1891. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



89 



offer; nothing would tempt me again to give 

 room to the graceless Zinnia. If you will allow 

 me to select for you a short list, it shall include, 

 first of all, the choicest strain of Sweet Peas 

 Eckford's Newest Hybrids. One never regrets 

 the time spent over these early, delicious and 

 graceful flowers. Plant the seed deep in good 

 garden soil, and furnish a good trellis, and you 

 will And nothing more delightful in your garden 

 throughout the whole summer. Next to these a 

 liberal selection of Nasturtiums, an old-fash- 

 ioned, but highly improved, wholesome favorite. 

 It is hardly possible to exclude the jister,although 

 it lacks in perfume. Its many shades, rich and 

 beautiful, make it deservedly popular. I would 

 place it third on list. The Balsam, although a 

 beautiful flower in color, has a sickening odor, 

 and finds no welcome with me; but the Alyssums, 

 double and single, and with them the Candytufts, 

 I highly prize; the 

 latter fiower now 

 presents itself to 

 us in many exquis- 

 ite shades of color. 

 A very neat and 

 profuse flowering 

 plant is the Gode- 

 tia. It is not plant- 

 ed as much as it 

 might be by those 

 who love flowers 

 of clear, clean deli- 

 cateshades, inboth 

 leaf and flower. 

 The Phlox Drum- 

 mondi deserves a 

 place in all collec- 

 tions, for its abundance of bloom, long continued. 

 It is not remarkable for perfume, although many 

 of the varieties are delicately sweet. The Ver- 

 bena, as grown, may be classed also as an annual, 

 and should be found, of course, in all well- 

 ordered gardens. I am myself partial to the 

 Celosias, provided one is able to escape from the 

 coarser sorts which are sent out recklessly by 

 some of our seed dealers. Mignonette naturally 

 finds a place in all collections without recom- 

 mendation. This list covere about all that prove 

 satisfactory.— E. P. Pnwelt, Oneida Co., N. T. 



Lime as a Fertilizer. Experiments con- 

 ducted for some years past lead me to assert that 

 sufficient lime is not applied to vegetable quar- 

 ters. Grubs have been unusually plentiful in 

 Carrot, Parsley and other quarters this season, 

 but they have been much worse wherever lime 

 was absent. Lime is an excellent preventive, 

 while as a fertilizer it is equal in some soils to 

 any manure. Old soil is especiall.v benefited by 

 it, and our crops have never been so robust and 

 of such high qualit.v as in the seasons succeeding 

 the application of lime. The best way of dealing 

 with it is to procure the lime quite fresh, place 

 it in heaps of one or two barrowloads here and 

 there on the vacant quarters, cover it over with 

 soil as soon as deposited, allow it to remain cov- 

 ered for two days, then spread it on the ground 

 and dig in at once. It may be applied at any 

 time of the year, but at least a week should be 

 allowed to pass from the time it is dug in until 

 any crop is planted. I apply it at the rate of 

 three to five tons per acre, according to the con- 

 dition of the soil.— L, J. Landas, Oreene Co., N.Y. 

 Tomatoes on Potatoes (page 37). We grafted 

 some Tomatoes on Potatoes in 1886, and obtained 

 perfect Tomatoes at the top and perfect Potato 

 tubers at the roots which weighed one-half pound 

 apiece. Not a Potato top showed above the 

 ground. The Potato was of the variety American 

 Magnum Bonum, and the Tomato was that 

 known as Turner's Hybrid. We exhibited the 

 plant at the Clinton Farmers' Club, and the 75 

 persons present were perfectly satisfied that the 

 specimen was genuine, and will guarantee the 

 truthfulness of this statement.— B. Batdorff, 

 Wayne Co., O. 



