Putnam's garden handbook

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

Putnam's Household Handbook

Putnam's Vegetable Book

Putnam's Handbook for Mothers

Putnam's Garden Handbook

By Mae Savell Croy

Putnam's Garden
Handbook

By

•v

Mae Savell Croy

Author of

Putnam's Household Handbook," "Putnam's Vegetable
Book," "Putnam's Handbook for Mothers"

G. P. Putnam's Sons

New York and London

Cbe fmfcfcetbocfcer press

1917

COPYRIGHT, 1917

B7
MAE SAVELL CROY

(Under the title tooo Hints on Flowers and Birds)

•Cbe fmfckerbocfcer |>res0, mew l&or*

SB405
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CONTENTS

PAGE

THE ART OF GROWING FLOWERS i

ESSENTIALS IN GARDENING .... 8

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE GARDEN . . 16
Hints on Growing Flowers, Alphabetically

Arranged 25

Suggestions for Vines . . .143

General Plan of the Garden . . .150

Soil 156

Fertilization . , , . . . .157

Seed 172

Transplanting and Thinning . . .180
Cultivation . . . . . .187

Weeds ....... 190

Watering 193

Cut Flowers 195

Water Plants 197

The Rock Garden 198

House Plants . . . . .199
The Hotbed 207

THE LAWN ....... 213

The Care of the Lawn . . . .219

Grasses ...... 222

SHRUBBERY AND TREES .... 224

Shrubbery ...... 231

Trees 241

iii

548774

Contents

PAGE

INSECTS AND SPRAYS 251

Hints on Insects 253

Sprays which Every Gardener should
Know how to Make . . . .269

THE COLOR SCHEME . . . . .273

MISCELLANEOUS ODD HINTS ABOUT GARDEN-
ING 279

A LIST OF THE COMMON AND BOTANICAL NAMES

OF THE FLOWERS MENTIONED HEREIN . 293

A LIST OF FLOWERS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO

THE BLOSSOMING PERIOD .... 297

PLANTS SUITABLE FOR WINTER POTTING . . 299

A LIST OF PERENNIALS ARRANGED ACCORD-
ING TO COLORS 300

A LIST OF ANNUALS ARRANGED ACCORDING

TO COLORS 302

FLOWERS FOR CUTTING 304

FLOWERS REQUIRING LITTLE SUNLIGHT . . 305

FLOWERS THAT THRIVE IN DAMP PLACES . 306

FLOWERS FOR THE ROCK GARDEN . . . 306

VEGETATION GROWN FOR FOLIAGE . . v 306

FLOWERS FOR THE OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN . 306

A LIST OF EVERGREEN SHRUBS AND TREES . 307

Contents v

PAGE

A PLEA FOR THE BIRDS 308

Bird Houses . . . . . .314

Food and Water . . . . .318

Bits of Information . . . .327

INDEX ....... 339

BLANK PAGES FOR PERSONAL NOTES

Putnam's
Garden Handbook

THE ART OF GROWING FLOWERS

No country in the world is quite so well adapted
to the culture of flowers as America. Even in
the crowded city, flowers are possible. The
conditions of growing them are more trying but
still they can be grown, and in the city the efforts
required to produce them will receive far more
appreciation than in the country or suburbs.
Then why should not Americans have gardening
for their art? We have unlimited space; we have
a wonderful variety of climatic and soil condi-
tions, suitable for a wide variety of flowers, and
somewhere in this country flowers of every known
species can be grown.

Every flower is worthy of cultivation. Few
flowers there are which will not give marvelous
results if carefully tended, and some of the com-

2 The Art of Growing Flowers

monest weeds under careful cultivation will
produce glorious garden plants. Indeed some of
the rare plants of one section of the country are
weeds in another section and the great majority
of our flowers were once grown wild.

A great many who might readily grow flowers
with great success hesitate to attempt their
cultivation because of limited space, such as the
tiny city back yard, or because of what they
consider unfavorable climatic conditions resulting
in a short season. The first-mentioned obstacle
should be no obstacle. A small space well kept
is far preferable to a large plot which cannot have
the desired attention given it, and though city
back yards often get little sunlight there are a
number of plants that thrive best in shady or
partially shady places. A list of some of these
flowers will be found elsewhere in this book by
referring to the index. Where there is no yard
at all, as for instance, in the city apartment,
window boxes are possible, and even if the windows
are on the north side of the house, flowers which
require little sunlight will flourish. The lily of
the valley, for one, has no superior in fragrance or
appearance, and it grows and multiplies rapidly in
a shady, damp location, and is just as suitable for
a window box as for an outdoor garden. Then

The Art of Growing Flowers 3

there are house plants galore for the winter months
when window boxes as well as outdoor gardens
must be abandoned. One little plant will lend an
air of cheerfulness to a room, even if it be not a
flowering variety, and anyone can have some sort
of house plant. A list of plants suitable for potting
can be found by referring to the index.

In the city apartment, there arises the problem
of obtaining earth but a bag of heavy cotton,
or thick paper, and a suitcase, on a day when
one wants to take a journey into the woods, will
solve this problem, and soil taken from a spot
where vegetation is more or less rank can be
depended upon to be fertile. Then there are
fertilizers to be purchased in commercial form, and
a very small package of fertilizer will go a long
way with a few house plants. Whatever ob-
stacles there may be, flower-growth is possible in
every home if one will but take the pains — it
cannot be called trouble — to have them.

Where there is more than one member of the
family able to spend a little time on gardening,
competition should be encouraged, for then the
flowers will be sure to receive attention and there
will be an added zest in watching them grow.
Children should be trained to a love of flowers
and to a study of the habits of plant life. It is

4 The Art of Growing Flowers

a wonderfully broadening subject and one which
never fails to give pleasure, and the results forever
justify the labor expended.

The cost of flowers is small, very small, in
comparison to the study of any other art. A
package of seed which will produce a hundred or
more plants can be purchased for ten cents and
most packages give directions for planting. Small
plants of three or four inches in height also are
very inexpensive, though the pleasure is greater
to watch the plants develop from seedlings. Then
there is the pleasure to be derived from developing
wild flowers which can be had in the woods for
the gathering. Wild flowers of pretty foliage
carefully nurtured will grow and often produce
wonderful results.

Bulbs are immensely satisfactory when house-
blooming plants are desired. They require little
attention and can be forced for blooming at any
period. Directions for forcing can be found on
another page by referring to "bulbs" in the index.

Four features of the garden claim close atten-
tion, and these are the lawn, the walks, the beds,
and the borders. The first two are discussed
elsewhere in this volume, while the last two may
be treated as one. One wide bed will give a far
prettier effect than three or four narrow ones and

The Art of Growing Flowers 5

the plants will have a better chance for develop-
ment ; and a few large beds with clumps of flowers
planted seemingly at random will be far less
formal than set beds and borders apparently
designed with a view to putting into the garden
all that could be crowded in. Straight lines in a
small garden are preferable but on a large plot,
curves and angles may be indulged in, though
elaborate, fancy shapes are never to be desired.
It is the plants which should be displayed, not the
beds. The more natural the appearance of the
garden the more beautiful it will be. Anything
suggestive of artificiality will detract from the
picture at a glance.

The contour of the garden, as well as the pro-
portions of the lot, must be studied before the
planting is begun. A straight narrow lot cannot
be treated in the same manner as the lot irregular
in shape. The irregular lot already is informal.
If possible, dispense with a fence around the
garden. In localities where animals are allowed
to run at large this will not be possible, but even
then it may have flowers and shrubbery planted
near to break the lines, and vines may be trained
to grow on it. Both perennials and annuals
should be included in the list of flowers, perennials
in order that new growth will not have to be

6 The Art of Growing Flowers

depended upon absolutely each season,~and annuals
to furnish fresh, new plant life and a larger variety
of flowers. An evergreen or two should not be
omitted, otherwise the fence will appear cold and
bleak in the winter. Vines furnish the easiest and
most graceful manner of hiding an unattractive
object, and vine cultivation is not tedious. Many
vines are self-perpetuating and most of them
abound in foliage rather than in flowers, thus
making very attractive screens. And so a fence
which must be hidden, can be, or at least it may
be covered, in such way that it will not be con-
spicuous.

The assortment of flowers is deserving of the
utmost care in choosing. Any flower is better
than none, but there is such a wide variety from
which to choose that the individual taste can
always be suited. Plants should be chosen
always with the idea of getting the most benefit
from each one. The tender, delicate plants, like
tender, delicate children, require constant atten-
tion, and there are many hardy varieties for the
gardener who cannot give a great many hours
weekly to the pleasant task of gardening. For
amateur gardeners the more hardy plants should
always be selected. Delicate plants may prove
discouraging and the garden may be given up,

The Art of Growing Flowers 7

when if easy-growing plants were attempted at
first, the knowledge gained by working with them
would be a good start toward caring for the tender
plants. Many of the less hardy plants are most
beautiful, and it is well worth one's while to spend
time on cultivating them.

So let us hope that America is coming to the
adoption of gardening as her art. This is an art
every housewife can practice while about her
daily work, and the cheer she receives from watch-
ing a tender young plant begin to take on growth
will help wonderfully in creating the right kind
of home atmosphere for her family.

ESSENTIALS IN GARDENING

THE soil and the air produce our plants. The
air furnishes carbonic acid, which is of the most
vital importance, and the soil the nourishment
which is fed to the plant through the root. Soil
without the proper elements in it will never
produce worth-while vegetation. A child cannot
thrive if it is not fed the proper food, and plants,
like children, differ in their requirements. The
soil must be suited to the plant. Some plants
require a rich soil, some a light soil; some require
a great deal of moisture while others will do best
in a semi-dry state; and each species of flower must
be studied individually in order to supply it with
the correct proportions of nitrogen, potash,
and phosphate, the three essentials in plant
nourishment.

No flower will do its best in a hard, dry soil.
Before planting, the soil should be thoroughly
pulverized. It should first be spaded and
harrowed to a depth of from one to two feet for
the average garden bed, and even deeper than that

8

Essentials in Gardening 9

for plants with long roots. In setting out young,
tender plants in the garden or in potting house
plants, the soil should be made as fine as it is
possible to have it. A good method to follow is to
procure a dirt sifter and sift the earth thoroughly.
If a ready-made sifter can be procured so much
the better, but even a homemade one will serve
the purpose admirably. It can easily be made by
simply nailing a piece of one sixteenth of an inch
wire mesh to a wooden frame and setting this
slantingly on a support, or by leaning it up against
a fence. The soil should be thrown, a shovelful
at a time, against the wire, when all the soft, fine
sand will go through and fall on the under side,
and the coarse particles which cannot go through
will fall in front of the sifter. The sifted sand will
be excellent.

Soil should always be analyzed before it is
fertilized. An amateur cannot tell what the soil
requires until the plant has grown and either
flourished or suffered from the soil conditions.
A soil already rich in nitrogen should not have
nitrogenous food added to it or the plants will
die from overfeeding. Nitrates are among the
most commonly used fertilizers but most gardens
could stand more phosphate than they usually
get. Phosphate is the flower-producing fertilizer,

io Essentials in Gardening

and unless there is a sufficient quantity of
phosphate in the form of bone meal, basic slag,
or a similar product, the plants may grow and
flourish with regard to leaf and stem and the
flowers be pale and sickly. Potash is beneficial
to flowers which are valued for their fragrance.

The planting of seed in a way to obtain the best
results is simple, but in order to produce the
greatest number of seedlings from the amount of
seed sown they, like everything else in the garden,
must be handled carefully and not sown in a
haphazard fashion. The soil for seed should
always be finely pulverized and then baked in a
hot oven for an hour or more to kill any seed of
weeds which may be laying dormant. If this is
not done weeds are likely to come up in profusion
and if not detected at once and pulled out the
flower seedlings will be puny and unhealthy for
lack of the nourishment which the weeds have
stolen. Seeds require warmth, moisture, and air
in order to germinate, and if either of these is
lacking there will be a poor crop. The atmosphere
of the seed bed should be kept as fine as possible
so that the young plants when first bursting forth
from the soil may not be injured by being chilled,
otherwise they may never reach maturity. The
bed should be kept not wet but slightly moist in

Essentials in Gardening n

order to aid in bursting the pods open, and there
must be plenty of fresh air to supply carbonic acid,
on which so much depends.

The depth at which seeds should be planted
varies with the size of the seed. A very fine seed
may be sown broadcast and no covering of earth
whatever applied, all that is necessary being to
press the earth down flat and firm with some flat
surface, preferably a board. Larger seed will
require a trench or a sprinkling of earth scattered
over them, while the very large seeds, such as
nasturtiums, moonflowers, and others of the same
size, may be placed on the surface of well-prepared
soil and gently pushed down into the earth with the
flat end of a lead pencil, reaching a depth of two or
three times the diameter of the seed. Absolutely
fresh seed should always be procured if possible, as
a very small percentage of seed has vigorous
life after the first year and some will not even
germinate. The seed bed should be kept moist,
but never wet, otherwise the seed will rot before
they can germinate, or if they have germinated
the young seedlings will drop off. If the earth is
allowed to become dry and hard, then wet and
soft alternately, only a dismal failure will confront
the gardener at the end of the period set for seed
germination.

12 Essentials in Gardening

When the young seedlings have appeared they
should not be tampered with until they have
attained a growth of an inch or more, other than
to pull out any weeds which may have started,
but if the earth has been baked preparatory to
planting, there will not be many weeds.

If the seeds have been very successful in ger-
mination, they may come up too thickly, in which
case some of the less hardy ones should be thinned
out to give the best plants every opportunity, and
after they have grown a couple of good leaves,
they are ready for transplanting, if they are to be
transplanted. They should not remain too long
in the seed bed, for plants which bear transplanting
will benefit by having their soil changed as soon
as they are old enough to stand it.

Transplanting is a new era of life to the young
plant, and the work requires the utmost care.
Occasionally a plant will grow and flourish if it
has been pulled up by the roots and stuck in a
hole in the ground, but to insure success, all
vegetation should be carefully handled in trans-
planting. In most cases the soil should be
moderately moist and the earth should be warm
enough that there will be no danger of chill caused
by transferring the plant to new soil. A good
clump of earth should always be removed with

Essentials in Gardening 13

the roots in transferring it from one location to
another. This will keep the roots from getting a
shock at the removal. After transplanting, the
soil should be tamped down firmly, — with the hand
for the house plants and with the foot for garden
plants, — a little indenture being made around the
stem so that water will not drain off. In some
cases water should be applied to the roots of the
plant as they are put into the hole, this treatment
depending upon the atmospheric conditions, as
well as upon the dryness of the soil. In the case
of full-grown plants, shrubs, and trees, water
should always be poured on the roots.

After young plants have been set in their new
home and after large plants have been permanently
located, the time for cultivation is at hand.
Without it nothing but weeds will thrive. Hoes,
spades, forks, and trowels will be necessary for this
work, the larger implements for working with
large plants in outdoor gardening where there is
plenty of space between the vegetation, and the
smaller forks and trowels for use in cultivating
house plants and small garden flowers which have
many fine roots. Cultivation should be given
frequently, otherwise the plants will not flourish.
An occasional digging around the plants now and
then will not be of much benefit. Cultivation

14 Essentials in Gardening

not only conserves the moisture in the soil but it
permits the air to reach the roots of the plant as
well. Hard, dry earth must be broken up. Roots
cannot push their way through it when in search
of nourishment, and the growth of the stems
and leaves will be retarded when root growth is
retarded.

Weeds must be kept down. If they once get a
start they are hard to eradicate, hence vigilance
must be exercised from the beginning. Often
there is no other remedy than to pull these
nuisances up by hand or with the weeding hook,
which will be found most serviceable, as any appli-
cation to kill the roots of weeds will be likely
to result in poisoning the roots of flowers as well.

Watering the flowers is something that every
gardener must expect to have to do and to do with
regularity. Even out of doors rain cannot be
depended upon. Water furnishes the sap which
courses through the stems and leaves, and without
the amount of moisture suited to its individual
need no plant can grow luxuriously. Often when a
plant is not thriving, all that is needed is water.
Large plants and trees should have a pipe driven
into the ground near them, and the water should
be poured down this by means of a funnel stuck
in the upper end of the pipe. In this way the

Essentials in Gardening 15

water will reach the roots in dry weather, and it is
really not of very much importance whether the
surface of the ground is wet or not. Plants
should be studied and notes should be made as to
just which require an abundance of moisture and
which do not. An occasional watering after the
earth has grown hard and dry is better than none
but it will not do much to promote growth.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE GARDEN

THE flowers which give the greatest pleasure
are those which can be cut and attractively
arranged in vases for indoor decoration. Not all
flowers are suitable for cutting, and every garden
should be planned with a view to having some
blossoms for the house at all seasons of the year.
Short-stemmed flowers for small bowls and dishes
and long-stemmed ones for tall vases will prove a
constant source of pleasure for the woman who
would give to her living room a note of cheer and
to her dining table add an extra charm. Flowers
that shatter easily are good only for the yard, and
while many of these are so pretty in their delicacy
that no gardener would want to eliminate them,
they must not be permitted to occupy so much
space that there will be no room for more hardy
blossoms. The beds should be planted with a
view to having a variety of color, for however
beautiful the flower may be, it will not receive
as much appreciation if it is used continuously
instead of being alternated with other blossoms.

16

Special Features of the Garden 17

For cut flowers the deepest shades usually give
the greatest pleasure. There is nearly always sur-
rounding color indoors and not the quantity of
green for a background which is afforded in the
open garden, and pale, delicate hues are likely
to lose their identity amid the strong contrasting
colors of indoor decoration.

The style of vase for cut flowers will have an
important bearing upon their appearance, and the
beauty will be either enhanced or detracted from
according to whether the right vase or the wrong
one is used. Long-stemmed heavy flowers placed
in a delicate dainty vase will not show to advan-
tage, while short-stemmed blossoms stuck in the
top of a tall vase will certainly seem out of pro-
portion if not somewhat ridiculous. Vases should
never be gaudy in appearance, nor even profusely
decorated. If a vase is to be used as a piece of
statuary it may be of fanciful design, but the vase
used to display flowers should be simple in line
and decoration. Yellow daffodils in a plain yellow
pottery vase will be most beautiful, as will pink
roses in a pink rose-bowl, but not red roses in a
pink rose-bowl. And flowers should never be
crowded in the vase. Nature does not crowd her
flowers on a stem and the more natural the
arrangement, the more beautiful the flowers.

1 8 Special Features of the Garden

Cut flowers cannot be procured every month of
the year unless one has a greenhouse or patronizes
a florist constantly, so a simple and inexpensive
way of insuring flowers is to have a collection
in pots. Everyone can have one or more house
plants. There is really no excuse in the world
which will hold good when it comes to denying
a house the right to a blossom. No other mark
of decoration will do so much for a room and no
other object will yield so much pleasure as the
growing plant. Outdoors much of their real value
is lost among the foliage of other plants, but in-
doors they receive the appreciation due them, and
among objects remaining stationary day after day
the growing plant, with its ever-changing form,
will be of great interest.

A variety of color among the house plants should
be selected; and if the plants are kept in the
conservatory, or some place which serves as a
conservatory, and are brought out one at a time
and placed in the living room or on the dining-
room table, each will be a new delight in its turn.
No house plant should remain more than two or
three days in the living room without being
replaced by another while it is set in the sunlight
again, otherwise it will soon droop.

House plants usually get plenty of attention, as

Special Features of the Garden 19

generally they are placed within easy reach of the
houseworker, and it is more readily observed when
they are in need of water and when bugs and
worms are making their raids. An old fork kept
handy will insure frequent cultivation, for it is
an easy matter to dig around a plant when an
implement is near at hand, while the plants might
be neglected if search had to be made for a fork
or trowel.

As a rule very few plants are used as house
plants, while there really is a great variety which
can be grown successfully indoors. A list of such
plants, will be found by referring to the index.
House plants should be transferred to the open
ground in the summer time. Taken out of doors
and allowed to stay, they will thrive splendidly
and the new growth will have become hardened
for the fall. Pot and plant should be set in the
ground together and there will not have to be a
retransplanting when the plants go back to the
greenhouse in the autumn, with root disturbance
attendant upon removal.

The location for house plants should be one of
the best in the house. They require sunlight and
air, and a southern exposure will be admirable,
for not having to fight the cold drafts which seep
through the cracks on the north side of the house

20 Special Features of the Garden

they will not run the constant risk of chill. If glass
is between them and the sun so much the better.

A specie of plants which are not commonly
cultivated are the water plants. They not only
provide a flower different in type from the garden
plants but they are novelties which soon win their
way into the hearts of flower lovers and retain
for themselves a prominent place in the garden
catalogues . Water plants may be grown with equal
success indoors or out if the conditions are favor-
able, and while the variety is not extensive most
of them are beautiful enough that the owners
will not tire of them. There is no flower more
beautiful in form nor more delicious in fragrance
than the old-fashioned pond lily. It grows and
flourishes from Maine to Florida and from Cali-
fornia to New York, though its season is short
in the colder sections of the country. However
it is well worth cultivating for the short time it
does last. This flower is not often used as an
indoor plant because of its demand for water, and
yet where it can be used it furnishes a most
beautiful means of decoration. I once attended a
wedding in the little town of Bagdad, Florida, at
eight o'clock in the morning, where the decoration
consisted solely of pond lilies and smilax in Kate
Greenaway baskets hanging from the chandeliers

Special Features of the Garden 21

and other convenient places. This was a novel
flower decoration and it meant gathering lilies at
five o'clock in the morning, but who would really
mind being one of a gay bridal party gathering
pond lilies even at that hour? One objection
which is frequently uttered against the garden
pool is that it breeds mosquito larvae, but this
objectional feature can be avoided by placing in
the pool a small collection of goldfish which will
eat the larvae and at the same time add to the
charm of the pool.

In close proximity to the pool or collection of
pools may be placed the rock garden. The land-
scape plan naturally calls for this proximity and
water near the rocks will seem a natural result
though it may be wholly man's arrangement.
Some of our most beautiful plants will thrive
best in the rock garden, with its well-drained soil
and the heavy foundation of rock surface which
lends value to the beauty of the surroundings and
furnishes splendid background for the reds, whites,
greens, blues, and yellows of the flowers growing
among them. No attempt is made to enumerate
here the variety of plants which are suitable for
the rock garden. This list is reserved for another
page.

The season for blossoms in the rock garden is

22 Special Features of the Garden

limited, and the plant that can be transplanted
without harm had best be started in the hotbed
in paper cups or dirt bands and transferred to the
garden after the sun has warmed the soil in the
early spring.

While the majority of the plants for the rock
garden should be of a spreading nature there is
always a place for tall growing plants such as the
dianthus, snapdragon, and phlox, and there will be
very apt to be nooks and corners which will need
some of the taller plants to serve as a background.
A variety of color should be planned and bright
reds, brilliant blues, and deep yellows should be
generously supplied, otherwise the dark rocks will
give the garden a more or less cheerless aspect.
Here probably more than in any other part of the
garden one should strive for balance in coloring.
The rock garden should be planned as early in the
season as the weather will permit, for most rock-
garden plants blossom during the early summer
months. The soil should be most carefully mixed
and a good composition is one part leaf -mold, two
parts of loam or turfy soil, and one part of sand.
A little lime can be added to advantage in the
places where edelweiss, saxifrages, primroses, and
poppies are planted, or the soil may become a bit
sour for them.

Special Features of the Garden 23

Gardening can hardly be carried on advan-
tageously without the aid of a greenhouse or a
hotbed, and as the majority of gardeners cannot
afford a greenhouse a plea is entered for the hot-
bed, which anyone can afford. In the following
pages are suggestions for making and caring for
the hotbed, which will show how simple it really is,
though it is generally looked upon as being some-
thing difficult to make and as more or less hard
to operate.

With the aid of the hotbed the length of the
flower season is increased almost one third. In
the hotbed only can heat, light, and air be properly
regulated for tender young plants. When the
attempt is made to plant seed indoors in boxes,
awaiting transplanting to the out-of-doors later,
they are often killed by someone thoughtlessly
leaving the door open and creating a draft, or by
neglect to keep them supplied with moisture, as
watering so often means wetting the% floor unless
the box has unusually good drainage. When the
soil becomes dry and hard, and wet and soggy,
alternately, they will not live. The hotbed has no
other motive than to protect and promote the life
of young plants, and it should be placed in a corner
so easy to reach that when the hardening-off pro-
cess has begun the plants may receive daily atten-

24 Special Features of the Garden

tion without giving too much trouble. When a
hotbed is once started it will not require much
thought. Soil need only be changed every two or
three years, though occasionally a little fertilizer
may be added while the plants are growing or
before the seeds are planted. This had best be
added with growing plants in liquid form in order
not to disturb the young roots. And so I would
advise every gardener to provide himself or herself
with a hotbed of as generous proportions as his
garden demands.

GROWING FLOWERS

Abutilon

The abutilon makes an excellent climbing plant.
The shoots should be pruned back each spring
and the main stem fastened to the trellis or other
support on which it is to climb. It requires a rich
soil and good drainage, though the earth should be
kept moderately moist.

Abutilon plants are among the most beautiful of
plants for the house. It is very easy to grow if
given a good loam soil and sufficient drainage by
placing pebbles in .the bottom of the pot.

Achillea

The achillea is a most satisfactory plant when
rapid growth is desired to spread over a bare space.
It will thrive in ordinary garden soil, and is at its
best when massed in large clumps. The seed
should be sown in the hotbed, or indoors, and the

25

26 Growing Flowers

young seedlings transplanted to the garden as
soon as danger of frost is over.

The outer shoots of the achillea should be removed
to keep it from spreading to spaces designed for other
plants or it may soon crowd them out. It should
be staked to keep it in good condition, as the
branches will soon lie flat on the ground and the
rain will beat the earth upon them to their detri-
ment.

Achillea plants require little attention after they
have once attained a good growth. The soil will not
demand much in the way of fertilizer, a little
liquid fertilizer applied once a year being all that is
needed usually, though to lift the plants and work
into the soil a little manure will be beneficial
every two or three years.

Ageratum

Ageratum grows well in almost all soils and
through a wide range of climate. The seed may
be sown in the cold frame in March and the
seedlings transplanted as soon as the ground is
warm enough. Seeds sown in August will pro-
duce good plants for winter flowering. Everyone

Growing Flowers 27

should have blue ageratum, at least, as there are
so few blue flowers.

Ageratum is very attractive when planted
among sweet alyssum, candytuft, and other small
plants.

Alyssum

Sweet alyssum should be given a liberal amount of
fertilizer. The blossoms are profuse, and unless
kept fairly enriched the foliage will be dull and
unattractive, sometimes falling off altogether.

Alyssum should be sown where it is to grow,
though it may be transplanted with fairly good
results as soon as the soil is warm enough in the
spring. For winter bloom, it may be sown in
August. The plants should be thinned to four
inches apart.

Cuttings may be made from alyssum, using only
the strong new side shoots.

To cut back the first flowers of alyssum when they
fade will cause other flowers to be produced.

28 Growing Flowers

Anchusa

Cuttings may successfully be made of anchusa, or
alkanet, from stems two inches in length. They
should be rooted in light, sandy soil, and are best
made in the fall of the year. The flowers of the
anchusa are great favorites with the bees and they
are among the few beautiful -blue flowers.

Anchusa plants require plenty of sunlight and a
rich loam in order to thrive and produce the best
flowers. The plant is self-propagating and does
not require a great deal of care. When it branches
out and crowds other plants, it will be benefited
by pruning, removing the lower branches first.

Anemone

The anemone is commonly called japonica, or
Japanese windflower. In the South it grows to be
a large tree, attaining a growth of ten or fifteen
feet. // requires a rich soil, though it should not
be too heavy, and plenty of moisture.

In planting anemone as a hedge, it should have
an extra supply of fertilizer applied to the roots,
as the root growth is strong, and will soon take
the substance from the soil. This plant should

Growing Flowers 29

be removed only in the spring, as interfering with
the roots in the fall will disturb them so that they
will hardly become adjusted before cold weather.

The Japanese anemone may be propagated by
cuttings. The cuttings should be taken from
growth a year old, and each cutting should have
one or more joints. The joint should be buried
in the ground, in sandy soil, and kept very moist
until the roots appear.

Arbor-Vita

The arbor-vitae lives to be seventy-five or eighty
years old.

The arbor-vitce requires a rich, well-drained soil in
order to produce handsome foliage, for which it is
grown. It is a native of Japan and makes a hand-
some hedge. When planted merely as decorative
shrubbery, it should always have some lighter
leaved evergreen clustered with it, otherwise, it
will have a somber, cemeterial effect.

Arbutus

The arbutus requires a soil composed of sandy
peat or loam which is moist, but well drained. It
should be planted where it is to remain, as it does

30 Growing Flowers

not transplant very well when it has grown to a
fairly good size.

The arbutus is a most satisfactory plant for experi-
ment in grafting, and when grafting is successful,
flowers of two colors, and also variegated flowers,
may be found on the same tree.

Asters

Aster seed sown in the open ground in May will
bring forth blossoms in September and October,
when the flowers are seen at their best. For July
and August flowering, the seed should be sown in
the hotbed or in boxes in the house. They should
be covered to a depth of half an inch and covered
with rich, light soil. When the seedlings are
transplanted they should have three or four leaves
and should stand a foot and a half apart

Small quantities of air-slaked lime or of fresh
wood ashes stirred into the surface of aster beds
will prove very beneficial. The plants require
plenty of water.

Fresh manure used in large quantities will
usually prove injurious to asters. Only thoroughly
composted manure should be used.

Growing Flowers 31

When asters are being attacked by the black potato
beetle, the plants should be covered with mosquito
netting or other thin cloth. Green netting will
enable the plants to show through better than if
white is used.

Nicotine solution should be used on asters when the
black beetles make their attack. The asters should
be closely watched for this pest, for it does great
damage in a very short while after its appearance.

Azalea

The azalea belongs to the rhododendron family
and is an evergreen generally used as a house
plant. It requires a rich soil which should be kept
moderately moist at all times. There are many
varieties in the color of the flowers. It is excel-
lently adapted for grafting.

Azaleas for Christmas blooming should be forced
about the middle of November. The plants should
be kept in a temperature of 60 degrees if the buds
have already shown color, otherwise a warmer
temperature will be necessary. The plants should
be hardened by taking them gradually into a

32 Growing Flowers

cooler temperature before they are taken out of
doors.

A potted azalea may be planted out of doors
during the summer, the plant remaining in the
pot, and taken up again in the fall with excellent
results. Plants will blossom profusely for several
winters just at Christmas time if properly cared for.
It should have a great deal of sunlight for several
weeks before Christmas.

Azaleas should be pruned immediately after the
flowers fade, and the plants should be kept in a
warm moist temperature for several weeks after
pruning when they should be brought to the fresh
air and sunlight to remain until fall.

In potting azaleas, the earth should be put into
the pot in layers and each layer packed down firm.
Loose soil will prove detrimental to the root
growth and the plants will not flourish.

Azaleas require very careful watering. If they
become dry they will soon die. If too much
water is applied to them, they will damp off.
They should be kept moderately moist at all
times.

Growing Flowers 33

Leaf -mold should be applied to azaleas and laurel,
and plenty of dead leaves placed over the surface
in the fall will help to make leaf -mold. For leaves
to remain on the soil near the plants during the
summer will also be beneficial, tending to keep
the earth damp and moist.

Bachelor' s-Button

Bachelor's-button will thrive under almost any
soil condition, and about the only attention it
needs is to renew the soil once in every two years.
It grows rapidly and should not be planted among
other small plants or it will soon crowd them out.
It is most suitable for corners where it is difficult
to get less hardy plants to grow.

Bachelor's-button is most attractive when set out
in groups. Single plants do not appear to
advantage. In large numbers, the flowers are
suitable for cutting.

Balsam

The old-fashioned balsam requires rich soil, a hot
sun, and plenty of water. The plants are quick
growers, and seed sown in the ground in May will

34 Growing Flowers

blossom eight weeks later. They should be from
twelve to eighteen inches apart.

Transplanting balsam plants two or three times
will dwarf the plants into a pretty shape and will
also make the flowers more double.

Begonias

Begonias serve both as a plant and as a flower,
with their beautifully colored leaves. They require
rich, moist soil and plenty of sunlight, as well as
plenty of room for their roots to spread.

Begonias are among the most delightful of house
plants, and can also be successfully planted in the
garden. The soil should be very rich and moist, in
order to produce rapid and tender growth of the
leaves for which the plants are valued.

When begonias have stopped blooming, the roots
should be kept dry to check growth and give the
plants a rest. After a week or so water may again
be supplied, when fresh shoots will come forth to
be taken off and replanted as cuttings.

One very satisfactory way of preserving tuberous
begonia bulbs is to cut off the foliage when they

Growing Flowers 35

have ceased blooming and allow the earth in the
pots to become thoroughly dried out, when they
should be set away in a dark place. They should
be set in fresh, new soil in the spring.

Bellflower

The Japanese bellflower is often called the balloon
flower. The soil for growing these flowers should
be deep and rich, but not too heavy. The flowers
should be covered in the fall with a mulch of
stable manure or leaves.

The bellflower blossoms profusely in July when
propagated in the spring by seed. Root division
should be made in the spring of the year also, as
the plant cannot stand the change of soil just
before cold weather.

When planting bellflower plants, never bend the
roots to fit the hole. Instead dig a hole deep
enough to set the plant in it with the roots set
straight. To bend the roots may bruise them, as
they are tender.

Blazing Star

The blazing star should be set in a fairly rich soil
and be propagated from a division of the roots in

36 Growing Flowers

the spring or from cuttings, though the former
method will prove the more satisfactory, when
roots are to be had.

Bougainvillea

When the bougainvillea is just coming into flower
it should not be allowed to become dry, but should
have frequent waterings or the flowers will not
thrive, and some of the buds may never even
unfold.

Bougainvillea can be propagated by cuttings of
half -ripened wood. The cuttings should be taken
from the plant the latter part of February or the
first of March and inserted in sandy soil, kept
somewhat moist, until the roots have attained a
good growth, when they should be planted in rich,
friable soil.

Bridal Wreath

The bridal wreath, or Francoa, is a hardy peren-
nial in the Southern States, and is most satisfactory
either as a garden plant or for cutting to decorate
with indoors. The soil should be light and well
drained, though the plant will grow in almost any
soil.

Growing Flowers 37

Plants of the bridal wreath for indoor growing
require very little care. A soil composed of fibrous
loam, leaf -mold, compost, and sand will give excel-
lent results. The loam should predominate.

Branches of the bridal wreath may be successfully
grafted on plants of different colors, with very
satisfactory results. Cuttings may be rooted easily
by placing them in moist sand and keeping them
fairly warm.

Butterfly Flower

Seed of the schizanthus or butterfly flower should
be sown under glass the latter part of March or the
first of April. If sown where the plants are to
grow, two or three weeks later will be the proper
time. Mixed packages usually contain good
strains of seed. Fairly rich soil will force a pretty
growth of the pinnate foliage.

The butterfly flower is equally satisfactory as a
house plant or as a garden annual. The stems
should be supported while the plants are very
young.

Calliopsis

For a plant having flowers for a long season, the
calliopsis, or coreopsis, is as satisfactory as any

38 Growing Flowers

that can be found. It is easy to grow and is well
suited for both outdoor flowering and indoor
decoration. Its colors are yellow, brown, and
red, and are very rich and handsome.

For summer flowers in localities having a climate
corresponding to that of New York City, calliopsis
seed should be planted in the hotbed in March.
In warmer localities, the seed may be sown in the
open ground in May. The flowers will last until
frost.

Calliopsis plants should be staked to prevent the
heavy rains washing the stem of the flowers and
beating them to the ground.

The calliopsis, or coreopsis, requires light well-
drained soil, and the plant will not need much
cultivation. To produce very fine showy flowers,
cultivation will be necessary, but there will be an
abundance of flowers if left alone.

Candytuft

As an edging for flower beds, the little old-
fashioned candytuft will be most pleasing. The
soil should be rich and the plants should be kept
moist.

Growing Flowers 39

If candytuft is grown for cutting the flowers, some
of the flowers, at least half, should be removed in
order to secure large blossoms for cutting.

The seed of candytuft should be sown in the
garden during the month of April in the location
where the plants are to grow, and the plants
should be thinned when they have attained a
height of an inch or two. Seed planted in Sep-
tember in the cold frame will produce flowers for
the winter months.

Cannas

r

Cannas require a rich soil, plenty of water, and
bright sunlight for their best development, hence they
should never be planted near a shade. Their
broad leaves need a great deal of nourishment,
and unless watered freely will be a sickly green.

Cannas and dahlias are accustomed to warm
climates and the bulbs will not stand the cold
winter very well. They should be dug up in the
fall, as soon as flowering ceases, and stored in the
cellar during the winter. If the cellar is damp, the
bulbs will be likely to freeze if cold and start
growth if warm, while if it is too dry, the bulbs
will shrivel. They should have plenty of air.

4O Growing Flowers

All the earth possible should be left dinging to the
roots or bulbs of cannas and dahlias when taking
them up to store away for the winter.

Cannas and caladiums can be used to good purpose
in shrub borders and masking groups before the
shrubs are sufficiently grown to produce the effect
desired. They can also be used to great advan-
tage with the castor-oil bean.

In separating roots of the cannas for the next
summer's beds, a piece of the old stem should
remain attached to each piece of root. This
division of roots may be started in February or
March with good results.

Canterbury Bell

The Canterbury bell requires a rich, sandy soil
•with good drainage in order to thrive, though it
will grow under rather adverse conditions.

Canterbury bells comprise perennial, biennial,
and annual flowering plants, and there should be a
place for this little flower in every garden. For
outdoor effects, they are glorious, and they can
be grown with equal success in pots.

Growing Flowers 41

The seeds of biennial Canterbury bells should be
sown out of doors in July, while annuals should be
sown in April or early in May. There are two
ways of preserving the perennials. One is to
cover the outdoor plants with leaves or manure
and another is to transfer the outdoor plants to
pots during the winter, setting them in the garden
again as soon as the ground grows warm.

The Canterbury bell, or slipperwort, or bell
flower makes a beautiful Easter plant. The
plants of the season previous should be kept
pruned to produce flower buds at the right season.

Carnations

Carnations require a rich soil and an abundance of
moisture if they are to flower profusely. They
may be started in dirt bands and transplanted
to the ground when danger of frost is over. The
plants should not stand nearer than ten inches
apart.

To root cuttings of carnations, strip the shoots
that grow around the base of all the leaves growing
on the lower half, and bend these shoots into the
ground, making an incision with a sharp knife
on the under side of the shoot. Pin the shoot

42 Growing Flowers

down with two small sticks in the form of a crotch
and do not disturb for a couple of weeks or longer.

Carnations will root in boxes oj sand quite readily.
The shoot should be cut near a knot and the
cutting should be four or five inches in length.

A little indigo blue, placed in the water in which
carnations are placed after being cut, will color
white carnations a pretty blue. In trying to get
red, white, and blue flowers for decorative pur-
poses on Washington's birthday, or at other times
when blue flowers are hard to obtain, this plan
should be used.

February and March are the best months in which
to plant carnations. Carnations should have good
drainage but the soil should be kept moderately
moist, particularly while the seeds are germinating.
The seedlings should be hardened before being
transplanted.

A soil highly recommended for carnations is
composed of one part of barnyard manure mixed
with three parts of fibrous loam and two parts of
coarse sand. This should be well mixed and kept
in a damp place a month before using, when a
couple of ounces of basic slag may be added to
act as a tonic for the flowers.

Growing Flowers 43

Carnations will be much benefited by a fertilizer
composed of an ounce each of sulphate of ammonia,
kainit, and a superphosphate, dissolved in three
gallons of water.

Castor-Oil Bean

The castor bean plant is very desirable for making
shade in sunny spots, as well as for forming a very
pretty temporary hedge. It grows very rapidly
and often reaches a height of ten feet.

The castor bean requires a rich soil and plenty
of moisture, but it will thrive very well indeed in a
sandy soil and with little moisture. It is, indeed,
one of the easiest of plants to grow.

When planting castor beans for shrubbery or
hedge, plant them sufficiently far apart that the
lower part of the plant may receive plenty of
sunlight and the leaves branch out near the
bottom.

The use of the castor bean plant with cannas,
caladium, scarlet sage, or coleus will produce a very
striking effect, and as a background for lower
growing plants it has no equal among garden
annuals. Its rich, luxuriant growth produces a
semi- tropical effect.

44 Growing Flowers

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums bloom more satisfactorily if the
seeds are sown in hotbeds and the young plants
transplanted to the open as soon as the soil has
become sufficiently warm to receive them. They
should be set about a foot apart when set in
permanent locations.

If chrysanthemum buds are pinched back the
work will be rewarded by a great increase in the
size of the flowers, as well as by branching and
stocky plants.

Chrysanthemums in pots require liberal feeding
with fertilizers from August until the flowers come
out. Liquid manure is the simplest way of
fertilizing them.

Chrysanthemums require a rich, well-drained loam.

Lice frequently take up their abode on the tender
terminal shoots of the chrysanthemums. To get rid
of them, the leaves should be sprayed with a
commercial nicotine solution or with water in
which smoking or plug tobacco has been steeped
for several hours. Soaking the tobacco in cold
water for twenty-four hours will answer.

Growing Flowers 45

Propagating chrysanthemums from seed makes a
very interesting study. Seeds saved from single-
flowering plants often produce greatly improved
varieties. The plants usually will be thrifty and
will bloom the first year.

Cuttings of chrysanthemums should be inserted
in pots of sandy soil. They should not be kept in
a room which has a great deal of heat, for they are
a cold-weather plant. As soon as they are well
rooted they should be transferred to a rich loam
with which has been mixed a little leaf soil and
sand.

When it is desired to produce fine large chrys-
anthemums without regard to the number of flowers,
all but one bud should be pinched off as soon as
they appear. Usually the first crown bud which
forms in the apex of the shoot will be the largest
flower.

An excellent fertilizer for chrysanthemums may
be made by mixing five ounces of nitrate of soda
with five ounces of kainit, five ounces of a super-
phosphate, and one ounce of sulphate of iron. If
this is desired in liquid form, dissolve the mixture
in fifteen gallons of water.

46 Growing Flowers

A good soil for chrysanthemums is composed of
three parts of turfy loam mixed with one part of
well-rotted stable manure. Three or four ounces
of basic slag or bone meal added to this will have a
beneficial effect on the flowers.

Clarkia

Seed of the clarkia should be sown out of doors
early in the spring and the plants should be par-
tially shaded. The best soil is a warm, light soil.

The clarkia is most beautiful when planted in
window boxes and hanging baskets, and also as a
border for the flower bed or other low massing, as
it not only has a pretty foliage growth but it
blooms freely and has a variety of flowers.

Cobcea Scandens

The cobcea scandens requires a rich, well drained
soil and under favorable conditions is a rapid
grower. A trellis should be provided as soon as
the plant is up for it will soon begin to climb.

Cobcea scandens seed should be planted where the
vines are to grow, or else should be planted in paper
cups and transplanted when the ground has be-

Growing'. Flowers 47

come sufficiently warm. The plants will not do
their best under transplanting. The vine is grown
as much for the foliage as for the flower.

Rabbit netting is more satisfactory than cord or
wire for tender vines such as the cobcea scandens.

Cockscomb

The old-fashioned cockscomb is prized princi-
pally for its decorative features in the garden.
Massed with shrubbery, it gives a most striking
and pleasing effect. It is extremely easy to grow
and is self -propagating. They come in both deep
red and a striking yellow.

Cockscomb can be grown from seed sown in
slightly warm soil in April and will be ready for
transplanting during the month of May. If sown
where the plants are to stand, the seed should be
sown in May.

In transplanting cockscombs, see that the soil into
which they are transplanted is very rich. If they
are not transplanted until just as the combs begin
to form, the combs will be large and handsome.

In cutting cockscombs for drying for house decora-
tion in the winter, cut them before the seeds are

48 Growing Flowers

ripe and they will not fall apart. They may be
dried in a moderately warm room in the house.

Columbine

The seed of columbine should be sown in the open
ground in the spring and the seedlings should be
thinned to about twelve inches apart. Seed sown
in the autumn will produce flowering plants the
following season. They are very easy to grow
and require little cultivation. They will thrive
in almost any soil but fertilization helps
them.

The fact that the columbine blooms profusely for
a long season, that it is hardy and requires little
care, that it makes a striking appearance, that it
can be grown in any locality, and that it is one
of the few flowers with colors red, white, and
blue, recommends it strongly as our national
flower.

Columbine and honeysuckle are among the flowers
that strongly attract the humming bird and every
garden should contain these two vines, if for
no other reason than to have the birds come
around.

Growing Flowers 49

Cornflower

The coneflower is a perennial and is very hardy
but it may be treated as an annual with successful
result. It is easy to cultivate and will thrive in
almost any soil and climate, though a more hand-
some growth will be attained if it is kept slightly
moist. It perpetuates itself through selfsown
seed.

The coneflower, or rudbeckia, may be propagated
by cuttings which should be taken while the plant
is dormant. It is very satisfactory for cutting
and the pretty yellow shades add greatly to the
variety of cut flowers.

