Work for the Month of September 



Conducted by Henry Gibson, New York. 



THE FLOWKK C.AKDE.X. 



Window boxes, hanginy baskets, tubs and snnilar de- 

 vices are now so full of roots tbat the soil is about ex- 

 hausted, and to keep up a succession of bloom frequent ap- 

 plications of liquid manure should be given. Flower beds 

 and borders are at their best now and a special effort 

 ought to be made to maintain a tidy appearance. De- 

 caving leaves, flowers, weeds, and other litter should be 

 picked up at least once a week, (jrass edges need to be 

 kept trimmed and the lawn mowed as occasion requires. 



The propagation of bedding plants should be attended 

 to as soon as possible now. It is always advisable to take 

 cuttings of tender subjects such as Coleus, Salvias, 

 ageratum. etc., before the cold chilly nights set in. 

 Geraniums mav be left until later l:)ut even these should 

 not be caught by frost. 



The handy flower border can lie rearranged at this 

 time, and new beds may be established. Early sown per- 

 ennials are now large enough to set out into permanent 

 quarters. Young plants of Hollyhocks, Foxglove, (iail- 

 lardia. Sweet Williams and Clove Pinks, if not trans- 

 planted before the last week of the month are better left 

 undisturbed until next spring. 



Old established plants of Anemone Japimica and 

 Tritoias are best moved in the spring time. 



Most kinds of evergreens may be planted this month. 

 Their success, however, depends on favorable soil condi- 

 tions ; as long as the ground is damp and free from frost 

 trans-planting is safe. 



Privet beech, thorn and other hedges should receive 

 their final clipping without delay. \'ery little more growth 

 will be made this year and by clii)ping now a neat, tidy 

 appearance will be maintained for the rest of the season. 



Lawn^ mav be re-seeded if needed, and new ones es- 

 tablished. Roadways, paths and walks that intersect a 

 new lawn need to be edged with turf to protect the young 

 grass when it comes up. Gravel and other garden paths 

 made now will have a chance of becoming settled and 

 well trodden before frosts come. 



THE VEGET.MiLE IIAkDEX. 



Potatoes should be dug as soon as they are ready. If 

 }0u have a cool place to store them, they are better out 

 of the ground this month. Spinach, turnips, radish, and 

 any quick maturing crops may still be sown outdoors. 

 Lettuce, cabtage, cauliflower, .ind parsley should be 

 planted in cold frames. Don't let up in the fight with the 

 weeds. Here and there you may have a patch that has 

 matured its crop, but do not allow the weeds to make 

 headway on it. Buy a bushel or two of rye, and as fast 

 as these spots are "cleaned up" rake them over and sow 

 the rye broadcast. Just enough loose soil to cover it and 

 let it germinate is all it needs. It will come up quickly 

 and not only keeps down the weeds, but will furnish an 

 abundance of humus to the soil. Moreover, it will save 

 "washing" of the soil by heavy rains, and prevent a great 

 deal of plant food from being wasted. 



FRUIT G.\RDEXS. 



All runners should be kept off strawberries and culti- 

 vation persisted in to prevent the growth of weeds. 

 Young plants of strawberries that were potted up last 

 month may still be set out. .\j)]5les. pears, and other 

 fruits should be gathered in dry weather and placed in 

 a cool, airy fruit room, as thev are readv. 



Peach trees need to be carefullx examined for borers. 



THE GREENHOUSES. 



Clirysaiitheiniims. 



In last month's notes we made some reference to the 

 feeding of chrysanthemums. This is usually done when 

 the buds have set, and while it may be a good practice, yet 

 we believe that, generally speaking, chysanthemums are 

 very much benefited by judicious applications of stimu- 

 lants long before the buds have formed. Of course the 

 extent to which feeding will prove beneficial to the plants 

 before the bud shows will depend a good deal upon the 

 qualit}- of the soil they were potted in. Ever}' applica- 

 tion of water takes away a certain amount of plant food 

 and to keep a chrysanthemum growing, with its roots 

 confined within the limits of an 8-inch pot until the buds 

 set, without occasional feeding in some form or other, is 

 very much like giving a boy his breakfast and then starv- 

 ing him until he becomes a man, and then try and fesd 

 him up. 



Feeding after the buds set is a very good criterion for 

 the amateur to go by, but the professional grower can 

 obtain better results by the judicious use of stimulants 

 as soon as the pots are well filled with roots. Don't go 

 to the extreme with feeding, or a rank heavy growth, 

 with misfornied and abortetl flower buds may result. 



Boinvrdias. 

 These early winter flowering plants are quite tender 

 and should not be exposed to anything like a freezing 

 temperature. Thev are better cither benched or potted 

 up now that we are liable to experience a frost any night. 

 Endeavor to lift the ]3lants with all the ball possible, thus 

 preserving the fibrous roots. When planted, soak them 

 well with water, spray freely overhead as long as the 

 hot weather prevails and shade from direct sunshine until 

 thev become established. A minimum temperature of 

 0C° is what suits bauvardias. 



Genistas. 

 These should be placed where they can have protection 

 during frosty nights. Genistus need to be kept as cool as 

 possible, without frost. If no protection is to be had out- 

 doors, move them into the coolest house, where, during 

 the winter the temperature should not exceed 45° at night. 



Dccorath'c Foliage Plants. 



Xow that the sun is losing some of its power, croton 

 palms, ferns and other foliage plants may have more 

 light admitted by removing some of the shade from the 

 glass. It is advisable tc;i ventilate freely on all favorable 

 occasions so as to hanlen the plants up as much as pos- 

 sible, previous to the coming of winter. 



Attend to sponging, for scale and mealy bug, go over 

 each plant carefully and see that none are allowed to be 

 overlooked. 



Summer Flowering Bulbs. 



Almost all summer flowering bulbs require a season of 

 rest. Such subjects as achimenes, gloxinias, gesneuas. 

 tuberous looted begonias, etc., as they pass out of flower 

 should have water withheld so as to allow the bulbs to 

 ripen up. They may be placed in a dry corner of the 

 greenhouse where the\' are nt)t liable to get much water, 

 or they may be put into a frame and covered with sash 

 until frost makes it dangerous for them to be left outside 

 anv longer. When this occurs. the\- ma\- be laid on their 



