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YARD AND GARDEN

A Book of Practical Information
for the Amateur Gardener
in City, Town or
Suburb

By
TARKINGTON BAKER

Mlustrated with Photographs
and Diagrams

INDIANAPOLIS
THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
CopyricHT 1908
Tuer Bogsss-MERRILL COMPANY

 

FEBRUARY

PRESS OF
BRAUNWORTH & CO.
BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGH

I Tue Yarp : 3 ; ‘ ‘ ° ‘ . 1

II Puannine THE GARDEN 3 é . 7 . DB
III How to Pian 3 7 4 sie : . 3st
IV Lawns . . 7 . . e : . . 44

V vines”; ‘ 3 . 2 oe : . 6
VI Awnvazs ‘ ‘ . . . . s » 99

VII Harpy Perennrars . 7 . z »  « 134
VIII Some Porutar PERENNIALS . c . . LT
IX Butzovs- anp Tuserous-Rootep Pants , - 170

X Some Porunar Harpy Burss 5 4 3 - 194

XI Iriskts anp TenpER Buss . ; . . . 219

XII Survss . . . : ; . . . - 240
XIII Trees. . . . . . . -  » 266
XIV Som anp Fervinizers . . 7 . . - 293

XV Insects anD DisEasEs . . ° 5 - - 809
XVI Tue InDoor WintEeR Winpow GaRDEN j . 329

XVII A CuHaprer or SPECIALTIES " J r - 357
APPENDIX : : : ‘ 5 : : . 379

InpEx . ; g ‘ ; . i ‘ . 405
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
Cottage home in a city with yard ornamented with plants
—Frontispiece
Small space of city yard converted into formal garden . 3
Beginning the improvement ofa city back-yard ‘ ‘ 9
The same yard three months later. i ee . 9
Making the most of meager space for flowers . » 15
Grounds of a factory ornamented with plants : . VW
Example of planting in limited space 3 ‘ : . 20
Side-yard planned and planted by the owner . ‘i . 24
Elaborate planting in city yard—pergola in center - 2
Example of simple but effective planting 7 5 . 33
Yard-planting in which tree is made the center 5 . 389
Wall-planting—result of careful planning ‘i ‘i . 48
Hedge of privet as a city yard boundary 4 ‘ . 47
Sun-dial in corner of city lawn : ij ; : . 650
Hedge of climbing roses defining limit of lawn : . 57
Colony of iris established in lawn . : ‘ ‘ . 61
Unsightly corner of yard ornamented with plants . . 65
Garden seat at end of small city lawn . é . . 70

Wild grape from woods in city yard 3 ; i - 9
Flowers of the clematis . 3 : , . ‘ . 84
City residence covered with woodbine . . » « 89

Flowers of the fragrant honeysuckle 7 . . - 93
Annual phlox. ‘ 4 ‘i ; 5 7 . - 100
Single and double zinnias 3 7 : : : - 102
Snapdragon ‘ ‘ : ; i . ; . . 105
China aster Mie cae. ie Ge sh. oo ad eee MOE
Transplanting seedlings to ‘‘thumb-pots’’ z 7 . 107
Stocks j ‘ E ‘ i : ‘i : ‘ . 110
Shirley poppies . . & A F . 110
Sweet peas ‘ : : i . 112

Petunias . 3 ‘ . . 14
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued

PAGE
Pot marigold 7 . ‘i j 2 . : i . 116
Sowing seeds of annuals. 3 ‘ 3 : . 118
Plants in porch box combined with hardy ferns to make
solid wall of foliage and flower . . : . - 121
Porch boxes filled with pee suitable for eastern
exposure : 7 . 124
Porch box newly seanted bit with inet in bio i - 126
Effective grouping of single plants . 7 3 é 9-129.
Porch boxes exposed to full sunlight ‘ i ‘ . 131
Meadow Sweet . ‘ ‘ r i és ‘ ‘ . 135

Catchfly . F ‘ 7 . . ‘i % 3 . 187
Achillea s 5 . . 2 : . . : . 139

Columbine 4 7 is 5 é ‘ - . . 189
Globe Flower. 3 ‘i é 3 ‘ % é » 141
Swamp rose ‘ 3. : , 3 ‘ 3 ° » 143

Oriental poppy . A . ‘ 5 ‘ . ‘6 . 145
Stoke’s aster : 2 ; ‘ ° . . . . 147
Bee Balm . é F . : . . . . - 148
Balloon Flower . - 2 . . . . 7 . 148

Larkspur. . : . . . . . : - 150
Golden Marguerite . a - ; : . . . 152
Sweet William . : i . ‘ ‘ . . . 164

False Dragon-head . A é : ‘ F 3 . 154

Spirea : ‘ . 5 F A ‘i . . - 155
Golden Glow . . 7 " F . : < . 158

Boltonia : : . , é : ‘ . 159
Monkshood : . ° : j : . 161
Foxglove. 7 . 3 - 7 . . 161
Chrysanthemum, “Shasta Daiey” 5 : i . 163
Veronica. ‘ s 4 ; ° j Fi a . 165
Plantain lily ‘i ‘ : ‘i : ; . : . 166

Yellow Day lily . . . . . . a z . 166
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued

Transplanting hardy perennials
Narcissus days in a city yard garden
May-flowering tulips on Decoration Day .

Dahlia
Canna

Flowers of tuberous-rooted begonia .

Flower of the canna

Torch lily . 5 .
Canada lily ‘

Kramer’s lily e 4
Single dahlias. ‘
Madonna lily fs :
Erythronium - :

Poet’s narcissus .

Trumpet varieties of narcissus

Hyacinoths . :
Parrot tulips . .
May-flowering tulips .
Gladiolus. s .
Montbretia ‘ .
Tiger lily . . Fi
Thunbergian lily ,
Japanese iris :

Spanish iris 7 ‘
White Siberian iris .
German iris ‘ :
Siberian iris

English iris

Bridal Wreath

Hydrangea laden with flowers .
Blossom of the tree peony in early spring
Shrubbery walk in small city yard

°

°

PAGE

167

171

174

. 176

. 176

- 178

181

- 185

. - 185

. - 187

, . 189

. - 191

. . 196

. - 196

.  » 199

5 . 201

. . 203

« 203

j . 206

. . 206

3 . 211

: . 216

. . 221

225

230

230

. . 234

. » 234
.  . 241
és . 244

. . 247,
249
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS-- Continued

Flowers of the Mountain Laure]

Hardy azalea in bloom

Rhododendron in bloom :

Flowers of the tall-growing Bird Cherry 3

Planting a tree

Tree that has never been pruned

Trees ruined by ignorant pruner é

Fruit trees for shade and fruit in city yard

Effective grouping of evergreen trees

Decorative value of the haw

Colony of Sedum spectabdile in poor soil

Blue Day lily growing in soil which the owner considered
‘im possible’’ ‘ A : ‘ i‘

Spraying easily done in the average city yard

Typical chewing insect (Cecropia moth)

San José scale

Oyster shell scale

Fall web-worm

Scurfy scale :

Work of the catalpa sohtie ai

Paris daisies

Root growth of narcissus

Azalea Indica in bloom

Ornamental-foliaged begonia

Foliage plants suitable for a window garden

Paper white narcissus

Hyacinths, cyclamen and lily, products of a sunny
window garden

Freesias in bloom : s 3

Group of plants suitable for ee window

Geraniums in bloom indoors in mid-winter

Tender hydrangea ; 3 ‘ ‘ i ‘ ‘ ‘

PAGE
255
258
260
262
267
272
272
279
287
294
299

306
311
312
318
318
320
320
325
330
333
333
336
338
341

345
347
349
350
3053
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS—Continued

PAGE
Lace fern. ‘ 3 3 : j a 7 ‘ . 854
The Maidenhair fern : 7 é 3 r : . 355
Rose—General Jacqueminot . 4 : . . . 359
Border of hardy ferns as screen for foundation ‘ . 365
Ostrich ferns in narrow border ; 3 i : . 366
Double peony. . - 2 a . , . 369
Single peonies . : ‘i . ; Fi . . » 3871
Flowers of the tree peony . . ; ‘i ‘ : - 372
Hardy phlox , - - i j ; ‘ 7 . 375

Wild Sweet William . A . 7 ‘ . ‘ . 3I7
YARD AND GARDEN
YARD AND GARDEN

CHAPTER I

THE YARD

The owner of a city or town lot, of a subur-
ban home or of a country estate is usually
interested in affairs which he considers more
important, or at least more practical, than the
abstract principles of gardening, no matter in
what form they are presented or what applica-
tion is to be made of them. His immediate re-
quirement, if his attention be directed at all
toward the subject, is practice and not theory.
He wants planting and not principle; his main
desire is to employ the speediest and safest
process to make his yard, his grounds or his
estate—if we can distinguish property sizes by
these common though vague terms—as harmo-
niously and effectively beautiful as_ trees,
shrubs, plants and vines and his financial re-
sources will permit.

In a sense he is justified and, in any event,

1
2 YARD AND GARDEN

he is but responding to a common and natural
impulse, to obtain for himself that which has
pleased or interested him. He is impatient of
theory and eager for results. Disquisitions on
the fundamental laws of gardening or land-
scaping are tedious if not perplexing and, in
his judgment, of little value. His conclusion
may be hasty but to some extent it is entirely
correct. There are no hard and fast rules for
gardening and particularly for the art of orna-
mental gardening, whether it be conducted on
large or small scale, on a country estate or the
back-yard of a city lot.

There are some principles best remembered
but even they are not without innumerable va-
riation in application. In gardening, as in
house building, individual taste, temper and
aspirations are reflected and each garden, con-
sequently, is a law unto itself. Still, under-
neath this disclosure of the gardener’s own
nature and individuality there are broad princi-
ples, applicable to all and the foundation of
all. They are simple, obvious and natural.
The beginner can make fair progress with noth-
ing more than an instinctive knowledge of them.
Any day in the year, in any wood or meadow,
on the banks of any stream, even by the coun-
THE YARD

Uapley [VULIOT OUT Paytwau0D pivy AyD jo soedg [Tvug

 
4 YARD AND GARDEN

try roadside, any place where natural condi-
tions remain in some measure undisturbed,
every principle necessary for the most elab-
orate gardening processes is disclosed by na-
ture itself.

If the beginner will bear this in mind and at
the same time remember that there is no space
too confined for the application of nature’s prin-
ciples, he will have mastered all the fundamen-
tal law that it is necessary for him to master.
With this as a basis, he will quickly observe
that ornamental gardening, whether it be hy
the formal method, the natural method or a
combination of the two, is only a simple appli-
cation of this common law. He may himself
choose to copy the Italian garden, devise some
modification of the English wall garden, elab-
orate the miniature gardens of Japan or con-
tent himself with duplicating and exalting
nature in natural gardening, but whichever
course he elects to pursue he will find the prin-
ciples the same.

GARDENING

The owner of a home, whether it be on exten-
sive grounds or set on a narrow and shaliow
city lot, need not hesitate, therefore, to begin
THE YARD 4)

gardening—and by gardening is meant the lay-
ing out and cultivation of gardens, whether they
be large or small, a square yard or an acre,
open or inclosed,; a part of an estate or all of
it. The first important consideration to him
is the understanding of what can be done with
his own home grounds. It is important to com-
prehend the value of improving them, even
where the area is so small as to seem to pre-
elude all opportunity for such effort. Most of
us realize what paint will do for an old house,
but few of us realize what a well-kept lawn or
well-planted yard will do. Yet there are a num-
ber of examples.

There is, for instance, the case of the owner
of a city home who was anxious to dispose
of it. The house was old and not attractive
and interested inquirers were few. The owner
painted the house but still no sale was effected.
Next, upon the suggestion of a friend who
knew the value of shrubs and vines and flow-
ers, the yard was planted at a cost con-
siderably less than the painting had entailed;
hedges were substituted for ugly division fences
and a general transformation was effected in
less than a seasan’s time. The owner then
found. not only that there were a number of
6 YARD AND GARDEN

purchasers eager for the property but, more-
over, that he no longer desired to sell.

This experience is not as exceptional as it
might at first thought appear. As a matter of
fact very few persons are found nowadays who
deny that value, of the sort estimable in dollars
and cents, as well as beanty, can be added to a
home by the judicious planting of the yard.
No matter how imposing a house may be or
how perfect and harmonious the lines of its
architecture, or how well its interior may be fin-
ished and furnished, all suffer when the yard is
neglected. On the other hand, though the house
itself be old and weather-worn, it can be made to
assume an attractive appearance if it be sur-
rounded by trees, vines, shrubs and flowers,
carefully selected, wisely situated, patiently
cultivated.

These facts are no longer questioned, if, in-
deed, doubt of a serious nature was ever op-
posed to them. <All of us have learned the
value of a city beautiful, and most of us admit
the value of a home beautiful. If we do not
contribute to the one or disregard the other,
it is not for lack of knowledge but rather be-
cause of indifference. But even this indiffer-
ence is gradually disappearing and to-day we
THE YARD 7

have owners of houses, factories and other
buildings of a semi-public character, beautify-
ing their grounds by the liberal employment of
nature’s materials,

VALUE OF EXAMPLE

Moreover, we have examples to encourage
us; we have city parks and streets or avenues,
city yards, suburban homes and country estates
planted or landscaped. And these are not
without valuable influence, for it seldom hap-
pens that the residents of a neighborhood sur-
rounding a place, large or small, that has been
effectively planted, lag far behind the pioneer.
Before his advent, or before his operations
were begun, it might be that lawns were un-
kempt and flowers were unknown, but it does
not require more than a season or two for the
one improvement to arouse others to action and
for the movement thus started to gain in extent
until it amply justifies all the faith placed in
the power of example by such bodies as civic
improvement societies.

Planting, from whatever cause it may spring,
once begun is not quickly abandoned. Garden-
ing begets gardening—the more one plants the
more one desires to plant. But the fascination
8 YARD AND GARDEN

of the pursuit is not alone sufficient to account
for this. In addition to exercising that uni-
versally instinctive desire to raise things, to
see them grow and thrive on the care and
attention one bestows on them, no field of en-
deavor, as has already been suggested, prom-
ises a broader scope for the expression of an
individual’s taste, temper and aspirations.
We seek to have the houses we build express
something of our own personality, but, were we
only aware of it, the yard presents a far more
favorable field for such effort. Who can not,
for instance, judge of the intellectual and moral,
as well as of the sanitary status of a community,
of a neighborhood, or of the owner of a private
dwelling by its external conditions?

Nothing can be more incongruous than the
littered back-yard of an imposing city resi-
dence. Within dwell persons who are fond of
comfort, if not of luxury, intelligent and edu-
cated, and it seems wholly impossible that they
would not avail themselves of the opportunity
to add so much enjoyment for themselves and
for others by improving the ground at their
disposal, instead of making it a place for the
deposit of old barrels, boxes, tin cans, and other
rubbish. The only possible argument against
THE YARD 9

 
10 YARD AND GARDEN

such improvement, and, indeed, the argument
that is most frequently advanced, is the lack of
space. But it is not space that is wanting, but
—taste, temper and aspiration. Even in a
space that is not more than twenty feet square,
there is sufficient ground for an attractive gar-
den.

How much more opportunity is there then
for that owner of a city lot of the usual size
upon which he has erected a house of the usual
dimensions? Instead of confining his efforts
to the making of a small garden he has, com-
paratively speaking, a vast domain at his dis-
posal. His lot, perhaps, is forty feet wide and
one hundred feet deep. His house at most oc-
cupies half of this; occasionally some other
building—a stable, a garage—may occupy a
few feet more, but, withal, he has remaining
six hundred, eight hundred or a_ thousand
square feet upon which to plant vines, and
shrubs, and trees, and flowers. By employing
to advantage this available space, he can con-
tribute to his own pleasure, to the pleasure of
his neighbors and of passers-by; he may set
a good example and he may materially increase
the value of his property. The latter is not
a matter of theory but a matter of fact. Nor
THE YARD 11

is the increase to property value confined to the
property improved; on the contrary all sur-
rounding property is in a measure affected.
Unfortunately, however, we learn this too
often only through the demonstration of the
negative of it. It is quickly enough realized
when some neighborhood suffers a direct de-
preciation in property values through the care-
lessness, selfishness, ignorance or downright
stubbornness of a single property owner who
persists in maintaining an ugly, unsightly yard
which is little less than a legal nuisance and
most certainly a positive eyesore.

If all these facts were more extensively
understood and their true worth and full sig-
nificance were better known by individuals and
communities, public health would be better con-
served, cleanliness would be insured, fewer
sanitary inspectors would be necessary and the
beauty of town or city would be materially
enhanced. The individual himself would no
longer be the possessor of a house and lot, but
he would become the owner of a home, with a
yard harmonizing with the house and affording,
in summer at least, an additional pleasant,
healthful and attractive living-room.
CHAPTER II

PLANNING THE GARDEN

Before there were gardeners there were gar-
dens. The first gardener, no doubt, was a
fence-builder; he appropriated whatever he
found growing, that was of use or benefit, in-
closed it to exclude marauders and to protect
and safeguard it the better. Consequently in
the beginning a garden was an inclosed space.
It is easily conceivable that in this inclosed
space not all the native plants which might
prove of value to this primitive gardener were
to be found. He inclosed, doubtless, what he
could, but some were too remotely situated to
be ineluded. It became his problem, therefore,
to introduce such of these as he desired into
his protected area and, in the subsequent op-
erations, we have the first garden planning and
the first actual gardening.

This primitive ancestor was not without
definite plan when he went beyond his crude
pale and brought into his inclosure some plant

12
PLANNING THE GARDEN 13

which he had failed to include when he laid
his barricade. And no more are we without
plan when we transplant a tree, sow seeds or
set out shrubs, vines or flowers. We put them
where we believe they will prove most effective
in attaining the end desired.

This is the beginning of planning, and, even
when it is elaborated, it is neither difficult nor
complex, though it has, unfortunately, been
made by professional gardeners to seem both.
Nor is it uninteresting. On the contrary, it
is simple and fascinating and no small part
of the delight and interest in gardening, espe-
cially in planting to ornament a small place,
owes its origin to the operation. Moreover,
the picture thus produced is our own, not an-
other’s; it is of our conception and our mak-
ing, expressing our own ideas and our own feel-
ings as well as our individual natures. And,
being not only a simple but an absorbing pro-
‘cess, why, when so easily and cheaply engaged
in, employ another to undertake the work for
us?

PRINCIPLES INVOLVED

Let those who own ground start with the
premise that every place can be improved.
No yard is too small and no estate too large
14 YARD AND GARDEN

to make impossible its improvement by the use
of plants of some sort, and, large or small, the
principles involved are invariably the same—
it is only the scale upon which they are applied
that differs. Often one may see plants in tubs
standing in front of store or office building,
or set about the entrances and corridors in the
busiest section of down-town districts of large
cities. Wherever these are in evidence the
passer-by does not fail to take note of them or
to observe gratefully the effect they produce.
There are also other instances where garden-
ing is practised in almost impossible places.
In some sections of some cities private resi-
dences are without front lawns of any descrip-
tion, and apparently there is no opportunity
for planting. Still these homes are not with-
out their flowers, for window boxes have been
fitted in place and in these vines and flowers
thrive and bloom. Then again—it is always a
hopeful sign—in the most densely populated
districts of the slums of our larger cities, one
may frequently observe a plant struggling for
life in some dust-streaked window of a home
where dire poverty, only too evident, would
seem to prohibit even the most feeble exhibi-
tion of a love for something green and growing.
15

PLANNING THE GARDEN

SIBMO[] Oy vovdg

Jasvay Jo ysow ay} Suryepy

 
16 YARD AND GARDEN

One may turn also to the manufacturing centers
and here he will find frequently that the prac-
tical business sense of the owner has led him
to employ vines, shrubs and flowers to make
his work-shop a healthier and more enjoyable
place for his employees.

If one will consider for a moment what the
purpose of a yard is, perhaps a sense of logic
will induce him to see clearly why an effort
should be made to get as much out of it as
space and other conditions will allow. The
yard surrounding a house, whether large or
small, contributes directly and indirectly to the
health and comfort of the occupants of the
home; it insures light, air and sunshine; it af-
fords for the most of us at least a glimpse of
nature. If we should determine to embellish
this area with plants we should lose none of the
advantages it affords but, as a matter of fact,
we should add considerably to them. Individu-
ally, we should get more light and more air
and more sunshine, for gardening means out-
doors life for the man or woman who begins it
and takes an interest in it. It means ten or fif-
teen minutes a day, or more perhaps, beneath
the sky, and ten or fifteen minutes less beneath
the roof. It means healthful exercise, a closer
17

PLANNING THE GARDEN

SURG YIM pequaueuig A1opxg ev Jo spunory

 
18 YARD AND GARDEN

acquaintance with nature, a broader glimpse of
nature’s methods, and a deeper appreciation of
nature’s handiwork.

It is worth while to have a yard but it is
worth infinitely more to make use of it, and if
one will tend it with interest and some regard
for the fitness of things, surprising results can
be accomplished. And when mention is made
of the yard it must not be deduced that the spa-
cious lawns and gardens of large city or subur-
ban homes are in mind; on the contrary the
reference is rather to the little strip of ground
behind the house, and the smaller strip in front
of it which answer for breathing spaces for
most of us who dwell in cities and towns. The
city yard, of course, is deplorably small, and
year hy year, as population increases it seems
to become smaller. It used to be that we con-
sidered one house to a lot enough, but now the
builder, anxious to make his property pay him
goodly dividends, has developed the habit of
doubling the building without increasing the
size of the lots. It might be possible to show
even to him that there are advantages often
from an investment point of view in more
ground and less building, but, while this is at
best a difficult task—for it affects too intimately
PLANNING THE GARDEN 19

the immediate revenues—it should not be diffi-
cult to prove that provision made for planting
and the planting itself are both wise invest-
ments that will not fail to yield substantial div-
idends.

EXAMPLES OF PLANTING

Let us take, as a basis to illustrate what can
be done, the sort of lot one finds oftenest in the
residence sections of cities. In one of the
larger cities of the Middle West there is a
small home on a lot forty feet wide and one
hundred and fifty feet deep. To be exact, the
house is situated twenty feet from the property
line, four feet from the north line of the lot, ten
feet from the south line and fifty feet from the
west line. Around the porch, screening the
foundations, are dwarf shrubs and ferns; along
the south line of the house, in a border two feet
wide between the walk and the house, there are
lilies of various species growing among funkias
or ‘‘plantain’’ lilies—here again the brick
foundations are entirely hidden from view.
Boston ivy climbs up the pillars of the porch,
- and porch boxes are filled with flowering and
foliage plants and vines. On the north side are
more ferns and a few shrubs and these in their
40) YARD AND GARDEN

turn completely hide the foundation walls. We
have, therefore, to begin with, a house that is
not ‘‘bare-footed.’’ The front yard is a lawn
with no flowers growing upon it, but a hedge,
kept trimmed to a height of three feet, incloses
the premises. In the rear there is a central lawn ,
fifteen feet square; around this are grouped

 

Example of Planting in Limited Space

beds and borders of perennials and shrubs.
Amongst these, annuals are planted each sea-
son to afford additional bloom and a surer suc-
cession.

On this place, from the earliest days of spring
until the first killing frost in the fall, there is
never a time when an armful of flowers can
PLANNING THE GARDEN 21

not be gathered. The planter of this place be-
gan his work when he was in wretched health,
but through his gardening operations he recov-
ered from his illness, gained strength and vigor,
made his home more beautiful and, at the ex-
pense of a few minutes each day, and a few
dollars, he increased the value of the property
nearly twenty per cent.

If the owner of a city lot is not impressed
by examples of this kind but still finds it diffi-
cult to rid himself of the idea that the small
space at his command means an end to all
thought of ornamental planting, let him make
a sketch of his yard on paper, drawn to scale,
and with this before him undertake an explora-
tion of the possibilities. It is not unlikely that
this method of procedure will disclose oppor-
tunities for gardening which, as a beginner, not
yet either deeply interested or enthusiastic, he
might otherwise overlook. Gradually, as these
become apparent, the fact also will develop that
it is not more impracticable to create a pleasing
picture within an area of a few square yards
than in the space of a mansion garden. In-
deed, it may prove that limitation of space will
contribute to fine if not broad expression of the
best gardening, for it is evident that it must

~
ae YARD AND GARDEN

test to greater degree one’s taste and skill; in
the contracted area more selection and more re-
jection,-better judgment and more care in ar-
rangement must be exercised, whereas, in a big
place, trees, shrubs and broad expanse of lawn
are frequently sufficient in themselves to create
the picture.

ELEMENTARY PLANNING

The person who has grown flowers for a year
or two is in little need of the suggestion that
even a season’s garden should be planned.
There is enough delight in the work—in the an-
ticipation to which it gives rise—to make it
reasonably certain that the garden will be
planned in some fashion before the planting
time is at hand. In fact, all of us, even the
novice, do more or less planning before we
plant. Frequently we do not recognize it and
really persuade ourselves that we plant as the
desire seizes us. But, when it is considered
that beds must be dug in the spring, it must
be apparent that, in determining where they
are to be situated, we have, in an elementary
manner at least, planned our garden.

It may seem absurd to speak of planning a
single bed. One desires to plant so many
PLANNING THE GARDEN 23

nasturtiums or, as May days come with their
assurance that frosts are over, one begins to
think of setting out geraniums. Well and
good; no plan on paper is needed. The planter
has only to determine upon the location of the
bed and the work is done. But, even in so sim-
ple a process, one has to take into considera-
tion the very same things that must be con-
sidered in planning a large garden. One must
give some attention to surrounding objects, to
the proximity, for instance, of buildings, of
trees or shrubs or fences. One must ponder
whether this color or that will war with the color
of the house, or whether tall-growing or dwarf
flowers shall be planted, or whether foliage or
blossom is the more desirable.

So, in a measure, in planning even this single
small bed, consideration is had for conditions
which must be taken into account when one is
planning on a more extensive scale. But in the
latter case, the planner has also to deal with
other details. He must learn all there is to be
learned of the situation and the conditions gov-
erning it; he must take into consideration all
surrounding objects—fences, houses, trees,
shrubs or whatever there may be of a per-
manent nature, for which provision must be
YARD AND GARDEN

 

anned and Planted by the Owner

yard Pl

Side-
PLANNING THE GARDEN 25

made. He must consider what plants will
thrive best under the conditions into which he
purposes to bring them and he must consider
what plants will harmonize in color and what
will not. He must select and reject and con-
tinue the process until he has not only a list
of plants suitable to the site but one also which
includes as many as possible of those he most
desires. It is by such means that a plan be-
comes an expression of the planter’s own indi-
viduality and the garden which is planted in
accordance with it reflects the character of its
maker.

PLANNING BEFORE BUILDING

In many instances one of the first discoveries
that will be made is that the ornamentation of
the home grounds could have been accom-
plished far more speedily, effectively and eco-
nomically if, before building, some thought had
been given to the matter and some comprehen-
sion of the real value of a yard had been
gained. In America, too often the blunder is
made of building a house on a site which pre-
sents numerous difficulties in the way of adorn-
ment when other sites more favorable might be
obtained, at no greater expense than a little
26 YARD AND GARDEN

more forethought and search. This is fre-
quently followed by another blunder which re-
sults in the location of the house on the site
in such manner that even the few possibilities
for ornamentation which might have existed at
first, are almost entirely eliminated. It is not
uncommon to observe, as an illustration, the
destruction of some splendid tree, cut down
without thought of its value, when by setting
the house a few feet in one direction or another,
the sacrifice could have been easily avoided and
a natural ornament requiring perhaps a half
century for its growth and development pre-
served.

In this connection it may be well to observe
that it is not always either advisable or desir-
able to set the house on a line with adjoining
structures, and certainly it is not necessary.
A neighbor may protest if you suggest pro-
jecting your house .beyond his, but surely he
will offer no objection to your setting it farther
back if you wish, and often you will be the
gainer if vou adopt this course. It is difficult
to account for the idea, which seems firmly fixed
in some cities and towns, calling for the usual
military-like alignment of houses. It means
frequently a waste of yard possibilities—a neg-
27

PLANNING THE GARDEN

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28 YARD AND GARDEN

lect of genuine natural resources—with no ap-
parent gain to overcome the loss.

The preservation of continuity of the prop-
erty line is sometimes, of course, a necessity in
large cities, especially where land is expensive
and where every foot must be covered by build-
ing, but where lots are large, comparatively
speaking, make sure that to establish the house
on the line will contribute to the general ap-
pearance of the place as a home before the step
is taken. If it may seem that more is to be
gained by setting it farther back from the street
than neighboring houses, do not sacrifice your
originality as an offering to conventionality,
but build your foundations accordingly, use the
rear yard as a service yard only and make the
most of the front area that as a result will be
at your disposal. Bear in mind that the house
itself will show to better advantage when it is
set, as it eventually should be, in a frame of
blooming plants, green shrubs and climbing
vines,

PROVIDING FOR WALKS

Especially give attention to the location of
walks. First consider where the street en-
trance or entrances are to be, deciding this on
PLANNING THE GARDEN 29

the basis of practical usage and convenience.
Then direct the walks by the shortest route to
their objective point. Avoid senseless curves,
especially in a small yard, and have no more
walks than are absolutely necessary, nor walks
that are wider than necessary. If the grounds
are large—half an acre or more in extent—then
walks serving no practical ends may be intro-
duced if desired. These may lead by devious
course to retired seats or summer-houses or
may conduct to shrubberies or to artificial gar-
den ornaments, as, for example, a sun-dial.
But if such walks are wanted, let the planter
go forth to some remote wood or old meadow
and, finding a path worn by the foot of man or
beast, study its outlines and curves. He will
not be long in observing that its irregularities
are not without purpose—it avoids obstacles,
a tree, a shrub, a stump, a stone, a bog; it cir-
cles knolls or follows the meanderings of a
stream. But always it changes its course for
reasons that are obvious. And for such
reasons and these alone should the direction of
walks laid on residence grounds be changed.
The obstacles, of course, may be provided, but
in any event they should be present and visible.
A grouping of shrubbery, a large boulder, a
30 YARD AND GARDEN

tree or similar object, artificial as well as nat-
ural, may be employed to gain the end desired
and will not fail to prove effective as well as
logical.

Each year finds Americans giving more and
more attention to all such details. The house
no longer receives attention to the entire exclu-
sion of its surroundings; it has come to be con-
sidered a part of the home, not all of it. And
this is equally true when the house is already
erected, as it is in a majority of instances, and
we must make the most of conditions as we find
them. This, of course, is more difficult, but it
is never impossible. It means only that all the
more planning is necessary and it presents no
cause for discouragement, but, on the contrary,
an incentive to greater effort.
CHAPTER III

HOW TO PLAN

Though where art is concerned, rules are fre-
quently ‘‘more honored in the breach than in
the observance,’’ still there are certain princi-
ples, all general in character, which, if followed,
will lead the beginner safely past the commoner
faults observed in yard ornamentation. These
principles are as simple and obvious in point
of reason as they are few in number and all
of them are so fundamental that no grounds,
of whatever size, can be tastefully embellished
without observing them. They might be called,
as they are here set forth, the ‘‘ten command-
ments of ornamental gardening.’’

PRINCIPLES OF ARRANGEMENT

I. Preserve unbroken stretches of lawn of as
great length as possible in one or more places,
according to the size of the lot.

II. Set the tallest-growing plants nearest the
boundaries of the yard and those of shorter

31
32 YARD AND GARDEN

growth so that the range of height will be
upward and outward from the center of the
lawn.

III. Avoid planting next the street or avenue
sidewalks unless seclusion is the object. Tall-
growing trees, that head high, may be excepted,
for these, when they have attained fair height,
do not obstruct the view.

IV. Plant no tall-growing trees or shrubs so
close to the dwelling that light and air will be
excluded and avoid their use in small lots where
good lawns and flowers are desired. But if
sturdy, healthy trees are already established on
a lot upon which no building has been erected,
make every effort to save them and arrange
other plans, both of building and planting, ac-
cordingly.

V. Avoid the formation of numerous sepa-
rate flower-beds. Avoid beds of geometric de-
signs on the lawn. Avoid scattered and gaudy
effects and ‘‘specimen’’ planting.

VI. Plant in a manner that will insure pleas-
ing vistas from the principal windows, the en-
trances or porches of the dwelling.

VII. Keep in mind the season of bloom of
different plants desired as well as their height
at maturity and aim for a succession of flowers.
33

HOW TO PLAN

surquetd earoaya ynq ejduts yo arduxsy

 
34 YARD AND GARDEN

Keep the color of bloom also in mind to avoid
color discords.

VIII. Avoid overplanting as well as under-
planting. Simplicity rather than ornateness
should be the aim. The smaller the area to
be planted, the smaller should be the materials
employed. Do not attempt too much; consider
the space available and do not overload it,
reckon the time that can be devoted to garden-
ing and do not overtax it.

IX. Do not establish purposeless walks on
small grounds. Curve or bend no walk without
some apparent reason, as, for instance, to avoid
an obstacle. Do not make purposeless use of
garden ornaments or structures—pergolas, ar-
bors, summer-houses, sun-dials, ete.

X. Plan before you plant, for planting with-
out a plan is as certain to beget error as build-
ing a house without the architect’s blue-print;
and plan to make a picture.

The novice may feel that, if it is necessary
to keep these rules in mind, planning is not
the simple matter it has been represented to
be. Still, once he begins, he will find that it
is prosaic common sense which dictates these
principles and that, in no small measure, prac-
tical and economical considerations enter into
HOW TO PLAN 35

their conception. He will find also that he is
bound to observe most of them, consciously or
unconsciously, in planning even the smallest
yard or garden. For instance, it is hardly
necessary to caution him against setting dwarf
plants behind those of taller growth, and it
should be similarly superfluous to advise him to
consider color, character and season of bloom.
He could not progress far with his planning be-
fore questions would arise involving all these
points and, at the same time, a majority of the
other rules of the ten recited.

PLAN ON PAPER

So far as the actual work of planning is con-
cerned, it is best begun by obtaining paper
ruled to scale or else by ruling paper to use as
a substitute. A convenient scale is one where
the lines are one-eighth of an inch apart and
so ruled horizontally and vertically that one-
eighth inch squares are formed. Let each di-
vision thus obtained represent a square foot of
the yard. If the lot is fifty feet wide, there
should be, of course, fifty lines as long in eighths
as the lot is long in feet. If, however, the lot is
small, larger divisions with the lines farther
apart may be employed, or if the grounds are
36 YARD AND GARDEN

too large to make the eighth-inch seale practical,
two or three feet instead of one may be allowed
to each division.

Carefully indicate on the plan the location
of all objects which are to remain permanently,
allowing to each the exact amount of space it oc-
cupies. If a house is standing on the lot, or
a stable, shed or other building, show on the
plan the shape and size of each. If a tree is
among these permanent objects, indicate not
only its location, but also the area of ground
sheltered by its spread of branches. Irregu-
larities in the surface of the ground, if they -
are to remain, should also be clearly outlined.

Make sure that everything designated to re-
main is necessarily permanent, and, in this con-
nection, once more let the fact be emphasized
that in small city yards trees are not always of
first importance. It is better in many instances
to rid the ground entirely of a half-lifeless,
shapeless specimen than to arrange everything
else to fit its requirements.

When all objects and surface irregularities
of a permanent nature have been finally indi-
cated upon the diagram, the planner can turn
his attention to the making of his picture.
And let him bear in mind that it ‘s a picture he
HOW TO PLAN 37

is making. It is to be an individual whole, an
area separate from other areas, possessing its
own character, with every part and feature con-
tributing its value to the homogeneous effect.
House and yard are to become a united whole;
ornamentation is to harmonize with architec-
ture; there is not to be a house and lot, but a

home.
HARMONY OF EFFECT

Planning with this end in view at once recalls
what has already been said of purposeless
planting. Do not imagine that it is enough to
seatter trees, shrubs and flowers promiscuously
over the place, for a yard planted in such a
fashion is without central idea and:‘betrays a
lack of judgment, care or creative ability on the
part of the planter. Mere planting without
purpose is almost invariably without value as
ornament.

Naturally, on small lots, the residence will
be the central figure. Plan, then, to keep it so.
Make it unlikely that any one will remark any
individual feature surrounding it or even the
house: itself—it is the home that is to be re-
marked. Strive to do for this house what a
camera lens does frequently for a landscape.
It reduces the importance of prominent or indi-
38 YARD AND GARDEN

vidual objects, it will be remembered, and
brings into immediate view in the resultant pic-
ture all the details as a whole and, more than
this, shuts off extraneous and irrelevant sur-
roundings, which might serve to distract atten-
tion. One sees first on the photograph the
whole of the picture and later he sees the de-
tails.

Plan, therefore, for the whole. This nat-
urally means planning for harmonious effect
which, in time, suggests careful consideration
of the value of each plant selected in its rela-
tion to the whole and not in the light of its own
individual value. This is the difficult point for
the beginner to master. He reads alluring de-
scriptions of various plants and, forgetting his
picture, remembers only these details; he mag-
nifies the part and detracts from the composite.
As a result we have not only the scattered
planting so often seen but that other barrier
to effective ornamentation of the home grounds,
senseless specimen-planting.

Opposed to such methods is the mass plant-
ing which alone will add character and strength
and a sense of unity to the place, Once the
value of this is grasped the beginner is not
likely to go far astray in his planning. He
TOW TO PLAN 39

 

Yard Planting in which Tree is made the Center

a
,
i
40 YARD AND GARDEN

would, for instance, no more think of cutting a
geometric flower-bed figure in the center of his
lawn than he would think of planting a secret-
order emblem of scarlet geraniums and coleus
in the heart of a forest landscape. On the con-
trary the greensward would appeal to him as
his canvas upon which, painter-like, he is to
produce his picture. He would demand, not
isolation for his flowers, but a neighborly back-
ground, and an informal border rather than a
formal bed in which to grow them.

HEIGHT AND COLOR

Begin the plan, then, with the yard bounda-
ries. Establish here the backgrounds, and
plant from them toward the center. Should a
board fence serve as one boundary, vines may
be trained over it, converting it into as effective
a background as one could desire. <A line of
shrubs or of tall-growing perennials could serve
as another, a hedge of roses or privet as still
another, or indeed, anything of the sort that
the planner may desire.

Carefully indicate on the diagram where each
is to be planted and the space it is to occupy.
Designate each mark set down by a number or
letter and, at the bottom of the plan, or on sep-
HOW TO PLAN 41

arate paper, set down the number or letter and
after it the name of the plant it indicates. The
number required of each can be readily ascer-
tained by allowing for necessary distance be-
tween plants on the plan itself.

The planner will not proceed far with this
process before he will find it necessary, for the
sake of harmony in height and color, to con-
sider both qualities when he selects the various
plants he may desire. He will also be obliged
to consider soil and light conditions. He might
find, for instance, that what he desires is a
hardy perennial attaining a height of twenty-
four or thirty inches, whose flower is white, and
which will thrive in a heavy soil in a situation
_ exposed to the full rays of the sun. If such be
his requirement, based upon the idea of the ef-
fect as a whole, would it not be manifestly
absurd for him to select a plant attaining a
height of six inches or six feet, demanding half
shade for its welfare and producing a red
flower? Yet, absurd as the idea is, this is fre-
quently done and the planter, moreover, won-
ders ‘why he is not satisfied with the result
produced.

So the planner, in selecting his plants, must
keep in mind not only the requirements of his
42 YARD AND GARDEN

picture but he must have consideration, too, for
the requirements of the materials with which
he works. He should remember also that there
are five or six months in the year when his yard
should be like another room to his residence,
and he should strive to provide a succession of
bloom. It is inadvisable, however, to sacrifice
unity to gain this end. In other words, a suc-
cession of bloom is not as important as is the
exclusion from the plan of too many varieties
of plants.

SLOW PLANNING AND PLANTING

It is best to proceed slowly with planning and
still more slowly with planting. A yard can
not be effectively embellished in a season—the
picture can not be painted in a summer. It is
advisable to plant the boundaries first, setting
out the heavier stock, carefully cultivating it
until it is well established and comes in turn
to suggest to the gardener many opportunities
for effective planting against the background
it affords. Too often the error is made of
planting all at once only to gain as a result an
unsatisfactory effect. Rather than encounter
the discouragement that such an unfortunate
outcome may cause, and to avoid, also, useless
HOW TO PLAN 43

loss of time, money and labor, it would be far
better to postpone some of the planting until
the following season. By then a better esti-
mate will be had of the effectiveness of the
work already done and a more complete idea
may be formed of the planting still to be done.

   

Wall-planting — Result of Careful Planning

This suggests the advantage of the plan that
is carefully .drawn and executed. It can be
added to from time to time, from season to
season, as the picture develops in the planner’s
mind, and always it will serve as a valuable
and almost indispensable key to the names of
the various plants employed.
CHAPTER IV

LAWNS

Nothing adds more to a city home than a
fresh and velvety lawn. Nothing, however, is
more seldom seen. Still, if properly planted
and tended, good lawns are not difficult. to
achieve. The chief cause of failure is in per-
mitting hasty turfing immediately upon the
completion of building operations.

PREPARATION OF THE SOIL

No proper consideration is had for soil con-
ditions. It may be that in excavating for the
cellar, sand or clay has been thrown upon the
old surface soil to a depth of a foot or more.
Mixed with this are pieces of board and brick,
chips of stone, and not infrequently concrete.
It should be apparent to any one that turf laid
on such soil as this can not succeed, yet in al-
most three-fourths of the instances where grass
‘‘refuses to grow’’ this is the immediate cause
of the trouble.

A4
LAWNS 45

To make a good lawn from turf or from seed,
the first essential is to give it a foundation of
good soil worked to a considerable depth. It
is really impossible to get soil too good for a
good lawn, and while the cultivation of this soil
to a depth of one foot is absolutely necessary,
it is far better to work it thoroughly to a depth
of two feet. If the ground about the home is
good and this good soil runs to a depth of a
foot, the first thing to do is to plow or spade
it thoroughly. But if the ground be poor the
preliminary step must be its improvement.

When it is considered that the grass of the
lawn is a permanent crop, the ‘necessity for
thorough cultivation at the start is apparent.
Go about this by removing, as far as possible,
such soil as offers no encouragement to culti-
vation and substituting for it soil that is rich
and fertile enough to insure a thick heavy crop
of grass. The thorough working of all soil
which is to be the foundation of the lawn, means
first to rid it of foreign substances which are
detrimental to plant growth of any sort—split
and torn roots, stones, bricks and such rubbish.
Then plow or spade, going to a depth of at least
one foot, and pulverize the soil by using a
spade, hoe or harrow, adding while this last
46 YARD AND GARDEN

process is carried forward, fertilizer in the form
of manure.

FERTILIZING AND PLOWING

Well-rotted cow manure is the best fertilizer
to apply; it imparts humus as well as plant
food, and adds something to the ground upon
which the plants may feed season after season.
It is often advisable to apply also a thin dress-
ing of air-slacked lime, plowing this in or spad-
ing it in at the time the ground is first broken,
or adding it later after the fertilizer has been
thoroughly incorporated with the soil. In
getting the soil in condition for turfing or the
sowing of seeds, bear in mind always that the
lawn, if it is to be successful, must be properly
started. Flowers can be planted each season,
lifted and transplanted, shrubs can be reset and
all with comparatively little bother and little
work. But not so with the lawn. If it has to
be remade the operation means not only much
trouble and much labor but, for a considerable
period, an unsightly vard.

If the place to be planted in grass is small,
the cultivation, of course, ean be more thor-
ough—it can not be too thorough in any event.
On larger areas, though, nothing suggested
AWNS

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Auepunuog parg AYO v sB PALL

d Jo ospoyy

 
48 YARD AND GARDEN

should be overlooked. Plow deeply and harrow
thoroughly. If, to begin with, the land appears
to be impossible, make every effort to render
it as fit as can be while the plowing and harrow-
ing are in progress. If the soil is deficient in
humus begin the foundation of the lawn fully a
year before it is desired to seed it. Plant a
crop of cow peas and in the fall plow it under,
adding immediately a dressing of lime. In the
early spring following, apply a dressing of well-
rotted manure, and plow and harrow again.
Make the surface soil fine and level. It is al-
ways best to let the ground stand for three or
four weeks untouched, so that any weeds may
germinate and show themselves and be eradi-
eated by another harrowing.

When the area to be put to lawn is limited,
as it is in the case of small city residences, it
is necessary, first of all, to determine whether
the soil, as it lies, is suitable for a good lawn.
If it is not, waste no time with it but have it
carted away and good loam substituted. Work
this thoroughly and if it is in the fall—the
best time to begin lawn-making—top-dress it
with manure and let it remain somewhat
roughly heaped, that is, without pulverizing or
smoothing. The winter’s frost and the alternate
LAWNS 49

freezing and thawing will do more to put the
soil in excellent condition than a month’s spad-
ing, hoeing and raking.

