The Washington times., 1905-08-05
''SA.AIA''
THE HOME GARpEN
Needs 0verhauIing Now to Make the
Flowers and Fruit Continue.

Unless gardens are carefully tended
at this season Of the year the flowers
get ragged, the leaves lose THAR fresh
ness the dirt around the roots becomes
packed and hard and the plants seem
to stop growing.
This condition is usually the result OF
the gardeners having failed to keep the
soil loose around the roots, that are al
most smothered because the earth has
been packed down close by heavy rains
and then baked hard by the hot sun.
holding them as in a vice and prevent
ing the air from circulating among
them.
An experienced gardener prevents this
by digging carefully around the roots
with trowel. a hoe, or even a rake.
every two or three days. Women who
are experts declare that just loosening
and turning over the earth IS not
enough: it should be pounded into small
pieces. so that it fails softly about the
roots. Prepared fertilizer Of any kind
desired should occasionally be sprinkled
with the dirt when it has been freshly
turne2
Weeds should never be allowed TO
grow among the plants. for they often
choke out the less hardy ones, besides
giving the garden an untidy look, and
with little effort in hoeing and loosen
ing the earth around the plant roots
they can be easily kept out of the
ground.
Care and regularity in watering the
garden will probably do more than any
thing else toward keeping the plants Ia
good condition. Flowers should never be
Watered while the sun is shining on
them, but before sunrise and after sun
set they should be sprfnkled each day
unless rain has made II unnecessary. If
the garden hose is used 1t should be
turned on from such a distance that the
spray will fall gently on the leaves
and stems. making 1t as near like nat
ural rain as possible. Frequently when
the stream is put on the plants with too
much force the leaves are snapped off,
the blooms spoiled and occasionally the
broken
The water used should never be too
cold. To prevent any Of these nisfor-
tunes many women prefer to have the
water used on plants kept in barrels
for several hours to take off the chill
before il is used. Many horticulturists
Will not have their flowers watered
through a hose, but insist upon the use
OF hand watering pots, declaring that
the force of the water comi~- through
nose Is roo strong for garden plants
care must be taken TO keep bugs and
spiders from eating the leaves, making
them ragged. and sucking the juice from
lie STEMS uFSIrDS1flS tie vitality ana
making the plants weak.
Prepared insect powders and tobacco
water made from the stems will usually
XIII these little bugs after several aDpli-
cations. In putting on thes powders.
which are usually poisonous, care should
be taken to prevent any getting On the
blooms. causing bad effects II they are
cut for table decorations or bouquets
Many hardy kinds of Garden flowers
have an unkept appearance at this sea-
son because the blooms are not cut when
they should be to make room Cor new
blossoms and also because seed pods
are allowed TO grow while the plants
are blooming.
Many OF the annually blooming plants
and some Of the perennial ones have
passed their first blooming period by this
time and are beginning 10 form seed, az
Is natural. The oni-- way the blooming
time may be continued is by Dlucking
the seed pods from the stems, thus fore
Ing all The strength into the blossoms
prolonging their life and frequently in
creasing their size and beauty, and in
some instances bringing out new blooms
that last until the end of the summer.