New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-05-07
FLOWERS THAT Will
MAKE GOOD IN GARDEN
Average Housewife IatTusted in
This Matter.

washington, H. e., May t.--Men5
people at this season of the year are |
considering what towering plants they |
shall put in their gardens. The aver
age housewife, who has not much time |
to spare on the matter, the child who |
Is Just becoming interested in growing |
plants, and the teacher who is laying
on la school garden for the benefit of
her, pupils will undoubtedly welcome
some simple suggestions along this
line The. United States department
of agricultures specialist particularly
recommends as satisfactory and
easily grown flowers, the ageratum,
the nasturtium the petunia, the Cali
fornia poppy, and the zinnia. Here
are few pointers on each of them:
Agcratum.
|. The ageratum is one of the few blue
flowers we have. In it's form 1t
somewhat resembles the hciiotrope
but has no odor Ageratums grow
we'll upon almost all soils and through
Il wide range of climate. For that
reason many combinations with them
are possible. The plants are neat,
bushy, and erect, and produce pro-
fusion of brush-lille flowers through
cut the season. The dwarf blue sorts
make fine borders and are much used
where contrasting color effects are de-
| sired For early bloom the seed
| should be sown In cold frames or in
| boxes in the house early the season
! March, but for summer and fall
| bloom the seeds may be sown in April
/ or early May in WELL prepared beds
l in "A in August
will produce good plants for winter
Efiowcring.
| Nasturtium.
The large seeds of the nasturtium.
require to be planted much deeper
| than the fine seeds of the petunia.
Sow them i'm rows where the plants
are to grow, placing the seeds about
six inches apart in the row and cover
| them about an inch deep. When all
| plants are up, thin so. that they stand
| foot apart if the soil is rich; If
| rather thin, it will be as well to al,
low them to stand at the planting dis
lance. The plants should be given
| clean cultivation to induce rapid
growth. IT planted in the open at the
same time that beans are planted,
very satisfactory results will follow.
For earlier bloom plant in advance of
this date in hotbeds, cold frames or
Iwindow boxes. @
While the petunia grows readily
and rapidly from seeds sown in the
| open about complaining time, earlier
bloom can be secured by sewing the
A seed in window boxes ar hotbeds and
transplanting the plants once before
placing them in the open. For To-
calities north of New York the most
satisfactory method of handling these
plants will be to start the seeds in
window boxes about April and to
transfer the young plants to the open
when the weather permits--about the
middle Of May. The seeds are very
small and should not be covered with
earth in the ordinary way. They
should be sown on the surface and
brought in contact with the earth by
| firming it with a board.
California Poppy.
The eschscholtza is an annual of
striking character both as regards the
form and color of it's flowers, which
are bright and rich in their tints OF
yellow and orange. The plants av-
erage about a foot in height, have
attractive silvery foliage, and pro.
duce their large poppy-like flowers
quite lavishly from early spring un
til frost The seeds of eschscholtzis
may be sown in window boxes O
: in a hotbed in March, or in the ope,
where the plants are to bloom as 500
:. as the soil is in fit condition, in Apri
or May in the latitude of New York
In ATTITUDES south of New York TIL
seeds may be sown in the autumn 70
early bloom. The plants enjoy
rich loam and should be Above
about five or six inches of space il
the row. When used in beds the
| may be sown broadcast.
j Zinnia.
n The zinnia is easily grown fror
seed sown in the open ground. whe
sown in April the plants will bloom
abundantly and continuously .througl
the entire season. During the monti
of August zinnias are at their bes
To secure large flowers and IL pro
fusion of bloom the plants must b
given ample room for full develop
ment, as we'll as an abundant suppl
of food. Strong, rich soils suit tn
zinnia. If the seeds are sown /
III dwelling house or in a hotbed i
March and the young plants ar
pricked out once or twice befor
Icing placed in their permanent ST.
uations. more satisfactory results wi
be secured than from outdoor-sow
seeds unless equal care in thinnin
or transplanting is given. In add
ton to their use in the school ga,
den zinnias can be used for group
beds, borders, garden lines and sum
ner hedges. Their average heigf
is one and one-half feet. The zinni
| Ia