12<)0 



THE a A HI) K y /; // ' n m oxtjid' 



[October, 



the year. A Avarm.rioli border should bo chosen, 

 and the sood put in at oiuc. Early in 8prmg i 

 thoy nnist be transplanted to tlie desired posi- 

 tion in the llower border. 



Dahlias. (Gladiolus, Tubero.se.s and other plants 

 that require winter prott>etion for their roots in 

 eellar.**, should be taken up at once on their 

 leaves irettinrr injured by the first •white frosts. 

 The two latter should be pretty well dried be- 

 fore storiuix away, or they may rot. Dahlias 

 may be init away at once. 



"We like planting trees early. There is no oc- 

 casion to wait for the fall of the leaf; as soon as 

 the leaves are yellow go to work. It is often a 

 question whether best to plant in Fall or Spring. 

 If a very hot, dry Summer, set in after Sprmg 

 plantiuii: there may be losses, and so if there 

 is an early and severe Winter after Fall plant- 

 ing. Last Winter around Philadelphia was rath- 

 or open, and planting Avas very brisk up to 

 Christmas. There never was such success. We 

 doubt whether five per cent, of the enormous 

 number set out failed. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



SEEDS AND SEED PLANTING. 



BY CHAS. II. SIIIXN, XILES, CAL. 

 (Concluded from page 201.) 



Tree and shrub seed are most conveniently 

 ^own in boxes two or three feet square and foiu' 

 inches deep. The soil needs only to be rapidly j 

 mixed and pulverized with a shovel, thrown into | 

 the boxes, pressed, so that no settling will occur, ; 

 and sown broadcast, the seed being covered with ' 

 finer soil. The seeds of all conifei's, such as Juni- j 

 per, Cypi'ess, and Fir, sprout slowly, and re- \ 

 quu'e moistm-e, light covering, and a cool atmos- 

 phere to make them groAV. Our best plan is to 

 use a covering of laths, and sow the seed early, 

 about the first of December, covering them with 

 fine sand. AVhen the young plants are just 

 coming through the ground, aflairs begin to ap- 

 proach a critical and troublesome period. Many 

 people manage to learn the secret of sowing 

 seed, but comparatively few understand the care 

 of young seedlings during the dangerous portion 

 of their existence, from the time they sprout to 

 the appearance of the second leaves. If you 

 sowed too thick they come up in bunches, and 

 lift the soil, thus exposing the roots. Hardy 

 plants survive this evil, with a little thinning out, 

 but tender plants require a little sprinkling of 



sand to fill the crevices. Sand is also good, if 

 the soil gets too wet and covered with green 

 moss, to dry the surface. If the plants get too 

 much h(>at they wither; if too much damp they 

 decay, and suddenly j)erish; if too nuuh shaded 

 or crowded tlu-y spindle, or become, a.s gardeners 

 express it, "drawn," that is, they increase in 

 height without a corresponding strength, the cel- 

 lular tissue being merely lengthened, without 

 additional width. Light, warmth, and moisture 

 are the watch-words for most plants at this per- 

 iod. Avoid all extremes ; do not let the surface 

 get so dry that it crumbles to dust, or so wet 

 that green scum forms on the top. Conifei's 

 need shelter from the direct sun, but tropical 

 seedlings may be placed in the w^armest place 

 obtainable. 



Seedlings of all kinds ought to stay in the seed 

 boxes until the second leaves appear, and it is 

 usually best to leave them until the third or 

 fourth pair of leaves are seen, and the stem has 

 become somewhat hard. Plants that flower the 

 first season ought then to be spaced in other 

 boxes, giving them rather more room then the}' 

 had before. Tree and shrub seedlings may with 

 safety be left in the seed boxes for the first year, 

 and then planted in rows in the open ground. The 

 various Palms and Drsecenas must be potted ofl" 

 early, or the roots grow so that they cannot be 

 handled. Blue Gums, Eucalyptus globulus, sown 

 in August, and spaced once, are fit for planting 

 in Spring. The garden flowers, such as Carna- 

 tions, Asters, Balsam , Petunias, «&c., will become 

 stocky, and gifted with fibrous roots, after one 

 or two transplantings. They can then be put in the 

 garden, in masses, little groups, or as single 

 specimens, as preferred. For handling small 

 plants, use a knife blade, or a trowel not larger 

 then a teaspoon ; for moving larger plants, and 

 for garden work generally, a seven-inch, steel 

 blade garden trowel will be needed. 



Seeds, although carefully planted and watched, 

 are subject to various living enemies, first among 

 which may be mentioned mice, they are exces- 

 sively fond of some kinds of seed, notably the 

 Blue Gum, and will find exposed boxes, scratch 

 up the surface, and take out every seed, leaving 

 little hulls, in bitter mockery. Pine seed is an- 

 other mouse delicac}-. A greenhouse should be 

 made safe against mice, and if one sneaks in oc- 

 casionally, he can be circumvented. Where seed 

 boxes, are however set on a porch, or in a shady 

 place out-doors, the mice often commit depreda- 

 tions. The boxes can be covered with glass, or 



