black berry. Sweet liyrtle may be easily
kept to a height of 3 to U feet, though left un-^)runed it may become 10 feet high.
It is of erect compact habit and has no serious pests or diseases. Frost dis-
colors it, but in spring it recovers its true color if the cold has not been too
severe. There is a smaller xeaved form, also a variegated one. These should be
used with careful discriir-inatioa as they do not always blend well with broader
leaved plants. Svieet Myrtle will do best on a dry, well-drained soil.

Another of the myrtles, wax n^'-rtle, is a native not given the attention it
deserves. Its foliage is almost olive green, it grows easilj' and blends well with
other plants. Its berries are coated v^/ith wax which gives the plant an
interesting, unusual appearance. 'There is a dwarf form which is also important
where plants that grow only 1 to 3 feet high are wanted.

All the time must not be used in talking of bro-ad leaved evergreens even
though few have been discussed of the large number that years of introducing,
trying out and selecting by plant lovers have given us.

Pi In a state where such coniferous trees as the pine, cjrpress, and cedar
occupy so prominent a place in the la^ndscape, small forms may well be used among
our ornamental plantings.

Tall, erect forms fit into narrow spaces v/ell, and often at corners and in
angles give variety and pleasing contrast to the more abundant broad leaved
evergreens among which they are placed.

The arborvitae are a varied and interestinsj; group. Many are of small
compact growth, some are upright columnar tj^e, others like the Rosedale hybrid
and Compacta are rounded or ovoid, some are golden, some are blue, green, and the
greater number are bright green. Thus, a color, size and shape may be selected
for almost any position.

There are many other choice coniferous plants, Italian cypress is a tall,
narrow form of value, though very little used in Florida. Phitzer's juniper is
a spreading form 2 to 3 feet high and 5 to 6 feet wide. Japanese juniper is an
oval form growing not over 5 or 6 feet high. Creeping juniper spreads along the
ground reaching a height of only 6 to 12 inches, the Yew or Podacarpus is erect
and narrow, seldom exceeding 6 feet. Our native Comptie or Zai.iia looks much like
a coarse fern but v;ill grow in dry, sunny places where ferns will not thrive.
These are a few of the conifers we have to select from that have proven their
adaptability.

-U-

Still another group of plants, ferns, haye a place against shaded walls,
and underneath larger plants, v/here plenty of organic matter and water can be
supplied, the Sword, Boston, leather and other cultivated varieties as well as
attractive ones from the Vi'oods make green and attractive angles and spaces,
where few other plants can be grown successfully.

In hays and other sms.ll indentations to face do.;n the higher plants and
add color may "be placed herbaceous perennials such as fotir-o- clock. Stoke' s
aster, penstemon, physostegia, wandering Jew, and violets.

For such positions a n-uinber of bulbous plants are useful, as the day lily,
zephyr lily, oxalis, snow flake, narcissus and others.

IJo state has a greater variety of material for making an attractive year
round planting about the home, and no effort will add more bear.ty and grace
to the home grounds, especially when combined wr.'ch an open, v/ell l:ept lawn,
a well planned border plant ixig, and a house painted to 3aa.rmonize with the
surro'ondings.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eoLueee op aoricul-tuke.
UNivensiry of florid*.

AND UNITED CTATCS DEPARTMENT
OF AaniCULTURE.

°OT«Sftental Gardening-; in Flori:.a
Radio Series

..<*

•^-.laV^r j;o

AaniCULTURAL exTCNfllON flCRVICC

COUNTY. AGENT AND

HOMf^ b«MON0THATION WORK.

^■'Dtjeif..^i J^O.1931.

G-vovi'^r Roses in Flori'-la

Mrs. S. F. Poole
Presidert Florida :^ose Society.

ilo flovrer today is deservedly more popular -il^an the rose - tlie queen
of flowers. Everj^ lior.ie should have a rose gp.rde-? . I'othinr, .^ives to the home the
saine atmosphere of disti'^ctio:'. as the rose r.'arden.

".{any people "believe roses can-ot "be /?-row.-i succjssfull^' in Florida, but
under t)roT3er care ?/9 may grov/ "beautiful roses successfully in a:^.y section of the
state. T-ere is r'o flovfer fiat will .-,ive mjre -ratiifyi^^'; results than the rose
when proiTerly cul-civa.ted , and the "ro'pin:: of roses is not s^ach a "big problem.

People comin': ere from othnr states to sTie.id their '.7inters are disap-
pointed to see so few rose .-ardenc!. . He have ".ad wi'-tar visitors ask us if they
could visit our rose ,;"ardG-, r:-:nar>i-- ': V-rc " J .oy had rot seen any roses .'j;rowing
in Florida."

Florida is foremost cf "11 statin ir \.r:2 u"iion in climatic advai').ta-~es,
yet ■oerhaps gro'"r> fewer roses than many of her sinter states. True, t'-cre arc
natural climatic disa-'vantPA-es in Flori-'.aj such as our hot ai'.d wet sumiors. On
the other hand we have fine ci-ov/in:-; conditions from Octo"ber to April. !E;.crc are
some varieties of ror,cr>, like the Pornots, that will not stand the rainy season.
Tlio solution wc offer is to plant those varieties each fall, cn^ioyin^^; e^n abundaneo
of beautiful flo'-'ors durin,;; t'.c vdntcr and spring- before the raiay season start'"..

I'ow is a rood time to plan and plan,t a rose f;arden. Rose bushes have
never been as cheap as they ar^ today. Give thou.-;ht to the fgroiDer location of
your rose garden. Choore a well-drained loca.ticn away from the roots of trees,
and where the sun shines at least half of the day. A moist spot is desirable
in so far as this will a-^'-ist in ms,intaininA' the pro-'-^er condition of moisture
without exces'^.ive need for ••'av.crin". At ti.e same time it is essential that v/a^j..
does not stand and nta :nato in the ncil. After chocsin;': the location and arranj-i-
in,-^ for drainage and for the equally imnort^-nt ma-'.er of water ou-only, the next
thing to be co-^sidered is the ■oropar-^tion of the soil. If j''our soil is light
and porous prcparo it to the doDth of about ei:ihteen inches. In dig;,-ing out the
bed place the top soil on one side and the subsoil on the other. Ticn fill in
•with alternate layers of top soil and corapost. T!.-is compost is well made of two
Parts of muck and one part of cow manure. Eio compost should be prepared several
weeks before usinn to allow it to ago. Peat moGS, or djcaycd leaf mould, may be
added to the compost. To this add a liberal amoiint of bone meal. Mix all these
materials thoro'ghly. If you wish, clai' may be added to this mixture. Clay
gives body to the soil and assists in the retention of HiOisture. On the other
hand should your '~,oil be heavy, dig ouv a portion, of .he claj'", preferably subsoil
and add sand and nuriTas so o hat water '--ill drain through readily.

Buy good t'-'o year old field grown "budded plants from a reliablo nursery—

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man is mj suggestion for obtainir.^ plants # Regarding Root Stocks; - The most
T;.;ed understock and probably the one i-iving the best results is the Texas Wax
or odorata. Many of the never roses come budded on Rosa raulti flora stock. Fnile
roses budded on this stock are vigorous and make a good gro'wth the first year,
Uie fact renains that bushes on this stock do not stand oxir rainy, season a.3 ~ell
as those on Texas Wax.

In planting the roses prune the bushes to about eight inches. Plant
them from 15 to 2^ inches apart, depending upon the variety. This will place
the plants close enough together to shade the ground above the roots, thu?- keep>-
ing them cooler and more moist. A i'n'eat deal of space is wasted in most ..-ose
beds by spacing the plants too far r, art. Hybrid perpetuals should have a dis-
tance two to two and one-half feet. Wider spaces should be left every four or
five feet for paths to permit proper cultivation and watering and room for cut-
ting flowers. The bushes should be set at the sane depth as they were groring in
the nursery. Firm down the soil thoroughly aroimd the newly set plants. Then
water the plants adequately for they should be kept moist until the roots have
taken holdc Excess moisture at this time prevents root growth. After plants are
rooted keep them watered well during dry weather. Take time to set your rose
bushes. They look better and are more successful if a number of the same kind are
planted together rather than scattered miscellaneously through the bed. Then too,,
the stronger growers are sure to encroach upon the weaker sorts and prevent tneir
development .

As to fertilization, roses are gross feeders and if fine quality blooms
with long stems are to be expected, a v.q\\ planned fertilizing program must be
carried out. There is nothing better than dairy manure, bone meal or tankage.
An application of hard wood ashes annually may correct acidity as well as stimu-
late ijacterlal action. This double function makes more plant food available.. Xyi
the fall and again about the first of March it is well to use some complete bal-
anced fertilizer V7ith an organic base containing all the elements of plarit food,
such as nitrogen, nhosphoric acid, and potash. The firstof June give your rooes
a liberal application of bone meal and then do not fertilize them again until
fall. Allow the plants to go partially dormant during the hot and wet periol=
We rmist always bear in mind that all of the flowers come on the new growth and to
get this growth we should fertilize regularly every month or six weeks during
'rail, winter and spring.

Cultivation versus Mulchiy.f:; much has been said on this subject. Ma::^
rose growers have better success mulching, others prefer shallow cultivation. We
l^elieve it depends on your own local condition. We prefer a mulch of oak leave -j,
^rass clippings, peat moss, or any suitable material during the summer, it
shades and keeps the ground cool and moist. During the winter we practice shal-
low cultivation.

Many questions are asked about pruning. I have found it best to prone
in September or October, depending upon the condition of rose bushes. In cut-
ting back rose plants do so v/hen and where you have mature wood and a strong eye
to cut to. Of course the conount cut back will depend upon the strength, "-^Igor and
variety of the plant. Plants should be gone over thoroughly, cxitting out disease.',
dead and weakened wood. Leave abotit six of the best and strongest canes. In ai:.
pruning a symmetrically shaped bush should be kept in mind.

If your rose plants are not doing well perhaps they are not gettir^g the

: - 3 -

proper care. It :iay be lack of foo", soil conditions caasoj. "by C3rtain tj'pes
of fertili-jer, lack of i-.oi'-iture, roots of ot'.ier plants or tree', or it raay be
caused by a fungous disp:ase, sr.cli as b''.acl: spot, or pov^dery imldew. If you
have neglected to fertilise give f.ie.. a liberal application of a complete fer-
tilizer, such as a foui--ei;Sht-five anal^-sis. Then give them a thorough water-
ing. If the bushes should still refuse to grow tr;'- moving them to a ne'.7ly pre-
pared bed, or if you wish to leave them in the same bed dig them up and heel
them in while you remove the old soil. Then iiialie a new bed into which you may
reset your bushes. Choose the time when the plants are at the nearest point
of dormancy. They should be cut baclr, both tops and roots.

The most troublesome insect pests in rose growing are aphids and thrips,
and the 7/orst fungous diseases are blaclcspot and pov/'derj'' mildew. Aphids at-
tach the nev7 growth or the soft tender shoots below the bud. Thrips are mora
often in the flowers. They are the cause of flowers failing to open, ttLrnin^'
brown and withering up. They are particularly noticeable on some varieties,
such as Mrs. Francis Scott Key. For control of these insects use Black Leaf
Uo or other tobacco extracts. For control of black spot first make a thorough
cleanup of the fallen leaves and follov; with an application of lime-sulphi-r,
or Bordeaux mixture every ten da:;s or tv/o weeks \intil the trouble is under
control. It is better to keep constantly ahead of blackspot and insects than
to wait until they have a good hold before starting to fight them, Black spot
is a matter of prevention and not one of cure.

Much could be said about rose varieties. Some growers are content to
grow Radiance only. It is all ri~J.it to grow Radiance, but be sure to try some
of the new varieties.

In thir. way valuable additions inay be added to our list. Our rose gar-
dens woulclbe comnonplace if no one ever tried new varieties. For instance, if
several years ago no one had eicpsrimented v;ith new varieties would we have the
Radiance today? Some of the newer varieties which we tried last year proved
to be quite successful, such as E. &. Kill, a beautiful dark red rose, vigor-
ous and a free bloomer. We believe it is going to be as popular, if not bet-
ter than the Etoile de Hollande. Telisman is giving good results. President
Herbert Hoover is decidedly ?/orthwhile. ^-.ile it resembles the Talisman, it
is more vigorous and has longer stems. Betty Uprichard, a two-toned rose, sen'ii-
double, is very vigorous and worthwhile. We consider Kaiserin Auguste Vik-
toria the best white rose, better f-ian the new ones. We have tried Edel. li
did not stand the summer very well. Dame Edith Helen is probably the most
beautiful pink rose. Blooms are very large, full-double, pure glov/ing pink,.
My experience shov/s that it is a vigorous grower but a shy bloom.Gr.the first
year. The second year the bushes look scraggly, and the blossoms are smaller^
Some of the new roses vie planted last season, that do not show aiiy ill effects
from the hot weather and the rainy season and are thus highly prized are iTidith
Nellie Perkins, salmon pinlc. Editor L'cFarland is a verj"- beautiful rose, a
deep even pinlc with a faint tracery of white i.ipon the edge of the petals. It
inherited its vigor and productiveness from one of its parents, the Radiance.
Mrs. Pierre S. DuPont, blossoms are a deep golden yellow; one of the best yel-
low roses that we have tried. Anothsr good one is Ami Quinard, velvety, crim-
son maroon, semi-double blossoms and the bush is of extraordinary vigor.

If you are after new climbers, by all means plant MeriTiaid. It is a sin-
gle rose of five brilliant white petals heavily washed with gold and glorified
by a great burst of golden stamens. You will like it. We also have in our
garden climbing Scorcher and Daydream and they are very promising.

Perhar-:; some of you do not know that there is a rio"ida Rose Society,
an affiliated unit of the Araerican Rose Society* The qualifications for ciem-
"bership in the Florida Ros3 Society is an interest in roses and a desire to know
more about then.

The society puhlislies a rose hulletiii annually. ''&ro'"/ing Roses in
Florida". Hie articles are all v/ritten hy Florida growers of authority. Its
aim is to help the members in grouin^r better roses, and particularly to help
the ba.2;inners who may become members. For new members joining before the first
of January the membership will be extended through nineteen thirLy-foiox. These
new members will receive the nineteen thirty-four rose bulletin, and in addition
the nineteen thirty-three rose bulletin as long as they last.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLt.ESe OF AGRICULTURE.
UN1V£P3ITV OF FLORIDA,
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OP AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTr AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornaxnental G-ardening in Florida
Hadio Series

Tallc ]>To. 16
December 27, I933.

HAEDY OHlTAIEiT^DilS FOR TH3 FLOE IDA GiEDSH

Harold Liowry, Assistant Director
Florida Experiment Station

Clims,tic conditions of Florida are exceptionally favorable to plsmt
growth and this accounts in large .aeasure for the ^;ealth of ornsumentals
fotmd in the state, Fev; other areas in the United States can conipete as
to variety and it is exceedingly douhtful that any other state can boast
of a near a-oproach to the wide range of tropical and semi-tropical
plants found within its borders. The numerous native plants suited to
ornamental usage have been supplemented with introductions from all con-
tinents and it is a cons3rvative estimate that no less than a thousand
varieties no-^ enter in one form or sjiother into Florida's lists of orna-
mental plants.

In recent years, ornamental gardening has received a great impetxis,
mainly througij the efforts of the statewide org'?T.ization of Garden Clubs
whose work is now apparent in everjr section of the sts.te. As a whole,
the value and desirabilit:"- of orna^aental plaiiting is becoming well es-
tablished but thsre are yet too many residential lots, homes and streets
unjDlajited. Some few owners are found who apiiarently care but little for
the beax^tificrition of their home grouiids. Such a "ondition is q"'jlte pro-
bably due in large measure to i.gnorance of plants and a lach of apprecia-
tion that properly ma.de and well kept plantings not only enliance the
beautj?- of a property but its monetary value as well. A^ain, the planting
of ornamentals is neglected in man-- instances because of a lack of in-
formation concerning varieties best suited for specific uses and their
adaptability to the different areas of the sta.te.

It is discouraging after having planted shinibs or trees, diligently
cared for them, throi^ghout the summer and fall and brought them into a
thrifty growing condition to have them severely daiiiaged or killed out-
right by cold thi following winter. Many shrubs and vines nay be killed
to the ground bji- c./.d but will spring from the uninjured roots and make
a vigorous growth the following summer. Som.e, however, if subjected to
severe frosts, may be killed outright ajid to prevent such losses it is
advisable to plant only varieties known to be hard;'' in the locality. For
any given section of the state there are numerous trees, \'ines and shrubs
that are climatically adapted and sufficiently hardj' to be planted with-
ou.t fear of cold.

3y the term hardiness, as referred to plaiits, we usually have re-
ference to their ability to withstand low tenroeratures without appreciable
damage. Hardiness seems to depend on several factors, araong them: the
natural cold resistfince of different species and varieties, the condition
of the plant as to health and dormancy at the time the cold weather oc-
curs, the a.ge and size of the plant, temperatures prevailing previous to

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cold periods, ajid possi'blj'' ritli some species the amoujit of s-jjishine pre-
vailing in the vfintsr :-ionths. Since the freezin:.; process in plants does
not cause death through rupture of the tissues 'out primarily throtigh
?/ater loss in the cells and the forraa.tion of ice in the intercellular
spaces, it appears th?t the softer the grorth and the greater the sap
content the more susceptilDle is the plant to injurj'.

To a degree, pl?nts may he enahled to -.vithstand colder temperatures
if it is possihle to "bring them into a condition of dormancy prior to the
advent of the coldest r;eather. This is difficult of accomplishment hut
is "believed to "be aided by vritldiolding "both late seasonal cultivation and
late applications of soluble nitrogenous fertilisers and "by applying some
form of potash salts in earlj;- fall.

Paradozical as it may seem, growers in Florida quite often have cer-
tain plants severely cold-da-maged v/hen the same varieties are unhurt at
points one or two hundred miles further north by even lower temperatures.
Such conditions evidently are occasioned by o'ox fluctuating winter tem-
peratures wherein rather extended periods of v.-arm weather — warm enough
to prevent complete dormancy or even cause increase of sap flow or ac-
tual growth — are follc-'ed by sudden temperature drops that are damag-
ing in their effect.

Our winter sunshine, too, seems to have its effect on the dormancy
of manjr plants. This is strihingly brought out in the case of the lit-
chee — the Chinese tree bearing the delectable bright red fruits that
ap-oear IVxe clusters of large strawberries. This tree is indigenous to
the Canton delta region of China "fhere it thrives a:id is seldom injured
by cold. Canton is in the same latitude as Havana. Coconut palms are
foimd in abrjidance in Havana and also as far as Palm Beach, which is
over 3-g- 6.egrees northward. Strangely enough, coconuts do not grow in
CarAon because of the low winter teiiiperatures, while the litchee in Flo-
rida is occasionally injured ^O" cold. The difference in the zero point
for vegetative growth in the two plants offers the only explanation for
their difference in behavior. The litchee evidently is stimulated into
a flush of growth at about 60 to $5 degrees Fahrenheit while the coconut
requires ^mich higher te-peratures. A comparison of sunshine for the month
of February of a given year showed Canton to have but 5'2 hours for the
whole m-onth, while southern Florida, with a higher mean ternperature Vy
about 7 degrees, had nearly 200 hours for the saine period. Florida's
fluctuating temperatures and high percentage of sunshir^r days make it vir-
tually impossible for the litchee to remain dormant and as a consequence
it is not resistant to the infrequent periods of relatively low tempera-
tures. Many other plants fall in the sam.e category, notably the Mexican
lime, gaava and r:iango,:"-ot to as noticeable a degree though the cold sus-
ceptibility is similar.

As is well known, the degree of hardiness in pleats varies widely
in the various species. Kost plants of the tropics cannot withstand much
cold of sustained duration and shoiild not be planted in those areas com-
monly subjected to occasional teniperatures of freezing or below. Ordi-
narily, there is no pronoiinced dormant season with tropical plants that
corresponds to that of the plants of the cooler temperate zones. Some
are deciduous, being without foliage for short periods, but the time of
leaf shedding r.-ia,y be induced more b:/ seasonal drought or moisture condi-
tions than by temperature alone.

_ 3 -

Torr/ial prevailing; winter to-.rperaturas in 3'loricla liave 'bro-aglit about
a separatio".! of the state into "■'lat .'ja:' be terned three cliniatic or plant
sones. Difrrerences in tlie lo^Ter te-.".V:06rature extremes of tne three areas
are not great out '.-ithin that ranje is a critical point for ir.an;;r tropical
plajits that suffer more or less severe r'.a^.a.'^e, or death, 'vhen exposec". for
several hovirs to te.r:peratures below freezing.

The raost tropical parts of the -oeninsula are the coastal areas of the
extreme south, extending ro^a^hl;- from about ?ort ICpers or ?imta Sorda on
the -^est to Pal:n Beach on the east but excluding I'-iuch of the interior
area l^in/;; bet-7een. The narro^rness of the peninsula, the ':Te.r:2in£ influ-
ence of the Grulf and the Atlantic Ocean, and the close -oroxiniit:- of the
great ocean river, the &ulf Strep.n, all tend torrard a tempering effect on
terjperfture flue t-ja.t ion and it is seldom that even slight frosts occ^or in
this portion of the state.

It is in the southern section that the trul:/ tro-ical plants are
found in ab-'ondance. A ;zvept part of the native ve-;etation is identical
T^ith that of the neirhooring ^e^it Indian. Islands f^ziC. it is onl" in this
part of the United States that a tro-ical flora is found. Tropical exo-
tics thrive and "olai'its fro3 ecua.torial regions have been introduced in
great nvjnbers. Here f:e gardener and plp.:.it lover ra" plant to his heart's
content -^ith but little restriction as to variety azid T^ithout the neces-
sit^r of -.Tiuch consideration as to the plant's cold resista-nce. It is true
that soine of the nlants of inore t'?:.:perate cli.rates do not thrive -ander the
^arn environuient but that is of little consoouence since for each plant
of thft t—oe there are ;:ia.np entirely satisfactory substitutes. Ornajnen-
tal gp.rdening in this area is offered an e::ceptional opportuLiit;"- to pro-
duce plant effects thr.t can be du;m.icated no'-'here else in the several
states and gro'.-?ers shoulj. be and are na.hing the nost of t.-:e climatic ad-
vant a^ge s ava.i 1 abl e .

Torth of this area and extending a.-.proxiur.telv to a line dra.'-rm
through llrrion Ccont:' lies -.That is conr.ionl" tsrne'''. the central ai-ea or
zone. Cli:.i?tic conditions here var;.- but slightl;.^ fron those of the
southern zone exce-.-t that 'winter frosts :t^" be of .."lore frequent occur-
rence and o' someT^h.-.t g-reater intensity', freezing te..--"eratures are hnoTT-n
at infrequent intervals and at such times the tenderest plajits r^r be in-
jiured. '^it"'.:in this region are lii.utsd arsas hr>ving exceptional frost
protection that perr-iit the gro'^'ing of nearly all those plaints of the
southern area.

All of -astorn "lorida and that part of the state north of Llarion
Couiity rna.-/ be considered a3 the northern plant zone. It is here that
the coldest te-.J^eratures of vrinter usuall"' occtir and frosts are n-iost fre-
Guent. ?e--7 of the tronical pl^^its are rd.aptid to 'jithstand the prevail-
ing '-'inter ..-dniiira:-.-^ -nd "■hen pl-^ntsd gansr-all" -^rove a disappcinti-nent. To
a degree, this lessens the variet" availOle as co-Jiared to farther south
but it need be no deterrent as nvu.:erous hifUl:' desirable ornrvientals are
•jcll ada-otsd. Restrictions of tV.is <^.rea are bj' no r.ieans to be cor-pared
T'ith those of more northern states and tbe co;:r-arisons made here are onl"
for the -.r-ir-oose of calling attention to terap^rature variations existent
within Tloricba.

There are no distinctly- rnarhe: bouzidarios in the three arbitrarily-

named p.reas since fev; '^.'inter seasons are identical to the extent that
given niiniimim temperatures of one '"inter ca.n "be talren a.s an exact cri-
terion of the cold that :oBy "be expected at a designated location the next
yer>s. Florida's cold weather — such as it is — in nearly'- all instances
is hrought in hy northerly rrinds and is seldom of over two or three days'
duration, freezing tenrperatures, vrhen they do occur, rarely last over a
few hours. This condition allo-s for fairlj' ".dde differences in ter.ipera-
ture uiininiuras even in closely adjacent localities. Sovae local areas are
noted as "being cold "spots" while others, "oecause of some topographical
protective influence a.re well knovm as warm or "frost-free" locations.

Because of the teiTiperature differences obtaining, three factors
should he given consideration in the choice of ornamentals:

±irst: The relative hardiness of the plants in question.

Second: The area, the.t is, the northern, central or southern area,
in which the plants a,re to he grown.

Third: The local situation as to prohahle protection afforded hy
nearness to lalres or ocean, hy elevation, or hy overhang-
ing trees and nearhy "buildings.

Due to the extremely large number of ornamentals p.vailahle for Flo-
rida planting, it is iru^ossihle in the time allotted to give anj'-thing lihe
a comprehensive list of those adapted to the different sections. In many
instances, ohservation of those plants growing in the vicinity will give
a good idea, as to the ones adapted to that particular area. Quite reli-
able inform.^tion as to the clima.tic adaptability of the n^omerous varie-
ties mp.y also be had from the inany nurser-'men who grow ornamentals. The
Experiment Station, too, has a list of nan;' of the :nore co:.imon plants,
arranged as to haj-diness, that riay be had for the ashing.

The questions of hardiness and adaptability of the plants to be used
about the home and in the garden are of paramount importance and should
be given due consideration in ga.rden plans since the ultimate success of
the planting v;ill depend largely on these factors.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

.OLLBGG OF AGRICULTURE.
INIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
NO UNITED STATES DEPARTMBNT
.p AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk ITo. 17
January 3, l?}'"*-

THE PRDPAGATniT OF GARLEIJ PL.AITTS

John 7. 'Yatkins, Asst. Horticulturist
University of Florida, College cf Agriculture

In the growint^ of anything some -olans have te he made for Tcroetuating
the kind. This wq call •■jro-jagation, and it is one rf the important jobs in
tiie having of a fine garden. Most gardeners leave a lot of the task cf
•oropagation U") to nurserymen, who make a speciality of that work, but there
are many who get great satisfaction in or o-)agating many of their own garden
olants. KnO'viedge of hci7 the different kinds of -jlants are ^rooagsted is
really a -jart of good gardening.

Plant "orroagation may be defined as the incra^se in plants tc r)enetuate
the species or the variety. It involves the art, the science and the knowledge
of the best time, ilace suid manner ©f -)ror)Sgating each kind of -olant. The art
may be acquired by following an exa-.nle, either written or manual, or by the
trial and error method. The science may be acouired from b-joks or from an
ex-)erienced gardener.

Methods of Tro^agation divide themselves into t"'o general classes -
sexual and asexual, the sexual method id dependent on the -formation of seeds,
and the asexual method is used when seeds are not available. Under the asexual
classification we should consider the various tjnes of prorjagation, such as
division, cuttings, Inyerage, bulding and grafting.

In this oa-'Der we will consider only th«i planting of seeds, division,
cuttings and layerage, and will omit the mere technical discussion of budding
and grafting.

The olant ing of seed is by far the simoliest and most used method cf
Tjrooagating flowering olants. That, hs'-^ever, is a much bigger job than just
sticking a few seed in the ground and covering thera. There is a time to '^lant
them, certain soil to olant them in, a depth tn cover them, and they need the
right amount of moisture.

We'll discuss the planting of seed in more detail, but mw sup-ooso w<»
discuss some of the more interesting asexual methods of orcrjagation.

- 2 -

Division: Propar^aticn "by division is the easiest, quickest
and best way to increase most herbaceous perennials, and many btilbs.
Dig the plants, shaJce off the dirt and it will be apparent t iit they
v/ill divide up into units or small plants all having roots, stems, buds
erlieaves. These units may be separated and planted. The beds should
be thoroughly prepared beforehand and abundant water should be added
to pack the soil well about the roets. Plants are best divided aftor
the blooming season, but with care thej^-nay be so increased at any time.

Cuttini'-2;s: This method also is much used in the propagation of
perennials and it is not at all difficult if a i^ood grade of sharp,
clean sand and plenty of ''ater are used.

Old stems are cut in three or four inch len,i;ths , just above and
■ust b«!low convenient nodes or buds. The leaves on the upper nod©
should be left intact. A sharp Jniife that will make a clean neat cut
is the best tool t 1 use in nakin,-^ cuttin.-s.

A flat or box of any convenient size in the bottom of which
several holes have been drilled to allow the free pasGa;^e ^f watar
is an ideal receptacle for the rooting of c\ittings. Cover the
drainage holes v/ith coarse material so t]i;it the sand "ill not wash
through. Fill the box with coarse sand to wit in an inch 'f the
top; pack well, insert the cuttings to tiie upier nodes, and water
to firm thesand about the cuttings. Shade the flat and keep the
sand moist at all times. 'iTlieii the roots are aloout one inch long,
set the youn,^ plants in fertile soil that can be readily watered,
and protect them from thehot s-on or cold until they are well es-
tablished.

Dormant hardwood cuttings of garden shrubs may be made in
eight or ten inch lengths, tied in b\mdles and buried in sand upside
down. When inspection sho^fs that a callus has fonned on the basal
end, the cutting may be lined out in nursery rows. They are set so
that only one or two buds are above the i';round level The moisture
must be adequate and constant if a good percenta;x« of well rooted
plants is expected.

Layerage is that method of propagation in which plants are in-
creased by rooting their stems wif,:ou.t detaciiing them. When these
stemiS are well furnished witJi roots, they are sever-^d and the new
plants are transplated as individuals. Uany of our woody and semi-
woody garden plants aremost easily propagated by layering, which is a
favorite method ™ith many gardeners because successful increase is
practically assured.

Simple layers ars m-if'e by bending down the lower branches of a
plant so that it coraei. into contact with the soil. Usually a trench
is made to receive the stem which has boen notched or nicked witn a
]-3iife to facilitate rootin-^-. After the soil has been leveled and firm-
ed over the branch, a peg or a brick is used to hold the layer in place.
Frequent watf^ring is m»st important to insure tlie quick development of
an adequate rcot system.

- 3 -

Continuoufj layers are tliose in which ^'hole steir.s or canes are
b-'oried ujader a few inches of sand, ITe" plants arise from eyes or
buds along the anes. The rnet^'-od cannot be \iEed witli many -plants,
and evpn those th.--t may te increased in tl'.is ^"'ay, do not produce large
numbers of progeny.

Chinese layerin,^ is a popular method used in increasing; plants
vrhose branches cannot be bent donn to the ground. The stems are notch-
ed where the root systeu: ie ^'anted and the voujided area is' boimd tight-
ly in a wad of sphagnum moss, fibrous peat or other moisture holding
materirtl. String, tape or raffi.a is wrapped round and round the wad
to hold it firmly in placf^. Freqxient watering of the layer is essen-
tial. iJhen roots begin to eraerge tlirough th.e ball of moss, the nevi
plant should be severed and potted as an individual. Chinese layers
are used to ma'ce neif root systems on potted or tubbed specimens that
have become l=ggy. Pots, cans and cups of various materials may be
used in this type of layering, especially if soil is preferred to moss
as thc> rooting medium.

Pljjnt_ing See_d_s^ The one item of greatest difficulty with
most gardeners is gettin.'^ a good stand of seedlin''-:s and protecting them
from the dreaded disease known as "d;"jnping cyf". During August,
September and Octcbir, when most annual seeds are planted, the warm
weather is very favorable to tae growth of d.ara;oing off organisms and
the loss of seedlings is tremendous, if pro-^er precautions arenot ob-
served.

There are, perhaps, as m'vny different methods of planting seeds
as there are gardeners. The method describee herevrith has been used
successfully at the horticultural grn-ijids of the Col"^^.ege of Agricult-'ore
for the last five years, and chough it isnot necessarily the best way
to plant seeds, it has proven very satisfactory.

First of all, the autumn sown annuals ma^' be divided arbitrarily
intc two classes - thos-i which transplant readily and those v/hich do not.
Seeds of the former are planted in flats, vuiile those of the latter are
sewn in the open groujid where the plants are to stand.

The flat may be a shallev; box of any convenient size th. t has
plenty of drainage holes or cracks in the bottom to allow water to pass
freely out of the soil. Thorough drainage is exceedinglj'- important in
soils where tender seedlings are grown, as a scur, water-logged soil
is fatal to most young garden plants. In the bottom, of the flat should
be placed a layer cf pine straw, dead grass clip'jings or other cor.rse
m.n,terial so that the soil will not wash through the drainage holes.

The soil used in flats may be any good grade of garden soil
v;hich contains a fair pjnctmt of well-rotted organic matter such as cow
manure, oalc leaves, peat moss, etc. The older the soil is, the better.
Soil th-it is free from root-'mot nem'-.todes is, of cours'=, desirable.

Firm the soil to '-^ith.in half an inch of the top of the flat Avith
a brick or a block cf wood. Flood this gently packed soil with a solu-
tion of one of the organic mercury compounds tliat are indicated for the
control of damping o*'f. After this solution h.is drained off, sift
the seqds, broadcast, on the wet soil. Cover lightly by sifting sand

- 4 -

thro^jgh a screen
or sandy soil/ over the seeds. Coverin.T the seeds too deeply is a common
error. Generally spe,ak:ing if tlie seeds be just barely hidden good re-
sults may be expected. After the seeds have been covered T'it;: soil, pl;\ce
a V7et newspaper over the flat. 'Tater should be sprihlcled on the paper
whenever it becomes dry. In this '•ay there if5 no d;ui^er of ^ashin.'^ th--
seeds out of t]ie soil, and the soil is l:ept uniformljr moist. The v/et
ne^7Spaper should remain on the flat until the seeds jC^erminate. Place the
.flats on boxes or benches that are protected from ants vrhich often carry
ai-'ay the seeds. Some of the most popular of our autumn-sown annuals, such
as pansies, snapdragons and larkspur, are cool v.-eather plants and their
seeds vrin not germinate readily if the temperature is excessively hif;h.
Forthis reason, to assure a fair stand, it ib im.po:'tant that the flats
should be placed in the coolest possible situation. The north side of
a buildin.^, under a tree, or under an open shed should do nicely.

i-fter ^erm.ination the flats must be placed '^here the seedlinfCB
can /^et an ab'judance of lif;ht; if tliey are left in the shade, the seedl-
ings \7ill grov into weak, le.'^gy plants. We have found that a muslin
shade such as is used for celery or tobacco seed beds allor's sufficient
light to penetrate to the young plants. Shortly after germination, the
flats should receive another application of a compound for the control
of damping-off . !7ater sho-ld be carefully applied through a fine spray.

Tnen the seedlings sho^' abou". four true leaves, they may be trans-
planted to i,7ell prepared beds vfhere they are to bloom. Choose a cool,
cloudy afternoon for transplant in": if it is at all possible, and set the
plants about 12 to 18 inches apart. Clcse planting is desirable to assure
bold color masses. As further insurance a/^ainst damping off it is often
a good plan to use the d;imping-off control iirmediately after transplanting.
Great care sho^jld be exercised in ^7atering the yc^-Xip; plants until they are
nell established. Ovor'-'aterin,'^ can be as harmful as under-natering.

The second class of annu-als, thrse "hich are planted in the open
ground nhere they arp to bloom, may be haxxdled much the same as vegetables.
Sovr the seeds tJiinly in siiallov drills or trenches. Cover lightly nith
soil and sprinlcle i-'ith a dairiping-off control. The drills or rons may be
covered vith vet strips of b^orlap. If t.iis material is used '■'ater irill
not vash the seeds out of the soil, pjid the soil stays uniformly moist.
If ants are abundant, grits or ccrnmeal she Id be sprin3cled liberally
alcng the rovs. These '-'ill be talcen in preference to tlie seeds. As
soon as thp seeds germinate the burlap must be removed and a second appli-
cation af the d,-mping-of r" control she Id be made. Wlien the plants are
\'ell established, thin s& th.-.t they stand about 12 to 18 inches apart.

In summing up, v/e might say tliat the one bi- thing to bear in
mind in propagating plants is that different plants demand different
Kethods and it is up to the gardener to learn the likes and dislikes
of their different kinds of plants. When plants are considered as
individuals and something ni'th life in them, the gardener is rauc i more
likely to be successful in having a fine garden.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLl-BaE OP AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OP FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental G-ardening in Florirla
Eadio Series

Tail-: No. 18
Jajiuarjr 10, 133^.

DECIDUOUS TREES FOR THE FLORIDA LAITOSCAPE

&. H. Blackmon, Horticulturist
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station

Trees occupy an iiriiDortant place in any well-c.esij_;ned and executed
landscape planting. They function as does the frame of a picture, and
bring out the lines and 'boundaries with the proper setting so that the
full and complete effect of the other plant material is developed. Rest-
ful breal:s can be established along roadsides, in parhs, estates and
countr^r club grounds with the proper use of the right trees.

Ornamental trees should be selected for their indivic.ual ability to
produce certain definite and desired, effects. Evergreen trees are often
used because of their beautiful gTeen appearance during the dormant sea-
son, but there are many locations and types of plantings where it is more
desirable to use other Lind.s, Trees for shad.e and. beauti'' during the suith
mer months are required on practicalljT- all si-nall home ground.s. Where the
full benefit of the Florida, sun is desired during the v/inter months de-
ciduous trees are the most satisf actor" ones to plant. With proper selec-
tion and arrangement it is possible to meet adequately such requirements
with a great variety of trees that shed their leaves during the dormant
season so as to admit practical "13' all of the auilight during the time when
it is most desired.

There are man" t"pes of la.ndscapes, especially those of large propor-
tions, v\here deciduous trees can be used most effectively. Cclor combi-
nations in foliage and flowers of exquisite beauty can be produced in
great abundance during the spring and autumn by the correct arrangement
of such trees in the planting. Colors in great array are ma.gnificently
portrayed in the natural woods of Florida dui'ing the spring and fall
months when the foliage of persiminons, oalzs, sweet gums, maples and ithers
in gorgeous hues blend, harrroniously with the green of the pines. After
all, what is more beautiful than the natural landscape upon which all suc-
cessful plans must be based if suitable audi pleasing surroundings are to
be developed.

There are tv;o general types cf deciduous trees adaptable to Florida
landscapes. Those that shed all their leaves during the fall and those
that shed their leaves during the latter pert of the dormant season and
become completely defoliated just before or about the tiiae of the initial
sirring flush of growth. The native cherry, red oalt, hich-jry and pecan
are representative trees of the first group, while laurel and water oalrs
re-oresent the latter.

