,i,niiii.v}[ nmcihv*) Mooney HINTS AND HELPS FOR YOUNG GARDENERS A TREATISE DESIGNED FOR THOSE YOUNG IN EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS YOUTHFUE GARDENERS H. D. HEMENWAY FORMERLY DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF HORTICULTURE HARTFORD, CONN. NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR THIRD EDITION 1911 Copyright 1906. By H. D. Hemenway. \ r\ I \4-il s PREFACE. This little book is written with a view of furnishing a low priced guide to school and home gardeners. It is in- tended not only for youthful gardeners, but also for those young in experience. It has grown out of the experience of the Author in the class-room and garden with classes of both children and adults. The Author endeavours to keep the book in clear, simple, and concise language, and it is his hope that it may prove a guideboard to success, to persons who do not know T the way, and an assurance to those in doubt. H. D. Hemenway, Hartford , Connecticut , 1906. ? CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Introduction. CHAPTER II. How TO PuAN THE GARDEN. Selection of Garden Plot — Enriching it — Selecting the Crops to Grow — Selecting the Tools. CHAPTER III. Soie Tieeage. Objects of Tillage — Implements used in Tillage — the Spade — the Plow — the Harrow — Cultivators — Roller — Planker — How to Spade — How to Rake — How to Hoe. CHAPTER IV. How to Test Seeds. Seed Testing Blank — Germination— How to Make a Germinator. CHAPTER V. How TO Peant. Preparing the hand — Directions for Planting Beans — Bush — Tima and Pole — Beets — Brussels Sprouts — Broccoli — Cabbage — Carrots — Cauli- flower — Celery — Sweet Corn — Corn Salad — Cress — Cucumber — Dan- delion — Egg Plant — Endive — Kale — Kohl Rabi — Lettuce — keek — Mustard — Melons — Okra — Onions — Parsley — Mixing Soil and Potting — Parsnip — Peppers — Peas — Potatoes — Pumpkins — Radish — Salsify — Spinach— Squash — Tomatoes — Turnip — Vegetable — Planting Table- Flower Planting Table. CHAPTER VI. How to Dig and Set Trees. How to dig the Tree — How to set it — Planting Board. CHAPTER VII. How to Make a Hotbed and Care for the Same. How to Make the Bed — How to Care for it — Cotton Shutters. CHAPTER VIII. Strawberry Cueture. Preparing the Land — Setting in Garden, in field — Winter Covering — The Barrel Method. CHAPTER IX. Asparagus Cueture. Planting the Seed — Preparing the Ground — Setting the Roots for Garden Culture, for Field. Culture — Cutting. CHAPTER X. Window Gardening. The best Plants for it — Mixing the Soil for Common Plants, for Palms and Roses, for Cacti — Selecting and arranging the Plants in Boxes — List of Suitable Plants — Pottina and Re-potting — Propagation — Bulbs — Care of Plants. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/hintshelpsforyouOOheme CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION. I N America, garden work and elementary agriculture as a means of education has been successfully demonstrated for nearly a score of years. Many of its enthusiastic advo- cates believe it has already past its experimental stage, and should be included in the curriculum of every well- organized school. On the other hand, there are conservative educators, who still look upon it as a fad. Many others, probably the larger number, believe in it, but for the lack of effi- cient teachers, and equipment, hesitate to advocate intro- ducing the School Garden. Several institutions in the country have already begun to train teachers and the School Garden movement is making rapid progress. The time is not far distant, when practical, elementary agriculture, and gardening will be taught in many schools. It develops the children physi- cally as well as mentally and in the open air often creating a love for things, which keep the city boy off the street corners during the summer, and teaches the country child the business-like, up-to-date methods in agriculture and gardening. It not only educates me nead, the heart, and the hand, but it aids in the practical application of reading, writing and arithmetic. Gardening increases and develops the power of observation. It makes a person quick to grasp ideas and to put these ideas into action. These are im- portant foundations for success in any line of business. It develops moral character. Few things, if any, develop a love of industry better than the well-kept garden. Ever changing nature lures us on to help some pet plant to grow until we love the work. An unsightly yard. The same yard three months later. What was once unsightly, unsanitary and unproductive, becomes a resort of beauty, of health and of utility for a whole family. Photos bj' Edward Mahoney. FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 9 Establishing a School Garden may change the entire healthfulness of a neighborhood. The school grounds, themselves may be better planned and more healthful, but the best effect may be at the homes. The School Gardener soon wants a garden at home. No matter how small the yard, there is room for a garden for the boy or girl, even if it has to he established in a soap-box. There is much waste room often used for ashes, tin cans, or rubbish in many yards. What was once unsightly, unsanitary, and unpro- ductive, becomes a resort of beauty, of health and utility for a whole family. It opens up a source of revenue, creates a love of industry, and respect for property, and is often the beginning of better things. The gardener be- comes a better American citizen. Learning habits of close observation. CHAPTER II. HOW TO PLAN THE GARDEN. T HE first thing in planning a garden is to decide upon the location. If there is sufficient land so a choice can be made always select the best land with the most sunny exposure. If it has a southern slope it will be still earlier and warmer. Enrich it with rotted stable manure at the rate of ten cords or more to the acre. In the absence of stable manure* use a liberal sprinkling of wood ashes, and bone dust and apply a little nitrate of soda to the crops occa- sionally, especially to the leaf crops. If there is a board fence place the tall growing crops next to it, otherwise place them on the north side. Do not try , at first , to grow rare or uncommon things. Cover the fences with flowering vines, as nasturtiums, morning glories, cobaeas, Japanese hop, etc. Any un- sightly places may be covered with the above named vines or with wild cucumber, gourds, squash or pumpkins. Low flowers show best when planted along the path. Taller ones may be planted back of them. Give every- thing plenty of room. Rows of corn or potatoes should not be closer than two and one-half feet in the garden, or three or three and one- half feet in the field. Tomatoes should be three to four feet apart, and hills of squashes and cucumbers should never be closer than five feet apart, although other early crops may be planted within four feet of them. A crop of lettuce, radishes, spinach or onions, may be obtained from the spaces between the crops that are planted more than two feet apart. Different kinds of corn should not be planted in the same garden. Different varieties of *The street department will generally furnish plenty of street sweepings for the School Garden. IO FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 1 1 1 Jxrcux Cdoasv - )Ln y (^OuntA % , V. 13. £xJOmJ- 1 (xles/Tx/s ' ?/j? nhflxA sufj ( , the same kind may, however. It is well to plant an early and a later variety of sweet corn. Plan for a good vari- ety of vegetables but do not try to grow things from which you are not reasonably sure of get- ting a crop. Begin early to plan the garden. Draw the plans on paper and study them. Make the changes, if there are when the you have Garden 4x5 ft. any, then, time comes a definite plan to work upon and no time is lost. In mak- ing the plans for a School Garden avoid using the front lawn, at least the center of it, and avoid en- croaching upon a needed play-ground. Do not forget the aesthetic side but have something be- sides that. Let the garden teach, as well as industry and gar- deningjeconomy and productiveness* In selecting tools, it is important to buy good ones. Avoid toys, and those that are cheap and worth- less. The best workman cannot do good work with inferior tools, much less can the inexperienced. While good tools Plan f o v small garden that will, ripen all its pro- ducts before the first of July. Garden 10x30 ft. A good plan for the whole season. From report of Director of Hart- ford School of Horticulture. The Needed Tools. a. Rake. c. Hand Weeder. b. Dine. d. Sunnyside Hoe. Cut loaned by Doubleday, Page & Co., N Y. 12 HINTS AND HELPS cost more at first, they are cheaper in the end. With good tools, the beginner should begin to handle them correctly. One of the modern harrows. CHAPTER III. SOIL TILLAGE. T IEEAGE is the working or stirring of the land in order to improve it for agricultural purposes. The term cultivation is sometimes used but tillage is a techni- cal term and is to be preferred. The fundamental practice in farming is tilling the land. The modern ideas of tillage dates from 1733, when Jethro Tull published a book on Horse-Hoeing Husbandry. While his theory was not correct as to the manner that plants take food, he was the first in England to advocate tilling the soil. His idea was that particles were made so fine that the small roots could take them in as food. It was only in the latter part of the century just closed that the real reasons for tillage became popularly understood in this country. THE OBJECTS OF TILLAGE. Tillage improves the land in many ways. It pul- verizes the soil, allowing air to enter and make available the plant food. It gives the roots a wider pasture. It saves moisture. It is practiced to prevent the growth of weeds and other vegetation not desired upon the ground. To place beneath the surface, manure, stubble and other organic matter where it will not be in the way, and where it may be converted rapidly into humus. Tillage will develop various degrees of openness of texture and uni- formity of soil and conditions suitable to the planting of seeds and the setting of plants. The first requirements in the growing of plants is pro- per and thorough tillage. It is more important than the ap- plication of fertilizers. By thorough and careful tillage good crops can be raised on semi-arid regions of the west which have a rainfall of only a little more than one-third our average rainfall. 