298 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



June, 19 10 



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weather, is essential on land that is spongy. 

 If possible, plant new beds after some such 

 . crop as potatoes or tomatoes, but never after 

 corn, using a liberal amount of bone and 

 potash prior to planting — about six hundred 

 pounds of bone and two to three hundred 

 pounds of muriate of potash to the acre. 



About three to four weeks after planting 

 top dress with some good commercial fer- 

 tilizer analyzing about 4 per cent, ammonia, 

 7 per cent, phosphoric acid and 7 per cent, 

 potash, using about two hundred and fifty 

 pounds to the acre. Repeat in about two 

 months with three hundred and fifty pounds 

 of the same brand, covering more of the 

 surface than the actual width of plants 

 already made. My objection to stable man- 

 ure before planting, or even for mulching, 

 is that it seeds the ground with weeds, often 

 to such an extent that the patch is unfit to 

 keep the second year. 



If the variety grown is naturally a firm- 

 fruited one I would use one hundred and 

 fifty pounds of nitrate of soda to the acre, 

 applying just before the bloom or buds open, 



Help growth by cultivating around the newly-set 

 plant, but be careful not to cover the crown, which 

 must be exactly on the level 



plants as closely together as they will stand 

 in the row (say nine inches apart), and after 

 a very few new plants have been made (say 

 four or five' to each plant), cutting off the 

 balance. This produces several crowns to 

 each plant and berries of remarkable size. 

 It is a good method for the home garden. 



I find it more profitable, however, when 

 growing for distant markets to use the matted 

 row system, planting about 2\ x 4 ft. and 

 allowing a profusion of plants to set from 

 runners; then, by the use of the revolving 

 disks on the front of the cultivator, cut off 

 the balance, making a completely open thor- 

 oughfare between the rows that may be 

 cultivated as long as possible. 



Mulching with stable manure, or meadow 

 grass, immediately after the first freezing 



Mulching is good for the plant, and it also helps to 

 keep the berries clean if put on "while the plants are 

 in flower 



No backache about this "way of setting out plants 



but remember it has a tendency to soften 

 the berry and cannot always be used. It 

 will produce an abundance of foliage, how- 

 ever. Apply when the foliage is perfectly 

 dry. 



The selection of varieties is of paramount 

 importance: for a beginner the safest course 

 is to plant varieties that are recommended 

 by other near-by growers. Or failing such 

 aid, select varieties that are well tested and 

 have a reputation of doing well everywhere. 

 The strawberry has its great fascination to 

 the gardener, however, because of its ex- 

 tremely sensitive nature in adaptation. No- 

 body can do your testing for you, as in no 

 two cases are the conditions the same, and 

 with changed conditions comes changed 

 results. Therefore, try a few new kinds 

 each year, but do not plant largely without 

 a reliable test. 



Some Hints for the Flower Garden 



T^VERY June some hostess gets " an 

 *~ J inspiration " about using foxgloves in 

 big jardinieres for party decorations and is 

 "heart-broken" when the blossoms fall. 

 A drop of gum Arabic in spirits will hold 

 each flower in place so that every spire will 

 be perfect. The trick is well known in 

 England, where every seedsman keeps a 

 preparation for the purpose. 



Watch your chrysanthemums for black 

 plant lice. Sprinkle them with tobacco dust. 



Don't be tempted to sow calceolaria seed 

 before August anywhere south of New 

 England. The seeds will sprout poorly 

 and the seedlings die. 



Raise hydrangeas for tubs or bedding by 



making cuttings now. Get big trusses by 

 feeding the plants heavily from now on and 

 soaking the soil every day with water. 



Put your house plants outdoors as soon 

 as hot weather comes and plunge the pots 

 to the rim, so as to save watering. Put 

 ashes below the pots to keep roots from 

 going through the bottom hole. 



Among the favorite flowers for June 

 weddings, aside from roses, are peonies, 

 sweet peas, centaureas, lily-of-the-valley, 

 and that exquisitely fragrant, waxy, white- 

 flowered vine, the stephanotis. 



How the nurserymen of fifty years ago 

 would have stared at the idea of bargain 

 sales of plants at the end of the spring 



rush! Have you ever seen any of the 

 postal-card offers or leaflets that seedsmen 

 and nurserymen now send their best cus- 

 tomers only in June? If not, it might be 

 amusing to write for some. Of course, 

 some of these offers are not of much value, 

 but anyone who can act quickly may often 

 snap up some good things at prices that 

 last only five or ten days. 



In case of a June drought your shrubs 

 will begin to suffer before you notice it. 

 Draw the soil away from each bush so as 

 to make a large saucer round it. Let the 

 hose run several minutes and when the 

 water has soaked away, push back the 

 dry surface soil. 