Town Trees. In the rcent article on this sub- 

 ject no mention was made of the Sumach. A 

 fine specimen of this common native tree flour- 

 ishes in my neighbor's garden. The pinnate 

 foliage, at all times extremely handsome, was 

 unusually large and fine, while the numerous 

 large spikes of rich crimson fruits rendered the 

 bush, which stands alone on a lawn, a really ex- 

 quisite object. I have always been an admirer 

 of this graceful and tropical-looking tree, my 

 partiality for it being due not only to its un- 

 doubted elegance, but also to the fact of its being 

 such a capital town tree. In truth there are 

 very few other trees for towns equal to this one; 

 it will not only grow, but flourish luxuriantly in 



places where the smoke and impure air would 

 kill most ornamental trees, and all this too with 

 the least amount of attention. Some object to 

 it because of its habit of throwing uii suckers 

 from the roots for some distance around the 

 stem, but I do not attach much importance to 

 this. Like nearly all other trees and shrubs, it 

 should not be planted in a bed with flowering or 

 other plants, but it is far more efl'ective as a 

 single specimen on Grass, and here a fewsuckers 

 are neither injurious nor uupleasing, while, if 

 necessary, they are easily cut out. Although as 

 I have said, the Sumach grows fairly well in the 

 worst possible places for trees, you must not 

 think that it does not appreciate good culture. 

 In foul places it scarcel.v ever blossoms, as it 

 does under more favorable conditions. It is j 

 really surprising to see the amount of vitality 

 possessed by many other trees of the same class 



Using Tobacco Sheets in Houses. A movable Fumigating Screen. .Sc,,i„ ,„ «>, 



AN ENGLISH METHOD OF DEALING WITH INSECTS. See preceding page 



as the Sumach. Take, for instance, the equally 

 graceful and even more stately Chinese Allantus, 

 or Tree of Heaven. No amount of smoke, dirt 

 and dust appears to have the least effect upon 

 this fine tree, which flourishes in places where an 

 Oak could not exist at all, and where the English 

 Elm, Ash, or even Chestnut, would drag out but 

 a miserable existence. The Japanese Paulownia 

 furnishes another instance of a tree that grows 

 in the most unpromising localities. The best 

 smoke-resisting room plants we possess are the 

 tropical India Rubber Plant, Palms from South- 

 ern Europe, Africa, and India, Aspidistras, 

 Oranges, and so forth, and none of our more 

 rugged subjects succeed better in the open air, 

 when smokey than the tender Cannas, Ricinus, 

 Wigandias, Nicotianas and PeriUas.- B. D. K.. 

 Philadelphia, Pa. 



Small Fruits and Vegetables. I am one 

 of those who think it advisable for the same 

 person to grow both for market. A beginner 

 had better try but one at a time, until he has 

 acquired some knowledge, for to start both with- 

 out knowledge of either, will be to have "too 

 many irons in the fire," and some may burn. 

 The experienced have difliculty to keep them all 

 at the "right heat," for when fruits need picking 

 some vegetables need close attention, and when 

 certain vegetables need to be gathered the fruits 

 are in need of special work. At times both may 

 need to be gathered and marketed at the same 

 time; then plenty of near help will be required 

 to properly serve customers. It may be added 

 that not all fruit growers can make a success 

 of vegetables, nor all gardeners a success of 

 fruit growing.— A Subscriber. 



Rabbits and Borers. To prevent rabbits 

 from injuring trees, procure some of Frazer's 

 Axle Grease and with it saturate an old woolen 

 stocking or some flannel. Encircle the trees 

 with the rags and rub up and down a few 

 times from the ground two feet up. Rub with 

 one hand and carry the grease box with the 

 other, renewing the grease at every three or four 

 trees. One liberal greasing will answer. I have 

 followed this plan tor three or four years, and 

 can say it is effective, easily applied, not un- 

 pleasant to use, and very cheap; a ten cent box 

 will grease quite an orchard. Use Frazer's Axle 

 Grease, as this is a combination that is not in- 

 jurious to the trees: others are, most of them 

 containing petroleum in some form. This treat- 

 ment at the proper time will ward off borer, none 

 being in this case required at the crown.— TF. IJ. 

 Arendt, Macoiupin Co., lib. 



Stawberry Tests. I have tested over one 

 hundred varieties, and find Crescent Seedling, 

 Captain Jack, Charles Downing and Miner's Pro- 

 lific to be the best sorts for this latitude. Of 

 the newer kinds I like Mitchell's Early and 

 Bubach. About four hundred and twenty-five 

 acres of Strawberries are raised in this county. 

