Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-18
All Around the Place.

Before the plants are set out provide
some form of shelter, which Is to be
placed over the rows for the first few
days, to protect the plants from the
sun during the heat OF the day. Tive
boards nailed together V-shape viii
serve admirably. Place the boards. wide
side down, OF course, over the rows in
such a manner as to protect the plants
without pressing upon them, and re-
move the shelter in the evening, to re-
place 1t next morning early. Do this
| for three or four, days, or until the
plants become properly rooted.
Gardeners, professional as well as
amateur, fail to take full advantage OF
the information available in the bulle-
tins published for free distribution by
the Department of Agriculture. Prob
ably no phase Of gardening, from grow
ing lettuce, radishes and the like In the
back yard garden to producing huge
overlooked by the department, and the
results Of its investigations-all of them
carefully tested and checked-are
printed in bulletin form, for distribu-
ton to any one who asks for them.
If the sweet pea vines are beginning to
show signs Of whiting and turning yell
low, they probably are affected with a
disease known as sweet pea streak
Treatment for this consists of spraying
several weeks. with a solution of per
manganate of potash. The solution
should be no more than rose color
just a rather pronounced pink. rather
than the claret color of a stronger so
lution-and 1t Is not to be applied
oftener than once each week. Add
tional treatment consists OF applying
sulphate of potash to the soil close to
into the soil. Use in the proportion OF
ap ounce to two yards or row, one ap-
plication being sufficient.
Do not neglect feeding the cantaloupe.
watermelon and casaba vines. IL the
finest fruits are desired. It is a good
plan to pinch off all but half a dozen
Of the blossoms as they form on the
vines. Often a single cantaloupe vine
will set twenty-five blossoms or more,
and it is. of course. out of the question
for the plant to mature that many mel
ons. By pinching of all but half
dozen, and permitting only that num-
Der of fruits to set, the melons that are
produced will be much larger and inner,
and all Of them will mature and Yipen
while II the vine were permitted to try
to produce a cantaloupe for each blosr
som, most Of them would be small and
inferior, and even the largest ones
would not be as good as they would
have been If the vine hadn't tried to
do more than 1t was able to do.
Pumpkins and squashes also do much
better If properly fed with good, but
not too strong. liquid fertilizer. 1t is
also we'll to pinch or all but Few OF
the blossoms from each vine, permit
ting only the largest and apparently
strongest to form fruits.
Now is a good time to begin preparing
for cold frames In which to start plants
for next seasons gardens and mower
heds and borders. While one Is at II
hotbed may also be planned Tor, II one
has not already been provided.
This is the season of year when most
gardens have been '1aid by" and when
there Is little to be done except to see
that things grow properly. When the
corn is given its final cultivation,
which should be soon now. sow cow
meas quickly between the rows. Then,
when the corn is removed In August
or September, turn the rank growth of
cowpeas under and harrow in crimson
clover. which. under proper conditions.
will spring up and continue to grow
during the entire winter. Next spring
plow tho clover under, thus giving the
garden the benefit Of two green
manure crops in a single year. With
The addition Of manure such treatment
will work wonders even with the poor
est SOIL and bring 1t In q very few
or four at the most-into
4 state of high fertility stored with
avery element necessary for the prQ< ,
auction Of big. paying cropG