The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-23
Horticultural Hints for July,

At this season of alternate droughts
and heavy, beating rains, it is difficult
to get good stand of any garden crop
and especially of the small seeded
plants, which, if they terminate at all
are very liable to perish during the frs
few days of their existence, unless pro
tected in some way against sun ano
rain. We have recommended sowing
cabbage seed in May, and again il
June, in the South Atlantic coast
region, and in the lower portion of the
Gulf States. We may SOW once more
from the first to the tenth of July, and
if we succeed with this sowing, we pre-.
fer for our winter crop the plants thus
grown to the earlier ones. Keep the
seed bed moist by frequent waterings
with soap suds or other liquid manure,
not made too strong, still the plants are
we'll established. If you have good
plants from previous sowings, trans,
plant few, as also caulifower and
broccoli, choosing the evening or 9
rainy day for the operation, and shading
the plants for a few days; but next
months paintings will be likely to do
better.
Of beets, carrots and parsnips, it is
now very difficult to get stand, but il
you can protect the young plants
against the hot sun and beating rains
you may get fine crop early in the
fall. Turnip seed must be sOwn. Ii
the ''stand" fails, try again. Snap
beans NAV still be planted for a sue
cession. Watermelons, squashes and
cucumbers, for a late crop, may be
planted, and if they Withstand rain and
sun and survive, they will give you a
good late crop. Of peas, it is difficult
to get stand, and keep the plants
growing, during the heats of July and
August. but by spading up deeply a
moist rich spot, planting the seed deep
and covering the ground with straw,
good crops can sometimes be had in the
fall. Early corn, for a fall crop of
roasting ears, should be planted the
first of the month. Tomatoes may still
be ple nted, using cuttings or layers.
(watering and shading them) if you
have no young plants.
Irish potatoes for fall crop may be
planted toward the last of this month,
or in August. To prepare your seed,
about two weeks before planting, spread
the potatoes on the ground in moist
spot, cover lightly with earth and
thickIy with mulch, watering occa-
sionally if necessary. When ready to
plant, make use of those tubers only
which have begun to sprout, or which
show signs of development IN the eyes,
aud you will get stand at once, while
if seed be taken at random from your
stock of potatoes, many of them will
fail to terminate till too late to produce
anything.
In the flower garden, watering, weed
ing and tying up plants are the princi-
pal operations but roses and other
shrubs may still be layered also, such
herbaceous plants as verbenas, petu-
Mas, salvias, etc. Dahlias may be
topped to cause them to throw up new
flower stems aud chrysanthemums to
make them stout and bushy. Save
seeds, to be put away in paper bags,
neatly labelled. House plants, whether
in pots or in hanging baskets, will re-
quire unremittiDg care and a skillful
regulation of light, shade and moisture,
modifying the treatment to suit the
natural habits of the different spe cies.
The coleus will need and repay special
attention.