alfout J^lant 7oo(i5 
0^0 
sibly vegetables, will demand 
more and heavier tools. 
It is impossible to suggest a list of 
tools that will be suitable for the 
gardens and home surroundings of 
all of our readers, since so much 
depends upon the size of the 
garden, the amount of fun one 
j wishes to get out of making things 
grow and whether or not mother 
and the children are going to take 
I a hand in the work. There are, 
ihowever, certain essential tools 
which should be in every gar- 
|dener’s kit where any attempt is 
made to beautify a 50 by 150 ft. 
lot. We list below a few of these 
tools in the order of their impor¬ 
tance for the average home gar¬ 
dener. 
★ ★ ★ 
I 
i 
If your pocket book is limited, buy 
the tools named below in the order 
in which they are listed. You can 
get very well started with the 
first three, for you will have a 
spading fork to turn over the 
ground, a rake to top-dress and 
smooth down the beds, and a 
double purpose hoe for cultivating 
and weeding. The addition of the 
next three tools will make it pos¬ 
sible for you to do almost any¬ 
thing in the garden. 
★ ★ ★ 
I 
1. STANDARD WEIGHT 
SPADING FORK OR 
STURDIER ENGLISH DIG¬ 
GING FORKFORHEAVIER 
WORK 
2. 14-TOOTH CURVED- 
TOOTH STEEL LEVEL 
HEAD GARDEN RAKE 
3. TWO-PRONGED FORGED 
WEEDING HOE 
4. 4-TINE CULTIVATOR 
! 5. REGULAR NURSERY¬ 
MAN’S ONE PIECE 
SOCKET TYPE FORGED 
, TROWEL 
C. FIELD OR GARDEN HOE 
(6}/2 or 7 inch wide blade) 
7. BRUME-RAKE 
(flat, spring steel teeth) 
1 8 . TURF EDGER WITH FOOT 
' REST 
9. LIGHT SHANK IMATTOCK 
i HOE 
10. LIGHT, NARROW NURS¬ 
ERY HOE (2)/^ inch wide 
blade) 
11. SQUARE TOP ONION HOE 
(very shallow blade) 
12. NARROW TRANSPLANT¬ 
ING TROWEL (blade 6)4 
inches deep) 
13. ADJUSTABLE 5 - TOOTH 
CULTIVATOR 
14. WARREN OR HEART- 
SHAPED HOE 
15. DANDELION WEEDER 
1(). DANDELION RAKE 
(for pulling off the blooms) 
17. FIVE-TINE MANURE 
FORK 
Modern plant foods are not spaded 
into the soil like the old-fashioned 
manures. They are quickly soluble 
and should not be applied until 
after the soil has been prepared 
and then they are placed close to 
the surface, and as near as possible 
to the plants that are to consume 
them. 
In the vegetable garden plant food 
may be broadcast at the rate of 
four pounds to 100 square feet just 
before the seed is sown. It should 
then be raked lightly into the soil, 
so that it is incorporated with the 
top two or three inches of soil. 
Crops that require a long period to 
mature, such as beets, carrots, 
melons, parsnips and others, should 
have another application of plant 
food five or six weeks after the 
first; this should be spread on both 
sides of the row, keeping about 
three inches away from the plants. 
If applied just before cultivating, 
it will mix the plant food with the 
top soil. The second and subse¬ 
quent applications may be at the 
rate of two pounds per 100 square 
feet. 
The best time to apply plant food 
to established perennial borders is 
in the early spring when frost is 
beginning to come out of the 
ground, and plant growth has not 
started. At this time there is no 
danger of burning plant tissues. 
The plant food may be broadcast 
at the rate of four pounds to 100 
square feet, and it will dissolve in 
the abundant moisture and pene¬ 
trate quickly to the roots of the 
plants. 
