ON THE CARE OF YARDS AND GARDENS.
The authorities consulted in the preparation of this and kindred
chapters, are, Loudon's Encyclopædia of Gardening, Bridgeman's Young
Gardener, Hovey's Magazine of Horticulture, the writings of Judge
Buel,[T] and Downing's Landscape Gardening.
_On the Preparation of Soil._
If the garden soil be clayey, and adhesive, put on a covering of sand,
three inches thick, and the same depth of well-rotted manure. Spade it
in, as deep as possible, and mix it well. If the soil be sandy and
loose, spade in clay and ashes. Ashes are good for all kinds of soil, as
they loosen those which are close, hold moisture in those which are
sandy, and destroy insects. The best kind of soil, is that, which will
hold water the longest, without becoming hard, when dry.
_To prepare Soil for Pot-plants_, take one fourth part of common soil,
one fourth part of well-decayed manure, and one half of vegetable mould,
from the woods, or from a chip-yard. Break up the manure, fine, and sift
it through a lime-screen, (or coarse wire sieve.) These materials must
be thoroughly mixed. When the common soil which is used, is adhesive,
and, indeed, in most other cases, it is necessary to add sand, the
proportion of which, must depend on the nature of the soil.
_On the Preparation of a Hot Bed._ Dig a pit, six feet long, five feet
wide, and thirty inches deep. Make a frame, of the same size, with the
back two feet high, the front fifteen inches, and the sides sloped from
the back to the front. Make two sashes, each three feet by five, with
the panes of glass lapping like shingles, instead of having cross bars.
Set the frame over the pit, which should then be filled with fresh
horse-dung, which has not lain long, nor been sodden by water. Tread it
down, hard, then put into the frame, light, and very rich soil, ten or
twelve inches deep, and cover it with the sashes, for two or three days.
Then stir the soil, and sow the seeds in shallow drills, placing sticks
by them, to mark the different kinds. Keep the frame covered with the
glass, whenever it is cold enough to chill the plants; but at all other
times, admit fresh air, which is indispensable to their health. When the
sun is quite warm, raise the glasses, enough to admit air, and cover
them with matting or blankets, or else the sun may kill the young
plants. Water the bed at evening, with water which has stood all day,
or, if it be fresh drawn, add a little warm water. If there be too much
heat in the bed, so as to scorch or wither the plants, make deep holes,
with stakes, and fill them up when the heat is reduced. In very cold
nights, cover the box with straw.
_On Planting Flower Seeds._
Break up the soil, till it is very soft, and free from lumps. Rub that
nearest the surface, between the hands, to make it fine. Make a circular
drill, a foot in diameter. For seeds as large as sweet peas, it should
be half an inch deep. The smallest seeds must be planted very near the
surface, and a very little fine earth be sifted over them. Seeds are to
be planted either deeper or nearer the surface, according to their size.
After covering them with soil, beat them down with a trowel, so as to
make the earth as compact as it is after a heavy shower. Set up a stick,
in the middle of the circle, with the name of the plant heavily written
upon it, with a dark lead pencil. This remains more permanent, if white
lead be first rubbed over the surface. Never plant, when the soil is
very wet. In very dry times, water the seeds at night. Never use very
cold water. When the seeds are small, many should be planted together,
that they may assist each other in breaking the soil. When the plants
are an inch high, thin them out, leaving only one or two, if the plant
be a large one, like the Balsam; five or six, when it is of a medium
size; and eighteen or twenty of the smaller size. Transplanting, retards
the growth of a plant about a fortnight. It is best to plant at two
different times, lest the first planting should fail, owing to wet or
cold weather.
_To Plant Garden Seeds._
Make the beds a yard wide; lay across them a board, a yard long and a
foot wide, and, with a stick, make a furrow, on each side of it, one
inch deep. Scatter the seeds in this furrow, and cover them. Then lay
the board over them and step on it, to press down the earth. When the
plants are an inch high, thin them out, leaving spaces proportioned to
their sizes. Seeds of a similar species, such as melons and squashes,
should not be planted very near to each other, as this causes them to
degenerate. The same kinds of vegetables should not be planted in the
same place, for two years in succession.
_On Transplanting._
Transplant at evening, or, which is better, just before a shower. Take a
round stick, sharpened at the point, and make openings to receive the
plants. Set them a very little deeper than they were before, and press
the soil firmly round them. Then water them, and cover them for three or
four days, taking care that sufficient air be admitted. If the plant can
be removed, without disturbing the soil around the root, it will not be
at all retarded, by transplanting. Never remove leaves and branches,
unless a part of the roots be lost.
