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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 17, 1908)
2 - X1 , - S3 Isle? I IUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU yuuy In thift driwrtment a HtfT wblch has done practical work lit small suburban sirdea pUitn to produce the bet effort with the lat expenditure of either time or money, will jrlve sigcx;entioTiA and advice Intended tlirectly and exclusively for the people who have the average small rardens, wtlh only the limited time that the American busi ness nmn can devote to the care of them. SQUASHES FOR HOME GARDENS. Another of the Easily Cirown Products That Is Ideal for the Amateur. A GREAT advantage of the squash is that a few hills will produce enough for the average family. Therefore, they can he planted in some spot that would remain unused otherwise. Or they can he grown among the corn. The Summer varieties are mostly bush, forms. The running squashes are late and long-keeping kinds. Between this time and June is the period for sowing squashes in the open in the latitude of New York. The soil should be as rich as possible, that their growth may be hurried, as thty should blossom before mid-Summer to be at their best. Com post Is better than much manure, which makes the plants run to vine. Give each hill of the bush variety a clear space of four feet and a clear space of seven ftsvt to each hill of the running kinds. Put ten to 12 seeds into each hill, planting about an Inch deep. As squashes are great sufferers from striped cucumber beetles in tneir early stages, it is best not to thin the plants till the danger from these pests is over. AVhen the squashes have attained sound growth and it is clear which ones are the best, thin down to three plants in a hill. Do not allow the running varieties- to root at the joints, for the. steins will be almost sure to try to make new root, which will prevent them from making fruit. If the plants run too much to vine after flowering, pinch them back so that the surplus strength, shall go into fruit. If one frutt sets much earlier than the rest, it is generally best to take it off, as that will make the rest of the crop more uniform. A VINE FOR Ql'ICK COVERING. Try a Pumpkin Vine If You Want a Greenery In a Hurry. THH.RI-: is hardly a plant or vine in the world, except in the tropics, that grows so fast and makes so dense and luxuriant a cover as the common pump kin vine, or the gourds. The latter bear ornamental gourds, while the pumpkin vine proper not orsjy produces a beautiful cover for veranda, barn, old tree or any thing else, but is also at the same time working to provide agreeable material for pies. I'se the seeds of the smallest of the pie pumpkins. Plant them in very fine earth, powdered thoroughly, and leave a little depression so that the" water will pottle instead of. running away. The vine loves water. Feed the ground with plenty of rich manure, and if you want the vine to get a specially swift "move on." pour liquid manure around it from time to time, taking care not to touch the stem. A pumpkin vine so treated has been known to cover an arbor within a few weeks with foliage so thick that hardly a ray of sun could penetrate. Rich golden blossom? add to Its beauty, and the leaves of thrifty plants will often grow to he as great as palm leaf fans. Few plants are so tenacious of life. Broken branches, bruised and otherwise Injured stems,' often bear perfect fruit. The pumpkin bugs frequently leave a vine that is thus trained over a veranda ur arbor -ouite unmolested, even- when i hoy destroy those that grow along the ground in the- vegetable garden. T 1MB AND WORK SAVERS. le Houie-Mntle Uevieea to Prevent Trouble. OTH ends of every row of vegetable should be marked with & stake, so that you will know where to weed and cultivate without hitting the line where the young vegetables are coming up. Weeding before the young food plants. are more than a one-leaf or two-leaf stage high will save many of them from iMituK smothered and will ivo all of them GENERAL DIRECTIONS BYN EXPERIENCED MAN, APPLICABLE TO FLOWERS' Mb VEGETABLES 3? 4- 41 A GOOD EXAMPLE IN GROUPING Although a bit of shrubbery on both sides of the path in the fore ground looks so ornate. It is com posed very simply. The flowering growth i mountain laurel. The -foliage on the other side of the path is simply Virginia creeper. Although this picture was taken in a large and elaborate garden, the foreground effect can be duplicated in any small place. Any flowering shrub can be used instead of laurel and honey suckle, or any other vine, instead of Virginia 'creeper. such a good start that the weeds will have a hard time catching ud. But you will find it a sad job to weed without cutting off the young vegetables unless the rows have been plainly marked. Bach of these stakes should have one aide smoothed off so that you can write on it in pencil the name of the plant, when it should be thinned and how much, when it should be ripe, .etc. Always have a long, narrow board near the patch narrow enough so that It can be laid between the rows without touch ing the crops. This will be found Inval uable when picking or weeding on wet days or after heavy rains, not only be cause It will save your shoes and clothe., but also because it will save you from trampling down the wet earth and per haps a whole row. Buy a skein of the tying stuff called raffia. You can get a lot for 15 cents. Hang