Stake out the position for beds and borders 
What to Plant this Fall and How 
WORK IN OCTOBER THAT WILL SAVE TIME NEXT APRIL AND MAY—WHERE TO PLANT- 
PROPER PREPARATION OF THE SOIL—THE ANTE-FREEZING GROWTH—WINTER PROTECTION 
BY D. R. Edson 
Photographs by R. S. Lemmon 
F the opportunities which the aver¬ 
age gardener frequently over¬ 
looks, fall planting is the most 
important. Here Nature practi¬ 
cally offers us a chance to get a 
second spring in the same sea¬ 
son ; yet most of us let the 
chance slip by. We do not fol¬ 
low the numerous examples 
which she herself sets. It is true 
that the impulse for fall planting 
does not get into one's blood 
quite so feverishly as the spring 
itch for gardening; but it is also 
true that quite a number of 
things may be planted to better 
„ . ! , . , . . , . advantage in the fall than in the 
spring, and others may be 
planted as well in the fall as in the spring, thus leaving more 
time to attend to the overwhelming number of things which have 
to be done in April and May. Besides, with many classes of 
plants, a whole year can be gained bv planting this fall instead 
of waiting until next spring. 
One of the reasons why fall planting has not become more 
general is that most of the things to be set out now are shrubs 
and roots, instead of seeds; and very many gardeners seem to 
have the idea that there is some hidden mystery or difficulty when 
it comes to planting any of the former. This is an absolutely 
mistaken impression. It is true that shrubs, roots and bulbs cost 
more than seeds; but most of the former last from several years 
to a generation, while the garden from seeds has, for the most part, 
to he planted over again every season—and some of it several 
times during the season. A few dollars judiciously expended will 
give you some mighty interesting work to do this fall, and a 
very satisfactory showing in shrubs, perennials, or small fruits 
next summer. 
There are two things which the fall gardener should learn at 
the outset. The first is, that some of the things sown or planted 
out in the fall have to make a considerable amount of growth be¬ 
fore freezing sets in, whereas others remain dormant, to begin 
growth only with the return of spring weather. The second is, 
just what may be done 
in one's own locality. 
Plants that may succeed 
finely with fall planting in 
one locality, may fail at 
some other point, not far 
distant, and in nearly the 
same latitude. In this, as 
in most other things, ex¬ 
perience is the best 
teacher—but the most ex¬ 
pensive. Lacking per¬ 
sonal experience, that of 
friends or neighbors, or 
the advice of the nursery¬ 
man from whom one 
buys, should be utilized. 
The severity of the win¬ 
ter and the character of 
the summer season both 
have to be taken into con¬ 
sideration. Where a pro¬ 
longed summer drought 
may be expected, fall 
planting, other things be¬ 
ing equal, will give the 
best results with all 
classes of plants for 
which the winter will not 
prove too severe. 
As a general rule the 
classes of plants available 
for fall planting include 
the following : Firm the soil down well with the boot. Don’t 
Shrubs - Practically all be afraid of hurting your plants 
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