1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



37 



Before knowing what to give to a plant for its 

 growth and development, its composition 

 should first be ascertained. He showed that three- 

 fourths of the nourishment of a plant was ab- 

 sorbed by the leaves. Continuing, he examined 

 the analysis of manures, and explained that the 

 compositions varied greatly— so much so that 

 they met the wants of all plants. 



Alluding t« soot, he said its efficiency as a 

 manure was found in the quantity of nitrogen it 

 contained. Blood, bones and night-soil were 

 mentioned, and he urged that the latter should 

 be deodorized, which could readily be done by 

 adding charcoal, quicklime and sulphate of iron. 



Natural manures are especially valuable as 

 fertilizers; they could be utilized for the making 

 of hot-beds, which were indispensable to success- 

 ful plant culture. In smaU places and in dry 

 weather they could be spread on the ground, 

 which would prevent excess of evaporation and 

 the ground from becoming hard, cracked, and 

 dried up, which caused injuries to plants that 

 could not be remedied. 



In the application of manures there were two 

 forms, namely, in a solid and a liquid form; 

 in the latter cultivators should be careful that 

 they are free from fibrous matter, as these tended 

 to clog up the pores of the soil, and thereby ex- 

 clude air as well as become a nidus of animalcula-. 

 Manure applied in a liquid foi-m was appropria- 

 ted to use at once with little or no loss; whereas 

 in a solid form it was dependent on various sub- 

 sequent agencies l)efore being utilized by the 

 plant; by which time some of its most valuable 

 properties were probably lost. Land manured 

 by a Uquid retains its fertility with gieater per- 

 manency than if manured with a solid, and 

 would yield heavier and quicker crops. 



Manures act for the benefit of the plants by 

 stimulating the vital forces. A proper manure 

 encourages root growth, and the matter absorbed 

 is sent to aU parts of the plant. Manures also 

 act beneficially by absorbing and holding in 

 solution matter drawn from the atmosphere and 

 surrounding mediums. When applying it these 

 properties should be considered as weU as its 

 fertilizing power; the greater proportion of plant 

 food is not absorbed through the roots, but by 

 the leaves. With regard to results from natural 

 and artificial manures, the lecturer re- 

 marked that these were not always neces- 

 sary, as the soU might contain in '^ ^\^. 

 suitable soluble form the necessary con-'^^J'.'C 

 stituents required by the plants. Having ^,(\ 

 given the results of experiments made 

 by Messrs. Lawes & GUbert, reference was made 

 to the value of chemistry, by a knowledge of 

 which they could analyze soUs, manures, and 

 plants, and could make for themselves, from the 

 materials at hand, a compost suitable to the re- 

 quirements of any plant. 



Analyses showed that plants varied quite as 

 much in their composition as manure, and it 

 ought to be their object to have within reach a 

 variety of substances required, for if there was 

 a lack or deficiency of any the plant suftered; 

 whereas, if aU the substances were present, the 

 plant could absorb sufficient for its work and 

 leave the surplus. This statement raised the 

 question of the selection of food by plants. He 

 believed that they had the power to select food 

 for themselves, but if the materials present in 

 the soil are too strong and powerful for the life 

 which existed at the tips of the roots, they were 

 injurious, and entirely destroyed some plants. 



4«S2. Cultivating the Currant. The best land 

 is a rich alluvial soil, with a subsoil of clay, and 

 not wet. One need not fear making it too 

 rich for the Currant is a great feeder. The 

 ground should be deeply plowed and thoroughly 

 pulverized. In field culture the plants need to 

 C far enough apart to aUow the use of horse and 

 cultivator freely between them, hence to plant 

 them 5 feet apart each way here is none to far. 

