hVS«t»J ; THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE Compiled by PARKER THAYER BARNES THE SUBURBAN PRESS, Publishers NEW YORK HARRISBURG, PA. CHICAGO All rights reserved <> ^^• e^-,^ V Copyright, 19 ii By the suburban PRESS JItSount l^UaMnt Press J. Horace McFarland Company Harrisburg, Penna. ©CI.A28a457 CONTENTS Planting Time-Tables for Vegetables The Best Vegetables for the Home Garden (Varieties to Grow and How to Do It) Planting Time-Tables for Flowers The Best Flowers for the Home Garden (Kinds to Grow and How to Do It) How and When to Spray In the Fruit Garden In the Vegetable Garden In the Flower Garden Shade Trees and Shrubs Spraying Formulas Insecticides for Chewing Insects Insecticides for Sucking Insects Fungicides .... Fertilizing the Small Garden Planting Tables for Bulbs PAGE 5-6 7-16 17-20 21-32 33-59 33-41 42-48 49-53 53-55 56-59 56 57 59 60-62 63-64 Note. — The alphabetical arrangement of tlie text is so simple that an elaborate index has not been deemed necessary. PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR VEGETABLES (Allow ten days for every 100 miles north or south of New York) Variety Artichoke, Globe . Asparagus Beans, Broad Beans, Bush Lima Beans, Pole Lima Beans, Wax Beans, Pole Beets Broccoli Brussels Sprouts . Cabbage Cardoon Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard, Swiss Corn Corn Salad Cress Cucumber Dandelion Eggplant Endive Kale Kohlrabi When to Sow Indoors Outdoors February Feb., Mar. February April March Feb., Mar. April Mar., April May May May-Aug. May April-Aug. April April, May May, June May, June April-July April, May April May, June April-Aug. April-July May-July April Seed Necessary- How Deep to Plant (inches) R., roots. S., seeds April-Sept. May May, June I ounce for 500 plants I oz. for 50 ft. I qt. for 100 ft. I qt. for 100 ft. iqt.for loohills I qt. for 100 ft I qt. for 100 hills I oz. for 50 ft I ounce for i ,000 plants 1 ounce for 1,500 plants I ounce for 1,500 plants I ounce for 300 plants I oz. for 100 ft. I ounce fori ,000 plants I ounce for 3,000 plants I oz. for 50 ft. I qt. for 100 hills I oz. for 100 ft. I oz. for 50 ft. I ounce to 50 hills I oz. for 1,000 plants I oz. for 1,000 plants I oz. for 150 ft. I oz. for 150 ft. I oz. for 200 ft. S. I R. 6 1% Thin or transplant to (inches) 24 X 36 24 X 36 12 X 24 6 X 12 36 X 36 12 X 24 36 X 36 9X 18 24 X 36 18 X 36 24 X 36 24 X 36 6x 18 24 X 18 6 x 48 9 X 24 36 X 36 6x6 3x6 36 x 36 12 X 18 36 X 36 12 X 12 12 X 18 12 X 24 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR VEGETABLES, continued Variety When to Sow Indoors Lettuce Feb. , Mar. Lettuce, Romain Melon, Musk April Melon, Water Mustard ' Okra March Onion I February Parsley Parsnip Peas Peas, Sugar . Pepper Potato Pumpkin Radish Rampion Rhubarb Salsify Spinach Spinach, New Zealand Squash Tomato Turnip Vegetable Marrow March Feb., Mar. March Feb. -April Outdoors Apr. -Aug. i April-July May, June May April, May May April April April Mar. -June April April, May May, June Apr-Sept. May Sept., Oct. April Mar.-May, October May May, June Apr. -Aug. May, June ""™?^^C'° Thin or Seed Necessary j r ^'oots ' Tiansplant S.',' seeds I to (ii.ches) I oz. for i2oft. I oz. for lOo ft. I oz. for 60 hills I oz. for 30 hills I oz. for 80 ft. I oz. for 400 plants S.,ioz.for 100 ft R., I qt. for 50 ft I oz. for 150 ft. I oz. for 200 ft. I qt. for 100 ft. I cjt. for 100 ft. % S. % R. 2 % 3 I oz. for 2,000 plants I pk.for loohills 2, early 5, late I oz. for 30 hills! i "% I oz. for 100 ft. I oz. for 200 plants t root a plant I oz. for 75 ft. I oz. for 100 ft. I oz. for 100 ft. I oz. for50 hills I oz. for 1,000 plants I oz. for 150 ft. I oz. for 50 hills R. 4 8 X 24 8 X 24 60 X 60 60 X 60 1x6 18 X 24 12 X 24 6 X 24 6x12 6 X 24 4x36 4x36 18 X 36 12 X 24 18 X 36 108 X 108 3x8 3x8 48 X48 6x8 6x 18 12 X 24 Bush, 36x48 Late, 72 X 96 36 X 48 4 X 18 8x 30 36 X 48 . THE BEST VEGETABLES FOR THE HOME GARDEN ARTICHOKE, GLOBE. A tall-growing vegetable which is grown for its flower-heads. It can be raised from seed or from suckers, the latter being the usual method, because then one is able to perpetuate good varieties. The varieties do not come true to name when grown from seed. Seeds sown one year will produce good llower-heads the following year; they can sometimes be had the same year by sowing the seed early indoors. The flower-heads are gathered just before the blue flowers begin to appear. The part eaten consists of the fleshy portion on the inside of the large outer scales and the " bot- tom," or receptacle, of the head. Grow the artichoke in rich soil. It will bear for two or three years. Give it slight protection over winter. French Globe is a standard sort. The Jerusalem artichoke is grown for its root. ASPARAGUS. This vegetable is grown for its young shoots, and the quality depends upon the succulence of them. To get the best shoots, plant one-year-old roots and allow them to become well established before cutting begins; they should grow two full years before cutting. Grow asparagus in a light, rich, and well-drained soil, to secure the best and earhest results. Stop cutting the shoots when peas become ripe — June 25 in the North. Cut off the stalks in the fall before the seeds mature (berries turn red), so that stray seedlings will not appear be- tween the rows. Mulch heavily in the fall with manure. In the spring, use nitrate of soda. Conover's Colossal, Barr's Mammoth, and Palmetto, are the best green varieties. Mam- moth white has white stalks. BEANS, BROAD. But few people know this vegetable in this country, but it is highly appreciated in England. It is used as a shell-bean. They are as hardy as peas, but will not succeed in hot climates, and they are subject to bad attacks of the flea-beetle. Early Mazagan and Broad Windsor are stand- ard sorts. When the pods have formed, break off the tops, to force the strength into the pods. g THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE BEANS, BUSH LIMA. These are two to four weeks ear- lier than the pole limas. There are three types. Dwarf Sieva, or Henderson's Bush Lima, is the earhest, but has small pods. The young beans, however, are delicious. Wood's Prolific, or the Improved Henderson, is a week later, and is a stronger grower and the pods are a little larger. The third type is Bur- pee's Bush Lima, which, while being dwarf, has large, broad pods, like the pole sorts. The seedsmen have improved these original sorts, so that better or earlier forms can be had under such names as Burpee's Quarter Century, Dreer's Wonder, Kumerle, Fordhook. All limas are ultra-tropical plants, so must not be planted until the ground is warm. Set the seeds on edge in the ground. Do not use strong nitrogenous manures in the spring; use, rather, phos- phoric acid and potash. Nitrogen causes too much growth, and retards the season. BEANS, POLE LIMA. Later than the dwarf sorts. The earliest of the tall ones is the Sieva, which has three-inch pods, each pod with three beans. They are delicious if picked before they have reached full size. Large White, Early Leviathan, Early Jersey, King of the Garden, Ford's Mammoth Podded, are all good varieties. The last two are late, but have pods five inches long. For fall use, plant Potato-leaved or Chal- lenger. These do better in cool weather. Use poles ten feet long. In cool seasons, when the plants are making more growth than pods, cut the tops of the plants off when they reach the top of the pole, so that there will be more beans produced. BEANS, BUSH. There are green and yellow beans. Bur- pee's Stringless Green Pod, Improved Round Valentine, Giant Stringless Valentine, Extra-Early Refugee, and Refugee or i,ooo to I, are standard green-podded sorts, and mature in the order given. A good succession can be had by planting at the same time Burpee's Stringless Green Pod, Extra-Early Refugee, and I, GOO to I. They will produce for two to four weeks after the first comes into bearing, and one or two further plantings of these varieties, ten days or two weeks apart, will maintain a succession all summer. For the best beans, grow round-podded and stringless sorts. Of the yellow, or wax beans, Burpee's White Wax, Kidney VEGETABLES FOR THE HOME GARDEN 9 Wax, Rust-proof Wax, and Golden Wax, are all good varieties, but the first is probably the best. These are flat-podded. Pen- cil-Pod Black and Brittle Wax are two round-podded varieties that require seven to eight weeks to bear, but are good in appearance and flavor. BEANS, POLE. These are used either as snap-beans, or as shell-beans used green. White Creaseback (green) is the earli- est. It requires eight to ten weeks to mature. Other good varieties, maturing in about the following order, are White Dutch Caseknife (green and best for cool situations). Old Home- stead or Kentucky Wonder (green), Stringless Green-pod (green). Golden Cluster Wax (yellow), Sunshine Wax (yellow). Golden Carmine Horticultural (yellow, and the best of the yellow kinds), Lazy Wife, a popular and very prolific sort; the last is a fall bean. The yellow kinds are the best for the hot summer months. Plant a few hills of each for testing. You will know better, then, what kinds suit your particular needs. BEETS. Egyptian, Eclipse, and Edmund's, mature in the order given. Beets are better when young and tender; so, make sowings a couple of weeks apart. The thinnings can be used for " greens." BROCCOLI. This is really nothing but a longer-seasoned and later-maturing cauliflower, but better adapted than it for the cool North. Early White, Mammoth White, and Purple Cape, are good varieties. BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Little cabbages that grow thickly clustered together on a tall stalk. It is a late-fall and winter vegetable, that is best after it has been touched by frost. It can be left outdoors during the winter, if protected by corn- stalks or straw. It requires the same treatment as late cabbage. Grows two to three feet high, but there are dwarf varieties. Long Island, Dalkeith, Half-dwarf, are good varieties. Good seed is essential. The stocks soon deteriorate unless carefully selected. CABBAGE. Early Jersey Wakefield is the best early sort. The head is smaller than the late sorts, so can be planted closer lo THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE together. All Head is a good intermediate variety, and Late Flat Dutch a good late variety. Early cabbages are started in the fall and carried over the winter in coldframes, or they can be started in February in the greenhouse and hardened- off before planting out. The late varieties can be started in seed-beds outdoors. Do not water the cabbages after they have matured, it will cause the plants to grow more and will split the heads. They will not keep then. CARDOON. Similar to the Globe artichoke. It is too large a vegetable for the small garden, and valuable only where a very large variety is wanted. The leaves are gathered together and the earth drawn around the stalks to blanch them, like celery; unblanched, it is not fit to eat. Large Spanish and Large Solid are two good varieties. It needs a rich soil. CARROT. Like beets, they are best when young and tender. Grow Early Forcing, making several sowings for succession. For larger roots, plant Danvers or similar varieties. CAULIFLOWER. The culture is the same as for cabbage, but cauliflower demands, if it be grown successfully, cool, moist weather. Plan an early crop, one that will mature before the hot weather, and a late fall crop. Earliest Dwarf Erfurt is the best early. For cool climates, plant Early Snowball and Algiers for second-early and main crop, respectively. In warmer sec- tions, make successive sowings of Earliest Dwarf Erfurt. It requires a moist, cool, and rich soil. CELERY. A leaf crop that requires a rich soil — one in which there is much nitrogen. Grow in trenches, so that it can be easily banked up for blanching. It can also be blanched by boards or paper placed closely about it to exclude the light; but earth-blanched celery has the most flavor. Early varieties can be blanched by planting close together in a coldframe and putting a shutter over the frame, to blanch. White Plume is the best early variety. Golden Self-blanching is nearly as early, and equally good, some people prefer it to White Plume. For main crop, grow Boston Market, a small variety with a very nutty flavor, and Giant Pascal, a larger, tender, sort. Give ait abundance of nitrate of soda. -.,:.... ■,.'■■. VEGETABLES FOR THE HOME GARDEN ii CHARD, SWISS. A beet that does not produce a large root. The leaves only are eaten. It can be served as beet "greens," or the mid-rib can be removed and served as aspar- agus. A fifteen-foot row will supply a family of three. When the leaves are cut off, a new supply is formed. There is no choice as to varieties, all are good. CORN. Peep O'Day, Golden Bantam, Crosby's twelve- rowed, and Stowell's Evergreen, or Country Gentleman, will insure a succession; they will mature in the order named. See article on Sweet Corn in March, 191 1, " Suburban Life." CORN SALAD. Grown as a fall salad, and can be used as a substitute for lettuce, but it is not nearly so good. CRESS. Water cress can be grown in any small stream of water, or in soil kept constantly damp. Upland or curled cress can be grown in the garden or in " flats " in a frame. Make frequent sowings (once in 2 weeks). It gives piquancy to a salad. CUCUMBERS. For an early crop, grow Early White Spine; second early. Cool and Crisp; for main crop, Long Green. Start a few plants indoors on inverted sod or in pots, for the earliest crop. Seed sown July i will produce fruits large enough for pickling by fall. DANDELION. A pot-herb, or " green." They can be blanched and served as a salad. French Garden, Thick-leaved, and Large-leaved, are good sorts. Seeds sown any time up to June will be ready to cut the following spring. Needs rich land and nitrogenous manures. EGGPLANT. A hot-climate plant, which must never receive checks during its growth. Start early indoors, and pro- vide a fairly rich, well-drained soil, and a long season in which to grow. New York Improved and Black Pekin are the best varieties. Fruits are ready to eat when one-third grown. • ENDIVE. A substitute for lettuce, and is essentially a sum- mer and fall crop. It will thrive when lettuce will not succeed 12 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE because of hot weather. Requires the same culture as lettuce. Blanch the interior leaves by gathering all the leaves into a bunch and tying them with string or raffia at the top. This is done two or three weeks before it is wanted for use. The crowns will sometimes rot when tied up for blanching, if the weather is rainy or continues cloudy for some time. It must be used as soon as blanched. Late fall plants can be