( ®e fMorrffvs Remind 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 
tow 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. 
When referring to the time fori 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 ninety miles 
southwest, about a week earlier. Also allow four days for each degree of iatitude, for 
each five degrees of longitude, and for each four hundred feet of altitude. 
MAY— THE MONTH OF FIRST RETURNS 
HIS is the month when that tendency to let down, which invar- 
iably follows a strenuous season, is most likely to create havoc 
■Aj'I in the gardens. For work neglected doubles in inverse ra- 
t '° ( seem ’ n gly) to the degree of neglect, until a two-hour task 
of one day becomes a four-hour task two days later. The 
returns from the garden, whether these be in flowers or vegetables, will 
be in direct proportion to the attention which it receives; and pro- 
crastination is its worst enemy, as well as yours! — not only the thief 
of time but of food and flowers. 
General 
It is the last minute literally for any spring seeding of lawns. In- 
deed it will be better to wait until fall to do anything about a 
new lawn, because if started so late it is sure to be as full of weeds 
as of the proper grass. 
If any sodding is to be done do not delay it; and keep sod well watered 
until it has rooted and established itself. 
Evergreens may be transplanted until the end of the month, and all 
broad-leaved evergreens must be moved now rather than in late 
summer or fall. 
Shear hedges and all evergreen topiary material before growth starts. 
Greenhouses and Frames 
Empty the house as soon as the weather permits, transferring to the 
frames the things that need hardening before they go outside. 
Azaleas, Bougainvilleas and other woody plants may be plunged 
outside when there is no further danger of frost, and will ripen 
their wood better there. 
Spray or fumigate every week and keep the greenhouse free of aphids 
and other pests. 
Leave the sash off the frames more and more as the warm weather ad- 
vances, and give an abundance of water often. 
Set out Carnation plants; bench Roses for winter bloom; pot and bench 
Chrysanthemums; root Poinsettia cuttings. 
Utilize the spaces cleared out by planting Beans or any other vegetable 
to force along for early use. 
Conserve all flowers as far as possible from the middle of the month on, 
for use on Decoration Day. 
Pot up Tomatoes in 5-inch pots to get extra early plants for the 
garden. 
Flower Garden 
Perennials that need thinning or that you wish to move for any reason 
may still be shifted. 
Sow out of doors all hardy annuals, and biennials. Plant bulbs of 
Gladiolus at the first, the middle and the end of the month. 
Set out all hardy plants such as Asters, Geraniums, Petunias, Verbena, 
Sweet Alyssum, Ageratum and Annual Phlox. 
Wait until there is no chance of frost before setting out Coleus, Helio- 
trope, Begonias, Alternanthera and Salvia. 
Prepare the ground for summer bulbs by working it over after humus 
has been applied and dress it with bonemeal. 
Prepare a seedbed in a sheltered place in which to sow the annuals for 
succession, and later, perennials. 
Vegetable Garden 
Use the weeder or wheel-hoe on the fourth day after sowing any seed, 
along each side of the row. Take the weeds out of the row itself 
as soon as the seedlings sprout and can be identified. 
Thin (as soon as the second true leaf appears) everything to the proper 
distance apart. Do not delay a day on this! 
Put in poles for Tomatoes, etc., before the plants need them. Nothing 
will straighten them up, once they have grown crooked for lack of 
early support. 
Fruits 
Let nothing interfere with spraying at exactly the right time. A few 
hours in the life of a worm may carry him out of reach. Almost 
nothing else needs to be done so exactly on schedule. 
SPRAYING TO GET GOOD FRUIT 
SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF BLOOM 
WHEN THE BLOSSOMS 
SHOW PINK 
Lime-sulphur 1-40 (Scale); 
Lead-arsenate 1 lb to 20 
gal. (Moth) ; Tobacco Mix- 
ture 1 pt. to 100 gals. (Aphis) 
202 