 to the garden they may be somewhat closer, say 

 ^ to 4 feet apart. For planting stock we care for 

 no?hing better than well-rooted plants of one 

 ?ea°s growth, in fact, we prefer foem to older 

 ones T'he old Ked Dutch or Cherry Currant wiU 

 ^ve good satisfaction. Plants can be procured of 

 nu^rj-men at from $2.50 to $.5 a hundred, de- 

 TCuddng on quantity. After planting keep well 

 Cultivated and perfectly clean ot weeds, grass, 

 etc Each autumn, just before winter sets in, 

 nut two large forkfuls of weU rotted manure 

 Ground each^ plant. In the third year a smaU 

 crop, and in the fifth year a full crop of about 30 

 or Jo bushels from one thousand bushes may be 

 pxnected This fruit should never be burned to 

 market, as it may remain on the bushes for sev- 

 ^al weeks without injury. Early fruit however, 

 brings a good price. The Currant is a staple fruit, 

 with which the market is rarely well supplied. 



LLPFIA. 



Information In t 



1 I \ery 



■A 



fROMVARlffUSSoURCES. 



Orafting the Grape.— New Style. I often de- 

 sire to use the wood of a new seedling immedi- 

 ately after its first year's fruiting. To layer is 

 exhausting and prevents rapid multipljing of 

 the wood. To graft upon an old stump, in this 

 climate, where we have to lay down for winter 

 protection, is uncertain. So I utilize strong two 

 or three-year vines off the same or kindi-ed species 

 for stocks. A study of the three cuts herewith 

 given illustrates the best plan of grafting. 

 That to the left is the disbudded stock, fourteen 

 to eighteen inches long. The next to it shows 

 the prepared scion, ready for slipping over the 

 stock. The one to the right is the stock and scion 

 tied and planted. It is 

 economy to use a long 

 scion; they do not dry 

 up and fail as short ones 

 do. The important point 

 of the new method is a 

 stump with one or two 

 buds below the union to 

 throw out new support- 

 ing roots,which hastens 



IMPROVED STYLE OF GRAFTING THE GRAPE, 

 the union. In the old way many scions fail to 

 unite with the stock, while with this plan no more 

 die than of ordinary vines set out, but they are a 

 little later to start. This is a saddle graft, modi- 

 fied with a half -severed stump below. The stock 

 should be disbudded, to lose its individuality and 

 throw its energies into the bud scion. The scion 

 and stock should be of the same size and the cuts 

 upon the stock should be upon each side, from 

 about the center of an internode, through a bud, 

 to the same point of the internode above the bud. 

 And the cut upon the scion should begin and end 

 at about the same points, splitting the wood in 

 the center, bud and all, so that the points where 

 the buds are in both come exactly together, thus 

 having the points containing the most proto- 

 plasm come together, forming a more rapid 

 union. The manner of tying is shown in the cut, 

 and the way of placing in the soil. By thoroughly 

 firming the soU {for this I use the spade handle) 

 at the butt of the scion and to a couple of inches 

 above the cut, finishing with a mulch of fine 

 loose soil or other material, the air is excluded 

 effectually.- D. S. Mar\1n, in American Garden. 

 Planting Tree Seeds. Acorns, Chestnuts, and 

 Walnuts may be planted in Autumn, or kept dur- 

 ing winter In moist sand or moss and planted in 

 spring. Ash, Hard Maple, Box Alder, Black 

 Cherry, ete., are better kept in moist sand during 

 winter and sown in eariy spring. Catalpa, Birch 

 and Ailanthus are kept dry in winter and sown 

 in spring. Hard shelled seed, like the Locust, 

 should be soaked in hot water before sowing in 

 spring. Soft Maple and Elm should be sown as 



soon as ripe in May or early June. All the above, 

 except Catalpa, Ailanthus and Locust, are tetter 

 sown early, or iis soon as the ground is in condi- 

 tion in spring. Sow evergreen seeds broadcast 

 "(Is four feet wide, in light sandy loam; cover 

 lightly. Shade the beds from the sun the 

 first year, either with lath frames or brush. The 

 seeds are sown dry. The beds must be carefully 

 hand weeded the first and second years. The 

 seedlings are then of proper size to be thinned 

 out ot the beds and plante'd in nursery.— Doug- 

 las and Sons' Catalogue. 



