174 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[/une, 



but others, instead, keep the atmosphere as 

 close and moist as possible. 



Peas for Fall crop may be sown. It is, how- 

 ever, useless to try them unless in a deeply 

 trenched soil, and one that is comparatively 

 cool in the hottest weather overhead, or they 

 will certainly mildew and prove worthless. In 

 England where the atmosphere is so much more 

 humid than ours, they nevertheless have great 

 difficulty in getting Fall peas to go through free 

 from mildew; and to obviate these drying and 

 mildew-producing influences, they often plant 

 them in deep trenches, made as for celery, and 

 are then much more successful with them. 



Cabbage and brocoli may still be set out for 

 Fall crops, also requiring an abundance of ma- 

 nure to insure much success. Lettuce, where 

 salads are much in request, ma}^ yet be sown. 

 The Curled Indian is a favorite summer kind ; 

 but the varieties of Cos, or plain-leaved kinds, 

 are good. They take more trouble, having to 

 be tied up to blanch well. Many should not be 

 sown at a time, as they soon run to seed in hot 

 weather. 



At the end of June some celery may be set 

 out for early crops, though for the main crop a 

 month later will be quite time enough. It was 

 once customary to plant in trenches dug six or 

 more inches below the surface ; but the poverty 

 of the soil usually at this depth more than de- 

 creaseS' the balance of good points in its favor. 

 Some of our best growers now plant entirely on 

 the surface, and depend on drawing up the soil, 

 or the employment of boards or other artificial 

 methods of blanching. 



Beans produce an enormous crop in deeply 

 trenched soils, and are improved as much as 

 any crop by surface manuring. "We hope this 

 method of fertilizing the soil will be extensively 

 adopted for garden crops this season. Those 

 who have not yet tried it will be surprised at 

 the economy and beneficial results of the prac- 

 tice. 



Cucumbers for pickling may be sown this 

 month, and endive for Fall salid set out. Pars- 

 ley for Winter use may be sown now, in boxes 

 of rich soil, and set in a cool, shady place till it 

 germinates. 



Asparagus beds should not be cut off after the 

 stalks seem to come up weak, or there will be 

 but a poor crop the next season, and the beds 

 will " run out " in a few years. 



Tomatoes, after trying all kinds of trellises 

 recommended, will be found to do best on stakes 



tied up singly. It is best to plant a strong pole 

 as for lima beans, with the plants when first set 

 out, and tie up as they grow. Marketmen gen- 

 erally let them grow as they will on the ground, 

 which, perhaps, although not yielding as much, 

 costs less labor, and may thus be most profitable. 



The Swede turnip or ruta baga should be sown 

 about the end of the month. A well enriched 

 piece of ground is essential, as by growing fast 

 they get ahead of the ravages of the fly. Ma- 

 nures abounding in the phosphates, bone dust, 

 for instance, are superior for the turnip. 



Sweet potatoes must be watched that the 

 vines do not root in the ground as they run, 

 which will weaken the main crop of roots. Thej^ 

 should be gone over about once a month, and 

 with a rake or pole, the vines disturbed some- 

 what from their position. 



Parsley for Winter use may be sown now in 

 boxes of rich soil, and set in a cool, shady place 

 till it germinates. 



Herbs for drying for future use, should be cut 

 just about the time they are coming into flower. 

 Dry them in the shade, and after sufficiently drj' 

 to put away, tie them in bunches and hang in a 

 cool shed, or place them loosely between the 

 paper and stow away in cupboards or drawers — 

 the last mode is by far the cleanest and most 

 approved plan with the best housekeepers. 

 Some, indeed, powder the leaves at once after 

 drying, and put them away in bags, ready for use. 



COMMUNICA TIONS. 



THE JAPAN PERSIMMON. 



BY E. MANNING, NEAR HARRISBURG, FRANKLIN 

 CO., OHIO. 



In a recent number you enquire in regard to 

 the hardiness of the Japan Persimmon in New 

 York. I will give my brief experience of it 

 here. Last Spring I ordered two trees of differ- 

 ent varieties, carefully planted them, and they 

 both made a moderate growth. Last Fall, be- 

 fore the cold weather set in, I turned a flour 

 barrel over each. Both of the plants were 

 worked on the native stock ; I have examined 

 both ; the entire top and the whole graft is 

 killed down to the junction of the graft and 

 stock, which was four inches from the gi-ound. 

 Below the graft the native stock was as green as 

 ever. 



Now, Mr. Editor, let me say, the Japan Per- 

 simmon tree is like many other expensive curi- 



