256 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



framework from the bottom wire to the 

 centre stake, with the aid of two pieces of 

 stout wire stretched across 'from one side 

 to the other. Commence training the 

 branches as soon as they are long enough, 

 as the foundation is more easily formed at 

 this stage than when the shoots are longer 

 and harder. Early in September the bloom 

 buds will form; disbud to one on each 

 branch in the case of incurved and Japanese 

 sorts, and when they are swelling, give the 

 plants their final tying. In this way severe 

 training is not so easily detected, as if the 

 final tying of the shoots is left until a few 

 days before the plants are in bloom. Supply 

 the plants freely with water and occasional 

 stimulants, in which soot is included, as by 

 this means the foliage will be improved. 



Mildew should be carefully guarded 

 against, using the usual remedies at once 

 upon its first appearance. The short, stout- 

 growing kinds of pompons will not need any 

 support beyond a stout stake in the centre 

 of each pot, and an occasional support from 

 one main so the other with bast. No dis- 

 budding of flowers is required in this case. 



The Purslane Caterpillar, 



We herewith present an illustration of a 

 worm which in some parts of the west has 

 appeared in sufficient numbers to work 

 the destruction of the common Purslane. 

 The engravings are of the insects in its per- 

 fect and larvae states, and were made from 

 drawings by C. L. Marlat, Ass't Horticul- 

 turist of the Kansas Agricultural College, 

 Manhattan, Kansas. 



As to the history of this worm Prof. E. A. 

 Popenoe, the entomologist of the College 

 has, in substance the following to say: 

 Popular speculation has been rife regarding 

 the sudden appearance of this caterpillar so 

 numerously as to affect the destruction of 

 the everywhere prevailing Purslane or 

 " Pussley"; fears have been expressed that, 

 after destroying this weed, the worms 

 would turn to useful plants for their food 

 supply. Before this season (1887,) few ob- 

 servers not entomologists, had noticed its 

 appearance, though this year they have 

 been abundant throughout the State, .judg- 

 ing from the reports that have reached us. 



The following general account of the 

 transformations of this species will be in- 

 teresting : The egg. deposited by a moth 

 of some beauty, is found on the underside 

 of the Purslane leaf, of a flattened hemis- 

 pherical form. The larvai, hatched two or 

 three days after the egg is laid, at first is 

 yellowish green in color, with darker shad- 

 ing across the middle of the liody which is 

 timely set with black hair. At eight or nine 

 days old, having been full fed and under- 

 gone four nioultings, it it a smooth bodied 



Tlic Purslane Caterpillar. 



caterpillar (Fig. 1) of a grayish color, 

 marked with black dashes on the sides of 

 each segment, shaded with salmon pink as 

 indicated by the dotted areas on the figure. 

 Their average size is rather smaller than 

 the illustration. 



The fiill grown larvie enters the ground 

 making a tubular burrow about two inches 

 deep, and when in the pupa? state have the 

 pointed oblong form and brown color of 

 pupa; generally, with a few characteristic 

 markings. It remains underground about 

 twelve days, when it appears as a moth 

 (Fig. 2) having head and forewtngs of a 



brownish gray color, with an irregular 

 n»ark of creamy white on each wing, and 

 variously colored markings on the remain- 

 der 'of ^its form. Four t)roods have been 

 known to appear in one season, the last 

 probable not leaving the pupte state till 

 the following spring; more observations be- 

 ing required for particulars of hibernation. 

 it was described by Grote and Robinson 

 under the name of Eusciarhopterus Oloveri 

 but now referred to the genus Eudryas and 

 included in the family Zyrianida:, allied to 

 several species of "blue catapillar" that are 

 sometimes injurious to the Grape vine. 



Success in Market Gardening. 



W. W. RAWSON, ARLINGTON, MASS, 



The application of manures is an impor- 

 tant part of market-garden work, and well 

 worthy of attentive study. As garden crops, 

 to be of marketable quality, require to be 

 grown quickly, it is plainly requisite that 

 the land be brought into the best pos- 

 sible condition to begin with, and then that 

 the artificial fertilizers orfurther manurings, 

 whatever they may be, should be applied in 

 such a way that the growing crops can read- 

 ily reach and take up this supplementary 

 nourishment. 



We have recommended having the land 

 ploughed once in advance of the first appli- 

 cation of the manure. This gives a chance 

 for the manure (especially if it is a little 

 coarse) to be worked into the soil more 

 thoroughly by the second ploughing 

 than it otherwise would. However, ex- 

 cept in comparatively few instances, the 

 presence of coarse manure is a serious im- 

 pediment and disadvantage in the process of 

 cultivation. It should be in a fine state, 

 reduced to this condition by slowly con- 

 ducted previous fermentation, and should 

 be very thoroughly intermixed with the soil. 



