38 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



November, 



furnish in abundant supply and most available 

 form this essential element of food for farm 

 crops. By applying: lime the growth and thrift 

 of clover is increased, and thus the ^-owth and 

 productiveness of all other crops is g-reatly im- 

 proved; the lime indirectly is of gri'eat value, 

 not exactly as a manure, but as a factor in pro- 

 ducing- fertility. East of the AUeghauies the ap- 

 plication of lime for agn-icultural purposes is 

 much more general than west of the mountains. 

 The method is to apply 30 to 40 bushels of un- 

 slacked lime per acre. Some put it on the 

 g-round after it is plowed and before planting-. 

 The better way is to apply on the young grass in 

 the wheat stubbles, and thus allow it to assist 

 the young clover and thus start the process of 

 fertilizing the land by means of this deep-rooted 

 nitrogen absorber. The application of lime will 

 assist the growth of clover; a good cmp of the 

 latter will afford much of the best forage, and at 

 the same time store up food in the soil for suc- 

 ceeding crops.— Stockman and Farmer. 



Squashes and "Watermelons in Winter.— For 

 winter use select large, late varieties of Melons, 

 and do not pick them until the frost is about to 

 set in, and then about a week before fully ripe, 

 as they will then, if properly stored, ripen in 

 about three or four weeks, after which they will 

 retain their delicious, juicy flavor for a considei'- 

 able length of time. They are best stored and 

 preserved by being packed in any fine, dry sub- 

 stance, such as bran, sawdust, chaff, oats, etc. 

 in a large rough box, then be placed in any cool, 

 dry, airy place, such as the cellar or woodshed, 

 being cautious that they escape the frost. 

 Squashes may be kept even until late in the 

 spring. They should be carefully gathered, and 

 no bruised or defective ones be selected. They 

 are kept best in the cellar, and they should not 

 be packed in heaps, but placed ou shelves, and if 

 one row is placed so as to press u])on another, 

 the fewer such rows the better. The Sipiash is a 

 highly nutritious vegetable, and should not be 

 missing on the table for at least half the year.— 

 Farmer's Advocate. 



No Fruit Trees for Shade. Fruit trees in the 

 front yard are objectionable, as the fruit drop- 

 ping attracts flies, is unsightly, and in the way 

 of the lawn mower. They are not permanent, 

 as the life of even Apple trees in modern times 

 is often less than a score of years, and of most 

 other fruits still shorter. Land is ne\'er so val- 

 uable that we must make the dooryard narrow 

 or utilize it for fruit trees. The planting of 

 shade trees around the home should be done 

 once for a lifetime. Plant the Elm, with its 

 graceful contour and spreading branches; the 

 Hard Maple, for its symmetry, its dense and bril- 

 liant autumn foliage, and the Gray Ash, with its 

 compact form and subdued autumnal colors. 

 and you may reasonably expect your children's 

 children to sit under the shade of these trees. 

 During twenty-four years more than 200 fruit 

 trees out of a total of 400 on my farm have died 

 after coming into full bearing, but the Elms, 

 Maples and Ash, of which I planted twenty, are 

 still in their youth, and will be when I am gone. 

 Some of these trees spread more than fifty feet. 

 Plant fruit trees in an orchard not less than 100 

 feet from the house, but for shade and i>erma- 

 nency plant the varieties named, and if your 

 grounds are large enough add Oaks, Walnuts, 

 Catalpas, or any of the forest trees indigenous to 

 the locality. The greatest attraction of my farm 

 is an imitation forest lOO feet south of my house 

 and containing less than one-fourth acre, in 

 which I have growing some thirty trees of ten 

 varieties, under whose shade we have trans- 

 planted some fifty varieties of wild flowers of the 

 neighboring woods.— W, F. Brown in Tribune. 



