The Garden Magazine 
VoL. VIII—No. 3 
PUBLISHED MONTHLY 
[For the purpose of reckoning dates, New York is 
generally taken as a standard. Allow six days’ difference 
for every hundred miles of latitude.] 
Plant Your Garden Now 
gi eke are at least three good reasons 
why you should do fall planting: 
1. There is plenty of time now. 
2. Nearly a year is gained. 
3. No time in the spring. 
There is only one thing to remember: do 
the planting so as to take advantage of the 
late fall rains. 
Remember that transplanting anything 
causes some injury, and the remedy is an 
encouragement of root growth. Early fall 
planting as soon as the leaves begin to ripen 
is more likely to be successful than late 
spring planting. The chances are 90 per 
cent. in favor of the present time. 
Do not delay in planting bulbs. Get 
your supplies early and pot up at once all 
that are wanted for winter flowering. Light 
rich compost will do for all. Just cover 
the tops of hyacinths. Tulips and narcissus 
should be an inch below. The Cape bulbs, 
ixias, sparaxis, etc., are worth trying; they are 
not so showy as the Dutch bulbs. They must 
be kept rather dry and in a cool, light place. 
Plant hyacinths before frost comes; they 
will not stand the frost. Other Dutch bulbs 
may be delayed. Do not omit this oppor- 
tunity of planning and planting the her- 
baceous border. ‘This is the best time of 
year for the work. ‘Transplanting and 
remaking of shrubberies is best done now 
because you can see what things you want 
to modify. Begin as soon as the leaves 
mature and you can continue planting as 
long as the ground keeps open. ‘There is 
no difference between fall planting and spring 
planting except that you do not see the 
growth above ground, but the roots need 
just as much care. Expose them as little 
as possible and give them water. 
The only exceptions to the advantage of 
OCTOBER, 1908 
s) ONE DOLLAR A YEAR 
| TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A COPY 
fall planting are in the extreme north where 
cold weather supervenes too soon, or in the 
arid western regions where the air is so dry 
that the plant is dried out before the roots 
can supply the demands of moisture. In 
all other sections, however, it is a wise 
insurance. Mulch heavily after planting. 
THE FRUIT GARDEN 
Just give a little thought over the results 
of your garden this year. Have there been 
any gaps in the succession? Now that the 
harvest season is about ended you will be 
able to recall what has happened. Perhaps _ 
there are some varieties not quite good 
enough. Better decide now to discard them 
and order new trees for immediate planting. 
If the condemned trees are vigorous and 
healthy, cut them back and graft them in 
the spring. Always plan to have a little 
more fruit than you really want. 
Burn over the strawberry beds and the 
asparagus patch. If the land is_ sour, 
remember lime will correct it. The recom- 
mended ratio is 1,000 lbs. of fresh air slaked 
lime per acre of ground. Spread on as a 
top dressing any time during October or 
November. Coast land is _ particularly 
benefited by lime and even if the soil is not 
sour, but has been heavily manured for 
years, you will be surprised at its increased 
fertility next spring. 
If the wood on the grape vines remains 
green at the end of the month, you can help 
things along by vigorously shaking the 
trellises and knocking off the leaves to let 
in more sun. 
See that the fruit picking was a perfect 
job. Do not leave a single specimen on 
the trees, good or bad. The good ones you 
want for use; the bad ones mray spread 
disease if they are not removed. 
One caution about transplanting. Do not 
transplant too deeply. There are but few 
trees that can stand it. The best way is to 
lay a rod across the hole when setting the 
trees and so ascertain exactly where the fill 
will reach. Never plant more than one- 
inch deeper than it was. 
If you have any fruit trees in pots, look 
over them during this month preparatory to 
beginning growth in November. Repot them 
at the end of the month. This is necessary 
even if they go back into the same pots. Re- 
duce the old ball and fill in with new rich soil. 
VEGETABLES 
Transplant lettuce into coldframes at the 
beginning of the month and make your plans 
for salads until February. Full grown plants 
in the garden can be lifted just before heavy 
frost with a good ball of roots and will keep 
three or four weeks in the cellar. See that 
they are quite dry when moved. 
Any backward crops can be pushed along 
by sheltering with sash. Merely tilt them 
on boards laid up so that they are a few 
inches above the plants and put a covering 
on the cold side. The mere covering, 
however, will help on spinach, lettuce, etc. 
Any corn stalks that are caught by the 
frost still bearing ears should be cut and put 
inashock. The ears will develop better than 
if pulled off. 
Begin to earth up celery about the middle of 
the month. The results are better when the 
landing is done by degrees. Give liquid ma- 
nure to backward crops before pulling the soil 
up. Avoid rust by handling in dry weather. 
No need to hurry over storing the celery. 
It does not mind a little frost. Besides if a 
warm spell comes after it is put into storage, 
rot quickly ensues. 
Take the squash into the corn crib, and 
remember that frost is ruination. 
Protect any globe artichokes before frost 
sets in. After the first touch trim the leaves 
and cover with ashes. 
Make new asparagus beds. Deep plow 
and cultivate the soil and turn in an 
abundance of manure and ground bone. 
If you do the work properly, you can cut 
asparagus for the next quarter century. 
IN THE GREENHOUSE 
There is no more beautiful flower than the 
nerine. Try a few bulbs this year. Potted 
now they will flower next October, although 
some of them will give blooms this year. 
Keep them growing ina cool place all winter 
and let them rest dried offin summer. Keep 
in small pots and feed well. 
Spread tobacco stems around the plants in 
the greenhouse in order to keep down green fly. 
After the middle of October violets may 
be put into coldframes for flowers in winter. 
If you are growing carnations put the first 
support on during this month. 
Chrysanthemums will need close watching 
from now on because of the likelihood of a 
cold night coming suddenly. Maintain an 
even temperature—5o0 degrees should be 
the minimum. Early in the month is your 
opportunity to feed the plants in order to 
increase the size of bloom and the doses can 
be given stronger and more often than at 
any other time. Give nitrate of soda and 
sulphate of ammonia in solution alternately 
twice a week or liquid manure all the time. 
Stop as soon as the flower is half way 
developed. 
Why not try a few calceolarias? Seed 
may be sown at the beginning of the month in 
pans and germinated in the window garden. 
