| Show 1 T vr artal their C 4 are and IF A 4 A el et A tv A fr 62 specimen of GROW FERNS FOR A CHANGE BY L M bennington the ordinary way to propagate this class of plants Is by dividing the plants by the creeping rhizomes by the little bullets that form on the fronds and by the seeds or spores that appear on the underside of the leaves the enterprising fern lover will find it most inter interesting eting to propagate by spores and perchance produce a really valuable addition to these beautiful and graceful plants procure a seed pan or a box with plenty of drainage holes and cover the bottom with broken crockery on this place halt half decayed sod and fill with carefully mixed and sifted eat mold and sand make the surface of 0 the soil per factly smooth and level and then scat seat ter the spores on it and leave them without any covering that Is of soil however they must be in glass by placing a pane of glass over the seed box or pan water by placing the seed pan in water and keep it there until the wa ter appears on the surface of the soli soil then remove at once for too much water will destroy the spores keep the box in the light but not the sun remembering that ferns naturally grow in shady places and that we should try and follow nature natures s lead PLANT SHADE TREES when hen you are planning to plant trees around the house it will be well to give a thought to the japanese walnut and the downing mulberry the japanese walnut was first lin ported from the orient about twenty years ago and is rapidly growing in popularity wherever it has been tested jit A does not bear much resemblance to our native kind differing in leaf and manner of growth it does not start many limbs and they are thick stubby and blunt when bare of leaves its appearance Is not very prepossess ing or graceful but when in leaf it will compare in beauty with any of our shade trees and is sure to attract the admiration of every observer of tree life its leaves are large and tropical in outline and make ap s dense shade to all these qualities of a fine shade tree it adds the value of a nut tree it bears a nut something like our native butternut in shape but not so large these nuts are borne in clusters and in great a abundance bun dance a and nd one of the best features of these trees is the very early age they the come into bearing they legin at three or four years they are vigorous and hardy growers the downing mulberry or perhaps one of the several other so called ever bearing varieties makes a good sec see ond choice there is not a great deal of difference between any of the mul berries though it is said the downing Is not ha dy in the north it Is a very rapid growing tree which in itself la is a very valuable quality in a shade tree its leaves are large and make a fine shade and from every point of view it la Is a beautiful tree except perhaps that some might object to the fact that it bears fruit in abundance this quality however should make it prized all the more by the farmer for a number of weeks it produces delicious berries that are the delight of the children and of the birds and 0 fowls birds of all kinds may be seen in its branches feasting on the berries and making the yard cheerful with their presence and their song the catbird and thrush jay and mocking bird are all willing not to molest the more valuable cherries as long aa as they can get all the mulberries they want SOME NOTES IN SEASON BY LIMA R ROSE the main planting season Is over now but do not forget to look out for and renew any plants that have not thrived so far we miss a part of the satisfaction of growing flowers where we do not profit by last year years s experience and utilize that knowledge to better our home grounds this year i remember most sowers flowers do not sue aeed in a shady yard if your garden plot Is of that nature do not despair of having flowers but wisely plant the things that thrive in the shade and take your toll in pansies terns ferns and other well known lovers of shady corners do not work the soil too deeply about plants that root close to the surface merely break the crust with the claw rake rale or with the fingers go over the garden after a hard rain loosening the soil and the hose will not be so much in demand keep the straggling geraniums out back and give rich food and plenty of water and they will bloom until frost and be in good shape for win bering in the cellar Is early nearly all plants thrive best it given plenty of breathing space either by spacing when transplanting or by pruning off the side branches many plants give larger and better bloom for this vigorous lopping off keep the sod edges trimmed around the borders all gravel or loose walks allowing a growth of weeds should be well soaked with strong brine and hand weeded hand picking Is the only way to ex terminate some insects it seems al most useless to try poisoning the rose slug HOW TO MAKE A FLAT A flat is a shallow box three or four inches deep and of any c convenient size bore a few holes in the bottom and put in a layer of cinders then fill with light rich lom and sand about halt half and halt half smooth and firm the soil with a flat board and then draw lines across the soil two or three inches apart in these furrows sow the seed 9 P t f plant shade trees around the pome and if public spirited help piar plant them along the roads |
