80 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



\^ March, 



cent, excollcJit, larjjje, brillijint yt^ll.iw, riixMis in 

 February." 



Apples kok Noktm-kastkkn Nkw .iKKriKV.— In 

 answer to a correspondent lor a selection of six 

 best apples for this part of the country, he may 

 take Red Astrachan, Gravenstein, Baldwin, King 

 of Tompkins County, Rhode Island Greening 

 and Golden Ru.sset. 



New Peaches. — A number of peaches that 

 Jiave been on probation the past year or two, 

 ought to be able to give a good account of them- 

 selves this year or never. Among these may be 

 named Alexander, Brandy wine, Leatherbury's 

 late, Bilyeu's late, Jarrell, Tuckahoe, Amsden, 

 Wilkins', Steadley, and Nanticoke. 



Apricots i\ Boston. — Among other fruits 

 named by Mr. Rand, in a letter to the Editor of 

 the Garden, as being abundant on " our street 

 stands," Apricots and Nectarii\cs are included. 

 In Philadelphia last Spring a few apricots ap- 

 peared from California in one fruiterer's win- 

 dow ; but the (juality was poor through the 

 fruit having of necessity to be gathered before 

 ripening. But the experiment is not likely to 

 be repeated. The nectarine has not been seen 

 on a Philadelphia stand for many years, and we 

 congratulate our Boston friends on their good 

 fortune in securing so full a supply of these de- 

 licious fruits. 



The Secretary Grape. — This seedling of Mr. 

 Ricketts, and an excellent kind, has been pur- 

 chased by Mr. Underbill. It is a hybrid between 

 the Clinton and some foreign variety, a large 

 bunch, black, and is a very promising variety in 

 every way. Messrs. Hance & Son have, also, 

 some under propagation, but we do not know 

 which ones. 



The Japan Persimmon. — This is said to make 

 an excellent orchard-house fruit. We ate some 

 recently, preserved in Japan like figs and 

 sent here, and they were far superior, in our esti- 

 mation, to the best figs. 



QUERIES. 



Mulched Peach Trees. — Medford, Mass., 

 writes; — "Late this Fall, I mulched my peach 

 trees with straw, in order to retard the growth, 

 and prevent injury by early frost next Spring. 



What will l>e the proper time to remove the 

 mulching? Not the time with reference to the 

 calendar, but to the budding or blo.s3oming." 



[It is generally atmospheric heat and not the 

 warmth of the soil, tliat starts peach trees into 

 l)loom. No rule, tliercfore, can be drawn from 

 their flowering. We should be disposed to leave 

 the mulch on till all probability of another freeze 

 was over — but taking it off as early as possible 

 consistent with this chance. — Ed. G. M.] 



Borers in Peach Trees. — M. says: — "The 

 l)orers trouble my peach trees. I cut them out 

 with a pointed knife ; but that produces wounds 

 and bleeding. What prevention can I apply? 

 Will a coat of whitewash (lime) prove effica- 

 cious? One writer recommends making a mound 

 of wood ashes several inches high around the 

 trunk of the tree in the Spring, and spreading 

 them under the tree in June, if my memory 

 serves me. But my experience shows that the 

 borers will enter two feet high, and apparently 

 late in the Summer and in the Fall. Many per- 

 sons, intelligent in other respects, do not know 

 that the escape of sap and unsightly bunches of 

 gum are caused by borers. One of my neigh- 

 bors bandaged his bleeding tree with cloth as a 

 remedy; I recommended the knife instead." 



[A thick coat of whitewash is a capital thing, 

 and where the whole stem is so done, right down 

 to the roots, we doubt whether anything else 

 would be required. If there be, grease the stem 

 well down whefe the grubs work. None of these 

 insects like oily matters. — Ed. G. M.] 



Layered Grape Vines. — Mystic, Mass., asks : 

 — " I layered some Concord grape vines last 

 Spring,"three or four inches deep, where I wish 

 for new vines. Would it be better to let them 

 remain, or to lift and set them deeper next 

 Spring? The soil and sub-soil are dry. In that 

 soil, I have dug large holes a foot deep, planted 

 vines in the holes in the Spring, covering the 

 roots about five inches, the next Spring filling 

 the holes, thereby obtaining another tier of roots 

 above ; and the vines have done well." 



[If the vines are well rooted they need not be 

 removed, but if they have not made many fibres, 

 it would be as well to leave them another year 

 without separating from the parent. — Ed. G. M.] 



Pruning Grape Roots. — Mystic writes : — " In 

 setting out grape vines having long roots, is it 

 best to shorten the roots — the vines, of course, 



