136 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



November, 1917 



The Herbaceous Border 



TLTERBACEOUS perennials dying down 

 •*-■*■ as they do each year and with roots 

 tucked away from the reach of the wind would 

 appear to require but little if any winter pro- 

 tection. Nor do they. Though to cover 

 them with leaves, straw and other litter gives 

 us a certain contentment as of having 

 done our best by the plants. Yet we find 

 that uncovered plants pass through the winter 

 equally well. A perennial that is not hardy 

 cannot he made so by any amount or kind of 

 winter protection. Occasionally one may carry 

 a perennial of doubtful hardihood through a 

 mild winter, but the very next winter proves 

 the fallacy of our theory that protection is a 



help through the winter. Against the vicis- 

 situdes of our springs we cannot protect a 

 plant and these vicissitudes are many: cold, 

 damp soil, late frost, drying winds and the like. 



How a Mulcjh Works 



A HEAVY mulch of soil or other material 

 will retard the sprouting of the roots 

 in spring, but the chances are small that the 

 plants can be held back long enough to help 

 them in their struggle against a capricious 

 season. In spite of all the roots will attempt 

 to grow and the covering, if not removed in 

 time tends to make the sprouts spindling and 

 even induces rot by over heating. Along the 

 south side of a house perennials will come up a 



week and even two weeks ahead of those 

 against the north side, yet in either case a 

 hardy perennial will pass through the winter as 

 well unprotected as protected. 



Spruce boughs make excellent material for 

 winter protection since they, like soil, retard 

 the circulation of the air and so prevent evap- 

 oration. The newly fallen leaves have little 

 protective value, rather it is the blanket of 

 leaf mould underneath that keeps the plants 

 of the forest snug through the winter. Also 

 of course, the snow that gathers there is a con- 

 siderable help. 



The practical lesson for every gardener to 

 learn is that mulching material must be light 

 and airy to be effective. 



NOVEMBER IN THE SOUTH 



OPPORTUNITY FOR FALL PLANTING— PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR'S FOOD GARDENS 



FALL planting is now the occupation of 

 the Southern gardeners. Fruit trees and 

 ornamental trees and shrubs can be 

 planted now. Prepare the borders in the 

 flower garden for the spring blooming bulbs, 

 mixing in well rotted cow manure. Plant 

 Tulips and Hyacinths from four to six inches 

 deep. Plant Narcissus, Snowdrops, Star of 

 Bethlehem, and Chionodoxa in irregular 

 groups in the grass for naturalization. They 

 increase and spread, and do much better when 

 left undisturbed, which would not be the case 

 if planted in the flower borders. 



If the weather is open, sow lawn grass seed 

 during the early part of the month on thor- 

 oughly prepared land. Sow the seed broad- 

 cast, then use a heavy roller to press it into 

 the soil. 



Make a new strawberry bed the early part of 

 the month if the soil is not too wet and the 

 weather is open. 



Spread agricultural lime over the vacant 

 plots in the garden, and in ten days or two 

 weeks thereafter spread broadcast well rotted 

 manure, and plow in deep, and leave the 

 ground rough so as to mellow with the constant 

 freezing and thawing. In early spring it can 

 be again plowed and thoroughly pulverized 

 with the disk harrow and rake. Sow rye now 

 and plow under in the spring. It benefits 

 the land by making humus. 



Last Sowings in Order 



A /TAKE a last sowing of spinach, kale, and 

 -L^-*- turnips for salad either broadcast or in 

 rows. 



Keep the lettuce frames going steadily, one 

 crop following the other. Plants from seed 

 sown in August and transplanted in September 

 should have been pushed to maturity by 

 fertilizers (nitrate of soda, or liquid cow 

 manure), so that they will be headed up well 

 by Thanksgiving. More seed should be sown 

 now to be ready for transplanting in January. 

 Use Burpee's Way-ahead, a good butter head 

 type; Hanson has a good flavor and is crisp, 

 has a crinkled leaf, does not head up. 