Cornflower

The cornflower has several names, among them
being "ragged sailor," "blue bottle" and "kaiser
blumen." They are among the most attractive
and graceful of the old-fashioned flowers.

The cornflower grows well on moderately rich
garden soil. Seed should be sown in the garden
in April or May and the young plants should be
thinned to a distance of six inches between them.

50 Growing Flowers

Cosmos

Cosmos is a strong, hardy plant but if the flowers
are to be at their best it should have a rich soil in
which to grow. In favorable climates and with good
soil, the plants will perpetuate themselves. The
plants should be set a foot and a half apart.

Cosmos seed should be started in the house in
March or April. The plant is a notable fall flower
and often reaches a height of four or five feet under
favorable conditions. Therefore, it makes a pretty
background for small flowers and should be in-
cluded in every garden plan as one of the flowers
to receive appreciation in the late months when
flowers are scarce.

Cosmos is most effective at a distance, and when
planted in masses, or as long background borders
where it can be viewed at not too close range, it
is one of the most attractive of flowers.

By pinching out the terminals of cosmos and phlox
they immediately make a second blooming growth
in great numbers and beauty. Do not allow seed
to mature that is not needed or the flowers will
be small and poor in color.

Growing Flowers 51

Crocus

Crocuses require a rich, moist soil. The bulbs
should be planted in the autumn to three times
their depth, and these same bulbs taken up again
as soon as they have stopped flowering and stored
in a dry, airy room until the next fall when they
may be again planted.

Crocuses are easily flowered in the house in the
winter and may be planted either in earth, in glass
bowls of pebbles and water to which has been
added a little white sand, or in vegetable fiber, a
special preparation for house plants. When grown
in water, the water should be freshened every few
days.

Crocuses, narcissi, tulips, and hyacinths should
be kept in an airy room without a fire and where gas
is seldom burned. They should be placed in the
sunlight daily and when the buds have almost
burst forth brought into the sitting room or dining
room.

Plant fall bulbs early that they may get a good
start in root growth before the ground freezes.
The roots will then have a good lot of roots to
start work with in the spring and the flower will
appear much earlier than if the bulbs are not

52 Growing Flowers

planted until late. The latter part of September
is not too early for this work.

The best of soils for bulbs is well rotted barnyard
manure. This should be well worked into the soil
before the bulbs are set out, and the ground should
not be disturbed by cultivation. The soil should
be finely pulverized and the manure should never
be put on fresh.

Cyclamen

The plants of the pretty little cyclamen should be
given a rich, moist but well drained soil. They
require a moderate amount of sunlight but the soil
should not be allowed to become dried out by the
sun's rays. They are most satisfactory as a house
plant.

Cyclamen really should be renewed every year in
order to obtain the best result in the flowers,
though it will grow year after year with little care.
All roots for house plants should be repotted every year.
This plant should not be subjected to extremes in
moisture and drought nor in temperature. A tem-
perature of fifty degrees is quite warm enough and
very moderate moisture is all that is necessary.

Cyclamen should be repotted in August.

Growing Flowers 53

Dahlias

Dahlias require rich, moist soil. In the Southern
States they may remain in the ground during the
winter, but in the colder climate the bulbs should
be taken up in the fall and stored in a dry place
until spring, when they may be planted as soon as
the ground is warm.

Dahlias should be trained to stakes or planted near
a fence or other support. The canes are not very
strong and a strong wind is likely to blow them
over. In placing near a support they should not
be deprived of sunlight or they will not thrive.

Dahlia bulbs should be looked over once or twice
during the winter to make sure that none are shrivel-
ing from too much heat and dryness, nor starting
into growth from too much moisture.

Dahlias should be kept down to three or four stems
at the most. All other shoots should be cut off as
fast as they appear, otherwise all the strength will
go into the plant instead of blossoms. Big, bushy
plants and no flowers are not desirable.

Dahlias will mature just as early if planted out of
doors after danger of frost is over as if planted indoors

54 Growing Flowers

and set out in the garden early in the season. The
change gives them a shock from which it takes
them a long time to recover.

Dahlias are among the most satisfactory of the
late summer flowers and are most effective when
planted among shrubbery. They have such a wide
range of color that it will be possible to complete
almost any color scheme with them.

Daisy

This simple, attractive little flower is adapted
both for the garden and as a house plant, and as a
cut flower it has no superior. It will grow in
almost any soil, but thrives best in moderately
rich, slightly moist surroundings.

The giant daisy is propagated by seed or from
cuttings, which, however, had better be rooted
before cutting from the plant by bending them
down and placing earth over them, and laying a
stone on top, to keep the shoots in position. The
Shasta daisy is a member of the chrysanthemum
family and is propagated by a division of the roots,
by seeds or by rooting cuttings.

Growing Flowers 55

Dianthus

Dianthus plants should be planted in a bed of well
mixed turfy loam, leaf -mold, and well decayed manure.
Good drainage should be provided as they are
more likely to die from too much moisture than
from not enough.

Dianthus seed should be sown indoors in March
and the young plants transplanted as soon as the
ground is warm. They should stand from six
inches to a foot apart.

Young dianthus plants give the largest flowers
but old plants are the first to bloom each season.
The plants will remain green all winter if lightly
protected by a mulch of straw, fodder, or leaves.

Dogtooth Violet

The dogtooth violet is really a lily and should be
treated as a lily. It grows well among rocks in
the garden and thrives best if the surrounding
soil is composed principally of leaf -mold. It does
not require much sunlight but a great deal
of moisture. Dogtooth violets come in such a
variety of color that every garden should have a
place for some of them, at least.

56 Growing Flowers

Dragon's Head

The dragon's head grows best in a rich, light soil
and when permitted to have plenty of sunlight.
It is propagated by dividing the roots in the spring
after the flowering season is over.

The dragon's head does not make much of a show-
ing in the garden but the flowers are beautiful when
picked in quantities and put in a vase. It should be
planted in places where it can spread in order to
have plants enough for a generous supply of cut
flowers.

Dusty Miller

The dusty miller requires a light but fairly rich
soil and it should be planted in a sunny location.
It occupies but little space and should be planted
in clusters to make an advantageous showing.
When grown in clusters it is extremely pretty and
three or four plants about three inches apart will
make a pretty little clump.

Dusty miller is one of the plants that bloom all
summer. It should be sown every few weeks
from February to August. The plants are easy for
the amateur to raise from seed.

Growing Flowers 57

Edelweiss

The Swiss edelweiss should be given a sunny posi-
tion and a sandy loam on a stony foundation. It
requires plenty of room and air. It is a very choice
little plant and well worth the amount of care
needed to cultivate it. It may be propagated by
dividing the roots or by sowing seed.

Edelweiss is best propagated by seed as the divi-
sion of the roots is not always successful. A few
seed planted in the cracks of rocks where there is
good sandy loam will usually germinate and flour-
ish, though some gardeners find it best to plant the
seed in shallow pans of sandy soil and leaf -mold,
keeping the pans setting in a cool place and the
soil moist.

Elephant's Ear

Elephant's ear is unequalled for a striking,
tropical-looking effect. It is quite tender and the
roots should be taken up every fall and planted
out again in the spring as soon as the ground is free
from frost. // requires a rich soil, and if given
plenty of moisture will grow rapidly in a few
weeks.

58 Growing Flowers

The elephant's ear plants are excellent for planting
in places 'where shade is lacking. They will cast
a shadow for several feet around and are very
satisfactory when shade is needed for smaller
plants. They should be watched closely for bugs
and worms which will soon spoil the appearance
of the leaves when once they attack the plant.
Owing to the color and nature of the leaf, the
bugs are easily detected and may be readily picked
off.

Ferns

Ferns require an exceedingly moist soil, with a
great quantity of plant food mixed in it. They
can hardly have too much water.

An occasional application of well composted
stable manure will be beneficial to ferns.

In selecting wood ferns for planting in the garden,
choose the small, hardy looking plants. The small
plants will stand the best chance of living and the
large ones are very sure to lose their foliage after
a few days, anyway.

Whenever possible, in planting ferns, give them
the same sort of soil in which they grew naturally.

Growing Flowers 59

It is hard on them to have to readjust themselves
to different soil and it will usually take some time
for them to get a good growing start.

In cold climates ferns must be brought into the
house during the winter, where they are apt to gather
dust with no refreshing rain to wash it off. The
pores become clogged and the plants droop from
apparently no cause, while what they need is air.
If they are placed in the washtub and sponged off
with soft soapy water every two or three weeks,
they will remain fresh and green.

The Boston fern is one of the most popular ferns.
Its fronds grow to a length of several feet when soil
conditions are right. It should have a light,
spongy soil and only a moderate amount of water,
never applying enough to make the soil muddy.

When a fern does not thrive, try putting a couple
of raw oysters under the dirt very close to the
roots of the plant. The oysters will nourish the
plant and in most instances it will grow like magic.

In preparing soil for ferns, mix one part of leaf-
mold with one part of sand and two parts of
turfy loam. This should be prepared a month or

60 Growing Flowers

six weeks ahead of planting time, and should be
dampened and turned over once a week. The
last week, add five ounces of bone meal and an
ounce of soot.

Among the low-growing ferns suitable for table
decoration are the following:

Adder's Tongue Bulblet Hart's Tongue Oakfern
Beech Cliff break Maidenhair Polypody

Brittle Hairy Lip Moonwort Purple stemmed

Feverfew

One of the cleanest-growing and most satisfactory
of old-fashioned posies is the featherfew, or feverfew.
It is commonly listed in the florists* catalogues as
an annual but it will live through severe winters
and remain green from one season to another.

Feverfew is self-sown each year from the seed of
the previous season's production, and its blossoming
season is long as three or four crops will be pro-
duced each season. It is a very valuable plant in
a garden when continuous bloom is desired. //
transplants very readily.

Forget-me-not

The dainty little forget-me-not is an excellent little
plant for use as an edging or for filling in spaces

Growing Flowers 61

among the shrubbery. It can be taken indoors in
the fall and kept as a house plant all winter with
very pleasing results as a table decoration.

Forget-me-not seeds should be sown in the spring
in a warm sunny place. These plants love a cool,
moist soil with moderate fertilization. They are
very satisfactory planted as a border flower.

Forsythia

Forsythia is an easy growing plant. A liberal
quantity of bone meal or other phosphate should be
applied to the roots in the fall in order to produce
large clusters of flowers the following spring. The
foliage is not unusually beautiful and the plants
are cultivated for the flowers alone.

Every garden should have a corner for forsythia or
golden bell. This is a very early blooming plant
and its yellow flowers receive much appreciation,
coming, as they do, before very many flowers are
out. The plant requires a rich, loamy soil in
order to make its best growth.

Forsythia should be cut back severely, to within
a few buds of the main branches, as soon as the
flowers fade. This pruning throws the strength

62 Growing Flowers

of the plant into the main branches, which in turn
feed the new branches the following spring.

Forsythia may be successfully propagated from
cuttings. The shoots should be buried in sandy
loam, kept moderately moist and somewhat warm,
and the roots will soon appear. Cuttings may be
made from prunings, though the tender tops and
most of the foliage should be removed.

Four-o'clock

The four-o'clock is a pretty garden plant for the
Southern States. The seed may be sown in a hotbed
in February and set out in April. Owing to the
great variety of colors, and the ease with which it is
grown, it is a much desired outdoor plant.

The four-o'clock is not exacting with regard to soil
conditions, though it thrives best where there is
good drainage. Lack of fertilization will produce
an abundance of flowers but not much foliage. As
the plants are grown for the flowers, however,
which open at about four o'clock in the afternoon,
foliage is not at all necessary.

The four-o'clock is self-perpetuating and plants
will come up year after year when once they have
been started. The odor is very fragrant.

Growing Flowers 63

Foxglove

Foxglove requires a deep, rich soil. The seed
should be sown fresh every year in May in the
open ground, but transplanting will benefit the
plants.

In changing the plan of the garden, do not move
foxglove, gaillardias, or sweet william after the third
•week in September.

Freesias

The best fertilizer for freesias is composed of loam,
sand, and leaf-mold. A little well-rotted stable
manure may be added but it should first be sifted,
as the soil should be fine and soft.

Freesia bulbs potted in July will bloom soon after
Christmas. The bulbs should be covered to a
depth of an inch and a half and should be an inch
and a half apart in the pots. They should be kept
cool and moist for six weeks, when they may be
gradually brought to the light.

Freesias will need no more watering after the stems
and leaves die down. They should be placed in the
open sunshine so that the bulbs may become thor-
oughly ripened before storing away for the next
season's planting.

64 Growing Flowers

Fuchsias

Fuchsias are not satisfactory as a winter house
plant, though sometimes they will flourish. The
proper place for them during the cold months is
the cellar, where they should be set in their own
pots, and given just enough water to prevent the
soil from becoming too dry. They should be kept
in the dark until March, and should not be in a
warm spot.

Fuchsias are very tender plants and require careful
treatment. They had best be grown under glass
during the early spring and may be planted in the
garden after the soil has become thoroughly
warmed, where they may remain until the leaves
fall. When taken indoors they should be kept
in a dry, dark place until March and should then
be brought to the light and given a little water
occasionally. They will thrive in ordinary garden
soil. All pruning should be done in March before
the sap rises.

Fuchsias may easily be grown from cuttings.
The best method of rooting the cuttings is to bend
the branches to the ground, cut a notch in the
stem near a joint, and bury the stem in sand, hold-
ing it down by means of two little wooden pegs.

Growing Flowers 65

Gaillardia

Gaillardia may be propagated from seed grown
in the open ground or by sowing the seed in a hotbed
and transplanting the seedlings to the ground as
soon as danger of frost has passed. The plants
should stand about twelve inches apart.

Gaillardias require a fertile but light and well
drained soil.

Where gaillardias are growing in the garden,
try making cuttings from them for plants for winter
flowering, or keeping the plants over to set out next
spring. In the hothouse, cuttings can be made
from these plants early in the spring, giving an
additional stock of plants for bedding out.

Gaillardias have a profusion of flowers for a very
long period and are well adapted for mixed borders.
They keep fresh a long time when cut if the water
is changed every other day.

Gardenias

Gardenias are not difficult to grow, regardless of
the high prices asked by the florists. They require
only moderately rich soil, an abundance of moisture,

66 Growing Flowers

and plenty of sunlight. In the South they stay
outdoors year after year and grow to be small
trees, but in the North they should be potted in
large bucket pots, to give plenty of room for the
roots to spread, and should be brought indoors
in the fall. In planting out the next season, plant
the bucket with the plant.

Gardenias are really more satisfactory as garden
plants than as house plants as the extremely fra-
grant odor becomes rather pungent when in a close
room. The flower is very delicate regardless of its
heavy waxlike appearance, and turns brown where
bruised.

Gentian

The gentian is a more or less fickle plant. It
grows and flowers successfully at times under cer-
tain conditions, while at other times under the
same conditions it not only refuses to flower but
refuses to attain a good growth as well.

The gentian is most likely to thrive in a rich, loamy
soil, which has some stones in it, and which is very
moist. If the plants are protected in the winter by
a pane of glass, they will be benefited.

Growing Flowers 67

Geraniums

Geraniums require a light soil in order to produce
beautiful flowers. A very rich soil will make leaves
but will produce no flowers. They should be
given plenty of water and kept slightly moist all
the time.

To start geranium plants for winter blooming
break off slips from the old plants in August and
put them in the ground by the side of the old plant.
Let them remain there until the weather begins to
grow cool, then pot them and take them indoors
and place where they will get plenty of sunlight.

The dead flowers should be removed from the
geranium plants immediately upon their beginning
to droop. This will encourage further blooming
of the plant.

For fresh, vigorous plants, slips should be taken
from the old plants, but a few plants of great
growth will be much appreciated, hence some gera-
niums should be kept in pots the year round and fre-
quently cultivated and fertilized when not in bloom.

Geranium cuttings can be rooted by keeping them
in a glass of water, but a little sand in the bottom
of the glass will be helpful.

68 Growing Flowers

The average woman will find that eight or ten
geraniums of various colors will give her a great deal
more pleasure as house plants than almost any other
flower. They will bloom profusely, give plenty
of color, will stand neglect, and will not die if a
light frost nips them or if she should forget to
water them, and they are seldom troubled by
insects of any kind.

The quickest and best method of rooting slips of
geraniums, nasturtiums, and other plants is by
placing them in a glass of water in a sunny spot.
The roots will start in a few days and they should
then be planted in soil.

A geranium bed may be started at little expense by
purchasing in the fall one large full-grown plant
such as is usually considered past the prime of
usefulness, and taking off small slips to plant in
individual pots. The slips should be made from
the new growth and each slip should have one or
more joints from which the roots will sprout.
Caring for them during the winter will not be
difficult as they require so little attention, and by
spring a dozen geraniums will be ready to trans-
plant to the window boxes and flower beds at very
slight expense.

Growing Flowers 69

Geraniums for winter flowering should be potted
in June and should be set in the pots in which they
are to remain during the blooming period. They
should be kept in the open until the days begin to
grow too cool for them and should be gradually
brought to a wanner temperature or they may
wither from heat.

Geraniums, fuchsias, begonias, and roses slipped in
ihefall to make plants for bedding in the summer will
insure good plants at little expense and not a great
deal of care during the winter months. Shallow
dishes filled with sand and water should be used
for starting the roots. When the roots are strong
and firm, earth should be added gradually if in a
pot, or the slips may be transferred to a pot if they
are rooting in a glass.

Geraniums will do better if slips are taken from
new shoots. There should be a joint, and preferably
two, on each slip as the roots start from the joints.

Gladiolus

Gladiolus bulbs should lie dormant in a dry place
in the cellar all winter and be planted in the open
ground in the spring. Or they may be planted in

70 Growing Flowers

cold frames in March when they will bloom as
early as May. Under ordinary circumstances,
they bloom in June or July.

Gladioli require a rich soil for profusion of blos-
soms, though they will flourish in almost any soil.

Gladioli should be staked when the plants have
reached a growth of from twelve to eighteen inches,
or the wind will be likely to blow them down.
Even a heavy rainstorm will beat them down and
wash up the roots which are not deeply covered.

When digging gladiolus bulbs, save the small bulb-
lets for future planting. In time these little
bulbs will make flowering bulbs.

For a succession of gladiolus flowers, plant the
bulbs every two weeks until August first. After
that time it will be useless to plant as the cold will
kill the flowers before they mature.

Three times as many bulbs will come from gladioli
planted in June than from those planted in April.
It seems that Nature, knowing that the late plants
will not mature seed, provides more abundantly
by multiplying the bulbs.

Growing Flowers 71

To get the best out of gladiolus flowers, cut them
when the first flowers open on the stalk and place in
cold water. Change the water every other day.
Every flower on the stem will open and the stem
will last for ten days or two weeks.

Gladioli planted among the roses the latter part
of June will flower in September when the roses have
begun to dwindle away.

If gladiolus bulbs are kept in a very warm place
during the winter they are likely to become dried
out and there will be little vitality left when they
are set out in the spring. The result will be a very
poor crop of flowers and the bulbs may not even
root.

Godetia

The godetia requires a light, sandy soil and will
not thrive in soil that has been heavily fertilized.
It is a delicate little plant and requires frequent
cultivation, but its beauty well repays one for the
attention which must needs be given.

If godetia plants are set among the china asters,
they will bloom early and be out of the way before

72 Growing Flowers

the asters come to overshadow them. They should
be planted in clumps as the delicate shell pink shade
will not show to advantage in single plants.

Gypsophila

Gypsophila is charming as a cut flower. Its
grace and lightness have given it the name of
"Baby's Breath," and it will add distinction to
what would otherwise be a very ordinary selection
of plants.

Gypsophila should be given plenty of room for its
full growth and development. It grows rapidly and
in three or four years a bush will grow to five or
six feet across and three or four feet in height.
Bare spaces surrounding it may be filled in with
annuals until the gypsophila has attained its
growth. It is usually propagated from seed, though
cuttings may be made.

Gypsophila will grow under almost any soil
conditions, and while sunlight is beneficial, it
will grow in partial shade. It received its
name from a Greek word which means "lover
of gypsum or chalk," and was perhaps first
found on rocks.

Growing Flowers 73

Heliotrope

The old-fashioned little heliotrope is a delicate
little flower and should be given a fairly rich, well-
drained soil. It makes a pretty border plant, and
if all dead flowers are clipped off it will bloom until
frost cuts it down.

The tall heliotrope grows to be three or four feet
in height and is most effective when planted with
the shorter variety at its base. It may be propa-
gated by cuttings in the early spring or in the fall
after the flowers have ceased, though spring cut-
tings will be much easier to root.

Hibiscus

The hibiscus thrives best in the South and when
grown in the North should be planted in large
wooden tubs that they may be taken "indoors in the
winter. The soil should be rich and friable and the
plants should be frequently watered.

The hibiscus is remarkable for its large, brilliantly
colored flowers of great variety. The leaves, too,
are beautiful, and the foliage would be worth cul-
tivating if there were no flowers.

74 Growing Flowers

The hibiscus may be propagated from cuttings,
or from seed, though cuttings are more satisfactory.
Plants grown from seed will not bloom the first
season, and often do not bloom until the third
season. The plants do not require pruning and
cuttings should be carefully taken.

Hollyhock

That old-fashioned perennial, the hollyhock, has
never lost favor. The plants should always be
grouped together or planted in rows, to get full benefit
of their beauty, and never planted singly

Any ordinary garden soil will suit the holly-
hock, and too much fertilization is not advisable,
otherwise the plants will run to foliage rather than
flowers. Bone meal will be beneficial if applied to
the roots in the fall and it will have a good effect
on the size and color of the blossoms.

Hollyhock seed should be sown in April or May,
not later than June, to flower the next year. Each
plant should have a foot or more of space on each
side to allow for full development. They will
flourish in almost any soil and require little
care.

Growing Flowers 75

Seed sowings of hollyhocks should be made every
year. The flowers on young, vigorous plants are
far superior to those grown on old stock.

Seeds of perennials, such as hollyhock, colum-
bine, larkspur, foxglove, and sweet william,
may be planted in the open garden in the fall
in the warmer sections of the country. They
should be protected during the winter by a
covering of straw.

Hollyhocks seem to like to have their foliage sprayed
at evening during the hot, dry weather. The wind is
likely to blow down plants in exposed positions
unless properly staked. To use them as a back-
ground for other flowers or to plant them against
a building will be best for them.

Liquid manure applied to hollyhocks throughout
the season will produce massive flowers, though
they will keep right on blooming with little fer-
tilization.

In order to have large blossoms of hollyhocks late in
the season cut out all the flower buds for the first
few weeks. All the strength will then go into the
plant and the later flowers.

76 Growing Flowers

Hollyhocks will not bloom the same season the
seeds are planted. It takes a second season to
mature the plants for blossoming.

Honesty

Honesty, or lunaria, was a great favorite in old-
fashioned gardens a generation ago, and owing to
the ease with which it can be cultivated should
have a place in every list of old-fashioned flowers.
It will grow in sunlight or shade, in rich soil or
poor, and comes up each year from self-sown seed.

Honesty pods are very pretty when dried and taken
indoors for winter decoration. There are several
varieties and all are attractive.

Hyacinths

Hyacinths require rich, moist soil, and the soil
should be moist all the time, though not sodden.

Hyacinths, narcissi, tulips, and crocuses should
be planted in masses when planted out of doors.
Only in this way can the best effect be obtained,
though to dot a few bulbs here and there on the
lawn will be a pleasing little surprise in the spring-
time as they come up one by one before the grass
is cut.

Growing Flowers 77

Tulips and Dutch hyacinths are best adapted for
design bedding. Solid bright colors in contrast
should be planted together, such as a bright red
and a deep yellow, dark red and white, etc.

Bulbs should be set out in the fall, not later than
the first of November, for spring blooming. They
should be planted twice or three times the depth of
the bulb in rich compost, and the beds covered over
with leaves to keep them warm.

The grape hyacinth is an unusually pretty flower,
yet it is not so much grown as the other varieties.
When naturalized in colonies it remains undis-
turbed for years. Used as an edging it is most
charming.

A prepared fiber may be purchased for growing
hyacinths and other bulbous plants. It is clean
and light and bulbs kept sufficiently moist, not
wet, thrive well in this fiber. It is particularly
advised for hanging baskets, and for city people
who experience difficulty in obtaining good soil.

Hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and nar-
cissi should have their bulbs taken from the soil
when they have stopped blooming and stored away

78 Growing Flowers

in a cool dry place until fall when they may be
replanted with very successful results. In plant-
ing, all the small bulbs will, if broken from the
main bulb, start new plants, though if a cluster of
blossoms is desired these small bulbs should re-
main attached to the parent bulb.

A shallow bowl filled with pebbles, sand, and
water will make a beautiful foundation for hyacinths
and other bulbs. The roots will be white and curl-
ing and almost as pretty as the blossoms.

To force bulbous plants, such as hyacinths, nar-
cissi, and daffodils for Christmas blooming, pot
them in August and set in a cool, damp place until
six weeks before Christmas. Then bring to the
warmth of the strong sunlight behind window glass
in a slightly heated room.

The best bulbs produce the best flowers.

When potting hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, crocuses,
etc., imbed them in the earth, water well, and set
them away in a cool, dark place. They should not
be disturbed again until the roots have acquired
good growth and no water should be added as long
as the soil remains moist. When the pots are full

Growing Flowers 79

of roots, shoots will appear and the pot should im-
mediately be transferred to the light, gradually
giving it a little more light all the time until it is
finally placed in the bright sunshine. Eight weeks
is usually the amount of time required to produce
flowers for Christmas blooming, but to make
sure of having blossoms at this time, a succes-
sion of bulbs should be planted, say every four
days.

To produce flowering bulbs very early in the spring
cover with a mulch of leaves and over the leaves
sprinkle a light covering of manure, just enough
to hold the leaves in place, and lightly cover them.
This will keep the ground warm and the bulbs
will become warm and will start to sprout be-
fore the sun has warmed the surrounding sur-
face of the earth, and when all danger of frost
is past the bulbs will grow rapidly and flower
soon.

October is the best time for planting narcissi,
hyacinths, and tulips. They may be planted any
time before the ground freezes but if planted in
October they have ample time in which to estab-
lish a good root system, which is the secret of get-
ting fine flowers.

8o Growing Flowers

The best soil for bulbs, hyacinths, narcissi, and
tulips is that which was well manured the previous
spring for summer flowers. Any manure added in
the fall should be well rotted and it should be
spaded in thoroughly and deep.

To mulch the daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, narcissi,
and other bulbs well with manure before the ground
freezes and while the bulbs are perfectly hardy will
give them protection and prevent the ground heav-
ing. If the ground heaves the bulbs will not become
well rooted and the size and quality of the flowers
will be poor.

'An ideal soil for use in growing bulbs indoors is
made of one part sand to three parts rich soil.
The pots should be well drained by placing small
stones in the bottom.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are beautiful either as a hedge or as
individual plants. They will thrive in almost any
soil, but should have cultivation once or twice a
season and the application of a little liquid man-
ure at each cultivation.

Growing Flowers 81

White hydrangeas may be colored blue by digging
a hole near the roots and pouring into it a little
indigo blue.

Hydrangeas should be pruned immediately after
they cease blooming. In the South during the win-
ter the tops should be protected by placing over
the bushes a straw or brush covering. The flower
buds form in the fall and the cover will keep them
from being killed by the cold of the winter. In
the severe climates, the plants should be taken up
and carried to the cellar, or placed in the green-
house.

Cuttings should be taken from hydrangeas in
August and should be chosen from growth which
has not flowered. The cuttings should be buried
about two thirds the length in sandy soil, and each
cutting should have at least one good, firm joint.

Iris

The Japanese iris requires a rich soil and plenty
of moisture. It should be taken up every two years
and the roots divided and more fertilizer added.
To start plants from seed will take a long time as
this is one of the plants which do not blossom the
first season when grown from seed.

82 Growing Flowers

Manure should never be applied direct to the roots
of the iris. It should be applied in liquid form or
worked into the soil at a short distance form the
roots.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

The wild flower, jack-in-the-pulpit is a much
appreciated plant when cultivated. It is one of the
marshy plants but will thrive either in low, marshy
land or in the water. The flowers of this plant
catch and hold securely bugs and other insects and
thus aid in destroying plant enemies.

Jessamine

Jessamine requires a loamy soil to which a little
leaf-mold has been addedt and a little sand mixed
with this heavier soil will help in insuring drainage.

Much of the success in growing jessamine depends
upon the pruning. It should always be pruned in
the springtime after the flowers are gone. It will
then have the whole season in which to mature
new shoots for the next winter's flowers. If it is
pruned in the fall, the shoots which would have
borne flowers will be destroyed.

Growing Flowers 83

Lantana

The name commonly applied to lantana is Indian
nettle. This is a tender shrub and it can be trained
in the form of a tree or left to grow as a bush. A
loamy soil, mixed with leaf-mold and compost and
a little sand, is the best soil for this plant.

Cuttings from lantana should be made in the
spring or fall and should be inserted in sandy soil,
kept fairly moist and warm.

To train a lantana plant to tree form, pinch off the
lower branches as fast as they appear, leaving the
strength of the plant food to feed the upper
branches. // a bush is desired, the central buds,
or top, should be pinched off that many side shoots
may appear. The earlier this is done, the prettier
and more regular the bush will be.

Larkspur

Larkspur seed may be sown either in the fall or
spring, in the fall, preferably, so that germination
may take place early in the spring. The plants
should be thinned to about a foot apart. They
thrive best in a cool, moist soil.

The dwarf larkspur should be used for borders,

84 Growing Flowers

while the tall variety may be used among the
shrubbery as a background for other low flowers,
or be cultivated for cutting.

The withered stems of larkspur should be cut
away as soon as they appear, in order to keep the
plants flowering until late in the season.

Larkspur, hollyhocks, iris, and perennial poppies
should be covered in the fall with a good coating of
manure or other litter to a depth of three or four
inches. This will hold the frost in the ground
and keep the plant from alternately freezing and
thawing; in cold climates the manure will protect
the plant from freezing to a depth that will cut
off its water supply.

If lilac blossoms are waxed just after the blos-
soms have opened, they may be kept a long time
in the natural color. The flowers should be cut
in the early morning and not be allowed to wilt
before being waxed.

Lavender

Every home should have its lavender bush, either
in the garden or in a pot. The foliage is orna-

Growing Flowers 85

mental and the flowers are very fragrant and
nothing gives a sweeter, more delicious odor to
clothing when packed away with it.

Lavender bushes thrive best in light, sandy soil
and a great deal of sunlight, though they are
not particular with regard to soil. They may be
grown from seed or from cuttings, which should be
taken in October and should comprise a piece of
new growth attached to an older stem.

Lavender leaves should be gathered on a dry, sun-
shiny day in midsummer, preferably as late as
August, and should be hung in a cool dry place for
several weeks before they are ready for use.

Lilacs

Lilacs and other shrubs which make their buds
one season for the following season's blossoming
should be pruned within a month after they stop
blooming to promote fine blossoms. Lilacs should
not be pruned very frequently.

The common lilac succeeds well in trying locations.
It may be used as a hedge with excellent results,
or as specimen plants about the lawn. It grows
into a graceful shrub or high hedge with very little
care.

86 Growing Flowers

A bunch of lilacs has its place in every garden,
however small. They require little cultivation,
an application of manure once a year being
sufficient to keep them going, and they will
thrive somewhat even without the annual applica-
tion. They are among the early flowers and much
appreciated.

Lilacs should not be pruned directly after blooming,
but should be left alone until the spring of the
following year. They do not need to be covered
during the winter even in cold climates.

A hedge of lilac is most beautiful even after the
flowers have ceased. It should be kept pruned as
closely as privet, and small flowers or shrubs should
be planted near to hide the bare lower branches

Lilies

LilieS'Of-the-valley require a rich, leafy mold,
plenty of moisture, and little or no sunlight. The
bulbs should be planted in the fall and covered over
well with soil and leaves.

A cluster of bulbs of the lily-of-the-valley should
always be separated and set three or four inches
apart. They will multiply rapidly in one season,
hence should be given plenty of root room.

Growing Flowers 87

The lily-of-the-valley makes an excellent house
plant for the winter months. By taking it in at
intervals during the winter a succession of flowering
plants may be kept up. The flowers will last
several weeks.

Where there is a plot too shady to grow the aver-
age flower set out clumps of the lily-of-the-valley
and between them plant slips of running myrtle.
These will grow rapidly and soon cover the ground,
making a most beautiful bed. Even after the lily
has stopped flowering the ground will have an
attractive covering.

Tiger lilies are easy to grow, requiring practically
no cultivation and little fertilization. When once
started, they will come up every year. The bulbs
may be planted either in the spring or fall with
equally good result. A small piece of a bulb with
a bit of root attached will grow and flourish.

Tiger lilies attract both the birds and the butterflies,
and planted as a background for other foliage they
are at their best. The stem can be cut off with
the buds but half grown and they will mature and
come into flower in the vase and will last from
ten days to two weeks if the water is changed
frequently.

88 Growing Flowers

Madonna lily bulbs should be planted early in
September, though most bulbs should not be
planted until a month or six weeks later.

Madonna lily bulbs are less likely to rot in heavy
soils if surrounded with a little sand and laid on
their side.

Calla lilies require plenty of water when flowering
and should also be given a good supply of liquid
manure once or twice during the season, other
than the first fertilization.

Roses and lilies should not be planted so close
that the branches will come in immediate contact,
or the rose thorns will lacerate the branches of the
lilies.

October is the time for planting irises or flag lilies.
They will flourish in the shade or sunshine, in rich
soil or poor, and will even grow on rocks with the
scantiest of soil.

Irises will not bloom the first season after plant-
ing, hence they should be placed in a permanent
location.

Lobelias

For borders, for baskets, and for pots there is noth-
ing prettier than the lobelia. The seeds germinate

Growing Flowers 89

quickly and may be sown out of doors in the early
spring where the plants are to grow. If sown in-
doors, they should be sown in dirt bands or paper
cups and the cup or band transplanted with the
seedlings. The plants should not be set per-
manently nearer than eight inches apart.

The lobelia requires a rich, somewhat moist soil,
and liquid manure applied to the surface and
worked in while the plants are in bloom will greatly
improve the size and coloring of the flowers.

Love-Lies-Bleeding

Love-lies-bleeding, or amarantus, seed may be
planted out of doors where the plants are to grow,
but as the plant is successfully transplanted, the
seed may be planted in the house early in February.
Outdoor planting should take place in March or
April, according to the severity of the weather, as
the plant requires a warm, moist atmosphere.

Love-lies-bleeding is cultivated for its foliage, which
is unusually beautiful if the plants are properly
cared for. The dried blood of cattle or sulphate
of ammonia applied to the roots will create rapid
growth and beautiful leaves.

90 Growing Flowers

Lupin

The lupin is a hardy annual and requires a rather
rich soil and plenty of moisture. It will thrive best
in a somewhat shady location though a moderate
amount of sunshine will not be harmful. When
it is once established in a garden, it will perpetuate
itself for years.

The lupin can be propagated from seed or from
cuttings. Seed should be sown where the plants
are to grow as it does not stand transplanting well.
When rooting cuttings they may be taken from the
plant and inserted in moist sand, or the branch
may be bent to the ground, a notch cut in it near
a joint, and left there to root. Either method will
prove satisfactory.

Magnolias

Magnolias require a rich loam and plenty of mois-
ture. Also plenty of sunlight if they are to bloom
profusely. There are many varieties, but the most
beautiful of all are the huge trees which grow in
the swamps of the far South and which have creamy
white blossoms with petals eight and ten inches in
length, and two and three inches in width. A tree

Growing Flowers 91

planted in a naturally moist part of the garden
will thrive with little attention.

Magnolias bloom in the spring and early summer
and give excellent results when planted among
other flowering plants which do not blossom until
later in the season. In watering, the water had
best be applied by means of a pipe driven into the
ground near the roots and the water poured down
it. In this way the roots will receive the moisture
and feed it to the rest of the plant.

Maltese Cross

The maltese cross requires plenty of sunlight and a
•well drained, moderately rich soil, though it will grow
in almost any soil. Planted in groups, this plant
is most effective and the plants should be set close
together.

The maltese cross is propagated either by seed or
by dividing the roots of fully matured plants.
The division should be made in the spring.

Marguerite

Marguerites will grow in any soil and when once
started they will come up every year from self-

92 Growing Flowers

sown seed. Seeds sown in September make good
plants for the next season.

Marguerites should be staked when they have grown
to be ten or twelve inches in height to prevent the
wind blowing them over or the rain beating them
down, but other than staking, they will require
little care. They will live through the winter
without covering in the South but should have a
light covering applied in severe climates.

Marguerites are most effective when bushy, and in
order to attain this bushy appearance, the center
shoot should be pinched out as soon as it appears.

In taking cuttings from marguerite plants for
growing other plants, neither the very hardy nor
the very weak shoots should be selected, but cut-
tings of medium vigor. All flowers and buds and
all but two or three leaves of the cutting should be
pinched off before planting.

Marigolds

There are two distinct types of the marigold and
each type has a great number of varieties. The
French marigold is compact and regular and the

Growing Flowers 93

African marigold has a spreading habit. The
former is best suited for bedding or for borders and
the latter for herbaceous or shrubbery borders.

Marigolds will be benefited by transplanting.
If the seed is sown in a hotbed or cold frame very
early in the spring and the young plants trans-
planted first to pots which confine the roots of the
plant and check it, and after a couple of inches
growth, again transplanted, the increased food
supply will promote a splendid growth. The soil
should be rich and the plants kept fairly moist.

Marjoram

Sweet marjoram belongs to the origanum family.
It is a very pleasing little plant which grows about
ten inches in height and which will thrive in a rock
garden. The soil should be light and sandy.

The leaves of sweet marjoram should be picked in
the heat of summer and kept in a cool, dry place for
drying out before using. If taken from the stem
they will dry more readily. When cuttings are
made they should be taken at the season when the
plants are not growing and should be put into
sandy, damp soil for rooting.

94 Growing Flowers

Mayflower

The mayflower grows wild in the Southern
States. It requires light soil mixed with leaf -mold,
very little sunlight, and plenty of moisture. It is
very successfully grown in the rock garden and
requires practically no care after once having a
good start.

Mignonette

Every garden should have mignonette in plentiful
supply. The seed can be sown at any time and if
successive plantings are made every three weeks,
it will last until late autumn in the out of doors.
The last sowing should be made the latter part of
August.

A pot of mignonette for the dining table will be
much appreciated in the dead of winter. Seed
should be sown in July.

The mignonette requires rich, friable soil, plenty
of moisture, and frequent cultivation to conserve the
moisture. The ground should be well drained
for if it becomes sodden the stems of the plant
may rot.

Growing Flowers 95

Mint

Large sprigs of mint may be placed in ajar of water
where they will not only remain fresh but will
actually grow. Roots will sprout and practically
no attention need be paid to the plant except to add
water and to place it in the sun occasionally.

When mint is once started in the garden it will
perpetuate itself yearly, and should, therefore, be
planted in a spot which will not be needed for other
vegetation. To give fragrance to the air in the
garden, there is nothing more pleasing, and the
leaves make extremely pretty foliage when used as
low-growing shrubbery.

Mistflower

The mistflower requires a rather rich soil if it is
to thrive. Its roots will multiply rapidly and the
plant has a long life. It may be propagated by
the suckers which shoot up from the lower stem,
these being inserted in wet sand for rooting, or
cuttings may be taken from the upper branches.

Do not give up the mistflower for dead because
it shows no sign of life until late in the spring.

96 Growing Flowers

It lies dormant a long time but it will appear even-
tually. A permanent stake should be driven in the
ground near the roots when it is planted in a large
garden.

Mistletoe

The mistletoe is of parasitic growth but it is much
desired for decorative purposes at Christmas time.
It grows slowly and has a bad effect on the tree on
which it feeds, hence it should be kept from choice
trees.

A little moss tied over the cracks in which mistletoe
seeds are placed will prevent the birds eating the
seeds. Birds find the seeds very quickly and
their disappearance may not be noticed for some
time, if at all.

The male and female plants of the mistletoe
grow on different plants, and fruits, or berries, are
not borne on the male plant. To establish the
mistletoe on a tree, take the fruit in February
or March and rub the seeds lightly into the
crevices in the bark. It is usually propagated
by birds carrying the seed from one tree to
another.

Growing Flowers 97

Mock Orange

The mock orange is a beautiful ornamental shrub
with very fragrant flowers. It thrives best in a rich,
loamy soil which is kept rather moist at all times.

When the flowers of the mock orange jade, the
branches on which the flowers appeared should be
cut back to the point from which young shoots are
starting. Cuttings may be made from these prun-
ings and they should be inserted in sandy soil and
kept in a warm spot.

Monkshood

The monkshood thrives in ordinary garden soil and
in either a sunny or a shady location. It is an ex-
cellent flower for planting on the north side of
a house, and requires little care. Indeed, when the
plants are thriving, and the flowers are in good
form, they should be left undisturbed for several
years at a time.

Monkshood will thrive for five or six years without
replanting, as the seeds fall to the earth and are
covered by wind-blown dirt. It is best, in order
to secure the best growth, to replant every two
or three years, and this may be done either by

98 Growing Flowers

planting new seed and carefully tending the seed-
lings or by dividing the roots of older plants.
After five or six years, the old roots should no
longer be used, but new plants should be started.

Black blight on monkshood can be gotten rid of
by spraying thoroughly and frequently with Bor-
deaux mixture. The leaves and buds should be
sprayed when the stalks begin to turn yellow
around the blooming period.

Moonflowers

Do not fail to plant moonflowers to have a show-
ing of beautiful flowers in the late afternoon and
at night. These vines are very easily grown from
seed, which should be soaked for twenty-four hours
in lukewarm water before sowing.

The moonflower vines should be given a rich moist
soil, and the soil should be well enriched before the
seed is planted. Little or no cultivation should
be given as the roots are very near the surface and
are likely to suffer from disturbance.

Nasturtium

No other annual will produce such a profusion of
flowers for so long a time as the nasturtium. It can

Growing Flowers 99

be grown as a vine or as a short bush flower with
equal success. It never flags through the hottest
weather and has a wide range of colors.

Nasturtiums flower best on thin soil, but if a
wealth of leaves is desired, the soil must be en-
riched. The plants should not be kept very moist
or they will rot off, especially if standing too close.

Nasturtiums may be started in the house in paper
cups or dirt bands and transplanted to the out of
doors as soon as danger of frost is over. When
planted in the open the seed should be sown an
inch deep and the seedlings thinned to ten inches
apart.

Nasturtiums make beautiful winter pot plants,
and the trailing nasturtiums may be planted in
hanging baskets with great success.

Nasturtium flowers appear within two months
from the time of planting the seed. A bed of one
hundred square feet will produce about a thousand
blossoms per day.

Try planting dwarf nasturtiums about three inches
from sweet peas along both sides of the rows. The

ioo Growing Flowers

nasturtiums shade the ground and the sweet peas
seem to do better than when grown alone. As
nasturtiums require little nourishment, they will
not be checked by the drain made on the soil by
the roots of the sweet peas.

Grow nasturtium seeds for sprinkling among
pickles when putting them up for the winter. The
leaves of the nasturtium among the pickles will
give them a nice green color and a very pleasant
flavor.

Nemophila

Among the flowers which have a long blossoming
season is the nemophila. All species may be pro-
pagated from seed, though plants will form from
cuttings. Seed should be sown in the garden in
April where the plants are to stand, and for early
blooming planted again in August and transplanted
late in the autumn into pots.

The nemophila loves a rich, moist loam with some
shade. The strong sunlight will wither and parch
the leaves and kill the tender young buds of flowers.
As a cut flower for small vases, the nemophila is
most satisfactory.

Growing Flowers 101

Nicotiana

The nicotiana is a hardy annual and will grow in
fairly rich soil. It requires shade as the flower
petals will close when the bright sun shines on
them. It perpetuates itself from seed, and it also
transplants very readily.

When the nicotiana plants have acquired a good
growth, the lower leaves should be picked off to prevent
the plant from crowding other plants. The plants
should be set not nearer than twelve inches.

Oleander

When the oleander has grown large and unwieldy
and the growth is rough and homely, cut away all the
old branches, leaving nothing but stubs appearing
above the ground. In a short while new branches
will appear which will produce much finer flowers
than the old branches would produce.

The oleander does not require an extremely rich
soil, though a little stable manure applied to the
roots in the fall will strengthen and nourish the
plant. Basic slag or bone meal worked into the soil
near the roots will give excellent color and growth
to the flowers.

IO2 Growing Flowers

Orchids

Orchids are beautiful flowers, but difficult to
grow. They require a soil of peat and loam and
should be kept in a cool, moist spot. They are very
delicate. They do not like to be disturbed and
should be planted very early in the fall and left
alone. A little sand mixed with the soil will aid
in securing good drainage.

Palms

Palms require a loamy soil, well drained, and
enough water should be given to keep the soil
always moist — not moist at times and dry at
others. Palms do not require sunshine.

A little sweet milk added to the water in which
palm leaves are washed will give a beautiful gloss
to the foliage.

A piece of raw beef chopped fine and worked into
the soil around palms, ferns, and rubber plants will
give nourishment to the plants and there will be a
marked increase in their size before very long.

