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POPULAR GARDENING. 



March, 



differont ones, of many shades and markings, it is 

 impossible to enumerate them; the wnter grew 

 last season over thirty distinct varieties, each one 

 a g-em in itself. Be careful to purchase your 

 seeds of some well-known dealer, as nothing is 

 more disheartt'ning than to have weak plants, of 

 inferior blooms, that die easily.— Cottage Hearth. 

 The Forest Grove. When I went into Noith- 

 western Iowa some 16 years ago, not a tree or 

 shrub was to be seen for miles in any direction. 

 Some eight years ago, my boys picked up and 

 planted i^erhaps half a bushel of Soft Maple 

 seeds. They grew quioklj- and are now trees 40 

 to 50 feet high, and six to eight inches through. 

 Cottonwoods planted t-en years ago are .50 to 60 

 feet high and eight to twelve inches in diameter. 

 We planted in rows eight feet apart, putting the 

 Cotton woods, (the fastest growei*s), by themselves 

 in the intermediate rows each way, to cut them 

 out when of sutficient size, and thus give the 

 Maples and Box Elders room to grow. We also 

 planted White Ash, Elms, Catalpa, and European 

 Larch. Except with the Soft Maples and Box- 

 Elders, we found it most desirable to plant out 

 seedlings or sprouts as thick around as from the 

 size of a pipe stem to twice that diameter. The 

 land had been previously cultivated; and after 

 the trees were set, we planted Potatoes between 

 the rows each way. Of course, after the trees 

 get large enough to shelter the gi-ound there is 

 no need of further cultivation. Every one can 

 get enough seeds and sprouts for a small grove if 

 he will only use the opportunities that occur. 

 Start the soft-wooded, quick-growing groves 

 first. Then, whenever you find opportunity, 

 plant or transplant right in amongst these the 

 more highly prized kinds. This is the method 

 that Nature pursues.— G. W. B., in Farmer. 



Vegretable Products on the Table. 



Fig Pudding. One-half pound Figs, one-half 

 pound bread crumbs, six ounces moist sugar, six 

 ounces beef suet, two eggs, a little nutmeg, and 

 one cup of milk. Figs and suet to be chopped 

 very fine, mix all well and steam in a mold or 

 steamer three hours. 



Hot Slaw. Put finely shaved Cabbage into a 

 stewpan, with a piece of butter and salt to taste. 

 Pour in just water enough to prevent it from 

 sticking to the pan. Cover it closely and let it 

 stew; stir it frequently, and when it is tender add 

 a little vinegar and serve it hot.— N. Y. Tribune. 



Potato Puif. Two cupfuls mashed Potatoes, 

 two tablespoonf uls melted butter; stii- these, with 

 a seasoning of salt, to a light, fine, creamy con- 

 sistency. Beat two eggs separately and add, with 

 six tablespoonfuls of cream. Beat all together 

 well and lightly. Pile in an irregular, jagged 

 form in a dish. Bake in a quick oven till nicely 

 colored.— Farm and Home. 



Salsify or Vegetable Oyster. Of a number of 

 ways of prejiaring Salsify or Oyster root, this is a 

 favorite with us: Scrape the roots and boil until 

 tender, in salted water, drain off all the water 

 and mash very fine, then add one or two eggs, 

 according to the quantity you have, dredge in a 

 little flour, add pepper and salt and fry in butter. 

 Another way: Scrape the roots, then grate them 

 raw, and add eggs, pepper and salt and fry in 

 bu tte r. — H ou seh ol d . 



Bean Soup. A New York Tribune correspond- 

 ent's method is to soak a pint of Beans over 

 night, boil them in a quart of water, with a lump 

 of soda large as a bean, half an hour. Drain off 

 the water, put in a quart of cold water, with half 

 a pound of fresh lean beef cut up in inch-square 

 pieces; boil slowly three hours, and as the water 

 wastes add boiling water. Just before taking up 

 season with salt. The liijuor drained off makes a 

 good dish for an invalid. 



Farmers' Fruit Cake. S<iak three teacupfuls 

 dried Apples in warm water over night; in the 

 morning drain and choji fine. Simmer two hours 

 in two cups of molasses. W^hen cold add a cup 

 of brown sugar, half leaspoonful cloves, a tea- 

 spoonful cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg, a cup 

 of butter, two eggs, a cup sour milk, four cups 

 fiour, and a large teasi)oonful soda dissohed in 

 three teaspoonfuls hot water, and a cup raisins 

 dredged with Hovn-. This will make two loaves. 

 —Rural New Vttrker. 



