The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-04-18
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
How to Grow Flowers.

Many persons think that great deal
of skill is necessary to grow flowers sue
cessfully, but this is not the case. All
that is required is reasonable amount
of care and patience, and choice flowers
can be as easily grown as choice vegeta..
bles. In the first place, good seed
should be obtained, or failure and disap-
pointment is almost certain. The prin-
cipal causes of failure to make seed
germinate are covering too deep, allow
ing the surface to become too dry, or an
excess of moisture. To guard against
these, cold-frame is very useful; and
I would recommend everybody who has
half dozen varieties to SOW to try one.
1t is made by making box-like frame
of boards without bottom, which should
be twelve or fifteen inches high at the
back, sloping to about six inches in
front, so as to catch the direct rays of
the sun as much as possible. It can be
made of any size desired and nailed at
the corner, if small enough to be easily
moved about, or if larger, fastened to-
gether with hooks and staples.
Prepare a bed in a warm, sheltered
spotin the garden; rake out all the Jumps
and stones and on this set the frame,
and cover with ordinary hot-bed sash,
or old window sash, which will do quite
as well. Make the soil in the frame
smooth and firm with board, and SOW
the seeds thinly and evenly on the sur.
face in squares, and label each sort with
a short, pine stick. Have pile Of light,
sandy soil, or leaf mold from the woods,
which has been sifted through a fine
sieve, near at hand, and if the seeds are
very small carefully sift it over them.
Probably more failure to make seeds
terminate result from covering too deep
than from any other cause. A good and
safe rule is to cover to the depth of
about twice the diameter of the seed.
This would give a covering of about one
eighth of an inch to such seeds as aster,
phlox and pansy; one-sixteenth of an
inch to petunia, portulaca, land seeds
OF like size, while very fine seeds, like
lobelia, should be scarcely covered at
all, but merely pressed slightly into the
soil. After the seeds are all covered
make the soil firm again with the hands,
and water with pot having fine rose,
so as not to wash the soil from the seeds.
Now put on the sash and keep it tightly
closed until the plants begin to come
up, watering often enough to keep the
surface moist. Cover the frame with
straw mats or boards at night to keep
out the cold, and after the plants are up
give plenty of air during warm, sunny
day. Pull out the weeds as fast as they
appear and keep the plants we'll thinned
out, so as they will grow strong and
stocky. The Trimmings can be saved
and transplated to another frame if de-
sired. After the plants have grown an
inch or two and obtained their second
pair of leaves, transplant them to the
garden, first giving the seed-bed good
soaking with water. Transplanting
should be done on a showery day, if
possible; but it is better to transplant
in dry time than to wait TOO long for
rain. Make holes where the plants are
to be set, fill them with water, and then
set the plant; water again and cover
each plant with a piece of paper held
down with clods of earth.
Household Hints.
REsToR1Ns TAINTED MEATs.-Tainted
meat or game may be restored by wrap
ping it up closely in a fine linen cloth,
then, after throwing shovelful of live
wood-coals into pail of water, put the
meat or game in and let it remain under
water five or ten minutes. This will re.
move all offensive smell, but it should
be cooked at once.
To CLEAN BRASS. IF the brass il
very much tarnished, use little oxali'
acid solution. If spots are imbedded
rub them out with little powdered
pumice-stone. Then wash with water
and dry. Mix rotten-stone with swee
oil to paste, and rub it over the whole
surface of the brass with smooth corl
until it assumes a graenish-black color
Then wipe off completely with an ole
cloth. Next rub over with lampblacl
until thoroughly polished, using soft
smooth cork. This gives an excellen
result, and repays the extra trouble i
causes.
To CLEANSE WATER.-If q lump o
alum as large as the thumb-joint i
thrown into four or five gallons of boil
ing soap-suds, the scum runs over ant
leaves the water clean and soft and use
full for washing. We have often, in an
cient times, "settled "a glass of Missis
sippi water, and made it look as "clea
as a bell" in few seconds by tying
bit of alum to string and twirling
around uLder the surface of the waite
in the glass.-Halls Journal of Health
TESTING SALT.-A Pennsylvania but
ter-maker tests his salt by dissolving
little in a glass tumbler; if the brin
formed is clear and free from bite
taste, he pronounces the salt good; il
on the other hand. it presents milk
appearance, leaves any sediment O
throws scum to the surface, he rejects il
House Plants.
Attention should be given to airin
and watering, as the weather will admit
and as the sun becomes warmer. Som
plants may require shading at MONDAY
Plants that are making new growth, an
the roots being crowded into pots, shoul
be repotted. Shrubs that have don
Towering, should be trimmed. Dormar
lemon verbenas, fuchsias, etc, may b
brought from the cellar and started int
growth by moderate watering an
warmth. Look ont for insects. Do NJ
subject roses and other plants to stron
drafts. The earth in pots should /
kept mellow.
-.-
| Tho oosa IS kT;ea Ma.noraf N