ii8 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



April, 



gree, it is beat to place the plants in a cold frame as 

 early in the spring as it can be done with safety 

 from frost. Here they can be hardened off. Plant- 

 ing out is usually best done about the middle of 

 May. For this choose a location at ail times exposed 

 to the sun and air. But it should be protected from 

 strong winds. A light, rich loam is the best soil; if 

 possible it should be quite sandy. With proper soil 

 and exposure there need be little fear of mildew, 

 the one nearly unconquerable enemy of this plant. 



Plant in rows ^J^ or 3 feet apart each way. For 

 each plant a hole about the size of a potato hill is 

 dug and filled with fine manure, which is well 

 forked into the soil. In planting fill up with loam, 

 being careful that the surface is lower than the 

 surrounding ground, so as to retain any water that 

 may be given to the plants. 



Keep well watered until the roots have taken hold 

 of the soil, after which give no water unless the 

 season is dry and they show signs of suffering, 

 when they may have it as often as needed, occa- 

 sionally substituting liquid manure. Apply at even- 

 ing. Soon the young plants will push out branches 

 very freely, which should be pinched at 4 inches 

 long, repeating the operati(jn as often as the 

 branches become long enough, until about the 

 middle of July, after which the plants may be 

 allowed to grow at will, simply cutting back any 

 unshapely branches. Such severe pinching is done 

 to secure as many branches near the bottom as 

 possible. But varieties that make shapely plants 

 without pinching had better be left to themselves. 



Soon after setting out, each plant is furnished 

 with a strong stake, later adding others if neces- 

 sary. As the season advances, many branches be- 

 come so heavy that they are unable to sustain their 

 own weight, and are in danger of lopping off. To 

 prevent this, strings are used in such positions that 

 one branch sustains another. 



The worst insect pest is the Black Aphis, which 

 will cause much trouble if allowed to increase. 

 Dalmatian powder applied with a bellows is an 

 effectual remedy while in the ground, but after 

 housing they may be kept down by frequent fumi- 

 gation with tobacco. 



About the second or third week in August the 

 plants are lifted, the best time being when the 

 ground is very dry, for they wiU then recover the 

 sooner. Taken up thus eai-ly they form their buds 

 after potting, which is better, for, if formed before, 

 the check is apt to result in deformed flowers. 



Lift with all the roots that can be secured. To get 

 them into reasonable-sized pots considerable of the 

 soil should be carefully shaken off. For potting, 

 soil now use about two parts of good loam to one 

 of well-rotted stable manure. The pots are selected 

 according to the size of the roots, being careful not 

 to have them too large. The soil should never 

 reach higher than an inch from the rim, so as to 

 leave ample room for water and liquid manure. 



After the plants are potted, place under trees 

 where they can have both plenty of air and shade 

 from the sun. About a week later, or when they 

 seem to have recovered, take to the ground where 

 they grew and plunge to the rim of the pot in the 

 soil. Here they must have plenty of water and 

 never become dry. Liquid manure may also soon 

 be freely given as long as the buds are growing. 



As cold nights approach, the plants are to be 

 placed under glass, even before actual frost appears. 

 Nights not cold enough to freeze are cold enough 

 to check their growth, and thus to cause mildew. 



For a long time after placing them under glass 

 they require no artificial heat, and should be very 

 freely ventilated through the day. In cold, cloudy 

 weather it is best to introduce a little heat into the 

 house, if only to dry out the dampness. Soon after 

 they are brought in the Black Aphis will appear, 

 and must be persistently fought with tobacco 

 smoke, as long as the plants remain inside. 



GROWING AS HOUSE PLANTS. 



Those who wish to cultivate Chrysanthe- 

 mums, but have no glass, will do best to pro- 

 cure young, healthy plants in May, giving the 

 treatment above advised after that time, until 

 the time for housing, when they may be taken 

 in on cold nights and placed out-of-doors 

 through the day. As house plants, they should 

 be kept well watered, syringed as often as pos- 

 sible, being careful not to wet the flowers, and 

 kept in the coolest, airiest place to be found. 



