For I\oveFuber. 1923 



271 



In the Garden and in the Greenhouse 



GEORGE F. STEWART 



IX THE (iARDEN 



A GARDEN, even in such a chilly period uf the year 

 as late November and early December, has more 

 or less attraction for mankind. I have often 

 wondered why we are seemingly so closely wedded 

 to a garden, but yet, why should any of us marvel, 

 knowing that the Creator planted a garden and that 

 he placed man in it. Furthermore, from the word- 

 ing in the original language, and from some little 

 study I have made of the roots of the words used, 

 I am persuaded that at least the body of Adam was 

 Yotsar, translated formed, from the soil of the Garden 

 of Eden. Man's body was not a direct creation 

 like his soul and spirit, but was framed or formed 

 from material then existing, the dust of the ground. The 

 word Aphar, translated dust, is a refined sort of word and 

 according to some le.xicographers might be translated 

 clean soil, or in other words that kind of garden loam 

 that the gardener delights in when planting time comes, 

 and does not hesitate to handle with bare hands freely. 

 I venture to say here, that our scientific friends, before 

 they swallow the evolutionary theory as an absolute cer- 

 tainty, would find it quite an interesting study to examine 

 the various renderings, given in lexicons, of roots of the 

 words used in the account of the creation of man, as given 

 in Genesis. If what I have hinted at here has any foun- 

 dation of truth in it, and I believe it has, is it any wonder 

 that we all love a garden, seeing that our bodies are a part 

 of the material that plants are planted in ? .Some of my 

 readers will be accusing me of being like the two nations 

 described by Carlyle in his Rectorial address to the 

 students and friends of Edinburgh University when he 

 said, "The two finest nations in the world — the English 

 and the American — are going all the way into zmnd and 

 tongue," so let us get into our garden for practical work. 



The growing season is now practicalh' over. Frost has 

 laid its icy hand on nearly all outdoor flowering plants. 

 Here and there, in some sheltered, sunny nook, some 

 flowers will be struggling to raise their faces to the sun, 

 but for all practical purposes outdoor flowers are gone. 

 As long as the soil is free from hard frost, put all bulbs 

 that are to be planted outdoors into the ground as quickly 

 as possible. As a rule, unless the herbaceous borders have 

 been given a general overhauling, digging will be deferred 

 until Spring. However, after the tops of the plants have 

 been cut and laid aside, until the ground freezes over 

 quite hard, a good close hoeing may be given, leveling in 

 any depressions that may have formed during the Sum- 

 mer, and at the same time removing any weeds that may 

 have been overlooked. 



Chrysanthemum plants that have a place in the borders 

 for Fall display should he lifted and stored in a cold frame 

 during the Winter. Some varieties are perfectlv hardv, 

 others are not, so it is advisable to take no chances with 

 them. Allow the ground to become frozen quite hard be- 

 fore any covering is done, and then only enough to keep 

 the soil from thawing out until Spring. 



Some gardeners complain of having difficulty in bring- 

 ing Anemone japonica through the winter. It should 

 be planted in well drained soil and well covered with at 

 least a foot of leaves, or some such loo.se litter. \\'here 

 this has been done it winters well. The greatest trouble 

 we find with this lovely plant, as I mentioned in last 

 month's notes, is in having it cut down with early frost 

 before it is half through its flowering period. Incarvillea 



IDelvayii, we alsn find, needs Winter treatment similar to 

 Anemone japonica. 



Roots of Dicentra spectabilis may be lifted and stored 

 m some place where they can be reached during Winter. 

 They force well and are a lovely color when in flower. 

 The dwarf Larkspur, which also does well, forced in 

 earh' Spring, can now be had in various shades of blue 

 and white. There is no doubt but that what is called 

 "Blue r.utterfly,'' and other names, is only a form of 

 Delphinium Chinense. It is deceiving to place such things 

 among annuals in catalogs when they are really peren- 

 nials and may be used as herbaceous plants. 



It is well to erect windbreaks in front of Rhododen- 

 drons, if they are planted in exposed positions. Strong 

 sunshine is also bad for them. In this latitude they grow 

 better when planted in a position where natural plantings 

 of trees shelter them from the northwest, and enough on 

 the south and east to break the strong rays of the sun, 

 especially toward Spring. It is well also to have them 

 thoroughly watered before the ground freezes over, espe- 

 cially after such a dry season as we have just experienced 

 in and around Boston. When raking leaves, work a good 

 covering over the Rhododendron bed. It would seem 

 from experience that this is the natural food for them, 

 but we believe it can be also overdone. We do not believe 

 in heaping the leaves up the stems as we have seen done. 



All evergreens should be well watered before the ground 

 freezes over if they are expected to winter well. 



There is no doubt that the best protection for roses, 

 especiallv the hvbrid tea forms, is loam. However, very 

 few of us nowadays can atTord the time to devote to such 

 an elaborate covering as is made by one or two of our 

 neighbors. We can only hurriedly draw the loam up 

 around the plant and fill in with leaves or straw maure, 

 The result of this is that our plants are much more dwarf 

 than those that have been laid over and completely covered 

 with loam. Standard Roses are very efl^ective in certain 

 positions, but in our climate, unless they are laid over and 

 well protected with loam during the Winter, they will not 

 prove much of a success. 



Specimen trees, whose habits make them liable to be 

 weighted down with snow, ought to be supported and 

 tied in such a manner as will not cause them to lose their 

 shape. 



Boxwood is another plant that often suflfers during 

 Winter. Some use a covering of straw, others use a screen 

 of burlap on the sunny side, but in the latitude of Boston 

 we have seen the plants damaged either way, and those 

 that were left without protection come through as little 

 damaged as those that were protected. There are so many 

 factors which enter into the cause of Winter killing that 

 it is rather hard to form a set opinion. For instance, we 

 have seen with the native Juniper, one which came 

 through all right, and a plant alongside which was killed 

 outright. They were only a few feet apart and growing 

 apparently under identical conditions. 



There is still plenty of work to be done among the 

 vegetables. Cabbages will have to be stored ; they keep 

 well outdoors buried head down and covered with leaves 

 (;r other litter. A few heavy branches laid over them 

 will keep the wind from blowing the covering ofif. 



Celer^- is the real standby in 'Winter and it should be 

 protected before heavy" frost sets in. In a well drained 

 piece of land it keep.s in the trench that it is grown in, if 

 covered over to a good depth with straw or salt hay. Of 