_To Re-pot House-Plants._
Renew the soil, every year, soon after the time of blossoming. Prepare
soil, as previously directed. Loosen the earth from the pot, by passing
a knife around the sides. Turn the plant upside down, and remove the
pot. Then remove all the matted fibres at the bottom, and all the earth,
except that which adheres to the roots. From woody plants, like roses,
shake off all the earth. Take the new pot, and put a piece of broken
earthen-ware over the hole at the bottom; and then, holding the plant in
the proper position, shake in the earth, around it. Then pour in water,
to settle the earth, and heap on fresh soil, till the pot is even full.
Small pots are considered better than large ones, as the roots are not
so likely to rot, from excess of moisture.
_On the Laying out of Yards and Gardens._
In planting trees, in a yard, they should be arranged in groups, and
never planted in straight lines, nor sprinkled about, as solitary trees.
The object of this arrangement, is, to imitate Nature, and secure some
spots of dense shade and some of cleared turf. In yards which are
covered with turf, beds can be cut out of it, and raised for flowers. A
trench should be made around, to prevent the grass from running on them.
These beds can be made in the shape of crescents, ovals, or other
fanciful forms, of which, the figure below is one specimen.
[Illustration: Fig. 39.]
In laying out beds, in gardens and yards, a very pretty bordering can be
made, by planting them with common flax seed, in a line about three
inches from the edge. This can be trimmed, with shears, when it grows
too high.
_On the Cultivation of Bulbs, and Tuberous Roots._
For planting the _Amaryllis_, take one third part of leaf mould, half as
much sand, and the remainder, earth from under fresh grass sods. Plant
them in May. The bulb should not be set more than half its depth in the
ground.
The _Anemone_ and _Ranunculus_ are medium, or half-hardy, roots. They
should be planted in soil which is enriched with cowdung, and the beds
should be raised only an inch from the walk. They must be planted in
October, in drills, two inches deep, the claws of the roots downward,
and be shaded when they begin to bud.
The _Crocus_ must be planted in October, two inches deep, and four
inches apart. In measuring the depth, always calculate from the top of
the bulb.
_Crown Imperial._ This must be planted in September, three or four
inches deep; and need not be taken up but once in three years.
_Gladiolus._ Those who have greenhouses, or pits, plant the Gladiolus in
October, and preserve it in pots through the Winter. Those who have not
these conveniences, may plant these bulbs late in April. The earth must
be composed of one half common soil, one fourth leaf mould, and one
fourth sand. Plant them about an inch deep.
_Hyacinths_ should be planted in October, eight inches apart, and three
or four inches deep, in a rich soil.
_Jonquilles_ should be planted in October, two inches deep, in a rich
soil, and should not be taken up oftener than once in three years.
_Narcissus._ This should be planted in October, four inches deep;
covered, through the Winter, with straw and leaves, six inches thick;
and uncovered in the middle of March.
_Oxalis._ Plant this in September, in a soil, composed of two thirds
common earth, and one third leaf mould. The old bulb dies after
blossoming, and is succeeded by a new one.
Plant _Tulips_, in rich soil, in October, three inches deep.
Plant _Tuberoses_ late in April, in a rich, sandy soil. They are
delicate plants, and should be covered, in case of frosts.
_Daffodils_ should be planted two inches deep.
When bulbs have done flowering, and their leaves begin to decay, they
should be taken up and dried, and kept in a dry place, till October,
when they are to be replanted, taking off the offsets, and putting them
in a bed by themselves.
Bulbs which blossom in water, or are in any other way forced to bloom
out of season, are so much exhausted by it, that it takes them two or
three years to recover their beauty.
_Dahlias._ Dig a hole, a foot and a half deep; fill it with very light,
loose, and rich, soil; and drive in a stake, a yard and a half high, to
which, to tie the future plants. Then set in the root, so that it shall
be an inch below the soil, where the sprout starts. When the plants are
two feet high, tie them to the stakes, and take off some of the lower
side-shoots. Continue to tie them, as their growth advances. If the
roots are planted in the open borders, without any previous growth, it
should be done as early as the first of May, and they should be covered
from the frosts. When they are brought forward, in pots or hot-beds,
they should be put out, in the middle of June. It is said, by gardeners,
that late planting, is better than early, for producing perfect flowers.
In the Autumn, after the frosts have destroyed the tops, let the roots
remain awhile in the ground, to ripen; then dig them up, and pack them
away, in some place where they will neither mould, from dampness, nor
freeze. In the Spring, these roots will throw out sprouts, and must then
be divided, so as to leave a good shoot, attached to a piece of the
tuber or old stem, and each shoot will make a new plant. It is stated,
that if the shoots themselves, without any root, be planted in light
soil, covered with a bell-glass, or large tumbler, and carefully
watered, they will produce plants superior to those with roots.
