iSgi. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



143 



Whether they would be so if the usual 

 cold of 14 to 30 degrees below zero had 

 occurred I am not able to say. 



In the spring when I uncover my tender 

 Roses, if there is any trimming to do, the 

 trimmings will be kept until the bark slips, 

 and then to set In hardy annuals, stocks of 

 which I always have on hand ; and some of 

 the hardy-wood-kinds may be grafted in 

 the ordinary way as an experiment. I have 

 a notion to sow seeds of the Rosa rugosa 

 for stock; even if it does sucker, its vigor 

 will be an advantage in hurrying things up. 



My large Star of Lyons bush, that had as 

 much as forty Roses on it at one time, last 

 summer, was pruned in the fall , then tied 

 up and the whole top surrounded with 

 Cedar branches, then a canvas covers all, 

 and tied down. It looks as fresh as can be. 



This was budded on a common annual (of 

 a suckering habit) about six inches from 

 the ground. It is now four years old, and 

 since the first year after budding there has 

 not a single sucker been seen. 



The bud is a little larger than the stem ; 

 but, it is well balanced and if kept staked, 

 it is all right. When unloosed it will be 

 about live feet high, three feet in diameter, 

 and if it don't give us hundreds of its glo- 

 rious golden flowers next summer, I will 

 tell you about it. Last year there were but 

 few days in five months that it did not have 

 flowers, and some were on till November. 



To take a good look at it, sniff its fra- 

 grance, and then walk a few steps and en- 

 counter Marshal Niel with open flowers 

 and buds, the perfection of flora six feet 

 from the ground, was a pleasure that not a 

 few en.ioyed. 



The Bat Window. While I sit here 

 writing the fragrance of a Calla Lily greets 

 me from the bay window but a few yards 

 off, amid a collection of different plants of 

 some thirty species, all in excellent health, 

 not a blighted leaf, nor an insect to be seen 

 on them. About one half of them, are in 

 bloom. Most of these are on a staging on 

 wheels, so that when cold nights occur it is 

 drawn into the living room, those on the 

 shelves carried in also, the door closed; and 

 the writer of this, gets up several times in 

 the night and puts wood in the stove to keep 

 the pets from getting too cold. 



Without these flowers and plenty of good 

 books, winter would be dreary indeed. 



This bay window collection is imder the 

 care of one of my daughters, who seems to 

 have success in unison with her love for the 

 beauties. Whenever they want a new thing 

 I get it for them. 



Just now an Alpine Daisy is my favorite. 

 B.ut next winter if spared so long some 

 choice Roses will be added, then all else 

 will seem tame in comparison. To me it is 

 the flower of flowers; the queen of all; a 

 royal diadem in the floral kingdom. 



What Varieties of Quinces Shall We 

 Plant. 



There is yet considerable contusion con- 

 cerning varieties of the Quince. The form 

 often varies on the same tree, and u.sually 

 in the same variety with age of tree, soil 

 and cultivation, hence It may puzzle an 

 expert to name the variety from specimens 

 of the fruit. 



A Connecticut grower, in a communica- 

 tion to New York Tribune mentioned the 

 "Connecticut native Quince." Mr. Chas. 

 Black, in correcting this, says he is not 

 aware that there was any Quince native of 

 Connecticut. The Orange is the same in 

 name in one place or another. Difference 

 in soil and climate may change the fruit in 

 appearance or productiveness. Apple or 

 Orange is one and the same, and one of the 

 best and most reliable market Quinces. A 

 few years ago there was large demand for 

 the Apple or. Orange Quince and many trees 



imported for stocks, such as Fontenay or 

 Angers, were bought up and sold for Apple 

 or Orange, or any other kind that might be 

 called for. 



The Apple or Orange Quince very often 

 assumes the pear or neck form when trees 

 are young and thrifty, but loses it as the 

 trees get older; the old true Pear Quince is 

 much smaller than the Apple or Orange; it 

 is very productive, but not generally round 

 now. The Champion and Angers are strong 

 growers and more liable to blight than the 

 Orange, but in all my large experience in 

 raising Quinces, either in orchard or nursery, 

 I never could see that the borer gave any 

 preference to any particular variety; it is 

 extremely fond of all alike. 



So many people fail with Quinces that 

 agents have an easy time to delude them 

 by representing that they have something 

 new that will succeed. The same persons 

 who sold spurious Quinces for Apple in 

 Connecticut would sell in New Jersey the 

 "Connecticut Native" and charge $1 each 

 for trees that could be bought for 2.5 cents. 



How to Manage the Raspberry and 

 Blackberry Patch. 



\V. C. JENNISON, MIDDLESEX CO., MASS. 



Black-cap Raspberries and Blackberries 

 will grow successfully in sward ground 

 after the first season. 



Prepare the ground and set the plants 

 early in spring, and cultivate in the u.sual 

 way for the first year; after which time cut 

 or trample down the weeds and grass occa- 

 sionally, so they will not shade the bushes 

 too much. Black-cap Raspberry roots grow 

 very near the surface, and injury is often 

 done them by cultivating in dry weather, 

 causing the berries to shrivel up. As Black- 

 berry roots run deep, there is no trouble 

 with them in this respect, but on our heavy 

 soil we need to exercise care not to stimu- 

 late growth any during the fall months, 

 else the wood will not ripen enough to 

 winter well, in some varieties. 



