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ODDS AND ENDS 



FROM EVERYWHERE 



Fall Planted Sweet Peas in the South 



I HAVE often read that practical gardeners do 

 not advise planting sweet peas twice in succession 

 in the same place, but my experience teaches me 

 that it makes no difference. For the past four years 

 I have planted my seeds in the same place, with 

 gratifying results. If the soil is properly prepared 

 and the seeds planted in the fall, the results will be 

 just as satisfactory as if the position were changed 

 every year. 



My method is to dig a trench about twenty inches 

 deep, fill in with manure, earth, bone meal and a 

 little lime to within about five inches of the surface; 

 then sow the seeds in double rows about six inches 

 apart, two seeds in a place six inches apart. Of 

 •course, the seeds must be of the best quality; cheap 

 seeds are not worth planting. After dropping the 

 seeds fill in until the ground is level. The settling 

 of the soil will leave a depression along the row. 

 In dry weather keep the roots well supplied with 

 water, but do not wet the plants. Once a week 

 give a liberal supply of liquid manure, and occa- 

 sionally a little nitrate of soda. 



The first of the four years I planted my seeds on 

 December 21; the first blooms appeared May 16, 

 and for two months afterward I had an abundance 

 of flowers. The second year I planted on November 

 27. The plants commenced to bloom May 9, and 

 continued for eleven weeks, giving large blooms, two 

 to four on long stems. The third year, because of a 

 wet fall, I did not plant until January 28. The 

 result was not satisfactory. The fourth year seed 

 was planted on November 1 7 ; it commenced coming 

 up about the middle of February, and bloomed on 

 May 12. In spite of the fact that the past summer 

 was the hottest and dryest I ever experienced, I 

 had an abundance of fine blooms, with long stems, 

 until August 9, and for two weeks later there were 

 many blooms, but the stems were too short for 

 cutting. 



I always make a second planting in January, 

 February or early in March, according to the con- 

 dition of the soil, but have never had spring-planted 

 seed bloom as well as that planted in the fall. Last 

 spring I made my second planting the 1 7th of Feb- 

 ruary. The result was a complete failure, although 

 the planting was on new ground. 



Nashville, Term. J. G. Cisco. 



One Amateur's Views of "Odds and Ends" 



I HAVE often thought that if we amateur garden 

 "fussers" would only swap stories of our suc- 

 cesses and failures we might possibly get more 

 satisfactory results, as professional ideas are often 

 beyond us. We all know that, if we have sweet 

 peas or pansies growing, the more we pick the 

 flowers the more we will have to pick, and the longer 

 they last. This same rule applies to other gardening 

 efforts; we should not let things get the best of us 

 and go to weeds. 



I have known persons who would (in anticipation 

 of great results) pay a fancy price for special shrubs 

 or plants and then, through ignorance or indiffer- 

 ence in planting, would unwittingly kill them and 

 then blame the nurseryman for having sold poor 

 stock. My advice to such amateurs is to put less 

 into the cost of the plant and more into the hole in 

 the ground. By this I suggest the digging out to a 

 good depth the gravel and clay and substituting a 

 rich, sweet soil. 



Do not be overkind by burying the roots in man- 

 ure, as this will only burn them up. In planting 

 spread the roots naturally and then stamp the earth 

 well about them after watering thoroughly, and 

 then prune them back sufficiently. 



By planting tulip bulbs in the fall we can have 

 as early flowers as are necessary. These bulbs can 

 be planted deep enough so as to leave them in the 

 ground undisturbed for at least three years. Lily- 

 of-the-valley, planted in the autumn, will increase 



from year to year until a nice bed is made. The 

 iris is one of the best hardy flowers, and there are 

 many handsome varieties in both the German and 

 Japanese fleur-de-lis. The lemon lily is showy and 

 easily grown. Peonies, both single and double, 

 should not be overlooked. 



Roses are most satisfactory planted in fall and 

 partially protected the first year. I warn you not 

 to foster a sucker grown from a rose root after the 

 budded part has died, and then wonder why so 

 healthy a looking plant does not flower. A sucker 

 starts from the ground or below the knot where the 

 rose bush was budded; watch for it and cut it out. 

 Prune rose bushes every spring to within a foot of 

 the ground. 



Delphinium or larkspur deserves a place in the 

 garden, and after its first bloom, cut the plant back 

 to about ten inches and you will get fall flowers . 

 also. The hardy phlox is exceptionally beautiful 

 and should be in every garden, but be careful when 

 planting so that conflicting colors will not spoil the 

 effect. At the end of three years the roots become 

 knotty and the flowers naturally dwindle; then in 

 spring or fall take up the plants, break off the fresher 

 shoots for new plants, and throw away the old roots. 



The hardy double yellow sunflower which grows 

 about four feet high, is a very satisfactory plant for 

 late bloom. The old fashioned hollyhock, planted 

 along a fence or bare wall, is always picturesque. 



As for shrubs I would suggest, for the beginner, 

 forsythia, magnolia, weigela, lilac, spirea, flowering 

 almond, golden syringa and deutzia; and for fall 

 flowering there is nothing nicer than hydrangea. 

 The only vines I will name are the Clematis pan- 

 iculata (which should be cut back to the ground 

 every fall), the Crimson Rambler rose, and the Jap- 

 anese honeysuckle. . 



