THE 'MONTH'S REMINDER—NT)FEMEER 
Copyright, 1923, Douhleday, Page Sr Company 
How to Use This Guide. When referring to the time for out¬ 
door work of any sort latitude 40 at sea level (i. e. New York 
City) in a normal season is taken as standard; but at best 
dates can only be approximate. Roughly, the season ad¬ 
vances or recedes 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 hun¬ 
dred feet of altitude. 
IUCK up your garden comfortably for the 
hard frosts ahead, cover tender things, 
gather in the last crops, and then turn in 
Iffp earnest to the under-glass gardening ac¬ 
tivities which so pleasantly enliven win¬ 
ter months—whether on the fairly large scale of 
greenhouse interests or the less exacting but still entertaining problem of 
keeping plants healthy, green, and aflower in the windows of living 
room and sun-porch. 
The Cleaning-up and New Start for the Flower Garden 
Cut off and burn all flower stalks. 
Gather up the stakes and put them away for another season. 
Get the mulching material to some convenient place and apply it after 
the ground freezes sufficiently. 
Fall-sown Sweet-peas flower much earlier than spring-sown. In the 
vicinity of New York and the colder sections of the North Atlantic 
states protection (i. e. a mulch) is essential. Sow as late as possi¬ 
ble before snow comes. 
Plant all spring-flowering bulbs as soon as possible—-there’s nothing to 
be won by delay, and much may be lost. 
Start giving protection to such things as tender Hydrangeas, Boxwoods, 
Rhododendrons, and Hemlocks in exposed situations. 
Protect slightly f oxgloves, Sweet Williams, Clove Pinks, Yuccas, etc., 
which remain more or less green all winter. They must not be 
covered completely. 
Madonna Lily, Oriental Poppy, Eremurus, Spanish Iris, etc., which 
grow at the top during mild spells in winter can stand only a loose, 
light covering held in place with a few twigs. A heavy covering 
for such plants spells disaster. 
Perennials may be planted until the ground freezes up. 
Lift and store, preferably in a dry, cool cellar, Montbretias, Cannas, 
Dahlias, Gladiolus, and other tender summer-flowering bulbs. 
Cannas winter well under a greenhouse bench. 
Cut everlasting flowers such as Gomphrenas and Straw-flowers be¬ 
fore they are badly frozen, and hang up indoors to dry. 
Dig over vacant beds and leave as rough as possible. 
Storing Dahlias 
When digging Dahlia roots do not let them lie exposed to the .sun for 
more than two or three hours before being carried to the storage 
cellar. Store them upside down, to drain from the base of the old 
stems any moisture, which otherwise not infrequently causes decay 
during the winter. 
The best method of wintering Dahlias is upside down on the floor of 
a frost-proof cellar, and covered with moist (not wet) sand. 
Salvaging Late Vegetables 
Celery to be stored some time during the month and all root vegetables 
to be dug without delay and stored in trenches; or an old box or 
barrel buried in the ground may be utilized. Better still is to store 
in moist sand in a cold, frost-proof cellar. 
Put Cabbage in trenches upside down and cover the heads. 
Cut off the tops of the Asparagus plants and burn them. Cultivate 
between the rows, and when the ground freezes apply a mulch of 
manure. 
Protect French Artichokes by laying some fine brush over them before 
covering with corn stalks or other coarse litter. 
Late crops of Lettuce outdoors will keep for a long time if protected 
with hay, straw, or leaves. If frost is too severe to handle out¬ 
doors, lift the plants and store them upside down on a cool cellar 
Details of how to do each item may be found in the current 
or back issues of The Garden Magazine —it is manifestly 
impossible to make each number of the magazine a complete 
manual of practice. References to back numbers may 
be looked up in the index to each completed volume 
(sent gratis upon request); and to further help the 
reader we have a “Service Department" which will be 
glad to cite references to any special topic, if asked 
for by mail, and also to send persona! replies to 
specific questions; a stamped, addressed envelope being 
enclosed. 
floor. If the supply of Brussels-sprouts ex¬ 
ceeds the needs of the family, the surplus 
may be lifted and stored in trenches, like 
Cabbage. 
Squash and Pumpkins to be stored in a dry, cool 
cellar before frost touches them. 
Potatoes in storage to be picked over. A greater percentage of bad 
tubers will be found now than at any subsequent period. 
Coldframes where Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Lettuce are planted to be 
given regular ventilation by lifting the sash on warm days. On the 
approach of cold weather, straw mats, burlaps, and shutters laid 
on top of sash will be a great protection. 
Choice Evergreens to be Shielded 
Protect specimen evergreens by Pine and Spruce branches worked into 
a network of wire attached to posts driven into the ground about 
the plants. This is preferable to driving the ends of the cut 
branches into the ground. Protecting specimen evergreens by 
wrapping in straw needs some care, because if the circulation of 
air be interfered with damp rot will be caused. Wrapping with 
burlap is preferable to wrapping with straw. 
Most evergreens have a quantity of surface roots which makes mulching 
essential to protect them from alternate freezing and thawing. 
A heavy mulch of leaves or manure with plenty of litter in it is an. 
ideal protection. 
Window Boxes and House Plants 
The window boxes may be made to extend their mission of cheer and 
beauty through the winter months if they are filled with evergreens- 
such as golden and green Retinisporas, Evonymus, Boxwoods, 
Hemlocks, Ivies, etc. Or branches of White Pine, Holly, Laurel,. 
Cedar, etc., may be stuck into sand placed in the boxes. Among 
these may be placed bunches of red Sumac berries, Hardy Hydran¬ 
gea flowers, or Straw-flowers; also still available are the Barberries, 
Bittersweet, Cat-tails, etc., and by keeping a few crumbs on the 
window-sill for the birds through the long winter days, one can 
secure a world of beauty and pleasure. 
Tender Hydrangeas may be buried in soil to protect them, 
or empty barrels minus the bottom and top may be placed over 
them and filled with leaves. 
Plants in tubs that have been gradually dried off, to be put into frost¬ 
proof pit or cellar. Do not prune, as it will destroy the bloom. 
Bulbs for Indoor Flowering 
Bulb forcing may begin, but go slowly. 
Early planted Freesias to be staked, using 12 in. twigs; give growing 
conditions; feed when buds appear. 
Callas may have liquid manure as they show flower buds; apply freely 
as the plants grow. 
Early planted Hyacinths, and Paperwhite Narcissus to be placed in a 
coolhouse and gently started. 
Roman Hyacinths and Paperwhite Narcissus that have made plenty 
of roots can be placed in a temperature of 50 degrees, and batches 
brought in every ten days to maintain a succession. 
Small-flowering Gladiolus of the Colvillei type to be planted in flats or 
bulb pans and placed in coldframes or coolhouse and brought into- 
heat the latter part of February. 
Amaryllis can be brought into flower. 
As the plants are wanted to flower they can be brought from the cool 
place where they have been stored and placed in the forcing, 
house. Start liquid manure feeding when the buds show. 
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