13 14 HINTS AND HELPS IMPLEMENTS USED IN soil tillage. The spade and the plow are the first implements to be used in tillage. The Spade, is made for entering the soil, prying it off and turning it over. Its size and shape have been fixed by experiment. Many sizes are made according to the work for which they are to be used. It is heavier and stronger, then the shovel, which is made for shoveling soft earth. Where the soil is' not too hard, the spading fork will spade the soil easier and quicker. The Plow, less than ninety years ago the wooden plow was the only one in use. In 1823, an inventor in Hartford, Connecticut, made the first cast plow bottom ever made. Nearly all plows before this were crooked sticks with a little metal protection. Joel Nourse, in 1825, with an ox team took three hun- dred cast iron plows from Hartford to Worcester, Mass. He became the head of the Ames Plow Co., of Worcester, Massachusetts. Frost Horton, a New York statesman, about the same time began developing plows. These two men kept ex- perimenting until they had each perfected nearly five hun- dred different kinds of plows. The object of plowing is to alter the texture, forming from a comparatively hard soil a mellow layer of earth, and to bury beneath the surface, weeds and other vegeta- tion and manure that it may rapidly decay. Plows vary in shape according to the purpose for which they are to be used. The Subsoil Plow is one made to follow in the furrow of the other plow. It has a long point which goes twelve or fifteen inches into the ground breaking up the subsoil It does not turn up the lower soil but breaks it up. The Harrow, is the implement to follow-the plow, i. e. to be used after the plowing is done. All kinds ex- cept the old spike-tooth, are of recent origin. They pul- verize the soil and should always be used after plowing. The kind of harrow to be used depends upon the work to FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 15 be done. On sod or heavy land a disc, wheel or spading harrow should be used to be followed with a smoothing harrow. The harrow is the best thing to kill small weeds. Some kinds can be used after the crops are planted and until they are three or four inches high. It should gener- ally follow the roller to break the capillary attraction and save moisture. Hand and Horse Cultivators, act as harrows. After the crops are three or four inches high, the cultiva- tors should be used. These are made in many styles to cultivate the crops between the rows. As with plows, we have both walking and sulky cultivators. The latter kind are best in the west and on large farms. The teeth should not be too large, and the cultivator, for the best results should not go deeper than three inches in summer . This keeps a soil mulch over the surface at all times, sav- ing the moisture, and allows the crop to send the roots through the middle of the rows without the danger of being broken off as would be the case with deeper tillage. Cultivation at first may be deep, but later should be shallow. The PlankER, is used where a smooth surface is wanted. It breaks up the lumps and leaves the surface smooth without firming it much. The Roller, to do good work should not be smaller than two feet in diameter, and should have a weight of one hundred pounds to the foot in length. It should be used when seed is sown broadcast for the same reason that we press the soil over seed planted in the garden. It is also useful where a green crop has been turned under, to re- store capillary attraction with the soil below. It should generally be followed with a light harrow, to prevent the surface baking and loss of water. These are the commonest tools used in tillage aside from the hoe, rake, line and weeder used in every garden. Most of the tools are used to loosen the soil and to remove weeds. In the small garden the hoe or rake, should be used at least once a week to make a soil mulch between the i6 HINTS AND HELPS rows. The soil mulch consists of a soft loose condition of the top soil. It should be two to three inches deep. The weeder is used about the plants and between them, where there is not room for the hoe. All weeds near the plants should be pulled. A weed is a plant that persists in growing where it is not wanted. It is a robber. It robs the rightful plants of moisture and food and will even kill them. Weeds are best killed, when first germinated. Never allow them to grow. how to spade. The Spade, is a tool made to pry with, to dig up the land. It differs from the shovel as it is made of heavier material, both the blade and handle. A shovel is used principally for digging loose material and is not supposed to be used for prying. The blade of the spade is made narrower than the shovel blade, so that it will enter the ground more easily. The blade is also flatter and not as “dishing’’ as the shovel for the same reason. It is not made for shoveling or digging loose soil but for digging hard ground. Where the ground is not too hard the spad- ing fork is superior to the spade as it is lighter and the ground can be spaded faster. In spading , begin in one corner of the plot with the back to the plot. Grasp the top of the handle with the right hand, press the blade of the spade or fork vertically down to its full extent with the foot working the handle a little if necessary where the ground is excessively hard or stony. Then carry the top of the handle backward and downward near the ground, at the same time carry the left hand down the handle and when at a point about one foot from the blade, lift up the spade and soil; turn it over, throwing it slightly^ forward to leave a furrow. Keep the back as straight as possible and do the lifting with the legs. Continue working along the end of the plot to be spaded. When across the end, spade back again, taking a slice from five to ten inches wide. When the spade-full of soil is turned over, it should be given a little throw and hit with the spade or fork to break it up. If the spading is done i7 FOR YOUNG GARDENED. well, it will leave the soil finer than the plow does. In fact it does the plowing and part of the harrowing. To Rake the land, begin at one corner and rake to- wards the center. The rake should be used to level the land and break up the lumps rather than to rake them off. All coarse lumps that do not break up should be buried. Only the stone and very coarse matter should be raked off. When raking, lift the rake slightly when drawing it towards you. As in spading, rake one end first, stand on the spaded land and rake towards you. When smooth and fine, the footprints should be raked out as you pass off the plot. Spading and raking as well as plowing and harrowing are the first principals of tillage. In using the Hof, grasp the handle near the upper end in the right hand, with the back of the hand up. Grasp it with the left hand a foot or more lower down with the back of the hand to the left and the thumb extended along the handle. Avoid a cramped position. Bend the bod)^ slightly forward on the hips keeping the back straight. Never lift the hoe higher than the knee. Left- handed persons, and some that are not, will find it easier to have the left hand at the top. In this case the back of the right hand should be to the right and the thumb along the handle. These are correct positions for hoeing. Bet- ter work can be done and done eas- ier if one of these positions is always used. If the regu- lar 4 feet io inch hoe handle is used, the child should grasp the handle from 12 to 18 inches from the end. The Rake is held similar to the hoe A corner in the tool room. Cut loaned by Doubleday, Page & Co. i8 HINTS AND HELPS but the handle is allowed to slide through the hands more. When not in use all tools should he cleaned and hung up. Have a place for everything and keep everything cleaned and in its place, it will pay. Modern Plows, CHAPTER IV. HOW TO TEST SEEDS. O WING to the great importance of having good seed to plant, it is wise to test the seed before planting, to determine the percentage of live seeds. Eighty-five to ninety five per cent, of seeds that will start is a good aver- age for No. i seed. Take an average sample, count out ioo seeds and place them in a seed germinator. In the absence of a germinator a simple one can be made as fol- lows: take an old uncracked kitchen plate, cut two pieces of thick cloth or blotting paper, the size of the inner part of the plate, wet thoroughly and drain them. Put one piece of cloth on the plate, and scatter the seeds evenly over it, cover them with the second cloth. Put a piece of glass or another plate over it, to prevent evaporation and set in a warm place. Examine frequently. If ioo seeds are used, the number of seeds that sprout will be the per- centage of viable seeds. These sprouted seeds make fine specimens for germination studies. It is well to test all seeds. The following is a good form for a seed testing blank: i Name of Seed, No. of Seeds in Germinator, When put in (Date) Date. No. of Seeds Sprouted. No. of Seeds not Sprouted. Per cent, of Seed S nrouted. Source of Seed, Total percent of seed sprouted, Remarks Tested by T 9 20 HINTS AND HELPS The seeds that are last to germinate in the germina- tors often fail entirely in the soil. Germination is the sprouting of the seed. It is not complete until the young plantlet is established in the soil. Monocotyledonous plants, those with one seed leaf, push their heads straight up. That