TURF

Once the ground is got into shape, the planter
may proceed to establish his lawn by one of
two methods; he may use turf or seed. The
former is probably most frequently employed
in cities because it gives immediate results.
It is quickly laid and quickly establishes itself,
and if properly laid, is usually satisfactory,
provided, of course, it is well-selected turf, free
from weeds or rank grasses that are unsightly
and difficult to manage. In laying sod be sure
that the edges of the turf are brought closely
together and later fill in the spaces that may re-
main with loose soil. The chief advantage of
turf is the fact that it can be laid at any time
when the ground can be worked, and if estab-
lished on such a foundation of cultivated soil
as has been described as necessary for either
turf or seed, it will grow. But it must be wa-
tered persistently and thoroughly and it de-
mands, moreover, much attention during the
first year while it is establishing itself..

It is important in making the lawn from turf
50 YARD AND GARDEN

to select the turf carefully. Too often this is
intrusted to ignorant laborers who use no
judgment but take whatever is closest at hand
and easiest to obtain, regardless of whether it
is overgrown with weeds or spotted with un-
desirable grasses. Once satisfactory turf is
obtained, laid evenly and closely and the unions

 

Sun-dial in Corner of City Lawn

are filled with loose earth, it is necessary to beat
it. This is essential in order to insure intimate
contact with the underlying soil, and if this is
not secured the planter of the turf will have
gained nothing. The roots will refuse to take
hold of the under-soil, and the grass after a few
days will die. Watering, of course, will tend
LAWNS 51

to prevent any such disaster and may be the’
means of nursing the turfs to healthful and vig-
-orous growth, but more frequently, if the
grasses. do not die, they will struggle slowly
before they finally show signs of health and
vigor.

As a matter of fact, it is almost impossible
to obtain really good sod in any quantity.
Usually the turfs that are laid are filled with
weeds and once the sod is down and established,
it is almost impossible to exterminate them.
Then it is extremely difficult to prevent patches
from failing utterly and leaving bare spots,
where new grass is established only with the
most painstaking care and persistence. As a
general thing a turf lawn can not be established
for two or three years and during that time it
will almost invariably appear uneven and
patchy, lacking uniformity of color and wanting
in that freshness and texture which comes from
proper seeding alone.

THE SEEDED LAWN

The seeded lawn established on a foundation
of soil properly, prepared is usually the most
satisfactory lawn in the long run. Prepare the
seed bed—after working the soil as already out-
d2 YARD AND GARDEN

lined—by finely pulverizing the surface and
making the top soil perfectly smooth. It
should, of course, be freed from all rubbish,
such as roots, stones and the like. Sow the
seed in April or May or in September. In the
South, however, seeding can be done in Febru-
ary and November. If the spring is selected
sow the seed as soon as the ground can be got
into fit condition. Broadcast the seed. Dis-
tribute it evenly over the entire surface of the
ground and at the rate of not less than four
bushels to the acre—five would be better. For
smaller areas use at least one quart of seed
to every 300 square feet. In England, noted
for its fine velvety lawns, 114 ewt. is used per
acre and one pound per square rod.

It is hardly necessary to suggest that a day
should be selected for the sowing that is quiet,
for wind will bear the fine seed away and half
of it will be wasted, while an even distribution
will be practically impossible. When sowing
keep the hand close to the ground and swing the
arm freely, taking care to scatter the seed thor-
oughly, not allowing it to bunch. Do not hesi-
tate to sow thickly. Thick sowing is an advan-
tage in more ways than one. In the first place
it prevents weeds from getting a firm foothold,
LAWNS D9

for they are crowded out by the grass seedlings,
and in the second place it insures a finer grass
leaf which in turn means a ‘‘velvety’’ lawn.
Usually it is advisable to go over the ground
twice. The first time sow from east to west
and the second time from north to south. After
the seed has been broadcasted, rake or harrow
lightly the entire area so that the seeds are cov-
ered very thinly. Follow this by rolling and
if you desire the best results never omit this
finishing~process; it firms the ground and in-
sures germination of the seed, while it gives the
seedlings a firm foot-hold when they send their
roots forth in quest of food.

SEED FORMULZ

Buy good seed. This is an economy and an
essential for good lawns. The well-known
Kentucky blue-grass is the best of all for the
lawn. It is not difficult to grow; indeed, where
it refuses to grow, soil conditions are such that
no permanent grass will thrive. Kentucky
blue combines more desirable qualities, prob-
ably, than any other grass, and on this account
it should be made the foundation and principal
ingredient of any mixture that is applied. The
other ingredients of the mixture are important
54 YARD AND GARDEN

for various reasons. Chief among these is
the fact that Kentucky blue-grass does not ger-
minate quickly; if it is planted in the fall, for
instance, there will be no results until the next
spring, and if sown in the spring it will be some
time before it makes even a light covering for
the soil.

Various formule are offered by dealers in
seeds, and where the dealer is known to be re-
liable and is willing to furnish the purchaser
with an analysis of his mixture, it is safe to pur-
chase it and probably the best thing, all circum-
stances considered, to do. But be sure in any
event that the Kentucky blue-grass which
should form the bulk. of the mixture is ‘‘re-
cleaned fancy,’’ and do not accept any seed that
weighs less than twenty pounds to the bushel.
The object of the mixture is to insure im-
mediate results from the sowing while the blue-
grass is germinating, but incidentally the extra
grasses mixed with the blue-grass serve addi-
tional purposes. In the first place mixtures
result in a denser turf because grasses thrive
better when grown in variety. Then, too, the
Kentucky blue-grass has some undesirable fea-
tures and it is these that the other seeds in the
mixture will correct. The Kentucky blue, for
LAWNS 59

instance, does not carpet the ground as closely
as other varieties and when mowed shows
patches of soil and brown.

The best formula for general purposes is as
follows:

Kentucky blue-grass......... 6.660. 6e cece e cece eee 10 Ibs.
Rhode Island. bent: 5 2.0s.00 se weg e Oae eg eee oud = 3 lbs.
PNglisht Tes hatca4 wits es a dee WAS ee Be P44 MER ESE See 3 Ibs.
Fancy redtop........ 0... e eee e cece gece cee eee 4 Ibs.

In any event this can be used as a basic mix-
ture and by substituting various grasses suited
to various situations for a portion of the Ken-
tucky blue-grass, the mixture will be found gen-
erally effective.

Other mixtures are as follows:

FOR SHADED SPOTS

Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue).....:....-...--e eee eee 40%
Poa nemoralis (wood-meadow grass)........-+.++.-++- 40%
Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog’s-tail).............. 15%
Festuca heterophylla (various-leaved fescue)........... 5%
FOR SANDY SOILS
Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue).......--..+--.0eeeeeee 20%
Agrostis canina (Rhode Island bent)...............+-- 35%
Agrostis alba, var. stolonifera (creeping bent)......... 35%
Festuca ovina (sheep’s fescue) ...........-+eeeseeeeee 10%
FOR CLAY SOILS
Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue).............-.0.e eee 45%
Agrostis alba, var. vulgaris (Redtop).......--.....+-- 35%
Lolium perenne, var. tenue (fine-leaved English rye).... 20%
FOR SLOPES AND TERRACES
Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue)..........-----+++++-0- 15%
Agrostis alba, var. stolonifera (creeping bent)......... 35%
Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog’s-tail) ..............- 30%

Poa compressa (Canada blue)........-.-... esse sees 20%
06 YARD AND GARDEN

FEEDING THE GRASS

When a lawn is properly treated in the pre-
liminary stages and manure is incorporated
with the soil as it is spaded or plowed and raked
or harrowed, little need be done in the way of
feeding the grass for six or seven years, but
where the soil is thin or the lawn has been es-
tablished for some time fertilizer of some sort
is necessary. It should be remembered that the
grass is feeding continuously and exhausting
the plant food of the soil. What it is taking
from the soil is not given back in any degree,
because the grass is mowed and the mowings
carted away. Then, tco, it should be remem-
bered that grass is a permanent crop and it is
impossible, once it is established, to assist it by
the cultivation which it is possible to give to
other crops, whether they be flowers or vegeta-
bles.

Fertility can be added by spreading over the
surface a dressing of organic manure. Use
cow manure if it is possible to obtain it and
place it on the lawn after the ground is frozen
—this prevents the cutting of wheels of the cart
or wheelbarrow into the sod. Be sure that the
manure used is well rotted, that it is old.
Hedge of Climbing Roses Defining Limit of Lawn

 
58 YARD AND GARDEN

Fresh manure is not only damaging to the grass
but is almost certain to be filled with minute
seeds of various weeds. Let the manure re-
main until early spring and a double benefit
will be derived from the dressing. It will not
only impart plant food to the soil, but it will
serve as an effective mulch which will to a great
extent overcome the injury caused by the alter-
nate thawing and freezing during the winter.
When the grass shows a vigorous growth in
the spring, rake the coarser material from the
lawn and follow this by rolling.

In the spring it is best to top-dress the lawn
with an application of finely ground bone meal
mixed with hard-wood ashes. Combine the mix-
ture by using equal parts of each by weight,
and spread the fertilizer on the lawn until it
takes upon itself a grayish appearance, or to
be more exact at the rate of one ton to the acre.
It is best to select a day for applying this top
dressing that is still and promises a light rain.
Another fertilizer that has a beneficial effect on
lawns is nitrate of soda. Apply this at the
rate of one ounce to the square yard, and make
sure, if it is applied in dry form, that it is broad-
casted immediately preceding a shower. It is
perhaps best to apply this to the lawn by dis-
LAWNS 59

solving it in water, using one pint to forty gal-
lons of water. The effect of nitrate of soda
will be observed almost immediately; the grass
will take on a fresher color, a deeper, richer
green, and will make vigorous growth. Hard-
wood ashes, however, are especially valuable as
food for lawns of Kentucky blue-grass. Bone
meal is one of the most permanent fertilizers,
and is chiefly valuable, so far as grasses are
concerned, for its phosphates. Lime used on
the lawn should be air-slacked; it is best as a
winter dressing, and should be applied at the
rate of a pint cup full to the square yard.

ROLLING THE LAWN

The application of fertilizer is by no means
the only thing necessary to maintain a lawn in
good condition. The turf must be rolled and
the grass mowed and watered. Some indica-
tion of the value of rolling has already been
given in this chapter. It is important and
should never be neglected where the best re-
sults are sought. The rolling is necessary in
order to make the roots as firm as possible and
should.be applied frequently. The heavier the
roller the better it is for the lawn. In the
spring as soon as the ground becomes work-
60 YARD AND GARDEN

able and the grass starts into growing, the en-
tire surface of the lawn should be rolled to
overcome the effects of the alternate freezing
and thawing during the winter months, which
has a tendency to loosen the surface soil. It
will be readily observed that the heavier the
soil and the more moist it is the more necessity
there is for rolling. In using the roller it is
best to roll in two directions at least, as was
suggested for broadcasting the seed—that is,
from north to south and from east to west. In
selecting the roller obtain one that will repre-
sent a weight of a thousand pounds at least.
Very frequently it will be found that old lawns
which appear to be beyond the power of cul-
tivation to bring back into condition, require
nothing more than repeated applications of the
roller, and in the case of new lawns very poor
and disappointing results will follow the fail-
ure of the plantér to make use of this essential
lawn device.

MOWING

°

No lawn can be kept in good condition un-
less it is frequently mowed. The best method
to follow in cutting the grass is to mow it once
a week with the knives of the machine set high.
61

LAWNS

 
62 YARD AND GARDEN

This is much better than mowing it at inter-
vals of two weeks with the knives set low. Still
it must not be considered that any regular in-
terval can be designated for the mowing pro-
cess; conditions must govern the cutting. If
the growth is rapid, mowing may be necessary
oftener than once a week, but where the lawn
can be gone over with the machine at least
once every six or seven days, the knives on the
mower should not be set closer than two inches
to the ground. In cases where the grass has
been allowed to get unusually long, the knives
should be set even higher for the first two or
three mowings and then brought gradually
lower until the proper distance from the
ground is obtained.

It is often a question whether the clippings
resulting from the use of the mower should be
left on the lawn or removed. If, however, the
lawn is mowed frequently and the grass is kept
at a uniform height of about two inches the
clippings if left on the Jawn will do no harm,
but, on the contrary, very often will prove a
benefit inasmuch as they will act, in some de-
gree at least, as mulch and protect the roots,
especially in the early spring, from the scorch-
ing rays of the sun. But if the grass has been
LAWNS 63

allowed to gain a considerable growth, it will
be positively detrimental to permit the clip-
pings to remain. This is especially true where
the soil is inclined to be heavy and the moisture
it contains is not quickly given off. In such
instances the cut grass hanging closely about
the roots and there rotting will be the cause
of not a little subsequent trouble. On lighter
soils there is less danger from leaving the clip-
pings on the lawn, and in some instances it is
even better to do so.

Grass that is cut on dull cloudy days will
be found to yield itself more readily to the
knives of the mower, and in addition to this
will show less disposition to resent even close
mowing than when a bright hot day is selected
for the operation. ,

WATERING

It is a fallacy to proceed with the watering
of a lawn on the basis that it is not good for
the grass to wet it while the sun is shining. If
watering is done as it should be it will make
very little difference whether the day is bright
or cloudy. Mere sprinkling is detrimental in
any event and is to be avoided, especially on
bright days. This method of ‘‘watering’’ a
64 YARD AND GARDEN

lawn is undoubtedly the cause of much of the
trouble experienced in obtaining the best re-
sults where conditions would seem to indicate
that they should be easily attained. Instead
of playing a thin mist-like spray over the lawn,
see to it that the ground is soaked; in other
words, when you do water, water well. Apply
enough so that the water will soak in the ground,
saturating it for a depth of two or three inches
at least. Remember that the roots of grasses
as well as of other plants seek moisture where
it is to be found. If you persist in lightly
sprinkling your lawn the roots, instead of pene-
trating to the cooler depths, will persist in
remaining on the surface, where they soon
become dry and baked by the sun. If, on the
other hand, the roots find what they require at
a depth of six or eight inches or a foot below
the surface of the soil, they will make a growth
in that direction to obtain it.

In most cities, unfortunately, there are reg-
ulations maintained by companies supplying
water making it practically impossible to water
a lawn as it should be watered. These regula-
tions prohibit the use of a hose without the
nozzle, and this in itself is a positive handicap
for the owner of city property who is anxious
65

LAWNS

squelg

YQ, poyueureurg pilex Jo Jou

AL

09 Apysisun

 
66 YARD AND GARDEN

to obtain a soft and velvety lawn. Where,
however, regulations do not interfere, it is best
to water without a nozzle, letting the water
emerge unchecked from the hose and with the
force of the stream so regulated that it will not
wear holes in the turf. Let the end of the hose
rest on the grass and as the ground becomes
saturated with the water move it about from
place to place until the whole area is thoroughly
wet. Watering in this manner can be carried
on at any time of the day whether the sun is
bright or clouded.

WEEDS

The weed problem is one not so easily dis-
posed of. Frequently a splendid lawn is
ruined in a comparatively short time by allow-
ing the weeds to gain a foothold, and permit-
ting them to spread. Guard against any such
catastrophe by keeping ahead of the pests.
Remember that where a lawn is well kept,
planted on a foundation of suitable soil, weeds
will have a difficult time to establish themselves.
Be sure each time the lawn is mowed to look
carefully for the weeds. It is best always to
dig out the dandelions and plantains before the
mower is run over them.
LAWNS 67

Occasionally an effort is made to'save a lawn
that is overrun by these weeds, and the per-
plexed owner seeks for some solution which,
when applied, will kill the objectionable intrud-
ers and do no harm to the grass. Let him
.understand now, once for all, that the only sure
and safe method of eradication is by removing
the weeds, root and all, by digging them out with
hand tools. No other method will relieve the
turf of dandelions, plantain or dock. Mowing
does not kill them nor does cutting them off an
inch or two below the surface of the soil. Both
dandelions and plantains seed very rapidly
and multiply at an enormous rate. They must
not, therefore, be allowed to come to seed. Re-
move them or such of them as can be reached
by the use of some tool, and if all the root, by
this process, is not obtained, drop a erystal of
sulphate of’ iron in the hole made by the oper-
ation and this, dissolving, will kill the root re-
maining. A drop or two of gasoline, if more
convenient, can be used in place of the green
vitriol. It is better, however, to get out the
root in its entirety, than to rely on this or any
other chemical of strong corrosive powers,
which, in deadening the weed root, may also
injure the grass. Have at hand a box of loose
68 YARD AND GARDEN

soil and, if nevessary, when the root is re-
moved, fill up the hole and firm the soil so that
the damage done is immediately repaired.

WEED GRASSES

Crab-grass is probably the worst and most
objectionable weed that attacks lawns. It holds
itself so close to the surface of the soil that the
blades of the mower very seldom reach it, and,
though it is an annual, it resows itself year after
year and appears in early August to render
almost unsightly any lawn where it has gained
a foothold, no matter how persistently the lawn
may be tended. It has broad, pale green
leaves, and gives a patchy appearance to the
general surface of the vard wherein it shows
itself. When cold weather approaches, the
crab-grass assumes a dead brownish-red color,
and lends to the whole area a rusty appearance
which very often leads the cultivator to believe
that his grass is parched for lack of water.
But no amount of watering will overcome the
unsightly appearance occasioned hy the pres-
ence of crab-grass. Only one method of eradi-
eating this pest is effective and this is one
which is more troublesome than expensive. Ob-
tain a steel rake with sharp pointed teeth, and
LAWNS 69

by means of this tear up the creeping stems of
the weed, lifting them clear from the soil and
with a lawn-mower—after setting the knives
very low—run over the grass, cutting off the
flowering heads of the intruder to prevent its
seeding itself.

If this operation is performed persistently
for one or two seasons it is possible that the
crab-grass can be eliminated. It is, as already
said, an annual and, of course, is killed by the
first heavy frost. If by the process outlined
it is prevented from seeding itself, it is likely
that the lawn will subsequently be free of it,
but it must be remembered that it is utterly
futile to run the mower over the grass with-
out first destroying the hold of the creeping
stems on the surface soil and lifting them
within the reach of the blades of the machine.

Other weed grasses which prove annoying
are the well-known orchard grass and Ber-
muda grass and occasionally timothy. The
Bermuda grass is chiefly objectionable because
it is discolored by the first touch of frost and
leaves the lawn that it has invaded with brown
patches on its surface which continue to be un-
sightly until winter’s snow spreads a conceal-
ing mantle over the surface. In the South,
YARD AND GARDEN

70

UMYT A} [[VUIG JO puda ye Jeag Uaprey

 
LAWNS iL

Bermuda grass is not objectionable, but, on the
contrary, is really the main dependence of those
desiring good lawns where the soil is light and
sandy. But wherever orchard grass or timothy
make their appearance they should be immedi-
ately dug up, and if this process involves the
rendering of the surface uneven, fill in with
soil as already advised and scatter lawn grass
seed on its surface.

INSECTS AND MOLES

Ants are the most serious of the minor in-
sects that infest lawns, and though they do not
directly attack the grasses themselves they do
no end of injury by loosening the soil and tun-
neling under the roots. Usually the pests are
killed by the application of boiling water, but,
as this means a subsequent resowing of seed,
it is best to proceed against them by a method
at once simple and effective. Use bi-sulphite
of carbon; it is a heavy volatile liquid which
sinks quickly into the opening in the ant-hill
and immediately gives forth fumes which, be-
ing heavier than the air, penetrate at once to
the remotest sections of the runs in the home.
Apply it by pouring into a hill of average size
a tablespoonful of the liquid and laying over
12 YARD AND GARDEN

the opening a damp cloth or some substitute
that will serve to prevent the insects from es-
eaping. In purchasing the bi-sulphite of car-
bon remember, if your druggist does not warn
you, that it is highly inflammable and easily
exploded; keep it away from the neighborhood
of an open fire. It can be used as effectively
in fighting other burrowing and tunneling in-
sects as in the eradication of ants.

The mole, while not often appearing in cit-
ies, is frequently the cause of considerable
trouble to the suburban and country resident.
In the course of a night or two a very few of
these animals, once they start their tunneling
process on a lawn, can cause damage that is
not likely to be repaired in the course of a
month or so. They seldom appear, however,
where the roller is properly used, for they pre-
fer to follow the line of least resistance and
will betake themselves to sections of the ground
less forbidding if the roller has packed the soil
as it should. Poisoned bait is sometimes used
in ridding a lawn area of these animals, but
as the mole is carnivorous, avoid applying the
poison in the form of grain. Poison in any
event is dangerous, for it may be eaten by
household pets or poultry instead of bv the
LAWNS 73

animals for which it is intended. Mole traps
are the safest and surest devices for ridding
the lawn of the intruders.

RENOVATING OLD LAWNS

Old lawns are quite as often problems as new
lawns. Where one person is inquiring how he
may establish a close soft turf for his yard,
nine are asking what to do to renovate their
old lawns. In many instances renovation is
impossible and where such is the case the only
sure method to pursue is to proceed as though
no lawn had ever existed on the area under
consideration. In short, renovate the old lawn
by plowing it up and planting a new one. It is
not meant, of course, to advise any one to pro-
ceed on such a radical course without due
thought, but to warn him against wasting time
and energy in work that will poorly reward him
in the end. When a lawn is overrun hy weeds
—dandelions, plantains, docks or weed grasses
—and it appears that the eradication of these
will practically destroy the lawn surface, it is
best to begin by using at once the spade or the
plow.

But if the grass is not attacked by these
weeds and the soil appears to be in a good state
74 YARD AND GARDEN

of cultivation and of a proper depth, it is prob-
able that the problem can be solved by loosen-
ing the surface soil with a steel rake and sow-
ing seed. Seed-sowing, however, will avail
nothing if the lawn owes its deterioration to an
exhaustion of the plant food in the soil. Nor
will the application of fertilizer help; mere
dressings of bone meal or barnyard mauure,
no matter how abundant, will not serve the
purpose. It is cheaper and quicker to put the
soil in ‘‘good heart’? by submitting it to such
treatment as would be meted out to virgin
ground.
CHAPTER V

VINES

No plants lend themselves more gracefully
to the improvement of the small city yard than
vines. With these, most remarkable and sur-
prising effects can be attained with little ex-
pense and little care. Wherever they are
grown they add beauty to the scene, acting as
harmonizing agents, relieving the general ef-
fect of any appearance of stiffness or formal-
ity. Beautiful and graceful in themselves,
they conceal all the unsightly places and ob-
jects. and obliterate all the harsh outlines or
the straight lines which are nature’s abhor-
rence. They convert into a thing of beauty a
dilapidated fence, turn a stone into a verita-
ble mound of foliage, twist and twine them-
selves about a dead tree and make of it a pillar
of leaf and flower, or, hanging in festoons from
porch or window boxes, they produce a picture

- 75
76 YARD AND GARDEN

that varies in its form and charm with every
vagrant breeze of a summer’s day. Trained
over arches, gates, or pergolas, they shed a
grateful shade and afford some shelter from
sudden showers.

EFFECTIVENESS OF VINES

Mueh of the picturesqueness of the old ruins
of European castles owes its existence to the
kindly offices of the vines grown to their walls.
They mellow the defects and impart an at-
mosphere of age and permanency, and always
the dense green of their foliage is a relief to
the eyes in summer and soothing to tired and
discordant nerves. They will grow very fre-
quently where other plants will not thrive and,
once gaining a foothold, they may thrust their
stems even to the highest point of a brick wall
of some city office building. Here, clinging to
the masonry, they weather every storm, resist
the burning rays of the sun and transform the
building as neither carpenter nor painter can
do. Whether they are grown on the walls and
terraces of the mansion or on the limited
grounds of the cottage they never fail to pro-
duce an effective picture. Moreover, with their
dense green foliage as a background, the artis-
VINES TY

tic planter can work wonders with flowers and
shrubs which otherwise might prove too bizarre
for use in small yards.

Indeed, the owner of a city lot who is intent
upon its ornamentation can do no better than
to start upon his work with the planting of
vines. Before he finally determines to remove
some object which he considers an eyesore, let
him first consider whether a vine would not
only conceal the object but convert it into some-
thing to be desired as an acquisition in his
general plan of operations.

Vines are cheap and easily obtained. They
are to be had wherever a wood is to be found,
or, lacking such natural nursery, they quickly
respond to the treatment which even an inex-
perienced amateur can afford them, as they root
readily from cuttings, or ‘‘slips.’? They can
also be grown from seed, all the annuals being
obtained by this method almost exclusively and
many of the perennials doing almost equally
as well when similarly treated.

CLASSIFICATION OF VINES

Vines may be roughly divided into twiners,
leaf-twisters, tendril-bearers, those with aérial
roots and those which gain support by means
18 YARD AND GARDEN

of prickles or hooks and which usually require
tving to a trellis or support of some sort. The
morning-glories are familiar examples of the
first, the clematis of the second, the grape of
the third, the ivy of the fourth and the elimb-
ing, or to be more exact, the scrambling rose
of the fifth.

The larger number of the climbing plants
that are cultivated, are those which make their
ascent by twining about their supports or em-
ploying special organs in the form of roots or
tendrils with which to effect their rise. It 1s
interesting to note that each species of twining
plant winds in its own direction about its sup-
port, following this course under all normal or
ordinary conditions. The morning-glories, for
instance, twine in a direction which is opposed
to the movement of the sun, while the hops pre-
fer a course which is in the direction of the
sun’s movement.

With this rough classification as a basis a
long list of climbing plants suitable for culti-
vation on the home grounds might be given.
All are well equipped in foliage, flower or
berry, suitable for use in the city-yard. And
of these there are varieties for almost every
situation and every purpose. There are annu-
 

Wild Grape From Woods in City Yard
80 YARD AND GARDEN

als and perennials—those which spring from
seed and make their full growth and flower in
a season’s time, then perish with the first touch
of frost, and those which persist year after
vear, either coming up from the root each
spring or putting forth their leaves and flowers
from the old stems.

In most instances where permanent effects
are desired the hardy perennial vines should
be selected. Many of these are known as
shrubs by those who insist on an exact ter-
minology, the body of the plant being woody
and enduring year after year. Others are
herbs dying to the ground each fall, the root
alone subsisting from season to season. The
chief value of these is their foliage, for of this
the amateur can always feel assured, though
there are, of course, many vines which bear
flowers, but which, owing to the conditions un-
der which they are raised, frequently fail to
produce blossoms.

The annuals are valuable as a rule for both
their foliage and flowers. The morning-glory,
which has already been used as an illustration,
is an example. The annual vines are best
adapted for quick concealment of unsightly ob-
jects and the most of them make rapid growth
VINES 81

which soon covers arch, trellis, or support of
whatever nature it may be.

SOIL FOR VINES

While it has been suggested that the common
perennial and annual vines are not exacting as
to the conditions demanded for their health,
still it is a fact that their requirements and
culture are too often given but small consider-
ation by the planter. They are frequently set
out when preparation has been meager, estab-
lished in poor soil sometimes made up largely
of rubbish or of earth from which all the food
has been extracted by other plants. Still, even
under such conditions, vines struggle into leaf
and occasionally into flower, but it should be
remembered that it is futile to expect a free
and luxuriant growth—which is a vine’s chief
charm—where the plants are neglected, or per-
haps actually abused. It is common to observe
a plant obtained from a florist or nurseryman
turned out from a pot into a hole barely large
enough to receive the ball of earth and dug in
ground which has not been prepared by culti-
vation of any sort for the reception of the
roots. Naturally such treatment will not lend
encouragement to the best and _ healthiest
82 YARD AND GARDEN

growth of the vine. It is far better to make
too much preparation than to starve plants by
too little. The ideal method to pursue, whether
the vines be annuals or perennials, is to trench
the ground thoroughly where they are to go,
either working well-rotted manure into the old
compost or filling in with a rich, fresh, friable
loam.

Good sound loam is the best soil for the
greatest number of climbing plants and, unless
the amateur is experienced with varieties which
are difficult to grow, he will find, that this soil,
with the addition of manure, will insure him
excellent results. Where soils are stiff they
can frequently be put into good condition by
the addition of leaf mold, some sand and the
manure, and where the soils are thin or sandy
the addition of loam together with the manure
will often prove effective.

CULTIVATION

If plants are ordered from a nursery and
are received in pots, they may be planted out
at almost any season between early spring and
late autumn. In planting those that have been
grown in pots, they should be turned out gently,
disturbing as little as possible the root ball.
VINES 83

Make sure that the hole prepared for the re-
ception of the plant is ample and that the roots
when they begin to reach out into the new soil
will not encounter obstacles in the form of
stones or unyielding clods to impede their
progress and stunt the plant by starvation.
It is usually best after planting to make the
sotl firm and solid. Then see to it at once that
the plants have something upon which to lift
themselves until they fasten by the natural
means they employ to the permanent support
upon which they are to climb upward. When
vines require tying, the operation should be-
gin immediately, even though the stem to be
operated upon may be exceedingly short. It
may perhaps be of some service to suggest
that where vines are to be established in soil
already crowded with the roots of trees or
shrubs, a bottomless wooden cask or box may
be sunk and this in turn filled with a suitable
compost which will enable the climber to make
sufficient root growth to support itself until it
has gained strength and can hold its own with
the other roots.

While it is important to give consideration
to the proper preparation of the soil where
the climber is to be planted, it must not be
8t YARD AND GARDEN

forgotten that it will respond generously to
good treatment accorded after it has estab-
lished itself. Only too frequently vigorous
vines display signs of failure and decrepitude
because their roots fail to find food enough
to supply them with sustenance. Such plants

 

Flowers of the Clematis
(Clematis Jach mani)

can be re-invigorated and maintained in healthy,
thriving condition by annual applications of
manure and an occasional top dressing with
fresh soil and artificial fertilizers. Liquid ma-
nure, wherever it can be applied without of-
fensive effects, will be found the most rapid
agent in restoring a plant’s strength and vigor.
VINES 85

Then also it must be remembered that vines
growing against walls where they are subjected
to the direct and reflected rays of the sun re-
quire suitable quantities of water and, in dry
weather, should be bountifully supplied with
moisture. Apply the water by letting it soak
into the soil until the ground is thoroughly sat-
urated for a depth of half a dozen inches or
more.

Another point in the cultivation of some vines
is that a few of them thrive best when the lower
part of the stems is shaded from the direct
effects of the sun, even though the top portions
may be in the direct line of the sun’s rays.
Such a vine is the clematis. Its requirement
in this respect is easily satisfied by planting
in front of it or near it some small plant which
will supply the shade it desires.

PRUNING

The beginner is likely to hear much on the
subject of the necessity for pruning permanent
vines, and no doubt he will encounter many op-
posing opinions. It is practically impossible,
however, to detail the various treatments
which the different plants require. It must be
remembered that some vines produce their
86 YARD AND GARDEN

flowers on the old wood matured the season
before, and in such instances the strong growths
should not be cut back, but the weak ones, how-
ever, should be sacrificed without hesitation
and all decayed wood should be cut out imme-
diately upon its discovery. Other vines pro-
duce their bloom on the young shoots of the
current season and in such cases it is the old
wood that should be eliminated and the fresh
young shoots encouraged. Still others flower
only on spurs that are sent out by the old wood
and these climbers are best pruned by cutting
out the weakly shoots and reducing the length
of those remaining. But in every case a study
of the particular species is essential. In some
instances where the climbers have been set in
position where they are not on parade, it is
probably the wisest policy to limit the pruning
to which they are submitted to the cutting out
of the dead wood. This, however, is not to be
taken as a general policy to follow for, wher-
ever the best results are desired, pruning will
be found to be essential. Even the freest
rambling rose is materially benefited and im-
proved hy pruning which, to the novice, may
appear to be extraordinarily and uselessly se-
vere. Clematis, too, must be cut back if it is
VINES 87

to produce the best results of which it is capa-
ble.

In decorating a yard the gardener will find
that vines lend themselves to any plan he may
devise. In fact, it is hardly possible that his
yard can be artistically planted without the
use of vines in numerous varieties. He should
remember that they require but little room and
lift themselves above the other plants, mak-
ing it possible to set vines and shrubs in the
same bed or border if desired, and thereby
obtain an effect which, were flowers and shrubs
alone relied upon, would be well nigh impossi-
ble. It requires, indeed, but little consideration
to arrive at the conclusion that, however small
the space to be planted, there may be vines in
every desirable nook and corner, and _ still
neither the lawn nor the flower-beds and bor-
ders will be encroached upon to any great ex-

tent.
PERENNIAL VINES

Although there are innumerable sorts ready
for the planter’s use still it is best to rely for
the most part on the better-known varieties.
A vine which will respond generously to the
treatment accorded it by the average novice is
the Virginia Creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefo-
88 YARD AND GARDEN

lia). Its good points are its quick growth, its
absolute hardiness, its extraordinary beauty
when it wears its summer dress of green foliage
and its gorgeous hues when it dons an autumn
robe of red and adds a touch of purple with
its dainty berries. The Virginia Creeper, or
woodbine as it is sometimes called, is easily
obtained and can be found in almost any wood,
or growing along fences by country roads. It
is available for use as a screen and with its
rapid growth will hide a multitude of sins in
a surprisingly short time. Its one bad feature,
so far as small places are concerned, is its
tendency to grow to the top, and as the top
gains in strength and mass of spread, the vine
ceases to show leaves near its roots. While
this makes a plant desirable for growing up
old trees or for hiding from view dead tops,
it renders it of little use in screening objects
of less height, although in its younger vears
it answers this purpose very well. It tends
also to exhaust the soil rapidly and its roots
ramble subterraneously over a considerable
territory. The familiar ‘‘Dutchman’s Pipe,’’
(Aristolochia macrophylla), however, a robust
grower with enormous leaves, continues to
throw out its foliage from the base and so
 

excites ‘

City Residence Covered with Woodbine
(Ampelopsis quinquefolia)
90 YARD AND GARDEN

answers admirably for covering whatever it
grows upon near the ground. It is also a
climber but, growing with uniform density from _
the base up, it is suitable for arbors or large
fence spaces or for verandas and pergolas.
Considering the climbing roses as vines, the
strongest growers and those producing under
ordinary treatment the best results, are the
Crimson Rambler with red blossoms and the
Dorothy Perkins with pink. Both are entirely
hardy and will thrive year after vear, especially
if pruning is attended to with any degree of
regularity. The Wichuraiana rose is also de-
sirable, its foliage being to a considerable ex-
tent evergreen, a feature which makes it of
value in situations which are conspicuous in
the winter. The Wichuraiana is also known as
the Memorial Rose, and though it lacks the bril-
lant color of the Crimson Rambler, in some
respects it is better than the latter. Asa
climber for covering porches, trellises and
arches or as a creeper for covering steep banks,
it is probably unequalled so far as the roses are
concerned. Another advantage it possesses is
its apparent freedom from the attacks of in-
sects or disease. One especial use to which it
can be put to advantage is to plant it in the
VINES 91

earth at the top of some high retaining wall or
bank, letting its branches droop over and hang
toward the level below. The Dorothy Perkins
has the same strong habit of growth as the more
familiar Crimson Rambler and the flowers are
borne in clusters of thirty or forty.

From time to time new varieties of climbing
roses are introduced and almost all of them are
well worth planting but the beginner will doubt-
less find that the red, pink and white blossoms
of the Rambler, Dorothy Perkins and the Wich-
uraiana will answer his purposes. Climbing
roses should be planted no closer than four feet
and the soil in which they are set. should be more
deeply cultivated than for other vines. In
training them avoid taking their stems in a di-
rectly vertical course for this tends to take the
sap to the top and to denude the lower part of
the plant. Avoid this by bending the shoot in
one direction or another then permitting it to
take its upward trend if desired.

Clematises are familiar vines in many places
and because of their good qualities should be
even more extensively grown than they are.
They require a fairly rich soil of a light, loamy
character and will be all the happier if a little
lime or old mortar is mixed with it. The soil
92 YARD AND GARDEN

in which they are planted should be well
drained, and each year should be enriched by a
top dressing of cow manure. They are used in
many places to cover walls, mounds, trellises,
arbors or porches. Unfortunately, clematises
are subject to a disease which often results fa-
tally. When planted close to buildings where ~
the ground does not freeze to a great depth this
disease is responsible for many disappoint-
ments. It is due to a parasite which it is be-
heved is killed by hard freezing; indeed, no
other remedy so far as is known exists. The
vines should in all cases be fastened securely
to the trellises upon which they are supported
to prevent their being whipped about by the
winds; training the vines upon strings or simi-
lar insecure devices is therefore to be avoided.
Clematis flammula or sweet clematis blooms
early in July; Clematis paniculata is a strong,
vigorous grower and in late summer produces
sheets of pure white flowers of the most pleas-
ing fragrance. Both are perfectly hardy. The
finest hybrids, including Clematis Jackmani and
its varieties, are widely used and much admired.
The plants bear large, intense violet-purple
flowers remarkable for richness of color; they
are free in growth and abundant and successive
93

VINES

(ounyyoH DL90VU0T )
appPnsfhouo0]y WWeises1g ay} Jo siamopyT

 
94 YARD AND GARDEN

bloomers. Clematis Henryi is another good
variety, a free grower and bloomer, bearing
cream-white blossoms. A red variety of the
large flowering Clematis can be had under va-
rious trade names.

The Honeysuckle is valuable for many pur-
poses and particularly for its sweet-scented
flowers. Lonicera sempervirens, L. Japonica
and LD. Halliana, which is half evergreen in
the north, are the best for general uses.

A vine which is especially valuable for cling-
ing to walls is Ampelopsis Veitchi, or Boston
ivy, as it is popularly known. Its leaves are
small and overlap one another, forming a sheet
of green. It is somewhat tender in its early
years and requires, for the first winter at least,
ample protection; once established, however,
there is small danger of its suffering from low
temperature. It grows rapidly and its foliage
is extraordinarily handsome in summer and as-
sumes a crimson hue in autumn. It requires
no support but clings to brick and stone struc-
tures readily and, while it encounters some dif-
fieulty in gaining a firm hold on wooden build-
ings, it seldom fails to succeed in supporting
itself.

Other vines which will thrive in the city yard
VINES 95

and which the planter should carefully consider
when he is making his plans are the Trumpet
Creeper (Tecoma radicans), Actinidia arguta,
a strong-growing vine from Japan with large
leaves and white purple-centered flowers;
Akebia quinata, a rapid-growing vine bearing
five-fingered leaves and sweet-scented flowers
of a plum color, appearing near the end of
April; Celastrus scandens, or the false bitter-
sweet, with scarlet fruit pods that are highly
ornamental; Wistarta multijuga, (known often-
times as W. Chinensis), and W. speciosa. All
these vines possess shrubby tops and do not
die back in the fall. A list of vines which
die back to the ground or nearly so in winter
but whose roots persist from year to year will
include many of the most decorative plants of
the sort for general use. Among these is the
cinnamon vine (Dioscorea divaricata). <An-
other vine which should be more generally
planted is Euonymus radicans; it is a splen-
did evergreen creeping plant with small pretty
foliage and though it is rather slow growing, it
is exceedingly useful for covering low stone
walls or stumps. It has been said that it is not
reliably hardy but in many situations it has
endured a temperature as low as twenty de-
96 YARD AND GARDEN

grees below zero and this without any winter
protection whatever.

ANNUAL VINES

Among the annuals are many easily grown
plants of extraordinary value and beauty. The
morning-glories and moon-vines come under
this head, and one might of course consider the
sweet-peas as belonging to the same division.
Early-growing nasturtiums—always effective
when trained on low wire trellises—yield lux-
uriant foliage and hundreds of flowers in the
course of aseason. All are readily grown from
seed and, with the exception of the sweet-peas,
which require elaborate treatment compared
with the others, will reward the planter with
quantities of blossom even when they are neg-
lected and abused. Their rapid growth makes
them especially useful as screens and frequently
an unsightly spot in the yard where, for in-
stance, a garbage can is kept, may be entirely
hidden from view in a comparatively short time
by the use of either nasturtiums or morning-
glories. The latter have the troublesome habit
of seeding themselves and when a vine is per-
mitted to produce seeds, it is not unlikely that
the planter thereafter will have some difficulty
VINES OF

in ridding the spot where it grew of volunteer
vines in subsequent seasons.

TRELLISES

Where the perennial vines are planted it is
best to give them artificial supports that are of
a permanent nature. Nothing is gained by
erecting flimsy trellises which, as soon as the
vines have taken hold upon them, begin to waver
under their weight. Old gas-pipe is to be had
very cheaply in most cities and this, when well
set in the ground, affords a splendid and ef-
fective support which will last many years, and,
once the vine is established upon it, will relieve
the gardener of the necessity of marring the
growth by tearing it down in order to
strengthen the support. When vines are to be
attached to frame houses which, of course, will
require painting from season to season, it is
best to provide a support which is separate
from the wall. This may be made of wire net
or of wood lattice and, if constructed with some
thought, may be removed, with the vine cling-
ing to it, laid back until the painter has com-
pleted his work, and then, without disturbing
the climber, replaced. Such devices are best
made of a strong wood frame upon which the
98 YARD AND GARDEN

wire net is stretched. If desired, the bottom of
the frame may be attached to the house by
hinges and the top made secure by screws which
can be readily removed. With these with-
drawn, the trellis can be laid back on its hinges
and, the painters departed, quickly restored to
its former position.
CHAPTER VI

ANNUALS

It is with annual rather than with biennial
or with perennial plants that most planters of
small city gardens are familiar. The three
groups are well marked and the characteristics
of each well defined. Annuals, strictly speak-
ing, are plants which normally survive but a
single season, maturing from seed, producing
seed and completing their cycle of life. Bien-
nials live two years and the term, accurately
applied, describes an exceedingly small group
of plants which do not bear flowers or fruit
until the second season following the planting
of the seed. Of all the species of seed-bearing
plants, it has been estimated that only one or
two per cent. are true biennials. Perennials
live from year to year and include, naturally,
trees, shrubs and herbs, but, as the term is gen-
erally employed in relation to decorative gar-
dening, it is applied to those non-woody plants
more properly known as ‘‘hardy herbaceous

99
100 YARD AND GARDEN

perennials.’’ These include such well-known
species as Peony and Phlox.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF ANNUALS

Among the annuals are found some of the
showiest plants in cultivation, and, inasmuch
as they are, generally speaking, easily grown,

   

Annual Phlox (P. Drunmondii)

additional merit on this account must be ac-
corded the group. They afford a variety of
brilliant colors and delicate fragrance, produce
quick results, bloom at various seasons and at-
tain varying heights. They are valuable in
beds by themselves, as edgings for other beds
or for walks, as trailers or vines, or in con-
ANNUALS 101

junction with borders of hardy shrubs or herba-
ceous plants. In the latter employment they
serve to replace perennials that failed to sur-
vive the winter or to cover bare spots which
frequently occur in the hardy borders.

Annuals are usually divided into three
classes:

(1) Hardy annuals, or those sown directly
in the open ground where they are to bloom.
Many of these resent transplanting and, when
the seeds have germinated, demand only thin-
ning. Hardy annuals are the earliest to be
sown outdoors.

(2) Half-hardy annuals, or those which are
usually sown indoors under glass and later
transplanted to the blooming beds. Sown out-
doors, weather conditions must be such as to
indicate that all danger of frost is past.

(8) Tender annuals, or those which require
more heat than the half-hardy varieties, and
which can not be safely transplanted outdoors
until there is an assured temperature of not
less than fifty-five or sixty degrees. These also
are started indoors.

Catalogues usually make these divisions, and
when once the meaning ef the term is thor-
oughly understood there is less danger of fail-
102 YARD AND GARDEN

ure on the part of the amateur in dealing with
them.
EARLY PLANTING

To obtain early flowers from annuals, in the
North, seed must be sown in flats or pans or
boxes and set in sunny windows until the seed-
lings grow strong enough to bear transplant-
ing. Often this is begun entirely too early.

Fr ‘

   

Single and Double Zinnias

Dwelling houses, as a rule, are altogether un-
suitable for raising plants successfully from
seed, and especially for ‘‘growing them on,”’’
as the florists call it, until it is time to set them
out in outdoor beds. The seed, in most in-
stances, will germinate, and, given the right
ANNUALS 103

conditions, the seedlings will thrive, but most
beginners find it impossible to give the little
plants these ‘‘right conditions.’’ It is, there-
fore, best to give them as short a period in the
house as possible and, at the same time, effect
a gain in point of early flowering. So, instead
of attempting to gain too much time, which in
seven cases out of ten results in absolute fail-
ure, it is better to gain, say only three weeks,
and have the effort crowned with success. To
do this, sow the seeds in the house in the first
week of April. There is much expert advice,
of course, to the effect that March sowing is
none too early, but there are, so far as the ex-
periences of beginners are concerned, com-
paratively few cases where results from March
sowing in the long run equal those-of April
planting.

