JULY: SECOND WEEK 173 



anemone, aquilegia, candytuft, chrysanthemum, gypsophila, 

 helenium, hardy hibiscus, myosotis, hardy lobelia, pansy, 

 viola or tufted pansy and wall flower. 



Planting is not usually done until the latter part of July 

 or early August, but now is the time to get busy and make 

 out your order. If you don't know just what to get look 

 round among gardens where these things are now in bloom 

 and decide upon the varieties that suit your taste. By the 

 time you have obtained your seeds and have your borders 

 ready it will be time to plant. There are usually more seeds 

 in each package than you will need, so an excellent plan 

 is to make your first sowing early, using about half the 

 seeds of each variety; then if anything goes wrong you 

 can make a second planting in time to get good plants 

 before cold weather. 



Plant Seeds in Old Cold-Frame 



At this time of the year there is one difficulty in getting a 

 good stand. There is heat enough and to spare, but mois- 

 ture is required. If your planting is done just after a soaking 

 rain germination will generally take place before the soil 

 has become dry again on the surface — but such a rain does 

 not always come when the gardener wants it. Furthermore, 

 a hard rain just after the little seedlings have germinated 

 will sometimes almost wholly ruin them. Therefore, al- 

 though the seedlings are best handled outdoors, a special 

 place should be made for them. 



Give the soil a thorough saturation just before planting 

 and then maintain a mulch to conserve it until the Httle 

 seedlings are well started. The longer watering can be de- 

 layed after planting the better. It tends, even when care- 

 fully done, to crust or bake the soil on top and to knock 

 over the tiny seedlings. 



The ideal place in which to prepare a bed is an old cold- 

 frame or hot-bed. Then by the time the seedlings are large 

 enough to transplant, other frames in which cucumbers or 

 tomatoes may now still be bearing wiU be empty. If you 



