ii6 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



March, 



the box dally so as not to have them leaning 

 one way too much. I am not posted as to 

 the best early Tomatoes,but the Early Jersey 

 Wakefield and early Winnlngstadt Cabbages 

 are our favorites. 



The Sowing of Fine Seeds. 

 Those who have occasion to sow the finer 

 kinds of seed like Echeveria, Calceolaria, 

 Mimulns, and even Tobacco seed, know the 

 difficulty of succeeding with them, for no 

 other reason than that of their minuteness. 



The iSowing of Fine Sewfc.-. 



Cover such seeds mvich with the finest sifted 

 soil and the seedlings have difficulty to pene- 

 trate to the surface. Let the cover be very 

 light and there is danger that the seeds will 

 dry out injuriously to the germs. In either 

 case much difficulty arises from watering, for 

 the finest rose will wash and disturb the soil 

 and the seeds detrimentally. 



To overcome all ordinary difficulties of 

 sowing such seeds we have for years em- 

 ployed the means which we illustrate here- 

 with. This consists of first carefully preparing 

 the seed pot for sowing by providing ample 

 drainage in the bottom, including an iu- 

 verted small pot, as shown in the engraving. 

 Over the drainage is placed a layer of finely 

 sifted soil, to be, say two inches deep, and 

 on which, after firming it evenly with the 

 bottom of another pot, the seed is sown. 

 The seed is scattered as evenly as possilile 

 over the surface, and if it be covered at all 

 (a thing not absolutely necessary) the coat Is 

 a very light one indeed, and consisting of 

 the finest of soil. 



The peculiarity of the method consists in 

 never applying a drop of water directly to 

 the surface of the seed bed. A first watering 

 of the soil is accomplished by holding the 

 pot to half its depth in a pail of water until 

 the earth is thoroughly moistened by the 

 water entering the hole beneath. Then over 

 the top of the pot is placed a cover of strong, 

 white paper, the best kind of printing paper 

 answering, and this is tied dowTi under the 

 rim of the pot. On this paper water is poured, 

 which soon causes a depression in the center 

 that will contain a fourth inch or more in 

 depth of water at the center. 



All the attention the pot now needs is to 

 keep water on the paper. This will provide 

 all the moisture needed to the soil below. 

 The paper should be untied and removed 

 occasionally. After about a week and as soon 

 as the seedlings are faiiiy through, and are 

 forming their second leaves, it must be en- 

 tirely removed, after which watering with 

 a fine rose will do no harm. 



Growing Early Tomatoes. 



A large grower of Tomatoes has found 

 the following plan of raising plants, all 

 that can be desired. He rolls strips of resin 

 paper into cylinders, three inches in diame- 

 ter and six inches deep, locking the ends by 

 driving two tacks through the paper and 

 clinching them on a piece of iron pipe as an 

 anvil or block. These bottomless cups are 

 arranged in the frame and filled with the 

 soil in which the seed is planted. When 

 the plants are ready to set out they are 

 large and well rooted, and are transplanted 

 with the cylinder around them. This is 



slipped up so as to project three Inches 

 above the ground, and making an obstacle 

 over which cut-worms will not climb, and 

 so the danger is evaded, as well as all risk 

 of checking the growth by transplanting. 

 He has set out plants already in blossom 

 without any check by means of this device. 



Dr. Asa Cray. 



W. A. MANDA, CAftlBRIDUE, MA.SS. 



In the death of this distinguished man, of 

 paralysis, on the night of January 30, 

 America lost her greatest botanist, Ha:-vard 

 University one of the most celebrated pro- 

 fessors. aTid the young botanist as well as 

 the public in general a kind teacher and 

 willing advLser in all pertaining to nature. 

 The City of Cambridge has also lost an es- 

 teemed citizen, where he was beloved and 

 respected by his many friends. 



Dr. Gray, notwithstanding his study and 

 large daily correspondence, was most happy 

 to help or advise any one that needed his 

 help, either in correcting opinions or naming 

 plants, and thus lots of his valuable time 

 was lost, and often he could be seen at nine 

 or ten o'clock in the evening busy examin- 

 ing his dried specimens and writing his 

 Flora of North America, a work for which 

 only he seemed to live, and yet this only 

 msh of his to complete his great work was 

 not granted him. 



The whole of Dr. Gray's life was that of 

 stvidy and usefulness. No man in this 

 country has ever accomplished so much in 

 this particular branch of science. Distin- 

 guished and honored, not only at home, but 

 in all the civilized world. Dr. Gray remained 

 modest, unassuming and simple, which only 

 added beauty and reverence to his greatness. 