INDOOR SOWING

The best plan to follow is to adopt the method
employed by the florist—sow the seeds in flats.
‘‘Flats’? are more convenient than mysterious;
they are easily made, cheap and admirably
adapted to the purpose. They are nothing
more than boxes, twelve or eighteen inches wide
and twice as long and three or four inches deep.
104 YARD AND GARDEN

The width and length may vary to suit the
planter, although a box a foot and a half wide
and two and a half or three feet long is more
easily handled, but the depth must not be
greater than four inches. Three, probably, for
the average amateur is better. Empty cigar
boxes are often used, and do very well indeed.
Bore half a dozen holes in the bottom and over
these place bits of crock, concave enough in
form to permit surplus water to escape under
them easily and quickly. Next put in a layer
of coarse earth—unsifted loam—and, on top of
this, place the finer soil. This must be sifted,
made rich with old manure, with sand enough
added to render it thoroughly porous. Press
the soil down firmly, especially along the ends
and sides and in the corners, dampen slightly,
and sow the seed.

Sow very fine seed broadcast, scattering it
thinly over the surface and pressing it in the
soil with a block of wood. For larger seeds,
sprinkle a little dirt on top—barely enough to
cover them—and for seeds large enough to
handle separately supply a heavier covering of
soil. A safe rule to apply is to plant the big
seeds at a depth three times their diameter. If,
after the seed is planted, it appears that the
ANNUALS 105

soil is too dry, sprinkle lightly with water, tak-
ing care not to wash the seed out. Then cover
the box or flat with a glass and sheet of white
paper and place it in a warm place. A shelf
above a radiator or stove is a fairly good situa-
tion, provided the heat is not too intense. Lit-
tle light is needed until the seeds germinate,

   

Snapdragon

when, of course, they must be moved to lighter
quarters. Watch the glass closely, for it will
act, in a sense, as a barometer. When there is
too much moisture in the soil, drops will form
on the glass. Raise it and wipe off the surplus
moisture, and let it remain elevated so that the
dry air can strike the earth and rid it of the
106 YARD AND GARDEN

excess dampness. Careful attention to this de-
tail will prevent the ‘‘damping off’’ of the seed-
lings, which so often discourages the beginner.
If, on the other hand, the soil threatens to be-
come too dry, sprinkle lightly with water, or,
if the flat be small enough, set it in a pan of
luke-warm water and let it absorb the water
through the drainage holes in the bottom.

As the plants make growth, give more air,
removing the white paper entirely and slightly
elevating the glass. As growth continues, sup-
ply more air, and when the seedlings put out
their second leaves place the flat in a light,
warm window, making sure to screen the boxes
from the sun. White paper is also excellent
for this. When the first true leaves appear,
dispense with the glass and gradually expose
the plants to more sun.

TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS

By the time conditions outdoors permit trans-
planting, the seedlings should be strong enough
and at the same time enough hardened to en-
dure the shock without any marked set-back.
But in some instances it may be necessary to
transplant before the outside conditions will
permit a transfer immediately to the blooming
ANNUALS 107

bed. In such case transplant either to other
flats—constructed in the same way—or else to
what are called ‘‘thumb pots,’’ miniature flower
pots easily obtained of any florist at very small
cost. These, however, are not necessary, any
sort of receptacle serving very well for the
seedlings. In transplanting thus to- other

   

Transplanting Seedlings to ‘“ Thumb-Pots.”

boxes, allow the young plants all the space you
ean afford; if set too close together their roots
will intertwine and it will be difficult later on,
when you come to set them in their permanent
beds, to separate them without damaging them
severely.

In any case, it is yery important that the
108 YARD AND GARDEN

seedlings do not become spindly. To prevent
this, increase the light and turn the boxes oc-
casionally, so that one side is not always next
to the window.

Select seeds for planting indoors with some
care. Earliness alone is hardly worth striving
for. The plant so treated blooms for only a
definite period, say four weeks. In such a case,
of course, what you would gain at one end you
would lose at the other. But in many instances,
especially in the case of verbenas and petunias,
a month’s start means a clear gain, for the
plants, once they begin to bloom, will continue
to bloom until frost.

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD BEDS

It is strange, to say the least, that many
persons observe carefully all the little points
necessary to insure success with seeds planted
indoors, but prepare the outdoor beds in a man-
ner at once indifferent and careless. Three-
fourths of the failures are due to this lack of
thoroughness. In spring, the most of us,
whether flower-raising is our hobby or not.
want to plant. We rush into it, hastily and in-
completely preparing the beds, sow the seeds,
watch with increasing interest the germination,
ANNUALS 109

and then feel not only regret but wonder when
the seedlings droop, wither and die. We at-
tribute the trouble to the seeds. But the simple
truth is, the fault is our own. We deliberately
precipitate a floral tragedy; we deceive the
plants; lead them to believe that the alluring
surface conditions with which we provide them
extend to sufficient depth to accommodate their
roots, but when they reach out and down, hope-
fully and trustfully, they encounter stones and
clods and soil as hard as cement. Not even the
spade could penetrate it easily. The hot sun
bakes the surface soil, blisters the fine roots,
and, in the end, instead: of bloom and frag-
rance, we have a dismal bed of dead and dying
plants.

The careful gardener provides against any
such catastrophe with his annuals by preparing
his beds with that thoroughness which alone
insures success. He realizes that it is better
to spend time and labor in the beginning and
to begin right than to exhaust patience later
and suffer disappointment as well. <A poorly
made bed never produced a good flower, and
annuals, although quick in their growth, de-
mand proper rooting conditions if they are to
do their best.
110 YARD AND GARDEN

THE MOST SUITABLE SOIL

The ideal annual flower-bed is within the
reach of every person who has any flower-bed
at all. First of all, it means suitable soil, and,
in the second place, it means thorough treat-
ment of this soil. If your ground is heavy—
elayish in quality—or light—due to too much

    

 

Stocks Shirley Poppies

sand—it is often best to get rid of it entirely.
Outline the size of the bed, making sure not to
make it too wide to permit easy access to every
part of it, and excavate the poor soil te a depth
of two feet. Cart it away. Level off the bot-
tom and place a five- or six-inch layer of drain-
ANNUALS tat

age material on it. Sand or gravel or cinders
will answer the purpose. Then on top of this
put in the new soil, which should consist of
rich, fine loam, leaf-mold and well-rotted cow
manure in approximately equal parts. In fill-
ing, bring the surface of the bed three or four
inches higher than the surface of the surround-
ing ground, to allow for settling, and do not
attempt to sow seeds or set out plants in it
until this settling has occurred.

But if the soil where the bed is to be made
is satisfactory, such trouble, of course, is
avoided. Remember, however, that where no
bed has ever been made before, the earth must
be spaded to a depth of eighteen inches at least
—two feet is even better. All roots and stones
must be removed and the clods thoroughly pul-
verized. Begin by removing the surface soil
to a depth of six inches, casting it to one side.

'' Then spade the sub-soil to the required depth,
incorporating with it well-rotted manure, and,
when this is done, return the surface soil, mak-
ing it as fine as possible—so fine, indeed, that
it will readily pass through a sieve with a quar-
ter-inch mesh. The surface soil is laid aside
and finally returned to the top because it is
always rich in humus, which furnishes the most
112 YARD AND GARDEN

available food for the young plants and tender
rootlets. Nature herself, it will be observed,
never turns the soil upside down. But in spad-
ing up old beds, where it is only necessary to
break the ground and pulverize the soil, it may
seem impractical to keep the surface soil on the

 

Sweet Peas

surface. It is easily enough accomplished,
however, if the old bed was properly prepared
in the beginning. Simply insert the spade to
the required depth and twist it from side to
side, loosening the soil without turning it un-
der.
But no matter what particular process you
ANNUALS 113

may elect to follow in making your bed, re-
member these points:

Provide depth, and in the sub-soil incorpo-
rate manure.

Never turn the surface soil under.

Thoroughly pulverize the surface—it can not
be made too fine.

By following these suggestions the founda-
tion for success is laid. Enriching the sub-soil
and giving depth are essential because the two
processes combine to draw the roots of the
plants downward and away from the surface,
where the sun’s heat will bake them. Pulver-
izing the surface soil makes it possible to sow
the finest seed with satisfactory results.

THE TIME FOR PLANTING

In sowing seeds it is well to remember that
April in the North is a month of many moods.
The warmth of one day, which seems to presage
the end of spring frosts, may be nothing more
than a ‘‘weather-breeder.’’ It may end in a
cold night and a succession of cold days, when
whatever has been planted in the way of tender
annuals succumbs, and the gardener’s work has
been for nothing. Therefore, do not be im-
114 YARD AND GARDEN

patient to plant. It is better to wait until the
ground is warm and all danger of frost is past
than to be too early; give your impatience
outlet by working the soil in the beds.

But by the fifteenth of April it is ordinarily
safe to plant such of the hardier annuals as
the Cornflower, Sweet Sultan, Calendula, Calli-

   

Petunias

opsis, Petunia, Sunflower, Morning-glory, Sweet
Alyssum, Poppy, Candytuft, Mignonette. The
last three, it must be borne in mind, will not
bear transplanting, and must be sown where
they are to bloom.

The gardener who has a choice of location
for his beds of annuals should remember that
ANNUALS 115

most of them prefer open, sunny situations, but
some of them, such, for example, as pansies and
forget-me-nots, thrive where they get the full
sunshine for only half a day.

OUTDOORS SOWING

It is in sowing the seeds of annuals outdoors
that inexperienced amateurs make the most
blunders. After the seed beds have been pre-
pared as already directed, mark off rows on
the surface from six to twenty-four inches
apart. Be sure to make the rows straight. If,
however, the planter desires, the planting may
be done in circles, keeping the circles the same
distance apart. In every instance the space
between the rows or circles is determined by
the height or size of the plant at maturity.
Allow plenty of room for growth and do not
crowd. Sow fine seed in the rows as thinly as
possible, and, after the true leaves form, thin,
permitting such to remain as stand as far apart
in the rows as the rows themselves are far
apart. Sow heavier and larger seeds one at a
time and a little thicker than they are to stand
when they begin growth; this allows for fail-
ures. When the seed is sown, sift a light
covering of soil over the finer seeds—barely
116 YARD AND GARDEN

enough to assist in firming them in the ground,
and then, with a smooth board or block of wood,
gently pat down the surface, making the entire
bed smooth. Be sure to label the rows if dif-
ferent varieties are planted, and it is best,
usually, to mark on the labels the date of plant-

ing.

 
   
 

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Pot Marigold
(Calendula officinalis)

As soon as the seedlings have made enough
growth, be on the lookout for weeds, and as fast
as they appear rid the beds of them. Weeds
quickly overcome the tender flowers, and either
kill them entirely or cause such a set-back that
the plants do not readily recover. Prepare
also to afford such support as some annuals
ANNUALS 117

may require, supplying twigs or stakes for
them to depend upon, or, in some instances,
wire netting or something similar—as in the
case of sweet-peas—for them to climb over.

Good flowers, it must be remembered, do
not grow in neglected beds. Cultivation alone
will bring out the best that there is in plants
of any sort. And cultivation means a little
more than the daily sprinkle of water over the
beds. It means a little more than weeding.
Still the work it embraces is neither arduous
nor exhausting and, if a little be done each day,
will scarcely occupy any time at all. It is pos-
sible, for instance, to keep in perfect state of
cultivation a garden of annuals fifty feet wide
and fifty feet deep by devoting twenty minutes
a day to the work it demands.

WATERING

Many amateurs fail because, after their gar-
den is well started, they water, as the florists
say, ‘‘injudiciously.’’ It is difficult to under-
stand what is meant by the term, but not at
all difficult to interpret it by the light of some
unfortunate experience. In the first place,
some plants demand more water than others,
and this, of course, should be taken into con-
118 YARD AND GARDEN

sideration. It should be taken into considera-
tion when the plan of the garden is being laid
out; group those flowers demanding much mois-
ture together as nearly as possible and those
demanding less moisture in groups distinct
from the others. Then apply the water accord-
ingly, abundantly or scantily as the case may

 

be, and at night. There is contrary advice, to
be sure, but if the rule of applying the water
at night is followed the flowers will all be bene-
fited, and, at least, none will be harmed. But
to water the beds in the late morning or early
afternoon is dangerous, if not altogether fatal.
Moreover, when water is applied, let the appli-
ANNUALS 119

cation be thorough. It does very little good to
sprinkle the beds with a light mist from the
hose or watering-can; this may often freshen
the foliage after a hot, burning day, but it gives
no water to the roots, where the moisture is
necessary. It is, in fact, better to water in-
frequently, provided the watering tlfen is done
thoroughly, than to water often and only
lightly.

Keep the surface soil of the beds well stirred,
and do not permit a hard crust to form. The
process of weeding naturally tends to give
the soil such cultivation as it requires in this
respect, but often, when weeding is thoroughly
done, some weeks may. pass before it appears
necessary to repeat the work. It is in such in-
tervals that the surface soil hardens and be-
comes almost as impervious to moisture as
concrete, and at the same time, is quickly heated
by the sun’s rays.

In selecting annuals for spring planting, be
wary of ‘‘novelties.’”’ Obtain the standards,
which have been often tried and seldom found
wanting. Only a few of the uncommon sorts,
or those that are little known, are of value—if
they were, they would very quickly cease to be
uncommon. The old-time flowers are not easily
120 YARD AND GARDEN

displaced and the beginner will do well to-rely
in the main on pot marigolds or calendulas,
clarkias, zinnias, balsams, candytufts, scabiosas,
nasturtiums, poppies, calliopsis or coreopsis,
phloxes, pinks, portulacas, China asters, stocks,
sweet alyssum, cockscombs, silenes, petunias,
sweet-peas and sunfiowers. For climbers none
is better than the morning-glory or the nastur-
tium.

PORCH AND WINDOW BOXES

In connection with the discussion of annuals,
it is fitting that there should be something said
of porch and window boxes. Often the earth
inclosed in these is the only ground some un-
fortunate city resident possesses; it must be-
come his garden and his domain and therein he
must raise the flowers with which to grace his
residence in summer. Porch and window boxes
may be filled with foliage or flowering plants,
which, once they are established, will add im-
measurably to the appearance of the residence
and contribute generously toward redeeming
the big city of its barren ugliness. These little
box gardens, whether they are simple or elab-
orate, are always effective, and the effective-
ness is invariably out of all proportion to the
121

ANNUALS

 

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122 YARD AND GARDEN

cost involved. There is nothing in the way of
planting, especially in large towns and cities,
that will give a surer, quicker touch of indi-
viduality and distinction to a residence at small
cost and with little trouble than porch and win-
dow boxes.

Where there is a lawn, however small it may
be, the boxes, with their green foliage and hang-
ing vines, render less abrupt the line between
lawn and foundation wall. Even where there
is yard space enough to permit the use of small
shrubs or flowering plants, annuals or peren-
nials, for the concealment of such walls, or the
use of climbing vines to relieve the walls of
any suggestion of obtrusiveness, the transition
between lawn and architecture is less marked
when box gardens are employed.

In recent years this fact has come to be more
generally recognized, and, as a result, profes-
sional florists each spring prepare thousands
of plants for use in this manner. Moreover,
it is possible nowadays to have them in gen-
erous quantities at comparatively small cost.
At the same time, the varieties offered for this
purpose are increasing in number, and the
range of choice now includes a score of plants
which only a few seasons ago were sold at
ANNUALS 123

prices practically prohibitive so far as the
purse of the average person is concerned.

PRACTICAL USES OF BOX GARDENS

When cost is considered, however, there
should be some thought given to the usefulness
of the boxes. In a modest way such gardens
have a practical value. Not only do they add
beauty to a house and in this respect prove
their esthetic or ornamental value, but they
frequently serve as effective screens, as when,
on a porch without a railing, the boxes are used
as a substitute. Wherever they are so em-
ployed it is seldom that the owner feels willing.
to abandon them for the usual balustrade.
Again, when set before windows, they satis-
factorily obstruct the view from the outside,
though not materially interfering with the view
from within. It might be mentioned, too, that
by their use rooms may be rendered cooler in
the hot days of summer, for the foliage of the
plants will break the direct rays of the sun,
and the evaporation of the water applied to
the boxes will in some degree reduce the heat
of the atmosphere.

There is still another practical value which
should not be overlooked. Persons who do not
YARD AND GARDEN

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(to,

 
ANNUALS 125

own their homes, but, on account of prefer-
ence or for other reasons, rent them, may feel
reluctant to expend even a comparatively small
sum in the ornamentation of a place which is
not their own. While such an excuse, in view
of the small cost of the seed of quick-growing
annuals, is extremely weak, still porch and win-
dow boxes present an immediate and happy
solution. Easily moved from place to place,
even when filled, they need never be abandoned,
but can be carried away by the renter along
with his furniture, and, though they may not
appear to fit the new porch or the new windows,
in all cases some use can be made of them, and
usually they will be found to do as well in the
new home as in the old. If one has window or
porch boxes, therefore, he may move in mid-
summer if he desires, and, by carrying the box
gardens with him, he can impart to his new res-
idence an atmosphere of permanency which he
could not attain in any other way.

But if these miniature gardens possess
numerous advantages, it must be remembered
that all of them disappear immediately if the
boxes are neglected. When they are allowed
to languish for want of care and attention,
instead of adding beauty to a place, they be-
126 YARD AND GARDEN

come shabby and fade or wither, and remain a
constant reflection on the planter, who was
either careless or indifferent enough to permit
their decline.

As in all gardening operations, the way to
prevent such unhappy results is to begin pro-
perly. Time and labor spent in the beginning

    

 

Porch Box Newly Started but with Plants in Bloom

  

means time and labor saved in the end. Give
the flowers or plants the most congenial con-
ditions possible, and, with ordinary attention,
they will thrive and amply reward the planter
for his pains. Remember in the first place that
growing plants in boxes is vastly different from
growing them in beds in the ground. In boxes

!
ANNUALS 12T

they are generally exposed on three or four
sides, and moisture taken up by the soil quickly
evaporates, leaving the plants dry and thirsty.
Then remember, too, that the smaller the box
the more rapid is the evaporation, the more
cramped are the roots, ‘and the more quickly is
the plant food in the soil exhausted when over-

crowded. .
THE PROPER BOX

In a word, begin properly by constructing
the proper sort of box. Do not be niggardly
with the lumber, and do not be fearful of get-
ting the box too deep or too wide. Of course,
in most instances, the planter—especially if he
be the owner of his own home—must be gov-
erned largely by conditions; he must construct
his boxes to fit these conditions. But before he
begins let him examine carefully the conditions,
with a view to making the most of them. Often
what seems to be impossible, on reflection be-
comes possible, and where it appears at first
that only a small box could be employed it be-
comes apparent that by some other arrange-
ment than the first contemplated, a larger box
can be used.

Boxes one foot deep and one foot wide, in-
side dimensions, are not too large. As for
128 YARD AND GARDEN

length, use a number of boxes of less length
rather than one or two boxes of longer size.
This, however, is merely a matter of conven-
ience; the shorter the boxes the more easily are
they handled, and if one makes them both wide
and deep, much of the weight occasioned by
these generous dimensions is overcome by re-
ducing the length. Obtain boards fourteen
inches wide, other boards twelve inches wide,
and all of them of inch stuff. The fourteen-
inch boards are used as bottoms, and the
twelve-inch boards are used for the sides and
ends. It requires no mathematician to figure
that, by employing such lumber, the task re-
solves itself into sawing the boards to proper
lengths and nailing them together. By secur-
ing the sides and ends on top of the bottom
boards, it will readily be seen that the inside
dimensions are a foot wide and a foot deep.
In order to secure the boxes and prevent their
pulling apart—for nails soon work loose—make
liberal use of small angle-irons. These are fas-
tened on the outside, for, when round-headed
screws are used, they prove ornamental as well
as useful. Occasionally one may use thin iron
bands instead, but these, while more difficult to
adjust, seldom prove as satisfactory as the

-
ANNUALS 129

 

Effective Grouping of Single Plants
130 YARD AND GARDEN

angle-irons. The boxes should never be set flat
upon the floor of the porch, but should be sup-
ported by pieces of ‘‘two-by-four.’’ Stout iron
brackets firmly secured may be used to support
the window boxes. In the bottoms of all bore
quarter-inch holes at intervals of six or eight
inches to insure drainage.

SOIL FOR BOX GARDENS

For the best results, only the best soil must
be used. Obtain good rich loam—such, for in-
stance, as is found directly under the roots of
the grass in a fertile pasture—and with this
mix well-rotted manure and sand. The best
compost is one-third loam, one-third manure
and at least one-fifth sharp, clean sand. This,
however, is a general mixture; for some plants
it is not by any means the best. Ferns, be-
gonias and caladiums, for.instance, demand
well-rotted leaf mold instead of the manure.
But, even though rich soil is generously pro-
vided, thrifty plants soon exhaust it, and the
successful box. gardener will not overlook this
fact. During the summer, from time to time,
he will supply additional plant food in the form
of fertilizer. Liquid manure is always best and
safest; use, if it can be obtained, dried sheep
131

ANNUALS

  
 

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182 YARD AND GARDEN

manure. Set a pound of this, held in a cloth
bag, in five gallons of water and let it remain
until the solution takes upon itself the color of.
weak tea. Then apply it at the-roots of the
plants once a week. Weak solutions frequently
applied are better than strong solutions applied
less often. Bone meal may be used by sprink-
ling it lightly on the surface ofthe soil, but it is
never as satisfactory as the liquid fertilizer.

CULTIVATION

Window boxes, even where their proportions
are generous, require much water. As a mat-
ter of fact they should be thoroughly watered
every day if they are exposed to the sun, and
in other situations often enough to prevent
the soil from becoming dry. There is little
danger of souring the soil if drainage has‘been
properly provided. It is also necessary to keep
the surface soil loose; never permit it to harden
and cake. Avoid, too, the planting of flowers
that demand sum in situations where only shade
is to be had, and, on the other hand, do not
waste time and effort hy setting shade-loving
plants in positions exposed to the full ‘glare of
the sun. Neither will thrive.

Usually the most perplexing problem is to
ANNUALS 133

select plants for the north side of the porch or
for the north windows. -Trailing fuchsias, ivy
geraniums, fancy caladiums, vineas, asparagus,
Japanese morning-glories, glechoma and _ be-
gonias are all suitable, to say nothing of the
numerous ferns. The common ‘‘umbrella
plant’’ also does well in such situations, but
requires more water than the others.

For .boxes on the south, geraniums, antir-
rhinums (‘‘snap-dragons’’), heliotrope, mau-
randya, Phlox Drummondii, nasturtiums, ager-
atum, weeping lantana, crotons, abutilons,
coleus, are all excellent, while on the east use
tuberous begonias, nasturtiums, thunbergias,
vineas, ivy geraniums, heliotrope, manettias,
maurandya, antirrhinums and ferns.
CHAPTER VII

HARDY PERENNIALS

No class of plants is better adapted for the
ornamentation of city yards than the hardy
herbaceous perennials. Once established, they
require comparatively little care and, provided
they are properly planted, they will thrive from
vear to year, multiply and at the end of three
or four seasons, reward the planter with dozens
if not scores of new plants with which to adorn
additional space. Unlike annuals, they survive
the winters, oftentimes with no protection
whatever, and may be planted either in the
spring or autumn, may be obtained as young
plants or may be raised from seed.

CLASSIFICATION OF PERENNIALS

While it is hardly possible to give a clear
definition of the herbaceous perennial and to
distinguish between this and the biennial and
annual, still it is understood that the herba-
ceous perennial is a plant provided with per-

134
HARDY PERENNIALS 135

 

Meadow Sweet (Ulmaria Filipendula, known to the trade as
Spirea Filipendula)
wet

136 YARD AND GARDEN

ennial roots and a top that dies to the ground
in the fall, such, for instance, as the peony, the
columbine, the larkspur and the various forms
of hardy ferns. Nursgerymen, however, include.
in the list a number of closely allied species
which possess evergreen foliage, such as the
statice and the yucca and the evergreen creep-
ing phlox and a number of Alpine plants.
American nurserymen now offer nearly three
thousand species and varieties. Many of these,
of course, are hardier than others and some
require more.generous treatment than others;
and all vary in height and size, color of flower
and period of bloom. It is only necessary to

‘bear in mind that with such a list from which

to select it is possible to have flowers in bloom
from frost to frost. Indeed, with a judicious
planting of spring-flowering bulbs and a liberal
planting of herbaceous perennials not even the
smallest city yard need be bloomless for more
than four months in the year.

The perennials may be divided into three
groups. The first will include those plants
which are to be adapted for the garden of neat
habit and form, requiring favorable conditions
which a state of cultivation provides and which,
with only a little more than ordinary attention,
HARDY PERENNIALS 137

will attain perfection, persist from year to
year and increase in size and vigor. The
second group includes the perennial plants
which are possessed of such aggressive habits
that they are not well suited to the garden
but are adapted rather to planting in situ-
ations where they may remain undisturbed,

   

Catehfly (Lychuis Viscaria, var. splendens)

and where their crowding and their irregu-
lar, sometimes ragged, growth will not prove
a disadvantage. The. third division will in-
elude plants that are best adapted to plant-
ing in the wild garden or which, if established
among trees or in remote corners of the large
yard or grounds, will be in the midst of condi-
138 YARD AND GARDEN

tions that suit them best and under which they
will meet with that natural restraint necessary
to curb rampant growth and prevent encroach-
ment on grounds set aside for other purposes.
This class of hardy perennials is more fre-
quently employed by the landscape gardener
who has an area of considerable extent to plant
than by the owner of a city lot.

The latter, however, will find that in the vari-
ous species and varieties of the herbaceous per-
ennials nearly every sort of plant is to be
obtained which he may desire. The group
affords plants for almost every situation, every
soil condition, and for almost every purpose.
Varying in height from the lowly growth of a
creeper to eight or ten and sometimes even
twelve or fourteen feet, affording foliage that
in itself is decorative, providing flowers for
every month from early spring until late
autumn, and including almost every shade in
their range of color, the perennials are by all
odds the best plants to establish in the space of
the small garden.

While they are easily raised from seed very
few of them bloom the first season when so
planted. To obtain immediate results, there-
fore, it is best to obtain plants a year or more
HARDY PERENNIALS 139

old. This involves greater expense but it is
far more effective. Such plants set out in the
spring will bloom the following summer, or, if
set out in the autumn, will endure the winter
and, as the frost leaves the ground in the en-
suing spring, will send up their tender foliage

 

 

Achillea - Columbine
(Achillea Ptarmica, (Aquilegia chrysantha)
var. “The Pearl”)

and bloom-stalks and, long before it is season-
able for the planting of the seeds of annuals,
they will be in vigorous growth. The gardener
who has such plants to observe finds the early
spring one of the most interesting periods of
the whole year. He goes from bed to bed or
border to border removing a bit of the win-
140 YARD AND GARDEN

ter cover here and a bit there, and finds beneath
the litter the green shoots of the perennials
showing above the ground. For him there is
no impatient waiting until the last danger of
frost is past before gardening operations may
be begun, but, with the first pleasant days of
sunshine, life stirs in his garden. From this
time on he has only to take care that a sudden
frost does not catch him unawares and nip
the tender shoots.

WINTER PROTECTION

In the fail, when the frost has eut down the
foliage and withered everything in the yard and
when the trees have shed their leaves, the gar-
dener has only to place a light cover on his
beds or borders to prepare for another season
of bloom. This winter protection is heavy or
hight according to the location; in the northern
section of the country a heavier covering of
leaves or litter is required than in the southern
portion; in many sections of the latter the hardy
perennials require no winter protection what-
ever. The protection itself should be applied as
soon as the ground has frozen to the depth of an
inch. If it is applied earlier there is often
danger of mice nesting under the litter and, in
“HARDY PERENNIALS 141

 

Globe Flower
(Trollius Europeus)
142 YARD AND GARDEN

the spring, nipping the shoots as they appear
above the ground, or in the winter making their
way through the soft unfrozen earth to the
roots and so damaging these that the plants
perish. It is best in applying the litter, which
should consist of leaves—preferably the leaves
of hard-wooded trees—or clean straw, to lay
on at first a light covering and to add to this
later as the season advances and the severity
of the weather may suggest.

The purpose of the covering is not so much to
keep the ground from freezing as to protect the
plants from the rending, tearing and upheav-
ing effects of the alternate freezing and thaw-
ing. It is this, rather than extreme or
prolonged cold, that damages hardy perennials
and the spring-flowering bulbs. The covering,
therefore, should be only heavy enough to pro-
tect the beds or borders from this danger. And
it should be of such a nature that it will not
pack or settle heavily on the surface of the soil
and smother the plants by excluding the air.

PLANTING SEASON

While the perennials may be planted in the
fall as well as in the spring, unless the plants
can be obtained early in the fall it is better
HARDY PERENNIALS 143

as a rule to plant in the spring. The conten-
tion that fall planting is as safe as spring plant-
ing is due largely to the desire of various nur-
serymen to relieve themselves of a portion of
the spring rush. In the spring they have thou-
sands of orders for seeds, and for summer-
blooming or bedding plants to fill, and it is to

 

Swamp Rose (Hibiscus Moscheutos, var. “Crimson Eye”)

their advantage usually to urge autumn planting
of such plants as can with any safety be set out
at that season of the year.

As a rule, however, in the fall nurserymen
will not disturb their plants until the season’s
growth is matured—which is only proper—but
in many instances this is so late in the autumn
Itt YARD AND GARDEN

that in sections of the north plants thus ob-
tained can not establish themselves before the
deep hard freezes of winter set in. The plants
are not well prepared as a result to resist the
cold, and, in the following spring, the gardener
is likely to find that many of the plants have
perished. He rushes to the conélusion, then,
that perennials are anything but hardy and
makes up his mind that hereafter he will con-
tent himself with the usual spring planting of
annuals. But where it is possible to obtain
perennials early enough in the fall to insure
some root growth in their new quarters before
winter, the fall is quite as good a season for
planting as the spring. Many gardeners have
' found that they are not able to obtain nursery-
grown plants before October. In some sections
October is early enough but in other sections it
is too late and where this is obviously the case
or, in other words, where the winter sets in
early, fall planting is not at all advisable and
the perennials should not be set out until
spring.

PREPARATION OF BEDS

Beds or borders wherein the herbaceous per-
ennials are to be planted should be extraor-
HARDY PERENNIALS 145

 

Ves

Oriental Poppy
(Papaver orientale)

ie &
146 YARD AND GARDEN

dinarily well prepared for it must be borne in
mind that the plants are not annuals and
that they are to remain undisturbed where
they are set for three or four seasons. The
most of them, moreover, are gross feeders and
require more plant food than the annuals. All
the beds should be worked to a depth of two
feet, though in some instances eighteen inches
is sufficient. It is safer, however, to cultivate
the soil to the greater depth—in by far the
majority of instances this is required. In a
word, every effort should be made by the gar-
dener to provide ample depth for the growth
of the roots, as it is only from vigorous root
growth that the perennials can reach a state of
perfection. The depth also is necessary to in-
sure the plant against drought.

Underground drainage should be carefully
looked to, especially in the borders where it is
not intended to give the plants much attention
until they have attained sufficient growth to
demand lifting and dividing. Also it must be
remembered that unless the drainage is good,
plants will be in danger in- winter when the
frost penetrates to a sufficient depth to reach
any water which may remain about their roots.
In spading up the bed the sub-soil should be
HARDY PERENNIALS 147

mixed with a portion of the surface soil. It
is not necessary to supply the former with any
great amount of plant food, but in the spit above
it there should be plenty of fertilizer, and the
best for this purpose is well-rotted cow manure.
In the fall a late top dressing of manure will
assist in maintaining the fertility of the soil

 

Stoke’s Aster (Cyanea Stokesia)

and likewise afford winter protection. It is es-
sential, however, not only to see that the soil is
not impoverished but that it is not over en-
riched; a surplus of food tends to weaken the
plants and to render them liable to damage
from the frost. In this connection it is well
to emphasize once more the necessity for deep
148 YARD AND GARDEN

cultivation. Plants afforded a suitable rooting
depth are less likely to be injured by a surplus
of fertilizer than those which find it impossible
to obtain a deep root-hold.

CULTIVATION FROM SEED

The middle of July is a good time to sow
seeds of perennials. Good-sized plants may be

 

Bee Baln Balloon Flower
(Monarda didyma) (Platycodon grandiflorum)

obtained before cold weather sets in and these
will make blooming plants in many instances the
following summer. Prepare the seed bed ecare-
fully, providing a depth of a foot, and pulverize
the soil even more finely than that prepared
HARDY PERENNIALS 149

for the seeds of annuals in the spring. Sow the
perennials in shallow drills about four inches
apart, thinning the seedlings as they begin to
crowd or transplanting to other beds. It must
be remembered that July sun is a good many
degrees hotter than the sun of early May.
Annuals planted at the latter time are not likely
to suffer greatly from scorching, but peren-
nials, submitted to mid-summer heat and
drought, have a hard struggle unless some shade
is provided. A covering of laths is good for
the purpose and these may be employed by
erecting a framework two feet above the seed
bed and upon this distributing the strips so
that intervals of two inches are left between
them. A shade will then be cast over the bed,
but enough sun also will fall upon the ground
to keep the seedlings in good health and the
soil sweet. Water carefully, using a spray,
and applying the moisture so gently that the
plantlets will not be washed from their hold on
the soil.

Tn the autumn, if the seedlings have attained
a fair size and are healthy and vigorous, they
may be transplanted to their permanent places
in the border. Here they will come through the
winter unscathed if the usual protection is af-
150 YARD AND GARDEN

 

Larkspur
(Delphinium hybridum)
HARDY PERENNIALS 151

forded them and they are transplanted early
enough to insure their reéstablishing them-
selves before winter freezing puts an end to
their efforts in this direction. Seedlings so
grown are very often healthier than those ob-
tained from nurseries. They transplant better,
too, for their roots are exposed but a compar-
atively short time and they suffer nothing
through transit.

SHORT-LIVED PERENNIALS

Many of the perennials are best when treated
as biennials. The lives of such are not long and
the yearly renewal insures sturdy, vigorous,
flowering plants. Among these short-lived per-
ennials are the chimney bellflower (Campanula
pyramidalis), Rocky Mountain columbine(Aqui-
legia cerulea), Iceland poppy (Papaver nudt-
caule), ete. On the other hand, to attempt to
raise some varieties from seed is to invite fail-
ure. Some species have been greatly im-
proved and, in many such instances, propaga-
tion by means of seed is almost sure to result
in seedlings of altogether inferior description.
The better means of propagating such varieties
is by division of the roots either in early spring
or in the autumn. To this class many of the
152 YARD AND GARDEN

perennial phloxes belong and the hardy chrys-
anthemums, the Japanese iris and the peonies.

ROOT DIVISION

Propagation by root division is not difficult
to effect. Either the early spring or autumn
may be chosen for the work. The old plant

 

Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)

should be carefully lifted, avoiding as much as
possible damage to the root system, and the
earth adhering to the roots should be shaken
off or washed away by immersion in water.
The root-stock and the tender rootlets leading
from it are then fully exposed and the propaga-
tor can see clearly where and how to cut. No
HARDY PERENNIALS 153

general rule for the cutting operation can be set
down—different plants require different treat-
ment. Some separate readily, the gardener
finding himself in possession of half a dozen
small plants almost as soon as the soil is cleared
away, and with comparatively little cutting;
others require the use of a knife or a similar
instrument in order to effect the division. In
the main, propagation by this method is simply
the separation of a large clump of roots and
crowns into smaller plants. In the case of
plants possessing root stubs with buds or
‘‘eyes’’—as the peony—the division, if de-
sired, may be carried to the extreme where only
a single bud to a piece of root is retained. It
is well in all propagation by division to divide
those species in the autumn that bloom before
July and those in the spring that bloom later
in the year.

The separation of hardy perennials, how-
ever, is more often practised in small yards and
gardens to avoid over-crowding of roots and
crowns. An iris, for instance, if allowed to re-
main undisturbed in a bed or border for half
a dozen years, forms a circular mass of hard
root-stock from the center of which no leaf or
flower stalks appear. Overcrowding is the
154 YARD AND GARDEN

cause of this ‘‘rim’’ blooming and the symptom
itself should be indication enough that the time
for division is at hand. All the perennials
benefit naturally when lifted and divided; some,
indeed, actually crowd or grow themselves out

   

   

Sweet William False Dragon-Head
(Dianthus barbatus) (Physostegia Virginiana)

of existence. But it is scarcely possible to es-
tablish any rule for the practice—some plants
will do best when allowed to remain four or five
years without disturbance, while others will
thrive only when divided every two seasons.
The peony is an example of the former class
and Phlox maculata of the latter.
HARDY PERENNIALS 155

 

Spiraea
(Aruncus astilboides, known to the trade as Spirea aruncus)
156 YARD AND GARDEN

PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS

Another method of propagation is by cut-
tings, but it rarely proves successful in the
hands of the amateur. If he will provide him-
self, however, with a box of clean, sharp sand,
and is prepared to give the cuttings the at-
tention they require, failure need not by any
means be the result of his efforts in this direc-
tion. Select a short piece of a foliage stem
where the growth possesses a bud, lateral or
terminal, and, making a clean cut with a sharp
knife, insert the lower end of the cutting thus
obtained in the moist sand. It is always best
to have the lower end of the slip a node of the
stem. Remove a part of the foliage of the cut-
ting before insertion and cover the sand with
glass in order to maintain the rooting medium
at a slightly higher temperature than the or-
dinary atmosphere. Propagation by _ this
method has the advantage of insuring quick
results and the perpetuation of the parent va-
riety—not always certain, as already said,
when seed is the only reliance.
CHAPTER VIII

SOME OF THE POPULAR PERENNIALS

It is doubtful whether a really comprehensive
‘list of the most popular species of perennials
could be prepared without doing some member
of the large plant family an injustice. How-
ever, a consensus of opinion seems to indicate
that the following sorts belong in such a list:
iris, peony, larkspur, hollyhock, phlox, anem-
one, columbine, hemerocallis, funkia, and rud-
beckia. To these also might be added bleeding
heart, lily-of-the-valley, helianthus, chrysan-
themum, coreopsis, dianthus, campanula and
poppy, and still the list would be by no means
complete. Much, of course, depends on the
tastes and desires of the individual and also
upon the purpose for which the plants are to
be employed.

This brings us once more to the fact that per-
ennials afford material for almost every re-
quirement. We have them for sunny and for
shady situations; for rich soil, clay soil and

157
153 YARD AND GARDEN

sandy soil; for quiet and for bold effect; for
purely decorative value and for cut-flower pur-
poses; for forbidding, cold and windy stretches
and for sheltered positions; for naturalizing
and for more formal planting; for bloom in
spring, in summer and in autumn, and in al-

       

‘ ED: ae MAG Mase
Golden Glow (Rudbechkia laciniata)

 

”

 

most every variety of color and in varying
heights.

Take for example the succession of bloom
possible to be obtained hy the use of herbaceous
perennials alone. The following list suggests
the possibilities but by no means exhausts the
varietics *:

* The commen trade or catalogue names are used in this list.
POPULAR PERENNIALS 159

APRIL

Name Height Color
Adonis vernalis lft. Yellow
Aquilegia Canadensis lto 2ft. Scarlet
Arabis albida 6to Sin. White
Aubrietia deltoidea 3to 8in. Dark violet
Dicentra spectabilis lyto 2ft. Pink
Helleborus niger 9in. White
Helleborus orientalis, var.

atrorubens 9to 12in. Purple

Hepatica triloba 6in. Light blue
Iris verna 6in. Blue
Sanguinaria Canadensis 8in. White
Trillium erectum 12in. Brownish red

 

Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides)

MAY

Aquilegia, in variety 1¥% to2¥% ft. White to blue
Alyssum saxatile lft. Yellow
Anemone Pennsylvanica lto 2ft. White

Bellis perennis 6in. White and pink
Convallaria majalis 9in. White

Doronicum plantagineum, ;
var, excelsum ly to 3ft. Yellow
160 YARD AND GARDEN

MAY — Continued

Name Height
Geum montanum 12 in.
Iberis sempervirens 8 in,

Tris Germanica, in variety 14,to 3 ft.

Tris pumila 8 in.
Myosotis palustris, var.

semperflorens 8 in.
Peonia officinalis and

vars. 1% to 3 ft.
Peonia tenuifolia lZto 18 in.
Phlox divaricata 10to 18in.
Phlox subulata Creeping
Polemonium ceruleum lto 3 ft.
Primula in var. 1% to 2 ft.
Trollius Europeus lyto 2 ft.

JUNE

Aquilegia, in variety 1¥, to 2% ft.
Armeria maritima 6to Qin.
Astilbe Japonica lto 3 ft.
Baptisia australis 3 ft.
Callirhoe involucrata 9to 12 in.
Campanula Carpatica 10 in.
Campanula persicifolia ly, to 3 ft.
Chrysogonum Virginianum 10 in.
Clematis recta 2to 3 ft.
Coreopsis lanceolata 1% to 2 ft.
Coronilla varia ly to 2 ft.
Delphinium formosum 3to 4 ft.
Dianthus barbatus ly,to 2 ft.
Dianthus plumarius, in va-

riety 9to 12in.
Dicentra eximia lto 2 ft.
Dictamnus albus 2to 3 ft.
Digitalis purpurea 3to 4 ft.
Erigeron speciosus 114 ft.
Gaillardia aristata ly, ft.
Geranium sanguineum 12to 18in.
Geum coccineum 12to 18in.
Helenium Hoopesii 2to 3 ft.

Hemerocallis Dumortierii 14, to 2 ft.

Color
Yellow
White
Purple and laven-
der
Violet

Light blue

Various

Crimson

Lilac-blue

Pink, blue, white

Blue

Yellow, pink, pur-
ple

White to blue
Pink

White

Blue

Violet crimson
Blue and white
Violet

Yellow

White

Yellow

Bright pink
Deep blue
Mixed colors

White to pink

Rose

White

White and purple-
spotted

Lilae

Yellow and maroon

Crimson

Scarlet

Orange-yellow

Orange
POPULAR PERENNIALS 161
JUNE — Continued :
Name Height Color
Iris Germanica, in var. 2ft. Purple and laven-
der
Tris levigata 3to 3% ft. Various
Iris pallida 2to 3 ft. Indigo-blue
Iris Pseudacorus 2ft. Yellow
Iris Sibirica 2 ft. Violet
Lychnis Coronaria 1%,to 2ft. Crimson
Lychnis Haageana 12in. Red
Lychnis Visecaria, var.
splendens 18in. Blood-red

   

Monkshood

(Aconitum Napellus)

Lysimachia nummulari

Lysimachia punctata
CEnothera fruticosa
Papaver nudicaule

Papaver orientale
Pentstemon levigatus,
Digitalis
Pyrethrum roseum
Scabiosa Caucasica
Spirea Aruncus

 

 

Foxglove
(Digitalis monstrosa)

Creeping Yellow
lto 3ft. Yellow
lyto 3 ft. Yellow
12to 15in. White, yellow and
orange
2to2y ft. Orange, scarlet =
var.
2to 3 ft. White
1% to 2ft. Pink and red
15to 18in. White and blue
4to 5ft. White
162 YARD AND GARDEN
JUNE — Continued
Name Height Color
Spirea Vilipendula ly to 2ft. White
Spirea palmata 2to 4 ft. Crimson
Spirea palmata, var. ele-

gans 2to3y ft. Pink
Spirea Ulmaria 3 ft. White
Thalictrum aquilegifolium 1% to 2 ft. White
Thermopsis Caroliniana 3to 4ft. Yellow
Trollius Europeus ly%to 2ft. Yellow
Veronica rupestris Spreading Blue

JULY
Achillea Millefolium, var.

rubrum Ito 3 ft. Red
Achillea Ptarmica, var.

“The Pearl” 1y%to 2ft. White
Althwa rosea, in variety 4to 5ft. White to crimson
Anthemis tinctoria ly%yto 2ft. Yellow
Belemcanda Chinensis 3to 4ft. Orange, spotted red
Calimeris incisa 1% to 2ft. Lavender-blue
Campanula alliariefolia 2 ft. White
Campanula glomerata, var.

Dahurica 1y¥%to 2 ft. White
Campanula Trachelium 2to 3ft. Light purple
Centaurea montana 15to 18in. Purple
Chrysanthemum maximum,

var. Triumph 14% to 2ft. White
Chrysanthemum Leucanthe-

mum hybridum ly%to 2ft. White
Cimicifuga racemosa 3to 8ft. White
Delphinium grandiflorum,

var, Chinense 2to 3ft. Blue
Digitalis ambigua 2to 3ft. Yellow
Echinacea purpurea 2%10 3ft. Purple
Eryngium amethystinum 14%, to 2 ft. Amethyst-blue
Euphorbia corollata lto 3ft. White
Funkia Fortunei 2tt. Pale lilac
Funkia lancifolia 2 ft. Pale lilac
Funkia ovata 2 ft. Lavender
Gypsophila paniculata 2to 3 ft. White
Heliopsis Javis, var.

Pitcheriana 3to 4ft. Yellow
Hemerocallis, in variety 2%,10 3 ft. Yellow and orange
Heuchera sanguinea 12to 18in. Coral-red
Inula cnsifolia 8in. Yellow
POPULAR PERENNIALS

JULY — Continued
Height

Name

Lavandula vera
Lychnis Chaicedonica
Lychnis vespertina, var.
flore-pleno
Lysimachia clethroides
Monarda didyma
Cnothera Missouriensis
Cnothera fruticosa, var.
major
Gnothera speciosa
Pentstemon barbatus

l to

lto
2 to
2 to

15 to
12 to
2 to

3 ft.
2Y, to 34, ft.