Preserving Oranges, choose fresh Oranges 

 with a firm, smooth peel, and i)ut them for a 

 night into cold water. The next day they are 

 boiled in a deep pan with much water fully half 

 au hour. The fruit swims on the top, so one 

 must be very careful, and with a spoou turn 

 them oft^-n to have them alike throughout. The 



Oranges are then put into an earthen basin filled 

 with cold water until cold and laid on a sieve or 

 cloth during the night in a cold place. The next 

 day the Oranges, without peeling, are di\ided 

 into six or eight pieces, according to the di\isions, 

 and put into tin cans; finely powdered refined 

 sugar poured upon them, so that they are quite 

 covered, the lid soldered on, and boiled from 

 twenty to twenty-five minutes. If the Oranges 

 are put into glasses, they are eovere'd with boiled 

 sugar, which is poured away after a few days, 

 boiled again, and poured o\er the fruit until the 

 third day, when the glasses are corked and covered 

 with bladder, which is tied on. Gla.sses have this 

 advantage, that the contents may be taken out 

 by degrees; when a tin box is opened it must be 

 used up (luickly. —Boston Transcript. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Begonia. The Weltonieusis, one of the best, should 

 be cut down about this time, if unattractive looking, 

 and given a dry -soil rest for six weeks. 



Carnations Young plants for next winter's bloom 

 should have much light and air, but not much heat, 

 until planting out time, a month or two later. 



Chrysanthemums. -4 s young plants are obtained, 

 they should be given a light airy place, to urge them 

 on, the hot-bed being a very suitable place. 



Dormant plants in the cellar or pits, such as Olean- 

 anders, Hydrangeas, Cactuses, Lantauas, Pomegran- 

 ates, Laurestlnus, and so on, that can be accommo- 

 dated in the window, may now be brought In. Where 

 room for them is lacking, they can remain at rest until 

 the season allows of moving outdoors. 



Gas. Its use for iilumiuating is a drawback to plant 

 cultiu-e in the same rooms. If the plants can at night 

 be cut off by partitions, or moved to uuUghted rooms, 

 it should be done. If not, harm may largely be pre- 

 vented by capping them with paper covers, while the 

 gas is lighted. Plants are better off. for being in rooms 

 that are never lighted much artificially. 



Geraniums propagated this month make the best 

 plants for next winter's bloom. Grow in pots; keep 

 down the flowers until fall. 



Half-hardy plants kept in pits must receive plenty 

 of air on the mild days now at hand. 



Insects. Be vigilant in meeting these now. for at uo 

 other season do they naturally increase more rapidly, 

 if once they get a start. It is well to keep them so 

 scarce that the thumb nail remedy is all that is needed. 



Oxalis are now at their best, provided they have 

 plenty of sun; In the shade the flowers do not open. 



Propagation. This is the most suitable sea.son for 

 general propagation. Cuttings of soft-wooded plants 

 like Cieraniums, Coleus, Petunias, etc.. are now very 

 readily struck in sand, in a light, warm place. Choose 

 such slips as are neither over-hard nor yet very .soft. 



Richardia for pots should be started this mouth. 



Shades provided for the sunniest windows during 

 mid-day are a good thing. Primula flowers and Camel- 

 lia plants especially receive injury if not shaded. 



Soil for pot plants should be carefidly prepared 

 always. For this there is no better foundation than 

 well decayed turf that is full of root fibers. Many 

 plants would need nothing more; strong feeders should 

 have manure added. Perhaps the soil that will best 

 suit the majority is two parts decayed turf to one part 

 of well-rotted manure. 



Violets for winter bloom; treat as for Carnations, 



Watering needs close attention at this time. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Beds and Borders. Snch as are unoccupied to be 

 heavily manured, this to be dug in deeply, allowing 

 the surface to remain rough for the present. 



Box Edgings should be taken up, divided and reset 

 early in the spring. Plant deep and firm the ground 

 well around the plants. Old edgings may be trimmed 

 t^iwards the end of the month. 



Dahlias and Cannas. Tlie varieties of these which 

 it Is desirable to increase may now be started into 

 growth with a view to division later ou. 



Dutch Bulbs in beds and borders to have their cov- 

 eiing gradually removed after the ndddle of the month. 



General. I'sually March weather is so variable that 

 liltle work can be done in this department, but every 

 thing should lie had in readiness, so that Jf the weather 

 Is at all faviirable, operations can be conmienced. 



Herbaceous Plants. Treat as for Duti-h Bulbs. 



Lawns. A thorough raking, rolling, and re-seeding 

 vviierever needed is work for as soon as the ground 



becomes settled. Ground for new lawns to be well 

 and deeply prepared, and the grass seed to be sown as 

 early as possible. 



