Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-14
Floral Notes for April.

COLUMN, oxford Democrat. Paris. Maine.
Floral Notes for April.
If you have no hotbed, seeds of an
nuals, such as asters, phlox, etc., may
be sown in the living-room this month.
If seed-pans are not available, use tin
basins or cigar boxes. Let the soil be
light, mellow and fairly rich. Do not
cover the seed too deep. Wet blOtter,
put over each box, and keep it we'll
moistened. Do not pour water on the
soil. If it becomes thoroughly dry, put
the box in a painful of water, and re-
move when moisture shows on top. Give
the seedlings position next the glass,
but be sure to put thickness of news
paper behind them when the sun shines
brightest, or the plants may damp off.
House plants that are making good
growth should be given fertilizer now;
but plants that are at standstill
should not be given rich food, as it
do would more harm than good. Semi
dormant plants do not need so much
water as those growing actively.
Don't be in too great hurry to re-
move the covering of leaves from the
tulip and hyacinth beds. 1t is mistake
to expose the tender shoots to sudden
cold snaps. Wait until they are all well
above ground, and have been frosted
once or twice, then the protection may
be removed with safety.
Roses, especially the tea and hybrid
tea varieties, should not be exposed to
inclement weather much before the mid
die of the month, unless the season is
forward. A good way is to remove the
protecting material little at time,
keeping it handy, SO it may be replaced
if cold weather comes on again. Old
carpet or blankets may also be used if it
seems likely to freeze hard enough to do
harm. The same rule may be applied
to bulb beds and to the shrubs and
vines you protected last fall.
If you have time this spring, construct
hotbed. Next to green house, a
hotbed is the most cherished possession
of wide-awake flower-grower. April
is usually the best month to start seed
in the hotbed. Keep a thermometer in
one corner of the bed, and see that the
temperature does not get above seventy
degrees. Give daily attention to water
ing, etc.
If you did not give mulch of manure
last fall to the peonies, hardy phlox and
like plants, do so now. They will need
it in making new growth. Let all fer
tilizers be olAand well decayed; fresh
compost is harmful. New flower beds
should be made this month, and old
ones worked over and enriched.
April is a good month to procure
native ferns from the woods. They will
do well in the average dooryard if a
large quantity of the rich, brown leaf
mold is lifted with them and placed
around the roots. They should prefer
ably be planted in the shade, and will
require no extra attention other than a
thorough watering now and then. In
the fall it is good plan to put around
them quantity of rich, decayed stable
compost.
Sweet-pea seed should be sown as
soon as the ground can be worked.
Usually the earlier they are sown, the
finer they will be. Dig the trench foot
or ten inches deep, and fill generous
layer of old manure in the bottom. Over
this fill in fine, mellow soil until it comes
to within few inches of the top. Sow
the seed quite thick, so they will not fail
to come up well. If too thick, do not
hesitate to thin out to two inches apart
at least. Cover an inch deep, and have
the two rows in the trench about eight
inches apart. Fill in around the young
plantlets as they grow upward, and give
early support. Wire netting is generally
best to use, although stout beech
branches are also serviceable. Keep the
blossoms picked off, and see that no seed
pods ripeu until such time as you care
TO save the seed. Generally, however, it
is advisable not to bother with saving
ones own seed.
If you intend to raise cannas, castor-oil
beans and Japanese morning-glories this
year, try soaking the seed for day or
so in lukewarm water. If this is done
the seed will sprout much easier than
when planted in the usual way. 1t is a
good plan to start the seed in the house
in boxes, and thus encourage strong.
stocky growth. Set them out when
danger from frost is past. The morning
glories should not be set closer together
than two inches, and the soil should be
mellow and light. 1t need not necessarily
be rich, for morning-glories, as well as
nasturtiums, do not require rich soil to
do well.
Get the spading-fork, hoe, weeder and
rake in good condition for future work.
All these are indispensable helps to the
successful gardener, and should be well
cared for. And don't forget the lawn
mower while you are about it.
l., g., N1nv frln tnlt &c
to set them out in complaining time;
but if you are anxious to get them start
ed early, and care to risk it, they may
often be planted the last of April if the
ground is suitable and the weather per-
mitS. Dahlia tubers and cannas should
be started in the house in April, and en-
couraged into stocky growth until well
into May.
On warm, sunny days set the house
plants out on sheltered porch for an
airing. 1t will do no harm to also set
out the seed-pans if they are taken in as
soon as it gets chilly. Do not place
them in the direct sunshine at first, and
do not put them out at all until they
have reached some size. As soon as the
weather is warm enough they should be
kept outdoors most of the time, to be-
come acclimated. Palms, ferns and
ficuses should be watched at this season,
to see that the scale and mealy bug are
doing them no harm. At the first APP
pearance of either, apply an insecticide.
Fir-tree-oil soap is the best remedy. See
that the foliage is kept shining and
bright by washing and spraying each
week. Water thoroughly when soil ap-
pears dry.-Woman's Home Companion.