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“ 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 special 
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 season 
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 latitude, for each five degrees of 
longitude , and for each four hundred feet of altitude. 
APRIL— THE MONTH OF QUICK ACTION 
Copyright 1921, Doubleday, Page <3 Co. 
OO K out! With the coming of April the first fruits of the to three eyes, remove all weak wood on the Teas, and cut them 
P re P arat ' ons °f the preceding months begin to be realized. back one third. 
mfWSw The actual conditions of weather will differ greatly in different Plant all deciduous nursery stock as soon as possible. Two essentials 
sections, and in some places winter may endure almost to the for success are planting as soon as received, and putting into well 
end of the month, thus preventing planting outdoors. Yet prepared soil. Should the ground not be ready to receive them, 
when balmy conditions prevail it is only a matter of a few days when the heel-in and water well until they can be set out. 
soil is dry enough to make a start. Therefore see at once that there Stake or wire all newly planted trees, to prevent swaying by high winds, 
is no accumulation of work that ought to have been done in the weeks Water all newly planted material at frequent intervals if the 
just gone. Be ready to get as much as possible of the “joy” of garden ground appears at all dry, and winds are prevalent, 
working when the time is ripe. Be not deceived by sudden advances Replant and rearrange Perennials as the new growths show through 
of over-warm spring days nor by late lingering days of winter. The the ground to distinguish them. Give all perennial beds an ap- 
two will overlap and intermingle. So, act accordingly and “make plication of ground bone, and point over the surface to incorporate 
haste slowly,” take all possible advantage, keep work right up to the it with the soil, but be careful not to injure dormant crowns, 
minute, but don’t rush! Of course the bulk of the seeds are now in Compost the winter protective materials as removed; they make 
hand ready for sowing. But check over the list. Then look to the fine summer mulch when decomposed. 
stock of sundries and insecticides. Consider each crop’s needs and Vacant flower beds intended for bedding plants to be dug, and got 
order at once bordeaux, slugshot, Melrosine, nitrate of soda, bone meal, ready for summer occupants. Uncover beds of bulbs and rake 
etc. Let “prevention is better than cure,” be the slogan; for the 
difference between a good and a poor garden is usually traceable to 
preparedness. As with seeds, so with everything else that goes into the 
garden, it pays to buy the best; i.e., from dealers who specialize or direct 
from the manufacturer where possible. 
Vegetable Garden 
Plow or spade the earliest piece of ground as soon as it can be done 
without the soil adhering to the tools; when it will crumble nicely 
with raking, plant the hardiest of the vegetables as suggested in 
last month’s Reminder; viz: Swiss Chard, Onions, Turnips, Kohl- 
rabi, Carrots, Beets, Smooth Peas, Salsify, Spinach. They will 
survive any belated frost and snow. Use a good seeding machine if 
your plantings are of any proportions. It saves both time and seed. 
About a week or ten days later (as circumstances permit) these early 
plantings to be followed with plants of Lettuce, Beets, early 
Cauliflower, Cabbage, etc. from the frames after being thoroughly 
hardened off. 
Plant for convenience in cultivating, which will mean a good deal 
in personal comfort before next fall. Standardize the width 
between rows, and so save time making adjustments on the 
cultivators when cultivating. Group together all early maturing 
vegetables, so that the ground may be used for another crop. 
Crops that occupy the ground all season should be arranged to- 
gether. 
Early potatoes to be planted. Treat with formalin solution for scab. 
Don’t omit this; it is no longer an experiment. 
Vegetable roots may be set out (Asparagus, Rhubarb, Sea-kale. 
Chives, Horse-radish, etc.) Onions and Leeks, started indoors 
for exhibition, may be planted out. 
Asparagus beds to be lightly forked over, and hilled up. 
Succession plantings of Peas, Spinach, etc. to be made as earlier 
plantings break the ground. 
Small sowings of herbs such as Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Dill, etc. 
may be made. 
Tomatoes, Egg-plants, Peppers, Musk-melons, and other tender 
plants may still be sown in the hotbed; Sweet Potatoes, put in to 
sprout and planted out next month; and a few Cucumber seeds 
for an early crop to utilize all the frame space when the other 
plants are set out. 
Lima Beans, Squash, and the tender vegetables mentioned above 
may be started in dirt bands, or paper pots for setting out later. 
Flower Garden and Grounds 
If not already done, uncover Roses, examine for scale, and if found, 
spray. When the buds begin to swell, prune back the hybrids 
over the surface soil to keep weeds in check. 
Finish pruning late flowering shrubs. Prune and tie up vines on walls, 
arbors, and trellises. 
Sweet-peas to be sown outdoors as soon as possible, so they may 
root deeply before hot weather overtakes them. Plant out those 
that have been started under glass. 
Asters, and Stocks are very successful from sowings made outdoors 
this month; and sowings may be made of such Annuals as do not 
transplant very well; e. g., Mignonette, Alyssum, Poppy, Hun- 
nemania, Eschscholtzia, Lavatera rosea, Lupinus, as well as 
Candytuft, Nasturtiums, Centaurea, Marigold. 
Plant Gladiolus for early flowering. 
The Lawn and Walks 
Clean the lawn of weeds, filling holes thus made with good soil and 
reseeding. As soon as the grass is long enough to reach the blades 
of the machine it should be cut. Promote a strong root growth of 
grass by mowing frequently, but never cut extremely close. 
Roll light soils where hand machines are used for mowing; but where 
heavy horse or power machines with a big roller are in use, enough 
rolling is done while mowing, and particularly on heavy soils 
inclined to pack and become hard. 
As soon as the mud has dried up sufficiently attend to roads, drives, 
and walks. Keep the original edges of these as much as possible. 
Use the scuffle hoe for weeds on the drive, or a good weed-killer 
if it can be applied without injuring the edges of the adjoining 
lawn. Repair ragged edges of turf by inserting pieces of sod, or by 
adding soil and seeding down. 
Frames and Hotbeds 
Useful as these simple structures are for raising early plants for setting 
outdoors weeks ahead of the time they would otherwise be ob- 
tained, they become indispensable as an adjunct to the greenhouse 
for hardening off stock prior to planting out. 
Harden all early planted material by giving plenty of ventilation 
on all favorable occasions. With longer days and more sun 
power, water will be required in greater quantity. Water thor- 
oughly too, avoiding the “little and often” plan which dampens 
the surface soil, whilst the roots of the little plants underneath are 
really dry. 
Provide plenty of covering when a cold night is expected. Weeks 
of hard work can be undone by one belated cold spell. 
Pansies, Myosotis, Daisies, Canterbury-bells, Aquilegias, Foxgloves, 
etc., carried over winter in coldframes, to be got into the beds of 
borders they are to occupy to give space in the frames for other 
purposes. 
'35 
