August 4, 1917 



HO RT 1 CULTURE 



117 



Carnations 



Before any planting is done see that the soil is right. 

 If a bench is too dry it shoiild be lightly watered, and 

 later worked over. It will make the planting easier. 

 As to the proper distance to allow between the plants 

 on the benches, that depends upon tlie variety — the 

 habit of growth, the size of the jilants and whether the 

 planting is done early or late. As safe a way on the 

 average as any I find is to have about 8 inches between 

 plants each way. Have everything in readiness as soon 

 as possible to receive the new stock from the field. By 

 that I don't mean that we start exactly on an early date. 

 Weather, conditions have too much to do with this, but 

 the benches or part of them should now be in shape 

 to begin. I am sure we all agree today that if we can 

 bench the stock by July 10th or 15th no harm is done. 

 The idea is to get the plant established long before 

 winter sets in. 



Cleaning, Painting and Repairing 



With the blinding glare of the sun on the glass this 

 work is anything but pleasant, but we can make it more 

 tolerable by shading the house or by placing some cover- 

 ing over the roof. As usual there is plenty to do in 

 setting things right for winter and now is a good time 

 to go to it. A coat of white paint will lighten up the 

 houses and help destroy any insects as well as preserve 

 the wood. For shaking; putty-loosened glass to make 

 a thorough job — and an easy and rapid one too — the 

 removal of all the glass before planting, followed up 

 with a good Job of reglazing into a new bed of putty is 

 advisable. There is nothing worse than leaky and 

 draughty houses when the cold and stormy months 

 come. Look over your boilers and pipes, also. 



Crotons 



Crotons and other foliage plants will soon become 

 full of mealy bug. Plenty of water properly directed 

 from the hose will, however, take care of these pests. A 

 spray .nozzle is necessary, one which can be used below 

 the leaves. Plants which have grown somewhat tall and 

 leggy can be readily propagated by means of ringings. 

 All that is necessary is to paiily cut through the stem 

 below a leaf Joint, push a toothpick in to keep the cut 

 open then tie a bunch of spragnum or other moss 

 around the cut and keep it constantly moist. In a 

 warm, damp atmosphere the moss will soon be a mass 

 of roots when the top<5 can be cut off and potted. In 

 this way excellent plants can be had in a short time 

 with foliage right down to the pot. 



Providing Compost 



So imjiortant is this and so disastrous is neglect that 

 I feel there is no mo.re timely topic. Prepare a suffi- 

 cient quantity of good soil and when spring comes you 



will l)less yourself. Many a florist gets along fairly 

 well in his own opinion by scraping up a load of mother 

 earth here and there and adding a large quantity of 

 animal manure. Nothing impresses me more at the 

 present moment than such carelessness. Get the top 

 three inches of pastuj-e, pile it up in layers six inches 

 thick and for every six inches of sod spread three inches 

 of fresh cow manure. Build the pile with perpendicular 

 sides and a flat top, and in a few weeks you will be able 

 to chop it down and throw it into a long heap which 

 will thoroughly mix it and render it fit to use in early 

 spring for all crops growing under glass. 



Reminders 



For light, .sandy soil cow manure is far preferable 

 to any other kind especially where roses are planted. 



On wet days get the flats repaired that were emptied 

 at bedding-out time. They will soon be needed for 

 bulbs. 



Prepare any vacant plots now by plowing ox digging 

 and careful cleaning so as to be ready for early fall 

 planting. 



Where turf has to be stacked it will soon be time 

 to start cutting. Any teaming work necessary should 

 be kept up-to-date now. 



Prick out seedling campanulas, pyrethrums, wall- 

 flower and other biennials and perennials before they 

 get crowded in the seed beds. 



Next Week :^Adiantum8 ; care of Smilax ; Easter Lilies ; Gerani- 

 ums ; Sweet Peas for Winter; Reminders. 



The Mission of the Flowers 



The time has come when it is as necessary to raise 

 a peony as a potato. The vegetable garden feeds the 

 body; the flower garden feeds the soul. These bodiea 

 perish ; our souls will be young when the stars are old. 

 Many a noble woman with plenty of potatoes has pined 

 away with soul starvation in a great longing for the 

 beautiful. 



I have seen the weary mother, after the burdens of 

 the day were over, go out from her humble sad dwelling 

 to feast her soul on her little patch of flowers and she 

 wa,s refreshed thereby. In life and death we find them. 

 Not long since we laid away my wife. In her sweet re- 

 jjose — with countenance transfigured by the peace of 

 lieaven which rested on it, lying there so cahn and sweet, 

 the flowers seemed to know their mission. They put 

 on their fairest beauty, filling the house with sweetest 

 incense. Flowers everywhere, on the beautiful casket 

 and on the tables and mantels. They escorted her to 

 the grave and lay in great banks — covering the somber 

 earth as the casket, by modern device silently receded 

 from our view. 



The old dreary somber way of the funerals of the 

 olden time seemed the celebration of a defeat, while 

 our modem ones are the celebration of a glorious 

 victory. How vividly they prefigure the triumphant 

 entry of the soul, into that land "where everlasting 

 spring abides and never withering flowers." 



(^ S ItA;^ 1 V4.W 



Yorh, Nebr. 



