42 
GRAINS 
VICKS’ GARDEN AND FLORAL GUIDE 
GRAINS 
BARLEY 
Hulless. Hulless, like wheat, whoa threshed. Ripens early and yields about 
ten bushels more per acre than other barley. Pound, 20 cents ; peck, 
65 cents ; bushel, $ 2 . 00 . 
Early Russian Six-Rowed. A valuable sort grown for several seasons 
throughout Western New York, where it has given the very best of satis¬ 
faction. For malting it has no equal; and the yield, as compared with other 
varieties, is enormous. Pound, 15 cents ; peck, 40 cents ; bushel, $ 1 . 00 . 
Vermont Champion. Early and prolific. Peck, 50 cents ; bushel,$ 1 . 50 . 
Manshurey. '1 he most productive six-rowed variety. Ripens early, with 
strong, stiff straw. Peck, 50 cents ; bushel, $ 1 . 50 . 
BUCKWHEAT 
New Japanese. The yield of this variety is largely in excess of the old 
one. The straw is heavier and more branching, kernels twice the size of the 
old kinds, ripening a week earlier, while the flour made from it is fully equal 
to that of any other variety. Pound, 20 cents ; peck ,40 cents ; bushel,$ 1 . 10 . 
FIELD CORN For Field Corn, see page 15 . 
OATS 
Vick’s Improved American Banner. The seed now offered as the 
Improved American Banner Oat is the very best. After thousands of trials, 
in all parts of the country, its fame is higher and more secure than ever 
before ; in fact it stands as the banner Oat. An average of 80 pounds have 
been raised from one pound of seed, and 100 bushels from an acre. The 
grain is white, large, and plump, ripens early; straw stiff and of good length. 
Can be sown thinner than ordinary oats. Postpaid, pound, 20 cents; 
three pounds, 50 cents. Peck, 35 cents; bushel, $ 1 . 00 . For large 
quantities, special prices. 
New King Oat. The King is a new, white, side oat, having a strong straw, 
from five to six feet in height, and does not lodge. The grain is plump and 
heavy, having large meat and thin husk. While the oat crops in 1900 and 
1901 were almost failures, both in quantity and quality, showing much 
rust, the King Oat, owing to its hardiness and vigor, yielded enormously, 
on both heavy and light soils, with only ordinary cultivation. Thoroughly 
tested on our farm, with all leading varieties, it has proven itself a superior 
variety, both in quality and quantity. Pound, 20 cents ; three lbs., 
50 cents ; peck, 35 cents; bushel, $ 1 . 00 ; in lots of over 10 bushels, 
special price on application. 
RYE 
Spring Rye. This variety has been developed simply by planting Winter 
Rye in the spring and selecting the seed so produced for several years. The 
standard variety for spring planting. Peck. 50 cents ; bushel, $ 1 . 50 . 
White Winter. Much prized for its straw, also for plowing under as a green 
manure. The ordinary fall sown variety, of which we offer choice selected 
stocks only. Peck, 40 cents ; bushel, $ 1 . 00 . 
WHEAT 
SPRING—Saskatchewan Fife. Has the general characteristics of Scotch 
Fife, from which it has descended by careful selection, but is a marked 
improvement in point of earliness, hardiness, productiveness, and purity. 
Highly endorsed by leading wheat growers. Peck, 50 cents ; bush. $ 1 . 50 . 
WINTER—Klondyke. A new and most excellent white variety, beardless, 
with good straw, withstands the ravages of the Hessian Fly, and stands 
the winter better than the older varieties. Yields not less than thirty 
bushels per acre. Will become a standard variety when generally known. 
Pound, 20 cents ; peck, 50 cents ; bushel; $ 1 . 50 . 
Dis. apart. 
12 x 1 In 
12 x 3 “ 
12 x 12 “ 
10 x 1 “ 
18 x 1 “ . 
18 x 3 “ . 
18 x 12 “ . 
18 x 18 “ . 
Number of Plants or Trees to the Acre at Given Distances. 
No. plants. 
.522,720 
.174.240 
. 43,560 
.392.040 
.348,480 
.116,1G0 
. 29,040 
Dis. apart. 
No. plants. 
20 x 1 In .. 
. 
20 x 20 “ .. 
. 15.681 
24 x 1 “ .. 
. 261,360 
24 x 18 “ .. 
. 15,520 
24 x 24 “ .. 
. 10,890 
30 x 1 “ .. 
. 209,088 
30 x 6 “ .. 
. 84 ,$48 
30 x 12 “ .. 
. 17,424 
Pis. apart. No. plants. 
30 x 10 In. 13,068 
30 x 20 “ . 10,454 
80 x 24 ,4 . 8,712 
30 x 30 “ . 6,970 
36 x 3 “ . 58,080 
36 x 12 “ . 14,520 
36 x 18 “ . 9,680 
33 x 24 “ . 7,260 
Dis. apart. No. plants. 
36 x 30 In. 5,808 
86 x 86 “ . 4.840 
42 x 12 “ . 12,446 
42 X 24 “ . 6,223 
42 x 36 “ ..'. 4,148 
42 x 42 “ . 3,556 
48 x 12 “ . 10,$90 
48 x 18 “ . 7,790 
Pis. apart. No. plants. 
4S x 24 In. 5,445 
48 X 30 “ . 4.356 
48 X 36 “ . 3,630 
48 x 48 “ . 2.723 
60 x 86 “ . 2,901 
GO x 48 “ . 2.178 
60 x 60 “ . 1.743 
8 x 1 Ft . 5.445 
8 x 3 “ . 1,815 
Pis. apart. No. plants. 
