The Garden Magazine 
VoLumME XXIII 
APRIL, 1916 
PRIL is the one month 
above all others when the 
gardener must have his 
wits about him. There are 
many things to do; a very limited time 
in which to do them, and if he allows 
himself to get “rattled,” like a green 
soldier under fire, some things will be 
omitted, and others done at the wrong 
time and in the wrong way. There- 
fore, before taking your perennial 
plunge into actual garden making, take one last look over 
plans, equipment, etc., to be sure that all is in readiness. 
taken as a standard. 
localities, 
THIS MONTH’S BIG JOB 
Naas is preéminently the time, in the garden cycle, when attention 
J should be concentrated on getting things into the ground. But, it 
is much better not to plant anything, than to make a beginning that is 
not to be seen through to the end. Failure here causes more loss of 
lants every year than all the insects that crawl, fly, or burrow! Don’t 
et yourself get carried away by the enthusiasm of the moment. Go 
carefully over the list of things to be planted this month herewith, and 
check off the things that you ought to do—not all the things you would 
like to do! Then copy the list, put an approximate date for each item, 
and keep this “planting list” handy to prompt and to check up your 
work from day to day, or week to week. As to the actual work of put- 
ting your seeds, plants, bulbs, and roots into the ground: First of all, 
plant on time. Second, plant carefully and thoroughly; never in a hur- 
ried, slipshod way. If you find you 
cannot apply these two rules, without 
exception, to all you have planned to 
do, cut down your plans! Much bet- 
ter to do that than waste time and 
money on future failures. 
Stock Newly Received 
ae first step is to have every- 
thing in perfect order for plant- 
ing; your care must begin at the ex- 
press office. 
Seeds: Keep them in a dry place, 
safe from mice, children, and possible 
accidents. 
Plants: Get them immediately on 
arrival; unpack; cut open bundles, if 
they are tied; if dry, place roots, 
packing and all, in shallow water 
until soaked up; keep covered with 
moss or wet burlap; keep in shady, 
sheltered place; plant soon. 
Potted plants: If they have been 
removed from pots, and cannot be 
planted immediately, repot; plunge 
ots into soil or ashes to rim; shelter 
rom hot sun; water very frequently ; 
do not crowd close together. 
Bulbs: Examine carefully, remov- 
ing any injured or decayed; keep in 
acking, away from extreme heat and 
ryness, until ready for use. 
Shrubs and fruit trees: Do not re- 
move packing from about roots; ex- 
amine carefully; and if dry, place in 
shallow water until moist; “heel in” 
in loose soil, in shady place until 
ready for planting. 
With any of these things, if every- 
thing is not satisfactory, whether as 
to packing or quality, put in your 
claim at once. a responsible house 
will be glad to make right anything 
corn 
horse-radish, kale, 
(sprouted), rhubarb. 
ons, peppers, tomatoes. 
okra, pumpkins, squash. 
or neighbors’ gardens. 
the better. 
THE: MONTHS 
REMINDER 
For reckoning dates, the latitude of New York City is generally 
In applying the directions to other 
allow six days’ difference for every 
hundred miles of latitude 
Plant this Month 
{| Vegetables outside; from seed; beets, carrots, chard, 
(extra early), kohl-rabi, leek, lettuce, onions, parsley, 
parsnips, peas, potatoes, radish, salsify, sorrel, spinach, turnips. _ 
Plants and Roots; asparagus, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, 
lettuce, : onions, i 
Seed, for transplanting later; asparagus, brussel sprouts, cab- 
bage, cauliflower, celery, kohl-rabi, leek, lettuce. 
{| Vegetables; under glass; beans, cucumber, egg-plant, mel- 
For transplanting later; beans (pole), corn, cucumber, gourds, 
Flowers, outside: plants; Ageratum, Alyssum, Antirrhi- 
num, Bellis, Dianthus, Forget-me-not, Pansies, Paris Daisies, 
Petunias, Stocks, Verbenas, and other hardy annuals and bien- 
nials, and half-hardy perennials. 
