262 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



July,' 



Thin Plants and Fruits. Plenty of room 

 means Tigorus plants and large showy flowers. 

 Petunias and Verbenas are allowed to crowd 

 each other so much that weak plants and poor 

 flowers result. Seedsmen are blamed for poor 

 stock, when the fault is in the treatment. In 

 the orchards in the case of fruit, it is hardly 

 possible to lose anything by reasonsble thinning. 

 The fruit of the Apple and Pear that are left 

 after the thinning will get double the size it 

 would have been if not thinned out, so that 

 though the number is much less, the weight is 

 not.— Practical Farmer. 



Tender Boots to be Set Deep, it is certainly 

 true that, when well protected, very tender 

 roots will endure our hardest winters. When 

 we obtained cions of Russian Pears, Plums and 

 Cherries, we had nothing to graft them on but 

 our native seedlings. We have done so, and 

 planting them out in nursery and orchard, we 

 have never lost a tree of any variety from 

 winter-killing of the roots. But we have always 

 taken pains to set them down well below the 

 point of union.— Vermont Watchman. 



Thinning Fruits. Peaches should be thinned 

 so that there is one every three inches on the 

 bearing shoots. Plums, such as the Quackenboss, 

 Purple Egg and other fine ones, should be picked 

 off in the same way. Plums like the Lombard 

 and Damson will not pay to thin, as a rule, un- 

 less done with a stick. Pears, as the Anjou, 

 Duchess, Clarigeau, Bosc and such fine ones will 

 also pay to thin. Grapes, too, give a good return 

 for some attention In this line— N.E.Homestead. 

 Shipping Flowers. A Cincinnati florist or- 

 dered a large quantity of Orange blossoms sent 

 from Pomona several weeks ago. They were 

 picked at the proper stage, packed with the 

 stems stuck in Potatoes and wax put around 

 them to prevent any loss of moisture. The 

 flowers, so it is claimed, arrived safely in Cincin- 

 nati and about three-fourths of them were in 

 such condition as to be used by the florist to ad- 

 vantage.— Cal. Fruit Grower. 



Primula Obconica. This is a flower of rising 

 importance, in spite of the hurtfulness of the 

 leaves to sensitive skins. Mr. Bones, Tower 

 House Gardens, Chiswick, has worked success- 

 fully with the flower, and has obtained varieties 

 that show a marked advance on existing types. 

 The flowers are larger, fuller, and less " starry " 

 than the original P. obconica, so that a new race 

 of greenhouse Primulas is in prospect.— Garden- 

 ers' Magazine. 



Kagnolia Hypoleuca. A single plant is now 

 blooming for the flrst, the tree being some 16 

 feet in height. It resembles the Tripetala or 

 Macrophylla in every way except that the leaves 

 often assume a brownish color. The perianth 

 consists of nine yellowish-white elliptical petals 

 flve inches long and three greenish-white sepals. 

 The odor is of a resinous kind not agreeable. It 

 blooms in late May with M. macrophylla.— Rural 

 New Yorker. 



The Japanese Blue .Daphne. This is a shrub 

 that I earnestly recommend as being hardy, very 

 tree blooming and distinct from any other com- 

 mon shrub in cultivation; little plants a foot 

 high bloom nicely. Our plants are now covered 

 all over with real pretty violet-blue flowers, and 

 there is not a leaf on the bushes yet.— Wm. Fal- 

 coner in Country Gentleman. 



Save the Parasites In picking off the Toma- 

 to worms by hand discretion is necessary. When 

 numerous white piotruberances are seen on the 

 worm, it is better to leave it alone. These little 

 points that just lift themselves above the sur- 

 face are the eggs of a fly. which in a tew days 

 develop, destroying the Tomato worm.— Orange 

 Co. Farmer. 



Black Walnut Valuable. Experience proves 

 the Black Walnut so valuable for timber and 

 grateful as an ornamental roadside shade tree to 

 be adapted to a vai-iety of soils and climates. 

 These young trees can be bought in (luantities 

 at low figures. It would pay to plant and care 

 lor a dozen or a hundred.— N. E. Homestead. 



Time Well-Spent. The time you spend " fuss- 

 ing with flowers" may not return you as much 

 cash as if expended on hens or Onions, but the 

 love of beauty, of color, of fragrance, inherent 

 in every true woman will be gratified, and 

 htalth comes with outdoor work.— Mich Farmer. 

 Over-Production of Fruits, etc. a Myth, How 

 can there be an over-production of shoes when 

 myriads of people— young and old— are com- 

 pelled to go barefooted because they cannot buy 

 the shoes? The real difliculty lies in under-con- 

 sumption.— Elmlra Husbandman. 



Gardening for Women. Gardening is too 

 sweet, brave and life-giving a pursuit not to be 

 taken up by women. Only the best sort of 

 womanhood has the will and enthusiasm to work 

 through it, and no calling has richer rewards.— 

 N. Y. Herald. 



Freshening Cut Flowers. We have seen 

 flowers that have lain the whole night on a 

 table, after having been worn for hours, which 

 the next morning were perfectly renovated by 

 means of a cupful of hot water.— C. Gentleman. 



