The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-07

The annual visit of the seedsmen'S cata-
logues served as d reminder several weeks
ago that it is time to begin gardening, not
with our hands, just yet, but with our
heads and a, pencil instead of spade and
trowel. Even if it,really wasn't time to
Begin, the, allurements of the catalogues
are such that they can no more be resisted
by the real gardening cranks than first
editions by the bookworms.
However, it is really important that
anyone hoping te have we'll regulated
garden should promptly get busy and this
is particularly true of the less experienced
gardeners The man Cor Woman). who
has his grounds completely laid out and
his shrubbery and hardy perennials we'll
established and we'll cared for need not
waste much anxious thought on gardening
problems, although even he can't afford to
be idle. A gardener judicious. experienced
and enthusiastic one must be to have
| garden that requires only to be kept up
O-date, will not need suggestions nor ad-
nlonitions about his garden; he is prob
ably fuming because there is not as much
for him to do he would enjoy doing.
Undoubtedly he read the catalogues early
and made up his mind about the novel
! ties offered. Few are. content to let well
enough alone and so the experienced gar
| deners enjoy trying new things and to
make such changes as can be brought
about by variations in the ANIMALS
planted, so nearly everyone will find some
use for the new catalogues.
Starting Bedding Plants
Most flower lovers feel that garden is
not complete without some formal beds
| filled with geraniums, coleus, Gamma and
other plants that lend themselves to for
NAL arrangement. If one intends to grow
ones plants for these and for window
boxes, now is the time to begin. The
!o1I rtc t1,ot l-oo 4 ~,
the cellar should be given the light and
water and the fresh growth that is al
ready started will come on rapidly. AS
soon as the fresh new sprouts of gera-
MUM or coleus have two three leaves
they should be removed and planted in
Isand to root for the vigorous young plants
for use in the beds. The cannas roots
should be cut up leaving an eye in each
piece. If not planted about this time they
are likely to rot. Their growth should not
be pushed, as they cannot be planted in
open ground till June.
1t is not feasible to raise any quantity
of bedding plants in the house. nor tt
start most varieties of plants very early
unless one. has considerable space in sun
ny windows and is ready to give careful
attention to the seedlings. The gera
NUNS will grow vigorously, but they take
up a good deal Of room. In any case, al
Iplants started in the house that are no
very tcllucI SOl OuI liltO liz
fresh air as soon as possible. This ma!
be done much earlier than most amateur
gardeners think in a we'll constructed COLI
frame. This will give complete protection
from wind and moderate protection from
cold and sudden changes of temperatur
and moisture.
The cold frame should be arranged TO
at once, for it is quite possible that
week or two of early mild weather Wi
enable the gardener to plant 1t PARTIAL
before the middle of March. Only YER
Unusual weather conditions should proven
some planting in it by the last week il
March. Last year, in my cold frame
which was home made affair, not full
protected, lettuce, radishes, garden cres
and several varieties of hardy fowe
seeds were planted about March 10. Afte
that we had nearly the coolest weather o
the winter, but as they had not sproute
they were unnjured, and in consequence
a of the early planting we were supple
h with home grown salad vegetables an
i relishes from May 1, and our asters an
phlox were large and thrifty when tn
e ground was ready for their final trans
: planting.
Getting Ready for Sweet Peas.
n Everybody who succeeds in ralsln
f sweet peas has his own individual meth
e cd, although it may follow other people
+ and professional gardeners closely in tn
|. main Ore of the disputed points
). whether it is really worth while to stal