^TKq. f/Vlontfxs ® emmc/er 
Come with me, then, behind the scenes, where we are concerned only with the joys of plant increase and rejuvenation” 
The Reminder is to “suggest" what may be done during the next few weeks. Details of 
bow to do each item are given in the current or the back issues of The Garden Magazine — it 
is manifestly impossible to give all the details of all the work in any one issue of a magazine. 
References to back numbers may be looked up in the index to each completed volume (sent 
gratis on request), and the Service Department will also be glad to cite references to any spe- 
cial topic if asked by mail. 
W hen referring to the time for- out-door work of any sort New York City at sea level in a nor- 
mal season is taken as standard; but at best dates can only be approximate. Roughly, the sea- 
son advances northward fifteen miles a day Thus Albany, which is one hundred and fifty 
miles from New York, would be about ten days later, and Philadelphia, which is ninetv miles 
southwest, about a week earlier. Also allow four days for each degree of latitude, for 
each five degrees of longitude, and for each four hundred feet of altitude. 
MARCH— THE MONTH OF FIRST PLANTINGS 
^/’T^^RDER chemical fertilizers. Bone meal, dried blood, nitrate 
of soda, a bag of general mixed fertilizer, and a supply of lime 
are the essentials. Begin removing mulches a third at a time. 
is Ui\ll ^ urn cubbish and refuse. Spread manure in readiness 
for plowing or spading. Prune wherever this is still necessary. 
General 
As the snow melts mark spots where water stands for grading up later. 
Rake manure from lawns and add to compost pile, as all of its essential 
plant food has long since been washed into the soil. Roll the lawns 
as soon as frost has left the ground. 
Greenhouse and Frames 
Ventilate daily, never leaving the sash on frames down tight except on 
the stormiest days. 
\\ ater according to condition of the soil. During clouds' periods water 
may not be needed for several days. 
Make cuttings of Chrysanthemums, Carnations, Crotons, and all 
“soft” stuff for use outdoors. 
Sow seed of Cyclamen, Primula, Antirrhinum, Abronia, Aster, Fi- 
brous Begonia, Canna, Cineraria, Gladiolus, Heliotrope, Petunia, 
Torenia, and all hardy garden annuals. 
Divide Cannas, plant each division in a pot and plunge in hotbed. 
Start Dahlias into growth and pot up the shoots as cuttings, sav- 
ing the roots to plant out later as usual. Start Tuberous Begonias 
in pots, also all other tubers. Divide and repot Alternanthcras. 
Start radish, lettuce, forcing carrots, etc. Transfer to hotbeds hardy 
vegetables started indoors last month. 
Keep heat loving vegetables still well protected. 
Start corn in paper pots for transplanting to the garden. 
Replace glazed sash on frames with cloth-filled sash as soon as the 
weather settles. 
Flower Garden 
Cut all old stalks off to within an inch of the ground — break off stalks 
that are loose, being careful not to injure the plant crowns when 
doing this. 
Sprinkle finely ground bonemeal around all perennials and rake lightlv. 
Transplant such perennials as are to be moved while they are still 
dormant. 
Plant Roses as soon as received if they are dormant; otherwise as soon 
as settled weather. 
Remove protection from tender shrubs in two installments a week 
apart the last of the month. 
Vegetable Garden 
Uncover asparagus and rhubarb. Sprinkle salt lightlv on the asparagus 
bed, also nitrate of soda, using a pound and a half per square rod. 
Regardless of air temperature plant the very hardy first-early vege- 
tables as soon as the soil can be worked. Make all first plantings 
shallow and thick. 
Keep all tender vegetables growing rapidly in their flats. 
Use plant forcers judiciously so as not to stimulate tall and spindly 
growth. 
Transplant the first time just as third l.eaf is appearing. If seedlings 
are not transplanted till later than this, cut away half of each 
large leaf. 
Dig all parsnips and oyster plant remaining in ground and store in cold 
cellar or on frozen ground under enough earth to prevent sprouting. 
Fruits 
Cut and store in sand in cellar the cions for grafting. Graft plums and 
cherries early, other fruits as mild weather advances. 
Complete all pruning before growth starts. 
Finish all dormant or winter-strength sprayingbeforebuds begin toswell. 
MULTIPLE GRAFTING OF APPLE TREES 
\ A / E HAVE a sturdy apple tree which yields four different kinds of 
’ V apples, each good and each ripening at a different time. The 
only objection to it comes in spraying'for codling moth — but multiple 
grafting is not designed for large orchards. It is for the well tended 
trees in the home garden, where the spraying is done by hand power. 
Always remember that the only absolutely necessary thing in grafting 
is to have the living inner bark of the graft in close contact with the liv- 
ing inner bark of your tree. This living bark is inside the thin green 
line that is next to the rough outer bark of the tree; or in 
the graft is inside the green line that is next to the brown 
outer skin. Grafting wood should be a good clean piece 
of last year’s growth about the size of a lead pencil taken 
from a perfectly healthy tree. Choose a piece where the 
distances between the buds is as short as you can find. 
If possible cut the wood the day you use it but if it must 
be cut earlier, keep it in your refrigerator. It must not 
wither nor dry out. 
Select on your tree the branch you wish to graft into 
and saw it straight off, not slanting as you would in prun- 
ing. Place a knife or hatchet (according to the size of the 
branch) across the middle of the stumpand strike it a quick, 
light blow with the hammer. Do not split 'it any further 
down than is absolutely necessary to admit the grafts. Put a plug or 
wedge of clean wood in the split to hold it open. With a very sharp 
knife cut the lower end of the graft into a tapering wedge. Insert 
this tapering wedge into the split of the branch until the line of living 
tissue a is against the corresponding line of living tissue in the branch — 
that is, not too far in toward the middle of the stump nor too far out. 
Of course only one*side of the graft can come against the living bark 
of the stump; it is the contact at the outside edge that you must have. 
Set the graft so that the lowest bud is turned to the 
outside, and put a graft in at eac-h side of the stump. 
Then carefully take out the plug that holds the split 
open, see that the grafts have not slipped even ever so 
little; and then with a brush proceed to cover the stump 
to well below the crack of the split with a thin coating of 
melted grafting wax, being very sure to fill the split it- 
self. Pull strips of old muslin about an inch wide through 
the melted wax, and wrap these waxed strips around the 
stump and over the top. Finally cover all generously with 
the wax to keep out water and infection. If the weather 
is cold and your wax stiffens, put it in a glue pot or a 
double boiler with boiling water in the outer pot. 
Frances Markham 
56 
