October, 1918 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



83 



Gladiolus bulbs were planted and also other flowers where 

 found between the vegetable crops 



frame would rest directly on the top of the 

 manure. The hotbed was started about March 

 15 and consisted of five sashes; four sashes were 

 devoted to the raising of Boston head lettuce, 

 variety Hittinger's Belmont Forcing; the fifth, 

 a separate sash, was used for early radishes. 



The "Compost" 



The soil for the hotbed was prepared in the 

 fall and consisted of garden soil two parts with 

 leaf soil (decayed leaves) one part, to which one 

 quart of bone meal was added to each wheel- 

 barrow of soil. This compost was placed under 

 cover for the winter and was transferred to the 

 hotbed after same had been made ready, cover- 

 ing the manure to the depth of about four inches. 

 The lettuce plants which had been raised from 

 seeds sown in flats (shallow boxes) about Feb- 

 ruary 20, were planted at a distance of 8 in. x 8 in. 

 apart and early in May the first heads were 

 ready for table use. By the middle of the 



ipace was 



month the centre plants in each 

 sash were taken out of the 

 frame for use and a few seeds 

 of cucumber, variety. Granite 

 State (a cross between White 

 Spine and the English Frame), 

 were placed in each space. 

 Early in June the cucumber 

 plants were making rapid 

 growth and the last cut of 

 lettuce from the frame was 

 made June 8. On June 15 

 the seeds of late cabbage, 

 varieties Burpee's Surehead 

 and Danish Ballhead, were 

 sown in drills near the front 

 of each sash. The cabbage 

 plants were transplanted from 

 the frame to the garden when 

 large enough to handle. After 

 the crop of radishes had been 

 gathered from the separate 



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Runner bean on the porch of the dwelling gave both shade and good 

 crops for the table 



sash, seeds of muskmelon, variety Farquhar's 

 Honey Drop, were sown, which soon developed 

 into good plants. 



What The Garden Gave Me 



TN THE small plot to the West of the hotbed, 

 ■*■ the first crops were radishes, spinach, and 

 lettuce. The latter was sown for transplanting 

 to other sections of the garden, the radishes and 

 spinach being followed by a full crop of lettuce, 

 variety Trianon Cos, with Gladiolus corms placed 

 in between the rows, yielding a wealth of flowers 

 after the lettuce was used. In the larger portion 

 of the garden the following crops are grown: 

 Onions, from sets: lettuce, variety Wayahead, 

 Big Boston, Hanson, and The Deacon; peas, 

 Gradus, Nott's Excelsior, and Senator; cabbage, 

 variety Early Jersey Wakefield; cauliflower, 

 Burpee's Dry Weather; Onions, from seed, South- 

 port Large Red Globe, Large White Globe, and 

 Large Yellow Globe; beets, Crosby's Egyptian, 



and Detroit Dark Red; carrots, French Forcing 

 for early, Danver's Half-long for main crop; chard, 

 Lucullus; turnip, Early White Milan; kohl rabi, 

 Early White Vienna; parsnip, Long Smooth; 

 salsify, Sandwich Island Mammoth; pepper, 

 Chinese Giant; beans, Stringless Green Pod, 

 Wardwell's Kidney Wax, Dwarf Horticultural, 

 and Boston Pea; tomato, Earliana for early, Stone 

 for main crop. (Potatoes, corn, shell beans, 

 squash, ruta baga, endive and late celery were 

 given a position in a vacant lot which had been 

 cultivated and taken over for the season.) Pota- 

 toes, Irish Cobbler for early, Green Mountain 

 for late; corn, Golden Bantam for early, Country 

 Gentleman and Stowell's Evergreen for late; 

 shell beans, Boston Pea, Red Kidney, and Dwarf 

 Horticultural; celery, Golden Self-blanching for 

 early, Winter Queen for late; ruta baga, Im- 

 proved Purple Top; squash, Golden Summer 

 Crook Neck, and Early White Bush Scalloped 

 for early, Hubbard and The Delicious for late. 



How to Succeed with Fall Planting 



ALEX. LURIE 



Shaw Botanical Garden, St. Louis Mo. 