The Black Aphis, or Black-fly, is usually found 

 quite troublesome, but can be conquered by persist- 

 ent application of Dalmatian powder. 



If it is desirable to keep the old roots over the 

 winter, they should be placed where they will be 

 kept quite cool, and, if possible, near a sunny win- 

 dow. Early In the spring they may be divided and 



planted out in the open groun^ and receive the 

 same treatment as young plants. 



The would-be cultivator must not expect that his 

 plants will always be as large or his flowers as fine 

 as those he sees at our fall exhibitions, for the 

 Chrysanthemum requires unremitting care and 

 attention from the beginning of the young plant to 

 the end of the flowering season, and experience is 

 valuable here as elsewhere. But he should not be 

 discouraged, for a fair amount of success is attain- 

 able with ordinary cultivation, and he will probably 

 feel repaid for time and expense bestowed. 



Horticultural Education for Women. 



[Abstract of a paper by Miss SaraJi J. Syntth , and 

 of some subsequent remarks before the Massachu- 

 setts Society.] 



Do we think when walking in our beautiful 

 gardens of the many homes without gardens? 

 In all the culture of soil is there no pleasant 

 place, no welcome duty for daughters' hands? 

 Is there no way that they may be taught that 

 they, too, have a mission on a farm? Is it not 

 time it should be settled that there must be 

 schools to train girls to home life? Such girls 

 would not be household drudges, but they can 

 be taught to be better home-keepers, and, as 

 home is not all within the house, they can be 

 taught to understand the garden— both fruit 

 and flowers— the poultry yard, the apiary and 

 even the sheepfolds. 



Every avenue in life seems broadly opening to 

 women, excepting that opening to the cultivation 

 of the land. The girl who is quite at home in her 

 father's greenhouses, understanding the culture 

 and knowing the botanical names of all the plants, 

 is a wonder to her companions and seems not quite 

 one of them. Yet how many a women who breathes 

 the close air of the factory, until the hectic flush 

 tells of a Hfe almost spent, wishes she could have 

 been taught a work that should bring her daily 

 nearer to Nature, a work she cannot learn by her- 

 self. She can catch up the broken threads in the 

 loom. But the tender plants, the opening flowers, 

 the bees, the soft little chickens— how dare she, un- 

 taught, handle these things, direct from Heaven? 



To talk of sendigg the daughters of farmers away 

 from their homes to study horticulture may seem, 

 at the present time, rank heresy; but this must 

 soon come, hke all other things for the good of man. 



Has this Horticultural Society no school to take 

 her in and teach her to be happy in her inheritance 

 of land? From all its knowldge of flowers, fruits 

 and vegetables and their uses, can it not tell the 

 world of woman how she can make the garden her 

 kingdom, and be healthy and happy? Does not 

 this world-wide cry for a " new education " come to 

 rouse the lovers of horticulture, and tell them that 

 young women need just the knowledge this society 

 can give them ? 



What we want now is a new education; an ed- 

 ucation in horticulture and home culture that shall 

 make a happier girlhood, happier because hands 

 are full and bodies healthy, and brains less strained 

 for book lore; more alive to Nature's truths and 

 vivified too with a practical knowledge of what goes 

 to make health, happiness, home and wealth. 



Mrs. Ednah D. Cheney gave an account of the 

 Horticultural School for Women at Newton. The 

 greatest lack here was pupils, the largest number 

 at any time being twelve. The school was discon- 

 tinued after an existence of a few years. The Bus- 

 sey Institution classes are open to women. There 

 has been very little success in obtaining either boys 

 or girls as pupils. The time had not arrived for 

 special horticultural schools. 



Leverett M. Chase said there is no subject sur- 

 passing this in interest. He has 1700 pupils under 

 his charge. He believed in the ennobling influence 

 of Nature. He visited Fresno Plain in California 

 and found there nineteen vineyards owned by 

 women, five of whom made $2000 each clear profit 

 in one year. 



W. C. Strong said many of the ladies of the society 

 are engaged in floricnlture, and are on an equality 

 with the men. 



