Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-02
PREPARED BY n. c. IRISH
Vi the Missouri Botanical Gardens,
St. Louis, for The National Council
OF Horticulture.

OF Horticulture.
full of shrubs for the ornament of home
grounds, responding readily to cult
walton The varieties OF spiraea may
be classed in two groups. early bloom
ING and late blooming. The former pro-
uuce flowers on wood of the previous
years growth; the latter bear flowers
on young wood of the current year
Most of the early blooming splraeas
nave dense growing habits and should
be thinned out while dormant, but UNI
der no circumstances must they be
pruned in winter or spring, as the flow
ers would thereby be destroyed Re
move only congested growth and weak
wood In thinning out. The old flower
sprays should always he cut when
through blooming as this gives the
young wood full opportunity to de-
velop for the following year. Most
OF the spiraeas are unsatisfactory in
the sun and like equally light or heavy
soil provided II is well drained,
The bridal wreath" Spraea Van
Houttei, Is one of the most popular
early Towering spiraeas. 1t flowers
about the end of May producing white
Hover clusters In abundant profusion
along the curving branches. 1t groves
A'N''i " ~ lttl nigh.
Spiraea arguta comes into bloom the
first week In May, the slender branches
being thickly covered with small dense
clusters of pure white flowers II is
quite hardy and can always be de-
pended on to make an effective dis
play The small olive green leaves on
the numerous branchlets are retained
until late in the season Its average
height is four feet but in is years time
al or
tall. The stems assume a ed-red-
dish brown color in winter.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS.
This vegetable is valuable addi-
ton t. the kinds usually grown In the
home vegetable garden. II Is u close
relative of the cabbage and cauli-
6ower. but instead OF producing a
single head, the plant forms a num-
Der of small heads in the axels of the
leaves and these heads are called
sprouts and are the edible part OF the
vegetale. The sprouts average one to
two Inches In diameter.
The seed should be sown In the
open ground as early as the weather
permits in April. When the plants
are three inches high. they should be
trarsplanted or thinned cut into rows
"a to 80 inches apart and about two
must be well watered after they have
Keen moved. AS the small sprouts
begin to crowd the leaves should be
broken from the stem 10 give the
small heads more room. A feS
leaves should be left at the top Of
the stem where the new heads are
formed.
In warm climates the plants may
be left in the open ground all winter,
ha lie hpinr renop,vAI Incl 1 .
but IN more northern latitudes plants
that are we'll laden with heads are
taken up when frost comes and set
close together In a pit or cellar, ur
"cold frame a bed covered with
glass With little soil packed about
their roots they may in this way oe
kept all winter, being used when
needed. When boiled or stewed with
cream they are delicious.
A BACKYARD GARDEN
For the adornment of the city back
yard of ordinary size, nothing Is moro
suitable than old fashioned mixed
borders where anything can be plant
ed and Il bouquet cut away every day
without the effect being spoiled. The
backyard Of a city lot of % or 80 feet
is ample room for garden of those
ANNALS that are easily grown from
seed.
II there is a little grass in the yard
so that strip can be left on both
sides of the walk from the back door
to the woodshed or the alley gate, II
win add to the effect. Dig a border
from six to eight feet wide along each
side, fence the entire length of the
yard. Leave the grass strips between
the walk and the border, or better
still. take up the walk and make an
ether bed down the center. IN the
yard 80 feet wide. there will be room
for bed three feet wide down TIE
center.
II the woodshed Is unsightly, plant
climbers such as morning glot. ~ 10
cover 1t. Too much cannot be said
about the proper preparation OF the
soil Dig the border deeply and
broak up all the large Jumps. Dig
into the beds II good coat of well-rot-
ted manure and mako the surface
smooth and even.
If the yard is shaded by adjoining
buildings much care should be used
in selecting the seed to be planted.
There are many ANIMALS which Will
grow well in the shade. Among the
ANNALS OF which the seed may he
sown directly IN the border are; Asst
crs, nasturtiums, petunias, mlgnonet-
to- candytuft, zinnias, cocoopsis, gall
lard!as, sweet peas. II space permits.
Introduce few hardy perennie's
scattered along in clumps of Nix or
more. Among them are larkspur, pc
onies. phlox, German jris, coumoine
geratums, geraniums. verhenas, hello
trope. dahlias. gladioli, cannas and
hollyhocks may also be planted in the
border. It is also an excellent place
to plant tulips, hyacints, and other
bulbs
KOHLRABI.
Among the most easily cultivated
and satisfactory vegetables to grow Is
the kohlrabi and on tins account II
stands near the head Of the list. The
plant Is comparatively little known
in America and is generally quite
profitable to the market gardener
who grows II.
II purtaRes OF the nature Of the
cabbage, and the turnip and Is often
used as substitute for the latter The
rlant is very hardy, often enduring
severe frosts and also resisting droutn.
The upper part OF the stem swells In
to u large, fieshy head above the
ground, resembling the turnip. The