40 



GARDE^ERS' CHRONICLE 



In the Garden and in the Greenhouse 



GEORGE F. STEWART 



IN writinsj these notes, 1 may quite often write from 

 the standpoint of ideal conditions. My readers mnst 

 keep in mind that unless help that has had experi- 

 ence in garden and greenhouse is provided, along with 

 modern equipment in both departments, there may be 

 difficulty in canning out some of the suggestions. 



A garden is a' big subject to think about, and in the 

 carrying out of what one has in mind and what can 

 be done with the equipment and help available, is the 

 reason wh\- many of us fall down. If one has an imagi- 

 native mind (and I plead guilty), a gardener is very apt 

 to attempt things that are impossible to carry out, unles.s 

 one has an unlimited supply of means. High cost of 

 living and the fast growing tax rate has hit many once 

 famous gardens hard, and if I read the signs of the 

 future ot" gardening correctly, the days of the large gar- 

 den and great ranges of .glass houses are past, except 

 occasionally. 



Mankind will, 1 believe, always have a garden. It 

 seems to be inherent in the nature of hirn, as travelers 

 tell us that among the most uncivilized tribes, crude at- 

 tempts at gardening are noticeable around their more 

 permanent abiding places. Is it the backward longing 

 for a lost Eden? Why not look the other way to 

 "That City that hath foundations, whose Builder and 

 Maker is God"? The word picture of it in Sacred Writ 

 is strangely like a Glorified Garden, and that longing for 

 an ideal garden, which I find in me, sees there its realiza- 

 tion. 



The garden in Winter, especially if it is more natural than 

 formal in outline, has a beauty all its own, even in a month 

 like the past T^muary. which has been a record breaker 

 for depth of snow and lack of sunshine. Occasionally, 

 when the sun has come up in the early morning, tne bnld 

 outlines of some of the larger deciduous trees, with 

 ratches of white snow clinging to their branches and the 

 carpet of snow underneath make an intpressive picture 

 which city dwellers do not often see. 



In a winter, like the present, evergreens and shnilis 

 gives the gardener a great deal of anxiety. Damp snow, 

 in spite of all his efforts, has anchored many branches 

 flat to the ground, especially if these storms are followed 

 by a quick .sharp frost. By trying to release them quite 

 often more harm than good is done. It is often better 

 to let them alone, until Nature loosens them from the 

 ground. If the bush seems out of 9.ha\x, before the sap 

 begins to a.scend, put a stake with a crotch under each 

 branch. If this is done, invariably they will come back 

 to their former outline with very little loss of branches 

 or rtower buds In dealing with Nature the gift of 

 l>3tience is a great asset. 



During February and early March, it is better to take 

 aflvantage of every good day and get all i)runing of fruit 

 trees done. I am a great believer in Summer pruning, 

 but the majority of us have very little time to attend to 

 it then. The principal idea in ])runing is to preserve the 

 natural outline of the tree and encourage fruiting wood, 

 also to prevent overcrowding of the branches. If shape 

 and spacing of the branches are taken care of, so tliat 

 when the tree is in full leaf sufficient li.ghl i)cnetrates to 

 the centre. Nature, as a rule, will form ])lenty of fruitmg 

 wood. The advantage of .Summer ])runing can be readily 

 seen when it conies to shaping a tree. The foliage is 

 fully developed, and open si)aces between the brandies 

 are more easily seen when it comes to thinning mit the 



more crowded parts. The cut over parts also heal more 

 (|uicklv. If a fruit tree is fully developed, and in good 

 shape on the top, and does not seem to fruit well, gen- 

 erally the trouble will be found at the roots. Tunnel 

 under the roots and give it a good root ])runing. cut 

 over all strong woody roots, using judgment as regards 

 distance from the trunk, according to the size of the tree. 

 Immediately unde the tree operated upon, a strong tap 

 root will generally be found that has penetrated into the 

 sub-soil. This root may be cut-back (|uite hard. Root 

 pruning is better to be done in the Fall, but no great dif- 

 ference will be noticed if done (|uite early in Spring. 



If fruit trees outdoors have become badly infected with 

 scale insects, another spraying may be given now. A 

 spraving in the Fall and another in the Spring is usually 

 practiced, but a third will help to ck-an neglected trees 

 far C|uicker. After every storm, a walk should be taken 

 all over the grounds, and a sharp look made for any dam- 

 age done to any of the trees. If any limbs are broken 

 the jagged ends mu.'^t be at least cut even, and smoothed 

 over and painted. The entire l:)ranch may be better to be 

 cut close to the main trunk if no decent breaks are behind 

 the broken part. 



Look carefully over all the shrubs for scale and attack 

 thetn right away with the usual scale remedies. The 

 common lilac is one of the worst for San Jose scale, we 

 find, and complete eradication seems impossible. 



All flowers and vegetable seeds necessary for the com- 

 ing season are now better to be in stock ^.especially if one 

 is quite a distance from a rehable seed firm. Tools of all 

 kinds should be examined to see if any repairs are neces- 

 sary and old worn out ones replaced. Our Spring season 

 here in the East is short, and all these small things at- 

 tended to now will save much time later on when the soil 

 is lit to l)c worked outdoors. If one has no room in the 

 greenhouse, and has plenty of frames available, many 

 of the smaller growing vegetables may be grown in them. 

 .\ hotbed mixture of manure is necessarv for this work, 

 (jood horse manure for this is more difficult to get every 

 year, making it all the harder for the willing and ambi- 

 tious gardener to have such vegetables as carrots, beets, 

 s]>inach, lettuce, dwarf beans, etc., at an early dr.te. A 

 row of early peas may be sown along the top of frost- 

 ])niof frames, but this is only advisable if ihc family is 

 small, unless the frame s]>ace is extensive. 



Sweet peas should be sown now in small pots, two or 

 three seeds to a ix)t. They can be thinned down to one 

 after they germinate. A cold frost-proof frame is the 

 best place for them, as they thrive all the licttcr if sturfly 

 ;ind strong from the lie.ginning. 



Sow early cabbage and caulitlower : Brussels sprouts 

 need :i long season to mature, and should also be brought 

 along in a cold frame so that nice plants may be available 

 to set out when the season oi^ens outdoors. .\n early 

 batch of celery is also in order, also egg ]>lants, peppers, 

 and tomatoes. 



Mushroom beds may also be made up for ;i succession. 

 This cro]) depends on a good supply of horse manure iii 

 a condition that can be used for mushroom growing. ( )f 

 late shavings and other refuse from lumber \ards have 

 been more used than straw for bedding horses, and other 

 fungus growths rather than .\garicus camiK'stris are 

 likely to annoy one if dro]>pings arc gathcreil from a stable 

 where that material is used for bedding. Tliere is some 

 difference of opinion as tn wli;il lciiip<'ralure diu' sliould 