The soil where annuals are to be 
sown or planted should be plowed 
or spaded to a depth of six inches 
as soon as it can be worked. After 
the soil has been smoothed a bal¬ 
anced plant food should be applied 
at the rate of four pounds to 100 
square feet, and raked lightly into 
the top soil. This operation serves 
the dual purpose of mixing the 
plant food with the soil, and pre¬ 
paring the surface for seeding, or 
transplanting. 
This initial feeding should be 
supplemented by an application of 
plant food eight weeks after seed¬ 
ing, made at the rate of two 
pounds per 100 square feet. 
— National Seedsman Annual 
^ot the window 
Window seed boxes are frequently 
relied on by gardeners who do not 
wish to operate a hot bed or cold 
frame, but still want to give an 
early start to a few subjects. 
Any sort of shallow box can be 
used. The commercial flats are 
usually about 15 by 20 inches, and 
3 to 4 inches deep. A wood which 
will stand wetting is used, such as 
cypress, or white pine. 
Seeds may be broadcast in the 
small box, or sown in shallow rows. 
Unless there is a hotbed or cold 
frame into which the seedlings can 
be transplanted, do not start the 
indoor box more than a month 
earlier than the safe date for out¬ 
door planting. 
Soil in the seed box should be a 
light, fertile loam. Sift, and place 
the coarser part in the bottom of 
the box, the fine soil on top. Firm 
it with a brick or piece of board, 
pressing gently. JMake shallow 
drills with a ruler, sow the seed 
without crowding, and cover 
lightly with soil. Firm the soil 
again, and water the box by set¬ 
ting it in a tub of water, allowing 
the water to soak from the bottom 
up, to avoid disturbing the seeds. 
★ ★ ★ 
Place the box in a cool, dark place 
until the seeds sprout. A piece of 
burlap, or a blanket of wet news¬ 
paper on top of the soil will pre¬ 
vent it drying out. As soon as the 
sprouts appear, carry the box to 
the light. Give the box all the 
light possible. 
Place a pane of glass slightly larger 
than the box over it during the 
early stages of growth, to increase 
temperature. Each morning wipe 
off any moisture which has con¬ 
densed on this glass, and prop up 
one end to give ventilation during 
the day. Do not allow the soil to 
dry out, but avoid excessive wat¬ 
ering, and use a gentle spray which 
will not wash the soil. 
As soon as the seedlings have made 
their second pair'of leaves they 
should be transplanted, either to 
small pots or to other flats. 
The temperature of the home is 
usually satisfactory to the plants, 
provided it is not too hot. A day 
temperature not over 70 degrees 
and a night temperature not below 
55 degrees is satisfactory for most 
subjects. 
-Nidiouid Seedsman Annind 
35 
Suggestions for ORDERING BY MAIL 
ORDER EARLY— You can help us to handle your order by 
letting us have it as early as possible. If you order early and 
want shipment held until a later date, just tell us when you 
want your order delivered. 
HOW TO SEND MONEY —Money can be sent safely by Post 
Office Money Order, Bank Draft or Check, Express Money 
Order, or Registered Letter. If your order is for $1.00 or more, 
it is best to send by one of these methods. If less, stamps will 
be accepted. Do not send coin through the mails unless in a 
Registered Letter. 
Cash must accompany all orders. 
ORDER BLANK is enclosed for your convenience. Please be 
sure to give us all information called for on this blank. 
PRICES— All prices quoted in this catalog are subject to change 
without notice. _ 
NON-WARRANTY —Conditions and contingencies over which 
we have no control sometimes prevent even the best of seeds 
from giving full satisfaction. For this reason, it is impossible 
for us to guarantee seeds under all circumstances. We take every 
possible precaution and care to give you the best possible 
merchandise and service, but in accordance with the regular 
custom of the Seed Trade, we give no warranty, express or 
implied, as to description, quality, productiveness or any other 
matter of any seeds, bulbs, or plants we sell, and will not in any 
way be responsible for the crop. 