is why they are so small. The little plant exists in the seed. The tiny leaves and stems are present, but the roots are lacking. Most seeds contain plenty of plant food to get the young plants well started in life. Germinating seeds in a seed tester. CHAPTER V. HOW TO PLANT. A GARDEN should not be planted until the soil is thor- oughly prepared. It is better to plant a few days late than to put the seed or plants into poorly prepared soil. A sandy loam can be planted a week earlier than a medium or heavy loam. A southern slope of 45 0 to 6c>°, increases the earliness of the soil a week over the same kind of soil on level ground. Thus radishes, which should be planted about May 1st, in medium or heavy loam in the latitude of Hartford, could safely be planted on April 16th on sandy loam slop- ing to the south. Large seeds germinate quicker if they are soaked for a few hours in warm water at temperature not exceeding 120° F. They should not be soaked longer than twelve hours and the soaking of the seed should im- mediately precede the planting. With the land thorough- ly prepared, the plans decided upon, planting should be- gin as soon as the temperature is suitable. PLANTING DIRECTIONS. Beans, Bush. Dwarf Horticultural Shell Beans, Cranberry Beans, Wax String Beans, and Giant Pod Valentine String Beans. These are among the best. These grow from 12 to 30 inches high and have pods which enclose the seeds. In the Shell Bean varieties the seeds or beans are taken out of the pods and boiled and eaten alone, or with corn as succotash. The Horticultural beans are picked when the pods are striped with red. The pods of the string beans are eaten and should be picked before they become tough. A good way to tell when they are ready is to bend them in the shape of the letter U, they should snap. Plant all Bush varieties in rows not closer than two feet apart. Dig a furrow three inches deep and sprinkle 21 22 HINTS AND HELPS a pint of wood ashes or one-half pint of sulphate of potash or bone dust, into the furrow to every ten feet. Mix this into the soil with a weeder or with a point of the hoe. When this is done the furrow will be about one inch deep. Place the beans three or four inches apart in the furrow, one bean in a place, cover with the fine soil, and press down with the back of the hoe. It will take them between one and two weeks to come up. The two halves of the bean furnishes food for the young plant, they are first to come above the soil. The soil should be kept well-tilled at all times, but avoid handling the vines on wet days. The beans will be ready to eat in from six to nine weeks after planting. Any of the Bush beans can be planted from May ioth to July ist. Beans, Bush Lima. Bush Lima Beans are planted the same as the other varieties of dwarf beans, except, each bean is put four to six inches apart in furrow. The pods should be picked when the beans in them are about the size of a twenty-five cent piece. They are generally considered much nicer than the ordinary shell bean. Bush Lima Beans continue to blossom and bear pods until frost comes. They should be planted about May ioth. If planted before the soil is warm, they will never germinate. It will take them three to six days longer than the other beans to come up. Beans, Pole. The furrows for Pole Beans are made not closer than three feet apart. The pole should be firmly set, before the beans are planted and then four or five beans planted in circle around it. These should be covered about one inch, leaving the land level after the beans are planted. One pint of wood ashes, or one-half pint of sul- phate of potash or ground bone, should be worked into the hills at the rate of about one pint of wood ashes to every ten feet of row. Pole beans of any kind generally yield more than the Bush beans. If the first that ma- ture are picked, they will continue to bear. They should be planted at the same time as Bush beans, but it will take them one or two weeks longer, before they are ready to eat. FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 23 Beets. Crosby’s Egyptian, or any table variety. Beets can be planted in rows one foot apart. If the ground is not rich, hoe a half-pint of market-garden fertilizer or a mixture of nitrate of soda, and super-phosphate into the soil in which they are to be planted, to every ten feet of row. Make a furrow one inch deep and drop the seed, one to two inches apart, cover with fine soil, and press down. They will be up in about six days and when they are four inches high they should be thinned to about three inches apart, using those that are pulled out to transplant or for greens. When they are transplanted, be sure to make holes deep enough, so that the end of the roots do not turn up, and twist off all the leaves except the center ones. Always keep the soil in a perfect state of tillage. Beets are cul- tivated for their roots, which are best when one to two inches in diameter. They can be planted from about April 30th, to July 10th. They are ready to eat in from eight to twelve weeks after planting. Brussels Sprouts. These should be planted in rows two feet apart. They do best on new land. Make a furrow one inch deep and drop three or four seeds every 18 inches. Cover with fine soil and press down. They will come up in about six days. Brussels Sprouts are cul- tivated for the buds which are in the axils of the leaves. They are milder than the cabbage and are boiled and served with a cream sauce. They are ready to eat in about twenty-one weeks after planting and are best after they have been touched by the frost. They, like all the cab- bage family, do not do well in hot weather. They make their final growth in the cool months in autumn. Before the ground freezes they can be pulled up and packed up- right with their roots in moist sand, and in this condition can be kept in a cool cellar or pit nearly all winter. Broccoli. Should be planted about May 20th. The seed is covered one inch and the rows are not closer than two feet apart, and the plants, eighteen inches in the row. They are treated almost exactly as Brussels Sprouts in every way. The heads resemble Cauliflower and are 24 HINTS AND HELPS served similar to it. They are purple instead of white. They are ready to eat in about twenty-one weeks after planting. Cabbage. All Seasons and Jersey Wakefield, are among the best early. Cabbages are grown for their leaves which form a head, which becomes very solid. It is boiled and eaten, or eaten raw in many different ways. The early crop should be planted in March in a shallow box in the window garden, or in the hot-bed. The seeds are covered about one-half inch. They can be set out, one plant in a place in rows, two to three feet apart and eight- een to twenty- four inches apart in the row. The seed will be up in about six days. The young plants are best trans- planted when the fourth leaf has formed. They will stand frost, but should not be put out of doors when it is likely to freeze. They do best on new ground. They can be planted outside from April 30th to June 15th. The easiest way to grow them in the garden is to plant three or four seeds in hills two feet apart. To make a hill, drop a pint of wood ashes in the row every two feet and work it well into the soil with the weeder or hoe, leaving the soil one- half inch lower than the rest of the garden. Drop three or four seeds and cover one-half inch; press down. When the cabbages are well up they should be thinned to one plant in a place. The rows cannot be closer than two feet. It is very important that the cabbage be frequently hoed. Stirring the soil every few days will pay well. Carrots. Chantenay, Danvers, Half Dong Orange, Earliest Scarlet Forcing are among the best varieties. These are cultivated for their roots. They should be planted in rows twelve inches apart and one inch deep. The seeds should be planted fairly thick as they do not always germinate well. It is not generally good the second year. A rich, deep loam is best. The land should be pre- pared the same as for Beets. When well up they should be thinned to three inches apart. Cauliflower. Early Snowball, and Early Dwarf Erfurt are among the best. Plant the seed in boxes in the FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 25 window-garden or hot-bed, any time from March 1st to June 15th. When the fourth leaf has formed, the plants should be set out in rows, two feet apart and not closer than two feet apart in the row. The ground should al- ways be kept in a thorough state of tillage about the plants and it is well to hoe them in the morning when the dew is on. When the head begins to form, the long leaves should be tied over it to keep it white. Cauliflower like all the cabbage family, do best in cool weather and will grow rapidly if they come to the head during the summer. They will mature in from fifteen to twenty-five weeks. They will stand frost. Celery. Paris Golden, White Plume, and Boston Market are among the best garden varieties. The seed should be sown in a hot-bed or window box from April 10th to May 20th. The box should have lumps in the bottom for drainage and the upper part should be filled with fine soil. Seed should be evenly sowed over the surface and covered one-fourth inch. When the third or fourth leaf has formed, the celery should be transplanted into the hot-bed or other boxes tw r o inches apart each way. From this the plants should be set in the garden, in rows four or five feet apart and eight inches apart in the row. They can be set as late as July 15th, on land that has borne a crop of peas. A crop of peas, radishes, let- tuce, onion-sets or even beans may be grown between the rows of celery. The seed germinates very slowly and may not be up for a month. New seed should always be used. Celery is ready to eat from twenty to forty weeks after planting. In the fall it should be banked up and just be- fore the ground freezes, it should be dug and packed in pits or in