It somewhere where you can get it In a minute, ft is worth all the rope and string that ever were for tying things up in a hurry and making them stay tied. Whenever you cut a straight branch or And a straight slender stick anywhere put' it aside for a stake. By June your plants will need support on all sides. Everything will seem to call for it at once. A mad search Is then generally made by amateurs, with the result that most of the plants either do without and go to ruin or get staked to such miser able makeshifts that th. whole garden is disfigured. AQUATIC GARDENS, OX SMALL SCALE. Anyone Can Make Thenl Water Gardening Is Easy. THS general idea is that aquatio gar dens are most difficult to make and maintain. As a matter of fact, an aquatic garden can be made at extremely small cost, and it will practically keep itself. With the exception of the work necessary to keep- up the water level, there is little other labor connected with. It no weed ing, no cultivation and practically no bat tling with insects. For the ordinary suburban garden the best beginning in this line Is with a tub sunk Into the- earth. .This is preferable to making an excavation, as the latter will need to be cemented to prevent the water from soaking away. A large tub will offer a perfectly satisfactory substi tute. Sink it in the earth so that its top will be Just a little below the surrounding soil. Bore a hole in the bottom and fit Into this a plug made of a piece of broomstick long enough so that its top will be as high as the top of' the tub. This is for con venience In handling it without needing to reach arm-deep into the water. Around the hole pile fat stones . or brick, to act as a sieve, so that tits' earth will not wash through the opening when the water is drained away. Having prepared the hole -and put In the plug, cover the bottom of the tub with very rich, black, loamy earth. Avoid soil that l8 too clayey, as clay packs solid under water. Mix Into the soil some well rotted manure, broken up finely. Put in enough of this soil to make a bed at least six Inches deep In the middle of the tub. Toward tb.e sides the soil should rise so that there will .be, only about IS inches of depth left at the margin. ' It you can get -very white, clean, sharp sand, it will add much to the clearness of this little pool If the soil is covered with about an inch of it. The most satisfactory plants for such a pool are water lilies. Four, or even five, plants may be put in if such varieties as nymphaea Laydekeri or the pigmy nymphaea atragona are selected. tvntar lilv bulbs are rather exnensive. .cost from H to 2.60 foe bulbs of fine THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN,- PORTLAND, ...mum. A J! 2 .7, ' 1! V ? Vs. x KM' UUUUUUliM sorts of the varieties mentioned. They are hardy, however, and will thrive prac tically anywhere if they get a sunny loca tion. The hardy lotus 1b another beautiful plant, but It grows so large that one specimen is all tlfat should go Into so small a place as a tub. At the margins may be- grown sucn plants as the umbrella plant, roots of which cost 25 to. BO cents: giant arrow head, which throws up fronds of leaves four to five feet high: water hyacinth, with spikes of lilac flowers.; wild rice, which grows five to 10 feet high. Arrowhead and hyacinth roots cost about 20 cents each. Wild rice can be obtained for 10 cents a root or leas. On the soil around' the tub plant blue flag, irises, cardinal flowers or Joe-pye weed. Frequent changing of the water will keep it sweet and prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. A better way still is to put in some of the bright green aquatic weeds, such as can be gathered in any pond, and after they have begun to grow well put in some silver or gold fish, small carp, frogs or turtles, all of which wild devour mosquito larva and thrive. i--If the. latter method Js used the ..water will not need' to be changed often, if at all. The only necessity then will be to supply water to replace the loss from evaporation. FLOWER GARDENING FOR MA1"S END. Preparing for Month of Blos- RCST and mildew will begin to appear here and there now. Be ready with the Bordeaux mixture and In severe cases dig In a little dry Bordeaux around the crown of the plant, not the root. Give roses a light spray of kerosene emulsion, whale oil soap or common yellow soap. even If you see no Insects. If insects have appeared, give full strength applica- ltion and watch constantly during the next maui iM..mma fas i wwt -it$ tA: it A punno ; j, h , K Vbs&vi S ' itJ? 4 WvA ft1 ill II A MISTAKE TO BE AVOIDED. In this piece of ground there has been done just the reverse of what was needed to make a good garden ing design. The bit of lawn In front of the door should have remained unbroken, while sweeping away from it on both sides along the path should have been shrubs, the tallest near the entrance and thence getting smaller. Forsythias, golden elder, or similar high-growing ones would make a fine show at the entrance. Spiraeas . and other low-growing shrubs, like barberry and Japanese sumach or maple, would make a nat ural, picturesque approach with these tall shrubs to lead up to. three weeks. In order to repeat the dose If the pests persist. The place to look for rose lice is en leaves and very small and motionless. Withering, drooping stalks mean cuN worms at the base of the plant juBt un der the surface, as a rule. ok about half an inch deep. Kill the worm and dig in "finely sifted coal ashes.