i8o 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



May, 



Correspondents are urged to anticipate theseason in pre- 

 senting questions. To ask, for instance, on .-IpWMS or 20 

 what Peas had best be sown, could bring no answer in 

 the May issue, and none ftefore June, when the answer 

 iponld be unseasonable. Questions received before the I2th 

 of any month stand a good chance of being answered in the 

 next paper. Not more than three questions should be sent 

 at one time. Answers to qutstlons he 'ring on tf.e corn- 

 ier Aix^e valne of imp ements, etc , offered by different 

 dealers must not be expected. Neither caji we promise to 

 comply wiih tne request sfimetio.es mode to "please answer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following. 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 rea^-rs. In answering such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. Write only on one side of the paper. 



fi88. Sowing Strawberry Seeds. Please tell how. as 

 I have }4 oz. to plant this spring.— W. A. H., Ray Co., Mo. 



689. Roses; Treatment and Temperature. My col- 

 lection consists of Perle des Jardins, Bride, Niphetos, 

 Bennett. American Beauty, La France, Mme. Cusine, 

 Mme. De Watteville, Brabant, Glorie de Dijon, Safrano, 

 Bon Silene and Sunset. (1) Should I, an amateur, plant 

 then\ outside for the summer or on the greenhouse 

 table to prepare them for winter bloom? (2) I have 

 three houses of about (".5, 55 and 45 degrees night heat 

 respectively, which house would be the best for them, 

 or should they be divided around, and if so. which 

 varieties for which house?— E. K., Orange Co., N. Y. 



fifHl. Lawn on Weedy Land. A yard about lOU feet 

 square and infested with the ordinary and rat tail 

 plantain I desire to make a lawn of. Would you ad- 

 vise cultivation this year to get rid of same? Please 

 give method of making a lawn.— J. H. M,, Boyd Co., Ky. 



691. Mulberries for Profit. Is this fr nit profitable 

 to raise. Which is the best, Russian or Downing's Ever- 

 bearing?-J.C.C., Otsego Co.. jV. Y. 



692. Shortening Hardy Rose Bushes. The bushes 

 in my garden are about 4 feet high, and I want them 

 not over 2% or 3 feet. How should they be cut for 

 effecting this.— E. D. J., Salem, Mass. 



693. Fir Tree Oil. This insecticide recently recom- 

 mended in your paper is not kept by our druggists. 

 Where Is it procurable?— Subscriber. 



694. Evergreens for Texas. Will some one give a 

 list of Evei-greens suitable for this State. The ther- 

 mometer rarely goes as low as 6°.— N., Abilene, Te.vas. 



695. Propagating Cut-leaved Maple. How should 

 Wier's Cut-leaved Maple be propagated. If by grafting 

 or budding at what time and in what st<>ck? 



696. Propagating Weeping Trees. On what stocks 

 are Weeping Willows, Elms and Ashes increased? Can 

 you recommend a book on propagation?— W. H. N., 

 Shelby Co., lU. 



697. Putting up Currants and Gooseberries. Will 

 you give some of the best methods for putting up these 

 fruits for niarket?~E. W. N.. Houlton, Maine. 



698. Started Cucumbers Fairly. I planted them on 

 squares of clayey turf overspread with sand, and cov- 

 ered with sand. They were started near the kitchen 

 stove: grew tall and of good color, but soon one by one 

 wilted, fell over and died. No signs of insects. What 

 was the trouble?— .1. L. P., Union Co., A''. J. 



699. Market Peaches. What varieties, new and 

 old, would you advise me to plant on sandy soil for a 

 succession from August 1st to the end of .season?— 

 J. R. A., Phikideli)hia, Pa. 



700. Non-sprouting Plum Stocks. Are there any 



Chickasaw or Native Plums that are free from the ob- 

 jection of sprouting? The Myroboleau does not sprout 

 like the natives, but it is not quite hardy.— E. P. H., 

 Sterling, Kansas. 



701. Cucumber Pickle Making. How are Cucum- 

 ber pickles made, and in what sized barrels done up 

 for the New York and Boston markets? What varieties 

 are grown? I would be glad for full instructions. 



702. Market for Hoarhound Herb. Is there any 

 sale for this herb, If so who buys it and at what price? 



703. Leading Snap Bush Bean. What Is the lead- 

 ing market variety?— E. C. B., Lanark, III. 