the cellar and the roots covered with moist sand. If packed in the cellar it should have the coolest part and packed as close as possible and handled only when dry. Properly packed it will keep all winter and can be used at any time. CEEERiAC. This is used in flavoring soups and is grown for the fleshly root which matures like turnip. It 26 HINTS AND HELPS can be grown the same as celery or the seed may be sown in the garden, in rows two feet apart and the plants thinned to eight inches apart. As it does not germinate readily, it is best to start the plants in boxes and trans- plant them. Sweet Corn. Early Cory, Squantum, and Country Gentleman are among the best varieties and will mature according to the order in which they are named. It is well to plant a few rows of the early, and then make several plantings of the Country Gentleman so as to have sweet corn from July until frost comes. To get the most from the land, plant in rows, two and a half feet or three feet apart, putting three kernels every six inches, and pulling out all but one as soon as the corn is well up. The suckers around the roots should be kept removed. Corn should be planted on the north end of the garden or in such a way as to prevent shading lower plants. It grows from five to eight feet high. Squantum or Country Gentle- man corn planted on or before June ist, will be in condi- tion to eat, when school opens in autumn, if it has had care during the summer. Corn will be ready from ten to twenty weeks after planting, according to the kind. Seeds should be covered one inch and the land should be rich in potash. It is well to hoe a pint of wood ashes or a half pint of sulphate of potash into every ten feet of row before planting. It is not generally wise to plant field and pop corn in the same garden as it will mix, the pollen being carried by the wind. Corn Salad. Corn Salad is a salad plant for sum- mer use. Sow May ist, in rows twelve inches apart and thin the plants to six inches in the row. The trench should be made one-half inch deep. It is grown for the leaves which are used for salad. It can also be planted in September for winter or early spring salad in which case it must be covered with straw on the approach of winter. Cress. Garden Cress should be planted in furrows, twelve inches apart and one-half inch deep. The plants should be thinned to six inches apart in the rows. It FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 27 should be planted in the garden about April 30th, and the crop will be ready to eat in about five or six weeks. The leaves are eaten as a relish and used as a salad. CucumbKR. White Spine is one of the best for table use. Early Cluster, Ever Bearing, Windsor Pickling are good pickling varieties. The cucumber grows on a vine and should not be planted in very small gardens, unless along a fence where it can climb. It can be planted be- side a rubbish heap or a pile of stones to good advantage. It belongs to the same family as the canteloupe, water- melon, pumpkin, and squash, which are all planted the same way. They should be planted in hills not closer than four or five feet apart, although they may be planted nearer to early beans or early potatoes or any crop which will be out of the way before the vines begin to run. The vines are generally allowed to run on the ground. They are planted in hills. To make a hill , dig a hole from four to five inches deep and one foot in diameter. Fill this within one inch of the top with a mixture of sand and well- rotted manure. Drop eight to ten seeds in a hill, scatter- ing them over it. Cover them half to one inch and press down. When planted in this way they get a quick start. Never plant until the ground is thoroughly warm, about May 25th. It is well to keep the vines covered with a frame of mosquito netting until the fourth leaf has formed, then thin the plants to three or four in a hill. In warm weather they come up and grow rapidly. They begin bearing in from eight to ten weeks after planting. Dandkuion. The dandelion may be planted in the spring or in August or the first of September. The former time will give the largest plants the following spring. Plant in rows about April 30th, twelve to twenty-four inches apart and thin the plants to six or eight inches apart. They should be up in about eight days. It is jest to plant these in the sunniest part of the garden and to cover them in the early spring with sash so as to get very early greens. They should be planted in gardens that are to remain for two or three years. In case they are not all 28 HINTS AND HELPS used in the early spring, they should be kept mowed to prevent their going to seed as they may become a trouble- some weed. They are used not only for greens, but also blanched and used for a salad. The seeds should be lightly covered and the plants kept in a good state of til- lage. It is not a plant to grow in the School Garden. Egg Plant. Egg Plants grow on bushes from twelve to eighteen inches high. The fruit is purple and should be picked when it is about two or three inches in diameter. The seeds should be planted in boxes in the window garden or in the hot-bed in February or as soon as the first of March. Cover about quarter of an inch. When the third or fourth leaves are formed, they should be potted into two and a half inch pots and later repotted into four inch pots. They should be transplanted into the open ground about the first of June. The ground should be made very rich. They should be set about two feet apart in the row with the rows two and one half or three feet apart. In setting them, make a hole so the plant can be set a little lower than it was growing in the pot. To re- move it from the pot place the fingers over the pot, so that the plant comes between the first and second fingers, invert it, and thump it lightly on the table, bench, or spade, and the plant will be readily removed. Crumble the upper and lower edges slightly, place it in the hole and press the fine soil about the ball of earth firmly with the ends of the fingers. If it is dry it is best to water. You can begin cutting the fruit in about fifteen weeks after planting and they will continue bearing until frost. The Egg Plant like the tomato furnishes an oppor- tunity for lessons in potting and repotting. Endive. For an early crop start in the hot-bed or window garden and transplant the same as the egg plant in rows twelve inches apart with the plants twelve inches apart in the row. For the later crop sow from May ist to July 30th, in the garden, in furrows, one-half inch deep. It germinates readily and will be up in four to six days. FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 2 9 It is cultivated for the leaves which are used for salad. When well grown, tie the ends of the leaves to blanch the center with a soft material. It should be used about two weeks after tieing. Kale. Kale is planted in rows eighteen to twenty- four inches apart, and thinned to twelve inches apart in the row. It is planted one-half inch deep and can be planted at any time from April 30th to June 1st. It is used for greens and is best after it has been touched by the frost. It belongs to the cabbage family and makes its best growth in the cool part of the year. Kohl Rabi. Sow in furrows, twelve to eighteen inches apart, cover the seed one-half inch and thin the plants to six inches apart. They will be up in five to six days. Plant from May 1st to July 1st. The bulb is formed on the stem, just above the ground; it is cooked and served the same as turnip, but tastes similar to cabbage, only milder. They are best when not more than two inches through. If they stand long after they reach this size, they become tough. They are ready to eat in from twelve to fourteen weeks after planting. They can be stored in a cool cellar, and for a winter crop should be planted as late as July 1st. Lettuce. There are two kinds of Lettuce; the Cos and the Head Lettuce. The Head Lettuce forms a head like cabbage. The Hartford Bronzed head, Big Boston, White and Black seeded Tennis-ball, and Hanson make large and fine heads. Used for salad and table use. Let- tuce can be planted in-doors, the same as Endive and transplanted to the garden, May 10th, or it may be sown in the garden any time after May 1st to July 10th. Pre- pare the land the same as for beets, make a trench one-half inch deep and sow two or three seeds every four to six inches. Cover and press down. When the plants are well up, thin them to six inches apart. Keep the soil well- tilled around the plants, and as soon as they crowd, take out every other one for table use. In warm weather, let- tuce runs quickly to seed, and should be cut as soon as the 30 HINTS AND HELPS heads are well formed. The heads are ready for the table in from eight to twelve weeks after being planted. Let- tuce in the summer is not quite as good, but if planted the first of July, a fine autumn crop may be obtained. Leek. Sow in rows, twelve inches apart, about April 25th, cover one inch, and when the plants are well up, thin to three inches apart. When eight or ten inches high, hill up to blanch the stalks. They will be ready to eat from sixteen to twenty weeks after sowing the seed. Mustard. White English is the best table variety. The leaves are used for greens or for salads. It is culti- vated the same as Cress. Melons. Both Musk and Water Melons are treated almost exactly the same as Cucumbers in the garden. For cultural directions, see cucumber. Okra. For an early crop of Okra, the seeds may be planted inside, in March, and the plants treated the same as Egg Plant. Out of doors the seeds should be planted about May 20th, in rows two and one-half to three feet apart. The seeds should be covered one inch and the plants should be thinned to eighteen to twenty-four inches in the row. The seed pods are stewed and also used in soup. It will be ready to eat in twelve to fourteen weeks after planting. Onions. Onions form a