DANGEROUS weather, this. 

 Don't be fooled by bright 

 sunny forenoons; a frost is 

 no uncommon thing any time 

 up to May Day, or even Memorial Day. 



Consequently, plant a nd sow outdoors 

 only those things that you know are 

 hardy; and don't neglect to close and, 

 if necessary, cozier the hotbeds about sun- 

 down each evening. 



Join a garden club so as to get full 

 benefit from its stimulation and en- 

 couragement. If there isn't any such 

 organization in your neighborhood, 

 gather some kindred, congenial spirits 

 and start one. The Garden Magazine 

 will gladly make suggestions as to how 

 to go about it and will give you any 

 other assistance possible. One useful 

 thing such a club could do right now 

 would be to have an outdoor meeting 

 and demonstrate or test out all the 

 different kinds of garden tools that 

 can be collected. A live implement dealer near by 

 ought to be willing to cooperate in his own interests. 



Stake every tree you plant that is more than three feet 

 high. Use strips of strong cloth to tie it to the stake, 

 or pieces of old hose with wires run through, not bare 

 wire or small rope that will quickly cut the bark. 



Remove labels from newly planted fruit trees so the 

 wires will not strangle the twigs around which they are 

 twisted: or adjust them more loosely, or use a zinc 

 label wrapped around the twig so it will expand as the 

 tree grows. In either case it is safest also to mark the 

 position of each tree on a permanent plan of the place 

 — including the variety name and date of planting. 



Don't put faith in cheap seeds offered at bargain prices 

 in department stores and corner groceries but give a little 

 personal thought to your real needs and buy each 

 special article from a specialist even if the price seems 

 higher. 



Ground, dried sheep manure is one of the handiest, 

 safest, and most convenient of fertilizers you can use on 

 lawns and in digging up ground to receive seeds or 

 plants of any sort. It will not burn roots or foliage; 

 it is available fairly soon after use; and its value lasts 

 for a considerable period. 



If your vegetable garden is large enough to be plowed 

 and harrowed, insist that the final fittings shall be done 

 with the acme and the meeker smoothing harrows — 

 in that order. The latter leaves the seedbed almost as 

 fine as if it had been raked. Of course, it must be 

 planted promptly, before the soil has a chance to settle 

 or crust over. 



Sow little patches of quick-growing green stuff — 

 millet, rape, oats, turnips — anything that is hardy and 

 cheap, so that the poultry can have some early roughage. 

 Such catch crops can be dug under, whenever you need 

 the space, with benefit to the soil. Later on you will 

 have all you need in the form of thinnings, weeds, 

 waste tops, etc. 



Finish planting deciduous trees (fruit and ornamen- 

 tal), hardy perennial plants, bulbs, and shrubs before 

 the season of active growth is actually under way. 



This is the best time to start a little water garden. 

 It may call for some concrete construction, or it may 

 mean merely a tub sunk in the ground. In any case get 

 the site ready right away and order the materials that 

 will have to be planted next month; the Pigmy Water- 

 lilies are the best for a small space. 



Finish manuring and spading up beds in readiness for 

 the planting out of Pansies, Verbenas, Daisies, Stocks, 

 and all kinds of semi-hardy and tender annual material 

 during the next several weeks. 



Complete the deep preparation of beds and borders 

 in which you plan to put hardy perennials next fall. 

 By that time the manure will have become well incor- 

 porated, and the lime and wood ashes will have gotten 

 in their good work. Meanwhile the beds can be kept 

 attractive with shallow rooting annuals which will not 

 take any appreciable amount of plant food from the 

 later tenants. 



A handful of sand beneath each bulb, or an inch-deep 

 layer spread over a formal bulb after the topsoil has 

 been removed and before the bulbs are put in place, 

 is a good preventive of rot and one method of stimulat- 

 ing laryer flower growth. 



Sow Orimtal Poppies in a sheltered, outdoor hotbed. 

 1 hin when necessary, then leave until late summer 

 when the plants can be moved to their permanent loca- 

 tions. Don't be alarmed if the tops die down; a new 

 growth will develop about transplanting time. 



As the soil dries out a little and gets warm, sow an- 

 nuals, in increasing variety — Asters, Candytuft, Car- 

 nations, Celosia, Centaurea, Marigold, Nasturtium — 

 this is only the beginning of a long, long list. They can 

 all be started right where they are wanted, but time 

 can be saved by sowing them in a special seedbed care- 

 fully prepared in a frame. 



