ORCHARD AM) GAROEN SUGGESTIONS. So-") 



ually removing it as the seedlings appear. Antirrhinums, asters, ager- 

 atum, cosmos, be sure and sow seed of the early flowering variety 

 of cosmos as the frost aften kills the giant growing varieties before 

 they have a chance to bloom. The above mentioned seeds should be 

 sown in the hotbed and transplanted before planting to permanent 

 quarters. Phlox drummondi and verbenas must not be omitted from 

 this list. 



Salvia or scarlet sage as it is sometimes called is one of our most 

 useful bedding plants. The seed if sown at once will make small plants 

 by bedding out time which, by the way, should not be much before the 

 20th of May. Many persons prefer buying these plants from the florist. 

 When ordering, ask for such early flowering varieties as Zurich (dwarf 

 and very early flowering), Splendens, Bonfire and Clara Bedman. Omit 

 the gigantic varieties as they are very late in flowering. 



Poppies, sweet alyssum and dianthus can be sown into permanent 

 beds at once. If earlj^ cannas are desired these can be divided and 

 started in hot frames, using sandy loam. Dormant bulbs of dahlias and 

 cannas can be planted the last week in April or the first week in May. 



Plant quite liberally of Gladioli Brenchleyensis. The corms are not 

 expensive of this variety. Higher priced ones but very good are Ameri- 

 can pink, Princeps, the largest fiowered gladiolus (scarlet crimson), 

 Mrs. Francis King (flamingo pink) and Augusta (white). 



April is not too late to plant perennials. Any clumps of coreopsis, hardy 

 phlox or Shasta daisies can be divided. Oftentimes these clumps have 

 become too large and the flowers are smaller each season. By dividing 

 and resetting every three or four years they are greatly benefited. 



Gradually remove the winter mulch from roses, herbaceous plants 

 and the spring flowering bulbs that were planted in the fall. 



IMPORTANCE OF MULCHING AND PROPER WATERING ON BEDDING PLANTS. 



During the hot, dry weather it is impossible to attain good results 

 without watering. What I mean by watering is not standing back from 

 your flower bed ten or fifteen feet, spraying the water overhead for five 

 minutes, thinking you have given the plants enough. Take the nozzle 

 off your hose and get over your plants, watering the ground not the 

 flowers. Nothing will spoil the looks of your canna and geranium 

 blooms so much as to water them overhead, especially when the sun is 

 shining bright. 



Cannas, to give that beautiful sub-tropical effect so much desired, 

 must have an abundance of water and very rich soil. We frequently 

 hear the remark "What is the matter with my salvia bed, it is not 

 blooming?" If an early flowering variety has been planted, then I always 

 say give them more water. This plant, from my experience, requires the 

 ground to be saturated. Again, some people ask, "Is it not harmful to 

 water flowers during the heat of the day?" My answer is "No, but do 

 not water overhead." 



