204 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



June, 



{l|^\dR£ 



ANP 



Correspondents are urged to anticipate the season in pre- 

 srnting questions To ask, for instance, on Aprif }^ or 20 

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

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

 tpnutd he unseasonable. Questions rereived before the i2th 

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

 nejrf paper Not more than thre^ questions should he sent 

 at one time. Answers t^ qatstit^ns bcifing nn t c com- 

 fiai-Atire vaiud of imp ements, etc., offered bff different 

 dtaltrs miinf not he e.rpected. Neither can we promise to 

 comply wi,h trie request sometimes made to ^'please answer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to th^ 

 jiame next following. 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. 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 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 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. 



T.i2. Red Raspberry Roots in an Asparagus Bed. 

 How can I ;j;et rid of them withoutiujury totlie Aspara- 

 gus roots ? Woulii a heavy dressing of salt do it safely? 

 — B.. Dnlton, Ga. 



733. Soft-shell Almonds. Will these grow and pro- 

 duee a crop in Hanover Co.. Va. ? How long before 

 they will bear ?— Joe. 



TM. Filbert Culture. How far apart should the 

 bushes be planted, how soon will they bear, and ho^ 

 productive are they i*— Joe. 



TX'j. Parsnip Culture. Will some one favor rae with 

 tlK' <letails of culture for these ?-S. C. L. 



7:K Angle Worms and Carpet Moths. What isthe 

 best destroyer of these insects ?— J.G.R., Detroit, Mich. 



737. Cauliflower Slug. What is the best and most 

 simple remedy ?— U. U. H.. Toronto, Canada. 



738. Layering Strawberry Plants in Pots. As I 

 expect to leave my present place and move to another 

 I desire to layer some StrawbeiTies in pots for removal, 

 and would be glad for information ?— C. C. S., Chautau- 

 qua Co., N. Y. 



739. Watering Strawberry Beds. Is this considered 

 a feasible course where water is not difficult to be had, 

 and how should it be applied? Will watered Straw- 

 ben ies be softer ?—E. L. G., Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. 



740. Wires the First Tear for Grapes. Is more than 

 one wire necessary the first year ?— Vise, Trenton, N. J. 



741. Black Knot on Plums. How is this ailment 

 wldch troubles maiiy trees so badly, to be treated ?— C. 

 N-, Saijgamon Co., Jnd. 



742. Applying Wood Ashes. May they be placed 

 close to the stems of fruit trees and Grape-vines ? 



743. Ashes for Onions. Will they injure garden 

 seeds? I applied some to an Onion bed lately and no 

 seed came up.— W. W. R., Toronto, Out. 



744. Growing Winter Onions. Can you give me a 

 fittle iiiforjnation on the culture of these? Do they 

 need winter protection ?— ASitbscrlber. 



745. Destroying Cut Worms. Can some one tell us 

 what to put on plants to keep off cutworms? They 

 bother early Cabbage and Lettuce mostly. 



74(i. Green Cabbage Worm. What will keep these 

 off uf Cabbage ?— C. M. N. 



747. Evaporated Pine Apple. Have you ever heard 

 of evjipcirated Pine Apple ? Do you think to evaporate 

 this fruit would be practicalile?— G. L. L., Eden, FJa. 



74H. Sawdust for Manure. Is ihis article considered 

 of value f*)r manure, so tliat 511 cents could be paid for 

 a large two-horse load, 1 tn haul it ? 



741'. Salt for Potato Land; Soot. Does salt possess 

 value for applying tu this crop? How about soot ?— 

 L. M., LawreiU'e, Kansas. 



7.50. Worms in Pots and Fern Gases. Both my pot 

 plants and Fern case sliow signs of Angle Worms. How 

 cuu I be rid of them ? 



751. Unhealthy Zonale Geraniums. During the 

 past wititer my pot Gei-uniuins have been utterly lack- 

 ing in vigor and have a bad color, and I wish I knew 

 wliy ?— ANXiors. 



75-*. Culture of Freesias. Will some one please give 

 mc clirectionsfor the cultivation of these bulbs?— W. 

 L., litmnor, Maine. 



