Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-05-11
THE W0MAN'S
FLOWER GARDEN

pies only a small amount of space,
as general thing. most amateurs
Delittle the Importance of doing thor
ough work In Il, and Il receives
only fraction of the attention Il
ought to get.
This Is all wrong. Whether gard
ening Is conducted on a small or
an elaborate scale. Il ought to be
done well. IL must be done we'll
IL success Is to reward our efforts
to grow vegetables or flowers in n
satisfactory manner.
There Is nothing difficult about
gardening IL one goes at In the right
manner. IL Is a perfectly simple
process. The amateur wants to get
the Idea out of his mind that there
Is a "knack" about Il. All there
Is to do is to prepare the soil for
the reception of the seed or plant
and see that VI kept in the proper
condition for plant development dur
ing the season.
Most flower gardens are so small
that spading will take the place OF
Moving in them. This Is really
turning up and puverizing the soil,
1 lOT tue tt1DtONult vi u uOtSt af-t
ways results In more or less Injury
to the sward about the garden, and
often to the shrubs and hardy plants
growing near II. A man can spade
up as much ground In two hours as
the average woman will be able to
take care of. II the man doesn't hap
pen to be available boy can gen.
erall' be hired to do the work for
a small sum.
The soil should be turned over to
the deDth OF six or eight inches. Aim
to bring the lower soil to the sur
face and bury that which most likely
ha7 the seeds OF many weeds In Il.
When the beds are spaded up APP
| p'y fertilizer literally. This must
not be construed to mean excessive
fertll'zlng. Too much manure viii
result in luxuriant growth OF
plants and few flowers. What is
meant by "liberal' fertllizlng Is a
sufficient amount to bring about a
vigorous, healthy, plant growth.
Soils vary in different parts OF the
country, and fertilizer that does
good work in one place may be COM
naratiyely worthless In some other
locality. Here Is where the value OF
advice from some one familiar with
tho coil In your locality comes in play
III such advice Is not readily obtain.
able II Will be- safe TO make use oi
bonemeal, as this fertilizer almost
ALWAYS brings about good results OF
nearly all kinds OF soil. II. your
garden seems TO be OF ordinary rich
ness a teacupful OF bonemeal to {
ward square OF surface will be ample
In Il Is very Door use a teacupfu
and n half. Scatter this over thu
soil as turned up from the spade ant
: then 20 to work with hoe and iroi
: rake 10 make that soil as fine as nos
: lslble. There Is no danger OF overdo
Ing this part OF the work
DO not be in too great a harry q
get this work done. Walt until tn
learly spring rains have drained ava
. before YOU begin 10 make your gard
en-. The ground should be dr.
enough 20 crumble under the hoe o
Irake. II so moist that II sticks &
1 Them wait a while longer. Mos
-lpersons are impatient OF delay. AM
, lmany of them nut seed into tn
,ground before II Is safe To do 50
Nothing Is gained by too early SOW
: ing, aud often all Is lost bv II. Un
( e-s the soil Is rid of surplus waite
{ land has become partially warIne'
= Inv the sunshine OF settled weathe
fine seed will almost always fail L
germinate. Even II ones Seeding
lfrom early sowing withstand the ei
fleets 20 too much moisture In IN
soil and the "cold spells which "
OF the northwest are likely TO eA
r perience TIL we'll along In Ma,
lthese plants almost always are late
: I'm DEVELOPMENT than those OF late
n sowing, because their experienc
{, with unfavorable conditions has ely
O en- them ciieck from which II take
/. lthem some time to recover. TIL
. Iexplains why Il Is not advisable
q put seed into the ground until IN
n warm weather is assured.
|. would not advise sowing seed
: the beds where plants are TO b'oi
som. | would make A bed for seec
llngs. from which they could be tran
y planted later on, This because sue
bed need not occupy much room
as the seed can be sown In rows clos
together. and the work OF weedin
ttwni hc reduced 10 a minimum. Cor
centrate your attention on the soc
bed, therefore as long as possibi'
and thereby save good deal OF wor
for yourself. Transplant your seed
I,lings when thev have made a seoop
or third pair of leaves. They vi
then be large enough to work anon
without danger OF uprooting thei
with the weeds-a risk which 9n
always runs when seed Is sown al
reetl'' In the bed where the plani
Hare to bloom, as II Is often quit
Ildifhcult TO tell which Is weed an
which Is not.
Transplanting should be done o
a cloudy dav II possible. III IN
| weather Is bright and warm do you
| transplanting after sundown. LII
| the seedlings with some earth I'd
lhering 10 their roots. and be earett
II TO disturb those roots as little q
Al no,sible Water them well immed