A tablespoonful of castor oil poured on the ground
around the roots of palms and ferns, once a month,
will give them a rapid growth, and keep them look-

Growing Flowers 103

ing fresh and green. If it is worked into the soil,
it should be worked into only the first inch or so.
The oil will help to conserve moisture and also
gives the plant quite a bit of nourishment.

Palms and other foliage plants can be kept free
from scale by washing the leaves with a strong
yellow soap solution applied by means of cotton
batting. The leaves should be well rinsed also.
This will not only keep off scale but will keep the
leaves free from dust and give them a chance to
breathe fresh air, which they need.

Pansies

Pansies will thrive and flower in almost any soil,
but a moderate amount of fertilizer will tend to
increase the size of the flowers. The roots grow
near the surface and should not be molested, hence
liquid fertilizer will be excellent for applying if
the plants must be enriched after growth has
started. Phosphate fertilizer should be contained
in the soil for the benefit of the blossoms.

If all the old branches are cut away from the pansy
plants in midsummer, new branches will grow and
produce fine large flowers for the fall. Fertilizer

IO4 Growing Flowers

should be applied at the same time to give the
plants something to feed on for the new growth.

Pansies can be made to flower until Thanksgiving
if given a southern location and protected from
the east winds. A light covering of leaves may be
applied, not too heavy or the sun's rays will not
penetrate, or where the bed is small enough, a
board may be placed over the plants slanting it by
means of stakes. This board should always be in
place at night and removed during the warmest
part of the day.

As there are so many dark shades of pansies,
the lighter colors should be planted in greater
quantity than dark shades, otherwise there will
not be a very striking effect when the pansies are in
bloom.

Every garden should have a pansy bed. The plants
bloom all summer and the more they are picked,
the more prolific they become, producing a larger
flower as the season advances.

For early outdoor bedding of the pansy, sow the
seed in a cold frame in the autumn, September or
October. In transplanting the young plants they
should be given from three to six inches of space
if they are to do their best.

Growing Flowers 105

Outdoor pansy beds should be covered for the winter
with a mulch of dry leaves and over that stable
manure. The plants will come up in the spring
and bloom until midsummer, and if properly cared
for, until the end of the summer.

Pansies for midsummer blooming will do better
if they receive the sun only a co ?.'ple of hours in the
morning. Too much heat will v ause small, puny
flowers. Seed sown in June will produce plants
that will flower in the fall.

Pansies should not be allowed to go to seed. If
they do, the succeeding blossoms will be small in
size and faded in color, and the plants will soon
stop blooming.

Take a few pansy plants indoors for the winter.
Given attention, i. e., warmth, watering, and cul-
tivation, they will keep right on blooming until
Christmas time and sometimes even longer.

Peonies

When peonies are crowding out other plants, as
they so frequently do, they should be trimmed by
cutting off some of the outer branches and then
tying the stalks together. In the middle of the

io6 Growing Flowers

summer, the plants may be cut down considerably
as they will by that time have acquired most of
the vigor necessary to sustain bloom for the
next season.

July or August, after the peonies have stopped
blooming, is the best time to fertilize, as the growth
of the plant will not then be interfered with from
digging around it and no harm can be done to the
flowers. This is also the best time for moving the
roots to a new location, as they will then have time
to start growing afresh before the ground becomes
chilled.

Peonies are among the most satisfactory of plants.
The foliage alone is beautiful. They have a long
season, and if planted in rich, well-drained soil will
require very little attention beyond cultivating
once or twice during the season, and covering with
an inch of manure before cold weather.

The fall of the year is the best season for planting
peonies. If set out in the spring the work should
be done just as early as the danger of severe cold
is over or they will not reward one with blossoms
that season. When planting early in the spring,
the soil should be well mulched with stable manure.

Growing Flowers 107

Peonies should be mulched with a good coating of
manure or other litter in the fall and this coating
allowed to remain on during the winter. This
will tend to warm the ground and will prevent the
plants alternately freezing and thawing, which is
hard on any plant. This treatment will be bene-
ficial for any hardy perennial, and particularly
for larkspur, hollyhock, columbine, iris, and peren-
nial poppies, and flowers will be produced much
earlier the following season than if the plants are
grown from seed.

When grown for the purpose of propagation, the
peony ramifies more in light soil, but when blooms
are desired, a well-drained clay subsoil, with the
surface of rather rich loam, will be beneficial.

Peonies require an abundance of water at all times,
but particularly when they are blooming are they
very thirsty. Liquid manure will furnish an en-
couraging method of both watering and fertiliz-
ing them.

When peonies flourish but fail to bloom, the fault
often lies with the way they are set in the ground.
The crowns should not be set too deep or the
blossoms will be affected.

io8 Growing Flowers

Pepper Plants

Pepper plants require rich, well-drained but moist
soil and frequent cultivation. They should be
given plenty of fresh air and occasionally should
be placed in the strong sunlight. The plants
should be kept free from dust by sponging with a
soapsud solution.

A pepper plant for the house during the winter
months will lend a touch of color when all flowering
plants refuse to blossom. These plants require
sunlight and should be put in the sun for a little
while each day.

Periwinkle

The periwinkle is a tender little plant but it
grows and spreads rapidly and is self -perpetuating.
The seed should be sown in a flat or hotbed and the
young plants transplanted when about two inches
in height. It requires a rich soil and plenty of
moisture.

When planting periwinkles in rows, make double
or triple rows and the effect will be very pleasing.
The plants should be set from six to eight inches
apart.

Growing Flowers 109

Petunias

Petunias are excellent as house plants or for filling
window boxes. If staked, they will hold up their
branches prettily, but even drooping over the side
they will be graceful and attractive. Petunias
have a long season and require very little care.

Petunias are not exacting with regard to soil and
will thrive in almost any arable soil, enduring
drought well and blooming in great profusion.
They should be sown in a hotbed in March and
transplanted to the open when the soil is warm
enough. The seed of the double varieties requires
more attention to prevent extremes of temperature
and of moisture than the seed of the single flowers.
A pane of glass placed over the seed will be helpful
in preventing loss of moisture. In planting pe-
tunia seed in the open ground, do not cover with
earth.

Phlox

The phlox will thrive in any ordinary garden soil
and when once started it is self -perpetuating, some-
times from the seed, and, where the climate will
permit, from root increase.

no Growing Flowers

Phloxes are useful as window garden plants and as
undergrowth for tall bare-stemmed plants. They
should be sown out of doors as soon as danger of
frost is over. They require very little attention.

The phlox transplants readily and if planted too
thickly will suffer from mildew. Sulphur dusted
over the plants will usually rid them of mildew.

To remove the seedpod and dead flowers of
phlox will insure their blooming throughout the
season.

When phloxes are used as cut flowers they should
be put into a vase or jardiniere large enough to
support them. The flowers are heavy and are
not attractive when crowded. They will last for
days if the water is changed.

Pomegranate

The pomegranate not only bears beautiful scarlet
flowers but also an edible fruit. It is a very hardy
plant and requires little care. A loamy soil is best
for it, though it will grow in the sandy soil of the
far South and do well. It requires plenty of sun-
light and a well-protected location.

Growing Flowers in

The pomegranate was introduced into this country
from Persia where it is a popular fruit. It may be
propagated from cuttings, though little pruning
is necessary.

Poppies

A sandy loam suits poppies best. Seed sown in
the autumn and at intervals in the spring will make
a long succession of flowers. The seed should be
sown thinly and covered very lightly, and plants
should be thinned to a distance of one foot.

California poppies, petunias, Shirley poppies, and
sweet alyssum should always be sown where they
are to grow and flower as they will not bear trans-
planting successfully. The Shirley poppy is par-
ticularly adaptable for cutting and some of these
should be included in every garden ; they are bold
and brilliant, delicate and airy.

The poppy plants which bloom most profusely are
those which were sown in the fall of the year, or
during the very early spring months while the
earth was cool and moist.

The Iceland poppy should be sown outdoors in
September for early spring flowering. Seed planted
in April where the climate will permit will produce

ii2 Growing Flowers

blossoming plants in August of the same year.
Grown in clumps these plants make a splendid
showing.

Portulaca

Portulaca will grow anywhere and under any soil
condition. In fact, so prolific is its growth that it
has almost become a weed in warm climates.

Portulaca seed will not germinate without warmth,
and as it should be sown out of doors, there is no
need of sowing until quite late. Portulaca re-
quires little care and there is no other plant of low
growth more pleasing. This plant will perpetuate
itself by self-sown seeds.

Portulaca can be best transplanted when in full
growth and if the plants are blooming profusely
they will not be harmed by being moved.

When looking for edgings, rockwork plants, or
something to fill in gaps, try portulaca. It makes
beautiful foliage as an undergrowth for tall plants
and will flourish under most adverse conditions.

Pot Marigold

The pot marigold requires a rich, light soil,
though it will grow in almost any soil. The plants

Growing Flowers 113

bloom freely and earlier than the marigold, and
there are both single and double forms of the
flower.

// pot marigold seed is sown in the open ground
very early in the spring the plants will bloom early
in the summer and will continue to bloom until late
in the fall of the year. The colors of the flowers
range from ivory, through the many shades of
yellow, to deep orange. Seed sown in the hotbed
during the first week of April will be ready for
transplanting the middle of May.

The dried flowers of the pot marigold give an excel-
lent flavor when put in soups or added to stewed meat
while cooking. This will furnish a novelty in
flavoring.

In hot climates where the soil i* not very rich nor
very moist, the pot marigold seed should be sown
in May as the plants will not grow so rapidly
as those started in June under more favorable
conditions.

The primrose is equally satisfactory as a house
plant or planted to form border lines or solid beds.
It blooms from early spring until the frost falls
on it and the height averages eighteen inches.

U4 Growing Flowers

Primrose seed should be sown in an open border
or in a cold frame in the spring. When trans-
planted, the plants should stand about a foot
apart and should be set in rather thin or sandy soil.

If the seed of primrose is planted in July and
the seedlings transplanted to the cold frame when
the weather grows cold, they may be kept during the
winter months and set out again in the garden in
May, when they will bloom much earlier than if
planted that season.

Primrose

Primulas should be sown in light, sandy compost
and given ample drainage. If sown in pots, one
third of the pot at the bottom should be filled with
stones or pieces of broken pots. The plants should
have plenty of air and not too much water at any
time.

Prince's- Feather

Prince's -feather makes a beautiful background
and adds brilliant coloring to the garden. Red,
yellow, and green should be included in every col-
lection. The heads can be cut in the fall and pre-
served throughout the winter months.

Growing Flowers 115

Prince' s-feather will thrive in almost any soil, but
a deep, rich soil, fairly moist, will produce hand-
some showy heads, and the seed will come up year
after year. The young plants that are not desired
should be weeded out in order to allow the best
plants to get all the nourishment they need from
the soil.

If the flowers of prince* s-feather are given a thin
coating of melted paraffin, they will not fall apart
for a long time.

Rhododendrons

Rhododendrons require moist, loamy soil. Dead
leaves buried near the roots each fall will prove
most beneficial. The drainage should be good.

Rhododendrons do not produce the finest flowers if
grown from cuttings, seed plants being by far the
most satisfactory. It is necessary to prune them
while young to insure hardiness.

When old rhododendron plants begin to fail, water
every other day with water in which cow-manure
has been soaked. This water should be applied
to the roots by means of a pipe driven into the
ground to a point where it will come in contact with

n6 Growing Flowers

the roots. They will not thrive in the glaring
sunlight. The best roots are usually near the
surface but all roots should be fed in order to
invigorate the plant.

Manure should never be applied to rhododendrons.
It is far too heavy and heating for them. Leaf-
mold should be worked into the earth to a depth
of at least twelve inches and the plants should be
kept moist and cool by a covering of straw or dead
leaves on the ground near the plants.

Rock Cress

The rock cress is, as its name indicates, a plam
for the rock garden. It has a matted growth and is
excellent for ugly bare spots that should be entirely
hidden. Ten or twelve small plants will be neces-
sary for as many inches square.

Rock cress may be propagated either from seed,
by cuttings, or by division of the roots. It grows best
if planted in a sunny spot and it must have some
sun.

Rose Geranium

The rose geranium can be trained to tree form
by pinching off the small lower branches. This

Growing Flowers 117

should be done while they are quite small and
before they have used the sap for growth which
might better go toward the growth of the perma-
nent branches. It will thrive under the same soil
conditions as the ordinary geranium.

Rosemary

Rosemary makes a very pretty informal hedge.
It is not difficult to cultivate, requiring only a
moderately rich soil. Pruning is not necessary
every season, but only when the bushes begin to
present a scraggly appearance. The leaves are
very fragrant and the flowers quite pretty.

In the south of Europe the rosemary is cultivated
largely for rosemary oil which has commercial
value. It may be propagated by cuttings without
much trouble, but when extensively grown seed
is usually sown.

Roses

Rose cuttings should be taken from the bushes
early in October. From eight to ten inches is a
good length, though successful rooting can be
made from even half this length. The cutting
should always be made immediately below a joint.

n8 Growing Flowers

In rooting rose cuttings, plant the cutting two
thirds or three fourths of its length, leaving only
a small portion above ground. This portion will
be of little value, as the main thing is to get the
roots, and the new branches will look out for them-
selves. The soil should be kept moist, though not
wet.

In securing rose cuttings for rooting, the slips
should be taken from the branches which are a
year old. Tender, new shoots have not sufficient
strength and if they succeed at all will take a
much longer time than the slips of older branches.

One very successful method of rooting rose cuttings
is to notch or cut the stem an inch or two below
a joint. This cut should be made direct through
the stem to the center and should then extend up-
ward until it has passed through the joint. A little
pebble may be placed in the cut to keep it well
open. The branch should then be laid in the soil
and firmly covered with earth and it should remain
in the ground until the following autumn, if placed
there in midsummer. A stone, or two little pegs
driven in the ground, will hold the branch down.

In growing roses for seed, keep them in the green-
house. The flowers will then come early and the

Growing Flowers 119

seeds will ripen in good season, and they will be
more reliable than those that ripen out of doors.
A piece of stalk should remain attached to each
seed pod when gathered, and stalk and pod should
be buried in pots of moist sand.

Tender, young rose seedlings should be handled
very carefully. It is extremely difficult to raise
plants from seed. The seed should be kept cov-
ered with a glass in a temperature of forty-five
degrees, and when the young plants appear, the
glass should be removed and the seedlings brought
to the light. They should be hardened gradually
before transplanting, and when transplanting is
being done, as much soil as possible should be
taken up with the plants.

Entirely new roses are bred often by chance from
home seed pods. The growing of roses is one of
the most fascinating bits of work in floriculture,
as one can never tell what a new rose will be like.
Always the finest blossoms should be left to form
rose-apples, or seed.

Rose bushes should be kept clean to aid in keeping
them free from insects and disease. All fallen
leaves should be gathered and burned or they will
harbor insects.

120 Growing Flowers

To rid rose bushes of black spot, spray, after the
leaves have fallen, with a solution of one ounce of
sulphate of copper dissolved in two gallons of
water. This spray should be applied to the sur-
face of the ground immediately surrounding the
bushes as well as to the bushes themselves.

// the rose garden has a drainage foundation of
cinders or pebble under its rich loam, the roses
will be much benefited. Clay soil is excellent for
roses, though some varieties of roses will thrive in
any soil, hence it is possible for everyone in every
locality to have roses.

Roses cannot be planted too carefully. Sufficiently
large holes should be dug that the roots may be
arranged in such way as not to be crowded.

The space between rose bushes should be twice as
great as their height. Roses will not flourish if they
are crowded, and always there should be a depres-
sion in the soil surrounding the rose bush that the
water may sink into the ground instead of draining
to the surrounding surface.

When mildew affects the rose bushes, spray the
plants with a solution of one half ounce of sul-
phide of potassium dissolved in a gallon of water.
Two or three sprayings will usually be sufficient

Growing Flowers 121

to rid the leaves of mildew and give the bushes
a healthy start again.

Always have some potted roses and you will have
early buds. They may remain in the same pots
without being repotted for several years and no
harm will be done, though a firm potting of turfy
soil which has mixed with it one third the amount
of compost should be the bedding. Crushed bone
should be applied at least once each season.

Covering rose bushes and other plants with dry
earth during the winter is better than covering
with leaves, as the mice frequent bushes covered by
leaves and will often gnaw all the bark from a plant
when they once come in contact with it.

If roses are sprayed frequently with nicotine solu-
tion the green fly and other insects will not molest
them. It is much better to spray before insects
make their attack, than to wait until injury has
been done to the rose bushes.

Scotch soot applied to the roots of rose bushes
once or twice during the season will give a richer
shade to the color of the petals and the leaves.

Dried blood should be applied to the roots of roses
once a season. Blood gives nourishment which is

122 Growing Flowers

not supplied in abundance by any other form of
fertilizer.

Sheep manure is a splendid fertilizer for roses.
It may be mixed with hardwood ashes, which are
also beneficial, and both applied at the same time.

In planting roses, a little basic slag should be
mixed with the soil at the bottom of the hole in
which the plants are to be set, and a cupful of
crushed bone should be mixed with the soil which
is poured into the hole around the stem.

Nearly all varieties of roses require a nch soil
and a moderate amount of moisture. All roses are
hardy in the South but must be nurtured somewhat
carefully in the Northern States. They should be
transplanted in the spring, though to transplant
in the fall will do little or no harm.

A dose of liquid manure worked in around the rose-
bushes twice during the summer months will en-
courage their growth. They use a great deal of
the earth's sustenance when in bloom.

The first crop of buds of the Clotille Soupert
should be cut off or they will remain in the " button "
stage and there will be no perfect roses during the
season. If the first buds are cut off there will be a

Growing Flowers 123

splendid crop of beautifully grown roses during
the entire season.

All climbing roses should be trained on a trellis
or other support as soon as they start growth, other-
wise the young, tender growth is likely to be nipped
off and the growth of the vine will be greatly
checked.

In the North, roses should be protected throughout
the winter months by a mulch of leaves, straw, burlap,
or earth several inches thick. A mulch of manure
should be applied unless the soil already is quite
rich enough.

Remember that wood ashes are excellent for the rose
bushes. A hole should be dug near the roots of
the rose and the ashes buried therein. Putting it
on as a top dressing will do no good whatever.

The rose bushes should be carefully watched to
see that no slugs or leaf -miners are working on
them. A thorough spraying with Bordeaux mix-
ture early in the season, and at intervals throughout
the season, will keep the rose bushes free from bugs.

Prune all rose bushes as soon as they stop bloom-
ing. Not to prune the bushes will result in many

124 Growing Flowers

shoots and very poor flowers. It is only on the
young laterals that the best roses appear.

Most rose bushes can be trained to become rose trees
by trimming off all shoots near the ground, staking
the plant, and allowing the top branches to spread.
The centers of the top branches should be pinched
out to form spreading tops.

In the fall in localities where the climate is severe,
remove all climbing roses from their supports, if
possible, and cover the branches with earth. A
little trimming may be desirable to lessen the
space occupied by the branches on the ground.

Mounds of earth from five to ten inches high
drawn up around the base of the rose bushes will
protect the stems from mice. As an added protec-
tion, the ground should be permitted to freeze
slightly before winter protection is supplied.

When mildew comes on the rose bushes, the bushes
should be dusted with powdered sulphur. If this
does not prove to be effective the rose bushes
should be removed to some other location the next
spring. Too much shade will often cause mildew,
or too little circulation of air.

Growing Flowers 125

Moss roses and sweeibriers should be washed
occasionally if planted where they get much dust
or where there is soot in the atmosphere. The
leaves gather dust and soot easily and when they
are covered the plants cannot breathe enough
oxygen and they will soon become sickly looking
and may die.

The sweetbrier rose makes an excellent hedge as a
shelter for rose beds, as it is proof against exposure,
thus protecting the rose bushes from strong winds
on the north or east, and also serving as a beauti-
ful background.

Charming hedges and backgrounds may be made
by planting a number of Ayrshire, multiflora,
Scotch, hybrid perpetual, and tea roses. There
is nothing quite as satisfactory to the gardener as
a plenteous supply of beautiful roses, and one can
never have too many.

A southern exposure is the best for the rose bushes,
or if this cannot be had, then at least some pro-
tection from the cold winds of the north should be
provided. In arranging this protection, do not
deprive the roses of sunlight or they will not
thrive.

126 Growing Flowers

Among the qualifications of the Tausendschoen
(thousand beauties) are :

The color is an unchanging, beautiful shell pink.
It has a pronounced fragrance.
The flower has unusual lasting qualities.
It keeps in good condition when cut.
It is immune to insects, mildew, and disease.
It is a rapid grower.

It has a great number of flowers in proportion to
its woody growth, and

Its foliage is beautiful all summer.

Monthly roses are not the choicest roses but they
are the ones which give the greatest amount of satis-
faction year in and year out.

Among the roses that are satisfactory for plant-
ing in city back yards are the following :

China Roses Enchantress Gloire de Dijon

La France Jacqueminot Duke of Edinburgh

Baroness Rothschild Grace Darling Clio

Waltham Climber Crimson Rambler

In planning a color scheme, one should never
neglect the roses. There is such a variety of color
among them that it makes them almost the most
important flower in the garden during their bloom-

Growing Flowers 127

ing season. Below is given a list of some of the
best growing roses according to color:

White Light Yellow Dark Yellow

Boul de Niege Caroline Kuster Lady Roberts
Coquette des Blanches Cloth of Gold W. A. Richardson

Gardenia Duchess of Portland Pierre Netting

Lacharme Mare"chal Neil

White Lady Medea

Bessie Brown Etoile de Lyon

Pink Dark Red

Aurora Madame Camille Crimson Rambler

Marie Verdier Pink Rover Duke of Albany

Clara Watson Duchess of Fife Prince Arthur

Captain Christy Baroness Rothschild Emperor

Ethel Brownlow Killarney Zanzibar

La France Duke of Fife

Liberty
Betty Berkeley

A list of climbing roses which are easily trained
over doorways and arches:

White Yellow

Rampante W. A. Richardson

Aime"e Vibert Aglaia

Bennett's Seedling Jersey Beauty

Wichuriana Cloth of Gold

Pink Red

Dorothy Perkins Crimson Rambler

Euphrosyne Ard's Rover

Flora Carmine Pillar

Garland Gracilis

Waltham Rambler Reine Marie Henriette

128 Growing Flowers

Salpiglossis

Salpiglossis is sometimes hard to get started and
it should be started in the greenhouse or indoors
and hardened off before being put out of doors.
The soil should be rich but light. In certain locali-
ties it does well when sown out of doors and a
second sowing can be made for blossoming late in
the summer.

Salpiglossis, sometimes called painted tongue,
owing to the colored veins in the leaves, will bloom
for two months or longer under favorable condi-
tions. // is most effective when planted in groups.

Scabiosa

Scabiosa is not a plant of rare beauty but it
becomes a great favorite with those who appreciate
a flower of long season. It may be treated as an
annual and raised from seed under glass; as a
biennial and sown in June for planting in perma-
nent position in the fall, and in some localities
as a perennial.

Scabiosa requires a sunny location, but it will
thrive in almost any soil and is particularly adapted
to the rock garden. It may be propagated either

Growing Flowers 129

by seed or by a division of the roots. The root
division should be made in the spring or in the
early fall.

Scarlet Sage

Scarlet sage is one of the most satisfactory of
autumn flowers. It makes a good plant for window
boxes, for pots, and for cutting in decorating. As
a hedge or border plant it cannot be surpassed.

The seed of salvia, or scarlet sage, should be sown
in cold frames or window boxes in March or April
and the young plants transplanted during the
latter part of May. If the seed is to be sown
where the plants are to stand, it should not be
planted until the first of June and the young
seedlings should be protected from strong wind and
heavy rain. A rich light soil is required.

Silene

The seed of silene should be sown in August in the
cold frame and the young plants transplanted to
the garden when the frost is out of the ground.
The plants should be set four or five inches apart,
or they may be planted for mass effect or in
rows. They require light, well-drained soil.

130 Growing Flowers

In cold climates silene plants should be covered in
the winter with a thin mulch of leaves, or straw,
or even a slat frame will answer.

Silene mixed with German iris makes an attrac-
tive combination. If the plants are kept moist, they
will continue blossoming until late in the season.
They should not be planted where they will receive
too much strong sunlight.

Smilax

Smilax has a great commercial value as there is
no vine which lends itself more prettily to decora-
tion. It is of vigorous growth and requires plenty
of room for spreading. It should always be planted
in a rich, loamy soil.

The roots of smilax are used in making sarsaparilla
which is in such common use. It can be propagated
by detaching sections of the roots in the fall of the
year. Little pruning should be done, instead
plenty of room and good soil should be given to
induce rapid and prolific growth.

Snapdragon

Seed of the snapdragon sown in the open ground in
May will produce flowers in July or August. For

Growing Flowers 131

earlier flowers, the seed should be sown under glass
in February or March and the young plants trans-
planted to the open ground as soon as the weather
grows warm enough to slightly heat the ground.

While the snapdragon is a perennial it will pro-
duce a greater variety of flowers, and much more
handsome ones, if the seed is sown every year.
// should be treated in every way as an annual.

To protect the snapdragon through the winter for
early spring blooming, it should be protected by a
mulch of leaves or manure during the cold months.

The snapdragon requires a moderately rich soil
and a good, sunny location, with frequent waterings.
The average height of this plant is from fifteen to
eighteen inches.

Sneezeweed

Sneezeweed thrives in ordinary garden soil, and
requires little attention, other than a semi-occa-
sional cultivation and a division of the roots every
two or three years.

Sneezeweed, or helenium, planted as a group is
very effective. Each variety should be kept sepa-

132 Growing Flowers

rate in this case, to give a more pronounced effect.
The plants should be staked before they have at-
tained much growth, otherwise the rain or wind
will soon beat them down.

Snowdrop

The bush snowdrop will grow in almost any soil
and requires little cultivation. The flowers are
harbingers of spring and hence receive an enthu-
siastic welcome. For planting among shrubbery,
in rocky places, in shady places, or in clumps it
is equally satisfactory.

Spir&a

Spricsa is beautiful as a separate and distinct
bush, in clusters, or for forming a hedge. It
thrives in rich, loamy soil and should have an appli-
cation of manure every fall, though it will grow and
flower very prettily in a sandy soil.

There are so many members of the spircea family
that some one kind may be chosen for almost any
site or location, or garden scheme. It is not neces-
sary to prune it, but an occasional pruning, say
every two years, will prove beneficial.

Growing Flowers 133

Stocks

Stocks require a deep, rich soil in order to do their
best. They are most satisfactory for both garden
plants and as cut flowers. They are easy to grow
in almost any soil and have a great variety of
flowers. Frequent transplantings will give them a
stocky growth.

Stocks that bloom late may be preserved during the
winter if they are lifted carefully and potted before
the earth falls from the roots. As much earth as
possible should be taken up with them, and the
temperature of the room in which they are kept
should be fairly cool and the soil kept somewhat
moist.

Sunflowers

For planting in a garden where there is plenty of
space, the sunflower will yield satisfactory results.
Planted among shrubbery, the yellow blossoms
are at their best. It will thrive under almost all
conditions and in any soil, though a moderately
rich soil, with good drainage, is best.

Sunflower seed should be planted in the open
ground in the spring, as soon as the ground is free

134 Growing Flowers

from frost, and the plants should be thinned to
stand three or four feet apart. Some plants grow
to a height of ten feet.

Sweet Peas

A mixture of bone meal and soot applied to the soil
in which sweet peas are to be planted will help greatly
in securing large, long-stemmed flowers. All but
three or four stems on each plant should be pinched
off as soon as they are large enough to determine
which will be the best ones to leave on.

Sweet peas should be planted in trenches eight
inches deep and the seed covered to a depth of one
inch. After the plants have attained a growth of
five or six inches, the soil should gradually be
banked up around them until it is within an inch
of being level with the surface of the earth sur-
rounding the trench. This tends to conserve the
moisture and quickens the growth of the vines.

The most satisfactory way of growing sweet peas
is in long rows provided with rabbit-netting wire,
supported by strong anchor posts and intermediate
stakes to prevent the wire from sagging between
its supports.

Growing Flowers 135

Sweet peas require soil well supplied with plant
food. Ten inches of rich garden loam, in the bot-
tom of which has been worked in three or four
inches of compost, and over that two inches of
fine top soil, will produce wonderful results. A
coarse top soil of sand is very important. The
soil should not be too rich and a balance is some-
times difficult to strike, but when once struck,
sweet peas no longer will be hard to grow.

In the South sweet peas should be sown in the fall
in order that they may get an early start before
the weather becomes too warm. In the North,
all preparatory work should be done in the autumn
that the seed may be planted as early in March as
practicable.

Sweet peas should be thinned out in order that the
roots may have branching space. A vine every
six inches will produce better results in growth and
blossom than plants only two inches apart. They
should be cultivated frequently.

When sweet peas are to be transplanted, they
should be started in small paper cups, or dirt bands,
and transplanted by setting the cup in the soil.
The paper should be torn away gently in order not
to disturb the young roots.

136 Growing Flowers

To keep bugs off the sweet pea vines, spray every
few days, or once a week, at least, with a solution
composed of strong smoking tobacco soaked for
twenty-four hours in cold water. A pound of
tobacco to two gallons of water will be a good pro-
portion. When desired to use at once, boil for an
hour or more instead of leaving to soak overnight.

Sweet peas will stop blooming if they are allowed
to go to seed. The blossoms should be picked regu-
larly and thoroughly.

To keep sweet peas fresh after cutting, take them
from the vines early in the morning while the dew
is still on them and put in water to which has been
added a little soft charcoal.

For growing long-stemmed sweet peas, the seed
should be sown the latter part of January or the
early part of February. The seed should be sown
in dirt bands, or paper cups, and the cup planted
with the young plant as soon as the ground is
sufficiently warm to justify the planting.

Sweet pea blossoms should always be cut from the
vines, never broken or pulled off. Pulling them is
liable to injure the vines by loosening the roots.

Growing Flowers 137

If the soil around the sweet pea vines is mulched
with the clippings of lawn grass, it will tend to keep
the ground cool and moist, a condition necessary
to the successful growing of sweet peas. Watering
the sweet peas should never be neglected.

Sweet-William

Sweet-william requires a rich soil and an abun-
dance of moisture in order to produce large, showy
flowers. Seed should be sown in hotbeds the first
week in March, and the young plants transplanted
to small pots for a few weeks before setting out of
doors. This will give strong, vigorous plants.

When seed of sweet-william is sown in the open
ground, to get the very best results, the plants
should be thinned out so that every plant will
stand at least eight inches apart.

Sweet-william has a long season and requires prac-
tically no care after once coming up in the open,
or having been transplanted for the last time.

In transplanting large sweet-william plants at the
end of the season, the middle of September is the
latest period at which they should be moved. In
re-planning the garden beds, bear this in mind.

138 Growing Flowers

Thistle

Perhaps no plant bears such a bad reputation as
the Canadian thistle. Certainly it is a pest with
its habit of laying over winter in a dormant
condition and its seeds infesting a neighborhood
for miles. The roots as well as the tops must be
killed. To prune the tops will make it thrive more
luxuriously than ever. Salt spread over a thistle
patch will eventually kill off the plants.

A coating of straw or manure a foot or more in
depth left on for a period of eight or ten weeks will
kill the thistle.

Tulips

Darwin and cottage tulips are often grown in
clusters and never disturbed from one year to another
with excellent results. They are cultivated and
fertilized with liquid fertilizer, and no more atten-
tion paid to them.

Tulips require a rich, heavy soil and should be
kept moderately moist. They should be planted
in the fall and left in the ground over winter. The
bulbs should be covered to two or three times their

Growing Flowers 139

depth and a covering of straw or compost placed
over the earth after covering. This covering
should be taken off when the shoots begin to push
through in the spring, but it should be removed
gradually instead of taking all of it off at once.

Tulip bulbs should be planted from four to six
inches apart out of doors but three or four bulbs may
be planted in a six-inch pot for the house or green-
house, as these bulbs are forced, more or less, and
usually are not good for a second planting, at least,
not as house plants.

A round bed of tulips six feet in diameter will re-
quire two hundred and fifty tulip bulbs planted four
inches apart.

To plant tulips between such plants as daisies,
moss pinks, sweet alyssum, forget-me-nots, and pan-
sies is a most happy plan. The plants act as an
effective foil for the tulips.

When the shoots of tulips, hyacinths, narcissi,
daffodils, and other bulbs first begin to appear above
ground, remove a little of the covering which has
been on all winter. The next day remove a little
more, uncovering gradually as the shoots grow and
harden. This will cause the plants to be strong

140 Growing Flowers

and hardy and the first cool turn of weather will
not harm them.

Verbena

Verbena seed should always be soaked in lukewarm
water for a few hours before planting and should be
sown in a hotbed with light rich soil on the sur-
face. In transplanting, the plants should be set
first in other boxes and later be set in the open
ground at a distance of twelve inches apart, as they
spread in growing.

Verbenas require plenty of sunlight and good drain-
age, though they should be watered frequently,
and always in the evening or at night.

Verbenas may be grown from cuttings with success,
but the best flowers, as a rule, come from new
plants. They may be used with excellent effect as
borders, in mounds, and in window boxes. They
bloom so profusely that a large bed of white
verbenas will look like a white sheet spread on the
ground at night.

The lemon verbena does not properly belong to the
flower which we ordinarily class as the verbena. It

Growing Flowers 141

is not very successful as a bedding plant but a few
plants in a garden will be much admired jor their
delicious fragrance.

Violets
Violets should be given a rich, damp spot.

Violets should not be permitted to dry out during
hot weather. The soil should be kept moist if the
plants are to be in good condition for flowering.

When rust attacks violets, the diseased leaves
should be removed and the plants then sprayed
with a solution of one half ounce of sulphide potas-
sium dissolved in a gallon of water.

Violets will benefit by having some protection. A
frame placed over them when growing out of doors,
to protect them from cold winds and heavy rains,
will cause them to produce finer flowers, and the
buds also will open earlier.

Wistaria

The wistaria requires a rich soil, frequent water-
ing, and cultivation while young, but after it has
once attained a good wood growth, there will not

142 Growing Flowers

be need for much attention, an occasional pruning,
once every two years, being all that is really neces-
sary. Basic slag or other phosphatic food applied
to the roots will produce large, handsome, showy
flowers.

When wistaria refuses to bloom, see that it is not
overcrowded, that the vines are not wrapped
around each other, and then cut off a part of the
tap-root. This root should be cut off about twenty
inches below the surface of the earth.

The wistaria vine is excellent for use where a
screen is desired. The growth, however, is slow,
which is true of all perennials, and some quick-
growing annual should be planted with it for im-
mediate effect.

Zinnia

Given a strong rich soil to begin with, no more
attention need be paid the zinnia and it will
flourish on poor soil.

The zinnia is particularly adapted for outdoor
growth. It is not delicate enough to be attractive
for use as a house plant or for cutting purpose*.

Growing Flowers 143

It gives the best result when massed with other
old-fashioned flowers, as each separate flower has
little real beauty.

For June flowers the zinnia seed should be sown
in the hotbed the first of April. It transplants
easily and if dead flowers are kept cut off, the
plants will blossom until frost falls. Zinnias are
particularly advisable for planting in spots where
other flowers will not thrive, and for heavy effects.

Suggestions for Vines

A rich well-drained soil is required for vines, and
annuals given the proper soil will yield most satis-
factory results while waiting for perennials to grow.
Some which have rapid growth are the moonflower,
the morning-glory, cypress vine, the hyacinth bean,
and nasturtiums. For an immediate screening these
vines are indispensable.

Vines which attach themselves to wire or wood
supports and which are chiefly valuable because of
their covering and shading effects are the wistaria,
trumpet flower, clematis, ivy, and honeysuckle.

To pinch off the top of bean vines and other
vines will make them branch out at the top and bloom
more profusely.

144 Growing Flowers

Among the vines which will thrive on a north wall
are the Japanese quince, the winter jasmine, golden
bell, ivy, and climbing hydrangea. The branches
of vines which are to climb on a wall should
not be too close together, or they will not flower.
The ground should be well drained in order that
it may not become sodden.

Here is a list of some vines which are very satis-
factory for window box culture:

Madeira Vine Tradescantia

Vinca Harrisonii Glechoma

Othanna Ivy-leaf Geraniums

Saxifraga German Ivy

The wild cucumber grows rapidly and will cover
a summerhouse in one season. It has beautiful
foliage and exceedingly pretty, fine white flowers.

The wild grape vine is a rapid grower and can be
found growing along the banks of a creek or river
in all parts of the country. The flowers are very
fragrant and altogether it is one of the most satis-
factory of vines for use as a screen or shade.

The hyacinth bean has brilliant red flowers and
it is excellent for training over walls or other sup-
ports having a height of seven or eight feet. It

Growing Flowers s 145

will come up every year if cut down and when
once started will require little care.

The old-fashioned morning-glory has no superior
for rapid growth and density of foliage. It will
reach second-story windows by midsummer if the
seed is planted in dirt bands in February and
the plants planted in the bands as soon as the
ground is warm.

Among the climbing roses are the Dorothy Per-
kins, the Crimson Rambler, and, for the Southern
section of the country, the Cloth of Gold. These
roses are hardy and do not have to be pampered.
The Dorothy Perkins is a beautiful pink and the
other two bespeak their colors in their names.

The English ivy gives excellent results even when
planted in shady spots, or in rooms where there is
not much direct light. It should be washed oc-
casionally and when used as a house plant, it may
be removed to the out of doors without much
trouble and laid on the ground for the rain to wash
it off, or for a good ducking from the hose.

When the ivy looks old and worn, clip it back
severely in February or March. All the old leaves

146 Growing Flowers

may come off without detriment to the vine and
fresh new leaves will come in their place. This
pruning should not take place until just about time
for the new growth to start.

English ivy is easily rooted by inserting cuttings
in a bottle of water kept in a shady place. When
the roots are well formed, the plants can be potted.
Another plan is to take a long branch and peg it
down. Every joint pegged down will root, when
the stem can be cut, each joint making a separate
plant.

One of the prettiest vines for the autumn is the
bittersweet. It should be planted where it can
grow on an arbor or fence where it will give the
berries every chance for display.

The branches of wistaria and other vines should not
be permitted to twist around sister branches. If they
do their growth will be stunted and the vine can
never be trained to trail where it is wanted. When
they once get a start they are hard to unwind.

The hop vinet once grown only for yeast, is now
often used in the flower garden. It grows quickly
and has a beautiful leaf.

Growing Flowers 147

Vines such as honeysuckle, clematis, and crimson
rambler should be trained over a wall, on a trellis,
a summerhouse, or over a gateway. If permitted to
ramble at will, they will not seek the best for them-
selves but will become a matted mass and half the
beauty will be underneath.

The following vines can be raised from seed each year
and depended upon to act as a screen each season:

Gourds Wild Cucumber Morning-Glory Cypress Vine

Moonflower Balloon Vine Ornamental Beans Japanese Hop

Stumps of old trees covered with vines will make
an unsightly spot beautiful. Dead bushes stuck
in the earth temporarily and vines planted at
the base will be a most satisfactory method of
providing a place for such vines as do not require
a permanent trellis.

Vines are so inexpensive and so easy to grow that
no garden should be without them. They are de-
lightful for cutting and arranging indoors. Long
sprays hanging over the side of a tall vase form a
most graceful arrangement and a dining table can
have no prettier floral decoration than vines twined
around a centerpiece.

Round screw hooks inserted in a wooden wall
will often answer as a support for vines. They

148 Growing Flowers

should be placed in the position in which the vines
are to be trained. They are particularly good for
vines of single stems.

The Virginia creeper is sometimes confused with
poison ivy, but there is really no reason for this
mistake, for besides the difference in leaves which
can so easily be seen when placed side by side, it
should be remembered that the Virginia creeper
always has five leaves on a stem while poison ivy
has but three.

In destroying poison ivy, pulling up the vine will
not always rid a spot of it. A strong solution of
bicarbonate of soda dissolved in boiling water
should be poured all over the surface of the ground
where the vine has grown in order to kill the young
and tender roots which have developed and started
growth.

When vines are desired for flat table decoration,
there is nothing prettier than clematis. Both the
feathery white flowers and the leaves are charming,
and it has the advantage of staying fresh a long
while after it is cut without being placed in water.

The Tartarian honeysuckle grows to a height of
twelve feet and forms a very graceful specimen plant

Growing Flowers 149

with small but very fragrant blossoms. It thrives
under dry farm conditions.

In every garden, there should be a dishrag gourd
vine. Gourds are very easy to grow and the
luffa makes excellent dishcloths. These dishcloths
never get really dirty or sour and nothing adheres
to them. One will last six or eight weeks, becom-
ing whiter and softer as it grows older. Three or
four cloths can be made from one luffa of fairly
good size.

Gourd seed may be sown in boxes indoors in March
or April and the young plants transplanted to
the garden in May for September blooming. The
vines are usually large and luxuriant, and the
plants will grow in almost any kind of soil, though
a fairly rich soil will promote the best growth.

Wood ashes applied to the roots of gourd vines
will be very beneficial to the vines and will have a
splendid effect on the size of the gourds.

Sweet pea vines and other plants which have fin-
ished blooming should be cleared away. For them
to stand will only attract bugs, while they may be
utilized by making humus, thus living over again
in next year's plants.

150 Growing Flowers

In every garden there can be found a place for
climbing vines. No other variety of plant offers
so much for the trouble. Among those which are
easiest to grow are:

Canary-bird Vine
Cobaea scandens
Cypress Vine
Clematis

Gourds
Hyacinth Bean
Japanese Hop
Common Hop

Moonflower
Morning-Glory
Nasturtium

General Plan of the Garden

Plan the garden on the spot. While to put it
down on paper will be most helpful, the paper
design should be made in the garden itself, other-
wise there is likely to be confusion when it comes
to working out the plan with actual plants. The
size of the plants to be grown should always be
taken into consideration when setting aside a
certain space.

Study the color scheme of your garden as you
would study the color scheme of your living rooms.
It is just as important. A first impression, gained
from the outdoor surroundings, means much.

A flower garden should have some protection on
the north if early flowers are desired. A southern
or eastern exposure will permit the garden to get

Growing Flowers 151

the benefit of the strong morning sunlight, which
is so beneficial to plants.

Flowers requiring thorough drainage should be
planted on a slope if possible. There should be no
depressions on the surface of the garden where
water will stand. Aside from the excess moisture
rotting the plants nearby, mosquitoes will breed
in great numbers.

The general lay-out of the garden should be studied
before flowers are set out. The location of a flower
will have a very important bearing on the vigor
and growth of the plant as well as determining the
size and season of the blossoms. Certain plants
will not blossom at all unless they get sufficient
sunlight, while others will become parched from
too much sun. A change of location in the garden
often is all that is necessary to make a hitherto sickly
plant thrive.

Experiment with flowers. Graft kindred plants
and watch the result. Nothing will give greater
pleasure than making a discovery in plants, and
nothing will more quickly yield results.

Every yard and flower garden is worthy of a plan
before planting is begun, and the plan should be

152 Growing Flowers

drawn to scale. It should show just what space
is to be allotted to flowers, to shrubs, and what
will remain merely a grass plot. The trees to be
planted should be carefully considered and the loca-
tion for planting marked on the plan.

In planning a garden on paper, quadruled paper
should be procured. Draftsmen use a paper ruled
in quarter-inch squares, and in using this, each
quarter-inch square should represent a foot of
ground.

Unless plants are given sufficient room for full
development the flowers which they produce will be
inferior in size, form, and color. While it is advan-
tageous to sow the seed thickly at planting time
in order to make sure that some will germinate, it
is equally desirable to have the plants thinned so
as to provide ample space for the development of
each individual plant.

When flowers are grown for the purpose of cutting
the blossoms the most satisfactory and economical
plan is to plant them in rows instead of clumps or
jotted around here and there.

For a large amount of flowers in midsummer and
for the early beautification of a new place annual

Growing Flowers 153

flowers will prove most satisfactory. Hardy per-
ennials are deservedly popular as they need little
attention from year to year, but most of them are
best fitted as background plants.

Planting should be arranged so that it will afford
flowers each season of the year. As many colors
should be provided as is possible, and plants of
different shades of green in the foliage should be
included in every garden.

In every garden, however small, there should be a
seat. In a small garden, the seat should be small,
but where there is plenty of space, a large seat or a
group of seats, a summerhouse or a pergola with
seats can be placed to advantage. Let a garden
look as if it had human beings taking a personal
interest in it.

Large vases and statuary of all kinds have no
place in a small garden. These formidable looking
ornaments are all very well in a large garden
where they may be partly hidden by shrubbery,
but they are grotesque in a small garden. A gar-
den is meant for growing and displaying flowers,
not artificial works of art, so-called.

Cedar wood makes the best stakes for outdoor use.
Oak, too, is very desirable as it weathers to an

154 Growing Flowers

obscure gray. Brightly painted sticks of fancy
design do not add to the garden, but rather detract
from the natural beauty of the foliage.