 At his advanced age of 78 he retained his 

 agile step, clear voice and bright eyesight, 

 so that it seemed as if Nature itself in return 

 tor his devotion had him especially favored, 

 for it was only from mature age that he suc- 

 cumbed. But he lives among us still; many 

 of us can remember his pleasant face, those 

 kind words spoken with freedom, and we all 

 see him in his labors he left for the benefit 

 of us all. We all can consult his many 

 books which he wrote during his useful life, 

 as well as the numerous series of articles 

 and addresses in the various periodicals on 

 botany and horticulture, and the transac- 

 tions of the numerous scientific societies 

 of this country, as well as of Europe. 



Resin of the Vine. 



. MARVIN, WATERTOWN, N. Y. 



The resin contained in the sap of our 

 native Grape-vines has, so far as I know, 

 heretofore escaped the observation and study 

 of our own viticulturists. We owe our 

 knowledge of it to the more careful and 

 painstaking studies of the viticulturists of 

 the German experimental stations. 



This finding of resin in the sap of our sev- 

 eral native species of vines throws light 

 upon and explains why our vines resist the 

 attacks of tlie Ph ijlUixcra vastatrix so much 

 better than foreign vines. Wherever the 

 fiber of the roots become punctured by the 

 beaks of these minute insects, the sap ex- 

 udes, carrying with it these resinous com- 

 pounds, sealing and protecting the wounds, 

 so that there is but little waste of the sap, 

 and the wounds are sooner healed, thus pre- 

 venting the rot and destruction that attend 

 such injuries to the roots of foreign vines. 



There is another important ditfereuce be- 

 tween our own and foreign vines e-xplained 

 by this same fact of the existence of resin in 

 our own. I refer to the different styles of 

 pruning common in Europe and our Atlantic 

 States, necessitated by the difference in 

 species of the vines cultivated. 



When we prune our vines according to 

 the several systems practiced in Europe we 



find that after a few years have intervened 

 the wo(jd becomes clogged, the sap does not 

 circulate, the leaves are asphyxiated and 

 fail in their normal action and the vines 

 dwindle. This is caused Ijy the resin of the 

 sap being deposited along the cliannels of 

 circulation and filling up the pores. 



And this factexplains why what is known 

 as the Kelly's Island system of pruning is 

 more successful than any other. By this 

 system there is never any old wood allowed 

 above ground, where the di-j' air hardens the 

 sap and finally destroys the circulation. 

 The moisture of the soil in this system causes 

 a more liquid condition of the sap. with con- 

 sequent freer circulation. 



Let our viticulturists study and attend to 

 this new and important topic. 



A Valuable Transplanter. 



When the annexed engraving of the im- 

 proved two bladed transplanter was made, 

 we were not aware that this implement could 

 be had in America, althcmgh we had known 

 of its use for several years in Europe. Now 

 we are glad to see that several dealers in 

 implements in this country are offering it, 

 and the tool no doubt will soon become 

 familiar with American cultivators. 



The nature and use of the implement is so 

 simple that no description besides the en- 

 graving is required. It is seen at once that 

 its value consists in enabling transplanting 

 to be done easily and quickly, but more im- 

 portant still, without requiring that the soil 

 be loosened from the roots. As much soil 

 as the shovels will hold in their grasp is 

 transplanted along with the plants. Every 

 experienced cultivator understands the ad- 

 vantages to be gained by such a course. 

 There should be little or no wilting of the 

 leaves following on resetting plants, even 

 when in full growth, with this transplanter. 



In almost every department of the nurseiy 

 and garden such a tool could find frequent 

 use. For transplanting young trees, ever- 

 greens, shrubs, roses, hardy plants, etc., it 

 would find perfect adaptation. The same 

 would be true of its use in transplanting 

 Strawberry and other fi-uit plants. Tomatoes 

 and various other vegetable plants, annual 

 flowering plants, etc., to short distances. 

 We think also it could well come into use 

 for the fall-lifting of such of the last named 

 class as are designed to be wintered over. 

 This transplanter is madeinseverel sizes. 



Select Lists of Roses. 



MR.S. L. H. GALE, BARTO.N CO., MO. 



There is so often a call for a select list of 

 Roses, either for their free blooming quali- 

 ties, or vigorous and per- 

 fect growth, that I thought 

 perhaps such a list at this 

 time would be acceptable 

 to a large number of 

 flower lovers. 



In enumerating the 

 most vigorous and free- 

 blooming sorts, we will 

 notice only those easily 

 obtained. Of the Teas the 

 best bloomers are Com- 

 tesse de Labarthe, Som- 

 breuil. Coquette de Lyon. 

 \f Each of these Roses is 

 beautiful, and the rarest 

 Teas e.xcel them only in 

 symmetry or their un- 

 usual mingling of colors. 

 Safrano, Bon Silene and 

 Isabella .Sprunt bloom 

 A raiuabif Trana- quite as freely as those iust 

 planter. , i ^ ^i, • ^ 



mentioned, but their at- 

 traction lies principally in the beauty of 

 their buds, the expanded flowers being quite 

 loose. For cut flowers, bouquets, and par- 

 ticularly for personal adornment, they are 



