82 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



January, 



** Apple trees do not require the constant nurs- 

 ing and coddling that Orange trees must have to 

 secure good crops. We have to grub the soil two 

 or three times during the summer to keep down 

 weeds, we have to s]>rinkle the foliage to kill in- 

 sects, and we have to scrape and wash the trunk 

 and twigs for the same object. We manure once 

 or twice a year and then we have frosts to con- 

 tend with, and our fruit goes a long way to find 

 a market." And this is the story many Orange 

 growers tell. Apple culture in New England 

 promises quite as well to those who will learn the 

 retiuisites to success as Orange growing in Florida 

 or elsewhere.— New England Farmer. 



Winter Orchard Pests. A. R. Whitney's remedy 

 for mice, moles and ralibits consists of lime, 

 copperas and glue. Fresh lime is slaked, and 

 enough water is added to make it into moderately 

 thick whitewash. Dissolve two pounds of glue 

 in water and add a dissolved pound of copperas, 

 and stir the whole together. This mixture is ap- 

 plied with a whitewash brush to the trunks of 

 the trees. Prof. Maynard uses half a pound of 

 Paris green to eight quarts of water; carbolic 

 acid is used if danger of poisoning animals is 

 feared.— Prairie Farmer. 



A Plant at Work. The leaves change the crude 

 sap, which comes up from the roots, and the gases 

 entering directly from the air, into organic com- 

 pounds like starch, sugar, oil. etc., that go to 

 build up the structure of the plant. The sap from 

 the roots enters the soft tissue of the leaf through 

 the many fine branches of the frame work. ITjc 

 gases from the air enter through small openings 

 in the surface of the leaf, and pass between the 

 cells in all parts where the substance is loosely 

 constructed. Each cell or microscopic sac of the 

 leaf, which contains green matter, is a workshop 

 where the crude materials are brought and in 

 which the sunshine transmutes the elements into 

 highly endowed compounds. S/arcTi, for one 

 thing, is formed, and this may pass to some other 

 part of the plant, to be there stored up in large 

 quantities, as in the grain of Corn or the under- 

 gi'ound stem of the Potato. Over the entire sur- 

 face of the leaf is spread a layer of cells without 

 green contents. This is a tough protective cov- 

 ering called the epidermis and may be easily 

 peeled off from the other portion of the leaf. 

 Through this epidermis at frequent intervals are 

 small openings for the passage of air, which are 

 known as the breathing pores. The reader can 

 gain some idea of the smallness of the plant cells, 

 when it is stated that sometimes the breathing 

 pores number over 200,000 to the squreinchof 

 surface.— Pro/. Hahtead. 



Desirable Window Plants. Fuclmas bloom 

 freel.v, and are as ejisily grown as Geraniums. 

 They require a rich soil, and are a nuisance if not 

 thrifty; well rotted turf, some old manure, and 

 a little sand suits them. Stick in some old, rusty 

 nails; the oxide of iron deepens the colors. They 

 should have weak liquid manure once a week, 

 when budding or in bloom. They do not need a 

 high temperature, but plenty of light and air. 

 Red Spiders trouble them in a hot and dry room. 

 Wash both sides of the leaves with soapsuds, 

 afterward showering with soft tepid water. 

 F. Speciosa, Mrs. Marshall, Syringjeflora, Lustre 

 and Carl Halt are fine winter-bloomers. Begonias 

 are mostly very free bloomers, suitable for pot 

 culture. The glossy green Iea,ves are beautiful; 

 they bloom nearly all the time. Few plants re- 

 ward good culture better; soil should be rich, 

 fibrous loam, with some sand and bits of rotten 

 wood from an old log or stump, if it can be ob- 

 tained. Abutilou or Flowering Maple is a hand- 

 some parlor tree. It needs a sandy soil; ordinary 

 garden soil loosened with sand is suflScient. If it 

 does not bloom freely, the air of the room is too 

 hot and close; water freely. White Jasmines 

 {grandijlora). Nothing can be more lovely. 

 The exquisite, subtle fragrance seems not of 

 earth. Blooms from September until January; 

 leaves are evergreen and glossy; needs a trellis; 

 loves a rich soil Mahernia odoraia. This is a 

 gem; blooms only in winter, when it covers itself 

 with graceful lemon-colored Lily-of-the-valley 

 bells; one plant perfumes a room. Must not get 

 dry. or have too much water, at once; needs re- 

 potting in the spring, and constant pinching 

 through the summer for compact shape. Linum 

 JIavum blooms in winter; shrubby stock, smooth, 

 shining leaves; bright lemon-colored flowei-s 

 like medium sized Morning Glories. Cuphea 

 platyccntra has small, tubular flowers; scarlet 

 with white tips; always in bloom, and so bonny, 

 it ought to be called "Little Cheerful." B. hys- 

 mpifolia has flowers of a bright lilac, very pro- 

 fuse. Nirembergia gra<:ilis can be grown from 



seed, does well in sun or shade, and blooms pro- 

 fusely. Set out in the garden in the spring, it 

 literally covers itself with flowers that resemble 

 those of Flax, except in color. Old plants winter 

 well in the cellar, and young, self-sown ones 

 of summer for winter blooming.— Farmer. 



