128 AMERICAN HOMES “AND GARDENS February, 1906 
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METAL LATH & ROOFING 
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ON eee, FLOORS IDEWALK LIGHTS. 
For the Preservation of all Classes of Metal and Wood 
WRITE FOR ILLUSTRATED FOLDER B-106 
JOSEPH DIXON CRUCIBLE CO. JERSEY CITY, N. J. 
ixon’s Silica-Graphite Paint. 
an excellent screen, or a covering for an un- 
sightly fence, if given a trellis of wire netting 
to clamber over. Right here I want to tell 
you how I grow this lovely flower. I prepare 
the ground for it in the autumn. I fertilize 
it heavily, using old manure from the cow- 
yard. I spread this along the rows where the 
plants are to stand, and then spade it into 
the soil to the depth of a foot, at least. After 
doing this I made a V-shaped trench about 
six inches deep, and set up two boards against 
the sides of it to keep the soil from caving in, 
in late fall and early spring. In April, as soon 
as the frost is out of the ground, I remove 
these boards, and sow my sweet peas in the 
bottom of the trench. I sow them thickly— 
so much so that the seeds nearly touch each 
other. Then I cover them with about an 
inch of the soil thrown out from the trench. 
When the plants are about two inches above 
the soil I draw in more earth about them, and 
continue to do this as the vines reach up, until 
all the soil has been returned to the trench. In 
this way I get the roots of the plants deep 
enough into the soil to be moist if “a dry 
spell” comes, and where they will always be 
cool. Coolness and moisture at the roots of 
this flower are absolutely necessary to a high 
degree of success in its cultivation. If no 
preparation for spring planting was made in 
fall, trenching must be done as early in spring 
as the condition of the ground will allow. It 
is better to plant sweet peas in the mud than 
to wait until late in the season. Dig your 
trench to-day, ard let the sun have a chance at 
it, and to-morrow sow your seed, covering 
with the me!lowest portion of the soil thrown 
out from the excavation. If barnyard manure 
is not available garden fertilizers containing 
a liberal amount of bonemeal can be used as 
a substitute with good results. 
I would not advise any one to attempt bed- 
making of the elaborate sort, for in doing this 
one is likely to lose sight of the fact that the 
flowers in the bed are of first importance, or, 
at least, ought to be so considered. It matters 
very little what the shape of a bed is if the 
contents of it are harmonious in color and in 
general habit. A bed of elaborate design 
shows its outlines well before the plants in it 
have grown to much size, but as soon as they 
have made considerable development the out- 
lines are lost sight of, if flowering plants are 
used, and you have “had your labor for your 
pains.” 
Simplicity is an element of great strength 
and dignity in the flower garden. Keep in 
mind the fact that the flower is of primary im- 
portance, not the bed. 
The amateur gardener will do well to make 
a sketch of his or her garden on paper. De- 
cide where each plant shall be located, being 
governed in this decision by the height and 
habit of the plant, as well as by its color. If 
this is not done you may get the tall grower 
where it wil! hide the low one, and you may 
have two plants side by side whose colors are 
so inharmonious that they make the garden 
utterly discordant in tone. Aim at unity of 
effect—that is, an effect of general harmony, in 
which each plant has an important part to 
play, and will play it well if put in the right 
place, and not otherwise. This effect can only 
be brought about by careful study of all the 
plants you are to make use of. Your first plan 
may not suit you. If it does not, destroy it 
and make another, and keep on doing this 
until you are quite sure you have what you 
want. Do not be ina hurry about it. There 
is a long time to think about the matter be- 
tween now and spring. But be sure to have 
it all thought out by the time when work is 
ready to begin. 