true bulb and are used in medicine as well as for table use. Sow the seeds as early as the ground can be thoroughly prepared. Hoe a little lime or sulphur into the soil where the row is to be. Make a furrow one inch, and press down over the seeds with a flat board or block. When the little plants are three inches high thin them out to three inches apart. Parsley. It is cultivated for the leaves which are fine and feathery in appearance. It is used for garnishing meats and flavoring soups. It is a biennial and will make an attractive plant for the window garden all through the winter. It is hardy and will stand freezing. It adds to a bouquet of flowers. It is better to sow the seeds in a box in the window garden. For this purpose mix one part soil and FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 31 two parts sand. Mix well and sift, placing lumps in the bottom of the box for drainage. Fill the box nearly half full of lumps, broken pots or pieces of brick; then put in A set of Sieves. A, half inch Mesh; b, one-fourth inch Mesh; c flour Sieve. Buy the woven wire and any boy can make the first two sieves. Get the other at the hardware store. Cut loaned by Doubleday, Page & Co., N. Y. the fine soil, pressing down the corners with the fingers. Heap the soil up on the box, and with a smooth stick scrape it off level. Place the seeds in the left hand and with the thumb and fingers of the right hand scatter the seed evenly over the surface of the soil. Cover all, sift- ing a little dry soil through a flour sieve over the seeds, not more than one-eighth or one-sixteenth inch in thick- ness. Press down firmly and evenly with a block or board; put in the window garden and sprinkle with water thor- oughly. Do not allow the soil to dry up. When the young plants are up well, they may be transplanted into pots or other boxes. For this, mix one part of soil, one part of sand and one part of well-rotted manure together. Place a piece of broken earthenware in the bottom of the pot for drainage, then fill the pot about one-third full of the mixed soil; then holding the plant in the left hand so that it is in the center of the pot, fill evenly on all sides; press down firmly but not too hard, thump the pot on the bench or table to settle the soil; take it to the window garden and sprinkle it, placing it in partial shade for a day or two. Nearly all seeds can be planted and potted in this way. 32 HINTS AND HELPS A lesson in potting. These plants can be set out in the garden six inches apart. Always keep the ground in a good state of cultivation around them. Parsnip. Champion Hollow Crown is one of the best varieties. It should be planted in the garden about May ioth, in rows twelve inches apart. The furrows should be made one inch deep. The seed will be up in about two weeks. As soon as they are about four inches high, they should be thinned to three to four inches apart in the row. Parsnips are best, if they can remain in the ground through the winter, being dug as needed. They are much sweeter after they have been frozen. The soil should be deep and thoroughly prepared, the same as for beets. Peppers. Peppers of all kinds should be planted in the window garden, or hot bed about February 15th, and treated in every way the same as parsley or egg plant, un- FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 33 til they are set out. They should be set out in rows, twelve inches apart, and twelve inches apart in the row. The peppers will be ready to pick in about twenty weeks after planting. PEAS. Little Gem or any of the dwarf varieties; if they can be planted against the fence, where they have support, the Stratagem, Champion of England and Tele- phone are among the best. The Little Gem is one of the best for the garden. Peas are raisedfor the peas which grow in pods, and are best when they are about the size of buck- shot. The land is prepared the same as for beans, except that the trench is made four inches deep, instead of three, and the peas are covered one inch. Leave the surface above them about two inches lower than the surrounding garden. When they come up, the ground is gradually filled in until it is level. All of the dwarf varieties should mature in from six to eight weeks after planting. Look for the nitrogen traps on the roots. Potatoes. Potatoes belong to a different class of vegetables, in that the part that is eaten is a tuber, a thickened underground stem. The land is prepared by making a trench four inches deep, and hoeing one-half pint of commercial fertilizers into each ten-foot row. The potatoes are cut so that there are two eyes to each piece. Place these pieces te.n to twelve inches apart in the trench, and cover them about two inches. When the plants are up, keep the ground well tilled about them, and as they grow, heap up the soil, making a broad hill. Potatoes are about the only plants that it is usually wise under ordinary conditions to hill up. Watch for the potato beetle, which should be killed as fast as found. Rows of potatoes, like peas and beans, should not be closer than two to two and one-half feet apart. Potatoes develop underneath the ground; they are not roots, hut tubers. The eyes correspond to the buds that you find on stems above ground. They contain a large amount of starch, and are used in starch factories, as well as for table use. Always keep the ground free from weeds and in a good state of tillage. 34 HINTS AND HELPS Pumpkins. Pumpkinsshould not be planted in the gar- den, only around the edges or in the corn, or where they may run over fences and piles of stones. They are treated in every way for garden culture as cucumbers, which see. Radish. Hoe one-half pint of market garden fertilizer or a mixture of nitrate of soda and super-phosphate into the soil where the radishes are to be planted. Make a trench one-half inch deep, sow the seeds one inch apart, cover with fine soil and press down. All turnip shaped varieties of radish will mature in three to five weeks, and the longer varieties in five to ten weeks. The radish is grown for its root, which is for table use. It belongs to the same class as turnips, parsnips and beets, all of which should be planted in rows at least one foot apart. Radishes can be planted continuously and alwa3 7 s insure a crop. Salsify. Salsify or Oyster Plant should be planted about May ioth, in the garden, in rows twelve inches apart and should be treated in every way the same as parsnips. Spinach. Spinach is cultivated for the leaves and should be planted about April 25th. It should be treated the same as beets. Summer Squash. Summer Squash is treated in the garden the same as cucumber, which see. Tomatoes. Tomatoes grow on bushes from eighteen to sixty inches high, according to the kind and the manner of training. The fruit is red or yellow and is for table use, both raw and cooked. The plant yields heavily and is generally one of the best plants for the garden. They should not be planted closer than three feet apart in the row and the rows should be at least three feet from any other crop, except radishes which can be planted within two or even one foot of them when the plants are first set out. The seeds should be planted the last of February or the first of March, in the window garden or hot-bed, the same as egg plant. The plants are potted into three-inch pots as soon as the third leaf is formed. They make nice plants for setting out in the garden about May 15th. In Two kinds of measuring learned in gardening. Photo by Edward Mahoney. 36 HINTS AND HELPS setting them, dig a hole so that the plant can be set one to two inches lower than it was growing in the pot. Put the plant into the hole and press the loose soil firmly about the ball of earth. If the weather is dry, water when setting. Stake the plants about July ist. Turnip. The early crop of turnips should be planted about April 30th while the late crop should be planted about July 25th. They are planted in the garden, in rows about one foot apart and thinned to four inches apart in the row. The seed is covered one-half inch. They are often sown broadcast, where early corn is planted, so as to get a crop in the fall. Turnips sown in the last of July should remain in the ground until just before the ground freezes. They can then be packed in pits or in a cool cel- lar in boxes of sand and keep all winter. The Swede turnip should be planted in the spring about May 10th, in rows about twelve inches apart, as it will require the en- tire season to develop the root. First lesson in gardening. VEGETABLES. The time set for planting is given as the average time when the crop can be planted in Hartford, Connecticut, on a level loamy soil. When the season is early, the planting can take place about a week earlier, while in a late season it will be about a week later. A difference of five or six days should be allowed for every hundred miles in latitude. The time required for seed to come up will vary according to the condition of the seed, the condition and kind of soil and the temperature. A sandy loam favors rapid germination. or window garden and garden. | Hotbed or window box. $ Started in hotbed and transplanted. § Does not do very well in hot weather. § Treated as annuals in this climate. * Do not cover. t Use trelleses or over stone. J On trelleses. All plants marked (§)may be potted the 1st of September and they will bloom in winter inside. CHAPTER VI. HOW TO DIG AND SET TREES. r O dig a small tree, ten or twelve feet high, dig around it about eighteen inches from the trunk, until below most of the roots; then, put the spade under the tree and lift up, at the same time pressing the top away. Repeat the operation on the other side of the tree if necessary. In the nursery row a man on each side can put the spade down its full length about one foot from the trunk. Both should press the spade, handle down at the same time with one hand and lift the tree out with the other. Trees should be set as