(We fMonifcs QQiriinder 



APRIL— THE MONTH OF ACTION 



Let these principles guide you in April: 



1 . Keep your head in the midst of the rush of duties. This is the 

 cornerstone month of the whole year's work; lay it firmly and securely by 

 completeing each job thoroughly and in its proper sequence. 



2. Make everything you do count: first, toward future results; and 

 then, toward present appearances and immediade results. You cannot 

 hope for crops and flowers yet, but you can rest content in the knowledge 

 that you are storing them up for future certain enjoyment whenever you 

 dig, enrich, sweeten, and fine the soil in advance of sowing and planting. 



The Reminder is to "suggest" what may be done during thejiext few weeks. Details of how to do each item 

 are given in the current or the back issues of The Garden Magazine — it is manifestly impossible to give 

 all the details of all the work in any one issue of a magazine. 



In calculating times to plant out of doors New York City is the usual standard. Roughly fifteen miles a 

 day is the rate at which the season advances. Thus Albany which is one hundred and fifty miles from New 

 York would be about ten davs later, and Philadelphia which is ninety miles southwest about a week earlier. 

 Dr. Hopkins (page 20, Feb. issue) estimates four days for each one degree o] 'latitude or five degrees of longitude, 

 or four hundred feet of altitude. 



Map of Planting Zones: The first planting time for any crop 

 varies according to location. The zones shown here indicate the 

 general relationships of different parts of the country (as prepared by 

 the Department of Agriculture). The dates given below are averages 

 and will vary somewhat year by year. The common vegetables are 

 considered in four groups as follows: Group I — Smooth peas, onion 

 sets, kale, early cabbage, potatoes, collards, and radishes. Group 2 

 — Wrinkled peas, beets, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, salsify, and spin- 

 ach. Group 3 — String beans, tomato plants, sweet corn, and okra. 

 Group 4 — Peppers, eggplant, lima beans, cucumbers, melons, sweet 

 potatoes, and squash. 



Planting Dates. Zone E: Group I, April 15 to May 1, except 

 collards. Group 2, May I to May 15. Group 3, May 15 to June I, 

 except okra. Group 4, June I to June 15, except eggplant, melons, 

 sweet potatoes. 



Zone D: Group 1, April I to April 15. Group 2, April 15 to May 

 I. Group 3, May I to May 15. Group 4, May 15 to June I. 



Zone C: Group 1, March 15 to April 15. Group 2, April 1 to 

 April 15. Group 3, April 15 to May 1. Group 4, May 1 to May 15. 



Zone B: Group 1, March 1 to March 15. Group 2, March 15 to 

 April 15, except salsify. Group 3, April I to April 15. Group 4, 

 April is to April 30. 



Zone A: Group I, February I to March I. Group 2, February 15 

 to March 15, except salsify. Group 3, March 1 to March 31. Group 

 4, March 15 to April 15. 



As soon as the foliage of the perennials can be distin- 

 guished, rake and clean up around and among them; 

 if possible spade in a little manure at this time, but not 

 deep enough to injure any roots. 



When all danger from frost has passed plant out bulbs 

 that flowered in the house during the winter — Daffodils, 

 Tulips, Narcissus, Hyacinths, etc. They may not do 

 as well as new bulbs bought for the purpose, but as they 

 are useless for future indoor use, this is a better plan 

 than throwing them away. 



Bring outdoors for a few hours in the middle of the day 

 any potted plants, gradually increasing the time until 

 they are hardened enough to be plunged — pots and all — 

 in a half shady, out-of-the-way corner of the garden for 

 the summer. 



Pot up bedding plants if they begin to grow too big 

 for the flats before it is time to plant them out. Keep 

 the sash off the hotbeds as long as the sun is on them 

 anyway, and, in the case of those in which hardy stuff 

 is growing, all day long. 



It is safe to sow now in the hotbed Antirrhinum, 

 Aquilegia, Aster, Castor-oil-bean (Ricinus), Celosia, 

 Chrysanthemum, Clematis, Calendula, Cosmos, Prim- 

 rose, Salvia, Verbena. 