stored and blanched in the cellar or pits. Make successive sowings every two weeks. For varieties, grow White Curled, Green Curled, or Broad-leaved. KALE. The culture is similar to that of cabbage, but the plants are hardier and require less attention. It is grown for its leaves, which are used as a pot-herb. It is used only very late in the fall and early spring, when other pot-herbs are not available. It is not injured by frost, so can be left in the field all winter. The older leaves and leafstalks are all improved by freezing. Good varieties are Dwarf Green Curled Scotch, Dwarf Curled Brown. Sow Siberian in September for early spring " greens." KOHLRABI. Although almost unknown in some sections, it is highly prized in others. It is grown for its tuberous stem, — a turnip-like tuber which is produced just above the surface of the soil. It must be used before the tubers become too large and stringy (three inches in diameter). They must be grown quickly and receive no check, otherwise they will be tough and bitter. For early crops, sow in frames Short-leaved Vienna. For main crop, Early White Vienna. This latter is the kind grown by market-gardeners. LETTUCE. Grown for salad, and it is a cool, short-season crop which is usually grown as a successional or companion crop. Requires a moist, rich, friable loam and quick-acting fertilizers, mostly nitrogen. There are three kinds — loose- headed, of which Grand Rapids is the type; head, or cabbage lettuce, and Romain or Cos. For the earliest lettuce, grow Grand Rapids; for main crop outdoors, grow heat-resisting varieties, such as Deacon, Hanson, Summer Cabbage Curled Simpson, Salamander. In midsummer, protect it during midday from the hot sun. Express Cos, Trianon Cos, are the VEGETABLES FOR THE HOME GARDEN 13 best of the Romain lettuces. Some of them will form a suffi- ciently compact head to blanch themselves, but it is better to tie the leaves together to insure blanching. The Cos lettuces are the crispest and, in some respects, the best lettuces. MELONS, MUSK, or, as they are sometimes erroneously called, cantaloupes. Cantaloupes have hard, warty rinds, and are seldom grown in this country, although the name is fre- quently used. Light, moist soil— one in which there is always much soil moisture, but still good drainage — will prove the best for melons. Three to four good fruits per plant is the usual yield. For early, grow Netted Gem (Rocky Ford is a selection from this, made famous by being grown at the town of that name in Colorado). For second-early, grow Emerald Gem, and for main crop, Long Island Beauty. MELONS, WATER,. The cultural requirements are the same as for muskmelons. Early Fordhook is the best early, while Cole's Early is the best second-early and main-crop melon. MUSTARD adds a pleasant, pungent flavor to salads. Make successive sowings every ten days or two weeks. Good varieties are Chinese and White London. OKRA. This is the vegetable used in making the famous gumbo soups of the South. It is a warm-weather plant. There are two kinds, tall and dwarf, the latter being the best for home gardens. Grow Dwarf Green Long Pod and Lady Fin- ger or White Louisiana. The pods of the former should be picked when two to four inches long, the latter, when four to five inches long; do not allow the pods to stay on longer. If there are too many for immediate use, gather and dry them. Gather the pods daily, preferably in the evening. ONION. For the earliest sorts, plant onion sets. For main crop, Danvers or White Globe. Prizetaker onion was the first big onion grown in this country. Since its introduction, in 1888, there have been others, notably Ailsa Craig. These onions frequently weigh one pound or more. To be had at their best, they should be started early indoors and transplanted. For success, grow onions in a loose, friable loam that is rich and 14 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE free from stones. It must be finely prepared, all stones and lumps being removed. PARSLEY. The most popular herb for garnishing. It is a biennial, the foliage being used the first year; the plant being destroyed at the end of the season and new started for next year. The seeds germinate very slowly unless soaked for twenty-four hours in lukewarm water. It requires three months from sowing to get plants of sufl&cient size to allow the picking of the leaves. Moss-Curled and Fern-leaved are the best vari- eties. Hamburg, or Turnip-rooted, has a fleshy root. PARSNIP. To be good, they should stay in the ground over-winter, but they can be harvested and stored in earth in a cool cellar or pit; the roots must not shrivel; if stored inside, the quality will be injured. Hollow Crown and Student are two standard varieties. PEAS are hardy; they may be sown in the spring as soon as the ground can be worked. The ground should be deeply worked. English gardeners frequently work it three feet deep and find that it pays. Make successional plantings every six to ten days. For the earliest crop, sow a smooth variety, such as Daniel O'Rourke; a week later, when the ground has warmed up a little, wrinkled varieties, which are sweeter, can be sown. For second early, plant Nott's Excelsior; for main crop. Cham- pion of England. An early variety for very late peas can be sown in August. Too much nitrogen will cause the plants to make too much growth and too little fruit. PEAS, SUGAR. These are edible-podded peas, which are picked while the pea or seed is still small and the pod tender. They are broken up, cooked and served like string-beans. PEPPER. Needs the same culture as tomato. Do not plant them out until all danger of frost has passed. For the earliest fruits, plant Neapolitan. Bull Nose and Ruby King are two good main crops. POTATOES. To get the earliest potatoes, sprout the seed, put them in a warm, light place, so that the sprouts can grow; VEGETABLES FOR THE HOME GARDEN 15 they may be as much as three inches long without harm. Early Rose is a good early variety; for second early, Beauty of Hebron; for main crop, Carman No. i and Green Mountain. The variety to be grown will depend somewhat on the character of the soil. PUMPKIN. Two good varieties for pies are Sugar and Dunkard. They must be stored in a warm (45°) dry place, or they will rot. Plant among the corn, to save room. RADISH. Can be had in twenty-one days. Sow as soon as the ground can be worked, and make successional sowings every week all summer. For early, plant Early Scarlet Tur- nip Forcing; for second early, French Breakfast and Long Scarlet. For storing for winter, sow seeds in June of Half-long Black Spanish. Store these in damp sand. RAMPION. Roots can be eaten like radish, or the leaves can be used as salads. Store the roots in damp sand in the cellar. RHUBARB. The quality depends upon its size and succu- lence, therefore the soil must be rich. A plantation will last twenty years or more. Linnaeus, Victoria, St. Martin's, are good kinds. To get the earliest stalks, put a barrel over a root and place manure about it. SALSIFY. A hardy vegetable for flavoring soups, and may also be served as parsnips are. Long White and Sandwich Island Mammoth are good varieties. Store over winter in sand in the cellar. SPINACH. Really a spring and fall crop, but can be had all summer by making successional sowings in cool, moist ground. For early-spring crops, sow the seeds in the fall outdoors and cover with mulch. Thick-leaved is the hardiest; for spring- sowing. Long Standing, Long Season and Victoria are the best. SPINACH, NEW ZEALAND. Not a true spinach, but a good substitute, as it withstands the heat of summer when the true spinach will not grow well. Use the ends of the branches and the leaves. i6 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE SQUASH. The earliest are the summer squashes, of which White Bush Scarlet and Yellow Crookneck are the best. For winter, plant Boston Marrow or Hubbard. Store as for pump- kins. TOMATO. Start the early kinds in pots or cans, so that they may be easily transplanted when all danger of frost has passed. Grow on stakes or treUises, or put brush about them, to prevent the vines getting on the ground. For early, plant Earliana or Early Jewel; for main crop. Acme and Stone. The ground must not be too rich or fruit will not set. TURJ^^IP. To be good, they must be grown quickly. Slowly- grown turnips will be woody, stringy and bitter. Have rich, moist soil in fine tilth. Of the flat kinds, Milan Purple Top, Munich and Teltow are good home kinds. White rutabagas are better than the yellow. Grow Budlong's White Swede. Plant Rutabagas in June or July. Flat turnips for winter use should also be sown in June, in New England; about New York, July 15; while, about Philadelphia, August 15 is plenty early enough. If planted earlier they would get too hard and woody. For spring use, sow as soon as the ground can be worked. The best books on vegetable gardening are: The Principles of Vegetable Gardening, by Prof. L. H. Bailey. $1.50 net. Vegetable Gardening, by Prof. S. B. Green. $1. A Book of Vegetables and Garden Herbs, by Allen French. $1.75 net. How to Make a Vegetable Garden, by Edith L. Fullerton, $2.20. PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR FLOWERS N'ariety Abronia Achillea ( Sneezwort) Adonis Ageratum Agrostemma (Rose-of -Heaven) . . Alonsoa Amarantus Aquilegia { Columbine ) Argemone ( Mexican Poppy ) Asperula Aster ( China ) Aster (Perennial) Balloon Vine Balsam Bartonia , Beets Black Dahlia Brachycome (Swan River Daisy Cacalia (Emilia) Calandrina Calendula (Pot Marigold) Calliopsis ( Coreopsis ) Callirhoe (Poppy Mallow) Campanula (Canterbury Bell) . . Candytuft Cannabis (Giant Hemp) When to Sow Seed Indoors March March March April April April April in pots April March, April April April Outdoors April March April March March April April Thin or Transplant to (inches) May June-Sept, i April May May May July-Sept. I May May May July-Sept. I May May May May May May May Late April April May July-Sept. I May May 6 6 6 to 12 i8 8 12 6 9 12 6 24 6 6 12 6 6 6 6 /) to 12 24 Height (feet) }4to I'A I to I^ I 'AtoK 1 to i^ I to 3 5 to 6 2A iK t0 2 r I to 3 I to 3 lO 2 to 2>^ I to 3 t to 2 I to I ^3 'A to I I to 2 H to I % \A 1 to 3 2 to 3 ^ to i^ 10 17 i8 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR FLOWERS, continued \'ariety Cardinal Flower Castor-bean (Ricinus ) Catananche Celosia ( Cockscomb) Carnation (Marguerite) Centaurea ( Blue Bottle ) Centranthus Chrysanthemum, Annual Cleome ( Spider Plant) Cobcea Collinsia Convolvulus Cosmos, Early Cosmos, Late Dahlia Dianthus (China Pink) Digitalis ( Foxglove) Eschscholzia (California Poppy) Evening Primrose Flar Four O'clock Gaillardia Gilia Globe amaranth (Gomphrena) . . . Golden Tuft (Alyssum) Gourds When to Sow Seed Indoors March April March March, April March April March, April April March, April April April April, May March, April Marcli, Af)ril April April April March, April Outdoors May May April May May Mav May April May May Mays July-Sept. 1 May April May May May May May July-Sept. I May Thin or Transplant to (inches) 9 3 6 6 6 6 9 8 8 8 8 2 12 24 3 6 9 4 20 8 8 6 3 to 12 6 6 12 PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR FLOWERS PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR FLOWERS, continued 19 Gypsophila Hawkweed Helianthus ( Sunflower ) . . . Hibiscus Hollyhock Honesty (Lunaria) Hop Ipomcea (Morning-Glory) .. Kochia Larkspur (Annual ) Lobelia Lupinus Madia (Tarweed) , Marigold Martynia (Unicorn plant) Matthiolabicornis Mignonette Myosotis ( Forget-me-not ) Nasturtium Nicotiana (Tobacco) Pansy Petunia Phlox (Annual) Poppy (Annual) Poppy, Iceland Pyrethrum , When to Sow Seed Indoors April April, May March, April March, April March, April Outdoors March March, April Feb., April April April March, April April April April March Feb , March March, April Thin or Transplant to (inches) May April, May May July-Sept. 1 July-Sept. I May April, May April April May 5 May May May May May April May 10 May May I May 10 April, July, August May May April, Sept., October April-Sept. July-Sept. 8 to 12 6 12 to 36 15 to 24 15 12 12 6 9 to 12 6 4 6 12 6 24 6 6 6 6 9 4 6 12 6 6 Height (leet) 1 to 2 ^ to I 3 to 6 5 to 7 5 to 7 i^ to2H 20 to 30 10 to 15 2 to 2j^i I to I K % 2 I to 2 % to;3 I % I to 10 3 ^3 I I I to 2 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE PLANTING TIME-TABLES FOR FLOWERS, continued Variety Portulaca Salpiglossis Salvia Scabiosa (Mourning Bride) . . Silene (Catchfly) Snapdragon Stocks (Ten Weeks) Sweet Alyssum Sweet Pea Sweet William Venus' Looking-glass (Specu- laria). Verbena Zinnia When to Sow Seed Indoors April Feb., March April March March March, April March Feb., -April March, April Outdoors May May May May April' May April, May Mar., April July-Sept. I April May May Thin or Transplant to (inches) 6 6 i8 9 6 6 to 12 12 4 3 6 6 6 6 Height (feet) 2 to 2j^ 2 to 3 2 I to 154 'A to 3 I to 1 5^ K to 14 6 I^ t0 2 THE BEST FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN TN THE seed catalogues, the annuals are divided into three classes, hardy, half-hardy and tender, but, for practical purposes, the amateur need consider them in only two classes, hardy and tender. Seeds of the hardy annuals can be planted in the border where they are to go, or in seed-beds before all danger of frost is past, that is, the seeds can be sown as soon as the ground is in fit condition to work. The half-hardy and tender annuals cannot be planted out until the ground has become warm or until danger from frost is past. For this rea- son, the common practice is to sow them in flats in the green- house or window-garden, or in coldframes. If one has a cold- frame, it will be much easier to handle all the seeds of annuals this way because much larger plants can be secured by the last of May or early in June when the bulk of the bedding is done. The seed-bed should be finely pulverized, and the rows made about a quarter of an inch deep. This is best done by having a strip of wood one inch thick and about three or four inches wide, and as long as the seed-bed. On one side, a small strip of wood one inch square and as long as the strip to which it is attached, is tacked. This is used to make the drills for the seed by pressing into the soft earth. When the seeds have been sown, glass sash should be put over the frame, or a cheap sub- stitute, water-proofed muslin frames. As soon as the young seedlings have made two or three true leaves, they should be pricked out or transplanted to about two inches apart each way. If pots, either clay or paper, are available, the young plants can be transplanted into these. The great advantage of using pots is that the roots will not be disturbed when they are planted in the beds, but where space is at a premium this method is not essential except in a few instances, such as argemone and mignonette. The following list of plants supplements the table on the preceding page. The letters after the plant name indicate whether the plant is a hardy or tender annual or perennial. 