The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-08
A Paper on tho Subject Of Planting
and Transplanting In
May.
The Great Advantage to he
Gained by Planting In
Straight Lines.
Drummond PhIox. Sweet Peas, Psnsies,
Peoples, Nasturtiums aad Rase tan
spisns-All Are Discussed.

Written for The HELENA INDEPENDENT
r7HE DRUMMOND PHLOX GAR.
dens will be interesting all summer,
~ They repay Any care with q wonder
full readiness and wealth OF lovslinsss. ##
Now. on MAY 10, say. you have your sssdi
and your tools, your beds ill forksd,
~manursd, hoed, rakad and ready for Giant
ing. Ons thing more you nesd-a piece oil
board about two fest long and seven inches
wide.
You stand by your little plot Of brown
earth and think Of all IL holds for You Of
beauty and delight, that you are ths masi-
clan who will call forth all that sweet
pageant from the silent, passive soil. Il
seems Z very simple thing, the planting Of
a ssed, but | mover do il without . feeling
Of awe, az il ii we're q sacred thing among
the mysteries OF God.
Yos knesi BY the littls plot--if the ground
il damp bring I mat Or : piece Of folded
carpet 10 kneel on. for Q don't wish to
take : cold ~ the first step5n your garden
ing.
s You lay your bit Of board straight acrosa
the bed about four inches from the end.
You lean ons arm on il to hold it firm, and
with Z little stick draw q furrow an inch
deep in the earth along it, edge, straight
and equal as you can in depth all the wny.
Into this begin to drop your seeds ~ evenly
40 may be-they are 80 large You can see
thsm distinctly. When you have sown that
furrow make another an the opposite sdgs
Of the board and fill thai. Then lift the
board and lay it down carefully the other
side Of the last furrow and again make 9
groove along the edge md plant, and g On
board givea you just the right distance be-
tween the rows and saves a deal of trouble
in measuring.
Now with your hand draw over the seeds
the earth that was displaced in making the
furrow; it will give, them Just tbs right
depth Of covering-about twice their dia-
meter. That is the rule for planting almost
all seeds. Now take your board and lay 1t
over each row. lean on it gently to make
the earth perfectly frm-not packed hard,
but firm. Do this all along the length Of
the bed till it is literally smooth as q CARPET.
Nov a 4 your, yatering-pot and lightly
too long in one place, or you will wash ont
your seeds; 60 round and round the bed.
holding the watering-pot high al you can
to make the shower as gentle as possible.
You need only just to make the surface
damp. Z
wafer Ju6 Ded llRAIly every NlkHt ~ euu-
set-unless IL should rain. If the soft May
showers descend, svsry drop is precious
there is nothing 50 good as the sweet rain
out Of Heaven for our gardens.
If the weather ia warm and your water
ing is faithfully done, you should dee in a
week. or ten days at most, faint green
shoots along the straight lines you planted.
And now 7 will show you the advantages
of planting. so carefully in straight lines.
Before tho phlox itself appears you will SEQ
green shoots coming up all ovor the bed,
doubtless. These are the weeds that you
will have to watch and fight with all your
might. for they are stronger and moro de-
termined than I can find any words to tell
you. While they are yet young pull up
every one! You know where your precious
flowers are-they are safe in their orderly
PROFESSIONS of straight lines. Pull up every
green thing between these lines and then
pass your little handfork like a comb to
ana fro in the soil to emove roots and dis
turb new sprouts, but be very careful not
to go too near your phlox plants, except to
pull with careful finger and thumb the lit
tie weeds that have sprouted very near.
This you will have to repeat again and
again-new weeds keep coming in success
sion. E