1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



59 



straight straw around them, and winding with strong 

 twine. Bengals, Bourbons, Polyanthus, etc., to be 

 bent over, and covered with soil or sods. 



Stakes and Trellises to be gathered ( where not 

 already done), repaired, painted, and stored In a dry 

 place. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Alocasias may now be entirely dried oflf, and placed 

 In coolest end of house. 



Azaleas, as also Camellias, Heaths, etc., love plenty 

 of air. and should be provided with it dally in favor- 

 able weather. Forced Azaleas, when In bloom, should 

 have a cool dry place. Younger plants to be pushed 

 as rapidly as possible by giving warmth and water. 

 Thrlp and red spider to be kept off. 



Balbs. Keep up a succession of flowers by bringing 

 the Hyacinths, Tulips. Narcissus, Crocuses, etc., Into 

 heat. Air freely and water liberally. 



Callas now need plenty space and wat«r. Examine 

 frequently for aphis. 



Oamellias. Give plenty of air. Examine often, and 

 cleanse by scrubbing with water and a brush. Keep 

 In even temperature, and syringe lightly twice a week. 



Oannas. Plants In pots to be kept dry at the roots, 

 and In a cool place. 



Carnations to be syringed occassionally, but exces- 

 sive wetness at the roots to be avoided. Air as freely 

 as possible. 



Cinerarias. These and Calceolarias should be given 

 a cool situation near the glass, but protected from 

 winds and cold. Avoid extremes in watering, and 

 ventilate just enough to keep off mlMew. 



Cold pits with half hardy plants to be aired freely In 

 suitable weather. 



07clamens. If young plants are desired early, 

 sow seed now in pans near the glass. 



Dieffenbachias. Gradually wlthold water. Also 

 from Marantas. 



Fernery. Air a little daily, remove decayed leaves 

 or flowers, and If wat«r Is needed, apply It moderately 

 without fear of harm. Spores may be sown in rough 

 peat, either In pans or under bell-glasses. 



General Manasement. Clean and re-arrange the 

 plants, giving all the light possible, water judiciously 

 where plants have made their growth. Syringe only 

 on bright mornings, allowing the foliage to become 

 dry towards night. Sufficient moisture can be main- 

 tained on dull days by sprinkling the paths and keep- 

 ing the evaporating pan full of water. Greenhouse 

 shrubs at this time should be given a little rest by 

 keeping a temperature ranging from 45 to 50^ by night, 

 wlih a rise of 5° by day. During the leisure of winter 

 make hotbed sash, mats, rustic work, trellses, etc.. 



Heliotrope likes a warm moist atmosphere and fre- 

 quent doses ot liquid manure. 



Insects. Fumigate twice a week for aphis and 

 syringe dally for red spider. Washing will do away 

 with the mealy bug or scab. Capture the slugs at 

 night by lamp light. 



Mildew. When found on Verbenas, Roses, etc., wet 

 the foliage, and sprinkle powdered sulphur over the 

 plants early on a sunny day; then keep the house close. 

 The process of " evaporating " sulphur, as described 

 In an earlier number of Popijlae Gardenino, may 

 prove still more effective. 



Ozalis bulbs, when beginning to sprout, may be re- 

 potted and water given regularly. 



Palms should not be allowed to become dust dry. 

 Water thoroughly when needed. 



Primulas, for stocky growth, like a cool tempera- 

 ture, say from 45 to 5f»^. Air freely In favorable weather, 

 and give water at the roots only, as watering over- 

 head has a tendency to cause the stems to rot. 



Fots. Keep clean, and earth In them mellow. 

 Should the soil become hard, remove the top and re- 

 place with fresh earth. 



Roses to be syringed twice dally when In bloom. 

 Prime the monthly class, when buds are taken from 

 them, to within two eyes of the base of the shoot. Oc- 

 casionally examine the plants and remove all the blind 

 shoots, or such as have ended their growth. 



Verbenas to be kept cool and well-aired. Guard 

 against over-watering and mildew. 



Violets to be aired freely In all suitable weather. 

 Remove dead and decaying matter. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Blackberries and Raspberries. All sorts that are 

 not entirely hardy In oue's locality should be laid 

 down and covered with earth. Perhaps this treatment 

 would even pay with the so-called hardy varieties. 

 Apply a good top-dressing of compost, or of bone- 

 dust and kalnlt. 



Cions for Grafting. These may now be cut at any 

 time, tied in bundles, carefully labelled, and stored In 

 sand or sawdu.st In the cellar until wanted. 



Drainage. Water standing In the orchard Injures 

 many trees. Laying tiles several feet deep Is the best 

 way of draining. In level clay soils surface drainage 

 may also be provided by furrows In center between 

 each two rows of trees. 



Fertilizers. Good crops of fruit can not be grown 

 on starved soil. Old compost Is good for almost any 



crop and on any kind of soil. Trees and small fruits 

 generally like applications of ashes and bone dust, 

 murlat*" of potash or kainit. Be liberal with your 

 trees and plants, and they will give you good crops. 