7M. Glass for Palm House. What kind of glass is 

 to be preferred for a Palm house? Is ground glass the 

 Ijest?— A Reader, Stamford. Conn. 



7115. Practical Strawberry Forcing. 1 wish you 

 would give plain, practical directions on this subject 

 looking to profitable culture In hot-beds or artificial 

 heat otherwise.— N. A. C, Melrose. Mass. 



706. Bartlett Pear Planting. What is the closest 

 tliis variety can be planted on a clayey soil of only 

 moderate fertility? Being reputed to be an uprlgnt 

 grower may It not be closer set than spreading sorts? 



7Lt7. Winter Apple for Northern Ohio. Will you 

 name the best variety? Soil rather a thin clay, low, 

 but surface drained.— H. B.. Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 



70S. W on-blooming Oxalis. I want to know why 

 my bulbous Oxalis don't bloom in winter? If I water 

 them In the pots about September they bloom, but they 

 should do so In the winter. I keep them perfectly dry 

 in summer.— A. L., Cleveland, Ohio. 



709. Time for Shrub Pruning. Of a general collec- 

 tion, which should be pruned in the spring and which 

 not?- C. M. L., Erie Co., N. Y. 



710. Injured Morning Glories. How can I prevent 

 the worm from making a home in my Morning Glory 

 blossoms and dcstioying the seed? From hundreds of 

 blooms last year 1 could uot save a seed.— Mrs. S. N. S. 



711. Propagating Clematis, (a) How are the large- 

 flowering varieties propagated? (b) If from cuttings 

 would such as are grown under glass be best? 



712. Clematis Under Glass. Would the plants do 

 well trained uj) the Inside wall of a Orapery?— A. B. D., 

 Purcellville, Va. 



713. Orchard on Undrained Land. The trees, con- 

 sisting of Apple with Peach half way between, have 

 just been set. Soil incliut-d to hold water, and Is nearly 

 K'vei, with not fall enough to drain it. Can you give 

 anv practical method, uot too expensive, of treating it? 

 A,'B., Bullitt Co., Ky. 



714. Eradicating Willow Roots. How may this best 

 be done from a pateh used several years for growing 

 Willows for manufacture?-Ess S. Kay. 



715. Heating With Natural Gas. Will some one 

 with experience give the method for using natural gas 

 to heat a greenhouse with? Would a specially con- 

 structe'd house be best?— C. M. N.. Anderson, Ind. 



716 Blackman Plum Bearing. Can some one tell 

 me if this variety will bear or not? I have i;% planted 

 and am anxious to know.— E. H. B., St. Louis, Mo. 



717. Chinese Lily Treatment. Mine have bloomed 

 in water. Should they be i)lant«d out for the summer, 

 and if .so when should they be taken up for winter 

 blooming?- H. L. T., Cameron, Mo. 



718. Wallflower Culture. When should the seeds of 

 these plants be starts for blooming plants next year ? 



719. Mulching Newly-planted Trees. The advice 

 to practice this Is constantly given. Will you give some 

 instructions to A New Beginner ? 



T3i>. Early Tomatoes. Resin Cup. How do you 



Srepare the resin paper for cylinders recently referred 

 1 ? Is the seed sown directly in the cylinders or trans- 

 planted to them ?— W. E. T.. Evergreen, Ala. 



12\. Raspberry Picking. What Is the best device 

 for pickers to -use to pick Raspberries in ? 



722. Tomato Shipping Package. What is the best 

 package to ship Tomatoes in ? What is better than 

 one half bushel Peach baskets ?— A. M. N. 



Ti^i. Guano Query. I would like to have such light 

 on the general value of this fertilizer as you could give. 

 I am interested in fertilizers, but have never used this. 

 C. C. S.. Olean. N. Y. 



?24. Herbaceous Plants from Seed. I desire to In- 

 crease my cultivation of these and am in need of infor- 

 mation on the subject.— Mrs. C. G., Harrisbnrg, Pa. 



725. Planting Evergreens in Texas. When Is the 

 best time to set these Jn our country? How would the 

 White Pine do here ? 



?26. Book on Nursery Management South. What 

 is the best book in this line for a new beginner ?— L. J. 

 B., Young Co., Te.ras. 



727. Wood Ashes for Plum and Peach Trees. Are 

 such ashes leached (pr unleached good to mix in the 

 soil of the hole when setting these trees; if so. how much? 



