240 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



acre are called sufficient, but this is governed 

 by the quality of the marl. The professor 

 says there is little danger of injuring the soil 

 with an excessive dose, as may be done with 

 lime. On grassy lands marl may be applied 

 at any season. It must be finely pulverized, 

 which can be done by freezing better than any 

 other way. — Agricultural College Bulletin. 



Crafting by Approach or Inarching. 



The engravings on this page show one of 

 the oldest and most simple methods of 

 implanting one variety of a plant upon 

 another, that is known, namely, grafting by 

 approach or inarching. The first engraving 

 is that of an East Indian gardener who has 

 nearly completed this operation in the case 

 of two young Mango trees, the one serving 

 as a stock the other as the improved sort 

 grafted upon the stock. The same simple 

 course is applicable also to Grapes, Oranges, 

 Lemons, Camellias, Chrysanthemums, and 

 many other plants. Any amateur may 

 expect to easily succeed with the operation. 



Wbether the stock, that is the part fur- 

 nishing the roots, is growing in the open 

 ground or in pots, the operation is the same; 

 the cion or part to be grafted must be close 

 enough to the stock to admit of their 

 branches being brought together. When 

 seedlings are wanted for stocks the seed 

 may be sown about the base of whatever is 

 to furnish the cions, and can be worked 

 when large enough, or either or both may 

 be in pots, or of some plants the cion may 

 merely be a branch with its stem end in a 

 bottle, tied on the stock wherever required, 

 and filled with water. 



To apply inarching, the stock and cion 

 are to be brought into the proper position 

 for uniting about as shown in figure 1. The 

 chosen branches are then brought together 

 and the point of most natural contact 

 marked. Then with a sharp knife smoothly 

 cut away about one-third of the diameter 

 on each one, when, as is preferable, they are 

 of nearly equal size; where of unequal size 

 the cut should only go below the bark, and 

 in both cases be about one and a half inches 

 long, cut so that each nicely fits the other. 



After the cuts have been properly made 

 the two parts are brought together, being 

 at pains to see that the edges, at least on 

 one side of each piece, are perfectly and 

 smoothly matched, when they are to be 

 firmly tied with any suitable material,seeing 

 that no injury is done the buds. To prevent 

 drying out, the cut portions are covered with 

 grafting wax. 



As the time required for uniting depends 

 upon the age of the wood and the kind of 

 plants operated upon, no definite rule can 

 be followed, but after three or four weeks 

 the wax can be carefully removed and the 

 work examined, at the same 

 time putting fresh ties on be- 

 tween the first ones, which are 

 then removed to avoid injury 

 to the bark. In some cases the 

 wax can be left off, but in many 

 it should be replaced, to remain 

 for a similar period as the first. 

 When the growth would seem 

 to warrant it, in about three 

 weeks in the case of the vine, 

 the two members may be cut 

 apart, as shown in figure 2. 

 This operation will probably be 

 the critical one of the whole proceeding, as 

 if the union is in the least disturbed failure 

 will result. As illustrated at b the first 

 cut ma<le in the stock shoot allows a leaf 

 bud to remain above the junction, while the 

 cion is cut immediately below at a, then 

 after a week or so the parts having recovered 

 and started well, the third cut c is matle 

 on the stock, leaving the plant in the con- 

 dition desired, that is, with a vigorous stock 



Fia- 2. 



of the one variety with the improved sort of 

 another on it. 



In Grapes this method is used mostly with 

 those grown under glass, often for the pur- 

 pose of uniting the roots of two plants into 

 one vine, to secure a more vigorous growth. 

 Probably the easiest and most satisfactory 

 plant for amatetirs to employ for tlieir first 



Fiy 1 Inatclniiii tilt ilitnyo 



efforts is the Chrysanthemum, on which, if 

 desired, five, six or more different varieties 

 may be worked, with little fear of failure if 

 done in a painstaking manner. To a pro- 

 ficient operator the field for inarching 

 becomes a broad and fascinating one. 



Peach Yellows in Western IVIichigan. 



Mr. J. H. Hale, of Glastonbury, Conn., is 

 quoted as saying that "he cures what he 

 believes to be yellows with applications of 

 potash, with nitrogen sometimes added." 

 Further he says that "a tree affected vrith 

 yellows is sick, and should receive treat- 

 ment." We have tried Mr. Hale's specific 

 and all other yellows cures without effect. 

 As Mr. Hale is not located in a Peach grow- 

 ing region, it may be advisable to doctor 

 sick trees in his vicinity; but with our ex- 

 perience with the genuine old Jersey yellows 

 we do not care to establish a Peach yellows 

 infirmary in our beautiful orchards. 