22 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE Abronia. H. A. A tender California perennial which in the East is grown as an annual. It is a trailing plant, having yellow, pink, rose or white fragrant flowers that resemble a verbena flower. It grows six to eighteen inches high. An excellent way to grow this is to start the seeds in the fall in pots in a sandy soil and store the young plants in a coldframe overwinter, ^./mgraw^ is a night bloomer. Remove the husk from the seed before sowing. Achillea Ptarmica (Sneezewort). H. P. Grows two feet high and has white flowers that are borne in a loose corymb; they flower all summer. A double variety, The Pearl, is the best type. It is one of the best hardy white-flowered perennials grown. Adonis Autumalis (Flos Adonis) and A. iEstivalis (Pheas- ant's Eye) are hardy annuals with crimson or scarlet flowers. The former flowers from May to July; the latter in June. They grow about one foot in height. There are several hardy per- ennials: Spring Adonis A. vernalis has large, bright yellow flowers in early spring. This is the common one in cultiva- tion. Apennina is much like Vernalis except that the flowers are a little larger. It blooms in April. Pyrenaica has a branched stem, but the flowers are smaller than Vernalis; blooms in July. Amurensis has large, yellow flowers and blooms two weeks ahead of any other hardy perennial. There are several other varieties of lesser importance. Ageratum (Floss Flower). H. A. Annuals that can be grown from seeds or cuttings. There are several varieties, white and blue. The blue varieties are best, and Stella Gurney, a bright blue, is the best variety. Flowers from June to frost. Agrostemma (Rose of Heaven). H. P. It blooms the first year from seed. Grows from one to one and a half feet high and has bright crimson flowers one inch across, similar to a single pink, and silvery white foliage. Is an excellent cut- flower, very free-flowering. In flower from July to frost. Alonsoa. H. H. A. A half-hardy annual, having scarlet flowers that are one-half to one inch across. Excellent as a bedding plant for small beds or for clumps in borders. Grows one foot high. Amarantus. T. A. There are several species, all showy, tender annuals. The foliage is brilliant and they have brilliant red or crimson spikes of flowers. The foliage of Joseph's Coat, FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN 23 A. tricolor is particularly attractive. They grow from three to six feet high. Aquilegia (Columbine). A hardy perennial having red, pink, blue or white flowers. The height varies according to the species, from almost no stem at all to two and one-half or three feet. They require light, sandy soil, that is moist but well drained, and a sheltered situation that is exposed to the sun. Sow the seeds in the early summer for flowers next year. Argemone (Mexican, or Prickly Poppy). H. A. Mexicana has yellow flowers; Grandiflora, white; Platyceras white; the foliage is a glaucous green and very spiny. It requires a light sandy soil in a sunny situation. Sow the seeds where the plants are to stand, or in pots to transplant. They cannot be successfully transplanted from seed-beds. Asperula odorata (Sweet Woodruff). H. P. Has fragrant flowers. Grow in clumps in the border or in a rockery. Grow in moist soil in a shaded place. There is an annual species, Orientalis, but which is catalogued as Setosa-azurea. Aster, China. H. H. A. An excellent bedding plant, but if the early kinds are used they must be replaced late in summer with other plants. Put wood-ashes in the hole where the plants are set, and later water occasionally with tobacco water to kill the blue aphids on the roots. Aster Novae-Angliae. H. P. The best blue fall flower. Plant for mass effects, with dark background or as small clumps in borders. They can be easily propagated from seed or by division of the roots; the latter is the method usually pursued. Balloon Vine. H. H. A. The flowers of this are small. It is grown for its curious, inflated seed-pods. Grow on fences or trellises for screens. Balsam. T. A. Prefers a sunny situation and needs a rich, moist soil. The double or camellia-flowered varieties are best. Is best grown as clumps in the border. Bartonia. H. A. Sow seed where the plants are to stand. The flowers are two to two and one-half inches across. They are fragrant at night. The plants have rather a straggly habit. Beets. H. A. The ornamental-foliaged varieties are excel- lent as edgings to beds if they have a further edging of Golden Feather. The variegated foliage — red, yellow and green — make excellent mass effects. 24 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE Black Dahlia. H. A. Bidens atrosanguinea of the trade. The flowers are showy, hke coreopsis. It is better grown in clumps in the border. The tuberous roots can be stored over winter like the common dahlia root. Brachycome.(Swan River Daisy). H. H. A. The flowers are one inch across. It is excellent for growing in clumps in the border. It can be used as an edging in borders. It is also useful as a pot plant. Cacalia (Emilia) (Tassel Flower). H. A. An easily grown plant, as it does well in any soil; has daisy-like flowers which are three inches across. Calandrina. H. A. This is an excellent plant for rockeries, as well as borders, and can be used for edging. It prefers a sunny situation. The perennial species, Umbellata, can be treated as an annual. Full exposure to the sun and a light, sandy soil are necessary in order that the best results may be had. The flowers close at night. Can be propagated from seeds or cuttings. Calendula. H. A. One of the easiest-grown annuals. Can be grown as a bedding plant, or as clumps in a border. It self-sows. The dried flower heads are used to flavor soups. Callirhoe. H. P. Will flower the first year from seed if started early . Very free-flowering, showy plants, that are best grown as clumps in the border. Campanula (Canterbury Bell). H. P. Best grown as clumps in the border. Seeds started one year will flower the next. Protect the young plants over the winter with dry leaves or in coldframes, if possible. Candytuft. H. A. One of the best plants for edging, bed- ding, rockeries, or cut-flowers. There are several varieties that are fragrant; all are profuse bloomers. Make several sowings, to insure flowers until cold weather. It prefers a rich, moist soil and a sunny situation. Cannabis. H. H. A. Sow the seeds where the plants are to stand. Excellent for temporary screens and backs of borders. Quicker effects are obtained if the seeds are started indoors in pots. Cardinal Flower. H. P. Must be started in February to get flowers the same year. Thrives in any rich, moist, garden loam, or even in wet places where the water is not stagnant. Best grown in masses. FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN 25 Castor Beans. T. A. The seeds must be started in pots for the plant will not stand injury to its roots. Its chief use is as screens and as the center of tall beds, such as beds of cannas, and for some tropical effects. Catananche. H. P. It will flower the first year from seed if started early. The blue, daisy-like flowers are two inches across. Variety Alba has white flowers; Bicolor, blue with white edges. Is very free-flowering. Celosia. T. A. The chief attraction of the coxcomb is its well-formed flower-head. It is good for bedding, but not so much grown as formerly. Needs a rich, moist soil. Syringe it frequently for red spider. Ostrich Feather is another variety that grows rather tall; it has showy curled and curved plumes resembling ostrich feathers. Carnation, Marguerite. H. P. It is excellent as a bedding plant and needs no edging. Flowers in four months from seed. No use to try to hold plants over from one year to another. Centaurea. H. A. Grow in masses in the border, or in clumps about the house. Will bloom all summer if the old flowers are picked off. It self-sows. To get the earliest flowers, sow the seed in the fall where they are to grow. Centranthus. H. P. A much-neglected but very handsome old garden plant that blooms all summer. It makes an excel- lent cut-flower. Chrysanthemum. H. A. Not the fall-flowering kind. Very profuse blooming plants that commence blooming in the early summer and continue until fall. Very effective when grown in masses in large beds. Pinch back when the plants are small to make a bushy growth. Cleome. T. B. An excellent plant for sandy soil in sunny situations. They can be used the same as the castor-oil plant, to fill up large gaps in the borders. The flowers are borne in long spikes. Cobaea. T. A. The seeds should be planted on edge. It is an excellent climber for trellises, porches, and any unsightly objects. The flowers are large and bell-shaped. Collinsia. H. A. Very free-flowering. Can be sown in the autumn out-of-doors where they are to grow the following year, provided the soil is well-drained. Prefers a rich, moist soil, and it has curious snapdragon-like flowers. Coreopsis (Tickseed). The annual kinds will flower all sum- 26 The suburban garden guide mer if the old flowers are picked off. They are very showy. The perennial form, Lanceolata, is one of the best perennials we have. Both kinds are excellent as cut-flowers. Convolvulus. There are several forms, annual and perennial. Most of them are climbers. C. tricolor is a hardy annual growing only a foot high, which makes an excellent border for beds. Flowers open only in the sun. Cosmos. T. A. One of the most showy of the tall-growing annuals. The seeds must be started indoors to get early effects. It makes a fine pot-plant indoors for early fall flowers, after the frost has killed the plants growing in the open. Lady Lenox is the largest-flowered variety; five inches across. Dahlia. T. P. The dahlia does best during the cool weather. In most localities, if the plant is started early, it commences to flower during the hot summer weather, but the flowers are small. Late-started plants produce larger flowers. Stake the plants to prevent their being blown over by high winds. Dianthus. H. P. Blooms the first year from seed. Hedde- wigi is the earliest-blooming form. Best grown in clumps in borders or as edgings; are good cut-flowers. Digitalis. H. B. Plant in clumps or masses at back of bor- der. The seeds will self-sow, which results in practically a per- manent plantation. Protect the seedlings over winter with dry leaves. Eschscholtzia. H. A. The seeds must be sown where the plants are to grow. Excellent for massing or as edgings to beds, for its glaucous foliage looks well all summer. Evening Primrose. H. B. Lamarckiana is the best form. The flowers open in the evening and are fragrant. They are four to five inches across. Acaulis is a good white variety. Flax. H. A. Grow in clumps in a sunny border. The flowers last only a day but they are borne in great profusion. Will succeed in a dry, sunny place. Four O 'clocks. H. A. A good bedding-plant for sunny places. Also is a good edging for borders. Flowers open in the morning and late afternoon, but are closed during the mid- dle of the day. Gaillardia. H. A. One of the showiest and most useful annuals, excellent for beds and needs no edgings in such cases. Plant for mass effects. Keep the old flowers cut off and the plants will stay in bloom all summer. FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN 27 Gilia. H. A. Very vigorous, free-flowering plants that are excellent for low masses, or as edgings, or to fill pockets in rockeries. The seeds should be sown where they are to grow. They will succeed in any soil. Tricolor is the best tall variety. Globe Amaranth. H. A. This is one of the so-called ever- lastings. It is excellent as a bedding plant, remaining in flower all summer. The flower-heads are about an inch across. It does best with a well-drained, sandy loam. Golden Tuft. H. P. Grow in clumps in the border or in the rockery. The flowers are produced in compact heads. Gourds. T. A. These are very useful for training over trellises, porches, fences and unsightly objects. Has orna- mental fruits of many shapes. Sow the seeds where the plants are to grow, or start them inside in pots, but be careful not to injure the roots when transplanting. Gypsophila (Baby's Breath). H. A. The habit of all these plants is slender and airy, and still they make a rather com- pact, symmetrical growth. Elegans is most often grown for cutting. It is particularly useful for adding to bouquets of sweet peas. They prefer a rather dry soil, and are excellent for filling in rockeries and underneath shrubberies in borders. Hawkweed. H. A. A showy annual for the garden but a bad weed in the lawn, so that its cultivation can hardly be recommended, although it is listed in some seed catalogues. Helianthus. H. A. Grow at the back of the borders or in clumps to cover unsightly objects, such as fences. The seeds make excellent poultry food. Hibiscus. H. A. Very showy plant, the flowers being three and four inches across. Grow the plants as single specimens in the border. Moscheutos is a hardy perennial that does well in moist soils. Hollyhocks. H. P. Most effective when used in the back of the border. There is a disease which causes the leaves to wither and die but which can be held in check by spraying with Bor- deaux mixture from the time the plants first appear above the ground. If planted behind shrubbery, any unsightliness from the Bordeaux or loss of leaves will be hid. Honesty. H. B. Will bloom the first year from seed if started early. It is a delightful, old-fashioned plant but sel- dom grown now. Its chief interest is in the large, flat pods 28 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE which have broad satiny partitions which remain after the outside of the pod has dropped off. Hop {Humulus Japonicus). H. A. A very quick -growing annual, excellent for covering porches, trellises, fences and unsightly places. The variety Variegatus has its leaves splashed with white. The seed often self -sows. Ipomoea. H. A. There are a great many varieties of morn- ing glories; the moonflower and cypress vine are included under this head. They can be used to cover trellises, porches and any unsightly places, and can be trained almost anywhere on strings. They need a rich, moist soil. The Japanese strain has the largest flowers. Kochia (Summer Cypress). H. H. A. This plant is excellent as a dwarf hedge. In the fall, the light green foliage changes to a carmine or fiery red. It makes an excellent specimen plant. Larkspur. H. A. The seeds of this germinate very slowly. Although the plants have a rather