September, 1910 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



369 



Autumn Work in the Garden 



By Ida D. Bennett 



[HE coming of the frosty nights of fall ushers 

 in one of the busiest seasons of the year 

 in the garden. Until the early frosts have 

 laid low the flowers not very much can 

 be done in the way of relaying beds, re- 

 marking paths, planting bulbs, and trans- 

 planting of hardy perennials, but with the 

 first touch all this is changed and a season of activity begins, 

 only second to that of spring, which rarely ceases until 

 severe weather makes outdoor work impracticable. Espe- 

 cially is this the case when the warm weather lingers late 

 into October and the fall work is much belated. Usually, 

 however, there is a long season of fine weather, often ex- 

 tending into November with warm sunny days, which 

 makes the fall work one of the most pleasant occupations 

 of the year. 



As early as they may be obtained of the florist, those 

 bulbs which are to be planted in the fall should be put into 

 the ground; this includes the tulips, hyacinths, crocus, scillas, 

 camassias, ixias and all the hardy lillies except candidum — 

 which should be planted in August. 



Beds of hardy perennials may be taken up and divided at 

 this period and so save much time in the spring when time 

 is at a premium. Many hardy perennials seed freely and 

 volunteer plants will be found coming up among the estab- 

 lished clumps and may be lifted and placed where it is 

 desired for them to remain, or, perhaps no further increase 

 of those particular plants may be required and the fall is 

 a good time to eradicate superfluous plants and by turning 

 over the soil prevent the germination of much of the sea- 

 son's seed which has fallen into the earth. Hardy phlox is 

 quite apt to perpetuate itself to an embarrasing extent and 

 when once established in a garden constant vigilance is re- 

 quired to prevent it occupying the ground to the detriment 

 or extinction of other plants. The phlox is especially 

 annoying when it invades the peony beds, as it comes up 

 between the roots of the latter where it is extremely difl'i- 

 cult to dislodge. The Physostegia is another plant which 

 is likely to need its boundaries circumscribed, as it spreads 

 rapidly, as does the golden glow and in a similar manner; 

 fortunately both are easily kept in check by removing the 

 too venturesome plants. Not so, however, the bocconia 

 which runs under ground, making a flesh rhizome throwing 

 up plants at every joint and, as the smallest piece left in the 

 ground will produce a vigorous plant, fall digging about the 

 roots is always profitable. 



The various iris may be lifted and divided at this time 

 with advantage; old clumps which have been growing in 

 the same space for several years will be found to contain 

 much old, dead root and this should all be removed, re- 

 planting only that which is alive and growing. 



The fall is an excellent time for laying out new gardens 

 and paths and for repairing old paths and fences. It will 

 often be found that an hour's work on a fence or trellis or 

 summer house will put it in shape to stand the winter and be 

 in readiness for another season's usefulness while the lack 

 of it may mean its destruction in some winter's storm. 



The hot-beds and cold-frames should come in for their 

 share of attention at this time and if it is desired to start 

 the hot-beds very early it will help somewhat to excavate 

 them in the fall, piling the earth under the shelter of a shed 

 or covered with boards to shed rain and closing the beds 

 against the weather. All sash that is to be used during 

 winter should be looked over and if in need of paint or 



glazing should be attended to at once. Cracks in the cold- 

 frames should be closed or calked in some manner and such 

 covering as they will be likely to need gotten in readiness. 



In some place free from frost and readily accessible, a 

 supply of potting soil should be stored against any sudden 

 demand in winter or early spring. Good mellow loam, leaf 

 mold, sharp sand and well rotted manure, combined into 

 a compost according to the needs of the plants likely to re- 

 quire potting, will be what one will likely need, and a cer- 

 tain amount of each separate variety of soil should also 

 be at hand. Sphagnum moss for drainage and for starting 

 bulbs in early spring; pebbles, broken charcoal, pieces of 

 pottery and the like for drainage and suitable stakes for 

 supporting such plants as may need it should be provided 

 against such times as there may be a call for them. 



Plants which are to be used in the winter window garden 

 should be lifted before frost has touched them and brought 

 indoors before fires are started so that the change to the 

 indoor atmosphere may not prove too trying; before lifting 

 bedding plants give them a good watering the night before 

 that they may lift with a good ball of earth about their 

 roots. It will, also be of benefit if the plants are cut around 

 by thrusting a long carving knife deep in the ground beside 

 them, making the cut about the size of the pot which is to 

 receive them; this should be done a week or more before 

 they are to be lifted so that the severed roots may have 

 begun new growth; they will, then, continue to grow in 

 spite of having been disturbed. 



Clear away all dead litter from the flower beds and paths. 

 All dead annuals should be pulled up and consigned to the 

 compost heap; tops of summer blooming bulbs should also 

 be consigned to this common receptacle. 



Gladiola bulbs should be dug before the ground freezes 

 hard and placed in some warm, sunny place to ripen. The 

 cannas — which are better left in the ground until the last 

 moment, should have their roots well protected by heaping 

 up dry leaves over and about them and covering these with 

 boards, canvas or old carpet to shed rain. Dahlia bulbs 

 may be dug any time after frost has cut down the tops, but 

 such tender bulbs as ismines, tigrldias, tuberous begonias, 

 gloxinias and the like should be lifted before touched with 

 frost and stored in a warm, dry place during winter. 



The late fall months is a good time in which to wage war 

 on the various insect pests which devastate the summer 

 garden. Most of the caterpillars which feed on the plants, 

 form chrysalides which are buried in the ground near the 

 plants on which they feed, or are found attached to the 

 underside of boards, rubbish, steps and the siding of the 

 house and, wherever found, should be promptly destroyed. 



The white and yellow butterfly — the progeny of which 

 is so troublesome on the cabbage and cauliflower, makes 

 a triangular white chrysalid, without any cocoon, which 

 it attaches to the underside of clapboards of buildings and 

 other convenient shelter, often at considerable distances 

 from its haunts. The hickory tussock moth — so destructive to 

 the foliage of the maple and hickory trees, will be found 

 a slender brown chrysalid encased in a woolly brown cocoon, 

 under steps, boards and rubbish. The curious chrysalid of 

 the tomato worm — a smooth brown case some two and a 

 half inches in length and about the size of one's finger, with 

 a curious, handle-like attachment, which, by the wav, is the 

 shield of the wonderfully long and sensitive tongues of the 

 moth which shall ultimately emerge from its little earthen 

 coflin, is found a foot or more in the ground in infested 