Cut out the old canes as soon as through 

 bearing and prune the side branches of the 

 new canes to eight or ten inches in length, 

 in the fall or early spring. Give both 

 Blackberries and Raspberries a liberal 

 dressing of stable manure around the base 

 of canes, in the fall or winter, to induce a 

 vigorous growth in the spring. I do not 

 find it of any advantage to keep nipping 

 back the new growth to induce a bushy 

 form, as is often advised. Once nipping of 

 the new canes when three or tour feet tall, 

 to cause them to grow stalky and self- 

 supporting, I believe is sufficient. I have 

 by constant nipping back produced canes 

 with a network of small branches which in 

 the fruiting season were loaded with small 

 fruit, the greater portion of which would 

 fail to come to maturity, in a dry season, 

 while plants growing by the side of these 

 and allowed their own way (with the ex- 

 ception of once nipping when about three 

 feet high and the side branches cut back 

 after through growing in the fall) would 

 bear large and well ripened fruit. There 

 are a great many places near dwellings, 

 such as rocky land full of boulders, old 

 brush pastures, etc., where many a family 

 with a very little labor could raise all of 

 these fruits they would need, by just turn- 

 ing over the turf in little patches here and 

 there, setting a plant in each place, and 

 mulching with a fork full of manure to 

 give the plants a good start. I sometimes 

 think that these two fruits could be grown 

 in this way with greater profit than where 

 the best cultivation is given. 



To raise plants from seed, dig up a few 

 feet of ground, rake in a little fertilizer, and 

 when the Berries are ripe sow the seed in 

 drills six inches apart, covering them one- 

 fourth inch deep. Cover the ground with 



frame of laths or boughs to protect them 

 from being run over or disturbed. And 

 when the plants are up the following spring 

 thin or transplant to six inches apart. 

 Transplant them again in the fall or spring 

 to where thep are to grow. If done in the 

 fall, put a shovelful of stable manure 

 around each plant to keep the frost from 

 throwing them out. Plants from seed will 

 bear a fair crop the third year, are easily 

 raised, and, as far as my experience goes, 

 are as productive and of as good quality as 

 those from which the seed was selected, be- 

 sides being hardy and healthy. 



Plants Suitable for the Sub-Tropical 

 Garden. 



JAS. S. TAPLIN, BERGEN CO., N. J. 



One of the most beautiful plants for lawn 

 decoration is Eulalia Japonica zebrina. A 

 large mass of it standing alone on a lawn 

 never fails to attract the attention and ad- 

 miration of all who see it. Several years ago 

 I set a plant of it on the lawn, and now it is 

 a mass four feet through at the base. It 

 throws up stalks eight feet high, and last 

 season had over a hundred flower spikes on 

 it, making it a grand lawn ornament. In 

 spring I cut it off about a foot from the 

 ground, and apply a good top dressing of 

 manure to it. It is perfectlp hardy and will 

 grow anywhere but prefers a position ex- 

 posed to the sun. It is much more satisfac- 

 tory than either p>ianthus RavenniP or 

 Gynerium Argenteum (Pampas Grass), and 

 it deserves more general cultivation. I am 

 sure that it will become a general favorite 

 when its merits are better known. 



Arundo donax variegata is a magnificent 

 plant for the sub-tropical border, or when 

 planted in a bed by itself. With a protection 

 of leaves over the crown it is hardy here. 

 Planted among Cannas, its fine foliage, 

 banded green and creamy white, stands out 

 boldly against the dark background of its 

 neighbors and makes an effective contrast. 

 If you take it up in the fall you should treat 

 it the same way as Cannas. It is easily 

 propagated by division of the crowns. It is 

 best to divide them by March and grow the 

 same as Cannas, that is if you want to get 

 large plants the same summer. It also 

 makes a fine plant for conservatory decora- 

 tion, as it can be kept growing all winter 

 inside. It is like the Canna in one respect, 

 it wants rich soil and plenty of manure, 

 Arundo donax (the Great Reed) is of much 

 stronger growth than its variegated cousin, 

 and is perfectly hardy, and therefore should 

 be planted where it can be left undisturbed, 

 as it increases in vigor and beauty from 

 year ta year. It grows to a height of fifteen 

 feet, and when in full growth is a noble 

 plant indeed. 



Bocconia cordata or Japonica is another 

 fine old plant for the tropical border, or for 

 making a clump by itself. It is rarely met 

 with nowadays but it seems to be gaining 

 in popularity, and its merits seem to be ap- 

 preciated by all who see it. It is a very 

 handsome, hardy, herbaceous plant, with 

 large and showy blue green leaves, with 

 feathery flower spikes extending upwards 

 from the points of the shoots. Its stately 

 habit makes it most desirable for sub-tropi- 

 cal work. It is easily propagated, either by 

 division or from seed. 



Helianthus multiflorus plenus (Double 

 Hardy Sunflower) should be in every gar- 

 den, and will give every satisfaction. The 

 flowers are a bright, golden yellow, from 

 three to four inches in diameter, shaped like 

 a Dahlia, and cover the plant from top to 

 bottom. The flowers are very useful for cut 

 flowers in sumeronaccount'ot their keeping 

 so well in hot weather. For effect in the 

 garden it is unsurpassed, and for mixed 

 borders or grouped in the foreground to 

 shrubberies, it is one of the most desirable 