I hope to read in this department opinions of 

 other amateurs, and criticisms, too. 



Rochester, N. Y. W. G. W. 



Keeping Rose Plants over Winter 



IN WINTERING roses outdoors the first re- 

 quisite is that the wood of the past season's 

 growth be well ripened. This is a matter that is 

 little understood and one that is given too little 

 attention. 



The natural ripening of plants grown outdoors 

 varies greatly in different seasons and with different 

 varieties. Tea roses are tender (at least to a great 

 extent), because their natural habit of growth is 

 continuous and they do not make provision for a 

 period of rest during winter, growth continuing 

 during fall and up to freezing weather. Naturally, 

 under such conditions, the plant is filled with sap 

 and is in no condition to stand severe weather. 

 Any late growth is likely to be made during cloudy, 

 damp weather and is not so hard as growth made 

 during sunny weather. To this fact is due much of 

 the disappointment with plants imported from 

 Holland, the cloudy, moist climate producing a 

 plant that is soft. In some cases this growth can- 

 not be hardened and will shrivel when exposed 

 to frost or a comparatively dry air. Plants kept 

 in a frost-proof, dark root cellar will frequently 

 take up moisture during the winter, even though 

 they make no growth during that time; such plants 

 have a fine, plump appearance when taken out, 

 but will often shrivel when exposed. 



Roses delight in a moist soil and for the best 

 results should not be at all dry at any time during 

 summer; but if they are in a situation where 

 water can be withheld as fall weather comes on, 

 they will ripen much better and be in condition to 

 withstand severe weather, often without protection, 

 in the coldest climate. 



My method of wintering roses outdoors is de- 

 signed for the purpose of having them in proper 

 condition for shipment at planting time in spring. 

 In some cases, and with specially tender varieties, 

 this method may be used to advantage by amateur 



133 



growers, though as a rule I do not advocate dis- 

 turbing plants that do not have to be removed. 

 Do not get the idea that our climate here in Virginia 

 is particularly mild; we frequently have zero 

 weather and sometimes considerably below. 



The plants are taken up as early in the fall as 

 may be safe. If they have begun to ripen and are 

 dropping their foliage, it may be safe to take them 

 up before frost; but if they are still growing and 

 entirely green it will be necessary to wait till one 

 or two frosts have at least partially stopped growth. 

 As soon as taken up they are potted, in pots not 

 necessarily as large as would be required if they 

 were to make a growth in them, but large enough 

 to get in the roots with a little soil. They are cut 

 back, watered once and allowed to dry for about 

 a week or ten days they are then placed in a 

 coldframe, which is merely a pit some two feet 

 deep, with a level, well-drained soil bottom. The 

 pots are placed directly on the bottom, close to- 

 gether, all spaces between the pots being filled with 

 some material that will hold moisture, sifted coal 

 ashes being the best that I have found. 



As cold weather comes on a covering of boards is 

 put on rather loosely, with plenty of cracks for air 

 and fight. If weather becomes severe a covering 

 of straw is placed over the boards, but this should 

 be removed at once on the return of mild weather. 



Virginia. W. R. Gray. 



A Hanging Basket for Indoors 



LAST year, when getting house plants ready for 

 Winter, the hanging wire basket required a new 

 fining of- moss, and being in a large city, we did not 

 know where to obtain any. Instead of moss, there- 

 fore, the basket was first lined with a handsome, 

 heavy, felt wallpaper in dark green, a piece from a 

 book of samples. This was sewed into place, the 

 right side showing plainly through the wires. A 

 hole was cut through the paper in the bottom and a 

 greased cork fitted into the draining hole. Then 

 enough plaster of paris was mixed with water to 

 make a cream and a coat of it laid as lining over the 

 inside of the basket. When dry we had a basket 

 that would hold earth and plants as well or rather 

 better than when fined with moss. For watering 

 it we buried in the soil a wide mouthed bottle, the 

 neck just hidden by the foliage. This we kept 

 filled with water with two strips of cloth extending 

 from the mouth of the bottle along the surface of the 

 basket among the leaves. Thus the soil was never 

 allowed to dry out. 

 New Jersey. A. H. B. 



Quinces for the Home Garden 



THERE is no reason why quinces will not do 

 well in home gardens, the common idea to 

 the contrary notwithstanding, if ordinary good care 

 is given the trees. They require to be sprayed 

 regularly with the same material as used on apple 

 and peach trees. They thrive best in heavy clay 

 that is moist all summer, but they will do well in 

 almost any soil. I have seen quince trees that are 

 producing crops every year in the light soil of hill- 

 sides where the ground gets very dry sometimes. 

 Proper cultivation, feeding, pruning and spraying 

 will make quinces thrive and bear in almost every 

 garden, yet I doubt if more than a dozen commer- 

 cial orchards of more than ten acres can be found 

 in this country. 



The varieties I have seen succeeding are Orange, 

 Champion and Van Deman. Champion is the one 

 most largely planted. Van Deman probably is the 

 most attractive looking, and the best bearer. All 

 three sorts are large, golden yellow, fine-textured. 

 The trees begin to bear when two years old, and 

 yield regularly under right treatment. Set them 

 ten feet apart. In the South plant one tree. In 

 Middle and Northern states plant two trees in 



