The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-04-03
Planting in April.


If seeds for the flower and vegetable
gardens are not already in the hotbed
or in boxes or pots placed near a sunny
window, then the amateur gardener
who wants to keep abreast of his neigh
bors when warm weather comes would
better prepare his hotbed or boxes at
once.
The simpler method of raising plants
to be set out after all danger of frost is
over, is to 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 bottom, 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 to
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 becom-
ing soggy should be given. The box
should be watered subsequently when
ever the soil becomes dry a little below
the surface
Set the box in the sunlight by the
window, but shield it from the direct
rays of the sun. Keep the soil well
stirred to prevent it baking.
For Indoor Planting.
In March, either in the hotbed or in
boxes by the sunny window, seed of the
following flowers should receive their
start in order that good-sized plants
may be ready when all danger of frost
has gone, and the beds may be made
outside: Ageratum, snapdragon, asters,
begoniaS, margueriteS, cockscomb, hell
otrope, annual hollyhock, lobelia, pan
sy, petunia, saliva, verbenia, stocks.
wallfiower. Most of those will be ready
to plant outside by May l to 10.
For the vegetable garden early peas
may be planted outside in this month,
and will produce a crop by June Is. In
the hotbed or indoor box the following
vegetable seeds should be planted:
Globe artichoke, early cabbage, early
cauliflower, celery, eggplant, kohlrabi,
lettuce, parsley, pepper and tomato.
An inexpesive hotbed which will
prove a most profitable investment for
the amateur who has little space out
side at his disposal may be made in
this manner: Make an excavation the
desired length and breadth, eighteen
inches deep. Choose a place where there
will be no seepage. Fill one foot with
fine brush. Press this down we'll and
pack tightly on top four inches of COW
manure. Cover this with rich sandy
soil. Glass sash or boards may be used
to keep out the frost Keep the bed
moist with warm water for a few days
IN,
seed when the temperature has settled
at about 80 degrees.
Lawns.
In the early spring is the best time to
make new lawn, and to repair an old
one. Fertilizer should be applied to
grass plots which have been established
a few years, and thin portions should be
reseeded. If seed has been sown in the
fall for new lawn, watch carefully
this spring. and reseed 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 it.
over rough surfaces, making
proper level spaces and gentle slopes
If possible. the lawn should slope away
from the house. The grading should be
done to distribute evenly all surface
water, avoiding the formation of little
runs which might produce wasnouts.
Enrich the soil with a liberal supply
of Well-rotted manure. This is essen
tial where the soil is lacking in humus,
otherwise bone meal or other good fer
tilizer is useful. The ground should be
plowed or spaded not less than eight
inches deep. all stones and similar ma
terial removed, Jumps broken up and
the surface snoothed, then it is ready
for seeding.
Use a good lawn mixture. Four parts
Of Kentucky blue grass with one part
white clover sown not less than five
bushels to the acre is good. Redtop in
stead of blue grass, or equal parts of
redtop and blue grass, produce good re-
suits. Use plenty of seed, and nothing
but pure seed.