Seed; the above, and in addition, Asters, Candytuft, Carna- 
tions, Celosia, Centurea, Cucumber (vine), Dianthus, Dimor- 
photheca, Eschscholtzia, Hollyhocks, Kochia, Marigolds, Morn- 
ing-glories, Nasturtiums, Poppies, Pyrethrum, Sweet Peas, 
Sweet William, and others of the hardier kinds. 
Hardy perennials; of all kinds such as carried by nursery- 
men, or to be had by “division” of old clumps from your own 
Bulbs and tubers; Gladioli, Anemomes, Irises, Zephyranthes, 
Incarvillea Delavayi, and toward the end of the month, Cannas 
and Dahlias, dormant roots. 
Shrubs; the deciduous shrubs and most of the evergreens 
may be put out now as well as in the fall, but early planting is 
important, especially with the latter. 
Fruits; pome and stone fruits, currants, gooseberries, cane 
fruits, and strawberries, may all be planted now, the earlier. 
NumBer 3 
which may be their fault if you give 
them the chance, and let them know 
promptly. 
Of course it is assumed that you will 
do your part in giving the newly arrived stock 
a good fighting chance for itself by proper 
planting. Always plant on a freshly pre- 
pared surface. This is most important. Many 
Peobie think that this precaution is required 
or small seeds only. As a matter of fact, it 
is an extra guarantee of success even with 
shrubs and trees. Fresh, moist earth about 
the roots is as necessary as about seeds. Fur- 
thermore, the work can be done more quickly and more easily. Thorough 
> is one of the most essential 
reparation, which is more than “skin deep,’ 
actors toward a successful planting. 
The iron rake is the tool to use in putting on the finishing touches 
and making a smooth, fresh surface, just before you begin to plant. 
When you sally forth to plant, in addition to the iron rake, provide your- 
self with reel (or two sharp, stout stakes), a stout line long enough to 
reach at least the length of the row, a supply of labels—eight or ten 
inch, painted—and an indelible pencil. An ordinary hoe, and a heart- 
shaped hoe for making drills, should also be included, if you have large 
eee to plant. Carefully test the seed-drill before you take it to the 
garden. 
Planting Seeds 
Te THE average garden the majority of things are grown from seeds. 
Yet every year there are thousands of failures blamed on “poor 
seeds,’ simply because many gardeners, even those of some years’ ex- 
perience, will not take the trouble to 
follow a few simple rules. The first 
thing to learn, in planting seeds, is 
when the various kinds may be 
planted safely, so far as temperature 
is concerned. Dates are misleading, 
because seasons vary so greatly. Here 
is a simple rule: 
Plant the very hardy things, such 
as onions, onion sets, smooth peas, 
sweet peas, turnips, radish, spinach, 
and early beets, just as soon as the 
ground is dry enough to be worked. 
(See last month’s “Reminder.” ) 
Plant the hardy things, such as 
cabbage and lettuce plants, and cauli- 
flower, beet and onion “prickers,” 
beets, Swiss chard, lettuce, carrots, 
wrinkled peas, parsnips, salsify, po- 
tatoes, kohl-rabi, and summer spinach, 
when the peach or pear trees are in 
bloom. 
Plant the tender things, such as 
beans, corn, cucumbers, gourds, melons, 
okra, and pumpkins, when apple trees 
are in bloom. 
Ground Plants of tomatoes, pep- 
pers, eggplant, okra, melons, pole- 
beans, corn, etc., should not be put out 
until after danger of late frosts has 
assed (somewhere about the end of 
May near New York). 
onion -sets, potatoes 
N PLANTING, follow your plan 
i carefully. Make every row 
straight, even if you have to mark it 
over a second time—it looks pore 
: and the extra time spen 
Stick to will be saved each ste 
Your Plan \yhen you come to use 
the wheel-hoe. Be careful to get your 
. first row at a right angle with the 
