12
THE HOME GARDEN
While it is considered a little too
early to plant vegetable seeds of the
tender class, we have found it a good
plan to risk a portion oi our seed in
an early planting; if we are fortunate
enough to escape chilling weather, as
often happens, we gain quite a little
in having an earlier crop; on the
other hand, if we have our crop chill'd
we have lost only the lost of a few
seed and a small amount of labor.
Where one has not resorted to the
use of a seed bed for advancing such
seeds as cucumbers, summer rquash,
pole beans, etc., we would suggest the
planting of a few of th se s« eds in
the open ground, notwithstanding it
will be from fifteen to twenty days in
advance of planting- out time for the
tender plant seed.
Risk a few bush beans, both wax
and green podded varieties, and stan
dard pole beans. We should not ad
vise planting pole or bush lima beans
for another month at lca-t. A few
hills of cucumbers and summer
squash can be planted out now; they
can be easily protected at night by
small wooden boxes, or small frames
covered with cotton cloth. Seeds of
encumbers, melon, squash and tomato
that have been started in pot-= or
upon sods in the seed bed should be
kept there until all dangei of fro-t is
passed. The plants are better off in
the seed bed and can be protected
there more easily.
The melon, cucumber and sq"a h
vines should be lightly dusted with
wood ashes or slacked lime every ten
days or two weeks to prevent the
striped bus from attacking them, as
the greatest trouble is expert need
during the early stages of growth,
while the plants are tender.
Tomatoes, peppers nnd egg plants,
that have been transplanted once to
another part of the seed bed i r to
shallow boxes, can be planted in small
pots or in small pines of Bod thnt
have been sunk into the seed bed
grass side down. Plant only one pl:'nt
in each little sod and when all dan
ger of frosty nights is pist, thes.' lit
tle sods enn be moved to 11 i• - open
ground without disturbing the roots
of the plants. The home gardener
will find that this plan gives him
quite an advantage in securing an
earlier crop. Tf the rorts are disturbed
in transplanting, it requires fmjn ten
days to two weeks for a plint to fully
recup rate. By following the pi 'ti sug
gested, this difficulty can be avoided.
Aiinther transplanting of the small
plants at this time will encournge
greater root growth and more stocky
plants.
When the home garden is of suf
ficient size to warrant a portion of
it used for growing potatoes, we should
advlpe the growing of this necessary
article of food. They are easily
grown and are not much care.
We ngain remind our readers of the
advantage of planting the seeds of
lettuce, carrots, turnips, beets, reas.
onions, parsnips, salsify, spinach and
endive at this time, while the soil is
in good condition. The cool nights
will not injure any of the s-e's nimel;
for thnt matter any one of them Will
stand a few degrees of fr. st without
harm.
If the home gardener is raising
poultry, remember that the feather'd
tribe relish the fresh green from
the garden and are benefited by a
goodly amount of it. Therefore, when
you plant, put in enough of those
things which "Biddy" likes, such as
lettuce, cabbage, carrots, endive and
Swiss chard.
Plants of cabbTge, cauliflower,
kohlrabi and parsely can st;ll be se
cured from the seedsmen and dhO'ild
be planted now during the croler days,
rf you expect to plant a flower garden
and as yet have put no seed In the
open ground, plant sweet peas, cosmos,
coreopsis, candytuft, centaurea, pop
pies, scablosa, phlox. migonotte,
ma'-ignld. gallardia. forget-me-not,
eschscholtzla and all varieties of pop
pies, daisies and columbine.
FOR FOOD?
Yeast —This paper says that Great
Britain has 500.000 horses available for
the purposes of warfare.
Crlmßonbeak Well, the poor soldiers
would have to eat something, you
know. —Ynnkfrs Statesman.
LOS ANGELES HERALD SUNDAY MAGAZINE
THE POTATO
1} HERE is still n great difference of
opinion regarding the question of
potatoes for Beed, Whether the
large or the small potato should be
used; whether they should he cut into
pieces or used whole; if cut into
pieces; whether one eye is sufficient
or if two or more give greater returns.
During the last twenty-live years we
have tried about every method that
has been suggested that sounded reas
onable, and, notwithstanding the fact
that we have produced some excellent
stock and In goodly numbers for the
amount of land used, we find there is
much to learn.
The potato, being a tuber, is there
tore a stem enlarged and modified pri
marlly to serve as a storehouse for
nutriment which has been manufac
tured by the leaves and drafted down
the steins in the course of the season's
growth. The examination of the po
tato plant in the growing season will
clearly show that all the roots spring
from the stems, and from these are
given off the tubers. The latter con
tain several eyes or buds when ma
ture, and when the tuber is planted
11. .tn each of these eyes springs a
stein bearing leaves, (lowers, fruits
and seeds in due course.
If the potato is cut into pieces and
each piece contains an eye it is suf
ficient to produce a perfect plant with
tubers in the course of the season.
Some gardeners believe that belter re
sults are obtained by planting the
whole tuber, while others believe that
the cut tuber and the single eye to the
cutting is sufficient to produce equally
good results.
