DICTIONARY OF SEASONABLE GARDEN Vi^ORK. 



Lawn Directions . — Correct irregularities and uneven 

 places in the surface of the lawn. Now while labor is 

 cheap, make all needed improvements, such as' making 

 walks, draining, trenching, etc. Rake dry leaves in 

 heaps, and remove to the stables for bedding, or utilize 

 as mulch in protecting tender and half-hardy growths. 

 The flower beds and borders may be given a good dress" 

 ing of well-rotted compost, to be dug in deeply. Plant 

 bulbs if neglected thus far. Box-edging can now be 

 taken up, divided and replanted. While the weather 

 remains open, trees and shrubs may still be taken up 

 and re-set, or planted out as desired. Stakes and garden 

 requisites should be gathered and stored away to be on 

 hand and in good condition for next season's use. Take 

 care of the lawn-mower and other tools. Clean and oil 

 the steel parts and gearing. Tools of this kind are 

 costly roosting-places for fowls. Hardy herbaceous 

 plants should be marked with a labeled stake, to insure 

 their safety against destruction next spring when the 

 beds are dug over. To mulch them slightly or cover 

 with evergreen boughs is always a good precaution. 



Lantana is one of the best window plants for the 

 amateurs. It is a great bloomer and of easy cultivation. 



Lily of the Valley for early bloom may be started fo"" 

 forcing at the latter part of the month. 



Manure water may be applied to most of the flowering 

 plants in full growth once in ten days, or even oftener. 

 A good way to make it is by filling a leaky bucket with 

 old manure, then place in a larger, water-tight one, so 

 that when water is poured over the manure it will drain 

 into the large vessel below. This manure water must 

 be diluted until it is the color of weak tea. Do not let 

 it touch the leaves of variegated-leaved plants. In place 

 of the manure, a teaspoonful of prepared fertilizer, 

 "flower food " and the like, may be used to the pint of 

 water. 



Myrtus communis to be given a light, sunny situation 

 without too much water. * 



Orange Trees, Lemons, f/c — -Sponge off the leaves oc- 

 casionally. 



Mignonette for forcing to be kept as near the glass as 

 possible. 



Oxalis to be given a sunny place for bloom, and grad- 

 ually increased water supply. 



Pansies for forcing to be kept as near the glass as pos- 

 sible. Air freely, and keep the ground among them 

 well stirred. 



Pelargoniums . — Shift plants as needed. Re-pot the 

 old plants cut down some time sgo, using smallest sized 

 pots suitable. 



Pomegranates to be properly trimmed, and stored in a 

 cool, light cellar, keeping dry at the roots. 



Poinsettias. — Place close to the glass in warm, moist 

 atmosphere. Give frequent doses of manure water. 



Roses. — Protect the half-hardy out-door roses by lay- 

 ing down the canes and covering with sods, etc. Roses 

 trained to the rafters in greenhouse should be tied up as 

 fast as they grow. 



Sowing Seeds of Hardy Perennials. — There is probably 



no better time than November for this. Seeds of 

 the paeony, hellebore, clematis, actaea, adonis, ther- 

 mopsis, some pentstemons, lilaceous plants generally, 

 gentians, and others, may be sown as soon as ripe ; but 

 alyssum, saxatile, aubretia, campanula, cheiranthus, 

 delphinium, papaver, silene, and many others had 

 better not be sown until freezing weather. Fill square 

 shallow pans with ordinary loam, free from coarse mat- 

 ter. The finest seeds should not be covered, the larger 

 ones should be but slightly covered. Press all down 

 slightly with a brick. Plunge in sand. There will be 

 no necessity to open, except for inspection, before the 

 middle of February. 



Vases and hanging baskets used out-doors to be emp- 

 tied, cleaned, replanted, and taken under cover. 



Winter Protection. — Cover the tender shrubs on the 

 lawn with barrels stuffed with leaves. For tall shrubs 

 use two barrels one over another. Drive stout stakes 

 about them. Mahonias, rhododendrons and yuccas 

 should be protected with leaves, held in place by ever- 

 green boughs or fine brush. Hollyhocks should be cov- 

 ered with sod, set root-like on each side ; or with a fork- 

 ful of coarse manure. Beware of smothering and rotting 

 them. All lilies are benefited by a heavy coat of leaves 

 held in place with brush. Violets and pansies need a 

 light covering of leaves, evergreen boughs or litter. Tie 

 the limbs of half-hardy shrubs together with coarse soft 

 twine ; then bind on straw, hay or stalks. 



Shruii Propagation. — The following strike root from 

 cuttings easily : Retitiospora plumosa, R. plumosa aiirea, 

 R. ohtusa. Thuja Lobbi, Thuja Wareana, Cupressus Law- 

 soniana, C. L. erecta viridis (Golden Yew), Cryptomeria 

 elegans, Wellingtonia gigantea. Thuja occidentalis ; also 

 the following wall shrubs : Escallonia macraniha, Garrya 

 elliptica, Jasviinum nudifiorum, Lonicera aureo-reticulata, 

 Kerria Japonica, Euonymus Japonicus variegatus, E. Jap- 

 onictis aureo-variegatus, Ceanothus divaricatus, C. azureus, 

 Choisya iernata, Cotoneaster Simonsii, C. microphylla, 

 Crcctagus Pyracantha, and Veronica Andersonii. 



II, GARDENING for TABLE AND MARKET. 



Asparagus. — Clear the beds of old stalks at once, if 

 not yet done, remove and burn the collected rubbish 

 Whatever manurial substances are found available 

 for the purpose, such as compost, ashes, concentrated 

 fertilizers — nitrate of soda excepted — may be applied 

 now with advantage. For forcing, take up good strong 

 roots at once and store in cold frame to be ready for use 

 when wanted. 



Apples. — Finish picking the winter crop. As we may 

 expect at least fair prices, both for good green fruit 

 and for the evaporated article, we should not let any go 

 to waste. Good cider-vinegar is not and will not be in 

 large supply, and it will pay to use culls, etc. for cider 

 and vinegar making. 



Blackberries and Raspberries . — The tender sorts should 

 always receive some winter protection by bending the 

 canes down carefully, and covering with leaves or litter. 

 Trim out the old wood. A little manure or bone dust 



