| Show TT I 1 w it and I 1 I 1 it ir are favat X t V i q 10 among the most beautiful of plants are the different varieties et ferns cool looking and luxuriant CARE OF THE FERNS by L M bennington the ordinary way to propagate thia this class 1 of plants la in by dividing tho the plant plants by the creeping rhizomes zomes by the little bul bulb blete lets that form on the rondo and by tho the seeds or spores that appear on the under side of at the leave leaves the enterprising fern lover will III find it moat most interesting to propagate by spores and perchance produce a really valuable addition to these beautiful and bad graceful plants procure a seed pan or box with plenty of drainage holes and cover the bottom with broken crockery on KEEP LAWN WELL ROLLED to make a good lawn the soil re quires frequent rolling in the first place a good lawn cannot be produced in one two or three yeara years that la Is a perfect lawn without depression depre eelon and with a boll soil surface as smooth as a boor floor A lawn roller can be made without much expense from cement using gas pipe for the axle and frame the form for betting setting the cement may be of wood using very narrow slats 11 or galvanized iron iran in case the latter Is used the form may be bo left at on the roller and if it it Is kept dry and pro from the weather it will last a long ions time A handy sire size for it lawn roller Is one about 20 inches long by 14 inches la fa diameter if it one has the proper tools which consist of a vise and a thread cutting tool a roller can be made in a short time and at very little expense FOR EARLY FLOWERS A hotbed enables one to gain a month on the season they are made and handled like a cold frame bat are built 11 in a three foot deep excava excavate tt r which Is failed to the level 11 of the earth with fresh stable manure balch for a few days has bait been fermented and forked and rement fermented kd again it must be bo trodden down and when the soil Is at t SO 00 degrees temperature covered alth with six inches of at rich BOIL soll bank u up p the outside when the sun shines the temperature of the air in the bed may mar be 70 to so 80 and at other times 65 5 to 4 60 40 degrees A hotbed extends the season of tender annuals by making possible an early start for transplant ing in may FIGHTING THE FLOWER BUGS if it the loares loaves of your plants curl up look took for insects it red spider deluge the not the soil with clear cold water if it aphis fumigate with tobacco or wash them with strong soap suds or with a tea made ol 01 this place jace half decayed sod and fill with carefully mixed and alfted sifted leaf mold and and sand make the surface of the soil perfectly smooth and level and then scab seat ter the spores on it and leave them without any covering that Is of BOIL soil Ito however wever they must be in glass by placing a pane of glass over the seed box or pan water by placing the seed pan li in wate and keep it there until the water appears on the surface of at the soil then remove at once for too much water will destroy the spores keep the box la in the light but not the sun remembering that ferne ferns naturally grow in shady places and that we should try to follow natures lead sla chips as hot as an the hand can bear for hite worms let the eoll soil get aa as dry as may be then set tho the pot in a vessel containing quite hot water taking care not to scald the plant or set the dry pot into a vessel containing limewater until thoroughly saturated or maka make a strong tea of black pepper and sat the soil it insect insects appear on the ferns at ply fir tree oil soap suds dipping the plant so that it may be entirely covered the bath may injure the plant in inexperienced hands bands but the insects will kill it try to use judgment when you find a plant or plants with lice on them have ready a large tight box and cover the bottom ot 0 it with an inch of cut tobacco stems ou on this sprinkle a little boll boil ing water set the plants at once on the tobacco cover tightly and leave tor for twenty four hours the lice will be eick sick it if not dead repeat it necea sary this is bolter better than or dipping HINTS ABOUT FLOWERS we usually alink of pruning only plant Is asleep it Is true that the easiest pruning should be don done then but there is in much that we can do during the summer to keep a plant in good conation condition the lilac Is usually the best pruned shrub we have for the simple reason that we are apt to pick every bloom the plant cannot of course then maki make any seeds and the strength Is thrown into new wood where it belongs hose rose bushes should be treated the th same way A second bloom can be bc produced on wistaria by following this nil ful and cutting head of each runner along towards the middle of sum mer you will notice new very shoots boots coming upon your plants when they reach an even height with the rest of the plant Plan kUlp nip out the tip and leavel with your throb and anger finger and thui make the shoot send out some side branches 17 1 i ir L 4 41 V C 4 7 7 r vaz bulbs are inexpensive and be ordered by the Hu hunek |