In selecting a site for a summerhouse, see that
the view is the most attractive in the garden. As
a rule, a great deal of one's time, and the time of
the guest, is spent in the summerhouse and the
view is of the utmost importance

The plainer and more simple the lines of the sum-
merhouse, the more attractive it will prove. The
features to be emphasized in a garden are the grass,
shrubbery, trees, and flowers and anything wholly
artificial should be as inconspicuous as possible.

The planting of trees or shrubs or the placing of
fountains along a walk is a common sight but there
is no reason for it. All small areas containing walks
and drives should be planned as simply as possible.
A small yard, however, may contain a vase or two
if they be not too large.

No one variety of flower should be planted in the
same spot year after year. The particular plant
food which that plant needs will be all taken up
after the second year, yet some other flower may
thrive well there.

Growing Flowers 155

Where there is a great deal of white and a liberal
amount of green foliage, the color scheme will be
safe, whatever the mixture. Feathery foliage
should predominate as heavy stiff leaves will pre-
sent a more or less dense and somber effect.

Where a mass of brilliant red is desired in the
garden, nothing will be more effective than salvia,
or scarlet sage.

Plant plenty of white flowers in the garden. They
are not only beautiful in themselves but they tend
to emphasize the color of the other flowers near.
No other one color aids so in emphasizing the
color scheme in the garden.

In selecting plants, choose them for their hardiness
rather than size. Large plants often have a forced
growth, but if tender, they will not survive a re-
planting. Note carefully the main stem of a plant
rather than the leaves.

Flower beds will not be neat in appearance if the
sod is not kept nicely edged. Stray blades of grass
pushing themselves over the bed presents a very
ragged and unkept condition.

The rearranging of flower beds, and the general re-
planning of the garden should be done in January,

156 Growing Flowers

that the work may be begun just as soon as danger
of frost is over.

In planning borders, see that there is a back-
ground of shrubs, vine-covered walls, or tall plants,
with an abundance of bright colored flowers and
plenty of foliage.

Soil

Pulverizing the soil before planting seed and young
plants will make the task of cultivating much
lighter, as well as benefiting the plants materially
from the start.

Soil containing more or less sand will grow warm
earlier in the spring than soil without sand. Sandy
soil is also easily drained, though too much sand
means little fertility.

If the soil sticks together when rolled into a ball
by the hand, it is too wet to be cultivated. Soil
should never be plowed or harrowed unless it is
almost dry, otherwise there will be rough lumps
afterward.

In localities where the soil is moist, plants that
require good drainage should have a specially raised

Growing Flowers 157

bed prepared. Heavy clay soils should always
have particular attention paid with reference to
drainage and all excess water should be well
drained off before plants are set out.

Sawdust and old shavings should never be permitted
to lay in piles around the garden. They become
sour and will have a bad effect on plant life, as well
as attract some kinds of worms.

Unless specially prepared soil is supplied a new
garden will have a struggle to gain a foothold. A
piece of land that has been under careful cultivation
for two or three years will yield the most satisfactory
result when it comes to raising flowers.

When the garden has a clay soil for a foundation,
there should be applied a mixture of ashes and
leaf-mold or sand and leaf-mold to offset the
clay. Ashes should be used when possible as sand
tends to decrease the fertility of the soil.

Fertilization

To plant flowers and not properly fertilize them is
a waste not only of good seeds and plants but of valu-
able time. A little fertilizer will go a long way if

158 Growing Flowers

applied in time. The fertilizer should be well
worked into the soil before planting, whenever
feasible, but adding it afterwards will give very
good results. Even on soil originally rich, a little
fertilizer should be added once a year.

Well-rotted stable manure only should be applied
to plants. To put it on while fresh will only burn
the plants and they may never really survive it.

Barnyard fertilizer is among the most valuable of
fertilizers. It should be six months old and should
be well worked into the soil.

A little lime-water poured on soil a few weeks
before planting will be very beneficial. Limewater
not only fertilizes but it has a disastrous effect
on cutworms and other insects which harm plants.
Clay and humus soils particularly need lime.

Ashes from hardwood for roses is advice as old as
it is good. It should be placed where the roots

can reach it.

•

Nitrate of soda is a good fertilizer and acts quickly
on the soil, but it should be used with great caution
as too much of it will burn a plant up. A teaspoon-
ful is a dose for a good-sized plant.

Growing Flowers 159

House plants should occasionally be watered with
water to which has been added a tablespoonful of
ammonia to a two-quart measure of water. This
fertilizes the soil and kills bugs. Water which has
been used for washing dishes or fabrics will answer
as well as fresh water.

There is nothing belter for plants than rich, greasy
dish water. Be careful to pour it on the soil only
for it will not improve the appearance of the foliage.

Bone ground to meal is excellent for the flowers.
It contains lime and phosphate and an ounce will
be enough for four or five square feet of earth.
The phosphate will promote both flowering and
fruitfulness of the plants, hence plenty of bone
should be used when seed is to be saved.

Dried blood from cattle is a nitrogenous food and
will cause wonderful growth of foliage both with re-
gard to size and coloring.

In preparing compost, i. e., in rotting stable
manure, sprinkle a little finely ground raw phos-
phatic rock over it each time it is turned over,
which should be twice a week for several weeks,
and the fertilizer will be strengthened.

160 Growing Flowers

A good proportion of the constituents of fertilizer
is as follows:

Phosphoric acid 8%
Potash 8%

Nitrogen 3%

This should be thoroughly worked into the soil
for a depth of three or four inches and should be
applied just previous to planting.

Decaying cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts
make a good fertilizer for flowers.

Fertilizers containing nitrogen are beneficial for the
growth of flowers. Lack of nitrogen will produce
faded leaves, small in size, and spindly plants.
The dried blood of cattle and sulphate of ammonia
are nitrogenous fertilizers.

Fertilizers containing a large percentage of phos-
phate should be used on plants when superiority in
the flowers is desired. Basic slag and crushed bone
are phosphates and either may be used to advan-
tage. Two ounces of bone to a plot containing
eight or ten square feet is a good proportion ; while
twice the amount of basic slag should be used for
the same amount of space.

Potash in various forms applied to the roots of
plants invigorates and strengthens them. Sulphate

Growing Flowers 161

of potash and muriate of potash may be obtained
at any florist's and at seed houses and most of the
department stores.

Ashes from hardwood contain a large percentage
of potash and may be applied at any season of
the year, though it is better not to put them on
when there is danger of the roots actually getting
chilled from having the earth disturbed near them.

Fertilizers should never be placed immediately on
the roots of a plant, but just beyond the tip ends of
the roots where in their own time the roots can take
up the nourishment. To place it directly on the
roots is likely to burn them.

Liquid fertilizer is excellent for applying to grow-
ing plants. This may be home-made with most
fertilizers and is made by simply mixing the fer-
tilizer with a generous supply of water. In apply-
ing, dig holes near the plant and pour the liquid
into them. It will penetrate the earth in good
season. It should be applied frequently and
should be somewhat weaker than if applied only
once.

Sheep manure is an excellent general fertilizer.
Manure is very strong and should seldom be used

1 63 Growing Flowers

before it has been turned to compost. Barnyard
fertilizer is excellent for most plants, and there is no
danger of burning plants by its use as there is
from using stable manure.

All debris, or waste matter, should be removed
from manure before it is applied to the soil. Sticks,
stones, and other trash will choke the young plants
and the growth will be materially retarded.

Every garden should be well fertilized once a year,
preferably in the fall. The winter snows and rains
will drench it and take the substance down into
the earth, where it will lie all winter and be in
good condition for the spring.

When soil is poor and no analysis has been made
to determine just what is needed, it is safe to use a
composition of 8% phosphoric acid, 3% nitrogen,
and 8% potash. A highly recommended propor-
tion is eight pounds to the square rod.

Ground rock phosphate is a very valuable phos-
phate fertilizer. Sprinkled over compost when be-
ing made, it will help to keep the ammonia in the
soil.

Compost is simply well-rotted stable manure. To
rot the manure, it should be piled to a height of

Growing Flowers 163

four or five feet in stacks four or five feet square
and left to stand for several days — ten days will not
be too long — after having dampened it thoroughly
with water. It should be turned over and damp-
ened several times at intervals of a week or more
when it will be ready for use.

Compost should be well worked into the soil to a
depth of several inches and should not be put on full
strength when applying to young and tender plants,
but should be mixed with sand or even clay. A
phosphate fertilizer, such as phosphatic rock or
crushed bone, may be mixed with it to excellent
advantage.

Barnyard manure is excellent when a fertilizer is
badly needed to promote rapid growth, as it may be
applied directly to the roots or may be placed in
the hole when setting out plants.

In using nitrate of soda, never apply directly to
the roots. It is wonderfully invigorating but will
kill tender plants if too much is used. A teaspoon-
ful is a dose for a plant which attains only a foot
or two in growth.

Soil that is continuously damp is likely to become
moldy or sour. A bit of lime worked into the soil

164 Growing Flowers

will destroy the mold and dry out the earth and
there is no danger from an over-amount being
used. No planting should be done for some time
after the lime has been applied.

Where there is too much potash in the soil, or a
large amount of humus, an application of lime will
be most beneficial. It counteracts these two fer-
tilizers and moderates the soil.

When using commercial fertilizer, follow the in-
structions which accompany the package. They
will seldom advise the use of too small an amount
but the reputation of the fertilizer is at stake if
they recommend more than is necessary and the
plant is burned up.

Nearly all the States in the Union have agricultural
experiment stations where samples of soil may be
sent to be analyzed for determining just what fer-
tilization is needed. There will be no charge for
the analysis, as the experiment stations are estab-
lished for the purpose of encouraging vegetation.
If there is none in your State, a neighboring State
will probably have one.

When soil has been over-fertilized an application
of lime may be made in the fall and the effect
desired will have resulted by spring planting time.

Growing Flowers 165

Soil that is used every year and kept more or less
moist should have a dressing of lime applied occa-
sionally. It should be put on after the soil has
been well cultivated and should be worked into
the soil for a depth of several inches. The fall
is the best time.

Guano makes a good fertilizer when fertilization
is needed for growing plants. It is mild yet has a
very good effect. Half an ounce mixed in three
quarts of water and poured around the roots of a
plant will prove a satisfactory way of applying. r

When leafy plants have stopped blooming, cut
them and pile up the leaves to rot and make
humus. Grass, too, makes an excellent humus but
should be well rotted. Place well away from the
garden for insects are likely to breed.

The three principal chemicals that plants require
are nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Nitrates are
the energy givers. They constitute the tonic which
gives the plants an appetite, and should never be
given alone to any plant, unless to counteract the
effect of foods already given. Phosphoric acid,
which produces flowers, is really petrified bone and
is supplied by the excrement of vanished races of

1 66 Growing Flowers

animals. Potash, which makes the fruits, is
found in wood ashes. The proper proportion of
these foods to apply to plants is 2 parts of potash,
3 parts acid phosphate, and 5 parts of nitrate of
soda.

In applying wood ashes to the garden plants, sift
them well beforehand, or there will probably be
many lumps in the ash soil which will not be bene-
ficial to the plants and may, indeed/ be detrimen-
tal to the roots.

Manure should never be applied direct to the roots
of plants but should be put into the ground at a
little distance that the roots may receive the sus-
tenance through other soil and through moisture,
rather than direct. Fresh manure will burn the
roots of most plants.

When bone meal is used as a fertilizer it should be
ground very fine. Unless it is ground fine it will
not give good results as it takes too long for the
plant to absorb the food in it.

When digging up flowered-out plants, or trimming
the branches, or pulling up vines, make sure that
they are not covered with insects, then bury them

Growing Flowers 167

to make humus in the ground. Thus a plant will
live on and on, never really dying. If they have
insects on the leaves or stems, or any kind of
plant disease, they should at once be burned and
not allowed to come in contact with other plants.

After applying strong fertilizers, such as ammonia,
magnesia, iron, nitrate of soda, etc., an application
of lime should be made, in the proportion of one
pound of lime to every ten square yards of earth.

Manures are not only valuable as plant food but
they also serve to temper soil which is not suitable
as well as to provide warmth when used as a winter
covering for plants.

When the soil is heavy and needs lightening, vegeta-
ble refuse, turf, and leaves will prove satisfactory
for working in to a depth of a foot or more. Light
soils may be made heavier by the use of stable
manure, which will give to the ground more ad-
hesion and body.

Sheep manure and barnyard fertilizer contain a
generous supply of nitrogeneous food and are useful
as top dressing for plants which are already set out.

Liquid manure is a food in such form that it can
easily be assimilated by growing plants. Its chief

i68 Growing Flowers

value lies in the fact that it stimulates plants which
are already flowering, with no disturbance of the
root growth, which so often happens when applying
solid fertilizer.

Nitrogeneous fertilizers stimulate leaves and stems
of plants at the expense of the flowers.

A liberal supply of potash in the soil will increase
the quality and perfume of flowers. This fertilizer
is much used by florists producing blossoms for
perfumes.

In watering trees, shrubs, and flower beds, the
earth should first be loosened that the water may
readily soak into the ground. To drive holes into
the earth by means of a large stick will aid in the
loosening process. The nozzle should be taken
off the hose and the water applied to the holes.

Trees and shrubs should be washed off by the use
of the hose once or twice a week to give the leaves a
breathing chance. This watering will also aid in
keeping insects away, though if they have a good
start something more drastic than water should be
used.

A wire fence or metal trellis on which to train vines
will prove less expensive in the long run than

Growing Flowers 169

wooden trellises. Wooden trellises are splendid
for a time but it will not be many seasons before
the ends in the ground rot off, and when perennials
have had full sway for a couple of seasons it will
be very disastrous to disturb them in order to put
up a new trellis.

Often there is doubt in the mind of amateur
gardeners as to what quantity oj fertilizer should be
used. While there can be no fixed and definite
rule, for the reason that everything depends upon
the condition of the soil before fertilization is
started, the following table will prove reliable when
soil is lacking in any one particular:

Per sq. yd. When to apply Remarks

Sulphate of Ammonia ^ oz. Spring % oz. may be

mixed with I
gal. of water

Nitrate of Soda % oz. During growth Same quantity

of plants if mixed with

water

Sulphate of Magnesia tf oz. Spring

Sulphate of Iron % oz. Spring Same quantity

to 2 gal. of
water

Guano I oz. Spring or sum- % oz. to gal. of

mer water

Dried Blood 2 oz. Spring I oz. to gal. of

water (in-
stead of am-
monia)

170

Growing Flowers

Remarks

y£ oz.

Spring

^2 oz. to gal. of

water

2 OZ.

Autumn

Used in con-

nection with

4 oz.
X oz.

Autumn
Spring or

nitrogen and
potash
(Used instead of
bone)

autumn

Per sq. yd. When to apply
Nitrate of Potash

Crushed Bone or
Bone Meal

Basic Slag
Kainite

A thin covering of wood ashes spread over the
lawn just before watering it will prove to be good
food for the grass.

Grass seed is usually planted in the spring, but if
it is planted in the early fall, just as soon as the
weather is cool enough to insure that the tender
blades will not become parched from the sun, it
will have a good start before winter comes and will
make a beautiful green covering in the spring. It
should be watered frequently after the first blades
have pushed their way through the earth's sur-
face, and a very fine sprinkling a week or so after
planting will aid germination. When watering is
once started it should be kept up nightly.

When there is an abundance of moss on the lawn,
the soil is in need of fertilization or drainage. The
moss should be raked off and the spots where it

Growing Flowers 171

has grown should be covered with sulphate of iron,
about a quarter of an ounce to each square yard.
Next a covering of lime and wood ashes should be
applied and left to stand until the rain or water
from the hose washes it in.

When it is desired to produce a new lawn quickly,
sow oats with the grass seed. The oats will appear
above the surface in eight or ten days. The lawn
should be kept cut closely to make the plants
stool out well. The oats die down in the fall and
the roots and crown will decay and furnish plant
food to the grass.

When remaking an old lawn, the old sod should
be well harrowed and all the old grass roots and
tops removed, and the soil treated as if it were
entirely new ground. The old grass and roots may
be burned and returned to the earth to help feed
the new grass as it appears.

Bare patches on the lawn can only be brought into
good condition by digging up the surface and re-
seeding. Extra fertilizer should be worked into
the soil before the seed is sown and a fine sprink-
ling should be given. These patches are very un-
sightly and will spoil the appearance of what would
otherwise be a beautiful lawn.

172 Growing Flowers

When cutting and raking the grass, save the clip-
pings. They will make excellent humus and no
commercial fertilizer need be bought for the sake
of obtaining humus.

A layer of manure applied to the lawn in the fall,
leaving it on all winter, will insure bright, green
grass the following spring. A covering of wood
ashes or crushed bone will also be beneficial and
if manure is alternated each season with one of the
last two mentioned, it will be even better.

Seed

Deal only with a reliable seedsman. A seed house
which has built up a reputation on the produce
from its seed is not going to keep in stock old seed
which will tend to endanger its reputation. It pays
to purchase the best of seed.

To have the seed bed well prepared before the seed
is planted will give the young plants the very best
start. If the soil must be fertilized after the growth
has started, the plants will receive a setback by
the change in soil. They should be permitted to
grow undisturbed until leaves have formed.

The depth to which seeds are planted should be
determined by the size of the seed. Very fine seed

Growing Flowers 173

often is not covered at all, but scattered lightly
over the surface of the earth. One very good
way of planting fine seed is to put the seed in a
sifter with four times as much very fine soil as seed
and sift seed and soil over the spot where the
plants are to grow.

The ground should be thoroughly warm when plant-
ing seed for producing seed plants. If the ground is
at all chilled, the seed produced from the plants
being started will not yield a good crop of flowers.

Seed should be well watered immediately after
planting. A very fine nozzle or a bulb syringe
should be used in order not to wash up the small
seed.

Growing plants for seed is an art. Flowers should
never be considered, but every flower produced
looked at with a view to the seed. Only a few
flowers should be allowed to mature on each plant
so that the nourishment may be conserved. A
plant bearing many blossoms will produce poor seed.

Seeds require warmth, moisture, and air in order
to germinate.

Seed should be planted in soil with good drainage.
If too much moisture is allowed seed, it will rot

174 Growing Flowers

before it can germinate. In planting seed in the
garden, the earth of the seed bed should be piled
up higher than the surrounding surface.

All stones and trash should be sifted out of the soil
before seed is planted. There is no nourishment
in either. Very fine soil is conducive to ready
germination.

In order to kill the seed of weeds in soil which is to
be used for the seed bed, place the soil in a large pan
and bake in the oven or at the bottom of the fur-
nace for a few hours. There will then be no danger
of the seed of weeds crowding the plant seed.

In preparing large beds for seed, plow thoroughly
and rake carefully. Plowing up the land four or
five times will insure loose soil and a quick growth
of plants.

The seed boxes or beds should be kept slightly moist,
not wet. If the soil is dry the seed cannot germi-
nate but if really wet, the seed will rot before ger-
mination can take place. When there are dry
spots these spots should be watered, but not the
surrounding damp soil

Young plants will be more uniform in size and
shape if seed is planted in rows and it will be much

Growing Flowers 175

easier to thin the plants with regularity than if
they come up in spots.

When planting seed in boxes indoors, the box
should be set near a window through which the
sun shines. The box should be turned around
every other day that the sun may fall on all parts
of the soil alike.

The depth at which seed is sown should be greater
later in the season than early in the spring, as the
ground is warm to quite a depth and the tempera-
ture of the soil is more even farther down.

Purchase seed in good season. If one waits until
time to plant, the work will be done hurriedly and
the result will be unsatisfactory. When the seed
is at hand, the ground may be prepared and the
seed planted at the most advantageous moment
with regard to climatic conditions.

When preparing the soil for the seed bed, sift it
until very fine, having removed all debris, and
then press it down flat with a board. After sowing
the seed, press the soil down again, and this will
be sufficient covering for very tiny seed.

When raising seeds, never keep them over season
after season. A great many seeds will not germinate

176 Growing Flowers

at all after a year and very few will produce good
plants.

A seed drill will be most convenient in planting
seeds on a large parcel of ground. The use of this
implement is not only more convenient, but the
seed will be more regular.

Slightly damp soil is preferable for seed planting
than soil which is really wet, or soil which is dry. A
good test is to take a bit of soil into the hand and
squeeze it. If the impression of the hand is on
the soil when released it is too wet, but if the earth
crumbles, it is in excellent condition for seed
sowing. There is too little air in really wet soil,
and seeds require air as well as heat and moisture
in order to germinate.

The majority of seed will germinate successfully
under an air temperature of 60° Fahrenheit and a
soil temperature of from 6f to ?o°. The soil tem-
perature should always be a few degrees higher
than the temperature of the surrounding air.

In planting seed on a hot summer day, small seeds
should be covered with a board for the first few
days after planting in order that they may be kept
damp enough to germinate, otherwise the heat will

Growing Flowers 177

dry them up, blow the sand off, and scatter them
in every direction.

A little system in planting flowers and seed will
aid greatly the following season. Keep a record
book of the date when seeds are planted, the date
when they first appear above ground, the care
given the young plants, etc. Jot down the age of
perennials when purchased, the care given, and
any detail which will be useful in planting again.
The garden will be ever so much more interesting
when such personal care is given it and the flowers
will seem almost to have personalities.

When several different kinds of seeds are planted
in one flat, plant only those of the same size, other-
wise they cannot be covered or watered properly.

All seed with thick skins and all large seed with
even thin skins should be soaked over night in cold
water or for several hours in warm water, not hot,
before planting. This loosens the skin, makes it
shrink, and prepares the seed for quick germination.
No seed will be harmed by soaking if not left in the
water too long.

When the flats have been prepared for seed, fur-
rows should be made and the seed planted at once

178 Growing Flowers

before the soil has dried out, or germination will
be retarded.

Fresh air should be supplied to the seed boxes daily.
To open a window in an adjoining room will give
the necessary ventilation without danger of drafts.
A draft is hard on young plants and even before
the seeds are up they are endangered by a chilling
of the temperature of both soil and air.

Seed boxes should not be placed in the sunlight
for two or three days after the seed is planted.
Moisture is the most important factor for the first
period.

The proper way to harrow a seed bed is to run the
harrow, rake, or fork in different directions, the
second harrowing at right angles to the first, while
the surface of the soil should be pulverized to a
depth of several inches.

In making wooden boxes or flats in which to plant
seed, do not fail to leave a little crack all around the
edge of the bottom of the box, otherwise holes will
have to be bored to make sure that good drainage
will be supplied.

A very safe way of watering seed in flats, boxes,
etc., is to place the receptacle in a tub of water,

Growing Flowers 179

letting it stand just long enough for the moisture
to penetrate all parts of the soil. The water
should^ not cover the flat, or box, or the seed will
be washed away in a flood.

Do not sow seed too thickly. The majority of seeds
will germinate if purchased from a reliable seed
house, and to sow a great many more than is
desired to germinate will be a fearful waste. A
few in excess of the seedlings desired should be
sown in case some do not germinate, but when
young plants come up too thick, they will only
have to be thinned out and thrown away.

Egg shells make excellent little cups for planting
seeds which are not to be sown out of doors. When
the seeds germinate and the seedlings have grown
two or three leaves, eggshell and plant should be
set where the plant is to remain. This prevents
the roots being disturbed and growth checked and
the shells furnish food to the soil for the plant a
little later.

Seeds of most plants are ready to be gathered when
the seedpods burst. The seed should be placed in
the sunlight for a day or two, or in some dry place
indoors, preferably behind glass through which the

i8o Growing Flowers

sun will shine, to dry out thoroughly before storing
for the next season's use.

There is now on sale in the markets seed placed
inside tape. This tape is to be planted in furrows,
thus doing away with the tediousness of seed
sowing and also eliminating much waste of seed.
Its success will depend entirely upon the quality
of seed used. It is worth trying out at any rate.

Seeds planted in boxes indoors do not need to be
set at so great a depth as those planted out of doors.
The temperature is warmer indoors and there is
not so much danger of the seed becoming damp-
ened and chilled.

When seeds are planted broadcast, thinning must
always be generously indulged in, otherwise the
plants will never attain their full growth and
development and the flowers will be dwarfed and
sickly in appearance.

Transplanting and Thinning

Most plants that can stand transplanting are really
benefited by it as transplanting has a tendency to
make the plants stocky and strong, and it also
affords opportunity for developing the root system.

Growing Flowers 181

Before taking up a plant which is to be transplanted
thoroughly water the soil surrounding it that the
earth may the more readily adhere to the roots.
When plants are not set in the soil at once after
taking up, the roots and leaves should be moistened
and the plants set in a moist place until time to
plant.

When plants come from a distance and the soil
adhering to the roots is hard and dry, or when the
earth has fallen away, place the plants in a tub of
water, enough to cover the whole root system, and
let stand for several hours before planting. It is
best to also pour water into the hole before setting
the plant in place. A good watering should also
be given when three fourths of the soil has been
placed around the plant.

In lifting young plants for transplanting, always
use a trowel with a curved blade. A fork will cause
the earth to fall apart and a level trowel will dis-
turb the earth and to some extent unsettle the
roots.

Before transplanting young plants from the green-
house or cold frame to the open ground, harden them
by giving them first a little fresh air, gradually

1 82 Growing Flowers

increasing the amount each day, until they are
entirely exposed. If plants are hardened in this
manner, there will be little danger of their dying
after having been transplanted. The plants will
require less moisture as they grow older, hence the
evaporation will not be harmful.

In sections of the country which have short
seasons, plants for the open ground which will not
stand transplanting may be started in large card-
board boxes, such as are used for suits of clothes.
When the plants have grown to the required height
and the time is ripe for plants to flourish in the
out of doors, box and plants should be set in
the ground, taking care not to shake the earth and
unsettle the roots. The box will soon rot and will
do no harm to the roots.

There can be purchased small paper cups in
which to plant seeds which are later to be transferred
to the garden. Two or three seeds at least should be
planted in each cup to be sure that cup space is not
wasted by non-maturing seed. The cup should be
planted in the ground and just before setting in the
earth should be slit down the side to permit the
roots to spread. The cup will soon disintegrate
and become part of the soil.

Growing Flowers 183

When transplanting is being done, the soil of the
garden bed should be well watered before the plants
are set in it. If the earth does not adhere to the
roots of the plants, the soil should be very wet,
and dry earth may be placed on the surface after
the plant has been firmly imbedded. The dry
earth will give firmness and help to keep the plant
in position.

Always before transplanting, the soil should be
well fertilized and cultivated. If the soil is sifted,
so much the better. Young roots are tender and
will find difficulty in forcing themselves through
hard lumps of earth.

In transplanting large plants, be sure to set them
deeply enough into the earth, water the roots well,
and press the soil down firmly with the foot after
the plant is in position. To use a hoe may cause
a bruise or break from which the plant may never
recover.

Plants which are to stand a distance from each
other should be fertilized independently. Too
heavy fertilization may burn up the plant but a
safe fertilizer into which to dip the roots of plants
being transplanted consists of a mixture of cow ma-
nure, water, and clay. The roots should be dipped

1 84 Growing Flowers

into this and a little of the mixture also poured
into the hole into which the plant is to be set.

The time for transplanting depends upon both
the temperature and the condition of the plant.
No plant which has been grown in a hothouse or
under glass should be transferred to the garden
until all frost is out of the earth. If a plant is
spindly and has a yellow tint to the leaves, trans-
planting often will benefit it, for its appearance will
indicate that it needs more nourishment.

No plant should be transplanted until at least two
leaves are well formed, but as a rule two leaves are
sufficient. When transplanting plants which have
already a number of leaves, the larger leaves should
be pinched off to give the young ones a chance to
grow. They will in time be stronger and better
leaves than the large ones which have grown before
transplanting.

Transplanting should not be done during the heat
of the day. The sun, and even the hot atmosphere,
is likely to parch the plant and rob it of moisture
and it will receive a decided setback. During
the late afternoon, or even in the early evening,
is the best time for transplanting.

Growing Flowers 185

When thinning young plants, do so without regard
to the size of the plants. Small plants will soon
attain their growth if plenty of room is given and
cultivation started. The tendency in thinning
usually is to retain the largest plants, discarding
the smaller ones, but this should not be done when
it will leave bunches of plants, otherwise the large
ones will soon be outstripped by the young ones
which have been given their chance.

The amount of space to be given each plant
should be determined by the height to which the
plant grows and whether or not it is a bunchy
plant. The roots of tall plants, as a rule, grow
downward into the earth, instead of branching
out near the surface, hence they do not require as
great a distance in proportion as a plant the roots
of which spread out. Keep in mind both the tend-
ency of the roots and the branches when the first
thinning is done.

In transplanting young plants to the open ground,
great precaution should be exercised with regard
to the roots. If they are bruised it will take some
time for them to heal before they will begin to
grow and furnish nourishment to the plant.

1 86 Growing Flowers

When young plants are being transplanted from
the hotbed to the open ground, or to pots, it should be
remembered to set them a trifle deeper than they
were growing previously to transplanting. The
upheaval of the plant is hard on the roots and
they will require an extra amount of earth to off-
set the disadvantage of having to be replanted.

Transplanting may be done to great advantage
after a rain on a mild day. The plants should not
be taken from their first bed if the air is chilly.
It is a good plan to have the garden all ready and
wait for a light shower. ,

In transplanting very delicate young plants, they
should first be thinned, in order that a piece of
earth may be removed with each plant. This will
prevent the shock to the plant's system and it
will sooner regain its strength and the difference in
growth between it and one which has had no earth
removed with it will be very noticeable.

Young and tender plants should be protected from
the strong rays of the sun for a day or two after being
transplanted. Stakes driven in the ground at
each end of the bed and a board leaned on them
slantingly will afford sufficient protection. They
will thus get plenty of air and warmth of atmos-

Growing Flowers 187

phere without having the sun streaming on them
and perhaps parching the leaves.

Cultivation

Some of the benefits derived from cultivation:

It destroys weeds which eat up the plant food
in the earth.

It breaks up the soil and gives the roots a chance
to push through without strain in their search for
food.

It forms a dust mulch and prevents the evapora-
tion of moisture.

It increases the amount of plant food and makes
the food more available to the plants.

It warms the soil and permits more air to reach
the roots.

It adds humus to the soil by plowing under the
manure or any grass or other vegetation growing
in the soil.

So do not neglect to cultivate. One or all of
these benefits may be accorded to each plant.

Once a week is not too often to cultivate the garden.
A garden should be cultivated after each rain or
after having been watered, never just before water-
ing, or the water will cause lumps to form.

1 88 Growing Flowers

Cultivation oj perennials should not be given too
early in the spring or the young roots, just getting
a start, may be injured. The latter part of April
or the first of May will be time enough for this work
as before that time the conservation of moisture
is not necessary nor have the roots grown enough
to be crowded.

In a large garden, it is necessary to mark the
spots where late perennials are to appear, otherwise
many a good plant may be lost from careless dig-
ging when planting annuals. This may be done
either by iron rods or wooden poles, or an accurate
plan of the garden on paper will serve for the care-
ful planter who knows his garden well.

In dry weather an extra amount of cultivation
should be given. Cultivation aids when there is
little water, by forming a dust mulch over the sur-
face, and by permitting air to enter.

The best time of day for work in the flower garden
is early in the morning before the dew has evapo-
rated. The flowers are fresh, the air is sweet and
invigorating, and the habit of working in the garden
early will soon invigorate the human system.

Remember that cultivation is the life of flowers.
Even surface cultivation will form a good dust

Growing Flowers 189

mulch and this mulch will help in conserving
moisture.

The back often aches from hoeing not because the
work was long or arduous but because the hoe blade
was not set at the right angle. If hoeing is uncom-
fortable, reset the blade until it can be used with
no discomfort.

Growing plants should not be neglected merely
because they seem to be doing well. They will not
keep on doing well unless cultivation is given and
the soil contains enough plant food to nourish
them. Cultivation should not, however, be car-
ried to extremes. To constantly dig around a
plant will not be beneficial.

Cultivation of the soil conserves moisture, without
which plants will not flourish. Even though they
may grow, the leaves will be poor and the flowers
can never reach their best development.

Cultivation is of as much importance as fertili-
zation, perhaps more. Plants will not flourish if
they are set in the ground and forgotten, while
frequent cultivation will often offset the disadvan-
tage of poor soil.

190 Growing Flowers

During hot dry weather, the surface of the earth
only should be cultivated. To stir up the earth to a
depth of more than a couple of inches will only
bring to the hot dry air the moist soil below the
surface, which will very soon become dry. The
surface cultivation will prevent the escape of the
moisture in the earth below.

Cultivation should not be given while the earth is
very wet. When wet earth is stirred up and left to
dry, hard lumps will form which exclude air and
through which tender roots cannot force their way.
When a handful of earth will crumble readily
between the fingers, it is in proper condition for
cultivation.

Small plants should always be cultivated with a
fork, rather than with a hoe. The hoe will be
difficult to use in cultivating close to the plant,
while a fork will dig all around without danger of
injury to the plant or of chopping off the roots.

Weeds

Weeding should be done just as soon as the weeds
start, otherwise they will in a short while eat up
a great deal of the plant food which the flowers
need.

Growing Flowers 191

When dandelions are in the garden, it will do no
good to cut off the tops. The roots will flourish
and send up strong growth. A drop of sulphuric
acid applied to the heart of each plant will kill
root as well as stem.

The deadly nightshade, or atropa, grows in waste
places, often among stones, and is very poisonous.
In destroying, it should be dug up and burned, and
should be handled only with gloves on, as all parts
of the plant are poisonous. It is of no value as a
decoration.

When weeds and grass are growing in inaccessible
places, make a solution of a teacupful of common
baking soda and a gallon of boiling water and pour
on them. This will kill them, roots and tops.

The wild carrot, or Queen Anne's lace, is a nui-
sance, and is difficult to get rid of. Where there is
a very large patch, the land should be plowed for
several seasons before using, and all roots picked
up and burned. A solution of baking soda in
hot water will kill it when only a small amount
is to be eradicated. Its growth indicates lack of
fertility of soil.

Chicory, which is usually termed a weed, bears
handsome blue flowers, and is a welcome addition

192 Growing Flowers

to a garden lacking blue color. It requires a deep,
rich loam which has very little clay or sand in it.

The bitterweed, also called ragweed, should be
eradicated from every garden. To it has been laid
the cause of hay fever, and it is not desirable for
any purpose. The flowers are green and unattrac-
tive, and the stem is coarse and hairy.

Salt sprinkled on the garden walk will keep weeds
down.

Bicarbonate of soda dissolved in hot water will
be almost instant death to grass and weeds which
insist upon growing in spots where they are hard
to reach and eradicate.

Do not let dandelions get a start. They are very
difficult to get rid of when growing profusely and
it takes but a season to start profuse growth.
Concentrated lye diluted with water will kill the
roots but it will also kill all other vegetation with
which it comes in contact and it is poisonous to
human beings as well and should be kept well out
of the reach of children, and animals also.

A pinch of dry table salt applied to the crowns
of plantains will kill the plants within a few days.

Growing Flowers 193

Strong salty water may be used but it may take
several applications, and also care should be taken
that it does not spread to other nearby plants.

Watering

When watering flowers, water them thoroughly.
Merely to sprinkle water over the surface of the
earth will do little good. Water should penetrate
to the roots in order that it may be taken up by
them and sent through the plant.

When only the surface of the garden bed is wet,
the soil will grow hard when dry and will tend to
exclude air. It is better by far to water thoroughly
every three or four days than to water lightly every
day. A good rain should be imitated when using
the hose or the watering can.

An excellent way to water plants is to flood the
garden or the garden bed. Particularly is this good
when watering young plants, plants which have
just been transplanted, and seed. Flooding will
cause the water to penetrate to the roots with no
danger of washing up the plants or breaking tender
branches. A small trench should be made at
each side of the bed and the water poured into it.

13

194 Growing Flowers

If the garden is watered at night, not so much mois-
ture will be lost to the garden through evaporation
as if it is watered during the heat of the day.
Watering while the sun is shining will cause the
plants to become scalded, from which they some-
times do not recover.

When watering boxes in which seeds have been
planted, or when watering seed in the garden bed,
a very fine spray should be used, otherwise many
of the seed will be washed up. A fine bulb syringe
is excellent for use when watering seed in boxes.

An occasional sprinkling should be given all plants
in order to wash the dust from the leaves and per-
mit the plants to breathe.

During the spring months when there is no
danger of the atmosphere later becoming over-
heated, watering may be done in the early morning.

An excellent way of watering hanging plants is to
let them down into a tub of water and leave them
there until the soil has absorbed all the moisture
it can. The water should not be permitted to
come up over the top of the pot while it sets in the
water, or the soil may be washed out. The best
method is to let the water be soaked up into the
soil from the bottom of the pot.

Growing Flowers 195

In watering shrubs, trees, and large plants which
have deeply imbedded roots, the surface of the
earth around the trunk should be depressed below
the surrounding garden in order to allow the water
to stand in puddles and sink into the ground near
the roots instead of running off to other surface.

Plants which are at all sensitive to disturbance
should have the water applied by means of a cup, or
for very young plants, a spoon. The hose, or even
a watering can, sometimes disturbs the plants even
if it does not actually wash them up.

A piece of pipe three quarters of an inch in di-
ameter will serve well when watering house plants.
This should be stuck into the ground until it is
in close proximity to the roots and the water
poured down it. In this way not only the surface
of the earth will receive water but the lower part
will be sure of getting sufficient moisture.

A spasmodic watering now and then during a
very dry season will be even more harmful than
no water at all.

Cut Flowers

The style of vase in which cut flowers are to be
placed should be studied. If the vase is suited to

196 Growing Flowers

the flower it tends to'enhance the beauty, but such
arrangement as a tall vase containing short stubby
flowers is out of proportion, or vice versa. The
color of the flower always should be considered in
selecting a colored vase and care should be taken
not to choose a vase which has not harmonious
contrast. The simpler and plainer the vase, the
more pleasing the effect.

A glass flower bowl containing a glass slab
with small holes into which to insert the stems of
flowers will show them off to the greatest advantage.
They will last longer if given plenty of room in this
way instead of crowding them together in a narrow-
necked vase.

Cut flowers, particularly roses, will remain fresh
longer if they are given a bath up to the neck just
after they are cut. It is a pity that when so much
pains are taken to grow flowers that more pains
are not taken to preserve them.

A little salt placed in the vase in which cut
flowers are placed will act as a stimulant to the
flowers and keep them fresh and fragrant days longer
than if they are placed merely in cold water.

Charcoal taken from the fireplace and reduced to
a powder will prove beneficial to cut flowers if it

Growing Flowers 197

is placed in the water before they are put in.
When the water is renewed the charcoal also should
be renewed. The charcoal should be allowed to
settle to the bottom of the vase to prevent the
stems and such leaves as touch the water becoming
black.

When sending cut flowers by mail, cut a small
white potato in pieces and slit a piece with a knife.
In this slit stick the cut end of the flower stem.
The moisture in the potato will be sucked up by
the flower and as long as the moisture lasts the
flower will remain fresh. The size of the piece of
potato must be in proportion to the length of time
the flower is to be on its journey and to the size of
the flower.

Water Plants

May is the best time of the year for putting out
water lilies. Each plant should be set in a small
basket of loamy soil, in the bottom of which are
several small stones. This should be sunk to the
bottom of the pond or tank. If the pond is quite
deep, an artificial mound should be built in for the
basket to rest upon, otherwise some of the leaves
may never reach the surface of the water.

198 Growing Flowers

Water plants will not thrive in swiftly flowing and
cold water but should have still ponds, or tubs of
water in which to grow. They should be given
plenty of room and a small pond or pool should
never contain many plants.

Below Is a List of Plants Suitable for the Garden Pool

White Water Lily Sweet Flag

Yellow Pond Lily Water Plantain

European Water Lily Iris

Watershield Double Marsh Marigold

Watercress American Lotus

Cape Pond Weed Spatter Dock

Water Hyacinth Golden Club

Magnolia Lotus Arrow Arum

Indian Lotus Arrowhead

Bulrush ~ Cat-tail

The Rock Garden

If there is a running stream near your garden,
make the most of it. Flowers adapted for growing
in water are plentiful, and a most beautiful rockery
may be built, not to mention the advantage to
scenery of a seat or a summer-house placed nearby.

In making a rock garden, the stones should be
carefully placed. There should be no empty
spaces between the rocks. The soil should lie

Growing Flowers 199

firmly imbedded, and they should not be placed in
such position that pools of water will form.

The rock garden should be started the latter part of
February or the first of March if there is to be a
show of blossoms the first season, for most flowers
suitable to a rock foundation bloom in April,
May, and June.

Coarse sand, well drained, is required for most
plants which grow among the rocks. A compost
suitable for the needs of these flowers is composed of
two parts of loam mixed with one part of peat or
leaf mold to which has been added a little coarse
sand.

A good mixture of soil for the rock garden is com-
posed of eight parts of good friable loam, two parts
of broken sandstone, two parts of sand, one part
of leaf mold, and two parts of well rotted compost.

House Plants

To retain the gloss on a rubber plant, pour a little
sweet oil or castor oil about the roots of the plant
every three or four weeks. The oil will nourish
the plant and keep it in healthful condition and the
gloss will be a natural result. When the plant

2oo Growing Flowers

has once become dull and heavy in appearance, a
little oil should be smeared on a cloth and rubbed
over the leaves, wiping it off thoroughly that the
air may penetrate the lungs of the leaves.

A pinch of mustard, half a teaspoonf ul to a quart
of water, added to the water in watering house
plants will destroy insects of many kinds and will
not harm even the most tender of plants.

In planting the house plants in the garden during
the summer, leave the plant in the pot and plant
the pot as well. There will be no advantage what-
ever in taking the plant from the pot, and there
will be the disadvantage of upsetting the root
system twice during a few months.

A small plant should not be set in a large pot. A
few roots with too much nourishment will be in
danger from having more food than they can
digest, and a sort of plant indigestion will set in.

House plants should be fertilized every three or
four months and it will not be necessary to repot
them more than once a year. When plants out-
grow their quarters, they should always be re-
planted in larger pots to give the root system a
chance to develop.

Growing Flowers 201

Always cultivate two or three low-growing house
plants for use as a table decoration. The primrose,
a fern, a pot of pansies, or violets, will be very
beautiful. Orange or grapefruit seed sown thickly
in a pot will make a very exquisite decoration when
the plants have reached a height of a couple of
inches and the first leaves are well formed.

A bushy limb placed in a pot of earth and seed of
small-leaved vines planted therein will result in a
beautiful plant. The vine will twine itself around
the bush and soon completely hide the bare
limbs. The cypress vine will be most satisfactory,
as well as climbing nasturtiums.

A good liquid fertilizer for house plants is made
by dissolving two ounces of ammonium chloride
in two quarts of water, and adding four ounces
of sodium nitrate and four ounces of sodium phos-
phate. The mixture should be carefully strained
through three thicknesses of cheesecloth and
should be used in the proportion of a teaspoonful
to a quart of water. It should not be put on
stronger than this or injury to the plants will be
the result.

Before putting earth in window boxes or flower
pots, whitewash the inside of the box or pot. This

202 Growing Flowers

will prevent a wooden box from rotting as quickly
as it would if the earth were placed in it without
the whitewash coating, and it will tend to keep
away insects from both boxes and pots.

House plants setting in jardinieres in windy places
are occasionally blown over and the jardiniere
broken. If all the available space in the jardiniere
is filled with sand or gravel, it will usually be so
weighted that the wind will have no effect upon it.

Lime water poured on the soil will usually kill
worms. A teaspoonful of perfectly fresh lime
should be put into a cup of water and left to stand
until the sediment settles at the bottom. The
hole for draining should be closed before the appli-
cation is made on a house plant, that the water
may remain in the surface soil long enough to do
its work.

Dormant house plants require little moisture, but
those which grow rapidly in winter in the house
will need a good supply of moisture constantly.
Watering should be done thoroughly, and the soil
throughout should be wet. An occasional sur-
face watering does practically no good.

Keep the soil in pots an inch below the top of the
pot. This will afford plenty of room for water to

Growing Flowers 203

stand when watering, and the earth will not be
washed over the rim.

House plants should have fresh air every day, or
they will soon stop growing and perhaps die.
The air in cold weather should not blow directly
on them but should come through a window at the
opposite side of the room. Too high a tempera-
ture and no fresh air is just as harmful to plants
as it is to human beings.

In applying fertilizer to house plants, give only a
small amount at a time, rather than make the soil
very rich and thus cause such a sudden change in
the food of the plant. When there is any doubt
as to whether you have the right kind of fertilizer
for a particular plant, apply just a little and watch
the result. You will soon be able to tell by the
growth whether or not that particular fertilizer
is beneficial to the plant. Too much fertilizer
will overstimulate a plant and there will be a
reaction later.

When plants have been stored away in a cool spot
in the cellar they should not be brought imme-
diately into a very warm room. If too much heat
reaches them, they will have a very rapid growth

204 Growing Flowers

and very little strength, and sooner or later they
will suffer from it.

For a succession of bloom for house plants, pot
the plants or plant the seed, at intervals of ten
days or two weeks, beginning the first of Septem-
ber.

When house plants are placed near a window, see
that all cracks are made air-proof before cold
weather sets in, or you may awake some morning
to find a choice plant frozen stiff by a sudden
change of temperature. Plants should not be
permitted to touch the window glass or frost may
reach them by forming on the panes.