2 ft:
3 ft.
3 ft.
10 in.

18 in.
18 in.
3 ft.

163

Color

Lavender-blue
Scarlet

White
White
Scarlet
Yellow

Yellow
White
Scarlet

 

Chrysanthemum, “Shasta Daisy ”

Pentstemon ovatus

Phlox paniculata, in va-
riety

Platycodon grandiflorum

Spirea lobata

Stachys Betonica

Statice Tatarica

Stokesia cyanea

Tradescantia Virginiana

Veronica longifolia, var.
rosea

Veronica Virginica

2 to

1, to
15 to

3 to
12 to
12 to
15 to
ly, to

2 to
3 to

3 ft.

& ft,
18 in.
4 ft.
18 in.
15 in.
18 in.
2 ft.

3 ft.
4 ft.

Rosy purple

Various

Blue and white
Pink

Rosy pink

Red

Lavender-blue
Purple

Rose

White
164 YARD AND GARDEN

AUGUST
Name Height
Asclepias tuberosa 1% to 2 ft.
Aster Nove-Anglix, var.

roseus 4to 7 ft.
Bocconia cordata 4to 6 ft.
Boltonia asteroides 4to 6 ft.
Boltonia latisquama 4 ft.
Clematis Davidiana 2to 3 ft.
Funkia subcordata, var.

grandiflora 2 ft.
Helenium in var. ly to 6 ft.
Helianthus in var. 2to 10 ft.
Hibiscus Moscheutos, var.

Crimson Eye 4to 5 ft.
Liatris graminifolia 1% to 2 ft.
Liatris spicata 3to 4 ft.
Phlox paniculata in var. 1% to 5 ft.
Physostegia Virginiana 3to 4 ft.
Rudbeckia laciniata, vay.

Golden Glow 6to 8 ft.
Rudbeckia triloba 3to 4 ft.
Vernonia Arkansana 5to 6 ft.
Veronica longifolia, var.

subsessilis 14% to 3 ft.

SEPTEMBER
Aconitum Fischeri 2to 3 ft.
Aster Amellus, var. ele-

gans ly% to 2 ft.
Campanula pyramidalis 2to 4 ft.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides 6 in.
Chelone Lyoni 1¥%,to 2 ft.
Chelone obliqua, var. alba 1% to 2 ft.
Chrysanthemum in var. 210 4 ft.
Conoclinium ccelestinum ly%to 2 ft.
Eupatorium ageratoides 3to 4 ft.
Helenium in var. 1% to 6 ft.
Helianthus in var. 2to 10 ft.
Lobelia cardinalis ly, to 3 ft.
Lobelia syphilitica ly,to 2 ft.

Phlox paniculata, in va-

riety lyto 5 ft.

Color
Orange

Bright rose
White

White

Light lilae
Lavender-blue

White
Yellow
Yellow

White, crimson: cen-
ter

Rosy purple

Deep purple

Various

Deep rose

Double yellow
Yellow, black cone
Purple

Deep blue

Blue

Purple
Blue
Blue
Rose-purple
White
Various
Blue
Searlet
Yellow
Yellow
Searlet
Blue

Various
POPULAR PERENNIALS 165

 

Veronica
(Veronica longifolia, var, subsessilis)
166 YARD AND GARDEN

SEPTEMBER — Continued

Name Height Color
Rudbeckia in var. Ito 8ft. Yellow
Sedum spectabilie 12to 15in. Rose
Senecio pulcher 1% to 3 ft. Rosy purple

7 OCTOBER
Aconitum autumnale 4to 6ft. Blue
Anemone Japonica, in va-
riety 2to 3 ft. White to carmine
Aster Tataricus 4to 7ft. Purple
Chrysanthemum in var. 2to 4ft. Various
Solidago, in variety 2to 5ft. Yellow

    

Plantain Lily Yellow Day Lily

(Funkia subeordata var, (Hemerocallis aurantiaca,
grandiflora) var, major)

[This list is based on an average season in
the latitude of Philadelphia; a rough and ready
exleulation allows six days’ difference, either
earlier or later, to every degree of latitude
south or north. |]
POPULAR PERENNIALS 167

CARE AND ARRANGEMENT OF PERENNIALS

While perennials, once established, demand
little attention compared to annuals, this does
not mean that they will continue healthful and

 

Transplanting hardy perennials

vigorous if neglected. On the contrary, they
demand care and cultivation. In addition to
the division, which must not be neglected where
the plants show plainly—as they will—that
they need it, weeds must be suppressed and
168 YARD AND GARDEN

the surface soil must be kept open and loose.
For this latter purpose, as well as for weeding,
no tool is better than a digging fork with prongs
three inclies long and an inch apart. In pulver-
izing the surface soil with this, be careful not
to injure surface roots and avoid working the
ground when it is wet. Watering, also, must be
looked after wherever water for such purposes
is available—few city yards are without such
supply—and the moisture should be applied
liberally. Soak the ground thoroughly, not
merely sprinkling the surface and the foliage
of the plants, and make sure that the supply
reaches the roots.

It can be readily understood that no arrange-
ment of perennials in beds or borders that does
not take into consideration the heights, colors
and blooming periods of the plants can prove
satisfactory. It is necessary to know the
heights of the various species employed in
order to avoid planting the taller-growing va-
rieties in front of the dwarf sorts; it is neces-
sary to know the colors of the bloom in order
to avoid a clash of tints and shades which, if
grown in juxtaposition, would prove anything
but harmonious; and it is necessary to know
the blooming seasons of the plants in order to
POPULAR PERENNIALS 169

insure a succession of flowers. When these few
points are mastered—surely not much to know
about plants which are to be introduced in our
yards or gardens as our companions for several
years to come—effective groupings can be ar-
ranged without difficulty. For instance, where
peonies are planted, phloxes “eould also be
used; the bed or border then would not be bar-
ren of bloom when the peonies have departed
in early summer. As another instance, orien-
tal poppies would not be planted by themselves
if the situation selected were a conspicuous one,
for the planner and planter would know that,
by the end of June, when the poppies have
bloomed, the foliage of the plants becomes rag-
ged and, a little later, disappears entirely. To
avoid leaving a gap in the border or a barren
bed in the yard, other perennials, later in their
period of blooming, would be planted with the
poppies to follow with flower and foliage when
the latter have ceased to be decorative.
Perennials serve another exceedingly useful
purpose when planted with shrubs. When the
blossom of the latter has passed, the herbaceous
plants will throw their flower spikes to add a
touch of color here, another there, to groups

which otherwise would be without flower. Fe
CHAPTER IX

BULBOUS- AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS

No class of plants presents more commenda-
ble features for planting on the small city lot
than the bulbous- and tuberous-rooted section
and none will more richly reward the amateur
for the labor and time he may expend in estab-
lishing them. They are almost certain to pros-
per under his treatment, provided a few sim-
ple and easily mastered rules are followed.
Much of the spring charm of well-planted vards
can be attributed almost exclusively to the free
use of plants of this order and so far as later
months are concerned, we have only to reflect
upon the many flowers of this character, bloom-
ing until autumn frosts cut them down, to rec-
ognize and appreciate their extraordinary
claims upon our attention.

Every year hundreds of thousands and prob-
ably millions of hyacinths, tulips, crocuses,
narcissi and other bulbs are planted and, con-
sidering the immense numbers set out, it is

170
171

BULBS

SAU SUSSDAVN

 
172 YARD AND GARDEN

safe to say that no other class of plants brings
so few disappointments to the cultivator.
This is accounted for, of course, by the great
ease with which they may be brought into bloom
and by the readiness with which they seem to
be able to adapt themselves rapidly to various
conditions of soil and situation. Only occa-
sionally do they fail, but even in such instances,
provided the bulbs have been properly planted,
the fault can not always be laid at the door
of the amateur. It may be traceable to the
bulb beds of Holland where the plants were
brought forward to the flowering stage before
they were offered to purchasers.

VARIETY OF TUBEROUS PLANTS

In speaking of bulbs, botanical definitions
are not generally observed. Commercially the
term applies to a considerable class of flower-
ing and ornamental plants which, were it
strictly employed, would be excluded from the
list. Nurserymen and dealers in seeds and
bulbs, however, include in this class in addition
to true bulbs many that are known by botanists
as corms, such as the Crocus and Gladiolus; suc-
culent tubers, as the Dahlia; fleshy, creeping
rhizomatous roots, such aS are possessed by
BULBS 173

some varieties of iris; pips, such, for example,
as the flowering crowns of the lily-of-the-val-
ley and other fasciculated fleshy roots, such as
those of the ranunculus or peony.

Very few present any difficult problems so
far as cultivation is concerned and the com-
moner sorts especially are easily raised. As a
rule, all of them produce flowers of extraordi-
nary beauty which not infrequently are deli-
ciously fragrant. They comprise, moreover,
endless variety in color, form, size and habit,
and are adaptable on this account for many
purposes. An advantage, often overlooked, is
the fact that, following their season of bloom,
their foliage matures and falls and no part of
the plant shows above the ground to present an
unsightly, faded appearance. When this tran-
sition has occurred and the period of rest is en-
tered they can in most instances be lifted and
stored away for future use, and in the beds
they occupied new plants may be set to con-
tinue the succession of bloom throughout the
season.

Although this class embraces almost num-
berless varieties, nurserymen divide the group
into two divisions—hardy varieties, which
withstand freezing, and the tender varieties
YARD AND GARDEN

74

Avg uoreaooaqg uo sdiyny Sutsamoy-<vyy¢

 
BULBS 175

which do not. The first is more popular al-
though in the latter division there are a num-
ber of plants whose beauty and ease of culture
should commend them for more liberal use.
To the first belong hyacinths, tulips, narcissi,
crocuses and similar bulbs, and to the second
belong crinums, the tuberous begonias, Coop-
erias, montbretias, callas (Richardias), tube-
roses, tigridias and other garden bulbs usually
planted in the spring.

By judicious selection of varieties from both
divisions it is possible to have bulbous- and tu-
berous-rooted plants in bloom from frost to
frost, and, if the city resident be the happy pos-
sessor of a small greenhouse or conservatory,
there need be no month in the year without its
wealth of bloom from this order of plants alone.
In March, in the northern states, and earlier
in the more southern portion of the country,
snowdrops, scillas, crocuses, winter aconites
and chionodoxas usher in the first days of
spring with a glory of bloom all the more beau-
tiful because of its earliness. In April come
the hyacinths, tulips, narcissi, in all their nu-
merous varieties, followed later in the month
and in May by the late tulips, the poets’ daf-
fodils, and as the season progresses, by irises,
176 YARD AND GARDEN

peonies, lilies, gladioli, montbretias, tuberoses
and other similar flowering bulbs.

It is probably with the hyacinths, tulips and
narcissi that we are most familiar. These are
used for many purposes, appear in many situa-

  

Dahlia

tions and, wherever and whenever they are
grown, add beauty, life and color to the early
months of spring.

PREPARATION OF THE BED

In the cultivation of all varieties two things
are of commanding importance: first the prep-
aration of the ground, and second the season
of planting. So far as the first is concerned,
BULBS 177

it may be taken as a general rule that bulbs
prefer a light, well-drained, moderately rich
soil. Prepare the bed in which they are to grow
by digging it at least fourteen inches deep. If
the soil encountered is heavy and it appears
that but little can be done with it by the addition
of materials calculated to lighten it, throw it
out and substitute good soil. In every case it
is always best, if possible, to put a layer of
small stones at the bottom for drainage. It is
best in the long run to prepare the bulb bed
carefully and, even where the soil is of proper
texture, for best results it would be advisable
for the cultivator to excavate it to the depth
already mentioned, place the drainage on the
bottom and upon this throw in the soil until it
reaches a level upon, which it is desired to set
the bulbs. Prepare this surface, which may be
anywhere from one to eight inches below the
surrounding surface, by covering it with a thin
layer of clean, sharp, grit sand. Place the
bulbs upon this blanket and then add the re-
maining earth until the surface of the bed
stands slightly higher than the ground sur-
rounding it. This elevation allows for settling.

While this is the best and surest process for
planting the bulbs, where it is not convenient to
178 YARD AND GARDEN

follow it the beginner need not feel that fail-
ure will be the result of his efforts. On the
contrary, bulbs respond generously where even
indifferent treatment is given them. It will not
be indifferent treatment, however, to plant bulbs
in carefully spaded ground by less arduous
methods. You may, for instance, content your-

   

ae

Flowers of Tuberous-Rooted Begonia

self with spading the ground to the required
depth, pulverizing the surface soil, and then,
by means of a dibble, set out the bulbs. When
the hole is made with this instrument it should
be at a greater depth than is actually required,
to permit of the addition of enough sand to
form a cushion upon which the bulb may rest.
BULBS 7g

After the bulb is inserted in the hole thus pre-
pared, complete the process by filling the hole
with earth.

CULTIVATION

Most bulbs resent the presence of fresh ma-
nure in the soil, and, though this does not mean
that they do not require rich rooting material,
they often disappoint the planter who has too
generously applied his fertilizer. It has fre-
quently been said that under no circumstances
should manure be added to the soil of the bulb
bed, but this can not be accepted as a guide
without amendment. It would be better and
more to the point to say that manure is not to
be added to the soil in such manner that it will
be brought into direct contact with the bulbs.
By all means add the manure, but see to it that
it is well rotted, is below the bulbs and is thor-
oughly incorporated with the soil and that the
bulbs themselves are well surrounded by the
cushion of sand already mentioned. In no in-
stance, however, even where the sand is most
generously employed, is it safe to plant bulbs
in beds containing fresh manure.

In the planting of bulbs, consideration must
be had for the kind of plant with which the gar-
180 YARD AND GARDEN

dener is dealing, for some require different soil
and different situation or exposure, from others.
The liliums, for example, would not prosper in
a situation that would be regarded as ideal for
daffodils and these, loving the sun, would find
the ideal for liliums not so much to their liking.
Then, too, where the area to be planted is small
—as it is in most city yards—some attention
should be given to the soil requirements of the
different bulbous- and tuberous-rooted plants.
If one kind demands more food than another,
it is not difficult to satisfy its appetite, and, on
the other hand, if a bulb prefers a soil of less
food value its demand may he satisfied by sup-
plying fertilizer or manure in lighter quantities.

It is often desirable to plant the bulbs in bor-
ders instead of in beds, or between shrubs or
hardy perennials. In such situations, the only
requirement in many cases will be the prepara-
tion of the hole for the reception of the bulb
hy use of the dibble and, after adding the sand,
the insertion of the bulbs. Usually the soil in
borders where shrubs or perennials thrive is
rich enough for bulbs but, should there be any
doubt on this point, it is not hy any means a
matter of great difficulty to remove the top soil
for a depth of six or seven inches and to incor-
 

 

Flower of the Canna
182 YARD AND GARDEN

porate in the soil beneath enough decomposed
manure to insure healthy and vigorous growth.
The daffodils, of all the different kinds of
bulbs that are grown in our gardens or yards,
prefer the richest soil.

SEASON FOR PLANTING BULBS

Nowadays many nurserymen contend that
hardy bulbs may be planted as late in the fall
as the ground can be worked. Their cata-
logues, almost without exception, advise the
purchaser that good results are to be obtained
from bulbs planted even as late as Christmas
and that they will flower as satisfactorily as
those planted earlier in the fall. This is not
only misleading, but absolutely incorrect.
Bulbs planted late in the autumn are never as
satisfactory as those planted earlier in the
season. With daffodils, for instance, there is
an absolute loss of strength and vigor when the
planting is postponed later than October but
when, on the other hand, the planting is done at
an earlier date, even as early as the latter part
of August, there is a material gain. Still,
avoid too early planting, for cool weather is
necessary to deter top growth, which is likely to
make its appearance six weeks after the bulbs
BULBS 183

are set unless winter is near enough at hand to
put a stop to such a display of ambition. In
short, plant the bulbs seven or eight weeks be-
fore frosty nights are likely, to put in their ap-
pearance.

Many planters advise setting the bulbs from
two to four times their depth beneath the sur-
face but this must never be taken as a hard and
fast rule. Lilies, for instance, require a greater
depth, and in all cases the deeper the bulbs are
set the later the flowers in the spring and, pos-
sibly, on this account the better the results.

WINTER PROTECTION OF BULBS

In the case of the spring-flowering varieties,
winter protection should be afforded as soon as
the ground freezes slightly in the autumn. Do
not cover the beds with the idea in’mind of pre-
venting the light freezing, but rather with the
idea of overcoming the heaving. of the soil due
to alternate freezing and thawing. Use leaves
—preferably those from hard-wooded trees,
for these mat down less than those from the
softer-wooded varieties—or straw, and apply
at least two or three inches of such litter. Hy-
acinths should be more thoroughly protected
than tulips and the latter should be provided
184 YARD AND GARDEN

with a four- or five-inch layer of leaves or litter.

One of the fine points in bulb culture is the
removal of this winter mulch early enough in
the spring to harden the young growths. If
they are allowed to come up under the covering,
penetrate through the mulch and become drawn
and yellow they are in no condition to resist a
suden freeze. It is best to remove the mulch
by degrees beginning early in March by dis-
‘posing of an inch of the litter and following
this by the removal of subsequent layers until,
by the time all danger of frost is past, no cover
remains on the beds. Should the beginner be-
lieve, however, that the weather justifies his
removing the litter all at once he will show his
wisdom by having it close at hand so that a
light cover may be hastily applied should the
weather suddenly threaten a damaging cold

spell,
LIFTING AND DIVIDING

It is always a question to determine how long
bulbs should be allowed to remain without lift-
ing and dividing them. This, however, is usu-
ally answered by attending circumstances. It
may be desirable in some situations to set out
bedding plants or to grow annuals or perennials
in the beds which have been left bare by the
BULBS 185

blooming and passing of the flowers and foliage
of the bulbs. In such cases allow the foliage
to remain until it turns yellow and withers—
which generally requires six weeks—and then
carefully lift the bulbs, dry them and store them
away for use the next fall. But, where the
beds are permanent, or colonies are established

 

\

      

 

 

~

 

Torch Lily Canada Lily
(Kniphofia aloides) (Lilium. Canadense)

in herbaceous borders, the rule is to dig up
only when the flowers show deterioration. If,
after the first season or two, the blooms are
neither so healthy nor so large as they were in
the beginning, it is a fair indication that the
cultural conditions are not congenial and the
bulbs should be lifted as soon as the foliage dies
186 YARD AND GARDEN

and reset in soil better prepared and better
adapted for their growth. If, however, the
bulbs show no deterioration, let them remain
undisturbed until, due to the natural processes
of propagation, they become so crowded as to
show by smaller flowers that they are too thickly
set. Where the soil is not very rich, several
seasons may pass before this sign of distress
warns the gardener of the need of lifting and
replanting. Daffodils, for example, may remain
undisturbed, often for four or five years, and
the peony, representative of the most perma-
nent ‘‘bulbous’’ plant, may be allowed to re-
main undisturbed in rich soil, provided it has
room to extend its growth, for ten or twenty
years. Still, it must be remembered that, in
what is called high-grade bedding where, as a
general rule, only tulips and hyacinths and oc-
easionally daffodils are used, bulbs planted in
the fall, after blooming in the following spring,
should be dug up and planted elsewhere, usually
in the borders, and the next autumn new bulbs
should be set out.

HARDY BULBS

One of the most delightful wavs of growing
bulbs is the cultivation of the hardy species in
BULBS 187

the lawn. This method of planting is espe-
cially suitable for suburban grounds where the
area is more extensive than in cities. In cities
occasionally it is employed but seldom satis-
factorily, for the bulbs, after flowering, are not
allowed to complete their process of growth
before it is considered necessary to mow the

 

Kramer’s Lily
(Lilium Japonicum, var. roseum, known to the trade as
Lilium Kramer‘)

lawn. ‘Where their leaves are thus sacrificed
the bulbs deteriorate and lose their value.
Practically all the hardy bulbs do well in the
grass if the place is properly prepared for them
by removing a portion of the turf, forking up
the earth beneath, planting them and then re-
188 YARD AND GARDEN

plaeing the tur!. But, wherever this method
is followed, it must be borne in mind that on no
occasion must the grass be cut until the plants
ripen their leaves. This is always shown by
the foliage turning yellow and_ withering.
Neglect of this simple point has been the cause
of disappointments in inany instances where
fall-planting by this method has been pursued
on a large scale.

DECORATIVE ARRANGEMENT

When planting in the grass do not arrange
the bulbs in regular lines or designs. .Avoid
the possibility of such arrangement resulting
even accidentally by standing upright with the
hands full of bulbs and allowing them to drop
where they will and planting them where they
fall. This method usually distributes the bulbs
effectively and, at the same time, gives a center
colony, or well-marked group, from which the
bulbs appear to stray in all directions. The
crocus, chionodoxas, snowdrop, Scilla amanua,
and bulbocodium, winter aconite, and snow
flakes are suitable for planting in the grass.
All of these will grow, increase, bloom and
ripen the foliage before it is really necessary
to use the lawn-mower, but not before the
BULBS 189

grass, especially in cities, will require cutting,
if the appearances of the lawn are to be con-
sidered.

While many persons seem to realize that pur-
poseless planting of flowers, shrubs, vines or
trees on the lawn is in poor taste, still there are
not a few who seem to consider that an excep-

   

Single Dahlias

tion may be made of the bulbous plants. But
as a matter of fact, the same rule holds with
this class as with all others. The star-shaped,
square-shaped, round-shaped bed of tulips or
hyacinths set down without reason or sense in
the center of a lawn invariably discloses poor
judgment. Moreover, it is as expensive as it
190 YARD AND GARDEN

is gaudy and vulgar. And in the city another
objection to this method of planting is that the
beds, being on display, nsually attract the small
boy or other marauder who, when he has helped
himself to such bloom as he may desire, has ab-
solutely ruined the appearance of the design
and destroyed the only virtue possessed by the
geometric horror, its symmetry.

Bulbs should not be planted with less pur-
pose than other plants. Use them in corners,
in borders, in shrubberies and between her-
baceous plants wherever space permits. As an
example of one use to which bulbs may legiti-
mately be put in this connection, there is, along
the south side of one city house, a border be-
tween the foundation and the walk three feet
wide in which are planted plantain lilies, (Fwun-
kia subcordata, var. grandiflora), which, as they
develop their foliage, conceal the foundation
wall, and the well-known poet’s narcissus (N.
poeticus), and N. poeticus ornatus. The latter
blooms earlier than the poet’s narcissus and
is set out in front of its companions. In this
border, some forty feet long, these daffodils are
planted three or four inches apart and in four
rows. They are through blooming before the
funkia has developed its foliage, and while
BULBS 191

 

Madonna Lily ( (Lilium candidum)
192 YARD AND GARDEN

they are in bloom they not only perfume the air,
but serve, to some extent at least, as a screen.

Another effective composition is the use of
tulips—especially the May-flowering varieties
—with dwarf deciduous and evergreen shrubs.
As the somber winter browns and the dull
greens of the deciduous and evergreen plants
give way before the magic touch of spring, they
are suddenly converted into an ideal setting for
an array of brilliantly colored flowers. Fur-
thermore, blooms cut from such plantations of
bulbs are not missed as they are when taken
from formal beds where the removal of a single
blossom mars the perfection of the whole de-
sign.

Hardy bulbous plants may be used effectively
in borders by themselves and occasionally bold
clumps of the taller plants of the sort may not
be ineffective when given a somewhat isolated
position. In almost every instance, however,
they show to best advantage when supplied
with a background of shrubbery or of taller-
growing plants.

In such situations, where the object desired
is a brilliant mass of one color, which is all the
more striking on account of the contrast with
BULBS 193

the surroundings, hemerocallis may be used or
such lilies as auratum, speciosum or tigrinum.
The German and Japanese irises, tritomas,
and montbretias also appear to advantage.
CHAPTER X

SOME POPULAR HARDY BULBS

Usually the hyacinth is given the place of
first importance among hardy bulbs but this
does not indicate by any means that the hya-
cinth is deserving of an honor so great. As
a matter of fact, this sort of classification de-
pends largely upon individual taste. Tulips
are given second place and narcissi third. But
there are a number of gardeners who would re-
verse this classification and give the narcissus
the position of honor. And there is good
reason for this. In the first place the varie-
ties of this prime favorite are almost without
number, they are easily cultivated and gener-
ally certain in results. They may remain in
the ground undisturbed for a longer period
than hyacinths or tulips and under such treat-
ment will prosper. They are especially
adapted for planting in mixed borders between
shrubbery, along walks and drives and will
thrive in almost any soil or situation. They

194
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 195

attain greater perfection, however, when the
treatment accorded them is liberal. But, given
a thoroughly drained soil of a moderately rich,
loamy character in which there is a generous
amount of sharp sand, they will succeed very
well when no further cultivation is accorded
them.
NARCISSI

Narcissi lend themselves well to naturaliz-

ing. This method of planting, however, has
little to recommend it to the owner of a small
city yard, but where it is desired to have early
flowers on the grounds of a large suburban
home or country estate, this feature of the nar-
cissi is well worth considering. Thousands of
them may be planted along the banks of a
stream, in a bit of meadow or wood and in such
situations will form a floral picture of surpas-
sing loveliness. For this purpose the poet’s
narcissus (N. poeticus), is probably the best,
but nearly all daffodils may be naturalized to
advantage.

While the colors of the narcissi are confined
to a very narrow range of yellow and yellowish
white, some are pure white and others, recently
produced, have red trumpets. Still the coloring,
though it might be considered by some monot-
196 YARD AND GARDEN

onous, is one of the chief charms of this group
of hardy bulbs. The yellow, like rays of sun-
shine sifted through green foliage, is especially
welcome in the early spring. For formal bed-
ding, however, tulips and hyacinths should be
relied upon and the daffodils omitted. The lat-
ter may be planted any time between August

 

Erythronium Poet’s Narcissus

and November and the earlier they are set the
better; they make roots earlier in the autumn
than most of the other spring-blooming bulbs
and on this account demand earlier planting.
The poeticus types especially require early
planting for they begin to throw out their new
roots almost before the old have withered.
POPULAR TARDY BULBS 197

These thrive in almost any good garden soil
and only demand that the situation be well
drained.

It is almost impossible to say which daffodils
are the best for out of doors planting. But it
is probably safe to designate the Golden Spur
as one of the best yellow trumpets for the small
garden. Other good trumpet sorts of an all-
yellow color are the Emperor and the Glory of
Leiden. Among the bi-colors, Victoria, Em-
press and Horsefieldi are the best. In the all-
white group, the best for general use are Mrs.
Thompson, William Goldring and Madame de
Graaff. It is not likely, however, that the
Madame de Graaff will be very extensively
planted for years to come. It is expensive and,
though beautiful, for ordinary purposes, it is
hardly worth the high price which it now com-
mands when other varieties of trumpet nar-
cissi are to be had from twenty to sixty cents a
dozen.

The Horsefieldi, with large flowers of pure
white perianth and rich yellow trumpet always
strikingly beautiful, is difficult to obtain in good
condition; frequently it decays in the packages
and reliable nurserymen will import it only at
the purchaser’s risk. The Empress, which is not
198 YARD AND GARDEN

only well adapted for planting in small yards,
but is also happy when naturalized in orchards
or meadows, is really an improved Horsefieldi
and entirely free from disease; its flower pos-
sesses a pure white perianth with yellow
trumpet. The Emperor is one of the largest
daffodils in cultivation and breeds a superb
flower of a golden yellow color. These two,
both cheap, are among the best that can be
planted. Other desirable varieties are the Bul-
bocodium, or the hoop-petticoat narcissus, with
rich golden-yellow flowers, the Maximus, Henry
Irving and Major.

Among the incomparabilis varieties, Sir Wat-
kin, with very large petals of a rich sulphur-
yellow color and large cup tinged with orange,
is one of the best; the flowers are sometimes
five inches in diameter and appear very early
and are borne freely. Others that are good
are Stella Superba with a white perianth and
yellow cup, the Figaro with vellow cup and
perianth colored orange and the Cynosure with
large creamy-white petals and cup of the same
color stained with orange-scarlet. In the Barrii
group, Conspicuus, with large yellow flowers
and bright red-edged crown, is undoubtedly the
best and at the same time the cheapest. In the
ARDY BULBS

199

POPULAR H

SNSSIDIVN JO SatjaL

Iva jodun1y,

 
200 YARD AND GARDEN

Leedsii, Mrs. Langtry, with flowers of a pale
creamy yellow borne freely and excellent for
cutting, is at the head. The two best varieties
of the fragrant poet’s narcissus are the well-
known poet’s narcissus itself, sometimes called
pheasant’s-eye, and N. poeticus ornatus which
blooms earlier. The most important of the
double daffodils are the Van Sion and Sulphur
Phenix.
HYACINTHS

Hyacinths are not difficult to raise when good
bulbs are obtained. They should be planted at
least four inches deep and on a cushion of clean
sand. They are more susceptible to injury
from frost than other bulbs planted in the fall
and should on this account be more heavily cov-
ered during the winter. Many planters pur-
chase the bedding varieties, but if the largest
spikes of bloom and most perfect flowers are
desired it is better to obtain only ‘‘named”’ va-
rieties which, though they are more expensive,
produce a far more satisfactory display in the
spring than the cheaper varieties. The planter
must not expect from a hyacinth bulb the second
season the same fine flowers it produced the
first. The spikes,are smaller and the bells are
not so numerous. On this account many grow-
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 201

ers are disappointed and, after an experience
‘of this sort, are inclined to consider hyacinths
as difficult to grow, but it must be remembered
that this is a peculiarity of the bulb itself and
is not due to any lack of proper culture. The
most satisfactory method of planting them
is to remove five or six inches of the top soil

   

Hyacinths

in which they are to be set, carefully spade
up the sub-soil to a depth of twelve inches
or more and, making the surface of this fine,
spread over it a half-inch layer of sand and
‘on this set the bulbs. Hyacinths when thus
planted are set at a uniform depth and con-
sequently throw their bloom spikes at practi-
202 YARD AND GARDEN

cally the same time in the spring. This
method of planting is also to be recommended
because it enables the planter to place the
different colors with precision—a point in
display-bedding when either hyacinths or
tulips are employed that is of considerable
importance. It is never advisable to set the
bulbs closer than six inches.

To obtain the shades of color which may
be desired in formal beds the following varie-
ties are to be recommended: Norma, pink;
Robert Steiger, deep crimson; Madame Van-
derhoop, pure white; Leonidas, light blue;
Baron van Thuyll, dark blue, and Ida, citron
yellow. All these are single hyacinths. The
double varieties of hyacinths, although the
flowers last longer than the single varieties,
have a heavy appearance and lack the dis-
tinctive form of the single type.

While occasionally the practice is made of
setting hyacinths and tulips in the same bed
it is seldom if ever advisable. The colors
are not likely to prove pleasing as the various
shades of the two classes usually clash
harshly. But tulips by themselves are always
effective especially when the best or named
varieties are planted. Superior results can
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 203

not be expected from inferior bulbs whether
they are of tulips, hyacinths, narcissi or any
of the other spring-blooming bulbs.

TULIPS

There is no reason why tulips should, not
be even more liberally planted than they are,
for, considering the slight cost of good bulbs

 

i A. cad
Parrot Tulips May-flowering Tulips

and the little trouble involved in their culti-
vation, the effects produced are amazingly
striking. They should be planted preferably
the last week in October or the first week in
November and it is always best to have the
ground in good condition a fortnight in ad-
204 YARD AND GARDEN

vance of the planting. While it is sometimes
thought that tulips may be planted as late as
December, it is never advisable, except in the
South, to postpone to so late a date the work
of setting out the bulbs; they require time to
develop their roots before winter sets in and
puts a stop to the process. In preparing the
bed, elevate it slightly and slope it from the cen-
ter toward the edges so that good drainage
will be insured. Tulips, like hyacinths, should
be planted on a cushion of sand and should be
set about five inches apart and covered with
not less than four inches of good soil. After
the beds are made, firm the earth to prevent
its heaving by the action of the frost. When
a slight freezing has hardened the surface soil
to a depth of an inch or two, cover the beds
with leaves or litter.

When tulip bulbs are planted in the borders
—where they always appear to great ad-
vantage—they may be left in the ground un-
disturbed for several seasons, but when they
are planted in beds which, after the tulips
have bloomed, are to receive summer-flower-
ing plants, the bulbs should be removed, dried,
and stored away to be planted the following
autumn. They should not be lifted, however,
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 205

until the leaves have turned yellow and thus
indicate that the bulb has completed its sea-
son’s work in preparation for next year’s
flower. In lifting the bulbs it will be found
that sets have been formed around the base;
if it is desired, these may be planted sep-
arately in a sandy loam where, in the course
of two or three years, they will develop into
bulbs of a flowering size.

Tulips are usually listed by dealers under the
heads of early single tulips, early double tulips,
late double tulips, parrot tulips, late garden or
May-flowering tulips and Darwins. The best
early singles for outdoor planting are the fol-
lowing: Artus, dark scarlet; Belle Alliance,
bright scarlet; Brutus, scarlet; Rose Gris-de-lin,
the best bright pink; Chrysolora, the best early
yellow; Canary Bird, yellow; Pottebakker, pure
yellow; Pottebakker White, pure white; La
Reine, rosy white. Of the double-flowering
tulips, none of which is equal to the single but
all of which are valued because the blooms are
more lasting, the best are, La Candeur, pure
white; Couronne d’Or, yellow; Duke of York,
ecarmine with white edge; Rex Rubrorum,
bright scarlet; Couronne des Roses, deep pink.
These are all early varieties of the double class;
206 YARD AND GARDEN

of the late-blooming double tulips, which usually
come into bloom in May, the best are Yellow
Rose, golden-yellow; Blue Flag, viclet-blue;
Peony Gold, red and yellow; Marriage de ma
Fille, white, striped with carmine.

The parrot tulips form an odd and interest-
ing section, but the flowers lack the neat pre-

> ee
wy &

Gladiolus Montbretia

 

cision of outline which seems to be the tulip’s
chief characteristic, the petals being irregu-
larly cut and fringed with a variety of colors.
All the parrots are exceedingly effective and
always striking when planted in borders where
they thrive if left undisturbed. The best va-
rieties of these are Admiral of Constantinople,
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 207

orange-red and scarlet; Cramoisie Brilliant,
scarlet; Lutea Major, golden yellow; Markgraaf
van Baden, golden yellow inside, outside
feathered scarlet, purple and green. All bloom
in May and prefer a light sandy soil and a
sunny location.

In the judgment of many, the best tulip for
the average city yard is the May-flowering or
cottage garden tulip. Flowers of this group
come into bloom from two to four weeks later
than the earlier varieties and usually at a time
when the flowers are more appreciated. The
blooms are superior as cut flowers and last a
week or more in water. All varieties are of
a free and graceful habit, attaining a height
of from eighteen to twenty-four inches and
bearing their exquisitely colored flowers on
long, strong stems. These tulips can be
planted to great advantage in both beds and
borders and under either method of cultiva-
tion generally produce better results than
the early type. Among the best of the section
are: Bouton d’Or, deep golden yellow;
Gesneriana spathulata, dazzling scarlet; La
Nigrette, almost black in color; Maiden Blush
or Picotee, a beautiful blush white; Bridesmaid,
cherry rose, pinkish white stripes; La Candeur,
208 YARD AND GARDEN

pure white; Firefly, brilliant orange, and Re-
troflexa, a bright yellow tulip with recurved
petals.

Late-flowering tulips are again divided and
flowers of the sub-group are known as Show or
Florists’ tulips. In this division are the bi-
zarres, byblemens, and roses. The bizarre has
a yellow ground with red, brown, scarlet or
crimson shades. The byblemen has a white
ground upon which markings of black, brown,
lilac, ete., show. The rose possesses a white
ground upon which bright markings of pink,
scarlet and crimson show. Breeder or ‘‘moth-
er’’ tulips, or selfs, bear flowers without
markings, but with yellow bases, the upper por-
tion of the petals being self-colored white, rose,
searlet, red, brown or purple. The Darwins
belong to the self-colored group and are im-
proved ‘‘mother’’ tulips, as a matter of fact,
surpassing in color and brillianey all other
tulips. The hest of these—and no garden can
have too many—are Onida, carmine-red; Nau-
tica, purplish-rose; Kate Greenaway, white and
lilac-rose; Faust, purple-black, and Buffon,
rosy-lilac. These ‘‘show”’’ tulips are the flowers
which years ago caused the famous tulip
‘‘mania’’ in Europe. At that time tulips sold
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 209

as high as one thousand dollars each, and entire
communities became involved in the excited
speculation—usually to financial disaster.

There are still other varieties of tulips which
the amateur will find both interesting and val-
uable. Among these may be mentioned Greigi,
one of the best, orange-scarlet, yellow and
black center; Carinata rubra, crimson and
green; Clusiana, white, with broad red stripe;
Sylvestris, or Florentina odorata, fragrant,
yellow; and Persica, dwarf, brown.

OTHER SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS

There are other bulbs for fall planting, some
of which have already been mentioned, that
will prove hardy all over the country. Many
of them are especially valuable because of
the early bloom they afford in the first days
of spring. In fact, there are about a dozen
that can generally be relied on for March
flowers in the north. Their delicate grace and
unconquerable hardiness are their chief charms;
Maeterlinck has said of them that they are
‘frail and chilly but bright as a bold idea.’’
As a rule they have sacrificed both size and
fragrance in order to press forward extraor-
Ginarily early in the season. Of all of them
210 YARD AND GARDEN

snowdrops are the earliest. They appear in
March and seem eminently capable of taking
good care of themselves. They require little
or no attention at all and possess in addition
the extraordinary virtue of being able to adapt
themselves to situations where other bulbs could
not be expected to prosper. The snowdrop, for
instance, will do exceptionally well, compared,
of course, to other flowers, on the north side
of a house, or in a narrow and poorly lighted
passageway where one would expect that ferns
alone would thrive. Galanthus Elwesii is the
giant of the genus and its large size of flower
is not attained by any sacrifice of refinement.
It is not so early, however, as the little snow-
drop, following it some two weeks.

Occasionally the spring snowflake (Leucojum
vernum) is mistaken for the snowdrop. It
possesses a white flower and blooms in March.
There is also an autumr snowflake, but it is
not reliably hardy; and there is a summer
flower of the same sort blooming about the
first part of May.

Scilla Sibirica is another excellent flower
appearing early in spring. Its blooms, while
small and borne only one to three on a stem,
are of a rich blue color especially desirable at
 

POPULAR HARDY BULBS

Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum)

211

 
mle YARD AND GARDEN

this season of the year. Other desirable bulbs
are Chionodoxra grandiflora or C. gigantea,
with single blooms an inch and a half across and
of a slaty blue color; Chionodoxa Lucilie, with
flowers somewhat smaller but of sky blue, ex-
cept the lower part of the petals which is
white, and Chionodora Sardensis, with flowers
still smaller but appearing six or seven on a
stalk, and of a darker blue.

The crocuses are other March bloomers and
some of them frequently will open even
earlier, according to the weather. Almost all
of the named varieties are well worth plant-
ing, and if the prices charged for these, usually
not more than seventy-five cents a hundred,
appear to be somewhat high, the crocus can
be had in separate colors—purple, yellow,
blue and striped—for prices a third cheaper.
There is no reason why everybody, even if
only a small strip of ground is available,
should not plant generously of them. Once
set out they are no further trouble and bloom
year after vear.

Crocuses, as well as the other early spring
bulbs, should be set from one to two inches
below the surface of the ground. When
planted in the grass they are usually estab-
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 213

‘lished by lifting a portion of the sod and set-
ting the bulbs under this, then replacing the
turf. If, however, you prefer them for bed
display, provide a deep rich sandy loam. In
this they should be set three inches apart and
allowed to remain until, through natural in-
crease, they become so crowded as to show
signs of deterioration. This is not likely to
occur for four or five years. Avoid planting
crocuses too deep, two inches being the best
depth as a rule—when they are set deeper, they
often fail to bloom.

Another hardy flower of March is the winter
aconite (Hranthis hyemalis). Its flowers are
yellow and larger than the crocuses and some-
times, if the weather is extraordinarily open, it
will come into flower as early as the first df
February. The winter aconite belongs to the
buttercup family and has from five to eight
golden sepals. It grows about six inches high.
While it is a flower frequently mentioned by
writers on English gardens it is seldom seen
in America, probably because it is not as well
adapted to our climate as to that of its
European home. But where it is planted in
partial shade it stands a fair chance of suc-
ceeding.
214 YARD AND GARDEN

The following planting table will be a safe
guide for the setting of these smaller bulbs.
All of them should be planted in the fall as
soon as they can be obtained from the dealers.

Depth Distance apart

(Inches ) (Inches)

Snowdrop (Galanthus) 2 2
Glory-of-the-Snow (Chiono-

doxa) 2 3
Squills (Scillas) 3 4
Winter aconite (Eranthis) 1 4
Crocuses ae 5
Spring snowflake (Leucojum

vernun) 2 4

LILIES

No plea should be required to induce a
liberal planting of lilies. Their beauty and
fragrance recommend them especially for use
on small city lots where special attention may
be given them, and their requirements, so far
as soil and situation are concerned, easily
satisfied. It is due, possibly, to the mistaken
idea that they are difficult to cultivate that
more of them are not planted. But as a
matter of fact, the lily really makes no ex-
traordinary demand. Of all the numerous
varieties many will be found to flower well in
ordinary garden soil and if planted in a
sheltered spot, partially shaded and at a
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 215

proper depth, they will hardly fail to prosper.
Fully four-fifths of the important species of
lilies are imported from Japan or the Far
East and usually reach the United States
about the first of November. In the northern
states this is a little late for planting, for
October is unquestionably the ideal month for
setting out lilies. They succeed, however,
when planted later and it is always better to
plant the bulbs in November than in the
spring, for the lily bulb is not safely stored and,
even when given the best of care, loses much
of its vitality and sometimes throws no bloom
for a season.

Among the best varieties to plant are the
longiflorum, whose funnel-shaped blooms are
the longest of any hardy lily; Japonicum, with
colors varying from a blush to a deep reddish
pink; Brown, with blossoms that are pure
white inside but marked with a beautiful pur-
plish brown on the outer part of the petal;
Batmannie, bright orange; Henryi, dark red-
dish yellow, and auratum, the most gorgeous
of lilies. The bulbs of the last, however, must
be renewed every two to three years in this
country. Its flowers are exquisitely beautiful,
bearing on white petals gold, red and yellow
216 YARD AND GARDEN

 

OE

Thunbergian Lily (Lilium elegans, known to the trade as
L. umbellatum, L. Thunbergianum, ete.)
POPULAR HARDY BULBS 217

bands. The lily that every one knows and one
which, unlike the auratum, persists for gener-
ations is Lilium tigrinum (tiger-lily). Though
its flowers are large, the bulbs are so cheap
and so easily grown that it is not accorded the
merit it deserves. It bears red flowers with
purplish spots. The list might be extended
almost indefinitely, but the following should
certainly receive consideration: superbum,
Wallacei, candidum, croceum, wumbellatum,
speciosum, and Canadense.

An eminent authority on lilies has made the
following list of soils most suitable for their
cultivation:

First, any good garden soil of a fair depth
well dug before planting is suitable for such
kinds as Brown, candidum, Chalcedonicum,
croceum, eacelsum, Hanson, Henryr, Mar-
tagon (purple), Thunbergianum, tigrinum
and ‘umbellatum.

Secondly, lilies that prefer a strong soil,
such as a good, rich, friable loam not too heavy:
auratum, Batmanme, Martagon, album, speci-
osum and Washingtonianum.

Thirdly, those that require peat and mois-
ture: Canadense, pardalinum, Philadelphicum
and superbum.
218 YARD AND GARDEN

It might be added, too, that the above list
represents those lies which can be grown
with the least trouble. Those of the first list
will succeed in any ordinary border; those in
the second list require a certain amount of
partial shade and coolness at the root and are
best planted in shrubbery beds. And those in
the third group comprise the lilies that re-
quire a cool shady spot where they are not
exposed to the direct rays of the sun.

The general rule when planting lily bulbs is
that they should be put in the soil about three
times their depth, but this is not always a
safe guide, for some lilies possessing small
bulbs require deeper planting than this calls
for. Furthermore, whenever bulbs are placed
among shrubs they should be planted two or
three inches deeper than they would be set in
other situations. The distance between the
bulbs should be from twelve to eighteen
inches.
CHAPTER XI

IRISES AND TENDER BULBS

The Iris has been called ‘‘the poor man’s
orchid,’’ and a fitting name it is, for in bloom,
in richness of coloring, in beauty and in deli-
eacy it is of the ‘‘blue-blooded’’ nobility of
the flower family, while, in point of culture,
in its general adaptability to various con-
ditions and various situations, it is as entirely
democratic. Cultivate it, nurse it, coddle it, and
it will respond eagerly and gladly to every ef-
fort, but neglect it, ignore it, trample on it and
despise it, and, once planted, it will remain with
you, bloom for you, and, if you have the least
respect for floral beauty, shame you with its
blossoms. It requires little and gives much,
and, asking no more than it has received, pre-
pares itself at the same time to give you more
another season.

