The Practical Garden-Book Part 21

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A small-rooted cutting or a feeble plant should have a pot only large enough to hold soil sufficient to surround the roots to the extent of 1 or 2 inches. More soil would hold too much moisture, thus excluding the air. As the plants grow and the ball of dirt becomes well covered with white roots, and before these roots become dark in color, the plant should be repotted, using a pot one size larger and usually a little richer soil. This operation should continue until the plant has made the desired growth. If it is desired to grow a geranium, fuchsia, begonia, or plants of a similar character, large enough for a window plant--say to the height or breadth of two feet,--a 6-inch pot will be large enough, provided the soil is rich enough to continue the growth of the plant while in flower. It often happens that pots of the various sizes are not to hand; and in case the pot is too large, it should have the drainage increased until it will take up as much room in the bottom as the pot is too large. Bear in mind that the soil should not hold free water. After the plant has filled the pot with roots it will often be necessary to supply more food as the soil becomes exhausted. This may be done by digging out the top soil down to the young, white roots, replacing with new soil in which a little rotted manure, a pinch of bone-meal or other plant-food, has been added. Liquid manure may be used. This liquid manure is made from well rotted cow-, horse-, or sheep-manure thrown into a tub or barrel, covered with water, and allowed to stand until the strength of the manure is soaked out. This liquid should be diluted before using with clear water until it has the color of weak coffee. If used with judgment, nothing will cause a better growth or a greater quant.i.ty of flowers.

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The drainage may consist of any coa.r.s.e material, such as old broken pots, small stones, pieces of charcoal, and the like, over which should be placed small broken sod or a little moss to keep the dirt from was.h.i.+ng through and eventually stopping up the crevices through which the excess water should flow.

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A safe rule to follow in first potting the majority of house-plants, is to use one-third turf-loam, one-third leaf-mold or decayed leaves, and one-third sand, thoroughly mixed. Reduce the amount of leaf-mold and sand at successive pottings, adding a little well rotted manure, until, when the plants have been potted in 6-inch pots, at least four-fifths of the soil is turfy loam. Press the soil firmly in the pot and around the plant. Never fill the pot level full of soil, else the plant cannot be watered.

p.r.i.c.kLY POPPIES, or ARGEMONES, are hardy annuals, with large, bluish striking foliage and yellow flowers. They are easily grown in a warm soil and sunny exposure. Sow the seeds where the plants are to stand.

Thin to 12 to 18 inches apart. They grow 2 feet high.

PRIMULAS, or PRIMROSES, are of various kinds. One of them is the Auricula (which see). Others are hardy border plants. The true or English cowslip is one of these; also the plants commonly known as Polyanthus. Hardy Primulas grow 6 to 10 inches high, sending up trusses of yellow and red flowers in early spring. Propagated by division, or by seed sown a year before the plants are wanted. Give them rich, moist soil.

The Primula of the winter-garden is mostly the _P. Sinensis_ (Chinese Primrose), grown very extensively by florists as a Christmas plant. With the exception of the full double varieties, it is usually grown from seed. The seed sown in March or April will make large flowering plants by November or December, if the young plants are s.h.i.+fted to larger pots as needed. The seed should be sown on the flat surface of the soil, composed of equal parts loam, leaf-mold and sand. The seed should be pressed down lightly and the soil watered carefully to prevent the seed from being washed into the soil. Very fine sphagnum moss may be sifted over the seed, or the box set in a moist place, where the soil will remain wet until the seeds germinate. When the plants are large enough they should be potted separately or p.r.i.c.ked out into shallow boxes.

Frequent pottings or transplantings should be given until September, when they should be in the pots in which they are to bloom. The two essentials to successful growth through the hot summer are shade and moisture. Height 6 to 8 inches. Bloom in winter and spring.

At present the "baby Primrose" (_Primula Forbesi_) is popular. It is treated in essentially the same way as the Sinensis. All Primulas are impatient of a dry atmosphere and fluctuating conditions.

PRINCE'S FEATHER. See _Amarantus_.

PRUNES are varieties of plums with firm, meaty flesh, and which readily make dried fruit. Some of the Prunes are commercially grown in the East, but they are sold in the green state as other plums are; and they are adapted to all the uses of other plums. Prunes are cultivated like other plums.

PRUNING. There are two general types of inquiry connected with the question of Pruning: First, that which has to do with the healing of the wounds; and second, that which has to do with the shaping of the top and the general welfare of the tree.

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When a limb is cut off, it heals by being covered with callus tissue, which grows out from the cambium zone between the bark and wood and rolls over the face of the wound. The hard wood itself never heals; that is, the cells do not have the power of making new cells; therefore the old wood is simply covered up, or hermetically sealed as a cap is put on a fruit jar. It is evident, therefore, that no kind of dressing will hasten the healing of this wound. The merit of a dressing is to keep the wound sound and healthy until the callus naturally covers it over. All things considered, the best dressing is probably thick linseed-oil paint.

