Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-25
Gardening All the Year Round.

Watering so as to merely wet the sur
face of the ground often does more harm
than good. The roots of the plants are
thereby attracted to the surface thus
temporarily moistened; but as it soon be-
comes as dry as before, and harder than
ever, the young roots perish in the in
tervals of watering, and the plant is
weakened rather than strengthened, and
not infrequently killed outright. The
ground should be we'll soaked and the
watering not frequent. In the case of
trees, shrubs and large herbaceOus plants,
it is we'll to draw away the surface earth
from them to the depth of two or three
inches, doing it carefully, so as not to in
jure the roots, apply the water and then
return the dry soil This prevents i'm
mediate evaporation and gives the roots
the full benefit of the water, without ex-
posing them to be burned up by the hot
sun. Where this is not practicable, as
among small plants, holes may be made
near them with dibble or sharpened
stick, and water poured into them from
the nozzle of wateriDg.pot. The plants
may sfterward be slightly sprinkled from
the nose of the pot and the ground
stirred with the prongoe.
Saltpeter, tablespoonful or more to a
bucket of water, is an excellent occa-
sional application to most kinds of gar
den plants, being at the same fertilizer
and an insect. destroyer. Many grubs
and bugs may be destroyed by copious
waterings with this solution.
To keep plants bearing: The produc-
ton of seed is an exhaustive process,
and, as a rule, its completion is sig
nalized either by the death of the plant,
if an annual, or by temporary suspen-
sion of the process of growth, II a bien-
nial or perennial. The immediate end
for which nature has sustained it has
been attained. If we are cultivating it
for seed, our object is the same, and we
should not interfere with natures proc
esses; but If, as In the case of the Okra,
the cucumber, and the summer squash,
we make use of the immature fruit and
desire to increase and prolong its pro-
duction, we must carefully cut off, before
maturity, all that is produced, whether
we can make use Of them or not, so as to
encourage an abnormal production. Also,
where a root or bulb is the object of
cultivation, as in the Irish potato or the
onion, we should remove the flower
stems. II seeds are desired, certain
plants should be set apart for their pro-
duction and the earliest and best fruit be
allowed to ripen. The same rule applies
to the flower garden. If we desire con-
tiuued bloom, the plants must not be
allowed to mature seeds.
Moss for potted plants: 1t Is benefi-
cial, at this season, to cover the earth
around plants in pots and baskets with
a layer of fresh moss, to be changed as
1t becomes dry and dead. 1t keeps the
moisture from evaporating, secures a
greater uniformity of temperature, and
improves the looks of the plant.
Transplanting: Tomatoes, peppers and
egg plants should be transplanted as re-
quired to keep up succession of fruit,
choosing showery weather for the oper-
alton, or watering and shading as here
tofore directed. In light, porous soils,
transplanting becomes work of some
delicacy and difficulty, as the summer
advances, especially when the rains are
light and infrequent, as Is often the case
at this season. See previous hints on
this subject.
Flower garden work: In the flower
garden the operations of the month are
mainly the same as in the vegetable gar
den. Stir the soil, kill all weeds, trans
plant, shade, and water. Liquid manure
Is here fully as effective as In the kitchen
garden, giving wonderful size and brill
fancy to the flowers. Rose and other
bushes will be much benefited by top