Evening star., 1915-05-23
=; E;@ULTRy

slow in making growth may be stimu
lated by the use of nitrate of potash or
nitrate OF soda. Use the crude chem
ical dissolving it in water at the rate
OF quarter of a pound to a gallon of
water. Apply the solution directly at
the roots of the plants. doing this in
the late afternoon or evening.
As the rosebuds swell the bushes
should be fed with liquid manure. bone
creases the size of the blooms, while
rosartans hold that the use Of bone
dust or blood meal deepens and i'm
proves the color.
A handy way to obtain plants for the
new strawberry bed is as follows: Fill
two-inch flower pots with good soil and
set the pots down almost level with
the soil of the old bed. Lift the first
runners thrown out by the old plants,
lay them across the tops OF the pots
and weight them down with pebbles
At the point of contact with the soil
the runners will form rootlets which
will take hold in the soil contained in
the pots. When they are firmly rooted
clip the runners Off between the pots
and the plants and set the pots in a
cool and partly shaded place to give
the new plants opportunity to make
set out next August they will bear next
spring.
The fight against weeds should have
begun as soon as real growing weather
arrived, and it must be continued dur
ing the rest of the summer. Do not let
any weed grow to maturity. Cut it off
down to the ground, or pull 1t up roots
and all. as soon 1t shows itself. Pile
all the weeds and any other vegetable
matter on the compost heap, working
them into the heap, which should be
forked over and well mixed every two
or three weeks, or even oftener II
possible. 1t cannot be too often re-
which goes every bit of vegetable. ref
use, every weed, pea vine. bean vine,
piece OF sod. every basket of lawn clip
pings. IS well as all manure. etc, on
the place, is worth almost its weight
in silver to the gardener.
Saltpeter is a reliable remedy for the
small green cabbage worms. Dissolve
couple of ounces of Saltpeter In cold
water and apply the solution either by
means of a spray or sprinkling can to
the cabbages as soon as the small in
ner leaves are an inch or so across.
Sprinkle or spray the plants at time
when there is no indication of rain;
otherwise the saltpeter will wash off
without doing any good. This remedy
has the advantage of killing the worms
without being dangerous to humans.
Wnen pldntlng melons OF any klno
cucumbers, and lima beans. remember
that all are gross feeders and that the
hills in which they are planted cannot
be made too rich. A mixture of old
sods and black, we'll rotted stable ma
nure. half bushel to the hill. makes a
fine compost for any of these, the fer
tilizer being covered with an inch or
SO of soil in which the seeds are to be
planted.
Which would you rather have. BUSH
Ell of fine, big, perfect peaches, or three
bushels of small. knotty. imperfect
ones? The way to get big. handsome
full favored peaches is to thin-thin
vigorously and cruelty as soon the
fruits are the size of peanut kernels
Those that are left will be first class
and the trees themselves will not be in
jured.
Rhubarb beds may be made at this
time. The beds are made just as one
would prepare an asparagus bed. re-
moving the soil to the depth of eight
cen inches to two feet, filling in at the
bottom with an inch or so of broken
stones, cinders. etc. for drainage. COW
ering this with several inches of well
rotted manure. on top of which fill in
with soil. The rhubarb roots are plant
ed six inches deep in this top layer of
soil A few stalks may be cut for use
next spring. IS rhubarb bed becomes
esta blished more quickly than a bed of
asparagus.
Sow lettuce for succession. choosing
a spot at least partly shaded for the
tying up the outer leaves with bits of
raff1a as they reach the proper size
This. if properly done. blanches the in
rer leaves of the head and keeps them
weather. when heads not tied up be-
come green, touch and rank
Save all the lawn clippings, weeds,
bits of sod and turf, and all vegetable
matter to help out the compost heap
Add these materials to the heap. fork
ing them in well with the manure. etc
In dry weather throw few pailfuls
of water on the heap from time to
time; the suds from the family wash.
compost heap. is not moistened occa-
sionally the interior will dry out to
the consistence of punk. becoming
worthless for fertilizing purposes.
If late vegetables are desired for
autumn use, such cabbages, beets.
potatoes, turnips or any crop which
requires but a short time to mature, a
northern exposure with a clayey loan
soil is best.
1t is of utmost Importance that the
seed be properly and carefully placed
ana covered OT IL Will not get started
right. no matter how good the seed or
how good the land. Do not leave the
ground loose around and over the seed,
for it may dry out unless the season
is wet. nor should the soil be packed
too hard around the seed. for the latter
may not be able to push its way out. 1t
should be placed in mellow soil and
packed just enough to bring 1T in ac-
tual contact with it. In this position
it will receive a reasonable amount of
air. warmth and moisture. Follow the
seedman's directions carefully as to
depth OF planting.
Sugar corn for the first of the main
crop should be planted now, that al
ready planted being the very earliest
varieties. Such varieties as Stowell's
Evergreen, Cory. Country Gentleman
and the like may safely be planted
now, with other paintings at intervals
of ten days or two weeks for an all
summer succession.
Any kind of beans except limas may
be planted now. The limas will stand
a better chance if planting is deferred
for another week or so, as even a
slight frost will kill the young plants, |
and cold. wet weather stunts them
and causes weak and unprolific |
growth.