Plants in Rooms. Health in a great measure 

 depends upon clean foliage. In a gh\ss-house 

 there is never much dust, whereas in a living 

 room there is always a great deal, and this suf- 

 fices to choke every pore of the leaves. Every 

 plant here should therefore get a tepid bath 

 twice a week, washing both the upper and under 

 side of the leaves, or, if the foliage is much di- 

 vided, it should b^ syringed. It is wonderful the 

 difference in the appearance of plants which get 

 this loving attention, and such as lack it. I feel 

 sure that in the growing season a thorough 

 cleansing will oft^^-n benefit a plant more than 

 several doses of liquid manure. Plants in rooms 

 have to struggle against many adverse influen- 

 ces, and need close attention both as to cleanli- 

 ness and watering. Water so that the soil does 

 not become close and sour; if the roots can be 

 kept active, the top will not be likely to go 

 wrong. During winter the soil should nearly 



dry out before water is given. If pans are used, 

 keep empty now. Windows that project from 

 the building are the best, and in such plants 

 may be grown with success; indeed, many do al- 

 most or quite as well in them as under a glass 

 roof. An east aspect is the best for most things, 

 getting the early beams of the sun and escaping 

 its fiercest rays. Some fine-leaved plants can be 

 kept in the dwelling the year through without 

 injury, but the great majority must have the 

 free open air during the wannest months of the 

 year. Geraniums turning yellow. Fuchsia buds 

 dropping, and other evils complained of so fre- 

 quently, are caused by want of '' tone," brought 

 on by the enervating influence of a too confined 

 and vitiated atmosphere. In dwelling rooms the 

 ventilation is regulated by the needs of the in- 

 habitants; in othei-s the plants can be made the 

 primary consideration. —Gardening Illustrated. 



THE CULINARY DEPARTMENT. 



Quince Preserves.- Pare and core the fruit; 

 boil in clear water until tender; make a syrup 

 with a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit 

 and boil the Quinces slowly half an hour. 



A Peach Betty.— Kemove the skin of the 

 Peaches. Put them whole, with layers of bread- 

 crumbs and sugar, in a baking tin; brown the 

 top ser\'e with a sweet or sharp hot butter sauce. 



Sweet Pickle Apples. With one teacup vinegar 

 and two of sugar make a syrup, adding cinnamon 

 and cloves. Pare and core sweet Apples, drop 

 them in the syrup and let them cook until tender, 

 not soft. Put in a jar and pour the syrup over 

 them. They are ready to eat as soon as cold, and 

 will keep any length of time. 



Oysters in Bacon. Procure as many slices 

 of fat bacon— as thin as a wafer— as there are 

 oysters; roU each oyster in a piece of bacon, 

 fasten the ends with a skewer in such a way that 

 the skewer can be easily removed, put the rolls 

 into a tin, and bake in a gentle oven; when the 

 bacon is cooked, the dish is readj"^. 



Vegetable Soup. Boil a soup bone until done, 

 add to the broth boiling water to make the 

 amount of soup wanted, and when boiling again 

 add a half pint of Corn, a handful of Cablmge cut 

 fine, a half pint of Tomatoes, a few Potatoes, and 

 a few small Onions, if liked. Let boil half an 

 hour, then stir in an egg with a spoonful of milk, 

 pepper and salt.— Pittsburgh Dispatch. 



Grape Jelly.— The Grapes should be put into a 

 preserving-pan with just enough water to pre- 

 vent their burning; when hot rub them through 

 a fine sieve to get out the seeds and skins; weigh 

 the pulp, and to each pound put three-fourihs of 

 a pound of pounded sugar; boil three-quarters of 

 an hour. This is a good waj' of utilizing Grapes. 

 which do not ripen well.— Rural Canadian. 



Pumpkin Pie.— The Pumpkin should be fine- 

 grained and have a deep rich color. If Squash is 

 used in place of Pumpkin the pies will have a 

 much I'icher flavor than if made out of the vege- 

 table by whose name they are called. Peel and 

 cut the Squash or Pumpkin into long strips, and 

 steam until tender; then put through a fine sieve. 

 For each pie allow one egg, half a cupful of 

 Squash, one cupful of boiling milk, two tea- 

 spoonfuls each of nutmeg and cinnamon. Beat 

 together the Squash, sugar, egg and spice; then 

 pour on the boiUug milk, stirring all the time. 



Pickled Cabbage.— Cut up in shreds as many red 

 Cabbages as you intend pickling, and place on 

 large dishes and sprinkle common salt over; next 

 day turn over, and the next also, so that all may 

 be salted. Then lay the Cabbage on a sieve to 

 drain off the superfluous wet, and pack in a stone 

 or glass jar until nearly full. Bofl some pieces of 

 ginger, long black pepper, a few cloves and all- 

 spice, in best brown \inegar, and when boiled up. 

 pour over the Cabbage, filling up each jar full. 

 Leave tfll cold, and then tic down. The \'inegar 

 must always cover the Cabbage up to the top. 

 It is ready for use in about a fortnight.— C. M. D. 



To Cook Vegetable Oysters.— After careful 

 cleaning aud cutting, it is put in water with a 

 small porti<m of milk or flour stirred in— this will 

 pre\'ent it from turning black. After it has been 

 washed in this water it is placed on the stove 

 with boiling water; salt according to taste, and 

 boil until tender. Then take equal quantities of 

 butter and flour, which are melted together in 

 an earthen crock. When well heated first pour 

 on a little of the water in which the oyster plant 

 has been bofled, adding the rest and vegetable 

 afterward. Let boil a few minutes. When ready 

 to serve, stir in the yolk of an egg which has been 

 thoroughly whipped, with a little milk or cream. 