Fungous Diseases, such as 4.pple and Pear scab, 

 etc., and best means of fighting them, should be 

 thoroughly studied, and preparations made to guanl 

 against them another season. Simple spraying pumps 

 can now be had at reasonable cost, and spray we 

 must. If we want to Insure some of our crops. We 

 must spray the vineyards and orchards anyway, and 

 we may have to spray even the small fruits. Let us 

 be prepared for It next season. 



Grapes. Proceed with pruning on mild days. This 

 Is better than to put off until spring. Plants set last 

 spring may be cut back to three eyes. Older plants 

 should have the new canes cut back to six or eight 

 buds, more or less, according to age. variety and 

 strength. Tender varieties always to be laid down 

 upon the ground and lightly covered with soil or Utter. 

 Laying down upon the ground is advisable with hardy 

 sorts also, as It appears to add strength to the plant, 

 and to Increase the yield. 



Rabbits and Mice. Precautions against injury 

 from this cause should never be neglected In a young 

 orchard. The best way Is to encase the bodies of the 

 trees In a piece of wire screen or tarred paper. 



Root grafting may now be done at any time. Be 

 sure the clons as well as the root grafts are properly 

 labeled and stored. 



Staking may be necessary with young trees In ex- 

 posed situations. Put some straw or cloth between 

 tree and stake, and lie them together firmly. 



Straiffberries. The beds may now be mulched. The 

 plants themselves needing but slight covermg. Use 

 Marsh hay. If easily obtainable. At any rate use no 

 manure with weed seeds in it. 



Toung Trees that were set out In earlier months, 

 may, on mild days, have a mound of earth, twelve or 

 fifteen Inches high, made around the lower part of the 

 trunk. This will keep the tree steady better than 

 stakes, and will prevent the attacks of mice. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Asparagus beds to be given a protective covering of 

 leaves or straw, but not before cold weather sets in. 



Cabbages to be put in winter quarters. A very satis- 

 factory way is to set them In trenches and cave with 

 boards. In mild weather soft heads will become hard, 

 an<l the cabbage Is more acceslble than when placed 

 heads down and covered with earth. In trenches, also 

 the stumps may be preserved until spring, and for 

 home use, a sound stump, set out In spring for greens 

 Is worth as much as the head Itself. 



Celery. If any is yet left out, it should be stored In 

 a manner similar to the one advised for Cabbage A 

 small amount, for immediate use, may be stored in the 

 cellar. Make a box about nine inches wide, with sides 

 as tall as the Celery stalks. Place a few Inches of 

 earth on the bottom, and stack the Celery closely in 

 the box, the same as In trenches. Keep the roots wet 

 and the tops drj'. 



General Directions. Repair frames, sashes and 

 tools for spring use. Clean up the garden and pre- 

 mises. Remove all rubbish. Under-drain where 

 needed. Plow the beds for early vegetables, laying 

 them off In narrow beds, with deep dead furrows be- 

 tween to provide thorough surface drainage. Plants 

 in cold frames to be given ventilation In all suitable 

 weather. If mice trouble they are easily trapped by 

 means of a so-called " Delusion " trap using Sunflower 

 or Pumpkin seeds as bait. 



Kale and Spinach at the north may be given some 

 protection by covering a few inches deep with hay, 

 straw, leaves or similar material. 



Manure must be used freely for best results. Make 

 It, buy it— at any rate get It and get enough ot it. If 

 well rotted it may be applied to the surface at any 

 time during the winter. If fresh It should previously 

 be composted. 



Onions to be wintered over, should not be exposed 

 to dampness, nor very low temperature. They may 

 be spread out thinly, lightly covered, and allowed to 

 freeze, when more covering should be put on to keep 

 them frozen as long as possible. Let them thaw out 

 very gradually. 



Root Crops, now In pits, must now be given ad. 

 dltlonal covering. 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Asparagus. For an early supply, some roots may 

 now be brought Into heat. For succession keep good 

 strong roots on hand where they can be got at when 

 wanted. 



Dandelions are now much forced for greens. Dig 

 the roots from the garden, and plant In rich soil with- 

 out crowding, and air freely. 



Grapery. Prune vines In the cold house, then lay 

 them down and cover completely with soil. In early 

 houses where vines are now starting, the temperature 

 is 10 be gradually Increased, beginning with atK>ut f;5* 

 at night, and about 75^ at day. 



Lettnce. Mildew and green lice ai-e the great 

 enemies of the crop. The former has to be fought by 

 the avoidance of too much wetness in dark close 



weather, and perhaps by the evaporation of sulphur. 

 Water on clear mornings only, and air freely In suit- 

 able weather. Burning Tobacco stems twice a week, 

 or keeping Tobacco tea In tin gutters on the hot pipes 

 are the means by which the green fly can be kept in 

 check. Pick off the decayed leaves promptly. 