- - - Mulch sweet peas well now and water them freely, drenching the row thoroughly just before sunset, so that as little as possible shall evaporate. Bulbs of dahlias, cannas and gladioli may be set out at any time now and dur ing the next two weeks. These are the last annuals to sow down. By the beginning of next month it will be time to bed out the tender annuals, like tuberous begonias, 'geraniums, heliotrope and fuchsias. So prepare for them now, deciding where they are to go and what varieties you desire. . Golden glow and simflar tall-growing plants should have stakes set for them now before they. attain their fulli height. Neglect 'In this particular is one of the common sins of the amateur gardener, wtio seems to have a mania for waiting tilt a sudden storm has blown the under fc side of the leaves and along the tender stems just below the leaves or I flower buds. Look sharply. The pests 1 are green, of the exact color of the L lUUUUUUUUUI - - - J --.i ...V .., MAY 17, 1908. II 11 II II II II II 11 lUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUi JUUUUUUUUUi greater part of his flower-garden flat. Delay in staking is the cause of the un kempt appearance of so many big bushes of golden glow. TRANSPLANTING WILD FLOWERS Almost Any Plant Can Be Safely Re moved From Wood, and Cultivated. A TROLLEY! ride Into the country (even the most barren country) with a trowel and basket in these next few weeks will result in enough finds to make a little wild garden spot In some corner. It Is not necessary to be a botanist or to know the wild piants. Dig out those that you like, either for their foliage or their blossoms. Mark the place they grow in, whether suady, sunny, boggy or dry. Give them the same conditions at home and they will probably thrive. Wild plants may be moved even while they are in blossom, providing you ar. Immensely generous in dig ging up the earth around them, and plenty of their own favorite moM re mains around the roots. To make the spot in the home gar den as nearly ilka their own native home as possible, take up about 18 incheof soil from the bed where you propose to establish them. Lay at the bottom of thie a 2-inch deposit of clay or spread broken shells and ashes to that depth. On top of this spread the richest soil you can .find. Mix it with rotten leaves and anything of that nature. Use very old manure If you eannot get old leaf mold. Fill in enough of this stuff to make the layer about 12 inches deep. This will leave about 4 Inches to fill in. Get the black, spongy, rot ten leaf mold from the woods or buy It from the florists, who always have such mold on hand. To be perfect It should be coal black, as if it had been burned, and it should feel elastic and yet crumble away readily under the fingers. A few stones buried Just under this surface and a few others scattered i around on top will aid In imitating TTt-U't W? 11-;"" ' , fl WHAT CAN Be DONE WITH A WASTE CORNER. This picture shows what whs an unsightly back fence in a backyard. The floral glory that has trans formed it into a place of beauty was obtained at little expense by plant ing only the commonest flowers. Golden glow forms the tall bloom next to the fence. The other plants are "popples,, zinnias, foxgloves, petunias, phlox, 'sweet alyssum and dusty miller. natural conditions and retaining moist ure. If you are lucky enough to have a soil that is naturally very rich and black. It may not be necessary to dd more than to add several inches of leaf mold and put in plenty of stones. Let falling leaves accumulate here and there on such a 'bed throughout the year. During the next two weeks you will find false Solomon's seal, hepatica, forget-me-not, lupine, columbine, moc casin flower, wild laurel and honey suckle in blossom In the woods. THE WONDERFUL GLADIOLI'S. A Plant That Ha. Been Cultivated With Extraordinary Result.. ARDLT a plant known has been changed so wonderfully in all re spects color, size, shape, markings and Tomb Now Caesar Augustus' Last Resting Place THE! amphitheater Corea after being closed for 20 years has just been opened for the Sunday popular con certs, to which the music lovers of Rome flock to hear classic music. This amphi theater is one of the oldest relics of ancient Rome and was the tomb of Au gustus. Nineteen centuries ago the Em peror Caesar Augustus gave orders for the erection of a mausoleum for himself and his family between the Via Flam mtnia and the Campus Martius, close to the banks of the ilver. It was his wish that the tomb should rival that erected to King Mausolus,' which was considered one of the wonders of the world. Little did 'he' think that a future generation would protane his tomb and use it as a concert hall. . It was built in 27 B.' C, 41 years before Augustus' death, and consisted of a cir cular basement of white marble about 290 feet in diameter, which supported a cone of earth planted with cypresses and evergreens. There were three retiring stages, each pierced with . numerous chambers destined to receive the remains of every member of the Imperia Ifamily and thousands of the slaves and freed men. In the center of this mound the great founder of the empire was buried, while his bronxe statue towered above the trees. The vaults were approached from the south, while the entrance on either side was flanked by huge monuments, principally the obelisks which now stand in the