VARIETIES OF IRIS

This, of course, refers to the common iris of
our gardens, a variety with which all planters
219
220 YARD AND GARDEN

have been familiar for years, even for gener-
ations. But there are other varieties with
which we are not so familiar, but which are
no more exacting or fastidious in their de-
mands or their tastes. Then there are still
others, veritable aristocrats in all their re-
quirements as well as in the beauty of their
bloom. These—the Oncocyclus group, with
flowers delicately veined and reticulated, gen-
erally with a darker color on a light back-
ground, natives of Persia, Armenia and
Afghanistan—require special culture and at-
tention, and are as difficult to grow as the
others are easy. For the amateur they can
not be recommended, though, now and then,
one finds a gardener who is interested enough
in the irises to attempt the cultivation of this
difficult class. A representative of it is the
mourning iris, or Zris Susiana, frequently of-
fered in the American catalogues, and usually
with the misleading announcement that it is
easily grown.

It is not easily grown; indeed, the amateur
seldom succeeds with it. Yet it is the easiest
of the Oncoecyelus group to grow. It, like
other varieties of the same class, requires
hard sun-baking after its short blooming sea-
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 221

 

Japanese Iris
(Iris levigata, known to the trade as I, Kempferi)
g22 YARD AND GARDEN

son, and it ean not he considered hardy.
However, when brought into bloom, its large
gray flowers closely veined with black, odd
as well as beautiful, amply reward the culti-
vator for his trouble. Usually it is best to
lift the plant in the fall and store it through
the winter, as dahlias or cannas are stored.
Still, in some few instances, it can be brought to
bloom without this annual disturbance by
plentifully covering it in winter, and in spring
removing the litter gradually as the season ad-
vances. Success with it is ample reward, and,
as it can be had for fifteen cents, failure would
not be altogether a financial disaster.

But when the iris offers so many varieties,
all of the easiest cultivation, why regret that
the Oncoeyelus group brings confusion to our
efforts? Consider a moment the possibilities
the iris presents. Usually, when we mention
the name, we picture in our minds only the
‘‘German”’ iris; it is so common in our gar-
dens, and it was so common in the gardens of
our grandfathers and of their fathers, that we
have lost sight of its value and its beauty, and,
at the same time, have come to consider it as
alone representative of the family. Nothing
could be more absurd. One might, if one
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 223

chose, plant a garden, large or small, with
irises and nothing else, and have for his pains
a wonderful procession of wonderful flowers
from early spring to late summer, and then,
if he cared to fill in the winter months, con-
tinue the succession indoors in window garden
or conservatory. In fact, it is possible, with
but the slightest effort and with but ordinary
conditions—such as a sunny window—to have
iris blooms every month im the year.

The Iris, or, as it is popularly known, the
fleur-de-lis or rainbow flower, has more than
one hundred and seventy species, of which as
many as one hundred have been cultivated by
American floriculturists. In England, where
the flower is more appreciated, more than one
hundred and fifty species are grown by iris
fanciers. Of the number grown in America,
seventy-five might safely be attempted by the
skilled amateur, and this number itself is but
a small fraction of the number of varieties
which have been produced by cross-fertiliza-
tion and selection to contribute generously to
garden ornamentation.

When consideration is had of the possibili-
ties these figures suggest, surely we will no
longer look upon the ‘‘German”’ varieties as the
224 YARD AND GARDINN

limit of iris variations. In fact, the ques-
tion, so far as planting is concerned, becomes
one of selection—of selection for ornamental
and color effect, for best varieties and those
easiest grown, and for season of bloom, that
a succession may be maintained. In this con-
nection it is well to know that the irises which
are grown and offered for sale by nurserymen
are divided into two divisions: those of bul-
bous character and those with surface rhi-
zomes—of which the common ‘‘German’’ is a
type—and those with exceedingly narrow, in-
conspicuous, subterraneous rhizomes, with
roots more conspicuous. .

In the bulbous division the irises best known
are those popularly called Spanish and Eng-
lish. The former (Iris Xiphium) and the latter
(Iris xiphioides) deserve to be more widely
planted than they are. They are of easy cul-
ture, thriving best in some sheltered corner of
the garden, and preferring a loose, friable soil.
Their flowers are excellent to cut for vase or
table decoration, and in form, size and color are
more dainty than the common variety. The
Spanish group blooms first—the latter part of
June—and its flowers are followed by those
of the English iris. For best effects the bulbs
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 225

 

Spanish Iris
(Iris Xiphium)
226 YARD AND GARDEN

of both should be planted liberally. At least
twenty-five should be set in a group; more
would be better. The bulbs are inexpensive,
costing from seventy-five cents to one dollar a
hundred, the English being the more expensive
of the two, and should be planted in the au-
tumn three or four inches deep and five or six
inches apart. They are entirely hardy, but
should be planted early in order to enable them
to make some growth in the fall before hard
frost comes; and they will be all the better for
a slight winter covering.

There are a few other species of the tall-
growing bulbous irises—though none grows
higher than eighteen inches—which could be
planted to advantage. One, for instance, is
Iris juncea and another is the rare I. Boissieri,
but these are seldom to be had from American
nurserymen, except on special order. Still,
even when imported, their cost is compara-
tively small. The first, however, is not hardy
in the north, and the other requires heavy win-
ter protection. <A third variety which can be
obtained in this country is Iris reticulata; it
is a native of Palestine, and is one of the
prettiest and sweetest of spring flowers, com-
ing into bloom with the crocus. It is absolutely
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 227

hardy, and will thrive in almost any situation,
throwing flowers gorgeous in coloring, with
brilliant shades of purple and gold and a vio-
let fragrance. Iris Bakeriana, an Armenian
variety, is even earlier, but less showy. Their
cultivation is identical with that of the Span-
ish and English varieties.

Of the rhizomatous division, the most diffi-
cult to grow is the Oncocyelus class, to which
reference has already been made. But, again,
why lament the fact that these plants, even
granting that they are splendid, resist our best
efforts? Have we not the Japanese as well as
the German irises? And, have you ever seen
a hundred plants of the Japanese in bloom?
It is a sight worth traveling far to see. In
Japan they are grown by the million, and dur-
ing their season of bloom the little empire is
a paradise of color—marvelous and exquisite
color. The Japanese have been cultivating the
iris for generations, and they have brought to
bear upon its flowers all the wonderful skill for
which they are noted. Travelers have re-
marked the iris gardens ever since the tourists
began to journey to Japan, but, strange to say,
these irises, known as I. levigata, or I. Kemp-
feri, as they are called by the trade, as easily
on8 YARD AND GARDEN

grown as a potato, perfectly hardy, demanding
but little attention, were until recent years
but little known in America. Yet importations
were made among the first products brought
from the land of the Mikado. We have been
dilatory in planting them, but now, however,
they are planted by the thousand every season
in America, and each season the demand in-
creases.

We are always advised that they are ‘‘excel-
lent for naturalizing in the water garden,’’ and
that here they thrive best and their flowers
attain greatest size. This is true, but not ex-
clusively true. We do not need a water gar-
den to have Japanese irises; we do not need
even a ‘‘swampy’’ situation. Hundreds of
them have been grown without either. Some
employ a sunken bed. To prepare this, dig a
trench two feet wide for a single row, or wider,
according to the width of the bed projected.
Remove all the dirt to a depth of two feet.
The soil in the bottom of the trench is then
loosened to a further depth of twelve inches,
well-rotted manure is liberally spaded in, and
the earth first removed from the trench, mixed
with manure, is returned until the surface of
the bed thus prepared stands some three or
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 229

four inches below the surrounding surface of
the garden or lawn. Usually it is best to board
in this sort of a bed, to prevent the edges from
being broken or marred. Then the plants are
set out, two feet apart, and in winter a cover-
ing of leaves, straw or other litter, to which
is added a generous amount of old manure,
is applied. In the spring this is removed,
and when the leaf growth has attained a
height of ten or twelve inches, water liberally,
letting the stream from a hose flow over the
sunken bed when possible.

This method of planting and cultivation has
never failed to give the maximum of bloom and
a bloom of maximum size. The flowers some-
times measure twelve inches in diameter. The
colors range from silvery white through pale
blue, lilac, plum and purple, and the flowers
are marked with exquisite veinings and star-
like centers of contrasting shades, frequently
of gold. They bloom luxuriantly in late June
and early July.

But what of the ‘‘German irises’’? They are
truly the democrats of our gardens, yet, as al-
ready said, they are of the nobility of the
flower kingdom. Their flowers are not so fine,
perhaps, as those of their Japanese cousins,
230 YARD AND GARDEN

but they are different in form rather than dif-
ferent in value. They have shorter, broader
leaves than the Iris levigata, and flowers
whose petals do not lie flat. They have three
strongly recurved and handsomely marked
petals or ‘‘falls’’ and three upright standards.

  

White Siberian Iris German Iris
(Iris Sibirica, var. alba) (Tris Germanica)

Their colorings include white, yellow, lilac and
purple, and some curious browns, rich maroons
and dark yellows. No plants are of easier cul-
ture; unlike the Japanese they prefer a dry
soil, but are gross feeders, spreading rapidly,
and thriving best in a sunny situation. How-
ever, they insist upon none of these conditions,
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS © 231

and are seen growing where all are lacking.
But feed them once a year, and, just as spring-
flowering bulbs are passing with their pageant
of bloom, these German irises will reward the
planter with a lavish display of beautiful flow-
ers.

And still the list is not ended. There are
other varieties, all hardy, all easy of cultiva-
tion, making no more demands as far as treat-
ment is concerned than their accommodating
German relatives, blooming at different sea-
sons, and ranging in height from a few inches
to three feet. Indeed, this range of height of-
fered by the iris family is almost as important
to the iris fancier as the range of color and the
varying seasons of bloom, for, through the ad-
vantages this affords, effective groupings can
be arranged, the dwarf sorts in front and the
taller-growing varieties in the rear.

There are a number of the dwarf varieties
from which the amateur may select to suit ’
himself. These have been, for some unknown
reason, much neglected, but fortunately, in
recent years their value has been more ap-
preciated, and the great merit they possess has
brought them into prominence. There is, for
instance, the little Iris pumila, which is, per-
232 YARD AND GARDEN

haps, better known than the other species, and
which grows nine inches high and bears in
April showy flowers of deep purple. It is,
moreover, a profuse bloomer, and as an edging
plant possesses extraordinary value. Its green
leaves appear in March, and it is always in
trim, neat form, even throughout the hot days
of midsummer. It can be had in various
colors, ranging from pearly white through
clear blues to the deeper-colored typical tint.
Iris verna is another dwarf species, quite pro-
lific in bloom, producing its purple flowers also
in April. Another gem among dwarf irises is
Tris cristata. It grows only six inches high,
has foliage of a light green color, forming a
carpet of verdure, and bears freely pale lilac
flowers beautifully blotched with golden yel-
low. Iris Cham@iris is a variety sometimes mis-
taken for J. pumila, but its yellow flowers, with
falls veined with purple, disclose its identity.
It also is of value, and of value, too, is the
dwarf form, Iris flavissima, or I. Bloudovii, as
it is sometimes catalogued, which bears showy
flowers of a pure yellow color.

Taller-growing species which are of easy cul-
ture and which are effective in the garden
wherever planted are also numerous. Promi-
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 233

nent among those which are to be recom-
mended for the average amateur is Iris
Florentina, the orris-root of commerce, de-
servedly popular, and for over one hundred
years a familiar flower in the old-fashioned
New England gardens. It is free-blooming,
producing flowers of pearly whiteness, deli-
ciously fragrant, delicate and effective. Iris
pallida, whose blood flows through the veins of
all the better hybrid German irises, is a plant
with broad leaves and sword-like foliage which
often attains a height of two and a half feet, the
blades measuring an inch and a half across.
It bears its flowers on long stems, raising them
high above the foliage, and the result is most
effective. Then there is Iris Pseudacorus,
Jacob’s sword, as it is sometimes called, which
possesses ample green foliage and forms quickly
a vigorous clump. It bears flowers of a rich
golden yellow color, and produces them in pro-
fusion.

The much-admired Siberian iris (J. Sibirica),
has a number of forms of which the most com-
mon type is a tall-growing variety, attaining a
height of two and a half or three feet, and bear-
ing many flower stems, which are topped with
blooms of a dark blue color marked with white
234 YARD AND GARDEN

pencilings. The best sorts are the pure white,
growing about two feet high, and the variety
orientalis, twenty inches high, the latter bear-
ing in profusion rich blue flowers of charming
form. It has the valuable quality of reproduc-
ing itself rapidly, and from a few plants

 

   

 

 

 

Siberian Iris English Ivis
(Iris Sibirica) (Iris wiphioides )

 

enough can be obtained in two or three seasons
to plant a considerable area.

All of the irises with surface rhizomes thrive
in ordinary garden soils, requiring division
and replanting as their clumps increase in size.
This should be done as soon as the foliage
shows signs of ripening, and should be accom-
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS = 285

plished early enough in the autumn to permit
the newly planted roots to become thoroughly
established before winter sets in. The rhi-
zomes should never be planted deeper than an
inch below the surface, unless the situation is
unusually dry. As the clumps increase in size,
divide them by cutting the rhizomes sharply
with a spade or similar implement, transplant-
ing the portion detached and allowing the par-
ent plant to remain in its position undisturbed.

TENDER BULBS

There is another class of bulbous, tuberous-
rooted plants which is worth considering and
which, like those requiring planting in the fall,
are easily grown. These are the bulbs which
bloom in summer and autumn and are planted
in spring. They are known as tender bulbs
because they will not endure the winters, but,
after blooming and ripening, are dug up and
stored away to be replanted the following
spring. Among the most important species of
this class of bulbs are the agapanthus, al-
streemeria, tuberous begonia, bessera, canna,
caladium, cooperia, crinum, dahlia, gladiolus,
madeira vine, montbretia, oxalis, calla, tigri-
dia, tuberose, and zephyranthes.
236 YARD AND GARDEN

No flower is easier of culture or less doubt-
ful so far as success is concerned than the dah-
lia. We have the single and pompon, the
show, the quilled and fancy, the decorative and
the cactus varieties. The hundreds of shades
and colors and the beautiful forms as well as
the grace of the plant and its value for cutting
give this flower an exalted position which it
well deserves. The roots should not be planted
in the northern states before the middle of
May and, when the growth appears above the
surface six inches or so, it is generally well to
pinch the tops, a process which produces a
bushy, compact, dwarf growth.

Following the dahlia in popularity and
praise are the gladioli. They may be planted
either in separate beds or among perennials
where they will add gay colors to borders
which might otherwise be bare. Gladioli
should be planted as early in the season as the
ground can be worked and every two weeks
thereafter until July first for a succession of
bloom. They prefer a sunny situation, a rich
soil and plenty of moisture and should be
planted six inches deep, seven or eight inches
apart.

The tuberous-rooted begonia is valuable be-
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 237

cause it will flower in shady situations. In a
‘spot where other flowers have persistently re-
fused to grow, the tuberous-rooted begonia
will frequently be found at its best. They are
best started in the house during March and
April in pots and then planted out of doors
the latter part of May. If started early enough
indoors, they will be in bloom by the middle of
June and will continue to flower until frost.
They thrive best in a rich, loose, moisture-re-
taining soil and prefer a considerable quantity
of leaf-mold to which has been added a lib-
eral amount of sharp sand. The bulbs should
be planted three inches deep and ten or twelve
inches apart.

Montbretias are desirable when planted in
groups of fifty or a hundred bulbs. The bulbs
are planted in the spring about four inches
deep and will prove hardy when afforded a
winter protection of litter four or five inches
deep.

The summer hyacinth, (Hyacinthus can-
dicans), bears large, white, bell-shaped flowers
on stout stalks two or three feet high. For
best effects this must be planted in clumps and,
like the Montbretia, proves hardy when given
protection during the winter. Tuberoses and
238 YARD AND GARDEN

caladiums are well-known popular bulbs which
are extensively planted.

BULBOUS VINES

Among the summer-flowering bulbous- and
tuberous-rooted plants are several vines which
prove exceedingly valuable. Most city yards
possess some objectionable spot or object
which it is desirable to conceal from sight; this
may be accomplished by the use of annual or
perennial vines. But. annuals, while they are
quick growing, are objectionable owing to the
_fact that they must be replanted each year;
perennials, on the other hand, frequently re-
quire from two to three seasons to establish
themselves. Between these two come the bul-
bous vines. They are quick growing and, when
once planted, require no further attention,
thus combining the advantages of both annual
and perennial. Moreover, they are inexpen-
sive. Foremost among these is the Madeira
vine which attains a considerable height in a
very short space of time. The foliage is dense
and the flower small and white. The Cinnamon
vine, with glossy, green, heart-shaped leaves
and very fragrant racemes of white flowers,
grows to a greater height and blooms in Au-
IRISES AND TENDER BULBS — 239

gust. Another fine climbing plant is the Kudzu
vine, which possesses magnificent foliage, deep
and dense, and makes a wonderfully rapid
growth the first season. It comes from Japan
and is very extensively planted. A native vine
is Aptos tuberosa which seems to be more ap-
preciated in England than at home; its spe-
cial features are its adaptability to situations
in absolute shade and its beautiful flowers of
pleasing fragrance. It grows rapidly and
blooms in July.
CHAPTER XII

SHRUBS

In planting as it is usually done on the city
or town lot of average size, in most cases a
shrub would be preferable to the tree which is
ordinarily set out. Too often trees are crowded
into situations far too small for them, which is
neither good for the tree nor of value to the
site. Due allowance is seldom made for the
tree’s growth and spread and, planted in close
proximity to some building on one side and
subject to exposure on another, a straggling,
unbalanced specimen is produced that lacks
beauty, strength and vigor. This does not
mean, of course, that trees have no place in
the small vard; when properly selected and
properly located, they add immeasurably to the
appearance of the home. But, before a tree is
set out, careful thought should be given to its
fitness for the place where it is proposed to
establish it.

240
241

SHRUBS

(19j)n0H uw{ DandY) 13

BAL

M Tepig

 
242 YARD AND GARDEN

DISADVANTAGES OF TREE-PLANTING

The tree should be considered as a mature
plant. It must not be forgotten, that, as the
years go by, the tree will continue to grow. It
will not long remain the small specimen re-
ceived from the nursery which, when first
planted, may appear to be entirely suitable for
the location selected. Each year will add to its
height and increase the spread of its branches,
so that, in ten vears, perhaps, it may have at-
tained a size that unfits it for the effect de-
sired. Even then it may be only in its infancy,
requiring, for its fullest development, twenty-
five or fifty years more.

This fact suggests the permanency of the
tree and is converted at once by the incautious
planter into a recommendation which more
than offsets any objection which may be found
against its use. However, a second thought
rhay lead to the conclusion that this is not the
advantage it may at first sight appear to be.
If one is planting for future effect, if one is
planting the home grounds for the enjoyment
of one’s children and one’s children’s children,
well and good, the tree’s the thing. Its leafy
branches will cast grateful shade for them and
SHRUBS 243

the massive trunks will stand as monuments
to the forethought of the ancestor who felt so
tender an interest in the comfort of his de-
scendants. But if one is planting for oneself,
for to-day, for this generation, for immediate
effect, the tree is not the thing. The shrub
must displace it.

We have come to a fuller realization of this
in the last few years than ever before. And,
as we have gained in this direction, we have
come to understand and to appreciate the value
and the uses of trees. We no longer plant
them in such proximity to our residences that
both’ tree and house suffer as a consequence,
and we no longer fancy that a tree is as essen-
tial to a lot as a roof to the house. Planting
experts are now practically unanimous in de-
elaring that a tree which attains average
height and spread should not be planted within
twenty feet of the house. The reason for this
dictum is not difficult to discover. Trees set
at closer distance can not attain the full de-
velopment they require as they grow older and,
so far as the residence is concerned, if planted
nearer than the twenty feet limit, too much
shade is likely to result, with dampness and ill
health as the immediate consequence.
244 YARD AND GARDEN

Moreover, where trees overspread the lawn,
grass of that ‘‘velvety’’ texture so desirable
is almost impossible. Then, too, not only is a
free circulation of air shut off from the resi-
dence and the sunlight excluded, but the
planter who has thus elected to proceed will
find that he has made flower-growing exceed-

 

Hydrangea Laden with Flowers

ingly difficult. In a word, the owner of the
small city lot sacrifices too much in planting
trees for what he gains. If his yard is large
enough, trees have a place in the planting
scheme. But if the yard is small, confine tree-
planting to the park bordering the street or
SHRUBS 245

highway and make use of shrubs for lawn
planting.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SHRUBS

Too often the advantages of shrubs are over-
looked or ignored. Tall-growing and dwarf,
deciduous and evergreen, there are few places
where they will not succeed and, thriving, add
materially to the beauty of the home. They have
in the first place two distinct values: they are
serviceable when employed as individual speci-
mens, planted in isolated situations for formal
effect, and valuable when grown in masses.
forming what are commonly termed shrubber-
ies. Both methods of planting have their par-
ticular uses and advantages but, although the
inclination as a rule is in the direction of indi-
vidual or specimen planting rather than mass
planting, the latter and not the former is to
be recommended. The amateur, however, is
far more likely to adopt the course proscribed
than that which is advised, for it appears to
him that shrubs scattered about the lawn add
more to the yard’s general appearance than
when they are grouped. But, as a matter of
fact, mass planting and not specimen planting
246 YARD AND GARDEN

contributes more toward harmonious and sat-
isfactory effect.

Frequently a yard presents a ‘‘patchy’’ ap-
pearance for which the planter is unable to
account. In such instances, were it possible
to shift specimen shrubs temporarily from
their isolated positions to shrubbery groups
and observe the increased effectiveness result-
ing from the change, the perplexed gardener
would at once detect the cause of the trouble
and, it is safe to conclude, would make the tem-
porary arrangement permanent. Shrubs, or
plants of any sort, for that matter, scattered
indiscriminately and without apparent purpose
over a lawn destroy_all suggestion of unity and
conspire to obscure the motive of the planter;
his cultivated area, consequently, whether it be
large or small, loses all meaning to the ob-
server and lacks at the same time that indi-
viduality which is one of the most desirable
features in a. properly planned and planted
yard. On the other hand the mass planting of
shrubs adds harmony to a place, contributes
to its unity, assists in defining the motive and,
in most instances, supplies a touch of strength
which is as essential to a well and tastefully
beautified yard as a suggestion of delicacy.
247

SHRUBS

suiidg ‘ gpaegr ul

Auoag va, ey} JO SuUlOssolEL

 
248 YARD AND GARDEN

Some beginners probably will find it difficult
to distinguish between shrubs and small trees.
But this need not discourage them; expe-
rienced planters are similarly perplexed. What
one calls a small tree another may call a shrub,
the distinction being often difficult. Shrubs,
as a rule, have a number of stems springing
from the ground whereas a tree possesses but
a single trunk. Still this is not true in all
cases.

The wide variety in habit of growth, foliage,
fruit and flower makes the worth of shrubs.
They can be had for every situation, of vary-
ing height, and of varying seasons of bloom.
As the leaves differ, so the flowers differ, or
the berries in cases where the shrub’s chief
value is determined by its fruit rather than by
its bloom, but if in any of these respects the
variation is wide it is no wider than the varia-
tion in the uses to which shrubs may be profit-
ably put. They serve to conceal foundation
walls; they form backgrounds for plants; they
act as harmonizing agents between lawn and
tall-growing trees; they can be used as a cov-
ering for ground which on account of its slope,
exposure or other adverse conditions will not
support grass, and they are valuable as mate-
SHRUBS

 
250 YARD AND GARDEN

rial for breaking dead levels and hiding and
obscuring unpleasant views.

They may be used also to supply motive for
a sudden or abrupt turn or termination of a
walk. Very frequently a walk is given a slight
or even pronounced turn without apparent
cause; instead of being what it should be, the
most direct means of getting from one point
to another, the walk twists until it follows a
rambling course which is utterly purposeless
and inexcusable. But, where the turn is pro-
jected, plant a clump of shrubs and there is at
once established a sensible and logical reason
for the turn. The walk then seems to curve in
order to avoid the shrubs planted in its more
direct course.

Another considerable advantage shrubs pos-
sess is that, once established, they require com-
paratively little attention. This does not mean,
of course, that they should be heedlessly
planted “or grossly neglected. Though very
frequently they will grow when conditions are
both unpleasant and unfit for them, still if the
best results are to be obtained some consid-
eration must be had for the demands of the
plants. They will reward the gardener royally
for the care he bestows on them.
SHRUBS 251

PLANTING AND ARRANGING SHRUBS

In preparing beds for shrubbery, spade the
ground to a depth of at least two feet, work
into the soil well-rotted manure, make it fine
and soft, and see to it that it will not suffer
from want of proper drainage. In planting
first examine the roots and, where these have
been broken or twisted in transit, cut off the
broken or injured portions with a sharp knife,
then, having prepared a hole amply large for
the reception of the bush, set it in at a slightly
lower level than that at which it stood before
it was lifted. This depth can readily be ascer-
tained by observing the marks left by the soil
on the stem or stems. Allow sufficient room for
the development of the shrubs, bearing in mind
the fact that they increase their spread as they
grow older, avoid crowding, and avoid also set-
ting them too far apart. Group them by plant-
ing the taller-growing varieties in the rear and
the dwarfs in the front, but do not aim at too
uniform an effect. Occasionally it may be de-
sirable to establish a round bed, although there
ean be but little need for such an arrangement,
but if this method of planting is considered de-
sirable, place the taller-growing varieties in
252 YARD AND GARDEN

the center and group the dwarf sorts around
them. This arrangement is suggested not only
because it presents a better appearance but
because if it were not followed it is obvious
that the low-growing shrubs would be entirely
hidden hy the taller varieties and at the same
time so densely shaded by the foliage that they
would soon perish.

In any event avoid monotony. Shrubs in
this respect are easily abused and often, through
lack of judgment in planting, monotony occurs
where the purpose was the contrary. But in
avoiding any suggestion of regularity the
planter must also avoid any appearance of
studied irregularity. Do not plant in straight
lines and do not plant in mechanical zigzags.
Group the shrubs.

CULTIVATION

Though hardy shrubs require little protec-
tion in winter, still it is always best to leave
on the ground the leaves they drop at the first
touch of frost and to add to these additional
small quantities as the winter advances. Very
little trimming or pruning should be practised.
Keep the dead wood well cut out but be ex-
ceedingly cautious in applying the pruning
SHRUBS 253

shears in any other manner. Occasionally,
where a shrub assumes a tall, spindling growth,
it may be advantageous to cut it back to in-
duce a broader and more spreading growth.
Wherever this is necessary cut back boldly or
‘the purpose of the pruning will not be accom-
plished. But, for the most part, let the shrub
have its own way, especially when it is healthy
and vigorous, and apply the shears only when
it is absolutely necessary. Shrubs sheared
into unnatural forms seldom possess any value
as ornaments unless the effect aimed at is alto-
gether formal.

VARIETIES

On the smaller grounds in town or city the
greatest value of shrubs is in the grouping of
many flowering varieties in one mass so that a
succession of bloom is insured from April to
November. If only seven shrubs were planted
it would be possible to maintain such a suc-
cession, the bloom first appearing immediately
after the last frost in spring and continuing
until autumn frosts blight the bushes. This
list would include:

POrsythia: 25 ichae na pean eg Fees eee April
Syringa,. (Wlbe)e. ics sso yon dees oa e8 ee bee May
Splrea. gears egentes Madd aneerr pay teen a June

Deutzia acai cnccasias coy der ae ootawin ee July
Pot YARD AND GARDEN

Rhus (smoke-bush) ..............-004- August
Ty drangeas 5: kent ten on den eb dawns September
Hamamelis (witch-hazel) .............. October

All these shrubs are perfectly hardy and will
respond graciously to ordinary treatment in
any good garden soil. Moreover, good plants
of large size may be obtained at small expendi-
ture, the whole collection costing from one to
two dollars, according to their age.

It would hardly be possible to prepare a list
of the essential qualities which should be de-
manded of shrubs for the home embellishment
—the preparation of such a list would require
consideration of the individual places to be
planted. Still, whether grounds are large or
small, whether many plants are required or
few, and whether shrubs are desired for bloom
or foliage value, to obtain the best effects from
their use, plant them as a general rule in
masses. Use them liberally, for they possess
more actual value than perennials in that they
are more permanent and, compared with an-
nuals, they demand but little attention. In a
word, you may plant annuals for a season, per-
ennials for a few years, trees for posterity,
but shrubs you plant for yourself for imme-
diate effect and for practically the whole of
your own lifetime.
SHRUBS 255

It must also be borne in mind that there are
evergreen as well as deciduous shrubs and
that a judicious selection of the former will
give a touch of life to the yard or grounds in
winter which could not be obtained otherwise
except through the use of evergreen trees.
As long as we have these—both trees and

 

Flowers of the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

shrubs—there is small excuse for any place
either in the city or the country assuming a
dead and desolate appearance in winter. Any
one who has observed a group of rhododen-
drons in winter with their great glossy leaves
can not fail to be impressed by the life they
lend to the landscape. Rhododendrons, how-
206 YARD AND GARDEN

ever, are not the only shrubs that lend them-
selves to this particular use, for here again a
variety is presented which affords the planter
a wide field from which to select. There is,
for instance, the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia
latifolia), which is without doubt one of the
choicest of American broad-leaved evergreens.
The leaves are particularly conspicuous in
winter and as the Kalmia is perfectly hardy
as far north as Maine and is neither difficult to
establish nor difficult to maintain, it forms one
of the most valuable shrubs in the list. In the
spring its sheets of bright rosy-pink flowers,
delicately adorned with carmine dots, add to its
value for decorative purposes.

Then again, among the most useful of our
early spring-flowering shrubs are the hardy
azaleas, many varieties of which have persist-
ent evergreen foliage. A low-growing shrub
with evergreen foliage and of compact habit,
bearing white flowers in great abundance in
spring is the Andromeda floribunda or Pieris
floribunda, Mahoma Aquifolium, or Berberis
Aquifolinm, as it is more properly known, is
another dwarf species with purplish shining
prickly leaves retained throughout the winter,
and with showy bright vellow flowers in dense
SHRUBS 207

clusters in May succeeded by bluish-black ber-
ries. Its handsome deep green glossy foliage,
which assumes a bronze or coffee hue in winter,
and its neat habit render it especially valuable
for decorative planting. Another evergreen
shrub of value is Euonymus Japonicus, or
Japanese euonymus.

SHRUBS SUITED TO THE CITY YARD

In the selection of evergreen varieties for
planting in cities, we are to some extent lhm-
ited by soil conditions and by the injury in-
flicted by the smoke-filled atmosphere. Only
such evergreens as will most sturdily withstand
these blasts of coal smoke and which, at the
same time, will not make too many demands
for special soils should be planted. In the list
of deciduous shrubs, however, we find less
delicacy displayed; they submit more happily to
adverse conditions which the evergreens could
searcely withstand, and apparently thrive de-
spite them. While the deciduous varieties that
bloom in late summer are few, there is ap-
parently no end to the varieties that flower in
spring or early summer. In the list of these
not only is almost every color of flower to he
had and every height from one to twelve feet
258 YARD AND GARDEN

as well as numerous varieties of foliage, but
there will be found shrubs for almost every
conceivable situation and purpose. Indeed,
with so many varieties at hand the amateur
will experience no difficulty in obtaining what
he may require but, on the contrary, will doubt-
less be embarrassed by the quantities from

   

ee

Hardy Azalea in Bloom

which to select. As he reads descriptions it will
seem to him that first this shrub and then that
is absolutely indispensable, but he will do best
if he limits the varieties he selects to those
which are most commonly employed. Ex-
perience has proved the value of these and they
are, generally speaking, quite as effective and
SHRUBS 259

Be

quite as adaptable to his purpose as any of the
rarer shrubs which nurserymen may offer in
their catalogues.

A showy shrub is the lilac (Syringa) with
pink, white or lilac blossoms. It is best, how-
ever, not to mix the three colors but to mass
each variety separately, thereby obtaining a
stronger and at the same time a more restful
effect. In planting lilacs obtain good shrubs.
Do not plant a bush because it is to be had for
nothing; it seldom proves worth the trouble.
Avoid also the double-flowered varieties, for
their flowers are heavier and less graceful and
give no suggestion of the freedom and uncon-
ventionality of the single variety. The Mock
Orange, or syringa as it is sometimes called,
(Philadelphus), is a hardy, free-flowering
shrub with showy flowers appearing in late
spring. Ifthe most fragrant variety is desired,
obtain Philadelphus coronarius. The Snow
Ball (Viburnum) should not be forgotten.
Avoid the old-fashioned kind which is invaria-
bly a prey to aphids or plant-lice whose ravages
cause the leaves to curl and the flowers to lose
their beauty, and select instead Japanese Snow
Ball which, though it has smaller flowers, pos-
sesses better foliage and habit. This is known
260 YARD AND GARDEN

to nurserymen as Viburnum plicatum, although
its proper designation would be Viburnuim
tomentosum, var. plicatum. It attains a height
of eight feet—-some four feet less than the
common snow ball—and has especially attrac-
tive foliage while its globose flower clusters are
three to four inches across.

 

Rhododendron in Bloom

The Spirwa forms another group of shrubs
excellent for a small city yard. The most pop-
ular species probably are S. Van Houttei, 8.
Thunbergii and 8. prunifolia. The blossoms of
these are white and are borne in May and
June. The common Bridal Wreath is S. Van
Houttez. The Thunberg Spirea (snow gar-
SHRUBS 261

land) comes into bloom earlier and of this va-
riety there is a hybrid known as Spirea arguta
which is considered by many to be the showiest
of all the earlier blooming spirzas.

SEASON FOR PLANTING

In the matter of determining the season for
planting, whether it shall be spring or fall, no
fixed rule can be given. In any event plant early
enough, if the spring be selected, to insure the
plant’s establishing itself before the hot suns
of summer scorch it, and if the fall season be
chosen, set the plants early enough in autumn
to insure their becoming ‘established béfore
hard freezing begins. Evergreens should be
planted very early in spring or in August.
After the shrubs are once established most of
them, save for an occasional pruning, will take
care of themselves, but it is always well to have
on hand a little ammoniacal carbonate of cop-
per ready to be diluted and to be applied to the
shrubs in the form of a spray for all fungus
attacks, and a little hellebore and similar
poison to preserve them from the onslaught of
destructive insects.

Whether deciduous or evergreen shrubs are
used their value as ornaments for the small city
262 YARD AND GARDEN

yard is quickly apparent if we will only observe
our own habit of vision ax we pass along the
streets. While it is seldom that our line of
vision takes in the foliage of trees, our sight
as a general rule rests upon those objects which
are on a line with our eyes. In other words,
while we infrequently turn our gaze upward

 

Flowers of the Tall-growing Bird Cherry

toward the tree-tops, almost constantly our vi-
sion is directed to those objects which are on
a level or below the level of our sight. We
may fail to observe the form or character of
the foliage of a tree but it is not likely that we
shall fail to observe the low-growing shrub,
especially when our gaze is attracted by the
SHRUBS 263

mass of bloom put forth in spring and sum-
mer. If this fact were more frequently taken
into consideration shrubs undoubtedly would
be more plentifully planted. Because of this
fact, they add to a city yard a means of con-
trast which on a large estate could be obtained
only by the judicious planting of tall-growing
trees. By the use of shrubs, therefore, we are
provided with the finishing touches which are
necessary to the completion of the picture we
desire to produce with nature’s materials.

The following list will assist the amateur in
selecting shrubs for various situations and pur-
poses:

THE BEST HARDY SHRUBS

FOR SHADY SITUATIONS

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia

Mountain Fetter Bush, Pieris (Andromeda) floribunda
Mahonia, Berberis Aquifolium

St. John’s Wort, Hypericum aureum

Barberry, in variety, Berberis

Privet in variety, Ligustrum

Dogwood in variety, Cornus

Sweet Pepper, Clethra alnifolia

Wolfberry or Snowberry in variety, Symphoricarpos
Sweet-scented shrub, Calycanthus floridus

Wild Black currant, Ribes floridum

Slender deutzia, Deutzia gracilis

Rough-Leaved deutzia, Deufzia scabra

Japanese quince, Cydonia Japonica

SIIRUBS THAT BLOOM TWO MONTHS
Japanese rose, Kerria Japonica
Shrubby cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa
Sweet pepper, Clethra alnifolia
264 YARD AND GARDEN

St. John’s Wort, Hypericum prolificum
Red root, Ceanothus Americanus
Stagger-bush, Pieris Mariana

EVERGREEN SHRUBS

Mahonia, Berberis Aquifolium

Evergreen azalea, Azalea amoena

Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia

Mountain fetter-bush, Pieris (Andromeda) floribunda
Rhododendron Catawbiense and hybrids

Dwarf pine, Pinus montana, var. Mughus

SIIRUBS WITH VARIEGATED FOLIAGE

Purple-leaved barberry, Berberis vulgaris, var, ulropurpurea
Dogwood in variety, Cornus

Syringa, Philadelphus coronarius, var. aurcus

Weigelia, Dierrilla rosea, var. nana variegata

Shrubby Althea, Hibiscus Syriacus, var. fl. pl. fol. var.
Purple-leaved plum, Prunus Pissardi

Golden elder, Sambucus nigra, var. aurea

Filbert, Corylus maxima, var. purpurea

SHRUBS THAT BLOOM FROM APRIL TO JUNE

toldenbell, Forsythia suspensa
Japanese Quince, Cydonia Japonica
Juneberry, Amelanchier

Lilac, Syringa rulgaris and varieties
Barberry, Berberis vulgaris

Asalea, in variety

Daphne

White Kerria, Rhodotypos kerrioides
Spirea in variety

Tree peonies in variety, Peonia Moutan
Bush honeysuckle, Lonicera Tatarica
Deutzia

Snowball, Viburnum

SHRUBS THAT BLOOM IN JULY. AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER

Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis

Spirea

Sweet pepper, Clethra alnifolia

St. John’s Wort, Hypericum prolificum
Deutzia ;

Hydrangea paniculata var. grandiflora
Shrubby Althea in variety, Hibiscus Syriacus
SHRUBS 2695

SHRUBS WITH ORNAMENTAL FRUIT

Barberry, Berbcris, scarlet and violet in September

Red Osier, Cornus sanguinea, white berries in September

Oleaster, Llewagnus longipes, red fruit

Strawberry bush, Euonymus, red and white fruit

Cornelian cherry, Cornus mascula, fruit red

Bush honeysuckle, Lonicera, in variety, showy red and yellow
fruit

Brambles, Rubus, in variety, red fruit

Elder, Sambucus, purple fruit, changing to black in August
and September

Snowberry, Symphoricarpos raccmosus, white berries all
winter

Wayfaring tree, Viburnum Lantana, bright red, nearly
black in September ’

High cranberry, Viburnum Opulus, red fruit, very orna-
mental

Mahonia, Berberis A quifolium, bluish berries in July

Buckthorn, Rhamnus, black fruit
CHAPTER XIII

TREES

If it is well understood—as it should be—
that the lawn surrounding the house is the
canvas upon which a picture is to be made, we
shall appreciate the fact that the extent to
which trees are planted will depend enfirely
upon the size of the lawn. Naturally, where
the area is small and the plot of grass is lim-
ited, more dependence must be placed on
shrubs than on trees. In a yard of generous
dimensions, the trees have a place; and, in such
situations, they are the legitimate materials
with which the landscape gardener obtains
many of his most effective results.

PROPER SETTING FOR TREES

In the city yard of small size, trees, espe-
cially those which attain a great height, can not
be employed effectively. Here, if trees are
planted, very often the desired picture is
marred. It is, for instance, little less than ab-

266
TREES 267

PLANTING A TREE

 

1

Dig the hole large and
deep, laying surface soil to
one side. Loosen earth in

bottom of hole.

 

Throw in more _ soil,
steadying the tree, and
tramp into place. Be care-
ful not to injure the roots.

 

Set the tree straight and
throw surface soil around
the roots. Leave no air
spaces; firm with the hand.

 

as

Do not firm the top layer
of soil; let it remain loose
and pulverized. Slightly
mound the soil.
268 YARD AND GARDEN

surd, as was said in the chapter on shrubs, to
set one or more of the tall-growing varieties
in a front yard that is no more than ten or fif-
teen feet deep and forty feet wide; the space
could be employed to far greater advantage.
We want shade but not at the expense of sun-
light, fresh air, good taste and health.

Still, trees have their value and it is only
necessary to give them the proper setting in
order to make apparent immediately how great
this value is. To crowd them on a small area
where they will not thrive, or to plant them
where, owing to their size, they are entirely
purposeless, is an error. Yet it is only too fre-
quently made; indeed, it is rather the rule than
the exception. It seems to be the disposition
of most persons, as soon as they obtain a lot
whereon they expect to build sooner or later,
to begin immediately the planting of trees.
Without due consideration of the future possi-
bilities, of the health of the trees themselves
or the appearance of the place, they order them
to be set out and thereafter are reluctant to get
rid of them even though they find subsequently
that their planting was unwise. Irresponsible
agents of nurseries are to a great degree respon-
TREES 269

sible for this indiscriminate practice, for they
no sooner learn that an unimproved lot has been
purchased by a prospective home-builder than
they besiege him. In glowing terms they de-
scribe the various sorts they offer and in the
end usually triumph by closing a contract for
enough stock of the kind to plant an entire
acre.

The simple truth is that we buy trees and
plant trees without giving due thought to
either the purchase or the planting. We set
them out because they are trees and not be-
cause they will lend beauty to the yard. While
this statement is made deliberately, it is not to
be understood as decrying in any sense the
ornamental value of the tree. The intention,
on the contrary, is to impress the planter with
the idea that indiscriminate planting is to be
avoided and that if the full value of the decora-
tive quality of the tree is to be realized, it must
be given not a haphazard setting but one in
which it can show to best advantage and in
which it will harmonize most gracefully with
all its surroundings. There is ample. reason
for objection to the planting of tall-growing
trees on ordinary city lots where the valuable
270 YARD AND GARDEN

space is so small as to make a tree a ridiculous
if not a pitiful sight.

Where the yard is narrow and shallow with
a front lawn not more than fifteen feet deep
and the area in the rear of the house not more
than thirty feet deep, trees are out of place.
Doubtless there are many who will take issue
with this statement, but in support of the con-
tention, it should be necessary only to point to
small yards upon which are crowded large
trees and small yards upon which shrubs,
vines and flowers appear in their stead. The
difference in appearance should prove convinc-
ing.

PLACING TREES SUITABLY

To begin with, trees require many years be-
fore they reach that stage of perfection where
they cease to be mere nursery stock. Until
that stage is attained they are usually lacking
in decorative value for the reason that they
have not perfected their growth. In the sec-
ond place, when they have attained mature
height and spread of branches, if they are even
fair specimens of what they should be, in by
far the majority of instances they have out-
grown their surroundings and appear out of
place. In the third place, it is difficult to grow
TREES 271

healthy trees under conditions presented by
the small city lot; usually there is a surplus of
shade in one direction or a surplus of sun in
another, protection from one side and lack of
protection from the other, and all these things
tend to make a tree more or less one-sided in
its growth—a blemish which mars the appear-
ance of the tree and discounts to a great de-
gree its value as an ornament. If there be any
doubt of the truth of this statement compare
the tree grown in the city with the field-grown
specimen where conditions are not unbalanced
and where the growth is unhampered and un-
impeded.

BORDERING PARKS

If provision were made on all city streets
for bordering parks wide enough to accommo-
date trees, not only would it be unnecessary to
plant them within the limits of yards, but the
general effect obtained would be _ better.
Sometime it will be more commonly recognized
that in residence sections of our larger cities,
width of roadway may be often reduced with-
out loss to gain additional width to the street
parks. In far too many instances, we fancy
that we must have great width from curb to
oie YARD AND GARDEN

eurh and no parks, whereas, it would profit us
a great deal more, so far as appearances are
concerned, to have less width between curbs
and more width in the border between sidewalk
and curb. If the latter policy were adopted,
by the judicious selection and planting of trees

 

Tree that has. never been Trees ruined by ignorant
pruned pruner
(Photos. by Benjamin W. Douglass)

on these bordering spaces, the entire street
would take upon itself an appearance impossi-
ble to obtain where everything is sacrificed to
roadway width.

There is no prettier or more refreshing
sight than city streets bordered on both sides
by tall-growing and wide-spreading trees in
TREES Bis

healthy vigor, in mature strength, far-reaching
in spread of foliage and with leaves and limbs
free from pest and disease. Residences are
sufficiently shaded, the streets themselves be-
come leafy archways and those who live there-
on as well as those who use them as high-
ways can not fail to mark the beautiful aspect
they present.

