April, 1922 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



89 



spaded or plowed during the autumn, 

 a four-tined spading fork is often pre- 

 ferable to a spade. While the fork will 

 not turn the bottom soil to the surface 

 quite as well as the spade, this com- 

 plete turning is not desirable on land 

 that was plowed or spaded last fall, and 

 the fork leaves the soil in a more finely 

 divided condition. 



The remaining ' lumps that escape 

 breaking during the spading process 

 should be pulverized within an hour 

 or so after the land is turned over. 

 This can be done either with a steel 

 rake or with a hoe, care being taken 

 to go deeply enough into the soil to 

 break up all clods that will interfere 

 with planting. 



Thorough preparation of the soil is 

 the keynote to success in gardening. 

 Spade reasonably deep and loosen the 

 lower strata without bringing very 

 much of the subsoil to the surface. 

 English gardeners spade two or three 

 lengths of the spade in depth, working 

 manure into the subsoil to a depth of 

 12 to 14 inches. Half the work of cul- 

 tivation may be done before the seeds 

 are planted in the garden. 



Perennial Crops 



Plantings of perennial fruit and vege- 

 tables add to the interest and value of 

 very home garden. One of these is 

 aiiparagus, which will thrive almost 

 anywhere, provided it is planted in 

 good soil. A plot of ground 15 to 20 

 feet square in one corner of the garden 

 will supply all of the asparagus needed 

 by an average family. 



A few hills of rhubarb in sections 

 ■where it will grow can be planted along 

 the, garden fence and furnish the family 

 supply. The same is true of horse- 

 radish and of a number of the herbs, in- 

 cluding thyme and sage. 



To Stimulate Growth 



TEUCK farmers in some districts 

 have a little trick in the culture of 

 vegetables for the market that the 

 amateur might well copy. In early cul- 

 tivation, until the plants are several 

 inches high, they plow or cultivate the 

 soil away from the plants, getting as 

 close to the row as possible without in- 

 juring them. Then on subsequent cul- 

 tivations, they plow the soil toward the 

 row, throwing it up around the plants. 



The principle involved in this trick is 

 easily explained, so that the advantage 

 is apparent. Early in the season, when 

 the plants are beginning to grow, the 

 element most necessary to plant de- 

 velopment is not moisture, of which 

 there is usually an abundance, but 

 heat. What holds back plant growth 

 at this period is lack of heat, and any 

 method which introduces greater heat 

 is naturally reflected in the rapidity of 

 growth. When the soil is pulled away 

 from the row the effect is to warm the 

 soil which is left, by admitting air, and 

 incidentally drying out the soil ; that is 

 not usually objectionable at this period. 



After a few weeks, however, it is 

 moisture that is needed, instead of heat, 

 and the earth is thrown back -toward 

 the row again to conserve moisture. 



Boxes for Early Plants 



TOMATO, early cabbage, pepper, 

 cucumber and other plants may 

 be started in a window box. The 

 boxes may be made four to six inches 

 deep, six to twelve inches wide, and of 

 a length to fit a south window in the 

 kitchen or other warm room. Fill the 

 box to within half an inch of the top 

 with a clean rich loam soil, seed in 

 shallow rows and keep the soil moist 

 by frequent watering. 



Tomato plants should be trans- 

 planted to small flower pots or boxes 



Chi'iti'-n :xnr: ',., nri.r :':.., ,^ !. mi ; ^ ■ , , n w.utii Whit'' in Spnncj or Any Time. 



By staitiiiK young folks early in Ihe game of gardening, they will find life afterwards mors 



full of delights and joy. 



when two or three new leaves appear. 

 This will cause them to form a good 

 root system and harden them ready 

 for planting in the garden as soon as 

 there is no longer dang^ of frost. 



Melons, cucumbers, lima beans, and 

 the like may be started in small flower 

 pots or paper cartons a few weeks be- 

 fore it is safe to plant in the garden.' 

 The small containers should be sunk 

 in soil or sand in shallow window 

 boxes to keep moisture and tempera- 

 ture uniform? 



When danger of frost is past, trans- 

 fer all the plants of a pot to one hill 

 without breaking the roots or loosen- 

 ing the dirt from them. 



Making a Good Lawn 



J. A. Clark, Charlottetown, P.E.I. 



A GOOD lawn is one of the first 

 essentials in making a beautiful 

 home. There is nothing that can 

 take the place of a beautiful green- 

 sward about any house if it is to be 

 really attractive. Those who are plan- 

 ning to build should include the lawn 

 in the original plan for the home. 

 Draw up a plan of the contour of the 

 ground adjoining the proposed site. 

 The area of this will depend upon the 

 amount of land available. In the 

 country this should be not less than 

 four times the area of the house site. 

 In excavating, remove all the rich 

 surface soil separately. The subsoil 

 from the excavation is then used for 

 filling depressions and grading so that 

 the surface water will always flow 

 away from the house. When the house 

 is completed, and the rubbish, incident 

 to building is removed, the surface 

 soil is brought back and used to make 

 a seed bed for the lawn grasses. 



The lawn should be as permanent as 

 the house, and requires equal care in 

 the making. The autumn is a gQod 

 time to do the grading and filling. This 

 should be done at intervals, allowing 

 heavy rains to settle the transported 

 soil several times before the final grad- 

 ing, ploughing and thorough tillage 

 of the spring. This will prevent de- 

 pressions developing afterwards in 

 your lawn and tennis court. Before 

 seeding a finer condition of tilth is re- 

 quired than for any other farm crop. 

 Keep at it until the soil is like a gar- 

 den or about ready for seeding onions. 

 If the land is not in good heart, a 

 heavy coat of manure should be work- 

 ed in during preparation, and when 

 necessary, a heavy dressing of fertil- 

 izer will greatly help to make the soil 

 as rich as it should be for growing po- 

 tatoes or roots. 



The seeding should be heavy. The 

 best lawns are made by having a great 

 many fine stalks of grass. The best 

 grass for shade and open lawns is the 

 Kentucky blue grass. It is sown at the 