Dipping a house plant in very cold water several
times will usually rid the plant of red spiders. The
laundry tub should be filled with water and
the pot immersed. The spiders will remain on
the surface of the water where they can easily

be killed.

«•

In placing a potted plant on a piece of highly
polished furniture place under the pot a piece of
glass. This will prevent the moisture oozing from
the porous saucer and leaving a white mark on the

Growing Flowers 205

wood. A paper or linen doily laid over the glass
will perhaps make a more attractive appearance
than the plain glass, and if one doily is placed
under the glass there will be no danger of the glass
leaving a scratch.

Dingy old flower pots may be painted with red
ocher with a most pleasing result. Flower pots
should never be fancifully decorated. The pot is
meant to hold the flower, which is the true orna-
ment, and anything which tends to detract from
the plant is in direct competition. A flower will
lose its charm if placed in a brightly colored pot.

When pebbles or small. stones, shells, etc., are not
available for placing in the bottom of pots to in-
sure good drainage, "clinkers" from the coal stove
will answer as well. The very small ones should be
used in order not to take up too much room which
should be left for earth.

When a plant is frozen, thaw it out by covering
securely, not permitting a ray of light to penetrate
the darkness, until the weather moderates. The
plant will thaw gradually and there will be no sign
of its ever having been frozen. Even very tender
plants can often be restored by this method.

206 Growing Flowers

When plants are frozen, they should never be
brought at once into a hot room, but should be
placed in a room where the temperature is just a
trifle warmer than the temperature from which
they have just been taken. The temperature
should then be gradually brought to a higher degree
and this process should take two or three days.

House plants often fail to thrive from no apparent
reason when what they really need is repotting.
Having eaten all the food from the old soil, they
require entirely new soil and the addition of fer-
tilizer alone will not answer the purpose.

Provide potting soil when fertilizing the garden
in the fall. It should be placed in a large box or in
the pots and left to stand all winter when it will be
ready for spring use. If the frost or even a light
snow falls on it several times, and the sun heats it
afterward it will be in excellent condition in the
spring.

The latter part of May or the first of June is
time enough for putting the house plants out of doors
and even then they should first be brought out on
a bright, sunshiny day and brought in at night for
several days, until they become accustomed to a
cooler temperature.

Growing Flowers 207

House plants should be turned around occasionally
so that all sides may have the benefit of the sunlight.
To leave them in one position will cause bushy
plants to become one-sided, and plants of one
stem will bend toward the sun instead of growing
tall and straight, beside having the leaves on one
side of the plant a pale, sickly shade.

House plants should be repotted several weeks before
cold weather in order that they may have plenty
of time to become thoroughly adapted to the new
soil conditions before winter arrives. Occasionally,
a plant will grow so rapidly during the winter that
it must be repotted at once, hence there should
always be on hand a good supply of soil for repot-
ting or cold earth will have to be thoroughly
thawed out and warmed before the repotting can
be done.

The Hotbed

In order to have flowers early in the season, a hot-
bed should be provided. In severe climates, some
plants will not have a chance to get a good start
in flowering before time for the frost to appear
again, while with a hotbed, the plants can grow
to a fairly good size before warm weather actually
comes and if transplanted immediately upon the

208 Growing Flowers

frost being out of the ground, a long season will be
insured.

Before plants are transplanted from the hotbed
to the garden, they should be thoroughly hardened
by giving them at first just a little air, gradually
increasing the amount of air space daily until they
are entirely exposed. Hotbed plants should never
be exposed after the sun has gone down until the
period of all-day fresh air has been reached, then
the glass may be raised during the night. When
they can stand this treatment and thrive, they are
ready to be planted out of doors. Not only will
this method prevent plants dying from sudden ex-
posure, but they will be much more strong and
vigorous when they have attained full growth.

All watering of plants in the hotbed or cold frame
should be done in the morning and preferably on
sunny days. To water them late in the afternoon
and close the glass down will cause them to become
chilled.

The hotbed should be given a southern location
that it may receive all the sunlight there is, and it
should be protected on the north and east from
the bitter winds. Placed near a wall or fence, or
even thick shrubbery on the north and east, will

Growing Flowers 209

answer well, but if this is not feasible, high boards
may be placed in an upright position near the hot-
bed.

Sacks of leaves, straw, or a bag of manure laid over
the hotbed sash at night will protect the young
plants in even the coldest weather. The layer of
manure in the sack need not be more than an
inch thick, but it should cover all parts of the sash.
Double sash will be very convenient, though it
will not be necessary to use it all season.

In starting ventilation for the hotbed, always raise
the side of the sash opposite the direction in which
the wind is blowing, or the plants are likely to take
cold.

Several small hotbeds are more convenient than
one large one, as they are easier to handle and each
variety of flowers can be treated in such manner
as is best suited to the plant.

When to start the hotbed depends upon the
location. In a cold climate, it will be impractical
to start it as early as it is started in a warm
climate, for the ground will have to become
thoroughly warmed anyway before the young
plants can be transplanted. The length of time
14

2io Growing Flowers

for seed to germinate for a certain flower, and the
size at which it is to be transplanted, should always
be taken into consideration when starting the hotbed.

If hotbed plants are getting too much sunlight, lay
a piece of thin green cloth over the sash, or cover
with a coating of leaves or shrubbery. When the
weather has grown warm and the plants are not
yet ready to be transplanted, a coating of paint
over the sash may prove satisfactory in regulating
the heat.

"A hotbed is not difficult to make, nor will it prove
to be expensive. A hole of the size planned should
be dug and the four sides well boarded that the
dirt may not slip down through the cracks. A
depth of two to three feet will be enough, and
stable manure should be packed on the bottom.
Many gardeners prefer to alternate layers of
manure with layers of sand to insure good drain-
age. The rear boards of the hotbed should be
higher than those in front, that there may be a
good slope to the sash for draining rain water.
After the manure has stood a couple of weeks in the
hotbed, a top layer of sand six inches in depth
should be placed on it, and this layer should come
within six or eight inches of the sash, as most

Growing Flowers 211

plants will not grow taller than that before being
transplanted. A little compost mixed with the top
layer of sand will be beneficial. A thermometer
should be kept in the hotbed while the manure is
standing and should reach 120 degrees and then
drop to 90 before the top layer of soil is added,
when it will be time to plant the seed.

A hotbed made of concrete is there to stay and there
will not have to be a renewal every few years
because the manure has rotted the boards. It will
not be more expensive in the long run, but the
selection of site should be made carefully for it
cannot be changed. In order to make a concrete
hotbed there should be set upright in the ground
a double layer of boards for forming the walls, just
as would be done for a wooden hotbed. The con-
crete should be poured into this while soft and
the boards left in place until the concrete has
hardened all the way down.

Good drainage for the hotbed may be secured by
placing at the bottom, before the manure is put in,
a four-inch layer of cinders. Drainage is necessary
if the plants are to thrive, and to place the hotbed
in a well drained spot will be advisable whether
or not the cinder bottom is used.

212 Growing Flowers

A pit is simply a large hotbed and is constructed
along the same principles, except that as it is in
the form of a greenhouse buried under ground,
there need be no layers of manure. It should,
however, have good drainage and should have a
sash covering. It may be made of either concrete
or wood, though concrete is highly recommended
as it will not permit any water to ooze through the
earth surrounding the walls. The depth of exca-
vation depends upon the needs of the individual
who is to use it, but it should always be deep
enough to give good standing room.

Whenever the weather is mild and pleasant, the
pit, hotbed, or greenhouse should be aired. If
fresh air is not given to plants, they will be likely
to have mildew form on them and possibly the
plants will rot, or damp off.

THE LAWN

THE lawn is the most prominent feature of the
country home. A well-kept lawn lends distinction
to even the most humble of homes and it is a con-
tinuous source of delight to the occupants of the
house as well as 'to the passersby, while an un-
kempt lawn with bare patches and rough spots
bespeaks carelessness of habit of the person who
has it in charge and is a constant eyesore. The
appearance of the lawn will almost always furnish
a keynote to the interior of the house. Pride
in the interior surroundings cannot but spread
to the exterior.

A large lawn is easy to plan. Vines, trees, and
shrubbery have ample space and many varieties
may be attractively dotted here and there in
natural order, but a small plot necessarily de-
mands that it be treated in a more formal way.

The lawn of generous proportions can very
properly be fitted with curved walks and drive-
ways, curling picturesquely around clumps of
shrubbery and clusters of plants, but the small

213

214 The Lawn

plot should have paths laid in direct line from one
end to the other and the less conspicuous they are
the better taste they are in, as anything indicating
a suggestion of a stroll would appear somewhat
ridiculous.

Where there is not an abundance of room for
both grass and flowers, grass should predominate,
otherwise the garden will be a conglomeration of
vegetation with no order and no dignity. It is
true that the purpose of the garden is flowers, yet
a mass of flowers in a small space will never receive
the appreciation which each individual plant de-
serves.

In planting a new plot, or in remaking an old
one, the plot should be drawn first on paper in
correct proportions with regard to any irregularity
in shape, and every tree, bush, or clump of bushes
should be jotted down on the paper in a spot
corresponding to the same location in the garden
itself. Only in this way can one get an idea be-
forehand of just how the various ideas will work
out.

The lawn is worthy of a great deal of care, yet
it requires very little in comparison to other vege-
tation. The kind of seed to plant depends upon
the locality in which it is planted. The sandy
soil of the far South requires a well-rooted, broad-

The Lawn 215

leaved, yet slow-growing, turfy grass, needing very
infrequent clippings, while in the heavier soils of
the North and East may be planted quick-grow-
ing grass, preferably a mixture of several kinds,
which should be kept cut close to the ground in
order to keep it young, tender, and a fresh green
in color.

A garden with an odd shape is far easier to plan
artistically than the straight fifty by one hundred.
Odd corners afford a good opportunity for filling
in with vegetation, while the garden of strictly
straight lines needs borders and beds of similar
severity. Fancy borders and beds are not in good
taste. Simplicity should be the keynote; flowers
and shrubbery in themselves are sufficient attrac-
tions for the garden plot, and the simpler the
foundation the better chance there is for display-
ing the real objects of beauty.

Pergolas, arches, and arbors not only provide
a support for vines and clinging plants, but they
furnish shady spots for the plants requiring little
or no sunlight, and they add materially to the
beauty of the garden by displaying at a height
the vegetation which they support. Great discre-
tion must be exercised with reference to the plac-
ing of these artificial adjuncts. Any commingling
of nature with the artificial must be very carefully

216 The Lawn

handled. They should not be in a conspicuous
position ; the garden is not meant for their display
but rather they are meant to display the garden.
The small garden can afford but one and a
garden of twenty thousand square feet will not
afford a background for more than three while two
will be better. The size of the pergola or arch
must always be governed by the size of the walk
which it flanks. A large pergola in a small space
gives the garden a very top-heavy appearance.

An attractive seat is not only a convenience in
the garden but it may be a thing of beauty as well.
There is a place for one in every garden, however
small. The size and style should be in proportion
to the surroundings. Rustic seats are very pretty
but they should be of simple line construction
which they usually are not.

The construction of the walks is of the utmost
importance. Cement walks are severe but they
are very practical if the cement is properly mixed.
If the cement is purchased already mixed, be sure
that the dealer is reliable. If a walk cracks dur-
ing cold weather, after a rain, it usually means
that enough sand was not mixed in the cement.
The artistic effect calls for a walk or driveway set
a little below the level of the surrounding surface,
but this is not always wise in laying a cement walk

The Lawn 217

unless there is a carefully graded slope from the
center of the walk outward to permit the rain
water to flow off as fast as it falls. A brick walk is
very pretty, particularly after it has aged a bit and
the bricks have a more or less irregular appearance.
This irregularity properly comes with age and no
amount of carefully careless planning will create
it. Bricks are very porous and the water will be
absorbed and drained down into the ground, hence
it is usually perfectly safe to walk on a brick path
after a rain with no fear of getting one's feet wet.
A very artistic effect can be produced by the use
of bricks, and the pretty soft redness of tone lends
a touch of color to the garden at all seasons of the
year. A stepping-stone walk is charming for use
in a small space but it is not only highly imprac-
tical for a long pathway, owing to the difficulty
of weeding which is best done by hand to save the
edges of the garden tools, but the stones themselves
suggest a tripping walk which is tiring if kept up
for any distance. A path of from three to ten
feet can be more attractively and more advantage-
ously planned by the use "of stones than by the
use of either cement or brick. A foundation com-
posed of a mixture of gravel and cinders will prob-
ably give the most satisfaction in the average
garden. Pebbles mixed with gravel makes a

218 The Lawn

foundation easily drained and the material is so
clean and pretty that even should a little adhere
to the shoes and be carried indoors, it will not be
strongly objectionable.

A house on the hillside creates a splendid oppor-
tunity for the landscape gardener. First, the
slope must be carefully dealt with and it is to be
hoped that every house planned on a hillside can
have for treatment at least 15,000 square feet of
garden surface. This will permit a fairly wide
driveway and an additional footpath, without
making either conspicuous. All small plots which
are not even should be leveled to the street sur-
face, or only a foot or two above, and under no
circumstances should a small plot be terraced, or
a portion of it raised above the natural level. To
do so is to give the plot an effect of even smaller
proportions and no part of it will show to advan-
tage. Amateur gardeners with overdeveloped
ideas are likely to make this mistake in planning
a small plot on the hillside.

When there is a natural slope which would be
expensive to level it is a better plan to leave the
lawn sloping gently toward the edges instead of
terracing a part of it and putting in steps which will
only emphasize the lack of space.

The Lawn 219

The Care of the Lawn

The fall of the year is particularly recommended
for starting grass. At this season the ground is
thoroughly warmed and there is usually a copious
rainfall to hasten germination of the seed, and
enable the grass to become firmly established
before winter sets in. When the grass recom-
mences growth in the spring it takes full posses-
sion of the ground and crowds out the weeds. A
lawn started in the fall of the year will endure the
next summer's drought much better than a lawn
sown in the spring.

To produce a closely interwoven, firm, deep, and
elastic turf, a mixture of seed should be sown. If
various kinds of grasses are started, the different
kinds arriving at their best during different months
of the year, the lawn will have a perpetual cover-
ing of green which cannot be secured when a single
variety is sown.

If the birds pick up the grass seed, stretch black
garden netting over the ground until the grass has
appeared. If the lawn covers a good deal of
space, it may be necessary to sow a part of it at a
time, unless a great quantity of netting is at hand.

22O The Care of the Lawn

When moss makes its appearance on the lawn it
means that the soil needs attention. It may
need fertilizing or it may require better drainage
conditions. Refertilizing will usually cause its
disappearance.

After sowing lawn grass seed, roll the lawn to
press the seed down. A fine sprinkling of water
will also weight the sand and help to keep the
seed from blowing away, but the sprinkling must
be in very fine sprays. Rolling should precede
watering, otherwise many of the seed will adhere
to the roller.

In purchasing grass seed, select the best. Five
pounds of good seed is worth more than ten of
poor. Poor seed will not mature well and a second
sowing will have to be made before successful
results can be obtained. Mixed seed is usually the
most satisfactory.

When watering the lawn, do a thorough job and do
it late in the afternoon after the sun has gone
down. Be sure that the soil is moist all the way
to the ends of the roots, and then do not water it
again until the soil is dry. A little water is in-
jurious rather than beneficial.

The Care of the Lawn 221

In the sandy soils of the Southern section of the
country lawns can only be made successfully from
turf or from rootstocks. Grasses which develop
underground stems are most successful under
Southern conditions. The white Dutch clover can
be satisfactorily used in combination with blue
grass and redtop.

Newly established lawns should never be allowed
to mature seed. Frequent clipping tends to stimu-
late the stooling of the plants rather than to inter-
fere with their growth. During the winter a
dressing of coarse litter or bone meal will be very
desirable, or if the soil is poor, a layer of thor-
oughly composted stable manure will make for
good growth.

In the early spring, the lawn should be raked
with a steel-tooth rake, and all bare places seeded
or filled in with turf, and the whole lawn rolled
with a heavy roller to make it smooth and insure
easy running for the mower when cutting begins.

September is a trying month for the lawn. Inces-
sant and thorough watering should be given at
this period.

222 The Care of the Lawn

When the lawn is small in area, do not cut it up
into flower beds. The lawn should be the first
thought, for a well-kept lawn alone is a beautiful
thing. All flower beds should be around the
borders.

Grasses

Among the vigorous grasses which are very effective
when mixed with shrubbery is the arundo, or giant
reed. This grass should have a rich soil and
should be kept moist. It should be protected dur-
ing the severe weather in the winter.

Hardy, tall-growing grasses with a touch of color
will add to the beauty of a lawn. They should be
massed around ugly angles and at the harsh lines
of a building. The tall reed grass mixed with hairy
sumac affords a pleasing contrast to the vivid
green of the lawn grass, while the red berries of the
barberry will lend a bit of cheer during the months
when flowers and shrubbery are scarce.

Love grass will thrive in ordinary garden soil and
requires little attention. It grows to a height of a
couple of feet and is very pretty for indoor decora-

The Care of the Lawn 223

tion, keeping all winter if it is cut before it is too
ripe. Seed sown out of doors will be self -perpetu-
ating.

A pretty grass suitable for planting near a brook,
pond, or in any very moist place is cotton grass. It
requires very little care and the soft cottony white
flowers are very beautiful in masses.

SHRUBBERY AND TREES

ALL outdoors has the advantage of flowers and
tender foliage plants in the spring and summer, but
during the cold, dreary fall and winter months, we
have only shrubbery and trees to depend upon for
beautification of the grounds, and so they perform
an even more important function in life than the
many varieties of flowers. To understand what a
dreary life it is without trees and shrubbery during
the cold days of winter one needs but to travel
through some of the Middle Western States where
miles and miles of country are swiftly traversed
with never a view of any growing thing except a
bit of straggling, ugly sagebrush here and there.
One day's journey only is needed to give a fair idea
of what the lack of evergreen growth means to the
world. Yet we who are constantly surrounded by
plant life in abundance do not appreciate to the
fullest extent the immense benefit to be derived,
In the South where the season is long and vege-
table growth is rendered so easy, it is almost im-

224

Shrubbery and Trees 225

possible not to have trees and shrubbery of some
kind, but in the East, where millions of dollars are
spent on public parks, practically nothing is done
in the city backyards to promote shrubbery or
tree growth, and not very much is done in the
suburban towns, though a great deal of time may
be given the garden for the cultivation of summer
flowers. Yet it is during the winter that these
plants would be most appreciated and a great deal
of attention to them is not needed. Hedges of
privet, barberry, box, ilex, myrtle, and many other
varieties require only an annual fertilization and an
occasional pruning and they stand to delight the
eye twelve months in the year. Shrubbery fills
a niche which flowers never can fill and evergreen
shrubbery is always to be recommended where a
great variety cannot be afforded. Merely a hedge
around a well-kept grass plot will furnish plenty of
green, though a hedge around a small yard should
never attain a height greater than two and a half
feet, otherwise the tendency will be to make the
yard appear smaller still and the house will seem
cramped for room as well. On large tracts a
hedge used as a screen will be most satisfactory and
a large tract can easily afford a hedge six feet or
more in height, if one would like to copy the Eng-
lish idea of privacy. It is a much mooted ques-
15

226 Shrubbery and Trees

tion as to whether the small yard should have a
hedge at all, many preferring to have merely a
grass plot, leaving out the more formidable hedge.
This however is a matter of taste for the individual
gardener to decide. When the hedge is eliminated,
clumps of shrubbery can be made use of for mark-
ing a boundary line in an irregular manner and
this will be a very attractive and natural way of
making a division. These, too, should be ever-
green, for a number of bare branches in the dead
of winter is more suggestive of cold and death than
bare spaces would be. Several plants of a single
variety of shrubs planted in a clump are far more
effective than single plants dotted about, and a
variety of flowering plants clustered together will
prove even more beautiful if caution is used in the
grouping. A tall, heavy shrub should have planted
near it bushes of light-leaved foliage, otherwise a
somber aspect will be given the garden.

Where the boundary is marked by an unsightly
fence, shrubbery planted at intervals alongside
will do much to lessen the homeliness of the fence,
and a stone wall will not present so cold and bare
an appearance if shrubbery is planted to break up
the lines. Odd buildings such as the garage, a
barn, a smokehouse, etc., will not be an eyesore if
beautiful shrubbery stands near, and there is no

Shrubbery and Trees 227

more beautiful background for the annualjthan the
heavy -leaved foliage which so many shrubs have.

The sphere of shrubbery extends indoors as
well and many a stiff, formal living room or hall is
relieved by a box of shrubbery. A house built on
severe lines is given an air of grace and charm by
the addition of plants with red berries and pinnate-
leaves. In planting shrubbery the amateur gar-
dener should remember always to provide for
lightness of effect, otherwise he is likely to emerge
from his labors with a splendid showing of ceme-
terial displays. The house which already has a
"homey" atmosphere from the exterior can be
treated to advantage with almost any variety of
plants. A hedge of evergreen shrubbery to
beautify the grounds in the winter will also
act as a background for plants with brightly
colored flowers in the spring and summer and the
garden will seem to have changed its dress, while
in reality it will just have a mantle thrown over
the old one, and that with^very little labor.

Some extremely pretty foliage plants for the
indoors during the winter will add materially to
the garden plan if set out of doors during the
summer, leaving the plant in its pot, and this
method of treatment will be very beneficial for
the plant.

228 Shrubbery and Trees

Many varieties of flowering plants make beauti-
ful hedges but evergreens should be planted among
them or there will be a dreadful lack of foliage in
the winter, and we must take care of the winter
plants for the summer can do so much for itself.
One very pretty idea is to plant a hedge of hy-
drangea, spiraea, or other blossoming plants for
the hedge, and at intervals clumps of evergreen.
This will give a beautiful flowering effect during
the summer blooming period and yet the lawn
will not be bleak in the winter.

Of recent years a movement has been on foot to
conserve the forests. The movement is looked
upon by the thoughtless as being of a more or
less sentimental nature, with the ultimate end of
keeping intact the natural beauty which surrounds
us; but it is hardly a matter of sentiment, so
much more important is the practical side of the
question. Without the trees we would be in dire
distress sooner or later. We would find ourselves
by and by at a loss for a home, or at least for many
of the parts of a house and the articles needed in
it, and even to-day in some sections of the country
a frame house is more costly than a brick or stone
house owing to the scarcity of timber and the high
cost of lumber. Therefore, plant a tree! Trees
practically take care of themselves. All that many

Shrubbery and Trees 229

of them need is a little pruning every couple of
years and an annual application of fertilizer, while
some do not need even that but may be left alone
season after season to produce what growth they
will. The trees for the home grounds should be
selected with regard to the surroundings. A tree
for the flower garden should not be a spreading
tree unless there is plenty of room for flowers and
shrubbery beyond the shade zone. If several
trees are to be planted some of them should be
evergreens in order that a cheerless display of bare
limbs will not be all there is to greet the eye when
autumn has taken its toll; but if the plot is small
and there is space for only one or two, it is better
to plant a deciduous tree for evergreens are not
so refreshing as new buds in springtime. In
all cases the size which the tree will ultimately
attain must be in proportion to the size of the
garden. Nor should a large tree be planted near
a window to keep out all the much needed sun-
light which should be furnished to the indoors.
Trees furnish a splendid background for the home
and when set at a safe distance from the house
the view will be very much appreciated. A house
always shows to a much greater advantage if
trees are grouped at a short distance from it in-
stead of being set up against the house to aid

230 Shrubbery and Trees

in breeding mosquitoes and keeping the walls
damp. Nor should the trees be planted too
close together. A group of trees often is advisa-
ble but there should be plenty of room between
them, otherwise the roots will not be given their
chance and a great deal of nourishment will need
to be provided for them in order that they may
make the proper growth.

A tree will always do best if planted in its natural
sphere. That is, trees shipped from the South
to the North will never thrive as well as a tree
taken from the Northern woods, if it even lives at
all. Many fruit trees are just as pretty as any
other flowering tree and serve the double purpose
of furnishing beauty and supplying the table with
fruit.

Many of the States are working hard to en-
courage tree growing and they will furnish the
trees and a representative to direct the planting,
and when all this is offered it would seem a pity
not to take advantage of it and produce a splen-
did crop of trees for our old age and the coming
generation.

Shrubbery and Trees 231

Shrubbery

Shrubbery trained to fancy shapes, such as a
horse's head, a basket, a chair, etc., is not beautiful.
It is merely a novelty and if talents must be dis-
played in this way, do it where it will not be con-
stantly displayed to the public eye. Keep it in
the background and draw the curtain, as it were,
only to a few who will forgive.

The common mint makes a pretty border shrub,
and the odor is very pleasing in the open air. It is
easily cultivated and almost any soil will prove
satisfactory to it. It may be propagated from
seed, from cuttings, or by a division of the roots.

Borders and places where shrubbery is planted
should be made very rich for the abundance of plant
life will soon consume all the nourishment that
is in the soil, unless avery generous supply is
furnished.

The foliage of the round-leaf privet hedge is more
dense and compact than the foliage of the slim,
pointed leaf. This also applies to the round-
leaf boxwood plant as against the narrow leaf.

232 Shrubbery and Trees

When planting shrubs, scatter a number of peren-
nial hardy flowering plants among them. These
plants should be placed in the front and the kind
should be selected so as to contrast with the
shrubbery.

Plant the tallest shrubs in the rear when massing
several together, and let one variety dominate a
particular locality. This will give individuality
to the neighborhood.

Among the shrubs which give great satisfaction
and require little care are:

Wild Roses Sumacs Mountain Laurel

Black Alder Pinkster Witch Hazel

Before a shrub or tree is placed in its permanent
location an outline map of the area to be treated
should be made. The map should locate all exist-
ing structures, indicate the direction in which
most pleasing outlooks are to be had, and also the
contour of the ground to be beautified.

The aim of trees and shrubbery should be to hide
all objectionable buildings and to shut out all un-
sightly objects maintained by neighbors, and to

Shrubbery and Trees 233

locate them so as to allow an uninterrupted line
of vision where the outlook is pleasing. On large
estates, they should be placed in such position as
will afford the greatest protection from the heavy
winds.

The bays of curved walks and drives should be
filled with groups of shrubs, so that if there be
no natural object for the road to make a curve
around, the planting will serve as a substitute for
one.

Narrow-leaved shrubs should always be mixed with
the heavy, sombre-looking plants. This will add cheer
to the exterior and the effect will be most pleasing.
The smaller specimen of the Siberian pea tree
is very attractive with its rather showy yellow
flowers.

All shrubs and trees should be especially well cul-
tivated just after being planted, to conserve the soil
moisture for them and to keep down the weeds.
All the sod should be cut away within a few feet
of all young trees and shrub clusters and the ground
should be frequently cultivated with a hoe. After
the trees and shrubs once shade the ground,
cultivation is not of such great importance. A

234 Shrubbery and Trees

deep mulch of straw or manure will answer the
same purpose.

Plants that have an unusually fine shape, with
leaves, flowers, or fruit of an unusual kind, can be
shown off advantageously by planting them by them-
selves in the open. They should be planted around
the edges, along the driveway, or close to a build-
ing. The mountain ash, weeping birch, hackberry,
elm, and spiraea are among those which will be
most pleasing.

As fast as the flowers of shrubs and perennials
fade, remove them and let the strength that would
go into the seed go into the foliage.

Very few shrubs are attractive standing alone,
but when a number of specimens are grouped
together, the variety produces a most pleasing
effect. The shrubs with an upright habit and
robust growth should occupy a central location
and the smaller varieties be graduated from them.
Avoid bare trunks and stalks.

Plan shrubbery so as to have a floral display each
month of the year. Glaring contrasts should be
avoided. Know before planting at what time of

Shrubbery and Trees 235

the year the leaves of each plant will fall, or
whether they remain on all winter. Every flower
garden should have some evergreens.

Every landscape gardener should take Nature
for his model, and conceal his own hand as much as
possible. Small places must necessarily be formal,
but large areas should have trees dotted here and
there and shrubbery massed in bunches as it would
be had it grown haphazard.

In localities where soil drifts, shrubs and hedges
may be planted to break the force of the wind and
prevent drifting. From actual measurements, a
hedge five feet high will protect a field from wind
damage for 250 feet. The Russian olive, Russian
golden willow, silver berry, silver maple, and buck-
thorn are ornamental as well as protective.

In transplanting evergreens, do not allow the
roots to be exposed to the sun or wind for even a
minute. A large ball of earth should be left cling-
ing to the roots of every plant to prevent injuring
the root system. They should be set in a moist
atmosphere, or the soil on the roots kept slightly
damp all the while they are out of the ground.
Evergreens not more than a foot in height will

236 Shrubbery and Trees;

thrive better after being transplanted than larger
plants.

Shrubs which bloom in the spring or early summer
should be pruned immediately after the flowers
fade. Shrubs which bloom later can be pruned
in the spring.

When transplanting evergreens from the fields or
mountains to the dooryard, select small sizes and
those that have plenty of room around them.
Such evergreens are harder to grow, however, than
those for sale by a good nurseryman, as the latter
have been transplanted at least once and are
hardier.

In rooting cuttings of evergreens, set the pot or
box in which they are planted in a shady place
and keep the roots moist. The roots should be
good and strong before transplanting.

In hot weather, if any shrubs or other plants appear
to be about to succumb to heat or dryness, several
inches of the top-soil had best be removed from
around the stem. This circumference should be
rimmed so it will hold water, a few holes made
with a pointed stick, and the soil well moistened
after the sun has gone down. Pour in water

Shrubbery and Trees 237

until the earth will soak up no more. Next, crush
the lumps which have been removed and fill in the
space, taking care not to pack down the soil.

The high bush cranberry makes a beautiful orna-
mental shrub. The berries, which ripen in August
and September, are a brilliant red in color, and are
often used for jelly and jam.

Chive planted around the flower bed adds to the
shrubbery. It is a very pretty plan and few stop
to think of it as a common garden vegetable,
and while it is grown particularly for ornamental
purposes it may also be used for cooking. Parsley
makes as pretty a border for a flower bed as any
shrub growing.

An arbor -vitce tree is not only decorative but its
branches act as a splendid preventative of moths
when packed among woolens which are being put
away for the summer.

The California privet and barberry retain their
foliage all winter. The barberry has pretty red
berries at a season when color is in great demand.

The wild raspberry adds pretty color to the land-
scape in the winter. It is medium tall and is not
at all hard to grow.

238 Shrubbery and Trees

The flowering almond produces a profusion of
beautiful flowers that are among the first in the
spring of the year. It is best suited for the fore-
ground of shrubbery clusters near the house.

The choke cherry is a tall coarse shrub and is very
ornamental when used for screening unsightly objects.
The berries, or cherries, furnish excellent food for
birds and if they can get plenty of them, they will
not trouble other plants.

The scarlet sumac does well in dry places and when
planted in clusters among coarse shrubbery it
shows to advantage. Its flowers and leaves are
ornamental in early autumn when they take on a
purplish tinge. It produces ready effects.

The purple barberry gives a beautiful effect when
mixed with the Japanese barberry. Its handsome
purple leaves hold on until early winter, as do
the berries, which follow closely the pretty yellow
flowers. It also answers the purpose beautifully
as a house plant.

Among the flowering shrubs are the following:

Mock Orange? Lilacs High Bush Cranberry

Honeysuckle? Spiraea Bush Magnolia

Shrubbery and Trees 239

Shrubs which afford beautiful color effects for the
winter are:

Ilax High Bush Cranberry

Buckthorn Red Dogwood

Purple-Leaved Barberry Russian Golden Willow

Shrubs which are ornamental and which produce
edible berries for the birds:

Elders Missouri Currant Buffalo Berry

Wolf Berry Thorn Apple June Berry

Dwarf Pine Mountain Ash Russian Olive

Shrubs forming ornamental hedges:

Buckthorn Siberian Pea Tree Russian Golden Willow
Red Cedar Barberry Hydrangea (summer only)

Some of the most desirable of shrubs are those of
the heath family. Some varieties bloom through-
out the winter and along into spring. They will
grow best in rich soil and require little pruning;
all that is necessary is to cut out the stems bearing
the old flowers after the flowers have died.

The flowering currant is a native of Calif ornia
and is one of the finest shrubs to be found. Like
most shrubs it requires a rich, somewhat moist,
though well-drained soil in order to make the best
showing.

240 Shrubbery and Trees

The flowering currant is easily propagated from
cuttings and the surest way of rooting them quickly
is by bending the branches to the ground and
covering with earth, using two small wooden pegs
stuck into the ground, fork-like, for holding the
branches down. As soon as a good strong root
growth has started, the branch should be cut off
an inch or two beyond the roots, toward the main
stem.

Among the shrubs that should be pruned just after
blossoming are the spirceas, jessamines, and for-
sythias. To prune them in the fall means that
the branches which are to bear flowers the follow-
ing spring will be cut away. When pruned just
after flowering in the spring, they have a whole
year in which to grow more shoots.

In procuring shrubs from cuttings, the cuttings
should be taken from firm growth which has
blossomed. There should always be a joint, or
several, on the cutting, and it should be placed
to root in a pot of sandy soil.

If shrubbery cuttings are placed in paper cups and
set in the cold frame, with sash closed, the root
system will start its growth quickly. No watering

Shrubbery and Trees 241

is necessary though the cuttings should be syringed
daily, and the sun should not be permitted to shine
directly on the cold frame.

A young hedge should be trimmed three times dur-
ing the first year to induce plenty of lateral growth.
Each year thereafter, it should be trimmed twice,
once in the early spring and again in the late
summer or early fall.

Keep the heavy snow knocked off the flower bushes
and shrubbery or they may break from being over-
weighted.

Trees

Small places, consisting of an acre or less, situ-
ated close to others of like dimensions, can only
be appropriately improved in a formal style. Large
suburban places or country seats should, in order
to maintain unity and harmony with their sur-
roundings, be treated in the natural style.

Plant a tree every year!

Late in March is a good time to prune trees.

A tree that everyone may have at little or no
cost is the wild black hawthorn, or Viburnum. Its

16

242 Shrubbery and Trees

foliage, flower, and fruit all are lovely. They
flourish in the woods from Florida to Maine and
live to be from fifty to a hundred years old.

In moving a large tree: First, dig around the tree,
preferably when the ground is frozen, and take up
a large clump of dirt. Make a wooden standard
of three straight pieces of wood of the same length,
nailed together in the form of a square with one
side off, and place this against the tree, tying it
to the trunk, after first having wrapped the tree
with thick cloth to prevent bruising. Tie a rope
to the corners of the standard, and fasten another
rope in this loop. At the other end of the second
rope, hitch a horse, or if an extremely large tree,
two horses, and they will easily raise the tree.
There should be ready a stoneboat or wooden
platform on rollers on which the tree should at
once be hauled, loosening as little dirt as possible.
It can then be carried easily to the new location.
Dig a hole sufficiently large for the roots to spread
out, set the tree in place and pack the earth down
tightly. Trim the branches to keep it from blow-
ing over from top-heaviness, and anchor it by tying
heavy wires to four sides and fastening them to
pegs driven into the ground. Water the tree
several times during the first two summers, by

Shrubbery and Trees 243

driving an iron tubing into the ground near the
roots (taking care that it does not strike the root,
if possible) and pouring water down this.

Trees planted in the fall should be given a thor-
ough watering so the roots will not dry out over
winter and in order to anchor the trees in the
ground, as the water freezes the roots and helps
in avoiding injury from the wind by swaying.

Trees planted in the fall, the best season for
planting them, should be given a mulch of leaves
or coarse manure as a protection during the winter.

The oak is perhaps the most wonderful of all trees.
Every person who plants an oak and tends it until
a good growth is started is doing a great service to
the next generation. The maple, too, is a splendid
tree, but it is not so hardy as the sturdy oak, as
it becomes injured so much easier. They are,
however, much more rapid growers than the oaks.

The American elm is valuable both for street and
ornamental planting. It grows rapidly and is one
of the most graceful trees native to our forests.

The ashes are of rapid growth and have clean foli-
age, They have one drawback and that is they

244 Shrubbery and Trees

produce great quantities of seed which in turn
produce a crop of weedy seedlings upon the lawn.

Lindens are immensely satisfactory in the coun-
try but will not long endure the privations of
street life in cities. It is prized as a honey plant
and for its timber.

In planting trees, place them in a location where
they will not cast a shadow on flowers which re-
quire sunlight. Make due allowance, also, for the
growth of the branches when they will shadow all
nearby plants.

The crab apple is a very ornamental tree and
bears a fruit which is much desired for jelly. Its
flowers are borne late in May. It stands exposure
well and will grow in almost any soil, though good
drainage should be assured. It should be watched
closely in the early spring for insects and if any
appear, a thorough spraying with Bordeaux mix-
ture should be given.

Spruces should never be overlooked when selecting
trees. They will grow under almost any condition
of soil and climate and their rich green color and
graceful habit make them a most desirable ever-
green,

Shrubbery and Trees 245

The bright foliage of the Irish juniper, and the
rapidity with which it grows makes it a very popu-
lar tree for the garden.

The hemlock is adapted to a very moist soil and a
somewhat shady location, and when trimmed regu-
larly it makes a beautiful hedge or border plant.

The tree of heaven is of Chinese origin and will
thrive in a great variety of soils. It grows very
rapidly in a good loamy soil, and the leaves will
often reach a length of three or four feet. It
should be given plenty of room and should be
planted in a location where sunlight is not needed
for small plants.

The shoots which appear near the ground on the
tree of heaven may be used as cuttings and rooted
to produce other trees. New shoots will produce
finer leaves than older trees. Trees should be
pruned every second year while young and the
trees trained to the desired shape at pruning time.

The tulip tree is a beautiful flowering tree which
should be planted in loamy, well-drained soil. It
should be carefully pruned while young in order
to make a pretty, graceful tree. It grows, under

246 Shrubbery and Trees

favorable conditions, to be a very large tree, often
reaching one hundred feet in height.

Alternate freezing and thawing of the bark of young
trees in the early spring is likely to cause sun-
scald. The injury generally appears on the south
side of the trunk in the form of brown blisters or
black bark which decays and falls off, leaving the
wood exposed.

One very effective method of preventing sun-scald
on the young trees is to bind a wide board on the
south side of the trunk to protect it from the hot
rays of the afternoon sun.

When the bark on trees has become hard, it should
be softened by washing it in the early spring with
a strong solution of soapsuds, lye, or whitewash,
which may be applied with a paint brush or an
old broom. A child's toy broom will answer splen-
didly, being easy to handle.

San Jose scale may be detected by the appearance
of innumerable small specks of a light gray shade.
They can be removed by means of the finger nail
and they usually appear on young shoots.

To follow the planting of either deciduous or co-
niferous trees in the extremes is not attractive. An

Shrubbery and Trees 247

intermingling of evergreens with the deciduous
trees is very effective, and a mixutre of conifers
with deciduous trees will make screening very
dense. Conifers carry an expression of warmth
and life and are beautiful after the snow has
fallen on them.

Deciduous trees can be planted to advantage dur-
ing the months of April and May, and evergreens
as late as June, though September and October
are the best months. A young tree should be
planted a few inches deeper than it stood before
transplanting.

In mamifacturing communities where there is a
great deal of smoke it is best to plant those trees
which will survive these trying conditions. Some
very adaptable trees are the Norway maples,
ashes, and poplars.

For seaside use, the pin oak, ash, poplar, and
Norway maple are advisable.

Plane trees, lindens, or horse chestnuts should not
be placed in a position where they will be much
exposed. They are not over hardy.

248 Shrubbery and Trees

Apple trees for shade trees along the roadside are
both beautiful in flower and edible in fruit, and to
plant fruit trees for shade shows a disposition
toward benefiting humanity.

Nut trees require a very deep, rich, and well-
drained soil.

In transplanting a tree more than eight feet high,
the tops should be pruned before the tree is planted.
This will balance the branching and root systems
and will promote a symmetrical development of
the tree. The elm is an exception to this rule.
All bruised or broken roots should be cut off clean
with a knife before the tree is planted.

Elms should be planted not less than forty feet
apart to give the best results. Maples can be
planted as close as twenty -five feet, while lindens,
catalpas, or poplars may have the space reduced
to twenty feet, or in special cases to even less.

When rows of trees are to be planted on the borders
of the yard opposite the windbreak, it will be desir-
able to plow and summer fallow strips of land at
least ten feet wide here.

Shrubbery and Trees 249

When purchasing trees for planting, and they
come from a distance, it is best to soak the roots
in fresh water for twenty-four hours before plant-
ing. They should be kept in a cool, shady place or
stored in the cellar if they are not too large.

For protection and quick shade there is nothing
better than the poplar. They are extremely hardy
and when planted with other trees which are more
slow-growing may be taken out easily when the
permanent trees have grown sufficiently large
and transplanted to another location.

The black walnut is a beautiful flowering tree
and does well when planted on rich, moist soil, espe-
cially near a stream. The trees are beautiful, the
nuts edible, and the wood very valuable. Ten
years is the length of time for it to mature.

The yellow wood tree is native to the region of
Tennessee and Kentucky and is a very desirable
tree for the yard. Its leaves turn to a pretty
yellow in the fall and the flower is beautiful in a
bouquet. It grows moderately fast, is free from
disease, and makes no objectionable litter on the
lawn.

250 Shrubbery and Trees

The hardy catalpa is valuable from an orna-
mental standpoint ^and produces very valuable
timber.

The horse chestnut is a very hardy tree and its
flowers are unusually beautiful, though it makes a
great deal of litter during the autumn and has to
be guarded carefully from disease.

INSECTS AND SPRAYS

THE first requisite in spraying flowers, vines,
shrubbery, and trees for bugs and worms is to know
what variety of pest you are trying to eliminate.
To use some one spray as a general insecticide is
practically a waste of time. What is poison to one
bug may be food to another. So, first, know what
it is you are trying to kill and then learn what it is
that will kill it. A local florist may not always
give correct advice as to a solution. If he has one
or two good insecticides, he may suggest them as
being valuable for all nuisances. Sometimes this
advice may be through ignorance, for not all
flower-sellers are flower-culturists, but more often
it is through the desire to sell his product and
he is willing for you and your plants to take the
risk.

Certain small insects such as scale often do a
great deal of harm before the amateur gardener
realizes that the plant is not thriving or before he
has any idea what the trouble can be. Any un-

251

252 Insects and Sprays

natural-looking growth on a plant should be looked
after at once. Although it may not prove to be
an insect, it has no place there and cannot be bene-
ficial to the plant.

Insects cannot always be gotten rid of by one
spraying. It sometimes requires patience and
persistency but when they have attacked a plant
it means eventually either the death of the plant
or the death of the insect, and patience and per-
sistency will have their reward.

There are two classes of insects — the sucking
insect which draws the sap out of the plant, and
the chewing insect which does what its name indi-
cates and eats the leaves and stems. The sucking
insects hide under the branches and leaves and are
sometimes difficult to detect. Hence a complete
examination should be made when pests are
suspected.

When spraying for insects, the spraying should
be done thoroughly, for only that part of the plant
which the spraying has touched is protected and
made immune. A half-hearted spraying will do
little or no good for though some may be killed,
the remaining ones will multiply rapidly.

Clean plants are not as likely to be attacked by
insects as sooty, dusty plants, and the reason is
obvious. In keeping plants clean they become

Insects and Sprays 253

more familiar to one and even the less noticeable
pests will soon be detected. Old rubbish, such as
dead plants, vines, and fallen leaves, should not be
permitted to lie around in piles. They not only
serve as protection and food for bugs which will
infest your own flowers, but they will make jour-
neys to your neighbor's garden as well. Any un-
clean refuse also aids in hibernating certain kinds
of worms hence the stable yard should be cleaned
daily. When it is impossible for the young gar-
dener to determine just what insect is attacking his
plants he should gather a sample by picking off
the leaf on which the insect is working and take it
to a bug expert, or if this is not practical, some bugs
may be knocked off the bush or vine into a pail or
other tin and be carried to an experienced gardener
for classification. It would be impossible in the
space devoted to this subject to give a list and
general description of even the most common of
insects. A number of suggestions for getting rid
of many of them, and the sprays which have proven
effective in the work, are listed below:

All house plants should be examined daily for
insects, and all garden plants every three or four days
at least. Some insects are so minute that a very
careful inspection will be necessary. Not only

254 Insects and Sprays

the stems and top of leaves should be examined,
but the under side of the leaves and the petals of
flowers also should have a careful inspection.

Insects are divided into two classes with reference
to their manner of working on plants: I. Insects
which eat the leaves, petals, and stems of plants;
2. Insects which suck the sap from the plant and
thus cause its death.

Stone lime added to arsenate of lead and Paris
green will usually prevent the foliage from becoming
burned from the poisons. These poisons should
never be used on plants which are within the reach
of children, and adults should carefully wash their
hands after coming in contact with the plants.

Plant louse can be controlled by spraying the
plants on which they are found with strong soap-
suds made by boiling half a pound of strong, yellow
laundry soap in a gallon of water. The soap
should be shredded before putting into the water
or it will take a long while for it to dissolve.