Tips About'.Tools 



When you buy your lawn mower — choose 

 one of medium width, so that you can 

 cover your lawn with the least walking 

 and, at the same time, without getting 

 dead tired from pushing a miniature 

 horse machine. Use a heart-shaped hoe 

 for opening furrows for peas, beans, and even smaller 

 seeds, and in covering them after they are planted. 

 Have you the best cultivating tool? Some implements 



128 



are adapted to entirely different con- 

 ditions and others vary only in 

 minor details of size, shape, and bal- 

 ance, that you ought to be able to find 

 two or three weeders, cultivators, or 

 scuffle hoes that in your case will 

 take most of the "ill" out of tillage. 

 Of course everybody won't agree with 

 your choice, but they will be wrong — 

 it is the best for you. 



Anything more than an acre of lawn 

 will probably justify apower-drivenlawn 

 mower, or at least one of the horse- 

 drawn affairs. If the latter, include a 

 set of horse boots in the equipment to 

 prevent the tearing up of the turf. 



Clean every tool before you put it 

 away at the end of each day — not 

 once a week. Rub off the dirt with an 

 old piece of burlap, then brush over 

 all bright surfaces with an oily rag. 



In using a wheel hoe shorten the 

 strokes with which you push it for- 

 ward to correspond with the delicacy of the work being 

 done. And between each two steps draw it back a 

 few inches and make a fresh start. In no case attempt 

 to push it forward steadily like a lawn mower, except (a) 

 when opening up a furrow with the plow attachment, 

 and (b) when sowing seed with the seeder attachment. 



t 



On With the Ornamental Works 



First of all; a general all-around clean-up 

 and scrub-up! Leave no old tops and 

 refuse to carry and spread disease. Re- 

 move the last of the winter mulch from 

 the bulb beds. 



Fork up the soil as soon as sufficiently 

 dried up about the roots; work in a generous application 

 of bone meal and a very light dressing of nitrate of soda 

 as the growth starts. 



Plant on the lighter soils first, leaving the heavy, stiff 

 clays until the end of the month, or at least the end of 

 the planting programme. Just because trees look big and 

 tough compared with seedlings, don't neglect to make 

 the soil loose and fine, and to sift and firm it thoroughly 

 around them when planting. The feeding rootlets of 

 the Oak are just as delicate and fine as those of the 

 Poppy. 



When pruning, cut the limb off flush against the 

 parent branch — and make the cut clean and true. 

 Therefore keep the saw and the shears very sharp. 

 After pruning, carefully rake up and burn all trimmings 

 and litter. This is not only because it is neater, but also 

 because it removes harboring places for insects and 

 incubating places for rots and other diseases. 



Finish Pruning the Roses 



Make a final examination of the shrubs 

 for the presence of scale, and if any is 

 discovered give a last dormant spraying 

 right away. 



Look to the shrubs and take out all 

 dead wood and branches that are obviously in the way, 

 and head back such of the later summer and fall 

 bloomers as need it. But don't touch the early spring 

 blooming kinds, on which the flower buds are all formed 

 and ready to open. 



Water newly planted trees, shrubs, and bulbs if the 

 weather is unseasonably dry. The brisk winds of early 

 spring make away with lots of soil moisture. 



Lingering About the Lawn 



Pull or cut out a weed whenever you see 

 one. Then fill the hole with soil, sprinkle 

 a pinch of grass seed on top, and firm it 

 with your foot. Unless you stimulate a 

 bare spot to grow grass it is more likely 

 to produce more weeds. 

 There are only two things to do with a steep bank^ or 

 terrace: Sod it carefully (it is very difficult to establish 

 grass there from seed), or plant ground covers such as 

 Periwinkle, Wichuraiana Roses, etc. A few trailers 

 are also useful in covering the ground under trees where 

 the shade is too dense for grass. Phlox divaricata and 

 Pyrethrum Tchihatchewii are good. 



Begin to mow the grass as soon as there is the slightest 

 excuse. By mowing frequently you can avoid the 

 necessity of raking up the clippings. Worm casts on 

 your lawn sometimes accompany excessive moisture. 

 However, if you cannot conveniently drain the plot 

 now, or if there is some other reason for their presence, 

 sprinkle a solution of corrosive sublimate (three or four 

 tablets in a pint of water) from a watering pot, to kill 

 the worms. 



If you want to read up on the whole subject, from 

 start to finish, get "Lawns and How to Make Them." 

 Price, $1.10 by mail. 





