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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



August, 191( 



the riffht rear a rustic summer house. The centre bed contain^ some vir? flne fladSli. 



stances the best means of controlling 

 the insects is with a forcible supply of 

 clean water from the hose. While ap- 

 plying it, however, it is well to use an 

 adjustable nozzle on the hose, 30 that 

 the force of water can be regulated in 

 such a way as to avoid damaging the 

 foliage of the plants. One may easily 

 regulate the force, and still maintain 

 an effective spray, with an adjustable 

 nozzle. 



The treatment just outlined for con- 

 trolling insects is especially valuable 

 on such crops as lettuce when attacked 

 by aphis, on which the use of other 

 compounds might make the coiisumer 

 suffer a little from stomach trouble. 

 This is true also of currants and other 

 small fruits that are attacked just prior 

 to harvesting. City trees, besmeared 

 W}th honey-dew from aphids, may re- 

 ceive tin advantageous cleansing from 

 the use of the hose. 



Lawns. 



The proper time to reseed the lawn 

 is a much mooted question. It is the 

 practice of the writer to get busy as 

 early in August as conditions will al- 

 low. Constant attention is the price of 

 a good lawn, and one must patch up the 

 bare spots as soon as possible. One of 

 the reasons set forth against August 

 seeding of lawns is that we usuallv have 

 a spell of dry weather at this time. "We 

 can, however, expect rains in early 

 September, and by seeding near the end 

 of the month there is not much chance 

 of failure. Last year I seeded a lawn 

 m August, and for several nights there- 

 after it rained hard. A splendid lawn 

 was the result. Weed growth is prac- 

 tically completed by this period of the 

 .year, so one does not find so many weeds 

 in an August sown lawn as is usually 

 the case with spring sown ones. 



A liberal top-dressing of wood ashes 

 and bone-meal will benefit the lawn in 

 August. It is patent to ^nyone who 



stops a moment to think of it, that con- 

 tinual cutting of the grass must be the 

 jneans of removing large quantities of 

 plant food, and the necessity of replen- 

 ishing it does not need further com- 

 ment. It is best to apply fertilizer dur- 

 ing a wet day, or just before a rain, if 

 possible. 



Onions will be ripening towards the 

 latter part of the month. When the 

 tops start to turn yellow, pull them 

 and lay them on their sides for a day 

 or two to dry. Then place them where 

 they will have abundance of air, but 

 no moisture, until the stems are entirely 

 dry. 



The old fruiting wood of the rasp- 

 berries and blackberries should be 

 pruned out as soon as they are through 

 fruiting. While doing this work, an 

 eye shoiild be given for any growth 

 with orange rust on the leaves. This is 

 to be found more frequently on the 

 blackberries than on the raspberries, 

 although it may be found on both. 

 Wherever found, it should be cut out 

 and burned. The reddish dust so read- 

 ily shaken from the leaves, is really the 

 spores. The presence of these colored 

 spore nui.sses is external evidence that 

 within the stems of the cane bearing 

 affected leaves are the feeding threads, 

 or mycelium, of the fungus, which live 

 on from year to year. It is, therefore, 

 little use to attempt control by means 

 of spraying. The only means of com- 

 bating rust is to cut out and burn all 

 affected plants. Diseased plants are 

 not worth saving for the fruit they have 

 on them, as they are a source of con- 

 tamination to healthy stock. 

 The Green-House. 

 Though we have just started to enjoy 

 the pleasures of the out-door garden, 

 yet when August comes we must pro- 

 vide for the supply of flowers for the 

 winter months. Now is the time to re- 

 pair the broken glass in the green- 



house, and the frames, too, for man 

 plants can be accommodated in th 

 latter for some time after frost has pu 

 an end to outdoor plants. The beuche 

 in the green-house will need to be pu 

 into shape for receiving the soil. Was 

 them down well, and give them a gooi 

 coat of hot lime, which will account f 

 a large percentage of the insects ti 

 otherwise will bother you during th 

 winter months. 



Carnations should be lifted from th 

 garden and planted indoors as aooi 

 as possible now. Calla lilies ought t 

 be under way at once, if they have 1 

 been already attended to. Use a r. 

 soil for these plants, and give wate 

 .sparingly after the first good soaking 

 until the roots have begun to permeat 

 the soil. 



Snapdragon ('Antirrhinums) can b< 

 benched for winter forcing now. G 

 them plenty of head room, and gr- 

 them cool, not over fifty degrees a' 

 night, for best results. 



Stocks may be started for wintei 

 flowering. Sow in small batches, 

 keep up a succession. All potted plai 

 that have been carried along in cold 

 franies through the summer, should b( 

 put in the green-house now. Repot anj 

 such as need it. In many cases this wil 

 be the last potting. Freezias are nov 

 to be had, and they may be potted up 

 or boxed, as soon as they arrive. Placi 

 them in a cold-frame, and cover then 

 with an inch of ashes. 



August Garden Activities 



If you wish to move a large deeidu 

 ous tree or shrub this fall, "root prune' 

 it in August ; that is, dig a circle thre. 

 feet in diameter around it, deep enougl 

 to cut off many of the small roots, ani 

 then replace the earth. By fall it wil 

 be accustomed to the change and cai 

 then be moved. 



Sow pansies for early spring bloom 

 ing, in August. Buy highly bred see« 

 if you want the best flowers true t< 

 type. Make the surface of the seed bt 

 five inches above the surrounding so 

 using new earth mixed with a rij 

 compost. Soak the bed with boilL 

 water so as to kill all insects, worn, 

 and weeds, then allow the bed to dr; 

 and rake very fine. After the seeds as 

 sown, cover them with sand to a de^ 

 of one-eighth of an inch and dust ovc 

 with powdered sulphur. This will pre 

 vent mildew during the five or six day 

 of germination and will keep the see* 

 lings from damping off. Press light| 

 and give the surface a watering. The 

 cover, making the bed both totally dar 

 and water-proof, and do not watt 

 again until the seeds come up. Whei 



