228 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



July, 



Correspondents are urged to anticipate the season in pre- 

 sentina questions. To ask, for instance, on April lb or p 

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

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

 would be unseasonable. Questions received before the IZth 

 of any month stand a good chance of being anstoered m the 

 next paper. Not more than three questions should be sent 

 at onetime. Ansteers to questions bearing »n thet-om- 

 varjitive value of implements, etc , offered by different 

 dealers must not be ej-pected. Neither can we promise to 

 comply lotth the request sometimes made to "please answer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name 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 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unUss 

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



767. Nitrate of Soda. There is much talk of " nitrate 

 of soda" as a fertilizer. What uame does It appear 

 under in commeree. as I do not find it in the eatalo(?ues? 

 Is it "soda ash." or "sal soda" or "sal nitre?" I dou t 

 want the wrong article.— L. B., JVew York. 



768. Maggots in Onions. I wnul<i be glad for Infor- 

 mation ou keepiuK the maggots from destroying Seed 

 Onions.— T. O. V., Hamilton, Ontario. 



7t)9. Soil for Roses, I am determined to plant some 

 Roses another season despite some say they will not 

 succeed in my soil, which is of a gravelly nature. What 

 advice can you give. 'nprtM.arin^ it y \V..iild the " sand- 

 wich style "of layers ufroth-n rnaiiurr an. 1 soil eighteen 

 inches "deep be a goutl plan.— M. M, <)., 7i«gn Co., Pa. 



770. Raising Liliums From Seed. Last year I saved 

 some Lily seed, but which I neglected to sow out of 

 ignorance as to how to proceed. Desiring to save seed 

 again this season, I would be glad for Information on 

 sowing the same.— Mrs. K.. Bangor, Maine. 



771. Sowing Wallflowers. Will some rea<ler give 

 instructions for raising these old-fashioned pot plants 

 and oblige Amateur? 



772. Strawberry Runner Cutting. Is there not some 

 device for expediting the cutting of Strawberry run- 

 ners? By answering you will oblige C.H.R. ,Erie Co. , Pa. 



773. Indelible Ink for Zinc Labels. Can an Ink be 

 readily prepared that will be indelible on zinc labels? 

 If so. how? 



774. Curled Leaf on the Peach. I send samples of 

 curled leaves taken from my Peach trees, and which I 

 desire t-o know the cause and cm-e of. The leaves in 

 time fall. Is it the fault of the soil or the culture?- 

 W. L. R.. Douglassville, Ga. 



775. Mushroom Culture, (a) Can Mushrooms be 

 gi-own in a semi-dark cellar? (b)Can they be grown 

 there in winter without artificial heat beyond the 

 manure, the cellar never freezing? (c)How often must 

 the beds be made over and the spawn be renewed?— 

 E. A. W., Chicago, III. 



776. Improving Tankage. WiU ashes or lime in- 

 crease the value of tankage from [we presume meat] 

 packing houses?— J. K. H., Indej^endence, Iowa. 



777. Propagating Clematis. Would you favor reader 

 In the methods of propagating this interesting class of 

 plants?— May. 



778. Bark Lice on Apple. I enclose some Apple 

 twigs that are affected by a scale like insect. I can find 

 no remedy in my horticultural reports, so I look to you 

 for aid.— S. C. L., Huron Co., Mich. 



779. Best Keeping G-rapes. Will some of your read- 

 ers who have tested the relative value of different 

 Grapes for winter keeping tell a young grower which 

 are the best among standard varieties for the purpose? 



780. Summer Pruning for Raspberries. Which is 

 considered the best, pinching or not pinching the canes 

 of this fruit in summer? 



781. Ants in the G-reenhouse. These insects have 

 proved a great trouble here of late. What would you 

 consider tne best course to eradicate them?— J, G. S., 

 Camden, N. J. 



782. Aphis on Cherry and Plum. How can my trees 

 be ridden of this pest?— M.. Alton, III. 



783. Old Cucumber Seed; Why the Best? Generally 

 the advice is given to sow fresh seed; why then Is old 

 seed of Cucumbers considered the best?— Learner, 

 Georgetown, D. C. 



