Show pw 1 T their hei I 1 r C 4 are cad a i ix lie t I 1 aa e oa 01 A beamut ful avenue of shade trees SPRING IN THE GARDEN by E VAN benthuysen just as soon as the lilac and other spring prig flowering scrubs have done blooming prune them cut back to a strong eye or shoot preserving the characteristic form of the shrub fight green lice with tobacco tea and the rose slug with lime water or try lusting dusting air slaked lime on the infested rose bushes use a sharp knife or scissors when ga gathering flowers early in the morn ing Is the best time and the blooms not quite developed will last longest keep the stems of the newly cut flow ers deep in water before arranging in bouquets make a place tor for the petunia it la 18 one of the most accommodating ot of plants it makes a fine showing rap idly grows easily and takes root rap idly it if there Is a corner on the home grounds you haven t planned for try this year to grow petunias prepare the soil carefully scatter petunia seeds upon it water with a fine hose and watch the seeds grow look out tor for the big weeds the little ones will be smothered by the rapid growth of the petunias if it jack frost has found some tender seedling place it out of the sun im med mediately lately spray with very cold wa ter and shade from the sun s rays gladioli must be planted every two weeks for succession the plants are beautiful and when placed among roses or with a background of shrub bery are a brilliant spot in the gar den cannas like very rich soil and plen ty of water during the growing season plant two feet aart it if they are the tall growing sort the dwarf kind can be planted closer As the seed pods form cut them off A mulch of manure helps to conserve the water that Is given them I 1 propagating 8 BY Y CUTTING by W R GILBERT where thousands of plants are grown tor for positions in the open air dur ing the summer this Is an important operation from march onward con sid erable forethought and knowl knowledge edge of the work are necessary to obtain the plants in suitable condition and in suf numbers when the time tor for planting out arrives although decried by some th the e scar let geranium still has hosts of aamir ers era especially since the introduction it f the variety paul crampel cuttings of the varieties of which the numbers are short can be inserted now ROW these may be obtained from the old plants lifted from the beds in the autumn or a few tops may be taken off the strongest of the young plants inserted in light sandy soil they will soon root on a shelf in a warm house cuttings of coleus ageratum heliotrope verbena fuchsia fibrous rooted begonia etc when required in quantity should be inserted in a bed of sand made up in a propagating frame nith bottom heat three inches of sand will be sufficient and it if this Is made firm well supplied with water and a bottom beat heat of 0 75 to 80 degrees maintained many of the cuttings will be rooted in a week and ready toi for potting up singly in small pots remaining in the sand such a short time they can be dibbled in close to gether lobelias Lo bellas alterman theras and me can also be in creased by the thousands in this way nay provided there Is good stock of old plants on hand march Is soon enough to commence propagating early in february dahlia tubers ot of which a large stock Is required may be brought into the propagating house placed on the stage partly burying the tubers in leaf mold plenty of shoots will boon soon push out when these are about three inches in length they should be taken off oft with a slight heel and it inserted in a sand bed they will soon root another method successfully adapt ed for rooting dahlias Is to make up a hotbed a yard in height place a frame on this and plunge the pots of cuttings where there Is a nice bot torn tom heat A list ot of the quantities of plants required r should be made and the num bers entered as they are rooted this may have much trouble when the time comes for planting out SUCCESS WITH C COSMOS osmos sow cosmos early if it you wish to get any satisfaction out of it push it along as fast as you can it does not transplant readily therefore grow it in pots shift it along until it Is grow ing in nine inch pots then sink the pot in a border and from the time the plants are six inches high until the end of july the shoots should be p pinched I 1 n c bed out this will keep the plants low and stocky long after severe frosts your cosmos will be giving you your beautiful flowers for the window 11 START THEM EARLY A great many annuals and peren nials can be planted now tor for early plants pansies sweet peas and verbenas but where there Is no conservatory or greenhouse it is best to wait until march before planting anything but the pansies or daisies start sweet now in your win dow garden sweet peas are too hard to handle from the window box bet ter wait and sow them where they are to remain all season RIBBON BEDS good effects can be worked out in ribbon beds by using different varle varie ties of verbena in rows to make an effective design however it will be necessary to purchase plants of each color from your florist forist as seedlings are quite sure to bring plants of all colors common to the verbena family and therefore spoil the color effect which Is the prime motive of such a bed 4 y 31 Z A mw ww wa 1 A well kept ground spacious and Attract attractive ll IL |