Black leaf 40, purchasable at almost any florist's
or seedsman's, diluted in proportion to one part
black leaf to 800 parts of water is very efficacious
in getting rid of plant louse.

Insects and Sprays 255

Fungus diseases can usually be controlled by
spraying with Bordeaux mixture (see index). The
number of sprays will be determined by the crop
of insects, the weather, and other conditions.
Usually from three to five sprays will be sufficient.

When a plant is suffering from a bacterial disease,
i. e., a disease caused by the multiplication of
bacteria in the water canals of a plant, the diseased
plant should be pulled up and destroyed that the
disease may not be spread to other plants. Burn-
ing is the only safe method of destruction. The
plant should not be allowed to touch other plants
when taking it from the garden.

Insects that suck a plant can nearly always be
destroyed by spraying with a strong solution of
nicotine. This is made by boiling a pound of plug
or smoking tobacco in two gallons of water, or by
soaking it for twenty-four hours in cold or luke-
warm water. Boiling extracts all of the strength,
however.

Worms on plants will usually be suffocated by
dusting the plant with Persian insect powder mixed
with lime in the proportion of one ounce of pow-
der to four ounces of lime. This should be used
several times during the course of a week.

256 Insects and Sprays

Worms and bugs hibernate in old rubbish, in
dead vines and bushes, hence the garden should be
kept clean and free from all dead and unsightly
bushes and rubbish.

Tent caterpillars are among the most annoying
insects and they multiply very rapidly. No chance
should be lost to kill one.

A cold-water spray two or three times a day will
be all that is necessary to get rid of the little red spider
which forms tiny webs on the under side of the
leaves of plants. These little insects are very
tiny, resembling specks of red pepper, and they
dislike moisture strongly.

Palms, ivy, oleander, and other plants are often
badly attacked by scale, which sucks the life out
of the plant. A good emulsion for ridding a plant
of this scale is made as follows:

Dissolve a bar of laundry soap in a gallon of
water, and bring the water to a boil. Add a half-
pint of kerosene and a gill of tobacco extract,
(made by boiling plug or smoking tobacco in
water). Apply several times if necessary.

Spade or harrow the garden well in the fall if the
plants have been infected with insects. Turn chick-

Insects and Sprays 257

ens in and let them eat the insects as the ground is
turned over.

In spraying for insects, be sure to spray into the
flower or cluster of flowers, as it is there that so
many tiny insects hide.

The root aphis often attacks asters, doing a great
deal of damage which the amateur does not always
detect until too late. If the soil is watered occa-
sionally with nicotine solution (see index), it will
keep this pest away. When planting asters, it is
a wise precaution to put a handful of tobacco dust
in the soil around the plant.

Begin spraying plants early in the season and
many insects will be warded off. Particularly
rose bushes should be sprayed early as their worst
enemies always come at the beginning of the season.

When mice are eating the roots of bulbs or other
plants, bury ashes in the ground near. Ashes
should not come in direct contact with the roots of
bulbs, however.

Caterpillars are easily seen and the best practice
in destroying them is to pick them off the bushes by
hand and drop them into a tin pail preparatory to

17

258 Insects and Sprays

burning them. They do an immense amount of
damage to plant life in a very short while

Wireworm is one of the most troublesome of pests.
These worms bore into the stem of the plants below
the surface of the ground, hence their damage is
not easily detected. Common salt mixed with the
earth will often kill them, but it should not be
permitted to touch either the branches or the roots
of the plant or it may prove fatal. Nitrate of soda
is often used in getting rid of them.

Bordeaux mixture, which contains arsenic, makes
a good spray for plants infested with caterpillars.
These troublesome pests bite off the leaves of
plants and are easily detected. Spraying may
have to be given three or four times but it is
either spray or give up the plant

The green aphis which so often attacks house plants
may be controlled by spraying with a nicotine solu-
tion. This can be purchased at the florist's or
made at home by boiling a pound of plug or smok-
ing tobacco in a gallon of water.

Lime-sulphur should be used on trees which are
covered with a thick, hard scale or shell. These
scales are very tiny indeed but they do an immense
amount of damage. The lime-sulphur should be

Insects and Sprays 259

used only in the winter when the leaves have
fallen. This is a strong spray and will injure tender
vegetation.

Sweet peas should be closely watched for aphis and
when any is discovered, spray the vines with a
strong solution of yellow soap and water, or spray
with nicotine solution made by soaking smoking
tobacco in cold water for twenty-four hours or by
boiling it in water for a couple of hours. Apply
when cold.

Aphides or green flies may be removed from house
plants by smoking them with tobacco smoke. A
few glowing coals should be placed on an iron
shovel or in a pan, and tobacco spread over them.
The coals should be smothered so they will smoke
but not blaze.

Either a solution of whale-oil soap or a thorough
spraying with nicotine solution will drive the lice
from rosebushes. The solutions should be applied
early before the lice are hidden by the curl of the
leaves. The solution must hit the lice in order
to kill them.

Slugs can be removed only by picking them off.

Choice rosebushes should be protected from bugs
when they are particularly prevalent by covering

260 Insects and Sprays

with mosquito netting. If this netting is dyed
green, instead of using plain white, the beauty of
the rose can more easily be seen.

The army worm which can cause so much havoc
in such a short period of time is a smooth, striped
caterpillar about an inch and a quarter in length,
and rather dark in appearance. The moth from
which it hatches is brown with white spots on the
wings. The most practical way to stop their pro-
gress in order to destroy them is to dig a furrow in
front of their path and let them fall into it and
pour kerosene on them. If they are already in a
field, mix one pound of Paris green with fifty pounds
of wheat bran and the juice of half a dozen oranges.
Mix this with molasses to form a dough and scatter
it about. They breed usually in rank grass or
over-fertilized fields. Do not let this be put where
children can get at it.

Wasps may be destroyed by placing a gallon jug
containing a quart of water near the nest. The
wasps will fly angrily at the jug, the hollow sound
of its buzzing echoing from the jug will make it
enter the jug and fall into the water. Wasps call to
each other and where one goes the others follow.
Paris green distributed on minced meat is poison-

Insects and Sprays 261

ous to them, but this is a deadly poison to humans
as well and should be carefully handled.

Spores and germs of diseases live in the soil
when plowed under, so use the precaution of rak-
ing up and burning all dead vines, etc. Rotation
is another means of checking the ravages of insects
and diseases.

The standard remedy for San Jose scale is
lime-sulphur. If this cannot be procured at your
dealer's, slake 22 Ibs. of fresh lime, using just
enough water to cover the lime. Add 17 Ibs. of
sulphur which has been mixed to a paste with
water. Boil for an hour in 10 gallons of water,
using an iron vessel. Add enough water to make
50 gallons and strain through wire netting.

Motor goggles should be worn when spraying
trees or high shrubbery to protect the eyes, otherwise
serious trouble may result.

When the apple blossoms begin to fall, the fruit-
grower should begin to spray. When the calyx
lobes close a couple of weeks later, the spraying
should stop.

The little brown slug that eats the foliage of
cherry, plum, and pear trees in the summer-time is

262 Insects and Sprays

not difficult to control. It can be destroyed by
spraying with two ounces of hellebore in one gallon
of water.

Pine-mice destroy fruit trees, attacking below the
surface and their deadly work is not discovered
sometimes before the tree is dead. Bury a little
poisoned bran (mixed with Paris green) near the
tree but not on the roots.

Pools of water in which lilies are raised should
always contain one or more fish to eat the mos-
quito larva. Goldfish will add materially to the
appearance of the pool as well as serve as protectors
to human beings.

In localities badly infested with mosquitoes heavy
vines should not be planted too near the house.
They serve as hiding-places for mosquitoes and the
pests will breed rapidly.

Fresh pyrethrum powder placed around flower
pots will be the means of destroying many house
centipedes. This worm eats flies, but even so, he
is not particularly attractive and agreeable to have
around.

Fresh manure laying around in piles will be the
means of breeding any quantity of flies. To

Insects and Sprays 263

sprinkle it with powdered hellebore, half a pound
dissolved in ten gallons of water, will destroy the
majority of the larvae.

Paris green sprinkled over chopped meat and
placed near a wasp's nest will mean certain death to
all that eat it. This is a deadly poison to human
beings as well.

s.

Once a year, preferably in the spring when the
plants are taken out, tobacco extract should be
burned in the greenhouse to fumigate it. If there is
any doubt as to insects being prevalent in the fall,
another fumigation should take place before the
plants go back for the winter.

Six ounces of sulphur for every one thousand
cubic feet is an excellent disinfectant for insects.
The greenhouse should be closed tight and all
cracks stopped up, first having removed the plants.

Angleworms are a friend to the gardener. They
help to cultivate plants by their burrowing and
they make humus by drawing leaves and plants
into their holes and burying it. Hence angle-
worms also should be insured a long life.

Poisoned bran scattered on the ground near plants
which are infected with cutworms will soon cause

264 Insects and Sprays

the death of many of them. Here, again, caution
should be exercised that the poison may not come
in contact with children or with adults who are
ignorant of its presence.

When a greenhouse has been infected with insects
all good plants should be taken out and the house
thoroughly disinfected. Burning six ounces of
sulphur to every one thousand cubic feet of space
and keeping the house tightly closed for twenty-
four hours will destroy any insects. Any plants
infected should be destroyed, and this can be done
by leaving them in the greenhouse when the dis-
infecting is being done.

Hydrocyanic gas is a most dangerous fumigant
and should never be used except by experts.

Tobacco extract can be procured at almost any
dealer's and is safe and satisfactory to use as a dis-
infectant. It should be burned once every spring
in the greenhouse as it is very effective in destroying
plant lice. The plants should be taken out first.

The mealy-bug is a soft, white bug with a cottony
appearance. It usually attacks plants which have
soft wood stems and the plants should be sprayed
with kerosene emulsion. (See index.)

Insects and Sprays 265

Rose bugs may be sprayed with arsenate of lead
solution (see index), but the most effective way of
getting rid of them is to take them off by hand,
knocking them into a pail of kerosene emulsion by
means of a wooden spoon or paddle.

Arsenate of lead solution, hellebore, or Paris
green are effective in destroying caterpillars.

A little nitrate of soda worked into the surface
of the earth will invigorate plants which have
had a setback from being attacked by borers, root-
maggots, or other insects.

To exterminate chickweed which becomes such a
nuisance when it once gets a good start, spray with
a solution of sulphate of iron by means of a hand
sprayer

The following remedies are effective in getting
rid of blight, mildew, leaf -spot, and rust:

Bordeaux mixture

Lime-sulphur

Ammoniacal solution of copper carbonate

The fly should be swatted before he becomes a
fly. They breed readily in manure and the manure
should be treated with borax, a heaping pint meas-
ure of borax to every eight bushels of manure.

266 Insects and Sprays

The borax should be applied with a flour sifter or
other sieve and two or three gallons of water
should be sprinkled over the manure after it has
been treated with the borax.

Sprinkling manure with a solution of half a
pound of powdered hellebore dissolved in ten
gallons of water will destroy from eighty-five
to ninety per cent, of the larva or maggots which
produce flies.

In sprinkling large quantities of manure with
borax it should not be used in greater quantity
than fifteen tons to the acre or damage to the
vegetables to which the manure is applied may
result.

To control the Hessian fly, try burning all
stubble and clearing all refuse from damp places.

To destroy the small black fly which feeds on the
pear and cherry trees, spray the trees with arsenate
of lead in water, in the proportion of two pounds
of the poison to fifty gallons of water. If the ap-
plication is not made until the fruit is well under
way, it will be safer to use white hellebore instead
of arsenate of lead.

One disadvantage in using Bordeaux mixture
is that it discolors the foliage and causes the fruits

Insects and Sprays 267

to have a russet appearance, hence whenever pos-
sible it should be used before the foliage has a good
start. Lime-sulphur can often be substituted for
Bordeaux mixture.

Ar senate of lead or Paris green can be used with
Bordeaux mixture or lime-sulphur sprays thus mak-
ing a combined fungicide and insecticide treat-
ment. Both of these sprays are poisonous and
should be kept out of the reach of children.

There is no danger from burning the foliage with
ar senate of lead nor will it wash off when the rain
pours on it. It may be purchased in either paste
or powder form and may be used as a dry powder
or made into a solution according to the directions
which accompany each package.

When the cucumber beetle attacks vines, spray
with Bordeaux mixture or ar senate of lead solu-
tion. Tobacco dust sprinkled over the vines will
tend to keep these bugs away.

Arsenate of lead should be used as a spray when
asters are attacked by the aster beetle. Many of
these bugs can be picked off by hand and they
should be dropped in kerosene emulsion at once.

268 Insects and Sprays

The toad is the gardener's best friend. Never
kill one. In three months he will devour ten
thousand insects, among which are beetles, worms,
snails, spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, weevils, moths,
caterpillars, wasps, yellow-jackets, ants, and others.
It never eats food without life. It can live two
years without eating but cannot live long under
water, and it can lay more than a thousand eggs
a year. Cultivate toads.

Angleworms do not harm plants. Instead they
bring good soil to the surface and mix it with the
other soil. They draw leaves, grass, etc., into
their holes and make humus and when they die
they fertilize the soil with their bodies. Robins
would eat more fruit than they do now if they had
not angleworms to feed on.

To protect tomato plants from the cutworm, wrap
pieces of paper around the stem of the plant
for about two inches below the soil and a slight
distance above. Poisoned bran scattered on the
ground near the plants will kill the cutworms.
Be careful not to get it on the leaves of the plants.

Birds eat many of the harmful insects.

Insects are usually most prevalent on the young
twigs of plants and it is there the spraying should

Insects and Sprays 269

be most carefully done. To spray half-heartedly
will do no good.

In spraying flowering trees or vegetables, be careful
to get the mixture into the flower clusters. The
spray should be directed from every angle.

Jack Frost is the champion pesteradicator.

Fall plowing with some hens following the plow
is a good way to get rid of many hibernating
insects.

SPRAYS WHICH EVERY GARDENER SHOULD KNOW
HOW TO MAKE

Bordeaux Mixture

Dissolve 4 Ibs. of copper sulphate crystals in 2
gallons of hot water, using a wooden container, or
dissolve by suspending the crystals in a coarse sack
in a half -barrel of water.

' Slake 4 Ibs. of fresh lime in a wooden tub or half-
barrel, adding slowly just enough water to insure
thorough slaking. When slaked, enough water
may be added to make the mixture of the consist-
ency of cream.

When cold, strain lime mixture through a wire
strainer into the barrel and add enough water to

270 Insects and Sprays

make 25 gallons; dilute the copper solution with
enough water to make 25 gallons and pour it
slowly into the lime mixture.

Self -Boiled Lime-Sulphur

Place 8 Ibs. of fresh stone lime in a barrel and
slake, using no more water than is necessary. As
soon as the heat has generated, sift in 8 Ibs. of sul-
phur flour and stir into the lime solution thoroughly
gradually adding more water to make a thick paste.
Heat for fifteen minutes, then cool by adding more
water. Strain into a barrel and add enough water
to^make 50 gallons of the mixture.

Potassium Sulphide

Dissolve three ounces of potassium sulphide in 10
gallons of water.

Corrosive Sublimate

Dissolve 2 oz. of corrosive sublimate in 15 gal-
lons of .water. (Very poisonous.)

Formaldehyde Solution

For spraying potatoes, I Ib. of formaldehyde to
30 gallons of water.

Insects and Sprays 271

For onion smut, I Ib. of formaldehyde to 16
gallons of water.

For seed bed, i Ib. of formaldehyde to I2>^
gallons of water.

Paris Green

Slake % Ib. of quick lime in enough water to
answer the purpose; mix J^ Ib. Paris green with a
little water until it is of a creamy consistency, and
add to the limewater; add enough water to make
50 gallons.

Ar senate of Lead Paste

Dissolve 3 Ibs. of arsenate of lead paste in 50
gallons of water.

Arsenate of Lead Powder

Mix iX Ibs. of arsenate of lead powder with
enough water to make a creamy consistency and
add enough water to make 50 gallons.

Hellebore

Steep 2 oz. of hellebore in a pint of water and
gradually add more water until it amounts to 3
gallons.

272 Insects and Sprays

Whale-oil Soap

Dissolve 2 Ibs. of potash whale-oil soap in a
gallon of water for use in the summer months;
for winter use dissolve I Ib. of soap.

Kerosene Emulsion

Dissolve ]/2 Ib. of good hard soap in a gallon of
hot water. Churn this until it becomes thick,
then mix with 2 gallons of kerosene.

Bordeaux Arsenate of Lead Mixture

Mix 3 Ibs. of lead arsenate powder with 50
gallons of Bordeaux mixture.

THE COLOR SCHEME

THE color scheme of the garden, however small
it may be, is deserving of any amount of considera-
tion. The difference in the general aspect of the
garden which has been carefully laid out in color
before planting, and the garden planted without
regard to the combination of colors and the size of
the plants grouped together, is quite as noticeable
as the difference in exteriors which have been care-
fully studied and those which have been carelessly
put together.

A little judicious selecting of plants will enable
even the amateur gardener to have a succession
of blossoms throughout the seasons, as well as
a splendid showing of bright colors out-of-doors
during the cold months. The garden color scheme
should always harmonize with the exterior of the
house. The beauty of an old-fashioned, colonial
exterior will be emphasized by a planting of flowers
which grew in the garden a hundred years ago, and
the planting for a house built on Spanish Mission
lines should consist largely of palms, shrubbery,
and heavy foliage plants. A little white house
with green shutters has its dainty effect carried
is 273

274 The Color Scheme

out in full if light-leaved foliage is massed around
the doorway and the colors most prominent are
soft pink, white, and green, or blue, pink, white,
and green, or some other delicate combination. A
large house with a dark, heavy exterior needs
gay, bright, even giddy colors to strike a balance
and create a cheerful atmosphere. A house gray
in color makes a good background for geraniums
on the cerise shade growing in the window boxes,
with English ivy tendrils hanging gracefully down,
and a mixture of white, delft blue, and cerise
somewhere in the yard. Unharmonious colors
should not be grouped together in the garden any
more than they should be combined indoors in
wall paper and draperies. The secret of a beau-
tiful garden lies just as much in the grouping
together of colors as in the care given the plants.
When there is not enough space to separate shades
which do not harmonize, an abundance of green
planted between them will prevent a clash of
colors, and if the effect of the general landscape
plan will not be marred, the foliage plants should
be tall enough to entirely shut off the view of one
color when looking at the other.

The midsummer color scheme is easily planned
as this period produces a wonderful variety of
flowers of all shades and sizes, but the plan for

The Color Scheme 275

spring and fall is more difficult. Fortunately in
the spring we are gratified at having any sort of
display of flowers which first herald the approach
of warm sunny weather after the bitter cold just
experienced, and they are given double the appre-
ciation they really deserve, or that would be given
them later in the season, and thanks to the various
lilies, i. e., the hyacinth, narcissus, daffodil, crocus,
lily-of-the-valley, and also the magnolia, we are
not without plenty of variety in color, though the
variety in species of plant is limited.

The fall flowers are not so inspiring but we have
up to this time been so abundantly supplied with
color that we are willing to accept the variety
which stays with us until cold weather has shown
its intention of taking up its abode in our midst.
The fall flowers usually are pronounced in color,
thus does Nature provide cheer during the season
when the leaves begin to fall, and yet it is not
time to stay indoors. Cosmos, salvia, cannas,
dahlias, petunias, marigolds, nasturtiums, zinnias,
and chrysanthemums do their best to lend cheer to
the cold chilly atmosphere of autumn, and all of
these plants will flourish with little care, though
there are such wonderful opportunities afforded for
developing the chrysanthemum that it would be
a great pity not to take advantage of them.

276 The Color Scheme

Rhododendrons have heavy leaves and when
grouped together on a small lot they make an
effective screen, but they should have some relief
near in the form of lighter-leaved foliage.

In planting flowers of the same primal colors but
of different shades, it is well to keep the more pro-
nounced colors away from the daintier hues. For
instance, a deep red near a delicate pink will have
the effect of absolutely killing the pink and making
what might, under more favorable surroundings,
be a beautiful blossom appear to be a washed-out,
sickly looking flower.

The colors which harmonize in clothing may
safely be combined in flowers, for, after all, color
is color whether it be indoors or out. An abund-
ance of white is always desirable as it not only
brings out colors but it will neutralize even very
harsh effects.

In roses, perhaps more than in any other one
flower, we have a wide variety of shades in the
different colors represented, but the amateur does
not usually stop to consider this when planning
the rose garden. He feels that a rose is a rose and
that roses properly belong in the same location
whether or not that handsome, rich Jack rose is
going to destroy the beauty of the delicate tea or
La France. A rose garden is something to be

The Color Scheme 277

desired but it is not beautiful when en masse
unless great care has been exercised when placing
the bushes. The size of the bush, too, will play
its part. Pruning roses is advised but if all bushes
are to be cut to one or two stems each year in order
to produce one or two very fine buds there will be
a lack of color in the rose garden, and the fact that
one or two fine buds will soon shatter and there will
be no chance for more to blossom forth should be
considered when pruning. It does seem a pity to
sacrifice so much of flower and foliage merely to
produce one or two unusually fine rose buds. In
selecting evergreens there may be procured beauti-
ful shades of grayish blue and bluish green in the
spruce, and soft yellows and greens in the cedar
and arbor- vitas. Barberry, hawthorne, buckthorn,
and holly will furnish red and the much-to-be-
desired andromeda floribunda with its cottony
white berries is beautiful alike for the garden and
for cutting to mix with other flowers in a vase.

For the window boxes there should be vines as
well as plants unless the plants are spreading in
habit. The English ivy is always satisfactory here
and particularly when the flowers are a deep shade,
while the pretty little green and white king gera-
nium is lovely when planted among the more deli-
cately shaded flowers.

278 The Color Scheme

And do not forget that the color of the paint
used on garden accessories will have its effect on
the general color scheme. The color of pergolas,
arches, and seats, as well as fences, and the color
in paths is going to go far toward making or mar-
ring the garden. Painted a glaring white these
objects will be very conspicuous, and they were
never meant to be conspicuous. They are there
for a practical purpose and should never come to
the fore. A bright green will seldom harmonize
with the green of the foliage, but a soft gray green
will not be so noticeable, and soft shades of gray
may be used to advantage.

Garden sticks with conspicuous figures, such as
birds and flowers painted in gay colors, lend color
to the garden and perhaps they are all right if one
can't have color in flowers. A garden, however,
is meant to display flowers and not the handiwork
of someone who can carve a piece of wood into a
fantastic shape.

The shady places should be carefully looked after.
It is not difficult to get plenty of color for these
spots, though, as a rule, they are treated to a dull
sombre green. The shady spots, more than the
sunshiny locations, require color, and warm colors
will lend cheer to the surroundings.

MISCELLANEOUS HINTS ON GARDENING

An outfit for the gardener should include the
following tools if he would do good work without
being hampered:

A trowel. A thermometer.

A small hand hoe. A cut-steel rake.

A thinning or weeding hook. A measuring pole.

A hand weeder. A watering can.

A garden fork. A large spoon.

A pair of pruning shears. A bulb syringe.
A house-plant vaporizer for spraying insects.

A French watering can has an exceedingly long
spout and will save the back in watering small plants.
Nearly all seed houses carry garden tools.

\

A self -watering window box will prove most valu-
able when one wishes to close up a house for a week or
two. The water may be poured into the bottom of
the box and by means of small holes it will be
sucked up by the soil as the plant needs it.

Heavy plants, such as palms, ferns, etc., may be
placed on a rolling stand and moved easily anywhere

279

280 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

about the house. Plants which should be occa-
sionally transferred to the sunlight, but which
ordinarily remain in a room, will be much more
likely to receive the necessary attention if
one of those stands is procured. They are very
inexpensive.

Inexpensive and attractive wire plant stands are
prettier than the old-fashioned wooden ones, and
have the advantage of everlasting wear and light-
ness of weight.

There are now manufactured waterproof fibre
saucers for flower pots which will not absorb mois-
ture and cause a highly polished piece of furniture
to be marred. They are unbreakable, hence will
last a lifetime, and are very attractive in appear-
ance. They come in various sizes.

A self-watering hanging flower pot saves the floor
from drips and as a large quantity of water may be
applied at one time, the plants will not require
such careful attention.

A wheel hoe will be a most convenient implement
in cultivating rows of large tracts for the garden.
It makes cultivating a very easy task and there
will be no dreaded backache for one who is subject
to this trouble.

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 281

Hotbed and cold frame sash can be purchased at a
slight cost when unglazed glass is used, and unglazed
is quite as good as glazed so far as the health of
the plants is concerned.

A metal rubbish burner in which may be collected
leaves, paper, and rubbish will save making an un-
sightly spot on the lawn, and there will be no danger
of burned particles blowing around over the
garden.

Horse-radish roots will grow tender green shoots
when placed in water. The long pieces of the roots
should be split lengthwise and placed in the water
with the cut side down, or little knobs may be cut
which will branch out prettily and each form a
separate little plant. The water should be changed
every three or four days. This will make a most
novel and attractive table decoration, which will
prove quite a surprise to those who do not know
about it.

Attar of roses is made from the petals of the
damask rose and other roses grown in Bulgaria,
India, Persia, and the south of France. Geranium
oil is obtained from the leaves of the pelargonium,
which is cultivated in Spain and Algeria. Oranges,
tuberoses, jasmines, and violets are grown in Grasse,

282 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

France, for the purpose of making perfume bearing
the same names. Peppermint, spearmint, worm-
wood, sassafras, wintergreen, birch, spruce, white
cedar, and tansy are grown in the United States,
principally in the Eastern States, for their oils.

The goldenrod is commonly known as the national
flower of the United States, but as its claim lies
chiefly in the fact that it is found in profusion in
every State in the Union, and as there are other
flowers having the same claim, there seems little
reason for adopting it as the national flower. It is
not very pretty nor has it any fragrance, and it
bears the dreadful stigma of causing hay fever.
The columbine is much preferred by many, and has
the added attraction, aside from that of thriving
in all parts of the country, of producing red, white,
and blue flowers, which lend themselves readily for
decoration on our national holiday.

The ribs of an old umbrella will make a scarcely
visible support for gladioli, dahlias, vines, and other
flowers requiring bracing or place to climb upon.
An old umbrella with the cloth torn off will be a
thing of beauty when covered by a flowering or
pretty-leaved vine.

When the garden tools are dull, take the time to

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 283

have them sharpened. Tools used season after
season must have some attention paid them.

When grafting on a cold day, have ready a liquid
grafting wax to apply at once. This work had
best be done on a mild day.

Hardy annuals may often be preserved throughout
the winter if they are covered with a mulch of straw
and manure. They should have coarse and loose
covering, permitting some air. Leaves, boards,
and boughs of cedar and pine may be used. It is
well worth while protecting many hardy annuals
as they will bloom much earlier in the spring of the
following year than annuals started that season.

Do not hesitate to prune the flowers. Rank growth
means poor flowers, lacking both color and size.
Nearly all perennials and some annuals are bene-
fited by pruning.

All dead flowers should be taken from the bush in
order to give the other buds a chance to receive
all the moisture and nourishment supplied by the
roots and stems. Many plants will cease flowering
when dead flowers are left to go to seed.

If your neighbors have rabbits or chickens, prepare
for them. While it hardly seems fair to have to

284 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

feed the neighbors' pets and poultry, it will safe-
guard your own flowers. Plant sunflowers for the
chickens and a few heads of cabbage for the rabbits
and they will not molest the flowers. The safest
protection is a well-placed wire fence, though this
may not be desirable.

Keep pruning instruments sharp, that there may
be no rough ragged edge on the plant causing a wound.
A coating of paint applied to the cut while the
wound is healing will keep too much sap from
running out, tending to bleed the plant to death.
In many ways plants are to be treated like human
beings.

All waste foliage after pruning should be burned
and thus returned to the earth in the form of wood
ashes, helping to supply plant food.

Stake all tall growing plants that are likely to
become bent or blown down by the first strong
wind. Not to stake them until they are already
bent or blown over may mean hard work to
straighten them, even if they are not actually
broken in half. A garden with a profusion of
neglected flowers is not at all attractive.

Do not cut off all the foliage when pruning a per-
ennial. Enough leaves should remain to furnish

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 285

air cells for the rest of the plant, otherwise it will
not flourish.

Keep in a convenient place a ball of twine and a
pair of shears. A pair of old leather gloves may
well keep company with these articles for work in
the garden will soon cause the hands to become
roughened and red if not protected.

A cutting will always be stronger and root more
easily if it is made from a piece of the main stem
from which a shoot has branched. This cutting,
in the form of the letter "T, " should be inserted
in the earth, laying the main stem flat down and
leaving the newer shoot sticking up.

Study the nooks and corners of your garden, the
shady places, and the sunny spots, and plant in
each location a flower suited to the natural con-
ditions. This is the only way to get really suc-
cessful growth in plants.

Green raffia, which is very inexpensive, will be
excellent for use in tying plants to a stake. It is
soft and will not cut or bruise tender stems, and it
is also strong and inconspicuous.

Many plants do better and present a better appear-
ance if instead of tying to a stake they are supported

286 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

by three or four stakes driven into the ground
around them, slanting outward from the base and
fastened together by means of a piece of raffia
or green cord.

Perennials which have stood in the same spot
for several years will be benefited by having their
roots divided. The old roots should be discarded
and the young ones reset in soil which has been
freshly fertilized with rich, well-rotted manure.

It is best always in growing flowers from cut-
tings to procure cuttings from different plants, as
some flowers will not mature under self-pollina-
tion, and nearly all flowers produce a finer variety
of color, and are also larger, when cross-pollination
has taken place.

When there are more seedlings than desired,
exchange with friends for some flower which they
have and you have not. Usually they will be only
too glad to make the exchange. To arrange with a
neighbor beforehand with regard to what plants
each one is to start, will effect economy in seed
and labor.

// there must be a fence between your lawn and
your neighbor's, make of it an attractive thing.

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 287

Plant a hedge alongside, or train vines over it.
By arrangement with your neighbor, this fence
may be a boon to one or both of you. It may even
prove a hedge in itself and give protection from
strong north or east winds.

Paint trellises, lattice-work, etc., which are to have
perennial vines trained over them. Painting will
keep them from rotting out as soon as they other-
wise might, and the vines will not be disturbed
for a much longer time than if unpainted supports
are used.

When the kitchen window is exposed to the street
and the gaze of passers-by, set a trellis a few feet
away and train vines over it. The honeysuckle
and hop planted together will provide an abund-
ance of foliage and delightful fragrance.

Where there is a cat, there should always be a pot
of catnip growing in the house in the winter, and a
bunch of it out-of-doors in the summer. This
shrub is not only a pleasure to cats but is also very
beneficial to them, as it is their natural spring
tonic.

In setting a wooden post, dig a hole and nearly
fill it with concrete. Place the post in this and pour

288 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

in more concrete, allowing it to harden. The wood
will last almost indefinitely instead of rotting after
a few seasons. The posts of summerhouses should
be protected in this way for summerhouses are
expensive and difficult to repost safely when once
the legs have rotted.

All new plants should be labeled by writing the
name in indelible ink on a smoothly whittled piece
of wood and tying it to the plant by means of a
very fine wire, taking care not to twist the wire on
too tightly or the plant may receive a bruise. It
is well to use both the botanical name and the
common name in order to become really familiar
with the flower, as many catalogues refer only to
the botanical name in listing flowers.

In planting flowers among the vegetables, the
following list will prove a satisfactory combination.
No perennials should be included or they will be in
the way when preparing for planting the following
spring:

Asters Gladiolus Phlox

Alyssum Larkspur Poppy

Calendula Mignonette Four o'clock

Cornflowers Nasturtiums Portulaca

Unless seed is required, cut off the flowers of all
perennials as soon as they have stopped blooming.
No plant can flourish and give the best result

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 289

in flowers with a great number of dead or dying
blossoms still on their stems.

A flower box for the kitchen window or back porch
will be likely to get plenty of attention from the
kitchen worker. It is so easy to care for flowers
when fork and water are at hand, and the laborer
in the kitchen is entitled to the pleasure to be
derived from cultivating flowers.

A good depth for an indoor window box is twelve
inches. The bottom of the box should be covered
with stones and broken pottery to give drainage
and this should be covered by a layer of moss to
prevent the soil from working down through the
stones. The drainage and moss should take up
about three inches of space. The greater the body
of soil above the moss, the more uniform it may be
kept as to moisture. The soil should come to
within half an inch of the top of the box.

The indoor window box should be made to just
Jit the window. To get as much light as possible it
should be level with the window ledge. There
should be a drip pan beneath to keep the water
from soiling the floor.

A permanent method of tagging flowers with their
names is to write the name on a small slip of paper,
19

290 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

place inside a tiny glass bottle, thin enough to
read through, and tie the bottle on the bush, open
end down. There will be no danger of the rain
washing the name off nor of the paper becoming
water soaked. Small medicine bottles such as
contain pills may be utilized for the purpose.

A rubbish heap is always useful and very conven-
ient if not abused. All old plants, vines, and refuse
from hedges should be piled on this heap and when
well decayed will make valuable mold for the plants.
The pile should not be littered with old boxes or
barrels or tinware.

Save all old boxes, barrels, and odd pieces of
wood and burn to ashes for the flowers.

To one who works in a garden, a kneeling basket
is a great comfort. An old piece of matting,
doubled and stitched together, turning up the
edges on three sides, will answer splendidly. To
bind the edges with a piece of tape and make a
cushion for the bottom, will insure a long life for
the basket and make kneeling easy on the knees.
The protection to the clothing cannot be estimated.

A basket and a pair of shears should always be
taken along when going into the garden. There is
always some pruning to be done though it may

Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening 291

be only to take off dead flowers, and cutting with
scissors is better for the flowers than pinching with
the fingers.

A long pole with a hook on the end makes a very
convenient device on which to hang the garden basket.
It will enable one to have the basket at a conven-
ient height instead of having to stoop to the ground
for it so many times in the course of an hour.

When choice plants must be brought into the
room where there is a great deal of dust and where gas
is burning, a glass cover placed over them will af-
ford great protection. There should always be air
spaces in or around the cover and it should not
remain over the plants permanently.

Ashes provide potash and hence are valuable for
all flowers which are grown for their odor, as potash
is a perfume producer.

Keep all tools well edged. Dull tools will rebel
and will not do quick and effective work. Have
a place for the tools and garden hose and keep them
there. Have system in the flower garden as well
as in the vegetable garden and the home.

Cement colored with red ochre for making a
garden walk will give it a warm and genial hue.

292 Miscellaneous Hints on Gardening

In making a gravel path, a good drainage founda-
tion can be made by placing under the gravel a
layer of cinders two or three inches deep.

Stone and cement walks should be placed a little
higher than the surface of the ground in order that
the water may drain off as fast as it falls. Walks
laid a little below the surface are more attractive
probably, but if one would avoid wet feet and bad
colds, a little more practicality and a little less
artistic sense should be displayed.

Asparagus roots, planted for the growth of the
tops, will yield splendid results when making up a
bouquet of flowers that have little or no foliage.

The leaves of carrots make very pretty foliage
when mixed with flowers which have no foliage.

The leaves of beets lend a touch of color to a spot
•which is in need of it. When planted among the
flowers few will recognize them as the common
vegetable beet. They should not be set nearer
than four inches apart and should be well fertilized
that they may grow rich, handsome leaves.

Water cress added to the collection in the tank will
not be thought of as a vegetable and it well repays the
gardener for his trouble, branching out prettily as
it does.

A LIST OF THE COMMON AND BOTANI-
CAL NAMES OF THE FLOWERS
MENTIONED HEREIN

(In cases where the botanical name is generally used, it has been
given in the list as the common name.)

Abutilon

Achillea

Ageratum

Alkanet

Alyssum, Sweet

Anemone

Arbor-vitae

Arbutus

Aster

Azalea

Baby's Breath

Bachelor's Button

Balloon Flower

Balsam

Begonia

Bellflower, Japanese

Blanket Flower

Blazing Star

Bluebell

Bougainvillea

Bridal Wreath

Butterfly Flower

California Bluebell

Calliopsis

Campion

Abutilon

Achillea

Ageratum

Anchusa

Alyssum maritimum

Anemone

Thuya

Arbutus

Callistephus hortensis

Rhododendron indicum

Gypsophila

Ranunculus

Platycodon

Impatiens balsamina

Begonia

Platycodon

Gaillardia

Liatris Scabiosa

Mertensia

Bougainvillea

Francoa ramosa

Schizanthus

Nemophila

Coreopsis

Silene

293

294 Common and Botanical Names

Candytuft

Canna

Canterbury Bell

Carnation

Castor Oil Bean

Catchfly

Chrysanthemum

Clarkia

Cobaea scandens

Cockscomb

Columbine

Coneflower

Cornflower

Cosmos

Crocus

Cyclamen

Dahlia

Daisy

Dianthus

Dragon's Head

Dusty Miller

Edelweiss

Elephant's Ear

Ferns

Feverfew

Floss Flower

Forget-me-not

Forsythia

Foxglove

Freesia

Fuchsia

Gaillardia

Gardenia .

Gentian

Geranium

Gladiolus

Godetia

Gold Dust

Golden Bell

Gourd

Iberis

Canna

Campanula medium

Dianthus

Ricinus

Chrysanthemum

Clarkia

Cobaa scandens

Celosia

Aquilegia

Rudbeckia

Centaurea

Cosmos

Tecophilcta

Cyclamen

Dahlia

Bellis

Dianthus

Dracocephalum

Agrostcmma

Leontopodium

Begonia semperflorena

Different name for each variety

Parthenium

Ageratum

Myosotis ^

Forsythia

Digitalis

Freesia

Fuchsia

Gaillardia

Gardenia

Gentiana

Geranium

Gladiolus

Godetia

Alyssum

Forsythia

Cucurbita

Common and Botanical Names 295

Gypsophila

Heliotrope

Hibiscus

Holly

Hollyhock

Honesty

Honeysuckle

Hop

Horse Chestnut

Hyacinth

Hyacinth, Grape

Hydrangea

Indian Nettle

Indian Shot

Iris

Jacob's Ladder

Jessamine (or Jasmine)

Lantana

Larkspur

Lavender

Lilac

Lily

Lily-of-the-Valley

Lily, Tiger

Lily, Water

Lobelia

Love-Lies-Bleeding

Lily Tree

Lupin

Madwort

Magnolia

Maltese Cross

Mallow

Marguerite
Marigold
Marjoram
May Flower
Michaelmas Daisy

Gypsophila

Heliotropium

Hibiscus

Ilex

Althcea rosea

Lunaria

Lonicera

Humulus

Msculus

Hyacinthus

Muscari

Hydrangea

Lantana

Canna

Iris

Cobaa scandens

Jasminum

Lantana

Delphinium

Lavandula

Syringa

Lilium

Convallaria

Lilium tigrinum

Nymphaa

Lobelia

Amarantus

Magnolia

Lupinus

Alyssum

Magnolia

Lychnis Chalcedonica
( Hibiscus
•< Lavatera
{ Malva

Chrysanthemum fretcscens

Tagetes

Origanum

Epigaa repens

Aster

296 Common and Botanical Names

Mignonette

Milfoil

Mint

Mistflower

Mistletoe

Mock Orange

Monkshood

Moonflower

Narcissus

Nasturtium

Nemophila

Oleander

Palm

Pansy

Pearl

Peony

Periwinkle

Petunia

Phlox

Pink

Pomegranite

Poppy

Portulaca

Pot Marigold

Primrose

Prince's-Feather

Rhododendron

Rock Cress

Rose

Rosemary

Scabious

Scarlet Sage

Smilax

Snapdragon

Sneezeweed

Snowdrop

Sowbread

Spiraea

Starwort

Stocks

Reseda

Achillea

Mentha

Eupatorium

Viscum

Philadelphia

Aconitum

Ipomcea bone-nox

Narcissus

Troptzolum

Nemophila

Oleander

Palm

Viola tricolor

Achillea

Paony

Vinca

Petunia

Phlox

Dianthus
' Punica granatum

Papaver

Purslane
\ Calendula

Primula

Amarantus hypochondriacus

Rhododendron

Arabis

Rosa

Rosemarinus officinalis

Scabiosa

Salvia

Smilax

Antirrhinum

Helenium

Galanthus

Cyclamen

Spiraa

Aster

Matthiola

Common and Botanical Names 297

Sunflower Helianthus

Sweet Pea Lathyrus

Sweet William Dianthus barbatus

Thistle Carduus

Tickseed Coreopsis

Tobacco Plant Nicotiana

Tulip Tulipa

Verbena Abronia

Verbena, Lemon Aloysia citriodora

Viburnum Viburnum

Violet Viola

Virginia Creeper Vitis

Water Lily Nymphcea

Windflower Anemone

Wistaria Wistaria

Yarrow Achillea

Zinnia Zinnia

A LIST OF FLOWERS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO
THE BLOSSOMING PERIOD

Spring

Almond, Flowering Jonquil

Anemone Larkspur

Azalea Lilac

Canterbury Bell Lily-of-the-Valley

Clematis Lonicera Japonica

Crocus Magnolia

Currant, Flowering Narcissus

Daffodil Pansy

Forget-Me-Not Pink

Forsythia Rhododendron

Foxglove Snowdrop

Gypsophila Tulip

Honesty Violet

Hyacinth Wistaria
Iris

298 Flowers as they Blossom

Midsummer

Achillea

Ageratum

Agrostemma

Alyssum

Anemone

Asters

Balsam

Black-Eyed Susan

Bridal Wreath

Calliopsis

Candytuft

Canna

Canterbury Bell

Carnation

Castor Oil Bean

Chrysanthemum

Clarkia

Clematis

Cobaea scandens (vine)

Cockscomb

Columbine

Coneflower

Coreopsis

Cornflower

Cosmos

Cypress Vine

Daisy

Dianthus

Edelweiss

Feverfew

Forget-Me-Not

Four O'clock

Foxglove

Gaillardia

Gardenia

Gentian

Geranium

Hibiscus
Hollyhock
Honeysuckle
Humulus
Hydrangea
Japonica
Larkspur
Lilies
Lobelia
Marigold
May Flower
Mignonette
Monkshood
Moonflower
Morning Glory
Nasturtium
Nemophila
Pansy
Petunia
Phlox

Pinks, Scotch
Poppy
Portulaca
Pot Marigold
Primrose
Roses
Rosemary
Salvia
Scabiosa
Snapdragon
Spiraea
Stocks
Sunflower
Sweet Pea
Sweet William
Verbena
Zinnia

Suitable for Winter Potting *. 299

Fall

Achillea Marigold

Alyssum, Sweet Monkshood

Aster Moonflower

Carnation Nasturtium

Chrysanthemum Pansy

Cockscomb Pepper Plant

Coreopsis Petunia

Cosmos Phlox

Dahlia Poppy, Oriental

Gaillardia Pot Marigold

Geranium Prince's-Feather

Gladiolus Roses

Golden Glow Salvia

Golden Rod Scabiosa

Hollyhock Stocks

Larkspur Sweet William

Lily, Tiger Verbena

Lobelia Zinnia

PLANTS SUITABLE FOR WINTER POTTING

Abutilon Fern

Ageratum Forget-Me-Not

Azalea Freesia

Begonia Gaillardia

Bridal Wreath Geranium

Butterfly Flower Hibiscus

Calliopsis Hyacinth

Candytuft Hydrangea

Canterbury Bell Jonquil

Carnation Lantana

Chrysanthemum Lavender

Clarkia Lobelia

Cobaea scandens Marguerite

Coxcomb Marigold

Cyclamen Mignonette

Daffodil Mint

Daisy Mock Orange

300 Perennials According to Colors

Narcissus Rhododendron

Nasturtium 'Rose Geranium

Nemophila Rosemary

Palm Salpiglossis

Pansy Salvia

Pepper Plant Smilax

Petunia Stocks

Portulaca Tulip

Pot Marigold Verbena

Primrose Violet

A LIST OP PERENNIALS ARRANGED ACCORDING
TO COLORS

(Bulbs Included)

Liberty has been taken with this list inasmuch as some flowers
which are perennials in the South are annuals in the North.