THE CULINARY DEPARTMENT. 



Variety for the Table. A French cook of 

 great celebrity boasted that he could prepare 

 Potatoes in 200 different ways and Apples in 400. 



Prune Souffle. One-half pound of Prunes, 

 whites of six eggs, twelve tablespoonfuls of 

 powdered sugar. Stone the Prunes and chop 

 fine. Beat eggs to a stiff froth, stir in the sugar, 

 whip in lightly the chopped Prunes. Bake in a 

 quick oven five or ten minutes and serve imme- 

 diately with cream. 



Where are the Jars ] Tomatoes will often 

 spoil in glass jars, becoming thin and watery 

 simply from the action of the light, and pre- 

 serves thus lose much of their richness and flavor. 

 Candied fruit should always be kept in the dark 

 to preserve its rich color and flavor. Try keep- 

 ing all fruit in a covered chest or trunk down 

 cellar, if you have no enclosed cupboard there. 

 —California Patron. 



Cold Baspberry Pudding. The bottled or pre- 

 served fruit will answer admirably. Put a pint 

 of Raspberries at the bottom of a pie dish, and 

 pour over them a rich custard, made by beating 

 up three eggs in a quarter of a pint of milk; add 

 a little sugar, and whisk the custard until it be- 

 comes light and frothy. Put the pudding into 

 the oven immediately, and bake until the cus- 

 tard is quite set. Let it get thoroughly cold; 

 then sift fine sugar over the top and serve. 



Apple Coddle. Pare and quarter tart Apples, 

 add one lemon for every six Apples, and cook 

 till a straw will pass through them. Make a 

 syrup of half a pound of white sugar to each 

 pound of Apples; put the Apples and Lemons, 

 sliced into the syrup, and boil gently until the 

 Apples look clear; then take them up carefully, 

 so as not to break them, and add an ounce or 

 more of gelatine to the syrup, and let it boil up. 

 Then lay a slice of Lemon on each Apple, and 

 strain the syrup over them.— Farmer's Review. 



How Eice is Cooked in Japan. A recent 

 traveler in Japan says ; They do know how 

 to cook Rice here, though, and for the benefit 

 of consumers in the United States I investi- 

 gated the matter. Only just enough cold 

 water is poured on to prevent the Rice from 

 burning to the pot, which has a tight fitting 

 cover and is set on a moderate fire. The rice is 

 steamed, rather than boiled, until it is nearly 

 d<me, then the cover of the pot is taken off, the 

 surplus steam and moisture are allowed to es- 

 cape, and the rice turns out a mass of snow- 

 white kernels, each separate from the other, and 

 as much superior to the soggy mass we usually 

 get in the United States as a fine mealy potato is 

 to the water soaked article. 



Delicately Fried Potatoes. These, remarks 

 an exchange, are the exception not the rule, 

 though it is just as easy (and far cheaper) 

 to have crisp, brown fried Potatoes, as to have 

 them fat-soaked and swimming in grease. Pota- 

 toes boiled with their skins on are better for 

 warming over than pared ones. Those for 

 breakfast should be taken out before quite done, 

 and after remo\ing the skins set away until the 

 next morning. If boiled until fully dcme, they 

 will be too mealy. SUce some of these potatoes 

 less than half an inch; dredge them with a little 

 flour, and fry in a pan containing a tablespoon- 

 ful of hot drippings to each pint of potatoes ; 

 season them, put a cover on the pan, and when 

 brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. 

 Serve \ery hot on a hot dish. 



How to Cook the Cranberry. The Ameri- 

 can Ci"anberry Growers' Association has ap- 

 proved and recommends the following recipes 

 for cooking this fruit: No. 1.— 1 quart berries, 

 1 pound granulated sugar, H pint of water. 

 Cook ten minutes; shake the vessel; d<j not stir. 

 No. ^.—1 quart berries, 1 pound granulated 

 sugar, 1 pint water. Bring sugar and water to a 

 boil; add the fruit and boil till clear— fifteen oq 

 twenty minutes. No. 3.-1 pound berries, 1 pint 

 (scant) cold water, J^ pound granulated sugar. 