Propagating StrawberrieB. A prominent West- 

 ern uwrseiyinan lias advanced the theory that 

 plants from the runnei-s of an inferior plant will 

 produce inferior fruit, regardless of the variety. 

 To this he attributes the failure of many new 

 varieties to meet expectations. He says: " My 

 investigaticms have taught me that there is a 

 great variation in different runners of the same 

 plant. In some there is decided improvement, 

 and these are the ones we want to breed from; 

 but as a general thing there is a tendency to de- 

 generation, !Ls many fine fruits which have gone 

 out of cultivation attest. Plants which have de- 

 generated in quality of fruit propagate faster 

 than those of the higher qualities, and conse- 

 quently one can observe how it is that a new 

 variety may be ruined by sending out the roots 

 promiscuously. For the last four years I have 

 been marking, selecting, and throwing out plants 

 which did not come up to the standard I de- 

 mand."— Prairie Farmer. 



How to Keep Cut Flowers. When they are 

 scarce one is more likely to take more care of 

 them, but changing the water and putting a little 

 ammonia in it will not do everything. 

 It is the night-light that withei-s them 

 the most quickly; many sorts will keep 

 for a week if placed at night in a bowl 

 in a cool place and covered with a cloth. 

 In the morning return to vases (if cold 

 water. Tropa?olums will live and bloom 

 for a month if a long spray be broken 

 off and placed in plenty of water. If 

 placed in a long bottle behind a picture 

 this plant blooms very effectively in 

 water. Snowdrops and Daffodils picked 

 in the bud will keep in water for three 

 weeks. Many wild flowers are more en- 

 during if cut in the bud. I often keep 

 Roses for a week by gathering the buds 

 when the first leaf is beginning to uncurl, 

 placing them in cold water in a dark 

 ■;■ cellar, with moss over the stalks. Al- 



*' most any flowei-s wiU retain their beauty 



; in a dark cellar, kept in ice-water and 



*. moss.— English Farm and Home. 



» 



Open Air Gardening The benefits of 

 open air exercise and diversion are 

 not known as they should be. Full 

 draughts of fresh air and extra physical 

 exertion give zest to everything and 

 anywhere. Only contrast the jollity and 

 good humor of newsboys, out in all weathers.with 

 the grinniiy. fidgety, cross looks and tones of the 

 pale children of over-indulgent parents. The 

 remedy for the latter: plain food and more oul> 

 door exercise; fresh air is plenty all around. The 

 woods can be brought to the df or by planting. 

 In the garden all manner of nooks miy be created 

 among trees, bushes, vines, and blossoming 

 plants. Few occupations vnW beget more im- 

 mediate interest than gardening. Even mishaps 

 and failures help the interest. No other work 

 offers so many enticements. The digging even 

 should not be done by proxy; it yields complete 

 and thorough exercise. What costs work we 

 enjoy. How much better tastes the fruit that 

 we raised. What beauties in every leaf and shoot 

 trained by our own hands, while we pass by with 

 but a glance the products of the hired gardener. 

 Few realize the S( ilid advantages to a family to be 

 derived from cultivating a garden. Besides being 

 a physical and moral help, it adds to the abun- 

 dance of one's table, both when it is most needed 

 and in its freshest and most palatable condition. 

 A well cultivated garden is the \ery best annex 

 any home can have. It enlarges the household 

 life and happiness, promoting larger joys for old 

 and yomig alike, and within its limited enclosure 

 are to be found such innocent and lasting delights 

 lUH the world beyond is wholly unable to bestow. 

 —Massachusetts Plowman. 



The Use of Lime. Lar^e quantities of nitrogen 

 are coiitiiiTicil in the earth and air, and clover ab- 

 sorbs and flxes this substance more than any 

 other plant. When given a chance it works Ui 