753. Removing Soot from Evergreens. Can you 

 recommend me a good way lo thortmghly clean soot 

 oil" Kvergreens, as tliose 1 liavc on a city lot are getting 

 quite disfigured by it ?— K. W. 



7.54. Blackberry Propagation. Will you give best 

 method of growing Blackberries from root cuttings? 



i5.5. Grape-vines from Cuttings. What is the best 

 way to liandle this business ? Should tliey be mulched, 

 aud iiow deep to be planted ?— L. H., Winchester, Iowa. 



75ii. Propagating Magnolia grandiflora. Can you 

 give explicit directions for growing this tree from 

 seed ?— D. W. D., Conta. Barbara Co., Cat. 



757. Potatoes, Two Crops a Season. Please tell me 

 whither 1 i-an dig i'otatoes at maturity, .say about July 

 15. iiiid plant tliem again immediately with any pros- 

 pects of a second iTop ?-B. T. J., Washtngton, D. C. 



75M. Hen Manure for Grapes. Would this be a 

 suitable application, and should it be mixed with ashes, 

 both of which I have ?~Mrs. L., Daviess Co., Mo. 



75!i. Arsenical Poisons and Bees. Wimld not the 

 free use of Paris Green, etc.. for Codling Moth be dan 

 gerous to Bees by their consuming some of the poison 

 for the pests? All are Insects.— Safety. 



71111. Killing Quack Grass. Some years ago seed of 

 this was brought into (mr soil along with Flax, and the 

 plants have proved a terrible pest. How can they be 

 killed ?-L. L. G., Mower Co., Minn. 



7i;i. Cats and Gardens. A remedy to keep these 

 (tuii'lrupeds out of the gunlcn without poisoning would 

 be wortli something. Who will give it ?— Amateur. 



762. Lapageria from Seed. Will you please tell me 



how Ui treat seeds of Lapageria ? 



7t;3. Dutchman's Pipe from Seed. I have tried to 

 raise it from seed many times and failed. Shall I keep 

 rather dry as forCobiea, or all the time moist? Should 

 be thankful for full directions.— Mrs. H. J. G. C. 



764. Dandelions in Meadows. How can laud that 

 is full of these plauts be cured ?— T. L., Anacosta Co., 

 Nova Scotia. 



765. Covering Bare Spaces on Rose Beds. I have 

 two oval beds with standard Roses. What could I plant 

 under them so that the beds would look less bare f 



766. Pruning Marechal Niel Rose. I have a stan- 

 dard planted a year ago against a south wall. Last 

 year it gave only one rose, but made five gof)d branches. 

 In July or August I pinched out the points, thinking to 

 make it flower, but each branch threw out numerous 

 side-shoots. How should I prune it now?— Amateur. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



706. Bartlett Pear Planting. I should plant 

 them sixteen feet in rows, but after the first row 



is planted, set the next row not opposite, but 

 to ran^e midway between thcothers,thus giving 

 a space of a few feet more for each tree.— S. M. 



713. Orchard on Undrained Land. You can do 

 no better than cultivate deep at once, then allow 

 deep surface drains midway between the rows, 

 the way the ground slopes, if ever so little. If a 

 dead level would suggest digging holes through 

 the hard pan 3 feet in diameter, and fill ui> with 

 stones to within 18 inches of the surface, and 

 six inches with hay or straw, then hill up with the 

 clay thrown out. Scatter the rest over the ground 

 evenly, as it will do no harm. Except in excessive 

 wet seasons this is nearly equal to tile drainage. 



714. Eradicating Willow Roots. Grub them 

 off one foot below the surface in June. Then 

 keep all sprouts from getting a start above 

 ground, and by fall you will be rid of them. 

 This will hold good for Sassafras and Persimmon. 

 But few will be found the following year. The 

 lea\'es are the lungs of a tree or plant, and by 

 keeping them down the root must die.— S. M. 



695. Propagating Cut-leaved Maple. This 

 Maple had its origin on my place at Lacon, Ills. 

 It may be propagated by grafting or by budding 

 on the common White Maple {Acer dasyc^arimm) 

 or by cuttings in the propagating house. Bud- 

 ding is the most certain way, done at the usual 

 time or in July and August. I have succeeded 

 fairlj'' well in grafting it by the usual forms in 

 spring. It is fully hardy and among the most 

 desirable of weeping or drooping deciduous 

 trees.— D. B. Wier. 



