^lKb r9Vloni/YS Stemmc/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. 
When 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 ninety miles 
southwest, about a week earlier. Also allow / our days for each degree of latitude, for 
each five degrees of longitude, and for each four hundred feet of altitude. 
JULY— THE MONTH OF VACATIONING 
M SUALLY it is the gardener that needs watching from now on — 
watching and stimulating and encouraging and exhorting! 
For it is not to be denied that midsummer is an alluring time, 
' with something about it — something other than the heat — 
that makes it difficult to stay on the job. But stay on the 
job one must, if all the work that has been done up to this time is 
not to go for naught. In other words, when one starts a garden he 
starts something which must be finished — or seen through to a 
finish. And there was never a time when seeing it through was 
more important from an economic point of view, than it is this year. 
So attaboy! 
General 
Loose, light soil half an inch deep everywhere — dust actually — and 
the sprayer ready at hand for instant action; these are the two 
most important things. After them comes the prompt picking 
of every vegetable — and flower — at the very instant it should be 
picked; not half a day later. And after this comes the further 
sowing of such things as may still be sowed for succession. Never 
enough can be said about doing things in the garden on time — 
for Time is either your friend or your enemy, here. Better keep 
him your friend, for he is a dangerous enemy. 
Greenhouse and Frames 
This is the month of overhauling generally and preparing the house for 
the year’s beginning, which comes with August. 
Order Ferns, Callas, Hyacinths and Narcissus for forcing, and seeds of 
Cineraria, Mignonette, Antirrhinum and such other plants as you 
may intend to have for winter flowering. 
Carnations in the field must be kept pinched back and well cultivated. 
Keep Chrysanthemums growing vigorously. 
Watch the Violets, give plenty of air, and keep clear of dying or any 
way affected foliage. 
Flower Garden 
In cultivating be careful not to go too deep. Many things are 
shallow rooted and these suffer greatly if the soil around them is 
deeply disturbed. 
Make notes of gaps wherever these occur, and get in your order for 
potted perennials to fill them either at once or in the early autumn. 
Order seeds of perennials if it is your purpose to raise from seed, 
and sow about the middle of the month. 
Cut off all flower heads as soon as the blooms fade, unless you wish 
to save seed. Even for this it is never necessary to allow many 
to remain; and nothing is much more unsightly than unkempt 
plants. Often too you will get a second late crop of bloom by 
promptly removing faded blossoms. 
Shrubbery that has old wood in it needs trimming now, if at all this 
summer. Take out only dead and very weak wood at the ground, 
let the individuals grow as they were intended to, and the mass 
mingle its growth as luxuriantly as it will. Do not prune the late 
summer and fall blooming varieties now, however, else you will 
cut away the flower-bearing wood. These need early spring 
attention. 
Keep weeds out everywhere; sometimes they establish themselves be- 
neath the foliage of perennials in a thickly planted border. Watch 
for them here. 
Vegetable Garden 
Tomatoes need watching and frequent tying up, if grown to a stake. 
Keep side shoots cut out as fast as they appear and thin the 
foliage if this is very dense. They ought always to have air 
and sunlight right to the middle of the plant. 
Lay brush around Melons and Squash for the vines to climb over. This 
keeps the fruit off the ground, which is a good thing. 
Tie up everything as fast as it needs tying; anything that is allowed 
to grow a day cr two without support never gets back on to 
the right track after the twisting such neglect causes. 
Spray Potatoes twice this month — oftener if it rains often. The 
thing is to keep new growth protected by spray; do it often enough 
to insure this. 
Set out late Celery. 
Plant Turnips where early Potatoes have been taken out. 
Onions grown from sets should come out now and make room for 
something else. There is still time to plant a whole garden! 
Fruits 
Put burlap or cheesecloth over Currant bushes to hasten the ripening 
of the fruit and to protect from birds. 
Use ammoniacal copper carbonate in place of bordeaux for fungous 
troubles from now on, to avoid disfiguring fruit that has set. 
Spray Gooseberries with potassium sulphide for mildew. 
Cultivate bush fruits and keep free from weeds and grass. 
Cultivate the orchard and spray as required. Pick up windfalls; 
they harbor insects. 
Tie up, thin foliage, prune back and cultivate Grapes assiduously. 
I'HE WAY TO USE THE DIBBLE 
W HILE it is always necessary to transplant 
carefully and bring the tender rootlets of 
the plant into direct contact once more with the 
soil, this is especially important late in the season 
when there is not the aid of spring rains to per- 
fect the operation. The drawing shows how 
and why. 
a — Here the faulty use of this indispensable 
implement is illustrated, the little plant having 
been lowered into the hole opened for it properly 
enough, but not rightly fixed therein inasmuch 
as the dibble was thrust into the ground but a 
short distance and only the top layer of earth 
was therefore pushed over against the stem. 
This is an example of what gardeners call “hang- 
ing” and actually the rootlets are in a chamber 
instead of contacting the soil. 
b — The proper thrust of the dibble after the 
plant is in place. 
c — The earth pressed against the plant its 
entire length and therefore against every rootlet 
on all sides. 
