July, 1910 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
55 
1st to the 10th (the best crop of potatoes 
the writer ever grew was planted August 
15th and harvested November 15th), it is 
well to sprout the seed potatoes, if the 
eyes have not started well, before plant¬ 
ing. This is done by spreading the pota¬ 
toes in a cool, shady place and keeping 
covered with moist earth or other like 
material for two or three weeks. Plant 
on a level or, if in well drained land, in 
furrows, firming the soil well over the 
seed potatoes. The soil thus prepared 
and planted, little remains to be done until 
harvest. 
Cabbage seed drilled in rows where 
crop is to be grown in the latter part of 
July should begin to head early in Octo¬ 
ber. No better time than the latter half 
of July to plant melons, cucumbers, 
squash, table corn, okra, and practically 
the whole list of short-lived vegetables 
such as beans and turnips. 
With fertile soil properly prepared 
and plenty of water judiciously applied, 
our fall and early winter garden, in point 
of variety, quality and yield, often equals 
and, sometimes excels, that of spring and 
summer. During the rainy period, which 
usually comes in July and lasts from ten 
days to two weeks, no oportunity should 
be lost to put garden soil in ideal condi¬ 
tion for the crops which are to occupy it 
for the balance of the season. Lose this 
opportunity and it may be best to abandon 
the garden until the time to begin opera¬ 
tions for the succeeding spring. 
Shingle Roofs 
TN laying shingles there are a few points 
-t to be observed. Use galvanized iron 
nails and always use two nails to a 
shingle—three in cases of wide shingles. 
Break joints by at least one inch—more 
if possible, and do not make a joint over 
a nailhead. Lay no whole shingles wider 
than eight inches. If wider, split or 
mark deeply with the hatchet so as to 
break joints and also to eliminate the 
danger of chance breakage; then nail as 
two shingles. It is better to bend the 
shingle first to see if it develops a weak 
place—such is the natural place to sever 
it. When it is advisable to keep one edge 
of a shingle at a fixed point, nail that 
edge only—shingles shrink and expand as 
long as there is any life left in the wood. 
If shingles are damp when aid they should 
be laid fairly close; if dry, the joints 
should be slightly open to allow for swell¬ 
ing when wet. A dry shingle laid tight 
will swell and buckle when wet, and such 
things are not good for a roof. 
C. E. H. 
Palatable Poison 
TF powdered sugar is added to borax the 
roaches you wish to destroy will more 
readily feed on it. Do not add too much 
of the sugar. A small amount is all that 
is necessary. C. K. F. 
Hicks Trees for August Planting 
Every one of the evergreen family can be 
transplanted with success during last of July and 
through August. In doing such planting now, 
your other trees are in full foliage so 
you can tell exactly where the Spruce, > 
Pines, Hemlocks, Firs, Cedars, or [ 
Arbor Vitae can be placed to best ad- -,. ; ^ 
vantage, either for effects or as screens, jix' 
We have an unusually fine lot of all 
these trees in our Nursery now—quite 
the finest of any year yet. In the small¬ 
er ones, there are, for example: 40,000 
White Spruce that are five years old 
and one to three feet high. You can 
buy these in goodly numbers for a 
surprisingly low sum for their kind. 
This little sketch shows how 
effectually a few red cedars 
screened a Long Island 
residence. 
There are also 800 Red Cedars from 10 to 28 feet high, 
that are ideal for landscape effects or as all year round 
screens. 
The special advantage you have in 
securing your trees of all kinds from us, 
is that you can buy them small if you 
want to, or the fine big specimens that 
give you an immediate result with all 
the discouragingly long,“grow up wait” 
left out. 
To further convince you of the su¬ 
periority of our tree growing and hand¬ 
ling methods, send for our new catalog, 
“Hicks Trees.” It is an untechnical. 
readable, likable sort of catalog filled 
with illustrations that are out of the 
usual. 
Isaac HicKs (SL Son 
Westbury, Long Island 
A Substitute for Bordeaux Mixture 
10-gal. keg, making 1,500 gallons Spray, delivered at any 
R. R. station in U. S. for $12.50. Prompt shipments. 
Write to-day for full information 
B.G. PRATT CO., Mfg. Chemists 
50 Church St., New York City 
Pot tji^iM mvberrv 
AiiaafiWs 
The best varieties, both new 
and old, and the best methods of 
planting to raise a full crop of straw¬ 
berries next year, are fully particu¬ 
larized in 
Mid-Summer Catalogue 
Also the best varieties of Celery, Cabbage 
Plants, etc. 
A most complete list of the Best Hardy 
Perennial Seeds for summer sowing. 
Also vegetable and farm seeds for summer 
and fall sowing. Select list of seasonable deco¬ 
rative and flowering plants. 
Write for a copy and kindly 
mention this magazine — FREE. 
HENRY A. DREER 
PHILADELPHIA 
hi writing to advertisers please mention House and Garden. 