White

Abutilon Hyacinths

Achillea Hydrangea

Alyssum Iris

Aster Japonica

Azalea Lilacs

Bridal Wreath Magnolia

Campanula Monkshood

Carnation Narcissus

Chrysanthemum Oleander

Columbine Peony

Crocus Phlox

Daffodil Poppy, Oriental

Dahlias Primrose

Daisies Rhododendron

Edelweiss Roses

Forget-me-not Smilax

Four o'clock Snapdragon

Gardenia Snowdrop

Geranium Spiraea

Hibiscus Tulips

Hollyhock Violets

Perennials According to Colors 301

Red

Agrostetnma

Aster

Azalea

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Cockscomb

Columbine

Crocus

Cyclamen

Dahlias

Four o'clock

Freesias

Fuchsias

Gaillardia

Geraniums

Hibiscus

Hollyhock

Anchusa

Anemone

Asters

Columbine

Cornflower

Forget-me-not

Hyacinths

Hydrangea

Iris

Alyssum

Anemone

Asters

Calliopsis"

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Cockscomb

Columbine

Blue

Honeysuckle, French

Hyacinths

Japonica

Lobelia

Oleander

Peony

Phlox

Polyanthus

Poppy

Primrose'

Prince's Feather

Rhododendron

Roses

Snapdragon

Sweet William

Tulips

Larkspur]

Lobelia

Monkshood

Pansy

Primrose

Scabiosa

Sweet William

Violets

Wistaria

Yellow

Crocus

Daffodils

Dahlias

Forsythia

Foxglove

Geraniums

Gladiolus

Hollyhock

3O2 Annuals According to Colors

Lilies

Marigold

Monkshood

Pansy

Phlox

Bellis

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Columbine

Coneflower

Hibiscus

Hollyhock

Hyacinth

Asters

Chrysanthemums

Dahlias

Hollyhock

Hydrangea

Iris

Pink

Purple

Prince's Feather

Roses

Sunflowers

Sweet William

Tulips

Violets

Hydrangea

Pansies

Peonies

Phlox

Rhododendron

Roses

Sweet William

Lobelia

Monkshood

Pansy

Sweet William

Violets

Wistaria

A LIST OP ANNUALS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO
COLORS

White

Alyssum, Sweet

Asters

Candytuft

Canna

Carnations

Chrysanthemum

Cobsea scandens

Cosmos

Crocus

Dahlias

Daisy

Dianthus

Four o'clock

Geraniums

Gladiolus

Gypsophila

Hollyhock

Hyacinths

Lily, Calla

Lily, Madonna

Annuals According to Colors 303

Lily-of-the-Valley

Mignonette

Moonflower

Narcissus

Pansies

Petunias

Phlox

Poppies

Portulaca
Snapdragon
Stock

Sweet Peas
Sweet William
Tulips
Verbena
Violets

Red

Asters

Bellis

Cannas

Carnations

Chrysanthemums

Cosmos

Crocus

Cyclamen

Cypress vine

Dahlias

Four o'clock

Gaillardia

Geraniums

Gypsophila Elegans

Hollyhock

Hyacinths

Love-Lies-Bleeding^

Morning Glory (vine)

Nasturtiums (vine)

Nasturtiums (dwarf)

Pansies

Petunias

Phlox

Poppies

Salvia

Snapdragon

Stock

Sweet Peas

Sweet William

Tulips

Verbena

Zinnia

Yellow

Calendula

Calliopsis

Cosmos

Crocus

Daffodils

Dahlias

Hyacinths

Lily, Tiger

Marigold

Nasturtium (vine)

Nasturtium (dwarf)

Pansies

Poppy

Snapdragon

Sunflower

Tulips

Verbena

Zinnia

304

Flowers for Cutting

Blue

Ageratum

Aster

Cornflower

Forget-me-not

Hyacinths

Larkspur

Lobelia

Asters

Balsam

Bellis

Carnations

Chrysanthemums

Clarkia

Aster
Balsam
Hyacinths
Morning Glory
Pansies

Pink

Purple

Monkshood

Pansies

Petunias

Scabiosa

Sweet Peas

Sweet William

Verbena

Coneflower

Hyacinth

Periwinkle

Phlox

Sweet Peas

Verbenas

Petunia
Stock

Sweet Peas
Sweet William
Verbena

FLOWERS FOR CUTTING

Achillea

Ageratum

Anchusa

Anemone

Aster

Bachelor's Button

Bridal Wreath

Calendula

Candytuft

Carnation

Chrysanthemum

Clarkia

Columbine

Coreopsis

Cornflower

Cosmos

Daffodil

Dahlia

Daisy

Dragon's Head

Forsythia

Foxglove

Gaillardia

Gardenia

Gentian

Geranium

Gladiolus

Golden Glow

Flowers Requiring Little Sunlight 305

Gypsophila Phlox

Heliotrope Pinks

Hydrangea Poppy, Shirley,

Japonica Pot Marigold

Jonquil Primrose

Larkspur Roses

Lilacs Salvia

Lilies Scabiosa

Lobelia Scotch Pink

Magnolia Snapdragon

Marigold Spiraea

Mignonette Stocks

Monkshood Sweet Peas

Narcissus Sweet William

Nasturtium Tulips

Nemophila Verbena

Pansies Violets

Peonies Zinnia
Petunia

FLOWERS REQUIRING LITTLE SUNLIGHT

Anemone Monkshood

Box Hedge Moonflower

Canterbury Bell Mountain Laurel

Clematis Nasturtium

Ferns Palms

Forget-me-not Peony

Foxglove Petunia

Gentian Portulaca

Honeysuckle Primrose

Iris Privet

Ivy, English Rhododendron

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Rose, Ayrshire

Lilac Rose, Pink China

Lilies (various kinds) Salvia

Lily-of-the- Valley Shooting Star

Lobelia Silene

Lupin Sweet Peas

Marguerite Violets

Mint Wistaria

306 Flowers Grown for Various Reasons

FLOWERS THAT THRIVE IN DAMP PLACES

Achillea Lilies (various kinds)

Crocuses Lily-of-the-Valley

Dahlias Magnolia

Elephant's Ear Marsh Pea

Ferns (various kinds) Rhododendron

Gentian Saxifrage

Giant Reed Sweet Flag

Jack-in-the-Pulpit Violets
Japonica

FLOWERS FOR THE ROCK GARDEN

Alyssum, Sweet May Flower

Campanula Phlox

Candytuft Pinks, Alpine

Cyclamen, hardy Poppy, Alpine

Dianthus Portulaca

Edelweiss Primrose

Geraniums Rock Cress

Gypsophila,' Creeping Saxifrage

Jessamine Snapdragon

VEGETATION GROWN FOR FOLIAGE

Azalea, Evergreen Lavender

Barberry Love-Lies-Bleeding

Beets, Garden Marjoram

Begonias Mint

Box Hedge Moonflower

Cannas Myrtle

Castor Oil Bean Palms

Elephant's Ear Privet

Ferns Rosemary

Holly Smilax

Humulus Virginia Creeper
Ivy, English

FLOWERS FOR THE OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN

Ageratum Bachelor's Button

Alyssum, Sweet Balsam

Aster Begonia

Evergreen Shrubs and Trees 307

Calliopsis }

Candytuft

Cannas

Castor Oil Bean

Chrysanthemum

Cornflower

Cosmos

Cockscomb

Cypress Vine

Daffodils

Daisies

Feverfew

Forget-me-not

Four o'clock

Geraniums

Heliotrope

Hollyhock

Honeysuckle

Humulus

iris :

Jonquils

Larkspur

Lavender

Lilacs

Lily-of-the-VaUey

Marigold

Mignonette

Mint

Morning Glory

Nasturtiums

"Old Man"

Pansies

Peony

Petunia

Phlox

Pinks, Scotch

Portulaca

Primrose

Prince's Feather

Roses (monthly)

Rose Geranium

Rosemary

Salvia

Stocks

Sunflower

Sweet Peas

Sweet William

Verbena

Violets

Virginia Creeper

Zinnia

A LIST OF EVERGREEN SHRUBS AND TREES

Shrubs

Arbor-vitae

Berberis

Box ,<

Holly

Ilex

Ivy, English (vine)

Laurel

Myrtle

Privet

Rhododendron

Trees

Arbor-vitae

Cedar

Hemlock

Holly

Juniper

Pine, Austrian

Spruce

Spruce, Oriental

Yew

A PLEA FOR THE BIRDS

ONE object of a garden should be to provide a
home for the birds; a home where they can be
protected and cared for, and where they will come
to delight the family and the neighbors. The
sight of a bird or the notes of its song is always a
source of pleasure. No one with even the slight-
est degree of responsiveness in his nature can help
being benefited by close contact with these little
friends of mankind. There are some thirteen
thousand different species of birds known to
science, but not with all of these are the ornitholo-
gist generally familiar, hence bird life is ever an
exhaustive study. Every season of the year finds
some birds in every section of the country, though
the great majority journey to southern climes with
the coming of the winter months.

Some seventy-five years ago John James Audu-
bon worked practically alone and single-handed in
this country to protect the birds. He was ridi-
culed of course, as all organizers of new movements
are, but so great was his love for the birds that he

308

A Plea for the Birds 309

did not heed the ridicule. To-day there are any
number of societies in the United States formed for
the purpose of protecting the birds and propagat-
ing bird life. Men of intellect are making it a
life study, cities and towns have passed a law
making it a crime to kill certain birds except dur-
ing a few weeks each year, and boys abounding in
superfluous energy are working off that energy
by making bird houses instead of scouring the
country with the intent to rob birds' nests. If
John James Audubon were living to-day he would
certainly feel much gratified over the fruits of his
labors.

Birds in the garden are profitable, notwith-
standing the claim that they eat the garden seed.
They may eat a few flower seed but they also eat
seeds of weeds, though they will not eat very many
of either for the reason that they will be spending
their time in search of bugs and worms which
would otherwise do great injury to the plants.
The following quotation is an extract from a re-
port on the destroying power of birds over insects :

"A quail taken in a cotton field in Texas had
the remains of 127 cotton boll- weevils in its
craw. Another, taken in Pennsylvania, had
101 potato-bugs.

"A tree- swallow's stomach was found to

3io A Plea for the Birds

contain 40 entire chinch bugs. Two stomachs
of pine siskins contained 1900 block olive scales
and 300 plant-lice. A killdee's stomach con-
tained 300 mosquito larva?; and a flicker's,
28 white-grubs. A night-hawk had eaten 340
grasshoppers, 52 bugs, 3 beetles, and 2 wasps.

"Fifty-one species of birds eat hairy cater-
pillars, and 38 species feed on plant-lice."

Think what it would mean to plant life if the
percentage of insectivorous birds was doubled or
trebled, and think how much the labors of the
gardener would be reduced. And birds will in-
crease in numbers if proper homes are provided for
them. Not the same style of home will do for all
birds. Martins want roomy houses, robins want
open houses, wrens require houses with entrance
holes so small that larger birds cannot enter and
drive them away. And the home must always
be adapted to the needs of the particular kind of
bird which is expected to occupy it or it will not
be likely to attract them.

And birds are somewhat exacting about the
location of their homes. All mankind is not yet
friendly to the birds and they are suspicious of
human beings in general. They prefer a home
hidden among the limbs of trees or secluded among
bushes or vines. A bird will have to be pretty

A Plea for the Birds 311

hard up for a home before he will move into a house
that is subject to the gaze of every passer-by.
Fancy birdhouses are unnecessary. A house
simple in line and weatherproof in construction
will be all that is necessary in considering the
requirements. A house with cracks through which
the cold wind and rain can seep will be likely to
cause the death of a bird while he would not suffer
from exposure in the open air. The reason is that
cracks create drafts and a draft will chill a
bird, giving him a cold and probably resulting in
pneumonia.

A pool of water is one of the surest ways of
attracting birds to a garden. They often fly
many miles before they come to a pool, a brook,
or a river, and if a bath is discovered on the way,
they will probably stop and take up their abode
somewhere in the neighborhood. A bird bath
may be as fancy or as plain as one's taste may dic-
tate, but it should always be placed in a spot
where the birds will feel that they are out of range
of curious, prying eyes. During the summer the
birds can take care of themselves with regard to
food but during the winter months it will be neces-
sary in certain sections of the country where snow
covers the ground to provide food for them. A
feeding house consisting only of a box nailed to a

312 A Plea for the Birds

pole, with three sides closed up as a protection
against the prevailing winds, will serve well. If
the sides can be of glass, thus insuring a passing
bird a glimpse of the food within, so much the
better. These feeding houses, too, should be
situated not too near a dwelling house.

It may seem cruel to keep birds caged but some
species will have no objection to caging if they are
well treated. They should be fed and watered
regularly and many of them can be trained to fly
out for awhile and later return to their homes by
such a simple method as tying a string to the leg
with the opposite end of it fastened to the cage.
If this is done a few times, gradually lengthening
the string, | and the bird returns happily to the
cage, by and by he may be permitted to go free,
with the door left open for his return. The prac-
tice of using the string should be continued until
the bird has many times returned willingly to the
cage. Of course, a bird sometimes may become
lost to his owner but surely if a bird after kind
treatment and freedom prefers the open, he should
have it. His home should not be his prison.
They were originally intended for greater latitude
than humans and none of us would desire prison-
life however kindly the treatment.

There is such a wonderful variety of birds and we

A Plea for the Birds 313

are fortunate enough to have some kinds frequent
every section of the land. There are song birds
and birds for the purpose of ridding the gardens of
pests, and birds which apparently have no other
value than that of displaying gorgeous plumage, —
a value which has proven to be deadly to them in
many instances, — and birds which have all three
of these qualifications. The robin, for instance,
is a beautiful bird, and he is also a song bird and
an insect eater, and, unfortunately, in some parts
of the country, he is used as food for human beings.
Then there is the beautiful scarlet tanager, whose
music attracts toward him an enemy after his
wonderful feathers. The martin is, perhaps, the
most useful bird, for it is claimed by men who are
in a position to know that if our fields abounded in
purple martins we would not be troubled with
mosquitoes, and the curculio, which destroys so
many fruit trees, is noticeably absent from the
orchard which is frequented by martins. Then
there is the mocking bird, and who in the South
does not know this wonderful little bird, that imi-
tates with such ease the songs of the other birds
around him? It is claimed by the mocking bird
lovers that one mocking bird furnishes as much
pleasure as any six other birds. They will nest
not far from human habitation and their young

314 A Plea for the Birds

are wonderfully fascinating. Often they fall from
the nest to the ground when they are first finding
their wings, and if picked up and caged, the mother
bird will feed them food which is supposed to be
poisoned, inasmuch as they seldom thrive when
fed by the mother bird, and nearly always die.
Hence they are very difficult for human beings to
raise.

It is a hopeless task to attempt to enumerate
herein even a small percentage of interesting birds.
Various reliable books have been written on the
subject of birds and among the number that are
highly recommended are the following:

Handbook of Birds of N. E. America by Frank M. Chapin

Bird Life

Our Common Birds " Grant

Bird Homes " Dugmore

Birds that Every Child Should Know " N. Blanchan

Bird Neighbors " " . "

Bird Houses

During the fall months is an excellent period
for putting up bird houses. The birds remaining
north will be more than likely to seek them out and
occupy them, and those which go south will find
their weather-worn appearance attractive in the
springtime. This is the season to catch the war-

A Plea for the Birds 315

biers in the South and induce them to remain until
late in the spring.

A bird house in a bald, glaring location will not
prove attractive to many varieties of birds. They
much prefer dense shrubbery, or at least vines and
branches. Suit the bird house to the bird. A
wren requires a very tiny entrance and a house built
for a wren should not have a doorway that will
permit larger birds to enter, or the wren may be
driven from her home.

A unique bird house may be constructed out of a
number of cigar boxes. The strips taken from the
boxes should be nicked and the other pieces slid
into them, and few tacks will be necessary.

All bird houses should be so constructed that the
interior may be examined and cleaned. This is
important in order that the rubbish of the previous
year may be cleaned out, but in some sections of
the country it will be found necessary to disinfect
to get rid of the gypsy-moth eggs and cocoons.

The martin is the only bird which prefers a house
standing out in the open, away from trees. The
entrance should be in the opposite direction of the
prevailing wind and should be sheltered by an
overhanging roof or hood over it.

3i6 A Plea for the Birds

Rustic houses are the prettiest, and a perch should
be included in every house even if the bird does not
use it for long at a time. On rainy days many
birds will not venture out at all

Houses for bluebirds should have a floor space
of at least twenty-five square inches, and should be
eight to ten inches in height. The entrance need
not be larger than an inch and a half in diameter,
and the house should be placed eight or ten feet
above the ground.

A clothes post makes a good place to fasten a bird-
house, but it should first have been covered with a
vine to lure the bird to a more natural setting.
Honeysuckle will prove most satisfactory, or a
wistaria vine, or climbing rose. This adornment
will make of the homely clothes post a pleasing
ornament, and the birds will appreciate the foliage.

Bird houses painted white are attractive to hu-
mans but the birds would much prefer green, or
natural wood.

Many birds which migrate to the South in the
winter can be persuaded to stay in the North if
suitable homes are provided. Artificial feeding
can easily be served.

A Plea for the Birds 317

The hollow limbs of old trees make suitable bird
houses and a vine planted to climb up around a
tree containing a hollow limb will serve as an at-
traction to the birds when the tree stands near the
house or in a location human beings frequent.

Martins are very luxurious little birds and like a
home with many rooms. The rooms should be six
inches square in all three dimensions and the en-
trance holes should be about an inch and a half
above the floor level.

The proper size of entrance holes for different birds
is as follows :

Inches in Diameter.

Flickers 2^

Carolina Wrens itf

Chickadees llA

Bluebirds i^

Tree Swallows i#

Woodpeckers 2#

Wrens I

Robins, catbirds, and kingbirds build houses in the
open and only wide-open houses should be pro-
vided as they will not frequent houses which they
have to enter by means of a small hole.

The large variety of gourds make excellent bird
houses for the small birds. Any seedsman will
recommend the varieties best suited for this
purpose.

3i8 A Plea for the Birds'

Food and Water

Among the foods that will attract the winter birds
are the following:

Salt Suet

Chaff Pork

Oats Corn

Nut meats Wheat

Celery tops Millet

Doughnuts Raw beef

Canary seed Hemp seed

Sunflower seed Bread crumbs

Speckled apples Cracker crumbs

Blemished oranges Crumbs of dog biscuit

Mortar and fine grit Fat meats of various kinds

A suet basket constructed of metal and wires can
be purchased for about half a dollar, or one can
be made by using the metal as a background and
fastening wires, or very coarse wire mesh around it.
At least half-inch openings should be provided
between the wires. This should be kept con-
stantly filled with suet and placed in an accessible
place for the birds.

Young house birds may be fed with mashed pota-
toes mixed with the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. The
potato should be thoroughly mashed and in warm
weather the food should be given to the birds as
soon as made to avoid feeding them food which
is in any way sour.

A Plea for the Birds 319

After every feeding a young bird should be given
a drink of water. They shpuld be induced to
swallow it and if it is put into their mouths with a
teaspoon it will be very likely to go down. After
the first ten days a little ants' eggs may be mixed
with the potato and egg.

Evergreens especially valuable to bird life are the
arbor-vitae, white spruce, balsam fir, hemlock,
Colorado blue spruce, Scotch and white pine, and
Norway spruce. A branch of one of these put
into the bird cage will give a great deal of pleasure.

Red elderberries will prove a great blessing to wild
birds. They will not eat fruits as long as the elder-
berries last. Do not make the mistake of plant-
ing purple elderberries, such as are sometimes used
for making wine.

Sunflowers planted late will not scatter so badly
as those planted earlier in the season and they can
be relied upon as excellent food for the birds.

In feeding hemp seed to young birdst crack it
before putting it into their cages or it may be too
much for them to digest.

A caged bird should have a piece of fishbone on
which to whet his beak. He will love this and

32O A Plea for the Birds

will show his appreciation by the frequent use
which he makes of it.

A good way to jeed the snowbirds is to sprinkle
warm ashes on a clean, clear space, and scatter
cornmeal or seed on the warm ashes.

Among the vegetation furnishing foods which are
desirable to a large variety of birds are the currant,
maple, walnut, chestnut, peach, lilac, dogwood,
huckbush, oak, wild rose, red haw, lilac, grapes,
spiraea, and sweet-brier. A collection of these
plants will both furnish seed and attract insects.

Flowers that will furnish seed for the birds should
be planted in the garden to keep the birds from
eating the flowers one wishes for one's self. Some
of those which produce a good crop of seed are
prince's-feather, love-lies-bleeding, asters, calan-
drinias, California poppies, thistles, forget-me-nots,
sunflowers, and tarweed.

A cocoanut shell furnishes an excellent pantry for
the birds, and it is one which will not be affected
by the weather. Bore a hole in one end and fill
the shell with chopped suet, nuts, or other food
mixtures.

A Plea for the Birds 321

A cocoanut shell with one third cut away, the
remaining two thirds hung suspended by wires,
will furnish a splendid little bird rest at feeding
time. A bird will nest in it with comfort being
protected from strong winds while eating the food
placed therein.

A food tray protected on its northern and eastern
sides, and preferably on the western also, should
be provided in every garden for birds. If it is placed
near shrubbery it will be more likely to attract
the shy warblers.

A small piece of salt pork covered with cayenne
pepper and hung in the bird cage will not only cure
him of ailments but will be a treat to him as well.

Hard-billed birds which eat seed are more easily
reared than the soft-billed birds which depend for a
living on insects and fruit.

Birds should be fed with exacting regularity and
there should be at all times a cup of water in the cage
that they may drink when they please. Young
birds, fledglings in particular, require a great deal
of water.

Birds should be given some green food every day
and plenty of ripe fruit. Young leaves from beets,

322 A Plea for the Birds

lettuce, radishes, and water cress are particularly
tasteful to them. Also young and tender grass
shoots.

// shrubs and vines are planted to feed the birds,
they will not eat so much cultivated fruit. They
must eat to live just the same as human beings.

A bluebird desires for his food seventy-six per
cent, of insects and twenty-four per cent, of wild
fruit. Insects include grasshoppers, beetles, cater-
pillars, and spiders.

A sandy soil does not produce a great variety of
food for the birds. For seed eaters, beach grass
should be sown, and plenty of sunflowers. For
fruit eaters, the bayberry, sea buckthorn, sand,
cherry, beach plum, and cranberries.

Near the coast, trees that will withstand the wind
should be planted for the birds. Among them are :
Juniper, barberry, English thorn, red-berried
elder, Staghorn and smooth sumac, privets and
mountain ash.

Plant wild-cherry trees for the birds. There is
nothing they love more than cherries. Allow the
fruit to dry on the tree and fall to the ground when
the leaves drop.

A Plea for the Birds 323

A cupful of cornmeal mixed with a cupful of
German moss meal and a cupful of mealmade from
dried peas, and a little molasses added, should be
fried for twenty or thirty minutes, and a much
appreciated dish will be ready for the caged birds
which do not relish hard grain.

A Russian mulberry tree is one of the best trees
for attracting the birds. Among the birds that
will visit it are: Kingbirds, orioles, sparrows, star-
lings, goldfinches, cuckoos, flickers, robins, scarlet
tanagers, thrushes, blackbirds, purple grackles, cat-
birds, and redstarts.

When caged birds do not seem to be thriving,
change the food you are giving them. A healthy
bird will be lively and spirited at all times except
when he is moulting. Grated carrot will often
prove to be a beneficial change, and is a good food
at any time.

Insect-eating birds will relish a grasshopper, or
some other insect for which they have a natural
desire. Be sure to give them some occasionally.
They have a right to their natural food.

Blackcaps and other ripe berries should be given
to the shut-in birds daily in berry season. There
is no food they will like better.

324 A Plea for the Birds

A bird's tree will be well patronized. Tie on it all
the bones which are left from the table. They al-
ways have on them shreds of meat, fat, and gristle.
Wheat ears, clover tops, and sunflower heads will
prove a great attraction, while broken crackers
and bread crumbs sprinkled in the crotches will be
eaten readily.

No one tree will attract such a great variety of birds
as the Russian mulberry. If you have room for but
one tree, be sure that is the kind you plant.

Japanese millet holds its seeds well and if planted
thickly where it can grow up through a horizontal
lattice work, makes a valuable cover and feeding
place for winter birds. Canary grass is also a very
good selection for seed-eating birds.

Larches and pines of various kinds are most at-
tractive to crossbills, and birches and elders are
eagerly sought by goldfinches and redpolls.

Berry bushes especially for the birds planted near
the strawberry bed, raspberry patch, and in the
orchard will preserve those fruits for family use.
The bird bushes should be a little taller than the
fruit for table use so they will sight it first.

A Plea for the Birds

325

A planting in accordance with the table below
will furnish fresh food for the birds throughout the
year:

(Juniper, red cedar, bayberry, hackberry, bar-
berry, pokeweed, flowering crab apple, choke-
berry, English thorn, beach plum, holly,
crowberry, bittersweet, buckthorn, Virginia

January

February

March

October

November

December

April
May

June
July

August
September

creeper, summer grape, wintergreen, snowberry,
cranberry, privet.

Hackberry, bayberry, greenbrier, red cedar,
pokeweed, chokeberry, flowering crab apple,
pasture rose, crowberry, sumac, inkberry, black
alder, mountain holly, buckthorn, summer grape,
wintergreen, and cranberry.

Juniper, red cedar, hackberry, common elder,
red and white mulberry, barberry, wild goose-
berry, red currant, June berry, wild strawberry,
wild blackberry, wild red cherry, sand cherry,
cranberry, blueberry, bearberry, and winter-
green.

Bayberry, hackberry, red cedar, jumper, bar-
berry, pokeweed, sassafras, spice bush, wild
gooseberry, red currant, chokeberry, mountain
ash, June berry, cockspur thorn, beach plum, red
and black cherry (wild), wild blackberry, pas-
ture rose, crowberry, sumac, ink berry, alder,
Virginia creeper, frost grape, buffalo berry,
bunch berry, flowering dogwood, wintergreen,
bearberry, and cranberry.

Many birds are compelled to fly miles to obtain
water. Young birds that are unable to fly long dis-
tances often die for lack of a drink. The simplest
sort of devise is just as good for holding water as

326 A Plea for the Birds

a highly ornamented one. A roasting pan, painted
white inside and out will be very attractive.

Perhaps the really best-planned bird baths are
pools of a few inches in depth, the bottom sloping
gradually upward toward the edge. Both bottom
and edge should ,be rough to afford a safe footing for
the tiny claws. A pool of concrete will be excel-
lent, and if a metal receptacle is used, it will be
well to have it roughened.

Birds appreciate a water supply in winter as well
as in summer.

A bath on top of a rockery will be attractive and
convenient. Fashioned of concrete, they can easily
be made by an amateur.

When bird baths are sunk into the ground, or
placed where they can easily be reached by cats, it
is best to surround them by thick shrubbery, to
make the cat's approach difficult. Most birds
prefer the bath on the ground, for they can
then hop out and shake themselves off before
having to fly.

Birds cannot fly jar with wet feathers, so be sure
to have bushes or trees near the bath that they
may fly there and shake themselves off. They

A Plea for the Bkds 327

enjoy drying and pruning themselves as much as
they enjoy the bath.

Land birds never go directly into deep water, so a
series of stones or steps should be arranged to
enable them to enter the water gradually. If the
bath must necessarily be deep, place stones in it
that reach to the top of the water.

Birds always enjoy cool water, therefore, the bird
bath or fountain should never stand where it is
exposed to the rays of the sun, or the birds may
not be attracted by it at all.

The elder, sumac, and tartarian honeysuckle
produce berries that the birds relish, and it is to
be hoped that one or more of these may be placed
near the bird bath.

Bits of Information

The best way to study birds is first hand, out in the
fields. A reliable bird-guide book will prove of
inestimable value in learning the habits of the
birds, and when illustrated in colors will aid in
recognition of the various kinds. A notebook
and pencil should be at hand for jotting down all
observations.

328 A Plea for the Birds

Wherever there are insects, there will be found birds.
They usually frequent pastures, orchards, trees of
the village, and the borders of springs and brooks.

For birds that will not nest in houses, plant trees
and shrubs with berries on them, or near by.
Thickets, where they can be screened from the
approach of humans, are much appreciated.

// has been proven that the bee-martin eats only the
drones among the bees, hence they are not detri-
mental to have around when bees are kept. The
bee-martin is also known by the name of kingbird.

The best way to eliminate the English sparrow
from the gardens is to systematically destroy their
nests and eggs every ten days or two weeks during
the breeding season.

Crows, blackbirds, magpies, and blue jays are
doubtful benefits to a neighborhood.

The United States Government report states that
a virtue has been found in sparrows, in that they
save the country nearly a million dollars a year
by consuming great quantities of the seeds of weeds.

Woodpeckers and kingbirds are very valuable to
the fruit grower as they consume a great many of the
insects that infect the barks of trees. Bluebirds,

A Plea for the Birds 329

too, destroy a great number of these insects and
take no toll from the trees.

A shelter box will be a great comfort to the birds
on very cold or stormy days. Procure a box of
thick wood, line the box with cotton batting, and
turn the open end toward the south. Place a
piece of wire fencing on the limb of the tree near
the box to keep the cats away. Cats soon learn
the places birds frequent and will take their daily
naps near the spot, eagerly watching with one eye
half open all the time.

Birds do not like being crowded and if a place is
studded with bird houses only a few of them will be
occupied. Nests built in shrubbery will come to a
bad end if the shrubbery is often disturbed. They
are impatient of human meddling and should be
granted all the privacy possible during the incubat-
ing and brooding period.

A Christmas tree for the birds should be an annual
custom. The discarded Christmas tree should be
untrimmed and then retrimmed with cheesecloth
bags filled with suet, with small cups or cans of
seed, bread crumbs, oats, etc. Sheaves of wheat,
cornstalks, and branches of holly will add to the
pleasure derived by the birds. It should be densely

330 A Plea for the Birds

crowded in order that the birds may get in and
hide.

The death of many birds has been caused by
careless spraying of trees and shrubbery with
ar senate of lead. Think of the birds when spraying,
and avoid, if possible, putting the arsenate of lead
where they will be likely to get at it.

Birds eat grasshoppers, beetles, wasps, mosquito
larvae, potato bugs, boll-weevils, and many other
kinds.

As many as fifty varieties of birds eat cater-
pillars, while thirty kinds feed on plant-lice.

Birds will not sing unless they hear singing.
They learn by imitation only.

The best time oj day, during the summer, to study
the birds is between sunrise and ten o'clock in the
morning, and again just before sunset. During
the middle of the day, the birds keep out of sight
as much as possible. During the winter months,
the best hours are between ten o'clock in the
morning and two o'clock in the afternoon. The
spring is the best season of the year to start bird
study.

A Plea for the Birds 331

Birds mate and nest early in the year when natural
food is abundant, and they will not have to go far
from the nest for nourishment.

The best location for bird study is in a meadow
with water and trees in close proximity, for some
birds will frequent the wooded section and others
will come seeking water.

To disturb the eggs in a bird's nest is cruelty in the
extreme. The mother bird always knows when her
eggs have been handled and she resents it bitterly,
and often will abandon the nest and the eggs
with it.

lirds are second in rank among animal life.
They are of a lower order than mammals, or ani-
mals which suckle their young, and on a higher
plane than the reptiles.

Many ages ago birds had teeth, but the only in-
dication of teeth now is a roughness of the bill
found in some species.

Bats are not classed as birds, though they fly
through the air. Their classification is based on
the fact that they are mammals.

A narrow shelf fastened on the barn below the eaves
will attract cliff swallows and eave swallows. Barn

332 A Plea for the Birds

swallows will be attracted by an opening in the
gable end of the barn.

Flycatchers, kingbirds, purple martins, chim-
ney swifts, nighthawks, whippoorwills, Canadian
warblers, and ruby- throated hummingbirds are
among the birds that catch their food as thty fly
through the air.

The whippoorwill builds no nest but lays its eggs
among dead leaves which have fallen in holes and
in other places where the brush will hide them.

Among the birds which frequent fruit trees are
the robin, the bluebird, the mocking bird, the
house wren, various warblers, the Baltimore oriole,
the chickadee, the brown thrasher, and tree-
sparrows.

The bobolink, meadow lark, nighthawk, sparrow,
goldfinch, and the red-winged blackbird sing as they
fly.

Crows destroy other birds and are practically of
no help to anyone, except that they will follow the
plow and eat worms, bugs, and other insects.
However, the number of pretty and useful birds
they destroy would kill many more insects than

A Plea for the Birds 333

the crows; hence to kill a crow is to benefit
humanity.

Be sure to plant several honeysuckle vines if you
would attract the little humming bird. There is
nothing they love better.

Grass should not be cut in the nesting fields
during the breeding season if the bobolinks,
meadow larks, and bob-whites are to be protected.

When birds attack the watery fruits such as grapes,
pears, etc., it is often because they are thirsty. A
bird fountain, of even the crudest kind, will some-
times protect the fruit.

Frequent baths will do much toward keeping birds
healthy and clean. The water should be changed
every day, or at most every second day. When
the birds are moulting they are not inclined to
take such frequent baths.

When sparrows have formed the habit of roosting
on the ledges of the piazza posts and other painted
woodwork, take a long pole and shoo them away
several evenings in succession, and they will soon
decide that it is not a comfortable place to sleep.

334 A Plea for the Birds

Cultivate the purple martins and they will help
to get rid of the English sparrow which is such a
nuisance.

Kingbirds will drive away English sparrows, crows,
and blue jays, and should be attracted by giving
them what they like best to eat. (See pp. 318,
323, 3250

When young birds seem ill and generally out of
sorts, try putting into their mouths a mixture
of half -whiskey and half -water; or a few drops of
paregoric in a spoonful of water. This will usually
revive their spirits and stimulate them to normal
condition.

Young birds want food as soon as they are awake,
hence the cage should be covered with a dark cloth
at night to prevent their waking too early. It is
better to cover the cages of all birds at night to
prevent them waking the household before the
members are ready to stir.

Birds should have a cage large enough to move
around in freely. They must have exercise in order
to thrive. One, two, or even three perches will
prove a great comfort to them. Remember,
under natural conditions they have the whole
world in which to roam.

A Plea for the Birds 335

Put the bird bath well up away from the reach of
cats. Many a bird has met an untimely death
while in the act of taking his bath. The cat only
too soon learns that this is a favorite spot of the
birds and will lie quietly in wait for hours to get a
chance to pounce upon his tender little prey.

A nest built like his native wood's nest will make
a bird very happy. In every way make their new
surroundings as much like the natural home as
possible. Birds often droop and die from sheer
homesickness, when a bit of green and a homelike
nest would have kept up their spirits.

One screech owl will make an interesting pet, but
when two screech owls are put in a cage together,
all but the bones and feathers of one may be
missing in the morning. They frequently eat their
own kind.

The most humane way to get rid of English spar-
rows is never to let the eggs hatch. If the nests
and eggs are watched closely these little birds
can be eliminated. It seems cruel, but they are a
proven pest and in no way a pleasure. In the
State of New York there is a fine imposed for feed-
ing them.

336 A Plea for the Birds

A new wonder of bird life has come to light. In
North America the birds that live in the colder
sections fly south for the winter, but in South
America there is no similar movement from the
colder to the warmer sections.

To prevent sparrows roosting in any particular
spot, take an old paint brush, dip it in tar, and
apply to the spot. They will not try it the second
time after the tar is on.

To prevent cats from getting at the birds1 nests,
train a thorny rose vine to grow around the trunk
of the tree, or fasten a piece of tin or zinc around
the tree in the shape of an inverted funnel. The
metal should be thirty inches wide. Still another
way is to run a circle of wire around the trunk of
the tree, sufficiently high that the cat cannot jump
above it, and suspend from it a dozen long-necked
bottles. When the cat is climbing up and reaches
the bottles she will experience trouble and soon
grow discouraged.

The little spotted ladybird is one of the fruit
growers1 and farmers1 best friends. It lives chiefly
upon plant-lice, and if there are enough around the
lice will be kept in check.

A Plea for the Birds 337

Two species of bluebirds inhabit the Western States,
the mountain bluebird and the Western bluebird.

The birds of beautiful plumage are the insect eaters.
Nature intended the birds to do their work by
ridding the earth of insects. It is claimed that
insects carry germs that cause two thirds of the
world's diseases. The greater the number of
insects, the greater the loss of life. Saving a bird
means saving human life. A wren will eat from
twenty-five to fifty worms in fifteen minutes.

22

INDEX

Abutilon, how to prune, re-
quirements of, 25

Achillea, how to grow; sowing
seed, 25 ; care of; how to ferti-
lize, 26

Adder's Tongue, for table
decoration, 60

African Marigolds, suitable for
shrubbery borders, 92; how
to sow seed; care of; trans-
planting; soil, 93

Ageratum, where it will thrive,
26; planting with other
flowers, 27

Alkanet, or Anchusa, to make
cuttings; requirements of, 28

Almond, flowering, where to
plant, 238

Alyssum, fertilization; trans-
planting; when making
cuttings; producing abund-
ance of flowers, 27; with
tulips, 139

Amarantus, or Love-Lies-
Bleeding, when to plant
seed; transplanting; how to
quicken growth, 89

Ammonia, added to water for

house plants, 159
— Sulphate of, when to ap-
ply; quantity to use, 169

Anchusa, or Alkanet, to make
cuttings; requirements of, 28

Anemone, or Japonica, or
Japanese windflower, kind of
soil; as a hedge, 28; when to
transplant, 29

Angleworms, value of, 268

Annuals, to preserve hardy,
283

Annuals Arranged According
to Colors, List of, 302

Aphis, green, to control, 258

A Plea for the Birds (article),
308-314

Apple Trees, for shade, 248;
apple blossoms, when to
spray, 261

Arbor- Vitae, age of; soil re-
quirements for best foli-
age, 29; for practical use,

237

Arbutus, kind of soil, 29; graft-
ing experiments, 30

Army worm, appearance of;
to kill, 260

Art of Growing Flowers, The
(article on), 1-7

Arsenate of Lead, to prevent

burning foliage, 254
— danger to birds, 330
— paste, to prepare, 271
— powder^ recipe for, 271
— to combine with Bordeaux
mixture, 267

Ashes, to make, 290; value of,
291

Ash, for seaside use, 247

Aster-beetle, to kill, 267

Asters, when and how to
grow seed; transplanting;
fertilization, 30; to protect
from bugs; to rid of bugs,
31, 267; China, planted with
godetia, 71; use of arsenate
of lead, 267

339

340

Index

Attar-of-Roses, where made,
281

Atropa, or nightshade, where
it grows; destruction of, 191

Ayrshire Roses, used for hedge
or background, 125

Azalea, soil and fertilizer, 31,33 ;
how to force for Christmas
blooming; care of, 31; trans-
planting; pruning; how to
put in pots, 31; watering, 32

B

Baby's Breath, or Gypsophila,
space conditions; propaga-
tion, 72

Bachelor's Button, where to
plant, planting to best
advantage, 33

Bacterial diseases, to check,

255

Balloon flower, or bellflower;
soil requirements; how to
plant; care of plants in fall,

35
Balloon vine, raised from seed,

147
Balsam, requirements for best

growth, 33; distance apart,

transplanting, 34
Barberry, as evergreens, 237;

purple, to plant for effect;

as a house plant, 238
Basic -slag, when to apply;

quantity of, 170
Basket, for kneeling in garden,

290; should be taken when

going into the garden, 290;

device on which to hang the

basket, 291
Bath, for the birds, how to

make, 326, 327; where to

place, 326; advantage of

bushes near, 326, 327
Bats, classification of, 331
Bean, Hyacinth, for training

on wall; perennial, 144
Beans, Ornamental, raised

from seed, 147

Bean vines, to produce more
blossoms, 143

Beech fern for table decora-
tion, 60

Beetles, destroyed by birds,
330

Begonias, soil for; as house
plants; care of, after bloom-
ing; cuttings; bulbs; spring
planting, 34, 35; slipped in
fall for summer beds, 69

Bellflower, Japanese, or bal-
loon flower; soil require-
ments; how to plant, 35

Bell, Golden, planting on north
wall, 144

Berries, advantage of planting
elder, 319; for the caged
birds, 323; to protect fruit
from birds, 324

Birds, A Plea for the (article),
308-314

Birds, books on the life of, 314

Bird Houses (hints on), 314-
317; time for putting up,
314; location for; made
from small boxes; with re-
ference to cleaning; for the
martin, 315, 317; advantage
of perch; for bluebirds; post
for fastening; color prefer-
able; to persuade to remain
North, 316; from hollow
limbs; size of openings for
different birds; for robins,
catbirds, and kingbirds; use
of gourds, 317

Birds, how and when to study,
327, 330, 33i; where they
frequent; that will not nest
in houses; that eat bees;
to eliminate the sparrow;
disadvantageous species;
virtue in sparrows; value
of woodpeckers and king-
birds, 328; shelter box for;
with reference to placing of
houses and meddling with
them; Christmas tree for,
329; accidental deaths; in-
sects they eat; to induce

Index

Birds — Continued

singing, 330; when they
mate; disturbing eggs; rank
in animal life; their teeth;
classification of bats; to
attract swallows, 331; birds
that catch their food as they
fly; habits of the whippoor-
will; that eat fruit; that
sing as they fly; danger from
crows, 332; to attract hum-
ming birds; to protect
various birds; when they
attack fruit; to keep healthy;
to frighten sparrows away,
333 ; to get rid of the English
sparrow, 334, 335; when
young birds are 21; to
prevent birds waking too
early in the morning; value
of exercise, 334; to avoid
the cat, 335, 336; appreciate
natural surroundings; habits
of screech owls, 335; differ-
ence in habits of South
American birds; to prevent
sparrows roosting in a spot;
value of ladybird, 336; spe-
cies of bluebirds in the West;
which birds eat insects, 337

Bits of Information (about
birds), 327-337

Bittersweet, for autumn
beauty; for arbor planting,
146

Bitterweed, or ragweed, of no
use, 192

Blackbirds, not desirable, 328

Blazing Star, how best to
plant, 35, 36

Blight, to get rid of, 265

Blood, dried, when to apply;
quantity of, 169

Blue flowers, list of perennial,
301 ; list of annuals, 304

Bluebirds, houses for, 316;
size of entrance hole for
house, 317; value of, 328;
food desired, 322, 332; in
Western states, 337

Blue Bottle, or ragged sailor,

other names^ for; when to
plant seed; care of young
plants, 49

Blue jay, not desirable, 328

Boll- weevils, destroyed by
birds, 330 i

Bobolinks, to protect, 333

Bone, crushed, when to apply;
quantity of, 170
— Meal, preparation as fer-
tilizer, 1 66; when to apply;
quantity of, 170

Books on bird life, 314

Bordeaux Arsenate of Lead
mixture, mixture for, 272

Bordeaux Mixture, recipe for,
269; substitute for, 266;
combined with other sprays,
267; for rose bushes, 123

Borders, planning of, 156

Borers, to get rid of, 265

Botanical Names of Flowers,
A List of the Common and,
293-297

Bougamvillea, care of; propa-
gation; soil for cuttings, 36

Box, window, advantage of
self- watering, 279; for the
kitchen, 289; depth of, 289;
position of, 289

Bridal Wreath, or Francoa,
kind of soil; grafting; root-
ing of cuttings, 36, 37

Brittle, fern for table decora-
tion, 60

Bugs, to prevent hibernating,
256; to get rid of, 265, 269;
destroyed by birds, 330

Bulblet fern for table decora-
tion, 60

Bulbs, to force growth, 78;
planting in lawn, 76

Butterfly Flower, or schizan-
thus, when to sow seed;
care of plants, 37

C

Caladiums, for shrub borders,
40; with castor-oil bean, 43

California Poppies, planting
in permanent location, in

342

Index

Calla Lilies, fertilizing to give
best results, 88

Calliopsis, or Coreopsis, colors

, of, 37; how to plant seed;
care of plants; soil, 38

Canadian Thistle, to kill, 138

Candytuft, soil, 38; care of
young plants; as an edging
for flower bed ; grown for cut
flowers; winter blooming;
planting of seed, 39

Cannas, requirements for
healthy growth; care of
bulbs in winter, 39; com-
binations in shrub borders;
dividing roots, 40; with
castor-oil bean plants, 43

Canterbury Bell, soil for best
growth ; plantings for, peren-
nial, biennial, and annual
flowering, 40; pruning; when
to plant seed, 41

Carnations, starting plants in
dirt bands; to root cuttings;
to produce blue flowers;
when to plant seed; kind
of soil, 41, 42; kind of
fertilizer, 43

Carrots, Wild, or Queen Anne's
Lace, to rid of, 191

Carolina wrens, size of en-
trance hole in house for,

317
Castor-Oil Bean, to give shady

spot; distance apart for

plants; combined with other

plants, kind of soil, 40, 43
Catalpas, how to plant, 248;

commercial value, 250
Catbirds, house desired, 317;

tree for, 323
Caterpillars, danger from, 256;

as effective spray for, 258,

265; eaten by birds, 322, 330
Catnip, out of courtesy to the

cat, 287
Cats, to prevent catching

birds, 336

Centipedes, to destroy, 262
Cherry, Choke, use for, 238;

for the birds, 322

Chickadees, size of entrance

to house, 317
Chickens, to protect against,

283, 284
Chickweed, to exterminate,

265

Chimney swifts, habits of, 332
China Asters, planted with

godetia, 71
Chive, around the flower beds,

237

Christmas Tree, use for, 329

Chrysanthemums, starting
in hotbeds; transplanting
young plants; to obtain
large flowers; fertilizing; to
rid shoots of lice; propagat-
ing from seed; cuttings for
hotbed plants, 44, 45; soil
for, 44, 46

Clarkia, where to plant seed;
soil required; for window
boxes, hanging baskets and
flower-bed borders, 46

Clay Soils, drainage of; as a
foundation, 157

Clematis, for covering and
shade, 143; training of, 147;
for table decoration, 148

Cliff Break, fern for table
decoration, 60

Climbing Hydrangea, north
wall planting, 144

Climbing roses, 127
— vines, 150

Cloth of Gold, climbing rose,

145
Clotille Soupert rose, care of,

122, 123
Cobaea Scandens, trellis for;

transplanting from paper

cups; rabbit netting instead

of cord for support, 46, 47
Cockscomb, colors of; massed

with shrubbery; when to

plant seed; transplanting;

cuttings for winter house

decoration, 47, 48
Cocoanut, shell for feeding

birds, 320; shell as resting

place for birds, 321

Index

343

Cold frame sash, kind to use,

281
Coleus, with castor-oil bean

plant, 43
Color Scheme, The (article

on), 273-278
Color scheme of garden, 150,

153, 155

Columbine, when to plant
seed; distance apart; winter
blooming; recommended as
national flower; attraction
for humming birds, 48;
protection during winter, 75 j

Common and Botanical Names
of Flowers, A List of the,
293-297

Compost, preparation of, 159,
162, 163; application of, 163

Concentrated Lye, to kill
weeds; caution in use of,
192

Coneflower, or rudbeckia, how
to obtain cuttings; cultiva-
tion, 49

Coreopsis, or Calliopsis, colors
of; how to plant seed; care
of plants; soil, 37, 38

Cornflower, many names for;
when to plant seed; care of
young plants, 49

Corrosive Sublimate, to make;
spray of, 270

Cosmos, how to plant seed; re-
quirements for best growth;
late blooming plant; loca-
tion for best effect; to obtain
second flowering, 50

Cottage Tulips, cultivation of,

138

Crabapple, soil requirements;
to rid of insects, 244

Cranberry, high bush, as a
shrub, 237

Creeper, Virginia, distin-
guished from poison ivy, 148

Crimson rambler, climbing
rose, 145; training of, 147

Crocus; when to plant bulbs;
care of bulbs in winter; as
house plants in winter; care

of, 51; best soil for, 52;
placing to best advantage,
76; potting plants and their
cultivation, 78

Crossbills, trees for, 324

Cross, Maltese, how to plant;
propagation; dividing of
roots, 91

Crows, not desired, 328; value
of, 332

Crushed Bone, when to apply;
quantity of, 170

Cuckoes, tree for, ^323

Cucumber-beetle, to keep off,
267

Cucumber, Wild, for summer
house covering, 144; raised
from seed, 147

Cultivation (hints on), 187-
190, benefits derived from,
187; when to cultivate,
187, 188; to mark spots
where seeds are planted,
1 88; for dry earth; time of
day for, 188; to conserve
moisture, 188, 189; remedy
for backache from hoeing,
189; carried to extremes; to
offset poor soil, 189; caution
in hot dry weather, proper
condition of earth for, 190;
when to use fork instead of
hoe, 190

Currant, flowering, soil re-
quirements; how to propa-
gate, 239, 240

Cutting, Flowers for, 304

Cut Flowers (hints on), 195-
197; vases for; glass bowl
for; to keep roses fresh and
fragrant longer, 195, 196;
charcoal beneficial to cut
flowers, 196; sending by
mail, 197

Cuttings, when rooting, 285,
286

Cutworms, to kill, 268

Cyclamen, when to re-pot
house plants; soil; moisture
and temperature necessary,
52.