Our experience, here in Western Michi- 

 gan, with yellows, has revealed many facts 

 regarding the disease, which may be util- 

 ized by government scientists in their inves- 

 tigations. We who have seen the effects of 

 yellows, in the destruction of hundreds of 

 thousands of beautiful Peach trees, know 

 something of the effects and contagious 

 character of this dreaded disease. 



We have proven that the sap of an infec- 

 ted tree inserted in a branch of a healthy 

 one, will convey the disease immediately; 

 also that yellows will develope in a young 

 tree grown from a diseased Peach pit; but 

 pits from fruit in the advanced stages of 

 yellows will not grow. We have found yel- 

 lows equally destructive upon poor light 

 soils and rich virgin lands, which are full of 

 potash and of every ingredient recommended 

 by Eastern yellows doctors as sure cures ! 

 ScientificProf essors and microscopists have 

 made exhaustive examinations of diseased 

 trees; and, while finding bacteria in their 

 sap, have not been able to determine 

 whether bacteria are the cause or effect of 

 peach yellows. We know that by the Imme- 

 diate destruction of each and every tree 

 upon the development of the first symptoms I 



of yellows, the disease is and can be pre- 

 vented, and Peaches successfully grown in 

 localities once badly infected. By the re- 

 moval of all diseased stock, we are again 

 growing healthy trees and fruit, and 

 notwithstanding the blizzard and extreme 

 cold, prospects were never better for a full 

 crop.— W. A. B. in Rural New Yorker. 



About Summer Mulching. 



E. P. POWELL, ONEIDA CO.. N. Y. 



It is impossiljle to empha.size too strongly 

 the work of mulching. I would mulch every- 

 thing from a transplanted Aster to old Apple 

 trees. The principle it may not be possible 

 to carry out fully on a large plan, yet that 

 should be our aim. I am asked concerning 

 some half mile of Evergreen hedges how it 

 is possible to grow them so finely? My 

 answer is we owe much to the principle of 

 following nature in the method of trimming; 

 but we owe more to mulching. When planted 

 the whole was at once heavily covered for 

 the width of the planting trench with saw- 

 dust; and from that time leaves are not only 

 encouraged to blow under, but are crowded 

 under. The cleaning of drives and other 

 litter also finds the same place and use. 



A large share of fruit trees planted are 

 allowed to dry for lack of mulching. I 

 invariably drive my wagon about as soon 

 as spring planting is done and throw care- 

 fully about each Pear, Plum, Apple or 

 Cherry a few shovels of chip maniu-e, or 

 barn manure, or both. A top dressing of 

 this kind will not hurt any fruit tree, while 

 if placed in with the roots the injury would 

 be great, it it did not kill the tree outright. 

 The mulching of Strawljerries is pretty well 

 understood, but it is equally important with 

 all berries. However, if so planted that the 

 cultivator can frequently run through the 

 rows, loosening of the soil is equivalent to a 

 mulch. The best mulch generally accessible 

 for berries is sawdust. But it is possible to 

 utilize all kinds of waste, weeds, old straw, 

 tan bark, and, above all, coal ashes. 



I do not believe that for general purposes 

 we have any material much more valuable 

 on clay soils than despised coal ashes. 

 When it is desirable to protect trees from 

 borers it Is essential to use an open porous 

 material, and that is precisely what we get 

 in coal ashes. If placed bountifully about a 

 tree it will do no damage in the way of 

 e.xcluding air,iwhile it is a capital safeguard 

 against borers. I have used it about Ash 

 trees when they were attacked; also when 

 the Beech trees were assailed, and always 

 with advantage. 



Mulching onPears is of very special import- 

 ance, helping to secure equality of temper- 

 ature and moisture about the roots. It is of 

 course not a specific against blight, but 

 helps to prevent conditions favorable to the 

 development of blight. Our Apple orchards 

 the country over present the saddest sight, 

 the most neglected, ragged, forlorn, un- 

 healthy picture. The impression has been 

 that an Apple tree above all others, is capable 

 of taking care of itself and enduring neglect; 

 I should far rather trust to any other fruit 

 to fight its own battle unaided. Every Apple 

 tree should be most carefully cleansed and 

 the borers kept out; but above all every 

 Apple tree should be mulched. When blight 

 was peculiarly prevalent, I preserved two 

 Pear orchards almost intact, and believe the 

 chief cause of immunity was careful and 

 constant mulching. An Apple tree well 

 mulched will show the result in rich, dark 

 foliage and strong growth; and strong 

 growth is of course the basis of fine fruitage. 



I do not care where you turn, the law of 

 success in horticulture is mulch, mulch, 

 mulch. If adhered to, a drought loses its 

 power. Shrubbery, instead of losing half its 

 foliage in August, stands clear and bright 



