94 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



May, 



remain greeu throughout the winter, and the 

 bulbs will not bloom if disturbed after they 

 commence growing. L. lonnifloniin is not as 

 hardy as many of the species, because the bulbs 

 are Uable to start in the fall it the weather is 

 warm. It is best to cover early with leaves or 

 light compost, as a hardy frost after the bulbs 

 have started almost invariably kills them. 

 They are easily transplanted. L. aumtum is 

 quite uncertain, even with the best protection. 

 A few bulbs may be planted every yeai", and 

 the cost counted as of bedding plants, for they 

 are worth growing if they afford one season's 

 bloom. Some of them will survive the winter 

 and bloom again, but they cannot be depended 

 upon. All the varieties of L. six-ciosuin are 

 hardy. Alhum prrero.r is a much finer variety 

 than nibum Buhnnit : roscuin, piincfnfinii, 

 Meljmmem; andpin-pui-aiuiii are all desirable. 

 L.pardalinnm (sometimes called Leopard Lily) 

 is fine and hai-dy. L. i-.vcchiini is of bright 

 buff color and one of the most beautiful. L. 



A Gardening Apron. 



Bniivnii is rare and costly, and from its pecu- 

 liar purple outside and the pure white waxen 

 inside presents a striking contrast to /o»(/i- 

 /lornm and others of that class. L. Lrk-htlinii, 

 L. inonailetpihum and L. Pdrri/i ai-e fine yel- 

 low varieties. All the varieties of L. Mctrta- 

 (jiin (the Turk's Cap Lily) are good. L. Chahw- 

 iloniriiiii (Scarlet Turk's Cap) is one of the best. 

 L. tnivifi)livin, one of the learliest, if not the 

 earliest, has slender stems and foliage and a 

 lovely scarlet flower with reflexed jietals. L. 

 Ponipditiatniiii reniiii is much like /... IcniiifuU- 

 um, but alittle more robust and blooms a little 

 later. There are many inexpensive varieties, 

 like Thunhcrijianiiiii, iiinhrlhihiiii, and the 

 varieties of tiiiriniim, which are showy and 

 perfectly hardy. Lilies are easily cultivated, 

 but they will not thrive on low land, unless it 

 is thoroughly drained; water at the roots or 

 wet, heavy soil is fatal. The soil should be 

 light and rich; it must be remembered that it 

 is not the bulb that neeils feeding, but the roots 

 beneath. It annuals or some light bedding 

 plants are planted ■ between the bulbs it will 

 serve to keep the surface cool and moist. 



A Gardening Apron. " My sisters of the Pop- 

 ular (tardeninu family," asks Sister Grasious, 

 of Detroit, "Have you a gai-dening apron? 

 If not, get two yards of common ticking; 

 cut off about a foot of the cloth and sew it 

 across the bottom, and make four deep pockets 

 out of this, as I show in the sketch presented 

 herewith. If you want it to be very fancy, work 

 down the seams between the pockets with 

 crazy stitch in red yarn or worsted. Put two 

 more smaller pockets higher up. Now you 

 have places for seeds, trowel, strings, tacks, 

 sticks, hammer, weeder, and I am not sure but 

 you could tuck in the shovel and the hoe. I 

 have used mine all winter while working in 

 my window garden. The cloth is so thick it 

 keeps my dress dry, and my knife or scissors 

 are always at hand. And my temper has im- 

 proved amazingly since I have worn the gar- 

 dening apron.'' 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Cactus. Such as require a shift should receive 

 it now at the beginning of the season's growth 

 Many of these interesting plants bed out well. 



Camellias may be moved out into some shady 

 place, sheltered from winds. Water and sprinkle 

 freely. 



Chrysanthemums will now be growing rapidly. 

 Shift whenever dense masses of roots appear on the 

 ball of earth. See February issue tor extended 

 directions on culture. 



Cyclamens. Some of our best gardeners now 



recommend managing them through summer, tiy 



planting them out tliis month, in the flower border. 



Hydrangeas should now go out. Treated to an 



occasional dose of liquid manure, and the growth 



will be stronger, the flowers very much finer. 



Izias. See the directions given below for Oxalis. 



Oleander. See directions for Hydrangeas above. 



Oxalis that are done flowering, should have the 



pots turned on the side to ripen the roots; later, 



shake out, wrap in paper, keeping them dry. 



Palms. Shift, if needing it, when moving the 

 plants out Unless growing very fast they do not 

 require this oftener than once every other year. 



Shifting of all large subjects is best done just as 

 the season's growth begins. Where one has fine 

 plants, neat and well made boxes add much to their 

 beauty : it made so that the shifting of large speci- 

 mens can be done conveniently, and without injury 

 to the boxes, so much the better. A drawing is 

 herewith given of a fine plant box with two fixed 

 sides (o) and two movable ones (/)), wdnch allows of 

 shifting with the greatest ease Such boxes may 

 cost a trifle more at the start than ordinary ones, 

 but the increase here will be money well spent 



Summering. I'uring the month, all plants may 

 be moved to their summer quarters; the hardier 

 one like Agaves, Azaleas, Oleanders, Hydrangeas, 

 Laurestinns, Daphnes, etc., first, followed by the 

 more tender ones at the end of the mouth. Most 

 kinds do best in partial shade. To plunge such as 

 are in pots, in soil, sand or coal ashes will save 

 nmch labor in their care. Arrange the plants with 

 taste according to their size and appearance. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Annuals of all kinds may now be sown otU- 

 doors. See directions given last month. 



