Information You Have Asked Us For 
At the request of many of our gardening friends, 
we are answering questions that are asked by mail 
and over the counters in our stores. We hope these 
answers will help you have a more successful gar- 
den. There are, no doubt, many other questions 
you would like answered. If you will send them in 
to us, you may be sure of a prompt reply. 
GENERAL HINTS 
All low-growing plants which flower early, such 
as Alyssum, should be sheared off when petals start 
to fall, in the hope of second bloom by September. 
The time to pick any everlasting is when it is 
half open. Strip off the foliage and tie stalks in 
bunches, then hang head down im the garage to dry. 
Scatter Poppy and Larkspur seeds in the area 
where they are to bloom, on top of the snow. Melt- 
ing snow carries them into the soil. 
The extensive group of hardy annuals may be 
planted in the garden when pear and peach trees 
are in flower. Prepare the soil well and sow the 
seed thinly. 
By the time apple trees bloom, it is safe to plant 
seeds of all annuals. Two weeks later, thinning, 
transplanting and cultivating begins. Watering 
may be begun, too, if we get an early drought. 
Seedlings sown indoors ‘need sun, warmth and 
regular watering for continued growth. They must 
also be transplanted mto richer soil as soon as the 
second pair of leaves appears. 
Seedlings must be watched for any signs of damp- 
ing off. Prick them out as soon as they are an inch 
high, if they show any sign of this disease, and allow 
room for development. 
Before transplanting seedlings from the flat, 
saturate the soil with water to cause it to stick to 
the roots. Never press the soil about the roots with 
your hands; that breaks the roots badly. 
Pinching out the center bud of your annual 
seedlings after they have reached a height of 2 to 
3 mches above the third or fourth true leaf de- 
velops stockier, stronger plants. 
Prune spring-flowering shrubs soon after the 
blooms fade. Next season’s bloom-bearing branches 
are grown throughout the summer and fall. Shrubs 
that bloom in Jate summer and fall may be pruned 
after a hard freeze in the fall, or in early spring. 
Cut off the tops of Chrysanthemum shoots to 
make compact plants. 
Plant diseases are nearly always encouraged by 
dampness and darkness. Keep out of the garden 
on damp, cloudy days, when your clothmg may 
brush against plants and help spread disease. 
Moss growing in the lawn and garden is more 
often from lack of fertility and drainage than the 
result of an excessively acid soil. 
Maple and other large leaves are fine for compost 
piles but deadly when matted down over the plants 
by winter rains. 
Never let Phlox plants go to seed if you wish to 
keep your colors true. 
Scattered single plants of any one kind of flower 
give a spotty effect in the garden. Three plants of a 
kind in a group should be the minimum, even in 
the smallest grouping. 
Flowers for the house should be cut either in the 
early morning before the sun is hot or in the cool 
of late evening. Use a sharp knife and cut the stems 
on an angle. If the stems are hard or woody, slit 
them up 3 or 4 inches after cutting. 
These Annual Flowers Do Well 
in Porch and Window Boxes 
Ageratum Phlox 
Alyssum Portulaca 
Centaurea (Dusty Miller) Salvia 
Lobelia Tagetes 
Nasturtium Verbena : 
Pansy Zinnia, Mexican 
Petunia ; 
Annuals for Poor Soil 
Alyssum 
Amaranthus 
Balsam 
Calendula 
California Poppy 
Calliopsis 
Cleome 
Cornflower 
Four o’Clock 
Godetia 
Nasturtium 
Poppies 
Portulaca 
Annuals for Fragrance 
Alyssum, Sweet. Delicate. 
Heliotrope. Considered the 
par excellence of fragrance. 
Marigold. Intolerable to 
some, agreeable to others. 
Bicones: Delightful to 
all. 
Nasturtium. Admired by 
some. 
Nicotiana. A delight in the 
evening. 
Pansy. A 
grance. 
Petunia. Heavy. 
Stock. Fresh, unusual fra- 
grance. 
Sweet Peas. Delicate. En- 
joyed by all. 
Sweet Sultan. Delicate. 
Verbena. Some have fra- 
grance of trailing Arbutus. 
refreshing fra- 
Annuals for Hot, Dry Places 
Arctotis 
Calliopsis 
Centaurea (Cornflower) 
Eschscholtzia (California 
Poppy) 
Gaillardia 
Ipomoea 
Phlox Drummondi 
Portulaca 
Salvia 
Statice 
Zinnia 
Annuals for Shade 
Balsam 
Centaurea (Cornflower) 
Cynoglossum 
Godetia 
Lobelia 
Lupines 
Myosotis (Forget-me-not) 
Nicotiana 
Petunia 
Virginia Stock 
Vinca minor 
Annuals for Half Sun and Half Shade 
All above list and: 
Alyssum 
Calliopsis 
Campanula 
Bells) 
Nasturtium 
Petunia 
(Canterbury 
Annuals That Bloom from June to July 15 
Alyssum 
Arctotis (African Daisy) 
Clarkia 
Eschscholtzia (California 
Poppy) 
Gaiullardia 
Marigold, early varieties 
Nasturtium 
Petunia (Single, self-sown) 
Phlox Drummondi 
Scabiosa 
Shirley Poppy 
Sweet Pea 
Annuals That Bloom from Late July to Frost 
Calendula 
Celosia 
Centaurea 
Cosmos 
Helianthus (Sunflower) 
Marigold 
Mignonette 
Petunia (fringed, ruffled and 
double) 
Portulaca 
Stocks 
Zinnia 
Annuals That Bloom from August to Frost 
Antirrhnum (Snapdragon) 
Aster 
Chrysanthemum, annual 
Cobaea scandens : 
(Cup-and-Saucer Vine) 
Cosmos : 
Hunnemannia | 
Ipomoea (Morning-Glory) 
FAST-GROWING 
Balloon Vine. 10 ft. White 
flowers; green seed pods. 
Cardinal Climber. 15 to 
30 ft. Crimson flowers. 
Cobaea Scandens. 20 to 
40 ft. Purple flowers. 
Cypress Vine. 10 to 15 ft. 
Scarlet and white. 
Hyacinth Bean. i2 ft. 
Purple to white flowers; 
purple seed pods. 
Lobelia 
Marigold 
Nicotiana 
Salpiglossis 
Statice 
Tithonia 
Verbena 
ANNUAL VINES 
Gourds. 10 ft. 
r Various 
fruit. 
Moonflower. 10 to 12 ft. 
White flowers. 
Morning-Glory. 10 to 15 
ft. Various colors. 
Nasturtium. 5 to 8 ft. 
Yellow to red flowers. 
Scarlet Runner Bean. 10 
to 20 ft. Scarlet flowers; 
green edible beans. 