If, on the other hand, we thrust our side-
walks against the curb, widening the road-
way until the last available inch has been
seized upon, and abolish the bordering park,
we have converted a street into a mere thor-
oughfare for traffic and have robbed it of all
the ornamental possibilities it might otherwise
possess. Or, if we crowd the sidewalk out and
the street curbing in until we have left a bor-
der only two or three feet in width, our only
gain is something which is practically value-
less. Under such conditions it is difficult to
establish even a fair growth of grass. It
would be better to carry the crowding process
to its extreme and rid ourselves completely of
this strip of grass. But, where it is possible
to have street parks of fair width, either at the
sides or in the middle of the street, trees should
be planted and every effort should be made to
274 YARD AND GARDEN

insure their steady growth and healthful de-
velopment.

TREES ON LARGE CITY LOTS

Of course, where a city lot measures as much
as one hundred feet in width and one hundred
and fifty feet in depth trees may be used to ad-
vantage, for some shade about the house is an
absolute necessity if the hot days of our sum-
mer months are to be spent with comfort and
if we are to be protected from the cold of our
bleak and dreary winters. But this does not
mean that they are as available as decorative
material to the planter of such a yard as they
are to the landscape gardener who is working
on the extensive area of a country estate. On
the latter, trees are used to hide unattractive
views or to form backgrounds against which
other ornamental materials are employed and
here also they may stand for their own indi-
vidual beauty. On such a place they have ‘‘pur-
pose’’; there is motive for their planting. On
the small city lot there is seldom the one or the
other.

Frequently, however, city lots are purchased
whereon already a tree of large size has estab-
lished itself. Where such is the case every ef-
TREES 275

fort should be made to save the tree; it should
be protected from any possible damage at the
hands of excavators, ditchers, or carpenters,
and where one obtains such a prize one should
make every effort to set the house so that the
tree need not be sacrificed. Even if it is nec-
essary to locate the dwelling three or four feet
in one direction or another from the site origi-
nally selected it will usually pay to make the
change; the builder can well afford to accomo-
date himself to the requirements of a stately
and magnificent tree specimen which, no matter
how he might plant or cultivate, could hardly
be duplicated in the course of a lifetime.

PRUNING

Very often the fact that such trees are estab-
lished on the lot purchased presents not a few
problems for solution. The tree may, for in-
stance, interfere with the grading desired.
This, however, is not difficult to overcome if a
little ingenuity is exercised. Sometimes the
trees will require pruning and wherever such
is the case the work should be undertaken by
a person of unquestioned knowledge and ex-
perience. Too often splendid specimens of
trees have been ruined by ‘‘butchers’’ who
70 YARD AND GARDEN

possess no knowledge whatever of pruning re-
quirements. They have ‘‘hacked”’ the tree out
of all semblance of shape, destroyed its pro-
portion and ‘‘headed’’ it back until, if it re-
covers from the process at all, it will never
attain the perfect form it possessed before the
inexperienced laborer began his work. Severe
trimming and subsequent training in many in-
stances may be necessary, but rather than
prune too severely it would be better to err on
the safe side, obtaining the. effect desired by
degrees rather than by submitting the tree to
the tender mercies of a man without know-
ledge or experience. Whlien a tree is old, long
straggling branches are in many cases the
cause of retarded growth; they are exposed to
the heat of the sun and to the drying winds and
the sap is impeded in its flow to such an ex-
tent that very little new growth can be made.
If these branches be headed back, not too se-
verely, new growth will soon show and the
trunk and limbs will subsequently be clothed
and protected while the tree’s form will be im-
proved. But, in cutting off branches, if they
be large, the wounds left should be painted
with linseed oil paint. This prevents decay of
the wood and serves to protect the tree from
TREES 207

diseases which often follow the operation of
pruning.

If the following principles are borne in mind
pruning will cease to be a mystery to the novice
and his trees thereafter need not be left at the
mercy of the ignorant:

1. Pruning the top strengthens the limbs re-
maining—the root system is not altered.

2. Pruning the roots retards top growth be-
cause it reduces the supply of food.

3. Trimming away terminal growths causes
forking which, obviously, increases or thick-
ens the branch system. It likewise encourages
fruit and flower production.

4, Winter pruning produces greater vigor
in limbs permitted to remain; summer pruning
produces more wood.

5. Light annual pruning is better than heavy
pruning done at longer intervals.

6. Dead wood should be removed at once, no
matter the season.

TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES

Modern methods now in vogue permit the
successful transplanting of trees of extraor-
dinary height and with an extensive spread of
roots. When, therefore, a lot is obtained upon
278 YARD AND GARDEN

which there are no old trees and upon which
it is desired to have trees of large size for im-
mediate effect, these may be employed. Of
course, while the tree presents no exception to
the rule that the younger a plant is the better
it withstands transplanting, still if the opera-
tion is carefully carried forward trees will suf-
fer few ill effects from the transplanting. The
principles governing the operation are the same
whether the tree is large or small; it is only
in their execution that there is a difference.
Small trees may be transplanted by hand,
whereas various mechanical devices have been
perfected for the safe transplanting of the
larger trees. By these devices or machines
an immense ball of earth is lifted with the
roots and the roots themselves are but slightly
damaged. Where these machines are not to be
had they may be approximated hy the use of
the riggings commonly employed by house
movers.

Many persons believe that the moving of
large trees, even when the operation is accom-
plished with apparent success and without evi-
dent damage to the root system, is invariably
an ultimate failure. They are inclined to be-
eve that smaller trees which have not been
TREES

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280 YARD AND GARDEN

subinitted to such violent disturbance quickly
overtake the larger trees. This idea arises, no
doubt, from the custom which still very gener-
ally prevails of moving trees with trunks six
to twelve inches in diameter, with only a small
ball of roots measuring, in some instances, only
three or four feet in diameter. This ball, as
small as it is, can not contain the larger roots
and, as from sixty to ninety per cent. of the
feeding roots are lost in the process, the tree
naturally receives a set-back from which it is
not likely to recover. It sends out its leaves,
using in this process the plant foods stored with-
in its cells but, having nothing with which to
replenish the supply, fails to support the foliage
and, in successive seasons, the leaves are less
plentiful, the branches die and the bark itself
perishes.

In the transplanting of large trees it is most
important to obtain all the roots possible. In
order to do this the digging should be begun at
a distance great enough from the trunk of the
tree to permit all the excavation that may be
necessary. As the ends of the roots are un-
covered they should be carefully lifted and tied
so as not to impede the progress of the work-
men or suffer damage at their hands. <As the
TREES 281

earth is removed from beneath the tree the tree
itself should be made secure by ropes which,
by the employment of pulleys, can be so ad-
justed as to give the tree at all stages of the
operation the necessary pitch to facilitate the
excavating. Supports should be placed under
the ball of earth remaining in contact with the
roots so that the tree will not be in danger of
falling into the hole made by the diggers.
Then, with the root system uncovered and
carefully tied-so that no damage will result,
by use of the ‘‘jacks’’ and other apparatus
commonly employed by house movers, the tree
may be lifted and brought to its final location.

TRANSPLANTING SMALL TREES

But, when a tree is small, we have no such
difficulties to encounter in transplanting it.
As already suggested, nursery-grown trees
which have been transplanted once or twice—
as most nursery trees are—prove the best.
They have been cultivated with a view to trans-
planting and withstand the operation much
more successfully. Such specimens, if sound,
full of life and planted in a favorable soil,
are almost sure to thrive. To make this surer,
however, it is necessary to remember a few
282 YARD AND GARDEN

fundamental principles in the treatment and
care of the stock that is being transplanted.
As soon as the tree is received from the nur-
sery, it should be pruned. First, cut out all
the broken branches; second, cut back all the
side branches to within a few inches of the
stem, leaving at least two sound buds; third,
the leader should be eut back; and fourth, all
the broken or bruised roots should be cut away
just above the wound with a sharp knife, mak-
ing the cut in such manner that, as the tree is
set on the bottom of the hole, the cut surface
of the remaining stub will come in direct con-
tact with the soil. It is also advisable to
shorten slightly any straggling roots which
may appear.

These rules apply particularly to fruit trees
that may be set out on the home grounds, but
in the planting of shade and ornamental trees
the process is not very different. Of course,
the owner does not relish the idea of buying
a fifteen-foot Norway maple, for instance, only
to cut off its top and half of its roots before
he plants it. But it is always best to cut back
the tops of the trees to a considerable degree
when they are transplanted, for the root SYS-
tem is almost invariably reduced and if the top
TREES 283

is not shortened in similar proportions the bal-
ance between roots and top,’which it is always
wise to preserve, is destroyed.

METHOD OF PLANTING

Deciduous trees must be transplanted either
very early in the spring, as soon as the ground
can be worked, or late in the fall after the leaves
have fallen. Possibly the best results follow
spring planting under ordinary conditions.
But, whichever the season selected, the hole to
receive the trees must be deeper and larger
than the root mass and in the bottom there
should be a liberal quantity of well-rotted
manure stirred in the sdil. On top of this in
turn there should be a layer of three or four
inches of good earth.

It is always best in setting the tree to have
at hand a quantity of finely pulverized soil
which may be thrown in as soon as the tree
is placed in position. As the hole is gradually
filled make sure that the dirt is pressed down
frequently and that the roots come in close and
intimate contact with the earth so that no air
spaces are left. Also make sure that the roots
are spread in a natural position and that no
two of them touch each other. Do not hesitate
284 YARD AND GARDEN

to firm the soil thoroughly about the roots so
that the new growth will be encouraged from
the beginning. While it is possible, of course,
to apply too much pressure to the soil about
the roots, more often the trouble is due to a
lack of pressure. Before the soil is made firm,
see that there is sufficient earth underlying the
roots to prevent any damage to them owing
to the pressure from above. When the roots
have been covered with earth and this has
been ‘‘firmed,’’ water should be applied liber-
ally. After this the remaining dirt should be
thrown in loosely and not tamped at all. Ap-
plied in this manner, it serves as a mulch and
is far better than when the soil is rendered
hard and compact from the surface down.

CULTIVATION

The planting does not represent the end of
the work by any means. Trees require plant
food and unless the soil is naturally very rich
this food must be supplied from time to time.
When the tree is planted on the lawn and lib-
eral dressings of manure are supplied for the
grass in the fall or spring, this usually will suf-
fice for the trees. But trees are always grate-
ful for plant food in any form, such as ground
TREES 285

bone and potash or other good commercial fer-
tilizers or barnyard manure. Watering also
should not be neglected while the tree is re-
covering from the shock of transplanting, and
the water should be so generously supplied that
there will be no chance of the moisture fail-
ing to reach the roots. Mere dampening of
the surface is of no benefit; the water must be
given in such quantity that it will saturate the
soil and penetrate to the roots. This takes
much more water than is commonly supposed,
for the diffusion of moisture through the soil
when supplied to the surface is so slow that
the beginner may imagine that, because a pud-
dle has been formed on top, the roots have been
plentifully supplied.

EVERGREENS

In the transplanting of evergreens more care
is necessary than with the deciduous trees.
They should be planted a full month before the
usual summer drought sets in or before the
cold of winter is due. This advice is made
reasonable at once when it is considered that
the roots of evergreens must supply the foliage
with moisture every day in the year. There-
fore, if established before natural conditions
286 YARD AND GARDEN

begin to tax all the energies and resources of
the trees, they are more likely to sueceed. In
winter, for instance, a few days of sunshine
will prove a severe trial for even an old-estab-
lished tree; the leaves dry faster than the
frozen 100ts can replace the sap lost. A newly
planted tree, under such conditions, would suf-
fer severely, for the roots, broken and bruised,
would find the task too much for them in their
enfeebled condition. So far as transplanting
in summer is concerned, it must be remembered
that evergreens are far more sensitive than de-
ciduous trees to drying of the roots. The
presence of the resinous sap is the explanation;
this, when slightly dried, hardens. On this ac-
count, avoid exposing the roots of evergreens
to the sun or wind; even when conveying the
trees only a short distance, puddle the roots or
wrap them in wet sackcloth. See to it also
that all ragged ends of roots are neatly
trimmed, cutting off the broken end square and
clean. But never prune the foliage. The
leader may he eut out if considered necessary,
but, further than this, no trimming should be
done. Not enough can be accomplished in the
way of restoring the balance between root and
‘top growth to make the pruning of value, while
TREES

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288 YARD AND GARDEN

even a little pruning—in addition to cutting
back the leader—will mar the symmetry and
beauty of the specimen.

SELECTING TREES

American and European nurseries offer more
than six hundred species of trees that are
hardy in the northern and middle states of
this country. Of this number nearly two hun-
dred and fifty are natives of America; the
others come from eastern, western and central
Asia and Europe. From such a list, of course,
it is possible to make selections almost without
limit, but only such trees should be planted as
are well adapted to the conditions under which
they are to be grown. On this account native
trees are always to be preferred, for these will
be better suited to the climate and soil and ac-
cordingly will be more likely to succeed.

The selection of trees for street and avenue
planting is a matter of much importance. No
matter how imposing may be the architecture
of a city, the foliage of trees will enhance its
value; on the other hand, no matter how un-
pretentious, even ugly, the structures may be,
the trees will lend them beauty. They provide
grateful shade in summer for overheated man
TREES 289

and beast and, from a pecuniary point of view,
they are a good investment, attracting atten-
tion and inviting home-seekers. Fortunately
the list from which we can select for this pur-
pose is large and varied, but the following are
undoubtedly the best, all considered: The
American elm (Ulmus Americana); the Eng-
lish elm (Ulmus campestris); the horse chest-
nut (Zsculus Hippocastanum) ; the silver ma-
ple (Acer saccharinum); the American ash
(Fraxinus Americana); the buttonwood or
sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) ; the maiden-
hair tree (Ginkgo biloba); the rock or sugar
maple (Acer saccharum); the Norway maple
(Acer platanoides) ; ‘the American beech (Fa-
gus ferruginea); the white poplar (Populus
alba) ; the American linden ( Tilia Americana) ;
the European linden (Tilia vulgaris) ; the tree
of Heaven (Ailanthus glandulosa); the white
willow (Salix alba); the tulip tree (Lirioden-
dron tulipifera) ; the red oak (Quercus rubra) ;
and the pin oak (Quercus palustris).

In the planting of street trees, sanitary and
hygienic conditions must be considered. The
streets should not be too shaded, nor should the
trees themselves be crowded. The minimum
distance apart for setting the trees fixed by
290 YARD AND GARDEN

experts is sixty feet, but in the case of the
large growers, like the elms and soft maples,
seventy-five feet would probably be better. It
is usually found, however, that the distance is
much less, each owner of a small lot planting
two or three trees in the immediate front of
his own home without regard to the proximity
of neighboring trees. This is very likely to
continue the case until municipal governments
realize not only the advantages but the neces-
sity of taking in hand the street planting as
they have the control, the management and the
ornamental planting of the public parks.

TREE-DESTROYERS

Trees planted in cities are established under
artificial conditions and, in the care bestowed
upon them, this fact must not be overlooked.
A specimen growing in the open field, under
normal conditions, will in most instances take
eare of itself; it requires no pruning—it
prunes itself—and, in other respects, it thrives
best, probably, when left to its own devices.
But the same tree transplanted to a city site is
introduced to abnormal conditions; the atmos-
phere is smothery with smoke, buildings crowd
it, electric light wires burn it, leaking gas suf-
TREES 291

_focates it, and careless excavators shatter its
roots. It becomes an easy prey to insects and
an easy victim of disease. It requires atten-
tion, even some coddling, and unless attention
is given it, its health is not likely to be remark-
able. But it resents misdirected efforts in its
behalf as much as it resents the infliction of
damage due to less considerate motives. And
probably the most persistent source of disas-
ter is the ignorant laborer armed with pruning
shears and saw to whom reference has already
been made. Still he is not alone in the cate-
gory of tree-destroyers. In every tree-top we
can read the history of some great fight with
impending disaster. Leaf, flower, fruit, twig
and branch recite the story to those who know
the language, while, underground, other dis-
closures await the intelligent investigator.
Some of the enemies are natural but many of
them can be traced to man and man’s civiliza-
tion.

Insects come first. After these the most de-
structive agent is fire. Winds, lightning, ice,
drought and flood all cause damage; fungi at-
tack the wood; wasteful lumbermen deplete the
forests and bacterial and constitutional dis-
eases lurk where least suspected.
a2 YARD AND GARDEN

The insects may be combated with success if,
the battle is begun in time. Borers, infesting
the solid wood, tunneling and cutting it into
channels; sucking insects, puncturing the skin
of leaves, fruit, twigs or roots and withdraw-
ing the juices; chewing insects, devouring the
substance of leaves and other parts of the tree
—all these can be exterminated by the use of
poisons, sprayed or fumigated, or by the em-
ployment of mechanical means. The borers
must be dug out, but the chewing insects may
be killed hy spraying poison—Paris green or
arsenic of lead, for instance—on their food.
The sucking insects are killed by spraying
with kerosene and water, made into an emul-
sion, with whale-oil soap or with a mixture of
lime and sulphur in solution. These sprays
choke or smother the insect or so injure the
body wall that the tree enemy succumbs.
CHAPTER XIV

SOIL AND FERTILIZERS

Science, with all its discoveries, has not yet
solved the mystery of soil. It has learned
much from practical experiment and labora-
tory investigation, but it has not yet unriddled
the riddle of the soil’s support of plant life.
We are still in the dark as to the nature
of many of the substances which contribute to
the formation of soil and we know no more of
the part they play in plant nutrition. We
know, in fact, little more than that the soil, far
from being a dead, inert mass, is teeming with
living organisms that are constantly at work.
It is, as it has been described, a laboratory in
which wonderful chemical actions are taking
place whereby food for vegetable life is sup-
plied and means provided for its assimilation
by plant roots.

But with the theory of all this, the gardener
has little to do. Like the electrician who
harnesses a power whose very nature is a mys-

293
9

 

94

YARD AND GARDEN

Decorative Value of the Haw
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 295

tery, the cultivator may proceed to turn to
practical use what Nature has provided even
though he has no intimate knowledge of the
purposes or the processes involved. Ex-
perience must be his teacher and, in this in-
stance, at least, it is a good instructor.

COMPOSITION OF SOIL

Plants, we know, must feed and breathe if
they are to live. We know further that some
soils provide the plants with the necessities of
life in plentiful quantity, others half starve
«ethem and still others feed them not at all. It
is obvious that the gardener, if he is to have
healthful, fully developed plants, must obtain,
at first hand or by cultivation, soil conditions
that will provide his plants with all they de-
mand.

Soil, in a physical sense, is a substance com-
posed chiefly of minute fragments of mineral
matter with which is mixed decayed vegetable
and animal matter. According to its compo-
sition it is one of three types — sand, clay or
humus. Sandy soil contains 80 to 100 per cent.
of sand, and, owing to the absence of vegetable
or animal matter in any appreciable propor-
tions, supplies but little nutriment to growing
296 YARD AND GARDEN

plants. It is valuable, however, as a medium
in which to root cuttings, for fungus diseases
seldom develop in such a soil, and, as the
plantlets, until their roots have sprouted, re-
quire little nourishment, outside of what is ob-
tained through the water applied, no soil is
better adapted to the purpose than that which
is sandy.

Clay soils contain only a small proportion of
sand—from 0 to 20 per cent.—and, unless in
some manner more sand is added, it is of little
value for plant raising. It contains an abun-
dance of plant food, but, owing to the fact that:
the food is unavailable, plant life can not
thrive in such a rooting medium. The small
particles of soil are tightly compressed in clay
and, though these absorb moisture, they give
it off reluctantly. Roots suffer not only on
this account but also through their inability to
penetrate into the compact mass.

Humus is decayed vegetable matter and may,
in turn, be divided into two classes. The first
is composed of vegetable matter which has
come to decay in dry earth and is known as
leaf-mold. The second is composed of vegeta-
ble matter which has decayed under the water
of bogs or swamps and is known as peat. Both
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 297

are important constituents of good garden
soil, but neither is supplied with all the nutri-
tive substances demanded by plants for their
development. Both are light and porous and
_ are used to mix with stiffer soils to impart to
the latter the two qualities for which they are
most noteworthy.

Soils, as they are found in yards, gardens
and fields, are mixtures. They partake of the
character of one or another of the types ac-
cording to which contributes most to the com-
position. A sandy soil, for instance, is that
in which sand predominates, while a stiff,
heavy soil, or clay soil, contains a greater
quantity of clay than a well-proportioned soil
should contain. These mixtures have in their
turn been named. First, there is loam, a soil
in which there is from 40 to 60 per cent. of
sand and the rest clay. This is the basis. If
a loam contains more sand—from 60 to 80
per cent.—it is known as a ‘‘sandy loam’’; if
it contains less— 20 to 40 per cent.—it is
known as a ‘‘ clay loam.’’ In most instances,
some of the sand and clay is replaced by humus
and, if the quantity be large, the soil is desig-
nated as ‘‘ black loam.’’

Plant food is of three kinds—water, chem-
298 YARD AND GARDEN

ical substances and gases. The first is essen-
tial not only as a source of food but as a food
solvent and a distributing agency of many es-
sential inorganic substances which plant life
requires. The principal chemical substances
demanded by plants are potash, phosphorus
and lime; and the gases are nitrogen, oxygen,
carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Most of these
are present in the average soils of meadows,
but if the soil lacks them, they must be sup-
plied in greater or less quantities and in avail-
able form before sturdy plants of any sort can
be raised. This we do by applying fertilizers.

GOOD GARDEN SOIL

Fertilizers, however, will not put poor soil
into good mechanical condition. We might apply
hundreds of pounds of any or all of these ferti-
lizers to clay and still the plants supported by
the soil would not prosper. This would be due
to the fact that the food so supplied is not avail-
able. The mechanical condition of the soil
would prevent the proper assimilation of the
food and the plants would perish. To get soil,
therefore, into the best condition, we must first
of all cultivate it, work it and see to it that,
from the mechanical viewpoint, it does not pos-
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 299

sess an injurious surplus of sand or clay or
humus. If the soil of our yards is too heavy,
sand must be added; if too light, we must sup-
ply clay and humus.

The matter is simple, and the amateur must
not permit himself to become confused by tech-
nical terms or to believe that the soil in his

 

Colony of Sedum spectabile in Poor Soil

yard is ‘‘impossible.’’ Soil can usually be put
into very good condition by no other process
than thorough cultivation. It is not wise, there-
fore, to be too hasty in deciding that the soil
at your disposal is not good soil. In not a
few instances, the amateur, bent upon supply-
ing all the best conditions for plant growth,
300 YARD AND GARDEN

fancies that new soil is necessary. The old
soil is removed and, in its place, new earth
is deposited. The expense is great, but the
real extravagance is only evident when it is
learned subsequently that the work was alto-
gether unnecessary. The author recalls one
instance in which he was informed by an en-
thusiastic beginner that the soil in the yard
where the latter expected to establish his gar-
den was worthless. A visit to the place, how-
ever, disclosed the fact that a rank growth of
weeds had sprung up and was thriving so lux-
uriantly that there could be no question of the
value of the soil on hand. In another in-
stance, over one hundred loads of soil were
carted away from a back-yard and dumped up-
on a vacant lot. This was done, of course,
to make a place for good soil. Two months
later, the weeds upon the ‘‘poor’’ soil stood
higher than a man’s head and a colony of nas-
turtiums had established itself and was produc-
ing blooms finer than those the hasty begin-
ner was coaxing in his new soil.

Sorauer, in his Physiology of Plants, says:
‘The ideal condition of a soil is one in which
it resembles a sponge, and in which it will re-
tain the greatest amount of nutritive substances
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 301

and water without losing its.capacity for absorb-
ing air.’’

No briefer or more practical definition could
be made and if the amateur pays heed to it
many gardening problems and disappointments
will be avoided. Cultivation is obviously the
first means to the end, for not only does it
bring the soil to good condition, but it renders
* available such plant food as it contains, and
prepares the earth for the reception of addi-
tional nutritive substances. At the same time,
‘cultivation enables the gardener to provide,
even in limited space, the soil most suitable for
the plants he may desire to grow. For in-
stance, if his soil be of a heavy nature, contain-
ing less sand than it should, it will need com-
paratively little modifying to make it fit for the
growth of roses, plants that prefer such soil
conditions. On the other hand, in the bed
wherein he may desire to grow pansies, he will
find that the addition of leaf-mold will insure
him more vigorous plants and more profuse
and larger blooms.

CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL

It follows, consequently, that if there be in
the beginning a workable foundation, it is bet-
302 YARD AND GARDEN

ter to bring it to the fittest condition by careful
cultivation than to remove it entirely and sub-
stitute a better soil, perhaps, but one which,
after all, must be considerably modified to meet
the demands of various plants. But, whether
the soil is new or old, it must be well worked.
Plow it or spade it and in either case make sure
that the cultivation is deep and thorough.
There is no better method of preparing the
soil than that which the English gardener
terms ‘‘bastard trenching.’’ It is effective
and not difficult to execute. The top soil to
the depth of one foot is removed; pulverized
as it is thrown to one side, and the underlying
soil is spaded to the depth of a foot. The sur-
face earth is then replaced in its original po-
sition. It is at once apparent that this method
of digging garden beds and borders permits
not only a thorough tillage of the soil but the
addition of fertilizer and its complete incor-
poration with the earth. It affords, too, a sim-
ple means for the preparation of the soil for
plants which may require special rooting me-
diums; humus may be added while the opera-
tion is in progress or sand or heavy soil may
replace that which is not of proper physical
condition. The process, moreover, insures the
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 303

removal of all stones and rubbish from the
beds and borders so treated and discloses the
necessity—should it exist—for providing
drainage.

DRAINAGE

The subject of drainage should not be over-
looked by the gardener, for it often means
success or failure. In cases where the garden
is small, confined to a bed or border, drainage
may not play an important part. Still, even
in such instances, a water-logged soil is ob-
viously not desirable. It can be corrected by

>: removing the earth entirely to a depth of thirty

inches and, after setting a five-inch layer of
gravel in the bottom, refilling, being careful to
replace the surface soil on top. Where, how-
ever, larger areas are to be drained, tile pipe,
set in runs, should be used.

FERTILIZERS

The use of fertilizers is a matter that proves
difficult for the beginner to master. He is far
more likely to surfeit his plants on too much
than to starve them on too little, and, so far as
this danger is concerned, he must depend upon
his own judgment to avoid it. No rule can be
laid down for the application of animal ma-
304 YARD AND GARDEN

nures or of those in chemical form, for soils
differ materially and what might be right in
one case would prove too much or too little in
another. If, however, the amateur confines
himself in the beginning to the use of animal
manures, he will materially reduce the risk.
Of these manures, produced by cow, horse,
sheep and poultry, cow manure is the best and
safest. In any event, it is most generally ap-
plied and the best for the greatest number of
plants. Horse manure is more heating and,
with hen manure, should’be used on stiff,
cold soils rather than upon a warm, sandy com-
post.

All animal manure should be well rotted be-
fore it is applied. Make use of it only after it
has stood at least six months and, during this
period, been forked over frequently. It should
then assume much of the appearance of rich,
black earth, should be fine and should retain
very little, if, indeed, any of its original form.
So far as the quantity to be applied is con-
cerned, here, as already stated, the gardener’s
judgment must come into play, but, under av-
erage conditions, a wheel-barrow load to a
square yard is as much as should be used. This
is ample for strong-growing plants and for well
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 305

established shrubs; less should be distributed
for plants of weaker growth.

Hen manure supplies fertilizing elements in
more concentrated form than the other barn-
yard products and, on this account, should be
applied cautiously. It is best used when mixed
with an equal quantity of loam or leaf-mold.
Sheep manure is also a strong fertilizer and,
while it is to be recommended, especially
as it can be had in pulverized form, it
is best applied as a liquid fertilizer. Make
the solution by suspending a bag containing
one pound in five gallons of water: When the
solution assumes the color of tea, apply it to
the beds or borders.

Cow manure may be applied in the same
manner, using a bushel to fifty gallons of water.
Another fertilizer which is readily applied in
this manner is soot—soft coal soot. Soot
water is made by suspending a bag containing
one-half pint of soot in ten gallons of water.
Soot, however, is a valuable stimulant when ap-
plied directly to the soil. It imparts a glossy
dark green foliage and healthy vigor to many
plants and, in both the flower and vegetable
gardens, does much to banish pests such as
caterpillars and leaf-miners.
 

soil which the

growing in

owner considered “ impossible ”

Blue Day Lily (Funkia Fortune)
SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 307

Hard-wood ashes, kept dry, are also valuable,
not only as a fertilizer but as a preventive of in-
sects. They should not be mixed with manure
but should be strewn over the surfaces of beds
or borders after the other manures have be-
come incorporated with the soil.

Flowers and shrubs require a considerable
quantity of phosphoric acid. Ground bone
may be used to supply the demand and, besides
containing this element, it also supplies nitro-
gen. A good dressing, to be mixed with the
soil or applied to the surface in the autumn, is
made of four parts of ground bone and one of
muriate of potash. The mixture should be ap-
plied at the rate of one pound to fifty or sixty
square feet of surface.

Nitrate of soda encourages luxuriant growth
of stalk and foliage rather than of flowers. It
should be applied at the rate of one ounce to
the square yard.

A convenient and satisfactory liquid fertilizer
can be made of the commercial fertilizers as
follows:

5 oz. sulphate of potash
1 Ib. nitrate of soda
1 lb. monobasie caleium phosphate

These are added to one gallon of water and
this solution, in turn, is diluted from fifteen to
308 YARD AND GARDEN

thirty times, beginning with the weaker solu-
tion and, as growth progresses, gradually
increasing the strength until the more concen-
trated solution is being employed. When used
on lawns to hasten growth, the proportion of
nitrate of soda should be doubled and the eal-
cium phosphate reduced by half, but, if used on
plants, especially those grown in pots, reduce
the nitrate one-half and double the amount of
potash.
CHAPTER XV

INSECTS AND DISEASES

No sooner is a plant established or a garden
planted than the gardener must begin his war
against insect and disease. If it is not the one
that menaces his plants, it is the other, and,
not infrequently, both are present to work
havoe if the planter is not on his guard. In
the case of both, an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure and, while preventive
measures do not always insure the freedom of
a yard, garden, orchard, shrubbery or planta-
tion of shade trees from attack, at least they
give the insects and diseases less opportunity
to gain hold. Moreover, their exercise means
a thoroughness that will result in the immedi-
ate detection of an invasion and the subsequent
attack upon the enemy before opportunity has
been afforded for its establishing itself.

CLEANLINESS THE BEST PREVENTIVE

Cleanliness is the first and foremost means
to the end. Keep the yard clean, the shrub-
309
310 YARD AND GARDEN

bery borders free from weeds and the hardy
borders and flower-beds in a high state of culti-
vation. Remove dead leaves, twigs and limbs
and, if they appear to have perished from some
abnormal cause, burn them. Be cautious in
what you deposit on the compost bed for, very
often, disease is reintroduced into the garden
by using decayed vegetable matter that is in-
fested with disease or in which are deposited
the eggs of destructive insects. In many in-
stances, when an entire plant or shrub is badly
attacked, it is best to remove the stricken plant
at once and burn it without delay.

METHODS OF DESTROYING INSECTS

With the origin, history and classification of
the various destructive insects, the gardener
is not greatly concerned. It is more to his ad-
vantage to know their habits, for it is through
a knowledge of these that he is enabled to com-
bat them. He must know, first of all, whether
the insect which has invaded his garden or his
orchard is a biting or a sucking insect. If the
former, direct poisons, such as the arsenicals,
are employed, for insects of this class actually
masticate and swallow some portion of the solid
substance of the plant, as the wood, bark,
311

INSECTS AND DISEASES

 

the Average City Yard

im

Kasily Done

Spraying |
312 YARD AND GARDEN

leaves, fruit or flower. If the insect, however,
is of the sucking variety, injuring plants by the
gradual consumption of plant juices—such as
the thrips, plant-lice, scale insects and mites—
then a poison must be used that will act exter-
nally upon the bodies of the insects. Obtaining
their food by inserting their sucking beaks into

   

Typical Chewing Insect (Cecropia moth)

the soft tissues of the plant that He below the
external covering, they escape poisons that
would prove fatal to the chewing insect and
must be combated, therefore, by other and more
direct means, such as the employment of caus-
tie substances, those that will smother them by
closing or clogging their breathing pores, or
INSECTS AND DISEASES 313

exterminate them by filling the air surrounding
them with poisonous fumes.

The following table lists the insects most
commonly met with and prescribes the poison
for each, giving at the same time the names of
the plants most frequently attacked.*

Ants—Usually harmful only on the lawn.
Pour a teaspoonful of bisulphate of carbon in
the holes and immediately cover or plug.

Aphis—Plant-lice, pale or dark green, brown
or black, found on stems and leaves all sea-
son outdoors and on indoor plants all winter.
Spray with whale-oil soap or fumigate with to-
bacco.

Borer—Many trees in addition to the maple
are attacked by borers. The round-lheaded
apple borer and the flat-headed borer attack
the apple and the thorn; the peach borer attacks
the plum, peach and cherry, and other trees,
such as the poplar, willow, linden, locust, etc.
Apply the same treatment as that prescribed
for the maple-borer.

Black Lice—See Aphis.

* The author is indebted for much of the matter on this sub-
ject to the various bulletins issued by the Department of Agri-
culture and especially to Benjamin W. Douglass, State Ento-

mologist of Indiana, not only for assistance frequently ren-
dered, but for many photographs as well.
314 YARD AND GARDEN

Canker Worm—This insect feeds on the
leaves, devouring all save the skeleton and mid-
rib and giving to the tree attacked the appear-
ance of having suffered from exposure to fire.
It is a dull-colored measuring worm, and drops
from the tree by a thread web. Bands of tar
or sticky paper may be used with good results,
provided the bands are employed from the mid-
dle of November to the latter part of April.
Spraying with Paris green or arsenate of lead
is also effective.

Catalpa Sphina—The so-called Catalpa
Sphinx is difficult to control, owing to the char-
acter of the plants it feeds on. Neither spray-
ing nor hand picking is practical, and the only
method of control seems to be thorough cul-
tivation under the trees in both late fall and
early spring.

Chrysauthemum Lice—See Aphis.

Codlin Moth—It is the presence of this insect
that makes apple growing difficult in this coun-
try. The insect hatches from the cocoons in
the late spring and at once lays its eggs on
the young apples, mostly at the flower end.
The trees should he spraved just after the
blossoms fall so as to fill the calyx with the
poison, aS many of the young larve enter the
INSECTS AND DISEASES 315

fruit at this point. In case of very wet weather
it is advisable to give a second spraying about
two weeks later and again early in July. The
late spraying is to meet a second brood which
appears about that time. The first spraying
may be of Paris green or other arensic poison,
the subsequent ones with poisoned Bordeaux.

Cottonwood-leaf Beetle—Striped beetle at-
tacking poplars and willows and feeding on
leaves and shoots. Apply arsenites.

Cutworm—Devours flowers and foliage. Use
arsenite spray.

Curculio—This is a small beetle that affects
cherries, apples and plums—notably the last.
The adult beetles have a habit of feeding on
the fruit and some of them may be poisoned
with a Paris green spray applied just after the
blossoms fall. It is also possible to gather the
small beetles by jarring them down from the
tree and catching them on sheets spread on the
ground. Especially constructed ‘‘Curculio
catchers’’ are sometimes employed for this pur-
pose and are made so that they may be moved
from tree to tree. The insects are collected
from the sheet and destroyed.

Earthworms—Troublesome only in potted
soil. Water with brine water.
316 YARD AND GARDEN

Elm Beetle—Yellowish-brown color, one-
fourth inch long. Appears in early summer.
Feeds on leaves. Spray with Paris green last
of May or early in June and again about the
iniddle of June or use arsenites with kerosene
emulsion.

Elm Scale—Small, soft scale insect of whitish
color. Appears on underside of branches.
Spray with kerosene emulsion the first two
weeks in June.

Fall Web-worm—tLarva one inch long, hairy.
Very destructive, feeding on the leaves of al-
most all the trees. Burn the webs where
-formed. Spray with arsenites.

Four-striped Plant Bug—A_ yellow, black-
striped bug, one-fourth inch ‘long. Punctures
young leaves and shoots of many plants, espe-
cially the dahlia. Hand pick or spray with
kerosene emulsion.

Green-fly—sSee Aphis.

Hollyhock Bug—Small bug of greenish color
that causes serious injury to hollyhocks. Spray
with kerosene emulsion.

Leaf-cutter — Yellowish-green caterpillar
about one inch long, black spots. Appears in
June and July. Spray with tobacco or ker-
osene emulsion.
INSECTS AND DISEASES 317

LInce—See Aphis.

Maple Borer—Dangerous insect enemy be-
cause its presence is difficult to detect before
serious injury has been done. It is a beetle
with yellowish head, body an inch long and
wings yellow and black. Appears in July and
August. The only sure remedy is to dig the
borers out. The trunk may also be painted
with lime wash containing Paris green at the
rate of 5 oz. to the gallon.

Maple Cotton or Woolly Scale—Body of in-
sect and mass of eggs are covered with a white,
cotton-like substance. Attacks soft maples,
also occasionally elms, chestnuts and lindens.
Spray with lime-sulphur wash in water. or
whale-oil soap.

Mealy-bug—White, scale-like insect fre-
quently attacking plants under glass. Spray
with whale-oil soap or syringe with clear water
thrown in a hard stream. Dip small potted
plants in water heated to a temperature of 125°
Fahrenheit.

Mite—Resembles red-spider but is lighter in
color. Feeds on under side of leaves, espe-
cially of greenhouse plants. Spray with kero-
sene emulsion, applying at frequent intervals
and, after an hour or two, wash off the spray.
318 YARD AND GARDEN

Also use fir-tree oil which is safer in the hands
of the amateur.

Oyster-shell Scale—Resembles oyster shell
in shape. Attacks willows, lilacs, ash, apples,
ete. Same remedies as those prescribed for
San José scale.

Red-spider—Small insects difficult to detect

    

a

San José Scale Oyster Shell Scale

before serious damage has been done and
foliage begins to blanch. Spray with clear
water applied with some force, or sulphur.
Kerosene emulsion is also effective. The mites
do not live in a damp atmosphere.

Rose Chafer or Bug—Brown beetle, also
known as rose-beetle, eating flowers, and ap-
INSECTS AND DISEASES 319

pearing in May and June. LHasiest removed by
hand picking. Spray with arsenate of lead.
Hot water at a temperature of 125° Fahren-
heit is also effective.

Rose-leaf Hopper—A small whitish-green
bug, quickly flying or jumping whenever the
bushes are jarred. Appears in July. Sucks
the foliage. Spray with kerosene emulsion,
whale-oil soap or tobacco. Pyrethrum powder
blown on the leaves when damp is another
remedy.

Rose Scale—A white scale incrusting the
eanes. Appears all the year. Spray with
kerosene emulsion in latter part of May and
remove badly infested canes.

Rose Slug—aA slug-like larva that devours
the surface of the leaves, appears in June, July
and August. Spray with ammoniacal copper
carbonate once every eight or ten days.

San José Scale—Scale insect spreading rap-
idly where it gains a foothold. Circular, one-
sixteenth of an inch in diameter. Kerosene
emulsion, whale-oil soap and lime-sulphur wash
(the last in winter only).

Scurfy Scale—While common and widely dis-
tributed, this scale has seldom become numer-
ous enough to cause any material damage.
320 YARD AND GARDEN

Under favorable conditions it may become de-
structive, and wherever it seems to be multi-
plying it would be advisable to use the same
measures recommended for the San José seale.

Snails—Troublesome usually only in green-
houses. Trap them with pieces of turnip; dust
lime about the plants.

  

Fall Web-Worm Scurfy Seale

Tussock Moth—This troublesome insect is
usually periodical in its attacks on trees. The
moth winters in the egg state, and early in the
summer the voung larve hatch and at once
crawl to the foliage and begin to feed. The
eges are laid by the female moth on the old co-
coons, and as these cocoons are frequently sit-
INSECTS AND DISEASES 321

uated on houses and other objects away from
the trees the young can be kept from the foliage
by banding the trees with some sticky prepara-
tion which will keep them from crawling up
the trunk. In the winter the cocoons bearing
egg masses should be collected and burned so
as to destroy all the young that are present.
A favorite place for the situation of cocoons
is under the overlapping weather-boards on the
sides of houses. In summer, after the cater-
pillars make their appearance, they can be de-
stroyed by spraying the trees with Paris green
solution. [Douglass.]

Verbena Mite—See Mite.

Willow-worm—Long, black larva feeding on
leaves of willow, poplar and elm. Arsenite
sprays are remedies.

INSECTICIDES

The following mixtures are referred to in the
list of insects:

Arsenate of Lead—Four ounces to five gal-
lons of water. This insecticide can be used
with comparative safety on plants of delicate
foliage.

Paris Green—To ten gallons of water add
-one ounce of Paris green and two ounces of
022 YARD AND GARDEN

freshly slaked stone lime. Keep well mixed
while applying the spray.

London Purple—Use in same manner as
Paris green.

Kerosene Emulsion—Dissolve one-half pound
of soap in one gallon of boiling water. Add
two gallons of kerosene and agitate or churn
violently for five or ten minutes. Dilute from
four to fifteen times before applying with the
spray.

Lime-suphur—This should be combined as
follows:

TAGS £6 dod eee dre ere eee eee 50, 5, or 1 pounds
Sulphur’ ica seve awa. seam 50, 5, or 1 pounds
Ale Gs oe eek oo BAERS eRe eS 50, 5, or 1 pounds
WRU - cca aar deg het dae eee 150, 15, or 3 gallons

Add enough water to the lime to slake it thor-
oughly and immediately add the sulphur. Boil
for an hour or so with only water enough to
keep the mass liquid until the solution becomes
a deep amber color. Have the salt dissolved
in water and add it to the boiling mass. After
it has all been mixed together boil for at least
an hour and then add water enough to make up
the one hundred and fifty gallons or the lesser
quantities, and spray it as soon as possible. It
is more efficient when used warm and some of
the failures with this wash are undoubtedly due
INSECTS AND DISEASES 323

to the use of stale solutions and careless boil-
ing. [Douglass.]

Pyrethrum—uwse dry, as a powder, or in sol-
ution in water, 1 ounce to 3 gallons.

Sulphur—F lowers of sulphur may be ap-
plied in connection with other sprays or used
in dry form. When used in the former way,
add from one to two pounds to every fifty gal-
lons of spray. It may be applied also at the
rate of one ounce to one gallon of water.

Tobacco—Steep stems or leaves in hot water
in covered vessel and dilute three to five times
when applying. The tobacco extracts are the
best.

Whale-oil Soap—Dissolve two pounds in one
gallon hot water and dilute two to five times
; before spraying.

PLANT DISEASES

The garden, even when the plantation is
small, will very likely be affected sooner or
later by some plant-disease. Soil conditions or
the introduction of affected stock may account
for the appearance of disease, but, to whatever
source it may owe its origin, immediate treat-
ment is necessary. There is no better fungi-
cide than the Bordeaux mixture, but as it
32d YARD AND GARDEN

discolors foliage, flowers and fruit, on all orna-
mental plants where discoloration would be ob-
jectionable, ammoniacal carbonate of copper
should be employed. The following are the
chief diseases :

Anthracnose—Scab-like spots of grayish
brown color appearing on bases of leaves of
carnations. Attacks also beans, watermelon,
ete. Apply copper sprays, Bordeaux or sul-
phur and water.

Chrysanthemum  Leaf-spot—Dark brown
spots first appear on leaves and increase in
size until the leaf withers. Remove all dis-
eased leaves and spray with ammoniacal car-
bonate of copper or Bordeaux.

Damping-off—This is a term used by florists
to deserihbe the decay of seedlings or cuttings
at a point near the surface of the soil in the
seed flat or pot or sand bed. It is believed
to be the result of fungi. Permitting fresh air
to enter by careful ventilation and preventing
erowding of the plantlets, dusting the plants
with sulphur and sifting hot clean sand on the
surface of the soil are the preventives and rem-
edies.

Hollyhock Rust—<Attacks hollyhocks and
allied plants, appearing on the leaves in the
INSECTS AND DISEASES 325

 

Work of the Catalpa Sphinx Moth
326 YARD AND GARDEN

form of light brown patches. Destroy affected
plants and apply Bordeaux liberally.

Leaf-blight—This attacks and destroys only
portions of leaves, whereas the leaf-rust pro-
duces masses of spores on all the surface of
the leaves. Sometimes called ‘‘leaf-spot.’’
Attacks roses, maples, cherries, sycamores, eto.
Same remedy provided for leaf-rust.

Leaf-rust—Asters are mainly the victims of
this disease. The leaves are discolored by
orange-colored spots, usually underneath, and
the foliage shrivels. Spray with Bordeaux or
ammoniacal carbonate of copper.