IT IS an established axiom that dormancy 

 of the plant moved is a prime factor in the 

 success of the operation. This condition is 

 more readily obtained in the fall than in the 

 spring, for many plants resume their root growth 

 long before the buds show any indication of 

 swelling. 



Objections Overcome 



pHE usual objection raised to fall planting is 

 A the failure of plants to become established 

 before the advent of winter, which, however, may 

 be readily remedied by placing a sufficient mulch 

 around new plantations thus preventing injury 

 by "heaving." 



Although the consideration of dormancy is of 

 paramount importance, the planting operation 

 in itself involves several factors essential for ulti- 

 mate success. In the process of digging trees 

 and shrubs an involuntary pruning of the roots 

 takes place, which reduces their moisture and 

 food-absorbing capacity. In order to counter- 

 balance this deficiency the top must be cut back 

 correspondingly, so as to reduce to a minimum 

 the leaf surface. 



Too often the seekers of novelties take stock 

 in new and untried methods to their subsequent 

 sorrow. As an example may be cited the advo- 

 cacy of planting trees in just as small a hole as 

 possible, throwing the soil loosely around the 

 roots and then ramming until the ground quakes. 

 Such a method may be expedient on a large scale 

 but for a small garden it is best left alone. Usu- 

 ally a hole should be dug large enough to admit 

 all the roots without crowding. The plant 

 should then be placed at the same depth as origin- 



ally grown and fine mellow soil gradually and 

 compactly worked in around the roots. By 

 bringing the soil particles into intimate contact 

 with the feeding roots, the flow of food supply 

 may be interrupted so little as to cause only a 

 negligible check to the plant. 



Watering vs. Tamping 



A IR spaces which are ordinarily left around 

 ■£*• the roots when large lumps are thrown in 

 are deleterious to proper development. The 

 tamping of the soil is not recommended until 

 a sufficient layer of soil covers the roots and pre- 

 vents bruising. In fact tamping may be entirely 

 eliminated by soaking the soil in around the roots 

 with water. Watering, however, is only bene- 

 ficial when done gradually as the roots are cov- 

 ered with soil. Delaying the application until 

 after the entire hole is filled generally means a 

 great waste of water without equivalent results. 

 If done in this way the water runs off along the 

 surface without penetrating to the roots and 

 compacting the particles of soil around them. 

 Copious watering should be practised whether 

 the planting is done in the spring or fall. 



In order to prevent excessive evaporation from 

 the soil a loose dust mulch is left upon the sur- 

 face. However better results may be obtained 

 by placing a mulch of two to three inches of 

 manure, litter, or other coarse material which 

 will break up the capillarity of the soil and 

 reduce evaporation. Too thick a mulch is not 

 desirable because of the tendency of the roots to 

 come too close to the surface, resulting in injury 

 during the cold winter months. 



The All-important Soil 



XTO DISCUSSION of planting problems, is 

 *■ ^ complete without a few thoughts for the 

 growing medium and the source of food supply — ■ 

 the soil. It is to be regretted that so little con- 

 sideration is given to the future welfare of the 

 permanent planting. Poor, thoroughly ex- 

 hausted, often acid soils are used without any 

 thought of prevkms preparation. What is more, 

 no attention is paid to the natural habitat and 

 requirements of the plants dealt with. It is 

 only because of the remarkable adaptability of 

 plants to abuse and adverse conditions that a 

 greater percentage of failures is not recorded. 



Making the Soil Safe for Plants 



A PERFECTLY safe course to follow in 

 ■^*- ameliorating any soil is to see that it is well 

 drained, then plow under well-rotted manure at 

 the rate of 20 loads to the acre and add 1,000 

 pounds of slaked lime. Such a treatment should 

 at least produce a well-drained, sweet, productive 

 soil. It is useless to send a sample of soil to be 

 tested for the elements in which it may be defi- 

 cient. The soil expert is able to determine its 

 acidity, texture, and the elements contained; but it 

 is not yet possible to indicate what proportion 

 of the constituents is available for plants as food. 

 It is for this reason that the above simple treat- 

 ment is recommended. The nature of the man- 

 ure used is not of particular importance so long 

 as it is not too fresh. Fresh manure has a ten- 

 dency to burn the roots if in contact with them 

 and its use should be avoided, especially when it 

 is applied to each hole in planting. 