Mrs. E. M. Gill enjoys work in her hot house, and 

 the money it brings her makes her independent. 

 She has been a member of the society since 1H65, 

 and has hardly been absent a Saturday, and has 

 had her share of the prizes. 



Charles M. Hovey said that in Philadelphia women 

 are employed in greenhouses much more than here. 

 There is a good deal of hard work in them, and it is 

 not pleasant for either women or men to go out at 

 midnight with the snow three feet deep and the 

 wind blowing a blizzard to see that the furnace 

 fires are all right. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Airing. If on mild days all but the more tender 

 plants are exposed to full air for several hours 

 daily, and even be subjected to occasional warm 

 rains— getting thoroughly washed^they will be 

 benefited. 



Annuals. Early seedlings to be transplanted 

 into boxes at an inch or more apart, according to 

 size, inuring them now to more air and light. 



Begonia Weltoniensis, that gem of sprmg- 

 blooming plants, if given rich, sandy soil, good 

 and light, with fair watering, will thrive in the 

 window. For other varieties see last month. 



Callas. Strong plants designed for later bloom 

 to receive manure water. Such as have bloomed 

 through the winter should go to rest about May 1, 

 by planting in a rich bed. Lift in August, potting 

 in a very rich, well-drained soil. 



Chrysanthemums to be kept growing freely now 

 in a cool, airy place. If properly hardened off they 

 may go out along with the earliest of tender plants. 



Droopers. The stock of these for hanging bas- 

 kets, vases, etc., should be looked after, dividing or 

 slipping the kinds of which an increase is desired. 



Fuchsias with fair pot room and watering will 

 be making material for a fine show of bloom. Some 

 varieties (Frau Emma Topfer being a type) do well 

 if not pinched back. In our collection Speciosa, 

 White Giant, Elm City, Frau Emma Topfer, and 

 Arabella are looked upon as the best for culture. 



Geraniums for summer use ought to be making 

 their strong growth now. If at all backward, it 

 may be from excessive watering or from being pot- 

 bound, in which latter case shift up. Cuttings for 

 pot plants to bloom next fall and winter to go in. 



Hot-beds. These are of great benefit to the win- 

 dow gardener from now on. During this month 

 they will need close attention in airing and shading 

 to prevent a hurtful degree of heat. On the warm- 

 est days the sash should be well opened that free 

 currents of air may enter. 



Lilies. Any that have been in bloom to have 

 water gradually withheld, keeping them in any out- 

 of-the-way place till 

 plauting-out time,when 

 if giveu a rich, well- 

 drained soil, they will 

 in time come in use 

 again for bloom. 



Boses. At this sea- 

 son Red Spider, Thrip. 

 etc., are apt to be at 

 their worst. Free 

 syringing or sponging 

 of the leaves is the sure 

 specific. 



Transplanting. In 

 many instances the old 

 tin fruit and vegetable 

 cans, that abound as 

 nuisances, could be put 

 to good use for bring- 

 ing along early plants 

 in. In such cases let 

 them be treated as shown in the cut by slitting 

 down one side to spread the top, pot like, to ad- 

 mit of readily tapping out the plant at transplant- 

 ing time without breaking the ball of earth. 



Tin can slitted to form 

 flaring sides. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Bulbs of many hardy sorts, like Hyacinths, Tu- 

 lips, Lilies, Crown Imperials. Phlox, Iris, etc.. do 

 better if allowed to remain in the ground for years 

 undisturbed. Such tender bulbs, as Dahlias, Ti- 

 gridias and Erythrina, that were wintered in the 

 cellar, to be planted when danger of frost is over in 

 warm, rich soil, giving good cultm-e later on. 



Flower beds. Where Hj'acinths,TuHps, etc., have 

 been growing in the beds designed for summer 

 flowers, they may, after blooming, be carefully 

 taken up to have some soil adhering to the roots, 

 and be put into boxes till ripened, not neglecting 

 moderate watering. When dried oflf store away. 

 The beds then to be dressed lightly with manure, 

 and dug up ready to receive the tender plants. 