344

Index

Cypress Vine, vine of rapid
growth, 143; raised from
seed, 147

Daffodils, storing bulbs for
winter months, 77; forcing
plants for Christmas bloom-
ing; potted plants and their
cultivation, 78, 79; to pre-
vent ground from heaving,
80; to grow hardy plants,

139

Dahlias, soil required; when
to plant; cultivation; sup-
ports for; care of bulbs in
winter; advantage of plant-
ing among shrubbery, 53,
54; care of bulbs in winter,

39, 40
Daisy, soil; how to propagate

giant daisy; Shasta daisy,

54; with tulips, 139
Damp Places, Flowers that

Thrive in, 306
Dandelions, to kill roots of, 191,

192
Darwin Tulips, cultivation of,

138

Designing garden, 150-156
Dianthus, kind of soil needed

for plants; when planting

seeds, transplanting young

plants; care in winter, 55
Diseases, fungus, to control,

255; bacterial, to check, 255
Dishrag Gourd, 149
Dogtooth Violet, soil; moisture

and sunlight for best growth;

variety of colors, 55
Dorothy Perkins, climbing

rose, 145
Dragon's Head, soil needed;

how to propagate; for cut

flowers, 56
Drainage, for moist soil, 156,

157; planting flowers on

slope, 151
Dried Blood, when to apply;

quantity of, 169

Dusty Miller,Jplanted in clus-
ters; when to sow seed, 56

Dwarf Nasturtiums, with sweet
peas, 99

Edelweiss, Swiss, best location
for planting; propagation by
seed and division of roots,

57

Egg shells, used to plant seed
in, 179

Elephant's Ear, tropical effect;
soil required; to give shade;
guard against bugs and
worms, 57, 58

Elms, how to plant, 248

English Ivy, where to plant;
to wash; prune, 145; to root
cuttings, 146

Essentials in Gardening
(article on), 8-15

Evergreen Shrubs and Trees,
List of, 307

Experimenting, grafting kin-
dred plants, 151

Eyes, to protect when spray-
ing, 261

F

Fall flowers, a list of, 299
Featherfew, or feverfew, self-
sown; continuous bloom;

three or four crops each

season, 60
Features of the Garden,

Special (article on), 16-24
Ferns, soil needed; fertilizing;

wood ferns for garden, 58;

house plants in winter; how

to keep fresh and green;

Boston fern; raw oysters

for nourishment of plants;

preparing soil, 59; ferns for

table decoration, 60
Fertilization (hints on), 157-

172
Fertilizer, application of, 157;

stable manure well rotted;

age of barnyard fertilizer;

Index

345

Fertilizer — Continued

use of lime water; for roses;
caution with nitrate of soda,
158; to promote flowering
and fruilf ulness; for better
coloring; preparation of com-
post, 159, 162, 163; con-
stituents of fertilizer; nitro-
gen and phosphate for
flowers; crushed bone;
potash to strengthen plants,
1 60, 161; how to apply to
roots; how to apply liquid
to growing plants; sheep
manure, 161; removal of
debris in manure; when to
fertilize; safe proportions
for poor soil not analyzed;
to keep ammonia in soil
after applying compost, 162;
to promote rapid growth of
plants; application of lime,
163; how to have soil
analyzed, 164; commercial
^ fertilizer; when soil has too
much potash or is over-
fertilized, 164; for soil used
every year; Guano; to make
humus; qualities of nitrogen,
phosphate, and potash, 165;
wood ashes to be sifted;
caution with manure; bone
meal; disposition of flowered-
out plants, 1 66; to counter-
act strong fertilizers; man-
ures also for winter covering;
to make heavy soils lighter;
to make light soils heavier;
fertilizer containing nitro-
gen; advantage of liquid
manure; for plants already
flowering; to produce better
flowers; for leaves and stems,
167, 1 68; quantities of fer-
tilizers to be used, 169;
when to apply on lawn, 172;
use of wood ashes, 170; for
rose bushes, 121, 122, 123;
for transplanted roots, 183

Feverfew, or Featherfew, self-
sown; continuous blooming;

three or four crops each
season, 60

Flag Lilies, when to plant, 88

Flickers, size of entrance to
house, 317

Flies, green, to get rid of, 259;
to destroy larvae of, 262,
265, 266; to kill black, 266

Flowers Arranged According to
Color, Perennials, 300-302;
Annal, 302-304

Flowers Arranged According
to the Blossoming Period,
A List of, 297-299

Flowers for Cutting, 304

Flowers for the Old-Fashioned
Garden, 306

Flowers Requiring Little Sun-
light, 305

Flowers that Thrive in Damp
Places, 306

Flowers for the Rock Garden,
306

Flowers, Cut (hints on), 195-
197; Vases for; glass bowl
for; to keep roses fresh and
fragrant, 195, 196; charcoal
beneficial to cut flowers,
196; sending by mail, 197

Flowers, Growing (hints on),
25-212

Flowers, nitrogen and phos-
phate for; fertilizers for, 160;
that furnish seed for birds,
320

Flowers, The Art of Growing
(article on), 1-7

Foliage, Vegetation Grown for,
306

Foliage, supplied by the use of
vegetable leaves, 292

Food and Water (hints on),
318-327; (for birds), to
attract winter birds; suet
basket; food for young birds
318; when to give water;
evergreens valuable to birds,
3; berries for birds; advan-
tage of sunflowers; in feed-
ing hemp seed to young
birds; the caged bird, 319,

Index

Food and Water — Continued
323; for the snowbirds;
vegetation for birds; flowers
that furnish food, 320; utiliz-
ing a cocoanut shell, 320,
321; food tray; to cure the
bird of ailments; food for
hard-billed and soft-billed
birds; regularity of feeding;
green food, 321; use of
shrubs and vines; food for
the bluebird; seed eaters
and fruit eaters, 322, 324;
trees for the birds, 322, 323,
324, 325; when caged birds
do not thrive; insect-eating
birds, 323; berries for, 323,
324, 327; fresh food through-
out the year, 325 ; water, 325,
326

Forget-me-not, as a border;
filling in with shrubbery;
house plant in winter; when
to sow seed; kind of soil,

60, 61; with tulips, 139
Formaldehyde solution, to

make spray of, 270
Forsythia, care of roots in fall
for spring flowering ; pruning ;
propagation from cuttings,

61, 62

Four-o'clock, how to sow seed ;
how to set out plants; self-
perpetuating, 62

Foxglove, kind of soil; when
to plant seed; not to be
transplanted in fall, 63;
protection during winter, 75

Freesias, fertilizer for; when
and how to pot bulbs;
ripening bulbs before storing
for next season, 63

French Marigolds, suitable for
flower bed borders; how to
sow seed; care of; trans-
planting; soil, 92, 93

Fuchias, to keep during winter;
cultivation in early spring;
pruning; to root cuttings,
64; slipped in fall for summer
planting, 69

Fungus diseases, to check, 255
G

Gaillardia, sowing seed; trans-
planting from hotbed; kind
of soil needed; cuttings for
house plants; for garden
borders, 65; not to be trans-
planted in fall, 63

Garden, General Plan of
(hints on), 150-156; de-
signing; color scheme, 150;
studying layout; protection
and exposure, 150, 151;
rock, 198, 199

Garden, Special Features of
(article on), 16-24

Gardenias, how to grow; for
planting the next season;
too fragrant for house
plants, 65, 66

Gardening, Essentials In
(article on), 8-15

Gas, Hydrocyanic, danger, who
should use, 264

Gateway, training of vine
over, 147

General Plan of the Garden
(hints on), 150-156

Gentian, varies under like
conditions; kind of soil;
protection in winter, 66

Geraniums, to produce beauti-
ful flowers; when to start
plants for winter blooming;
care of, to encourage further
blooming; some large plants
desirable; slips; methods of
rooting cuttings; variety of
colors; geranium bed of
little expense; suitable for
window boxes, 67-69; Ivy-
leaf, for window box culture,
144; oil, where obtained,
281; rose, tree formation;
soil conditions, 116, 117

German Iris, combining with
Silene, 130

German Ivy, for window box
culture, 144

Index

347

Germs, and spores, precau-
tions against, 261

Gladiolus, care of bulbs in
winter, 69, 71; planting in
spring; soil; saving bulblets;
support for plants; guard
against rainstorm, 70; cut
flowers; late plantings, 70, 71

Glechoma, for window box
culture, 144

Godetia, soil required; com-
bined with China asters;
planting in clumps, 71, 72

Gold, Cloth of, climbing rose,

145
Golden Bell, early bloomer;

soil needed, 61; planting on

north wall, 144
Goldfinches, trees for, 324
Gourd, grown from seed, 147;

how to plant seed; trans-
planting young plants; wood

ashes applied to roots, 149

— dishrag, 149
Grafting, experimenting with

flowers, 151; on a cold day,

283
Grapefruit, seeds planted for

table decoration, 201
Grasses, effective for mixing

with shrubbery; around

buildings; how to plant;

love grass; care of, 222;

suitable for moist places,

223
Grass seed (see Lawn), when

to plant; watering; wood

ashes beneficial to, 170;

kind to use; to prevent

birds from eating seed, 219;

treatment after sowing; in

purchasing, 220
Greenhouse, airing of, 212;

to disinfect, 263
Growing Flowers, The Art of,

(article on), 1-7
Growing Flowers (hints on),

25-212
Guano, a good fertilizer, 165;

when to apply; quantity of,

169 -

Gypsophila, or Baby's Breath,
space needed; propagation,
72

H

Hairy Lip, fern for table
decoration, 60

Hanging plants, to water, 194

Hart's Tongue, fern for table
decoration, 60

Heath family, shrubs of the;
cultivation of, 239

Hedge, Spiraea, 132

Helenium, or Sneezeweed, cul-
tivation of; effective plant-
ing; supports for plants, 131,
132

Heliotrope, kind of soil; for
continuous blooming till
frost; tall heliotrope effec-
tive; cuttings for propaga-
tion, 73

Hemlock, soil for the, 245

Hemp seed, in giving to birds,

319

Hessian fly, to destroy, 266

Hibiscus, where it will thrive
best; cultivation; cuttings
for propagation, 73, 74

Hollyhock, placing to advan-
tage; fertilizing; sowing seed
every year; protection during
winter months; spraying in
hot weather; protection from
wind;^ to produce large
flowers, 74, 75; flowers
second season, 76; prepara-
tion for winter, 84

Honeysuckle, attraction for
hummingbirds, 48 ; for cover-
ing and shade, 143; training
of, 147; Tartarian, 148, 149

Honesty, or Lunaria; seed
self-sown; pods dried for
indoor decoration, 76

Hop, Japanese, raised from
seed, 147

Hop vine, for rapid growth
and beauty, 146

Horsechestnut, care of, 247,
250

348

Index

Horse-radish roots to grow in
water, 281

Hotbed, The (hints on), 207-
212; for early flowering, 207;
preparing plants for garden;
watering; location for, 208;
extra protection for young
plants, 209; ventilation for;
when to start, 209; to pre-
vent too much sunlight on;
how to make, 210, 211;
temperature of; material for;
drainage, 211; making a
pit; airing of, 212; trans-
planting from, 1 86; sash,
kind to use, 281

House Plants (hints on), 199-
207; to retain gloss on leaves
of rubber plant, 199, 200;
to destroy insects on; sum-
mer garden planting; small
plant in large pot; re-
potting; when to fertilize,
200; for table decoration;
vine or climbing plant in
pot; fertilizer for, 201, 203;
to prevent window boxes
from rotting, 201, 202; to
prevent jardinieres being
blown over, 202; to kill
worms; moisture required for
house plants; watering, 202;
to prevent earth being
washed over rim of pot,
202, 203; need of fresh air
for; from cellar to warm
room, 203; for succession of
blooms; caution against
frost; to rid of red spiders,
204; to avoid marring wood
from porous saucer, 204,
205; painting flower pots;
drainage in pots; to thaw a
frozen plant, 205; treatment
of frozen plant; re-starting
growth of plants; preparing
soil in fall for spring use;
when to put outdoors, 206;
turned to sunlight; re-
potting before cold weather,
207; dishwater for, 159; ex-

amined frequently, 253, 254;
to protect from gas and
dust, 291; to move heavy;
fiber saucers for, 279, 280;
stands for, inexpensive; hang-
ing flower-pot, self -watering,
280; list of, 299

Houses, Bird (hints on), 314-
317; time for putting up,
314; location for; made
from small boxes; with re-
ference to cleaning; for the
martin, 315, 317; advantage
of perch; for bluebirds; post
for fastening; color prefer-
able; to persuade birds to
stay North, 316; from hollow
limbs; size of openings for
different birds; for robins,
catbirds, andking birds; use
of gourds, 317

Humus, to make, 165, 166,
167; of rakings from grass,
172

Hyacinths, soil requirements;
how to plant bulbs, 76;
Dutch hyacinth for design-
ing; Grape hyacinth as an
edging; when to set out
bulbs; prepared fiber for
growing bulbs; bulbs stored
in winter, 77, 78; to grow
in water during winter; to
force plants for Christmas
blooming; cultivation of pot-
ted plants, 78; to have flow-
ers in early spring; time to
plant, 79; best soil for; to
prevent the ground from
heaving; soil for indoor pot-
ted bulbs, 80; care of house
plants, 51; to grow hardy,
139; bean, vine of rapid
growth, 143; for training on
wall; perennial, 144, 145

Hybrid Perpetual Roses, used
as hedge or background, 125

Hydrangeas, fertilizing, 80;
to produce blue hydrangeas;
pruning; protection in win-
ter; how to make cuttings,

Index

349

Hydrangeas — Continued

81; climbing; north wall
planting, 144

Iceland Poppy, time to sow
seed; growing in clumps,

III, 112

Information, Bits of (about
birds), 327-337

Indian Nettle, or Lantana,
training as bush or tree; soil
requirements, 83

Insects, (article on), 251-253

Insects, (hints on extermina-
tion), 253-269; how to
locate, 253; classes, 254;
to destroy sucking, 255;
precaution before planting,
256, 261; how to spray, 257,
261, 268, 269; when to spray,
255, 257; disinfectant for,
264; the use of the toad,
268; value of birds, 268;
to get rid of borers and root
maggots, 265; to destroy on
house plants, 200; protec-
tion of rose bushes from,
121, 123; birds which devour,

337

Iris, Japanese, how to grow;
fertilizing, 81, 82; prepara-
tion for winter, 84, 107;
planting in permanent loca-
tion, 88; German, combined
with Silene, 130

Iron, Sulphate of, when to
apply; quantity of, 169

Ivy, for covering and shade,
143; on north wall, 144; to
freshen; when to prune, 145,
146; English, where to plant,
to wash, to root cuttings,
145, 146; German, for win-
dow box culture, 144; poison,
to distinguish; killing roots
of, 148; Ivy-leaf Geranium,
for \vindow box culture,
144

Jack-in-the-Pulpit, cultiva-
tion; where to plant; useful
in destroying bugs, 82

Japanese Anemone, or japonica;
kind of soil; when to trans-
plant; how to make cuttings;
care of, 28, 29

Japanese bellflower, soil re-
quirements; how to plant;
care of plants in fall, 35

Japanese Hop, raised from
seed, 147

Japanese Iris, how to grow;
fertilizing, 8 1, 82

Japanese Quince, north wall
planting of, 144

Japonica, Japanese wind-
flower, or Anemone, kind of
soil; as a hedge; when to
transplant, 28, 29

Jardiniere, to prevent being
blown over in wind, 202

Jessamine, or Jasmine, soil
required; pruning, 82; plant-
ing on north wall, 144

Juniper, Irish, reasons for the
popularity of, 245

K

Kainite, when to apply; quan-
tity of, 170
Kaiser blumen, or Ragged

Sailor; other names for;

when to plant seed; care of

young plants, 49
Kerosene Emulsion, to make,

272
Kingbirds, size of entrance to

house, 317; value of, 328,

334; habits of, 332

Labels for plants, 288, 289
Ladybirds, value to farmer,
336

350

Index

Lantana, or Indian Nettle,
training as bush or tree;
cuttings; soil requirements,

83

Larkspur, when to sow seed;
protection during winter,
75, 84, 107; distance apart;
where to plant; care of;
preparation for winter; var-
iety of colors, 84, 85

Lavender, advantages of; how
to plant seed and cuttings;
treatment of drying leaves,

84,85

Lawn, The (article on), 213-
218

Lawn, The Care of (hints on),
219-223; appearance of
moss, 170, 220; treatment of
moss, 171; to produce new
lawn quickly; remaking an
old lawn; bare patches; fer-
tilizer for, 171, 172; when
watering, 220; for Southern
country; effect of seed ma-
turing; to make cutting
easy; care in September,
221; plan for, 222

Leaf-Spot, how to rid of, 265

Lemon Verbena, 140

Lice, Plant, to control, 254,
^259; value of birds, 330

Lilacs, how to prune; planted
as a hedge, 85, 86

Lilies, Calla, fertilizing to give
best results, 88

Lilies, Flag, when to plant,
88

Lilies, Irises, to be placed in
permanent location, 88

Llilies, Madonna, when to
plant bulbs, how to care
for, 88; Tiger, when to plant
bulbs, used as a background,
cutting the flowers, 87;

Lilies-of-the- Valley, where and
how to plant, kind of soil,
in combination with myrtle,
house plants, 86, 87; varie-
ties of, 86-88

Lime-Sulphur, recipe for, 270

Lime, uses of in soil, 158, 163,

164, 165, 167
Limewater, for fertilizing

ground and killing worms,

158
Lindens, value of, 244; care of,

247; how to plant, 248
Liquid fertilizer, for growing

plants, 161; advantages of,

167, 168
List of Annuals Arranged

According to Colors, 302-304
List of Evergreen Shrubs and

Trees, 307

List of Flowers Arranged Ac-
cording to the Blossoming

Period, A, 297-299
List of Flowers for Cutting, 304
List of Flowers for the Old-

Fashioned Garden, 306
List of Flowers for the Rock

Garden, 306
List of Flowers Requiring

Little Sunlight, 305
List of Flowers that Thrive In

Damp Places, 306
List of Perennials Arranged

According to Colors, 300-302
List of Plants Grown for

Foliage, 306

List of Plants Suitable for Win-
ter Planting, 299
List of the Common and

Botanical Names of Flowers,

A, 293-297
Lobelias, suitable for borders,

baskets and pots; when to

sow seed; transplanting; soil

required, 88, 89
Love-Lies-Bleeding, or Amar-

antus; when to plant seed;

transplanting; how to

quicken growth, 89
Lunaria, or Honesty, seed

self-sown; pods dried for

indoor decoration, 76
Lupin, where to plant; soil and
[ moisture; to root cuttings,

90
Lye, concentrated; to kill

weeds, caution in use of, 192

Index

M

Madeira vine, for window box
culture, 144

Madonna Lily, when to plant
bulbs; how to care for, 88

Magnesia, Sulphate of, when
to apply; quantity of, 169

Magnolias, soil for; best var-
iety; watering, 90, 91

Maidenhair, fern for table
decoration, 60

Maltese Cross, how to plant;
propagation; dividing of
roots, 91

Maple, Norway, for seaside
use, 247; how to plant,
248

Marguerite, when to sow seed;
staking; protection in win-
ter; cuttings, 91, 92

Marigolds, French; African;
how to sow seed; care of;
transplanting; soil, 92, 93;
Pot, single and double; to
have flowers early and late;
colors of; hotbed plantings;
transplanting; dried leaves
of use in cooking, 112, 113

Marjoram, Sweet; soil for;
how to make cuttings; dry-
ing leaves, 93

Martin, the kind of house
preferred, 315, 317; what
bees they eat, 328; aid in
getting rid of the English
sparrow, 334

Mayflower, where to grow;
soil requirements, 94

Meal, Bone, when to apply;
quantity of, 170

Mealy-bug, spray for, 264

Mice, pine, to destroy, 262

Midsummer flowers, A list of,
298

Mignonette, sowing seed; suc-
cessive plantings; winter
house plants; soil; cultiva-
tion, 94

Mildew, on rose bushes, 124;
how to rid of, 265

Miller, Dusty, planted in clus-
ters; when to sow seed, 56

Millet, Japanese, value of, 324

Mint, to grow in water; where
to plant in garden; as shrub-
bery, 95

Miscellaneous Hints on Gar-
dening, 279-292

Mistflower, soil required; how
to propagate; mark for loca-
tion till plant appears, 95,
96

Mistletoe, how to grow; pro-
tection of seed from birds;
propagation, 96

Mock Orange, soil for best
growth; pruning; cuttings,
97

Monkshood, hardy growth;
length of life of; replanting;
to rid of black blight, 97, 98

Moonflowers, to grow from
seed, 98, 147; soil for, 98;
vine of rapid growth, 143

Moonwort, fern for table de-
coration, 60

Morning Glory, vine of rapid
growth, 143"; how to plant
and when, 145; raised from
seedt> 147

Mosquitoes, breeding by excess
moisture, 151; to destroy
larvae of, 262; precaution
against, 262

Moss Pinks, with tulips, 139;
care of, 125

Mulberry, Russian, for birds,

323, 324
Multiflora Roses, used for

hedge or background, 125
Myrtle, with lilies-of-the-

valley, 87

N

Narcissi, placing to best ad-
vantage, 76; storing bulbs
during winter, 77; forcing
plants for Christmas bloom-
ing; potted plants, and their
cultivation, 51, 78; when to

352

Index

Narcissi — Continued

plant, 79; to prevent ground
from heaving, 80; to grow
hardy plants, 139

Nasturtiums, soil for; how to
sow seed; grown in dirt
bands; in hanging baskets;
winter plants; profusion of
flowers; leaves and seeds
for cooking purposes; Dwarf
nasturtiums with sweet peas,
98-100; rapid growth of,
143; quickest method of
rooting slips, 68

National flower, flower com-
monly known as; and flower
recommended, 282

Nemophila, to sow seed; trans-
planting; soil requirements;
cut flowers for indoors, TOO

Nicotiana, requirements for
best growth; distance apart,
101

Nightshade, or atropa, where
it grows; destruction of, 191

Nitrate of Potash, when to
apply; quantity of, 170

Nitrate of Soda, caution with,
158; when to apply; quan-
tity of, 169 f

Nitrogen, qualities of, 165, 168

Nut trees, soil requirements,
248

Oak, pin, for seaside use, 247

Oakfern, for table decoration,
60

Oats, planted with grass seed,
171

Oils, plants grown for their,
282

Oleander, pruning; fertilizing,
101

Old Fashioned Garden, Flow-
ers for The, 306

Orange seeds, planted for
table decoration, 201

Orchids, kind of soil; care of,

IO2

Ornamental Beans, raised from

seed, 147
Othanna, for window box

culture, 144
Owls, Screech, as pets, 335

Painted Tongue, or Salpi-
glossis, to start growth; soil;
planting in groups, 128

Palms, kind of soil; to give
gloss to leaves; nourishment
for plants; to quicken growth ;
protection from scale, 102,
103

Pansies, fertilizing; to get
large flowers in fall; care of
in the fall; planting for best
effect; when to sow seed;
transplanting young plants,
103, 104; care of beds in
winter; midsummer bloom-
ing; to avoid small, faded
flowers; indoor cultivation,
105; with tulips, 139

Paris Green, how to prepare;
how to use, 271; to prevent
burning foliage, 254

Peas, Sweet, 134-137; with
Dwarf nasturtiums, 99, 100

Peonies, to prevent crowding
other plants, 105; time to
fertilize; time for planting;
care of; time for replanting;
preparation for winter; when
grown for propagation; when
grown for blooms; when
plants do not bloom, 106,
107

Pepper Plants, soil require-
ments; free from dust; house
plant in winter, 108

Perennial Poppies, prepara-
tion for winter, 107

Perennials Arranged Accord-
ing to Colors, List of, 300

Perennials, pruning, 284, 285;
division of roots advised,
286; trellises for vines, 287;
care of, 288

Index

353

Periwinkle, to sow seed; kind
of soil; planting in rows
effective; distance apart,
108

Petunias, for window boxes;
planting seed in garden; to
start in hotbed; transplant-
ing; special attention to
double varieties, 109, nij

Phlox, when to sow seed; how
to place to advantage; trans-

Elanting; to rid of mildew;
:>r continuous blooming
throughout season; cut
flowers, 109, i ip
Phosphate, qualities of, 165
Pink flowers, list of Perennials,

302 ; list of annuals, 304
Pinks, with tulips, 139
Plan of the Garden, General,

(hints on), 150-156, 285
Plane trees, care of, 247
Planning flower garden, draw-
ing to scale; paper for sketch,
151, 152; color scheme,
150; protection and ex-
posure, 150; drainage, 151;
consideration of size and
season of blossoms, 151,
153; sunlight and shade
needed, 151; starting garden
with annuals, 152, 153;
perennials as background;
garden seat; statuary; ^ fea-
tures to be emphasized;
planting of trees and shrubs,
J53» J54; t° avoid somber
effect; suggestions for effects;
planting white flowers; se-
lecting hardy plants; neat-
ness of bed; replanning of;
when to rearrange; borders,

155, 156

Plantains, to kill, 192, 193

Planting for cut flowers, plac-
ing in rows, 152

Plants Suitable for Winter
Potting, 299

Plowing, condition of ground
for, 156

Poison Ivy, to distinguish

23

from Virginia Creeper; kill-
ing roots of, 148

Polypody, fern for table de-
coration, 60

Pomegranate, best soil for;
location for; propagation,
no, in

Poplar, for seaside use, 247;
how to plant, 248 ; advantage
0^249

Poppies, when to plant seed;
thinning of plants; Califor-
nia; Shirley; to be planted in
permanent location; most
profuse bloomers; when to
sow seed of; Iceland, in,
112; preparation of soil for,
107

Portulaca, when to plant seed;
transplanting; used as edg-
ing or to fill gaps, 112

Posts, in setting wooden, 287

Potash, to strengthen plants,
1 60; qualities of, 165, 166,
1 68; nitrate of, when to
apply; quantity of, 170

Potassium Sulphide, directions
for spray, 270

Pot Marigold, single and
double; to have flowers early
and late; colors of; hotbed
plantings; transplanting;
dried leaves of use in cook-
ing, 112, 113

Potted plants (see House
Plants)

Potting, Plants Suitable for
Winter, 299

Primrose, for house or garden;
length of season; height of
plant; how to sow seed;
transplanting; to keep plants
during winter months, 113,
114

Primulas, soil requirements;
how to sow seed in pots;
care of, 114

Prince's Feather, colorings;
as a brilliant background;
preserving heads through
winter months; soil to pro-

354

Index

Prince's Feather — Continued
duce best growth; weeding
out young plants; to preserve
flowers intact, 114, 115

Privet, California, as ever-
greens, 237

Pruning, perennials, 284

Pulverizing soil for seed and
young plants, 156

Purple stemmed fern for table
decoration, 60

Purple flowers, list of peren-
nial, 302; list of annual, 304

Q

Queen Anne's lace, or Wild
Carrots, to rid of, 191

Quince, north wall planting of,
144

Rabbits, to protect against,
284

Ragged Sailor, or Cornflower;
many names for; when to
plant seed; care of young
plants, 49

Ragweed, or Bitterweed, of no
use, 192

Rambler, Crimson, climbing
rose, 145

Raspberry, wild, advantage in
planting, 237

Red flowers, list of Perennial,
301 ; list of annuals, 303

Rhododendrons, soil require-
ments; planting seeds; prun-
ing to insure hardiness; to
revive failing plants; fer-
tilizing, 115, 1 16

Robins, house preferred, 317;
tree for, 323; attack fruit
trees, 332

Rock Cress, how to plant to
advantage; propagation, 116

Rock Garden, The, advantage
of, 198; how to make, 198,
199; when to start; soil for;
compost suitable for, 199

Rock Garden, Flowers for the,
306

Root-maggots, to get rid of,
265

Rose Geranium, tree forma-
tion; soil conditions, 116,

'«7

Rosemary, pruning, propaga-
tion, 117

Roses, Cuttings; when to
take, 117; how to take; how
to root, 118; growing roses
for seed, 118; care of seed-
lings ; transplanting, 119;
to rid bushes of black spot;
drainage foundation under
garden; to plant roses; space
between bushes; spray for
mildew on bushes, 120;
potted plants for early buds,
12 1 ; covering plants for
winter, 121, 123; to have
deeper shade of flowers, 121;
soil; fertilizers, 121, 122,
123, 158; when to trans-
plant, 122; Clotille Sou-
pert, care of, 122; climbers,
care of, 123; 124, 127, white,
yellow, pink and red listed,
127; spraying; pruning, 121,
123; training bushes to trees,
124; protection from mice;
cause of mildew; to rid of
mildew, 124; moss, care of,
125; Sweetbrier, care of,
125; hedges and background,
kinds of roses suitable for;
protection from wind, 125;
Tausenschoen, or Thousand
Beauties, good qualities of,
126; ^Monthly roses, 126;
for city yards, 126; color
scheme, 126, 127; white and
colored listed, 127; to keep
fresh, 196; slipped in fall for
summer beds, 69

Rubber Plant, to give gloss to
leaves; to nourish, 199, 200

Rubbish, burner, of metal,
safe to use, 281; heap, ad-
vantage of, 290

Index

355

Rudbeckia, to grow from cut-
tings; how to obtain cuttings

49
Rust, to get rid of, 265

Sage, Scarlet, with Castor-oil
Bean plant, 43

Salpiglossis, to start growth;
soil; planting in groups, 128

Salt, to kill weeds, 192; placed
in vase with cut flowers, 196

Sal via, or Scarlet Sage; loca-
tion; sowing seed; trans-
planting; soil, 129

Sand in soil, advantage and
disadvantage of, 156

San Jose" scale, to detect, 246

Saxifraga, for window box
culture, 144

Scabiosa, to raise from seed;
annual, biennial, or peren-
nial; division of roots, 128,
129

Scale, to get rid of, 256, 258;
remedy for San Jose", 261

Scarlet Sage, or Salvia, with
Castor-oil Bean plant, 43;
where to plant, sowing seed;
transplanting; soil, 129

Schizanthus or Butterfly flower;
when to sow seed; care of
plants, 37

Scotch Roses, used as hedge or
background, 125

Screen, vines to act as, 147

Seat, Garden, 153

Seed (hints on), 172-180;
purchasing the best, 172;
new seed each year, 175;
preparation of ground for,
172, 175; plowing large
beds, 174, 178; removing
debris from soil; to kill
seed of weeds, 174; require-
ments for germination, 173,
176; moisture needed, 173,
174; test for moisture in
soil, 176; drainage, 173;
how to makejlats, 178; pre-

paration of seed for plant-
ing, 177; planting in summer,
176; how to plant, 175, 177,
X78» 179; drill for planting
large area, 176; depth to be
planted, 172, 173, 175, 178;
seed placed in tape, 180;
temperature of ground, 173,
176; how to water, 173, 174;
thinning seedlings, 180;
planting for seed,"i75 ; gather-
ing seed, 179, 1 80; planting
in rows for transplanting,
174, 175; care of seed
planted indoors, 175; fresh
air and sunlight for seed
indoors, 178; watering seed
in boxes, 178, 179; planting
in egg shells, 179; keeping a
record, 177

Seedlings, when there is an
overabundance, 286

Shasta Daisy, how to propa-
gate, 54

Shirley Poppy, planting in
permanent location; adapt-
able for cutting, 1 1 1

Shrubbery (hints on), 231-
241 ; trained to fancy shapes,
effectiveness of^ mint; fer-
tilization for; in selecting
privet and boxwood, 231;
to plant for effectiveness,
232, 233, 234, 237, 239; the
aim of, list of shrubbery-
easy to grow; plan before
planting, 232, 234, 235;
advantage for curved walls
and drives; cultivation of,
233; after blooming, 234;
to prevent drifting soil, 235;
transplanting, 235, 236;
when to prune; in rooting
cuttings, 236, 240; care in
hot weather, 236; those
which flower, 238; producing
berries for the birds; or-
namental hedges; some of the
most desirable, 239; when
to trim hedge, 241; when
the snow covers, 241

356

Index

Shrubbery and Trees (ar-
ticles on), 224-230

Shrubs and Trees, List of
Evergreen, 307

Sickly plant, change of loca-
tion for, 151

Silene, how to grow from seed;
distance apart; soil; cover-
ing plants in winter; com-
bined with German Iris;
late blooming, 129, 130

Slag, Basic, when to apply;
quantity of, 170

Slipperwort, for Easter bloom-
ing, 41

Slugs, to exterminate, 259, 261

Smilax, soil for; use of roots;
propagation; prolific growth,
130

Snapdragon, for early bloom-
ing; perennial or annual;
protection in winter; soil
requirements, 130, 131

Sneezeweed, cultivation of;
effective planting; supports
for plants, 131, 132

Snowbirds, to feed, 320

Snowdrop, where to plant;
soil, 132

Soda, Bicarbonate of, to kill
weeds, 192

Nitrate of, when to apply,
quantity of, 169

Soil, (hints on), 156-157; pul-
verizing; containing sand;
too moist for cultivation;
test for moisture in, 156;
drainage of, 156, 157; saw-
dust and shavings harmful
to, 157; preparation of; for
new garden, 157; application
for dry soil, 157; fertiliza-
tion of, 157-172; watering,
1 68

South American birds, differ-
ence in habits from those of
North America, 336

Sparrows, tree for, 323; to
eliminate English, 328, 334,
335; value in, 328; habit of,
332

Special Features of the Garden

(article on), 16-24
Spider, red, to get rid of, 204,

256
Spiraea, soil; fertilizer; pruning,

132
Spores, and germs, precautions

against, 261
Spray, how to, 257, 261, 267;

when to, 255, 257; for plant

louse, 254, 264; for the red

spider, 256; for rose bugs,

265; for the black fly, 266;

for fungicide and insecticide

treatment combined, 267;

for the cucumber-beetle; for

the aster-beetle, 267
Sprays which Every Gardener

Should Know How to Make

(recipes), 269-272
Spring flowers, a list of, 297
Spruces, advantage of planting,

244
Stakes, kind of wood; colors,

*53, 154; in tying plants to,

285
Stocks, soil needed for best

growth; transplantings; cut

flowers; care of plants in

winter, 133
Stumps of trees, covering with

vines, 147
Suggestions for Vines, 143-

150

Sulphate of Ammonia, when
to apply; quantity per
square yard, 169
— Iron, when to apply;

quantity of, 169
— Magnesia, when to apply;

quantity of, 169
Sumac, scarlet, soil condition,

238

Summerhouse, location for;
design of, 154; training vine
on, 147

Sunflower, when to plant seed;
distance apart for plants;
best soil conditions, 133,
134; as food for chickens,
284; as food for birds, 319

Index

357

Sunlight, Flowers Requiring
Little, 305

Support for vines, 147

Swallows, to attract cliff and
eave, 331; entrance holes of
houses for, 317

Sweet Alyssum, fertilization;
transplanting; when making
cuttings; producing abun-
dance of flowers, 27; with
tulips, 139

Sweetbrier Roses, care of, 125

Sweet Marjoram, soil for; how
to make cuttings; drying
leaves, 93

Sweet Peas, fertilizer for;
planting in trenches; care of;
grown on wire netting, 134;
preparation of soil for; when
to sow seed; thinning out
plants; distance apart, trans-
planting, 135; spray to
protect from bugs; for con-
tinuous blooming; cutting
flowers; to keep cut flowers;
to grow long-stemmed flow-
ers, 136; watering plants, 137;
when aphis infect, 259; with
Dwarf nasturtiums, 99; vines
for making humus, 149

Sweet William, soil require-
ments; sowing seed; trans-
planting young plants; thin-
ning plants; when to trans-
plant large plants, 137; not
to be transplanted in late
fall, 63; when to plant;
protection in winter, 75

Swiss Edelweiss, best location
for planting; propagation by
seed and division of roots, 57

Table decoration, 148

Tall Heliotrope, height of;

cuttings for propagation, 73
Tartarian Honeysuckle, 148,

149
Tausendschoen Roses, good

qualities of, 126

Tea Roses, used as a hedge or
background, 125

Thinning, Transplanting and
(hints on), 180-187

Thinning, without regard to
size of plants; space for each
plant, 185

Thistle, Canadian, to kill, 138

Thousand Beauties Roses, good
qualities of, 126

Tiger Lilies, when to plant
bulbs; used as a background;
cutting the flowers, 87

Toad, value of, 268

Tools required by every gar-
dener, 279; a wheel hoe,
advantage of, 280; care of,
282, 284

Tradescantia, for window box
culture, 144

Transplanting and Thinning
(hints on), 180-187

Transplanting, to develop
roots, 1 80; preparation of
plant previous to taking up;
plants sent from a distance;
lifting young plants for,
181; preparation of green-
house plants for, 181, 182;
treatment of plants which
will not stand moving; to put
in ground seeds grown in
paper cups, 182; how to put
plant in new ground, 182,
183; preparation of soil for;
fertilizer; to replace large
plants, 183, 184; condition
of plant for; time of day
best for, 184; especial care
of roots, 185; from hotbed
to open ground; after a
shower; extra care for deli-
cate plants, 1 86; for protec-
tion from sun first day or
two, 186, 187

Tray, food, for birds, 321

Tree_ of Heaven, origin; re-
quirements of; rooting cut-
tings, 245

Trees, List of Evergreen
Shrubs and, 307

358

Index

Trees (hints on), 241-250;
flowering, 241 ; when to move,
242; transplanting, 242, 248;
advantage of oaks and
maples, American Elm and
Ashes, 243; for the country
place, 241; where to plant,
244; soil for crabapple, 244;
advantage of spruces, 244;
advantage of Irish Juniper,
245; soil requirements of
hemlock, of the tree of
Heaven, of the tulip tree,
245; when rooting cuttings,
245; effect of freezing and
thawing; to prevent sun-
scald; to soften hard bark;
. to prevent San Jose" scale;
effect of extremes, 246;
deciduous, when to plant,
for smoke cities, for the
seaside, tenderness of plane,
lindens and horse chestnuts,
247; Apple, for shade; re-
quirements of nut trees;
how to plant elms, lindens,
maples, catalpas,and poplars,
248; when planting opposite
the windbreak, 248; in
purchasing; for quick shade;
requirements of black wal-
nut; satisfaction in the
yellow wood, 249; value of
catalpa; with reference to
horse chestnut, 250; stumps,
covering of vines for, 147;
for the birds, 319, 320, 322,

323, 324, 325

Trellis, training of vine on,
147; material for, 168, 169

Trumpet flower, for covering
and shade, 143

Tulips, care of house plants,
51 ; placed to best advantage,
76; well adapted to design-
ing; storing bulbs during
winter, 77; potted plants;
their cultivation, 78; time
for planting, 79; to prevent
ground from heaving, 80;
Darwin and Cottage; soil

requirements; when to plant
bulbs, and how, 138, 139;
distance apart; effective with
other plants; to have hardy
plants, 138, 139; tree, care
of, 245

U
Umbrella, use of old, 282

Vegetables, flowers among the,
288

Vegetation Grown for Foliage,
306

Verbena, treatment of seed
before sowing; transplant-
ing seedlings; watering;
grown from cuttings; lemon
verbena, 140, 141

Vinca Harrisonii, for window
box culture, 144

Vines, Suggestions for, 143-
150; soil required; to obtain
more profuse blooming and
branching; for covering and
shade; for rapid growth,
143; for north wall, 144;
list for window box culture,
144; prevent twisting of,
146; training of, to act as
screen, 147; for indoor de-
coration, 147; support for,
147; sweet pea, for making
humus, 149; climbing, 150

Violets, soil for; watering;
spray for rust; protection
from wind and heavy rain,
141; dogtooth, soil; mois-
ture and sunlight needed
for best growth; variety of
Colors, 55

Virginia Creeper, distinguished
from poison ivy, 148

W

Walks, garden, warmth of
color, 291; foundation for,
292; how to lay, 292

Index

359

Wall, training of vine over, 147
Walnut, black, soil require-
ments; length of time to
mature, 249

Wasps, to destroy, 260, 263
Water, Food and (hints on),
(for the birds), 318-327
Water, should be supplied for

birds, 325, 326, 327
Watering (hints on), 193-195;
plenty of it; how often;
method of, 193; time of day
for; when to use spray;
sprinkling to wash dust
from leaves, 194; hanging
plants, 194; trees, shrubs,
and large plants; care ex-
erted with sensitive plants,
195; house plants; effect of
spasmodic watering, 195;
can, kind to use, 272; to
loosen earth in pots pre-
vious to; aid in keeping
insects away, 168
Water Plants (hints on), 197-
198; when to put out, 197;
how to plant, 197; space
needed, 198; list of, 198
Weeds (hints on), 190-193;
to destroy, 187-192; pulled
as soon as they appear, 190;
to kill roots of dandelions,
191, 192; destroying night-
shade, or atropa, \igi', to
kill growth where not
wanted; wild carrots, or
Queen Anne's Lace, 191;
chicory, welcomed for blue
flowers, 191, 192; soil best
for chicory, 192; bitterweed,
or ragweed of no use, 192;
to kill plantains, 192, 193
Whippoorwill, habits of, 332
Whale-oil soap, to prepare, 272
White Flowers, List of Peren-
nial, 300; list of annuals, 302

Wild Carrots, or Queen Anne's
Lace, to rid of, 191

Wild Cucumber, raised from
seed, 147; summerhouse
covering, 144

Wild Grapevine, rapid growth;
excellent for shade, 144

Window Boxes, to prevent
from rotting, 201, 202

Winter Potting, Plants Suit-
able for, 299

Wireworm, method of attack;
how to kill, 258

Wistaria, soil and cultivation;
pruning; food for; forcing
flowers; use as screen, 141,
142; for covering and shade,
143; prevent twisting of, 146

Wood ashes, for lawn before
watering, 170, 171

Woodpeckers, value of, 328;
entrance hole for houses, 317

Worms, to kill on plants, 255;
to prevent hibernating, 256;
wireworms, method of at-
tack, how to kill, 258;
army, appearance of; to
kill, 260; angle, value of,
268; cut, to kill, 268

Wrens, entrance holes of
houses for, 317

Yellow wood, desirability of,
249

Yellow flowers, list of Peren-
nial, 301; list of Annuals,
303

Zinnia, massed with other
flowers; when to sow seed;
where to plant for best
effect, 142, 143

YB 48539