straggly habit, they do not look bad when grown in masses. The flowers make excellent cut-flowers. Lobelia Erinus. T. A. A charming little plant that blooms very quickly from seed and will continue in flower all summer long. It is particularly useful as an edging to beds. There are red and white varieties in addition to the common blue-flow- ered form. Lupinus. H. A. Sow the seeds where the plants are to stand. Grow them as specimen plants or as clumps in a border. They are very showy. Madia. H. P. A very graceful plant with an open habit. It can be had in flower the first year from seed. When grown in the sun the flowers open only in the morning and evening. Grow it in a shaded place. Marigolds. H. A. These showy annuals must be grown in a sunny place. They can be had in short or tall forms. The African marigold has the larger flower; French marigolds are short and small-flowered. The only objection to these plants is their odor, which some people do not like. Martynia. H. H. A. A very interesting trailing plant. Its only excuse for being grown in the garden is its curious-shaped seed-pods, which make good pickles when young. Matthiola bicomis. H. H. A. Very straggly habit, and dur- ing the day the plant is unattractive, but at night the flowers FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN 29 open and are fragrant. Plant it near the porch or windows where the evenings are spent, that its fragrance may be enjoyed. Mignonette. T. A. The seeds must be sown where the plants are to grow as it will not permit of transplanting. The plants are not showy, but the flowers are very fragrant. Make sev- eral sowings, to insure a supply in the garden all summer. Myosotis (Forget-me-not). H. P. This delightful little plant succeeds best in shady situations in rich, moist soil that is well drained. If the environment is congenial the plants will become established, making a permanent plantation. Otherwise, it will be hard to make it succeed. It can also be used as an edging for borders. It blooms during the cool weather; will bloom the first year from seed. Nasturtium. T. A, This plant will more fully repay one by its lavish profusion of flowers for the outlay of time and labor than any other annual. The tall varieties can be trained on strings or wire over trelHses or porches, or they can be grown to cover rocks or unsightly places. The dwarf forms make excellent edgings. The flowers are good for cutting; the seeds can be used to flavor pickles, or used as capers. Nicotiana. H. H. A. The flowering tobacco can be used as a bedding plant, either alone or in connection with other plants. The flowers are fragrant at night. The plants will need staking to prevent high winds from blowing them over. Pansy. H. A. February-sown seed will bloom during the summer and fall. The plants flower best during the cool weather and are used chiefly to fill beds that will later con- tain tender bedding plants, such as geraniums. Petunia. T. A. A bedding plant that grows as luxuriously as a weed, furnishing a profusion of flowers all summer. The flowers are large, three inches across, sometimes larger, and are fragrant. It can also be used for edging borders, for vases and window-boxes Phlox. H. A. Produces dazzling eflfects when sown in masses. Can also be used for edging beds. Has a very compact habit, is a profuse bloomer, and will continue in flower all summer if the old flowers are removed. It is one of the best annuals we have. Poppy. H. A. To get the earliest flowers, sow the seeds in well-drained ground in the fall, or in the early spring, as soon as the ground is bare of snow. Make several successive sowings. 30 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE The flowers are very large and can be had in single and double forms. Some of the double-flowered varieties are so full as to be a complete ball. They do best in a sandy loam. They are hard to transplant, and are not successful as cut-flowers. Poppy, Iceland. H. B. Can be had in flower the same year as sown. To carry them over the winter they must be sown in a well-drained location. As the plants are small they must be grown close together. Pyrethrum. H. P. They can be had in flower the first sea- son if the seed is sown early. Tchihatchewii is an excellent variety for poor soil. The Golden Feather is a yellow-leaved variety which is much used as an edging in formal beds, and in carpet bedding. Its flowers are unimportant. It must be kept sheared to form. The taller varieties that usually go under this name, but which are really chrysanthemums, C. coccinium, have daisy-like flowers on long stems. They should be grown in clumps in the border. It is a good cut-flower. The flowers are sometimes four inches across. This is the plant which is meant when people talk about the pyrethrum. Portulaca. T. A. An excellent little succulent for growing in dry, sunny places. The flowers close at night. They open onl}^ in the sun. It is easily transplanted and self-sown. There is no use of planting the seeds until the ground becomes warm for they will not germinate in cold ground. Salpiglossis. H. H. A. A very excellent annual for growing as cut-flowers. It bears beautiful, funnel-shaped flowers, having dark veins on a ground which varies from white to crimson, yellow and orange. It will grow in any soil but does particularly well in a light, sandy loam that is rich. It with- stands drought. Salvia. T. A. The best scarlet flower for late summer and fall. It is excellent as a bedding plant. Edge the beds with coleus or geraniums. It does particularly well in a light, sandy loam that is rich. There are several varieties which vary in height and in the shade of red. Scabiosa. H. H. A. A very attractive plant. The seeds are sown in May and the plants commence to flower in July and continue until frost. The flowers are small and are borne in large clusters on long, wiry stems. It can be grown either as clumps in borders or in masses. Silene. H. A. Bright-colored free-flowering annuals that FLOWERS FOR THE HOME GARDEN 31 are excellent for use in the border or in the rockery. It prefers a light, sandy soil, with full exposure to the sun. Snapdragon. H. P. The peculiar shape of these flowers makes them very attractive. They will bloom the first year from seed. The flowers are borne in dense spikes that are produced all summer long. It is excellent as a bedding plant and as a good cut-flower, lasting well in water. Stocks. H. H. A. An excellent bedding plant, or it is good for clumps in the border. The flowers are fragrant. It is a good cut-flower, lasting well in water. The double varieties are best. The autumnal- or late-flowering sorts, which can be had in named varieties, are excellent for fall and winter cul- ture in pots or in benches in the window garden or greenhouse. The seed is sown in the spring when all danger of frost is past and the plants transferred to the house on the approach of cold weather. Sweet Alyssum. H. A. One of the best annuals, good for growing in clumps in the border or as an edging. Seeds sown out-of-doors in well-drained ground in the fall will bloom early the following summer and continue to flower until cold weather. Sweet Peas. H. A. To attain success with sweet peas the seed should be sown as early in the spring as the ground can be worked. In localities where the winter is not severe they can be sown in the fall. A deep, rich, moist soil is best suited to sweet peas. Late-planted seeds will not succeed so well, because the plants will not have become established and made much growth before hot weather sets in. Syringe the plants on clear days, striking the under side of the leaves with the water to dislodge the red spider. Sweet William. H. B. Blooms the first year if seed is sown early. Grows in clumps in the border, or as a bedding plant. To prolong the blooming season, remove the old flowers. This is a splendid, old-fashioned plant which produces an abun- dance of beautifully colored, sweet-scented flowers. Venus' Looking Glass. H. H. A. A dainty little plant hav- ing bell-shaped flowers one inch across. It is excellent as an edging plant. It does not transplant well. Verbena. H. H. A. One of the best bedding plants and is also a good cut-flower. Fine varieties are perpetuated by cuttings. It is useful for beds, borders, mounds, vases and window-boxes. Plants raised from seed are stronger and pro- 32 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE duce more flowers than those raised from cuttings. It delights in a rich soil with full exposure to the sun. Zinnia. H. A. A very prim, formal-flowered plant that bears an abundance of bloom until freezing weather arrives. It does well in light soil, and is a good drought-resister, but is best when given rich soil. It can be used as a bedding plant, as clumps in borders, for edgings and low summer hedges. Some of the newer larger-flowering kind are much larger and better than the old-fashioned sort. HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY The day has passed in which fruit trees or other plants bear- ing edible portions can be raised without attacks from insect enemies or plant diseases. A spraying outfit is a necessity. In the following pages the more important pests are mentioned, with the best means of holding them in check. FRUIT GARDEN PESTS APPLE Aphis. — Small, green, soft-bodied insects on the under side of the leaves, appearing in April and May on the expanding buds. When present in large numbers, they cause the leaves to roll inward, making it hard to reach them by sprays. In that condition, the growth, with leaves, should be removed. To hold them in check, spray with kerosene emulsion (V)* or whale-oil soap (VI). They pass the winter in the egg stage, the eggs being laid on the twigs near the buds. The winter spraying with lime-sulphur wash (Xa) will kill the eggs. Canker-worm. — Measuring- worms,^ dull in color. More troublesome in New England and northward than South. They appear in April and May, eating the young foliage. Band the trees with a sticky substance in February or March, to prevent the female from crawling up the tree. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as soon as the insects appear. Repeat in a day or two, if they were not all killed by the first spray. Thoroughly cultivate the ground in June and July, to break up the cells in which they pass the winter. Borer. — The grub of a beetle. The eggs are laid on the bark in June. The egg hatches and the grub mines the sap- wood. Wash the trunk of the tree with carbolic soap (XII). Wrap the trunks in May, allowing the wrapping to stay on until December. Inject carbon bisulphide in the tunnels. Bud-worm, or Moth. — Small caterpillars mining in the buds. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as the green leaves begin to show in the buds. Repeat just before the buds open, and again after the petals fall. Codling-moth. — The grub that makes wormy apples. It enters the calyx, and lives on the core, afterward eating its *Tbe roman aumerals refer to the formulas given on pages 56-59. 33 34 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE way out. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as soon as petals fall; repeat in ten days. Pick up and destroy all fallen apples. Cultivate the acquaintance of and, protect the little wood- peckers, called sap-suckers; they eat them. Repeat the spray- ing in June for the second brood coming from your neighbors' trees. CuRCULio. — A snout beetle that punctures the skin, leaving crescent-shaped marks, and causing knotty growth in apples. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as soon as the petals fall; repeat in ten days. Give a third spraying two weeks later. Case-bearer. — A small grub living in a cylindrical silk case Spraying for the bud-worm will also exterminate this pest. Oyster-shell Bark-louse. — A small sucking insect which protects itself by a brown oyster-shell-shaped case. Spray trees and shrubs, while dormant, with lime-sulphur wash (Xa) or with kerosene emulsion (V), or whale-oil soap (VI), in late May (about the 25th) and early June. Railroad- WORM. — This is the white grub infesting early summer apples. The best preventive is to pick up and destroy all windfalls. Red-humped Apple-worm. — Has a red head and a red hump on its back, body striped yellow and black. It appears in June and July, and strips the foliage from the ends of the limbs. Hand-pick, spray with arsenate of lead (I), kerosene emulsion (V), or whale-oil soap (Vic), when insects appear. Tent-caterpillar. — The insect that builds large webs in the early spring in apple and cherry trees. Destroy the webs as soon as they appear. Best done in early morning or late evening when dew is on by rubbing on and around the limbs and in the nest, a rag soaked in kerosene; or, spray the webs with kerosene. Woolly Aphis. — Small, soft-bodied insects, covered with a woolly, waxy covering. Present the year round on the roots, causing knots, and also on the trunk or limbs. Lift soil about trunk, and spread an inch of tobacco (IXa), putting the soil back again. Spray above ground, when present, with kerosene emulsion (V) or whale-oil soap (Vic). Bitter-rot. — A faint, light brown discoloration under the skin of the fruit, which later becomes dark brown. Appears in July and August. Winters in " cankers," which are rounded or oblong sooty — black, sunken spots. Cut off the canker HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY-FRUIT GARDEN 35 spots. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) or lime-sulphur wash (X) once before buds open, and every two weeks in July, and until fruit is almost ripe. Rust. — Causes bright yellow spots on leaves and fruits. Appears in May and June. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) or lime-sulphur wash (Xb). As the "cedar apple," or knotty balls, on cedar trees, is one of the necessary forms in the life history of this fungus, they must be destroyed if growing near apple trees. Scab. — Brown spots upon the leaves, causing them to curl and to become torn; on the fruit, brown or black blotches, one-fourth to one-half inch in diameter. It sometimes kills the blossoms. Turn under, early in the spring, all fallen leaves. The fungus lives overwinter on them. Spray with copper sulphate (XIII) or lime-sulphur wash (Xb) before the buds open. Repeat with lime-sulphur wash (Xc) or Bordeaux mix- ture (XVIII) when petals drop, and repeat twice at intervals of ten to fourteen days. San Jose Scale. — Grayish or blackish scales as big as a small pinhead, incrusting the branches and causing small red- dish spots in the fruit. Will kill the tree. Prune the tree when dormant, cutting out the badly infested branches, and spray with lime-sulphur wash f(Xa) or whale-oil soap (Via), and repeat the lime-sulphur spray as late as possible in the spring before the buds open. When young hatch, spray with ker- osene emulsion (V) or whale-oil soap (Vic), BLACKBERRY. DEWBERRY. RASPBERRY Cane-borer, Cane-Maggot, Tree-cricket. — These bore into the cane, causing the tips to die back. They appear any time in the summer. The only remedy is to cut the cane back below the injury and destroy these prunings by fire. The punc- tures can be seen in winter when the foliage is off. Rose Scale. — A pure white, very conspicuous, nearly oval scale, about an eighth of an inch in diameter. Always present. Remove and burn badly infested canes, and spray with kero- sene emulsion (V) in May. Saw-fly, or Slug. — A little, light green caterpillar, or slug, with black spines, appearing in June, or early July, which eats round holes in the leaves, and finally defoliates the plants. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) when the leaves have expanded $6 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE or when the insects appear, and repeat in a few days, or as may seem necessary. Dust with hellebore (IV). Anthracnose. — First small, and finally long, irregular brown or purple spots on the young canes. Remove badly infested canes. Spray with copper sulphate (XIII) before the leaves appear, and, when young canes are six inches high, spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), and repeat frequently until fruit is two-thirds grown. Root-knot or Crown-gall. — A knotty growth at the crown of the plant, i. e., at the base of the canes, which has hairy outgrowths. The only remedy is to dig out and burn infestied plants. Rust. — A fine orange dust (spores) on the under sides of the leaves in June. There is no remedy. Dig out and destroy infested plants, whether cultivated plants or wild ones, in the vicinity of the fruit garden. CHERltY Aphis. — See under peach. Slug. — Same as Pear-slug. CuRCULio. — Same as Plum-curculio. Black-knot. — See under Plum. Brown-rot. — See under Peach. Leaf-blight. — See under Plum. CURRANTS Aphis. — A small yellow plant louse, appearing in May and found on the under side of the leaves, which causes galls on the leaves, and also curling of the leaves. Spray with kero- sene emulsion (V) or whale-oil soap (Vic), when they first appear, and repeat in ten days. Currant-worms. — A light-green worm an inch long, with black spots, which appears in May or June; first, near the ground, and later further up on the plants, eating the leaves and often stripping a bush in a few days. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as necessary. When fruit is half-grown, use helle- bore (IV). Leaf-blight. — Appears in June or July in the form of round spots on^leaves. Spray with ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV) while the plants are in fruit, afterward with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— FRUIT GARDEN 37 GOOSEBERRY Currant-worms. — See Currant. Mildew. — Powdery appearance on the leaves of the young growth. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) before the buds open. Afterward spray with potassium sulphide (XV) every ten days, or with ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV). Four-lined Leaf-bug. — A small, yellow bug (three-eighths of an inch long) with four black stripes, appearing in early summer, eating the leaves. It is hard to kill, needing strong kerosene emulsion (V). Dilute the stock solution only five times, as a weaker solution will fail. Pruning in winter will help, as the insect winters ih the egg stage; burn the prunings. Borer. — Bores and girdles shoots. Cut them out in the spring after growth has started sufficiently to show which canes are dead. At any time during the summer, cut off wilted twigis. Currant Span-worm. — Bright yellow, one inch long, with white lines and numerous black spots, appearing in May or June. Let hens run among the bushes, or hand-pick. Rake up and burn in the fall all fallen leaves near bushes. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) before fruit is half-grown. GRAPE Grape Berry-moth. — A small grub mining in the fruits, which wither. They appear from June to August, and can be held in check by using arsenate of lead (I) in the Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) during spring spraying. Caterpillars. — There are several forms of larvae which feed upon the grape leaves, which can be held in check by spraying with arsenate of lead (I) in Bordeaux mixture as the buds are opening. Grape Curculio. — A snout beetle which punctures a hole in the grape and deposits an egg, leaving a brown spot, which, in the case of dark-colored grapes, turns to a purplish area; or the whole grape may color prematurely. They appear in July or August. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) once a week, late in June and in July. Bag the grapes. This latter is absolute insurance against loss. Flea-beetle. — A small steel-blue insect, which, both as a beetle and as a grub, feeds upon the leaf of the grape. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) as the buds begin to swell. Leaf-hopper. — One-eighth of an inch long, and prettily 38 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE marked with green, rosy-red, and yellow, appearing in August. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V) and catch on sticky shields. Phylloxera. — An aphis which lives on the roots of the grape. Does but little damage to American grapes, but the European or vinifera varieties succumb. To kill, inject bisul- phide of carbon into the soil about the roots. Root-worm. — A bluish grub, or worm, with four black stripes and four light stripes. Inject carbon bisulphide into the ground about the roots. Spray leaves, when the moth is found, as for flea-beetle. Grape-root Borer. — A worm one and one-half to one and three-fourths inches long, which bores into the roots. Dig them out. As a preventive, bank soil about the cane. Rose-chafer. — Spray with arsenate of lead (one pound to five gallons) before they arrive in June. Grape-cane Borer. — A brown beetle will be found in the grape twig, which suddenly wilts and breaks off in the spring. It is especially bad in the South. Cut off and burn all injured shoots, and also diseased wood and rubbish about the vines. Anthracnose. — Deep pits and scars on the canes, and dis- colored leaves. Spray with copper sulphate, six and one-half ounces to five gallons, before the buds open. Black-rot. — A fungus which attacks the full-grown berries, which become shriveled and black. Bag the grapes. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), commencing as soon as fruit sets, and giving from three to six more applications. Burn all diseased prunings, rotten fruit, etc. Downy Mildew. — Brown downy patches on the under side of the leaves, rotting, turning brown or gray. Spray with Bor- deaux mixture (XVIII) as for black-rot. Powdery Mildew. — Dull white powdery patches on the leaves. Treat as for black-rot. PEACH Aphis. — Black aphids which live on the under side of the leaves, causing them to curl. They are worst in May and June. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V), whale-oil soap (Vic), or with tobacco (IXb), before leaves curl. When leaves have curled, the only remedy is to cut all twigs with curled leaves. Borer. — A soft, white-bodied grub, having a reddish brown head, which hatches from eggs laid upon the bark of the trunk, HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— FRUIT GARDEN 39 at or near the surface of the soil, during the summer months. They burrow through the inner bark and sap-wood of the trunk and larger roots, i. Dig them out in fall and spring, using a sharp knife, and always cutting with the grain of the wood, never across the grain. 2. Make a mound of earth about the trunk of the tree June first, leaving it until September first. 3. Wrap the trunk with paper and other material, paint trunk with carbolic soap (XII) or with residue of lime-sulphur wash, to prevent egg-laying. CuRCULio. — See under Plum. Brown-rot. — The fruit turns brown and dries up. These are mummies and hang on all winter. The fungus also attacks the flowers and growing twigs, killing them. Spray with cop- per sulphate (XIII) just before the buds open, and with Hme- sulphur wash (Xld) every two weeks until fruit is nearly grown. Peach-leaf Curl. — The leaves have yellow or red blotches and curl up. Spraying with lime-sulphur wash (XIa) before the buds open will prevent it. Peach Rosette and Yellows. — No known remedy. Dig out and burn at once all infested trees. PEAR Codling-moth. — See under Apple. Midge. — A very small fly, which appears when the first buds of spring open. It lays its eggs in the flowers as soon as they show white. The larvae work their way into the ovule, or seed capsule, causing the fruit, when it is the size of a nut, to stop growth. The fruit is irregular in shape, knotty, and the center full of small yellow larvae. They drop in June. Plant a catch- crop of the Lawrence pear, a variety of which it is especially fond. Sow kainit one thousand pounds to the acre, between the middle and end of June; or work an abundance of pow- dered tobacco (IXa) into the soil at this same time, for then the larvae are making their way from the fallen cracked fruit into the ground. If a few Lawrence pear trees are planted as a catch-crop, the other trees will be practically free from this insect. Borer. — Rarely present in large numbers. Larvae similar to peach borer. Paint trunks with carbolic soap (XII). P^Pear-leaf Mite. — Small reddish spots appear on the upper surface of the leaves, or before they have fully expanded in 40 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE spring, which later become black, the tissues of the leaf dry- ing. It is caused by a small creature similar to the red spider found on house-plants and in greenhouses. Spray in winter or spring, before buds open, with kerosene emulsion (V), diluting the stock solution with only five to seven parts of water. Pear-tree Psylla. — A small jumping louse one-tenth of an inch long. There are two forms, dark and light. The dark form spends the winter in the crevices of the bark, coming out in spring, laying eggs which hatch into worms, or larvae, that suck the sap from the leaves, and exude a honey dew. They are present all summer, but are worst in July and August. Spray with lime-sulphur (Xa); or kerosene emulsion (V), diluted only five to seven times, when the tree is dormant; and with whale-oil soap (VIb) in April. Pear-slug.— A greenish-black, slimy slug one-half of an inch long, appearing in June and July, eating the skin of the leaves. Spray as soon as they appear with arsenate of lead (I), pyrethrum (VII), or hellebore (IV). Fire-blight, or Twig-blight. — The foliage on the twigs turns brown or black. The dead leaves do not drop. Cut off below injury, burning the prunings. Leaf-blight, or Spot. — Reddish-brown spots on the leaves, which later run together, and finally the leaves drop. The fruits have small black spots, which may cause it to crack open. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) or with lime- sulphur wash (Xb), as for scale. Rust. — See under Apple. Scab. — See under Apple. PLUM Aphis. — See under Peach. Curculio. — The worst enemy of plums and cherries, and is destructive to peaches. The beetle has a long snout with which it pierces the young fruit just after the petals drop (May, June), leaving crescent-shaped scars in which are deposited eggs. These hatch, the grub eating toward the stone. It causes the fruit to drop, usually when only half-grown. If older, the fruit has a drop of gum over the puncture. Spray with arsenate of lead (I). It is important to destroy this pest, as it helps to disseminate brown-rot. Leucanium, or Plum-scale. — A dark brown hemispherical HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— FRUIT GARDEN 41 scale, one-eighth of an inch long, which sucks the plant juices. Spray with Hme-sulphur wash (Xa) when the trees are dormant. Two sprayings during the winter are necessary. Brown-rot. — See under Peach. Black-knot. — Black, knotty swellings on the twigsjand smaller hmbs, that are caused by a fungus. Can be controlled by spraying with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), but it is much better handled by cutting out all infested branches, before March first, as the spores ripen during the winter and spread in early spring. Burn at once all prunings. Shot-hole Fungus. — Small, round, purple or brown spots, which later drop out, leaving the leaves full of holes. Often the leaves turn yellow and drop by midsummer. Easily con- trolled by spraying with lime-sulphur wash (Xa), copper sul- phate (XIII) before the leaves appear, and lime-sulphur wash (Xd) or Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) when the leaves first appear, and repeat every two or three weeks, until the fruit is three-quarters grown. Quince. — See under Apple and Pear for insects and diseases. STRAWBERRY Leaf-roller. — A small, brownish caterpillar, appearing in late May or early June, that folds the leaflets by bringing the upper surfaces together and fastening them. They eat the leaves, which then turn brown. The best method of destroy- ing the pest is to mow and burn the leaves after the fruit has been gathered. Root-aphis. — These grow on the roots, and are bluish in color. Clean plants only should be set. Infested plants can be cleaned before setting by fumigating with tobacco (IXc), dipping them in tobacco juice, (IXb), or stirring into the ground around infested plants tobacco dust (IXa). Saw-fly. — Give the same treatment as for raspberry saw-fly. Weevil. — A small black-snout beetle similar to the curculio, which deposits its eggs in the buds, and then partly gnaws off the stems below the buds, causing them to wilt. No remedy. Pick off and burn drooping flower stalks. Leaf-blight, Leaf-spot, or Rust. — Reddish or purplish spots on the leaves. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). Removing the leaves, as advised for the leaf roller, helps to diminish this pest. 42 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN ALL VEGETABLES Aphis. — Small black, red or green sucking insects, as big as a pin-head, usually the under side of the leaves. Spray with whale-oil soap (Vic), tobacco water (IXb), or kerosene emul- sion (V). Cutworms. — Soft-bodied, hairless grubs, living in the ground during the day and foraging at night. They vary in color from black to white, and are particularly harmful in March, April and May. They cut off the plants at the surface of the ground, i. Use poisoned bran mash (III), putting around a few days before planting, or protect the plants by placing a ring of the mash around each plant. 