Parsley for winter and spring use Is easily grown by 

 getting some loots from the garden, and planting in 

 any suitable place In the greenhouse, or In a box or 

 keg kept In a rea.sonably light and warm place. 



Rhubarb Is easily forced by setting some good strong 

 roots under greenhouse benches, In same way as 

 Asparagus. 



Strawberries, The plants previously prepared for 

 forcing may be brought in dui-ing the month, giving 

 only about 45'^ at first, and gradually increasing to 6i> 

 or tS5'^, Give water liberally without flooding. 



THE POULTRY YARD. 



Have a Thoroughbred Male. Commoa barn- 

 yard fowls will be much improved by introduc- 

 ing a thorougbbied Langsban, Plymouth Kock 

 or other first-class cock. 



Corn in Poaltry Yard. An authority on poul- 

 try says he grows good crops of Corn every year 

 in his poultry yaru. An over abundance ot fer- 

 tilizer IS tounu in the droppings alone. 



Give HenB Work. Feed finely cut Clover every 

 other day with scalded meal, and at night, if not 

 fat, give wheat, otherwise none. In the morning 

 feed chopped hay. Make them scratch tor the 

 gi'ain In dirt and utter. 



How to Keep Poultry House Dry. When there 

 is danger from dampness in a poultry house, dig 

 a deep ditch around the building and as near as 

 practicable. Fill it with small stones, and have 

 an outlet for carrying off the water.— Farmers 

 Home Journal. 



Cabbage for Poultry. Cabbage is best given 

 hung up by the stalk. At first it may not be 

 touched, hut when one fowl begins to pick at it, 

 the rest will be tempted to keep on until little 

 remains. Being suspended, it does not waste or 

 become filthy.— Poultry Yard. 



Feed a Variety. One quart of bran is woBth 

 two of cracked Corn for producing the white of 

 an egg. One quart of Corn is worth four of 

 bran tor keeping hens warm. There is no com- 

 parison between foods, and that is why a variety 

 should be fed.— Poultry Keeper. 



Dry Place for Sucks and Geese. These fowls 

 find walking on the snow very laborious, and to 

 prevent their becoming poor, provide a dry board 

 door sprinkled with dirt, it they are let t out 

 these cold, wet nights they will contract rheuma- 

 tism and weak legs. Feed twice daily, and give 

 plenty of water. 



Telling Pullets from Hens. If the pullet is 

 nearly matured it commonly happens that one 

 can scarcely pick out a pullet from a hen. The 

 pullet shows only the signs of spurs, her legs are 

 smooth, comb thin and tree from roughness, the 

 bill pliable, and claws short and tender. The hen 

 usually has the scale on the legs somewhat rough, 

 and a short, hard spur. The under bill is stiff, 

 and the comb thick and rough to the touch. 



Comfortable quarters means eggs in winter, 

 provided judicious feeding is followed. The 

 quarters are not m order if the building has 

 crack.s, knot-holes and broken window-panes, 

 through which draughts can reach the stock. 

 From this neglect alone may be laid the com- 

 mencement of many diseases that affect tarmer's 

 poultry. Clean houses, plenty ot sunshine in 

 them, and each day openea and thoroughly aired, 

 is the proper course.— Am. Farm Journal. 



Don't Overfeed. This is a common mistake of 

 the beginner who stuffs his fowls to make them 

 lay and gets them so tat they can't lay or else 

 lay soft-suelled and double-yolked eggs. If the 

 morning mash is left uneaten or oniy partially 

 eaten at mid-day it shows that two much grain 

 was fed the night before. Or, if grain is left 

 around in sight on the floor alter the fowls have 

 gone to roost they were overfed, or fed so late 

 that riai'kness overtook them before they could 

 eat it up.— New England Farmer. 



Feeding Sulphur. When the weather is damp 

 and poultry yards are muddy, sulphur is injur- 

 ious. It IS the custom with some to add sulphur 

 to the food because an egg contains a small pro- 

 portion of sulphur; but all the compounds of 

 sulphur necessary for egg composition can be 

 derived from the food, as sulphur is in nearly all 

 plants. The feeding of sulphur in the food 

 causes rheumatism. Sulphur is especially injur- 

 ious in damp weather, or when the birds run on 

 muddy yards of heavy ciay soils. 



Dust Bins. The best arrangement is a box 

 about six inches high and thirty inches square. 

 It should be in the largest part of the poultry 

 house, near the window, where thesuu can shine 

 in on the contents. It should be tilled to within 

 three inches of the top with dry dirt, or fine coal 

 ashes, and the materials should be changed as 

 soon as they become slightly damp. Dust, not 

 dirt, is what the hens require, and to render it 

 more beneficial, a tablespoontul of caxbolate of 

 lime should be added to the dust. A teaspoonful 

 of carbobc acid, mixed with one gill of lime, and 

 this mixed with the dust will answer the same 

 purpose.— Mirror and Farmer. 



