July, 1918 Ob* Slower (Brower 
A War Time Flower Garden. 
John Johnson, (Massachusetts,) in Gardeners’ Chronicle of America. 
T HE STORY OF WAR gardens and the 
conservation of the various lorces calcu- 
lated to win democracy for the entire 
universe is a story now growing old, but not 
without interest. Our entry into the world 
war signalized a great reinforcement to the 
allied cause, a reinforcement such as the 
spirit of co-operation could alone establish. 
Community war gardens were planted, and 
everywhere a strenuous effort was waged to 
increase the nation’s food supply by this 
simple means. We have a new “crop” of 
gardeners, and in this class are many worthy 
of encouragement, while a few— indeed a 
a very few, we must disparage. The few we 
disparage are those who, inebriated with the 
spectacular significance of the operation, 
wrought destruction on their home grounds. 
At the hands of a few persons only too eager 
to display a willingness to “do their bit,” 
lawns and flower gardens alike suffered 
much abuse. The devastation of pleasur- 
able retreats was quite uncalled for, and as 
for the amount of growing space thus ren- 
dered available for food production, it was 
indeed a negligible quantity. Far from 
“ Hooverizing ” or otherwise “ mobilizing ” 
the forces by which this war must be won, 
such practices at once betoken dissipation of 
valuable resources, the wanton abuse of ma- 
terial, time and energy. Appropriately and 
very justifiably must we bend the balance 
of both mental and physical force in favor 
of vegetable culture — the production of food- 
stuffs— but the abolition of flower gardening 
would at once be an act of intemperance 
akin to the most dissolute vice. 
Grow some flowers. Make the garden 
fulfil its mission. If you would have a gar- 
den, make it attractive and interesting ; 
drape it with lively hues and fill the air with 
refreshing odor. 
With our resources this year taxed to the^ 
utmost extent, less sumptuous displays must 
perforce satisfy our ambition. Means have 
been radically circumscribed during the past 
year, and there seems little hope for any im- 
mediate improvement in this respect. It 
therefore behooves lovers of the flower gar- 
den to apprehend the possibilities of a dis- 
play for the coming season that will involve 
the least possible expenditure of both time 
and money. The “aristocrats” of the gar- 
den— the things requiring greenhouse pro- 
tection all winter — will be almost out of the 
question as bedding plants. In view of this 
limitation, let us then survey the field for 
ready and suitable material for planting the 
flower garden. 
Considering a great proportion of really 
magnificent flowering plants maybe econom- 
ically raised from seed with ease and 
within a short space of time, the source of 
suitable material is not far to seek. Hardy 
and half-hardy annual flowering plants and 
others which lend themselves so admirably 
to a similar mode of treatment offer limitless 
variety upon which to draw for bedding 
purposes. 
In this class of plants alone we have great 
diversity of coloring combining with quali- 
ties of freshness and elegantly tasselled 
foliage. For brilliancy and as cut flowers 
they stand unsurpassed. A careful selection 
of the different kinds renders possible a 
continuity of bloom throughout the entire 
growing season. There are some which are 
showy and lasting, others gay but fleeting. 
The first we would rank equal to the best of 
“ true bedders,” while the latter afford the 
advantage of everchanging displays, for those 
which do not remain in good shape the 
entire season through may, with a little 
careful planning, be replaced by others to 
maintain a succession of bloom. The Pan- 
sies, Forget-me-nots and English Daisy raised 
from sowings made in the open ground last 
August are already giving of their best, and 
although very gorgeous indeed this display 
is but a foretaste of the array we plan to 
follow. 
