Evening star., 1915-04-04


nine inches apart each way. Pinch of
the seed pods as they form, in order to
insure a longer blooming season.
Ammonia moderately diluted with
water and poured near plants of any
kind kills thread and wire worms, as
well as cutworms. which either cut
off and destroy the plants or suck
Air-slaked lime fertilizes the soil
and kills many kinds OF insects. Dried
blood acts as a fertilizer and intensi-
fies the colors of many varieties of
flowers. Tobacco stems serve as a
mulch and fertilizer. while the juice
that exudes from the stems kills slugs,
earth insects and worms of many
kinds.
Plant dahlia tubers L. pots or boxes
in the cellar. 1t gives them a start.
When the shoots attain five inches take
the plants and pot them in sand
and garden loan mixed and set the
pots in the cold frame. They can be
set out when the weather permits.
Dahlias which are cut down in July
will give new wood for fall blooms
that far excel the summer flowers for
size and beauty. Dahlias can be grown
from seed to bloom the first year by
starting the seed in pots and setting
single varieties are best for that pur-
pose.
Have bed of snapdragons for the
garden. These old-fashioned weeds, as
they are sometimes called. have become
very popular. AS a table flower they
surpass most any other. Sow the seed
inside in pots. or outside when weather
are five inches tall set them in rows
two inches apart each way. Close
growth gives the best effect and bloom.
All colors and both tall and dwarf are
consistent boomers
Grass cuttings placed around the
plants keep the soil moist. When work ed
fpto the soil, it acts as a mulch with the
same result.
Remember this summer to remove
every sucker from the sweet corn. and
mark the results in number and quail
ity of the ears from the stalks al
lowed to remain; A grain of seed corn
shoots. and most gardeners allow all
of these to remain in the hill. By
breaking off all but. say, three stalks
in every hilH those that remain will
corn will be of immensely superior
quality. The same is true in another
way of tomatoes. A tomato plant will
throw off sucker at every joint, if
permitted to do SO. These suckers.
or false stalks, never produce anything,
but draw much Of the sap and nourish-
ment from the plant that otherwise
would go to the production of fruits
Pinch the suckers off close to the main
stalk or joint. never permitting one
cover and remove it. The tomatoes
themselves may be thinned to advan-
tage. removing half Of. the fruits as
soon as they are set. Those that re-
main will be much larger and of bet.
ter quality for the thinning.
Catalogues. watermelons. pumpkins,
casabas. etc, may be brought to great
,er perfection by feeding them with
weak manure water during the grow
ing season. This is best done by means
OF short piece of common drain tile
set In the hill. A piece less than a
foot long-say, about eight OF ten
inches-is sunk in the hill until the
upper edge Is just above the top Of
the ground. Fill the piece of tile to
within a couple of inches of the top
with old. black, barnyard manure, and
twice a week, in dry weather. pour
haif gallon of water into the top Of
the tile. The water. percolating through
the manure, will soak into the soil
about the roots Of the vines feeding
and watering them at the same time.
and the fruits will be larger and more
abundant than those produced by vines
not SO treated. This is a trick prac-
ticed by Japanese gardeners and taken
up by Caucasians who sought to pro-
duce melons equal to those grown hy
the orientals. ~
II the garden space is small. plant
only feW varieties, and those Of the
best. But seeds from reliable firm
that has reputation to maintain
Cheap seeds are the same as anything
else cheap-woTth about what vol,
might expect them to be worth.