So far as the wound is concerned, the best time for Pruning is ordinarily in the spring, when the vital activities are beginning; but the season also influences fruit-bearing and wood-making, and these questions should be considered. Those wounds heal best which are on strong main limbs, where there is a full flow of nutritious sap. The limb should be cut off so that the wound is parallel with the trunk upon which it sits, and close to it. That is to say, the longer the stub, the less rapid in general is the healing of the wound. It is the custom to cut the limb just outside the bulge at its base; but, in most cases, it is better to cut through this bulge, and to have the wound close to the main trunk.

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Heavy Pruning of the top tends to the production of wood; therefore the severe Pruning of orchard trees, following three or four years of neglect, sets the trees into heavy wood-bearing, and makes them more vigorous. Such treatment generally tends away from fruit-bearing. This heavy Pruning is usually necessary in neglected orchards, however, to bring trees back into shape and to revitalize them; but the best Pruning-treatment of an orchard is to Prune it a little every year. It should be so Pruned that the tops of the trees will be open, that no two limbs will interfere with each other, and so that the fruit itself will not be so abundant as to overload the tree. Pruning is a means of thinning. In general, it is best to prune orchard trees late in winter or early in spring. It is ordinarily better, however, to leave peaches and other tender fruits until after the buds have swollen, or even after the flowers have fallen, in order that one may determine how much they have been injured by the winter. Grapevines should be Pruned in winter or not later (in New York) than the first of March. If Pruned later than this, they may bleed. The above remarks will apply to other trees as well as to fruits.

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It should be borne in mind that Pruning has two objects: one is to merely trim the tree or to make it a.s.sume some designed shape; the other is to make the tree more vigorous or more fruitful, or to make some other change in its character. These ideals are well ill.u.s.trated in the Pruning of ornamental shrubs. If one wants to have the shrubs sheared into some particular shape, the shearing may be done at almost any time of the year; in fact, it is better to do it two or three times each year in order to keep the trees trim and neat. If, however, the desire is to secure more flowers, the case is a very different one. Some shrubs and trees bear their flowers on the wood of the preceding year. Such, for example, are the early flowering shrubs like lilacs and the s...o...b..a.l.l.s.

The flower buds are made the fall before. In this case, Pruning the shrub in winter cuts off the flower buds. The ideal time for Pruning them, therefore, is just after the flowers have pa.s.sed. The flower buds will form later in the season for the production of the flowers the following spring. Other shrubs, however (particularly those which blossom late in the season), bear on wood of the current year's growth.

That is, the clematis blossoms in late summer and fall on wood which grew that same season. The greater the quant.i.ty of strong wood which grows in any season, therefore, the greater the quant.i.ty of bloom in that season. With such shrubs, it is well to Prune in winter or early spring, and to Prune rather heavily. The abundance of new shoots which arise may be expected to bear flowers later on in the same season.

Following are some shrubs which, for best results in flower-bearing, may be Pruned when dormant (in winter): camellia, Jackmani type of clematis, cornus, hibiscus (shrubby), hydrangea, many loniceras or honeysuckles, philadelphus or mock-orange, some spireas.

Shrubs which may be Pruned when in leaf (just after blooming): lilac, deutzia, weigelas, exochorda, spring-flowering loniceras, tree peony, flowering almond, some spireas and viburnums, wistaria.

The marginal ill.u.s.trations show how apple, pear and plum trees may be Pruned when received from the nursery. Cut back the roots to fresh, unbroken wood.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Waters' tree Pruner--for limbs out of reach]

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[Ill.u.s.tration: An excellent Pruning saw. The blade is on a swivel]

Various kinds of useful tree Pruners are shown in the margins. See also _Sc.r.a.ping_.

PUMPKIN. See _Squash_.

PYRETHRUM. The little, low-growing yellow-foliaged Feverfew, called Golden Feather, is used extensively for edging and design beds.

Propagated by cuttings, as are geraniums.

The tall-growing species are very fine border plants, being easy to grow and having showy flowers, in colors ranging from white through lilac to crimson. Their flowers appear in June and last a month, when, if the plants are cut down, they will flower again in the fall. The Persian insect powder is made from the dried flower heads of some of these species. Propagated by seed or division. Hardy and fine.

RADISHES should be grown quickly in order to have them at their best.

They become tough and woody if grown slowly or allowed to stay in the ground too long. A light soil, well enriched, will grow most of the early varieties to table size in from three to five weeks. To have a supply through the early months, sowings should be made every two weeks.

For summer, the large white or gray varieties are best. The winter varieties may be sown in September, harvested before severe frosts, and stored in sand in a cool cellar. When they are to be used, if thrown into cold water for a short time they will regain their crispness. Sow Radishes thickly in drills, 12 to 18 inches apart. Thin as needed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Spring Radishes]

RASPBERRY. Both the red and black Raspberries are essentials of a good garden. A few plants of each will produce a supply of berries for a family through six or eight weeks, provided both early and late varieties are planted. A cool situation, soil that will hold moisture without being wet, and a thorough preparation of the ground, are the conditions necessary to success. The black-cap Raspberries should be set 3 to 4 feet apart, the rows 6 or 7 feet; the red varieties 3 feet apart, the rows 5 feet apart. Spring setting is usually preferable.