Maple Leaf-spot—Silver, red and striped
maples are victims of this disease. The leaves
become spotted and ugly and the vigor of the
tree is impaired. Burn fallen leaves and when
the foliage is one-half expanded in spring begin
to spray with Bordeaux, and repeat at fre-
quent intervals until the disease is checked.

Mildew—White patches appearing on leaves
or other parts. The most destructive are
downy mildew of the hlac, rose mildew and
powdery mildew of the hawthorn, cherry and
plum. Spray with Bordeaux or ammoniacal
carbonate of copper. Dust on sulphur.

Pansy Rust—Brown or dark spots appear
INSECTS AND DISEASES 327

on the leaves. Apply ammoniacal carbonate of
copper or Bordeaux.

Rose Leaf-blight’ (black spots)—Makes its
appeanance first in the form of small black
spots on the full-grown leaves but rapidly
spreads over the entire surface. Spray with
Bordeaux or ammoniacal carbonate of copper,
applied before leaves unfold.

Rust—Attacks carnations producing gray
blisters on the leaves, the spots eventually
bursting. Spray with Bordeaux.

Verbena Rust—Whitish, mildew-like disease
attacking the leaves and usually killing the
plants. Spray with sulphide of potassium
every four or five days.

FUNGICIDES

Sulphate of Potassium——Use at the rate of
one-fourth to one ounce in a gallon of water.

Ammoniacal Carbonate of Copper—Dissolve
one ounce of copper carbonate in one-half pint
of ammonia diluted with two quarts of water,
and dilute to ten gallons of water.

Bordeaux Miature—In a wooden or earthen
vessel containing four ‘to six gallons of water
dissolve six pounds of copper sulphate by sus-
pending it in a bag made of coarse cloth. When
328 YARD AND GARDEN

dissolved, dilute by adding enough water to
make twenty-five gallons. Slake four pounds
of lime—making sure it is not ‘‘patent’’ lime—
by covering with water and, when solution has
““eooled,’’ add enough water to make twenty-
five gallons. Mix by pouring the two together.

Sulphur—Procure ‘‘flowers of sulphur.’’
Use either in dry state or at the rate of one
ounce in five gallons of water.
CHAPTER XVI

THE INDOOR WINTER WINDOW GARDEN

When autumn frost puts an end to operations
in the outdoor garden, it need not by any means
deter the enthusiastic gardener from the pur-
suit and pleasure of his summer avocation. If
there is a window—even a sunless window
where only daylight penetrates—establish an
indoor winter garden. In seasons gone hy, per-
haps the gardener has made the experiment
and only failure has resulted, but let him not be
discouraged on that account; let the failure
be a lesson, not an obstacle, borrow encourage-
ment from disaster and refuse to be dismayed
by failure. For the fault, in nine cases out of
ten, was the gardener’s. The plants selected
were not suitable for the exposure afforded by
the indoor garden, or else—as is often the case
_—too late a beginning was made. Bulbs will
bloom, vines grow, plants produce their flowers
and foliage, but if these results are to be ob-
tained, the gardener must choose wisely and
early and tend his garden faithfully.

B29
330 YARD AND GARDEN

 

Paris Daisies (Chrysanthemum frutcseens)
THE WINDOW GARDEN 331

AN EARLY BEGINNING ADVISABLE

It is essential for him to select carefully, for
plants differ radically in the treatment they re-
quire. A plant that requires sun will not thrive
without sun; a plant that requires for its de-
velopment a cold-house temperature will not
prosper in the close, hot, dry atmosphere.of a
living-room. And it is essential for him to
make an early beginning because plants ma-
tured under the favorable conditions of hot-
house cultivation suffer a fatal check as a rule
when transferred from their congenial sur-
roundings to the less advantageous environment
of a residence window. Frequently, they fail
utterly to revive, bear no flowers, and assume
a ragged, sickly appearance that robs them of
all decorative value.

On the contrary, if the window-gardener
makes an early selection of plants, he obtains
young stock—which is cheaper—and, if this
suffers from the shock of transfer, usually it
will recover all of its original strength, accus-
tom itself to its new quarters and reward the
purchaser for his forethought with luxuriant
foliage and well-developed bloom. :
332 YARD AND GARDEN

LOCATION OF THE WINTER GARDEN

Begin the indoor garden-making with the se-
lection of the window where the plants are to
be grown. If it is a window with a south-
eastern outlook, the best has been chosen; after
this, a window with a south aspect is to be pre-
ferred. ,But, lacking these, an eastern, west-
ern or even northern exposure may be selected
and, provided plants are obtained that are
adapted to the conditions prevailing, the last
may be made as effective in its way as the sun-
niest window in the southeastern corner of the
house. Set in place the shelves, brackets and
stands upon which the pots are to rest, secure
them firmly and provide a dish or pan to be
filled with water and kept on stove, radiator, or
register to maintain a fair degree of atmos-
pheric moisture. Procure flower pots of vari-
ous sizes—from three inches to eight—avoid-
ing the glazed, decorative ware, and a water
can and a supply of soil.

THE SOIL FOR WINDOW GARDENS

The amateur is likely to find this last his
most perplexing problem. What soil, he most
frequently inquires, shall be used for this plant?
THE WINDOW GARDEN 333

what for that? in what compost shall bulbous
plants be grown and in what mixture will ferns
thrive? If he undertakes an investigation for
himself, it is likely that he will emerge from the
study all the more perplexed. The reason is
that there is a great deal of rubbish talked about
soils. If heed were paid to the lIucubrations

 

Root Growth of Narcissus Azalea Indica in Bloom

of many writers on floral topics, it might be sur-
mised that a special soil is required for every
plant. But, not only is this misleading and in-
correct, but the plain fact is that four-fifths of
the plants cultivated under glass, whether in
a greenhouse or in a window garden, would
thrive very well in one and the same compost.
334 YARD AND GARDEN

The point to be remembered is that the soil used
should be of good quality rather than assem-
bled in elaborate mixtures. Lay aside doubt
on the subject and obtain the following com-
posts:
1. Fibrous loam, three parts
Leaf mold, one part

Well-decayed manure, one part
Clean, sharp sand, one-sixth part

2. Fibrous loam, one part
Peat, two parts
Leaf mold, two parts
Sand, one-fourth part

These two composts might be designated
‘‘general utility’? mixtures. The first will pro-
vide a healthful rooting soil for most flowering
plants that can be grown by the amateur in an
ordinary window garden and the second will
provide a suitable mixture for ferns. It is well
to lay the foundation carefully by obtaining
good loan. Usually it is best and cheapest to
buy this of the nearest florist. He makes it—
and the amateur may do likewise if he has the
space, the time and the desire—by stacking
turfs, grass side down, in heaps, interspersing
old manure between the layers of sod, and per-
mitting the whole to remain at least six months
exposed to the weather.
THE WINDOW GARDEN 339

POTTING

Potting is likely to prove another stumbling
block in the way of success. But if the be-
ginner will bear in mind the following simple
rules, he will not go astray: .

New pots must be soaked in water two or
three hours before using and old pots must be
thoroughly cleaned before being refilled.

Provide ample drainage. Place over the hole
in the bottom of the pot a piece of broken crock,
hollow side downward and, upon this, overlap-
ping, place a layer of smaller pieces. The
larger and, deeper the pot the more liberal
should be the quantity of drainage material—
a layer of drainage material one inch deep is
not too much in an eight-inch pot to insure the
health of the plant.

Pot all plants firmly—if the soil is loose,
proper watering is impossible. -

Repot plants when the mass of roots sur-
rounds the ball of earth. Ascertain the root
condition by gently emptying the pot of its con-
tents. In repotting, shift to a pot two sizes
larger—that is, for instance, from a five-inch
pot to a seven-inch. A cramped plant will not
show its full beauty of foliage and bloom.
336 YARD AND GARDEN

WATERING

It would be a material help to the amateur—
and to the professional gardener, too—if it were
possible to lay down fixed rules for watering.
But, unfortunately, there are no such things
as established laws governing the supply of

 

a

Ornamental-Foliaged Begonia (Begonia Rex)

moisture. Water when the plants require it—
this is the only rule that ean be cited. And
plants require water when the soil is dry enough
to become slightly powdery when rubbed be-
tween the thumb and finger. If, for any
reason, water is withheld longer, until, for in-
stance, the soil becomes so dry as to crack, set
THE WINDOW GARDEN 337

the plant, pot and all, in a vessel of water
and let it remain there until air bubbles cease
to rise.

The window-gardener who comes through a
whole winter without finding his plants attacked
by some insect pest is lucky, indeed. A ma-
jority will find, probably, that their plants are
more or less threatened by the aphis (green-
fly), mealy-bug, red-spider, scale or thrips.
Where they come from is a matter of small
moment; the important fact is that they are
there and must be removed. If the amateur
will employ the methods of extermination de-
tailed in the chapter on insect pests, he will
rid his garden of them as soon as they put in
an appearance.

FERTILIZING

The beginner, if he bears the various rules
in mind, should not find success difficult to at-
tain. There may be times, however, when his
plants seem sluggish and appeal for extra food.
But be sure that fertilizer is required before
it is applied. Then, in determining the ferti-
lizer to use, avoid patent preparations. Some
of them are good and some are absolutely
worthless and the amateur is as likely to obtain
338 YARD AND GARDEN

the latter as the former. The best way is to
prepare a liquid manure, using, if obtainable,
one-half pound of dried sheep manure to two .
and one-half gallons of water, or a quarter
bushel of decayed cow manure to twelve gallons
of water.

 

Foliage Plants Suitable for a Window Garden

A chemical fertilizer may be made of the
following ingredients :—
Nitrate of soda, one and one-half ounces.

Phosphate of soda, one-half ounce.
Sulphate of potash, one ounce,

Mix thoroughly and pulverize and, whenever
required, dissolve one heaping tablespoonful of
the mixture in a gallon of hot water. When the
water has cooled, apply a teacupful of the so-
lution to a six-inch pot—less or more according
THE WINDOW GARDEN 339

to the size of the pot. Soot from soft coal also
makes a good fertilizer. Mix at the rate of
one-half pint to ten gallons of water.

All these suggestions are practical if not al-
luring and, if we are to have success with an
indoor window garden, we must give considera-
tion to them as well as to the more esthetic qual-
ities which the plants themselves supply. The
latter depend upon the former, for no sickly
plant can be beautiful. However, we are done
with them and can turn now to a discussion of
what to raise in the indoor garden and how to
raise it.

SELECTION OF PLANTS

Begin with bulbs. These bloom most suc-
cessfully for the amateur and, by potting them
in quantity and selecting different varieties,
a succession of bloom may be maintained in the
indoor garden from Christmas to early spring.
Narcissi, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, scilla, free-
sias—these and many others may be had in
bloom to make every week gay with their colors
and sweet with their fragrance from mid-De-
cember to late March.

Bulbs should be potted early in the autumn.
All require practically the same treatment as
340 YARD AND GARDEN

far as the amateur is concerned. Immediately
after the potting process has been completed,
set the pots in a dark corner of the cellar where
the temperature will not rise above forty-five
degrees. Lacking such a place, bury the pots
in the ground outdoors, allowing six inches of
soil or sawdust to rest on top of the pots. On
this surface scatter litter, leaves, or straw to
prevent freezing, which, while it would do no
harm to the bulbs, would make their resurrec-
tion somewhat difficult when the time is at hand
for bringing the pots.into the house.

NARCISSI

With a half-dozen varieties of Narcissus,
potted early in September, or even in August,
a succession nay be maintained which will in-
sure the gardener attractive bloom throughout
the greater part of the winter. Use five- or six-
inch pots and plant from three to five bulbs in
each pot. One narcissus of the trumpet variety
may be successfully flowered in a four-inch pot,
but to bring it to perfection requires more time
and attention than the flowering of three or
four of the same variety in a six-inch pot. Pro-
vide ample drainage and when the bulbs are
planted, water carefully and, finally, set them
THE WINDOW GARDEN 341

 

Paper White Narcissus
342 YARD AND GARDEN

either in the cellar or bury them in the ground.
Here they should remain until they have formed
a heavy system of roots and a top growth of
three or four inches. At this stage they may
be brought to the light, but not too suddenly,
and submitted to a warmer temperature.
Water carefully, using a little weak manure or
commercial fertilizer in solution once a week.
To maintain the succession, bring the pots to
the light at intervals of a week apart.

For flowers in December and January, ob-
tain the Paper White, Golden Spur, Henry Irv-
ing, Victoria, Princeps, Sir Watkin, Tortuosus
and the double Van Sion; for bloom in January
and February, plant the Emperor, Empress,
Horsefieldi, Albicans and Stella superba, and
for bloom in February and March depend on the
Glory of Leiden, Mme. Plemp, Mrs. Camm,
Mme. de Graaff, Barrii conspicuus, poeticus or-
natus and orange and sulphur Phenix. The
rules to bear in mind are:

1. Early potting.

2. Allow sufficient time for rooting—twelve
weeks for the hardy varieties and at least six
weeks for the tender sorts.

3. Careful watering when the buds are de-
veloping.
THE WINDOW GARDEN 343

HYACINTHS

Very few window-gardeners would care to be
without the hyacinth. Its culture is compara-
tively simple and, for the attention it demands,
its fragrant blossom is more than ample re-
ward. Select sound bulbs, solid and without
offsets or protuberances and possessing only
one crown. Apply the same rules to their se-
lection as would be applied in choosing a fine
onion and obtain the bulbs as early in the au-
tumn as possible. Pot up at once—especially
the Roman hyacinths—providing plenty of
drainage and then treat the bulbs as advised
for narcissi. Use five-inch pots, and plant
one bulb to a pot, leaving at least a fifth of
the bulb showing above the surface of the
soil.

Some good single hyacinths for blooming in
pots are:

Red, rose and pink: Robert Steiger, Gen-
eral Pelissier, Gertrude, Gigantea, Roi des
Belges and Lord Macaulay.

White and blush white: La Grandesse, Gran-
deur 4 Merveille, Mont Blanc, Paix de 1’Kurope
and Baroness van Thuyll.

Dark and light blue: Baron van Thuyll,
344 YARD AND GARDEN

Charles Dickens, Czar Peter, King of the Blues,
Leonidas and Regulus.

Roman hyacinths produce small single white,
pink or blue flowers. They bloom profusely,
each bulb throwing from three to six spikes, are
cheap and are easiest of all the hyacinths to
cultivate in the amateur’s hands. The white
variety is the earliest and, everything con-
sidered, the most satisfactory and beautiful.
Plant four or five bulbs in a five-inch pot, al-
lowing the crowns to remain uncovered. They
ean be had without difficulty for Christmas
bloom.

The Dutch hyacinths may also be brought
to flower in water. Glass vases, especially de-
signed for the purpose, are to be had from deal-
ers in seeds and bulbs. Milk bottles, however,
may be substituted and the result will be quite
as satisfactory. The vessel should be filled
with water until the water just reaches the base
of the bulb when it has been set in position in
the cup of the vase or in the mouth of the bottle.
Drop a lump or two of charcoal in the water to
keep it sweet, set the vessels away in a dark
closet or in the cellar where they are to remain
until heavy growths of roots form. As the
water evaporates, add to it from time to time.
345

THE WINDOW GARDEN

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346 YARD AND GARDEN

TULIPS

Tulips differ very little in point of culture
from hyacinths. Instead of planting only one
bulb to a four- or five-inch pot, however, from
three to six may’ be set and the bulbs may be
planted more deeply—but with never more than
half an inch of soil above them. Those tulips
earliest to bloom are included in the following
list:

Singles: Due Van Thol in varieties of blush,
searlet, rose, yellow and white; Artus, red; Ca-
nary Bird, yellow; Royal Standard, crimson
and white; Vermilion Brilliant, scarlet; Keiz-
erkroon, red and gold, and Pottebakker in va-
rieties of white, vellow and scarlet.

Doubles: Golden King, yellow; Gloria So-
lis, scarlet and yellow; La Candeur, white, and
Imperator Rubrorun, brilliant scarlet.

OTHER BULBS

Bulbs of the Easter lily (Lilium Harrisii)
may be grown successfully when afforded the
same treatment as narcissi, hyacinths and tu-
lips, but a higher temperature than these lat-
ter require suit it best when it is making root
growth. It is not by any means certain to
THE WINDOW GARDEN 347

flower for the amateur and should not be at-

tempted until experience has been gained.
Freesias may be potted, six or seven in a

five-inch pot, and without the preliminary

 

Freesias in bloom

plunging or season in the cellar, may be started
into growth in light at once.

The crocus and snowdrop and other bulbs
of similar size may be planted in pots and
treated like hyacinths. Most of them are so
348 YARD AND GARDEN

small that a dozen can be planted in a six-inch
pot. They require a longer period for the de-
velopment of their flowers than hyacinths and
tulips and, on this account, should be depended
on for later bloom.

Chinese sacred lilies are favorite bulbs for
window gardens. They bear white and yellow
flowers, six or seven to a stem and an inch and
a half in diameter. The popular method of cul-
tivation is in bowls of water, the bowls being
four or five inches deep and the bulbs set in
pebbles and weighted down by pebbles. The
water should never reach more than half-way
up the sides of the bulbs. Set the dish in a dark
closet for a week or fortnight to encourage root
growth. Often they can be had in bloom in
six weeks.

FLOWERING AND FOLIAGE PLANTS

The bulbs, of course, do not exhaust by any
means the plants that may be grown in the in-
door winter garden. Most of the plants so
grown belong to the groups which florists cul-
tivate in glass houses where the temperature
is either ‘‘cool’’ or ‘‘medium.’’ The former
demands a night temperature of fifty degrees
and the latter of sixty degrees. .\ variation
349

THE WINDOW GARDEN

AOPULAA Papeyg oJ opquyMg szuetg Jo dnorp

 
Bou YARD AND GARDIGN

of five degrees between these femperatures
will cause no injurious effects and ao regular
inerease in daytime of ten or fifteen degrees

 

is considered proper—even higher when the day
is bright and sunny.
In selecting plants for the indoor garden, the

amateur should) first learn what temperature

 

CGeraniums in) Bloom Pndoors in Mid-Winter

his garden registers at night. If it falls to
filly degrees (cool house temperature) he
should select from the following list:

Clanbing plants: Senecio or parlor ivy, Me.
lish ivy, lygodium or ‘“elanbing fern’? and mau.
raudia,

Mlowering plants: Azaleas, chrysanthemuns,
THE WINDOW GARDEN ool

geraniums, Chinese primroses, Paris daisies or
Alarguerites, camellias, cinerarias, violets, ecy-
clamens, ardisias, carnations and sweet alyssum.

Foliage plants: Palms, auracaria, eunony-
mus, aucuba and pandanus.

If the temperature is sixty degrees at night,
the following list may be used:

Chliunbing plants: Asparagus in variety, Smi-
lax, Cobea scandens, Madeira vine, Senecio
mikanioides, Japanese hop and. those also in-
eluded in the list for the **cool’’ temperature.

Flowering plants: Fuchsia, Wahernia odor-
ata, lobelia, mesembryanthemum, abutilons,
browallias, begonias, petunias, bouvardias, he-
hotropes, Chinese hibiscus, swainsonia, gerani-
ums, cupheas and Richardias.

Foliage plants: Dracena in variety, palms,
Farfugium grande, Cycas revoluta, ferns, arau-
earia, pandanus, Ficus ‘elastica, Grevillea ro-
busta, Pilea arborea, vineas,  tradescantia,
Kenilworth ivy, Festuca glauca and Selagin-
ella denticulata.

PLANTS FOR SHADED WINDOWS

But, even with these lists before him, the
amateur can not make a selection until he pavs
heed to the amount of sunlight admitted through
w)

302 YARD AND GARDEN

&

the window where his garden is to be estab-
lished. The sunny selection is, of course, the
best; here the flowering plants will prosper
and bloom. Unfortunately, however, windows
available for the purpose do not always face
the south and occasionally neighboring build-
ings cast a deep shadow over the only exposure
the gardener can command. He must select
plants, therefore, which will thrive in half shade
or whole shade.

In such situations, provided there be good
light if no direct sunshine, abutilons will do
well and healthy plants of these are scarcely
ever without bloom. Begonias also thrive and,
in their various forms, present so many at-
tractions that a garden composed of these alone
would be worth while. Two good varieties are
the Bismarck and ricinifolia. Primulas do
best in a partly shaded window and a dozen
pots of the obconica hybrids would make a
most interesting display. Fuchsias, swainsonia,
ferns, palms and, in fact, nearly all foliage
plants with the exception of the highly colored
varieties do well in semi-shaded or sunless win-
dows.

Of the foliage division, no more graceful
plants are to be found than the palms. They
THE WINDOW GARDEN 303

 

Tender Hydrangea (Hydrangea hortensis, var. Otaksa)
304 YARD AND GARDEN :

may be grown in a living- or drawing-room with
more satisfaction than many other plants of
value for their foliage alone. They are, how-
ever, slow-growing and, on this account, should
never be over-potted. Many amateurs invite
disaster to their palms by failing to observe

 

Lace Fern (Cheilanthes gracillima)

this fact. Repotting is unnecessary until the
mass of roots fills the soil and even then the
shift should be to a pot only one size larger.
The best varieties for home culture are the
Arecas, Kentias and Latanias.

The pandanus, or ‘‘serew pine,’’ is also well
adapted to house culture and is remarkably
ornamental. It prospers even when removed
THE WINDOW GARDEN 355

The Maidenhair Fern

 
306 YARD AND GARDEN

from the window and set in a shaded corner of
the room. The general cultural treatment it
requires is similar to that prescribed for the.
palms. Both thrive best in a moist soil but
the pots should be liberally provided with drain-
age for both are injured when water stands
at their roots.

FERNS FOR INDOOR GARDENS

The best ferns for pot culture indoors in win-
ter are:

Adiantum cuneatum (maidenhair fern)

Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort)

Asplenium Trichomanes (maidenhair spleenwort)
Cyrtomium faleatum (holly fern)

Lygodium Japonicum (climbing fern)

Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Bostoniensis (Boston fern)
Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Scottii (Scott fern)

Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Piersonii (Pierson fern)
Nephrolepis cordata, var. compacta (kidney or sword fern)

In the culture of ferns indoors, clean foliage
is a first requisite. The fronds should be
showered frequently; if no other way is con-
venient, remove them to bath-tub or sink and
there spray them thoroughly. The water
should be of the same temperature as the room
in which they are grown. Scale is a trouble-
some pest and is best overcome by scraping or
rubbing it off with a brush or rag dipped in
whale-oil soap-suds or kerosene emulsion.
Green aphis is killed by nicotine.
CHAPTER XVII

A CHAPTER OF SPECIALTIES

As a rule, amateurs in gardening no sooner
make a beginning in planting before they de-
cide that a roseless garden is no garden at all.
They can not be greatly blamed for rushing to
this conclusion, still they might bear in mind
the fact that some of the most effective orna-
mental gardening effects of which this country
affords examples have been attained without
the use of a single rose-bush.

ROSE CULTURE

If, however, the beginner must have roses—
and they are not without ornamental value in
spite of all that has been said of them to the
contrary—let him plant them in a situation that
is somewhat sheltered from the biting winds
of winter, yet open to the sun in summer, free
from roots of trees and unshaded by overhang-
ing branches. If no situation offers that is
without shade, select roses of dark-red color—

357
358 YARD AND GARDEN

shade does them the least injury. Avoid low
ground and if a deep loam is not already on
the site chosen, provide it and make sure that
it is earth which has never before been used
for rose growing. Remember that roses dis-
dain wet ground and insist upon having dry
feet; make sure accordingly that the site is well
drained. ;

Roses, on the whole, do best when planted in
the spring. The hybrid perpetuals and the Ru-
gosas may be planted in the autumn with com-
parative safety, but even these would do
better if set out in the spring, as soon as the
ground can be worked. Avoid exposure of the
roots of the plants to sun or wind while plant-
ing, and select, if possible, a dry, but cloudy
day.

There is much difference of opinion as to the
relative value of roses on their ewn roots or
on Manetti or brier roots. By those who favor
the latter, it is admitted that many of the sum-
mer-growing varieties do best on their own
roots and, whenever this is the case, it is best
to select stock which is so grown. In any
event, obtain stock that is grown on brier roots
rather than upon the roots of the Manetti. It
is easy to detect a sucker should one arise from
SPECIALTIES 359

 

Rose — General Jacqueminot
360 YARD AND GARDEN

the wild stock, for the brier leaf has several
leaflets instead of five, which the garden roses
possess. When suckers develop—which is not
often if the planting has been carefully done—
remove them at once at the point of juncture
with the root. If this can not be done without
great disturbance to the plant, remove the
growth at the lowest point possible.

Roses should be protected by a mulch in win-
ter and by a lighter mulch in summer. For
the latter, use well-rotted cow manure, with the
double object in view of enriching the soil and
affording protection from the sun. The protec-
tion, however, should be first considered and
the surplus of the mulch emploved for this pur-
pose should be removed in the autumn before
the winter covering is applied. It is safest to
protect all roses in winter, but if any are to be
neglected, let them be the Rugosas, Hybrid Per-
petuals and Woichuraianas. For the rest—
and for these wherever possible—apply a three-
inch covering of rough, but old manure. In the
more Northern sections, a heavier protection is
required and this is not sufficient even where
the winters are not very severe for the tender
teas. These should he protected by setting
bottomless and topless boxes over the plants,
SPECIALTIES 361

or setting around them chicken-wire frames,
and filling the enclosures with leaves or straw.

The best fertilizers for roses are decayed
cow manure, hog, sheep or chicken manures
sparingly applied and old horse manure. Com-
mercial fertilizers may be used either alone or
to. supplement the natural manures. Ground
bone is the best, but nitrate of soda, applied at
the rate of about a teaspoonful to a plant, is
useful as a stimulant early in the season. It
should be followed, however, by more substan-
tial fertilizers later on. The Reverend A. Fos-
ter-Melliar, an expert rose-grower and writer
on the subject, recommends the following espe-
cially prepared fertilizer :

Superphosphate of lime................ 12 parts
Nitrate of potash.........5......0.00- 10 parts
Sulphate of magnesia................. 2 parts
Sulphate of lime..................006, 8 parts
Sulphate of iOtssssecscees cageeceea ee 1 part

His advice is to apply this mixture in March
at the rate of one-quarter pound to each square
yard.

Roses should be pruned in early March. It
is an error to prune them, as some persons do,
in the autumn. Use the shears on the hardy
roses, both the climbers and the bushes, by
March fifteenth if the season is of average
362 YARD AND GARDEN

weather. Prune the tender varieties in April,
completing the process—in an average season
—by the middle of the month. In sections
where the winters are longer, however, the
operation should be postponed until it is entirely
safe to remove the winter mulch. Cut out all
dead wood and weak shoots, the latter unspar-
ingly, but do not follow blindly the advice to
cut liberally where the wood is healthy, strong
and vigorous. Too severe pruning is often
as injurious as too little. If large blooms are
wanted, the pruning should be more severe
than where mass effects are desired. Cut the
canes off an inch above an outside bud. The
cane which follows will then grow outward and
not inward as it would do were an inside bud se-
lected and the cut made above it. This sugges-
tion will prove of value to those who have had
difficulty in training climbers successfully.

The following varieties, made up from Doctor
Robert Huey’s excellent list, will be found the
most satisfactory:

HARDY PERPETUALS

White Baroness, white Paul Neyron, pink

Frau Karl Druschki, white Caroline d’Arden, pink
Mabel Morrison, white Duke of Edinburgh, crimson
Margaret Dickson, white Captain Hayward, crimson

Baroness Rothschild, pink General Jacqueminot, crimson
Her Majesty, pink Prince Arthur, crimson
SPECIALTIES 363

TRELLIS ROSES

Gardenia Dorothy Perkins

Reine Marie Henriette Crimson Rambler

Rosea Setigera Paul’s Carmine Pillar
Queen Alexandra -

HYBRID TEAS

Antoine Rivoire Killarney

Alice Grahame Liberty

Caroline Testout. Mme. Abel Chatenay
Clara Watson M. Bunel

Ellen Wilmot Souv. de President Carnot

Mr. Leonard Barron, in his numerous arti-
cles, has performed a great service for the rose-
grower who must raise his flowers in the midst
of uncongenial surroundings in a city. For
the gardener who has to contend with smoke
from soft coal and even with unsatisfactory
conditions of sun, his list, which follows, is ex-
cellent:

HYBRID PERPETUALS

Baron de Bonstetten, very dark red

Charles Dickens, rose color, large

Dr. Andry, dark bright red

Dupuy Jamain, brilliant cerise

General Jacqueminot, dark bright red
Ulrich Brunner, cherry red

John Hopper, lilac-rose with crimson center
La France, silvery pink .
Mme. Gabriel Luizet, pink

Magna Charta, bright pink, suffused carmine
Paul Neyron, pink — the largest of all roses

BOURBONS
Boule de Neige, white
Mme. S. Cochet, rose, edged white
Mme. I. Pereire, rosy carmine
Queen of Bedders, deep bright crimson
364 YARD AND GARDEN

TEAS AND NOISETTES

Aimee Vibert (N.), white, clusters

Reine Marie Henriette (T.), cherry red
Gloire de Dijon (T.), yellow

Homer (T.), blush rose and salmon, variable

CLIMBERS

Crimson Rambler, crimson
R. Wichuraiana, white, single
Also selections of the Rambler-Wichuraiana hybrids

Where roses are wanted only for shrubberies,
or where the flowers are of secondary impor-
tance, the following will be found to suit the
purpose admirably:

Penzance briers Rosa blanda
Rosa rugosa Rosa lucida
Rosa rubiginosa Rosa nitida

HARDY FERNS

Many ferns, all hardy, demand so little in the
way of special soil and situation that they can
be grown without difficulty by the beginner.
Planted, for instance, between the foundation
walls of a house and the channel worn by water
dripping from overhanging eaves, they make a
pleasing border, thriving where nothing else
would succeed half so well. Here they have
what they most enjoy—a cool, damp soil and
shade. It must not be understood from this,
however, that ferns will continue vigorous in
ground that is undrained. On the contrary,
SPECIALTIES

UWOLLpuno,, 1Of wWaalog sv SUIT

Apavpp JO Lap.og.

 
366 YARD AND GARDEN

they will not do well where the water remains
about their roots. But if they are given a damp
atmosphere and, preferably, an eastern expo-
sure, the majority of the native ferns will do
exceedingly well.

So far as soil is concerned, while good woods
earth is best, most of the common ferns are less
exacting in this respect than one would im-

 

Ostrich Ferns in Narrow Border

agine. If the soil is deep and fairly rich, por-
ous and cool, ferns may be planted without much
fear of the results. The addition of leaf-mold
and some rough peat would make the compost
all the better, but, with some varieties, this is
not necessary.

The following list contains the ferns that are
most easily grown and which the beginner will
find easily established:
SPECIALTIES 367

Adiantum pedatum, Maiden-hair fern
Asplenium Filix-femina, Lady fern

Asplenium platyneuron, Ebony spleenwort
Camptosorus rhizophyllus, Walking fern
Cheilanthes gracillima, Lace fern

Dicksonia punctilobula, Hay-scented or gossamer fern
Dryopteris Goldieana, Goldie’s fern

Dryopteris marginalis, Evergreen wood fern
Dryopteris Noveboracensis, New York fern
Dryopteris spinulosa, Shield fern

Lygodium palmatum, Climbing, or Hartford fern
Onoclea sensibilis, Sensitive fern

Onoclea Struthiopteris, Ostrich fern

Osmunda cinnamomea, Cinnamon fern

Osmunda Claytoniana, Clayton’s fern

Osmunda regalis, Royal fern

Polypodium vulgare, Common polypody
Polystichum acrostichoides, Christmas fern
Pteris aquilina, Bracken

PEONIES

No flower’is richer in beauty than the her-
baceous Peony and none, considering wealth of
bloom and glorious color, is more easily raised
by the amateur. It is one of the hardiest and
healthiest plants in cultivation and only occa-
sionally is.it attacked by disease. Given a
deep, rich soil in which to root, it will thrive
for years, increasing, if undisturbed, season af-
ter season, and producing its magnificent bloom
even when sadly neglected. In color, it covers
a wide range and a large plantation of it in
flower is unrivaled in beauty. Its foliage,
moreover, is attractive throughout the season
and forms a background of green against which
368 YARD AND GARDEN

a display of later-blooming flowers ix always ef-
fective.

Soil for Peonies should contain no fresh ma-
nure. All fertilizer put into the earth where
they are to be established should be at least a
year old and it would be better were this in-
corporated with the soil several months before
the roots are planted. Dig deeply—two feet is
none too much—and work the soil until it is
finely pulverized. Look carefully to drainage
and, after setting out the roots, mulch thickly
with three or four inches of coarse manure,
spading this in before growth starts in the fol-
lowing spring. Peonies should be planted in
September, and if quick effects are wanted, un-
divided clumps should be obtained. Single
roots, however, are cheaper, and in a season or
two, make a very satisfactory display. In or-
dering roots, do not be insistent on the number
of ‘‘eyes,’’ for often the purchaser in designat-
ing that the roots he orders are to show no
fewer than three ‘‘eyes,’’ sacrifices vigor and
quality for quantity.

Do not expect much bloom the first season
after planting. Peonies take time in establish-
ing themselves and not infrequently fail to
bloom for two years after they are set out. Or,
SPECIALTIES 369

es
Double Peony

 
370 YARD AND GARDEN

if of a variety that more quickly accustoms it-
self-to new surroundings, they may bear bloom
the first season, but these will never be a fair
sample of what the plant can do. Double Peo-
nies, under such circumstances, may bear only
single flowers, and this fact sometimes leads to
disappointment on the part of the purchaser
who fancies that the nurseryman has not dealt
fairly by him. Before he voices his suspicion,
it would be better were he to take into consid-
eration the short time the plant has been in his
garden and postpone his complaint until the
following season when, in all likelihood, the
flowers will be as double as they were repre-
sented to be.

Some Peonies, however, are not profuse
bloomers. Constitutionally they are not and
from such plants large quantities of bloom will
never be obtained. It is also a fact that some
Peonies are prolific bloomers in some sections
of the country and in other sections bloom very
little. It is impossible, of course, to say with
any degree of certainty what varieties perform
in this unsatisfactory manner, but Charle-
magne, for instance, blooms strongly in Roch-
ester, New York, and weakly in New England.
Giganthea does well in the East, but in the West
SPECIALTIES 371

bears few flowers. It is true, too, that both
quality and quantity of bloom vary from season
to season, so far as can be determined, for no
apparent reason. Weather conditions may be
entirely favorable and still the flowers be lim-
ited and of inferior quality while, another year,

   

Single Peonies

weather conditions may be unfavorable and the
flowers will be large and numerous.

A few varieties are especially sensitive; they
can not endure storms or frosts of early spring
and usually the only return they make for nurs-
ing and coddling is to produce buds that blight
before they expand. This is especially true of
many varieties imported from England. They
372 YARD AND GARDEN

can not, it seems, adapt themselves to the cli-
matic conditions of their new home.

There is little pleasure in fostering one of
these indolent or sensitive varieties and the
purchaser should exercise care in his selection
to make sure that he obtains only the hardiest
and most vigorous and those that are surest

   

Flower of the Tree Peony

and most profuse in bloom. The following lst
will assist the beginner in the matter of selec-
tion, but it must be understood that Peony no-
menclature is so sadly mixed at this time that
very little dependence can be placed upon the
names:
SPECIALTIES 373

Achille, delicate pink

Agida, rosy violet

Alexander Dumas, brilliant pink

Amazone, creamy white, yellowish center

Andre Laures, violet red

Auguste Lemonier, deep, dark red

Baroness Schroeder, delicate pink, touched with gold in
center

Bell Hough, light purplish crimson

Bertha, bright crimson

Belle Chatelaine, delicate pink, carmine center

Cameron, deep purplish red

Carnea Flora Plena, delicate pink, carmine center

Charles Verdier, carmine

Comte de Osmont, fine white

Defiance, bright crimson

Duchesse de Nemours, clear pink, center of lilac tints

Duchesse d’Orleans, deep pink

Edouard Andre, crimson, with yellow stamens

Excelsior, dark crimson

Festiva Maxima, the best white, a superb flower

Floral Treasure, pink, fragrant, one of the best and hardiest
of flowers

Flambeau, cherry petals with white tips, tufted bloom

General Grant, red

Grandiflora Carnea Plena, clear, light pink, shaded lilae

Golden Harvest, outer petals pink, inner golden, a splendid
flower

Golden Wedding, pure yellow — the only pure yellow

Humei, pink

La Coquette, bright rose

La Fiance, creamy white, yellowish center
L’Esperence, white, touched with pink

Marie Lemoine, sulphur white, shaded pink

Nigra, dark crimson

‘Pomponia, pinkish white

Queen Victoria, white

Richardson’s Rubra Superba, splendid crimson

Sarah Bernhardt, pink, salmon center

The Nymph, fragrant, curious flower, white, tipped with
carmine

Victoria Tricolor, pink, sulphur and flesh

Zoe Calot, soft. pink
ait YARD AND GARDEN

FOR CUT FLOWERS

Many gardeners desire varieties of Peonies
that serve not only a decorative purpose, but
which are also useful as cut flowers. The fol-
lowing list contains the best for this dual pur-
pose:

White: Festiva Maxima, Queen Victoria, M.
Dupont, Couronne d’Or, Madame Crousse, La
Tulipe, Madame de Verneville, Marie Lemoine,
Duchesse de Nemours.

Pink: Beauté Francaise, Delicatissima, Liv-
ingstone, Princess Beatrice, M. Jules Elie, Edu-
lis Superba, Alexandrina.

Red: Adolph Rosseau, Souvenir de 1’Exposi-
tion Universelle, Modeste Guerin, Delachei,
Marechal de MacMahon, M. Krelage, Richard-
son’s Rubra Superba, Felix Crousse.

PERENNIAL PHLOX

A yard or garden, large or small, in which
many Phloxes are grown is always a place gay
with flowers from mid-June to the autumn days
of frost. Like the peony, the Phlox is easily
grown, rewarding the gardener with a wealth
of bloom altogether out of proportion to the
few demands it makes upon his time and labor.
SPECIALTIES 875

 

Me

Hardy Phlox (Phlox paniculata)
376 YARD AND GARDEN

The suffruticosa group is the first to bloom, but
it is the decussata (paniculata) group, later in
flowering, that produces the brightest and
clearest blossoms. Both divisions will grow
either in sun or shade, but they prefer, on the
whole, a situation in partial shade. They do
best in a deep, rich loam, enriched with well-
rotted cow manure, and spaded to a depth of
at least two feet.

The plants should be set out so that the crown
is about two inches below the surface of the soil
and the earth must be well firmed about the
roots. The best season for planting is from the
first of October to the last of the month, but
spring planting is fairly successful. After
planting, mulch before the ground _ freezes
deeply with a covering of leaves, straw or lit-
ter to a depth of four inches. If the plants are
set out in spring, a lighter mulch should be ap-
plied to shade the roots from the sun.

If a profusion of bloom is wanted, pinch back
the stalks of the taller varieties when they have
attained a height of twelve or fifteen inches and
the dwarf sorts when they have attained half
that height. They will then break into two or
four secondary stalks and upon these will be
borne the clusters of bloom. The Phlox is un-
SPECIALTIES 377

commonly free from insect enemies and diseases,
though occasionally it is attacked by red-spider
or cut-worms. Spraying with a hard stream of
clear water will kill the former and wood ashes
sprinkled lightly about the roots will ‘control
the latter.