784. Unpruned Roses. We have seen the course of 

 never pruning Hardy Roses recommended,. What is 

 generally thought of the plan by Rose growers?— C. A., 

 Providence, R. I. 



785. Night Soil and Sewage. What is considered to 

 be the value of this for fertilizing purposes as com- 



fiared with ordinary barnyard manure? I refer both 

 o the solids and liquids as they would be taken from 

 a tight vault.— W. R. L., Miami Co., Ohio. 



786. Nitrate of Soda— Ammonia Salts, Such fre- 

 quent reference Is made to these articles for fertilizing 

 purposes that I wish some one wcuild tell us more about 

 their true value.— W. R. L., Miami Co., Ohio. 



787. Salt for Quince, etc. Is salt of value for Quince 

 or any other trees? — C. D., Orange Co., N. Y. 



788. Manuring for Strawberries. I desire to plant 

 Strawberries somewhat largely but am confronted 

 with the fact that stable manure Is difficult. In fact 

 almost Impossible, to procure for liberal use. Has there 

 been any successful experience in this line with the 

 use of other manures that can be reported for my 

 benefit?- A. L., Crawford Co., Kansas. 



789. Fuchsias in Pots. Will some reader kindly tell 

 me the best compost for pot Fuchsias?— F. W. W. D. 



790. Hen Dung for Gardens. I would be glad If 

 some reader who has had experience In the matter, 

 would tell me the best way to apply fowl manure for 

 the cultivation of both vegetables and Mowers grown 

 outdoors or In pots. My garden has been neglected. 



and Is infested with wire-worms. How can I exter- 

 minate them?— E. A. N,. Madison, Wis. 



791. Perennial Phloxes Dying. Some of my plants 

 of Hardy Phloxes iiave died before my eyes, and I can- 

 not account for It. Will some one advise?— E. A. N., 

 Madiso7i, Wis. 



792. Culture of Day Lilies. Will any one inform 

 me how I should proceed In the culture of Day Lilies 



{HeinerocaUis)l Few. If any, of my plants succeed.— Q. 



793. Market Hydrangeas. In the market I see Hy- 

 drangeas with only one stem and a large head of flowers 

 upon them; they are grown in 5 inch pots. Probably 

 some city florists understand the system adopted 

 and could tell me how such are grown, when the cut- 

 tings should be taken, and how they are managed. I 

 have tried it but failed.— Stew a rton. Nebraska. 



794. Gooseberries Mildewing. My Gooseberries 

 have mil.icwe.l badly Jn past seasons. If there is a 

 method of treating them to prevent this 1 should like 

 to learn of it.— Charles W. T., Berrien Co., Mich. 



795. Asparagus Turning Green. How can white 

 Asparagus be prevented from turulug green when 

 standing a day or two after cutting ? 



796. Copperas. What value has it as a plant stimu- 

 lant? How to use ou Potatoes?— Patron. 



797. Rust on Raspberries. How to get rid of It? 



798. Roses from Cuttings. Will some one please 

 tell how to raise Roses from cuttings without a green- 

 house?— S. E. Suanton. 



799. Worms on Grape-vines. How shall I keep the 

 worms from eating them up? London purple and 

 Paris green do no good.— E. P. Fisher. 



8UU. Coal Slack for Heavy Soil. («> Will It pay to 

 haul soft coal slack two miles to mix with a heavy 

 garden soil that bakes when it rains to lighten it, or 

 would it pay better to haul sand four miles? (6) Does 

 the slack contain any plant food at all?— W. D. Hill-s. 



801. Fir Tree Oil. What i8it?-G. J. P., Oneida, N.Y. 



802. Cultivating Native Cherries. Are not the best 

 of the native black sand Choke Cherries worth culti- 

 vating?— F. K. P. 



803. Transplanting Tree PEBonies. In what month 

 do Tree Pjeouies transplant best?— F. K. P. 



8(.M. Setting out Strawberries. Can I idant field 



grown plants by July 1.5th, on rich olece of ground, and 

 ave them bear next season, or will it be necessary to 

 get potted plants?— W- D. K. Lee. 



805. Removal of Large Limbs, (a) How large 

 limbs may be safely removed from sound fruit or orna- 

 mental trees If sears are well protected? (b) What 

 month is safest to cut off in? (c) What Is tne best 

 covering for large wounds? The plague of forks split- 

 ting down lu hlgn winds leads me to ask.— F.K. Phoenix. 