Manure spread around trees, shrubs, etc., last fall 



to early be dug under. 



FcEonJes. If large clumps are to be divided or new 

 stock is to be planted, it should be attended to as soon 

 as ever the weather permits, for these roots are im- 

 patient of late handling. 



Planting of ornamental trees, shrubs, t^ be proceeded 

 with as soon as the ground Is in a proper condition. 

 The earlier these are planted after the soil is fit the 

 better for their well doing later on. 



Plants. Half hardy species as Penstemons, Euony- 

 qius, Aucubas, etc.. that were wintered over in cold 

 frames should be given air freely with a view of plant- 

 ing them out as early as possible in order that they 

 may become well established before hot. dry weather. 



Roses. The Prairie class is to be treated as advised 

 for vines. If the weather permits the Hybrid Perpet- 

 uals and Moss may be uncovered, trimmed and given a 

 good dressing of manure. The Teas and Bourbons be- 

 ing more tender should have only a portion of the cov- 

 ering removed this month. New beds and borders can 

 be prepared, so that the ground may become settled 

 before planting. 



Shrubs to be trimmed, cleaned of dead wood, etc., 

 while those that require support should be furnished 

 w*ith and neatly tied to stout stakes. 



Vines. These may be trimmed and tied In their 

 respective places by the end of the month. A dressing 

 of well decayed manure may in early spring be worked 

 in around their roots to great advantage. If more are 

 to be planted see that the soil Is both rich and deep, es- 

 pecially if they are to be placed near or under trees. 



Walks to be early raked, rolled, and put in order. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER CLASS. 



Achimenes. Some of the tubers should be started 

 each month up to May for a succession of bloom 

 When they show an inch or two of growth transplant 

 into the pots Into which they are to grow. The plants 

 need heat, moisture and shade; they are a class well 

 worth the attention of amatem-s. 



Begonias belonging to the ornamental-leaved class 

 should now be having plenty of root encouragement to 

 push them rapidly along in growth. 



Camellias as they go out of bloom should receive 

 a higher temperature, say (iiv- at nignt and a moist at- 

 mosphere, with shade from the sun's rays, for this is 

 the season of new growth. Shifting into pots one size 

 larger than before occupied should precede growth. 



Cinerarias neglected but once to suffer from drought 

 —and they now need much wat«r— will show it very 

 perceptibly In foliage and bloom. Guard against It by 

 all means. Air freely. Use licpud manure often, noth- 

 ing will help them more. 



Double Primroses propagate now from slips. 



Gloxinias. The du-ectlons for Achimenes will apply. 



Orchids will require au abundance of atmospheric 

 moisture now, and geueral attention to plants newly 

 potted, and those coming Into growth. 



Palms. To raise from seed, sow all such now. 



Pelargoniums need close attention. Air strong 

 plants freely, and give liquid manure once a week. 



Propagation of Coleus, Alternautheras, Heliotrope, 

 Verbenas, Climbers and Droopers for summer use may 

 still go on. Also of all winter flowering plants for 

 the coming season. 



Roses. Be not deceived by the brightness outside into 

 admitting air too freely upon these, for this is a com- 

 mon cause of mildew. Air must be admitted, but 

 when raw and chilly only in small streams and on the 

 side away from the wind. 



Watering. Now that growth is rapid, too much at 

 tentlon cannot be given to watering. The houses must 

 be gone over on every bright day with pot or hose, and 

 some plants will even need looking after several times 

 daily all through the spring season. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Blackberries. If new plantations are to be made the 

 plants should be set out very early. Place them In 

 rows six feet apart, the plants at two feet In the row. 



Currants. lu forming new plantations set the plants 

 out as early as the soil works up well, and place them 

 in rows four feet apart each wa.v. 



Cuttings of Currants and Grapes should be planted 

 very early, of such kinds as It Is desirable to Increase. 

 To take such off close to the old wood, they will be 

 more certain to root than if made from long pieces cut 

 up. Set at a depth so that but one eye of the Grape cut- 

 tings and two of other kinds show above the ground. 



Fruit trees should be ordered promptly if not already 

 done, for they should be planted as soon as the ground 

 is in a proper condition. Unpack carefidly as soon as 

 they arrive, and if not ready to plant heel them in. 

 This Is done by opening a trench, placing the trees in 

 it In a slanting position, covering the roots and half the 

 stem with earth. Work the earth carefully among the 

 roots. Here they will remain without Injury for sev- 

 eral weeks, but the .sooner planted the better. 



Gooseberries. Directions for Currants will apply. 



Grafting may be comnunued by the end of the month 

 if there is much to be done, eoniuienciug with Cherries 



