DICTIONARY OF SEASONABLE GARDEN WORK. 



499 



Laivn Managemimt . — In a wet season keep the lawn- 

 mower going. Poultry in confinement will like some of 

 the clippings. Watering by hydrant and hose is a good 

 practice, which, however, in many cases, is greatly 

 overdone. Too much water cannot well be given to 

 lawn-trees. Keep walks and drives neat and trim, and 

 free from weed-growth. Trim edges next to flower-beds 

 and walks neatly every few weeks, using a sharp spade 

 or an edging-knife. Plants in tubs, pots, etc., need fre- 

 quent and thorough watering. Look also to the rock- 

 eries, which often suffer from drouth at this time. Re- 

 move the tops of plants that have now ripened. It is 

 still time to layer roses and other shrubs. In lifting 

 from the border plants wanted for the house in fall and 

 winter, aim to secure all the roots possible, pot firmly, 

 shade closely for a few days, and sprinkle the tops 

 several times a day for awhile. Stake and tie all tall- 

 growing flowers in the borders. 



Laurel, aucuba, arbor-vitse, and other hard-stemmed 

 plants that have completed their season in the ground, 

 can now be lifted to good advantage. 



Lilies novi at rest, such as the white candidum, etc., 

 may be transplanted. 



Orchid. — As growth seems to be completed, gradu- 

 ally withhold water, and remove to cooler quarters. 

 Plants still in active growth should be encouraged. 



Pajisy. — Sow seed for bloom in early spring. 



Pelargonium. — Cut back at once, using the ends of 

 shoots for propagation. 



Petunia. — If nice plants, to be taken up in October 

 for the window-garden, are desired, cut back straggling 

 branches, thus insuring compact shape. 



Pots. — Provide new ones ; and clean and wash old 

 ones before putting new plants in them. 



Potting-soil. — It is always well to lay in a good sup- 

 ply in good season. The want of it when badly needed 

 is always a great annoyance. Cut sods from a rich old 

 pasture and pile them up where they will speedily rot. 

 Haul sharp sand, muck, fine woods-earth, etc. Dig the 

 old manure out of the hotbeds and make a big compost- 

 heap, mixing in all other materials suitable for potting, 

 hotbed and coldframe soil. 



Roses. — Plants for winter-flowering keep in rather 

 small pots. If earthworms give trouble, lime-water ap- 

 plied in a moderate quantity, and not too strong, will 

 kill them. Syringe the plants daily, closing the house 

 after the last syringing. To bedded roses give a liberal 

 mulch of manure. 



6>w//a.v. — Sow seed for next year's plants. Start up 

 old roots that have been at rest. 



Stocks. — Sow seed of ten-weeks and intermediate 

 kinds for winter bloom. To provide for a succession, 

 we sow every six weeks. 



Tuberose. — Plants in bud at the end of the month, 

 if carefully lifted, will come handy for blooming in the 

 house later on. 



T'crbt-na. — Plants, to continue in good bloom, need 

 special attention at this time. Cut back the straggling 

 branches, if not the ends of all branches, and give 



liquid manure in frequent doses, or strew some good fer- 

 tilizer ( flower-food ) around them, and thus aim to coax 

 them into renewed flowering. 



J'eronica. — Plants now approaching their flowering 

 season will be especially grateful for free applications of 

 weak manure-water. 



I'inca. — If plants are wanted for the house, divide 

 the roots, and pot the part taken up. The other part, re- 

 maining in the ground, will have time to recover and 

 become reestablished before winter. 



Wild-Jlower Garden. — Now is a good time to start it. 



II. GARDENING for TABLE AND MARKET. 



Apples. — In marketing the early ones, ship only a 

 selected grade, preferably in crates or other small pack- 

 ages. Keep the poor stuff at home. Let the sheep and 

 hogs have the wormy fruit as it drops. 



Asparagus. — The plants now store up in their roots 

 the reserve material for next year's crop. Encourage 

 them by keeping down weeds, stirring the soil from time 

 to time, and giving plant-food. 



Beans. — Gather your supply of seed of all garden 

 varieties. Pick well-grown and well-filled pods of the 

 Limas from near the ground. 



Beets. — The early table sorts may yet be sown for 

 succession. 



Blackberries. — Head back the young canes and their 

 laterals. 



Budding. — Finish budding cherries and plums, and 

 begin the latter part of the month with peaches. Watch 

 the bandages and cut them before they cut into the bark 

 of the swelling stock. 



Cabbage. — Harvest the earlier crop and give good cul- 

 tivation to the main crop. 



Celery. — Set out plants for latest crop. Next month 

 will yet do for this at the south. As the earlier plant- 

 ings reach sufiicient size for handling, begin earthing up 

 gradually, or blanch with boards. Keep the later set- 

 tings in free growth by thorough cultivation and frequent 

 hoeings. 



Cucinnber . — The patch should be gone over every 

 day, carefully cutting (not pulling) off the pickles while 

 yet small, say two or three inches long. Specimens al- 

 lowed to ripen on the vines, will soon exhaust the plants' 

 vitality and stop furthur productiveness. 



Currants. — Cuttings usually do best if made in early 

 fall. After the leaves have dropped, thin out fully one- 

 half of the new growth ; this may be used for cuttings. 

 Make them eight inches long, and plant them at once, 

 slightly slanting and so deep that only the top bud is 

 exposed, in compacted soil. 



Egg-plant. — Give liquid manure freely, and hoe fre- 

 quently. Watch for the potato-bug. 



Endive. — Keep plants in good growth by free cultiva- 

 tion. 



General Garden Management. — If the season be dry, 

 keep the ground among all growing crops well stirred to 

 retain moisture. All liquid manure, soap-suds, etc., 

 available at this time, can be given to any of the crops 