806. Mulberry Dropping its Fruit. A Russian Mul- 

 berry five years old has blossomed for three years, but 

 as soon as fruit forms It drops off. What remedy? 

 — W. T., Sayigus, 3Iass. 



807. Clematis in the Nursery. What per cent of 

 first and second year Clematis re-set In nursery will 

 survive the third year? With me many die ofl" In sum- 

 mer from fungus.— F. K. Phoenix. 



808. Increasing Amaryllis Johnsonii. My plant 

 ten years old has never showed increase, how to be 

 treated for effecting this?— S. T.White, Brooklyn, N. Y. 



809. Quantity of Paris Green and London Purple. 

 How much should be used per gallon of water for 

 Potato bugs. Rose slugs, etc.— H. C, Ironton, O. 



810. Greenhouse Building. Please give practical 

 Information in regard to greenhouse building and 

 heating.— Geo. B. Richards, Bnehan, Mich. 



811. The Cinnamon Rose, (a) Where can it be ob- 

 tained? (d) Is it known by any othername?- MR.S. S.B. 



812. Black Spot on Roses What is It and how 

 remedied?— Henry Frail, Fi-cdericks, Md. 



813. Stove Plants. What are they ?-S. B. 



814. Forcing Roses in Succession. Would It pay to 

 force American Beauty Roses two winters In succes- 

 sion without rest except by picking buds off in sum- 

 mer ?—H. F. 



815. Works on Botany and G-reenhouse Plants. 

 Please recommend a good book on Botany to learn 

 thoroughly, and one for culture of all kinds of green- 

 house plants?- E. L. 



816. Water in Pipes in Summer, Is it good to let 

 the water run out of the greenhouse pipes In summer? 

 — Emil Lanoe, Sharon, Pa. 



817. Black Ants. How shall I rid my garden and 

 orchard of these;they nip off Currants also Gooseberries 

 after fruit Is formed and quite a size. I have tried 



glckle and have poured parafflne on the hills and set 

 re to them without success.— F. S. H., N. S. 



818. Insects on Grapes. How shall I prevent at- 

 tacks of the bee. when In flower, later the wasp which 

 cuts off the stem, and then the small Insect about the 

 size of a flea?— Fked. S. Hilyard. 



819. Tan Bark Ashes. Is ashes of spent tan-bark 

 a good fertilizer for Onions? If so how to be ap- 

 plied ?-P. B., St. Fi-ancis, Wis. 



820. Hardiness of Roses. Will the Rose Ball of 

 Snow and the Polyantha Roses stand the Michigan 

 winters? 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



753. Bemoving Soot from EvergreeuB. Wc 

 have never had to employ any special means to 

 remove soot from Evergreens, as we have jyener- 

 ally found, however thickly coated they were, 

 that the heavy rains washed it all off. The only 

 remedy that we could suprjfest is to dissolve a 

 little soft .sf)ap in warm water, syringinjr it well 

 on to the foliii>:o whilst waim, and then an hour 

 or so afterwards, thoroughly washing: this off 

 with water throug-h a hose. The soft soap will 



loosen the sooty matter and make it come off 

 more easily. 



760. Killing Quack Grass. Quack Grass (Ti^iti- 

 cum rcpenti) generally called Couch G rass, but also 

 Witch Grass and Twitch Grass, is one of the most 

 difficult to eradicate by ordinary means. There 

 is one sure means, however. Plow the sod near 

 five inches deep. This will give a chance to cul- 

 tivate a good tilth on top. Then every ten days 

 shave the surface clean with a sharp plow, unless 

 you have a Cultivator that will cut every inch of 

 the soil. Continue this plowing every ten days 

 through the season, and the couch grass will be 

 dead unless it may be so wet a season as to inter- 

 fere with plowing. A naked summer fallow will 

 kill any plant, if it be so thorough that the green 

 leaves cannot appear above ground, by prevent- 

 ing gi'owth of roots, and this grass lives and in- 

 creases by means of its creeping roots. 