The soils required for deciduous trees are much the same as those
for t'^e general ulantings ma.de in landsca^oe arra.ngements. Therefore, if

Page two .

a gcoc lawn rnr'. shrub soil is available, fiOod results will be hac'. in
planting rnc. ;;:;ro'ving trees ada;"ted to Florir.a conditions. In general the
land shoulc be well drained, but of sucli condition that it will retain
surrficientjmoisture that rnaxiinam results will be obtained from the water
supply and vigorcus growth of the trees maintained.

Transplanting is done during the dormant season according to the
general rules for setting trees. The holes should be large enough to ad-
mit the roots without crowding and to a de-th that will allow the roots
to be as dee'^ as the:" were in the nursery or in their natural Iccaticn.
In setting the trees it is best to plant with the roots no deeper than
they grew. Use onlj"- top soil and press it firmly about the rrcts and
add about one ^ocund of bone meal as the holes are being filled. Wlien
the holes are three-fourths full, water thoroughly and then fill in with
loose earth. The tops of the trees should be cut bac.'c rather severel-"- to
balance with the root systems at the time the trees are trans-olajited.

Tyiien trees are rem.oved from their natural loc?tions one should talre
up as gooc" a root system as possible and 'orotect it from drving ^'inds and.
suji with damp moss or buxlap until trans^^l^nted. The root s'",''stem on
trees with ti'nn.zs not over two or two and one-half inches in dirraeter
should be not less than twc feet across, three feet is better, and the
roots shovid have a depth length of IS to 36 inches, deyending u;-)on the
kind.

The size of trees that will give the best results after trans-planting
is an imuortant item, ITursery-grown trees are graded by feet up to 12
feet high and by cali-^er of trun',: in inches for larger grades. Most trees
will grow off inach better if medium sizes are selected rather than the
extremely Irrge ones. Pecans, hichories and walnuts in general should be
of the 5 "to 6 foot or 6 to o foot grades or smaller, althougli trees as
large as 3 to 10 feet can be successfully -^la.ited about the home where
individual attention can be given them. Per other kinds, trees with
trunlcs not ever two and two and cne-half inches in diameter should be
planted, although water oaks up to U to 6 inches in dirmeter often are
trans^olanted successfully with b^re roots.

Trees in the landscape ordinarily receive little or no cultivation,
as it is generally desired to hpve the lawn grass completely covering the
ground. There are some species, notably the pecan, that will grow off to
a much better ?d.vanta.ge if a small ajrea about the ba.se is ?:ept clean of
growing vegetation and mulched with, organic material for the first two
or three -"-ears. This latter |)ractice, however, is not so importajit if
the trees are located in lawns that are r.snt ^"ell watered and fertilized.
Adequate soil moisture must be maintained, otherwise the trees will not
make suitable growth.

A general fertilizer a-ial-"-zing about ^-J-^ should be applied in the
s-ring and a-^ain in the su.nmer to su'tcI" plant foods in sufficient amounts
to produce "rowth. Bone meal and cottonseed meal are also good materials
to use on th:; soil in which shade trees are growing. If the lawns in
which trees are located are prc-'erlv fertilized during the growing sea-

Pa^e three.

son it will not oe necc-ssarv to nir>::e additional applicE.tions, but it
would bii advisp'ole to increase the ^motmts some'^hat in the areas occu-
pied bv the tree roots. If trees are to be ^iven special fertilizer in
lawns it is best done by plugging, i.e., punching holes in the earth in
the root zone and filling with fertilizer, preferably bpne meal.

The pruning of deciduous trees shoulr". be generally attended to dur-
ing the dormant season which in Florida is approxima.tely from December to
March. About rll that need bs done is to prune out any dead ajid inter-
fering brajiches. All TDinining should be 'one so that the cut is made
next to another branch or where the limb joins the tr\i:il; of the tree to
insure oropsr healing of the wound. When removing dead limbs the cut
should' be made well into the green wood area. The cuts should be made
■••ith a sha.rp saw a.nd in such a way as to avoid splitting. All cut sur-
faces of more thaji one inch in diameter should be covered with a good
grade of outside paint or wound dressing to prevent the entranice of
moisture and wood-rotting fungi. Decaying wood that started from brolien
or poorl-"- -nrunsd branches a,nd unprotected cut surfaces has ca^used the
weplcening and death of many trees that otherwise would have lived for a
much longer period.

Trees ma.-"- become unsir-ptl'" and lose their vptility and usefulness
due to attac^:s of insects ajiid disea,ses, a.nd gardeners should be prepared
to prevent such losses. Complete information regarding control methods
of destructive -pests can be obtained from the University'' of I'lorida Ag-
ricultural Ex-^^riment Station.

There are a Ifrge nu^riber of deciduous trees, both introduced and
native, from w'lich Florida gardeners ma.y select ma.toria,l for planting.
The native trees are sufficientl^r numerous to fulfill almost a.ny renuire-
ments. There .^re numerous oalts, svcamore, cvoress, sv;eet gum, ma.ples,
hiclcories and others native to Florida that are excellent trees for land-
scape and street plantings. There are also majiy introduced trees w'-'ich
should not be overlooked that thrive satis;'actorily when properly located,
includ-ing G-inl:go, Koelreuteria formosana, Aleurites, Pecan, Blacl; Walnut
a.nd rna.ny others.

Laurel and water oaJis are probabl;"' th.ciriost commonly used sf all de-
ciduous trees for roadside, street and la.ndscape plantings. The red or
Spanish oalr gives good results and is often left v/hsre growing nrturally
when clearings arelpiade. All of these mal:e beautiful trees aaid furnish a-
bundant sha.de, but the last naaaed is the only one thnt sheds the leaves
completely in the fall, the other two being more or less tardily decidu-
ous.

The Bald cypress anr' the Pond c^^ress are t'"o coi.iinon native decidu-
ous conifers that can be trans-olaiited and gTown successfully as ornajnental
trees. Thev present a ver-r beautiful appearance, especially in the
sriring when the new grc-th has the light green, feathery appearance.

The Svcanore is i-il-'^ntec' a.s a shade troe to some extent throughout
the northern areas of Florida where it thrives satisfactorily. O'-dng to
its grayish white barh it can be used effectively where it is desirable
to have r. tree that will show ai".iong or against a ma.ss of green foliage.
Some object to its leaves as the^/ fall.

Sweet Gum is another native tree that is found throughout most of

Florida that is a vigoro'As jjrov-cr. It is pjTCjrdJ'-al in general shape,
tall and well suited for roadside, avenue, and group planting s where such
deciduous trees are desired. The foliage is dense and turns to shades cf
"beautiful reds and yellovz-s in the late fall months.

The Red maple which is native over Florida from the southern parts
through to the northern areas, is used to some extent in ornamental plant-
ings. It presents a bea.utiful appearance in the s-pring a.nd the folia.ge
turns to bright red and yellow colors in ths fall, which malces it very-
attractive. This tree should he emplo:7ed more extensively, as it trans-
plants easily and is well adapted to natural conditions where the soil
is suited.

Native hicliories are not generally transplanted, but are frecuently
left as specimen trees when clearings are made. They are beautiful trees,
especially Hicoria alba, and Hicoris. glabra, and lend much dig:iity and
beautj?- to landscapes. The Water hiclcory, Hicoria. aquatica, can be trans-
planted successfuJLly and is es"oecially valuable in rather wet locations.

The pecan is planted extensively as a shac'e tree throiighout central
and north Flori'^a. The l?rge trees frequently noted about the homes in
the state are .nostly seedlings, but the later plantings are mostly of
named varieties. With the pro"Der varietv it is possible to have orna-
mental she.de trees t'lat will also produce a supply of nuts for home use
and for sale.

The Maiden hair, or GiiiI:go biloba, is planted sparingly as an orna-
mental tree in the northern part of the state. It presents a pleasing
appearance during the grov^ing season, and again in the late fa,ll when the
foliage turns to a. golden yellow. As the fruit has a foul oder it is
best to plant only those trees bearing the stajninate flowers.

The tung-oil, Aleurites fordi, introduced from China, presents a
a beautiful appearance in the spring when in full bloom. It is also
rather attractive as a foliage tree during the summer^nonths but owing to
its habit of growth it would be best suited as a part of the ba.nks and
clumps of sniall trees rrther than in a location where an extremely large
stately specimen is desired. Other species which are planted to some ex-
tent in the southern part of the sta^te a.re Alexirites montana; A. moluc-
cana; A. cordata; and A. trisperma.

Koelreuteria formosana is as yet quite rare in Florida, but succeeds
as an ornamental deciduous tree on well-dradned lands over most of the
state. This is a flowering tree that can be utilized effectively where
color is desired in the late summer and fall. It produces great panicT.ps
of small yellow flowers that appear in late September and early Octobe:
followed by the red capsules containing the seed. The colors are very
showy and attractive and the trees can be used in numersous ways in va-
rious sized landscapes and home grounds.

There j»re two walnuts that are used to some extent as j'-ard trees
that thrive in central ajidnorth Florida. The Blaclc walnuts make beauti-
ful shade trees of considerable proportions that a.re quite useful as well
as ornamental. The seedling Japanese walnut is found growing about homss
less frequently than the Black walnut and is a iruch smaller tree. Nuts

Page five.

v,-ith delicioiis kernels are produced in aliundance "by both of these wal-
nuts which adds materially to the home supply.

There are man;"- decidiious trees other than those mentioned and hrief-
ly described that can be successfully used in Florida landscapes and for
street and roadside lolr.ntin^^js. Much fuller lists with complete descrip-
tions and instructions for planting, fertilization, cultiv^-^tion, etc.,
can be obtained by writing the University of Florida Agric\iltural Experi-
ment Station,

COLLBC3E OP AORICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRiCULTURC.
COOPERATING

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION BSRVtCB

COUNTY AOENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk No. 19
January 17j 195^»

ORi-JAI.EHTAL FLORIDA FRUIT TRE-^IS

H. S. "finite, Hortictilturist in Charge,
Sub-Tropical Experimtnt Station, Homestead, Fla.

To the prosr)ective orcliardist the only considerations entering in-
to the selection of fruit trees are the quantity and quality of fruit
to be expected and the market returns, but to the home owner who wishes
to have a few fruit trees arci-ind his house it is of interest to know
what ones will serve an ornamantal function as well as provide frmt
for his table. Florida has no fruit trees which make such a striking
display as northern aople, cherry or peach trees in the spring, yet
there are maxiy among Florida's fruit trees which are as well worth grow-
ing for their ornamental value as for their fruit. In nearly every case
they are attractive the whole year, instead of having only a relatively
brief period of loveliness in the spring.

Most of the attractive fruit trees of Florida have ornamental va-
lue chiefly because of their comosctly sjTTnmetrical habit and their ever-
green foliage. In a state v.-here so many brilliantly colored shrubs and
vines abound, it would almost seem enough to ask that fruit trees should
be handsome evergreens. But of the three F's of ornainental value —
flowers, fruit and foliage — we have some fruit trees with all three
and some with two, a.s well as those with only handsome foliage to re-
commend them as ornamentals.

Perhaps the best-known examples of fruit trees with a triple F for
ornament -- attractive flov/ers, colorful fruit and beautiful foliage —
a.re found a/aong the citrus S'-ecies. The waxy, white flowers, with a de-
lightful fragrance, are set off in s--rrinj- by the background of glossy
green foliage, while in winter the same berutiful green serves again as
setting for the yello-ff, -.orange or red fruits. The most ornamental of
the citrv.s family is the kumquat, whose numerous fruits, like orsjige-
•^■■ellow plums, adorn the sha-oely little trees for months. Of slightly
larger habit and more spreading, willov;y branches are the tangerines,
whose fruits are the size flf small apples and var'" in color from brig^'^t
orange to a decided, red, according to the variet-". Fnile it is more
difficult to obtain and keep symmetrical specimens of orajige and grapa-
fruit trees, w.3 would undoxibtedly value them more for their ;purely or-
namental effect if the-"- were not so coOTiion, Where they must be grown
in tubs and kept in a greenliouse through the winter, crajige trees are
considered very attractive ornrjnenta.1 trees, A well-grown grapefruit
tree is handsome at all seasons, biit ecpecially so '"^hen the great j'el-
low balls of fruit are hajiging in clusters all over it in winter. All
of these citrus trees can be grown throughout nearly the whole of pc-jdn-
sular Florica, They are fruits which had their ancestral home in f-^i
eastern Asia, but the^"- have si-;r&ad around the whole world in the sub-
tro -^ics.

Of even ••idor range O- distribution in Florida is the loquat,
Tf'hich adc^s the ch?rni of brig'.it yellow clusters of fruit end. panicles
of fra^rp.nt, though not strikin^-ly IjeaTi.tiful, white flowers to the
green of its s'^-.Tnietrical body of foliage. It attains a height of 20
feet usually, and forms a conpact, round-headed tree. The large
leaves are glossy, dark-rreen on the uppsr side and covered with a
brownish felt on the under side, and form a dense ma.ss of foliage all
the year. The juicy yellow fruits, of the size of sitiall plums, have a
very pleasant pcidity added to their sweetness, and so are especially
tasteful to tourists whose Tialates find the richly sweet tropical
fruits somewhat cloying. P1.3ssant to eat out of hand, loquats make a
splendid preserve or jelly. JTor the lower ha.lf of Florida., at least,
this is the onlv ver:"' satisfactor'- reoresentative of that most promi-
nent family in northern horticulture, the Ror,e faiiiily, to which the
apples, pears, cherries, peaches and plfJTiS belong. It also is a.n Asia-
tic fru.it, n.^tive to central-eastern China originally and cultivated
for centuries in China and Japan. From these countries we have im-
ported several choice varieties, while others hpve oeen developed in
recent vears by a California horticulturist. One small villag^e in
China is said to ha.ve shipped out $20,000 worth of loruats in a single
/'•ear, and in Japan the fruit production runs aoove a million dollars
annually.

Limited to t'^e more tropica.l -eortions of Florida, the lower coast-
al areas mostl^, are tv/o handsome trees which have come to us from the
far East Indies — the rose-a.-ple rr/- the jajAolan (Jr-im' bo Ian').
Both are large evergreen trees with medium-sized, somewhat leatherv,
glossy green leaves w":>ich form a fairl^'- co.n'oact body of foliage. The
rose-a-pple is the more "ddely grown of the two, bof" in this state and
in the rest of the world. Besides its handsome as-^:ct it is rema.rk-
ablc for its fre.its rnf flo'-ers. The fruits are the size of a large
round plum, li;;h-t yelloi'' in color, and have a firm but verv tender
flesh perfumed with the odor of rose-w,-,ter a.id slightly sweet. It is
used to give an pxoma to jellies. The flowers \voul(5 be rather incon-
s^iicuous greenish-white blooms if it were r..ot for the great number and
size of the stamens. These stand out lihs long vellow pins filling a
pin cushion, or like a yellow po/Jion, being three inches a.cross the
stamen cluster. The new loaves a.ppea,ring in srring a.dd the lovely
wine color of their flush to the green of th._ older leaves. The
flowers of t'^e j^mbolan c"o not have such a showy pir.-cushion effect as
those of the rose-a.-:!ple, but arc attractive white buttons on the da.rk
green coat of foliage, while the fruits are like sraaJl deep-purple
plums. Th^y a.rc used for preserves raid jellies, rather than to eat
out of hand.

Of th" trees which combine ornrinenta;. fruit '-'ith attractive fo-
lia.ge habit, the mangos probably ra^iil': first. For handsom.;ness of fo-
liage aspect alone a fine specimen of mango hr.s f^w eqv.a.ls. It madcos
a sjnimetrical, round-headed tree of up to 60 fact in height, with
glossy slender leaves which are a rose r^^d when the-"- first a-opcar in
the spring and rer-vain a d.ark •;:reon for more than a y^a^r. In such fine
varieties as thu Hrden and Uulgoba, the pendant clusters of brilliantly
colored frj.it make a sight not soon forgotten. And when in late v;in-
ter the whole tree is nearly covered with a majitle of panicles of sme.ll
T'oTlowish flowers, the :Tiajigo wotild almost seem to qixalify for a. triple

?, also. In its "oc-st v"ri;.ti^n t'.ic ;ariii:7;o is O" f.'^j: the finest of the
strictl:!- troricel fruits, hr.vinrj, n pleasant r.rorna <ind a delightful sub-
r.cid otialit-'^ adcfcd to its svTctncss. It is to the tropics v/hat tho
pcr.ch is to the to:.Tp3ratc zon,;, pjid con "og gro'^n in Florida as far north
as Mcrritt's Island on the oast coast, Bradenton on tho wost coast, and
Lal:c Placid in tho ccntar of the state.

Ihj West Indian star-rpple is a tree of sorne'vha.t more tropical re-
quirements than the i.iango, hut of even more h-:autiful foliage as;ject.
The tree itself is by no means so large and sto.tely, but the leaves are
glossy green -above and a lovcl^- satiny ;;oldcn-broivn underneath. So rs
tht; leaves dpnce in the breeze, they ^lerin like burnished copper when-
ever their undersides meet the sijnlight. The flo'v^rs are small pud
rather inconspicuous, but tho fruits are as large as a mcdiUiTi-sized
apple and ma-- be either light ,;'jrecn or bright pur"plc. Within the
fruit is a rather soft vrhite flesh of melting sveetness. When the
fruit is cat across the middle, it riresents much the same a-ppearance
as an '-ir^le, r/ith a st^r-shai^ed cl-uster of seeds at the core, and hence
the name "st.-'r-.'^-DPlc. " Its sister s-^occics, a nftive tree in southern
Florida, tplccs its nc'':nc from tho v^r?;'" similar character of the leaf
undersides, and is Inno-ai as the "satin-leaf."

Another tree 'Tith beautiful fr\iit and handsome foliage is the
lychce (li'chee). It is -jrather difficiilt of ci.iltiv.^tion, althou-^ it
is ful"'.-^ as h-'-rd-'' rs the m"n.~o, '■nd there are h^'-rdl^'' a dozen bearing
trees in the stntc. But it is -^ tree '-'hich -ell repays t're troxible of
gro'"ing it. Lihe tho lociuat and the citrus fruits, the lychce is a
gift from thj Celestial Smpire, 'fhcre it h^s been cherished for over
2,000 -'•^ars ."s the finest of all fruits. The tree is sm^ll, round-
headed, and. comr)r.ct, •■'■-th glossy, darh-.-^Tcen foliage of sl'^nder, rather
drooping, com-nound leaves. The frxiit is bornL. in grap.j-lilcc clusters,
and each fruit is like an oval red strrVoerry, ^vith tough, rous^iened
skin. Inside is -^ cle"r, transli.iccnt -.ralp of very agree.ably blended
swectn.:ss and acidit"^-. The dried fruits constitute the v^ell-known
"lychec nuts" of Chinese confectioner?''. As is true also of tho m-ngo
and the loquat, it is neccssarj'- to have grafted trees from named va.ric-
ties to be sure of fine duality fruit.

Vfhile the akcc fruit is usuj'.lly ^aten after frying, rather than
fresh, and p^'^rt.-;:cs in luanj- respects of the qualit-^ of a vegetable ra-
ther th-n of a f-ru.it, -'•ot it is al'.7ays classed as a fruit. And as such
it deserves consi'-'",.- ration among those fruit trees h-^^ving attractive
fruits. It is a plant -'hich criac to the TTcst Indies r century and a
half ago from West Africa, in the days of the slave trade. The tree

f./or^ "'orthy
distinctive fruits. These are bright-red capsules of 2 or 3 inches
length, borne in large cliistv.rs, and the open hrbit of the tree serves
to mrke them tho more cons->icuous. Wlacn they are fully nvt-oxe the-'
split open to disclose a shining vhite pul-p containing large blaclc
seeds. The pulp has a ver-- nut-like flavor '-'hs-:: friedi in butter. The
tree is decidedl" tro'-ical in reauiremcnts, abovit like the star-apple,
or -O'jrha-DS succeeding as frr north -^s the nvango.

h.^bit-u^^^^ame'vhat open pnd the foliage rather a light green, ajid it
i70uld/oe"^-'orthy of r.lanting for ornajnental value '--ere it not for the

- u .

T'l . sr.-oc'.ill-", or "cdlly," is p. stri'iin^-lv Ivrndsomc tree 'vliicli
cnduros v.-iiv-s "jut not frost. WAtive to Contral America end. southern
I'cxicc, it is ono of o\n- n".tivG Araericr.n fruits, r.s is t'.ie st.'-.r-r'.^TDlc
of the srmt fT.iily. The tree hr.bit is tall and stately, often spread-
ing out into -". gropt roxuidGcl top "but rl"T."s conrriact, and the medium-
sized l';?5ves are a desp, ^-glossy green. Tho "oro'Tn fr^jlts are usually
the size of a smnll aTOle, and contain several seeds of medium size
imlDedded in n li.^it-''oro'7n flesh vrhich is soft and s'Toet and is slightly
gritty, li?^e a northern pe.-'r. On the Florida Keys the "dill;''" is one
of the fe'7 fruits "fhich grcv satisfactorily, and it is highly prized.
The mil;:y juice of the oarlc forins the 'br-sis for che'.7ing giuii, and in
Central America great areas of sairodillas are tai^ped for the chicle
(chich'l) to supply our great chewing gujin industry. But a.part from
either the fruit or the chicle, the sapodilla is a tree '■'orthy of
planting for its handsome aspect. It is unusually free from either
diseases or insect pests.

Another ver- sturdy and hcndsomo tree vhich endures no touch of
frost is the tamarind. Slo'v of gro-^th, like the sapodilla, it devel-
ops at length into a ver^^ large, compact, round-headed, tree. The fine-
ly divided foliage is a light green shade rnc, peculiarly heautiful. In-
digenous to tropical Africa and perhaps to soiithern Asia, it has "been
cultivated for so long in India as to m?l":o its origin \incertain. It is
'•"ell "-orthy of cultivation for its heauty of ha'iit alone, hut it also
has valu.ahle fru.its. These are pods of U to 3 inches length ajid an
inch across. This tree belongs to the Pea family, rnd 'within each
bro-'n -cod is a th.itf- bronn paste of high siigar content and high aci-
rity. A deliciov.s cooling drinl", lilze limeade, is made from this pulp
in the '^est Indies, -.'hile in the Orient the ta:Ti?.rind is valued as an
ingredient of chutnics and curries. Like the s-podilla, ^-hose range
it shares, this hrndsomo tree has fc' dis'ases or pests, and it is
ver-'- resistent to storm Trinds.

The Cattlcy or Stra-vberry gaava is a rather small tree, rarely
exceeding 20 feet, -dth ver" attrrctive glossy, deep-green leaves rjid
smooth bro'vnish branches. It is native to Brazil, but nas carried to
China b^- Portug-uese traders early in the iSth century. And thus it
became lenc^n at first to Europe as a Chinese fruit. There pxb both
yello^T and red-fruited varieties, both alike being highly valued for
m--^lcing jellies cs -'ell as for eating out of hand. The fruits are much
the size of plujTis. The tree is about as hardy as the orange, and is
rarely attacked, o:" either disca.ses or insects.

A handsome fruit tree of ver"' narro'v range of distribution in
Florida is the jr-k (j.-ck). This brother of the fa;.ious- bread-fruit is
onl"'^ hard^'- enough to grov; '-here the sa-nodilla and trmarind flourish,
and is an imr;>igrant originrlly from t.ie motuatains of southern India.
It forms oridbr favorable conditions a tall, densc-foliaged tree of
statel" hahit. The fruits are ver^'- unusual, being as largo as a foot-
ball and borne directly on the trunk or main branches. They are har:'!-
ly a sufficient reason in themselves for the gro-/ing of this tree, e-o
far rs frvit eurlity is concerned, but t'leir rjiusual character makei
them higkl" interesting and the tree itself is a decidedly handsome
one.

Another decidodl'' tro-eical frv.it tree, -vhich has come to our

- 5 -

shores from the ncr.rb" West I-ndiss, is the Mar.iinee Apple or marae:'-. The
large, glossy deep-green loaves aie borne on a verv cor.Tpact frair-ework,
and the tree ic hp.ndr.omc and stately. The large fruits, lilie huge rus-
setcd per.chos, have a flesh v/hich '■/hen fully mature is of the texture
of half-ripe pi;achos. The," are valuxd rather for use in preserves, to
'Thich they impart an apricot flavor, than for use as a dessert fruit.

Closely related to the persimmon is a h?ridsome evergreen tree of
mediuin size, the "blck sapote, "/hich had its origin in the highlands
of southorn Mexico. Lil.e so many of the tropical fruit trees, it has
glossy, somevhat leath'^ry leaves of medium size. The fruits are as
large as small apples, and contain a soft pulp of dark chocolate brovm
V7hich is very s-'/eet. As a dessert fruit it is more esteemed in Mexico
thrji in this country. The tree is ver'-' tender to frost.

The Otfheite (O-ta-hite') - gooseoerry is a s;:ia.ll tree, native to
Madagascar and India, Vnich gro'vs 'veil in the southern half of the
state. This haiif.some, erect, little tree has its leaves ranged in
pairs along the sides of small branches, so that they aprcar to be
large com^ijound leaves, and these feathery branches stand out stiffly
from the larger braiiches, giving a vcrj'- characteristic appearance of
conroactness to this small, rovmd-ton-^ed tree. The sm.all green fruits,
about Pdi inch across, are ribbed, and they have a quality similar to
the goose-beri-y, so that they make good jellies and jams.

Summing up, -o note that the Icumquat, tangerine, loquat, rose-
ap-ple, and jambolan are of ornrmiental value for foliage, fruit and
flo"'ers, all three; the ma.ngo, lycheo and star-apple combine colorful
fruits •-'ith handsome foliage; and the sapodilla, tajxirind, jak, niamey,
black sapote, cattley guava and Otaheite gooseberry are valued for
fine foliage and tree habit. And these are only those of Florida's
fruits v.'hich have ornamiental value a.s trees apart from the value of
their fruits in themselves.

0''>-.t-.s.''^?"

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eoLuese ok AomcuLTune.

umivehsitv of Florida.

and united state* oe^ahtmrnt

OF AOPtlCULTURE.

cooPi»AQr^TQg^i^^ental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

ASniCUUTUMAL EXTCNStON aiMVICB

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME OEMONKTR* TION WOKK.

Talk Nc» ?.0
January 2'+, l'^,J)k

ROSE VAaiZTIES POH FLORIDA

K. Harold Huxne , Assistant Directoi', Research
Florida Experirntnt Station.

TiThat roses shall I plant? is a direct auestion that must he answered in
some fashion hy everyone malting a rose planting or setting out onlj'- a feiv bushe^:
in the garden. And the answer to tie question, whether that ansv/er '.'e- dependable
or not, inay be obtained from various sources. It ina.v be had from rose catalogiies
that are today, in man.y cases, veritable works of art, Roses in these booklets
are displayed singly, in beds, in groups, on arhors or pillars, in color and in
black and white. Wlio, having seen these catalOtT'.es, does not wish to plant a
rose or a dozen? The text goes with the pi.-jtures; it niatches them in flowexy Ir.-.-
guage and the story of the rose and its behavior is complete. And so, huiiting
through the pages of the catalogue, there coi'.^s into -"cistence a mental rose
garden, the bushes in vigorous growth, the Leaves healtliy, green and lush, T^ith
flowers in gorgeous h.ues of p.iuk, or red, or copper, or yellow, or glisteni?-ig
white. Thus in the cool o.V a v.intcr's ni,;^ht, by wandering through a ca.talogue,
the answer is fourd to f qv ,st..on, "''inif t ross shal] I plant?"

But the catalogues do not t.^11 all fi.: stoi,;; the-"- do not give a conrplete
answer to the question, "Wiat roses shall I plant?" The descriptions give cer-
tain information; fhey tell certain things about the varieties, their good
points are set forth, but as a ge.ieral rulo the rose planter must learn their
shortcomings and deficiencies for himself. This i'^ where the catalogues fail.

Certainly it is a safe conclusion t.iat all the varieties listed are not a-
dapted to Florida conditions, Fuy arj they not adapted? To begin with, a lot
of rose varieties named and introduced, originated in different parts of the
world, never should have been introduced an^-v/aj''. They have nothing of particu-
lar value to recommend them, I know t^ere is a constaait tendency on the part
of plant lovers to interest themselves in -^lants that are new; they want the
very latest thing and the rose ori-'^;inators, introducers aiid nurserymen have
xound it to their advantage to catir to the desire lor the nev?, even to the ex-
jont of displacing better pl?nts. In conser-uence there has sv/ept over tlxis
country a wave of rose sirj^er-sales.... nship in the proinotion of varieties that is
-lot based on actual performajice, an^ this, unfortunately, is resulting and can
hut result in a deplorable situation, a loss of interest in the rose on the pa^'t
-."? those who grow it. They have becxi fooled too of tan. To be plain and candid
ciL'out it, I have never been able to understand "vhy a perfectly fine, v/ell-adapt-
ed old rose should be displaced by one of ;-orfc r;.c-mt origin for no butter rea-
son than that it is new. I believe in new roses; I believe in testing them, iu
trying thora out, but for mc they must equal in all particulars those I have and
present some additionaJ point of merit before I discard the old, dependable
■ :orts. I believe in new roses, but v/e must not mal:e gardens with them or buy
them in quantity unt:.l thoy have been tried ai^d found satisfactory for our area.

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Hoses of today are of very ndxcd parentages. Hybridizers have "bred roses
of in?.ny ^linds and from them evolved our gard.en forms. Some of these parents
give plants adapted to our conditions, others do not. If into the makeup of a
rose there enters too miich of an original svecies that "belongs to a dry climate,
we are likel^'- to fail wit'i it "because our rainfall of 55 inches or so annually
is entirely different fro a thr.t to w'^ich it is adapted or to which one or more
of its parents has "been accustomed. Heat and moisture induce poor growth in
the stunner season; diseases lay hold of stems and leaves, and, to use a good
Florida expression, "it just peters out." Furthermore, roses that go ba.ck to
parents from cold clims.tes are likely to "be failures. They will not succeed un-
less they are well chilled in winter. Occasionplly follov/ing a cool winter thcj'-
may flower, "but that is not often. And so, though they may "be grown into good
stout plants, they do not bloom. They are failures for just the same reason
that plxims, raspberries, currants, horseradish and other plants from northern
climates are failures here. We have succeeded very well in keeping growing
roses and other plants warm by biiilding greenhouses around and over them, but re
have not got ver:':^ far yet with refrigerating them. Some varieties of roses are
notoriously weaii growers, the stems are slender and weak, the foliage scant;
thej^ haven't enough stamina to laroduce buds of size that hold up their heads.
Away with theml

The first requisite of any rose for Florida is ability to grow vigorously.
They may malie good green shrubs if nothing more. The second requisite is free-
dom from diseases and insects. Wli; ;:row roses to feed insects and harbor di-
seases if they alone will benefit? And the third desiderattim is free flowering,
— an abundant harvest. Whether the flowers are white, pink, copper, red or
yellow does not matter if they are not produced or are fev/ and far between.
When vigorous growth, freedom from disease and free flowering are assured, other
things, as color, shape of bud, habit of growth, can be considered.

There are still other things that imist be considered in growing roses in
Florida. In what prrt of the state are the;/- to be grown and what is the objec-
tive? Our state is of vast extent, north and south, east and west. In conse-
quence the climate is not uniform. It is wrirmer in the southern portions in
winter than in the north and west. Roses may be grown and flowered out-of-doors
all winter long in southern Florida or in favored spots elsewhere. Seldom do
they bloom throughotxt the v/inter in northern aid northwestern Florida. Only a
very few times have I kno^m it to happen in the last thirty- five years.

Because of these differences in climatic conditions, two entirel;^ different
systems of rose growing have come into existence. It is fort"UJiate that m£>.ny
varieties of- 'roses begin to bloom within a few weeks after they are planted.
Consequently in southern rioricia, in addition to nal^:ing gardens v/ith dependable
varieties, many other roses cp.n "be pl.anted in autumn on heavily fertilized groimd
and treated a.s roses are in northern greenhouses. Fine flowers are produced.
The plants cost little a.nd in spring the planting is abandoned and a new one
made the following autumn. By this method the so-called greenhouse varietiu-?,
for the most part not adapted to all- the-year- round conditions, may be grovrn.
The plan is adapted to the growing of fine 'cut flowers, but only by the stretch
of some imagination can this be called rose gardening.

In the colder sections, a different situation is presented. Hoses planteC.
out-of-doors in auttimn or winter do not bloom until spring and if there are to
be roses from them in autumn, the other good flowering season, they must be of
such constitution as to pass through the summer in good condition. Right heie
is where many varieties fail, among them a groat many of the newer sorts, par-

ticalarlj- those crrrying pernctif^na (pcr-nee- she-ana) strain as a part of their
inrxoup. 0 i tlo other htind, there ''.r- ..-.•in: ■.'ino en'.uring sorts thi.t rjro"/ on in
&;f.rdens yerr rfter year. They represont th3 rose groups "best adapted for use
ill rose ^ardenin;^ in this str.to,

A^r.in, there arc diffcrercor, in :;oil conditions that mast bo considered.
One set is roprescntcd Id:/ the flat'-'oods of northeastern Florida, another ty the
lolling clay or clay underlain soils of ncsttrn Florida, a third hy the sandy
ridges th^-t run do^7n through the state and form a part of its so-called hacl'-
■bono, a:id a fourth "by the roclc?'' lands found in pa,rts of the extreme south. Kosos
(jx certain sorts ca.n 'on grovm in some of tl.ese a.i ic.G a.ud tho sa^iuO once pjrchancc
'lot in others.

Enough has "been said to raa^-.o ii^ain the fact that Florida conditions for
rose growing r.re not uniform for tl;'- state. There ajv distinct cliTir-.tic a,nd
soil area.s that present different proolems. It is true that soils can be made
and draina-ge in some measure v/ill trice care of surplus i/ater, but v/e can't do
much about changing climate (ra.infall, temperature and length of day), and our
course in rose-grov/ing lies alon,^; the line of \ising varieties that vdll grow in
spite of it or because of it, i';hic'':ever 'ray ;'0U lilcc to state it.

Thun back to the catalo.^e again. It ■ ill be noted tha.t follo^ving the va-
rieties certain letters hr -e been nlaced: T. for tea roses, H. T. for h;^'-brid
tea varieties, H. P. for hybrid r^erpetuals, lois. for noisettes, and so on.
These letters indicate f I'i.ite ^Toups of r'-'i-.s of kno'vn origin. They are at
the same time an indication of I'O't thoy no ir--.:ly to behave in a given loca-
tion. The roses important for iis are to be foa.d, for the most part, among the
Teas and Hybrid Teas, both bushes and climbers. To these may be added Bengals,
Noisettes and a fe'v others. In r.,cent ••ea.rs a ntv; strain has been bred into our
rose varieties, designated by the name Pernotiana. One of the regrettable mis-
takes that has happened is to call these Hybrid Teas. True, from the sta.ndpoim;
of their breeding, they ma.;' be rightly so designated, but because they a.re dis-
tinctly different in their behavior from the old t.^TDes of hybrid teas, thej'
should not be so listed. Better to call them Pernctia.na or Hybrid Pernetiaiia
roses. Villc de Paris, Los Angeles, Miss Lolita Armour and Talisman, for in-
stance, belong here. The only satisfactory results likely to be had from these
sorts is in growing them as i7inter roses.

There are other sources from which informa.tion on rose varieties can be
secured, but one more only can be mentioned. In nearly every corainanity inhere
are individuaJs Vno ha.ve tested an' ;-ro-7n 'lan;/ sorts. Rose growers are easy to
a.pproach and always willing to help others. Consult them, see T/hat the^- are
growing, find out vrhat kinds are mi t c'^epnndable — then go back to youi' own gar-
den and plant those varieties. Having made such a olanting, add to it a few
that are new and untried sorts. You. will add a, new interest to your rose ven-
tures and increa.se your rose knov/ledge.

So far, I have dealt with fundainentals only that we may have a better un-
derstanding of some of our rose problems, our fadliii- s and successes. Now for
a few remarks on c?ch of several varieties t'lat are .lost dependable, rememberi'^g
that nev/ sorts are on trial that a rrxich larger number ma^' be grown far south
under conditions ap;'roxira~ting those of greenhouses.

If I were to make a rose garden in Florida, with space enough at my dis-
posal, these varieties, conr^idcriiig the f^uidaiventals already mentioned, vrould h^
my choice:

.^"T?,)IFp- RIVOIPJl, H. T., has a cre?-nc' white flo'ver, rose-pink tinted tov/ard the
center; very double. A vigorous gr .er i'.'ith clean iolia.i<,e, a raolerate producer.
It ran"-.s as a good garden varict;"'' ar.d the flov.-ers are fine.

DUCIIESSE .OE BRABMIT, T,, a verjr old rose, dating f.'om 1357, with soft, rosy-
pink flowers. Vigorous in growth, free in flo'.verin^^r-, resistant to black s^oot.
This was President Theodore Roosevelt's favorite rose.

ETOIIE DE HOLLA>IDE, H. T., originated in I5I9, is one of the newer roses. A
good grower, with clean, deep green leather?/ foliage, color a dark velvety rose-
red, the center lichter. Yevj fragrant. A "jood rose.

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY, H. T., a hybrid of Radiance, v/ith large, rounded crimson-red
flowers, is often a satisfactory variety in F]o'''ida. It is a vigorous grower
with good foliage.

FRAU KARL DRUSCHKI, H. P., is one of our stron^^'ost growers and when its large
white buds and open flowers are secared in v2;ood condition they are very lovely.
However, it is not a particularly free bloomer and in spring the flowers are
likely to be injured by thrips.

FREIHERR VOII liARSCHALL, T. The flowers of this rose are a dark, carmine-red,
and the young shoots in their coloring almost match the rose. It is a vigor-
ous grower, but it cannot be called a free flowering variety. However, I have
alwa,ys esteemed it highly and grow it in ra^r- garden.

S-^J,^? A¥ TEPLITZ, H. T. Few roses are redder than this and none sweeter or more
intensely scented. It is a vigorous plant, very resistant to disease; the fiov*--
ers are dark, velvety scarlet, usually borne in clusters. It is very prone to
produce seeds abundantly and the hips should be cut off to prevent weal-:ening
the plant. The climbing varietur i,' also ."'ood.

KAISERIIC AUGUSTE VIKTORIA, E. T. A rose of moderrte vi:;cr n-ith long, pointed
cream-'vhite buds, of good lasting quolity. TTiien the flowers are open they are
almost snov/y white with a slight lemon t: it at the center. The stems are ra-
ther wealc. It is a moderate gro.7er, but -Then -/ell fed is usually satisfactory
in its behavior.

LOUIS PHILIPPE, Ben. Perhaj^s there is no ..ore comrr.on or widely distributed
rose in Florida thm this; in fact, it is sciiietimes called the Florida rose. It
has excellent folipge; it never seems to be bothered particularly by black spot.
The flowers, often pro.... ced in clusters, are double, rounded or somewhat flat-
tened, dark red. It is an 3::ccl'.ent garl-n o'lrib and dates ba.ck to I83H, so it
is just a hTondred years old t'.iis year.

