GARDEN 
SUGGESTIONS 
aj?c/ 
QUERIES 
CONDUCTED BY F. F. ROCKWELL 
The Fall Garden 
EXT to April and May, October is, 
or should be, the busiest month in 
every gardener’s calendar. And not only 
is it a month when there is a multitude of 
things to do, but it is in many ways the 
most glorious and inspiring month of 
the whole year. Although the days 
are rapidly growing shorter, the invigora¬ 
ting freshness and crispness of amber 
autumn mornings and the peaceful glowing 
afternoons make one eager to take advan¬ 
tage of every moment that can be stolen 
for garden work. Work in the garden is 
no longer a task, as it has been at times 
during the hot days of the last two months, 
when hoeing and weeding and bug-fighting 
wouldn't wait for pleasant weather, but 
becomes again an unadulterated pleasure. 
Order Fall Stock Early 
Much fall planting is done with plants 
already started — shrubs, trees, perennials 
and bulbs. Order early! Stocks of all 
these vary much more than do stocks of 
seeds, and, of course, the nurseryman’s 
rule is, first come, first served. Moreover, 
as most fall-planted things are put in for 
several years, if not permanently, it is es¬ 
pecially desirable to get just what you 
want, without any annoying “substitu¬ 
tions” due to depleted stocks. Shipment 
may be made at any time desired, or left 
to the discretion of the firm from which 
you are buying, who will, if requested, 
send your things along in time for planting 
in your vicinity. 
Preparing for Winter 
In order to avoid overlooking, until too 
late, any of the many things that should be 
attended to before freezing weather, make 
a list of them. There are, for instance, 
crates, boxes and barrels to provide for the 
storing fruits and vegetables ; soil for your 
flats and pots for next spring, when the 
ground is still frozen hard, to be mixed up 
and stored in a box or barrel where it will 
not freeze; perennials to take up and re¬ 
plant or exchange with your neighbors for 
new varieties ; late stray weeds, both in dug 
garden and along walls or fences near it, 
to pull up and burn before they go to 
seed ; fall planting and pruning to do ; pos¬ 
sibly a rose garden or asparagus bed to 
prepare for spring planting; mulching of 
hay or leaves for the strawberry bed and 
the various “borders,” old and new, that 
will require winter protection; new hot¬ 
beds or cold-frames to make; all your 
tools, markers, etc., put away together 
where they may be found when wanted 
again. 
Making Cuttings Root 
October is an ideal time for rooting cut¬ 
tings, or “slips.” With a few hours’ work 
Improvised “flat” for starting cuttings in the fall. 
Spread sack over before watering 
and a little regular care afterward, you can 
readily multiply your supply of geraniums, 
heliotrope, verbenas and similar plants. 
Get one or more boxes or “flats” two or 
three inches deep, bore a few holes in the 
bottom, put in a layer of moss or fibrous 
screenings, and fill nearly level with clean, 
medium-coarse sand. Place these where 
they will be in partial shade and protected 
from storms — a corner of the veranda, 
where they may be covered up on cold 
nights, will be a convenient place. Satur¬ 
ate the sand thoroughly several hours be¬ 
fore you want to put in the cuttings. In 
taking the cuttings, select clean, new 
growth, sufficiently hardened so that it 
will snap when bent between the fingers; 
if it is too soft or too hard it will double 
up without breaking. Cut it off clean, at 
or near a joint, and remove the lower 
leaves, cutting the others back about half 
if they are large. Keep them in a cool, 
shady place long enough to let the cuts 
“heal” a little, but not long enough to let 
the cuttings wilt (if they should, they may 
be revived by placing in water for a 
while), and then insert them firmly in the 
sand, as close together as they will go 
without touching. A dull knife or a large 
nail will help in this operation. Sprinkle 
them sparingly for a few days, just enough 
to keep the foliage moist, until the sand 
begins to dry out, when they may be given 
another thorough watering. If necessary, 
shade with newspapers from the midday 
sun. In ten days to three weeks they will 
be found to be putting out new rootlets 
around the edges of the cut, and then they 
should be potted up in small pots without 
delay, for the longer they are left the more 
likely they are to be injured by potting. 
In potting, give a thorough watering and 
then withhold it, except for an occasional 
sprinkle on the foliage, and shade as be¬ 
fore for a week or so, until they “take 
hold” in their new environment. Plants 
started in this way now will bloom through 
the latter part of the winter and early 
spring and give a supply of cuttings from 
which to start spring plants for the flower 
gardens, where one wishes to use them in 
quantity. 
Exhibit at Your Local Fair 
Amateur growers of flowers and vege¬ 
tables should take an active and, where 
possible, a concerted interest in the affairs 
of local agricultural and horticultural ex¬ 
hibits. Don’t be afraid to show your 
things! Never mind if you are not cer¬ 
tain of winning a first prize. You will 
encourage others — and yourself. By no 
means the least advantage gained will be 
the acquaintances made with other exhibi¬ 
tors, people interested in the same things 
that you are, and with whom you can ex¬ 
change experiences and “points” with mu¬ 
tual advantage. If no such society exists 
in vour neighborhood you can do nothing 
of greater benefit to the community than 
to organize one. 
Start Your Spring Work 
Before the ground freezes hard look 
around and see if you have done every¬ 
thing possible to save the valuable hours 
of the “spring opening.” Soil that is not 
covered with green crops for turning un¬ 
der in the spring may be spaded or 
trenched now to advantage. This not 
only saves the time that would otherwise 
be required to do in the spring, but ground 
prepared now and left as much in ridges 
as possible will be ready to plant sooner. 
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