soon as possible after digging. All roots that are broken should be cut with a sharp knife or pruning shears so they will heal quickly. When the roots are very thick and interlaced, as is sometimes the case with nursery trees, the roots should be judiciously thinned. Always try not to leave two branches opposite; they may make a bad crotch. Always cut off all crossing and twining shoots and generally cut back the ends of the branches. One year old (from the bud) peach or apricot trees should be pruned to a single stem. TO SET THE TREE. A stake should be placed where each tree is to be set. A planting board should be used, which consists of a strip or board with a notch in the center, and one near each end. • | — °_J Planting Boards. ( 39 ) 40 HINTS AND HELPS It is placed so the center notch comes to the stake where the tree is to set and one stake is placed in each of the end notches. The center stake is then removed and the hole dug. Always have the hole a little too large for the trees’ roots. If the soil is poor dig the hole deep, and spade the top soil or some good garden soil into the bottom of the hole. Spread out the roots in their natural position, and fill in the fine soil about them, pressing it in around the roots with the hands. Place the setting board so the stakes come into the end notches, and have the tree come into the center one. Be sure the tree is set straight. If in a very windy section, incline a little towards the direction of the prevailing winds. In larger trees always place the thickest side towards the direction from which the prevailing winds come. Trees can be set in the spring, any time after the frost is out of the ground, until the buds start. The ground should be made very firm around the roots and mulch should be kept on top. If late in the season or if the soil is dry the trees should be watered. Watering helps to settle the soil about the roots. Later, mulch the trees with soil or grass. Shrubs are set the same as trees. Wrong and right way of digging the holes for trees. CHAPTER VII. TO MAKE A HOTBED AND CARE FOR SAME. T AKE two twelve inch planks or boards and stand them on edge for the back, one on top of the other, and one twelve inch plank or board for the front. Nail or screw cleats on them to prevent them from warping. The ends are made five feet, ten inches long and placed inside the sides. Saw one twelve inch board, cut five feet, ten inches long, diagonally and place on top of a twelve inch board of the same length at each end of the bed. Put two by two or two by four inch posts in the corners and nail, screw or bolt the sides and ends to them. The best loca- tion is a sunny exposure facing the south or southwest. The best exposure is on the south side of a building or fence as the bed is then protected from cold winds. The front or low side , should always he towards the sun. Hotbed sash are generally made three feet by six feet. The glass in them should lap about three-sixteenths of an inch. Sash are made to take six by eight inch, eight by ten inch and ten by twelve inch glass. The latter gives the most light but the sash containing less bars are not quite as strong. Old windows may be used, in which case the bed is made as wide as the windows are long. The edges of the planks should be planed, according to the slant, so the sash fit exactly. If the bed is to remain permanently, the sash may be hinged on the back, or, if there is room, they may slide. It is necessary to put braces from front to back of the bed, and it is well to put these every three feet, so the sash may rest on them. The top of them should be nearly, or quite, even with the top of the frame. Two by four inch strips should be used with the ends cut on a bevel so they fit exactly. To get this bevel, place the two by four inch strips on the hotbed frame and hold a straight edged stick or square against the inside of the front and 4r 42 HINTS AND HELPS back of the frame and draw lines on the two by four inch strips. If cut along these lines the strip will slide into place and is then nailed. When the frame is completed, dig out the soil (inside) to a depth of ten to twelve inches, then fill in with fresh, decomposing, well-mixed horse manure to a depth of one Preparing the Hot-bed. foot after it is trodden down. When evenly and well trodden, wet it down and put on about four inches of good soil. Have the manure and soil deeper on the back of the bed so it will slant nearly as much as the glass. Put on the glass. Allow it to remain until the manure heats and the temperature of the manure falls to 90° F. This is ob- tained by placing a thermometer about two inches into the soil. It will take five to fifteen days. Water thor- oughly if dry. When the temperature of the manure and FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 43 soil have fallen to 90° F. begin using the bed. If the weather is cold, bank the outside of the frame with strawy manure. For low plants, like lettuce and radishes, the soil may be as near as six inches to the glass. The soil will always settle from two to six inches. The hotbed is generally started in February or March, but can be started earlier by using more manure. It must always be in a well drained location. THE CARE OF THE BED. The hotbed needs good and regular care. It is the farmer’s greenhouse and in it can be grown a large vari- ety of vegetables or flowers. After the 1st of April the hotbed should generally be watered early every pleasant morning, and whenever dry before then. If the weather is cold the bed should be watered in the middle of the day, when the sash can be lifted for a few minutes. Much care is needed in ventilating the bed as the de- composing manure will use up the air, and plants cannot make good growth without fresh air. The sun, also, causes intense heat on fair days. Hotbeds should have a little air on fair days even in winter. Generally how- ever, keep the temperature, during bright days, between 6o° and 8o°, and cloudy days between 50° and 70°. A temperature of 90° or ioo°, with the sash partly open, would do no harm, while a temperature of 75 in sunlight, with the bed closed tight, might do harm. On cold and cloudy days only open a very little, for a very few minutes in the middle of the day. A thermometer should always be in every bed. Cotton Shutters are cheap and nearly or quite as good as sash after the danger of heavy frost is past. They are made by tacking cheese cloth over a frame made the same size as the sash. These frames are easily made from planed furring strips. Cold nights the hotbeds should always be covered with mats. In winter, shutters, should be placed over the mats. The bed without (heat) manure is called a cold frame. 44 HINTS AND HELPS A Cotton Shutter Frame. THINGS TO REMEMBER. ist. Decide the location of the hotbed. 2d. Decide the size of the bed. 3d. Cut the boards the right lengths. 4th. Put on the Cleats. 5th. Take boards to the location. 6th. Arrange boards on ground near where they are to stand. 7th. Set up sides and ends and fasten them together. 8th. Put in the braces. 9th. Dig out the bed. 10th. Fill in and tread manure, water and add four inches of soil. Put on glass and keep closed for a few days. CHAPTER VIII. STRAWBERRY CULTURE. /B V f HE strawberry is one of the most important of the A small fruits. It will grow with a fair degree of suc- cess on most any soil. A moist, dark, sandy loam is best. Any soil that will grow a crop of corn or potatoes will grow strawberries. The richer the soil the larger the crop. It should be well drained. If the water level is high, the land should be underdrained, otherwise surface drainage will be sufficient. The soil should be thoroughly prepared , thoroughly plowed , heavily manured , and thoroughly harrowed until the surface is fine and mellow before the plants are set. The setting is done either in the spring, summer, or early fall. The early spring is best, unless pot plants are used. In setting, use only the runners. Take them up with a fork. Pick off old, dry leaves. Use only plants with light colored roots and clip off one-third of them. Do not let the sun shine on the roots. For a garden, set the plants two feet by two feet. Make a marker like a rake with the teeth, two feet apart. Mark the land both ways. A man should mark an acre in half a day. The plants are then dropped by boys at each section. They are set by men who pick them up with their left hands and spread the roots in a fan shape between the fingers at the same time opening the hole w T ith the right hand. Eower the plant into the ground with the left hand, press the soil firmly about the roots with both hands, leaving the crown slightly lower than the surround- ing soil. Be very careful not to cover it. One man should set half an acre in a day. If the ground is not wet each plant should receive one pint of water. For field culture, the plants are often set three feet apart in the rows, with the rows three to four feet apart. Where pistillate varieties are used it is necessary to have 45 46 HINTS AND IIEL, PS seme perfect variety every third row so as to polleni^e the imperfect ones. The beds should be kept clean and free from weeds at all times. Train the runners in a circle about the plants. Cover in winter after the ground is frozen, to protect the plants from freezing and thawing. Pine or hemlock boughs, marsh hay, or straw free from weeds are the best covers. Keep them covered till all freezing nights are over. In the spring, apply wood ashes, 500 lbs. to acre, and unless the ground is very rich apply nitrate of soda, 160 lbs. to the acre. The first year it is well to grow some other crop between the rows, such as radish, lettuce, onion sets or even cabbage. Strawberry Barrel. THE BARRET METHOD. Take any strong barrel, nail on the hoops and clinch the nails inside. Then bore two or three holes in the bot- tom near the sides for drainage. Then beginning about eight inches from the bottom bore holes one and one-half or two inches in diameter, eight inches apart around the FOR YOUNG GARDKNERS. 