MA1.U1T COCHET, T. A pink rose ".•ith Ion'":, poi .ted buds and large flowers. Palt.
TDinlc, deeper in the center and light yello'.v colored toward the base, on good
strong stems. The leaves are leather-'- and dark green. The growth is vigorous
but rather open and inclined to br-"nch v.-idely. It does not flower v/ith parti-
cular freedom, but the blooms are ver:; fine when secured at their best. Thei :
is a white variety known as FKITS UAI.IAIT COCHET, T., which, in all respects, i^:
the counterpart of the pink one except for the coloring of its flowers, v,'hich
are v.'hite, t..:'.t.'. red on the outer petals and pale lemon yellow tov/ard the can-
ter.

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IlIvLil . LAI/E6AED, T. This is another of the old-time roses, stron~ gro'.ring and free
frci most robe diseases. The flo'vers are piiih, rosy salnon at the conter. It
is ver;- dou-hle and blooiLS free"'-:'.

ilARIE VAN E0UTT3, T. Than t'.jis there is prohpoi.y no finer rose in its coloring.
It dates back to IS7I. I have seen hushes that at t-,velvo years of age trere eight
feet high ond. eight feet across, and so free from disease ivas the foliage that
not a single bit of black spot v^as in evidence. The flo'vers are pale yellor;,
large and very double, flushed T^ith caroine-pink along the edges and lihely to
sho':/ more pink coloring in cool -/eather. It is a very satisfactory bloomer and
a rose that can be reconraended unresorvodlj''.

MIHITIS FRAUCIS, T. In habit of grov/th this rose somewhat resembles Mme. Lan>-
bard, but in petal stj'-lc it is quite different. The petals are more open and a
beautiful shade of pinl:. The foliage is healthy and the bush is a strong grow-
er.

EAIUMCS, H. T. Some people have said wo have tco many Radiance roses and yet
it continues to be one of the roses that people plant because it is easily grov/n
and those v.'ho have difficulty . in ha.i.clling others 'onder our conditions find it
very satisfactory. Probably as long as roses are gro'-vn in Florida, Radiance
roses will be grovm. It is vigorous, produces its flov/^rs on good, strong stems,
and has most of the merits that a ;,ood rose for our conditions shoiold have. It
is frs^grant, pinl:, light on the iiiner surfcco of the petals, deeper on the out-
side, a continuous bloomer during the growing season PJid. regardless of the opin-
ion of some people who spealc disparagingly c" its merits ajid its commonioess, I
would recommend it for a.v and ever'/ garden. Its co^mterpart is

RED PJfflIA>TC3, H. T. The raiiie style of bush, the same style of flower, but dif-
ferent in color. It is •" clear shade of cherry-red, fine, vigorous and depend-
able.

SAFRMO, T. The buds of this rose are unsurpassed. Fnen the flowers open they
are only partly double, salmon in color, the bush is vigorous and under any sort
of decent conditions long-lived. An ol:'. and very dependable varietur, it was
originated in IS39.

In addition to these, I would recommend 0PH3LIA and SUIIBURST and MARY
COUIWSSS OF ILCHESTSR for further trial.

CLIIOING ?.0S2S

AK3M01E : is a -oiiilc Cherokee, not nearl;- so vigorous in its growth as the white
form, producing its lovely, single, pink flowers during the spring months,
^^losely related to it a.id much like it is JL^ZiOVA, darker in color, so that 'A
is sometimes called the Red Cherokee. And then there is the CHER0K3E ROSE ii-
relf, that came to us from westerr China but has become so much at home that
It is often regarded as a native A. rican plant. The white form is a rampant
gro'ver and it needs a lot of space -.-here it can clirb high into the tops of
trees or over buildings, but it is well '-'orth having 'vherever there is enovifVi
space. SILVER MOON is a Cherokee hybrid, glistening white, with more petals
than Cherokee. It is a very strong grower that apparently has given a good
account of itself in northern and western Florida. The 11A.CART1IEY ROSS resej.i-
bles Cherokee in its pure "-hite, single flov/ers, but it is a different species

(Eosa "bractc!ata)and tlie foliar-^e is totally 'ajililce that of the Gherol:&c, It is
iiatv.ra?^ized in different parts of tlie state and forms dense clur.rps from the many
shoots thpt come up from the ^'"rcxi.nd.

3A1KSIA. The two Banltsia roses, alha (white) and lutea (yellow), are "both well
v^orth growing. The flowers arc smal], and clustered. Perhaps there are no finer
climbers than these tv/o .

BELLE PORTUGUOISE. A strong, rampant growing rose that must have plenty of
space. It was probably first introfAiced into this state and :;to7j\\ in St. jix\^s-
tine, ivhere it is highly esteemed. The buds are long and pointed, the flowers
are very large, sometimes as much £3 six inches across, partly double, flesh
pinlc in color. The foliage is darh green and glossy.

CLIlvBIiMG PERLE DES JARDINS, CI. This is one of the best of the yellow rosss. A
climbing sport from the bush form of the snne najne. I thinl;: on the whole it is
more satisfactory than IIASECHAL NIEL. I have never had an;' success -./ith the
bush form of this name, but the climbing variety is a most satisfactory rose.

CLimiN& PIIE UMMl COCKET, CI. T. A cotuiterpr.rt of the bush of the sane name,
but a strong, vi.:;orous cli ..bing rose.

CLII'fflING ROSE liARIE, H. 1., is a rose-pint flowered variety with good foliage,
vigorous and free-flowering,

DEVONIENSIS, CI. T. A very old rose (l?^+l), ■uite tinged with blush. Very vi-
gorous, often called the "HafTiolia Rose."

DR. W. VAN FLEET, H. tV., is a strong growing climber with pale pinli or almost
white buds. There are fine plants of this in northern Florida, perhaps else-
^'here .

EORTUKE'S YELLOW: For exquisite coloring in shades of yellow, gold and bronz,
no rose surpasses this. It is a moderate climber with good foliage; the flow-
ers are produced abundantly along the twigs. Hov/ever, it is only in bloom for
about a month in spring, but because of its dainty coloring and the beauty of
its half-double flowers it merits a place in any ro=e garden.

PAUL'S SCARLET CLIlvGSER is a good climbing rose with deep, dark, rich scarlet
flowers. It is a moderate grovrer.

ESIME I'AARIE KSIJRIETTE, CI. H. T. A vigorous gro-'ing, free blooming, climbing
rose, ^'ith cherry-red flowers. Wlier. given proper care ''nd attention it malres a
magnificent plant. It is inclined to lose its leaves at the base so that the
branches or stems are bare, and t'lis is its r.iain draback.

RE\'E D'OR, CI, T. This rose holds its folia;;e well do"'n to the base of the
plant, deep green, vigorous and strong growing. The flowers are almost the
counterpart of those of Safrano, buff yellow or srlmon in color.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMBNT
OP AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Eadio Series

AGRICULTURAL CXTKNSION SERVICE-
COUNTY AGENT AND
HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Talk No. 21
January 3I, 193U

SPILlYIiia FOR FLOVffiR GAi?DEW INSECTS

11. Tissot, Associate Entomologist,
Florida Experiment Sta.tion

Everyone has heard the expression, "Ever;- rose has its thorn," but
only those who have grown a flower garden know hov»r trxie it is that every flower
also has its insects, — whole sv.'arms of insects!

During recent years a great deal of attention has been given to home
"beaut if i cat ion and the growing of all kinds of flowers. With the increase of
these flowering plants tnere has come a corres ;onding increase in the number of
insect problems. PerhaTDS nothing detracts more from the beauty of a plant or
group of plants than to have the leaves or flowers ragged and half -eaten by
caterpillars or grasshoppers, or to have the leaves yello;ved and curled from the
feeding of aphids or other sucking insects.

Most of this damage can be prevented by tne intelligent use of the
proper insecticides, \7ith a dozen or so of the standard proven insecticides to
choose from, one can control a.lmost any of the insect pests that are likely to
occur in a flower garden.

For convenience we may divide all flower garden insects into two
large groups according to their method of feeding. The members of the group
which we call the biting insects have well-developed jaws which enable them to
bite off and eat portions of plants. Those of the other group which we call the
sucking insects have an entirely different method of feeding. These insects
have a sharp tube-like structure which they tlirust into the leaves or other parts
of plants and through which they suck up the plant sap v.'hich serves as their
food. It is very important that v/e know to vmich group an insect pest belongs
because upon this fact will largely depend the method of control that mrast be
used.

The insecticides which may be used in the flower garden fall into two
group's: the poisons or internal insecticides and the contacts or external in-
secticides. In general the poisons are used for controlling insects of the bit-
ing type while the contact insecticides are used against the sucking insects.

The manner in v/hich one applies an insecticide will be determined
largely by the nature and habits of the insects wliich one wishes to control and
by the available equipment for applying the control. For example, if one is
troubled by caterpillars which bite through and sat the entire thickness of
leaves, all that is necessary for good control of the caterpillars is to cover
the upper surface of the leaves thinly and evenly with a poisonovis material.
This method of applying the poison would, hov.ever, have little or no value if

^ O —

the caterpillars merely skeletonized tlie leaves by eating av/ay the lower sur-
face and leaving the upper surface untouched. In a case of this kind it w-ouLd
be necessary to apply the poison in such a v/ay that the lov»er surface of the
leaves would be coated. Suppose that vi/e have a rose bush infested with aphids.
These are s\icking insects which feed upon the sap of the plant. This sap is
obtained from inside the plant, being sucked up thro\i.gh a fine tube-like struc-
ture which is thrust into the tissues of the plant. It is impossible for such
'an insect to take up and s;vallow a material which covers the surface of the
plant. Here v/e imist use material that "./ill cause the death of the insect v/hen
it comes in contact with its body.

The most satisfactory and widely used of the poison insecticides is
arsenate of lead. This is sold in the form of a thick paste or as a v/hite pow-
der that somewhat resembles flour. The pov/der form is generally considered
more desir-able and is the form usually carried in stock by insecticide dealers.
Arsenate of lead may be mixed with water and used as a liquid spray or it may
be used in the form of a dust . When used in water the usual dosage is one ounce
of the powder to three gallono of water. To prevent buj-ning of the plants one
ounce of hydrate d lime should be added to e ach gallon of the spray solution.
Arsenate of lead can also be combined with some inert powder such as hydrated
lime, fullers earth, talc, or low grade flour and used as a dust. The propor-
tion which has proven most generally satisfactory is one part of the lead ar-
senate powder to six or eight parts of the lime or other dilutent. These pro-
portions are by -weight and not by measure as different brands of lead arsenate
may vary greatly in texture, some being light and fluffy while others are much
heavier and more compact. Those who object to the white residue left on the
plants by these sprays and dusts can obtain a green arsenate of lead that is ful-
ly as effective as an insecticide and whose residue is scarcely noticeable on the
foliage.

The fluorides and f luosilicates foi-m smother group of insecticides
which can be used for the control of biting insects. These also leave a white
residue on the treated plants and they have few advantages over arsenate of lead
but can be used as a substitute for the latter if it cemnot readily be obtained.

The gardener has a large array of different brands from which to
choose when he b-uys a contact insecticide for use against sucking insects. The
majority of the satisfactory contact insecticides are plant derivatives, the
active killing agents being extracts or compotinds made from certain kinds of
plants. One of the oldest of tne contact insecticides and one v;hich still is
used very extensively is nicotine. All tobacco contains nicotine in a greater
or lesser amount and finely ground tobacco is sometimes used as a contact in-
secticide. In a few special cases it may prove effective, but in most cases
the nicotine is given off so slowly that the insects will not be killed. It is
usually more desirable to erai^loy one of the commercial nicotine preparations.
Nicotine sulfate is the form v/hich is most generally available but there also
is on the market a solution of pure nicotine. The most common brand of nicotine
sulfate and one which can be obtained most anj^vhere is knowTi as"Black Leaf ^0."
This is a black liquid which as tne name implies contains forty percent of nico-
tine. Nicotine sulfate can be mixed with water and used as a liquid spray or
it may be combined with a powder of some sort and applied as a dust. For use
against aphids and some other soft-bodied insects nicotine sulfate is used at
the rate of one and one -half teaspoonful to one gallon of water. For more re-
sistant insects more of the nicotine must be used. When nicotine sulfate is
used alone in -water, tlie spray tends to collect in large drops and runs off the

- 3 -

plants. To counteract this tendency a small amount of soap or other spreader is
usually added to the spray solution. These substances cause the spray to spread
evenly in a thin film over the surface of the plants and the "bodies of the in-
sects.

Another group of contact insecticides is composed of extracts or
compounds of pyrethrum and of certain leguminous plants. Pyrethrum powder has
long heen used as a household insecticide sold under the name of Persian or
Dalmatian insect powder. This powder is not so satisfactory for outdoor use
against insects on plants but some of the prepared pyrethrmn sprays have proven
very effective for this purpose. There are a number of different insecticides
containing preparations of rotenone. Rotenone is the active insect killing a-
gent in the plants knovm as derris and cub6. The nyrethrrum and rotenone sprays
are effective against the same tj.-pe of insects that are controlled with nico-
tine and they have a certain advantage over nicotine in that they will also
kill some of the larger and more resistant insects that cannot be controlled
with nicotine. Some of the easily procured pyrethrum sprays are: "Evergreen,"
"Red Arrow," "Kaloil," and "Agripa^:." Rotenone is the active agent in the
sprays "Derrisol'' and "Cubor." An insecticide called "Florote" contains both
pyrethrum and rotenone.

There is another group of contact inp;ectiddes which may be mentioned
though thoir u.se in t.ie flo./er garden will be rather limited. These are the
oil emulsion sprays. They are iiseful mainly as a control for white flies and
scale insects v;hich sometimes attack roses and other woody ornamental plants.

Fnether one snail put on a liquid spray or a dust will depend upon
the available equijiment and to some extant on weai-he:' conditions. A dust
treatment can be applied more qxiickly than can a sp.raj. . On the other hand
plants can be dusted only when the air is perfacLly still v/hile sprays can be
put on even though there be considerable breeze blowing. To properly apply
the liquid sprays one nmst have a sprayer of some sort. If one has only a few
plants it ma.y be possible to get along with a small sprayer or atomizer such as
is commonly used for applying fly and mosquito sprays. If one has a fair-sized
garden 3.t will perhaps be advisable to get a compressed air or knapsack sprayer
having a capacity of two or three gallons. The batter sprayers of this type
having a copper tark will D.aet longer, but the less exir^ensive ones with a gal-
vanized iron tank will apply the insecticide jur.t as effectively and will last
for a number of years if carefully washed and dried e'JTter using.

There are two comm.on types of small hand dusters v/hich are suitable
for use in the flower garden. In one type the dust is blo-.7n out and distri-
buted by a bellows arrangement -./hile tne other type operates somewhat like a
tire pump. With sucn a duster the dry insect luiie can be applied thinly and
evenly and it can be blown in any direction so uhat the undersides of the leaves
can be protected as vvell as th- upper. If one has neither a sprayer nor a dust-
er dry insecticides can be applied by placing tne material in a cloth bag and
shaking this above the plants. One objection to this method is that the powder
is applied very unevenly so that some parts of the plants will have entirely
too much v/hile other portions will be wholly unprotected. Then, too, this me-
thod allows the insecticide to be applied to only tne upper s^'orface of the
leaves and is practically uselt^ss against insects that feed only on the lower
surface of the leaves.

There are a great many different kinds of insects that may and fre-
quently do become troublesome in the flower garden, and no attempt v/ill be made
to enumerate all of them. It may, hov/ever, be ;vell to mention some of the more
common pests and briefly consider the easiest methods of controlling them.

- I; -

The caterpillars •.vhicli are the yourig or larvae of the moths and but-
terflies constitute cne of tixe important groups of tne biting insects. In gen-
eral they can be controlled by covering the plants with a spray or dust of ar-
senate of lead. The yc-onger stages of many of the caterpillars can also be con-
trolled effectively by the use of one of the pyrethruin or rotenone sprays.

Some of the beetles, notably the flea beetles, sometimes become in-
jurious in flower gardens . The treatment prescribed for the caterpillars v/ill
also prove effective against nost of these.

Cutworms, mole crickets, and grasshoppers cannot successfully be con-
trolled with either sprays cr dusts. The best method of dealing with these pests
is to feed them a poisoned bait. A very ' satisfactory bait is made by thoroughly
mixing four ounces of par is green with six pounds of bran. This mixture is next
moistened with water to vriiich has been added a little syrup and the juice and
grated rind of an orange or lemon. This bait is best applied late in the even-
ing and may be sown broadcast v/iiere the pests are found or it may be scattered
thinly along the rows of plants.

The aphids or plant lice mal:e up a group of the sucking insects that
is often troublesome in flower gardens, almost all kinds of plants being subject
to attack. Aphids ntultipli' very rapidly and the main requisite for successful
control is that the treatment be applied at their first appearance before the
infestation becomes too general. Leafhoppers, plant bugs and fleahoppers are
other sucking insects that may attack cur garden flowers. Thrips form still an-
other group of the sucking insects. They are very small, yellow, brown, or
black insects that are commonly found in flov/ers but which occasionally injure
other parts of plants. Their small size enables tnem to go into the depths of
flov/ers where they are protected and it is difficult to reach them with a spray
material. The various sucking insects are controlled by the use of nicotine
sulfate spray or dust or with one of the pyrethrum or rotenone sprays. Some of
these insects are more resistant tnan others and a stronger spray must be used
to kill them. The manufacturers of insecticides give directions for mixing
their sprays for use against different kinds of insects and these should be fol-
lowed for the particular insects in question.

The essential elements in the control of insect pests of the flov/er
garden can be summed up in one sentence. Keep a close v/atch of the plants and
detect the first appearance of the pest, determine if it is a biting or sucking
insect and on what part of tne plant it is feeding and, having learned these
facts, apply a suitable insecticide.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OP AGRICULTURE.
UNrVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AORICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

DISEASES OF THE FI.OTOR GARDEIT

Talk llo. 22
Fetruarj' 7, 193^+

By Georf^e F. ?Jeber, Plant Pathologist
Florida Agricultural E:cperiment Station

"Oh, Daddy, can you come out in the j^nrden? There is something real ira-
portavit about the flowers," thus shouted ten-year-old Joan shortly after re-
turning from Sunday School.

Doctor Allen, a distinguished physician, slowly laid down his widespread
paper and moved from the upholster-..,;, chair to the garden.

"See," said Joan, "the lilies are ?11 dying and do you remember what you
told me yesterday about ther^? You said, 'Consider the lilies of the field, .
they toil not, neither do they sxdn and jut I say unto you that even Solomon
in all his glory was net arrayed lil;e oae of these.' I didn't understand all
about it but these sick ones don't loolu th?t yray."

"Well, my child, it loolcs as though some of our lily plants are sick."

"Daddy, can you 't^^d to tliem and get them well?" asked Joan.

"I'm afraid not, but you l.row we have sc:,.c plant doctors in Gainesville.
Suppose we send some of the sick plants to them and find out the trouble."

As Dr. Allen sought a trowel, little ooan hurried to join some playmates
in a neighbor's yard. As the lilies were b:ing dug, many thoughts were going
through the active brain of Dr. Allen. Ke knew that the flowers, leaves, stem,
and roots v/ere necessary for accurate dir^nosis. And, when sending these,
thought he, why not send along a few of the mildewed zinnia leaves? He shook
the dirt from the lily roots rjid wrapped them in paper. "I'll also send some
Agcratum leaves that are yellowing and show yellow spots, Djid these petunia
flowers that are st^anted and mottled." After half an hour, a number of diseases
plants, spotted leaves and mp.lformed flowers wore carefully packed for shipment
to the Plant Pathologist at Gainesville. Tlioiigli mate, Dr. Allen's mind was
functioning as follows as he laistircly surveyed his floT.^er g-''rd':^n and porr^'-T''''
plantings: "Flowers, of all created thin.-^js, arc the most innocently simple,
the most superbly complex playthiings for children, soothers of hviman sorrow,
ornaments of the feast and companion'^, of the corpse, beloved by the idiot and
studied by the thinking scientist. Yet '-.'hen they get some disease, it's a d:.f-
ferent story."

The specimens and letter were duly r.^ccivod at the Experiment Station, a-
long with others from va.rious prrts of Florida. The plant pathologist worked
over the morning's mail; ho examined the specimens, with eaii. without the aid

of .louses, ffiD-Luit;.,^. tho parasitlc or ,";■■: iiisui -io ^oiuic. in tlic disoas^.;. ...icrs under
th3 microscope, pl'^.torl out scverr.l of them to grov,' a day or tv/o under observa-
Moi;, consnuied ^.'is co-\'/o:rlcors rud sj..-„ t.,c inicrl books dealing with ;.l'.nt pr.ra-
sitos rnd the diseases tiiey cause, G'^.rdGning, you know, is one pursuit of human
inde'^vor ?n which both sexes and all degrees of education and refinement unite.
!K'o one is too polished to sec the be-^uty of flowers, nor too rough to be capable
of enjoying them. It attracts and c'olights all. It seems to be a common field
'.vhere evciy degree of taste and refinement mr.j'- unite and find opport^'onities for
their gratification.

A day or t^70 l^.ter, Dr. Allen rc-ceived tho following reply to his lett^ir:

"Dear Mr. Allen: Your letter " ^d sp.-icimcns have been received "Jid I shall
hero attempt to give you definite iiiform-.tion concerning the questions asked rjid
a diagnosis of the troubles on the specimens you sent in.

"Your question asking what mosaic is, is 'veil demonstrated by tho easter
lily and petunia specimens which you sent in to us. They have the disease, and
all Tjl^nts in your garden showing these symptoms should be carefully removed and
destroyed because the disease is contragious •"nd will spread to healthy plants.
Mosaic is the name rpplicd to this disease of plants the symptoms of which are
green and yellow mottled, "tuntcd, malformed leaves. The entire plants are u-
sually stunted, causing t" e p].rnt to app ^ij- more rosetted than healthy. No para-
site has been fouiid rosio.isiblo for tho dis:.asc, but there is something con-
tained in the sap of mos^dc pl-'^iits th^t cTses the disease in health;/ plants,
v/hen sap from a diseased plant is transferred to a healthy one. This 'something'
is known in plant science as a virus and mo-^f^ic is often referred to as a 'virus
disea-se. ' Sucking insects such as aphids, jrssids, etc., are probably more re-
sponsible for its spread than a-^vthing elne and it can be quite well controlled
by controlling them. Fungicides are of no value in its control -and mosaic
plants should be removed because they cannot be cured. Press Bulletins from
the Experiment Station dealing with this trouble will give you further details.

"The leaf spots of marigold and phlox are caused by certain prrasitic fun-
gi. The one on rnr.rigolds is not comiAonly found, while the one on phlox is foujii
annually. Both are severe, however, and can be satisfactorily controlled by a
liquid U-U-^O Bordea-ux spray or by dustinj; with 20-80 copper-lime dust. These
•'■"un -•: c i r" e s should bo applied often enough to keep all nev7 growth covered and
protected.

"The zinnia leaves showing th.': white powdery substoxicc on the s'vu-face have
a disease loiown as powdery mildew r \ those with the scattered small angular
spots with dark rcddish-brov/n to pm-ple borders have a lorfspot disease caused
by another fungus. The powdery mildew can be controlled by dusting the plants
with finely grou:id sulphur applied when the plants are ':.'et with dew. Applica-
tions should be made often enough to keep the mildew chocked. The leaf spot
is controlled by .-applying bordeaux or coopor-lime dust, the spray v;hen the
plants are dry rnd the dust when they are web. If both diseases appear on the
plants at the s'\m.e time a single liquid spr,":' of lime-sulphur is probably most
effective. Don't ti^r to combine bordeaux and sixlphur; they v;ill not mix well.

"The agerattim loaves showing sma.ll circular yellow spots with brown cen-
ters, have a disease knc m as rust. This is a true rust caused by a specific
fungus and has no relationship to the term 'rust' erroneously applied to va-
rious diseases such as milde-J, anthracnosc ?-:d blights. The spotted ageratum

• 3 -

!'.ea'"es sho-jj-d cz picked off r.ncl b-urJ-c". if only p. fav7 T)l-''nts ara infect-d. If
'iho infection is general, cut back all plr.nts to three-inch stubs, roracve the
leaves on the stubs and then dust heavily the surrounding soil surface, lifter
the tops are removed and destroyed, -ith fine sulphur.

"The rose loaves show blacl: spot and I might add th-^t finely ground sul-
phur is the best fungicide to apply to control this disease v;hich is so common
^ver;"7hc-re. The sulphur should be fine- eroi:igh to ro through a 3OO mesh sio-ve.
The lilies, African daisy and coreopsis plants are being killed by the c oranon,
soil inhabiting fungus, Sclorotiurn rolf sii. The fungus is common and destrac-
tive and nothing can prevent a plant d.ying that shov/s the '.7ilt symptom of the
disease. You should carefullj'- remove those plants and the soil immediately
currounding them with a shovel; be careful not to scatter the small, brovm,
round sclorotia that appear in numbers a,round the base of the stem, because
they propagate the fungus that causes this disease.

"As to hollyhocks, they do not do '•■ell in this part of Florida because
soil fungi attack them during their resting period — you knov;, these plants
are biennials — and kill them or v^e.-'ken them so thrt they do not do well the
second year. Many other biennials and perennials are affected in this same
way»

"Many garden diseases are cr'rricd over in the soil. To control them the
soil should be sterilized. This is best rccori.plished by using a formaldehyde
solution prepared by diluting one gallon of coimiiercial formaldehyde in fifty
gallons of water. After being thoroughly mi- d, tlie solution is ready for ap-
plication for v/hich use a garden sprinleling can is very handy. The soil to be
treated should be loosened and the fornaldehyde solution applied at the rate of
one-half gallon per square foot of soil surfp.ce. Apply slowly so the solution
will not run off, and immediately cover for twenty-four hours the wet soil with
tarpaulins, canvas or burlap, previously subi.-'.erged in the solution. This pre-
vents rapid evaporation of the formaldehyde from the soil and insures better dis-
infection. After ton days the soil is ready to plant. Be careful not to rein-
fect the soil 'vith tools or by '.valking aci'oss it when planting. This t reatr.ien-'^
"fill not control nema.todes or kill nuiTiorotis weed seed that nay be present.

"Washed sand, and potting soil can be ursily disinfected by b;:2:irig in an
oven as one would cook a five-pound roast. Be sure the soil is thoroughly wet
'.vhen balked. Small flo-'er pots containing soil cp.n be disinfected by submerging
in boiling water for ten minutes. T''iere are other methods of sterilizing soil
not so easily applied and more expensive, but I will not go into that now but
suggest that if you are interested f-orther I -vould oe glad to hoar from you a-
gain.

"Thus, often diseases axe carried on the seed, Plo'-^er seed should be di=!-
infected before planting. Some of t?ie larger seed such rs sunflowers, four
."^'clocks ajid castor beans can be easily handled, but potxmia, poppy and alys-
:-:um seed are us-or.lly so few ml so small that they arc almost imperceptible.
In regard to all flower seed, I woi^'ld suggest a dust treatment with Semesaji,
To dust the seed purchase:, in the correon five or ten cent pa.ckets of seed,
tear off a cornei of the packet, insert a pinch of dust, b;nd over the torn
corner to seal it temporarily and sha2ic it vigorously for a minute. La.rger a-
mounts of seed can be trea.tod in the sajnc waj' by using pint or quart fruit jars
as containers.

''Por the GPjno reason, narcissas bi.ill.s shoul.:l be sopker. t'o ho\irs in ?i
do-able strength Semospxi soluti^'ui p-.v'^- gladioli conns r.houD.d be soaiccd sovsn
hours in doaible strongf!-'. solution b-^fore pl'nting. It r/ould :ilso be advisable
to dust bulbs and corns at di,';ging tins as soon as they are drjr bsfore placing
them in storage to reduce th-; decay in storaj'c ' nd insure good clean stock for
fall pl-^nting.

"Tlie d:,'infj of sceUings soon after t'rcy ei".ior.::o from the soil is general-
ly spoken of as 'danipoff.' 'Jliis disease is caused by any of several soil-in-
habiting, parasitic fungous organisms comnon in almost all Florrda soils. 'I'he
disease is enco'ontered e-nnurJly by all gardeners. These fungi attack the
young tender seedlings at the soil line. The cells in this area are killed ajid
collapse, the stem is vealcened and t?io seedling falls over and dies. This
trouble can be checked by applying a norLial liquid solution of Scmesan so that
the top half inch of soil in the seed bod is wet; this will require about a
quart of solution to ton square feet of soil sur-face. This treatment should
ched-' the disease in thirty-six hours. It can be repeated after U2 hours if
necessary. Tlie applicp.tion of this solution r;ill not harm the seedlings.

"One other co.ution: In watering flo-,^er gardens it v;ould be more desirc.cle
to apply water in the early morning tiia.n in the evening and also to water no. ^
thoroughly and not so daftcn.

"I have attempted to give you t"ie information you asked for and also to
dia.gnose the diseases you sent to us. Possibly some additional questions will
arise ai"ter reading this letter, in v:hich case I would be glad to attempt their
answer at any time you care to inq\"ire.

"Respectfully yours,

"Plant Pat^^olo^;ist."

Dr, Allen read the letter with considerable interest and set about to put
into action the recomiviend^.tions he received. He went back and forth from gar-
den to tool shed apparently very busy, r.nl as ^q busied hirisclf with the tasks
he could have written the follo-^ing lines if 'le cared to register his thoughts:

"To raise your garden flowers various arts combine,
Learn them well in practice so no ■l■^lants decline.
Conceive plrnt constitutions whether work aa.- strong.
And put them in that element where such groups belong,,
As a guardian soldier diill the insect's knives.
Be their good physician, carefully guard their lives.
Give them space oja'- sunshine to swing and sv/ay and blow;
Act as dietician so that they live and graj'."

eOLLBSE OF AGdlCULTUne.

UNivensiTY OF flobida.

AND UNITEO STATES DEPARTMCNT
OP ASRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

AOniCULTUnAL CXTENSION BSRVICB

COUNTV AGENT AND

HOMC DCMONSTMATION W^KK.

Crn?jnental G-ord'=ning in Florida
Radio Series

Talk No. 23
Fet. lU, 193I+.

Prmiing Trees and Shrats or .Rat charing Them - Wiich?

Clias . E. Abl'Ott, proTesiior of horticulture
University of Florida College of Agriculture

Pinming is the process of cutting off excess or undesirable living,
dying or dead branches, twigs, roots or other plant parts to benefit the partt;
that remain.

The practice of pruning is as old as huinan hiotory. It is referred to
specifically in Leviticus (XXY, 3? ^) v-here the Children of Israel are told to
prune their vineyards and gather the frait during six years, but in the seventh
year to let the vines go unpruned. In five oVaer pa3sa5';es in the Old Testament
figurative reference is also made to pi-aning and pruning; hooks. In spite of the
ancient origin of the practice and the efforts of m-ii):y iitvostigators during the
intervening centuries, we h.ive by no means reac '.ed the limits of knov/ledge, but
can claim to hr^v^ discovered -mo demonstrp.ted only a few important principles and
useful practices. Th.?se are, ho., over, unierstood by com^jaratively few of the peo-
ple who grow plants, and ev 1 by r jiy of th3 self-styled "priming experts", as
evidenced by the ill effect, observed in nuTiiciou^ fruit and siiade trees.

Proper pruning demands kno,;ledge of pl':.nt physiology. Unless the person
('.oing the pruning has "t least a \ior'riri.% knov/1 rd; ;■ ■; of how plants grow he will be
unable to prune intelli.gently to procure da^ir. d results. On the coutr ry he may,
and probably will, do far more irnrn.:-di:ite or ultira-te harm than good. Simplj' to
top off limbs with an ax-, or improperly to remove others with a saw is not pruning
but usually a type of tre-^ "butchery or vivisection; for the tr-^e is almost sure to
suffer and sooner or later die from th-;; iffccts. Again, without having a defi:iite,
desired end, and intelligently working within the scope of the underlying physio-
logical principles the specimen treated may develop nothing but disease, decay,
death and disapxjointment .

With every kind of fruit, even with the ornajr.ental plants, such as
:."xowering shinibs, tnere arc vv.rioas systems a*id ido.lj of pi''u.ii:ig and training.
These, so far as the woody fruit and hedge plants are concerned, differ mainly
in the form which it is designed to fivv; the plant and in the management of the
annual growtns . Some differences are ' le to variations among the varieties or
L'i:ecies, others to the aims sought, still ot i^rs to environmental conditions or
ty.e fashion of the locality, and many art- merely a matter of the grov/er's vvhim or
caprice .

In no branch of pla-nt culture is it more importojit for the cultivator
to have a clear mental picture or ideal for which to strive than in pruning.

Plarts, both fruit and ornanieutals , r-: :50 op-jn to accidents of cultiva-
tion, fltorm, disease and inr.ect attacks, that it is often impossible to secure,
much less maintain, an absolut-ly ideal spocir'icn, yet the ideal plant majst be
held tenaciously in the pnmer's !.\ind or his mechanic'il skill v.'ill count for
naught .'ind the plants he pruJus will necf ssarily be unevjn in form, appearance,
development and prolificacy. Vfith a clear ideal const-aritly h?ld while at v/ork
the primer may approach oven -riproximate realization of his desires, and v/ili be
able to counteract undesirable t'-mdencies and to direct the energies of the plant
in the right direction. Wit., no plants is this uora important than -with young
ones .

Common practice demands a little prTXf.i^w v/ith transplanting operations
but it is difficult to make any hard and fast rules which should be follov/ed. The
plants vary so much in their habit of growth that of necessity practices suitable
to one plant may be detrimental to another. However, there should be in every case
some relation between the length of the roots ond the size, height and diameter of
the top, vvhen trees or plants are transplanted. The roots ordinarily left on
small plants -.vill be short, while on larger plants the roots will be longer. Im
almost every case the largest and by far the most important part of the root sys-
tem is left in the ground. Even if it v/ere possible to take up the entire root
system with the plant or tree, its close contact v/ith the soil v/ould be jjlestroyed
and is not reestablished except e.s new roots grow.

Some plants, such as arborvitae and azaleas, have finely branched root
;;/Suems, while others, as the pecan, p .rsimmon and crape-myrtle have very poor
r'^ot systems. Yet such plants as persi'vimon and crape-myrtle can be transplanted
.:. easily as can citrus or any of the ether plants with nuch branched root sysr?
tens, if the job is done at the proper time.

The tops of most woody plants snould be pruned back to establish an
pqailibrium betv/een the functions of the top -rtid roots. This is necessary that
the amciont of water lost by transpiration from the top will not exceed the amount
of water absorbed by the greatly reduced root system. If this is dore the chances
for success are much greater tnan if the top is large in proportion to the roots.

In pruning the tops of plants and trc: i every precaution should be taken
to prevent injury to the p". is th^t remain. Mary casvs of d^cpy and permanent in-
jury to trees can be traced to improper pruning. One of the most common mistakes
is leaving stubs of branches when ticy are cut ofi'. In renoving a branch the fina!^
cut should be made as close to the t runic or branch as possible and in such posi-
tion that the face of the wouiid v/ill be parallel to the general flow of the sap
:in the part from which the branch -./as cut. A stub left while proning is like a
"""-lind alley, the sap cannot circulate through it and the living tissue soon
dies. Too frequently limbs are broken off by storms and the resulting stubs are
av much of a menace as those thi.t man may leave.

A sharp knife is often desirable for pruning small trees and sarubs
p.n': should always be in reach. Pruning shears are less desirable for small plant?,
because too frequently they bruise the bark. Most of the injTiry can be avoided
if the sharpened, movable shear is held next to the tree stem. A variety of
Tn-iuiing saws are available. For small branches and limbs a 20-inch curved pruning
oavv is satisfactory. Tv/o-cdged pruning saws should not be used bec--ase tne extra
edge frequently damages nearby limbs.

-3-

Snall br-a-nciies should le r-.-^oved v;ith c o cuts. First make an -undercut
until the saw binds, then cut do.vn v/ifh the saw directly above ths und.-^rcat and
proceed -ujitil the two cuts uest or ur.til the limb bruaics oi'f . All cats should
be clean and snoobh so that no splinters or t-ars r^^r.iain in the bark.

Lar^rff limbs usually have to b,' rvmoved v/ioh at least three separate cuts
to prevv:nt the edge from splittinti and to kesp the bark from tearing. First re-
move tht bulk of the lirab 12 to IS inchis beyond the first cut, in the raauner d^::-
scribed for small limbs. Usually it id easier to make an \-uidercut until the saw
pinches paid then proceed with a cut from aJjove, a fevir inches aliead of ths luider-
cut. The weight of fJie branch vdll break it off but the undercut will prevent
tne bark from tearing down. Next take off the stub, which can oe done easily
with th^ heavy linb ^:on-?. The cut shrr-.ld be flush with the trunl: even thcu/^a t'.e
scar will be fairly large.

All wo-jxids of an inch or mora in di-:>m3ter should be painted over v/ith
white lead paint or some other good tree woiuid dressing. Neglect of this precau-
tion may lead xiltimately to the loss of a tree. Deca^- may set in at the site
of the open wound and travel downward into the comter of the tnuil':.

The time of priudng varies with different sprcies but as a general rale

the work should be done v/hile the tree is dormant. Deciduous trees may be primed

late in their dormant season, and evergr.; tls at any time except when actively
growing.

Trocs and s'-irabs t -.t form their il0'..;r ouds during summer and fall
vrevious to the time when th-. blc ssr Cis opf:n, S' ch P'^i azaleas and spireas, should
.ir- pruned, as a general rule, imiiediately :-'ft-:;r the plants have finished flowering.

Those plants that produce ti.,.ir f lowers on shoots of current season's
growth, such as abvlia, hibiscus and roses should be pruned during the dormant
"■ea'^jon so as to avoid interfering v/ith th-. production of f lov.'srs .

Natur., is not at all concerned 'w-ith the prod^iction of large, well-
jhaped flowers (such as roses) that gardeners like. Her only aim is to produce
seeds, the more the better. Consequently an impiniri-.d rose bush is likely to
produce a great quantity of relatively small flowers of no particular shape and
value for garden purposes.

The purpose of pr-LU-iin'3 ro^-^s is t'l o fold: to conserve the energi'-^'S of th^
plant by directing its vitality into those branches which can best use it, and stil]
iuvther to concentrate it into the proper nui.iber of flov/ors that the plant can de-
velop to perfection.

Pruning, consequently, includes t'u-o- distinct operations, thinning out,
v/h-ich means completely removing dead anr'. undesirable v/ood which nature would de-
t-'oy anyway, thus permitting new grov/th to devote its-jlf to the business of pro-
i:ing flov/ers; and shortening the remaining sh ots to control the number of
i'.-wers; 30 that th^-y may be cr^:. ditable i.i f.'.ir-. an.", size.

