The Garden Magazine, January, 1922 



229 



every few rows. On each occasion this has to be done time is 

 lost. Moreover, plan to hill up several rows at one time and save 

 taking off the hilling accessories too frequently. Get the necessary 

 tools and implements, including wheel hoes, seed drills, etc. 



Give air to the Celery on all favorable occasions. 



Remove the covering from the coldframes on good days. 



Rhubarb and Asparagus may be taken into the forcing house. 



Look over glass in the sash for coldframe and hotbed. Rebuild, or or- 

 der new ready-made ones. 



Where cover crops are grown systematically, satisfactory results may 

 be obtained by the use of commercial fertilizers alone, but if the 

 soil "lacks body," i. e. "deficient in organic material," don't de- 

 pend upon. fertilizers alone. Get some barnyard manure. If the 

 commercial fertilizer requirement is not great, better purchase 

 it ready mixed. Get some nitrate of soda; it is a fine plant stimu- 

 lant when used with discretion as soon as needed on crops that 

 appear to be standing still instead of growing. 



The Home Orchard 



In the home garden the orchard is usually quite restricted in area, 

 and oftentimes some other phase of gardening has to be omitted to 

 make room for even a small area for fruit. How about intercrop- 

 ping the orchard? It is worth the effort, and can be made profit- 

 able. Fruit trees may also be introduced into the general plant- 

 ings — thus serving two purposes. 



Locality, and the demands of the family will be determining factors as 

 to what crops one can use to advantage. Strawberries will thrive 

 almost anywhere, so will Currants, Gooseberries, Blackberries, and 

 many of the smaller vegetables, in addition to Melons, Tomatoes, 

 and Cucumbers. 



Pruning and Spraying 



Continue these outdoor duties as weather and circumstances permit, 



using lime-sulphur or miscible oil, both at the full strength while 



growth is dormant. 



Forcing Peas and Potatoes 



While it hardly pays to grow Potatoes in the greenhouse in view of the 

 early dates on which new southern Potatoes are available, yet 

 where one has room, a few of an early variety may be grown in 

 pots or on a bench. A cool temperature is absolutely essential 

 at the beginning — it is better to start at 40 degrees than higher. 

 As time passes, however, they respond to a rise in temperature, 

 consistent with increasing growth. Tubers used for this mode of 

 culture should be allowed to develop sprouts in shallow flats in a 

 light but cool position near the glass in order that the sprouts may 

 be sturdy. Give drainage in the bottom of the pots and light 

 porous soil covering the sets about two inches. By using ten or 

 twelve inch pots sufficient room will be left to allow of topdressing 

 as growth increases. 



Early Peas may be grown under similar conditions and soil, adding a 

 little bone meal. Sow about ten seeds to a pot and thin out 

 later to half a dozen plants. After planting, both Peas and Pota- 

 toes may set under the bench until the growth is a few inches high 

 when give all the light possible. 



In the Greenhouse 



There is a busy month ahead preparing for the early vegetables which 

 are to mature in frames. Early Cabbage, Cauliflower, and 

 Lettuce may be sown now with this end in view. Also Onions and 

 Leeks for exhibition purposes. 



Seeds of any kind left over from last year should be given a germination 

 test before sowing in quantity. 



Weak stems on Carnations are evidence of too high temperature. Rust 

 is caused by having the foliage wet overnight, and is most preva- 

 lent on plants lacking vigor. Spray J ozs. Potassium sulphide to 

 2 gallons water. 



Amaryllis that have ripened their growth to be taken into the work 

 room and either re-potted or top-dressed as they may require. 

 Do this when the flower spikes begin to show an inch or so, as they 

 often do in January. 



Early-flowering Snapdragons that have grown into bushy specimens 

 with plenty of buds and bloom on them to be fed if they are to 

 maintain good quality. Sheep manure, mixed with equal parts of 

 loam or bone meal, makes a good top-dressing. 



Gloxinias started now will furnish nice decorative plants by May. 

 Set the bulbs in flats of sandy soil until they have started. The 

 growing compost should be light and rich — 1 part fibrous loam, 1 



part leaf-mold, 1 sand, and 1 old hot-bed manure, or sheep manure. 

 Shade the plants as the sun gains power. 