8 x 8 Ft. 680 
10 x 1 “ . 4,356 
10 X 6 “ . 726 
10 X 10 “ . 435 
12 x 1 “ . 3,630 
18 x 5 “ . 736 
12 x 12 “ . 802 
16 x l “ . 2.722 
16 x 16 “ . 170 
HINTS ON SOWING SEEDS AND TRANSPLANTING 
Sowing Seed. In seed sowing a great deal of skill can be acquired, and 
those who know least about it are the ones who usually are loudest in their com¬ 
plaints about bad seeds. It is an advantage with many kinds of seed to sow 
them early, as in the case of onions, which should be sown as early in spring as 
the ground can be prepared, but cucumbers and egg plants must wait until the 
ground is warm. Lettuce seed may be scattered on the snow or frozen ground, 
and as a result will give an early crop, but little zinnia plants would 
perish in the cold, even if the seeds germinated when treated the same way. 
When to Sow Seeds. Although, as has been shown, some kinds may be 
put into the ground very early, yet as a rule, seed sowing cannot be safely done 
until frost is all out of the ground and the upper soil has become warm. Some 
people are so anxious to make their gardens that they do not wait until it is 
warm enough, and every spring a great many seeds are sown which start and 
are then cut down by the frost. 
Depth to Sow Seeds. For all seeds the soil should be mellow, and for 
small seeds the surface should be raked very fine. An old rule with gardeners 
is to cover seeds so that the soil over them shall be twice the thickness of the 
seed. But something depends on the character of the soil; if it is clayey and 
liable to bake, it is a good plan to have some sand to spread over the seeds, as 
this will allow the young plants to push through easily. After planting press 
down and firm the soil over the seed. 
Grass Mulch for Seeds. When fine seeds are to be sown and dry weather 
or a hot sun is to be feared, it is well to place some short clippings of grass or 
some such material over the rows; when the little plants start this mulch can 
be drawn aside a little. At all times seek to secure for the seeds sufficient 
warmth and moisture. 
Sowing Seeds Under Glass. With many kinds of flowering plants and 
vegetables it is not best to wait until the weather is favorable to sow the seed in 
the open garden, for much better results can be obtained if they are sown earlier 
and the plants arc large enough to put out when the fine weather comes, for our 
seasons are too short to allow of any long time to wait for the plants to grow. 
For this reason we sow seeds in a propagating house or greenhouse, or in boxes 
in the window, or in a hotbed or coldframe, in some place where the plants can 
be protected while it is yet cold, and yet have a temperature in which they will 
thrive. 
Hotbeds. Care is required to prevent scorching the young plants. In bright 
days the heat is intense inside the frame, and unless air is freely given, or some 
course taken to obstruct the rays of the sun, most likely a great portion of the 
plants will be ruined. When the sun gets pretty warm give the glass a thin coat 
of whitewash. This gives a little shade, and, with some air during the middle 
of bright days, will make all safe. The hotbed is made by forming a pile of 
horse manure with the straw used for bedding, or leaves, some three feet in 
height. Shake all together, so that straw and manure will be equally mixed. It 
may be sunk in the ground a foot or eighteen inches, or made on the surface. 
On this place about five inches of good mellow soil. Then set the frame and keep 
it closed until fermentation takes place and the soil is quite warm. It is better 
to wait a day or two after this, and then sow the seeds. 
Coldframe. Some of the advantages of a hotbed can be secured by a cold- 
frame. This is simply a frame with sash, the same as employed for a hotbed, 
placed upon a bed of fine mellow earth, in some sheltered place in the garden. 
The heat of the sun warms the soil, and, as the air is confined, the warmth and 
moisture cannot escape. After the frame is secured in its place a couple of 
inches of fine earth should be placed inside and the frame closed for a day or two 
before the seeds are planted. As the col.'frame depends upon the sun for 
warmth, it must not be started as soon as the hotbed, and in this latitude the 
latter part of April is soon enough. Plants will then be large enough for trans¬ 
planting to the open ground as soon as danger from frost is over, and, as a 
general thing, they will be hardier and better able to endure the shock of trans¬ 
planting than if grown in a hotbed. A frame of this kind anyone can manage. 
Watering occasionally will be necessary; and air must be given on bright, 
warm days. Shade also is necessary. 
Hand-Glasses. A frame, or box, with a couple of lights of glass on top, 
prevents the drying of the surface of the ground, and affords the plants shelter 
from sudden changes, cold storms, and frosty nights. Seeds may be sown in the 
house in pots, or boxes-, but the greatest difficulty is that the soil diicsvcry 
rapidly in them, and young plants are apt to suffer. A very good plan is to 
cover the pot with a pane of glass, removing it occasionally for air. Where 
very fine seeds are sown in pots, the watering, unless carefully done, gcncrnlly 
results in great injury. A wet paper placed over the top of the pot will afford 
moisture enough for the germination of fine seeds. If pots arc used it is well to 
sink them to the rim in a box of moss, or something of the kind, that will hold 
moisture, and prevent the drying of the earth in the pots. A shallow box may 
be used to advantage, sowing the seed carefully in narrow drills. 
Transplanting. All the operations of the garden should he done with neat¬ 
ness ; no crooked irregular rows are admissible. After plants in the seed! cds 
have obtained their second leaves and made an inch or two in growth, they 
should be moved to the garden beds or border. This should be done on a dull 
day, if possible ; if not, the plants may require shading after removal until they 
become established. In transplanting in dry weather, always give the plants 
as they stand in the seedbed a good soaking with v/ater, and also the soil to 
which they are removed, an hour or so before removal. In removing, disturb 
the roots as little as possible. 
These helps are intended mainly for tender or half hardy annuals. The 
hardy annuals may be sown where they are to flower, though, with the excep¬ 
tion of a few varieties difficult to transplant, it is best to sow all in a seedbed. 
