The Somerset reporter., 1899-01-05
Horticulture.

the meeting held here last week, by
Mrs Georgia A. Tobey of Skowhegan:
To make the cultivation of flowers a
success, three things are necessary
sunshine, water, and a love for our
work. If we love flowers and are in
terested in them, we are, under ordi'
nary circumstances, sure of success. SO
let us select a spot where sunshine is
not wanting, and the other elements can
be supplied. After carefully spading,
rake off all the hard Jumps, stones and
roots; then put on two or three niche :
of well rotted compost and enough good
earth to raise the bed about three inches
above the surface of the lawn, to insure
good drainage.
Plenty of compost will give a sandy
soil greater consistency, and at the same
time render a clayey soil more open and
porous. In the latter case, it is better
to dig in sharp sand, so as to render the
soil lighter and more pliable at once,
without having to wait for the slow &C
ton of the compost. Ii ANIMALS or ten
der plants are grown in the bed, it
should be cleaned off after the frost has
killed the plants, and two inch coat of
stray stable litter dug in, as it will have
all winter to decay. Follow this with a
coat of we'll rotted compost in the spring
and the bed will be in the finest possible
condition. In cloudy, damp weather,
the plants will grow excessively, for this
reason the bed should be raised above
the surface, as described, for it is much
easier to supply a deficiency in moisture
than to reduce an over supply in rainy
season.
In planting a bed of spring Towering
bulbs, such as tulips, crocus, daffodils,
iris, etc in the fall, do not dig any
compost into the earth unless the soil is
poor, but after freezing, put on a three
inch coat of strawy stable litter When
the bulbs begin to pierce the soil in the
spring, carefully rake off the litter as by
this time the strength will be filtered
into the soil.
Do not plant bed when it is dry; the
best time is when freshly dug. If this
is not convenient, water well in the
morning and transplant your seedlings
in the evening, and then give another
watering; or what is better, there are
usually cloudy days just suitable for
such az asters, balsams, stocks, pansies
ETC., make more satisfactory growth
if started In seed boxes and transplanted
into the beds; while p,lox, petunias
alyssum, etc, are better sown in the
open bed, as their roots are so fine they
are often injured by transplanting
Keep the soil loose and free from weeds
breaking up after each hard, dashinl
+ 10. To keep bed looking well, cut
all the flowers as soon as they begin to
fade, and trim off all the struggling
branches that sp il the symmetrical
form of the plant. Ii the plants are too
thick, thin them out, as it is a mistake
we often make by crowding, and the
result is spindling plants with fewer
| flowers. OF ANIMALS, there is an endless
variety to select from.
The nasturtium and the sweet pes
should be planted early, but for the ma
joIity of them we should wait until the
ground is warmer. In the cultivation
of the sweet pea, that beautiful climber
of which no garden is complete without
many, people sometimes make a mis-
take in loosening the soil about the
roots; after the seed is sown the earth
should be pressed down firm and hard
and never loosened unless it is hard
clayey soil but as the season advances
it is a good plan to add more soil, which
should also be pressed down firmly.
No garden is complete without the
summer Towering bulbs; of these the
dahlia leads, followed closely by the
gladiOlus, to which we may add the
Gamma, tube-rose, tuberous begonia and
many others. After the first frost
comes these bulbs should be carefully
dried and packed in dry sand or sawdnst
to preserve them for next years planting.
Let us not forget the standby of the
old-time gardens-the perennials; their
beauty and growth is bringing them
again into general cultivation. They
require little attention and respond gen
orally to increased care and thorough
cultivation. On the approach of cold
weather cover with a course litter to
protect them from being thrown out by
the freezing and thawing during the fall
and spring No true lover of flowers
would think of a flower garden with out
roses, and now that the ever blooming
varieties are to be obtained at reason
able price, we can have them from June
until frost. They require larger
amount of care than ANIMALS, yet with
frequent spraying with whale oil soap or
kerosene emulsion they can be kept free
from insects. Many varieties are hardy
and with protection will withstand the
rigors of our northern winters, while
many of the hybrid varieties have to be
removed to the cellar | often wonder
why the beautiful Moss rose is not in
more general cultivation, as it is thor
oughly hardy and blossoms profusely.
This rose is a sprout from the old cab
bage rose, although some pretty legend
has attributed it being to angels gift.
There comes time when the earth is
clothed in darkness and the wind sleeps,
that Jack Frost creeps into our garden
and does his mischieyous work. Are
we to have no more flowers until spring?
No! We have been mindful of this dur
ing the summer and have our window
garden already prepared. Some will
say, 81 have no sunshine for Them"
then you can cultivate ferns, palms, etc
The geranium, Gala lily, carnati pink,
primrose and many others will thrive in
an ordinary sitting room. We should
start new plants Tor winter bloom, as no
plant that has blossomed all summer
can be expected to blossom all winter
After all of our care in planting our
flower garden or potting our plants, it
will be almost useless if left to grow
uncared for.
Now that we have our flowers, let us
not be selfish with them. | often think
for every flower plucked, two are sent
to replace it. So let us give generously,
and the recording angel only knows how
many hearts are made light and how
much pleasure we bring to others by a
handful of our flowers.
La Grippe Successfully Treated.