Caladiums rejoice in nothing more than in a very 

 rich s»-iil— it may be one-half manure— and in plenty 

 of water. Then their growth will be a marvel. 



Cannas. See note on Caladiums,which will apply. 



Climbers. Tender ones, such as t'obiea, Pilogyne, 

 Madeira or Mignonette vine, potted Clematis, etc., 

 may go out when hard frosts are past 



Culture. For the care of flower beds, we want 

 nothing better than a narrow rake and hoe com- 

 bined, the rake part of w hicb is used by far the 

 most. The surface of the bed .should freipiently be 

 gone over, say whenever small weeds appear, and 

 after each rain, to break the crust of earth 



Dutch Bulbs. After blooming, and when ready 

 to set other plants in the beds, dig the bidbs, care- 

 fully preserving the tops and whatever soil adheres 

 to the roots, and heel-in, in some out-of-the-way 

 place, so that the bulbs may mature properly. When 

 ripened store away, until plautingtime in the fall. 



Edgings. Keep tidy by using an edging knife 

 on them several times during the sea.son. 



Evergreens may still be moved. Be sure to keep 

 the roots from drying. 



Gladiolus do well in almost any kind of soil. 

 Plant at least three inches deep 



Lilies. Greenfly sometimes trouble these in beds, 

 to prevent which, mulch with wet tobacco stems 

 two or three inches thick. 



Morning Glories are very attractive, and useful 

 for hiding unsightly objects. Sow of the best seed. 

 Perennials. Even if well started, most of them 

 can be transplanted. 



Phloxes of the hardy section are. in the improved 

 sorts, among the veiy best border plants. For doing 



their best, strong stools should be reduced to a few 

 leaders, and these be supported by stakes. 



Plans for the summer flower beds should be all 

 in readiness before the day of xtlanting. 



Planting Out. This work is in order for the 

 hardier kinds, such as Verbenas, Carnations,Stflcks. 

 etc , which may, excepting in the North, go out at 

 anytime now— the earlier the better. Do not hurry 

 out the tender plants, like Coleus. Alternant.heras, 

 Tuberoses, etc., before warm weather is surely here. 

 We have seen, more than once, June-planted tender 

 sorts get way ahead of the same kinds set out in 

 May. 



Weeds. No good gardener will allow them to get 

 ahead 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER CLASS. 



Acbimenes. Shade the plants lightly, keep in good 

 temperature, moist atmosphere and plenty of air. 



Asters are very suitable as pot plants. Do not 

 allfpw to become pot-bound Air and water gener- 

 <.iusly. The.v need a rich, light, sand.v soil. 



Balsams. See note on Asters. 



Camellias tliat are through growing should have 

 plenty »;if air and moisture, but less water, than 

 earlier, winch does not mean, however, that they 

 should be stinted. 



Cinerarias. Any plants that are specially desira- 

 ble may be propagated by filling the pot almost 

 fidl with sandy compost, in which the suckers will 

 form roots. Afterwards divide and pot separately. 



FucMas that have flowered during the past win- 

 ter should now be brought to a state of partial rest 

 by reducing the supply of water. 



Gloxinias. See directions for Acbimenes. 



Orchids. The Indian species must now be in their 

 glory, as to thriftness, or never. They must be 

 freely supplied with water and moisture in the 

 atmosphere at this time. Such kinds especially as 

 the Dendrobiums, Stanhopeas, Aerides, Saccola- 

 biums, and Vandas. easily receive injury if this is 

 neglected. 



Pelargoniums. Provide shade, plenty of air, 

 and coolness, as they show flowers, if you would 

 maintain their beauty for a good period. 



Plants of many kinds that are kept in pots 

 through the suumier may go outside about the end 

 of the month. Plunge the pots of free growers in 

 soil spent hops, or other material, to prevent rapid 

 drying out. To set all such on a deep layer ot 



A Plant Box tvith Mnrable .Sides. Sec 

 •'.'Shifting," under House Plants. 



coal ashes or on flagging, to keep angle worms 

 out of the pots, is a good precaution. 



Propagation. This is a good time to get up 

 stock of Begonias, Euphorbias, .Tusticias, Helio- 

 tropes, Geraniums and all other quick-growing, soft- 

 wood plants for display next winter. 



Specimen Plants. It is well to assist these with 

 liquid manure sometimes. Attention to good 

 forms by stopping the shoots of shruljby and 

 branching sorts is in order now, the season of free 

 growth. Kinds that are in flower must have shade. 



'Watering needs close attention now, at this 

 season of rapid growth: plants cannot suffer once, 

 from drying out, without great injury. Wetting 

 down the walks, under the stages and the sides ot 

 the houses will provide favorable moisture, and will 

 discourage that pest, the Red Spider. 



FRUIT CARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Blackberries. Jlore suckers will .appear than 

 are iicciled for the next year's plant; all unneeded 

 ones should be cleaned away. Tie up the new shoots 

 when large enough 



Insects. The Tent C({terpillars, a common pest, 

 hatch out early and should be destroyed as soon as 

 ever the nests show. These are readily seen ndien 

 livened up early in the day by the glistening dew in 