The following list* includes the best both in
point of size and color of bloom and in hardi-
ness and vigor of plant:

   

(aC oe
Wild Sweet William (Phlow divaricata)

PHLOX SUFFRUTICOSA
Dr. Hornby, white, lilac tinted
Indian Chief, magenta, crimson eye
Lady Musgrove, white, striped magenta
Leaman, rosy lilac
Ringleader, light magenta with red eye
Snowdon, pure white

* Little dependence can be placed in Phlox nomenclature.
318 YARD AND GARDEN

DWARF SPECIES
Ameena, pinkish purple, very early and very dwarf
Divaricata, pinkish blue, very early
Reptans, purplish violet
-Stellaria, whitish blue
Subulata, pinkish purple, blooms in April and May
Subulata, var. Alba, white

PHLOX PANICULATA
Amazone, the finest white
Andreas Hoffer, pure white
Bouquet de Fleurs, white with deep rose eye
Bridesmaid, white, with a Jarge crimson eye
Champs-Elysees, rich purplish crimson
Coquelicot, scarlet, with dark carmine eye
Cross of Honor, lilac, margined with white
Eelaireur, purplish crimson, with bright shades
Esclarmonde, lilac, mottled with white, with a deep rose eye
Eugene Danzanvillier, lilac, with white cdee and center
Jeanne d’Are, white, large and late-flowering
Jocelyn, salmon
Jules Finger, white with red eye
La Fondre, purple-crimson, with carmine center
La Vogue, rosy mauve, with red eye
Lothair, salmon, with crimson eye
Marquis de St. Paul, rosy salmon, with crimson eye
M. Gladstone, soft rose, with crimson eye
Ornament, rosy magenta, with crimson eve
Pantheon, deep rosy salmon
P. Bonnetain, rose, overlaid with salmon
Prof. Schliemann, lilac-rose, with carmine eye

THE END
APPENDIX

FLOWERS OF HARDY BULBS FROM FROST TO FROST

The following list is intended to suggest what
hardy bulbs to plant in order to insure a suc-
cession of flowers of this class outdoors prac-

tically all the year round:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

379

JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH
#3
Popular Name Botanical Name "4 Color oe
oe uggestions
od
Christmas rose Helleborus niger 6 White Light soil, half
shade, sheltered
situation
Winter aconite Eranthis hyemalis 6 Yellow Rich, well-drained
soil, partial shade
Siberian scilla Scilla Sibirica 6 Blue Light sandy but
rich soil, sun
Purple scilla Scilla bifolia 6 Purple Light, rich ‘soil,
sun .
Glory-of-the-snow Chionodoxa 8 Blue
Luciliz ; .
: Fair soil, well
Glory-of-the-snow Chionodoxa 8 Dark drained, sun
Sardensis blue
Crocus Crocus vernus 5 nee
lilac
Imperial crocus Crocus Imperiati 5 Lilac ;
- Light soil, rich and
Scotch crocus Crocus biflorus 5 { ent well drained, sun
ilac
Cloth-of-gold Crocus Susianus 5 Yellow
crocus
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis 4 White { Ligh soils atid pare
Giant Snowdrop Galanthus Elwesii 8 = White tial shade
380

YARD AND GARDEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APRIL
28
Popular Name Botanical Name 5 Color Cultural
ve Suggestions
ms
: Anemone blanda 6 Blue
Windflower Anemone Apen- 7 Blue Rich soil and sun
nina
Trumpet nar- Narcissus White-
cissus Pseudo-Narcis- 15 Yellow
sus
Rich, deep soil —
Cup narcissus Narcissus incom- 15 White- sun or half-shade
parabilis yellow
Jonquil Narcissus 12 Yellow
Jonquilla a
Spring snowflake Leucojum 7 White Light soil, rich, and
vernum sun
Crown imperial  Fritillaria im- ~ Yellow- ) Moist situation,
perialis £ red some shade, rich
soil
Grape hyacinth Museari 6 Purple- Sunny situation,
botryoides blue fair soil
Tulip Tulip suaveolens 12 Various Sunny situation,
light, fair soil
Hyacinth Hyacinthus 12 Fairly rich soil,
orientalis sun
MAY
Poet’s narcissus Narcissus poet- 16 White Sun or shade, rich
icus deep soil
: . 10 Blue, Half shade, fair
Bluebell Scilla festalis white, soil
pink
Garden anemone .\nemone hor- 10 Purple, ) Some oe light,
tensis w Stes rich soil
Poppy anemone Anemone coro- 10 Wnts: Some shade, light,
nara. red, rich soil
blue.
Wake Robin Trillium grandi- 12 White pun a damp,
florum rich soil
May Aowersie Tulipa Gesneriana 24 Various Sun, rich, light soil
tulip
Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum 9 White Sun or shade, fair

umbellatum

soil
APPENDIX

381

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNE
23
Popular Name Botanical Name 5 Color Cultural
vy Suggestions
es
Spanish iris Iris Niphium 20 White, Light, rich soil and
blue, sun
yellow
English iris Iris xiphioides 24 Purple- Light, rich soil and
white sun
Madonna lily Lilium candidum 30 White Light, well drained
soil, little shade
Hanson’s lily Lilium Hansoni 30 Orange Light, well drained
4 soil, little shade
JULY
Erect lily Lilium elegans 18 Orange- Light, rich, well-
red drained soil, sun
Canada lily Lilium Canadense36 Yellow- Moist, leaf mould,
red partial shade
Purple trumpet Lilium Brownii ~ 36 Purple- Light soil, sheltered
lily white sunny’ situation
White trumpet Lilium longi- 26 White Light soil, sun
lily florum
AUGUST
Summer hyacinth Galtonia candi- 30 White Light but deep soil
cans rich; sun
Turk’s Lily Lilium superbum 50 Red Deep soil, light but
orange rich; sun
Speciosum lily Lilium speciosum 36 White, Deep soil, light but
pink. rich; partial
shade
Henry’s lily Lilium Henryi 48 Red, Deep soil, light but
yellow rich; sun
Golden-banded = 40 White Deep soil, light but
lily Lilium auratum and gold rich; sun

 

 

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

 

 

 

Autumn crocus Colchicum 5 White, Light rich -loam,
autumnale pink, sun
purple.
Checkered crocus Colchicum 5 Purple Light, rich loam,
Parkinsont sun 3
Yellow starflower Sternbergia lutea 5 Yellow Rich, heavy soil,

sun
382 YARD AND GARDEN

PLANTING TABLE OF THE BEST AND EASIEST GROWN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Height
Popular Name Botanical Name Color (inches)
Chionodoxa Luciliz Sky blue 8
Glory-of-the-snow . r
Chionodoxa Sardensis Deep blue 8
Autumn crocus Colchicum autumnale White, pink
purple 5
Checkered crocus Colchicum Parkinsoni Purple 5
Crocus biflorus Light lilac 5
Crocus Imperati Lilac 5
Crocus Crocus Meesiacus Yellow 5
Crocus Susianus Golden 5
Crocus vernus White, purple, 5
lilac
Winter aconite Eranthis hyemalis Yellow 6
Crown imperial Fritillaria Imperialis Red, yellow 24
Guinea-hen-flower _ Fritillaria Meleagris Purple, green 18
Scarlet fritillary Fritillaria recurva Scar'et 18
Giant snowdrop Galanthus Elwesii White 8
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis White 4
Christmas rose Helleborus niger White 6
Hyacinth Hyacinthus penal Various 12
Spanish iris Iris Xiphium White, blue 20
yellow
English iris Iris xiphioides Purple-white 14
Gel den baneee Lilium auratum White and gold 40
ily

 

Purple trumpet Lilium Brownii Purple-white 36
ily
i

i
{

APPENDIX » 883

HARDY BULBOUS PLANTS FOR AUTUMN PLANTING

 

 

Blooming How deep to How far

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

season ant apart Notes and Cultural Suggestions
(inches) (inches)
March 3 3 Plant in well drained soil — replant
March 3 3 every three or four years
September 3 6 Plant in masses.
September 3 6 Prefers light, rich soil
March 3 3 There is a white and very early va-
riety
March 3 3 Flowers with snowdrops
March 3 3 Good for naturalizing in grass
March 3 3 Very early species, excellent form
March 3 3 Common crocus— showy and per-
manent
March 1 4 Does best in partial shade
April 5 8 Set bulb on side
April 3 5 Several distinct forms are to be had
May 3 6 Distinct from other fritillaries
February 2 3 Later in period of bloom than com-
March mon variety
February 2 3 Earliest spring flowers
March
December 4 12 Impatient of disturbance when es-
January tablished
April 5 8 Named varieties are best
June 4 4 Mulch the bed in winter
June 4 4 Same treatment as Spanish .
August 8 18 Extremely showy but short-lived.
July 8 18 Excellent in border.
384 YARD AND GARDEN

PLANTING TABLE OF THE BEST AND EASIEST GROWN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Height

Popular Name Botanical Name Color (inches)
Madonna lily Lilium candidum White 30
Canada lily Lilium Canadense Golden red 36
Orange lily Lilium croceum Orange red 36
Erect lily Lilium elegans Orange red 18
Hanson’s lily Lilium Hansoni Orange 30
Henry’s lily Lilium Henryi Red, yellow 48
White trumpet lily Lilium longiflorum White 26
Speciosum lily Lilium speciosum White, pink 36
Turk’s cap lily Lilium superbum Red, orange 50
Tiger lily Lilium tigrinum Red, purple 48

spots :
Star flower Milla (Triteleia) uniflora) Blue 8
Grape hyacinth Muscari_ botryoides White, blue 6
Hoon-petticoat Narcissus Bulbocodium Light yellow 8

narcissus
Cup narcissus Narcissus incomparabilis White, yellow 15
Jonquil Narcissus Jonquilla Yellow 12
Poet’s narcissus Narcissus poeticus White, crim- 14
son eye

Trumpet narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus White-yellow 15
Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum White . 9
Two-leaved scilla Scilla bifolia White, purple 6
Bell-flowered scilla Scilla Hispanica Blue, purple 10
Siberian scilla Scilla Sibirica White, blue 6
Wake Robin Trillium grandiflorum White 12

 

Tulip Tulipa suaveolens, etc. Various 12 to 24

 
APPENDIX 885

HARDY BULBOUS PLANTS FOR AUTUMN PLANTING

 

 

Blooming How deep to How far ;
season Plant apart Notes and Cultural Suggestions
(inches) (inches)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 8 12 Plant by September 15

July 6 12 Effective when massed

July 8 18 Easily grown

July 8 12 Among the best for garden culti-
vation

June 6 15 Most effective in clumps

August 8 18 Splendid, unconventional variety

July 6 15 Pretty in border

August 8 18 Two varieties — rubrum, pink; album,
white

August 6 18 Useful in mixed border

August 8 18 Does well in borders

April-May . 8 3 Plant in sheltered situations -

April 3 4 Splendid when naturalized

April-May 4 6 Good when massed

April-May 5 6 Increases rapidly

April 4 6 Fragrant

April-May 5 6 Excellent for naturalizing — fra-
grant

April-May 5 8 Many forms are grown

May 4 6 Excellent for early summer bloom

March-April 3 4 Very hardy and early

May 3 5 Several varieties, all good

March-April 3 4 Better when slightly protected —
Later to bloom than S. bifolia

May 4 6 One of the best wild flowers

April-May 5 6 May-flowering are best for plant-

ing except in formal beds
386

YARD AND GARDEN

x

PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popular Name. Botanical Name Color Height
(inches)
Ageratum Ageratum conyzoides Blue white 4to10
Alyssum, sweet. Alyssum maritimum White 6
Aster, China Callistephus Chinensis Various 18
Baby’s breath, Gypsophila muralis White 24
annual
Balloon vine Cardiospermum Halica- White 10 ft.
cabum
Balsam Impatiens Balsamina White, pink red, 18
‘s yellow
Bartonia Mentzelia Lindleyi Yellow 12 to 30
Candytuft Iberis amara Red, white 6
Castor bean Ricinus communis — 5 to 8 ft.
Catchfly Silene Armeria, S. pen- Red, white 12 to 18
dula 1
Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum corona- White, yellow 12 to 24
annual rium
Clarkia Clarkia elegans White, rose, pur- 18
ple
Cup and saucer Cobcea scandens Purplish white 15 ft.
vine
Cockscomb Celosia Red, white, yellow 6 to 12
purple
Coreopsis Coreopsis tinctoria Yellow, brown 12
Cornflower Centaurea Cyanus White, blue, rose 12
Cosmos Cosmos bipinnatus White, pink, red 2% to6 ft.
Cypress vine Ipomeea Quamoclit Scarlet 15 ft.
Daisy, Swan Brachycome iberidifolia White, blue 12 to 14

River

 

Everlasting

Xeranthemum annuum

Purple
APPENDIX 387

ANNUALS FOR ALL PURPOSES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distance
Depth apart when
Season of Bloom When to Sow to Sow_ transplanted
Early Late Indoors Outdoors (Inches) or thinned
(inches)

June July to Oct. March May yy 5
July Aug. to Sept. March April % 8
July Sept. March May % 18
June July to Oct. March May % 12

Aug. —-—— May V4 18
June July to Sept. April May y% 18
June July to Sept. March May Y 12

June to Sept. — { April iy 8

July
Grown for ornamental April May 2 36
foliage
June July and Aug. April May % 8
July Aug. to Oct. April May % 18
June July to Oct. April ; May A 8
June

July Aug. to Oct. March May uw 18
June July to Oct. April May % 8
June Aug. to Nov. March May Y 12

June —__—_. April - % 8
August September April May y% 30
June July April May % 10
June July to Oct. March May y% 15

 

Aug. and Sept. ————- May 4 16
388

YARD AND GARDEN

PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Popular Name Botanical Name Color Height
a (inches)

Globe amaranth Gomphrena globosa Red 12 to 18
Godetia G£nothera ameena, Red, white 12 to 18

dE, Whitneyi

Gourd Cucurbita Fruit 15 ft.
Hop, Japanese Humulus Japonicus Foliage plant 10 to 20 ft.
Hyacinth bean Dolichos Lablab White, purple 10 to 20 ft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ice plant Mesembryanthemum White trailing vine
erystallinum
Immortelles Helichrysum bracteatum Yellow, orange 12 to 24
Larkspur, annual Delphinium Ajacis Red, white, blue 15 to 24
Love-lies-bleeding Amarantus caudatus Red 30
Marigold Tagetes patula, T. erecta Orange, yellow 12 to 24
Mignonette Reseda odorata Greenish white 1:2!
Moon-flower Ipomcea Bona-nox White 15 to 30 ft.
Morning-glory Ipomeea purpurea Various 1 to 25 ft.
Musk Mimulus moschatus Yellow 12 to 30
Nasturtium Tropxolum majus Various 1 to 8 ft.
(climbing) and T.
minus (dwarf)
Nemophila Nemophila insignis and Blue, white 12 to 30
N. Menziesii
Palafoxia Polypteris Hookeriana Red 12 to 36
Pansy Viola tricolor Various 6 to 12
Petunia Petunia hybrida White, magenta 12 to 24
Phlox, annual Phlox Drummondii Various 6 to 12
Pink, Chinese Dianthus Chinensis White and various 12
APPENDIX 389

ANNUALS FOR ALL PURPOSES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distance
Depth apart when
Season of Bloom When to Sow to Sow transplanted
Early Late Indoors Outdoors (Inches) or thinned
(inches)
—_—-—— Aug. and Sept. ————— May Y% 15
June July to Oct. March May % 18
April
—SS— SS ——— May 1 24
: April May y% 30
— . July to Oct. ————S May 2 18
July Aug. and Sept. April May \% 12
August — May yy 12
June July to Sept. April May yy 10
June July April May y 18
June July to Oct. February April
March May % 12
May and June July to Oct. March April y 10
May
July Aug. and Sept. March May % 24
June July to Oct. March and May : YY 18
April
June July and Aug. April May y% 6
June July to Oct. Marchand May 1 10
April
June July to Oct. March Apriland 4% 6
May
July to Oct. _ May A 18
May and June Sept. to Oct. Jan. and June to % 6
Feb. August
May July to Oct. April May Sow on 12
Surface
June July to Oct. Feb. Apriland % 12
May
May July to Sept. Feb. and April and 6
March May vs
390

YARD AND GARDEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST
Popular Name Botanical Name Color Height
\ ‘ (inches)
Poppy Papaver Various 6 to 30
Portulaca Portulaca grandiflora White, red 6 to 12
Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis Orange, yellow 12 to 24
Rhodanthe Helipterum Manglesii Purple 18 to 24
Rose moss Lu Portulaca
Salpiglossis Salpiglossis sinuata aes yellow, 20
7 re
Stock, ten-weeks Matthiola incana, var. Various 18
annua.
Sweet pea Lathyrus odoratus Various 4 to 8 ft.
Sweet Sultan Centaurea moschata White, yellow, 24
5 purple
Tarweed Madia elegans Yellow 12 to 24
Wish-bone flower Torenia Fournieri Yellow 12 to 20
Zinnia Zinnia elegans Various 12 to 36

 
APPENDIX

ANNUALS FOR ALL PURPOSES

391

 

 

Season of Bloom

When to Sow

Distance

Depth apart when

to Sow transplanted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early Late Indoors Outdoors (inches) or thinned
(Inches)
June to Aug. ——— March, % 12
April
and May
June July to Oct. March and May Sow. on 8
April Surface
June July to Oct. Marchand May % 12
April
Aug. and Sept. ———— May A 18
June July to Oct. April May % 6
June July and Aug. March May yy 12
July to Oct. —— March to 3 to + 4
June
June July and Aug. Marchand May % 12
‘April
——_— July to Oct. May yy 12
———-—— July to Oct. March and ———— XY 12
April
—_— June to Oct. — May “ 12

 
392 YARD AND GARDEN

[The designs presented here are intended to assist the beginner.
While their real value lies in their suggestions, all are practical and,
if conditions admit of their use, can be followed in planting city
yards of similar shape and size. Only those plants that are ha:diesta
and easiest raised are advised.]

DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING BORDER-PLANTING

Mixed Border of Shrubs and Hardy Herbaceous Plants, Arranged
According to Height, Color of Bloom and-Season of

Flowering: —

No. on Quantity Name

diagram required
1 18 Aster alpinus
2 20 Campanula Carpatica
3 20 Alyssum saxatile, var. compactum
4 10 Achillea Ptarmica, var. ‘‘ The Pearl”
5 10 Campanula latifolia, var. macrantha
6 6 Spirea Van Houtter
7 4 Forsythia suspensa, var. Fortunei
8 6 Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiflora
9 2 Syringa vulgaris (lilac)
10 5 Diervilla hybrida, var. Eva Rathke
11 4 Yucca filamentosa
12 10 Iris levigata (Kempferi)
13 10 Iris Germanica
14 15 Hypericum Moserianum
15 20 Statice latifolia
16 12 Peonies
17 20 Phlox paniculata
18 12 Erigeron speciosus
19 24 Platycodon grandiflorum
20 12 Aruncus (Spirea) astiboides
a 12 Spirea Aruncus (Aruncus sylvester)
22 10 Althea rosea
23 18 Boltonia latisquama
24 5 Bocconia cordata

25 6 Delphinium hybridum
 

 
oot

YARD AND GARDEN

BORDER OF PERENNIALS

Straight Border of the

Best and MHardiest Herbaceous Perennials,

uArranged to Insure Succession of Bloom:—

No. on Season
diagram of bloom

1 May, June, July

2 May, June

3 June, July

4 July, Aug., Sept.,
Oct,

5 Aug., Sept.

6 July, Aug.

7 Sept. Oct.

8 June, July

9 July, sAug., Sept.,
Oct.

10 June, July

a Aug., Sept.

12 June, July

13 June, July

14 July, Aug.

15 June, July

16 June, Jul
Aug., Sept.

17 April, May

18 May, June

19 July, Aug., Sept.

20 May, June, July

21 July, Aug., Sept.

22 July, Aug., Sept.

o8 May, June

24 June, July

25 May, June, July

26 May, June, July,
Aug.

27 June, July

28 June, July, Aug.

29 July, Aug.

30 June, July

31 April, May

32 July, Aug., Sept.

33 June, July

34 une, July, Aug.,
Sept., Oct.

35 Mas June, July,

ug.
36 wan Tune
3g July, u\ug., Sept.

Name

Iris cristata
Troliius Europeus
Lris plicata

Boltonia latisquama
Boltonia asteroides
Helianthus mollis

Aster Tataricus
Penstemon levigatus, var. Digitalis
Phlox paniculata

Ulmaria (Spirga) Filipendula
Helianthus rigidus, var. Miss Mellish

Campanula latifolia, var. macrantha
Campanula persicifolia

Bocconia cordata

Yucca filamentosa

Centaurea macrocephala

Phlox subulata

Armeria maritima

Centaurea montana, var, alba

dris Germanica

Silphium laciniatum
Rudbeckia laciniata
Baptisia australis

Iris levigata (Kempferi)
Aquilegia c@rulea

Dianthus plumarius
Scabiosa Caucasica
Campanula Carpatica
Gypsophila paniculata
Delphinium hybridum
Trollius Asiaticus
Statice latifolia
Campanula glomerata
Achillea Ptarmica, var. “The Pearl”
Aquilegia chrysantha

conta

Aconitum Napellus
 

 

 

 

 
396

No. on
diagram

1

WHOVDRAME WW

YARD AND GARDEN

DESIGN FOR CITY YARD FRONTING EAST

Quantity
required

o

MPeWORPHNOUuNYNHroNwwve

oe

Name

Picea pungens, var. glauca
Clematis, Jackmani

Kalmia latifolia

Funka subcordata, var. grandiflora
Lonicera Halliana

Wistaria Chinensis

Alyssum saxatile, var. compactum
Paonia

Spirea Van Houttet

Syringa vulgaris (lilac)

Spirea Bumalda, var. Anthony Waterer
Berberis (Mahonia)

Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiflora
Abies concolor

Ligustrum ovalifolium, or var. Regelianum
Myosotis palustris

Phlox subulata

Phlox paniculata

Iris pumila

Dianthus barbatus

Iris Germanica

Hardy ferns

Dianthus plumarius

Lychnis iscaria, var. splendens
Thalictrum aquilegifolium
Delphinium formosum

Iris levigata (Kempferi)
Gypsophila paniculata

Armeria maritima

Physostegia Virginiana

Platycodon grandiforum

Stokesia cyanea

Centaurea montana

Hardy ferns ©

Aquilegia cerulea

Campanula Carpatica

Campanula persicifolia

Hardy ferns
397

APPENDIX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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398

No. on
diagram

1

YARD AND GARDEN

DESIGN FOR CITY CORNER YARD

Number
required

Name

Coreopsis lanceolata
Wistaria Chinensis
Lonicera Halliana
Rose, Crimson Rambler
Hemerocallis fulva
Picea pungens, var. glauca
Phlox paniculata
Aconitum autumnale
Iris levigata (Kempferi)
Delphinium hybridum
German iris
Althea rosea, single
Paonia
Bocconia _cordata
Trollius Europeus
Boltonia asteroides
Campanula latifolia, var. myucrantha
Rudbeckia, Golden Glow
Statice latifolia
Yucca filamentosa
Berberis Thunbergit
Maples
Thin when crowding begins)
‘yringa vulgaris (lilac)
Spirea Van Houttei
Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiflora
Forsythia suspensa, var. Fortunei
Hardy ferns

(Space is left at the point A to alfow entrance to the lawn.)
399

APPENDIX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2zO

>

ezO

20

 

~~.
400

No. on
diagram

WHONAOMTPWWE

YARD AND GARDEN

DESIGN FOR CITY YARD FRONTING WEST

Quantity
required

Name of plant

Picea pungens, var. glauca
Pseudotsuga Douglasti

Spirca Van Houtter

Kalmia_ latifolia

Berberis (Mahonia) Aquifolium
Hydrangea paniculata, var, grandiflora
Iris Germanica

Clematis paniculata

Lonicera Halliana

Hardy ferns |.

Armeria maritima

Ulmaria (Spire@a) Filipendula
Alyssum saxatile

Sedum spectabile

Thalictrum aquilegifolium

Dianthus barbatus

Funkia subcordata, var. grandifora
Helenium autumnale, var. superbum
Statice latifolia

Achillea Ptarmica, var. ‘‘ The Pearl”
Althea rosea

Bocconia cordata

Delphinium formosum

Iris levigata (Kampferi)
Physostegia Virginiana

Peonia

Phlox paniculata

Hibiscus Moscheutos, var. Crimson Eve
Campanula persicifolia

Veronica longifolia, var. subsessilis
Berberis Thunbergit

Azalea amena

Funkia carulea

Tris pumila

Hardy ferns
401

APPENDIX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
402

No. on Quantity
diagram required

1 200

30

2

30

3 4

4 6

5 1

6 3

7 oh

8 si

9 2

YARD AND GARDEN

DESIGN COMBINING ORNAMENT AND UTILITY

Name

Ligustrum ovalifolinm
Peonia

Phlox paniculata

Rose; Dorothy Perkins

Clematis paniculata

Lenicera, var. Halliana

Grape

Currants, blackberries or raspberries
Bed of annuals

Dwarf fruit trees
403

APPENDIX

 
INDEX
INDEX

Abutilon, 133, 351
Acer platanoides, 289
saccharinum, 289
saccharum, 289
Achillea, illus. 139,
Ptarmica, var. “ The
Pearl,” 162
Aconitum autumnale, 166
Fischeri, 164
Napellus, illus. 161
Actinidia arguta, 95
Adiantum cuneatum, 356
Adonis vernalis, 159
4isculus Hippocastanum, 289
Agapanthus, 235
Atlanthus glandulosa,
Akebia quinata, 95
Alstremeria, 235
Althea rosea, 162
Althea, shrubby, 264
Alyssum samwatile, 159
(see Sweet alyssum)
Amelanchier, 264
Ampelopsis, illus. 89
quinquefolia, 87
Veitchi, 94
Andromeda floribunda,
263
Anemone Japonica, 166
Pennsylvanica, 169
Annuals, 99
Beds for, 108
Cultivation indoors, 105
General classification of,
100
Half-hardy, 101
Hardy, 101, 114

289

256,

Location of beds for, 114
Planting indoors, 102
Planting outdoors, 113, 115
Selection of varieties of,
119
Soil for, 110
Sowing in flats, 103
Support for, 116
Tender, 101
Transplanting, 105
Watering, 117
Weeding, 116
Anthemis tinctoria, illus. 152,
162
Antirrhinum, illus. 105, 133
Apios tuberosa, 239
Aquilegia, illus. 139, 159, 160
cerulea, 151
Canadensis, 159
Arabis albida, 159
Ardisia, 351
Aristolochia macrophylla, 88
Armeria maritima, 160
Aruncus astilboides, illus. 155
Asclepias tuberosa, 164
Ash, 289
Ashes, wood, 58
Asparagus, 133, 351
Asplenium, 356
Aster Amellus, 164
China, illus. 105, 120
Nove-Anglie, 164
Stoke’s, illus. 147
(see Stokesia)
Tataricus, 166
Astilbe Japonica, 160
Aubrietia deltoidea, 159

407
408

Aucuba, 351
Auracaria, 351
Azalea, illus. 258; 256, 264,
350
Indica, illus. 333

Balloon flower, illus. 148
(see Platycodon)
Balsam, 120
Baptisia australis, 160
Barberry (see Berberis)
Bee Balm, 148
Beech, 289
Begonia, 133, 351, 352
Rea, illus. 336
Tuberous, illus.
235, 236
Belemcanda Chinensis, 162
Beliflower, 151
Bellis perennis, 159
Berberis, 263, 265
Aquifolium, 256, 263
vulgaris, 264
Bermuda grass, 69
Bessera, 235
Biennials, 99
Bitter sweet, False, 95
Blue-grass, Kentucky, 53-55
Bocconia cordata, 164
Boltonia  asteroides,
159, 164
latisquama, 164
Bone meal, 58
Boston ivy, 194
Bouvardia, 351
Boxes, porch, 120
window, 120
Bridal wreath, illus. 241
Browallia, 351
Buckthorn, 265
Bulbocodium, 188
Bulbous plants, 170
(see Bulbs)
Bulbs, 170
Arrangement of, 188, 190
Classification of, 171

178; 133,

illus.

INDEX

Cultivation of, 179

Depth to plant, 214

Dividing, 184

Hardy, 173, 186, 194

In beds, 189

In borders, 180

Indoors, 339, 346

In lawn, 187

Lifting, 184

Planting, 178, 182, 190

Preparation of beds

176

Spring flowering, 209

Succession of bloom of, 175

Tender, 175, 235

Value of, 173

Winter protection of, 183
Buttonbush, 264
Buttonwood, 289

for,

Caladium, 133, 235
Calendula, 114, 120
officinalis, illus. 116
Calimeris incisa, 160, 162
Caliopsis, 114, 120
Calla, 235
Callirhoe involucrata, 160
Calycanthus floridus, 263
Camelia, 351
Campanula alliariaefolia, 162
Carpatica, 160
glomerata, 162
persicifolia, 160
pyramidalis, 151, 164
Trachelium, 162
Canada lily, illus. 185
Candytuft, 120
Canna, illus.
235
(see Richardia)
Carnation, 351
Catehfly, illus. 137
Ceanothus Americanus, 264
Celastrus scandens, 95
Cephalanthus occidentalis, 264

176 and 181;
INDEX

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides,
164
Chelone Lyoni, 164
obliquu, 164 ~
Chestnut, horse, 289
China aster, illus. 105; 120
Chinese sacred lily, 348
Chionodoxa, 188
Depth to plant, 214
gigantea, 212
grandiflora, 212
Nardensis, 212
Chrysanthemum, 164, 166, 350
frutescens, illus. 330
Leucanthemum, 162
maximum, 162
Chrysogonum
160
Cimicifuga racemosa, 162
Cineraria, 351
Cinnamon vine, 95, 238
Cinquefoil, 263
Clarkia, 120
Clay (see Soil)
Clematis, 91
Davidiana, 164 .
Diseases of, 92
Flammula, 92
Henryi, 94
Jackmani, illus. 84; 92
- paniculata, 92
recta, 160
Soil for, 91
Clethra alnifolia, 263, 264
Climbers (see Vines)
For indoor gardens,
351
Climbing fern, 350, 367
Climbing roses, 90
(see Roses)
Cobeea scandens, 351
Cocksecomb, 120
Coleus, 133
Color of flowers, 40
Columbine, illus. 139; 151
(see Aquilegia)

Virginianun,

350,

409

Conocliniunr coclestinum, 164
Convallaria majalis, 159
Cooperia, 235
Coreopsis, 120

lanceolata, 160
Corm (see Bulbs)
Cornelian cherry, 265
Cornflower, 114
Cornus, 263, 264
Coronilla varia, 160
Corylus, 264
Crab-grass, 68
Crimson Rambler, 90
Crocus, 188, 212

Depth to plant, 214
Croton, 133
Crytonium, 356
Cupheas, 351
Currant, wild, 263
Cyanea NStokesia, illus. 147
Cycas revoluta, 351
Cyclamen, 351
Cydonia Japonica, 263, 264

Daffodil (see Narcissus)
Dahlia, illus. 176; 235, 236
Single, illus. 189
Dandelions in lawn, 66
Daphne, 264
Day lily, illus. 166
(see Hemerocallis)
Delphinium formosum, 160
grandifiorum, 162
hybridum, illus. 150
Deutzia, 253, 264
gracilis, 263
scabra, 263
Dianthus barbatus, illus. 154;
160
plumarius, 160
Dicentra eximia, 160
spectabile, 159
Dictmanus albus,
Diervilla, 264
Digitalis ambigua, 162
monstrosa, illus. 161

160
410 INDEX

purpurea, 160
Dioscorea divaricata, 95
Diseases, 309, 323
Catalogue of, 324
Remedies for, 324, 327
Dogwood, 263
Doronicum plantigineum, 159
Dracena, 351
Dragon-head, False, illus. 154
Drainage, 303
Dutchman’s pipe, 88

Easter lily, 346
Echinacea purpurea, 162
Eleagnus longipes, 265
Elder, 264
Elm, 289
English ivy, 350
Eranthis hyemalis, 213
Depth to plant, 214
Erigeron speciosus, 160:
Eryngium amethystinum, 162
Erythronium, illus. 196
Euonymus, 265, 351
Japonicus, 257
radicans, 95
Eupatorium ageratoides, 164
Euphorbia corolotta, 162
Factory grounds planted, 18
Fagus ferruginea, 289
False bitter sweet, 95
False dragon-head, illus. 154
Farfugium, 351
Ferns, 364
Best varieties, 367
Boston, 356
Christmas, 367
Cinnamon, 367
Clayton’s, 367
Climbing, 350, 367
Culture of, 356
Ebony, 356, 367
Evergreen, 367
For indoor garden, 351, 356
For porch boxes, 133
Goldie’s, 367

Gossamer, 367

Hardy, 364

Holly, 356

Kidney, 356

Lace, illus. 354; 367

Lady, 367

Maidenhair, illus. 355; 356,

367

New York, 367

Ostrich, illus. 366; 367

Pests of, 356

Pierson, 356

Royal, 367

Scott, 356

Sensitive, 367

Shield, 367

Situation for, 364

Soil for, 366

Sword, 356

Walking, 367
Fertilizers, 293

Animal manures, 303

Bone meal, 458, 307

For lawns, 46, 56

For porch boxes, 131

For potted plants, 337

For vines, 84

Lime, 59

Liquid, 132, 305, 307

Muriate of potash, 307

Nitrate of soda, 58, 307

Soot, 305

Wood ashes, 58, 307
Festuca glauca, 351
Ficus elastica, 351
Filbert, 264
Flats, 103
Fleur-de-lis (see Iris)
Formal city garden, illus. 3
Forsythia, 253

suspensa, 264
Foxglove, illus. 161

(see Digitalis)

Frazinus Americana, 289
Freesia, illus. 347

In pots, 347
INDEX

Fuchsia, 133, 351
Fungicides, 327
Fungus (see Diseases)
Funkia, illus. 166
Fortunei, illus. 306, 162
lancifolia, 162
ovata, 162
subcordata, 164

Gaillardia aristata, 160, 164
Galanthus, 210
Depth to plant, 214
Gardening, 4
Geranium, illus. 350; 133, 351
Geranium sanguineum, 160
German iris, 160, 161
Geum coccineum, 160
montanum, 160
Ginkgo biloba, 289
Gladiolus, illus. 206; 235, 236
Glechoma, 133
Globe-flower, illus. 141
(see Trollius)
Glory-of-the-snow (see Chion-
odowa)
Goldenbell, 264
Golden glow, 158
(see Rudbeckia)
Grass (see Lawns)
For clay soil, 55
For lawns, 55
For sandy soil, 55
For shaded spots, 55
For terraces, 55
Grevillea robusta, 351
Gypsophila paniculata, 162

Hamamelis, 254
Height of plants, 40
Helenium, 164
Hoopesti, 160
Helianthus, 164
Heliopsis levis, 162
Heliotrope, 133, 351
Helloborus niger, 159
orientalis, 159

411

Hemerocallis, illus. 166, 162
Dumortierii, 160
Hepatica triloba, 159
Heuchera sanguinea, 162
Hibiscus, 351
Moscheutus, illus. 143, 164
Syriacus, 264
Honeysuckle, illus. 93
(see Lonicera)
Bush, 264
Humus (see Soil)
Hyacinth, illus. 201; 194
Best varieties of, 202
For pots, 343
In water, 344
Named varieties of, 200
Planting of, 200
Preparation of beds for, 201
Roman, 344
Winter protection of, 200
Hyacinthus candicans, 237
Hydrangea, illus. 244; 254
hortensis, illus. 353
paniculata, 264
Hypericum aureum, 263
prolificum, 264
Lberis sempervirens, 160

Indoor gardens
(see Window gardens)
Insecticides, 313, 321
Insects, 309
Chewing, 310
Destruction of, 310
Lists of, 313
Sucking, 310
Inula ensifolia, 162
Iris, 219
Bulbous, 224
cristata, 232
Division of, 234
Dwarf varieties of, 231
English (see J. wiphioides)
Florentina, 233
Germanica, illus. 230; 160,
161, 230
412

Japanese (see I. laevigata)

Kempferi (see I. levigata)

levigata, illus. 221; 161,
227

Oncocyclus, 220
pallida, 233
Planting, 234
Pseudacorus, 161, 233
pumila, 231
reticulata, 226
Rhizomatous, 227
Nibirica, illus. 230 and 234;
161, 233
Spanish (see J. Xiphium)
Susiana, 220
Varieties of, 219, 223
vernd, 159, 232
wiphioides, illus. 234; 224
AXiphium, illus, 225; 224
Ivy, Boston, 94
English, 350
Kenilworth, 351
Parlor, 350
Japanese Iris levi-
gata)
Japanese quince, 263, 264
Japanese rose, 263
Juneberry, 264
Kalmia latifolia, illus. 255;
256, 263, 264

(see J.

Kenilworth ivy, 351
Kentucky blue-grass, 53
Kerria Japonica, 263
Kerria, white, 264
Kniphofia aloides, illus. 185
Kudzu vine, 239

Lantana, weeping, 133
Larkspur, illus. 150
(see Delphinium)
Lavendula vera, 163
Lawns, 44
Autumn spading, 48
Bone meal for, 58

INDEX

Fertilizing, 45, 48, 56
Insects attacking, 71
Lime for, 59
Moles in, 71
Mowing, 60
Nitrate of soda for, 58
Preparation of soil for, 44-
48
Renovating old, 73
Rolling, 59
Seed for, 52-55
Sowing of, 52
Top-dressing of, 58
Turf for, 49
Watering, 63
Weeds in, 66
Wood ashes on, 58
Leaf mold (see Soil)
Leucojum vernum, 210
Depth to plant, 214
Liatris graminifolia, 164
spicata, 164
Ligustrum, 263
Lilac (see Nyringa)
Lilium, 214
auratum, 215, 217
Batemannie, 215, 21
Best varieties of, 21
Brownii, 215, 217
Canadense, illus. 185: 217
candidum, illus. 191; 217
Chaleedonicum, 217
croceum, 217
Depth to plant, 218
Elegans, illus. 216
excelsum, 217
Hansoni, 217
Harrisii, 346
Henryi, 215, 217
Japonicum, illus. 187, 215
Krameri, illus. 187
longiflorum, 215
Martagon, 217
Pardalinum, 217
Philadelphicum, 217
Season for planting, 215

7
5
INDEX

Soil for, 214, 217
speciosum, 217
superbum, 217
Thunbergianum, illus. 216;
217
Tigrinum, illus. 211, 217
umbellatum, 217
Value of, 214
Wallacet, 217
Washingtonianum, 217
Lily (see Lilium)
- Lime, 59
Linden, 289
Liriodendron tulipifera, 289
Lobelia cardinalis, 164
syphilitica, 164
Location of house, 26
Lonicera, 94, 265
Halliana, illus. 93; 94
Japonica, 94
sempervirens, 94
Tatarica, 264
Lychnis Chacedonica, 163
Coronaria, 161
Vespertina, 163
Visearia, var. splendens,
illus. 137; 161
Lygodium, 350, 356
Lysimachia clethroides, 163
nummularia, 161
punctata, 161

Madeira vine, 235, 238, 351
Madonna lily, illus. 191
(see Lilium)
Mahernia odorata, 351
Mahonia (see Berberis Aqui-
folium )
Maidenhair fern (see fern)
tree, 289
Manettia, 133
Manure (see fertilizer)
Maple, 289
Marguerite, illus. 152; 351
Mass planting, 38
Maurandya, 133, 350

413

Mesembryanthemum, 351
Mignonette, 114
Mock orange (see /hiludel-

phus)

Monarda didyma, illus. 148

Monkshood, illus. 161 (see
Aconitum

Montbretia, illus. 206; 235,
237

Morning glory, 96, 114

Japanese, 133
Mountain fetter bush, 264
Mountain laurel (see Aal-

mia)

Nasturtium, 96, 120, 133
Narcissus, illus. 170 and 199;
194, 340
Barrii, 198
Best varieties of, 197
Colors of, 195
Double, 200
For outdoor planting, 197
incomparabilis, 198
In pots, 340
Leedsii, 200
Naturalizing, 195
Paper white, illus. 341; 342
poeticus, illus. 196; 195,
200 :
Season for planting, 16
Trumpet, 197
Value of, 194
Nephrolepis, 356
Nitrate of soda (see Fertili-
zers

Oak, 289

@nothera fruticosa, 161, 163
Missouriensis, 163
speciosa, 163

Oleaster, 265

Orchard grass, 69

Oriental poppy, illus, 145

(see Papaver)
Osier, red, 265
414

Oxalis, 235

Peonia, illus. 369; 367
Best varieties of, 373
Colors of, 367
For eut flowers, 374
List of, 373
Moutan, illus. 372; 264
Muleh for, 368
officinalis, 160
Sensitive varieties of, 371
Single, illus. 371
Soil for, 368
tenuifolia, 160
Tree (see P. Moutan)
Value of, 367

Palms, 351, 352

Pandanus, 351, 354

Papaver nudicaule, illus. 145;

161
orientale, illus. 145; 161

Paris daisy, illus. 330; 351

Parlor ivy, 350

Peat (see Soil)

Pentstemon barbatus, 163
laevigatus, 161
ovatus, 163

Peony (see Peonia)

Perennials, hardy herbaceous,

99, 134
Arrangement of, 167
Best varieties of, 157
Classification of, 134
Cultivation of, 167
Division of, 151, 152
Number of varieties, 136
Planting, 142
Preparation of beds for, 144
Propagation by cuttings,

156

Raising from seed, 148
Short-lived, 151
Succession of bloom of, 158
Watering of, 168
Winter protection of, 140
With shrubs, 169

INDEX

Petunia, illus. 114; 114, 120,
351

Philadelphus, 259, 264

Phlox, 374
Annual, illus. 100; 120
Best varieties of, 377
Cultivation of, 376
decussata, 376

divaricata, illus. 377; 160
Drummondii, illus. 100;
133

Dwarf varieties of, 378
Lists of, 377
Mulch for, 376
paniculata, illus. 375; 163,
. 164, 376, 378
Planting, 376
subulata, 160
suffruticosa, 376, 377
Physostegia Virginiana,. illus.
154; 164
Pieris floribunda,
264
Mariana, 264
Pilea arborea, 351
Pink (see Dianthus)
Annual, 120
Pinus Mughus, 264
Planning, 12
Before building, 25
Conditions governing, 24
Drawing to scale, 21
Elementary, 22
For harmonious effect, 37
On paper before planting,
35

256, 263,

Principles of, 13
Plans (see planning)

How to draw, 35

What to include in, 36
Plantain in lawns, 66
Plantain lily, illus. 166

(see Funkia)

Plantanus accidentalis, 289
Planting, examples of, 19
INDEX

Platycodon grandiflorum,
illus. 148; 163
Plum, 264
Polemonium ceruleum, 160:
Poplar, 289
Poppy, 114, 120
(see Papaver)
Iceland, 151
Oriental, illus. 145
Shirley, illus. 110
Populus alba, 289
Porch boxes, 120
Construction of, 128
Dimensions of, 127
Fertilizer for, 131
Plants for, 132
Soil for, 130
Uses of, 123
Value of, 121
Watering, 132
Portulaca, 120
Potentilla fruticosa, 263
Pot marigold, illus. 116; 120
Potting, 235
Primrose, 351
Primula, 160, 352
Principles of planning, 31
Privet, 263
Prunus, 264
Purpose of a yard, 16
Pyrethrum roseum, 161

Quercus palustris, 289
rubra, 289

Rambler, Crimson, 90
Ramblers (see vines)
Red root, 264
Repotting, 235
Rhamnus, 265
Rhododendron,
255, 264
Catawbiense, 264
Rhodotypos, 264
Rhus, 254
Ribes floridum, 263

illus. 260;

415

Richardia, 235, 351
Roman hyacinths
(see Hyacinth)
Roses, 357
Bourbon, 363
Climbing, 90, 364
Crimson Rambler, 90
‘Dorothy Perkins, 90
Fertilizer for, 361
For shrubberies, 364
Gen. Jacqueminot,
359; 362, 363
Grafted, 358
Hardy perpetual, 362
Hybrid perpetual, 363
Hybrid tea, 363
Japanese, 263
Noisette, 364
On own roots, 358
Planting of, 357
Pruning of, 361
Tea, 364
Trellis, 363
Wichuraiana, 90
Winter protection of, 360
Rubus, 265
Rudbeckia, 166
laciniata (golden
illus. 158; 164
triloba, 164
Rules for planting, 31

illus.

glow )

St. John’s Wort, 263, 264
Salix alba, 289
Sambucus, 264, 265
Sanguinaria Canadensis, 159
Scabiosa, annual, 120
Caucasica, 161
Scilla, 210
Ameena, 188
Depth to plant, 214
Sibirica, 210
Serew pine, 354
Sedum. spectabile, 166
Selaginella denticulata, 351
Senecio, 350
416

mikanioides, 351
pulcher, 166
Shasta daisy, illus. 163
(see Chrysanthemum)
Shirley poppy, illus. 163
(see Papaver)
Shrubs, 240
Blooming in spring, 264
Blooming two months, 263
Compared to trees, 243
Cultivation of, 252
Effectiveness of, 245
Evergreen, 255, 264
For city yard, 257
For shaded situations, 263
Grouping of, 246, 252
List of best hardy, 263
Planting of, 25]
Pruning of, 252
Spraying, 261
Uses of, 248
Value of, 248, 254
Varieties of, 253
When to plant, 261
Winter protection of, 252
With ornamental fruit, 265
With variegated foliage,
264
Silene, 120
Smilax, 351
Smoke bush, (see Rhus)
Snapdragon, illus. 105; 133
(see Antirrhinum)
Snowball, 264 (see Virbur-
num )
Snowberry, 263, 265
Snowdrop, 188
(see Galanthus)
Snowflake, 188
(see Leucojum)
Sod for lawns, 50
(see Lawns)
Soil, 293
Clay, 296
Composition of, 295
Cultivation of, 301

INDEX

Fertilizing of, 303
Good garden, 298
Humus, 296
Leaf mold, 296
Mixtures of, 297
Peat, 296
Trenching of, 302
Solidago, 166
Soot (see Fertilizers)
Specimen planting, 32
Npirea, 253, 260, 264
Aruncus, illus. 155; 161
Filipendula, illus. 135; 162
lobata, 163
palmata, 162
prunifolia, 260
Thunbergii, 260
Van Houttei,
260
Squill (see Scilla)
Stachys Betonica, 163
Stagger-bush, 264
Statice Tatarica, 163
Stocks, illus. 110; 120
Stoke’s aster, illus. 147; 163
Stokesia cyanea, illus. 147;
163
Strawberry bush, 265
Summer hyacinth, 237
Sunflower, 114, 120
Swainsonia, 351
Swamp Rose, illus. 143
Sweet alyssum, 114, 120, 351
Sweet-peas, illus. 112; 120
Sweet pepper, 263, 264
Sweet-scented shrub, 263
Sweet sultan, 114
Sweet William, illus. 143
Sycamore, 289
Symphoricarpos, 263
racemosus, 265
Syringa (see Philadelphus)
Syringa, 253, 259
vulgaris, 264

illus. 241;

Tecoma radicans, 95
INDEX

Thalictrum
162
Thermopsis Caroliniana, 162
Thunbergia, 133
Thunbergian lily, illus. 216
Tiger lily, illus. 211
Tigridia, 235
Tilia Americana, 289
vulgaris, 289
Torch lily, illus. 185
Tradescantia, 351
Virginiana, 163
Trees, 266
Bordering parks, 271
Bordering streets, 272
Cultivation of, 284
Enemies of, 290
Evergreen, 285
How to plant, illus. 267
In city yards, 266, 274
Insect pests of, 291
Objection to, 240
Of Heaven, 289
Planting. 282
Pruning, 275, 277
Transplanting of, 277, 281
Varieties of, 288
Watering, 285
Wrong use of, 268
Trellises, 97
Trenching, 302
Trillium erectum, 159
Trollius Europeus, illus. 141;
160, 162
Trumpet creeper, 95
Tuberose, 235
Tuberous-rooted plants, 170
“(see Bulbs)
Tulip, 194, 203
Bizarre, 208
Breeder, 208
Byblemen, 208
Classification of, 205
Darwin, 208
Double, 205, 206
Early single, 205

aquilegifolium,

417

Florist, 208
For pots, 346
In borders, 204
Lifting, 204
May-flowering, illus. 174
and 203; 207
Mother, 208
Parrot, illus. 203; 206
Preparation of beds for,
204
Rose, 208
Season for planting, 203
Self, 208
Show, 208
Winter protection of, 204
Tulip tree, 289
Turf for lawns, 49
Laying of, 50
Watering, 50
Ulmaria Filipendula, illus.
135
(see Spirea Filipendula)
Ulmus Americana, 289
campestris, 289
Umbrella plant, 133

Vernonia Arkansana, 164

Veronica, illus, 165
longifolia, 163, 164
rupestris, 162
Virginica, 163

Viburnum, 259, 264
lantana, 265
opulus, 265
plicatum, 260

Vinea, 133, 351

Vines, 75
Annual, 80, 96
Bulbous, 238
Classification of, 77
Cultivation of, 82
Fertilizers for, 84
For indoor gardens,

351

Perennial, 80, 87

350,
418

Pruning of, 85
Soil for, 81
Supports for, 97
Uses of, 76
Value of, 75
Varieties of, 87-98
Violet, 351
Virginia creeper, 87

Walks, 28
Course of, 29
Planning of, 34
Wayfaring tree, 265
Weeds, in lawns, 66
Weigelia, 264
Wichuraiana rose, 90
Willow, 289
Window boxes, 120
Window garden, 329
Bulbs for, 339, 346
Ferns for, 356
Fertilizer for, 337
Flowers for, 348, 350, 351
Foliage plants for, 348, 351
Hyacinths for, 343

INDEX

Location of, 332
_Narcissi for, 340
Plants for, 339
Potting, 335
Repotting, 335
Soil for, 332
Sunless, 351
Temperature of, 348
Tulips for, 346
Watering, 336
Vines for, 350, 351
Winter aconite, 188
(see Eranthis)
Wistaria Chinensis, 95
multijuga, 95
speciosa, 95
Witch-hazel (see hamamelis)
Wolfberry, 263
Wood ashes, 58
(see Fertilizer )
Woodbine, illus. 89; 88

Zephyranthes, 235
Zinnia, illus, 102; 120