728. Salt for Grape-vines. Does salt have value as 

 a fertilizer for the vine, scattering it on top the soil ? 



r29. Bark Coming off Apple Trees. What causes 

 this in pat<.-hes to come off In the crotches of the trees, 

 the wood turning black, and what is the remedy?— J. 

 B.A., Oakland Co., Mich. 



7.30. Fragrant Herb. The enclosed herb of delicious 

 odor I would like to have named. It is easily grown 

 and retains its perfume for years. If it has a market 

 value I would like to know. Subscriber. 



731 . Gladiolus Query. Will you please give names 

 of varieties used in producing the Lemolne Hybrid 

 Gladioluses, and oblige B. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 

 583. Variegated TJmbreUa. The tree usually 



known in the South as Umbrella Tree is Mclia 

 azedarach var. umhracuUfortnU. A variegated 

 leaved form is offered. If this is the tree Inquired 

 about by your correspondent, the treatment is 

 the same as for the plain leaved form, but it is a 

 weaker grower.— W. C. Steele, Switzerland, Fla. 



655. Oleander Culture. E^■ery other year will 

 be sufficient for cban^njr the soil, and the opera- 

 tion should be performed before the plants are 

 placed outside tor the summer.— C. E. P. 



ti57. Ailing Begonia. Nothing can be done to 

 restore the plant to its former beauty and you 

 had better throw it away and start with fresh 

 young- plants,— C. E. P. 



673. Downing Mulberry. The tree is per- 

 fectly hardy in this vicinity, and should be in 

 your state. —<-'. E. P. 



67S. French Daisies from Seed. These plants 

 can be g-rown from seed, but many of the plants 

 will produce small and inferior flowers. You 

 had better purchase a few plants of the several 

 varieties and increase your supply by cuttings, 

 which will r<iot very readily at this season of the 

 year. Plants can be procured of John Saul, Wash- 

 ington, D. C.-V. E. P. 



68;i. Marechal Kiel Eose-Buds Decaying. The 

 trouble is caused by growing the pltmt ina damp, 

 cold atmosphere, a plant in the condition you 

 speak of requires an average temperature of from 

 .56 tn (jO degrees.— r. E. P. 



665. Leached Ashes for Strawberries. Your 

 past experience should be your best guide. For 

 orchard and meadow I would suggest atrial on a 

 small scale.— C. E. P. 



693. Fir Tree Oil. It it= offered by Peter Hen- 

 derson & Co., :t6 and 37 Cortlandt St., New York, 

 and we tliink by some other dealei-s in horticul- 

 tural reciuisites. 



617. Grafting Several Sorts on the Same Tree. 

 In Paso Del NorU' and in El Paso, (this side of 

 river), two Mexican Seedling Pear tree^ over UK) 

 years old, were three years ago grafted with 

 seven kinds of P. -arson one, and nini- on the other. 

 All bore j.irteeTly last yen r on the grafts and they 

 had t^i be thinned to save breaking limbs. All 

 did remarkably well,— I. Weston, El Paao, Te.v. 



699. Succession of Peaches. For an all-season 

 succession of Peaches, suitable for market, for 

 the latitude of Philadelphia and southward, the 

 following are suggested, giving in figures the 

 percent of each which might be found most 

 desirable for marketing purposes. Early Rivers, 2; 

 Foster, 2; Crawford'^s Early, 2; Mountain Rose, 5; 

 Wager, 2; Moon's Favorite, 7; t)ld Mixon, 15; Craw- 

 ford's Late, 12; Stump the World, 16; Fox's Seed- 

 ling, 10; Brandywine, 5; Shipley's Late Red, 2; 

 Beer's Smock, 15; Stephen's Late, 2; Wilkin's Heath 

 Cling, 2; Bilyeau's Late October, 2. 



716. Blackman Plum Bearing. The general 

 verdict against this Plum as a poor bearer is 

 very damaging. So good an authority as H. E. 

 Van Deman,Umted States Pomologist, says it has 

 never yet blossomed or fruited in any nursery he 

 knows of, and that honest nurserymen should 

 bum every tree they have. We know of some 

 trees grown for ten years that have never fruited. 