2. Wrap brown or manila paper about each plant before planting, letting the paper extend one and one-half inches above and below the ground. The paper will last long enough for the plants' stems to become tough enough not to be good cutworm food. WiREWORMS. — Long, slender, cyHndrical worms, with hard, shiny, smooth, yellow bodies, having three pairs of legs close to the head. They do much damage in April and May by bor- ing into seeds, eating the surface of root-crops, and cutting the tops of such crops as they appear above ground. Scatter poisoned slices of potatoes about field known to be infested, and cover with boards. Soak corn in solution of strychnine and sow over field two weeks before planting. Flea-beetles. — Small, black, shiny beetles, as big as a pin- head, that jump about like fleas. Although a fungicide, the best remedy is to coat the plants with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). These are particularly bad on potatoes and tomatoes. ASPARAGUS Asparagus Beetle. — A slender beetle, one-quarter of an inch long, blue-black, with yellow spots on back. Both the beetle and its grub (young) attack the tender shoots, eating holes in them, and the beetle lays rows of dark eggs upon the stalks. The larvae can be killed by dusting fresh air-slaked lime on the plants in the early morning while the dew is on. Rust. — Blister-like spots on the skin of the stem, under which are the brown spores. It causes the plants to have the appearance of maturing early. Cut off and burn all infested HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY-VEGETABLES 43 stalks in the fall, and in August spray three times, ten days apart, with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). BEAN Seed-corn Maggot. — A small grub which scrapes"^and eats seeds, sprouts, and underground stems. Soak the ground, as soon as injury is apparent, with hellebore, two ounces to one gallon of water. Weevil. — A small brownish gray or olive snout-beetle. Throw bean seed lightly into water; those so badly damaged as to be useless will float. Burn them. Dry the balance, and sow at once. Anthracnose, or Podspot. — Affects leaves, stems and pods, causing unsightly sunken spots. Soak bean seeds one to two hours in ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV) before plant- ing. Spray the young plants, when they are two to three inches high, with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). Repeat in ten days, and again as soon as the plants have flowered. By selecting your own seed from pods which are not infested, you can largely avoid this disease. Blight. — Attacks lima, as well as common beans. It appears on all parts of the plants; small yellowish spots, increas- ing in size, and which later turn brown. The disease can eas- ily be told from anthracnose, as the spots are not sunken. It is less prevalent on fresh land. Burn, in the fall, all bean vines, as the bacteria live over winter on the vines. Keep the plants free from insects; they help to spread the disease. Downy Mildew. — Downy patches on the leaves, that are very destructive at times. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), as suggested for anthracnose, will prevent it. BEETS Plant-bugs. — A flattened, sucking bug, one-fourth of an inch long; brown, with yellow and black markings. These hibernate under grass and rubbish. Burn all rubbish about garden. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V). Leap-spot. — A leaf-spot fungus attacks the leaves, causing them to drop prematurely. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) every two weeks. Scab. — Same as potato scab. Do not grow beets on land that has grown scabby beets or potatoes. 44 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE CABBAGE AND CAULIFLOWER Cabbage-looper. — A green worm, one to one and one- fourth inches long, lined with white, which loops like a span- worm. Give same treatment as for cabbage-worm. Cabbage-maggot. — A small white maggot, one-third of an inch long. Sometimes two or three work on the same root. Spread a tablespoonful of tobacco dust (IXa) about each plant, when planting; renew it once a week for three weeks. Cabbage Plusia. — A dark gray moth, deposits pale green- ish yellow eggs, singly or in clusters, on the upper surface (usually) of cabbage leaves. These hatch, and the resulting pale green grubs are, when mature, an inch long. They bore holes in the cabbage head. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V), adding, if necessary, resin soap (II) to make it stick. Dust with pyre thrum (VII), adding, for convenience of handling, two parts of flour. Cabbage-worm. ^ — Velvety green caterpillar, more than one inch long when mature. Present from planting-time on, and damages plants by eating holes in the leaves. Spray with arsenate of lead (I), to which has been added resin-soap (II). After heading commences, use hellebore (IV). Harlequin Bug. — One of the " stink " bugs. Shiny black, or dark blue, with red or yellow spots. It sucks the sap. Pres- ent in numbers in April and May. Plant a trap-crop of mus- tard, radish or rape, a few days before planting the crop, and, when the bugs have collected on them, spray with pure kerosene or kerosene emulsion (V), stock solution, diluted with four parts of water. Brown- or Black-rot. — This dwarfs the heads or makes them one-sided, and, in cases of early infection, there may be no head at all. Upon examination of the stumps of affected plants, a brown or black ring will be observed, corresponding to the woody part of the stem. There is no remedy, preven- tive measures only can be used. Plant only on clean land and from uninfested seed-beds; avoid a succession of cruciferous crops on the same land. Remove at once, and destroy badly infested plants and leaves. Club-root. — Knotty, twisted root growths which stunt the development of the head. It is caused by a slime mold. Rotate the crops, never growing cruciferous crops twice in succession on the same land. Give land o^ which these crops are to be HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— VEGETABLES 45 grown a dressing of fresh stone lime and sulphur (Vllld), using two bushels to a piece of land twenty-five by fifty feet (or seventy-five to eighty bushels per acre). CELERY Celery Caterpillar. — A handsome and conspicuous cat- erpillar which feeds upon the leaves. They are about two inches long, and bright green with broken black bands. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) when the plants are small. Hand- pick. Poultry and birds will not eat them, probably because of the offensive odor they emit. Leaf-spot or Blight. — Rusty, brown spots on the leaves of celery, appearing in June and July. It can be held in check by spraying with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) every ten days until the plants are well advanced, when ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIII) should be used, to prevent spotting. CORN Corn-ear Worm. — Green worms which, when full-grown, are an inch long. They feed upon the kernels. Hand-picking is the best remedy, and it can be greatly helped by fall plowing. Corn-root Aphis. — Root aphis fostered by ants. They can be largely reduced by plowing corn-fields in late fall. Frequent cultivation with cultivator or disk harrow will also help. Treating the seed-corn with the following is also recommended: One gallon wood alcohol, one pint oil of lemon. Thoroughly mix and sprinkle three ounces or six tablespoonfuls over four quarts of seed, before planting. Smut. — Black, sooty growth on the ears. No remedy; pull out all infested plants. CUCUMBER. PUMPKIN. SQUASH. MELON Melon-louse. — A greenish black plant louse with or with- out wings, that suck the sap. They are present from early spring. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V) made of whale-oil soap instead of hard soap, and dilute twelve to fifteen times. Be sure to get it on the under side of the leaves. Squash-bug. — A rusty, black, flattened bug, half an inch long, that sucks the plant juices. It has a repulsive, buggy odor. They winter-over under boards, leaves, etc., appearing in late spring or early summer. Hand-pick during the cooler 46 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE part of the day when they are sluggish, dropping them into a can containing kerosene. In the fall, thousands can be slaught- ered by laying shingles or small boards about the garden. The bugs will gather on the under side to pass the cool nights, and from these traps early morning collections may be made. Striped Cucumber-beetle. — A beetle, one-fifth of an inch long, straw yellow in color with three black stripes on the back. They gnaw the skin of the stem and eat holes in the leaves of young plants. Protect by shallow frames covered with mos- quito netting. Sprinkle tobacco dust (IXa) on the leaves while the dew is on. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) containing arsenate of lead. Anthracnose. — Causes circular dead spots in the leaves, one-fourth of an inch in diameter. Use Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). This can be checked after it appears. Downy Mildew. — Appears late in July or in early August. It causes angular yellow spots on the leaves, later the whole leaf turns yellow and dies. Commence spraying about July 20 with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), and repeat every seven to nine days. Leaf-blight. — More particularly destructive to melons. Large dead areas are noticed on the leaves, which can be told from downy mildew by the tendency to break out, leaving holes. Spraying with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII), as for downy mildew, will hold it in check for a time at least. Repeat every seven to nine days, and be thorough. LETTUCE Lettuce-rot. — Caused by a rot fungus, and is more fre- quent indoors than out. The plants rot off at the surface, and the central portion of heading varieties becomes attacked. Sterilize the soil with steam. Maintain a temperature of less than 50° Fahr, at night; too high a temperature helps to induce rot. Ventilate the house thoroughly at all times. Burn all infested portions of the plants. ONIONS Black Onion-fly. — A white maggot, a little larger than the onion maggot, that feeds on stored as well as growing onions. Fumigate stored onions with bisulphide of carbon for forty- eight hours, using one pound of liquid to one hundred cubic feet of space to be treated. HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY-VEGETABLES 47 Onion-Maggot. — The maggot (grub) of a small fly, resem- bling the house-fly. The egg is laid on the young plants early in the season, and the grub eats into the bulb. The treatment for cabbage maggots helps. Kerosene-soaked sand placed about the plant also helps. Fertilize freely, to stimulate a strong growth. Thrips. — Small (one-twentieth of an inch long), active, yellowish-winged insects, that jump like fleas, and feed on the skin of the leaves. Clean away all weeds from about the gar- den, before planting. Spray frequently, when insects are found to be present, with kerosene emulsion (V) or tobacco water (IXb). Smut. — A very bad fungus that attacks the plants when they are very young. It appears in the form of a black, dusty pow- der on various parts of the plant. Onions started in sterile soil, and transplanted outdoors later, will not be attacked. Where seeds must be planted outdoors in infected soil, sow flowers of sulphur in the rows, or put a dripper attachment on the drilling machine and drip a formaldehyde solution in the rows. Use one pound forty per cent formaldehyde to twenty- five to thirty-three gallons of water, and use fifteen gallons of the solution to a lot twenty-five by fifty feet (five hundred to seven hundred gallons to the acre). PEA Pea-louse, or Aphis. — Pea-green in color and one-fourth of an inch long. They usually are found clustered about the young growth, sucking the sap. Spray frequently with kero- sene emulsion (V). Powdery Mildew. — A whitish, powdery coating on the leaves and stems; also sometimes dark pin-head spots may be noticed in these white coverings. Spray with Bordeaux mix- ture (XVIII), to which resin-soap (II) should be added to make it stick. One to two sprayings will be sufficient. POTATO Potato-beetle. — A hemispherical beetle, three-eighths of an inch long. Light yellow in color with ten black stripes. The slugs are round, red, soft-bodied, with black dots. They are present all summer and eat the foliage. • Spray every ten days or two weeks with arsenate of lead (I). It can be added to the Bordeaux mixture used to spray for blight. 48 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE Potato-blight, Early and Late. — Leaves become black and die. They usually have a whitish fungous growth on the underside. The late fungus causes the wet rot of stored pota- toes. Spray every two weeks with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). The arsenate of lead for the bugs can be added to this, and the two sprays made at once. Air-slaked lime in the bins among the potatoes will help to check the wet rot of stored potatoes. Scab. — Causes the dark, scabby spots on the skins of the potatoes. Plant clean seed, and avoid the use of stable ma- nure on the land. Soak the seed (cut tubers) two hours in for- maldehyde (XVI), or one and one-half hours in corrosive sub- limate (XVII). SQUASH. PUMPKINS Squash-vine Borer. — A white grub, one inch long when full-grown, that bores in the stem down into the root. The borer can usually be found near the level of the soil. Plant as early as possible, between what will be the rows of the main crop, a trap-crop of summer squashes on the ground where the main crop is to be grown, and destroy them later. Cover sev- eral places on the stems with soil, so that they can root, so as to be sure that the plants will grow even though the borer does injury to the root. SWEET POTATO Tortoise-beetle. — Somewhat resembles the lady-beetle in size, and shape; in color they resemble burnished gold. They eat holes in the leaves. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) if injury threatens to become serious. TOMATO Tomato-worm, or Horn-worm. — The caterpillar of a sphinx moth, A light-green worm having whitish oblique stripes, which when full-grown is three inches long and as thick as a man's finger. It eats the foliage. Hand-picking is the best remedy in the small garden. Blossom-drop. — The flowers drop off before becoming fer- tilized. The common cause of this is too rich a ground or too much water, either of which causes too luxuriant a growth. Avoid heavy applications of nitrogenous manures and culti- vate thoroughly. HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— FLOWERS 49 Leaf- Spot, or Leaf-blight. — Small whitish round spots on the leaves, which can be prevented by three or four spray- ings with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII). IN THE FLOWER GARDEN ALL PLANTS INDOORS Red-spider. — Very small red mites living on the under sides of the leaves and protecting themselves by a web. They are not troublesome in humid atmosphere but thrive in arid con- ditions. They are particularly troublesome in greenhouses in very cold weather. The best remedy is clean water syringed on the plants, striking the under side of the leaves with con- siderable force, to knock them off. White-fly. — A minute white fly which lays its eggs on tomato and other plants. The larvae suck the plant juices and exude a " honey dew." On this honey dew there lives a mold. Fumigating with tobacco regularly will usually hold these in check if the houses are free from them in the fall, but, once they get bad, the only remedy is to fumigate with hydrocyanic acid gas, and, as this is an extremely poisonous article, its use is not advised except by those competent to handle it. Its effect on plants is different; some can stand a strong gas, while others are injured by it. Our Bureau of Information will give those who wish to use it specific directions. BARBERRY Rust. — While not particularly destructive to the barberry itself, the plant acts as a host for one form of the wheat rust. Do not have barberries growing near wheat fields. CARNATION Aphis. — Pale-green plant-lice or aphis found on the stems and leaves sucking the plant's sap. Fumigate the greenhouse regularly — twice a week, two evenings in succession — with tobacco (IXc) or any of the tobacco compounds now on the market. Syringe the plants the morning after, to knock off dead and stunned aphis. Anthracnose. — Grayish brown sunken spots on the leaves. Spray the plants with ammoniacal copper carbonate solution 50 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE (XIV) frequently. Maintain good growing conditions at all times. Rust. — An exceedingly serious carnation disease. Little blisters which open, giving off reddish brown spores. The treatment is more preventive than curative. Spray the plants every week or ten days with ammoniacal copper car- bonate (XIV). Keep the plants in good condition; avoid checks of any sort. Syringe the plants in the morning only, so that the leaves will be dry by nightfall. Pick off all dis- eased leaves. CHRYSANTHEMUM Aphis. — Black plant-lice living on the under side of the leaves, sucking sap. Fumigate with tobacco (IXc) twice a week, as directed for carnation aphis. Do not fumigate after the buds have shown color. Leaf-spot. T-Brown or black spots on the leaves, appearing in September. They grow larger, causing the leaf to drop off. Spray with ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV) every ten days or two weeks; keep the greenhouse well ventilated. On dull days in the early fall, have a little fire heat in the house and ventilate the house. Powdery Mildew. — A powdery white growth on the leaves, which can be held in check by dusting the leaves with flowers of sulphur (VIIIc). It will not occur if good ventilation is always maintained and there are no checks given the plants. DAHLIA Tarnished Plant-bugs. — The same as infests the straw- berry. The second brood appears in July and August on dah- lias, asters, sunflowers, and other fall flowers. Hand-pick; dust plants with pyrethrum powder (VII) or spray with ker- osene emulsion (V). HOLLYHOCK Rust. — The fungus will be recognized by dense yellowish or brownish dusty spots on the underside of the leaves. It is a serious disease. Spray the plants every ten days or two weeks with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) from the time the leaves show above ground until they are about to flower. Continue after the plants are through flowering. HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY-FLOWERS 51 HOUSE PLANTS Aphis. — The same as described for carnations and chrysan- themums. In the house, spray with soapsuds; this is the easiest and cleanest way of fighting the pest. Mealy-bugs. — Soft-bodied insects that protect themselves with a sort of woolly wax. They are more partial to coleus, but infest other house-plants. Drop one drop of kerosene oil or alcohol on each insect by using a wooden toothpick. Nematodes. — A parasitic worm infesting roses, begonias, and sometimes other plants. They cause small bead-like galls upon the roots. The leaves dry up. There is no remedy. Destroy plants growing in infested soil, and the soil too. Use fresh soil, potting plants next winter. Scale Insects. — There are several small scale insects infest- ing house-plants. One is small, round and white; the other is a brown, hemispherical one, like the plum scale. These can be cleaned off by rubbing with a sponge, the more obstinate ones by scratching with the finger-nail. MORNING-GLORY Tortoise-beetle. — The same as on the sweet potato. Leaf-cutter. — A yellowish green caterpillar with black spots, about three inches long. Spray with arsenate of lead (I). PELARGONIUM, GERANIUM iDropsy. — Dead spots on the leaves which, before they die, will have wet-looking places on the under side of the leaf, which appear translucent when held between the observer and the light. This is caused by too much water in the soil. ROSE Aphis. — Same as carnation aphis. Leaf-hopper. — A small greenish bug, which jumps around lively and sucks the foliage. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V). Rose-chafer. — The brown beetle found eating the rose flowers and buds. Hand-picking is the best, but spraying with arsenate of lead (I), one-half pound to five gallons of water, will help to hold them in check. They appear in June and are worst on sandy soils. Nematodes. — See under House-plants. Rose-scale. — See description under Raspberry. Slugs. — A green slug, or worm, which appears late in May, 52 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE eating holes in the leaves. Spray with arsenate of lead (I), or a simpler plan, where there is water under pressure, is to syringe the bushes with water, knocking them off. Black-spot. — This is particularly bad on roses grown indoors. There are black spots a quarter of an inch or more in diameter, which cause the leaves to sicken, turning yellow and later dropping off. Spray with ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV) once a week. Mildew. — Powdery growth on the leaves, the edges also curl up and the leaves become crinkly. It is caused by poor cultural conditions — -house too cool, or draughts strike the plant. Dust flowers of sulphur (VIIIc) over the leaves, or moisten with water (Vlllb) and put it on the heating-pipes. SNAPDRAGON Anthracnose. — Brown spots on the leaves. It sometimes kills the plants. Spray with Bordeaux mixture (XVIII) when the spots are first noticed, and give one or two subsequent sprayings a week or ten days apart. SWEET-PEA Aphis. — See under Pea, TOMATO Point-rot. — This is more troublesome on tomatoes grow- ing in greenhouses. A black rot occurs at the point where the flower was attached. This is caused by dryness. It will be particularly bad on benches where the pipes are near the bottom of the benches and the soil thin. VIOLET Aphis. — On the violet they are brown, and infest the crown of the plant as well as the stems and under side of the leaves. Spray with tobacco (IXb) or fumigate with tobacco (IXc), or spray with whale-oil soap (Vic). Cutworm. — -These cut off and eat the leaves. Poisoned bran mash (III) is effective. Do not use fresh soil in the benches or frames for growing violets. If it must be used, treat it as follows: Add tankage to the soil at the rate of forty pounds to the cubic yard, and pile it up and let it stand. It will gen- erate heat sufficient to kill all the grubs. Let it stand until cool before using HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— TREES 53 Saw-fly. — A dull, olive grub that eats the surface of the leaves. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) or fumigate with tobacco (IXc). Leaf-tyer. — A small green worm, eating the leaf, that can be held in check in the same way as the slug of the saw-fly. Leaf-spot, Leaf-blight. — Round white aphis with black outer wings, the whole one-eighth of an inch in diameter. First pick off all infested leaves. Spray with Bordeaux mix- ture (XVIII) or, if the plants are in flower, with ammoniacal copper carbonate (XIV). ALL INSECTS DESTROYING TREES AND SHRUBS The Brown-tailed Moth is a serious pest in the New England states. This pest winters over in the caterpillar stage in nests made of leaves. Cut off all these and burn them. The full-grown caterpillar is about two inches long, reddish brown in color, with a broken white stripe on each side, and two red dots on the back near the rear. These can be killed by spraying the trees with arsenate of lead (I). The Bag-worm. — You can see this in winter; numerous dark gray conical bags hanging to twigs of the arborvitae, soft maple, locust or other trees. The damage this insect does, besides feeding on the leaves, is to girdle the twigs. The fas- tening around the twig is so tough it does not rot easily. Col- lect the cocoons during the winter, as this is the best method of attacking this pest The Gypsy Moth. — Eats the foliage of any plant it comes to. The oval egg masses can be seen in winter at the base of trees and in other places, one and one-half inches long and half as wide. Destroy them. To protect trees from the caterpillars, wrap the trunk with burlap or tanglefoot, to stop their climb- ing the trees. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) in late spring and early summer. The San Jose Scale. — See description under apple. In addition to the fruit trees, this scale infests most seriously the Juneberry, hawthorn, privet, poplar, the various species of prunus, rose, willow, ash, lilac, osage orange, and elm. Spray the trees, when dormant, with lime-sulphur wash (Xa). 54 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE White Tussock-moth. — This is most commonly found on lindens, horse-chestnuts, elms, and maples, but has damaged many kinds of trees. The young caterpillars appear in May and eat the leaves. This insect does not do sufficient damage yet to pay to spray for it, but effective work can be done against it by collecting during the winter the frothy egg masses found on the bark or on dead leaves, and burning them. The caterpillar is about an inch and a half long, and has four white tussocks on his back and two long, hairy horns on the forward end, and one on the rear end, of his body. ELM The Elm-leaf Beetle is doing much damage to elms in the northeastern states. In the spring, the beetles come out of their winter quarters and eat holes in the leaves. Spray with arsenate of lead (I). Repeat this about June i, getting it on the under side of the leaves, so that the larvae or grub will get it. Later in the season, when the larvae are going to pupate, i. e., go into cocoons, they drop from the tree to the ground, and some may be found on the trunk. The pupae are yellow. Spray the trunks of the trees and the ground under the trees at this time with kerosene emulsion. During the winter and early spring, search attics, belfries, cupolas, for dormant beetles, collecting and burning them. LOCUST Locust-leaf Miner. — This insect eats the skin of the leaf so badly that in August the trees are as sear and brown as if scorched by fire. Spray with arsenate of lead (I) in the spring, just as soon as the leaves are out, that the adult beetle may be killed before the egg-laying season, LINDEN Putnam Scale. — See under Maple. MAPLE Cottony Maple Scale. — It is easily recognized by the presence of the white cottony masses which insects exude. These cottony masses protect the eggs. In winter, spray with kerosene emulsion (V), diluting the stock with only six to ten parts of Iwater. HOW AND WHEN TO SPRAY— TREES 55 Putnam Scale. — Very similar to San Jose scale. Usually only trees in cities are infested. Spray, when the trees are dormant, with lime-sulphur wash (Xa). MAPLE. ELM Leopard-moth. — The larvae of this insect are particularly destructive about cities. They bore into the twigs and go on down into the larger branches. They ultimately damage the limbs so badly as to kill the branches, or weaken them so that they are broken off by high winds. Hunt the burrows and put carbon bisulphide in them, stopping up the end with putty. Small branches should be pruned off. ROSE RUGOSA The Rose-scale. — See description under Raspberry. Al- though it infests all roses, this one is more subject to it than the others. Spray with kerosene emulsion (V) late in May, or with lime-sulphur wash (Xa), when the bushes are dormant. SPRAYING FORMULAS The following formulas will help to keep your plants free from insects and plant diseases. INSECTICIDES The insects infesting cultivated plants are divided into two general classes, — chewing insects and sucking insects, — and the remedies and exterminators are made to suit the kind of insect to be attacked. FOR CHEWING INSECTS I. Arsenic in the form of Paris green or arsenate of lead. The latter, arsenate of lead, is so much preferable to Paris green that formulas for it only are given. Paris green, if used in too large a quantity, will burn the plants; arsenate of lead will not, even though used in large quantities, and it remains in suspension much longer than Paris green. It is also sold under such trade names as Disparene. Arsenate of lead is white and comes in paste form. It is usually used at the rate of six ounces to five gallons of water, but can be used at the rate of one pound to five gallons. II. Resin Soap, used to make arsenical poisons stick to smooth surfaces, like cabbage. Five pounds pulverized resin, one pound concentrated lye, one pint fish or any animal oil, five gallons water. To make, put the resin and oil and a gallon of water in an iron kettle and heat; when the resin has dissolved, add the lye, stirring the solution; add the balance of the water and boil the whole for two hours, or until the solution, when put in cold water, will make a clear, amber-colored liquid. The solu- tion, when boiling, should be kept up to five gallons by adding water to make up for loss by evaporation. To use, dilute one pint of the soap with sixteen pints of water, and add three pints of milk of lime or whitewash, and one-fourth pound of Paris green, or it can be diluted with Bordeaux mixture. III. Poisoned Bran Mash. One ounce white arsenic, one to two ounces brown sugar, six to ten ounces bran. 56 SPRAYING FORMULAS— INSECTICIDES 57 Mix these together, and add enough water to make a wet but not sloppy mash. This is used as a poison bait. IV. Hellebore, an internal poison for insects, but not to man. It is used in place of Paris green or arsenate of lead where there is danger of the poison remaining on the parts of plants to be eaten. Dust dry on the leaves, especially the under side, when the dew is on, or sprinkle the leaves to insure its sticking. As a solution it can be sprayed on, using one ounce to one to three gallons of water. FOR SUCKING INSECTS V. Kerosene Emulsion. One-half pound hard soap, two gal- lons kerosene, one gallon water. Shave up the soap and dissolve it in the water, which should boil. Remove from the stove and, while still boiling, add the kerosene and thoroughly churn it. The best way to do this is by means of a bucket spray pump. Churn until it becomes a soft, butter-like mass. This is a stock solution; to use, dilute with ten to twelve parts of water. For scale insects in winter, stock solution can be used without dilution. VI. Whale-oil Soap (a) As a winter spray against scale insects, use two pounds to one gallon of water. Trunk and branches can be painted by hand in summer, but this strength will injure the leaves. Only one appHcation of this strength should be used in a season. (b) One pound to one gallon of water. (c) One pound to eight to ten gallons of water. VII. Pyrethrum, or Insect Powder. — Burn in the house to kill fleas, flies, mosquitoes and cockroaches. As it deterio- rates rapidly, it must be kept in a tight can. To spray, use one-fifth of an ounce (100 grains) in two gallons of hot water. VIII. Sulphur, (a) One ounce to one gallon of water. (b) Place the flowers of sulphur on steam or hot-water pipe. (c) Dust on leaves. (d) Flowers of sulphur, one part; lime twenty to forty parts. IX. Tobacco (a) Dust. Sprinkle over cucurbits to drive away the striped beetle. Work it in the ground about plants infested with root-lice. In case of a tree, use one and one- half to two pounds. 