723. Wood Ashes for Plum and Peach Trees. 



Unleached wood ashes is the best special fertil- 

 izer for all stone fruits. It is always ai'ceptable, 

 especially on sandy soils. Leached ashes have 

 about one-fourth the value of unleached. A 

 heav\ ai"i'lit--ationof leached ashes would greatly 

 benefit a stiff" clay soil — D. B. W. 



735. Parsnip Culture. The soils most suitable 

 for Pai'snips are deep loams upon a dry and 

 open subsoil, but I have grown heavy-weights 

 on many different kinds of soil that are deep 

 and in high condition. They will not thrive on 

 the lightest gravelly soil that has not been high- 

 ly aud constantly manured, nor on poor, stiff, 

 adhesive clays that are not well drained. It may 

 be taken as a rule tliat where the Carnjt does 

 well, there also will the Parsnip flourish. The 

 manuring should consist of a heavy dressing of 

 rich faimyard manure in autumn— say twenty 

 loads to the acre. This should be at once ploughed 

 in, and a top-dressing of forty bushels of ashejn, 

 or some other artificial manure, should be given 

 as .soon as the young plants are seen through the 

 sui'face in the following spring. The land should 

 be ploughed deeply in autumn and again cariy 

 in spring. Thus, being exposed to frost on l)oth 

 sides of the furrow, a gof)d tilth may Itc rrrk- 

 onedon. Thesecond ploughing should hf<|repfr, 

 if possible, than the first; thus the nuuniif will 

 be brought near the snrf ace tosupport the plants 

 in early growth. The liest tiine for sowing is as 

 soon as the soil works up tinely. The seed should 

 be covered lightly rithi-i- on the flat or on ridges. 

 The comm(fn iilaii is to sow on the fiat; the ridge 

 syst<!m is only I'racticed where the land lacks 

 dei)th of soil. The seed should tie drilled ut the 

 rate of four pounds per iu-n\ ami !»■ lightly har- 

 rowed in. As soon as the surface is diy, a light 

 rolling will leave the surface even, ami in a good 

 state for hoeing. The rows of Parsnips should 

 be drilled 14 inches apart., and the plants stand in 

 the row 10 inches apart. Hoeing suould Ik' com- 

 menced as soon as the i)lants are sufficiently 

 strong not to be smothered, and the process 

 should be repeated over and over again until the 

 plants become too large. Those that run to st^ed 

 should be carefully removed. Parsnips are a 

 profitable crop to grow near any good market if 

 the cidtivating is thoroughly done.— A. H. E. 



(il7. Grafting Several Sorts on the Same Tree. 

 Unless the trees were carefully watched, this 

 would ja-ove very unsatisfactory in the long run, 

 as the strong growing varieties would eventually 

 rob thcKse of weaker growth of their share of 

 nourishment.— C. E. Parnell. 



734. Herbaceous Plants from Seed. You will 

 not have much difficulty in obtaining seed of a 

 large number of the finest of the herbaceous 

 plants, and if you make a beginning within the 

 next month you will be able to raise a stock that 

 will bloom satisfactory next year. The best 

 course will be to obtain the seed at once, and 

 sow immediately it comes to hand, to afford the 

 seedlings time to become strong by the autumn. 

 It is a very general practice to sow seed of herb- 

 aceous plants in July and August, and when it is 

 of no consequence whether they flower or not 

 the following year, nothing can be said against 

 it. But when it is desired to have them in bloom 

 as soon as possible, sowing in May or the early 

 part of June is essential. Many of the subjects 

 can be successfully raised in the open, but when 

 a few plants only of each are wanted, the pref- 

 erable practice is to sow in pans, and then place 

 them in a cold frame, where they should remain 

 until the seedUngs are strong enough to be fully 

 exposed. Pans of moderate depth and about 

 twelve inches in diameter should be employed, 

 and be tilled to nearly one-third of their depth 

 with crocks. For filling, the mixture consisting 

 of three parts friable loam, two parts leaf- 

 mold and one part sand will answer very well 

 It is a good rule to sow thinly and cover lightly, 

 and as the seed is sown place the pans in a 

 frame occupying a shady position, and keep 

 quite close until the seedlings are beginning to 

 make their appearance. Ventilation must then 

 be commenced, and be gradually increased until 

 the seedlings can be exposed without experienc- 

 ing a cheek. When of sufficient strength prick 

 them out on a bed in an open position, and in 

 September transfer them to the bordei-s in which 

 they are t^ bloom. 