761. Cats and Gardens. I beg to offer the fol- 

 lowing suggestions on this matter: Procure 

 some empty lobster tins, make four or five holes 

 through the bottom, and tie inside of the tin a 

 piece of nice meat or cooked herring, and lay 

 the tins in the garden. Do not be surprised if 

 you see some of the cats crowned with lobster 

 cans in the morning. Give them a gentle bath 

 of cold water, etc. Then take hold of the can 

 and pull it off. Away runs pussy. Throw the 

 can afttn- her, and lay a few lobster cans in the 

 garden, and I guess pussy will remember the 

 "bonneting" she experienced, and will fight shy 

 of lobster cans in future. The cans fit better if 

 they are rough.— J. H. 



768. Maggots in Onions. It is much to be re- 

 greted that no remedy which may be called 

 satisfactory is known for destroying this insect. 

 The application of soot or lime to the soil, for 

 rendering it distasteful to the maggots has often 

 been recommended, and its use sometimes ap- 

 pears to check their ravages, but that is as much 

 as can be said for them. The somewhat danger- 

 ous (because both explosive and poisoniuis) and 

 abominably smelling drug known as tiisulpiiide 

 of carbon has been used with effect against this 

 I>est according to report. This is applied by 

 pu ncturing the soil where Unions are to a depth of 

 two or three feet, the holes four feet apart each 

 way, and pouring an ounce or more of the 

 bisulphide into each. But this would not be 

 practicable except on a very small scale, owing to 

 the costliness or the drug. The best course of 

 all to pursue is a frequent change of location for 

 the beds. It has been found that by moving the 

 plantation for half a mile from an old affected 

 one, there being an orchard between the two 

 sites, has been the means of securing freedom 

 from its attacks. 



769. Soil for Boses. Gravelly soils are natural- 

 ly of a hungry chaiacter, and therefore will take 

 a good Uberal dressing of manure. Dig it fifteen 

 inches deep only, placing at the bottom of the 

 trench from four to six inches of manure. Do 

 not mix any of the latter with the upper soil, but 

 after the digging is completed, get a few loads of 

 turf parings, road scrapmgs, or ditch scouiings, 

 and spread this over the surface, afterwards 

 working it well amongst the other soil with a 

 fork. This will be a better plan than the " sand- 

 wich style," which does not suit Roses.— A. G. 



770. Raising Lilinms &om Seed. If you had 

 sown the seed as soon as it was gathered in a 

 mixture of sandy loam or leaf mold kept uni- 

 formly moist in a box, or covered with sphagnum 

 in a frame, then placed the box in a warm frame 

 in spring, you would have gained time. With the 

 new seed we advise you to take such a course. 

 The chief point is to maintain constant and uni- 

 form moisture in the soil, as if it gets dry now 

 and then, even for a short time, germination, 

 which is slow, will be materially retarded if not 

 prevented. You give no idea of your culture 

 conveniences, therefore we are unable to give 

 infoiTuation precisely applicable to j^'our case. 

 Some of the seed may germinate this summer, 

 especially in a moist warm frame, but the whole 

 of it may not do so till next spring. You had 

 better therefore not disturb the soil till then, and 

 the plants that appear this season may be left to 



fTow in the box. A cool frame will be suitable 

 or seedlings in summer, or the box ma^ be stood 

 in a shaded nlaee outdoors, such as behind a wall, 

 in hot weatner the soil being liable to get too 

 dry in the full sun. 



788. Manuring for Strawberries. As one in- 

 stance of the successful culture of Strawberries 

 without the use of stable manure we may 

 mention that of Hale Bros, the successful fruit 

 growers of Connecticut. We arc assured that 

 they never apply barn-yard manure directly to 

 their Strawberries. They plant Corn a year or 

 two to clean the land and then sow Rye, which 

 they plow under. This is followed by heavy 

 applications of bone dust and ashes, when the 

 plants are set, followed in summer with nitrate of 

 potash. The ivstilts are very fine berries. We 

 arc acquaint^'d with a large grower in this state 

 who applies no manure except very freely as a 

 top-dressing and mulch in the winter. 



782. Strawberry Runner Cutter. Some of the 

 weed hoes and cultivators made have a circular 

 cutting wheel attachment which with being set 

 to run near the row just ahead of the hoe blades 



