CONDUCTED BY F. F. ROCKWELL 
Author of Home Vegetable Gardening and Gardening 
Indoors and Under Glass 
The July Garden 
ORK in the garden, which is a joy 
in May and a pleasure in June, is 
likely to be drudgery in July. The antici¬ 
pation of planting always lends more zest 
to the job than one usually finds with the 
realization of maturity, which is often 
more or less disappointing. But partial or 
total failure of the various crops, or even 
of some of the flowers, is in many cases 
due to negligence in careful watching for 
the first sign of trouble, whether it be 
caused by insects, diseases, drouth, weeds, 
or general neglect in the way of cultiva¬ 
tion, keeping fruits or flowers picked, etc. 
Last Call for Planting 
Although many gardeners do practically 
no planting after the first of July, there 
are still many plants which may be put in, 
and a number which certainly be put in. 
For the vacant spaces there may be in your 
garden, here are some excellent things 
which, if planted without delay, will be 
quite certain to mature (if you have an 
irrigation system they will be very sure 
to) : Golden Bantam sweet corn; Laxton- 
ian or Blue Bantam peas, both dwarf; All 
Seasons, Deacon or Cos lettuce; Bountiful 
and Brittle Wax beans, sown at same time, 
will ripen in succession; White Egg or 
Amber Globe turnips, according to taste 
(we still have on hand in the cellar at this 
date, May io, a supply of both of these 
sorts from seed sown last July, which are 
almost as firm and sweet as if freshly 
dug!) ; radishes, in variety; Davis Perfect 
cucumbers; and early potatoes, if you are 
willing to take a chance on an early killing 
frost. Remember, however, that success 
with any of these from late sowings de- 
pands largely upon the possibility of get¬ 
ting a quick, strong germination, and, un¬ 
less the soil is very moist, or you have irri¬ 
gation, this will in turn depend largely 
upon making the seed firm in the soil 
either with a roller, hoe or the ball of the 
foot. For firming comparatively large 
seeds, such as peas and, beans, I sometimes 
use a wheelbarrow, with a moderate 
weight in it. Transplanting which has 
been done at this time of the year, such 
as late cabbage and cauliflower, celery, 
etc., likewise demands special precaution 
in making the plants very firm when set¬ 
ting them out. If water has to be used, 
put it in the bottom of the hole before 
planting. 
In the Flower Garden 
In the flower garden, too, there are 
many things to think of now. What has 
been said above in regard to watering ap¬ 
plies to flowers as well, especially applying 
water at the base of single plants. Mulch¬ 
ing the flower-beds is also a good thing to 
do. For this purpose the weekly clippings 
from the lawn-mower are excellent; sim¬ 
ply spread them about in a thick enough 
layer to shade the soil. Old spent manure, 
rotted leaves, and rakings may also be 
used to advantage in this way. 
A number of plants in the flower garden 
will require staking, and this should be at¬ 
tended to at once if it has not already been 
done. A pound of green raffia, which may 
be purchased at little expense at your flor¬ 
ists, will be the best thing to tie them up 
with — soft, strong and inconspicuous. 
Many plants do better and look better if 
supported by three or four stakes placed 
about them, slanted outward from the 
base, and fastened together with stout 
string, than if tied. 
Taking Up Old Bulbs 
After the last of the Darwin, Breeder, 
and late flowering tulips get through flow¬ 
ering, and the leaves begin to turn yellow, 
which indicates that the bulbs are begin¬ 
ning to ripen, take them up and spread 
them out in a light, airy place protected 
from rain, to ‘‘dry ofif” completely. If they 
are still green and growing when you need 
the beds for something else, life them and 
heel them in in a narrow trench somewhere 
out of the way, to mature further before 
drying ofif. If they have been planted care¬ 
fully in properly spaced rows, they may be 
left in the ground and other plants set out 
between them; but. as a rule, taking the 
bulbs up and replanting them in the fall is 
no more trouble and gives much better 
opportunity for thoroughly working up 
and enriching the beds. 
During this season, as the various flow¬ 
ers, shrubs and summer bulbs come into 
bloom, you should make a record of the 
things which you see in your neighbors’ 
gardens or at the nurserymen’s or florist's 
which are especially fine. Some of the 
things which I would especially suggest 
your looking up new varieties of are ger¬ 
aniums, cannas, gladioli, tuberous-rooted 
begonias, cosmos, celosia, snapdragons, 
stocks and asters. Of the shrubs and 
hardy perennials which you may come 
across that you think you would like to 
add to your collection, many can be bought 
now in potted plants, growing, ready to 
set into the ground and give immediate 
results. This is a comparatively new 
method of handling this class of plants 
which the leading nurserymen are devel¬ 
oping. 
In the Fruit Garden 
Both fruit trees and small fruits should 
be watched carefully at this season for 
injury from insects and the regular sum¬ 
mer-spraying carried on conscientiously. 
Combined bordeaux and arsenate of lead 
takes care of most things. On partly de¬ 
veloped crops, such as currants or cabbage 
that is beginning to head, use helebore. 
which may be easily washed ofif. On 
dwarf fruit trees see that the fruit is 
thinned out, if too many have set, and 
where they touch. Go over the grape 
vines and rub ofif all buds which may have 
started since the spring pruning. As soon 
as raspberries and blackberries are through 
fruiting, go over the patch and cut clear to 
the ground the old canes, and all of the 
new ones except those which are desired 
for next year’s crop—four to six canes. 
These should be shortened back at four 
to six feet, according to the vigor of the 
variety. Any canes which appear diseased 
should be immediately cut and burned. 
In applying sprays, be sure first that the 
solution is of the right strength for the 
purpose: second, that it is kept continu¬ 
ously agitated so that there is no sediment; 
third, that every portion of foliage, bark 
or fruit is covered. 
42 
