June, 1909 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
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Garden Notes 
Annual Vines 
HERE are many occasions when a quick-growing annual vine 
can be used with good effect, though, as a general rule, it is bet- 
ter to plant the slower-growing perennials even if the first 
year’s growth does leave things looking a little bare. Certainly one 
should not plant annuals and shrubby vines together because the 
annuals are sure to gain the upper hand and shade and choke the 
perennials out, making them lose very nearly a year’s growth and 
delaying by so much the time when they will themselves be sufficient. 
The majority of shrubby vines may be bought in pots and planted ~ 
at any time up to the first of July, so late planting is no excuse for 
using annuals. 
The annuals may be planted, however, on temporary structures 
such as fences, buildings, old trees, etc., which are soon to be re- 
moved, or they may be used to cover any unsightly piles of earth or 
stones which by force of circumstances have to be left in place all 
summer. 
A rented house, too, which is ill provided with vines may be shaded 
and decorated with annuals at slight expense and little trouble. 
Almost anything which is unsightly, buildings, fences, ash heaps, 
walls, piazzas, etc., can be covered with some of these vines. 
The following list gives the most useful varieties: 
CoBoEA SCANDENS.— Cups and Saucers.” Grows 25 feet in a 
season, bearing large bell-shaped purple or white flowers and clinging 
to any rough surface by means of tendrils. 
CoNVOLVULUS MAjoR.—The familiar morning-glory, grows 15 
feet high and bears a profusion of beautiful flowers. A twining vine. 
Doticuos LasLras.— ‘Hyacinth bean,” growing 10-20 feet in a 
Growing 
It will be found much easier and cheaper to buy tomato plants for 
a small garden than to raise them, because they are difficult to raise 
from seed and the plants are very cheap. A dozen plants well cared 
for will probably supply a family of six. Potted plants are best and 
should be used even though they cost more than those grown in flats. 
The ground for tomatoes should be thoroughly prepared, spaded 
deeply early in the season and later on dressed with manure and 
forked over again. Throughout May the ground should be cultivated 
often to make it light and friable. Successive cultivations tend to 
make the soil warm up more quickly and to conserve moisture. 
The young plants should be bought and planted not much before 
the 30th of May. ‘The tomato is a tender tropical plant which is 
quickly killed by frost and is seriously checked in growth by a tem- 
perature of 45 degrees or lower. 
season and bearing purple and white flowers in clusters, followed by 
ornamental beans. : 
HuMuLus JAPONICUS.—Japanese hop, reaches 15-20 feet and 
has foliage like the common hop. ‘The variegated form is said to be 
interesting. Easy to grow. 
IPOMOEA COCCINEA.—Star Ipomoea, 10 feet, with very small 
scarlet flowers which are, however, produced in abundance. 
IPoMOEA QUAMOocLIT.—Called Cypress vine, because of its deli- 
cate cypress-like foliage. Small star-shaped flowers scarlet and white. 
. IPOMOEA GRANDIFLORA.—Moonflower, white flowers half foot 
“across, opening in the evening or on cloudy days. 
JAPANESE Morninc-ciories (Ipomoea).—Are  rapid-growing 
vines with large flowers in a wide range of color. A small notch 
should be filed in each seed of this and the moonflower to make 
the germination more rapid. 
IPOMOEA VERSICOLOR (Mina lobata).—Is another of the innumer- 
able varieties of Ipomoea. It has rich crimson flowers and grows 
15-20 feet high. 
THE SCARLET RUNNER BEAN.—With scarlet and white blossoms 
is a useful and beautiful vine. ‘The beans are very good for the 
table. 
‘TROPAEOLUM PEREGRINUM.—The canary bird vine, and Tropaeo- 
lum majus, the nasturtium, are both useful and well known. 
THE Gourps are interesting because of their fruit which is fan- 
tastic in shape and marking. ‘They are rather coarse in foliage and 
habit, but cover unsightly effects quickly and cheaply. 
All these vines are tender and should not be planted until all dan- 
ger of frost is past. Decoration Day is a good time for such work. 
Tomatoes 
It is doubtful if a tomato plant ever recovers from the shock of a 
cool night. “Though it may live, its vitality has been reduced and it 
can not bear so well. Early planting in unsuitable weather will not 
hasten the maturity of the crop, so be patient and wait for the 30th of 
May to set them out. 
The egg plant is closely related to the tomato and suffers in the 
same way and should be similarly managed. 
Training the tomato vines on trellises improves the size and quality 
of the fruit, but probably decreases the yield. “The best support for 
the vines is four 2x2-inch stakes 6 feet long driven in the ground 
16 inches apart, forming a square with the plant in the center. One 
stalk is trained and tied to each stake, and extra stalks and side 
branches are cut out. 
Corn 
Corn is another thing which can not be hastened by early plant- 
ing. It needs hot days and mild nights and a warm soil to make 
it grow fast, and in this latitude we seldom have settled summer 
weather until the middle of May, and the ground is not really warm 
until that time. 
There are many varieties of sweet corn, and the choice must de- 
pend somewhat on the locality, but the sweetest and best are the 
yellow varieties such as “Golden Dawn,” “Golden Bantam.” 
These mature quickly; in less than ninety days sometimes, and can be 
planted every two weeks for a succession. “They are small stalks 
and have small ears, but are productive and make less trouble in a 
small garden than the larger varieties. 
“Stowell’s Evergreen” might be planted twice for the late crop, 
but any other variety is superfluous. 
“Country Gentleman” is a good kind, but too much like pop-corn 
in the way it grows on the ear. An ear with regular double rows is 
casier to eat than the crowded kernels of “Country Gentleman.” 
Other good varieties are “Peep 0’ Day” and “‘Aristocrat,” both 
small, but productive and sweet. 