_Annuals_
These are flowers which last only one season. They should be so planted,
that the tallest may be in the middle of a bed, and the shortest at the
edges; and flowers of a similar color should not be planted adjacent to
each other.
The following is a list of some of the handsomest Annuals, arranged with
reference to their color and height. Those with a star before them, do
best when sowed in the Autumn. Those with _tr._ after them, are trailing
plants.
SIX INCHES TO ONE FOOT HIGH.
_White._ Ice Plant, Sweet Alyssum, White Leptosiphon, Walker's
Schizopetalon, Blumenbachia insignis, *Candytuft.
_Yellow._ *Yellow Chryseis or Eschscholtzia, Sanvitalia procumbens,
_tr._, Musk-flowered Mimulus.
_Rose._ Many-flowered Catchfly, Rose-colored Verbena, _tr._
_Red._ *Chinese Annual Pink, Virginian Stock, Calandrinia Speciosa.
_Blue._ Graceful Lobelia, Nemophila insignis, Clintonia pulchella,
Clintonia elegans, Nolana atriplicifolia, _tr._, Anagallis indica,
Commelina coelestis, Grove Love, Pimpernel (blue.)
_Varying Colors._ *Heart's Ease, or Pansy, Dwarf Love in a Mist, *Rose
Campion.
ONE FOOT TO EIGHTEEN INCHES HIGH.
_White._ Venus's Looking Glass, Priest's Schizanthus, Sweet-scented
Stevia, White Evening Primrose.
_Yellow._ Drummond's Coreopsis, *New Dark Coreopsis, Golden Hawkweed,
Dracopis amplexicaulis, Drummond's Primrose, Cladanthus arabicus,
Peroffsky's Erysimum.
_Rose._ Drummond's Phlox, Rodanthe, Rose-colored Nonea, Clarkia rosea,
Silene Tenorei, Silene armeria.
_Red._ Crimson Coxcomb, Silene pendula, Crimson Dew Plant, _tr._
_Scarlet._ Cacalia coccinea, Flos Adonis, Scarlet Zinnia, Mexican
Cuphea.
_Lilac and Purple._ Clarkia elegans, Clarkia pulchella, *Purple
Candytuft, *Purple Petunia, _tr._, *Crimson Candytuft, Double Purple
Jacobæa, Leptosiphon androsaceus, all the varieties of Schizanthus,
Veined Verbena, _tr._, *Purple eternal Flower.
_Blue._ Ageratum Mexicanum, *Gilia capitata, Spanish Nigella, Blue
Eutoca, Dwarf Convolvulus, Didiscus coeruleus.
_Lilac, Purple_, or _Blue and White._ Collinsia bicolor, Gilia tricolor.
_Very Dark._ Lotus Jacobæus, Salpiglossis, Scabious.
_Colors varying._ German Aster, Balsam, Rocket Larkspur, Ten-week Stock,
Poppy.
EIGHTEEN INCHES TO TWO FEET.
_White._ *White Petunia, _tr._, White Clarkia, Double White Jacobæa,
Love in a Mist.
_Red._ *Lavatera trimestris, Red Zinnia, Malva miniata.
_Lilac and Purple._ Globe Amaranthus, Purple Sweet Sultan, Sweet
Scabious, Purple Zinnia, Prince's Feather, Large Blue Lupine, *Catchfly.
TWO FEET AND UPWARDS.
_White._ Winged Ammobium, *White Lavatera, White Sweet Sultan, *New
White Eternal Flower, White Helicrysum, *White Larkspur.
_Yellow._ Golden Bartonia, *Golden Coreopsis, Yellow Sweet Sultan,
African Marigold, Yellow Argemone, French Marigold, Yellow Coxcomb,
Yellow Hibiscus.
The Malope grandiflora and the Cleome are fine tall annuals.
_Climbing Plants._
The following are the most beautiful _annual climbers_: Crimson, and
White, Cypress Vine; White, and Buff, Thunbergia; Scarlet Flowering
Bean; Hyacinth Bean Loasa; Morning Glory; Crimson, and Spotted,
Nasturtium; Balloon Vine; Sweet Pea; Tangier Pea; Lord Anson's Pea;
Climbing Cobæa; Pink, and White, Maurandia.
