62 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



March. 



As I have said, I do not patronize the agents. 

 This is because I can deal more cheaply and 

 with vastly more satisfaction, directly with 

 the nurseries; but I was converted to horti- 

 culture years ago, and by a different process. 



These buyers to whom I have referred, would 

 perhaps never have gone to the nurseries to 

 buy. They probably paid to the agents much 

 higher than I do by direct dealing, for the 

 same stock, but that is far better than for them 

 never to have planted at all. So I say that the 

 honest horticultural missionary is worthy of 

 the added price above catalogue rates which 

 he gets, but I have no use for his services. 



* 

 * * 



A neighbor who built a small greenhouse in 

 connection with his dwelling last summer, came 

 to me to-day for advice on stocking it with 

 some handsome climbers. Being a new be- 

 ginner at running a glass house, I directed 

 him to try some of the kinds that may easily 

 be raised from seed to form beautiful festoons 

 and masses with ordinary care. I refer to 

 such plants as Maurandyas, Eccremocai-jms, 

 the former lilac and white, the latter rich 

 orange; Thunbergias, j^ellow and white with 

 that striking dark eye; Trapseolums, various 

 and many othei-s, the seed of which, if sown 

 now, will soon form handsome climbers. 



Of course where one is somewhat skillful in 

 managing plants, I would, along with these, 

 recommend such kinds as the Habrothaniuus, 

 Lapageria, Clematis, Fuchsias, Plmnbago, 

 Hoya, etc., by all means. All of these kinds 

 which I have named may be successfully grown 

 in a cool greenhouse. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Begonia. The Weltoniensis— one of the best, 

 should be cut down about this time, if unattractive 

 looking, and given a dry -soil rest for six weeks. 



Carnations, Young plants for next winter's 

 bloom should have much Hght. but not much heat, 

 until planting out time, a month or two later. 



Chrysanthemums. As young plants are obtained, 

 they should be given a light place, to urge them on; 

 the hot-bed being a very suitable place. 



Dormant plants in the cellar or pits, such as Ole- 

 andei"s. Hydrangeas, Cactuses. Lan tanas, Pomegra- 

 nates, Laurustinus. and so on, that can be accommo- 

 dated in the window, may now be brought in. 

 Where room for them is lacking, they can remain 

 at rest until the season allows of moving out doors. 



Gas. Its use for illuminating is a drawback to 

 plant culture in the same rooms. If the plants can at 

 night be cut off by partitions, or moved to unhghted 

 rooms, it should be done. If not, harm may largely 

 be prevented by capping them with paper covers, 

 while the gas is Ughted. Plants are better off, for be- 

 ing in rooms that are never light-ed much artificial]}'. 



Geraniums propagated this mouth make the best 

 plants for winter bloom. Grow in pots; keep down 

 the flowers until fall. 



Half-hardy plants kept in pits must receive 

 plenty of air on tlie mild days now at hand. 



Insects. Be vigilant in meeting these now, for at 

 no other season would they increase more rapidly, 

 if once they get a start. Keep them so scarce, that 

 the thumb nail remedy is all that is needed. 



Oxalis are now at their best, provided they have 

 plenty of sun; in the shade the flowers do not open. 



Propagation. This is the most suitable season 

 for general propagation. Cuttings of soft-wooded 

 plants hke Geraniums, Coleus. Petunias, etc., are 

 now very readily struck in sand, in a light, warm 

 place. Choose such slips as are neither over-hard 

 nor yet very soft. 



Aii'-layering, which we illustrate on page 63, as ap- 

 plied to a Rubber Tree, is one of the best means of 

 propagating ordinary hard-wooded plants. The 

 process is so simple, anyone may succeed with it. 

 Several leaves are first removed from the shoot to 



be used, nearest to where the cut is to be made, as 

 shown at A. Then a light stick is attached by twine to 

 the shoot for support, keeping one place near the 

 centre clear of twine, when winding, for an inch or 

 more in length. In this clear place a sloping cut 

 is then made upwards fully three-fourths way 

 through the branch, and a small pebble or other 

 substance is placed under the tongue to keep it 

 open, all as shown at A. The operation is finished 

 by clapping a double handful or more of soft moss, 

 containing a slight admixture of soil, around the cut 

 portion, and binding it as shown at B. This ball of 

 moss must then be kept well watered, and in the 

 course of from three to eight weeks the shoot above 

 the cut will have roots, and by potting will at once 

 make a handsome dwarf plant. 