Sowings of all the hardy and half hardy 
annuals may be done with every degree of 
confidence from now on, and, of course, 
without the assistance of glass. The exact 
time of sowing the various kinds must be 
determined by local conditions and to meet 
certain demands, but for hurried displays 
the kinds which flower within a short time 
of sowing must be chosen. Such kinds as 
Alyssum, Shirley Poppy, Drummond’s Phlox, 
Gypsophila and Balsam, well adapted for the 
purpose. For genuine bedding effects Stocks, 
Asters, Linums, Antirrhinum, Phlox Drum- 
mondii, Zinnia, Nemesia, Larkspur, Clarkia, 
Balsam, Salvia, Petunia, Verbena and Mari- 
gold are a few of the many really handsome 
subjects available. The list might be greatly 
extended and still include plants of equal 
merit and quite appropriate for the purpose 
of embellishment, but the few named may 
serve to illustrate our point. Pansies and 
Forget-Me-Nots may be had a blaze of color 
through May and June, but after this time 
the brightness will gradually vanish. The 
ground may then be given over to such 
kinds as Drummond’s Phlox, or Antirrhin- 
ums for succession, and the beds will again 
be made attractive for another two months ; 
as these begin to fade, this same ground can 
again be planted with either Stocks or As- 
ters, and thus the display of flowers may 
continue until killing frosts put an end to 
them. What could be more pleasing at little 
expense, or give greater variety, than some 
such scheme of planting? Nor is this type 
of plant to which we have reference very 
exacting in its requirements. Many, indeed, 
are less tender and less fastidious regarding 
cultural treatment than is generally sup- 
posed. Under rough and ready treatment a 
vast number of them respond in astounding 
fashion. We have seen splendid masses of 
the most gorgeous coloring and delicate 
fragrance by broadcasting the seed of 
such kinds as the Shirley Poppy, Portu- 
laca, Gypsophila elegans. Candytufts, Mig- 
nonette, Alyssum, Saponasia calabrica, San- 
vitalia, Platystemon and Kaulfussia. Among 
these last named are plants which we know 
are capable of producing the most enchant- 
ing results when sown haphazardly in certain 
sunny positions, and upon certain poor and 
dry soils, which have proved otherwise al- 
most prohibitive of cultivation. On the other 
hand, for the more damp and shady positi- 
tions, we always have choice of some very 
valuable material in the Forget-Me-Not, 
Venus’ Looking Glass, Pansy and Nemophila 
insignis. Again, for covering trellises with 
effect and for screening unsightly corners to 
admirable advantage, what could be more 
appropriate or more beautiful than Sweet 
Peas, Cobeas, Climbing Nasturtiums, and 
’ Convolvulus, or even that old-time warrior 
of the vegetable garden, the Scarlet Runner 
Bean ? Lastly, and as a redeeming feature, 
for the purpose of giving a genuine touch of 
floral enchantment to the home in the depth 
of winter, we might grow a few, if only a 
very few, of the greatly despised “ everlast- 
ing” examples of which are the Acrocliniums 
and Helichrysums. 
Of vital importance it is that we grow 
vegetables and still more vegetables as food 
to maintain our physical force, but pertinent 
indeed is it that we neglect not the under- 
pinning of our ideals— provide an occasional 
feast for the mind — grow some flowers! 
75 
Raising Seedling Dahlias. 
The most interesting thing in gardening is 
the raising of new kinds in flowers. Before 
beginning, one must be prepared for plenty 
of disappointments, but experience is gained 
thereby. The very best varieties must be 
selected. Young plants are best for seeding, 
and grow them as for exhibition, i. e., thin- 
ning out the shoots and disbudding, and the 
ground must be prepared by leaving it to lie 
rough through the winter, working plenty 
of manure in. Procure some nice sturdy 
plants, and place them out at the end of 
May, giving them plenty of room — four feet 
between the rows and three feet between 
the plants. Place a strong stake to each. 
By the end of July the side shoots will want 
attending. Gradually thin them out until 
about five of the best are left. More stakes 
will now be needed to secure them, but do 
not leave this too long, for strong winds will 
easily break them off at the joints. The 
plants must not be allowed to get dry, for 
that will mean failure. By the end of Au- 
gust they should be coming nicely into 
bloom. The first flower or so is not of much 
use for seeding, so is best cut off. One will 
find as time goes on that the flowers will 
show an eye as soon as the bloom is past its 
best. These are the ones we want. As the 
petals die off they must be pulled out — this 
is most important; and they will require to 
be gone over about every other day. A 
camel’s hair brush is best for the purpose of 
cross fertilizing, which is done about mid- 
day on a dry day. Some flowers can be left 
to chance, for the bees will work among 
them with good results. Keep pulling the 
dying petals off until there are none left. 
The seed case will be almost closed by now. 
In a month or five weeks it should be fit for 
cutting, but unless the weather is frosty it is 
best on the plant. If it has to be cut in an 
unfinished state, cut with long stems, and 
place them in jars of water in a dry, airy 
place, where there is heat. Keep changing 
the water and take a little off the stems now 
and again. After about ten days, hang up 
to dry. They will soon start drying off, and 
will commence to open, but do not disturb 
the seed until the pod is completely dry. If 
the pods feel crisp you can expect the seed 
to be all right. February is a good time for 
sowing, using shallow boxes. A temperature 
from 60°F. to 65°F. is best. Some of the 
seeds will germinate in a week, while others 
will take as long as six weeks. These are 
the best, as a rule, so take more care of 
them. When the small seedlings are large 
enough, prick them off into other boxes. 
They will soon be ready for potting into small 
pots, and from these they can be planted out 
at the end of May in good ground. About a 
foot each way is plenty of room, for as soon 
as they start to flower so will the thinning 
out commence, for there will certainly be 
lots of bad ones. This is the most interest- 
ing time, for one never knows what to ex- 
pect; a new shape or color might appear. 
Take care of anything you think an improve- 
ment, but only save the very best. One 
good one in fifty is a fair average .— Journal 
of Horticulture. 
The Editor’s five hundred feet of 
Japanese Barberry hedge, two years 
set, came through one of the most try- 
ing winters ever known in this section 
without the slightest apparent dam- 
age. The Japanese Barberry is one of 
the most useful and beautiful hedge 
plants for northern sections and it 
should be utilized and substituted for 
the common Barberry wherever pos- 
sible. The common barberry, as noted 
on the opposite page, should be de- 
stroyed, but the Japanese Barberry 
must not be confused with it. 