For pru;iing bush rosc s in North FloriO.a the best seasons are early in
October and in late F'-)bnv-'ry. PartJier South, the October pnuiing m-y be delayed
and the spring pruning advanced. In pruning ros^s one should first remove all dead

a-^.''. v.T'-r': shi.ots, then cut "bnclc ti^e str ■ .-,■ st-nn, renovi:'- ~ on-!-fourt:i to ore-third
of the old \/cod.

Cli.'.bins ro.-jes shculd bo prLV-.o.'. lo'j:-; tlia. "DMsh for.ir, , hut all "lOad •..nd
weak v;ood should he rsmoved. This should he i.;.t.in£ ii.r'.ediately follov/ins the heavy
hloorain./; of sprin,".

Ill concliisicn, it should he espaciall;; emphasized tjiat the pi-incipal
affect of prxiniir; on M'.v plant i:3 a nodif icutioa of the nutritional halance in
the plant. T.ie irnmadi-Mto, vi rlhle effect of pru;.in,j is to stinrolate gro.vth
close to the c^t portions of i f-T.; vigorour. shoots. Tuis response may he due
in part to an increase in thj v/ater and nitro. cc n supply to those portions re-
maining, for the total number of ;;ro\;-r:\fi, jDoints hciS heen red-iced, whereas the ab-
sorhins surface has not been dirainishud. The results of anj"- kind of pruning, es-
pecially on young trees, is to retard the develop lent of the entire plant -
tops and roots.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eOLLESE OP AGRICULTURE.
'university of FLORIDA,
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SEnViCI

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series ,

T^lk No. 2.k
Feb. 21, 193^.

Flowering Trees for Florida

A. F. Ccirap, head
Department of Horticulture, Florida Experiment Station.

In selecting ornamental trees, we ordinarily consider them for their
va,lue as shade or as a haclcgrotuad for other ornamentals. In Florida, however,
we have a siirprising ntimber of trees that are notable for the beauty of their
flowers. Some of these are also splendid foliage trees and -rould gain a place
regardless of their blooming habit, whereas, there are many others which are
notable only or primarily for their blooms. In the latter group v/e find r.iany
deciduous trees i^hich, if planted in quantity, give too much of a northern
atmosphere during the winter months , where- s Florida should be notable for the
tropical or subtropical atmosphere of its ornamental plantings. The deciduous
f levering trees come into consider ,tion m;L;t extensively for northern Florida,
where many of them are native and v.'-here it is more difficult to maintain winter
plantings of a subtropical appearai^ce.

Because many of the deciduous trees are natives, we will discuss them
first, together with other flowering trees for northern or central Florida.
Two of these are familiar to all — the Redbad, or Jtidas tree, and the Dogwood,
Both of these grow wild in Florida liainmccks and, while they are leafless
during the winter, they outdo themselves during the spring. The Redbud
is one of the first trees to burst into blooi.i in the spring and its v/ealth
of small pink flowers is produced before the leaves and, v/hen displayed
agr.inst a background of green, it is very be-^^utifxil. The tree is usually
small and frequently poorly shcped and should be plraited with other trees.
The Dogwood is another c:\rly spring bloomer which adds beauty to the Florida
hammocks and to countless hone i>lantings. Fneu in full bloom the tree is
almost a mass of white. The f lowers themselves are snail and inconspicuous
but the display is caused by white bracts or modified leaves surrounding the
actual flowers. This condition is not uncorm.ion in plants, the well kno-vm
Bougainvillea having small flowers while the wealth of color comes from the
subtending bracts.

Another native deciduous tree that is a thing of beauty dui'ing the
spring if the wild crabapple. Under Florida conditions it grows to a height
of 25 ft. and can be advantageously used tj give a touch of color when it is
badly needed in early spring. Other deciduous trees that are notable for thfir
bloom and v/hich are suited to north(.;rn Florida are the Catalpa, which flov/err
in early suianer; Aleurites f ordj. , the tung tree, which bears a profusion of
v/nite and pink bloom in the spring; the fringe tree, or Old Man's Beard, a
native, vAiich bears in spring a wealth of t'-reenish-white flowers, Vitex
/.jgnus-castus, commonly known as the Chaste or Hemp tree, and Koelreuteria
f 0 mo Sana , which flowers in October,

In using any of the decidujus flowering trees > the fact that they are
leafless in winter must he torne in nind. They should be planted, if possible,
so thr.t they have a green background in '.rinter and particularly during the
blooming season, if they bloon before the leaves appear* It is no easy
natter to lay out grounds so that such trees v/ill bo inconspicuous during
their leafless period, but with care in planning this caJi be done and the
colorful results are well worth while.

In addition to those we have already discussed for northern ojid central
Florida, v/e have a nunber of others of real value. Some of these are decid-
uous but only for a short period, while others get a new crop of leaves - .
coincidentally vdth the loss of the old leaves, so that they are never bare
of foliage. The Magnolia, which grows vdld through Central and North Florida,
is notable for its large white flowers and its glossy f Jliage. A relative
of the Magnolias, the tulip tree, or yellow poplar, is found native along
streans and is frequently planted. The Minosa, Albizzia Julibrissin^ is
frequently planted in dooryards through North and Central Florida and its
fernlike foliage and flowers, with a profusion -if long -and conspicuous stamens,
nake it notable in its class. The Loblolly Bay and the Jerusalem Thorn about
complete the list of flowering trees for northern Florida,

For the central and southern areas of the state, the choice of flower-
ing trees covers a much wider range of possibilities, and many of the species
are notable, not only for their bloom, but also for the beauty of their foliage
and their general value as ornamental trees. Relatively few of these are
deciduous in the sense that they remain leafless throughout the winter, though
many of then are leafless for periods of from one to eight v/eeks, generally
during the spring. This period of leaflessness is usually not sufficient to
condemn them for general ornamental usage and they are consequently not sharp-
ly distinct from the evergreen trees. Some of these flower during the leafless
period and for that reason the flowers stand out even more strikingly than do
the flowers of the evergreens.

Many of these flowering trees are very sensitive to cold and, in choos-
ing flowering trees for central or southern Florida, great care should be used
to pick those species which will stand the degree of cold that nay be expected
in the locality where they are planted. Soi.;e will be found adapted only to
the lower East and West Coasts, \/here frost seldom occurs, vvhile others are
suited to protected locations in Centrol Florida, Since the number of avail-
able species is so large, it is possible to nalre selections with a particular
location in mind and thus avoid ?jay severe cold damage. Most of the species
that have already been discussed for North Florida V7ill do well in Central
Florida but many of them will not do well in extreme South Florida. Some of
the genera already discussed for North Florida include other species which are
adapted to southern Florida. AlhijSzia. ^lliiilisjiji. is grovra throughout the north
and central area, as previously mentioned, whil^ jU-b i z zia L cbbek , knov/n cor.mon-
ly as the Woman' s- Tongue tree, is grovm only in south Florida; the tung oil
tree ^J.e-arites, gordi. and A. montanft are adapted to northern Florida, while 4.
mQluccayiCi,.:..t:5£da^rand l^rispernja. grow satisfactorily in the southern districts,
A. moluccana being an evergreen.

The outstanding flowering tree of southern Florida is the Royal Poinciana,
tropical in habit, which is grown throughout the lovver east and west coasts
and in well protected locations in central Florida. Generally a low-spread-
ing tree with fern-like foliage, it carries during the early summer months a

- 3 -

nassive cap of trilliant scarlet flov/ors. The individur,! flowers are two to
three inches across, vdth rich scarlet petals, except for the x^jpdr petal,
which is tinged with yellow. These flowers are barne in lar£;e racemes and
fomi a scarlet layer overtopping the gree.i of the foliage. The tree grows
rapidly and nay reach a height of 30 ft. v.lth a spread at least equal to the
height cjid often nore. Probably no other floi,/ering tree is as strongly favor-
ed for South Florida, and its rapid grov/th and v/ide adaptation to soil condi-
tions has r.;r.de it extrenely useful for nany types of planting.

Another of the greatly favored floT„ering trees for Southern Florida
is the Jacaranda. Like the Royal Poinciana, it lias a fern-like foliage and
in the period frora April to June bears a profusion of lavender-blue flowers,
in long loose panicles. Just prior ti the blooning period, the tree is par-
tially or wholly without foliage for a short tine. This lias been one of the
favorite flowering trees of Florida for nany years and probably has a slight-
ly v/ider clinatic adaptability than has the Royal Poinciana.

There are nany other trees which are used extensively on account of
their flowers, though probably they are not .'■.s generally knovm or as extensive-
ly used in hone plantings as the two nentionod above. The two species of
Bauhinia , naraely, alba and punoureai coroonly known as orchid trees in Florida,
are being nore extensively used tnan in the past, particularly for roadside
plantings, oJid their large flowers are very beautiful during the spring, they
bear a narked resemblance to orchids.

Among the species tliat present a shovjy and beautiful bloom nust be re-
corded the various species of Cassia that are grown in Florida, Like a number
of our other flowering trees, the Cassias belong to the fanily Leguninosae,
the notable representative,; of this family being, of course, the Royal
Poinciana. The Cassias in Florida are all snail trees with finely divided
foliage and a profusion of bloon in spring, Passia fistul". has yellow flovif-
ers and is frequently coJled the Golden SliowBr, C. sia!.iea has pale yellow
flowers and C_. nodosa has pink flowers, as has C. grandis, while Q_.Beareana has
beautiful yellow flowers. All species need good protection fron cold.

Two other species that are notable for their great wealth of bloon are
Spathodea campanulata and Stenolobiuxo stalls. The forner is known commonly as
the Fountain tree or Tulip tree. It h.:vs large scarlet blossons which are pro-
duced in great profusion in short raceiies. The tree is evergreen and may
reach a height of 60 to JO ^t. It is a worthy relative of the flame vine,
belonging to the sDXie fanily. Stenolobj-'.m stojis also belongs to the Bignor.ia
far.iily and is commonly known as Yellow Elder, This species does not make an
outstonding tree, being rather shrubby in character. It is notable for its
beautiful yellov/ flov/ers, b^rne in the fall. Planted with other ornanentalo-
it gives a pleasing touch of colsr during the fall season.

In adc'ltion to those already mentioned for south Florida, there are a
number of others ha,ving blooms of beauty or of interest. A number of these
do not present the brillieuit sort of show that is characteristic of the Roya'
Poinciana or Jacaranda but the single flowers are of outstanding beauty or ol
great and interesting peculiarity, pillenip. indica. while little used as yet.-
is a sjjlendid ornamental both on account ,f its foliage and its beautifiol
white flowers \7hich are 6 to 8 inches across. The various species of Pl-untric,
which conr.ionly are known under the nar.ie of Frangipani, produce a \7ealth of
flowers, various species giving flovver colors of red, yellow and white, the

flov/ers appearing for several noi.tli<^ in the ^'ear, Tci'be'b.uia p^gntaph.ylla
produces a, notable ?xioui"it of lon^ pink fl.wers in the lat<i -.Tinter and
spring nonths. One of thj species havin ; a flower of outstandini^ pecu-
liarity aiid interest is Cournupito, f'.r.iariousis , Jaiov/n as the cannon ball
tree aju. a relative of the Brazil nut. The flov/ers are very large and of
a peculiar shape and are borne on long woody racenes on the trunk and larger
brojiches. The flov/ers are reddish-yellow on the out sic' e and crimson v.-i th-
in and pectiliarly folded. No piarticular display of bloon is present but
the peculiar nethod of be^jring the floT;ers together vdth their peculiar
shape nakes it a very interesting tree. It is not possible to mention
all of the valuable specios here but this will give an ideo. as to the
extent of the available naterial.

In placing flowering trees in ornoxiental plojatings, their character-
istics should be studied carefully with regard to the location. The list
of available nia.terial is great, and we have only touched the surface here.
To be valuable as a blooming ornoxiental, the flowers should be showy aiid
should last for a long tine. Mpjiy trees are beautiful in bloon but the
bloon passes too quiclcly to npice then of great value, unless they are out-
standing for other reasons. Others, while having narevelous single bloons,
do not bloon heavily enough to naJ-e rxi attractive shov.'. Still others, v/hile
carrying beautiful bloons, are poorly adapted to specimen planting owing to
their irregular sliape ajid must be placed with other plantings. A proper
selection of blooming s^pecies properly placed will add nuch to any or.iaiuenti^?
plDjiting by giving a succession of colorful bloons to brealc the green of
other shrubbery and trees.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eOLLCSE OP AGRICULTURE.
UNrVERSITY OF FLORfDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OP AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DCHONgTRATION WORK.

Ornamental C-ardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk No. 25
Feb. 28, I93U

The Development of Garden Plants

P. H. ?enn,
Assistant professor, farm crops and genetics

University of Flo..'ida, Colle,ge of Agriculture.

Many gardeners are now plannin,^ to grow flov.-ers in their ycrdc or
gardens. On turning the pa^,cs of a seed catalog or garden book, they, no doubt,
are profoundly impres;;ed wi:h ohe great variety of plants available. One wonders
how and from what source t'.ie coedsman has ar.seiibled so vast a collection of
varieties of different ornamental.-;. Great u.-iTibt. j.-"? of varieties are offered among
garden plants. How has this great variation in plant types and forms been
developed?

One has only to turn back the pa^'es of memory a few years to realise
that many of the plant forms and types we enjoy today were not knovm or heard of
.20, 10, or even five years ago. Seed catalogs undergo annual revisions to keep
pace with new developments in plants. Some of the older varieties and types are
passing out of use and newer pioductions are offered in their stead.

Nature herself is constantly making changes in the architecture of her
materials and productions. Such chanf:es in nature man calls "sports" or "breaks"
or more technically "mutations". Man has preserved many of these changes and
uocd them in bringing into existence newer plant developments. Such changes ma.y
occur at different times, and under different conditions, wherever the plant may
be found growing. These changes may take place among plants growing in the wild
state, but changes among wild plants are more likely to pass unnoticed than
changes in plants under cultivation a.id observation.

Improvements among plants have been brought about, not by any one
person, but by a number of workers la.boring in different fields. The explorer,
the collector, the plant introducer and the -olant breeder have all combined
their efforts in bringing about the vonderful changes noted among garden plants
of today. The collector labors to bring together as r.:any variations as possible
of a particular grour> of plants. The explorer goes out into unexplored and
uninvestigated regions and searches for new and different kinds of plants peculiar
to those regions. The plant iutroducer assembles plants from different foreign
lands and introduces them into ot'riGr continents where they have never been tried.
It remains for the plant breeder to utilize the'jc variations, wherever they may
be found, or from whatever source they may have come. He employs his knowledge
of the laws of inheritance, and works to bring forth new types and new corabinatiors
of characteristics in a plant which he hopes will be more useful and more
desirable to man than those already available.

What are some of these desirable characteristics? This is not an easy
question to answer since desirable characteristics for one group of plants may be
quite different from those desired in another group. The plant breeder krows that
man is ever demanding something better in plants. These demaxids are often in the

,2-

nacure of a change in come Vijgetati\e fo'on of tl.o plant, a aiffcronie in the
qv-ality of the fruit o:.' color of the flov:or, £-re>.ter proviucing abilities and
ability to i-'ithstand the i-i^^orc of r dif f ere t er.vironraent , or to survive attacks
of disease and insect pests.

As v/e look around T7e see varieties that are tall and those that are
dwarf. There are those with clinihing habits ani others v;ith an upriglit ftaturo
and still others that are spreadinf'-; and have a lo.v habit of gro'.7th. There is
also form in leaf, in fruit, and flower, E::araples of these various forms come
immediately to mind v/hen v/e turn our thout~hts to the flowering plants around ti.s
average home. Qualitj'- is a factor of paramount importance in developint;; field,
tiuck and horticultural plants. Color of flower will ever be foremost in mind
"hen seeking improvements among garden plaaits groY;n for their flowers. The public
ever anxious to procure something new cand different in the color scale.

■» r

Manv garden plants are planted in beds and trseri for cut flowers. In

either case the ability to produce flowers is essential. It is not uncommon for

the breeder to find a plant that produces flo\.ers of fine quality, but the flower;:,

are produced in quantities too few for the plant to be of commercial iraportpjic?,;

There is the desire to grow certain types of plants in distant
latitudes and at different altitudes; arid so extend their limits of culture. In
an effort to meet these demands, hardier varieties thr.t will grow under more trying
conditoons are produced.

So'.ie soils are infested with plant diseases, and the need arises for
varieties that sho'.v resistance to their attacks. These diseases as vrell as
insect pests hinder the growth uf plants. At once a demand is made on the breeder
for nev; varieties and tj^pes that may be ,^i'own s"v ccessfully under such conditions.
Soil differences exist in ot'ier respects - some are acid while others are allzaline
in nature, some are rich in plant nutrients while others are poor and much depleted.
Through years of developing and teftinr , the bree;"''ei-' has developed varieties
adapted to growing under va.ried soil conditions.

Seasonal habits must be reckoned v/ith in plant development. There are
the annual, biennial, ani perennial plants. Ai.iong the annuals there are those
furnishing flowers early in the season, others blooming late, and some that are
good producers practically throughout the growing season. Even within the same
variety, in some instances strains have betni developed that are e?rly a?id we hs^/e
others that are late. Such differences arc inherited. They are produced by
nature and not by man. Man can only preserve and utilize them in an effort to
br:'ng about a new type of plant.

Let us now turn our attention to a few of the common and well-known
t,-.-J.3n plewiitc and see if wc can note a^v'' recent chanf^ct, and de". elopi-i'-nts a:.iong-
then, Ta]'e for example the zinnia - the Old Maid of the garden. This is a flower
that came originally from Mexico. It was introduced into European gardens, and
there naraed in honor of an European pi Tician, Dr. Zinn. TThen the zinnia was
first intro.luced, its chief claim for existance was thit it was an easily grown
annual, enduring under various kinds of hardships and neglect, and that it had a
long season of bloom. Originally the flov/er itself was unI:ompt and ragged, with
colors far from the color standards of today. Many will recall the dingy whites,
the greenish yellows and the murky reds. But note the r.iraculous c}'.?-nges that
have come about when one views the range from fiery red fch the delicaic pastel
shades in the zinnia gardens of today.

■i>-

'2he ziimia has achieved its rreatest advances since about ^920 vvhen a
California f;rower started developing: this connion (garden flo'.ver. NoL only more
and purer colors have been produced, but variations in shape and form and size have
been achieved. There is the r.ianmoth dalilia-flowered form which ai:peared sone 20
years a{ro in the fields of a seed £;ror.er. It a-npeared as just one plant in 7/hich
the petal arranr;ement of the old type zinnia had been chanj-^ied by nature into a
more graceful and beautiful combination. This orijftina.l dahlia-flowered zinnia was
red in color. Seeds of it were saved and from this planting a mixture of f levers
of several colors, still retainiiv: the dahlia form, were produced. Then followed
several years of {growing an:L selection before the dahlia type was fixed in various
colors. But look at the zinnia collection of today. It is the pride of many
gardens, presenting itself in many attractive for.ns and "orgeous colors. In
addition to the courtly dahlia-forms, there are the dwarfs in their array of
splendor, the quilled, the lilliput or pon.pons , and the richly colored giants, all
from the once neglected garden plant - The Old Kaid.

TKiat has been accom.plished over a relatively brief period for the zinnia,
has been realized also for many other annual plants. One need mention only a few„
There are the petunias among which v.-e find, the single and plain petaled, the
fimbriated and fringed, the fluffy raffles and the giant double fringed with
flowers in enormous in size. At the same time the color range has been extended to
meet the demands of the most fastidious.

Among the nasturtiums there are both dvrarf and cligibing types, toge'hcr
with a brilliant color range never before seen in this plant. The sweet-secnted
double Golden Gleam is probably the newest accomplishment of nasturtium breeders.

" Many new and improved types far superior to the small flowers of the old
form have been developed among the marirolds. There are the tall and the dwarf
varieties with a scale of colors running through shades of lemon, orange, gold
e.nd maliogany brown. The doubles are m?.rhed improvements over the old form.

The calendula or Scbtch marigold is a flower that is comrr.on in Florida

during the winter season. Here one finds yello-, orange and primrose colors that
are very showy. More recently there has bee^n added to the list of t\'pes
chrjAsanthemum-f lowered varieties with loose petals and those with long quilled
and twisted petals.

Vast improvements have been made among numerous other annual f levering
plants, common in Florida gardens. Let us not thini:, hov/ever, that all the
developments and accon;^lishnents have been among the annuals. Marvelous changes
have been developed among the biennial and the perennial flowering plants as well.
To mention a few such as the gladiolus, ainaryllis, the canna and the iris and d.ay-
lily - plants common in Florida gardens - one recalls the great variation in Ij-pe
and form of plant and color ranges among the flowers and in some insta,nces color
rarges in the foliage.

Hybridization cr cross-breeding is a method used extensively by plant
breeders in developing many garden plants. It consists in the crossing of a
plant possessing certain characteristics with another plant. The cross is mad;
in the hope of combining the desired characteristics of each in a single plant.

-,l!.-.

This has been a fruitful metliod for the breeder. He has used the hereditavy
variations or mutations of nature. These variations have oeen ma'^.e available
through careful observers noting; rare sjid distinct types a,ppearing abruptly
among their plants. Max^v of these variations have been preserved and later
used by the plant breeder as foundation stocks for a new variety.

When hybridization is to be undertaken it is essential to understand
the structure of the flov/er. Many plants have both male and female organs in
the same flower. Before coossing is attempted it is necessary to remove the
male organs of the flower before the pollen is shed. The flov/er is then
protected by a small paper bag until it is receptive to pollen. This prevents
contamination from undesirable pollen. YJhen the flo\7er is receptive, pollen
is then taken from another plant and placed upon the female flor/er. If
pollination is successful seed v/ill ripen and later produce the hybrid plants,
These hybrids are usually very unstable. They must be grown several years and
from them the desired type is selected^ Further testing is necessary to
determine v/hen the type has become fixed and is ready to be offered as a nevr
production.

The wonderful changes and developments among the garden plants of
today are the accomplishments of f-.e plant breeders and other plant workers
working together to bring about thc-e marvelous improvements. They are not
satisfied but are ever on the alert for something better, working for something
different, something more useful and more beautiful for man's needs and
enjoyment. Let us not be unmindful that for every variuty offered by the
seedsman and grower, in many instances, yer-rs of painstaking time and effort
have been spent in developing each new plant to its nresent state of perfection.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLESB OF AGRICULTURC.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATes DEPARTMENT
O' AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

Ornajnental G-ardening in Florida
jiacio beries

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SCRVICB

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Talk Wo' 26
March J, 193U

BAIvBOOS, "^TTE THEE GRASSES.
By - Robei't A. Yomig, U.S. Department of Agricultuie
Bureau of Plant Industry, Division of Plant Exploration
and Introdviction.

We usiially think of trees and grasses as representing plants of
oppo-iite extremes in height, There are, however, several distinct groups of the
large family of grasses that contain members tall enough to entitle them' to be
called trees if heigiju alone were considered, but a tree should be woody, have
some sort of branches, and be capable of living for a number of years. In the
grass family it is only in the group called bamhoor, that we find plants that
fulfill all these conditions.

Not all true bamboos are of tree isi'ze or habit of growth. Some of the
smallest grow only a few inches high and are really grass-like in appearance.
Bamboos vary greatly in size, rangin,';; from v;/grnies of 6 inches to super-giant?
of 120 feet in height. The tallest have diameters up to 12 inches.

More than UOO different specie!-, of bamboos are knovm. They are fcJiid
mostly in the tropics and subtropics but there are hardy kinds that thrive in
■'•he milder parts of the temperate zones. Some endure temperatures slightly
below zero without serious injury. All of them do best in a reasonably rich a.iA
'■'.oist but well-drained soil. The valuable ones are not swamp plants and will not
uhrive in poorly-drained soil. Nearly all bamboos are evergreen, those of the
■f'rnpcrate zones gradually repl-Tcinr their old leaves with new ones in the spring
ar.d early summer.

The hardier bamboos are mostly natives of China and Japan, and these
include the smallest kinds as well en' some tliat attain heights of 60 to 80 feet.
Two are native to the southern United States. These are the canebrake bamboo
and the smaller-growing switch-cane. There are no native bamboos in Europe and
very few in Africa, Tropical America has many native species, but by far the
largest nurnber of bamboos are native to soatheastern Asia and the Malay Archipe-
lago.

TYPES OF BAlviBOOS.

In habit of ,; rovjtn bamboos arc of t'vo general types: clijmp-formiiig
and ininning. There are ma..y differin,^ groups v/ithin each type but time will not
permit detailed mention. In the clump bamboos the culms, or canes, are usually
very close together, because tl'.c bids v;hic]i sprout from the base of the plant
beneath the surface of the ground almost immediately turn upv/ard to form a new
culm. The bamboos of this type growii outside the tropics send up their new
culms in midsiommer or later. They do not usually extend their branches until
spring ani so present an odd appearance during the vdnter.

In the niniiing t^.^e of baiiil'oo, on the othor hand, there are horizontal
i-'_ndergrouno. stems, or rhisones, which of ton grow several feet in length in a
season and it is from these rhizomes that the vertical culms are sent up. at
irregular intervals. Culms arising from one of these horizontal rhizomes ma;- he
from a fe'./ inches to a number of feet apart. The rhizome usually ceases direct
lengthening after one season and sends out numerous side branches, ;vhich in turn
later send up vertical shoots to fonn new culms; thus a thicket of culms develops
ai.:d, filially, a i^vove, or forest, if the barJooo be of gia.it tyoo.

All the hardiest baxttboos are of the nnning type and none can be groi,vn
in clump formation or other small area without artificially confining the
rhizomes or continually destroying undesired shoots. The nev; culms of this type
of bamboo sprout regularly in the spring and so have opportunity to harden
somewhat before cold weather. In a warm region, new shoots may continue to
appear until raid-autumn. The miniraiom area in which a running bamboo can be grovm
to its greatest height depends mainly on rh'^t that height is. Roughly, the
diameter of such an area must somewhat exceed the hei;;ht of the bamboo.

The length of tine required bj" any bamboo to produce culms of maximum
height, after being started from a sr.iall plant, will again depend upon what the
ultimate height is and also on the soil conditions and the cultural care given,,
Under favorable condition:', ox soil and moisture some of the raediuo-sized banr:icos
will produce culms of maxliaum height in U to 7 years, while larger ones reqiiire
up to 15 years or longer.

Propagation of the clurap bamboos is commonly effected by division of
the clumps or by the rooting of stem ciittinj^s in warm wet soil. The running
bamboos do not root readily from stem cuttings, but most of them are easily
propagated from rhizome cuttings taken in late sumraer or early spring. They a:-e
also propagated by small plants with pieces of rhizome attached. Most bambooc
flower only at intervals of many years and some of these even then rarely produce
seed. For this reason we must in general resort to vegetative propagation.

The seed, or fruit, of barrboos varies in form and size among the
different groups of species. In most types it bears a general resemblance to
some of our ordinary cereals, such a,s rye, oats, and wheat. One of the rather
large bamboos of India, however, produces a peculiar-looking fruit U inches or
more long and nearly 3 inches in dia.aeter. Samboo seed when produced in qi^an^ity
in the Orient constitutes an importait food of the people.

RATE OF CrTiOTI'Hi: 0"^ NI'-W CULMS.

The bamboo culm, whether large or small, has the same diameter when xt
first comes above the surface of the gro.md that it does when fully grown. It
is a most interesting sight during its growth in heifrl;t, especially when of large
size. The great sheaths which at first envelop the culm usually soon fall off or
are pushed off later as the branches develop. In some groups of bamboos,
however, these culm sheaths remain attached for some time. The sheaths are
characteristic for each species, and by closely observing their markings and
external structural features one may rather easily learn to identify mary of the
better-knovm bamboo specius from the sheaths alone.

•3-

complete their growth in H to ^ wecVjs from their firf".t appearar.ee above frr-)und.
The rate of I'^rowth is detemined lrri;:ely iDy air temperature and soil moisture,
The daily increa-se in height varier ■"'irectly with the aii- tei^perature , and on
a very chilly day growth almost ceases. With cufficient moisture and higli
tenpeiature , culms 3 to 5 inches in diameter h^^ve been observed to f'row as mixch
as 2h to 36 inches in twenty-four hours.

The hard, relatively durable wood of the timber b?jiiboos does not
become f\xlly mature until the end of the third season of the life of the culm,
but the culm does not increase in aiiy of its dimensions or chan^"e its general
appearance except for a ,^rad\ial fadiiv; of the orif"inal color, lliilc the wood
becomes mature in 3 years, the culns usually live considerably loni-rer. Those
of the hardy {^is-^^t ti--iber bamboo (phyllootachr'-G reticulata) are knov/n to live
for 12 or more years.

BPJi:,iCHES AifO LEAViiS.

The branchinf; of bamboos is variable in different croups of both the
clump and runninr types but a detailed dircassion would be of interest mainly
to the spcdalist . It may be said, hov/ever, that the number of branches at a.
node, or joint, may be one, two, or more. In some conmion clump bamboos there
a.re dense tufts of 20 or more branches, mostly rather small. Giant culms of the
running type often are v/ithout branches for 20 feet or more above the £;rour:d„

The leaves of bamboos usually are borne on snail braaichlets arising
from the branches. Sometimes, however, the branch from the culm bears the
],3aves directly. On ordinary branches that live as lonf as the culm, or for
several years, the branchlets usually die back and new branchlets with leaves
are put out from dormant buds near the bases of the old branchlets. This is
repeated each year until the culm, or the branch dies, and it shows how bamboos
are able to live for a number of years 'without increasing in size. The
approachin;" death of a bamboo culm if- indic^'.ted by the dyin--; first of the topmost
branches.

Much of interest could be said concerninr: the leaves of some of the
various groups of bamboos but it can only be tcAiched upon here. All the leaves
are parallel veined, but there is one practically constant difference between
the leaves of the clrjiip bamboor and those of the lunninn type. VJith a hand
lens there are easily visible very numerous cross veins in the leaves of nearly
all of the runiiing bamboos, w'iile none are seen in the leaves of the clump
bamboos. Thus, crosr-veininr of tlie loaves seems to be associa.ted with hardirest
in bamboos.

As in other kinds of plants, the leaves of barrlcos arc extrem.ely
variable in size and somewhat so in shape. One Japanese dwarf species has an
ovate leaf, which does not suggest in form £>.\y ordinary baiiboo or other grass
leaf. Some other verjr dwarf species have leaves up to a foot cr more loni"-; ariC
2 to 3 inches wide. On the other ImrA, the largest of the hardy bamboos of
China and Japan, v;hich sometimes tov/ers to a heif'iht of SO feet or more, has
adult leaves only about 2-| inches long "sy a quarter of an inch wide.

..Lu-

USES OF MI^OOCo

ViiQii -.ve cy.ie t.c Icc'x at llie ufios of "bamljof-.s ve have qui to as varied
and interesting; a fic'jd rg F;":i.en conniderin," t'le habits and structures of the
gToninf: plants. Bainboo. as a whole are cri.cec.ed to coutribute in a large way
to the welfare of more people i;: ihc v;orl ', thr..: iny othci- single (^roup of
plants. To hundreds of millif.jis of rjeople tliroufhout blie Orient, bamboos
furnish materials for shelter and other structaral p\irposcs, for food, clothing,
impleuentSj utensils, and otiicr necessary and useful articles almost without
end. Bomboo is to the Orieht what other vvuods and iron, steel, ani copper are
to this country. This, of course, is because bamboos always have been easily
available there. When ve have .';rown them for a lonfrer period and more widely
we too shall doubtless utilize them more [generally.

In the United States the bamboos thus far have been utilized almost
solely for their ornajnental value. The f^iant clump bamboos, of \7hich five
ppecies are at present fairly well Jrnown in southern Florida, are of value for
use in parks and on rather larfre estates. The best of these are De .^drocalamus
latif loriuj , {^vouiui' to about Jj feet hijii, axid. a smaller Oiie kncivn by the
horticultural name Bambusa thouarsii. The latter attains a heif^t of UO tc 50
feet. Tlaese two handsom.e bamboos v/ithstauu temperatures down to 20 decrees P.,
and should be nrown much m.ore gene.. '"lly i:i localities that do not e^q^erienco
lower temperatures.

The most common fiarit ba;:i.-oo in southen.' Florida is Bambusa vul^caiis,
a very tender species and one tliat spreads rat.ier more rapidly than any other
we have of the clump type. It is uufortur.'.tc that this bamboo should have
been plaiited so widely, and ou,t of its proper cli''i.?.tic ranr:e, when there were
better ones.

Wliat is probobl;. the tallest bamboo in this country is a mafnificBni:
clump of Bambusa ar.iudina.'iea, a very tiiorny i.iant bamboo, on the shore of
Lake Ariana, in Fol:: Cov.ity, Florida. Several years ago this v/as estimated to
be 80 feet high. The species ir^ r omewhat i. ore ?.ardy than BTjiibusa_ vulgaris
but suffers at times from cold ii, central Florida. Dendr oc alaiaus strictus is
a non-thorny giant bamboo of abouu eq-ua.! hai. ;'.'ncs3. It should be planted more
in localities having temperatures not lo'ver t., an about 2/ degrees F.

The medium-sized cli-vap bamboos gro\7n througliout Florida and Che
northern Gulf region are horticultuz'al varieties of one species, now correci.ly
called Bajnbusa multiplex. The Jiaincs of t}:ese varieties at times have been
erroneously used in botanical aiA horticultural literature as if they were
true botanical names. The varieties are generally known, respectively-, as
follov.'s: The variety Argentea, with plain green culms and leaves, Argentea-
striata, ivith green culms, and part of leaves striped with v/hite, and Alphcnse--
karri, with golden culms and green leaves. This variety has also been called
i'-ipinbuFp, verticill_at_a in Florirfa, The fourth variety ^.nd ono. of the best ''cio't'i
is Disticha, the fern-leaved form.. It often grotrs as a dwarf or semi-dwai'f
varietj'- but may also grow 20 feet or more in height. It often reverts in part
or entirely to the ordinary type of foliage. When eiitirely reverted in foliage
tjrpe the variety Disticha practicallg ceases to be and becor.es indistinguish-
able in appearance from the va.riety Argentea. The latter ;->ro oably represents
the original form of Bambusa multi"plex. T>ie vn.rieties .". rgcnt oa- s t r i ata ,
Alphonse-karri , and Disticha withstand a minimxim temperature of about 15 degree?
P., while Argentea is apparently a few dcg^-ees less hardy.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eOLLBOB OF AGRICULTUne.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
or AGRCCULTURE.
COOPERATING

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

AORICUCTURAL EXTENSION SERVICB

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME OEMONSTPATION WORK.

Talk No. 27
March lU, I93U

WHENCE CAME FLORIDA GAIU.)E1I PL/iOT'S?

M,K. Ensign, asrociate liorticulturist ,
Florida Exoeriraent Station.

The origin, pe-ligi'ee or line of descent of individuals, whether man,
plant or aaimal is a s.io.^ect of considerable fascination. In fact, the study of
genealogy and the building of family treec; arao'ints to an obsession to some minip, .
This pastime is, of coarse, a harmless oiie so far as plants are concerned; xor
desperadoes, feeble-minded and other despicable characters, happily, do not
exist in the plant world.

So far as I am personally concerned, the ancestry or nationality of a
plant or animal (including man) is really of very minor interest or consequence.
The thing that does matter, however, is hov/ the individual fits into the present
scheme of things - is it intrinsically useful or beautiful - does it add to our
pleasures or our necessities'? Obviously, we caimot judge the need for ornament ul
garden plants except from the aesthetic point of view. I have accumulated a few
facts regarding the history of the origin and introduction of some ornamentals
commonly found in Florida gardens, and will discuss these according to certa:.n
groups!

First, the rose: When a trading station was established hy an English
concern known as the East India Trading Company, in Canton, Southern China,
near the close of the lyth Centui^^, no one would have gaessed that it would
have had such a profound influence upon the development of horticulture in
general, and upon the broadcasting or disseminating of the rose in particular.
Garden and pla,nt enthusip,sts , therefore, owe 'i real debt of gratitude to the
pioneers of this pxxrely commercial \ijiderta!''inf^ who waged an extended and
difficult straggle to maintain a foot-hold in China. As early as I696 some
dried specimens of the rose wore sent to Exv'l^Jid and nearly a century later
living plants were carried by company offici'^ls and found their way into
private gardens. later the ;^.oyal Gardens, the Kew and other public gardens
acquired such plantr. Tlr-esc earl;'' roses wera the China Monthly, Tea and
Rambler roses - all parei.'.ts of the modern rc.e.

Early in the ISth Century, roses wero introduced into India from the same

source which later gave rise to r,ome confusion since they were regarded as

native of India as indicated by the name "Be-K-^-al Rose", really a synonym for
the China Monthly Rose.

Just when the rose was first introduced into America does not appear
with certainty. But the Cherokee Rose (another China Rose) has become
naturalized and grows wild in the Southern States. In fact, Michau^: in I8O3
firmly believed it to be natit'e to this country and named it.(R, l'X_vi.Gata^ )

Japan has also coiitritn.-' ed a muaoer o£ rose species that have lormnd the basis
for 'breeding the modern roses.

As soon as these plants bc^4,ai'-i arrivin;?^ iu England, they attracted tLn
attention of botanists and patrons of horticnlture so that men were dispatched
to the Orient to find novelties. This search was continued not only bj^
En^lis^-iraen, biit plant explorers from nearly every coiintry have searched for
desirable plant materials that have in many instances become lasting monuments
tu their eiTorts. So, '^oday ^.ui- luoderu ICillai-ncyo , Airiurioa.1 I-eau';, , i.Ii"3. 'jh:.:.
T^i.ssell, La'iy Hilliucdon, Hainble-, antt others are hybrids whose ancestors may
yet be seen in the raw in some of the remote parts of China and Japan. It it of
interci^t to laiow that only those ros -s indi,~enous to America that have yellow
flowers have been utilized in the breeding program of rose fanciers.

The origin of our lilies presents a simlar story, There are over 200
different species of lilies and to nersly recite t?ieir names would take more
time than I am allotted. Sui'fice it to say that some of the finest types of
lilies have come from the Arid Valle/s of Tibet \7h0re in winter it is excessively
cold and in summer unbearably hot axid dry. Ot'iers have come from the valley of
the Yellow River of China, others fror.i Japau, v/hile mari^/' are found native to
various geographical areas of the Uniteil. States. Thus, there is a great
variation in the growing conditions ncccstinry to successful lily culture. Exotic
species are intolerant to ..lan-a-es, cultivation i..r too much r.ioisture. Tliey gx-ovi
best among herbs or low shrubs. 'B'or this reaso -, lilies may be grouped into two
classes: (l) Skvanp lilies including moat ox those native to America, and (2)
iVry-land lilies v;hich would include most of those common to Japan and China,
■"'here are two kinds that have becoL.e comi-iercially important in Florida, namely,
■'",he Narcissus and the Hybrid Ai'iaryllis.