Of course, as already said, it is very im- 

 portant that market-garden crops be grown 

 quickly, and right here is the reason why 

 quick-growing crops require more manure 

 than others that take a whole season to 

 complete their growth: it is because the 

 latter have more time in which to feel about 

 and collect their necessary nourishment 

 from the soil and atmosphere; but the for- 

 mer must have their food in abundance, and 

 it must be placed within easy reach of the 

 feeding roots, or there will be a most decided 

 shortage in the result. 



There are great difl'erences in the require- 

 ments of the various crops, and no set rule 

 can be given that will be adapted for regu- 

 lating the quantity of manure to be applied 

 to all crops and on all soils. 



"Where but one crop per year is to be taken 

 from land which is already in fairly good 

 condition, ten or twelve cords per acre 

 of well decomposed manure would be con- 

 sidered, ordinarily, as a sufficient supply; 

 but on land to be double-cropped, twenty 

 cords would be none too much. This should 

 be ploughed in lightly, so as to be left lying 

 near the surface. 



If the first ploughing should be done in 

 the fall, the manure can be applied then, 

 and remain lying out on the surface until 

 spring, as it does not lose by so doing. Dur- 

 ing a dry season, unless the land can be 

 properly irrigated or watered, a crop will 

 manifestly be unable to draw the proper 

 amount of nourishment from the soil, since 

 all plant food of every description has to be 

 not merely in a soluble form but actually 

 in solution before it can be taken up and 

 assimilated by the plants. For this reason 

 it is becoming necessary, in view of the con- 

 tinually recurring droughts, to provide 

 effectual means of irrigation. 



Sometimes, however, a crop comes to a 

 stand-still by reason of having exhausted 

 all the fertilizing matter contained in the 



soil, of a sort available to its requirements; 

 and in such instances the trained eye of the 

 practical gardener can usually detect what 

 is lacking for the crop; and he may supply 

 the need by an application of some specific 

 commercial fertilizer. It would be difficult 

 to explain to a wholly unexperienced person 

 just how to detect the wants of the crops, 

 but a little acquaintance with their normal 

 habits of growth will speedily teach one 

 what he needs to observe. 



It is imperative, even in an economical 

 view, where a crop is checked in growth 



Butterfly of Purslane Caterpillar. 



from want of fertilizing matter, that some 

 quick-acting fertilizer be promptly applied, 

 for upon the question of a few dollars' 

 expenditure at this crisis may depend all the 

 difference between a crop and no crop. 

 Whenever the need of such an application 

 occurs, it is better to sow the fertilizer 

 broadcast than to place it directly on the 

 hill and about the plant; and the labor of 

 applying it is less. Liquid manure may be 

 applied in a furrow opened about a foot from 

 the row; more or less, according to the 

 growth the plants have made. 



Notes on Flowers. 



MRS. J. LOTEJOY, MITCHELL CO., IOWA. 



TKililDlAS are not appreciated as their 

 merits deserve. A clump if well grown are 

 in their season never out of bloom. They 

 require considerable moisture, with partial 

 shade from the noonday sim. The bulbs 

 are not hardy; but there is no difficulty in 

 wintering them in a cellar that will keep 

 Gladiolus. But it is to be remembered that 

 mice are exceedingly fond of these bulbs 

 and care must be taken to keep them out of 

 their reach. Gladiolus, Tigridias and Ze- 

 phyranthes bulbs, Dahlia and Clematis, all 

 delight in a wet season. This season here 

 is one in which they are luxlu^ating in 

 growth and bloom. 



Roses. Among the older teas — Letty 

 Coles has proved a surprise in the size of its 

 liloom and its fragrance. It fairly rivals 

 the June Roses. Another very old one is a 

 single carmine variety, that used to be 

 growing in my grandmother's garden. 



Salvias are very satisfactory plants in 

 the fall, Splendens, Allia, Patens, a lovely 

 blue, and Mrs. Stevens. The last named is 

 a lovely maroon color and more of a shrub 

 than plant as it grows in my grounds, at- 

 tained a height of between five and six feet 

 last season, and was one mass of bloom. 

 They are a desirable class for grouping. 



Hollyhock Hedge, I have a hedge of 

 Hollyhocks, perhaps twenty feet long, in 

 which they have been growing for five or 

 six years,, but never with better success 

 than this season. The ground was thorough- 

 ly fertilized this spring, and a better growth 

 or finer colors I never saw. Some of the 

 colors are new to me, and it is evident that 

 they are mixed and self-sown. I have ox- 

 blood red, very brilliant; coral pink, anew 

 color; rose pink, and a lovely variegated 

 dark and light pink; black, and a lovely 

 fiesh color. These are all double and 

 fringed— the improved kinds, just what I 

 hhd planted at first, but the colors have 

 changed from the first grown. 



Fektilitv of Soil. There is one im- 

 portant item that I wish to mention in con- 

 nection with my report of thestrong growth 

 of plants. We, who live on stock farms. 



