Rural Life.

Lake County Press, Issue 2160, 14 March 1907, Page 7

Rural Life.

TOWN GARDENING. Home Gardens, containing a variety at plants in mixed borders, lawns, and vegff-j table ground, will now tax owners to keep them in order. Grass cutting, edge clipping 1 , hoeing up weed", and sweeping walks, so aa 'o assure a prevailing neatness, would Media to bo work enough for odd time, yet there remain the waterings, tyings, planting.!, and potting-work associated with, as well aa apart from, greenhouses. Gardening is, in fact, an all-absorbing subject during the summer months wherever properly cared for and appreciated. Jlf not eo, it becomes neglected, untidy, and aD external ' picture* damaging to the outer aspect of the best of homes. The amusement part of gardening includes picking off decayed flowers and useless seed pods, ripening leaves, &c.; securing plants to their stakes as growth advances, peirghmr down Petunias, straggling Ivy-leave J Pelargoniums, &o.; propagating zonal Pelargoniums, cuttings of which strike readily if inserted into the open ground; though, to save.future potting up, it is moro convenient to place them in small pots under similar exposure, &o. WATERING WINDOW PLANTS. Tho question : ' Wfmn and how shall 1 water my window plants?' is ono which is being asked every day by tho amateur gardener. The answer is that experience is tho best Ruido for this operation, simplo as it may appear -m first sight, and a few practical experiments with common plants will teach the anxious amateur moro than any number of written rules or directions can possibly do - But experience is a school in which tho fees are very high, and those who do not care to pass threugh it may not be unwilling to receivoafaw general suggestions for their guidanee. In tho first place, then, adopt a definite system in watering your plants. Do not give them a few drops now and then from a tumbler or water-jug when you happen to remember to do so, but look over your plants every alternate morning in winter and every evening in summer; remember they are depending upon you for THKIE FOOD AND HOISTOM. If you love flowers, this operation will be a pleasure to you; v if you feel it irksome, give up all thoughts of plant-growing at once, for you will never succeed. Proper watering is one of the main features in successful plant culture. If the plant is too dry, the roots, as a matter of course, cannot abstract sufficient to counter-balanco the .evaporation which takes place through the leavos, consequently the plant droops, or 1 flags,' as gardeners terra it. Again, if the plant is watered too freely, the soil round its roots becomes sodden and impervious to air, the leaves turn yellow, and the whole plant get 3 debilitated and out of health. A plant will generally bo the healthiest which wants water the oftenest; this will show that there are plenty of air spaces in the soil and that tho roots are making good use of them. If it does not often want water it is in a bad way, and more water will make it worse: How often to water, then, will be according to how easily tha water passes away. If, when you pour water on the earth, it disappears almost imtaediaiely, it would be safe to water such plants every day. Always use rain-water for plants if possible, or, if in towns, where spring-water only is available, it is t\ ell to expose the can to the air an hour or two before using. Never water a plant that is already wet, but when a plant is dry give sufficient to moisien it thoroughly. If very dry and hard, plunge the pot in a pail of water and allow it to remain there until tho airbubbles cease to riso to the surface. If a plant is growing and tho pot is . well drained, it is nearly impossiblo to water it too freely. During winter and dull damp days, plants require water less frequently than during summer when the son is powerful and the heat intense. Never on any account allow a plant to stand in water, but after the plant is drained, empty out tho saucer or bowl in which it st«nds. There is only one exception to this rule, and thab is the plant known as Spirea Japonica, which thrives best when allowed to 6tand in several inches of water—provided, of oourse, that it be not stagnant water. PLANT HOUSE 3. Coleus, Fuchsias, &c, propagated from sturdy young shoots, form young plants for wintering in tho cutting pots or potted off singly. The former stand the winter better in this state than do larger plants, which, if temperatures are at all low, are prone to die ; and the latter make excellent early blooming plants in small pots. Herbaceous, Calceolaria Seedlings requiro to ba pricked 'off from seed pans, also Primulas where sown somewhat fate. It is better to prick both off when young than to let the seedlings become somewhat large growing densely together, then to place them forthwith direct into small pots, causing the losn of many. Sohizanthus, i ively marked and fringed, half-hardy annuals, seeds of which should be sown now, form young plants for potting off singly and wintering in small pots to give early bloom displays. Such batches of young plants can be wintered in greenhouses upon shelves near to the glass. Overhead climbing plants require attention, especially in case of dull weather, when long shoots that have flowered can be cut out, and such as are yet to flower be brought into prominence more thinly, so as to admit more light to the inmates below. Should mealy bug exist upon any, especially Stephanotis, every effort should be made to free plants of it befol e winter. Those pests suc•umb if brushed over with spirits of wine, hough crushing them with tha finger and ihuiiib whenever obser.ved, however (it-agree-tola a proi-ess, is the readiest u.eans for their ettr! initiation. liils'uns thimibergi«3. tuberous begonias, fuchsias, &c, >vill iiow mainly assist in making coiij-erviitories gay, and continued • hioou.uiif is bet>t assured by removing all decayibg llowt-r a and seed vessels as frequently as tl.ey c-ccur. Weak manurial waterings, will also he very serviceable "t» prolonging bloom displays. Orchids, both cool and exotic, engageo »\ making young growths be-ide old p.scudubulbs, thuinth requiring ampin root moisture, must nevertheless be watered with caro when dull, sunless, and colder weather follows the sun>hino and heat experienced. If water is permitted to rest uuduly upon or about the young growths during the more adverse weather suggested, there is danger they may rot off. If desirable to tvater or damp them overhead, therefore, under such weather conditions, do so i-atly iu the morning, so that iiiey dry before night, and that drops of water do not attach to any superficial parts, particularly Hvoidinersuch actual water lyin< in the axiis of cyprepediums, cattlejas formicg tender young spathes, &.