198 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



according to the harshness of winter in your section 

 of the state. 



Give the soil a good dressing of well rotted manure 

 and spade under a few inches only, for if spaded too 

 deeply the roots are liable to be injured, and the 

 bushes will need all the root action possible to de- 

 velop first-class flowers. A deeper spading may be 

 given in the spring. 



DECEMBER 



There is no time like the present to give the garden 

 a general overhauling, to attend to the manuring 

 and spading up of all vacant beds and borders. 

 After spading leave the ground in a rough state, 

 that is, don't rake it down, as the sun and air will 

 do more good, and it will leave the ground in a more 

 friable condition than if raked down too smooth. 

 Don't be afraid to enrich abundantly, as the ground 

 will be in better condition for spring planting. 



SEED SOWING 



Now is the time to plant sweet peas. With proper 

 cultivation there is nothing that yields such a boun- 

 teous harvest as sweet peas, and a sowing of sca- 

 biosa made at this period will give a splendid display 

 of bloom in early spring. 



Seeds of all garden annuals of hardy sorts may 

 safely be sown now, and sweet peas are always on 

 the autumn and winter planting list. Specific sorts 

 for planting in the general garden now are arctotis, 

 dianthus, phlox, salvia and all the "old-fashioned" 

 garden inmates known to eastern gardens. 



Among other seeds that can be planted during De- 

 cember, the plants of which will give you a fine dis- 

 play of spring blossoms, are sweet alyssum, calen- 

 dula, winter marigold, California poppy, baby blue- 