47 barrel. Make a similar row of holes four to six inches from the top and a row of holes between the two rows. Take an old conductor, land tile or even four laths. Make holes in them, and place in the center of the barrel. Through this the plants will be watered. Use half soil, half manure, with some bone mixed in it. Fill up to the first row of holes, set the plants by putting them inside and pulling out the leaves through the holes in the first row. Fill up the barrel to the second row and set the plants in the same way, and the third row the same. Always be sure and press the soil firmly , before setting the plants. Fill the barrel full and set six plants in the top. Many persons can have one or more barrels of strawberries in their yards when they have not room for a strawberry bed. A single barrel may yield fifteen to twenty quarts. CHAPTER IX. ASPARAGUS CULTURE. A SPARAGUS officinalis, belongs to the Liliaceae Family. Asparagus is a native of Europe and Asia and has been cultivated for 2,000 years or more. It was grown by the Greeks and Romans. The so-called leaves are leaf- like branches. The true leaves are scales and in the axils of these branches arise. Asparagus is a rugged plant and will live in most any soil. It does best on well-drained, well-manured, and well-tilled soil and for an early crop the land selected should be a warm loam with a southern exposure, if pos- sible. Bulky manures should be used at the start to fur- nish plenty of vegetable matter. Eater use manures rich in nitrogen and potash. Plant the seed thinly in rows one to three feet apart as early as the ground can be worked easily. In setting the new beds use strong, one-year old plants. FOR THE GARDEN BED. Dig out the space to be devoted to asparagus to a depth of eighteen or more inches. Put six or eight inches of coarse manure or compost into the bottom and spade it in well. The top of the bed will then be about ten inches lower than the surrounding garden. Take the freshly dug roots, and set them on a little mound one foot apart each way, spreading the roots as they were growing in the seed bed. Fill in over the roots with two or three inches of loose, rich soil. When the plants start, fill in gradually until level. In the fall as soon as the tops begin to turn brown, cut them and burn them. Cover the beds in winter with a liberal supply of strawy manure. This should be turned under by shallow spad- FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 49 in g or plowing in the spring. For the garden, it is best to have a narrow bed or a two foot walk between two narrow beds four feet wide. FOR FIFED CUFTURF. Set the plants two feet apart in the rows with the rows five or six feet apart. Plow out the rows deep and set the plants eight or ten inches below the surface, covering them two to four inches. Fill gradually by harrowing and cultivating. After the second year begin cutting. Cut the s, talks daily in the early morning, with the asparagus knife, just below the surface, using care not to injure other shoots that are coming up. If the ground is rich and well tilled, the stalks will be nearly one inch through. They should be four to eight inches long* CHAPTER X. WINDOW GARDENING. W INDOW gardening is something more than simply filling a box with plants. We hear green-house construction men speak of the window garden meaning the addition put on the outside of a window thereby making a miniature green-house heated by the sun and the warm air of the room. The Civic Improvement Societies speak of window gardening and window boxes referring to those boxes filled with plants and placed on the outside of tene- ment houses for the spring and summer. Again, we hear of window gardening and window boxes in the autumn for the cultivation of plants inside the house. Window gardening in its broadest sense includes even more than all these. It includes the preparation of the soil, the artistic filling of the boxes or arrangement of the pots, either inside or outside of the window, and the care and treatment of the plants. The present methods of heating and lighting by kero- sene or gas (not electricity) produce a dry atmosphere which is detrimental to the vegetable growth. In houses lighted by electricity and heated by any system which introduces an abundance of fresh air, the matter is not so troublesome. Too much heat and dry air are harder for plants than insufficient light, but lack of light is also one of the drawbacks of the window garden. Dust and insects do harm but are more easily overcome. On account of the dry air, plants often do better in boxes than in pots be- cause there is more soil space to evaporate moisture which makes a moist atmosphere about them. Water m zinc pans under the pots accomplishes the same purpose, but the pots should be raised so they do not set in water. Saucers will answer the same purpose but the moisture is likely to pass through the pores and injure the woodwork. 50 FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 51 A kitchen makes a fine hospital for sick plants as the moisture from cooking makes a damp atmosphere. The very best plants for a window garden are those adapted to resist a dry atmosphere and high temperature and insufficient light. They are found among tropical plants with coriaceous leaves with small stomata, such as Palms, Rubber Plants, etc. Flowering plants are best in- troduced when about to bloom. The best windows for most plants are those with a southern exposure. Trouble is likely to come from the use of unsuitable soil. The best time to take up plants, growing in the open air, for winter bloom inside is generally the last of August. Pot them and put in a shaded place for a few days, sprinkling the foliage during the middle of pleasant weather. Plants so treated will get a good start and bloom during the win- ter months instead oi waiting until Spring as is likely to be the case with plants remaining in the ground till frost comes. Avoid draughts and the application of too much water at the root until the plants have become accustomed lo their new quarters. I will treat briefly of the following topics: 1. Mixing and fertilizing the soil. For common plants — Geraniums, Coleus, Bego- nias. For Palms and Roses. For Cacti, etc. a. Selecting and arranging the plants in boxes. 3. Potting and re-potting plants. 4. Propagation. 5. Bulbs. •6. Care of plants. MIXING AND FERTIEIZING THE SOIE. The preparation of the soil is one of the first and most important points for success in gardening of any kind. It is obvious with plants grown in pots or boxes where the roots are necessarily more or less cramped, that the soil must be rich in available food and in sustaining power. 52 HINTS AND HELPS The mixtures that I shall give will give satisfactory results and are more easily obtained than mixtures often given. Persons having a larger variety of materials at their command usually have a gardener competent to mix the soil to suit the needs of the individual plants. For Common Plants such as Geraniums, Coleus, Fuchsias, Etc., mix one part of soil, one part of well rotted manure (cow manure if obtainable) spread this on the potting bench (a shutter placed on two horses, or an old table serves the purpose). To a bushel of this mixture apply one quart of bone meal and four quarts of gritty sand, if obtainable; mix thoroughly with the spade and then with the hands until it contains a large amount of air. A sprinkling o*f air-slaked lime and a pint of tobacco dust will help to rid all objectionable insects. Have the soil moist (neither wet nor dry) and mix it until there are no lumps. Allow this soil to remain over night or for several days and mix again when ready to put the plants into it. This work cannot be too thoroughly done. A spring hot-bed will often furnish sufficiently well rotted manure in the Fall in case cow manure is not to be had. For Palms and Roses use in place of the soil pure ' clay. This is generally best mixed by allowing it to dry and then pulverizing and mixing. Cacti of all kinds are not generally suited by the ordinary soil mixtures, and while not very common in the window garden, their odd shapes and the free flowering habit of some species attract attention. For potting them use plenty of drainage and equal parts of mixed soil, sand and brick rubble. selecting and arranging the plants. Everywhere in nature there are societies of plants that grow and thrive together. In selecting the plants for the window box, great care should be exercised, not only to select those that will best harmonize in color and present the best artistic appearance, but to select those that will best grow together under the conditions. A collection FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 53 that, will do well in a south window will not do well in a north window, and vice-versa. For success do not crowd too many plants into the box and do not expect the box to present its best appearance when first filled; give some room for growth and development. There are two methods of filling: one where all the tall plants are placed at the back of the box and the low ones in front; the other where tall plants are in the center and low plants or vines either side. The latter gives the most lasting effect since when the box is turned about the light is more evenly divided among the different plants. The box should have several one-inch holes in the bottom for drainage and a zinc pan should be placed under it. It should be raised from the pan enough to prevent its setting in water. In the absence of a pan a tight box can be used but will require great care in watering. Outside boxes may be filled in the early spring, even befoie the frost is out of the ground, with well hardened Pansies or Beilis Plants (Perannis) or both. A good assortment will make a very showy box. After the danger of frost