Trom whence came the chrysanthe^^r.ls? The earliest and basic varieties
came mostly from China through the same avenues that the rose was introduced,
although the Alps, Morocco, Dal;-;atia, Persia and even the Arctic regions in
[Liberia have contributed to our modern assortments. The number of species of
chrysanthemums is large, and from them plant breeders have developed hundreds of
varieties that show wide variations in size, color and adaptability. By
exercising some care, fine specimens can be grown in Florida during the late
summer a,nd fall.

'A'e also should mention' the azalea. As "-\ere ur^lerstood the group Rhododcjdron
includes all of the azaleas, although gardeners habitually separate then. A
surprisingly large number of azaleas ..ave come from China, the Himalaya Mounta'rS;
and some from the Caucasian Hic'.;lT.lan'''-S. There are many species native to America,
both in the warmer regions of the South an'l th-; more ble-'".: areas of the Kocky
Ko-'ontains and Labrador. Most of thc-e comir.on to Florida gardens are native to
ths South.

Among the shrubs of partic-ilar interest, the Fep].'er Bush ( Cl_ethra) ma.y bo
mentioned. It blossoms from mid-July on d-urin,;- the svu-iraer anl has the advantage
, of being a native of Florida, At least one of the species also may be found
along the coast in swp^rpy places as far north as Maine.

Turning to the vi:ies \7e find Ghat many coinnon and. desirable kinds cane from
lax-away coantries. Vines loni'i; ajjo proved biieir attractiveness to nan,
oq-^ecially the proverbial cli?v^inf: Linds, an' there, are some rare specinci.s in
Florida. Tlo colorful Biniionias arc sone cf the best laiovn. Some of these are
native to Florid.a, while others have ecn introlu'-.ed from Brazil and the
.Argentine. The BouHainviller^.s are no Icjs attractive and likewise sone of them
cone from a nunher of South /ii.ierican couiitrios, v.hile others are native. All of
then are easily i,T0vm for they are adapted to Florida f^rowinf conditicns.

We do not knov/ who first hrou^ht Cle:.ia,tis from Japan, nor the so-called.
Bag Flower or Glory Bo'ver from Africp. To v/honcvor it was we are ^Tateful.

^Tlien we cone to the hcney=!iickles we find three well-known kinds. The Coral
Honeysuckle, or T/o oddu i".e , io a native cf Florila; the Cape Honeysuckle as the
name iiTplies oriF:inatod in South Africa, while a third species was introduced
from China or Japaii. The ;''aEGion Flower, probaMy a sequel to the Clinf^inc Vine,
is a nift from Brazil, while V.:c oi.ila:: is .-; cr: • d -/ fou-id in Florida and trop'^cal
Ar.ierica. The most comi.-;on spL,cios of "'isteria cfinic originally from China. Tho
more important annuals have cone to us from a v'ide variety of sources. It may
he easier to follow if those arc ,Triiupcd accordint:; to the country or re.'^ion in
which they were originally found.

The Argentine produced the Petu:da and LIari.:;old, the latter is also found.
in Mexico and many of the other Soiith /jncrican countries. From California the
Poppy, Lupine and Larkspur have haen ■broadcast. The two latter are also found in
nany of the 'Testern s,nd Rocliy I'oruitain State:'.. China gave us the Larkspur,
■:'hinese For.~;ut-me-not and Baby's breatli. Tho latter is also found in Europe,
iVorth Africa and in the Himalaya Mountains. Brazil was the home of the Mosg Rase ^
and Morning Glory. The latter is foun.i quite generally also in tropical America.

The Corn Flower came from Southeastern Eiorope in the vicinity of the
Pyrenees, Sicily and east to Persia. Lapi.ni,:- are also cannon to the Mediterranean
area. Pinks are scattered from Russia, PirJand and Deamark on the north to
France, Italy and E^ypt on the south. Snf!V''.ra;';onf, arc also natives of the
Mediterranean region. They were brought to America at an early date and escaped
from cultivation in the eastern part of tl e United otatcB where they have become
common wild flowers. The Sweet Pea is a native of Italy, also is the Candytuft.
Our Stocks come from Southern Europe, while the Margue.rite Carnation emanated,
from Denmark, Rinsia, Eu'"iania and as far cast as Greece.

To Mexico we are indebted for Agci'at-om., "innias r.nZ the Nasturtium. In
North America, which is a v.:ry large area, orifinr'ted some cf the more comimon
tilings grown in merit g'l.rdenr?. Ue nig]it ncntio.i Surif lowers. Verbena, Phlox, and
some species of Corn Flower, L-\pin.;S and Lark^.-y-rs. Of the 100 or more species of
Verbena all but one are native to ll^rth Ar.icrica.

South Africa yielded the St rawf lower and the Lobelia. The well-known
Calendula originated in the Canary Islands and east to Persia, while the Florists,
Paint Brush cones from the tro;"ics of the 01"''- "orld.

..l]..

The lic-c of delirlii^ful .• ar;'' c . ■ plants "-oald not be ccinj-jlete without the
Iris, the ^.Tliite Spider 'Tater Lily r>n'-\ the Hoy.'^l "reru, all of which are fo-.rr.d
native to Jloridf. and the Souther:* St-'ites. Ali;o we nudt mention several :.peciffis
of crotalaria v.hich arc very v/cll alaptcd to j'lorida soil an;l climatic
conditions. This plant has hcen thoufht of chiefly as a soil-bulldim^ Icj'.umo,
and it is admirahlc for that purpose, ^Jut soino of the other lesser knov/n
v'.rieties are very endurin/; and have r.iost attractive spikes of yellov.- tlov/er:..,

T-.ere are manj"- rarer plants that Cui?.ld he nentioned, but the purpose of
this talk has been la-rgely acGompli'">he 1 in paradinf- before you the list of ix.ve
cor.i'-aon plants and '.vhere they came fro;:i. Thus, it is evident that tliere has beer
a very wide dissemination of plant natcrials, chiefly in the last century,
""■■ij :r the:.! comii\_- fron re::ole and inr.cccrsi"'-lc pl'-cen o:: the rl'f'^c. Flaivi
scouts or explorers have been sent out by the United States Department of
Aj'^riculture to all parts of the world, o:ie of the best known perhaps being David
Fairchild who has adopted Florida as his hone. In Cocoanut Grove, near Miami,
he has a beautiful garden of several acrec -..here rare plants from many clir:n.o~>
are beinf; tried out. His book entitled "Sicplorinj- for Plants" is very worth
while since it f:ives in a very informal way mpjiy e:cperie"ices of a plant explorer
in all parts of the world. But all the ^^la.tt treasuros have not been collected
by any meaiiS , a^nd the plant breeder has onl^^ befjun to show forth his handiwork.
By usinfi; the nu;r.erous v/ild thin;i;s from va,rious placer on the earth, he can
cross them and select for desirable colors, sizes, anl odrrs. It was Burbank
v.ho made the statement that ti'.e human :,iind CLiild not conceive of a color, odor,
taste, shape or size of plait but what it could be produced by careful breeding
methods. Mother nature har. already :.:ade an e::celleiit start in this direction.
There is no excuse now fov b^ve uiinvitir-r; rro-'--T''.r. about the home, especially in
Florida.

* COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK
IN
AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eOLLEQE OP AGIi:CULTUne.
UNIVERSITY OF FLOl'IDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE,
COOFBRATma

OrnajTiental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

AORICULTURAL EXTENSION SCRViCE.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME OCMQNSTRATtON WORK.

Talk No.
March 21,

22
193^

ZEPHYMl'ITHES — FLOTORS OF THE WEST WIl®,
H. Harold Hiime, Assistant Director,
Research, Florida Experiment Station

Zephyranthes, (Zeph-yr-an'-thes) derived from two Greek words — Zephyros ,
the west wind, and anthos, a flower; therefore meaning literally "Flower of the
West Wind" — is the name given by Dean William Herbert in 1S21 to a lovely group
of bulbotis plants found in the southern United States, in the West Indies, Mexico
and parts of South America, Mature plants consist of a bulb, a few leaves,
narrow or strap-sha.ped, gray-green or bright green, with flowers white, pink, red,
cream, yellow or copper-colored, according to variety or species. They are borne
singly on stems usually varying in length from six to twelve inches. The flower
habits of different Zephyranthes species differ materially. In one group they
open quite flat; in another the petals are bent back at the tips, lily-like;
while in still another group the petals do not open widely, but remain rather
upright like those of a crocus. The spread of the petals in some instances appears
to be influenced by light and peihaps by temperature and hiimidity. Several common
names, most of them based upon peculiarities in their flowering habits, are given
bo them. In some parts they are known as rain lilies, in others they are called
Easter lilies, in other sections they are fairy lilies. In India they are known
as Thunde r Flowers, while in Chin?, one species is referred to as the grass lily.
From gardening literature here and there the name Zephy lilies can be added. These
common names relate to time of flowering, the character of the foliage, the
scientific name, to the dainty beauty of the flowers and to their interesting
habit of coming into bloom very quickly under certain conditions. It is probably
most fitting that the name Zephyr flowers be adopted as a common English name.

Perhaps no garden plants are more easily grown than these. They are suited to
our soil and. climate and may be grown throughout all Florida. Bulbs adapted to
given conditions in suitable aren.s are comrnonlj' easy to handle, but the Zephyranthes
surpass many other bulbs in requiring so little care and attention and giving much
of dainty beauty in return. Since most gardeners are looking for plants that are
easy to grow, they should be much more connion in Florida gardens than they now
are. It is true the flowers are not long lived, two days or so at most, but it
may be that because their beauty is so fleeting they are all the more interesting
and desirable. *■

Florida has three species of Zephyranthes native within her borders. These
are Zephyranthes Atamasco (At-am-as'-co) , Zephyranthes Treat iae (Treat '-i-e) and
Zcyhyranthes Simps onii. (Siirp'-soii-i) Tlie first, Zephyranthes Atamsco, is found in
v.v£t Florida and is fairly common along the banks of the Apalachicola.
1 rphyranthes Treat iae, named for Mrs. Mar;;,'- Treat who collected it near Green Cove
Springs, is quite common in the northern and northeastern parts of Florida,
although it extends well down the state as well, while Zephyranthes Simps onii is
native far south in the state. All bloom early in spring, sometimes in autumn as
well, and all have piiic or reddish colored flower buds, though the flowers are

. ..J-.oJ'

•ij s^.tkT.t n

• ,.!7

lo aai:

-2-

white when open. The pink coloring is confined, as a rule, to the three outer
parts of the perianth. Most of the flowers fade away with a pink tint. The
flowers of Zephyranthes Atamasco and Zephyranthe s Treat iae open wide like those
of a lily, while those of Zephyranthes Simpsonii are crocus-like. This last is
one of the finest of the white species, and as many as four flowers have been
noted from a single bulb at one time.

Over on the other side of the &ulf of Mexico four other Zephyranthes, by
name, Zephyranthes longifolia, (long-if-ol'-i-a) , Zephyranthes pulchella,
(pul-chel'-la) Zephyranthes Texana , (Tex-a'-na) and Zephyranthes chrysantha
(chry-santh'-a) are to be found. All of them are native in parts of Texas, though
some are knovm to extend beyond the boundaries of that state. Of this group the
one most common in cultivation is Zephyranthes Texana and it is a particularly
lovely plant. The flowers are a deep golden color within, shaded on the outside
with copper and reddish copper. The flowers are small, borne on Slendfit scapes
and do not open widely. Good bulbs produce several sets of flowers during the
summer season.

Here and there in Florida gardens, not nearly so common as they should be,
three introduced species are to be found. These are Zephyranthes carinata,
(car-i-na'-ta) from Mexico, Zephyranthes rosea (ro-se-a) from Cuba and other
islands of the West Indies, and Zephyranthes Candida (can'-did-a) from the
Argentine. Of these the first, Zephyranthes carina.ta, is probably the most common.
It has large flowers, opening quite flat, three to fovir inches across, dark pink
when they open first, changing to a much lighter shade as they fade. The flowers
of Zephyranthes rosea are much smaller, a bright, sprightly pink, darker than in
Zephyranthes carinata, and' the color becomes darker as they fade. The leaves are
bright green, strap-shaped, blunt pointed, and lie quite flat upon the ground.
It is one of the daintiest and loveliest of all the group. It is native in Cuba.
i Zephyranthes Candida is an interesting species with upright rush-like leaves and
' white flowers. It is stated that the Rio de La Plata, the Silver River, was so
named by the Spaniards when they sailed up it because of the profusion of
glistening white flowers of Zephyranthes Candida along its marshy banks, and
perhaps the name of the Republic of Argentina, through which this river flows,
traces back to this same delightful plant, because the word "Argentina" also means
silvery or silver.' Zephyranthes carinata flowers in northern Florida during the
latter part of May, with a wonderful flush of bloom, and this is followed by
scattering flowers throughout the rest of the season into October. Zephyranthes
rosea blooms in late August. Zephyranthes Candida also comes late in the season
and continues to flower in autumn and though it sometimes does not bloom profusely,
it is a very desirable sort.

Other kinds of Zephyranthes, so scarce that they are seldom seen, are
Zephyranthes citrina, (cit-ri-na) Zaphyranthes robusta, (ro-bus'-ta) Zephyranthes
Ajax, (A'-jax) and Zephyranthes tubispatha (tub-is'-path-a) . All are particularly
fine. Zephyranthes citrina bears deep yellow, almost golden flowers on eight or
ten inch stems and blooms several times during the summer. Zephyranthes A.jax is a
hybrid between Zephyranthes citrina and Zephyranthes Candida. Its upright leaves
resemble those of Zephyranthes Candida in habit and its flowers are light yellow.
Its blooming habit is that of Zephyranthes citrina. It is a good variety.
Zephyranthes tubispatha is a white flowered species. The flov/ers are green at the
base and they do not open widely. It is one of the finest whites, though not so
free in flowering as Zephyranthes Simpsonii.

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The propagation of Zepliyranthes is acconrplishcd either from t5eed or by offsets
or small bulbs developed from the bases of old b\ilbs. Seeds are not produced
freely from all sorts. So far as I have observed Zcphyranthc-s carinata does not
produce seed in Florida and apparently this ie its behavior in many other places.
In one instance, however, it has been reported as formin":; seed. Likev/ise,
Zepliyranthes Candida, under Florida conditions usually does not produce seed. On
the other hand, Zephyranthes rosea, Zephyranthes tub i spat ha, Zephyr an the s A.j ax ,
Zephyrpjithes robust a, Zephyranthes citrina, Zephyranthes Simpsonii, Zephyranthes
Atamasco and Zephyranthes Treat iae all produce seeds, most of them quite freely.
Seeds germinate readily and bulbs are quite easily grovrn. A pood mixture for
planting seeds is one composed of good building sand and peat, one-half each by
bulk, or screened '.voods mold alone may be used.

In the production of offsets the different species of Zephyranthes also vary
considerably. Tliej'- are produced freely by Zephyranthes Candida, Zephyranthes
tubispatha, Zephyranthes A;j ax , Zephyranthes rosea, and in certain instances by
Zephyranthes Atamasco. They are produced less f reelj'- by Zephyranthes carinata and
Zephyranthes robust a, and are seldom seen in Zephyranthes Treat iae, Zephyranthes
Texana a.nd Z ephyranthe s citrina. The offsets may be separated '.vhen quite small and
established as independent plants.

As already indicated, the culture of the various kinds of Zephyranthes is
comparatively simple. This, hov/ever, does not mean thp.t they should not receive
some care and attention. The best in any plant or in any garden cannot be had
without putting something into it, something of thougiit , of planning, of food, of
water, of care and attention. More flowers, more bloom, more interest and more joy
are the rewards of loving care. Let Z e"'hyanthe s have some of these things and the
rev/ard will be greater. On the whole, best results are secured by planting bulbs
of this group in a sandy los-m, well supplied with vegetable matter obtained from
peat or woods mold. Well rotted dairy fertilizer can be added, but it is best to
use it as a surface dressing and not incorporate it with the soil. Commercial
fertilizer such as one v.'ould use in growing white or Irish potatoes gives very
satisfactory results as a source of plant food. Two applications yearly will
suffice. VTater, too, they n?j.st have. It is true that bulbous plants, because of
their storage facilities, do not show distress from a shortn/-e of water so quickly
as do many other plants, but if too little is furnished their growth and flowering
will be reduced ultimately. Zephyranthes Candida is a swamp S'^ecies; our native
Zephyranthes Treatiae and Zephyranthes Sim-Qsonii grow in the flat woods that are
usually moist at certain seasons and these three respond to copious waterings.
Indeed, apparently none of them but that appear to be greatly benefitted by goodly
supplies of moisture at all tines. In those sections where bxilbs pass through the
winter season uninjured by cold, as in all parts of Florida, they may be planted at
any time of year. In the bazaars of India, the stored bulbs of Zephyranthes
carinata are sold, guaranteed to bloom v;ithin three weeks after planting. If this
be true, by taking up bulbs from time to time and keeping a supply on hand it might
be possible to force them and so bring them into flower at will. It would be
worth trying though I have never done so.

Zephyranthes bulbs should be planted quite close together and in considerable
numbers. A single bulb here and there falls far short of the effect that may be

i...

secured with numbers planted together. Nothing- can surpasc in their fresh
"beauty a nass plantin^^: of Zephyranthes, of c^rinata, rosea or citrinn, for
instance. Tlie interestin,": part of it is that all these bulbs will come into
flower together, a burst of bloom not possible \7ith many kinds of plants. They
may be used alonf- the ed,-o of the shrubbery or perennial border, they may be
planted in groups of a dozen or more here and there alonf the ed;';es, or they may
be e-iven a section of the border. They are also used for nlantili.- alon-i the
edces of walks. Planted close to.-ether the folia,-:e of many' of them, Zephyranthes
Candida, rosea, tubispatha, A.jax and Atanasco, for instance, covers the soil
;vell and so serves as a ^rround cover.

It is said that when Lord Kitchener \7as resident at Simla in India,
Ze-phyranthes carinata was frequently used as a table decoration and certainly
when placed in suitable vases or holders this species and others are very fine
and dainty as cut flowers. Tliey should be gathered just as they open and used
in the house for that day only.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLCSe OP AOBICULTURB.
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AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AaniCUt-TURAU EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk !Io. 29
March 2g, ] 93U

FLOIlID.A.'S ITATIVE FLOORS,
3y - Erdraan "^est, mycologist,
Florida Experiment Station

opring is herel Tne season wlieii i'lorida sunsliine seems particular I7
"benevolent. The birds are singing gsyly and gardeners are digging, ra.king and
planting. Flower beds are being planned or revised, llurssry and seed catalogs
are being searched carefailly for attractive plants and flowers. Aiid oi;t in r,he
woods and the fields and the marshes, old ;:other ITature is quietly beginning
another twelve months' display of Florida's wild flowers.

"But", someone remarks, "you cnn't grow wild flo'.vers in your garden. They
just won't grow." And another, a devotee of roses aid ca-rnrtions, says; "Yihyl
they are only weeds. You wouldn't expect me to plant such trash nea.r my rose
garden, would you^" And the ansv/er to those objectio'.:s is tliis: Give our r.ative
plants a situation comparable to their native h-^bita-t and a background suitable
to their color and form and you will find Florida's native flowers just as
amenable to garden conditions and just as attractive as many of our cultivated
plants.

Let us see what n^ tive plants we may find suitable for our gardens. As
many native shrubs and trees have been used frequently in the la.ndscaping of
Florida homes, we will consider chiefly herbaceous plants in this discussion. If
wc consider these in groups arranged accorc'inf'' to the use or situation for v/hich
they a.re intended, it will make our labors still easier.

Perhaps the easiest ^roup of all - from the cultural standpoint - is the
vines. There arc a ntanber of native Florida vines tlia.t ma,]:e excellent cover
material for fences, arbors, trellises or pergolas. I am sure that you have sef:;
and admired yellov.- jessamine in the v.-oods in the Spring. Have you ever thou^t
jf it in the garden as a cultivated vine^ Strong roots are easily obta.inod a.rid
t,.ow readily under a wide range of conditions. The plant is a rapid grower ".nd
.""■'ponds to good treatment includin,<5 fertilizer. If you plajat it where it get^i
.full sunshine, it will bear a solid mass of deliciously sweet-scented flowers
in i.Iarch. The remainder of the year it supplies a graceful evergreen bl-ankei.- of
loaves. Its only bad habit is its tendency to spread over the surface of the
ground from its base. However, the^e lonf r^onners are easily persuaded to clii'i^.
If you want to restrain its activities, it can be cut back severely at any time,
but if you wish flowers in Spring, do your pruniniT; in early summer.

Another nearly evergreen vine, that is very a.ttractive is the \70odbine,
Lonicera sempervirens (lon-i-ce'-ra sem-per-vi'-rens) = In its natrral habitat,
it is seldom an attra-ctive object; but put in good soil with a moderate supply
of fertilizer and moisture, it will soon cover a trellis with a \erdprit blanket

of a peculiar yet plepsir.g blue-green ti.it. All during; the Sprint':: and early
S'ommer, the ends of the t;racefully protradir.;; branches bear clusters of oran,:;e-red
ixuv/ers very attractive to oatteri'lies and hiomminG bircLG, as v.-ell as the hvun:':.u
eye, Au'-l this is not all, the flovern are follov:cd by cluGtors of brii-"ht red.
translucent berries.

Another perennial vine with orange-red flowers is the cross-vine (Bigionia
crucifiera) a relative of oxir exotic 3i~norias. It is useful in covering a wooden
arbor or trellis, but is loss attractive than the foregoinf; plants.

There are several other clinibi^rr. thp.t cm be used in suitable positions, Tlie
Carolina aster (Aster carol inianus) thrives under cn.ltivation a:id v/ill clamber
over low v/alls and trcsslises. If care is talon to obtain large flowered tyocs,
very attractive results co,n be obtained.

Two closely related vi:.es, Clcinatic (Clera' -^.-tis) and Viorna, (Vi-or'-na)
furnish a very light feaf... ry cover for a pcrr.^ol-' or arbor. The Virona' s have
purplish, leathery, pendant flov.'ers in ?uin .or, w: ile the Clematis has a mass of
fragrant white blossoms in early ?all.

The moon-flower is so widely grcv/n that iaof:t folhs have forgotten that ii; is
a, native vine.

The passion-vine or may-pop (fassiflora incarnata) , a weed in some sectiGr^s,
c-'-n be used to advantage as a cover for fences in the summer.

Before we leave the subject of vi:ies, let us not forget a spot of color
fo;.- Winter!, Suiilax ".Talteri bears multitudes of red, holly-like berries in Fall
and ^Yinter, pjid is especially attractive when used with a decidiaous vine such as
iUr'-staria.

Nqw, how about a few of Florida's ovm flowers for the rerTilar flower garden?
Woct of the plants that I have selected are hardy perennials that have been tried
and found useable. Several of these are anong the compositen. There are several
species of blazing star or Liatris (Li-a'-trls) that do v;ell and create a
different atmosphere in the garden v;ith their tall spihcs of rose-parple flowers.
Just one suggestion when growing them in good garden s.vil •• the spikes grow so ta_
and vigorous that they can seldom hoi'', up tix-ir own weight. They need support in
the way of stakes.

Another hardy perennial that offers great possibilities is the native svu-
f"-ower. Several species have very attractive : ellow flowers an", produce them m
Qx'^.B.t profusion. Thoy succeed in almost any soil provided they have full sun-
shine. They can be propagated by uiidc rgroimd rinners, dividing the crowns, or
from seed. Good selections shnul'". be Lraltiplie ' ve'.'ctatively, so that the
desirable characters may not be lost.

Closely related to the s\inf lowers are the bla.cl;-eyed susans or Rudbeckias,
(i:ud-beck'-ias) most of which are annuals or jjoi'ennials. These plants reproduce
readily from seed and several of the species produce a profusion of yellow
flowers with brown centers.

-3-

Several of the goldeurocls have attractive flower cliisters and are nice
enough to put in the garden, Thc^ shov.' up best, however, anouf; the shrabbery or
along a fence.

One shrubby composite, Q-arberia fraticosa, (Gar-be' rca frat-ic-o'-sa) makes
a lo'.v, dense nmss of gray-green foliage. In Fall the plants are topped with a
crorm of the small pinl:ish flo'vers.

The woods will soon be splotched with the cardinal red spikes of the Cherokee
bean (Erythrir-a herbacea) . Tliene dazzling spires grow from a large tuberous
root that transplants readily to the garden. After the flov;ers, the green bean-
like leaves appear on spiny stems aiid by mid-sui;ir.ier the long pods burst open
disclosing the bright red beans.

There are three species of native lupines in Florida that have blue or
bluish flov/ers. One of these, Lupinus pcrennis, (Lnp-i-nus per-en'-nis) is
well-loiown in gardens, especially further north, but our own species ;vith
unifoliate, fuzzy, gray-green leaves are loss well kmwn. None of these hardy
lupines will transplant after they have passed the seedling stage. The seeds
germinate readily, however, if they are nicked or scarified before planting. Ihj
masses of flov-ers produced by these pl'cits repay a little extra trotible in gr^^^dng
them.

There are many other plants r,iiioh nay be brought into the garden. Amorg
Lhese are the v;hite-f lowered false indigo, (Baptisia leucantha ) ; the poppy mallow,
(Callirrhoe involucrata) with brillisnt roci3-red flowers; Gilia i-ubra and Lobelia
>:ardinalis (Lo-be'-lia car-din-a'-lis) both with spikes of bright red flov/ers;
v.he orange butterfly millc.7eed, (Asclepir.s tuberosa) ; and the native sages, Salvia
lyrata (ly]>-a'-ta) with blue flov.'ers and Salvia coccinea (coc-cin-e'-a) with red
flowers.

'Jith the great increase in the interest in tropical fish and aquaria in general,
several of Florida's water plants have cone i'lto great demand. The strange-
appearing water lettuce (Fistia stratiotes) is often used on the larger of these.
For submerged plants, Flori..a furnishes Cabomb-i., '."ebsteria, Ludwigiantha ,
(Lud-wig^i-an'-tha) Potonogeton (Po-to;->-o-te'-ton) , Valisneria (Val-is-ne'-ri-a)
and certain species of Sagittaria.

Lily pools and v/ater gardens and popular, too. For these Florida supplies
two excellent water lilies including the fine, yellow ones Castalia flava
(Cas-tal-ea) .

Another famous water plant is Florida's native yellow Lotus. This has a
...est peculiar distribution in the State ap-vearing in scattered and unconnected
l;Jces. Some of these have been drained d.uring the past few dry years and the
nlant undoubted.ly has been killed out in tJese locations. In favorable situation'-
it spreads rapidly by under-v.-ater rhizomes and nay be hard to control. The gruat
pale yellow flov/ers are beautiful and these are follovved by the decorative seed
pods. The hard-shelled seeds, knov/n as water chinquapins, do 3:iot geminate
-•eadily. Sections of rhizome transplant easily, however.

One peculiar water plant known as water fern or floating fern (Ceratopterf.sJ
is an attractive addition to the sh-^.llow, c^.ady end of pools. It is not hardy
north of Sanford, thougih.

other attractive vz-'^.ter -lants that rnn,y be Collector in their n-.tive habitat
and used to advantare aroan.! pools, include tl.e blue- f levered pickerel need,
, iP2.n.t|Le£xn c^.ata) , ,,-oldon club (Or^K.jtrun aouniciiri) , an:, several species of
Sagittaria and water shield (Brasenia :,:nin:urea^"!

Several of the native npeciec of iris f.^rn -ttr-ctivc clunps of .~rcen
foliare to nasG around the edfe of the pool. Their f lovers on the v/holc rre not
as larp as German or Japanese iris, but they are beaut ifnllv colored fron v;hibe
throurh various shades of blae to darh-violet.

Rock ,,-;ar-lens are steadily .-aininr: in -^o-cularity in Flori'^a and rr^.ny of our
native plants are well adapted to this fori, of horticulture. For the .umn^ v-cd-
rarden, cacti areusually an iuportant ela.:ont. The various native s-oecies of '"
S'?^ e'' ^°--^;-*^:^) ^^11 ''-^^^ shor,y yellov flov;ers, although their protective
spines are rather discourar;inr to the gardener. Several native cacti belon-in,-
ThMrT^^ ? ''""'^ and related ,;enera do well in the southern loalf of the^Stlte.
^; l-r,,e flowers are delicately colored and the brif.:b.t fniits that follow ar- '
only a little less conspicuous.

Sone of our Coontics or Zanias like the punny rock garden, too, although
o.hor species prefer the_ shady end. ^..o.e anachronistic rlant^ hav^ a di^nUv
h' witi' f ^s individual. Uo ti^ie Florida garden, rock or otherwise, should
ne without one or two at least of the.o handsune slants. The larce fusiform
^cots transi^lant easily. Haisin:- Z.nias fro:, seed is a rather slow process, but
■1 ^-i^PA percentage gemination can be obtained fro:i ri" e seeds.

Cuthbertia,(Cuth-bert'-ea) a pink-flowered relative of the Tradescaatias
Trad-es-can'-ti-a) does well in the sunny end of the rock rardcn, too. The
tufts of nrass-like leaves bear uany of the pretty piiilc, three^-petaled flowers
every nornm- durin.-? sunner.

Pre-eninent anonr the ca:.di,lates for the shaded rock -arden are nany of
Florida's native ferns. Ra:v:in.- from hold-leaved Tectarias (Tec-ta'-reas) to
Jhe lacy Adiantums, (Ad-i-ant >-u:.s) we have a'va.t variety of foms to choose
irom. Lany_of these native ferns rcTaire no furtl or care after prop^.r transplant-
mc Certain species, such as the royal fern, require a constant su-nly of
noisture,^ but most species of Dryoptcris (Dry-o- -tc-ris) and Aapleniuin
Us..ple-ni-ur.O transplant easily and ."rov; vi~orously in the ordinary, shaded r;ck

other plants useful in the rock garden include violets, trilliuris, peoeroirr" ■ .-
(p.p-er-o'-ni-as) and phlox. ^ j-^-^i'^

_ Nearly all of the above plants listed for the several mrposes have been
-rxed in various places and found to be suitable materials for cultivation
.;a-re is one nroup of wild plants, containin.- many attractive and even ,-uady
liowers, that does not yield so easily to the desires of the rardener. These are

-^ nc.rers of our flatwoods. Included in this attractive' rroup are several

tJp''JniVnT ^?.*!!\^f'^V^^ orchids, both white and-oraiv:e, and the ^rass pinlc-
the Sab oat las (Sab-ba'-ti-as) with their lar.:e pinl:, starry blossoms; the
^•utterworts, blue and yellow; the milhT-orts in various colors from while t>ro^;/'h
ye.lGws -ruid pinlcs; the Ehexias (Ehex-i-as) with their short-.lived pinlc blossc-s-

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE Of ASRICULTURC.
UNIVERSITY OP FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
or AGRICULTURE.

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

COOPERATING

Ornamental G-ardeni.if; in I'lorida
Radio Series

Talk No. 30
April h, I93I1

Amrj.ALS ro.H t.'E. su;".ep. rL0\7E'i GAiffiEu

W. L. Floyd, professor of liOi'ticultiure
University of jlorida Collaf^e of A^^:"! culture

How can we in Florida have flov.'ers during the stimmer? Tnat is a
problem that gardeners are facing ri.f;ht now. There is always a demand
for cut flowers for the home, and no g3rden is complete without its
bold masses of colorful flowers blooming liere and there. The annuals,
those that must be planted each year, are an important group for these
purposes.

Ibny garrlcners i'l Flori'!'":. have faid^^d in gro'virg -"nnuals ^vrirg
summer, and yet there are gardens in every section of the state
each summer that are made unusu-al' .^, bnai.tiful by the proper uae of an~

the

eacl

nualst

The main obstacles to growing -annual floT/ering plants in Florida
during the summer are heat, diseases liki the wilts, blights and mildews
and root-lcnot. Axiy method of spra^, ing for the diseases or of treat-
ing the soil to get rid of the root-1-inot is usually more involved than
the Beverage home gardener v/ill try, and yet these troubles thrive in
the s'oinmer.

It is, thus, up to ,:;ardenors to 3.:;lect plants that v/ill grow
and flov/er in spite of ti 3,3e troubles; plant; t!:iat have proven to be
resistant or at least tcder^'nt to these tro-n.">le3 and to the heat of
summer. There are a nv: ber of such plants th t are adapted to Florida
gardening, and from this li;jt \,,^ can pic^: ■mniv.ls for aliaost ariy situa-
tion or location in the ga,rden, -annuals of a v/ide range of color, and
some for almost -any use. In -a fo./ mo.ients v.^. -will sugi^ast I5 such an-
nuals with a short discussion about each.

You should, ho'i.'cver, be familiar v.-ith these troubles so th-at you
will knov/ them when they appear in youi- garden. There are control
measures, and many gardonsrs use th^m and grow flowers that would not
otlierwise thrive. Then too, on infected soils you should plant only
the ones that are most resistant.

A good ex-omple of a disease prevalent dxiring the siunmer is a fun-
gus loiown as Schlerotium rolfsii (SKle-ro'-shium rolf-si')- If you have
^.riod to grow hollyhocks during the auifirnor you likjly know xt. JJui-ing
■warm, moist conditions it attacks the roots and base of the stems
at or just below the grotuid level :ind soon causes the plants to rot
off at the ground. It attacks a nv>ber of plants, and is capable of
remaining in the organic matter of the soil for a long time ready to at-

-2-

tack any stiscopti"ble plant that is plaut-.d. Some of the otlier diseases
likely to potuice upon siim .c-r anrinals are Aia-.iri"i:uTi 'wilt, b-i.cterial blight,
and thj mildews and lt;af 3pots.

Amons the insectr. , the root-j-nict nsr.-'',.tode:3 do nr.ich da^.iage to
summer gai-'-ens. These nrnatodes or v.-oi-ms thrive h^ist in sandy soils,
an.d they live over the \.-inter in old roots and decaying leaves. When
the soil vrarms up th'v inc-/- aso rapidly, fe3dinsf^ on the roots of ten-
der plants. This causes the characteristic 'rnlarging or knotting of
the roots. These neriatodes dra.v sap from th.; plants, aii'.l sometime they
become so abundant that the susceptible kindo of annuals turn a sickly
yellow and die.

Aj'-d nov/ for that list of sus'i'gested aiUTJiil flov/ering plants for
youi' garden this suiTiraer. These have provon successful at the flov^or
gardens of the College of Agriculture in Gainesville, and in numerous
flower gardens over the state and are I'Pcommended over a large area
in the state. They should b.3 planted no.v, ajid many \nse gardeners
will malce another planting in about ei.^ht to 10 weeks to ins^ure con-
tinuous bloom into the early fall.

As native asters are found here, it is reasonable to expect
introduced forms to do well. The natives art,' small flc .v^red perenuialsj
v'hile the introduced are annuals, v/hich r-iises some doubt as to their
adaptability. The annual asters cor.dng to us from China produce larger,
brighter colored, more graceful fl-.vers than native varieties. They
are rather hard, to grow in our soil and climate, being subject to serious
soil diseases quite difficult to control* Yet by using \/ilt resistant
strains and grov;ing in partial siif'1-3 one has a fair chance of s\icceed-
ing with them.

The old favorite toucla-me-not or balsam is easily grown and at-
tractive with its irregular shaped, bright colored flowers of pink,
red, purple and other tones, and its seed pods which when ripe btijrst
on being touched. It thrives in sun or partial shade and deserves a
place in every garden.

Blanlcet flower or G-aillar'''.ia is srrely -.orth a trial. The yel-
low, orange and dark red I'lcvers are oorue on long, stiff stems, suit-
able for cutting. It seems to deliglit in s^i.dy soil and sunlight. It
often rese- ds it3';lf .

Ajiother flov/'er for the sur.iraer ■••arden is Calliopsis or brov/n-eyed
Susan. The most common color of the flowers is yellow v.'ith brovm cen-
ters, though some varieties liave maroon or red centers. It is shov^;
free flowering, and. blooms all sur.bior.

Cockscomb, which grows like a v;oed, is fine in that it adds bril-
liant color to the garden. Some of its red and yellow flowers are com-
pact like a cock's comb, others more loose and plume lik?. It is at-
t-^cked by root knot and because of this may prove disappointing in old
infected soils.

Summer Cosmos is an annual -..e shoild mention. There are several
colors of this easily grown, pop- lar plc.rt, such as white, pink and var-
ioxis red shades. The flow.-^rs are suited for cutti.v:^ There is an au-

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^....ui I'lowei'inii gro-ap, v.liich. proL.v..-,j lai-;^ x plan': ;, ana abiUicVmt yollr-.-
■or orani^-e flov/ers, some recent introductions of v/hich. are double and
cmtaiii cthe"-- colors than yellow.

Annual chrysanther.-rujns of scV'^ral spocios plante-."! after all dan-
ger cf cold is past will by simmer produce qu-ntities of sniall yellc-w,
white or mixed colored flowers fine for cutting. They br-anch and spread
so as to cover more space than maiiy annuals, so should t-2 si'ven a dis-
tance of 20 to 25 inches apart.

A plant which may be sown in succession from late winter through
spring and thus be >:ept in bloom vigorously well into sui-.Tmer is floss
flower or a.'^erat-om. Th nost common color is blxie cf v/hich there are
different shades, ther^ are also whites and pinks, all of which ma^r be
had in tall and dwarf foriis.

There -arc tlire-i or four quite differe::t plants knovm as bache-
lor buttons, one of the most desirabl.: for caltivation is f^lobe amaranth,
which thrives in v/arm weather. It produces small clover like haads in
■white, red cjid oran;:;e. They are rather harsh and woody and may be cut
and dried for pernanont boi-.quots.

The most popular for dried bouquets is strawflov/er (Helicrysum)
which grows tall, producing gayly colored flowers. They should be cut
when about half open, the stems stripped of leaves and the flowers and
hung down in a shaded place till dry. They add variety to the garden
before cutting.

The marigolds are old favorites aaicl have been greatly improved
in recent years. Some are the d .uble African and double French varie-
ties in various colors, often v/if-i combinations of color in one flower.
The Orange Prince and Lemon Queen African varietiss ar= fine aid showy.
They bloom in late summer and aut-omn. Guinea gold is a r.ew variety of
merit.

The petunia is prob_;bly the most grovm annual in Florida, and
may be seen in bloom through v/inter, spring and su.imer. In addition to
the common single bedding varieties in many colors, there are the
large double, giant f 1-jffy-ruffles and ot:\ rs vdiicn are striking il-
lustrations of what brer din;; ajid sel^.ction may do in originating nev/ and
beautiful forms.

