362 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



July, 1910 



varieties ; then place them six inches 

 apart. 



You may not realize that one of our chief 

 dangers in a flower garden is a crowded 

 condition. Plants will not do well unless 

 they have plenty of room. Look in the 

 reminder and see proper distances for some 

 common flowers of the garden. 



Do you recollect how sometimes in the 

 gymnasium you all stretch out your arms 

 to get proper spaces for active work between 

 each one and his neighbor on right and left ? 

 In much the same way plants spread out as 

 they grow, and must have "elbow room." 



I wish some girl or boy who has a north 

 corner to plant in would try godetia seed. 

 These are flower seeds. They are supposed 

 to develop plants which bloom freely. I'd like 

 to know how they come on. Will you send 

 some of the flowers into this department 

 when blooming time comes ? 



The picture on this page shows the possi- 

 bilities of beauty in a narrow strip of yard 

 and a homely old fence. Look again in the 

 reminder for vines to plant. Fences, out- 

 buildings, walls and old stumps may be 

 changed to beauty by vines. 



To those who have discouraging back- 

 yards — shady ones, ones with poor soil and 

 those in the midst of the poor air of the city — 

 I would say try foxgloves. You may plant 

 them outdoors any time now. They should 

 preferably be planted in June. 



Sow the seed as you would lettuce. When 

 these seedlings are up to the regular four or 

 six inches, thin out to one foot apart. Try 

 the old north corner once again and plant 

 foxglove. Remember that plants need room 

 for growth. So thin out unsparingly exactly 

 as directed. Then, with seed capsules pre- 

 vented from forming by constant picking 

 of blossoms, your garden will be a joy. 



How to Make a Pot-rest or 

 Jardiniere-stand 



POTTED plants leave unsightly spots on the 

 piazza rail or table. Why not make a sim- 

 ple sort of rest to keep the pot above the rail ? Even- 

 if the pot is set in a saucer the moisture will pene- 

 trate through. 



The following directions are easy enough to work 

 out. Any boy or girl, who has had manual train- 

 ing at school, will have no difficulty. You may 

 use almost any kind of wood. White wood, cherry 

 or white oak are suitable. 



You will need two pieces of wood 8 x \ x ij in. 

 for the cross pieces. These should be planed. You 

 will also need four little 

 pieces as feet or pads. 

 The dimensions of 

 these should be i \ x i \ 

 x \ in. 



To make this stand, 

 draw a line across the 

 two long pieces 4 inches 

 from either end. Lay 

 off two other lines par- 

 allel to this f inch to the 

 right and left. Trans- 

 fer these lines down 











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Eight cents' worth of seed, chiefly zinnia, nastur- 

 tium, and sunflower seed, planted these 10-ft. strips 



Working plan for the pot-rest shown above. 

 The child should redraw this, actual size. The rest 

 in use is shown below 



the edges by the aid of the try square. Saw on 

 the inside of these lines down one half the thick- 

 ness, or \ inch. Chisel out for a half-lap joint. 



The sawing and chiseling should be done care- 

 fully. It is necessary to saw on the inside of the 

 lines or a loose joint will be had. Doubling the 

 passage of the saw through the wood will often 

 make the difference of \ inch. 



After these are made to fit, the upper ends may 

 be rounded down by chisel and compass, or beveled, 

 using the plane. 



Use |-inch brads or finishing nails, four in each 

 pad or foot to fasten pads to the arms. The pads 

 should project J inch from ends and sides. To 

 finish the work nicely so the rest will both look well 

 and stand exposure, apply a suitable stain. Allow 

 it to stand at least thirty minutes. Then rub down 

 with a cloth to an even stain. It is better to allow 

 the stain to stand a day or so. This gives time 

 for the stain to set before applying the wax. Other- 

 wise, some of the stain will be loosened and removed 

 when waxing and a lighter shade of stain will result. 



A final point to hold in mind is the size of pot 

 which is to be placed on this rest. If the pot be an 

 8- or 10-inch one, this rest is quite right for it. But 

 if the pot is smaller there is danger of the wood 

 warping and bending. This is because the weight 

 of the small pot is concentrated on the centre of the 

 rest rather than on the feet. To overcome this 

 trouble leave the feet off. At the same time make 

 up for this by using heavier wood. Use twice the 

 thickness that is suggested for this model. 



Contest Bulletin. — The bulb contest is closed. 

 The first prize, a set of two books from our Nature 

 Library, was won by the VII Grade A, No. 29 

 School, Rochester, N. Y. Two third prizes were 

 given. This prize was a year's subscription to 

 The Garden Magazine. Ruth Candis Washburn, 

 of the Downing School, Worcester, Mass., and 

 Esther Henchell, of No. 29 School, Rochester, N. Y., 

 were the prize winners. 



The garden contest is now on. It is well to regis- 

 ter early. If you have not received an announce- 

 ment send directly to us for one. The announce- 

 ment is in the form of a poster, which may be put 

 right up in the school building. It gives informa- 

 tion as to classes, conditions, and prizes. 



Things to be Attended to this 

 Month 



AMONG the following suggestions some will 

 apply to your garden. This is a month 

 when the first one is most important. 



(1) Get busy with the hoe and keep all weeds 

 out of the garden. 



(2) To keep cats, dogs and birds off the gardens 

 place chicken wire or brush over it. Do this until 

 the plants are well up. 



(3) Do not begin to water the garden unless it is 

 absolutely necessary. After watering is begun it 

 must be continued regularly until the next rain. 

 Water the roots of plants and not the foliage. 



(4) After the young plants are up four inches 

 begin to thin out. Thin so that they stand at the 

 proper distances apart. Always choose to keep the 

 sturdiest of the young plants. 



(5) Note the following distances for thinning 

 some of the most common garden flowers: Alyssum, 

 6 to 12 inches; asters, 1 foot; canna, 2 to 6 feet; 

 marigolds (African variety), 15 inches; French 

 marigolds, 10 inches; and dwarf, 6 inches; zinnia, 

 2 feet; poppy, 9 to 18 inches. 



(6) Distances to thin common vegetables are as 

 follows: Bush beans, 5 to 8 feet; beets, 6 inches to 

 1 foot; carrot, 8 inches; corn, 3 feet; lettuce, 6 

 inches; and onions, 8 inches. 



(7) These vines are excellent for covering 

 unsightly spots: Hop, gourd, wild cucumber, ampe- 

 lopsis, climbing nasturtium and morning glory. 



(8) Try a hedge of castor oil plants. 



(9) If lettuce is transplanted twice the heading 

 will be more perfect. The first transplanting 

 should be done when the second pair of true leaves 

 appear. When the plant becomes four inches high 

 transplant a second time. 



(10) Follow these directions for transplanting 

 lettuce. First choose a cloudy day or wait until the 

 sun goes down. Take up with the trowel a num- 

 ber of little lettuce plants with plenty of earth with 

 them. In the place where you wish to plant make 

 a furrow or a hole with the dibble. Pour a little 

 water in first. Then gently separate from the others 

 a little plant with some of its own earth. Place this 

 carefully in the hole. Firm earth over the roots 

 and fill in the hole or furrow. 



If the next day is hot place strawberry baskets 

 over the little plants. Keep them moist until they 

 are used to new quarters. 



(11) Be sure to keep garden tools clean. Rub them 

 over occasionally with a kerosened rag. But always 

 put the tool away free from all earth particles. 



Under most trying conditions the Aspidistra is a 

 sure-to-live plant 



