186 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



able. With such treatment a hose will last at least 

 twice as long as if left lying on the ground full of 

 water. 



Keeping cut flowers for a considerable time is very 

 easy at this season if a little care is taken. Every 

 day or two, in addition to changing the water, cut off 

 a quarter to half an inch of the stem. This removes 

 the portion with the pores closed by congealed sap 

 and allows the water free access to the stem. 



Insect pests are hatching every day and must be 

 combated in every way possible. While some propa- 

 gate on leaf and twig the more voracious sorts are 

 hatched or developed in some stage in the soil, so that 

 frequent and thorough stirring of the surface will 

 destroy many of them and also expose them to the 

 predatory birds and garden toads. 



AUGUST 



During the summer months when many bushes 

 and vines are still covered with bloom there is a dis- 

 position among home gardeners to regard their work 

 as finished and to rest on their laurels, as it were. 

 There is a tendency to neglect the flower garden, to 

 let it take care of itself, and neglect now is more 

 fatal than at any other period. Just a little neglect 

 now means destruction to some of the beautiful 

 plants that cost time and money. 



Neglect now will give the aphis and other insect 

 enemies a chance to get in some very deadly work. 

 Neglect in tying up the long stalks of late gladiolus 

 will cause them to fall during wind storms. Neglect 

 in watering plants of all kinds will cause them to dry 

 up, wither and die, defeating the object for which 

 they were planted. Neglect to use the hoe will give 

 the weeds a chance to grow and crowd out the flow- 

 ers. In short, neglect of any kind will undo much 



