Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-08-06
TO BEAUTIFY TOWNS
FLOWERS FOR PUBLIC GARDENS AND
HOW TO PLANT THEM

inE sweet Pcs~-when to Resin
Outdoor sowing.
One OF the best ways to heautify n
town and attract desirable residents Is
to plant flowers In public places. There
is usually p.Suty OF space around the
town hall or other public buildings IN
which to make Cover beds. and they
add 100 per cent To the beauty Of the
town Much iioiey is wasted. however.
owing TO the incXpcricnce OF those who
do the work and select the plants
The nasturtium is the most accOmno-
dating of plants. making the best OF
any situation In which II finds itself.
says the Philadelphia Ledger. I'm box
on fencepoSt or window ledge il will
droop and show its rich colors IN ears
lands; backed by range of chicken
wire II VIII weave itself I'm and out as n
screen; given a brush heap. Il pile of
rubbish or tue level ground. and IL will
make of il u ElaSS OF green aud COR
SeOIS cC'o:.2=. It's one purpose in liv-
ing is To- perfect it's beautifully sculp-
tured seeds. aud with this ambition
kept i'm chccS 10y cuttiu. The blooms as
they CrCn. The plants will continue TO
grow and to blossom rrOm early sum
mvr until frost. No plant is easier to
grow. none j. 80 patient under neglect
ana 80 responsive TO good care.
When sweet peas are TO be sown
out OF doors in the spring. the soil
must hc prepared as early as il can be
worked. biS trench about a foot
wide Snd foot deep and burn i'm il
I, -, 4.
ashes lr this cannot IL. done. add
about an inch OF hardwou.. ashes. ON
this put three or four inches OF we'll
rOtted manure and cover with two or
three inches OF soil. Pack this close.
either 10y stamping or pounding. Cover
with an eighth Of an inch OF bone dust.
then add two inches of soil. and OH this
SOW the seeds thickly. Dust the seeds
well with gr~und mustard To protect
them rfoH wirewOrnH and mice and
cover with an inch Of soil. Water
well and thcn add another inch of soil.
packing the whole together 10y cover
ing with board and stepping on it.
By having the plants about two
inches apart and the food supply be-
low they will root deeply. and 10y keep
inS the surface soil loose To serve as
mulch the ordinary rainfall will give
moisture enough TO carry the plants
through even a period of drought un-
aided IL the flowers are kept cut as
they come Il perfection. Surface root
inS caused 10y watering. surface feed
Ing or letting flowers 20 TO seed will
all serve To shorten the blooming season.
lie outdoor sowing should not be
until the weather is settled II seed
Is sown i'm boxes indoors now. there
viii he plants OF good size TO get out
when the weather is warm enough for
working among them. The seeds ger
inmate quickly. and the first leaves. be-
ing OF true form and good size are at
once a delight Nasturtium seeds may
ice put in an inch apart. with two
inches between the rows. and not
transplantcd until moved To the garden
or may be Slwn very thickly in rows
aud transferred 10 more rOomy boxes
as soon as the seed leaves are un-
folded.
For the ordinary garden an ounce
or choice mixture" will give variety
OF the best kinds. To these should be
added a package OF some OF the new
varieties. y package contains about
a sixth OF an ounce. or about thirty
seeds. Bought OF a reliable scotsman.
each package will probably average
twenty plants.
Ii is sometimes desirable TO have n
large plant TO ill a corner or a row of
them L. hide line fence or To break
a view that is not pleasing or on Il
lawn To have a tropical effect without
risking valuable palm. For each of
these purposes the ricinus, or castor
oil plant. serves admirably Ii grows
rapidly aud. IL the blossoms are re-
moved aS they develop. will attain a
very considerable height and remain
slightly until the very severe frosts.
And the family has even more than all
this "a recommend il. Flies. moSqui-
toes. gnats and many other insects, il
is said. do not like the plant and will
not remain near IL. Windows with
ricinus growing before them do not
need fly screens" says one housewife.
MOles and mice will not burrow near
its roots. and even rabbits avoid its
vicinity.
The plant is semitropical. and seeds
should not be put in the ground out
side until the weather is To be depend
ed upon. The seeds terminate readily
and may be started indoors and the
transplanting be without risk. LAST
year seeds were started indoors in
April, and Others were sown outside i'm
May. when the plants OF the first lot
were being put out. In August both
lots were in flower and with no ap-
parent difference in size or develop
ment.
Coboa scaudens is one OF the most
satisfactory OF the annual climbers. Ii
starts easily. has foliage that makes Il
good showing for both form and color
has tendrils that will cling and hold
fast To whatever offers and in late
summer and autumn will generally
give n profusion of large, bell shaped
flowers. The growth from n single
seed last year. set at the corner of a
story and a half cottage. climbed To
the roof. then to the peak and had
started down the other side when frost
called Il halt. covering the corner and
the edge Of the roof with mass OF
green fully two feet wide and covered
with purple bells in the autumn.
The narigold has the other name o!
caicndula Ii is garden favcritc.
easily grown and good either as grow
H. or for cutting. The odor of the
h'oams j. not pleasing. hut is health |
r. "a * named as Il protecti ,e
- D.! fever and summer colds