The foliage of that wonderful terrestrial Orchid, Calanthe, will now be 

 all off the plants, and little moisture is needed at the roots. They 

 should be afforded a night temperature of 65 degrees. 



Cattleya Trianae will flower during the month. It needs to be kept 

 somewhat dry during its flowering period. A temperature of 

 50 degrees at night is enough. 



Gardenias may be propagated now. The young tips of the flowering 

 shoots make good cuttings. They require a closed frame with 

 plenty of bottom heat and moisture. Spray frequently overhead 

 to attain this end. When rooted, pot into equal parts of loam and 

 leaf soil. Add bone-meal in later pottings. They require plenty 

 of light and a night temperature of 60 degrees. Keep growing 

 freely until time for benching in June. 



Annuals and Perennials for Early Sowing 



Seeds of such annuals as require early sowing to be ordered at once and 

 sown when received. Clean pots, pans, and other receptacles is 

 old advice worth repeating. With fine seeds like Petunias, Lobe- 

 lias, Fibrous Begonias, etc., saturate the soil some time previous 

 to sowing with a fine rose on the sprinkling can, or by holding the 

 receptacles in a vessel of water. 



Many perennials will flower the first season if sown now in a warm green- 

 house. In gardens where Hollyhocks are troubled with rust this 

 treatment is beneficial. They require generous treatments in the 

 way of compost, as a large amount of growth has to be made in a 

 short time. 



Seeds of Primula Kewensis may be sown now and grown on for flower- 

 ing a year hence. Sow seeds of.Pennisetum longistylum now to 

 have good plants by bedding out time. Pot the seedlings off singly, 

 and be careful with the water as they damp readily. 



Seeds of Jerusalem and Cleveland Cherries should be sown early. If 

 preferred, cuttings from old plants may be rooted. Avoid hard 

 wood, taking the cuttings only from the young wood. Avoid 

 shading the young plants; they may be grown along in the same 

 temperature as Primulas and Cyclamen, until time for planting 

 outdoors, or frame culture in pots. 



Seeds of English Daisies, Forget-me-nots, and Pansies, sown now will 

 make nice plants for spring planting. Seeds of Vincas, and 

 Pentstemons, Verbenas, Aquilegias, Snapdragons, and Shasta 

 Daisies may be sown for bedding. 



Spring Flowers 



Wallflowers potted last fall and wintered in frames should be brought 

 into a temperature of 50 degrees. 



Hardy Phlox lifted last fall, as well as Hardy Larkspurs placed in a 

 carnation house will furnish new growth for cutting in four weeks. 



Sow Stocks and Clarkias for flowering indoors in late spring. Start 

 Hydrangeas for Easter in a temperature of 50 degrees. Give 

 Gardenias 60 degrees at night at this season. Plan out now how 

 many summer bedding plants will be needed, for propagation 

 indoors should be commenced. 



The Lorraine and Cincinnati types of Begonias may be propagated by 

 cuttings, and the stock of Bedding Begonias of the fibrous type 

 increased by cuttings and seed, as also Lobelias and Petunias. 



Take cuttings of Fuchsia, Heliotrope, and Stevia, each from the young 

 wood. Canterbury Bells do well in a temperature of 45 degrees; 

 plants for Easter flowering and later may be brought in from the 

 frames. 



Start into growth Rambler Roses for Easter decoration. Forty-five 

 degrees is enough for the first couple of weeks, and gradually in- 

 crease as growth develops until 60 degrees is reached. 



Start Spireas toward the end of the month. Calla Lilies in pots will 

 need top-dressing, or feed twice a week with liquid cow manure. 

 Asparagus Sprengerii is a prodigious feeder; and if young plants 

 are needed sow now. 



Look over the stock of Geraniums, give them room and light so that 

 strong, sturdy cuttings may be produced for propagating later on. 



Giganteum Lilies will now have several inches of growth. Keep free of 

 insect pests, and give a temperature of 60 degrees at night. 



For Cut Flowers 



A change from the winter flowering Roses and Carnations is always 

 welcome by April and May for indoor decoration, and Shirley 

 Poppies and Hunnemannias sown about the middle of the month 

 will give something that cannot well be bought. Neither stand 

 transplanting very well. 