58 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE (6) Stems. Make a decoction, using one pound to two gal- lons of hot water. Let it stand for several hours in a tight vessel. It can be greatly improved by adding one ounce of pyrethrum. Dilute to use with three to five parts of water. (c) Fumigate with stems or with one of the tobacco extracts now on the market. If stems are used, care must be taken not to burn the foliage by too strong a smoke. X. Lime-sulphur Wash. — This is being recommended and used by horticulturists in place of Bordeaux mixture for the treatment of plant diseases, such as apple scab, as well as for the San Jose scale, for which it was first used. Commercial lime-sulphur wash ready to use, except to dilute with water, according to the directions, can be bought, and is much han- dier to use than home-boiled. A home-boiled concentrated solution can be made as follows: One pound lime, two and one-fourth pounds sulphur, one gallon water. Use an iron kettle, slake the lime in a little water, and add the sulphur when the Hme begins to slake. Sift the sulphur in, and be sure there are no lumps. Boil hard for over an hour, or until the sulphur is dissolved, but it must boil for forty- five minutes, at least. Add water as necessary, and, when about finished, dilute with water, preferably hot water, to make one gallon. This should have a specific gravity of 1.30. (a) For winter, spray for San Jose scale. Dilute with nine parts of water (or to 1.03 specific gravity). (b) For spring, spray for apple, pear and quince, to prevent scab. Dilute with twenty to thirty parts of water (or, to i.oi to 1. 015 specific gravity). (c) For summer, spray for apple, pear and quince. Dilute one part of the stock solution with thirty to forty parts of water. (d) For peaches, plums and cherries, for the brown rot, dilute with fifty to sixty parts of water (or 1.006 specific grav- ity). XII. Carbolic Soap. — Two pounds of soft soap; dilute this with rain-water to consistency of paint, and add one ounce of crude carbolic acid. SPRAYING FORMULAS-FUNGICIDES S9 FUNGICIDES XIII. Copper Sulphate.— For use on dormant trees, dis- solve three ounces in five gallons of water, |. !XIV. Ammoniacal Copper Carbonate.— Dissolve five ounces of copper carbonate in three pints of ammonia (26° Beaume); dilute for use with forty-five gallons of water. The stock solution will keep indefinitely if kept in a tightly corked bottle. This will not stain the plants, as will Bordeaux mix- ture. XV. Potassium Sulphide, or Liver of Sulphur.— Dis- solve one-half ounce in one gallon of water. This loses strength with age; mix it fresh. XVI. Formalin.— For potato scab, one pint to fifteen gal- lons of water. XVII. Corrosive Sublimate.— Potato scab, two ounces to two gallons of water. XVIII. Bordeaux Mixture.— In five gallons of water, dissolve five ounces of copper sulphate by hanging in a bag in the top of the tub, and five and one-half ounces of good stone lime, and stir thoroughly. Strain into sprayer and add, when an insecticide is wanted, as well, three to six ounces of arsen- ate of lead. XIX. Iron-sulphate.— For use on dormant plants only. Dissolve in three quarts of hot water as much iron-sulphate as the water will hold, then add one ounce sulphuric acid. FERTILIZING THE SMALL GARDEN nrO maintain high fertility in the vegetable garden is a very serious problem for some amateur gardeners, for one of two reasons: either good stable manure is not available, or, — and a foolish reason, — they object to using it. Stable manure is the best fertilizer the amateur can use, but in some localities it really is hard to get, for fresh manure, especially fresh horse manure, does not give, under ordinary circumstances, nearly such good results as does well-decayed manure. Stable manure con- tains a great deal of humus — vegetable matter — in addition to its fertilizing value. This vegetable matter in the soil is abso- lutely necessary, for without it the soil is unable to perform its proper functions. The soil is really a great big laboratory that is constantly changing the raw material into forms that are available for use by the plants. Practically all soils contain sufficient phosphoric acid and potash to supply the ordinary demand upon it for plant food. But unless there is a large amount of humus in the soil, the bacteria which help to convert it into an available form cannot exist. If a good stable manure is used, it will rarely be necessary to resort to any commercial fertilizers to enrich the soil. For those who are unable to secure stable manure, humus must be supplied in another form. It can easily be done by growing such plants as clover or rye, and plowing them under in the spring. The way to do this is to sow these crops in the summer time at the time when cultivation is about over in the garden. For instance, in the cornfield it should be sown at the time of last cultivation, which is usually early in July. It should be sown among pota- toes just before the plants actually cover the ground between the rows, so that the last cultivation will cover the seed. With other crops it can be sown as soon as the ground is clear. Where the sowing can be made in July, use crimson clover and hairy vetch or mammoth clover, using one-half of crimson clover and the other half composed of one or the other of the plants just mentioned. Where the sowing must be delayed until late in the season, put in rye. The clovers and vetches are better than the rye because they have the power of fixing the free atmospheric (60) FERTILIZING THE SMALL GARDEN 6i nitrogen, making it available for their own use, and, when turned under, for the use of other plants. In addition to this green manure which is turned under in the spring at plowing- time, some commercial fertilizer must be used. The amount to use will vary according to the plants grown, and to the kind of soil in which the plants are grown. The best way to determine the amount is by experimenting with the piece of ground on which the garden is planted. This, however, is something which most amateurs have neither the time nor the space to determine. For the ordinary vegetable garden, 150 to 300 pounds of nitrate of soda, 200 to 400 pounds of muriate of potash, and the same quantity of acid phosphate will give good results. This will mean that every square yard should receive from one-half to one ounce of nitrate of soda, and two-thirds to one and two- thirds ounces of muriate of potash and of acid phosphate. These three fertilizers are the raw material, and can be purchased from any seed store, and, in many cases, from other agents. A ready-mixed commercial fertilizer can also be bought from the same sources. If this is done, one which is guaranteed to con- tain four per cent of nitrogen, eight per cent of phosphoric acid and ten per cent of potash, that is available for plant use, will give good results. The amount to use of the above fertilizer will vary according to the crop. For instance, asparagus would need 1,000 to 1,500 pounds per acre; beans and peas, 500 to 600 pounds; beets and turnips, 1,000 to 1,500 pounds, but in the small garden it will not pay for one to attempt to give these exact amounts to the various crops. A general application of 1,000 pounds to the acre, or about three to four ounces to the square yard, will give suffi- cient fertilizer for most plants. It should be given at the time of preparing the ground for the crop. In addition to this, the various crops should have, from time to time, during the season, a supplementary application of one or more of the raw materials. For instance, beans and peas should receive 220 to 230 pounds of phosphoric acid to the acre, or a little less than an ounce to the square yard, and 65 to 75 pounds of potash per acre, or about a quarter of an ounce to the square yard; beets and turnips, 50 to 100 pounds of nitrate of soda to an acre, or about a third of an ounce to the square yard, and this can be repeated two or three times while the plants are still young; cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts should be given a supplemental top-dressing 62 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE of loo pounds of nitrate of soda and 200 pounds of super-phos- phate per acre, or one-third of an ounce of nitrate of soda and two-thirds of an ounce of super-phosphate to the square yard. Cucumbers, watermelons, muskmelons, pumpkins and squashes should be given further dressings, in addition, of course, to the commercial fertilizer given at the time of planting, of 200 to 300 pounds per acre of cottonseed meal, 100 to 200 pounds of dried blood, or 300 to 400 pounds of tankage, or, an ounce of cottonseed meal, two-thirds of an ounce of dried blood, and one and one-third ounces of tankage to the square yard. To reinforce the original fertilization when growing celery, frequent applications of nitrate of soda at the rate of 100 pounds to the acre, or one-third of an ounce to the square yard, will help to induce a strong leaf growth. This can be given several times during the season. The same quantities wou)d apply very well, also, to eggplant, spinach, lettuce, and rhubarb. The best time to use these commercial fertilizers is in the spring when the ground is being prepared. They are usu- ally harrowed into the soil, having been spread after the ground was plowed, although some people seem to prefer to put their commercial fertilizers in the hill under such crops as corn and potatoes. In recommending the use of commercial fertilizers in the vege- table garden, I do so only because some people cannot get manure, but barnyard manure will give the best results. Commercial fertilizers, without humus in the soil, act only as a stimulant and they do not give the results, — that is, one does not get one's money's worth from them unless there is a good supply of humus. The fertilizing of the garden composes one-half of what must be done to raise the crop; the other half is tillage. The ground must be thoroughly worked before planting, — that is, it should be worked deep and carefully pulverized, and after the crops are growing, the surface of the soil should be cultivated once a week. These cultivations should not be deep; an inch or an inch and one-half is sufi&cient, the object being to maintain a dust mulch upon the surface to prevent the evaporation of soil moisture. This can also be avoided by mulching the soil with such mate- rial as salt hay or straw. But the mulch can be maintained by cultivation much more easily and cheaply, in most instances, than by the use of mulches. With the proper tools it will be an easy matter to maintain this dust mulch. PLANTING TABLE FOR BULBS Variety Belladonna Lily Poppy Anemone Spirea Mariposa Tulip Glory-of-the-Snow Meadow Saffron' Lily-of-the-Valley Powell's Crinum Spring Crocus Fall Crocus Bleeding-Heart Winter Aconite Eremurus Dog's-tooth Violet Freesia Crown Imperial Snake's-Head Snowdrop Early-flowering Gladiolus Christmas Rose Amaryllis Summer Hyacinth ... Dutch Hyacinth Italian Hyacinth Roman Hyacinth Hardy Gloxinia German Iris English Iris Spanish Iris African Corn Lily . . . Red-Hot Poker Tender or Hardy T. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. T. H. H. H. T. H. T. H. H. T. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. Color Red to white Red, blue, white White, pink Yellow Blue Purple, pink, white White Pink Yellow, pur- ple, white Lilac Red Yellow Rosy Rosy purple, lilac White Red, orange. Yellow Purple and green White Red, white White Red White All colors White All colors Purplish rose All colors Blue, white Blue, yellow All colors Red Depth to Plant (inches) 2-3 2-3 3-6 2-3 4 3-5 I 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 Distance Apart (inches) 50 3 3-4 3-4 36 6 48 6-8 3 6 12 6 6 5-^ 3 6 18 18 5 4 2 24 Time to Force (weeks) 6 8-10 12-14 10 16 2-3 8 3-4 4 4 63 64 THE SUBURBAN GARDEN GUIDE PLANTING TABLE FOR BULBS, continued Variety Tender or Hardy Color Leopard Lily Snowflake Gold-banded Lily Canadian Lily Ascension Lily Thunberg's Lily Easter Lily Spotted Lily Turk's-cap Lily Tiger Lily Grape Hyacinth Narcissus bulbocodium Narcissus incomparabilis Jonquils Narcissus poeticus . . Narcissus Pseudo - Nar- cissus Paper-White Narcissus Arabian Star of Bethle- hem Bermuda Buttercup . . Persian Ranunculus . Calla Squills Wood Hyacinth Windflower Autumn Dafiodil Wake-robin Montbretia Cottage Tulip ... Early Tulip Scarborough Lily H. H. H. H. H. T. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. H. T. T. T. T. T. H. H. T. H. H. H. H. H. T. Depth to Plant (inches) Yellow, tip- ped green White White Yellow, orange, red White Yellow, orange, red White Pink, red white Orange, red Red, spotted purple Blue, white Yellow Yellow, white Yellow White Yellow, white White, yellow White Yellow Yellow, red White Blue Blue, white, pink Red, yellow Yellow White Orange crimson All but blue All but blue Blood-red 8 6 8 1-3 5 4 5 6 Distance Apart (inches) 12 2-3 3 6 3 4 5 3 3 3 3 12 4 4 3 6 6 6 5 5 6 17 19li JVjii* One copy del. to Cat. Div. MAH 17 1911