THE FLOWER GARDEN AND LAWN IN MAY AND JUNE. I67 



I had those brown specked leaves, but I did not think it would do 

 any harm. When the plants were six to eight inches high I began 

 to put' on Bordeaux mixture ; I did that once a week, but I did no; 

 get as good results as I expected. I saw the aphis at the root of 

 one, and I used tobacco, but it did no good. 



Mrs. Loring: In her recommendation of mignonette I would 

 like to know whether she was troubled with caterpillars? 



Mrs. Gibbs : I was not troubled this year, it was all right. 



The Chairman : You refer to those small brown caterpillars ? 



Mrs. Loring : Yes, sir. 



Mr. Loring : Did you examine the leaves of the asters under a 

 microscope ? 



Mrs. Gibbs : No, sir, I did not. 



Mr. Loring: We examined ours, and they were covered with 

 the smallest kind of a mite. They could not be seen with the 

 naked eye. 



Mrs. Gibbs : I have raised asters every year and had nice 

 flowers, but this year it was a perfect blight. I got a good many 

 flowers in the beginning, and there was no reason I know of why I 

 should not have had plenty of asters. 



THE SMALL FRUIT GARDEN IN MAY AND JUNE. 



E. A. FARMER, MINNEAPOLIS. 



This subject to me, and, I presume, to many others here, is of 

 great importance, as the raising of small fruits forms a large part 

 of my business, and also adds much to the commercial interests 

 of our state. The small fruits I grow are strawberries, blackberries, 

 raspberries and a few currants and gooseberries. 



The planting of small fruits is mostly, or should be, finished 

 by the first of May. Commencing with strawberries, we will 

 suppose the new patch is planted and the old one all uncovered and 

 they have nothing to do but to grow. In setting the new bed, I 

 mark the rows with a light t'wo-horse marker four feet apart and 

 set the plants eighteen inches apart in rows. I have always the best 

 success with a spade. 



I cultivate with a harrow tooth cultivator as soon as planted and 

 intend to go through them every week, especially after a rain, until 

 about the first of September, and sometimes later. I generally 

 weed and hoe two or three times during May and June. 