Bichardia for iiots should be started this month. 



Shade for the sunniest windows, during midday, 

 is a good thing. Primula flowers and Camellia 

 plants especially receive injury if not shaded. 



Soil for pot plants, should be carefully prepared 

 always. For this, there is no better foundation 

 than well decayed turf that is full of root fibres. 

 Many plants would need nothing more; strong 

 feeders should have manure added. Perhaps the 

 soil that will best suit the majority, is two parts de- 

 cayed turf to one part of well rotted manure. 



Violets for winter bloom: treat as for Caniatlons. 



Watering needs close attention at this time, 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Annuals of all kinds may be sown, the hardy 

 ones out doors as soon as the ground works up 

 well, the others, half hardy and tender sorts, if 

 want^:■d early, in the windows, hot-bed or greenhouse. 



Borders must not be dug until quite dry; to add a 

 a coat of well-decayed manure every season is the 

 right course— spading it in. 



Box edgings if to be set should have this done 

 early, using only well-rooted plants. 



Bulb beds planted and covered in the fall should 

 be uncovered, but not all at once. First take away, 

 say, two-thirds of the cover, then when they begin 

 to push through, the remamder. 



Canna and Caladium tubers should be started. 



Edgings to walks and drives, when kept properly 

 attended, add much to the beauty of a place, hence 

 an edging hoe should be owned for use. If one can 

 not be bought in the vicinity, then have one made. 

 We show by an engraving taken from the ^me?-iCrtrt 

 Ag7-iculturist^ how this may be done out of a com- 

 mon hoe by anj' blacksmith. 



Lawns should early be rolled to take away the 

 roughness of surface, that is brought on in the 

 winter; the sward will be finer all the season for 

 this. Now is the time to apply fertilizers where 

 needed, as is the case with all lawns everj' second or 

 third year. For lawns about the home, our choice 

 is for bone manures, as being less offensive both to 

 the eye and the nose than stable manm'e, and quite 

 as effective. Nitrate of soda at the rate of 2 or 3 

 pounds per square rod is now considered to be an 



EDGING IRON; AN EASILY MADE ONE. 



excellent fertihzer for lawns. Take much pains to 

 have whatever manures are used spread evenly. 



Pansy Beds. See directions siven for Bulb beds. 



Paeonies. If any are to be planted or reset, jt 

 should be done at the earhest possible moment. 



Planting, lu general the earlier the planting of 

 hardy trees, shrubs, vines and plants can be done, 

 after the ground is dry enough to work up well, the 

 better. From the time the stock is dug in the mu-sery, 

 until it stands newly planted, great pains should be 

 taken to keep the roots from drying out. Where 

 any time intervenes between receiving it and setting 

 out, the roots should be protected by heehng in— that 

 is, covering closely with fine earth. As to pruning, 

 see article on page ti(i. In planting set the trees as 

 deep as they stood in the nursery only. Use plentj- 

 of fine eai-th, working it weU between the roots, and 

 Jinn it thoroughly (you can scarcely make it too 

 compact) as the hole is beuig filled. 



Roses, Uncover and prune as soon as hard 

 freezes are t^ast, which should now be the case in the 

 southern tier of states; next month will be early 

 enough for the north. Monthlies of small growing 

 kinds that were wintered outdoors, should be cut 

 back severely, leaving not more than three eyes to 

 each stem. The stronger growers maj' have twiee 

 as many left. Hybrid Ferpetuot and .Sftmmer sorts 

 should be cut back to half a dozen eyes to the shoot, 



or if any shoots happen to be specially strong, ten 

 may be left. Moss Roses of free growing sorts may 

 be similarly pruned, but the shy growers as well as 

 all Yelloir Rosi's retjuire no pruning at all, save to 

 cut away any dead wood. This should come away 

 from all kinds at pruning. Climbing Roses need but 

 little trimming, except to regulate general form. 