Portulaca is a little plant, thriving in almost any soil, provided
it gets plenty of stu.light. It :.-aIces a fine border plant in siimmer;
blooms profusely in red, pink, orange, white and other colors. There
are both double and single flowering varieties. Its flowers close in
the afternoonc It is of gre-atest valiio a,s a low edging pl'.nt.

Summer gardeners will also do well to try pincushion plant. The
flovirers are borne on long, slender graceful stems. Colors are -v.hite,
pinlc, yellow, blue, red and other shades. Tlie rounded shape ad. pro-
jecting staraens suggest small pincushions. They last well, and are at-
tractive as cut flowers, as v/ell as for garden decoration. They bloom
thro-U{gh spring aiid early summer.

It seems hardly necessary to mention the sunflower but we have

such attractive chrysantJuraurn flov;ci'ed, double f^lobc, new red, dv/arf
double and others, that are desirabla. Some of the nov«-er, small flov.ered
varieties are excellent for cvttin^

Verbena is a v/ortliy perennial whicn ma^'' be treated as an annual.
It is a trniling r~raceful plant ;^ith brijlit foli-a~e, and lar^e heads
of flowers in a ."reat variety of colors. It stands snr.iner sun and
rains quite well.

Last, but not lon.st, the zinnia is cne of the most sho'vTy, easily
/irovm, and satisfactory annuals for sumiuer. It is especially popular
in the ruj-al districts. IIo flowi. r has been i.iore improved by breeding.
We now have j^iant double, Dalilia lioworod, cui'led, c:-'ested, picotee
ponipon and others, with new varieties ap^jearing in cur c:'.talo£jn.es al-
most every year. Zinnias rive a fine effect v/hen several rcv/s of dif-
ferent colors cii'e planted.

No atteiapt has been made to include all that may be {^rown. One
in doubt about a kind v/hich is desirable is advised to ,;;et a small
packet of seed and ti'y it cut. If one succeeds well, let us laicw a-
bout it so that in the f'ltui'e v/e iva^/ tell others.

Seeds of the sui^r^'-r nnnv^.ls usually nominate readily in warm
weather. It is best tc. protect them frcn the direct rays of the sun
for the first two we.':s. If fc . y are plr.:ited in flats or boxes this is
easy by moving; the flats to th3 north side cf the house or by shading
them with cloth or slats, Ca-eful waterinj ,f the plants is vital.
The summer rainy season furnishes liberal amounts of water, but be-
tween now and its beginning; is a critical time in the life of the young
annuals and often rain is vei'y scarco.

Damping off is one disease fhat gives gardeners a lot of trouble,
and it is one they can control, Pl-nts with this trouble simply get
weaJc at the grcand level and topple over. It is best prevented by
using one cf the organic mercury compounds, such as Semesaji, according
to directions on the soil before the seed are planted and once or twice
soon after they are up.

Keeping these points in mind, there's no reason \;hy every gar-
dener in Florida caruiot have masses of beautiful annual flowering plants
all su-.Tiner. Simply plant the kin" -, that will resist heat, diseases
and root knot, treat the soil ajainst da.':-iping off, and give the plants
regular waterings and attention. Of couTse, a good soil and fertiliza-
tion is necessary.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK
IN

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

iSeLLGae OF AGRtCU-LTURE.
IINIVERSITY OP FUORIDA.

AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT

OP AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

Ornainental Gardening in Florida
Eadio Series

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Talk ITo . ' 31
April 11,193^

IHIS FOR FLORIDA GARDEl-IS.
H. ?Iarold Hume, assistaiit director, research.
Florida Experiment Station

In the f:3rdens of most parts of Aroericg, iris -olnnts are hia;h'iy pri'^ed ard
freely used. There are groups of these plants adapted to wide use in plantings
along stream?, "beside pools ai:d on the drier soils of perennial and shrub borders.
Their colorings vie with those of the rainbow for which they were named. Long
years of exploration, culture and hyCL-'dizi/f; have resulted in many gorgeous
forms. Groups based upon species secured in foreign lands and named for different
countries have been developed, and so there are GeriiDn, Japanese, Dutch, Spanish
and other irises. Iris societies interested in the development and promotion of
this favorite flower have come into existence and have done m\ich to av/alcen a
gardening interest in a truly wonderful genu.s of plants. But u.nfortunately the
groups as commonly known and developed have little value for Florida 2;ardens.
Their planting in the hope of securing pen:'.ane.ut dependable sub^'ects have commonly
ended in failure. Sope success has been had with bulbous forms to be grown for a
winter season and then discarded, and in the northern sections of the state the
old Iris florentina (f lo-re^.-ti'-na) has found a place — introduced long ago and
passed from hand to hand by the comradery of gardeners. Here and there a few
others ha,ve been grown but usually they do n .>t Iod ; ha-p-pj, and in the gardens of
Florida the iris is almost unknow.i.

However, there is hope, for irises of several s-oecies are native Florida
plants foujid here and there where conditions suit them or \?here for one reason or
another they have gained a foothold all the way fron the northern boundary to Lhe
area known as the Big Cypress southeast of Fort I.Iyers, Seven species are listed
f'.-.r the state and since they have been stu.died with fair thoroughness these aro
probably all that are native within our bo'.mdaries. This list of seven is as
f.-^llows: Iris savannarom (sa-van-na'-rum) , I. hexaiF.'ona, (hex-ag-o'-na) , I_^
tvipetala, (trip-et '-al-a) !_• Kinballiae, (kim-bal-ee) I. Albisniritus
"(a'-'-bi-spi-ri-tus) I. vir.Tinica (vir-gin'-ic-a) and I.rivularis (ri-vul-a'-ris) .

Before describing them briefly and telling yirhex'e they grow, it v.ill be bes':.
to say something about the structure of an iris flov/er. Its parts are arranged in
groups of threes. At its base is a three-celled ovary in which the immature seeds
may be seen. Later this develops inti a seed pod. The outer parts of a flower
consist of three setjals, narrov/ed below into the "haft" attached to the top of
the ovary, widened above, drooping or curved baci-^vard,, Gardeners call these the
"falls." Upright and between the falls and more centrally placed are three
narrow petals called the "standards." Usually they are paddle- shaped. Directly

,2...

overlapping the three sepals are three style brejiches, each tipped with a divided
aroendage that is commonly fringed or toothed. Beneath the three style branches
are -he three stamens, each consistr.ng of filament and anther. On each sepal or
fall there is usually a definite marking in gold, yellow or greenish yellow,
bearded in certain species, plain in others, knora as the "beard" or "crest".
Veruaps no other floiver has had its parts divided and named in the language of
.■^arciening as well as in that of botany.

All cur native irises are raoisture-loving plants found along streams, ponds ar.^
lakes in different parts of the state. Iris savanuarum is the most ab^ondant species
o-:cuTTlng in great fields' along the west side of Lake Okeechobee and westward from
the ridge between Arcadia, "^auchula and Avon Park toward Brartenton, Sarasota and
lOrt Lfyers. In lesser nurabers it is found- along the St. Johns river as far as
Jacksonville and on the west to the Suwannee. It is a vigorous species with sword-
like leaves 30 inches or so in length and flo'"er--,tall:s that may measure as much as
four feet. The flowers, (usually four or five are produced on a stalk) are large
and in color vary from pure white with greenish yellow crest throiigh different
shades of violet to deep, almost black, violet. Sometii'-.es forms with standards cf
one color and falls of another are found. It is a noble species of great value as
a garden plant.

Closely related to it is Iris iqi-iballiae , a smaller plant in all its parts^with
narrower petals and upriglit, ravjier-like leaves. It is kno-.n only from one limited
area in the vicinity of Apalachicola. Several other plants not loiown elsewhere are
to be found along the same river, so it is not strajige that this iris should be
added to the list of localized species.

Far south in Florida white iris are often seen mixed with the colored ones
growing here and there. From aaong the white fonns Dr. John K. Small selected one
lorjTid in the vicinity of La3elle and described and named' it Iris Albispiritus. It
: r. a lovely, strong growing iris with pure vhite flowers, the sepals of which are
■:.arked with a striking golden yellow crest. To any garden it would be a noteworthy
. .'."'".itiono

Iris rivularis is l-novm only from the northeastern section of Florida where ^
"Liltimreams mal:e their way no rt: ward into the St. Harj-'s P.ivur. It is an ir'^'
of medium size, blooming quite freely even when small. Later than Iris saAra,rmaruir.,
j.t is of value in prolonging the iris season.

For a long time, Iris trifetala wf.s kno" 'n in Florida oi.ly west of the Apala-
chicola River in the C-ulf Coast area. More recently it has been located in the
northwestern part of Duval Cou-ity. The flowers of this iris are different from^
others found in Florida in that the three standards are so greatly ^educed in sir.e
that only fragments remain and these ca :i scarcely be secix. The effect is of ^an
iric with falls only. The rhizomes are small, about the size of a lead pencil with
swellings or enlargements at the flowering and dividing points. It is easily grown„
it is a prize among irises — small in r.tature (twelve to f if teea inches) , dainty
in for." In color three forms are known: a pure white, a good violet, and a very
deep, violet purple. Us-jally it is not in flower before April 15-

Iris virginica is also widely distributed in the state. It is quite common
along the St. Johns T=iver from Falat'va northward. It is abundant in northeast ^
Florida and is found here and there along the streams of western Florida. It is

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particularly plentiful along the lower reaches of the Escaffibia River. It ia
intsreov.ing that these west Florida rer-:resen^.ptives of I. vlrginica are light
culored (pale violet) and sweet sceiited. In the northeastern area the colors are
m-Qoh darker as a rule and sweet scented ones are rare. This species may be
separated readily from other Florida irises because it has rather thick fibrous
rhiiiomes that are pink colored v/ithin.

Last of all to bloom is Xrii ^^exagona . Late April into May is its season,
it grows readily in the garden and blooms even when quite small. As a rule the
flowers are a good dark violet with thick petals and wonderf^il substance. It grows
in northeastern Florida and again in the angle area of the state where the coast
line changes direction from north to v/est around the G-ulf .

To these native sorts should bg added as suitable subjects for Florida gar.dens
t?:at wonderful group of Louisiana irises discovered by Dr. Small. In size, in color
and in form they are a marvelous collection worthy of the attention of any gardener^
I have grown three of these, Iris tgiganticaerulea, (gi-gan-ti'-sir-u-lee--a) Ir: 5__
fiilya^ and Iris Thomas ii and have foujid them very satisfactory. These three ax'S
blue violet, terra cotta arA red-violet, respectively. There are many others in
different colors. If all of them could be brought together in one place and all
flowered at one time they would be as interesting as a bed of mixed pansies and
almost as varied in color, Brownish-pui'ple , orange-red, old- rose-lilac, lavender-
lo'.et, darh lilac, crimsou-scarlet, roya-l-p u-ple , white and yellov/, are an;oi.^ ilic
coi.-'rs represented; nothing comparable to them in wild plant life is kno'/m in any
otner group of plants.

The crossing of these southern irises among themselves and with other groups
ho.s been undertaken by several iris breeders. Sorae of these new forms are now
a-.allable in the trade. Others are sure to follow and doujtless before long there
'.'Till be developed a, V7ell-def ined groixp of American irises. To this group, Florida
o-ardeners should look for their iris materialf:. Catalogues and lists should be
watched for the nev; ones as they appes-r.

Two introduced species should be mentione' , Iris pseudacorus, (pseu-ac'-or-ua)
a strong growing yello'-' speci.s native in Europe, is a Iiandsome robust plant. It
forms compact, upright clumps and the leaves are readily distinguished from these
of our native ones by the p-^esc.-ce of a well-defined rib dovrn their centers, "t
blooms in late March and early April in this latitude. Iris unguicularis,
(■uji-guic-ul-a'-ris) or stylosa, fror; l^orth Africa is a low-grov/ing plant that bloor;.''.
very early. The flowers are hidden among the leaves and they are delightfully
fragrant. It may be had in pure v/hite and in br".,<;ht lilac marked with v,hite and
yellow.

An acid soil is necessary and lime should be kept away from then. A study c;f
nvi'^y native iris fioils made sometime ago showed that in Florida the native iri^iev;
(■^rjw in soils wiih a reaction well below the neutral point. Kence soil secured
f^-om places where thej;- grov; naturally will be suitable for use in planting the Irr.?;
garden. Soils v;ell furnished with vegetable matter are much to their liking. An
a'''.-.j;dance of iiumus helps greatly in maintaining uniform moisture condition,
pr;''ides food as it decays and is generally helpful in growing good plants. In
preparing the soil, dig out a foot and fill in nine inclies of this space with soil
yucih as that in which they grow naturally or one containing 'v'oodsmold or peat and
well-rotted dairy fertilizer. This '.vill leave a depressed bed three inuhea b-^li-'w

'1-

the adjoijiini?; curfaces. Set the rhizoaes close together V7ith the growing tips at
the GurfacBo l!h.e best time to secure plants is wlisn thi y are in flov/er. They are
easier to find and selections uay be made to better advanta^ee than at other T:imes.
Cut bac": the foliage, leaving stubs six to eif^ht inches only, pad: firmly in place,
i^ater thorouglily. The advantage of the depressed bed is that' it will hold water.
Ccmmercial fertilizer, one consisting of five percent ammonia^ seven percent
phosphoric acid and five percent potash, for insbance, may be given from time to tins
at the rate of a quarter poured to a squs.re yard of surface. Let them grovr thick and
close together. They may be planted to mal'e rood bold clumps by themselves or they
may be set in the edges of the shrubbery border. They will gro'-v in partial shade;
it appears best, however, that they should be in S'unshine contimiously for at lea^t
half of the day.

As already- stated, these native irises are moisture- loving plants. They grow in
damp soil and usually for weelcs at a time they are in standing water. Perhaps it is
for this reason that garden ma]:ers have ne^:lected them and refused to mal.e use of
them in their gardens. That they grov: in wet places is not a good reason for
failing to tr:/ them. Just because there is an abruidance of water about them moyt of
the time is no indication that they need so louch. Indeed it is a safe assumptio::
that soil inhabiting plants .vrowing in driiiip places often have about them more water
than they can possibly use; much less will meet their requirements. The principal
tl-.ing in growing iris under garden conditions is to water copiously and fertilize
gCi^jiOusly. ViTnen watering other plants in the garden, give thein a more generau'^
su-;piy and be certain that thejr do not suffer during their active growing season,

Wien an especiaJlj'- fine variety i' foiond it maj'' be increased by division, or by
making cuttings of the rhizome. The rhizome, you will remember, is the running
strm of an iris that grows on or just under the surface of the soil, ^en a native
ic-'2 blooms, the flower stalJ: and the growing point from which it started both die.
Ac the sides of the base of the flower stall: other shoots start out. There may be
t vu or more. These maj/ be separated or broken apart and planted as separate plants.
Cuttings are made "oy cutting the rhisoue into pieces about two inches long. When
planted flat in the peatj?- mixture suggested for setting plants in the garden, nearly
e/ary one of these pieces v/ill give a new plant that should flov-er in two years.
Irises are easily grown from ceed planted in a peaty soil made by mixing peat and
sand in equal amounts by measure. Growin,:; plants from seed is not likely to be us3c
to any great extent except for the production of now varieties.

Native irises are worthwhile rd'.itlons to our gardens, beautiful when in
flower and good masses of green when not in bloom. Tlie blooming season far south ir.
the state rill extend from late January.' throw,'"r- A'oril. In the northern section:;
th(.' season will last about as long, Rtarti:ag and ending later, however. Try them r
yrr^.r gardens and help to develop them as dependable Florida garden plants.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.

cocp.c>i!Naa;7iental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

AGRICULTURAL EXTBNSION SBRVICe.

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Talk No. 32
April 18, 1934

INSECT FRIENDS OF GARDEN PLANTS

W. L. Thompson, assistant entomologist
Florida Experiment Station.

^enever man attempts to grow plants, either for food or
ornamental purposes, one of his main problems is tl?e control of
insects. You know how disheartening it is to grow a bed of fine
flowers or some fine shrubs and then have insects destroy them.

Many times insect pests will gain headway before they are
noticed, but in the same unnoticed way there are myriads of others
that prey on these. There are beetles that eat scale insects,
there are other insects that enjoy a nice meal of aphids or plant
iice, there are robber flies, assassin bugs, mosquito hawks, there
are insects that aid in pollination of plants and hundreds of others
that are friends to every one who attempts to grow plants.

As a country becomes more settled and civilized, damage by
insects increases for a number of reasons. First, in clearing the
land the natural food plants have been removed so the insects take
what man has planted, and, second, marjy pests have been acciden-
tally imported from other countries into ours where they have no
natural enemies to hold them in check. All that it takes to
impress upon our minds the importance of friendly insects, is for
some foreign pest to become firmly established in our country and
then to watch the futile efforts of man against it. Invariably,
he goes to the native home from which this little "bug" came in
order to study and collect its natural enemies and to bring some
back so that he may have at least a chance to hold it in check.

Many insects are valuable as parasites and predators, while
others play an important part in their ability to ca,rry pollen
from one flower to another, thus enabling plants to bear' fruit.
Some insects in the larva stage may be injurious to plants but
beneficial in the adult stage as carriers of pollen.

In almost every important order of insects some of them are
predacious; that is, they feed on others, or suck the fluids from
their bodies. Those that live within the body walls or inside the
eggs of insects are commonly called parasites.

In the order to which grasshoppers and roaches belong, we have
tne praying mantids and soothsayers. These long slender insects
derive the name "praying'' mantids from the shape of their front
legs which are enlarged and held in such a way as to suggest an
attitude of prayer. They are by no means praying, but waiting

2 -

patiently until some so ft -bodied worm, moth, bee, or fly comes
their way. The victim is caught and held between the two front
legs until eaten. The mantids do not restrict their diet to
injurious insects, as they devour bees and other beneficicl forms.

Dragon flies are among our most beneficial insects but are
seemingly much misunderstood- Such names as snake doctors, snake
feeders, and mule killers are used. These flies are also often
Called mosquito haV^s , ivhich is more appropriate, as they do con-
sume great numbers of mosquitoes as well as mxany other insects.
The dragon fly adults secure their food while flying, but the
larvae live in the water and feed on many kinds of aquatic animals.

One family that especially interests gardeners is the lacewing
flies, or aphid lions. The adults, as a ru].e , are rather fragile,
having lace-like wings and some have golden colored eyes. The
adults are very attractive but it is the larva.e that v/e are more
interested in. since they are feeders on ple.nt lice, mites and
scale insects. The ;^-reen lacewings are quite common m Florida^
The adults deposit their'wal shaped eggs on long, hair-like stalks
that are attached to the leaf or stem near the host. The larva
is rather flat, the body tapering boward both ends, giving it the
appearance of a miniature alligator > It has sharp grasping jawa
wii.-i. which to catch and suck the body jices from its prey.

The trash bug lo.rva, another of the la,cewing flies is an in-
teresting little f->ilow to watch. After he has sucked the fluid
from the body of his victim, he tosses wiiat is left of the un-
fortunate insect on his back "'here it sticks. By the time the
larva is mature, it looks like a tiny tra^a pile moving over the
leaf.

Doodle bugs, or ant lions, another interesting family, feed
largely on ar.tSc The larva.e are rather fierce looking felloiws,
resembling the aphid lions in general appearance; except they
are larger ai^d have broad bodies, with ja^s or mandibles that
are long and sharp. They make a funnel shaped pit about one and
one-half inches in depth in loose s-^nd to tr-io the ants. The
doodle bug stays just under the surfnce of the sand at the bottom
of the pit, and i-;hr:.n an ant falls into the trap, this insect at
once starts thrc-'jng sand to ur^^vent thc^ ant i com crawling up the
side of the pit and a.t the same time sticks long piercing jaws to
the surface to c>^tch the victim. If he is successful in catching
his prey, he pulls it down out of sigl;t and devours it. Many of
these small pits may be seen in the garden, under trees, shrubs,
or almost any place ''che.ve the sand is dry and loose.

Among the true br<r;s , which have piercing or sucking mouth pa^ts
are many beneficial species which prey on other bugs, as well fi2
beetles and soft-bodied insects; such as caterpillars and worms.

The assassin bugs, long and very slender individuals, lie and
wait for their prey. Thfiy feed on aphids, le,a,fhoppers , and other
bugs, worms, butterflies, and bees. The usefulness of these bugs
is somewhat questioned since one of the favorite foods is bees.
The ambush bug is another predacious insect.

_ 3 -

Although many true flies arc great pests, there are quite a few
families that are bencficia.l. One of tlie moat common of these are
syrphid flies. The adults of some species resemble honeybees but
we ire not so much interosted in this slr<i^e as i-'e are in the pre-
dacious larvae, which consum-i; .cany a.phidp, or plant lice, The
larvae, maggot, or grub-like individuals, may be observed in the
midst of an aphid colony- A hungry larva can eat an aphid in less
than a minute and often consumes over two hundred in one day. There
are several species common in Florida- These are found feeding on
aT3hids infesting turnips, eggplants, peppers, rose bushes, and many
other garden and shrub plants found nround the home. They are more
common in the fall, ^-^inter, and early soring months. During the
early s"oring months, I ho.ve often observed a small colony of aphids
st^.rting, with one small syrphid fly larvae in its miidst; a week
later the colony of «phids ws gone. Had this colony of sphids
escaped the '-■^tchful eye of the adult syrphid fly that deposited an
egg in their midst, it nould have increased many times during the
next couple of months.

The Tachinid flies are a large and beneficial family but they
work in quite a different manner from the syrphid flies. Again it
is the larvae in which ^^e are interested. They are commonly knoiim
as parasites, because they live inside the body of the host and
are not visible, consequently the good they do is often overlooked.
The fly deposits her egg or eggs on the body of the host. After the
yoi-mg maggot hatches, it bores into the body of the insect and at
first feeds on the body fluids, but later attacks the vital organs,
the host dying about the tiuie the parasite larva has matured. In
many species the matured larvae cra.wl out of the host and pupate
or change l i-om the ma^^.^ot to the adult singe in the ground or under
some trash.

In Florida at least t'^o species of this fa'nily live on the green
pumpkin bugs. The adult of one species is sometimes called the
"feather legged fly" because of the fringe on its hind legs. They
feed on nect^^r and m.ay often be seen -"here plants are blooming. The
adult of another species attacking pumphin bugs resembles the house
fly but is somewhat larger. Many ot our leaf e-^ting "^orms and cater-
pillars are parasitized by vrrious species of this insect. They
also kill grasshoppers, cane borers, and a host of other injur ioua
insects .

Another fnmily includes the robber flies '-'hich are considered
both injurious and bencficia.l as they Dr.?y on bees as well as other
insects. Both the adult and larva stnges are pred-'Cious. The adults
are rather largo, slender flies, catching their orey on the i-ing and
feeding on them by inserting their bill or feeding tube, into the
body and extr-icting the body fluias. The larvae feed in decaying
'■'ood pjid are also predacious on oth^r insect larvae.

Among the beetles are the ladyb -etlcs , orobably the best known
friendly insects. The ladybeetles belong to a rather large family
and the good they do is hard to estimate. Their value to the fruit
gro-"cr and gardener is so great tha.t experts are often sent to
foreign lands to collect and introduce nc" species into this country.
In Florida the different soecies range in siza irom the head of a

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small pin to one-fourth of an inch in diameter. The adults are
usually hemispherical in shape, the color varying greatly with
different species. The o.dults, as well as the larvae, are preda-
cious. The eggs, are cigar shaped, and deposited in groups .
or singly; those deposited by a.phid feeders are usually yello"' in
color. The larvae, as a rule, are rather hairy fellows, slender in
shape, and, as mentioned with the lace^'ing larvae, resemble, some- 1
vrhat , a miniature alligator.

Some years ago the cottony-cushion scale was infesting citrus
trees to a great extent and was found to be very hard to control by
spraying. The Vedalia ladybeetle -as introduced from California
but formerly California had introduced it from Australia. By
liberating a small colony of a dozen or more of these beetles in a
heavily infested grove, the cottony-cushion scale was destroyed in
a few months. This one species of ladybeetle has saved the fruit
grower many millions of dollars. The cottony-cushion scale does not
limit Itself to citrus but infests other trees and shrubs. So this
little beetle is not only of great value to the fruit grower but
to any one who has shrubs around the house.

The ground beetles are predacious on cut ^^^orms and a number of
caterpillars.. They are found under logs, or boards and in the soil,
and come out mostly at night to feed. They vary in size from one-
fourth to one and one-half inches in length. The most common ones
are black but some are marked ^dth gold, green, and purple tints.

The blister beetles are usually considered injurious, but some
species feed on the eggs ol grasshoppers, and in some instances do
a great deal of good.

There are many species of very small -"asp-like insect parasites.
Some of these insects are so small they are almost microscopic
Instead of a stinger, as in the true wasps and bees, they have a
very long ovipositor, or egg tube, which enables them to deposit
their eggs within the body of the host. In a few days the egg
hatches and the yoi.mg grub starts feeding on the body fluids but
usually does not at first destroy the vital organs of the prey, for
it grows, 01 ten reaching maturity and sometimes pupating. By the
time the host has rea.ched m^-turity, the parasite is also full grown-
Some species pupate inside the body ^all of the dead host and emer-e
as adults while others crawl out and attach their cocoons to the
outside of the dead host. It is quite surprising sometimes to find
a cocoon and take it in, expecting to have a beautiful moth or
butterfly emerge, but, instead, a large number of minute wasp-like
insects come out. There may be one parasite to an individual, or
there may be many, depending on the species of parasite and also
the size of the host.

There is a group of tiny insects that pajasitize aphids, as ^tpII
as certain grubs, web -orms, and other caterpillars. On6 can form
an idea ho-" amall these insects are as they can grow and develop as
an adult in the body of an aphid. A'hids killed by these parasites
turn a bro-^nish color, and uoon close exramination, a small round
hole can be seen in the abdomen of the dead aiDhid -"here the adult

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parasite has emerged.

There are other species in this order that parasitize the eggs
of other insects. The pumpkin bug eggs are often parasitized so
that instead of a young pumpkin bug hatching out a minute adult
parasite emerges.

Although the bees are not predacious, they are real friends of
garden plants, as they are instrumental in pollenizing many
flowers that rould not bear fruit were it not for the bees carry-
ing the pollen irom one flower to another. Bumble bees were
introduced into Australia to make it possible for clover to
mature and seed- The bees, of course, are not responsible for
all the pollen that is carried, for many other insects feeding
on nectar also carry it.

Here in Florida we are bothered with many injurious insects,
but we are blessed with many that are beneficial, too, and for
almost every injurious one there is one or more to hold it in
check.

It should be understood, also, that although we have many
friendly insects, ^'e cannot depend upon them to al^i^ays control
the injurious ones, as they too have parasites and predacious
enemies. Nature has seen to it that one family, or one kingdom,
cannot entirely eradicate the other, but merely hold each other
in check so that all might taste the fruits of the earth.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNrTED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE,

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION V/ORK.

Ornamental &ardening in Tlorida
Radio Series

Talk llo. 33
April 25, 193^

HIBISCUS, ITS 'PLACE III FLORIDA GARDEiaiTG.
W.I.;. Pifield, assistant horticulturist
Florida ExDeriment Station.

The late Charles Torrey Siapson, one of Florida's most beloved naturalists,
describes the cultivated hibiscus as "easily the Queen of Flowers in South
Florida". Certainly it is found, growing nearly everywhere in the lower portion of
the peninsula and in many places as far North as Jacksonville. Introduced into
Florida from Asia, probably China, it has woven itself into a permanent place in
our landscape design. It is built of sterner stuff than many of our more delicate,
jjampered ornamentals, and has adapted itself to a wide range of soils and cultural
conditions.

The Malvaceae, or Mallow fainily, to which it belongs, is divided into a number
ri genera familiar to most of us. Tlie genus Goss^rpium contains the cotton plant
r,nd another, the genus Malvaviscus, includes the red flowered ornamental called
[Turks Cap, or the "^ax Mallow. A third member of the faxiily is the genus Hibiscus,
from which the cultivated hibiscus gets its name.

It must be remembered that in botanical classification, a genus is further
subdivided into one or more species. For instance in the genus G-ossypium, we find
sea-island cotton, and upland cotton. Likewise the genus Hibiscus is divided into
species, of which there are about 200 distributed throughout the world. Several
species of wild hibiscus are found growing in Florida, ivhere they are native.
Others are used for food. One is the conirnon okra, or gumbo. And another is the
roselle. Its succulent tissues contain much mucilage, acid, and coloring ma.tter,
all cf which combines to nmke an excellent jelly. Another species is the well-
laiown Rose of Sharon, or Shrubby Altr.ea, hardy as far 'Jorth as Connecticut. The
only one of the groun \diich is comraonly called oy its genus name, however, is
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, the common cultivated form known generally as the Chinese
Hibiscus, Rose of China, or the Shoe-black Plant. It gets the latter name from
The fact that the natives of the Orient sometimes use the dye obtained from its red
petals for darkening their hair and eyebrows, and also for blackening shoes.

Recent years have changed this setup somewhat, however, and a few other
species of Hibiscus have been introduced into Floric'.a for ornamental purposes,.
Lacking any other corainon name they have a,ll been included in the term hibiscus. In
fact these species have been frequently crossed with rosa-sinensis, and so muci. 30
that the resulting progen-f have so many new characters, and such a mixture of
ancestry, that it has so far been too difficult to classify them into any
systematic key that will aid the ga.rdener.

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Eibiscus schizopetalus ( lichiz-op-et'-al-ns) comes to us from East Africa,
and is a verir 'beautif-al contribution, differing from rosa-sinensis in that it has
slender, drooping branches, and long- stemmed, pendulous flowers whose reflexed
petals are beautifully fringed, H. tiliaceous (til-i-a'~ce-ous) comes from the
Hawaiian Islands, although it no doubt occurs scattered throughout the Old "^orld
tropics. Its blossom is tubular in form, and yellow. Exotic varieties of E.
mutabil^s (mu-ta'-bil-is) commonly laio^i/n to us as the Confederate Rose, have been
brought in from the South Seas and added to our collection of large, beautiful
blossoms. It has pale flc'rers in the morning that become pink later on in the dajr.

The present day forms of Hibiscus, then, are quite varied. Thile there is an
almost unliimted variation observed in shades of color, there are only three
primary dolors in addition to white which are concerned in the color pattern. These
are red, yellow and orange. Petals vary from linear to almost round. Some have
v/'ide bases and others very narrow ones. In width the variation may be from a half
to three inches, and in length from one to five inches.

The leaves of different varieties vary even more. All forms from long and
narrow to almost round are fouiil, som.e with entire margins and some with deeply
lobed and serrate margins. Some are hairy and rougii, others softly pubescent and
others smooth and shiny.

In size of plant, varieties range from low, dwarf shrubs to tall trees with
whip-like growth. In som.e forms most of the foliage is grown near the tips of the
v;;od while the rest of the '-'ood is naked. Others are densely covered with foliage
T,;.roughout . While the hibiscus is strictly an evergreen shrub, some varieties have
ioss leaves at certain seasons than others.

No artificial key has been prepared for identifying the varieties. The forms
have merely been grouped for convenience according to the color of the flower into
pinlcs, whites, salmons, yellov/s and reds, and a few trade names ha\'-e been assigned
to the better known varieties based on this system of classification.

■There are three general tjjpes of shape ass-ariied by hibiscus flowers. The coral
hibiscus, as exemplified by the schizopetalus varieties, the ones from East Africa,
and all hybrids from this parent have more or less recurved petals witli wavy,
scalloped edges. In the vast majority of varieties, which now number six or eight
hvmdred, the flower, when fully opened is salver-formed, or saucer- shaped. The
third group, containiri)? many of the newer varieties, has flowers that remain
funnel-shaped until they wilt.

Nearly all hibiscus flowers open early in the morning, and begin to wilt
i'L late afternoon. The greet majority are one-day bloomers, although a few
v.^vieties will retain their blossoms in good condition several davs. It has been
ob.-erved that in cold weather blossoms v;ill usually last longer than during the
h'/L sijmmer days. Tlie blooming season for most varieties is nearly year round,
although blossoms are most plentiful during the rainy season, and after the new
growth, on which the blossoms are borne, is formed.

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soils'fo^diniorid: ''u '''"'^ difference in response of MM sous to the varies
providfnnffiM^nr ; •" «^°^'''\f^-^^^lly ^^«11 on sand, mucl:, marl and rockland,
provided smiicient nutrition m the form of fertilizer is provided It is a
njoisture-loving plant, and requires plenty of .ater for its'^helt de;eloLnt A

ZlZZ^l'tT" >'" '^''^ ^^"" '° '^ ''''^''- ^" S-^^ Florid^! particularly
SZd\v tPn^r. ' 'i grows continuously. Since it is usually killed back above

S°Iin in tL .1., TT' ^'""" '"^"" ^^^'^'^"^ ^^=^^ ^^y f^°^*' i^ ^^^^lly comes out

a^am m the spring and blooms very well on the new growth within a few months.

used fs'ilT.fT^'^'A^l""^'^ '''^' '° ^ "^''"" "^ ^^^^ ^^ *^^ landscaTDB. It may be
looL hed"p^? f tt^'l \' -^^^^^i*^^^! specimens, or set in rows to obtain a
a siSlnvJr f ''^ ^^''^ obstmcting the general view. lYhile the plant itself is
dirS SnliSr 2Ttl-"" l""V: 'f' '"'''' "1°^^°- '=°lor - little when exposed to
into the U.^t^. ^ si^ould be born in mind when fitting the various varieties
anlvelloi ir^'- ^L^ "^l" ''"' "^"" delicately colored varieties, such as pink
shadfiJ ^'i """"^ ^?^" *^' ''"^' ^^^ '^^^°^^ in bright sunshine. This change in
shade of color is not always attributable to suriight alone. In some varieties it

piL ™:r:[i:r 'rfsuit- ^'^'^ :' °°'°^ '^ '^^ ^'°^^^ ^ chang:°-:omeXr:rthe

-lower bvtbr??' ,^f ^\^'^f sometimes m a darker flower and sometimes in a lighter
-lower by the time the plant reaches an age of 2 or 3 years.

When planted to a hedge, care should be used to obtain varieties that are
:,^:.^j!^/? ^?f^^^^- °^ ^--^^^ -^ - general appearance of I'^S! Too mu"
■a^'JpuL nf r^ respect Jill r.roduce a very ragged and unpleasing effect. Naturally
J leties of dense branching nature are best suited for this purpose, ^h^ hibiscus
.^e.ge cannot successfully be closely trimm.ed. Pruning to keep Sck ^he lor^est
shoots and to provide plenty of new growth for the blossoms is all that iHecessarv
Thisof course holds true whether plants are used in hedges or as indtvidLl "^^
specimens around the house. Plants should be watered immediately after pruniiig to
ensure prompt growth of new shoots. ^ pruni.ig zo

about^hpV ""^T'"*-^ °^.*"^f '' ^"'^^"'^ '* ^' suggested that the plants be placed
about tne groups as individual specimens. In this manner tall rank growers can be
^sed effectively where the more dwarf forms would be out of place iHhe far south

c'o^:.;:^^-::::^ ^f-^^ -- ^-f-^-^ ^^y mtei^ianting hibS:::'in't\e' o^^itT'

5oubt l^J l^ ^ ' ^^^""^'^ *'"^"' ^^" '^^'° effective in this combination, and no

doubt many otner evergreen trees would work into the plan equally as well. Such a ■

"r?c iH d ^%™'' r^ "°": '""'^"^^ '" '^^'"'''^^ -^-^^^•' °f varietLs than a
^urictly hedge formation, and also provide some shade for the delicate blossoms.

The ease of propagation varies with the variety. Oenerally it is fairly

la'ft',,f ^^T °^"' ^' ^""^^^^ ^''^ grafted, propagated by both hardwood and soft-
wo.i cuttings, by mossing or chmese layering and in some instances by seed.

do .eedln'sLtr'/'^^''"^ ^^^"^^ ^^^^'^^ *^" ^"°P^"' althou.r.h mar^ varieties
II '.t 1^3 South Florida, and some very excellent crosses have been made as a

are ih; ^lL^^'"^, unfortunate that most of the varieties -.hich seed most readily
coL t^ r J /T ^'' °^nam.ental standpoint. Of course seed very seldom
ase^,.r^ the variety from which it was obtained, and so for most mrp;ses,

aboS i/montff f^"" It '"^ 'f !^' ^''' P'^^^- Propagation by seed usually requires
aoout 18 months for the production of blossoms. .y ^ ^

-!+-

A very successful method of securing new plants is termed "mossing'' or Chinese
layering. It consists of cutting a ring of bark from the lover portion of a branch
and carefully wrapping the wound with sphagnum moss, held in place with a bandage
of burlap. Roots v/ill be formed in the moss usually within six or eiglit weeks if
the operation is performed in the Spring. The branch can then be cut off below
where the roots have formed and set as s. new plant. Of course the moss must be kept
moist during the period of root formation. Plants thus started will often blossom
within a feiT days if buds were present before severing from the parent plant.

Hardwood cuttings will usually root in about six weelis, if made early in the
Spring, and when set in the ga-rden will generally cone to blooming age in about
nine months. For this pur^oose the cuttings selected should be about a half inch
in diameter, five inches long, and must include at least two leaf scars, or nodes.
Pushing the cuttings into coarse sand, kept well watered, is the usual procedure.

The whip graft is used principally for growing one variety on another.
Ordinary paraffin impregnated into bleached muslin has given as good results for
a ^Trapping medium as the more expensive beeswax combinations. The graft should be
made as far down on the plant as practical to provide some top shade for the healing
surfaces. Budding, like grafting, has given best results in the early Spring,
r.-'-d is done bv the shield method. Both buds and grafts usually com.e into flower
in the fall if the operation is performed in the spring.

The most troublesome pests of Hibiscus are the scale insects. They are
generally controlled by spraying with an oil emulsion. Two applications, apr)lied
in the Snring about ten days apart are usually sufficient. Sometimes aphids or
plant lice give trouble. They can usually be killed by two or three a'o-ili cat ions
of a nicotine spray or dust made at three day intervals. Hibiscus are also more or
less subject to nematode injury, and should not be planted on ground known to
dontain this root-lcnot organism. Some varieties are more susceptible than others.
One grower has obtained good results by grafting the more susceptible varieties onto
the common red, which seems to be more resistant than some of the others.

Hibiscus deserves consideration in the Florida garden, because of its readj''
adaptation to most corditions found here, and because it fills such a variety of
demands for a flowering, evergreen shrub of a tropical nature. Hew and more
beautiful varieties are constantly being originated, and the possibilities in that
direction seem -unlim.ited. Crossing with some of our native wild Hibiscus offers a
cliance, perhaps, to develop varieties more hardy and adaptable to the colder
evictions of the state than those we now have. Experimenting with rootstocks of
c'.^-.f ferent varieties may open up another field of adaptation. The G-arden Clubs of
S'L.'jrida could do much toward s-oreading the popularity of the new Hibiscus varieties
in the state by familiarizing their members ivith the new forms.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

eoLLBoe OF AONicuLTune.