Experiments have proved that a por
tion of a tuber with a good, strong
eye will yield as many good potatoes
as an uncut one. There sems to be no
reason why it should not, when it is
remembered that all tubers are the di
rect result of the action of the leaves,
and not of the tuber which has been
planted. In fact the latter soon loses
its plumpness and becomes a sticky
mass.
ordinary good garden soil of a light
and rather dry nature and thoroughly
drained will produce a good crop of
potatoes. The ideal soil, however, is a
rich, light loam. It should always be
in a state of good cultivation. Excel
lent results are obtained when artifi
cial fertilisers are used. We find the
potatoes usualiy are clearer skinned
and freer from disease than when the
stable manure is used.
INTEREST THE BOY IN
THE HOME GARDEN
TIEW people lack a love for nature,
H nor an interest in plants, trees,
-'- flowers and the generous vegeta
tion about us. Hut how much is being
done by father or mother to stimulate
the boy's interest in the things which
have been placed here for our care and
cultivation.
We realize that many men are too
busy with other things to give time or
thought to garden matters; however,
we know of many busy men who have
taken time to encourage and help the
boy and to start him to thinking and
doing something with the things that
have been given so bountifully for our
use.
We are really overlooking one of the
greatest privileges and pleasures when
we neglect to study the things that
nature has given us. If the father or
mother does not care or does not wish
to take the time to instruct and en
tourage the child in such matters we
cannot blame him for not loving na
ture more, nor for the lack of interest
in the growing things about us. We
owe much of our interest to the things
pertaining to nature, to the untiring
efforts of parents, who worked with
and encouraged us in our first small
efforts. Observation has shown us
that in most cases a boy's interest in
garden work is due to a father's or a
mother's interest in working with him
and in encouraging the first efforts.
Aside from the pleasure of having
cleaner and brighter appearing door
yards and home grounds, which always
follows where thought and time are
erivpn to thp question, h r«»al moral
benefit is bestowed upon the boy who
has helped .beautify the home.
No one can know the real pleasure
of the home garden until he has him
self planned, planted and cared for it
with his own hands. The things seem
so commonplace, and yet they hold in
themselves enough of mystery and
charm to keep one ever interested aft
er a beginning is made.
In this locality, where nature has
done so much for one in climate, soil
and an abundance of sunshine, it
seems a pity that the home garden is
so sadly neglected. Many back yards
that now present an untidy and un-j
kept appearance might be made "a
garden beautiful" or "a garden profit-]
able" if the master would take an in-,
terest in the work. The children can
be instructed and encouraged to help,]
and no doubt they would find an
amount of pleasure in the good work
when once started.
Hundreds of people now making
their homes In Los Angeles have tome
from the eastern or middle states and
many from small towns, where the
small home gardens are a delight and
a profit to the owner as well as good
to look upon by residents and visitors.
We hardly remember to consider the
disadvantages under which these gar
dens are kept up as compared with
the gardens In this locality. During
eight months of the year the eastern.
gardener looks forward to the fourj
months in which he can plant and]
possibly grow his crop without having
it nipped by frosts. If he luckily es
capes the frosts he still has the pound
ing rains and hail and driving winds
with which to contend. But with all
these trials they have profit and pleas
ure in their home gardens.
The boy has had a part in many of
these gardens; in some cities clubs
have been formed and prizes offered to
stimulate greater interest among the
boys, and the progress made and re
sults obtained have been most gratify
ing. What has been done in other
Plant Germain's Potatoes
Now
Early Ohio Eastern
This Is the Time f^Sf 5* Triumph or Six Weeks
Here Are the Varieties UK? Oregon Early Red Rose
Oregon Early White Rose
Plant now and you IS^^lM^iS^
will get best results Pf'^'V-^ViMH ]
if you use our select, |&Jsy* * %
hand picked, spec- |fc;
ially grown seed. fi|
They are of the best W
quality obtainable.
RoraiKP )FreefromM larkorßlemljh
RoPaiICO ) Free from Mark or Blemish iSiM
DttdUjt j properly Grown |jyMaßßBSBMißßH!Mgattgg
' From Select Stock
EAIJI.Y HARVEST KINO
Potatoes of the Germain quality bring results.
Special price on large quantities gladly furnished on application. Our
1910 Seed and Plant Catalogue will be sent FREE if you mention this
paper.
Gzrmain Seed and Plant Co.
326-28-30 South Main St., Los Angeles, Cal.
FEBRUARY U, 1910.
cities in this line ran surely be done
here, and the boy of Los Angeles
should excel, because he haß greater
resources from which to draw.
THE AMARYLLIS
m he amaryllia, or belladonna lily, is
a native of Cape Colony, and
J- was fir.<t cultivated us early as
171:;. but during all these years the
flowers have held their popularity. In
California, and In Los Angeles partlc-
Amarylis
ularly, they remain a great favorite
The plants are produced from bulbs,
and owinsj to tin* fact that they do
not need to be transplanted for four
or five years after planting mnkep
them a greater favorite with those
who do not wish to replanl a garden