The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-04-09
HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL
GIVES PLANTING ADVICE.
Pointers for Gardeners, Both Amateur
and Professional, Provided.

The National Council OF Horticul-
ture has issued its first instalment Of
spring suggestions for 1909 which gar
deners, amateur and professional as
well as suburban householders near
large cities. will find OF value.
The hints begin with Planting In
March. from which this is an excerpt
If the seeds for the flower and yege-
table gardens are not already in the
hotbed or in boxes or pots placed near
sunny window then the amateur
gardener who wants 70 keep abreast
OF his neighbors when warm weather
comes. would better prepare his hot
bed or boxes al once
The simpler method OF raising
plants to be set out after all danger
OF frost is over. is 10 SOW seed in
boxes or pots to be kept indoors. The
boxes should have holes for drainage
in the bottom, but should not be SO
open as TO let the soil dry. Ordinary
garden soil may be used In the bot
tom. but on top there should be a
lighter soil. Small seed should be
sown on the surface, then fine soil
spread over them and pressed down.
but not so hard as TO cause the soil
20 bake.
Coarse seed can best be planted
In little drills, or each seed pressed
down into the SOIL and the whole COW
cred with a thin layer OF earth. The
soil should be gently sprinkled with
water Immediately after the planting
Only the quantity of water which the
soil Will readily absorb without be-
coming s0ggy should be given. The
box should be watered subsequently,
whenever the soil becomes dry a lit
tie below the surface.
Set the box in sunlight by the win
dow. but shield It from the direct rays
of the sun. Keep the soil well stirred
TO prevent il baking"
For indoor planting the National
Council says.
I'm March. either in the hot bed. or
in boxes by the sunny window seed
Of the following flowers should receive
their start in order that good sized
plants NAV be ready when all danger
of frost has gone. and the beds may
be made outside. Ageratum. snap
dragon. asters begonias. marguerites
cocks-comb. heliotrope. annual holly
hook. lobelia. pansy. petunia saliva
verbena. stocks. wallfower. Most Of
these will be- ready to plant outside
by May 10 To-
For the vegetable garden early
peas may be planted outside in this
month. and will produce a crop by
June l5 In the hot bed or indoor
box the following vegetable seed
should be planted: Globe artichoke.
early cabbage. early caulifOwer Gel
cry. eggplant, kohlrabi lettuce. pars-
ley. pepper ard tomato.
An inexpensive hOtbed which will
prove a most profitable investment for
the amateur who has a little space
outside at his disposal may be made
in this manner Make an excavation
the desired length and breadth Is
inches deep. Choose a place where
there viii be- no seepage. Fill on foot
with fine brush Press this down well
and pack tightly on top four inches
Of cow manure Cover this with rich
sandy soil Glass sash or boards may
be used 20 keep out the frost Keep
the bed moist with warm water for a
few DAYS until IT begins TO heat. and
plant your seed when the temperature
has settled at about 80 degrees"
The subject Of lawns is an engross-
ing one AZ this time Of year and the
council throws out these suggestions:
In the early spring is the best time
10 make a new lawn and TO repair
an old one. Fertilizer should be ap-
piled 10 grass plots which have been
established a few years. and thin p0r-
tons should be reseeded II seed has
been sown in the fall for a new lawn
watch carefully this spring, and re.
seed those places where the first
seeding fails to come up.
in making new lawn. great care
should be taken Prepare the ground
as soon as il can be worked Grade H.
smoothing over rough surfaces. max
ing proper level spaces and gentle
slopes. II possible the lawn should
slope away from the house The grad
ing should be done to distribute even
~ all surface water. avoiding the for
nation Of little runs which might pro
duce washouts
Enrich the soil with a liberal sup
ply Of we'll rotted manure This Is es-
sential where the soil Is lacking in
humus. otherwise bone meal or other
good fertilizer is useful The ground
should be plowed or spaded not less
than eight inches deep. all stones and
similar material removed Jumps
broken up. and the surface smoothed.
Then il is ready for seeding
Use a good lawn mixture Four
parts Kentucky blue grass. with one
part white clover sown not less than
five bushels 70 the acre. is good Red
top instead of the blue grass or equal
parts Of red top and blue grass pro
duce good results. Use plenty OF seed
and nothing but pure seed"