squares of the Qulrinal and Es quiline. On the walls at either side were copies in marble or bronse of the de crees of the Senate In honor of the per sonages burled within. The gates of the mausoleum were opened for the first time to receive the ashes of young Marcellus. nephew of Au gustus and first husband of his daughter Julia, whose death was lamented by Vir gil. A few years later Octavia, sister of the Emperor and widow of Mark An tony, was honored by a public- funeral at" which an oration was delivered by Augustus himself. In 14 A. D. the Emperor died at,NoIa and his body was burned here on a funeral pyre to huge that lfs widow, Livla, disheveled and ungirt. with bare feet, surrouncted -by the Roman Senators, had to watch it for five days and five nights before it cooled sufficiently to al low the collection of the ashes of the Emperor. Just as the first spark ignited the pyre an eagle was seen rising from Its summit, and from 'this event it was believed that the spirit of Augustus, en tering Into the body of the eagle, bad ascended to heaven. In the years that followed many mem bers of the imperia! family were en tombed here his widow, who lived for IS years after his death; Caligula, who was murdered in 41 and was first buried in the Hortl Lamiani; Claudius, who was texture as the gladiolus. The most effective, beds imaginable are those with the finer varieties of these flowers, especially if the bed Is round. In some of the show gardens the beds Of extravagantly expensive rare plants do not make so striking a show as does, a simple round bed with a bronze leaved castor oil plant In the center and gladioli and cannas grouped around 1U When ready to set In the ground, re move all loose husks, rinds, dead root lets and stalks, leaving a perfectly clean, smooth bulb. Set the bulbs 8 Inches deep in fine leaf-mold or in a mixture of muck, loam and old manure. While this is the best soil, the plants will often do sb well In thoroughly rich rarden loam. If the bulbs are planted as deeply as suggested, they will probably not need staking later on, and 'this Is a point worth striving for with plants of their nature. The gladiolus bed must be well worked during the Summer and kept mulched with fine dust of grass cut tings, as the plants are thirsty. Give them an abundance of water. Do not let the flowers run to seed. The gladiolus makes new bulbs each year and If it adds to this work the work of seed-production, the bulbs will suf fer in quality. The Chlldsl varieties are the finest. Bulbs cost from 10 to 25 cents, ac cording to the kind, there being more than score of different sorts of this variety. The plants can be raised from seed, but will not flower the first year. Concert Ha at Rome Now a Pleasure Resort, murdered by Agrlppina; his son, Britan nlcus, murdered by Nero, and finally Nerva. From this time until 410 nothing more is heard of the mausoleum. It was ransacked by the Goths, but, fortunatelyl. no harm was done to the building. Later, during the troublesome times when the Colonna fought for su premacy with the Orslnl. the former used the tomb ss a fortress, and It was nearly destroyed by the furious population in 1167 when news of the defeat of a Roman army led by the Colonnas against the Count of Tusculum and his German allies reached the city. The people stormed the stronghold of the powerful family and wrought havoc but the ruin was restored In I'M by the Colonnas and here it was that the body of. the tribune Cola dl Rlenxi, after hav ing hung for two days at San Marcello, was brought and burned. When these times of trouble passed the tomb was for gotten. It was used as a shrine to Saint Angelo dl Augustus until 1519, when arch eological excavations were undertaken and Baldassarre Peruzzi discovered and copied some of the historical inscriptions on the spot and made .drawings of the basement. Thirty years later the Soderinl family turned the place Into a hanging garden, filled it with works of statuary and used It for games, bull-fights and fireworks. Interest in the excavations languished and died. In 1777, while new houses were being built in the neighborhood the workmen discovered the Ustrlnum, or sacred en closure for the cremation of the mem bers of the Imperial family, together with many other historical, monuments. The first objects brought to light wer. a beautiful urn of alabaster and several in scribed pedestals intended to indicate the spot where each Prince had been cre mated or where the ashes had been de posited. The building from a garden was first a bull-ring, then a circus, but it proved a failure ' and the Corea family, who had bought It from the Soderinte. were forced to put it up at auction. It failed to find a purchaser In desperation the Marchesa Soderini appealed to Pope Pius VII., who bought It in 1802 for 23.500 scudl. In 1870 It passed to the 6tate. Nine years later Count Telfener leased It for 20 years and changed it into an' open-air theater. Here the great Salvini and Ristorl often acted In their early youth before they had risen to fame. Two years ago the mausoleum was handed over to the municipal authorities, who have adapted It as a concert hall. covering it with a dome-like roof and entirely renovating the interior at a cost of about $40,000. The classic sculptured marbles and mosaics of the interior hae now been changed Into Louis XV. deco rations in stucco. The capacity of the new concert hall la of 4000 persons, ... i "1