HE earliness and to some extent 
the success of this year’s garden 
will depend upon what fou do in 
the first few days of February. 
Preparations for starting seeds and 
cuttings must be made at once. “Pre- 
paredness” is the 
ape sinen?! secret of good re- 
sults; nothing can 
be left to chance. Here are the things 
you will need; check them wp now, as 
are not on hand. Make or buy what’s 
lacking! : Z 
1. Soil, preferably rotted sod that is light and fine; if you haven't got 
this, buy a bushel from a neighboring florist or market gardener, or put 
a box of frozen lumps from your compost heap beside the cellar furnace 
to thaw out gradually. a ey ate 
2. Leaf Mould. Unless your soil has been especially prepared it will 
have to be lightened with leaf mould. Get this from the woods, back of 
the roadside fences, hedge rows, or, if you live in the city, buy some from 
a florist. Or buy a bag of “humus.” 3 
3. Sphagnum Moss. This can be found in most swamps or can be 
bought very cheaply from any supply house; or coarse screenings of leaf 
mould or of sod can be used in place of it. ; é 
4. Flats, two or three inches deep, and “seed pans,’ in which to start 
seedlings; it is better to have some of each. The seed pans are particu- 
larly desirable for starting fine flower seeds. ; 
5. Sereen. An ordinary coal ash sifter will do for small scale 
operations. , 
6. Watering Can with fine “rose” spray. _ ; ; 
7. Labels, and an indelible pencil—not a “copying” pencil. ; 
8. Tamper. A smooth brick will do, but a piece of inch board, six by 
eight or ten inches, with a handle fastened to one side will take but a 
few minutes to make and will be very 
much more convenient. 
9. Straight Edge. 
lath or a yard stick. 
10. Small dibble, which you can 
whittle in a few minutes out of a 
iece of soft pine, about six inches 
ee with a round point at one end, 
a flat one at the other. 
A piece of a 
tuce, beet, onion. 
pe only “secret” about starting flower. 
seeds is the realization that the 
individual seed—big as a tumble bug, 
small as a grain of dust, as the case 
may be—is the unit 
quarters.) 
sabe oar od with which you are 
tarting Seeds working. That, + 
common sense, — success! Each in- 
dividual seed is a wonderful little 
bomb. Give it warmth enough and 
moisture and it explodes! It is after 
the explosion, in nine cases out of ten, 
that the gardener goes wrong. If 
germinating seeds are kept too wet 
they rot; if too dry, the little germ 
may perish in a few hours. 
ow then avoid all these dangers, 
and succeed? There are four steps: 
(1) Preparing the soil—congenial en- 
vironment. (2) Sowing the seed— f Wis 
getting the right depth and so forth. (3) Sprouting—maintaining the 
congenial environment. (4) Starting—giving suitable after environment. 
1. Preparing. Fill flat one quarter full of moss or other drainage 
material, then two quarters more of prepared soil, compost, or sod 
shavings. Pack well down in the corners. Water thoroughly, prefer- 
ably by sub-watering. Let dry for half day or so, freshen and slightly 
press surface. Mark drills of suitable depth; for most vegetable seeds, 
about one fourth inch. Good medium sized flower seeds, such as asters, 
verbenas and phlox, slightly shallower; and large ones, such as mari- 
golds, cosmos and zinnias, slightly deeper. All flower seeds such as 
ageratum, calliopsis, salpiglossis, should be barely covered from sight. 
Very small seeds, such as begonias, scatter over the roughened surface 
and press in. Make drills two or three inches apart. Small quantities 
of small flower seeds sow broadcast on seed pan. ee 
2. Planting. Tear off one corner of the seed envelope, spring it open, 
tap gently with forefinger or peace to jar Bee? out eveoulys Sow ty 
—ten or twen o an inch according to 
Q), (2), (3), 4) a Common the size. ee eels into drills to in- 
Sense — Success! sure contact with the soil. Cover lightly 
with sifted ¢ompost or cocoanut fibre. Tag carefully, with date and 
name of seed. If sub-watering has been carefully and properly done, the 
soil will be moist enough without further watering; otherwise, use fine 
rose spray, going over it two or three times to do thorough job without 
packing or washing surface. 
3. Sprouting. Place flats or pans in suitable temperature, 50 to 60 
degrees for hardy things, and 60 to 70 degrees for tender and tropical 
ones. Cover each flat or seed pan with a pane of glass or newspaper, 
giving slight space for ventilation. 
another watering until they are above soil. Watch the other flats care- 
fully and as soon as the surface begins to dry water again thoroughly, 
preferably by sub-watering, otherwise use the fine rose spray. 
4. Starting. The second step after the seeds sprout is to keep them 
growing and healthy until they are big enough to transplant. Give full 
light as soon as the seedlings begin to show above ground. A planting 
may be almost ruined by being left for less than a day covered up or 
under a bench in the shade. Keep the seedlings as near the glass as pos- 
sible, as this tends to keep them short and stocky. Supply them with 
preceding. 
loof’’ chickory. 
Quick-sprouting seeds will not need- 
Plant this Month 
q Vegetables, inside. Early in the month, cabbage, let- 
Toward the end of the month; cauli- 
flower, early celery, extra early tomato for pot plants. 
For forcing: cucumber, tomato, melon, and cauli- 
(The time for sowing will depend upon when 
space will be available for putting them into permanent 
Bean, carrot, radish and spinach, may be 
sown where they are to mature. 
q Flowers; To make good plants for setting out in the spring 
—Pansy, Daisy, Celosia, Cosmos, Dahlia, Gladiolus, Lo- air. 
belia, Phlox, Verbena, Sweet Peas (for individual plants.) 
