The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1902-05-24
TO BEAUTIFI TOWNS
FLOWERS FOR PUBLIC GARDENS AND
HOW TO PLANT THEM
sSpsc of the Best Varieties That Are
Easy To Grow-Fointers on Plant
ing sweet Pcas-Nben to Begin
Outdoor sowing.

ing sweet Pcas-N TO begin
Outdoor sowing.
One of the best ways to heautify a
town and attract desirable residents Is
to plant flowers in public places. There
is usually plenty of space around the
which to make flower beds, ana they
add 100 per cent To the beauty Of the
town. Much money is wasted, however
owing TO the ineNperience of those who
do the work and select the plants
The nasturtium is the most accommo-
dating of plants, making the best of
any situation in which il finds itself
says the Philadelphia Ledger. In II box
on II fenctpost or window ledge IL viii
druup and show its rich culurS in gar
lands; backed 10y range of chicken
wire it Will weave itself in aud out as a
screen; given a brush heap, II pile Of
rubbish or the level ground. and il will
make of ii II mass of green and gor
geous co,oring. Its one purpose in Iiy.
ing is TO perfect It's beautifully sculp.
turcd seeds, ana with this ambition
kept In check by cutting the blooms us
they open, the plants will continue to
grow and to blossom from early sum
mer until frost. No plant is easier to
grow, none is SO patient under neglect
and SO responsive to good care
When sweet peas are TO he sown
out OF doors in the spring, the soil
must be | repaired as early as II can lie
worked Dig "A trench about u foot
wide ana II foot deep and burn In If
enough brush to give an inch deep of
ashes. If this cannot he done add
about an inch of hardwood ushes ON
this put three or four inches of We'll
rotted manure and cover with two ur
three inches of soil. Pack this CLOSE
either by stamping or pounding Cover
with an eighth Of an inch Of bone dust
then add two inches of soil, and on this
SOW the seeds thickly Dust the seeds
well with ground mustard to protect
them from wireworms and mice and
cover with an inch of soil Water
well and then add another inch OF soil
packing the whole together by cover
ing with board aud stepping on IL.
By having the plants about two
inches apart and the food supply be
low they will root deeply, and by keep
Ing the surface soil loose TO serve as u
mulch the ordinary rainfall viii give
moisture enough to carry the plants
through even II period of drought un
aided II the flowers are kept cut as
they come to perfection. Surface root
Ing caused by watering surface feed
ing or letting flowers 20 to seed VIII
all serve 10 shorten the blooming season.
The outdoor sowing should not be
until the weather is settled. II seed
is sown In boxes indoors now. there
Will be plants of good size to get out
when the weather IL warm enough for
working among them. Th" seeds ger
inmate quickly, aud the drst leaves. be
Ing of true form aud good Size. are ut
once n delight. Nasturtium seeds may
be put In an inch apart, with two
Inches between the rows, and not
trauspanted until moved to the garden
or may be sOwn very thickly In rows
and transferred TO more roomy boxes
as soon as the seed leaves are uu-
folded.
For the ordinary garden an ounce
OF choice mixture" will give "A variety
of the best kinds. To these should be
added Il package of some of the new
varieties A package contains about
a sixth Of an ounce. or about thirty
seeds Bought Of n reliable scotsman,
each package viii probably average
twenty plants
II Is sometimes desirable to have II
large plant To fill corner or Il row Of
them to hide a line fence or to break
a view that Is not pleasing or on
lawn to have II tropical effect without
risking Il valuable palm. For each of
these purposes the riCnus, or castor
oil plant. serves admirably. II grows
rapidly and. ir the blossoms are re
moved as they develop, viii attain
very considerable height ana reiuain
slightly until the very severe frosts.
And the family has even more than all
this > recommend it Flies, mosqui
toes. gnats and many other insects. II
is said. do not like the plant aud viii
not remain near IT, Windows with
riciuus growing before them do not
need hy screens" says Que housewife
Moies aud mice win not burrow near
its roots. aud even rabbits ayOid It's
vicinity.
The plant is semitropical. and seeds
should not be put in the ground out
side until the weather Is 10 be- depend
ed upon. The seeds gcrmnate readily
aud may be started indoors aud the
transpanting be- without risk Last
year seeds were started indoors In
April, and others were sOWn out side IN
May, when the plants Of the first lot
were being put out 10 August both
lots were IN flower and with no ap.
parent difference IN slze or develop
mcnt.
Cobra scaudcns Is one OF the most
satisfactory Of the annual climbers. It
starts easily has foliage that makes
good showing for both form aud color
has tcndrils that viii cling aud hold
fast to whatever offers and In late
summer and autumn viii generally
give a profusiou Of large, bell shaped
flowers, The growth from single
seed last year, set at the corner Of
story and a half cottage, climbed to
the roof then 10 the peak and had
started down the other side when frost
called a halt. covering the corner aud
the edge ~ the roof with mass of
green fully two feet wide aud covered
with purple bells III the autumn
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