"Come with me, then, behind the scenes, where we are concerned only with the joys of plant increase and rejuvenation" 



The Reminder is to "suggest" what may be done during the next few weeks. Details of 

 bow 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 anv one issue of a magazine. 

 References to back numbers may be looked up in the index to each completed volume (sent 

 gratis on request), and the Service Department will also be glad to cite references to any spe- 

 cial topic if asked by mail. 



When referring to the time for out-door work of any sort New York City at sea level in a nor- 

 mal season is taken as standard ; but at best dates can only be approximate. Roughly, the sea- 

 son advances northward fifteen miles a day. Thus Albany, which is one hundred and fifty 

 miles from New York, would be about ten days later, and Philadelphia, which is ninety miles 

 southwest, about a week earlier. Also allow Jour days for each degree of latitude, for 

 each five degrees of longitude, and for each four hundred feet of altitude. 



JANUARY — THE MONTH OF PREPARATION 



EOPLE are prone to think 



that the garden year starts 



in March or April when the 



outdoor planting begins. As 



a matter of fact, the indoor 

 work of planning, selecting kinds and 

 varieties, and preparing and mailing 

 seed and plant orders is absolutely 

 essential to a well-ordered garden — 

 and such work must be done not later 

 than February; preferably right now. 

 As to quantities some home gardens 

 use enough seed to start a small farm. 

 This is wrong and wasteful and oft- 

 times causes crowding which leads to 

 other troubles. We should know to 

 some extent the productive power of 

 our seeds (See Garden Magazine for 

 January, 191 8, p. 190). 



The Frames 



Next month will be hotbed time — but preparation 

 must begin three weeks or so before time to sow seed. 

 Manure must be composted, bed made, and allowed 

 to cool down before it is safe to plant. Get busy! 

 If you are running any frames through winter, 

 be sure to remove snow from sash as soon as possible 



over growing plants. Over dormant plants that are being "wintered 



over" it is a good thing, however, for it keeps out both extreme cold 



and bright sunshine, and equalizes conditions in the frame. 



Be careful to keep all drains and gutters outside of frames clear 



and free from surplus snow. A sudden thaw may soak or even 



flood soil in frames with bad results. 



Give ventilation frequently, even if temperature inside does not 



make this necessary. Fresh air is important to health of plants — 



and it discourages diseases and bugs. 



Small Fruits 



It is not too late to mulch the strawberry bed if 

 you haven't yet done so. It protects against spring 

 "heaving," and prevents plants from starting into 

 growth too early. 



Go over the cane fruits and remove all canes that 

 fruited at the last bearing season. Cut old canes back to ground. 

 Cut back long tops of new growth likely to thrash about in wind. 

 Go over currants and gooseberries in careful search for any wood 

 that may be attacked by borers — affected shoots are light colored 

 and wrinkled and shriveled, instead of sound and plump. 



Espaliers and fruits trained against walls need protection from 

 winter sun. Arrange a screen of evergreen boughs, corn stalks, 

 orsomething similar to the south of them, if they are in a sheltered, 

 sunny position. Mulch about roots also, to prevent growth starting 

 up prematurely in the spring. This should be done while ground is 

 frozen hard. 



1. Measure your garden space and draw 

 a good big plan of it, locating all permanent 

 objects; then mark in your planting pro- 

 gramme for the year. For convenience 

 number the rows and letter the succession 

 crops. 



2. Order seeds and fertilizer early — im- 

 mediately! Study several catalogues but 

 make up the bulk of your order from one. 



3. Do all pruning and winter spraying 

 this month and overhaul, repair, and paint 

 tools, sash and frames; also order new tools 

 and get everything ready down to the last 

 detail. 



The Flower Garden 



Not much doing here, 

 but see that the mulch- 

 ing on hardy border, 

 Rose bed, hardy bulb 

 bed and so forth is in 

 Sometimes December 

 or blow it off before 



good shape. 



winds loosen 



snows have had a chance to settle it. 



Watch for mice in mulching on Rose 



beds and bulbs or where leaves have 



collected around shrubs. Use traps; 



and remove and replace if necessary. 



Include bone for your flowers along 

 with your fertilizer order: "inch-bone" 

 or "knuckle-bone" for lasting results 

 in making up new beds, bone meal for 



top soil and for top dressing to rake in in the spring. Bone is 



great stuff for blooms! 



The Greenhouse 



Get everything in readiness for the under-glass drive 

 that begins next month. Prepare soil for starting seeds 

 and for potting and transplanting plants. Test all old 

 seeds. 



Start stock plants from which to get cuttings. 

 Start vegetables for forcing under glass. Use thoroughly well 

 rotted manure and light soil, half and half. Paper pots are easier 

 to care for than clay pots, do not dry out so often, and give the 

 roots more room. 



Start cauliflower now for growing in frames or in greenhouse. 

 Keep blooming plants well fed — fine bone, liquid manure, or liquid 

 nitrate of soda, a tablespoonful to a watering pot — will all help to 

 keep late blooms up to full size. 



Keep plants healthy in general. Days are short and cold but 

 some fresh air should be given practically every day — early in 

 morning while sun is bright, and the temperature of the house is 

 on the increase. 



Ventilate and fumigate regularly. 



The Orchard 



Watch the young trees carefully, to see that they are 

 not being injured by rabbits or other rodents, when the 

 heavy snows keep these from getting at their other 

 sources of food. 



It will pay to "scrape" old rough barked apple or 

 pear trees before spraying. Regular tree scrapers cost thirty-five 

 or fifty cents. The back of a draw-shave, an old carving knife, or 

 any stiff piece of metal will do for a few trees. 



When pruning, clean out old wounds and cavities. They can 

 be treated and filled later but cleaning them out now will destroy 

 insect eggs or disease germs harboring there, and save time in 

 spring. Bad cases need expert operators. 



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