UNIVBRSmr OP FLORIDA.

ANP UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT

""^Rmental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

AaniCULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICB

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME OeMON9Tf\AT10N WOUK.

HOME OeMONSTr\A1

Talk No. 34
May 2, 193U

PBEPA?u4TI0¥ MD ivUlI^TTEHA-FCE OF LATOS.
By - I.E. Stokes, agronomist
Florida Ex-ceriment Station.

A good lawn consists 01 a nice, even sod of fine, closely mown grass. Such
a lawn usually surrounds the front and sides of. the house and where possible
should completely surround the house and exterx'. to all ]^rts of the grounds not
otherwise used "by supporting landscape material. A good lawn can be grown any
where in Florida and can be kept nice and green the year round. Such a lawn adds
dignity, grace and chari.i to the home and surroundings and has actual and sue-
ofcantial money value in ad'.Vut'-on to its esthetic worth.

?efore a person can f sta jTish and r.aintain a really beautiful lawn the-^w
rusit come the desire, the ability and the means to do it, along with the

■ oerinination to keep everlastin^^ly at it. If \o.i do not have these prerequisites
J u may accidentally establish a good lawn if you happen to have a favorable
-jcation but the chances are your lawn will sooner or later go to pieces through
lack of proper care which is absolutely necestiary under any and all conditions.

Any one of the f ollo\7ing grasses can be used for lawn purposes in Florida:
Bermuda, St. Augustine, Centipede and Carpet. St. A-agustine grass is the best of
the lot for shady places and it will stay green under lov? temperatures better than
any of the others. St. Augustine grass is the only one of the four subject to
chinch bug attack. ^H o^ these grasses are subject to attack by the brown patch
fungus. Centipede grass sometim.es turns yellow due to lack of iron in the soil
and an application of iron sulfate in solution usually satisfactorily relieves
thie trouble. There are satisfactory m.ethods of control of chinch bugs and brown
patch, details of which can be had by writing to the Experiment Station at
Gainesville for the bulletins dealing with lawns, lawn insects and disease, Ve^-'y
detailed information on the grasses available for lawns in Florida can be had by
aending to Gainesville for Larm Bulletin 209.

All of the four above mentioned lai,vn grasses are subject to frost damage
as evidenced by browning of the leaves soon after frost. No harm., however, is doir
to the stolons, runners or root system a.nd these grasses soon green up again with
the coming of warm weather.

Bermuda grass is the finest textured of the grasses which can be used for
lawn purposes in this state and due to this fact will m.ake w?iat is generally
considered the most beautifv.l la.vm if given proper attention. On the other hand
Bermuda grass lawns usually give more trouble with weed growth than lawns of the
other grasses due to the fact that the gvoxind. cover produced by this grass is
not as dense and complete as that produced by the others. The more dense the
sod and the more compact and complete the ground cover the less chance weeds

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have of entering and s-arvivinf . There ai-e tv.'o strains of Bermuda grass used for
lavvns, one is the comiiion Bermuda v/ith both siu'face stolons and underground stems
or root stocks. This one is v.'ell knov/n to most folks. The other Bermuda is a
strain without underground ruaiers and is known as St. Lucie Bermuda. Usually
the St. Lucie strain of Bermuda grass has a little shorter, broader leaf blade
with hot quite so deep a green color as tne comrion Bermuda grass. Both of these
Bermudas make quite satisfactory larn;s. Tlie St. Lucie strain of Berraurla is best
suited to the r/armer section of Soutliern Florida and has done particularly well
on the muck lands of the Everglades, The common Bermuda is of course adapted to
all sections of the state. Remember that Bermuda is not as well suited for
growing in shade as is St. Augustine grass.

CaiT^et and Centipede^ grass are similar in general appearance and growth
habit but quite readily distinguishti when seeding. The Centipede grass has a
single spike borne on a stem three to six inches long while the Carpet grass has
two to three small seed spikes on a fine wiry stem eight to twelve inches long.
Under natural conditions Centipede grass vdll thrive better on dry soils than
will Carpet grass. Both grasses produce a vary complete, dense mat of grass and
once established are little troubled with weeds. The leaves of both grasses arc
quite alike and are about tv.dce as wide as those of Bermuda grass but not as wide
or as long as those of St. Aug-astine grass, plenty of seed of Carpet grass is
available in the market but no seed of Centipede grass is available; however,
most nurseries of Flori'"a now handle vegetative planting material of Centipede
grass. The Experiment Station has several strains of Centipede grass under
observation but none seen: superior to the strain now commonly available.

St. Augustine grass also known as Charleston grass is probably more commonly
u--;e<l for lawns than any of the other grasses meritioned. Despite its susceptibility
to. chinch bug attack, which usually occurs during hot dyry spells following rauny
periods, St. Augustine grass has remained very popular because of its wide range
of. adaptability to varying soil and climatic conditions and because of its
Nihility to stand more cold, more shade and iiore abuse than any of the others -and
■■■''rill remain fairly presentable. There ai-e tv/o strains of St. Aiig-istine grass
.-i^'owlng in the state. The common St. A'Jg'astine grass, well loiown to miost people,
is of course by far the most widely used. The other strain has a variegat&d.
color leaf be ixig striped green and white. This strain is little used and is not
near so hardy and vigorous as the comir.on St. Augustine grass. St. Augxistine
grass doeenot produce any quaiatity of viable seed, hence vegetative material .is
used exclusively for propagatirg; purposes. Planting Material is available fro'i
"■'loFT ida . rmrseryme n.

Since -all of the permanent lavim grasses of Florida are browned by cold in
jh-e-'fall or winter except \vhen growiiig in the southern part of the state the
• •-oniaan. practice is to plant seed of some quick growing;:, short lived, winter ha.niy
g"ass right on top. of the permanent lriwn grass in October or early November to
"Tnake - sure 0 f a nice green, lawn all duri rg the fall and winter months. The best
.grass, for -this purpose is Italian rye grass, seeded at the rate of about six
pounds of seed per one thousand sq-'oare feet of lawn. Italian rye grass does jio
harm to .the permanent lawn grass provided the rye grass is kept closely mowed
especially in the spring when the Italian rye grass tends to stool considerably
and to make. rathe:r heavy, tall growth which if not kept clipped off often, wilx
tend to- smother out certain of our lawn grasses, especially Bermuda.,-

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Hqv. ao to the preparation for • lann and the actual estalDlishinf of lawns;
first, thought should be given to enriching the area "by the addition of plenty
of 'rell rotted manure, leaf mold, rich soil and commercial fertilizer. Second,
if you are able, put in some kind of -later systerri, since the measure of success
you have in raaintaininf: the lawn is largely determined by the nearness v/ith '.vhich
you come to keeping the grsss adequately supplied with v/atjr at all times and
the more convenient and efficient your system for watering the lawn the easier
it is going to be to get the Job done quickly and efficiently.

After you have enriched your soil and put in the water systei.:, care should
be taken to level tlie gro ind before actual planting of the grass is started.
The best practice is to ,;ive the ground a gradual slope away from the building
in all directions. If terraces are desired, mai:" them grad^ially sloping and
avoid abrupt edges upon v/hich it is always difficult to establish goud sod and
difficult to mow in such a manner as to a,vo'"d injury to the grass. 2Ieedless
to say all building material waste, such as atlcLc, stones, plaster and the like
should be removed in the preparation of the soil preceding the planting of crass.

Now you are ready to plant the prfss. Centipede and St. Augustine grass
both have to be established b^/ planting ve;"etative material, that is rooted
runners or sods since no seed is availa^ble. Carpet and Bermuda grass can either
be established by planting seed or the use of vegetative m.ateriai. Bermuda is
usually more readily established by planting vegetative material, while Carpet
grass is more readily established by sowir^ seed.

If you decide on using ono'of the g-.-^'^sss -hich has to be planted vegetative",
jet plenty of planting material, wet the lawn soil down thoroughly, open up shallo
furrows about four inches deep, f o ir inches wide, and twelve inches apart, place
the rooted runner or pieces of sod in these furrows and almost but not entirely
cover the plantirg material bj- pulling the dirt removed by the opening of the
furrows back into place. After planting the grass, smooth the ground as best you
Lan and again V7ater the lawn thorou^iiy and after this 'vater often enough to
keep the soil reasonably well supplied with raointure.

If you decide to use a gras?, seed such as Ben.uda or Carpet grass, be sure
to get pure seed of high genninatiiig ability and f ig^^re on at least foun pound^-
of seed per one thousand sq-jare feet of la-n area. Plant one half of the seed
broadcast in one direction a.ji the balance broadcast in the opposite direction
to insure even distrxbution. After scedii:g, rake the seed in and water the lawn
thoroughly, being carefi"'^. not to v.'aGU the soil and cause uneven distribution of
the seed. Keep the grou:d. moist rt alll tin^js. ITnile the grass is coming up a^r'.
jetting established, take o it objectionable we^ do by pulMng,hxieing or mowing.

Begin regular mowing as soon as the grass starts putting out runners, as
this induces vegetative growth '"hich in turn causes a more rapid sod formation.
Objectionable weeds that cannot be controlled by the ordinary mowii^ of the
lawn will have to be pulled out by ha. J , however, mowing and the tViickening up
of the sod as grov/th prooresaos xiill autoratically control . .ost weed grov/th.

Once you have your lawn thoroughly established, if you v/ill control
insects, diseases and rodent pest your principal problem is to keep the lawn
grass adequately fed and properly moved. Tliis meians you are going to have '-o
fertilize the lawn two to three times a year, once with a complete ieitili"^er

-1^

such as a 5-5-5 or 5-7-5 and twice or nore often if necessary with nitrogen
alone, using such materials as suli's.te of amnonia, nitrate of soda, calcium
nitiato or cotton seed iT.eal. Tbf ra is not":iiig i.'.o.^ic or i;.ysterious about the
fertilization of lawn grasses. Oomrrionly, grasses respond more to nitrogen than
to phosphorus and potassium, thougli all three elements are needed, hence the
reason v/e say fertilize once a year with a fertilizer containing all three plant
food materials; namely, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and two or more times
a year with some fertilizer material carrying mainly nitroiren. The complete
fertilizer can probably most advantageously be applied in the fall, winter or
early spring and the nitrogen alone fertilizer suff icientlj'- often during the
growii^ season to keep the grass a vigorous deep green color. Remember cotton
seed meal is good but slov; acting:, v/hile nitrate of soda, sulfate of ammonia
and calci^Jia nitrate are readily soluble, quickly available and will leach out
of open sandj' soils duriiig periods of heavy rainfall. P.emember that none of the
fertilizers can give their plant food materials to the lawn grass except as
these materials go into solution whicli simolj means the soil has got to be kept
reasonablj'- moist at all timer..

If you '.fill remember arA act on thesu two things, nine tenths of your lavn
troubles will be over: G-rass does bent on a rich moist soil arid sod forming
'.rasses of Florida thrive best -jjider rather frequent n.owing, all of which simply
neans keep the lawn well fertilised, v.-ell watered and mov/ often enough to keep
".he grass a desirable height.

Summing up then, we may say lawns are desirable because they are useful,
-eautiful and profitahle. G-ood la-vi.s can be had in Florida the year round if
ihere is the ddsire, the ability, the means and the determination to have the
lawn.

The grasses available for permanent lawn purposes are Carpet, Bermuda,
'"•entipede, and St. Augustine. The best r'trass for greening up lawns in winter i^
..talian rye grass. A rich moist soil naturally or made so and care and attentio..-
'.,0 fertilizing, watering, irxjwi rg a.id the control of rodents, insects and disease
will give desired results which is a beautiful year round, lawn.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEae OP AORICULTUne.
UNIVeRGITV OF FLOnrOA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMBNT
OP AORICULTUHE.
COOPERATING

Ornamental Gardening in Tlorlda
Radio Series

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION BCRVtCC

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Talk No. 35
May 16, I93U

HAEVEETIl'G Am STOlHNa BUI.ZS,
P.. D. DiCicey, assistant horticulturisb
iloi'ida j5,griculttirf.l >.'oeri;aent St-ition

At the outset I may S3y that the tei-m "hulo" is used here in its broad
flense as explained and defined 'i^y Professor '■• Harold IJuije in an earlier talk of
■:his series. Used in its technical arx'. restricted seuse, the word bulb refers
to a special plant part usiially developed uider gro\ind consisting of a short
s'i'em, roots, thickened lea.f bases and one or n.ore ouds. Its stjecial purpose is
to act as a storage place for food and in Kost instances it serves to carry fie
plant over periods unfavorable to active gro'.vth. The trn.e bulbs are either
coated with tight overlapping thickened leaf bases, as in the onion or amaryll;.?. ,
or scaly with loose scale-like leaf bases, as in the bulbs of the true liliers.
ii. every day usage, ho;vever, the word bc.lb commonly includes many other plari

.■^:.- f:/-*- are net true bulbs b^.t sei'^e the same pT'.n;^ose, and in garden v/orir -t-hev
a.. 3 handled in much the same way. The corms of gladiolus and watsonia, the tubers
J- calladiiims and callas, the swollen roots of dahlias and the rhizomes of ginger
-.'.d iris are often, and indeed usually, included a:aong bulbs. It is in this wider
,r-!neralized sense that the term is u. ed in this discussion.

The harvesting and storing of tlie various kinds of b ilbs is a problem of
■Lach diversity and complexity, due to the large nwnber of different kinds of
plants in this group; and also to the fact Lhat corm-iercial practices often differ
radically from those best suited to the "Cr:ia.r;)ental Gardener''.

In regard to their rc-quirements for har's. .;Sting, >-albs may be divided into
three main groups: (1) Tr.ose in which the tops die down each year at the end
of the growing seasoa. — these are best dug (lifted) annually; (2) Those v/hich
behave better if taken iip jvery t'Vo, three, evon up to five years; (3) Those
which are allovved to rema .n indefinitely in the' f round.

When we mention bjlbs many thiiilc of the F-^rcissus group. This member of
■^.he flowering bulb group is one of the oldest of cultivated flowers and enjoys a
much deserved popularity. Due to the climatic and soil conditions, many of the
iost succes;:;ful and popular varieties in otiier parts of the country are rather
uniiatisf actory when grown under Florida conditions.

The greater part of the narcissi grov/n in Florida consist almost entirely
of varieties belonging to the Polyanthus or Tazetta group. These are highly
thought of in Florida because they bloom during the winter months. The most
important varieties in this group are: Paperwhite, Chinese sacred-lily, Grand
Soliel d'Or, "Jhite Pearl, and Grand Konarque. The comr;-.ercial growers dig each
year, which is necessary in order that the stock may be properly sized and spa;od
to proauce market qualities. For the oriiai-ental gardenei , i.j.,cvfc., Lhj c 1^ n^ .

::.! !Cj z ... . .^ .c;^:/ ard v.:'"'.! Ijb :'.ctcr:r.incl to «or;ic e:..tcr.t ty the .rarj in wLi-li tlie
■^ulbs are iDeing used. In general though, it is true that "best resiilts are
obtained, with the Polyanthus t^/pe o' n.-r-rcissi when they are lifted amma'^^ly;
Fiien left to naturalize they are allo,v7ed to remain undistarhed indefinitely.
The trumpet narcissi and the jonquils (rarcissus odoris) give hest resv.lts if
taken up every two, three, or even up to five years.

It has heen fo'und that Grand Monax'que is very satisfactory if left to grow
on for a niuaher of years hut the statement here is otherwise all right. The hulba
can oe dug from the time they he^^in to turn yellov/ until the tops ha.ve completely
died down. However, they should he dug before the tops have disappeared so tha'-;
the clumps can be located without difficulty. They should be lifted before the
sumi:aer rains start tl'.e bulhi into second growth, or their vitality is likely to
be seriously impaired. The bulbs shot\ld be picked up immediately after digging
and placed in the shade, "s exposarc to the sun for as much as an hour will often
produce sunburn, which is followed b?/ a dry rot in storage.

Narcissus bulbs are usually kept out of the ground for three or four months
§fter they are dug. Therefore, consi4erab:le care should be exercised in their
storage. The bulbs should be stored in a place that is dry, cool and well
ventilated. This is best obtained in an open shed especially made for the
purpose, which has shelves that v/ill hold a number of shallow trays or bins m
which the bulbs are placed. If it is not possible to have such a building some
place that meets as nearly as possible the conditions given above should be used.
Jnis nay be an attic or a room in a house, a cellar, or the seed room in a barn.
Jit this point, I mi/jht mention that rats and mice are very destructive to
narcissi stored in this manner, injuring and cariying away many, so care shoiiid ce
t. ,ken to put them in a place that will protect the bulbs from the ravages of
these rodents. Durii>^ the first two or three week.s of storage the bulbs should be
sxamined daily to determine if heating is taking place and, if so, they should be
i:tirred in some way to alleviate this condition.

After the bulbs have been in storage for six or eight weeks they should be
cleaned; this consists in taking off the oater loose husk and roots, and
C''.iparating the slabs from the mother bulbs. The balbs are then put back into
their containers and kept until planting time.

Another fine group of bulbs is the gladioli. Tliis flower is becoming
increasingly popular each year. Their popularity is deserved because of theJr
beauty and also beca/^se the proper choice of varieties makes it possible to have
them practically every month r'uring the year.

The commercial grower of gl'^dioli in Florida digs his bulbs at the end of
ev-ery growing season, Jul', as soon as the average tops are yellowing and ready tc
(lie dovm. Probably the best practice for the ornpmental gardener is to handle
them in the same m^anner. In most ca,ses the home gardener ivill h^ve only a small
numiber of bulbs as compared to the commercial grower, and it wo'old be v/ell to
leave them, in the gro'ond until all have matured. At this point I v/ould like to
state that there may not be any necessity to dig the bulbs every year. There are
numerous cases that might be cited in which the bulbs are left in the ground for
three or four years and still produce an excellent bloom. Tliis practice would I3
much more satisfactory on the better tr.pes of soil.

Aftei- digging, the Lulbs and surrounding soil s^^oald preferably be screened
so tha.t or.e xvill be sare -^.o r^et ail ot! the cor. .els out of the soil. After
screening, the bulbs are tai-en to the curint'^- shed or sous convenient place and
spread out in shallow trays or bins to dry, after which they should be separated
and cleaned. At this time ;he old bulbs a_-e detached from the new ones and
discarded. In cleaning, t"je o..vter husk should be taken off but enough husk iviust
be left so that the bulbs will not dry out to an excess.

The bulbs should then be put in the trays or bins and stored under conditioris
comparable to those needed by narcissi. During storage certain definite chan.';es
take place in the bulbs — this is knovm as curing. The length of time for this
varies, but is usually from six weeks to four months . The best way to tell when
this process has been completed is to watch the buds for signs of growth, and when
the buds show evidence of growth the bulbs should either be planted or placed in
cool storage so as to prevent further development. The same precautions in rcgarc^
to preventing the ravages of rats and nice slrould be practiced as recommended for
narcissi.

Many home gardeners have Easter Lilies. The Easter Lily nay be left in i.hj
l^'- --rnd all sumner, but, if du{^, this shovld be d.o-^e just before rooting stpr-^*-
which is usually late in August or September. The principal reason for digging
i.~ ;.c prevent root binding in clumps; tiiercfore, it is only necessary to lif.:
them every two or three years when t>;;y may be divided and replanted. They may
b.5 rebedded immediately, or put in sens cool dry place away from air c\irrents
wh'','2h will dry them out, causing them to wilt and shrivel and lose their vitalii.y.

Turning to the A.naryllis , as has been poirited out by Professor Hume in an
f&rlier talk in this series, the plants that are comn-only called Amaryllis are
;'.ot Amaryllis at all but really Eippeastrums. Tho ones most commonly found in
i'lorida are the small ones with bright red flo: ers and the large flowered hybrid
i^jnaryllis.

These bulbs may oe left in their permanen'- location from year to year, the
only reason for lifting tb, .1 beii--,^ the wish to "!han,»e them to another desired
location, or to give them ew soil that better grov/th may be secured.

Mayte you are wondering when to dig day li''ies. The clumps can often be
left undivided for four or five yea.rs without lo3S in siae or number of flowers „
The only object of digging and replantizag is to divide them, thin them out, and
fu..'nish the bulbs with plant food, and a better soil. They should be replanted
inimediately after being dug,.

Another group that may be left indefinitely in their permanent location is
- •---nums. This group consists of several species which are commonly fo'ond in
i'iorida, all of which are evergreen,

Montbretias or Blazing Star may be dug Yihen foliage dies down in the fallj
and stored the same as gladioli; or they may be left in the ground for two or
thi-ee years until the clumps become root-bound, when they should be lifted and
u..^-.idede Snowf lake 3 are best allov/ed to rc.uain -onaisturbed for a nui:.ber of i^.,— ...
Evcesias sometimes at the end of four or five years clumps become so densely
matted that it is necessary to lift then for the purpose of division and subseciuenr
thirjning.

"'he canna after being placed in its permanent location, \/hatever that may be,
can be left there indefinitely. After a fe-.; years there is a considerable
-ncreaii^e xn one airiount aud conceritraLloa o±' tlie ■onuei'gro'und root-scocK, making
the group very dense. If the concentration of plants becomes too great in a
given area, it may be necessary to dig that particular area and reset In order to
thin out to the desired concentration. This should best be done in the spring
before active growth has started. They should be t-eset imrAediately.

Fatso.iis, is another of the bulbs siirdlar to the gladiolus. Its requirements
for harvesting and storing are the sanie. The Calla lily is a plant not related
to the lily family at all as it is a tuber instead of a bulb. However, it io
usually classed or grouoed with the flov;ering bulbs as its manner of grov/th and
flowers is somewhat similar. It produces, after a tirrie, a dense mat of titters.
These should be left undisturbed -unless it is vdshed to start the plant in some
new location.

Briefly summing up, specially as '..hen tl.o lifierent kinds of bulbs should
be dug: In general narcissus are dug each .year after they begin to yellow and
before the summer rains. 'Thty should not be left in the sun after being dug, and
should be stored in a cool, dry, well ventilated place.

Gladioli and 7/atsonia are usually dug when the tops begin to die dovm, but
may be left in the ground for several years. Easter lilies need to be lifted only
every two or three years, but the job should be done before rooting starts in
late August or September, and they should be bedded immediately.

Among the bulbs that are left undisturbed unless it is desired to move
them, to new locations are Amaryllis, Day lilies, Crinuras, Cannas, and Calla lilies.
Snowflakes are usually left undisturbed for a number of years, and Montbretias
are best left in the grouni for two or three years. Freesias should be moved
■"""ery foxir or five year<^.

Thus, we can see that the different b-.-..lbs require quite different conditio.-i-:. ,
and that it is up to gardeners to learn those requirements if they are to be able
to properly dig and store or otherwise handle bulbs and have them ready for
abundant bloom the next blooming season.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK
IN

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COt-LHSe OP AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLOniDA,
ftND UNITED STATES DEPARTMeNT
OP AaRICULTUH(=,

COOP£HA,

0^*namental Gardening in
Radio Series

lorida

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DERVtCE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK.

Talk No. 36
May 16, I93U

THE LILIES OF A MY

By H. Harold Hume, assistant director, research
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station

By way of introduction it is worth noting that the eastern parts of Asia —
China, Japan and adjacent areas more particularly — have contrihuted greatly
to the beauty of Florida gardens. Indeed if we were to remove from our state all
tl-0i2e plants that have cor.e directly fro:r. V~c Far East or that trace hack to f--.-!.
source, the orange, rose, chrysa.nthenr,m, azalea., pittosporum, camellia and mary
others would disappear. So, too, v;oiild go the daylilies, a lovely group of
herbaceous perennials that we are t- consider at this time, for they or their
progenitors came from the same regica, Im that portion of the world they have
been highly regarded since long ago as garden and food plants.

To the botanist they are known by the name Hemerocallis (He-mer-o-cal'-lis) ..
which literally means "beauty for a day," and are often referred to as "fhe
lilies of a day" in reference to the fact that the individual flowers last but a
single day or thereabouts. In our gardens s.re many ornamentals that we refer to
as lilies that really do not belong to the lily family, but the daylilies are
classified in the lily gronp.

The first we Imow a'^out th' m dates back to a boo?-: published in Europe in
1570, when one of them wps illustrated in "Fistiria," a work on plants written
by Pena and Lobel. This particular variety is the yellox''; daylily. A period of
I83 years passed by until Linnaeus (Linn-e'-vs) , the father of modern systematic
botany, gave it a botanical name, Hemerocallis flava. In the meantime it had
gone into many gardens, and being naroilfss- iindoubtedly it was known iy such de-
signations as "the lily from Berlin, "the ont that Aunt Marj'' gave me," or'"bhal.
yellow thing that I have in the garden," — just as plants of different sorx.s
are known to many even to this day.

Linnaeus, who gave a name to the yellov; dajrlily, also described and nam^c.
another, Hemerocallis fulva, the tavmy daylily. This is a remarkable perem;L:.l,
for though under all usual conditions it never prodiices seed it has been know;i
in gardens for centuries and has made its way about the world simply through
being divided into pieces. In abandoned Ames>-ican gardens it has persisted anl i"'
has become established as a wildling froin material cast aside in garden niakxii^^.
For mar^ years these appnrently were the only daylilies known, but as time went
on and contacts with the Orient widened other kinds were introduced and by the
year I9OO eleven species and varietlz-s were listed by the Cyclopedia of American
Horticulture. Today thirteen wild forms or groups of forms have been recognized
and described by botanists. In recent years, to be more definite, since I9OO,
several plant breeders — Betcher, I?.rr and Stout, in A:nerica, and Yeld aid Perry

-2-

in England, and others elsewhere — have interested themselves in the daj'-lilies
to such an extent that throngh cross-breeding and selection there are now more
than 150 named sorts, dwarf, medim.i and tall; pale j'-ellow, golden yellow,
copper-colored, ta-.vny, mahogany hrovm, pink and red; with petals of different
shapes and sizes, variously marked — a truly wonderful assortment of lovely
varieties, BeautifiJ though the varieties we have nov; are, the future without
douht holds new combinations of colors and new forms that will surpass them.
Here at the University of Florida many seedlings resulting from crosses made by
John Watkins are now really for the test grounlR, The collection in the Agri-
cultural College garden numbers about one htindred at this time.

Daylilies are dependable garden plants for Florida gardens. They may be
grown all the ',vay from the Georgia boundary to the areas south of Miami and
east and west throughout the state. This is renarl-able because they are also at
home in the cold clirna,te of parts of Canada and the various northern states.
Hot all are likely to be equally adapted and some testing and selection will
need to be done.

The daylilies nay be divided into tv:o groups, one evergreen throughout
winter, those of the other group losing their leaves with the coming of cool
weather. Preference with us F/ill be given to the evergreen sorts, for the
deciduous ones may not be adapted as widely through vfhere they do succeed they
are valuable because they are usually low-growing and bloom very early.

With a proper selection of varieties, daylilies may be had in flower for
many moiilfchs. Here at Gainesville t ey begin in March, reach their peak in June
and end in August or September. For different parts of the state, the time of
flowering will vary, earlier or later depending upon the seasons, heat and
moisture.

Evergreen daylilies, when not in bloo;a, furnish good compact green masses
that rest upon the soil and rise to a hei£;ht of several inches, even to two feet
or more. So they have valii.e in the garden t- at for r.any purposes mai:es them just
as valuable as evergreen shrubs of many sorts. As low or medium-sized plants
they can be used in the si. rubbery border ver;;-- satisfactorily.

In' considering the " eight of daylilies, two features should be taken into
account, the height of the mass of leaves as f/'jy grow in clumps and the height
of the flower stems when in oloom. As a rule, the early flowering deciduous
varieties have leaf masses and flo'-ering stens of about the sair.e height while the
later sorts as a rule produce flower stems tr.-.t rise well above the leaves. It
is necessary that these features be studied as it will not do to set low ones
behind tall varieties when arra^'iging them in the garden. Fortunately it is very
easy to take the clumps up and rearrange them. With this in mind such varieties
as Orangeman, Apricot, Gold Dust and Sovereign are dwarf or low-growing; WaiiBun,
Mikado, Vesta and Cinnabar grow to medium height ; while The Gem, Queen of May,
Aurantiaca major (Au-ran-ti'-a-ca) and Pulva are tall-growing sorts. The height
to which daylilies will grow is dependent in some measure upon the amount of
plant food provided.

In color it will be noted that the color range is wide. PerhaiDs this can
best be indicated by reference to certain varieties. Modesty is very pale
yellow, Vesta is a good deep orange-yellow, Gold Dust is reddish brown on the

-3-

outside, yellov; on the side of the flov/er, ?ulva rosea is rose-colored, Mikado
J a orange v;ith red brovm riiarlcings, Aurantiaca is deep orange with orange red
shading, BroiTnie is mahogany brown, and ?n.lva is orange copper- red. The shades
are many and they vary with the lighting, All are bright and attractive in
suitable light.

Most daylilies have open flowers during daylight and those who know only the
oiaer varieties may thinlv that d^-blooming is chax^acteristic. But this is Ti^t
30, for there are daylilies that open their flovvers at night. There is quite a
little variation in the time of opening and fading of different varieties. Some
last approximately tvfenty-four hours from the time of opening while others remain
open for a shorter time. Most of the day-blooming sorts are in good condition
uiitil about midnight.

Most gardeners are looking for flov/ers and garden subjects that are
dependable and satisfactory but -.vhich at the saiT.e time require but little care.
When these things are considered, there are ie'.7 herbaceous perennials that f-re so
free from insect and disease troubles and so easily gro\7n as the daylilies. It
would be hard indeed to find ornamentals so little subject to the troubles that
befall many garden subjects.

They may be allo'ved to reiiiain where planted for several years and all that is
called for is- a few handfuls of fertilizer or a few shovelfuls of stable manure
from time to time. Even without these plant foods they will give returns, but best
results are secured by giving them food and water as needed. Good care through
the summer is repaid in abundant bloom the following season. At least once a year
the dead leaves should be cleared away and when the flower stems have finished
their crop of bloom they should be cut axvay. Sometimes, too, and particularly in
small plantings, the removal of faded flowers from day to day improves the
appearance of the flowering stems.

Daylilies may be grown from seed v;ithout any particular difficulty but
!-:peciraens so obtained cannot be depended upon to reproduce true to tj'pe or fcnn.
Gonsequentlj'' they are not usually grown from seed except bv those interested in
securing new and different varieties. The comraon method for increasing the supply
"f a variety is to dig up the clumps and cut or break them into smaller clumps.
They m^y be divided so as to separate all the individual shoots with a few roots
t-.i''jached and each of these will raalue a new plant. This is best done during -".he
dormant period in winter. Shoots with leaves and even roots sometimes develop on
•che flower stems; these may be tal:en away and established as new plants.

While it is true that daylilies nay be taken 'p and set out at aiiy time cf th'
year it is really best to move them in winter before growth starts. TTnen setting
them out, the soil should be enriched with a handful or two of commercial
fertilizer for each plant and they should be watered well until established. Mai y
of the daylilies have enlarged or swollen roots and as these doubtless hold a
considerable amount of moisture they are helpful in establishing plants when newly
set as well as in tiding them over periods of dry weather.

Here is a list of good sorts most of ?/hich should succeed in Florida gardens:
Amaryllis, Aurantiaca major, Bro'/mie, Calypso, Cinnabar, Cressida, Flava,
Plorham, Fulva, Pulva rosea. Gold Dust, Gypsy, Marga:-et Perry, Mikadc ,

-h-

Modesty, Mrs. A.H. Austi.n, Rosea, Shirley, Sir Michael Foster, The G-em,
Vesta, Wa-uBun.

Within recent months Dr. A. 3. Stout, of tie llew York Botanical Garden,
Bronx Pari:, Hew York City, who for a long time has been interested in this group
and who has produced many beautiful sorts, has given us a book on daylilies,
published by the Macmillan Company, in which the varieties listed and many more
are described. It is delightfully written and should be in the hands of everyone
interested in these plants.

In China and Japan, daylilies are a source of food. The flower buds and
young shoots are cooked while the petals of several sorts are eaten raw or dv'ied
and used in soups. Indeed in parts of China daylilies are gro'im in quantity to
pupply flowers for food. Dried daylily petals, put up in pound and half-pcjr.d
packages, imported from China, may be purchased in Chinese shops in the larger
cii/ies of America. The fresh petals have a slightly pungent taste. 'Vhy net io-.ke
a salad that would catch the eye at the same time it \7ould please the taste — -
green lettuce, deep yellow daylily j.^tals and red tomatoes! TThat a color schcniei

As cut flowers daylilies are valuable. The blooms of a single variety may
be used alone, or since throiigh thera all something of the same color runs, in
different shades, several varieties may be "ised in a single decorative compos;iti^r.
Used in large masses, in suitable containers, properly lighted, there are few
flowers that can surpass them in a show that while striking and gorgeous is £;.t
the same time pleasing, delicate and refined. In beauty of color, in curve cf
petal, in grace of carriage they are distinct.

The statement will have been noted that the flowers of daylilies last for
oi:Lly a day. For that reason some may thinlc that they are not worthwhile; they
pass too quickly. But if a scape or flowering stem is ejcarained it will be noted
that there are a large number of ouds. There may be a dozen and a half, for
instance, each good for one bloom; so there pre flowers for eighteen days. Since
all the flov/er stems do not comie at once, the flowering season from a clump f-
one variety may last for several weeks. There is something of value in the thort.
life of a flower that is replaced day bv day in that the blooms are always fresh,
bright and gay. There comes to mind a glorious sight, seen but once, never
forgotten — white fleecj'' cloii.ds in an azure skj' on a suiilit Florida da''^, a field
covered with a mass of dark green, grass-like foliage over which danced raj'^riait-
of glistening, golden flowers, swaying on wandlike stems, changing in shade e.s
light chased shadow across the scene — daylilies in bloom'. And then to thiii "ihat
all that beauty faded and disappeared before the rising of another sun, only t ■• be
replaced by a scene just as lovely, just as bright, just as golden, yet not a
single flower was carried over from one day to the next.

"It is not grov/ing like a tree
In bulk, doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three himdred year.
To fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in I"ay,
Although it fall and die that night —
It was the plant and flower of Light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in sho^t measures, life may perfect be.'*

— From Pindaric Ode, - Ben Jonson.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURB.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES OEPARTMBNT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT ANO

HOMB DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornpmentrl Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Talk Ifo. 37
May 23, 193I4

SOIffi KEW MD OLD PLMTS OF ilORIDA GAEDEES
W.L. Floyd, professor of horticulture,
University of Florida College of Agriculture.

According to an old Jingle a bride should wear on her wedding day

"Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue".

Most of. this applies equally well to gardens. It unquestionably adds variety and
interest to have the garden contain old favorites and new creations.

The old ones have associations and memories attached tc them; grandmother's,
a favorite aunt's, or some very dear friend's garden, perhaps in a distant State.
It is pleasant to be reminded of these as we waiider in the late c-^f ternoon pjnid the
beauty and^ fragrance of our own garden. I have some that are constantly suggestive
of the choice plants of a grandfather, some of whose characteristics I ajn said to
have inherited. Many old plants are interesting because of their history, some
be^.ause of the name of the discoverer or introducer, others because of the place
from which they came, or the Old World region where they have been grown so long
that they seem ?> part of it.

The^rose is probably the oldest cultivated flower. It was crowned queen of
flowers in Athens more than two thousr<nd ye^rs ago, and long before that 'it h''>d
been grown .-^nd admired. References to it are foi^jid in many ancient writings, both
secular ajid religious. It is grown today in every civilized country of the world.

Helen Fox in her book "Garden Cinderellas", a treatise on lilies, says:
''Since the dawn of culture among the people of central and western Europe lilies
h^ve been knovvn and cultivated. Among the Greeks and Romans they were favorite
flowers". In the oldest book in Arnold Arboret\im, published in Auchburg in 1^-75,
is a figure of the Madonna Lily, which shows that this variety was appreciated
centuries ago.

Miss Fox pays this tribute to them. "At the twilight their fragrance calls us
into the garden; as the rosen, petunias and other colored flowers gradually fade
out in the gathering dusk, the white lilies stand out like friendly ghosts".

Florida has many varieties of lilies introduced from various p.-^rts of the
world. Some coming from the Tropics will' thrive out-of-doors in Florida as nov/here
else in the United States. There are many lily-like plants, often called lilies —
as Crinum, Eucharist (Yu-cha-rist), Amaryllis, that are favorites here.

The Oler'nder, so abundant and easy to grow, almost continuously in bloom,
contributing its bright hues to our winter Ipndsc'pe, is a native of the
Mediterranean region where for centuries it h^s been a source of beauty and
enjojrment.

r^^^^p^^^™i

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The Jasmines with their fragrant, star-like flowers, are abundant in our
foundation plantings, borders and gardens. Many of them came from Arabia, we know
not how long ago, showir^ how the uttermost parts of the earth have contributed to
our attractive and varied ornamental plantings.

The Camellia, more often called by its specific name, Japonica, in the South
is named after Camellus, a Moravian Jestiit who travelled in Asia in the seventeenth
century. How long it had grown where he founi it and brought it bad: to his people,
we do not knov:;. It has been grown since Colonial times in South Carolina and
G-eorgia, and was early introduced into Florida where it thrives in unsurpassed
vigor and beauty. Everj'' native Southerner feels that this is a plant of true
Southern memories and associations.

One naturally thinlcs of the evergreen Azaleas along with Camellias, as they
are so generally planted together in old Southern gardens. The varieties coming
from Iniia are our oldest forms and give us a wealth of pinlz and red bloom in late
winter and early spring, to which v;e have later added new kinds of striking beauty,
from Japan and China.

There are several old woody plants, that have a place in Florida gardens.
Spirea or Bridal Wreath is one of them. It comes from Greece, where the name
Spirea (meaning band or garland) v;as given because of its use in crowning heads of
beauty or valor.

Another is hibiscus or Hose-Mallow. It is like the Oleander, almost
continuously in bloom, and contributes wonderfully to the brightness and color of
Florida in printer.

Still another, hydrangea, a rather coarse but colorful old plant, is well
suited to partial shaded positions.

An old English book on garden flowers that I have been reading recently calls
hardy perennials 'old fashioned flo'.vers' . This is more true for the gardens of
England and those in this country established in Eew England arxi other colder
climates, than in Florida, probably because where there is snow, ice and frozen
ground during the winter, the plants store up, d\;rirg the summer, nourishment in
fleshy parts underground. They protect the eyes or buds with hair-like, downy
or scaly coverings, and allow their more exposed tender parts above the ground to
die at the close of the growi rg season. After the long v;inter rest the buc's awake,
and drawing on the stored food in nearby parts, grow rapidly and produce the first
tender leaves, which are soon followed by flowers in early sprin,g. ^e have
perennials in Florida, but thej'' behave differently and give us summer and fall
flowers usually.