Asparagus plants can be set out from now 

 on until March as long as the ground is in 

 good working condition. Giant Argenteuil, 

 Reading Giant, and Conover's Colossal are 

 good types and free from rust. The latter is 

 well flavored and good for cutting green. The 

 former is large and tender and excellent for 

 canning. Plant asparagus in trenches two 



feet deep and two feet wide, five feet apart, and 

 fill in with one foot of manure, cover with four 

 inches of soil and place the plants fifteen 

 inches apart in the trench and crosswise, 

 spreading out the roots. Pack the dirt around 

 the roots, but do not fill in the trench com- 

 pletely. Asparagus roots have a tendency to 

 •work upward and should be planted deep and 

 the dirt filled in gradually. The shoots should 

 not be cut for three years, and then very spar- 

 ingly. Cut only for two months after the 

 shoots appear above ground. Asparagus is a 

 gross feeder, so cover heavily with manure in 

 the fall, and supplement with a commercial 

 fertilizer in early spring, and harrow into the 

 soil in March, as the cutting begins in April. 



Set out the cabbage plants for the spring 

 crop. Early Jersey Wakefield is a good early 

 variety. They need little protection, only 

 coarse strawy manure between the rows, not 

 close on the plants, as it would be too heating 

 on mild days. 



Continue to bank up the celery plants, and 

 at end of month or first of December cover with 

 straw or pine tags, placing on top some planks 

 in a sloping manner like a roof so as to carry 

 off rain and snow. 



Making all Snug 



ORUNE old apple trees and scrape the 

 *■ loose bark from the trunks, as it harbors 

 insects beneath. Peach and plum trees should 

 be trimmed and the trunks examined for 

 borers. Dig a foot below the level of the 

 ground, and cut out the borers with a stout 

 wire or a sharp knife, and paint the trunks for 

 a foot below, and two feet above the level of 

 the ground with coal tar or lime-sulphur. 



New trees should be pruned and headed 

 low, making it easier to gather fruit. Feed 

 the roots of the trees either by spreading 

 manure broadcast and plowing it in, or 

 sowing rye or crimson clover in the orchard the 

 last of October or first of November to be 

 plowed under for green manure in the spring. 



Search for cocoons and eggs of caterpillars 

 and insects and destroy them now. It will 

 save much labor in the spring. Examine the 

 ornamental trees as well, and destroy the 

 cocoons of the tussock moth, and any other 

 evidence of insects. 



Protect Otaksa Hydrangeas and standard 

 tender bush Roses with a little straw wrapped 

 about them. Other Roses only need coarse 

 strawy manure above the roots. 



Sow seed of Poppies, Forget-me-nots, and 

 Sweet Alyssum, and Portulaca, and Arabis 

 in the border where they are to remain. 



Clean up the flower borders thoroughly and 

 burn up the trash. Trench between the 

 perennials and roses, digging above two feet, 

 putting in a foot of manure and replacing the 

 dirt on top. 



Virginia. J. M. Patterson. 



Fall Plowing for an Early Start 



DREPAREDNESS is the present moment 

 "■ slogan for the gardener as for anybody 

 who is aiming for efficiency. The gardener 

 must get started in the fall and continue 

 his preparations during the winter, in order 

 to forward the work of spring. While truck- 

 ing in the North, my most important work 

 in the fall was plowing. On land that is 

 to be plowed in the fall one can use fresh man- 

 ure, full of straw or shavings, with success; 

 for the rains of early spring and the spring 

 work settle the dirt down firmly on and in the 

 manure. In this way one gets all the value of 

 the manure. Another advantage of fall 

 plowing is that the soil is improved by freezing 

 when left rough. It also helps exterminate in- 

 jurious worms, as grubs, wire worms, etc. 

 In this section, very little fall plowing is done, 

 for the following reasons: Either the soil is so 

 light that it blows, or, where heavy, it runs 

 together so that but little is accomplished; or, 

 some cover crop is or ought to be growing. 

 Soils that are poorly drained should have at- 

 tention given to their drainage before the 

 ground freezes. Small patches are easily 

 drained by digging ditches twenty to thirty 

 feet apart and three feet deep and filling them 

 with stones within 18 inches of the surface. 

 Trenches of this sort will carry off all surplus 

 water and admit of very early working in the 

 spring. Here cantaloupe growers draw new 

 manure for compost heaps; but in the section 

 south of us, furrows are plowed, manure drawn 

 directly from the cars and placed therein, 

 being left there until about time for planting. 

 Manure is also drawn for covering the straw- 

 berry patches. Don't wait until next spring 

 to plan improvements to your ground. The 

 fall is a good time to transplant apple and 

 cherry trees, evergreens and Rose bushes. 

 Prune fruit trees and grape vines, etc. 

 Maryland Samuel H. Garekol. 