Seeds of heat-loving plants designed for sub-tropi- 

 cal effects, such as Castor-oil Bean, Japanese Striped 

 Maize, Perilla, Tobacco and so on should be sown. 



Sodding. Theearlier it is done the better. Choose 

 close turf as free from weeds as possible— that from 

 a sheep pasture being the best. In lifting use a 

 sharp spade ; cut of an even thickness, not less than 

 an inch nor over two inches thick. It may either be 

 divided up into slabs 12 to 15 inches square, or else 

 be in pieces about a foot wide each, and four feet 

 long, rolled up as it is cut with the spade, for con- 

 venience in handling. In laying have a well pre- 

 pared sm-f ace to receive it,with the soil, in the main, 

 well firmed by rolling or otherwise. Bring the pieces 

 closely togethcF, using a knife for trimming, to se- 

 cure evenly fitting joints. Should any pieces be 

 thinner than others, some loose earth must be 

 worked underneath to properly bring up the surface 

 even with the surroundings. After laying, beat 

 with a turf mallet to settle the root surf ace well into 

 the bed, and unless quite wet finish by watering. 



Trellises, arbors, and other garden structures, 

 should be repaired and painted before pressing 

 spring work or the new verdure interferes. 



Walks and Drives. As soon as the frost is out 

 of the ground, those of gravel should be well rolled. 

 Once in every few years the gravel should be worked 

 over in the spring, following with a good rolling. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Achimenes. Some of the tubercles should be 

 started each month up to May, for a succession of 

 bloom. When they show an inch or two of growth, 

 transplant into the pots in which they are to grow. 

 They need heat, moisture and shade; they are a 

 class well worth the attention of amateurs. 



Begonias, belonging to the fine-foliage class, 

 should now be having plenty of root encourage- 

 ment to i^ush them rapidlj^ along in growth. 



Camellias as they go out to bloom, should receive 

 a higher temperature, say 00° or 70°. and a moist 

 atmosphere, with shade from the sun's rays, for 

 this is the season of new growth. Shifting into 

 pots one size larger than before occupied, should 

 precede the growing season. 



Cineraries neglected but once, to suffer from 

 drouth— and they now need much water— will show 

 it very perceptably in foliage and bioom. Guard 

 against it by all means. Air freely. Use liquid 

 manure often, nothing will help them more. 



Double Primroses propagate now from slips. 



Crloxinias. The directions forAchiraenes will apply 



Insects. See hist mouth, also pages 64, 65. 



Orchids will require an abundance of atmospheric 

 moisture now, and general attention to plants 

 newly-potted, and those coming into growth. 



Palms. To raise from seed, sow all such now. 



Pelargoniums need close attention. Air strong 

 plants freely, and give liquid manure once a week. 



Propagation of Coleus, Alternatheras. Heliotrope, 

 Verbenas, Chmbers and Droopers. for summer use 

 may still go on. Also of all winter flowering 

 plants for next season. 



Roses, Be not deceived by the brightness out- 

 side into admitting cold air too freely upon these, 

 for this is a common cause of mildew. Air must 

 be admitted, but when raw and chilly, only in small 

 streams, and on the side away from the wind. 



Watering. Now that growth is rapid, too much 

 attention cannot be given to watering. The houses 

 must be gone over on every bright day with pot or 

 hose, and some plants will even need looking after 

 several times daily all through the spring season. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD, 



Arranging. As a general rule, plant the Apple 

 and Cherry trees on the outside of the fruit garden, 

 and especially towards the prevailing winds, to 

 provide protection, to the more delicate other kinds. 



Black Knot or Plum Wart must be cut out at 

 first sight. It should be looked for on the Cherry, too. 



Cuttings of CiuTants and Grapes should be plant- 

 ed very early, of such kinds as it is desirable t-o in- 

 crease. To take such off close to the old wood, 

 they will be more certain to root than if made from 

 long pieces cut up. Set at a depth so that but one 

 eye of the Grape cuttings, and two of other kinds, 

 show above the sm'face of the ground. 