The most conspicuous new flowers of Florida gardens are among the annuals,
because it is so much quicker and easier to make crosses of varieties which have
promising characters and may give new and desirable combinations if blended, —
the first step toward the goal may be made in one season. Each year the cata-
logues bring to our attention neiv forms of old and well-knoiTn favorites, much
improved by breeding and selection over the familiar ones.

An illustration is v/hat has been done with the Zinnia. One does not have to

-3-

be very old to remember when Ziimias were just Old Maids rith a cone-like center
surrounded by a single circle of colored petals. One after another have appeared
Mammoth, Ficotee, Curled and Crested, Dahlia Flowered, Cactus Flowered, Pompon,
Mexicana, Early 'bonder, and others.

The Aster, an old favorite, has added new colors, sizes and more disease-
resistant strains to Baby's Breath, new rose and carmine colors has been added to
the original white. To the golden-hued California Poppy has been added creams,
whites and reds. Larkspur has new double flowered varieties of different colors.
Lupine, now has larger flowered, longer spiked forms.

To keep posted regarding new Icinds one must examine carefully each winter the
current flower catalogues and, lest some recent introductions be overlooked, read
regularly a good garden magazine.

Suppose we run through the seed catalogues for the last two years aM pick out
some of the new gardening plants they offer. In the catalogues of last year
there are a number of new and improved varieties that we might try.

One of these is the Ouinea Gold marigold. It grows up like a pyramid and is
2 to 2| feet tall. It bears semi-double flowers that are 2 to 2^ inches across.
.".fly are broad, ha-ve wavy petals and are orange and gold in color. The flowers
h..7e a less pungent odor than other sorts of iTiarigolds.

Golden Gleam nasturtium is one of the 1933 introductions that has proven
p-pular. This variety of nasturtiums has large double flowers that are from Sg-

• 3 inches across. They are very fragrant and are golden yellow. Among the
J .ters, we could mention the new wilt-resistant and peony-flowered kind. And, if
y-u grow lupines, you should try the new Hartwegii giant kind. They grow 3 to U
feet tall, have base branching habits, and bear U to 6 long spikes to the plant.
Each spil^E has many more blooms than the regular Mnd.

Then, there is a new Dianthus, the hybrid Street Wivelsfield, and other hybrids
much superior to the old forms. Among the pansies, there is the Swiss Alpenglow
(Al-pon-glow) and several new giant forms. The verbena is an old garden favorite,
and Lavender Glory is one of the newer kinds. It often has f levers that are an
inch or more in diameter. Then there are the Beauty of Oxford Hybrids with many
shades of large blooms in rourd trusses.

Another gardening plant that we might add to the 1933 new introductions is one
from South Africa. It has rich orange, daisy-like flowers and goes by the name of
V:' nidi am fastuos-um (Ve-nid'-i-um fas-tu-o-sum) .

If you will pick up a I93U catalogue you will fine, a still greater array of n-jv?
fj.owering plants. I can't help but mention several of the now hybrid petunias.
The California Hose is one. It is a heavily ruffled petunia that is rose colorerl
and veined with white. The Mauve Queen is another one that is beautifully
frilled, and it is mauve with a center of purple. Pink Pearl is a l^rge pink tyj^e
with strongly veined centers, and the Pihlc Empress is a new one that is deeply
fluted, heavily fringed, and one that is a rose pink with a golden throat.
Another with rose pink fringed flowers is the Setting Sun, and this type grows as
compact plants.

Among the newer double fringed petumas there are three that we should
mention. The Madonna vrith deeply fluted pure -vhite flowers, the Bizarre with a
combination of rose-pink and white in striped effects, and the Rose Queen, a
large deeply friiiged rose pinlc kind.

Tlie Calendular has grown to be one of our most planted annuals, and the
193^+ catalogues bro'ight us several new kinds. One is the Chrysantha or Sunshine
wi-'/h large double flowers of golden canarj' yellow that are borne on long stout
stems. The petals are long, broad and drooping which gives the flower a
globular form. Another new Calendula is the Sun G-leam. It has a tangerine-
orange color T/ith a brown eye , and the petals are slightly edged with brown. Then,
there is the Topaz with double, whitish flowers that have sulphr.r yellow tips.

Another new annu/il v^ell-rorth your trial is the Chrjisanthemum flowered
poppy. It is salmon pink, large, and lasts well. If you vrant a double bloom that
is a rich crimson carmine you might add the Carmine Queen variety of Eschscholtzia
(Esch-Bcholtz'-i-a) .

Among the well liked scabiosa we find a couple of new types. One with large,
attractive flowers that are rosy-lilac is the C-randiflora Cattleya (Gran-dif-lo'-ra
Catt-ley'-a) . Another is the Doiable Tall Blue Coci:B.de. The flowers are a deep
nsure blue, and they are so deep as to be almost conical in shape.

Those v;ho like Delphinium should v/elcome the new pure white Iceberg, a

variety that comes true from seed. And those who have been growing the white

Saby's Breath or G■y]^hsophila (G-yp-soph'-il-a) should try the rose pinlc variety. It
is a little later than the white.

For a large steel blue flower one of the iiewest is Iiinum narbonense (Li'-num
nar~bo-nen'-se) . Among the Gaij.lardia varieties, there is S^anset with large fine
yellow flowers. This is an unusually beautiful variety of this well ad.opted
flower. Aiid, last but not least vie might mention the P-arple Beauty, a new variety
of Sweet William. It is a bright deep purple and is a new color in this favorite
flower.

When you have selected from this large array of old and new plants you will
have something old, something new in your garden; old ones for their quaint
beauty and historical values and new ones with all their unusual ness and strikirjg
colors.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OP AORICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE,
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Eadio Series

Talk No. 38
May 30, 193^

VIHE-CLAD WALLS, THELLISES AlTD AHBOHS

Harold Mowry, assistant director
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station

Could we but roll back the eons of time, it indeed \7ould be interesting to
review the development and spread of plant life. Were the large trees of today
always huge specimens or did they in the course of survival find it necessary to
gradually reach higher and higher to obtain the sunlight needed for existence^ And
are the so-called shade-loving plants adapted to shady situations because they were
compelled to seek shelter, or was it forced upon them^ Ard. the vines - were they
originally small shrubby plants that had not the strength of stem to compete with
trees and larger shrubs for their share of the sun but, nothing daunted, developed
the ability to climb by twining or weaving so that their strongest competitoro
later were forced to become their means of support? &reat trees may be the monarchs
of the forest but at the same time they are slaves to the apparently weak vines
that reach to the same great heights, in much less time, by utilizing the tree trunlrs
for support.

Vines, in their habit of growth, cannot be compared to shrubs nor to trees, but
occupy a distinctive place in the plant world. Mother Ifeture, when she developed
the great groups of plant life, gave us in vines a tj/pe of plant growth for which
there is no satisfactory substitute. Some vines may be effectively grown as low
phrubs, some shrubs may be trained as small trees, and some trees kept pruned to
a shrub-like appearance, but few iad.eed are the other plants that may be trained in
the habits or appearance of vines.

The art of landscape gardening has been quick to recognize the merit and place
of gines in ornamental planting and they are now incliic'ed to no small degree when
suitable subjects are available. Their habit of grow on iriakes them well suited for
situations where neither trees nor shrubs are adapted or are satisfactory. 'Then
properly selected vines tend to lend contrast and character and supply a finish to
plantings that can be attained in no other way.

There is no'.v no question as to the desirability of shrubbery plantings about
the home, but there is still the q^'uestion as to what, how, where and when to plant.
It has been most aptly stated that the first tendency in hone planting was to plant
only a wreath of greenery about the house foiindation, which in some instances gave
the appearance of a house set on a feather bed. Slight alterations in placing the
foundation materials, coupled with a judicious use of vines and trees adapted to 'Lhe
conditions involved can change such an unsatisfactory situation inireasurably.

The old, severe, box-like type of house with ornate triramirigs in wood or iron,
wherein fancy scroll work at gaoles, eoves, verandas, a.id all other places where
such could be fitted in or tacked on, has given place to those of simple but
decorative outline. Greenery, in the form of shrubs and vines, is used to improve

-2-

the appearance of the new type home, and care in planting must be exercised that
architectural features are neither hidden nor emphasized in too great a degree.
Vines here play their part and can be included to advantage; the tightly clinging
sorts that may be closely clipped v;ill accentuate desirable lines, and vigorous,
rampant growing varieties will tend to obscure harsh features.

T7ith obeervation and some study, it is not difficult to become acquainted with
the growth habits of vines, including their virtixes and faults, and to thus
determine those best adapted to the sitaation aiid the effect desired. It is well
to bear in mind not only the desirability of the vine itself but as well the effect
it will produce on the building or other support in the place wanted. Monotony
and lack of naturalistic appearance of plantings can be relieved to a great degree
by the inclusion of vines. Some of our most attractive homes owe no small part of
their charm to the free-flowering varieties for which Florida is justly famed. It
is true, of course, that some of the strikingly flowered varieties may not be in
harmony in many situations and with all types of buildings, but each of them has a
fitting place in combination with the different styles of architecture and the many
and varied garden needs.

Vines are especially suited to ornamental use on arbors, trellises, fences,

pergolas, verandas, and certain places on bxiilding walls. Tree truiics are well
adapted as supports for some varieties; rock, stucco or concrete walls for others;
and heavy wire netting of coarse mesh is particularly suited for the heavy, woody
kinds. Vines climb by means of twining, weaving, tendrils, and direct attachment,
so that regardless of the type of support there is a variety available that will be
found admirably suited. 3y the use of properly adapted varieties, division fences_
or garden walls may be transforned from the appearance of unsociable barriers to
decorative objects, back lot enclosures can be made to lose their una,ttractiveness,
and unsightly objects may be hidden from view.

Usually, the beauty of vines is enhanced when the plants ha"e an immediate
background, and the better effect is more likely to be attained when the supporting
trellis is closely adjacent to a building than when placed as a detached object
Bcmewhere on the lawn, .

Trellis materials and construction are highly important since a weak trellis
will be near a state of collapse at aboat the time the vine has covered it, and
repairs then will be difficult if not impossible without major damage to the vine.
Simple but strong trellis work is usually preferable to a complicated pattern. In
placing, it should be free of the wall to permit ample circulation of air, and at
the same time clear of the drip from the eaves. Many woods are satisfactory for
■'"ryllis construction but, where available, cypress is :;/"ually preferred. All
vT'derground parts should be thoroughly soaked in creosote or other wood preservative.
{.,nl the exposed parts well painted. If of metal constraction, only galvanized
Materials should be used as rust will soon destroy unprotected and exposed iron.

Vine-covered pergolas are becoming miore comimon, and in their construction i'l'.
is r.eedless to saj'- that they must conform to the style of the house. The usage cf
p^r^'olas is mainly as a connecting or a terminating decorative feature; they oB^y
connect parts of a garden or act as a covered passage from building to garden but
should not be expected to serve as an isolated and disconnected garden ornament.
it probably is unnecessary to add that, generally, only vigorous growing, rather
heavy vines should be planted; a small wealc. vine in its attempt to climb and
cover a pergola of fairly large dimension is more grotesque than ornamental.

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Transplanting of vines from the open ground is usually done during the \7inter
months although potted plants and some of the more tropical kinds may be moved at
any season. Thorough preparation of the soil prior to planting will he of material
help in securing and maintaining a vigorous growth in the plants. Soils should he
thoroughly spaded, not only deeply but over a wide area, that the root system may
easily spread and develop. Incorporation of muck, compost or other litter is
recommended for sandy soils. Commercial fertilizers may be used freely and to
advantage. Mixtures, derived in part from organic sources, with an analysis
approximating U to 5 per cent nitrogen, 6 to 8 per cent phosphoric acid and 3 ^o 5
per cent, potash will be satisfactory in most cases. Steamed bone, guano, or
tankage, alone or in combination, will a3aD be found beneficial.

With most vines comparatively little pruning is required other than to keep
them within bounds. Rampant growing varieties may need trimming back occasionally
and especially so when growing over a porch or on the walls of a building. Too
much or too heavy vine growth in such instances may tend to give an appearance that
is not pleasing and an impression of lack of balance in the plantings. Most
flowering varieties are pruned shortly after the blossoming period is over since
late pruning, with some species, will remove wood that produces the flower buds of
the next season.

Some of the less hardy vines are not adapted to statevvide planting because of
the difference in minimum temperatures experienced between the nortnern and
southern sections. No definite lines separate the climatic zones of Florida but in
the selection of varieties it must be borne in mind that many of them cannot
withstand prolonged lo-.v or freezing temperatures. The hardiness of the plant in
question and the location in the state where it will be planted should be
considered. Several local factors, other than latitude, have a moderating effect _
on temperature so that in many localized areas tropical varieties are grown that
are not generally adapted to the area as a whole. The loss of a vine by freezing,
however, ife not usually of serious consequence if the roots are not killed for it
will come back quickly and there is no irnpairment of symmetry as may be the case
v/xbh cold-damaged ornamental trees.

There is an exceptionally wide choice of vines for Florida planting, not only
of those adapted to a given type of support, but among the vines themselves there
is a great variety of both foliage and blossom in size, color and general
appearance. During saxy month of the ;7ear there are vines in bloom in some part of
the state. Most of the species are evergreen which maices them doubly valuable in
that their beauty and utility are not seasonal but present throughout the year.
Some deciduous sorts, however, because of their striking blossoms or other very
desirable characters, are worthy of space in many plantings.

Those parts of the state which are less subject to heavy frosts are
especially fortunate in having a climate that i-all permit the growing , under
Q.'.', -of-door conditions, 6f many varieties, that are not known in more temperate
regions except as greenhouse specimens. Included in this group of tropical Bpe;:'ev
are some which have very striking and unusual foliage and bloom. The less comraor
varieties are al?;ays a source of interest and favorable comment and the opportuii."ty
of including them in the garden planting should not be neglected in the only area
in the United States where they can be grovm.

-l]_

The choice of varieties for ornamental planting is almost unlimited, there
"being over 79 species or sub-species of perennials in the state as well as
numerous annuals that are ideally adapted. Lack of time does not permit the
naming of these many varieties, much less describing even a fev; of them.. The
available kinds extend over a wide range of evergreen and deciduous sorts. They
vary from dainty twiners to heavy woody types; from those with small foliage to
ones having huge leaves tvro feet in length; and from miniature-flowered plants
to climbers whose blossoms are six inches across. The range of color in the
blossoms is unusually great; it includes various shades of orange, red, crimson,
pin^, white, blue, lavender, violet, buff, yellow 5tnd brown. The exceptionally
wide variety of ornamental vines available to the Florida gardener provides a
suitable climbing plant for nearly any situation where a climber is desired.

Bulletin 188 of the Experiment Station lists numerous perennial species of
ornamental vines and furnishes information as to their appearance, grov/th habits,
adaptability eind culture in Florida. Those interested in the subject may obtain
a copy from their county agent.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

Ornamental Gardening in Florida

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICF

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Talk 39
June 6, 1934

THE SIMPLE THINGS IN GARDENING

H. Harold Hume
Assistant Director Research
Florida Agricultural Experiment Station

In the making of our gardens, we so often overlook the
simple little things. Many who profess to be great lovers of a garden,
of growing and flowering plants, have very little conception of the
constant details necessary in the having of these things. Gairdening
is far more than the setting of a little grass or the planting of a
few seed. We humans have to eat, drink and dress regularly, and we
should expect no less of the living plants in our garden. These
little, simple details make the difference between many a garden of
joy and beauty and similar spots that are failures. They are like the
pennies that make dollars; they add up, and one by one, day by day
they make gardens.

For many years correct information han been available and has
been given out on the simple subject of how to plant trees. And yet,
in Florida this past winter ev3ry rule of proioer and right handling
hds been broken along the highways of the state. Roots have been un-
duly exposed, tops left unpruned and undefoliated, "trees have been set
loosely and too deep. If there was anything that could be done wrong,
it was so done. Go into our towns and villages and note the tree
butchery that passes under the name of prunning . We wonder whether
the simple rules of how to prune a tree will ever get home to those
who have such work in charge. It is just as badly done as though
those doing it had never seen a tree before, and the worst of it is
that it is no more costly to do the job right than it is to do it
wrong. Valuable trees are being dpjsiaged in ignorance and their lives
shortened. Why shouldn't this necessary job be done right? Why
shouldn't branches be removed without splits, ?;ith smooth clean cuts,
close back to the branch or trunk from which they start? Why shouldn't
the cut surfaces be painted with a good, cheap asphalt paint, to pre-
serve the wood, to keep water out and to prevent decay? Maybe some day
we will realize tha.t pruning is niit a job for those who are ignorant cr
Careless.

Along the saxae line, what about the trees and the pruning in
our ovm gp.rdens. The pruning of shrubs of different kinds is woefully
neglected. Usually it is too long delayed. From time to time begin-
ning a fexv months after planting, shrubs should be pruned to keep thorn

within reasonable bounds . They should not be
off, or making them flat on top. They should
naturally and to this end they must be pruned
natural form or habit. This can best be done

barbered by rounding tLern
be allowed to grow
so as to preserve their
by cutting off the

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branches down in the heads of the shrubs, taking them out here and
there in such a way as to Ic'.ive the tops natural and irregular in
outline.

The care of the garden should begin before it is planted.
Good soil is the lounda.tion of all good gardens and things may be
done to the earth better before plants are set out than can ever be
done afterward. VJhen the garden is planted th© work put into soil
preparation docs not show. Two areas, the one poorly prepared and
poorly done, the other with soil well supplied with humus, well dug
and fertilized and properly drained, m&y look exactly alike. The
difference between the two sho7TS up afterward. The well-made garden
will make its way in spite of unfavorable seasons; it will grow and
thrive, look well and give satisf 3.ction; it will require but little
attention except for water; it will be a joy and a pleasure. But if
the ground has been poorly prepared, if it is lacking in hu^nus and
fertility, the plants placed in it "rill become unthrifty and will
require much more la.bcr and expense to maintain. The garden mil not
reach a state of setisf actory do\'Olopment . Then prepare the soil wel"
giving particular attention to the incorporation of vegetable matter
in the form of peat, rotted le-.-v.js, leaf mold, and thoroughly decayed
stable manure. For our soils, an applicption of three or four inches
of such materials as these, well mixed with the top eight inches of
natural earth, will work wonders. If the soil is very light and poor,
m.ore vrlll be advisable. It may b-i; de^^irable '.o remove the original
soil and replace it with a made-up soil of ;■ od composition.

Vifatering is a simple operation and yet how frequently neglec-
ted, how niggardely done. You must remember thirt all the food and
all the materials that a plant gets from the soil are taken up in
liquid form. It follows then: no water, no food; no food, no growth.
There must be wa.ter in the soil that the roots may take it up to fill
out the Plant's cells and to carry into the plant, through the roots,
plant food for growth. In watering^rden plants, water thoroughly.
Water an inch deep applied to the la^-i, to a shrubbery border, orto
a planting of roses or zinnias or anything else will do a lot of good
during a dry season. But if that same inch of water is split into
eight parts and applied on eight different days, it may be entirely
useless.

There is no general rule to be follov/ed in applying water to
outdoor plants. The gardener must le;:,rn to know his plants and thei.:
behavior, and to watch for the first symptoms of distress. Wiltinj-
may be checked by merely sprinkling the tops, but if the soil is dry,
permanent relief can be secured only by soaking the soil thoroughly.
Flaiits recently set should be watched ca.refully, and in the case of
trees and shrubs more water than usual will be needed during the
imrst summer following transplanting, because their root systems are
limited in extent. Then these require water, it is best to provide
a basin in the soil about them, fill this with water sev^^ral times and
allow it to soak in. In addition, the tops of broadleaved evergreen>?,
transplanted with part or all their foliage left on, should be sprin>-
led or syringed frequently. In fact, it is e. (^ood plan to keep them
damp aliiiost constantly until they are e stab].:' shed. This checks
transpiration and evapora.tion ajid keeps their moisture-content at or
near normal.

- 3 -

TlTater applied late in tlie evening oj at night is more
effective than if given during the day because transpiration fro:r. the
plants and evaporation from the surface of the soil do not proceed so
rapidly as when the sun is shining. It has been said that plaaits are
da;naged by being watered vrhen the snn is on them. If this were true,
there would be few plejits left in Florida. Sprinkling in s^Jinshine
may be injurious at times to tender species, but thorough watering
can result only in good.

For good root development, for holding water, for retaining
and furnishing soluble plant food, humus formed from decaying vegetab]'
matter is a necessity and no g.^rden soil is ever satisfactory without
it. Plants have to be fed from time to time and it is difficult to
secure full results from the use of f or tilizt-iS if the soil is lacking
in vegetable matter. Maintaining a good cor.ij.j.st heap made up of leave
the prunings of shrubs smd trees, mold from tne woods, and stable
manure, is well nigh indispens?<ble. Do not --aste good vegetable
naterials. The ainoijuits of these materials that go to waste in the towr^
and cities of Florida every twelve months is appalling ?jid yet a glan--
at plants and trees that are city property indicates how vitally
vegetable matter, that could be supplied from this source, is needed.

In relation to c-^re, the dt?.ily inspection of the garden is
very important. If the area is small, it is possible to inspect all
parts, every plant in it, once ev ^ry day. How often does it happen
that good plants are lost because they ha.ve been overlooked.' In an
interval of a few days they have suffered for lack of water, insects
may have gained headway and destroyed them. It is often just as
important that a certain piece of garden work be done on time as that
it be done at all. Then keep a careful eye on the garden — water,
feed, spray on time.

Finish in the grrden is important. It should be trim and
neat, free from withered flowers, dead leaves and branches. How oftc
is it the C3.se, following the cold periods that sometir.ies come, that
dead branches or whole plants, their leaves withered and unsightly,
are left standing for days and wejks. In the interest of the finish
of the garden, they should be remo/Bd and all signs of distress re-
moved quickly. Then, too, v/alks -:.nd edges should be trimmed and the
grass mowed. You and I need a haircut now and then — so does the
lawn.

If it has not been done yet, the I'j n should ho.ve its spring
?.p-oliGation of fertilizer right away. Put on a good application of
a balanced fertilizer rich in ammonia or of cottonseed meal, Ptit it
on at the rate of a half ton to the acre, wuich means two and one-hai'
I.-'junds to one hundred square feet, and wash it down into the grass.
"■ater as needed and when the lam is mo'^ed do not cut it too closely-
it is not good for nunning grasses to be mowed so as to expose the
prostrate stems.

It must be emphasized th.at the care given plants at one
season of the year is reflected in their behavior many months later*
The price which wc must pay for flowers and gro-"th in the spring of
1934, for instance, is the food, water, protection and care that v-e
give the plants now. If there is good growth and good food storage

_ 4 -

during the su:"mer and fall of this season in perennial plants, then
reward will come in wealth of bloora the follovring spring. Again, in
handling bulbs in the garden, gladiolus or narcissus, for instance,
gardeners too frequently fail to realize that the care and attention
must not cease with their flowering. Aftor that tine they should have
needed Tvater and plant food, potash and phosphoric acid in particular,
until they have fully matured aaid their leaves die dovm. What you
get out of your garden, of interest, of health, of joy, of plants, of
flowers, '-/ill be in direct proportion to what you put into it of
planning, of thought, of study, of comradeship with your plants, of
yourself. If you give little, your reward will bo proportionately
Sir.all; if you give abundantly, your teturn will be aiaple. Ydu may
fool yourself, but you can't fool plants.

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK

AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS

STATE OF FLORIDA

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA,
AND UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
COOPERATING

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SCRVtCF

COUNTY AGENT AND

HOME DEMONSTRATION WORK

Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Radio Series

Tallc llo. UO
June 13, 193if

IIATUHAL BEAUTI3S OF PLCEIDA ROADSIDES AW
THE IF. CONSERVATION
E. Harold Hume, Assistant Director, Research.,
Agricultural Experiment Station

Over the highT7a:<''s of Florida there has come r. tremendous change in recent
years. Indeed, the present system of roads is a development of a short period
of time, as the years are measured. One may travel over paved highways into
almost any part of the state, and journeys to many points may be made by any
one of several different routes. We are approaching the time perhaps v^hen re-
building and maintenance may be of more importance than new construction. As
a rule the roadbeds are well graded and vvell drained, the berms are protected
by grasses or other 107'-gro'.7ing groiAiid covering plants, the ribbon-like pave-
ments lying bet^veen strips of green present a pleasing appearance. The higla-
ways of the state are a basic asset; they have assisted greatly in the state's
development, and they can be made of still greater value by enhancing and pre-
serving the beauties of adjoining areas.

The beauty of any highway is affected van' definitely by the country
through which it passes, by what adjoins it on either side. Tliere are certain
roads in Florida that must be classed as unusual — perhaps they should not be
classed as beautiful in the ordinar?'- sense, but they are most interesting. The
beauty of Florida roadsides depends not upon lofty mountains or rolling uplajids
or turbulent stresjns, biit upon views of placid lakes and smooth flowing streams
fringed with trees and shjrubs and lowly-growing plants, upon stretches of
marsh or flat pine forests gay at certain seasons with a riot of bloom pecu-
liar to Florida soil and climpte, upon glimpses here and there of the wind-
swept ocean or the rolling Gulf. I-Iore than ans'^thing else there enters into
the beauty of Florida's landscapes t':e varied plant life for which the state
is justly famjous. It adds heiglit to hilltops, it fringes lakes and ponds and
rivers, it covers marsh and higher ground, it floats upon the surface of pla-
cid lakes and streams, it covers trunics and branches of vridespread trees, it
hangs in festoons from swaging branches, it covers with dense impenetrable
growth the lower, moister lands and shades the hig'-er areas with open, park-
like growths of pine and other trees. Because of hese special features,
Florida is a beautiful and an unusual state. Its j.lora makes it so. To the
maintenance ajnd enrichment of this natural beauty the best thought and action
of the citizens of the state may well be directed, and particularly is this
important as related to areas adjoining our highways.

It is a fair statement that in la"ing out and building the highways of
the state much of natural beauty has been sacrificed and, I regret to add, a
great deal of it needlessly so. Few roads have been projected, surveyed and
built with the scenic beauty of the route definitely in mind. If proper con-

- 2

sideration is given to the basic value of beautifiil roadwajrs and roadsides to
the state, then in all future road building this feature rnust receive the at-
tention to i?/!iich it is entitled. Every proposed right-of-waj'- should be cri-
tice.ll,y exexnined to determine '<ihr.t of beaut" and interest maj; be rrade acces-
sible;, '^hat of notewortl'i;;'- features m^^'■ be preserved, ^^e may '7ell consider a
curve in a road to preserve a beautiful group of trees, we may well put a bend
in a ditch to save a specimen, we may well bring a road up to the top of a
hill, that a distant view may be secured, we itiay well swing a road to the ma.r-
gin of a lake or the border of a n:ia.rsh that something of its beauty can greet
the sye of the traveler. In the past these features have not been valued at
their true worth, and a distinct change of vieiirpoint becomes necessary. Rail-
road engineering and construction has been the background of highway develop-
m.ent. In all seriousness there is need of a change of viewpoint, ajid vre rnust
have a highwa;?' engineering viewpoint separate and distinct from that of rail-
road building. The ideal would be the vision of a landscape engineer, the
next best would be the opinions and views of a thoroughly trained landscape ar-
chitect worked into the plans. That there is developing a more sjanpathetic
attitude toward oiir landscapes is excrrrplified in some instances of road build-
ing, but there is need for more of it. It is of primary'- basic importance to
the welfare and future development of Florida that these ideas be given full
consideration.

3ut, these suggestions cannot help us fully with roads already built. To
the planting and iinprovement of them much thou^-ht, discussion and effort have
been given. To this date I miist say, and I say it with regret, very little
has been axjcomplished. Moreover, I have the feeling that attenTpts along pre-
sent lines arc futile and little of value will come of them. 'To have planted
tress and shrubs along the open highways of the st' te, and what is there to
show for the effort, tine and money expended? As co.rpared with the great ex-
tent of our road systam, nothing. Por one reason or another we have failed.
Tairf Because wc have set trees and failed to give them necessar3'- plant food.
^^e have put them in the ground and have gone away and forgotten them, '^e have
plaaited them and failed to protect them against fire. Cattle have used them
for scratching posts; one thing or another has befallen them until, in the
■cnain, wc have nothing to show for what it was hoped might result in great iii>-
provement .

Before much can result from roadside planting adequate protection must be
afforded against fire. Tliers must be ar.rple provision for proper maintenance
after planting, at leas:- until thoroughl;^ established. Fater majr be needed,
fertilizer is req^oired. It must be someone's job to give necessary'' care. In
the interest of highway bea-.itification and safe travel as well, cattle must be
excluded from the highways. I do not blame the cattle; the road berms afford
the best grazing at hand. The system and the gonc-ral point of view, instead,
are at faiilt. Unless the conditions indicated can be corrected, unless ade-
Quate provision is rmde for maintenance, unlsss protection is ajfforded, v/e may
Just as well discontinu3 our efforts along present lines until these -LUitoward
conditions are corrected.

Viewpoint a.nd treatment must change and the;'' will change. In tlie mean-
time, that is until the results from -lantings of one kind or anothor become
moro dependable, rraich ma?;' be done. Much may be accomplished by putting into
execution plans that I have advoca.ted, talked and written about for manj'' years.

- 3 -

These plans involve the widening of ri^t-of-ways. How wide shoxdd they be?
That depends upon a forecast of how much traffic a given highway will carry in
the future years. They must be wide enough to permit of widening the paving
in the future. They should be wide enough to provide for strips of land along
each side back of the ditches to carry, in the main, native plant life. In
many instances, these strips are already planted by nature with trees, shrubs
and other plants peculiar to the areas through which the highway passes. Trom
these areas, fallen or dead trees and stumps should be removed. Some thinning
may be necessary, not too much, and shrubs and herbaceous perennial plants as
well as trees should be allowed to remain in place. These strips need not be
continuous. Areas that are now bare and unplantod may be allowed to remain
so; they may be planted or they maj'- bo protected and left to nature to plant.
And nature will do just that. IThorcver there is soil, plants of some kind
grow naturally in Florida. If any piece of land is stripped of its native
vegetation, and the surface layer of soil itself carried away, in almost every
case, unless it is hard, steep and constantly washed, a new crop of plants
will cover the bare surface in a few seasons. Ho piece of ground is so poor,
so wot, so dry, so shaded, so swept by winds of the sea or drenched by ocean
spray but it will grow native plants of some sort. Tliese should be given
first consideration. They may not be the most beautiful, they may oven look
straggly and unkempt, but no plants are beneath notice and most of them improve
in appearance and increase in bcR'aty as they grov older. The widening of right-
of-ways should be sufficient, wherever advisable, to include little parks or
beauty spots. These may take in areas near lakes or rivers, they may include
groups of trees or spots where unus-oal vegetation grows. Picnic and camping
areas should be provided at suitable locations. On.tlooks to beautiful views
in the distance should be opened up.

When bare areas are planted, care and knowledge need to be applied. The
materials used should suit the plan, they should fit the soil, they should be
adapted to the particular environment. From city streets we have borrowed a-
gain. This time it is the idea that trees mast be planted in straight rows,
spaced just such and such a distance apart. It is high time, generally speak-
ing, that the street plan of planting be discarded. It may have its place
here and there but straight rows of trees in the open Florida countrj'-, backed
by the miscellany of our landscapes, are, on the whole, not desirable. The
better plan is to plant the trees in groups at suitable locations, three or
four in one place or a dozen or more in another. ITo greater number need be
used to the mile than if planted in rows. The effect will be immeasurably
better. Needless to say, the materials used, preferably native, should be so
selected as to introduce no strange or discordant note. Along the back of
the areas so planted, a fire g'oard v/ould have to be made and maintained.

The planting of low-growing flowering plants, mostly annuals, adds much
to the beauty of our roadsides. There are splendid examples here and there
throughout the state. Phlox, coreopsis, gaillardia, argemone, verbena and
vinca are suitable. Seeds may be secured from plantings already in existence
or small quantities may be purchased, grown for their seeds and these sown in
due season. All that is necessary is to scatter them along the grass-covered
roadsides. Some, not all, will take hold and their numbers will increase
from year to year. Late October or early November is about the right time.
It will be noted that only a few have been mentioned. The list is made up of
sorts that are self-perpetuating. Once started on suitable soil, they come
up from year to year to give color to the roadside.

- u-

The roadside advertising sign nuisance is ever in evidence. Unquestion-
ably the roadsides in the broader sense belong to the people, they are for all,
and not for the advantage of the few. The removal of all advertising signs
from our roadsides would greatly enhance their beauty. If anyone with an open
mind, perhaps there are few such, will check a road such as the one that runs
east and west through the Ocala National Forest, where signs are absent, a-
gainst one cluttered with signs, I shall not say where, he cannot but be im-
pressed with the quiet, restful beauty of the one and the discordant note in-
troduced by the other. How can this nuisance be reduced or abated? Wider
right-of-ways will push them back, suitable legislation will help, but above
all an awakened consciousness of the eternal fitness of things on the part of
the public is necessary. Here and there communities have succeeded; much more
can be done. We need to become roadside-minded and plant-minded.

In Florida there are many beautiful roadsides and to a few of these atten-
tion may well be called. Drive the Tamiami Trail from Miami to Fort Myers, get
out on it by sunrise and see the bird life of that region. Take to the road
from Starke to Green Cove Springs in April and reach a point three miles west
of Green Cove Springs by 3:00 A. M. ou an April day to see the windf lowers in
bloom. If you are too late they will have gone to sleep for the day. Follow
the Ocean Shore Boulevard from St. Aurustine to Daytona Beach and you will see
one of the most unusual plant compositions and one of the most unusual road-
sides to be found anywhere in the world. On the one side, the vast stretch of
the Atlantic, calm and smooth or disturbed aid wave-broken, and on the other
a sea of innumerable palms, trees and shrubs smoot ;d and flattened down by the
shearing winds, a veritable mosaic of colors in c.'.:,aea of brown, gray and green.
Farther south in the Jupiter section where the road traverses the rolling ocean
dunes of long ago, much the same appearance is presented. Go along the John
Anderson highway and see the wonderful palm groves of the Halifax country. Take
a trip over the road from Port St. Joe to Apalachicola. Here the Gulf of
Mexico, calm and placid perchance, comes in sight. And then drive up along the
river. Here, too, are sand ridges and palms. Here in places some sjTTipathetic
engineer left the cabbage palms standing on the roadsides fairly close to the
paving and in the ditches as well. Drive from Kissinmee to Haines City and
note the giant, centuries-old cypresses that have been left in places where
trees are not commonly left. They are splendid, magnificent. Would that we
might have many more of them along our roads. And when you look at them you
cannot help realizing how pany are the efforts of man and how much preservation
means. I might go on, but time is up,

I have spoken in the interest of a more beautiful state. Will not all
who have heard me help in bringing this about?

1^33-3^ Series

Index By Topics
(Number refers to talk mim'ber)

Acidity of soils 3

Alkalinity of soils 3

Annuals , re-seeding UO

summer 30

winter and spring 9

Architectural features 12

Bamtoos 26

Beneficial and soil

micro-organisms ^

Breeding plants 25

Bulb harvesting and storing 35

Care of the garden 39

Conserving roadside beauty UO

Day lilies 3^

Damping-of f 30

Deciduous trees IS

Derivation of Plant Names 8

Development of garden plants 25

Diseases 22,30

Environment , influence 5

Fertilization 6

Finish in the garden 39

Flowering trees 2U

Flowers , native 29

Foundation plantings 13> 1^+

Friendly insects _. 32

Fruit trees '. 19

Fungus diseases 22, 30

Garden plant development 25

Gardening literature 7

u-rasses for lawns 3^

Growing roses 15

Hardy ornamentals 17

JIarvesting bulbs 35

Hibiscus 33

Influence of environment 5

Insects 21, 32

Insect friends of the garden 32

31
39

Irises
Lawns ,

fertilization of

maintenance of

preparation of 3^

Lilies 36

Literature gardening 7

TjI' ttle things in gardening 39

Maintenance of lawns 3^

ivliaintaining the garden 11

Meaning of plant names 8

Mi I'-ro- organisms of the soil

Minerals for plants ,

Native flowers

Name s , plant

Natural roadside beauty

Nev; and old plants

Old and new plant s

Origin of garden plants

Ornamental f jruit trees

Plant development

Planting the garden

Plants for foundations

Plant names

Plant propagation

Plants that plant themselves

Preparation for lawns

Preparing soils

Propagation of garden plants

Pruning

Re- seeding annuals

Roadsides

Root- rot

Rose growing

varieties

Self planting plants

Simple things of gardening

Shrubs , pruning of

Soils, fertilization of

micro-organisms of

preparation of 6,

reactions

Spra.'/.'.ng, for diseases

for insects

Sprinrj: annuals

Storing bulbs

Summer annual s

Tree grasses , bamboo

Trees, deciduous ,

flowering

fruit c

pruning of

Values of the garden

Varieties, roses

Vines »

Watering plants

Whence came garden plants

I7inter annuals r

Zephranthe s

29
S

Uo
37
37
27
19
25
11
lU
8
16
10

3^
6

23
Uo
Uo
30

15
20
10
39
23

. U

21
9

35
30

1933-3^ Series

Index hy Authors
(iJumber refers to talk num'ber)

ATitott, Chas. E.,

Barnette', R.M. ,
Blackmon, G-.H. ,
Bryan, O.C. ,
Camp, A. F. ,
Cody, M.D.,
Cresap, Mrs. I. K.,
C\immer , Mrs . ' A. G . ,
Dickey, R.D. ,
Ensign, M.E. ,
Eifieid, W.M. ,
Eloyd^,:'r.L.,'
C-addum, L,W. ,
Hume, H. Harold,

!+•
11, IS

7
1

27. ,
33

lU, 30, 37
2

20, 28, 31, 36, 39,
40

Leukel , W.A. , 6
Kowry, Harold 'I3, I7, 38
Poole, Mrs; S.F.,15
Senn, P.H., 25
Stokes, W.E., 3^
Tissot, A. II. ,21
Thompson, W.L. , 32
?7at]dns, J. V. , 9, 10, I6
Weaver, Rudolph, 12
Weber, G.E.,' 22

West, Erdman,
Wolfe, H.S.,
Yo-ang, R.A.,

s, 29

19
26

3 0364 1

_^J^

) Date Due

MAY i -

Hi? 6 1967

:af,f- 1 1 '197^

M-^-^MimukL

Library Bureau

Cal, No. IU7

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

3 1262 04839 3259
MNR&TON SCIENCE LIBRARY

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