202 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



December, 1912 



ceps), $15, a total expenditure of $144. 

 He made up 150 pans of tulips, twelve to 

 a pan; 75 pans of hyacinths, eight to a 

 pan; 50 pans of narcissus, twelve in each; 

 and the balance of the bulbs he put in 

 boxes to use for cutting. All these were 

 put in the new coldframe and covered well 

 to keep out the frost. 



In January he commenced bringing them 

 indoors for flowering. He placed a little 

 card in several stores, announcing the fact 

 that he had these plants for sale, and 

 placing on exhibition a specimen pot of 

 tulips and hyacinths. He sold 125 pans 

 of tulips for $125; 65 pans hyacinths, $65; 

 40 pans narcissus, $40, a total of $230. 

 The flowers from the bulbs that were 

 planted in boxes brought him §85. 



In February he had little envelopes 

 made and printed for the coxcomb seed 

 he had saved the year before. Each 

 envelope contained about fifty seeds; he 

 sold 100 of them at 25 cents each, a total 

 $25. He also started his own coxcomb 

 seeds in flats in March and sold 200 of 



Hydrangeas like this were raised from cuttings 

 started in sand 



the potted plants later in the season at 

 10 cents each. 



The pansies in the coldframes were put 

 in baskets and sold to the local trade. 

 Three hundred baskets at 3 cents each 

 cost $9, but as he sold 150 of them at 15 

 cents each, his profit on this transaction 

 was $13.50. 



His receipts up to May 10th, practically 

 fa year from the time he made his first 

 coldframe, were $382 . 50 and his expenses 

 $316, including $60 for labor. One hundred 

 geraniums in thumb pots were subsequently 

 sold for four cents each, as well as $30 

 worth of marigolds, zinnias, snapdragon, 

 etc., in paper pots. His profit for the year 

 was Si do. 50. 



After the coldframes were emptied, one 

 was used for annual seeds and the other 

 : as a hotbed for forcing along the geraniums 

 that had been carried through the winter. 

 These were potted after being cut down, 

 and plunged in the hotbed. Cuttings were 

 taken and also struck. In June the old 

 plants were potted in 5 -inch pots and 

 planted out. 



The bulb bed was dug out and completely lined 

 with wire 



Business for the season was over on the 

 first of June, and whatever stock was left 

 over was planted out or given away. 



In the summer of 1902, this flower 

 enthusiast decided to enlarge his con- 

 servatory, which he did at an expense of 

 $1,800. From 1902 to 1907, his profits 

 averaged $400. In 1907 he was obliged 

 to give up the business, which had de- 

 veloped to such an extent that it required 

 his hiring two helpers, and at that time 

 he sold out everything but a few palms 

 for $200. And his balance sheet showed : 



Profit for 1901 .... 



Profit for 1902-7. 



Sale of stock 



. S 100.50 



2,000.00 



200.00 



Cost of conservatory 



S2.300.50 

 1,800.00 



Total profit .... 



. . . S 5°° 5° 



A Mole-Proof Tulip Bed 



By B. R. S., Maryland 



TV/TY GARDEN planting-book bears on 

 -I-*-*- page 6 this entry: "Fall — 1902, 500 

 May tulips (names following). All de- 

 stroyed by moles." And in the fall of 



1904 comes a like entry, with the same 

 depressing note. 



But in the fall of 1906 this entry was 

 made: "Tulip bed made over, lined with 

 wire, and planted with the following 

 varieties"; and since then there have 

 been no more depressing entries. 



The construction of this mole-proof bed 

 is quite simple, and is easily understood 

 by examining the accompanying photo- 

 graphs. A trench was dug 18 inches deep, 

 3 feet wide, and as long as desired. On the 

 bottom, which was made level and smooth, 

 was laid a strip of J-inch galvanized wire 

 netting, 3 feet wide (the width of the 

 trench), and extending its length. Around 

 the sides was placed the same netting 2 

 feet wide, the trench being 18 inches deep, 

 and the netting extending 6 inches above 

 the surface of the ground. This side 

 netting was held in place by wooden 

 stakes 2§ feet long preferably of some 

 durable wood, driven into the ground 

 until level with the top of the netting. 



Picture No. 1 shows the bed completely 



''ii 



I,'. W* i 

 \i 



I 



I 



A good crop of apples was had two years after 

 planting this dwarf tree 



After fining in six inches the bulbs were planted 

 and the moles outdone 



wire-lined and ready for filling, and No. 2 

 shows it half filled and set with tulip bulbs. 

 The work was completed by filling with soil. 

 After the tulips have finished blooming 

 the bed is sown with a quick growing 

 annual, which covers the bare space and 

 hides the wire edging which extends 6 

 inches above the level. This extension 

 has been found absolutely necessary, as 

 without it the moles will enter from above. 

 They cannot climb. As a protection 

 against their ravages, this scheme has 

 proved entirely satisfactory, and might 

 be utilized in various ways for the pro- 

 tection of other plants 



A Lusty Dwarf Apple Tree 



By J. E. S., Conn. 



TN THE spring of 1909 I planted a dwarf 

 *■ Bismark apple tree one year old from 

 the bud. In September, 1911, there were 

 66 large apples on the tree, one of which 

 measured 1 2 inches in circumference. They 

 were all large, well colored apples; in fact, 

 41 filled a half-bushel peach basket. 