is passed and Pansies are not blooming so well, take them out and fill the box with any of the plants given in the list best suited to your exposure, or mixed Petunia seed may be sown among the Pansies and the latter allowed to remain. The Petunias will grow rapidly as soon as the warm weather comes and entirely fill the box with an abundance of bloom. Vines can be used in connection with them. In the Fall, when the flow- ering plants are killed, they can be pulled up and some hardy evergreens planted, as Spruce, Hemlock, Juniper, or Cedar. In this way the box will look attractive the entire year. In the Spring take out the old soil and put in new. Plants for outside boxes in Spring, February to May: Violets, Pansies, Beilis, Forget-me-nots, and Bulbs. The latter should be planted in the Fall. For Sunny Exposures: Achranthus, Alternanthera, Ageratum, Begonias, Coleus, Cornflower, Dusty Miller, Marguerite, Geranium, Petunias, Salvias, Snap Dragons, 54 HINTS AND HELPS For the Box Edges: Alyssuin, Ivies, Lobelia, Morning Glory, Periwinkles (Vincas), Tradescantias, (Wandering Jew), Tropaeolums (Nasturtiums). For Shady Exposures: Fuchsias, Begonias, Dra- caenas, Ferns, Feverfew. For Edges: Ivies, Periwinkles, Dusty Miller. Cornflower, Snap Dragons, Verbenas, Marguerite, Feverfew, and Dusty Miller will stand considerable frost. For winter, fill the box with Enonymus, Yew, Spruce, etc. Small Norway Spruce one or two feet high can be obtained for fifteen or twenty-five cents each. FOR INSIDE BOXES. For Sunny Warm Rooms: Cupheas, Heliotrope, Hydrangea, Marguerite, Geraniums, Bulbs, Mignonette, Salvias, Petunias, Jerusalem Cherries, Cytissus, Roses. For North Windows: Begonias, Bulbs, Cyperus (Umbrella Palm), Dracaenas, Ferns, Fuchsias, Myrtles, Rex Begonias, etc. P a or School Rooms where the temperature is likely to be low between Friday nights and Monday mornings: Where the Temperature is Maintained: Achran- thus, Abutilons, Cannas, Dracaena, Dusty Miller, Fuch- sias, Feverfew, Geranium, Hibiscus, Myrtle, Gnaphaliums, Pansies, Pinks, Verbenas, Snap Dragons, Violets. Where there is Danger of Frost: Forget-me- nots, Verbenas, Feverfew, Snap Dragons, Myrtle, Um- brella Palm, Violet, Pansies, Abutilons, Hibiscus. All boxes for large plants should be at least six inches deep and should have one or two inches at the bot- tom or broken pots or brick rubble for drainage; then fill the box about one-half full of soil and set the large plants in position; then fill in soil evenly on all sides, pressing it firmly about the plants, leaving at least one-half inch between the top of the soil and the edge of the box for watering. Smaller plants may be set about the edges. Nasturtium or Sweet Alyssum can be planted, or cuttings FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 55 of the Tradescantia set out there. If the plants are taken from the ground they are prepared the same as for potting. POTTING PLANTS. Potting Plants from the Soil. Take the plant up carefully leaving a ball of earth about the roots; crumble this away until it will easily enter the pot, place a few pieces of broken pot in the bottom for drainage and fill it about one-third full of soil; set the plant in the center holding it so the top of the ball of earth is about one inch below the top of the pot; fill in fine soil evenly on all sides and press it down with the fingers firmly. The pots should be clean inside and should be wet before using. Water thoroughly and place in partial shade for a few days. Do not give too much water at the root until the plants start to grow. To Re- Pot, the plant is removed from the pot by in- verting it and rapping the rim of the pot lightly upon the edge of the bench. Crumble a little earth from the upper edge, remove the drainage and crumble away the lower edge slightly. Put in enough soil over the drainage to bring the ball of earth about one inch below the top of the pot, place the plant in the center of the pot and fill soil around the ball of earth pressing firmly about the edges. Fill the pot to about three-fourths of an inch below the top, press firmly and rap slightly on the bench to settle the soil; water and place in partial shade for a day or two. In re-potting, generally use pots one inch larger than those from which the plant came. Over-potting is as serious as under-potting. To pot cuttings or seedling plants take one part of sand, one part of soil and one part of manure and pot the same as other plants, filling the pots to within one- half inch of the top. propagation. The window garden is the teacher’s greenhouse and in it may be propagated all the early plants for the school garden. Many farmers’ wives have no other place to start their early vegetable and flower plants. HINTS AND HELPS North windows in warm rooms for germinating seed and starting cuttings. For starting seed use one part soil and two parts sand, or just the soil if it is light. For taking cuttings, select the younger growth of the plants where the shoots are pretty well matured so that they are not too soft. The tops of shoots generally make the best cuttings. Cut them two or three inches long, trim off the large side leaves; they should then be inserted in clean, sharp sand at least half their length and wet thoroughly. A deep plate or shallow dish containing about two inches of sand can be used. This can be placed on a radiator or on the back of the stove at night. They should be kept moist, not allowed to dry up, nor should they be overwatered. Bottom heat stimulates root development. bulbs. Nearly all our common bulbs can be made to bloom successfully in the window garden, although a cool room will give the best results. The bulb should be potted in the Fall and the pots and boxes containing them should be left out of doors or in a cellar where the temperature is low. They can be brought into the window garden suc- cessively and thus obtain a succession of bloom. In pot- ting bulbs, give plenty of drainage and be sure that the soil is not too firm directly under them; otherwise the roots will throw the bulb above the surface of the soil. Most bulbs should be just covered with earth which is pressed firmly around the sides of the bulb. They should not be watered until growth commences. When about to bloom they will require considerable water. The commonest bulbs that do well are: Crocus; Daffodils; Freesias; Hya- cinth; Oxalis; Lily of the Valley; and Tulips. Sometimes a window box can be made up entirely of bulb stock, and 56 Cut loaned by Doubledaj', Page & Co. FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 57 while it is in bloom it is very effective. A few bulbs in a window box with other plants, if they are judiciously ar- ranged, will add to it. CARE OF THE PEANTS. Water is the most essential element of plant food, and water and air are two things that every plant requires, yet there are no set rules that can be given when these things should be applied. Generally speaking, however, a plant should only be watered when it is dry and should then be watered sufficiently to wet it thoroughly. Sometimes it is necessary to water plants two or three times a day in sunny weather, and again, in cloudy weather, once a week may be often enough. Plants should receive good air. It is well to open a window for a few moments every bright snnny day, even in winter. Dust frequently clogs the pores. For this reason it is best to sprinkle the foliage of plants by taking them to the kitchen sink or to the bath- tub at least once or twice a week. If this is not practicable, dusting with a duster or washing coriaceous leaves with a sponge is advisable. Where the plants can be properly sprayed, they are not likely to be troubled very much with insects. In case a single plant is covered with green fly, place a paper bag over it and have some friend who smokes, puff the cigar smoke into the bag. A few times will remedy this trouble. Scale insects, if they once get hold, can only be removed by washing off with a stiff brush, or, if near a florist, have him give it the Hydro Cyanic Acid Gas treatment. Pyrethrum or tobacco dust is also valuable but is generally too objectionable to have in a living room. The best preventative is to always keep the plants in perfect health and growing. The pots or window boxes should be turned frequently so as to have the plants develop symmetrically. In closing I will only say that it is the loving attention to the little requirements of the plants that is the secret of the greatest success with the window garden. Many of those requirements can only be learned through coming Seedlings for the Garden. A Window Box. Boxes in the Window Garden. FOR YOUNG GARDENERS. 59 into contact with the plants themselves. There are prin- ciples, but in window gardening there are hardly two en- vironments that are exactly alike. If you study plants and fulfill their wants, they will nearly always entirely fulfill your wishes in cheering and beautifying your school room or home. Masses of shrubbery connected by thinner plantings with artistic curves. “For the Land's Sake" Use Bowker’s Fertilizers; — they enrich the earth and those who till it. Good gardening requires not only good brains and good tools, but good fer- tilizers. Send for our catalogues and “Study the Plant Food Problem.” RAU/VPD FERTILIZER DUtVIVl/K company 43 Chatham St. BOSTON, = MASS. IHHilHHiin SEEDS for SCHOOLS Can be obtained in any quantity from The School Garden Association, Boston, Mass. H. D. HBMENWAY, Author of “How To Make School Gardens” Published by Doubleday, Page & Co., N. Y. LECTURES ILLUSTRATED WITH BEAUTIFUL SLIDES How to Beautify Home Grounds How to Make Home and City Attractive Without Money Children's Gardens Our Common Trees ( How to know them ) The Tree, How to Set and Care for it The Gospel of Gardens, for Sunday Evenings Send for Large Circular — Write for Terms H. D. HEMENWAY Northampton, Mass. 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