 Boil together berries and water ten minutes; 

 add sugar and boil Ave minutes longer. Gently 

 stir, or shake, to prevent scorching. In all these 

 recipes use berries of a bright medium color, as 

 they are more delicate in flavor, jelly better and 

 make more sauce than over-ripe dai'k ones. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Air. On all mild days treat the plants freely to out- 

 side air; in all but the coldest weather, at least some 

 air should be admitted daily, If only after the morning 

 sweeping. Much dryness in the air Is unfavorable; a 

 vessel of water on the back of the stove to evaporate 

 will help this matter greatly. 



Beeonias of either the Rex or the flowering sorts are 

 among the best of house plants. While they have no 

 need of bright sunshine— yet a light place in other res- 

 pects suits them. The Rex di^ision likes a moist heat. 



Camellias. Keep in a temperature near 50*, below 

 rather than above; sponge off twice a week. 



Cinerarias. Great care needs to be taken against 

 their becoming po^bound; growth must be constant. 



Cyclamens, when done blooming, are usually dried 

 off; a better course is to keep them growing until spring, 

 then turn ttiem into the border for the summer. 



Daphnes like dampness and hmnidity with low heat. 



Dutch Bulbs. As the earlier started ones pass out 

 of bloom they should have their flower stalks cut out. 

 Those to be saved for future use in the garden 

 should be kept in a cool. light place until planting out 

 time, in May. Late started ones for succession may be 

 brought into heat for a month or two yet. These, as we 

 earlier directed, should, after potting, be kept In a eel- 

 lai' or other dark, cool place, until they are well pro- 

 vided with roots. Before showing a good lot of roots 

 on the outside of the ball of earth, It is really useless to 

 bring them in, expecting good results. As for watering 

 the growing plants in heat, it can hardly be overdone. 

 Hyacinths and Crocuses, will grow and flower with 

 their roots in water only— a wonderful thing, and in- 

 dicative of the great love of these for wetness. 



Fern Cases. Keep moderately wet; too much moist- 

 ure in the soil tends to sour it. When watering is nec- 

 essary, follow this act by opening the case to allow 

 surplus moisture to readily escape. Air should often 

 be admitted besides, but never while any dust of the 

 room is in motion. 



Frozen Plants. If any have been caught remove at 

 once, and without handling the leaves if you can, to a 

 temperature a Uttle above the freezing point, say at 35''. 

 A careful douse of each plant into cold water at this 

 stage will also be helpful. Here many will recover with 

 but slight damage, which in a higher heat would suffer 

 much injury. If the desired temperature Is lacking, 

 let the room in which they are standing be heated 

 gradually. Several lighted lamps placed on the floor 

 will help well at the start. Avoid above all else rim- 

 nlng up a strong heat— keep it below 40'^ until the frost 

 is all out, and even some longer. 



Fuchsias placed in a cellar in the fall may be brought 

 into heat: when they begin to show new leaves shift 

 into new pots a size sHiaZ/er than those previously oc- 

 cupied, shaking out most of the old earth. The soil 

 should be fresh, light and well enriched with old dung. 



Ivy and like plants with heavy leaves should be of ten 

 washed, for the sake of health and looks. 



Lemon Verbenas. See directions for Fuchsias. 



Propagation. Where slips of any kind are large 

 enough they may go into sand for rooting. Plants kept 

 to supply cuttings do not need free shifting, as this 

 tends to excite a quick and succulent growth that is 

 not so favorable for making the best slips. Give the 

 cutting box a light, even, sunny place. 



Seed Sowing. For early plants of Mignonette, 

 Petimia, Maurandia, Centaurea gymnocarpa, Golden 

 Feather, and Ten-Week Stocks, the seeds should be 

 sown at some time during this month. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Catalogues should be ordered from the nurseries, 

 seed houses and implement dealers early, that ample 

 time may be had in studying up one's needs. First 

 come flrst served Is the rule In tilling orders by those 

 who furnish stock, so there is no danger of making out 

 orders too early. Better have them reach the nursery 

 a month before spring, thus securing the stock early, 

 than to get there so late that planting may be delayed 

 dangerously. Seeds especially should be gotten around 

 early In anticipation of early sowings. 



Flower Beds. As no one ever thinks of planting the 

 same beds alike year after year, so the sooner the 

 coming season's plans are studied out the better for 

 gettlug up the needed stock by plauting time. 



Hollyhocks. By sowing seed now lu the window or 

 under glass, and plauting out In May. these plants will 

 flower as annuals in September. 



Hybrid Perpetual Roses earthed up a foot deep for 

 the winter are sure to come through safely. If this 

 was not done In the fall, coal ashes from the stove may 

 yet be applied instead. Whenemptjing them sprinkle 

 with water to prevent their blowing away. 