Also sow now, Coleus, Begonia, Heliotrope, Salvia, and 
Canna should be given ten degrees more heat than the 
For next year’s greenhouse, conservatory or winter garden: 
Begonia, Cyclamen, Primula, Fuchsia, Gloxinia, Smilax, 
Cineraria, Jerusalem, Cherries and Asparagus. 
Roots, planted indoors for forcing for extra early and 
tender results, asparagus, rhubarb, seakale, and ‘‘ Whit- 
33 
abundance of fresh air. 
° an Rapid 
ar H E M O N ] H S growth at this point is not desirable— 
forcing may be done later, if necessary, 
after you have a strong, robust seed- 
] N D E R ling. Tend to the watering carefully. 
You can judge by the condition of the 
FEBRUARY 1916 
For reckoning dates, the latitude of New York City is generally taken as a 
z standard. In applying the directions to other localities, allow six 
you read, and make a list of those that days’ difference for every hundred miles of latitude 
soil. If the little seedlings begin to 
look droopy and lose their perkiness, 
water them at once. Sub-watering les- 
sens the danger of attack from the 
damping-off fungus. If this should ap- 
pear, dusting over with flour of sul- 
phur, or spraying with fungine or some 
other fungicide, will check it—but 
no remedy will keep plants healthy if conditions are not right. 
NOTHER method of starting plants is by cuttings, or from sections 
of the growing plants themselves. If you followed last month’s 
suggestions (on page 236), your stock plants of geraniums, ivy gera- 
niums, heliotrope, begonias and so forth will now have plenty of vigorous 
Make New “¢W growth from which cuttings may be made. 
Pinte Now. The first step is to select them in a proper condition. 
The wood should be firm but brittle. To test: bend 
between the thumb and forefinger; if the wood snaps in two like a 
string bean it is right; if too old and stringy or too young and soft in 
texture, it will double up without breaking. “Cut off the cuttings square 
or a little slanting with a sharp knife, making a clean cut. Three to five 
inches is plenty long enough. Two or three joints or buds are sufficient. 
Terminal growth, if not too soft, is the best; but that farther down the 
branches will also give good results. Cut back the large leaves a half 
or so and trim off close those nearest the base of the cutting. Keep 
the cuttings well shaded until used—it is well to let the bottoms slightly 
heal. Cuttings ought not to dry out till they wilt, but if they do so 
revive them by plunging in cold water before setting. ; 
LEAN, gritty sand in a flat or 
bench (preferably the latter) 
makes the best medium for rooting. 
Insert the cuttings half their length, 
or more; and firmly, 
pi hatte Host close together, but 
, & not crowding. Pro- 
vide good drainage. Water thoroughly 
after setting. Shade from the bright 
sun for several days; after that ap- 
ply water when necessary but do not 
keep the bed soaked. Keep slightly 
on the “dry side,” but never allow the 
cuttings to wilt. Give abundant fresh 
Slight shade is desirable. 
A few flats with holes and drainage 
material, level full of sand, and put 
over hot water pipes or radiator will 
start cuttings for a good many dozen 
plants, with little trouble. Next 
month we will tell you how to handle 
the young seedlings and rooted ecut- 
tings. 
EARLY THIS MONTH 
Plans. We hate to mention it 
again, but—have you yet made defi- 
nite plans for the coming season? If 
not, don’t read the rest of this page 
until you have referred to January Month’s Reminder, and put down on 
paper what you mean to do. Last month we insisted that you have your 
plans made by midnight on January 15th, and we meant it! Neverthe- 
less, ir you will attend to this before you go to bed to-night we will give 
you all the help we can—otherwise we can’t do even that. This part of 
the proceeding is up to you. 
Orders. Very early this month all your orders should be sent off. To 
be sure that you have not cuericoked any hing, check up the following: 
’ (1) Seeds (2) Small Fruits; (3) Bulbs, 
Dont bull our Roots and Plants; (4) Ornamentals; 
rders in Une Envelope (5) Accelerators; (6) Supplies; (7) 
Tools; (8) Repairs; (9) Fertilizers; (10) Last but not least, Irri- 
gation Supplies. 
1. Seeds. The best are always the cheapest, no matter what the 
price. Where possible, buy from the introducer of the variety. He is 
the person most interested in keeping the best stock. Always buy from 
a specialist: seeds from a seedsman, not a local hardware store, and 
plants from a nurseryman or plantsman. It is not always wise to send 
plant orders to a seedsman even. 
2. Small Fruit and Nursery Stock. Buy from the grower, even if 
you have to make out another order or two. Get the best stock at any 
price. Tnere are many fine, new varieties; buy some of them. Buy by 
the dozen or by the hundred, as the price is then much less. Get a neigh- 
bor or two to order with you if you can’t swing it alone. 
3. Bulbs, Roots and Plants. Deal direct with the grower or dealer 
who specializes. Order now,-even if the plants are not wanted for two 
or three months, as orders are filled in rotation. Potted plants are 
always grown in small quantities as they will not keep over like seeds. 
This vear let the other fellow get left! 
4. Ornamentals. Get afew shrubs this spring. You will be surprised 
at the growth they make in a single season. Many kinds will bloom this 
year even. You can buy Roses, ete., guaranteed to bloom this year! 
5. Accelerators or Boosts. During the last few years there has been 
much improvement in these little crop helpers—paper pots, dirt bands, 
forcing-frames and so forth. Look into them. Write for the catalogues. 
We will refund the money if you don’t get enough information to pay 
for your trouble. 