7(XK Non-Sprouting Plum Stock. I don't know 

 that there are any such, but do know that most 

 seedlings if left undisturbed, and no roots cut,will 

 become large trees without any trouble in that 

 way. But we can get ahead of this matter by 

 growing the Marianna from cuttings and use it 

 as a stock. It is a vigorous grower, (juite hardy 

 here, where the mercury gets down to 'HO degrees 

 below zero, is easily grown from cuttings as a 

 native almost. My impression is that this is its 

 greatest value, unless it proves better hereafter 

 than it has thus far.— S. Miller. 



64H. Myrobolean Plum Stock. In regard to 

 Myrobolean as plum stock I have used it and find 

 it is not quite hardy, does not sprout like our 

 native plums.— E. P. Fisher, Rice Co., Kan.^a^. 



6.59. Gladiolus Query. G. ramomis^the Branch- 

 ing Gladiolus is by some considered to be the 

 finest species of the genus. In favorable situa- 

 tions the flower stem grows about five feet in 

 height, and the plant produces a succession of 

 flowers from June until August. The indi\idual 

 flowei*s are very large and of a rosy blush color 

 with heavy carmine stains on the three lower 

 petals. Introdueedfrora the Capes. G.Gandaveii- 

 si^isof obscure origin. It was claimed by the 

 late Louis Van Hoiute thatit was a cross between 

 G. pottacinus Aud (r. <'miinalis;h\it most of the 

 English writers "lisitute the fact. Still from it all 

 of our fine gai-den varieties have originated, as it 

 crosses freely with all the other species.— C. E. P. 



674. Asparagus tenuissimus. The plant e^^- 

 dently has been improperly treated, and your 

 best course will be to turn it out of its pot, and 

 I'cpot in as small a pot as possible, using fresh 

 compost, and when growth commences shift on 

 into larger pots. If you will adopt the following 

 method there will be no trouble in growing this 

 plant. It should be given a porous or soft-baked 

 pot. one proportionate to the size of the plant, 

 and a compost e<tmposed of two-thirds turfy 

 loam, and one-third well decayed manure. Good 

 drainage is also essential. During the plant's 

 season of growth it should be given liberal sup- 

 plies of water both overhead and at the roots, but 

 when at rest water should not be so freely given. 

 Still at no time should the plant be permitted to 

 become absolutely dry. A light situation and 

 an average temperature of from .55 to 60 degrees 

 are i-equired during its season of growth.— C. E. P. 



690. Lawn on Weedy Land. To start such a 

 lawn an such a Plantain infested plat as you 

 refer to, it would undoubtedly be best to begin 

 the work completely as regards deep cultivation, 

 manuring, etc., this spring, and then defer the 

 seeding until September, in the meantime de- 

 stroying with the hoe and by shallow cultivation 

 all weeds that appear. The principal factor to a 

 good lawn is a deeply loosened and well enriched 

 soil. On a plat of some size the surface and sub- 

 soil plows are the most economical for securing 

 the former condition; on a small plat the spade 

 may take their place. A depth of culture reach- 

 ing 1.5 inches is desirable, while to go even deeper 

 would be an advantage. In all cases the top laj'er 

 of soil shoidd be kept at the top. Before sowing 

 the seed the surface should be made smooth and 

 regular. 



612. China Tree. Melia azedarach is not quite 

 hardy here in Southern New Jersey and would 

 not succeed in the open air without protection 

 much further north. I have one three years 

 planted which killed to the ground the first win- 

 ter, the second winter two feet remained alive, 

 and some three or four feet appears to be alive 

 now. By a heavy mulching with leaves and Pine 

 boughs von could probably grow it as a shrub, 

 cutting it down every spring. Sometimes tender 

 trees suffer less when grown slowly. Some 

 t wenty.vearsago I planted a Pawloniaimperialis 

 in mv garden and at the same time planted one 

 for a neighbor in a very poor, dry grass-plot. 

 Mine made a growth of S to 1(1 feet per year, but 

 has seldom bloomed much and has suffered badly 

 in cold winters, and now has but little life in it. 

 Tiic one in turt grew very slowly for ten years, 

 looking half starved, but retained its growth and 

 now blooms full almost yearly.— W. F. B. 



622. Pears on Light Soil. Bartlett Pears suc- 

 ceed best in o\ir lightest soils, and our light soils 

 are very sandy, hut the sand is not fine. They 

 grow fairer and color better on suchsoils.-W.F.B. 



