iiii^ 'iiiil iilliii 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 2 Sept. 20 3 Sept. 27 U Oct. k 5 Oct. 11 6 Oct. 18 7 Oct. 25 8 Nov. 1 9 Nov. 8 10 11 Nov. 15 Nov. 22 16 17 IS 19 Dec. Jan. Jan. Jan. 27 3 10 17 20 Jan. 2h 21 Jan. 31 22 Feb. 7 23 Feb. lU - 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 2S Mar. 21 29 Mar, 2S 30 Apr. k 31 Apr. 11 32 Apr. IS 33 Apr. 25 36 May 16 37 May 23 3S May 30 ^ June 6 June 13 *I'*I**j''I*'pV1*'F 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 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" 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 od 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 •) .0 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 IN 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 IN 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'--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' 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 IN 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 I 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 IN 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^. o 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 IN 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 0l 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 IN 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 ■• '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 IN 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. 15 ^■'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— -2- 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 IN 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 - 2 - 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 IN 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 IN 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 IN 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 By 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 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 IN 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. - 2 - 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. - 5 - 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 IN 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 A. 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 IN 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 k 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 IN 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 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. I 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. I -,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 IN 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 U 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 IN 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. I -3- 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 IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS STATE OF FLORIDA COLLCSe OP AOBICULTURB. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. 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 IN 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- -3- ^....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 -3- 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 IN 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'" '^''^ ^^"" '° '^ ''''^''- ^" 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 ^ ^ i i 4 -!+- 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. II COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN 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 -2- 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.'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 , I -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 IN 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 thousrd 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 -2- 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 IN 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 L 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. -3- 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 IN 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 - 2 - 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?- 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 3^ 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 u 2 29 S Uo 37 37 27 19 25 11 lU 8 16 10 3^ 6 16 23 Uo Uo 30 15 20 10 39 23 6 . U 39 3 22 21 9 35 30 2U it 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, 23 !+• 11, IS 3 2k 5 7 1 35 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 1 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 11 iiliiii :iiiii ^liiiHiiiii iiilliL iiliiii i -.1