727. Wood Ashes for Plum and Peach Trees. 

 No better fertilizer can be obtained for Plum 

 and Peach trees than wood ashes, but would not 

 advise mixing with the soil when planting. It is 

 better when applied on the surface after the 

 trees are planted and have made a start into 

 gi'owth. In a Peach orchard planted a few years 

 ago an application of barnyard manure was 

 made on the surface to about one-half of the 

 trees, and the other half a good sprinkling of 

 unleached ashes were applied. A decided differ- 

 ence of the effects of the fertilizers was seen on 

 the following season's gi'owth. While the barn- 

 yard manure served as a mulch, and to a great 

 extent a fertilizer, still the trees which had the 

 wood ashes applied not only made a much 

 stronger, sturdier growth, but the foliage had a 

 much darker color, showing how much more 

 beneficial they were for the trees' growth over 

 the barnyard manure. Of course on every kind 

 of soil the benefit would not be so much, as soil 

 having a good supply of potash would not prob- 

 ably show such a large nor so strong a growth. 

 My soil is a clayey loam, and rather deficient in 

 potash, hence, to a great extent, the benefit of 

 the ashes ; but on fruit trees of all kinds, and on 

 all soils, an application now and again of wood 

 ashes is a decided benefit.— Mansfield Milton. 



till. Golden-leaved Syringa. I don't know 

 which of these two plants you refer to, but will 

 tell what I know about them. Philadelphus 

 coronarius foliis aureis is the Golden-leaved 

 Syringa or Mock Orange. It is a free-growing 

 shrub of rounded habit, with golden leaves, 

 which retain their C()lor in summer very well. 

 The flowers are produccMi in Jime. They are 

 very fragrant, and of a pure white color. The 

 other, Syringa vulgaris fitliis aureis, is the Gold- 

 en-leaved Lilac, and is itlcTdical in all respects to 

 the common Purjile Lilac, c\<epting in the color 

 of its foliage, which is of a yellowish green. 

 Both of these shrubs can be procured of Parsons 

 & Sons CV)., Flushing, N. Y.—V. E. P. 



63H. Pine Spines and Strawberries. My expe- 

 rience with Pine Spines has been so unsatisfac- 

 tory that I would not advise anyone to use them 

 f4)r the puriiose indicated. They only harbor or 

 are the cause of many fungoid pests, which will 

 ntit ouly destroy or injure the present crop, but 

 all those that succeed it.— C. E. P. 



(>4t). Celery in Sawdust.- Celery will not keep 

 when packed in sawdust in a ceUar.— C. E. P. 



TUT. Winter Apples for Northern Ohio. The 



Northern Spy and Baldwin are the best for such a 

 iocatiiai. They are thrifty, bearevenl>' ami are 

 well known in market. The Baldwin is subject 

 to bitter rot when trees are young. Grct-ning i.s 

 ashy bearer. Spitzenburg, Belmont and Peck's 

 Pleasant do fairly well.— E. H. Cushman. 



(»:i">. Fertilizer for Potatoes. Yes, I should say 

 it would injure the seed if dropped upon it. Why 

 not scatter it in the drill and thf)roughly incor- 

 poi-ate it with the soil before dropping the seed. 



6H(i. Olea fragrans. I fear your plant is past 

 all help. You should have removed the scale 

 the very instant you noticed them, and not per- 

 mit them to overrun and destroy the plant. If 

 the plant li\ cs until warm weatner sets in, you 

 may plant it out in a nicely prepared border "in a 

 partially shaded situation and sec what it will do. 

 Keep off the scale by carefully washing, and 

 water sparingly at the roots imtil it is planted 

 outside and growth commences. — C. E. P. 