 —Jacob Faith, Vernon Co., Mo. 



ml fi 



Strawberries in Hills (page 68). S. Miller, 

 from my state, tells of the failure of his Straw- 

 berries in hill culture, after preparing the ground 

 18 inches deep and manuring well. There lies 

 the secret of his failure. Much manure may 

 answer on poor eastern soils, but for the best 

 success in Missouri it must be used sparingly. A 

 few years ago, following the instructions of an 

 eastern writer, I manured part of a piece of 

 Strawberry land; I would have manured all but 

 could not get the manure. It was with misgivings 

 that I set one and a half acres, only one-half acre 

 of which was manured, and my forebodings were 

 further increased when the manured part far 

 outstripped the other in growth and fine appear- 

 ance. Bach received the same cultivation and 

 care. Now for the result, from that part which 

 had received no manure there were gathered 

 over 5,000 quarts of large, smooth, firm berries, 

 while from the 

 manured part but 

 tew berries were 

 obtained, and most 

 were irregular, 

 poor in quality, 

 and so soft they 

 could not be han- 

 dled, although a 

 few were very 

 large, all were 

 entirely worthless. 

 The vines on the 

 manured part 

 made a rank 

 growth, while on 

 the unmanured 

 part the growth 

 was moderate. I have had similar experiences 

 since, and two other berry growers here have 

 had the same experience. For this western 

 country little or no manure and thorough culti- 

 vation is what is needed to produce the best 

 results. -Z. T. Russell, Jasper Co., Mo. 



Selecting and Planting Nursery Stock. I 

 differ with the writer of the article somewhat 

 on the subject in the January issue. I believe 

 there is more in the planting and after care of 

 young trees than there is in the size or age of the 

 tree. Three years ago I planted 300 Missouri 

 Pippin Apple trees two years old. They were 

 what are called culls, that is, left in the nursery 

 after all the salable trees have been sold. They 

 were well cultivated with Corn among them, and 

 each winter treated to about a wheel barrow of 

 fresh stable manure to each tree. Nearly every 

 tree had some Apples on the past season, large 

 and nice ones, and there is not a more thrifty 

 young orchard in the country. Two years l)ef ore 

 I planted mine a neighber .set out 600 fine, .select 

 trees on good land, but gave them no special 

 care in planting or after. My trees are to-day 

 one-third larger than his. While I do not advo- 

 cate planting small trees every time, I do think 

 the main point in starting an orchard is to get 

 trees with good roots, and plant carefully and 

 give them good cultivation and manure.— 3f. H. 

 Lewis, Chase Co.. Kas. 



Bean Weevil (page 82). In habit this pest is 

 very much like the Pea weevil. The eggs are 

 laid on the young pods as soon as they begin to 

 form. The newly hatched yellow grub with 

 a black head makes its way through the pod. 

 The hole it makes soon grows shut, but a minute 

 discolored spot may be observed. Once in the 

 Bean the grub grows with it, and when the Bean 

 has become ripe the grub has completed its 

 growth and is ready to enter the pupa state, but 

 before doing this it has the instinct to make a 

 small hole on the surface of the Bean, but with- 

 out cutting through the seed-coat, for its future 

 exit. The beetle is known to be in the Bean by 

 this serai-transparent spot upon the surface; the 

 hole being covered by the thin parchment-like 

 skin, Sometimes the insect comes out the same 

 fall, but it usually waits until spring. If the 

 Beans containing these insects are sown the 

 trouble will continue, so the only safety is in 

 sowing none but sound seeds, or those in which 

 the weevil has been destroyed. Scalding will 

 kill the insect without injuring the germination 

 of the seeds and White is authority for saying 

 that if seeds. Peas or Beans are stored in bottles 

 or Jars, when gathered, with a teaspoonful of 

 spirits of turpentine, and kept tightly closed, 

 the vapor of the turpentine will destroy the 

 pests without injuring the seeds. A seed dealer 

 has told me that to subject these seeds to the 

 fumes of bicarbonate of soda, in a Jar or other 

 clean receptacle will kill the insects.-G. JV^. F., 

 Lancaster Co. , Pa. 



