Work for the Month of November 



Conducted by Henry Gibson, New York. 



The planting of hardy bulbs for spring blooming may 

 be continued so long as the weather remains open, but 

 the sooner this work is comideted now the Ijetter. No 

 one likes to break up a couple of inches of frozen earth, 

 previous to setting out these bulljs. yet it is what may be 

 ex]jected if planting is delaxed too lung. 



Planting completed, the garden should receive its an- 

 nual clean-up. The hardy border is long since past its 

 usefidness for this season, and deciduous trees are shed- 

 ding their leaves fast. In large gardens where many such 

 trees are accommodated it is ahvavs a relief to the gar- 

 dener when the last of the leaves are down. The leaves 

 should be gathered up as free from sticks and stones as 

 possible for future use. Oak and beech leaves are die 

 best kinds to use in preparing leafmould for potting pur- 

 poses. Elder, chestnut and maple leaves should be 

 thrown on the rubbish heap and burned. Of course a few 

 of diese mi.xed among a bulk of others would do no harm, 

 in fact when properly decomposed we are of the opinion 

 that all leaves contain valuable plant food. .\u\- ill effects 

 upt)n plants from the use of leaves in the grmving 

 medium, is caused by the varying degrees of acidity found 

 in leaves in different stages of decomposition. Experi- 

 ments have been conducted which left no doubt as to the 

 injurious eft'ect of ,'icids produced by leaves only partially 

 decomposed u|)on jilant life. 



TlIK wn.l) C.VKDKN. 



The work of cleaning up in and around the wild garden 

 should not be overlooked. When the leaves from the 

 trees accumulate in bulk they are liable to injure many 

 dwarf plants that are growing therein. \\'ilil gardening 

 is becoming very popular now, and as it ma\ be described 

 as a cheaj) fnrm of gardening it is likely to liecome more 

 l)opidar still. 



AMiile it is somewhat late to do nnich actual planting 

 save, perhaps, bulbs in this department ; yet notes of addi- 

 tions in the way of trees and shrubs can be made for future 

 reference. Straight lines shoidd always be avoided, and 

 every effort taken to avoid a stiff', formal appearance, 

 when planting is being done, h'ootpaths ma\' be made 

 now. and these should be irregular and winding. .\ 

 charming path may be made by using irregular-shaped 

 stones. Too mtich importance should not be attached to 

 making them fit in evenly, and the sjiaces between them 

 may be filled in with soil and i)lanted with small alpines. 

 I'nshaded positions may be ])lanted with rambler roses of 

 the Dorothy Perkins class. They may be pinxdiased in a 

 variety of shades, and if allowed to trail at will about the 

 ground they will provide a glorious carpet of color when 

 in bloom. Tree stumps, or inverted tree roots can be used 

 to support roses of the Penyance hybrid type. Forgetme- 

 nots ( Myosotis) are perhaps one of the prettiest plants 

 we have for beautifying the woodland walk. ( )ther p.arts 

 of the wild garden can be beautified by jilanting therein 

 large patches of bulbs. It is better to mass them in groups 

 of separate colors, that will attract attention. 



VEGET.\BLE C.^KUE.NT. 



The annual clean-up should be extended to the 

 vegetable garden as soon as opportunity offers, so as to 

 have the groimd manured and ploughed or dug up and 

 left to the disentegrating influence of frost and snow. 

 All vegetable matter should be started together for future 



use. In this age of motor traffic there is likely to be a 

 scarcity of animal manure and although chemical manures 

 may be largely used as a substitute they ilo not provide 

 the humus necessary for the successful cultivation of 

 plant life. 



Decaved vegetable matter is an e.xcellent fertilizer, and 

 if its true value was more generally recognized very little 

 of it would find its way onto the rubbish lieap. .\11 kinds 

 of spent i)lants, fallen leaves, and even the lawn mowings 

 may be brought into use. They should be stacked deeply 

 in an out of the way corner, and be tm-ned and restacked 

 to hasten decomposition. A light sprinkling of super- 

 ])hosphate of lime may be given at intervals while the 

 work of restacking is in progress, .\fter several turnings 

 the heap may be covered with soil, and when tlmruugh 

 decomposition has taken place it will be found ecjual to the 

 best animal manure. 



Celery, carrots, beets and all other crops not yet stored 

 should be atten<led to as soon as ])ossibIe. 



Lettuce in frames will need care in ventilation, water 

 thoroughly when needed and stirring of the surface soil 

 at intervals. 



.\sparagus, rhubarb and chicory can now be forced. 

 Chicory is known as the Christmas salad, and is much 

 in demand during the winter months. \^arious methods, 

 are adopted in forcing it, and our own practice is to plant 

 the crowns six inches deep in good loam under the carna- 

 tion house bench. Three or four dozen crowns are planted 

 at one time, and at frequent intervals to keep up a suc- 

 cession. When lifted from the garden the outer leaves 

 are cleansed off and only the central portion left intact. 

 The roots are then stacked in layers of sand in a cool 

 cellar and used as needed for forcing. 



Par.sley should be protected, and some lifted and 

 ])lanted indoors for winter use if not already done. .Mint 

 and other herbs may be potted for winter use. 



The planting of fruit trees should be finished as soon 

 as possible. 



THE GREENHOUSES. 



The Chrysanthenuim season is now in full swing, and 

 the local shows will commence in a few davs. Year by 

 year the single-flowered decorative varieties are becom- 

 ing more popular for conservatory and house decoration, 

 and fortunately skilled hybriders and large growers have 

 turned their attention to the improvement of these tvpes, 

 and many desirable new varieties may be expected at the 

 shows this month. The atmos]5here of the flowering- 

 house now requires to be cool and dry, firing and ventila- 

 tion being regulated with this end in view. All watering 

 should be done early in the morning so as to leave the 

 floors and benches dry over night. Fk>wcrs cut early 

 in the morning last the longest. 



SC.VKiUlKOUCU LILIES. 



\'alotta pur])urea, or the Scarborougli Lily, is a perfect 

 [jlant for ])ot culture, and cannot fail to give satisfaction 

 when well grown. It is one of the best of .Vutunm 

 bloomers. -V three-inch pot is large enough for a single 

 root ; and no shift is made until it is completely full of 

 rootlets, when a pot only one .size larger is needed. The 

 great essential in the culture of the Scarliorough Lily is 

 to leave it luidisturbed and not interfere with the roots 

 until the plant has grown larger than desired, when it may 