The following are the most valuable _perennial climbers_: Sweet-scented
Monthly Honeysuckle; Yellow, White, and Coral, Honeysuckles; Purple
Glycine; Clematis; Bitter Sweet; Trumpet Creeper.
The Everlasting Pea is a beautiful perennial climber. The Climbing
Cobæa, and Passion Flower, are also beautiful perennials, but must be
protected in Winter.
_Perennials._
Those who cannot afford every year to devote the time necessary to the
raising of annuals, will do well to supply their borders with
perennials. The following is a list of some of those generally
preferred.
Adonis, yellow; Columbine, all colors; Alyssum, yellow; Asclepias,
orange and purple; Bee Larkspur, blue; Perennial Larkspur, all colors;
Cardinal Flower, scarlet; Chinese Pink, various colors; Clove Pink;
Foxglove, purple and white; Gentian, purple and yellow; Hollyhock,
various colors; *Lily of the Valley; American Phlox, various colors;
Scarlet Lychnis; Monkshood, white and blue; *Spirea, white, and pink;
*Ragged Robin, pink; Rudbeckia, yellow, and purple; Sweet William, in
variety. Those marked with a star cannot be obtained from seed, but must
be propagated by roots, layers, &c.
_Herbaceous Roots._
These are such as die to the root, in the Fall, and come up again in the
Spring, such as Pæonies, crimson, white, sweet-scented, and
straw-colored; Artemisia, of many colors; White and Purple
Fleur-de-lis; White, Tiger, Fire, and other Lilies; Little Blue Iris;
Chrysanthemums, &c. These are propagated by dividing the roots.
_Shrubs._
The following are the finest _Shrubs for yards_: Lilacs, (which, by
budding, can have white and purple on the same tree,) Double Syringas,
Double Althæas, Corchorus Japonicus, Snow-berry, Double-flowering
Almond, Pyrus Japonica, Common Barberry, Burning Bush, Rose Acacia,
Yellow Laburnum. The following are the finest Roses: Moss Rose, White,
and Red; Double and Single Yellow Rose, (the last needs a gravelly soil
and northern exposure;) Yellow Multiflora; La Belle Africana; Small
Eglantine, for borders; Champney's Blush Rose; Noisette; Greville, (very
fine;) Damask; Blush, White, and Cabbage Roses. Moss Roses, when budded
on other rose bushes, last only three years.
_Shade Trees._ The following are among the finest: Mountain Ash;
Ailanthus, or Tree of Heaven, (grows very fast;) Tulip Tree; Linden;
Elm; Locust; Maple; Dog Wood; Horse Chestnut; Catalpa; Hemlock; Silver
Fir; and Cedar. These should be grouped, in such a manner that trees of
different shades of green, and of different heights, should stand in the
same group.
The Autumn is the best time for transplanting trees. Take as much of the
root, as possible, especially the little fibres, which should never
become dry. If kept long, before they are set out, put wet moss around
them, and water them. Dig holes, larger than the extent of the roots;
let one person hold the tree in its former position, and another place
the roots, carefully, as they were before, cutting off any broken or
wounded root. _Be careful not to let the tree be more than an inch
deeper than it was before._ Let the soil be soft, and well manured;
shake the tree, as the soil is shaken in, that it may mix well among
the small fibres. Do not tread the earth down, while filling the hole;
but, when it is full, raise a slight mound, of, say, four inches, and
then tread it down. Make a little basin, two inches deep, around the
stem, to hold water, and fill it. Never cut off leaves nor branches,
unless some of the roots are lost. Tie the trees to a stake, and they
will be more likely to live. Water them often.
_On the Care of House-Plants._
The soil of house-plants should be renewed every year, as previously
directed. In Winter, they should be kept as dry as they can be without
wilting. Many house-plants are injured by giving them too much water,
when they have little light and fresh air. This makes them grow
spindling. The more fresh air, warmth, and light, they have, the more
water is needed. They ought not to be kept very warm in Winter, nor
exposed to great changes of atmosphere. Forty degrees is a proper
temperature for plants in Winter, when they have little sun and air.
When plants have become spindling, cut off their heads, entirely, and
cover the pot in the earth, where it has the morning sun, only. A new
and flourishing head will spring out. Few house-plants can bear the sun
at noon. When insects infest plants, set them in a closet, or under a
barrel, and burn tobacco. The smoke kills any insect enveloped in it.
When plants are frozen, cold water, and a gradual restoration of warmth,
are the best remedies. Never use very cold water for plants, at any
season.
FOOTNOTE:
[T] His 'Farmers' Companion' was written expressly for the larger series
of 'THE SCHOOL LIBRARY,' issued by the publishers of this volume.