PREPARED FROM DIARY NOTES BY CBAS. E. PARNELL, 

 <JUEENS, N. Y. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Agapanthus umbellatus may now be placed in a 

 cool, light cellar. Keep as dry as possible without per- 

 mitting the leaves to shrivel foi- want of water. 



Begonias. The Rex varieties now in comparative 

 rest should have less moisture. For the tuberous sec- 

 tion, see Plant Cultiu-e Under Glass. 



Cactus. Keep dry now; then they will do well In al- 

 most any light situation of 45 degrees. 



Callas to be liberally watered now. When the pots 

 become full of roots give liqni<l manure twice a week. 



Oestrums. After bloom treat as for Hydrangeas. 

 Trim into shape before placing? them to i*est. 



Cineraria Maritima. Nip the leading shoots at 

 times to induce bushiness of the growth. 



Chinese Primulas to be carefully watered at the 

 roots, m)t touching the foliage, as this will often cau.se 

 them to rot olT at the surface. 



Cyperus alternifolius to be well supplied with 

 water. Give liquid manure occasionally. 



Freesia refractra for early blooming maybe started. 

 As growth advances increase the waterat their roots. 



Fuchsias. Tiie summer blooming varieties to be 

 placed in a cool, light cellar, and kept rather dry. The 

 winter bloomers to have liquid manure occasionally. 



General. Keep a sharp eye for insect pests, espec- 

 ially the red spider. Sponge off the leaves of all 

 plants occasionally. Water thoroughly whenever It 

 becomes necessary to do so. 



G-eraniums, (Zonal). Winter blooming plants la 

 good growth to be given liquid mauiu-e occasionally. 

 Those taken up outside and potted to be kept cool and 

 rather dry. Pot any cuttings as soon as rooted and 

 place in a light situatiion. 



Hydrangeas to go into a cool, light cellar, keeping 

 them rather dry at the roots. 



Jasminum Grandiflorura. A dose of manure water 

 suits them occasionally. Keep free from red spider. 



Jerusalem Cherries. Water freel.v to keep the ber- 

 ries. Liquid manure occasionally also helps. Plants 

 that have been plunged during the summer can be 

 wintered in a cool, light cellar, like Hydrangeas. 



Justicia carnea showing bloom enjoy richness of 

 soil, hence liquid manure at times. Otherwise keep 

 rather dry, in order to avoid too rapid growth. 



Lemon Verbenas. Treat as directed for Hydrangeas. 



Lemon and Orange Trees. Water less freely. 

 Sponge off the leaves and stems occasionally. 



Maurandyas require attention as to training. Give 

 liquid manure twice a week from now on. 



Ivy. Keep down scale. Sponge off the leaves. 



Myrtus Communis. Keep in a light, sunny situa- 

 tion. Don't over-pot or over-water. 



Oralis. As growth advances increase the supply of 

 moisture. Expose as fully to the sun as possible if 

 bloom is desired. 



Passiflora coerulea can be treated as Hydrangeas. 



Pomegranates. Treat as dh-ected for Hydrangeas. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Boh Edging can be taken up, divided and replanted 

 at any time before the ground becomes frozen. Set as 

 deep as possible, and drm the earth well around them. 



Bulbs may be planted until the ground becomes 

 frozen, but the earlier the better. Those planted late 

 should be mulched before the ground freezes. 



Eyergreen shrubs in exposed places may be pro- 

 tected somewhat by placing evergreen boughs around 

 them, especially on the soutli and west sides. Secure 

 by placing the butt ends in the earth, and fastening the 

 tops together with stout twine. This Is to be done 

 Just before tlie ground becomes frozen. 



Flower beds to be dug over as deep as possible, and 

 a good supply of w^ell decayed manure mixed In. 



Hardy herbaceous plants to be securely labelled 

 so that there will be no danger of their being destroyed 

 when the border is dug over next spring. Just before 

 the ground freezes mulch well, or else cover over with 

 evergreen boughs to prevent Injury by alternate 

 freezing and thawing. 



Lawn Mowers to be taken apart, thoroughly 

 cleaned, and put in order for winter storing. 



Lawns to be given a heavy dressing of bone dust or 

 well decayed maniu-e as soon as mowing ceases Ir- 

 regularities to be evened, slight ones with the roller 

 and by sprinkling on soil, others by removing the sod, 

 flUiug with good earth, and replacing the sod. 



Leaves. Gather frequently and store for use In 

 mulching, protection, compost, etc. 



