PLANTING. 



There is little in the way of instruction that I can give about 

 the mechanical part of planting and caring for ornamentals. 

 I make claim to no particular skill; I am only an amateur and 

 a poor one at that; there are many who succeed where I fail. I 

 love all these dear things with a mother's devotion, but somehow 

 I fall a little short of complete success in planting and making 

 them grow. 



I find it a difficult matter to get little plants to grow when put 

 out in the open sun and exposed to the wind. And indeed it is 

 trying for them under ordinary circumstances in Florida. Our 

 sandy soil becomes scorchingly hot under the almost vertical 

 sun, and it soon dries out on the surface, even after rain or 

 thorough watering. For these reasons I have urged that some 

 of the native growth should be left when clearing is being done, 

 for a slight protection until the plants can get a start. I try, 

 when possible, to put my things out in a rainy time but it seems 

 to me that no matter how wet it is when I begin planting it always 

 turns dry immediately and stays so. 



It is a good idea to dig out a larger hole than the dimensions 

 of the roots and if one is planting in pine land, as most of us have 

 to do, to work in with the soil some muck and a little fertilizer. 

 Leave a slight depression around the tree or plant to hold water. 

 Water thoroughly and shade the plant if it has leaves on it: 

 palmetto leaves stuck in the ground around it are just the thing 

 and I have sometimes thought that they were made for this 

 especial purpose. I believe in mulching, and always, where it 

 is possible, put a good cover of leaves, grass, seaweed or some 

 kind of trash around newly set plants. If the weather is dry 

 after planting one should water freely until his stuff is established. 

 If necessary the mulching can be removed when the plants are 

 being hoed, or one can use a tooth hoe and not greatly disturb it. 



I approach the subject of arranging plants so that their colors 

 and forms of leaves and growth shall harmonize with a good deal 

 of hesitation, first because, judged by the standards of modern 



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