Important September blooming flowers are phlox, Japanese anemones; perennial asters, or Michaelmas daisy, so-called because they are supposed to be at their best on Michaelmas Day, September 29th; helleniums, helianthus, hardy chrysanthemum, pyrethrum uliginosum, boltonia.

If you have not these flowers, try and visit some garden where they are blooming in order to know what kinds to grow.

Poppies for next June’s blooming can be sown this month.

Be prepared for the first early frosts, having ready to use some light covering, such as cheesecloth.  The garden can be prolonged from two to six weeks by this slight protection.

ORCHARD NOTES.

Conducted monthly by R. S. MACKINTOSH, Horticulturalist,
Extension Division, University Farm, St. Paul.

A CONFERENCE OF HORTICULTURAL EXTENSION WORKERS.

A conference of the Horticultural Extension leaders of Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota was held early in August at the Iowa State College, at Ames.  The subject of apple and potato clearing houses was the chief question discussed.  The work of this kind was started by Professor Greene in Kansas when they had the big apple crop in 1913.  Later Iowa and Minnesota undertook similar work.  It is expected that a co-operative plan will be formulated which will be of greater value than when each state works alone.

The visiting members were very glad to have President Pearson discuss co-operation as he saw it while visiting a dozen or more countries in Europe.

One hour was spent in an automobile tour of the grounds and farms.  Considerable land from one to three miles from the main campus is now used for experimental work.  One of the latest additions to the horticultural equipment is a cold storage plant and range of greenhouses, costing over sixty thousand dollars.

HORTICULTURAL TOUR IN WESTERN IOWA AND EASTERN NEBRASKA.

The horticultural societies of Iowa and Nebraska joined in an automobile tour of the orchards, vineyards, nurseries, and truck farms August 2 to 4.  The first day was spent in and around Council Bluffs.  Interest centered around the large Co-operative Grape Growers’ Association.  A grand picnic dinner was served by the ladies.  This association has been in active operation for fifteen years.  Professor Beach emphasized the value of the work that is being done, and especially the value of having a contented lot of people in a community mutually interested in one kind of work.  On the return trip a stop was made at the experimental apple orchard that is conducted by the Horticultural Department of the Iowa State College.  This orchard of 900 trees was leased in 1910 for ten years to determine if an old orchard that has been unprofitable could be made profitable.