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Show t?!v S .ti.i j.ky HARRIET MAY WILSON 'jj' Perennials No one would question the value of the annuals for low borders along garden walks, for plantings in formal for-mal beds, or for the production of cut flowers; the very fact that they are annual, and that, therefore, a new choice in colors, in the size of plants, and in fragrance and bloom can be made each year, is one of their charms: Nevertheless, many garden-lovers simply do not have time to devote to the yearly choosing choos-ing of seeds, the yearly planting and care demanded by the annuals, and for such the perennials are especially especial-ly suited. The herbaceous perennials (so-called (so-called because their stalks are not woody as are the stalks of shrubs, but are soft and fleshy, and die down every year with the recurrence of the frosts) are suited to many locations. loca-tions. They are used among shrub plantings to give color and brightness; bright-ness; they are happily placed along walls and fences which provide, a background suited to their dignity and charm; some of them do well in shade, others in full sun, and still others are especially adapted to rock gardens or as borders about lily pools and fish ponds. SOIL AND CULTURE From perennials, as from nearly all garden plants, the results in growth and bloom will vary directly with the richness of the soil and the care taken in its preparation. The garden or border where they are to be planted should be spaded to a depth of at least two feet and should be enriched with a liberal supply of well-rotted barnyard manure. It Is well to add, also, a quantity of ground bone, tankage, or cottonseed meal. Perennials make a heavy growth of stalk, foliage and bloom each year and must be supplied with the wherewithal for such growth. If the spot where planting is to take place is definitely poor in drainage, it will be necessary to drain by artificial arti-ficial means, but as a rule it is sufficient suffi-cient to place at the bottom of the prepared soil a layer of stones or broken pots to prevent water standing stand-ing around the roots. SPRING VERSUS FALL Whether to transplant in spring or In fall depends upon local conditions. condi-tions. If winters are mild and where the soil is light enough so that it will not heave badly under frost, fall planting is advisable; if, on the contrary, winters are severe and the soil is subject to considerable heaving by reason of frost, no transplanting trans-planting should be done until settled set-tled weather in spring. In cold climates, cli-mates, a mulch is needed for protection pro-tection from excessive cold and in such localities it is advisable to leave the dead tops and stalks where they lie, to hold mulches and snow, deferring the cleaning up of the planting until spring. This sort of treatment may leave your garden looking a hit frowsy during the winter, win-ter, but it will result in better growth and bloom the succeeding year. WHERE TO PLANT Since perennials, to show their greatest beauty, need some sort of background, the usual plan is to plant them against low stone walls or fences, in the narrow space between be-tween a walk and the wall of the house, flanking the walls of outbuildings, outbuild-ings, or against a vine-covered trellis trel-lis used to screen some unsightly view. What could be lovelier than a row of flaming hollyhocks bulwarked bul-warked by a gray wall of stone or cement? Or a vine-covered pergola banked with phlox, with day lillies, or with the handsome Rudbeckis the "black-eyed Susan"? Or a narrow nar-row border between the service walk and the north side of the house, where wild perennials ferns, anemones, ane-mones, wild blue phlox, crow-foot violets and columbine grow with all the air of having chosen the spot themselves? Or what could so gladden glad-den the heart of the owner as to go out, in the very earliest spring, to find the bulbs, planted among the shrubbery or along the garden fence, already sending up their bright green shoots? The writer has seen, in northern latitudes, gay narcissi and hyacinths blooming unabashed in the snow of a late spring storm. Then too, the perennials, spreading as they do, and growing more vigorous vig-orous year by year, give a charming air of permanence, an atmosphere of home, sweet home, to any place to which they have been welcomed. After perennials have become well established, new plants may be had by frequent root division and replanting, re-planting, and operation which must be performed in the spring. For further information concerning her-baceous her-baceous perennials, send 10c to Superin-tendent Superin-tendent of Documents. Washington, D. C., Msking or Farmers' Bulletin No. 1381, COVER CROPS FOR TRUCK GARDENER For truck crops it is advisable to select a type of cover crop which will produce a rapid, luxuriant growth early in fall. It will thus serve as a winter mulch and can be turned under in February or March. HANDLING BABY TROUT Did you know that a baby trout must not be touched with dry hands? To do so is to rub the slime from his speckled sides and this will result re-sult in the death of the tiny fish. |