The Russian Apricots come In the same category 

 as other Russian fruits. They are not better than our 

 own, and where these will stand our climate Russian 

 varieties are not wanted.— Prof . Bailey. 



Plenty of Phosphate. Over ao.UOO acres of Florida 

 land are said to contain deposits of phosphate. Much 

 of the richest rock can be mined for twenty-flve cents 

 a ton.— Garden and Forest. 



Moderation and Common Sense Needed. Old 

 farmers grow stlft-jolnted and bent, not by work, but 

 by the utter neglect of hygiene, which prevails in 

 rural districts.- Herald. 



Fight Insects In Time. An ounce of Paris green In 

 time Is worth more than a wheelbarrow load after the 

 hugs have eaten the Potatoes.- Farm Journal. 



No Wire Net for Peas. They are so heavy the net 

 cuts them off In the wind and the crop is ruined.- 

 Farm and Home. 



Work in the flower garden la better than medicine 

 for weak ladles.— O. C. Farmer, 



an hour, then drain. Put two teaspoonfuls of 

 butter into a saucepan, add a halt pint of good 

 stock and one tablespoonful of sugar. Boil 

 rapidly ten minutes, take from the fire, add the 

 beaten yolks of two eggs, a halt teaspoonful of 

 salt and a dash of pepper. Drain and dish the 

 Carrots, and pour the sauce over them while 

 very hot.— How to Cook Vegetables. 



Cherry Pickles. Take large Cherries tjefore 

 they are ripe enough to get soft, and put them, 

 stems on, into jars of stone or glass. Heat the 

 Jars in hot water, and pour over them a syrup 

 made with a pint of vinegar to every three 

 pounds of sugar. Tie in a bag a teaspoonful 

 each of Cinnamon, Allspice and Cloves. Drain 

 off the liquid and heat to boil every morning for 

 a week. Pour it, while hot, over the Cherries, 

 which must be kept in a cool, dark cellar, or 

 sealed in cans. Blackberries may be pickled in 

 the same manner.— Fruits and How to Use Them. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 



Baspberry EoU. Cut thin pie paste into 

 square strips, spread with Raspberry Jam, roll 

 over, tie at the ends and bake. 



Bhubarb Cream Pie. Make Rhubarb sauce, 

 by stewing soft with plenty of sugar: beat in 

 each cupful two teaspoonfuls smooth corn- 

 starch and two egg yolks. Bake in open crust, 

 and make meringue of the whites of three eggs. 



Gooseberries Stewed. Pluck the berries before 

 they are fully ripe, cut off the blooms and stems 

 with small scissors, and stew with a little water 

 until soft Season with half as much sugar as 

 fruit, by measure, serve with or without cream. 



Berry PufEs. One egg, one cupful of flour, 

 one cupful of milk, butter the size of a walnut 

 and a pinch of salt. Beat very thoroughly, add 

 one cupful of berries, and bake in a quick oven 

 in greased cups or the little glazed Jars that come 

 for the purpose.— Old Housekeeper. 



Spiced Currants. Five pounds of Currants, 

 weighed after they are stemmed; four pounds of 

 coffee sugar; one and one-half cupfuls of vine- 

 gar; one tablespoonful each of salt, cinnamon, 

 cloves and pepper. Mix the Ingredients and boil 

 until the consistency of rich preserves. 



Pickled String Beans. Select the white bean, 

 or nice, tender green ones,— break off the ends 

 and take oft the strings, if there are any, and 

 wash; put in a kettle of hot water which is salted. 

 Cook carefully so they will keep whole. Skim out 

 in a Jar and pour vinegar over them which has 

 one-half pound of sugar to every quart of vine- 

 gar, if you do not want them very sour. 



Fried Cucumbers. Pare, cut into slices about 

 a quarter of an inch thick, season with salt and 

 pepper. Dip flrst in egf , then in bread crumbs. 

 Put two tablespoonfuls of lard or dripping in a 

 frying pan with salt. Put in a few slices of 

 Cucumber, fry brown and crisp on one side, then 

 turn and fry brown on the other. Lift carefully, 

 drain on brown paper, serve very hot with 

 Tomato catsup.— Fruit Grower. 



A. Cream Dressing for Salads. Beat up two 

 eggs with four tablespoonfuls of good cream, 

 two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a small 

 teaspoonful of salt, same of mustard, and half of 

 black pepper, and a small teacupful of best vine- 

 gar. Beat and mix all these up well together; 

 put into a saucepan, and stir over the fire till It 

 thickens. Do not let it boil, or the dressing will 

 curdle. Let it cool, when it is ready for use.— 

 The Lady. 



Baspberry Buns. Mix six ounces of ground 

 Rice and flour, rub it in a quarter of a pound of 

 lard, the same of white sugar, and a teaspoonful 

 of baking powder. Make it into a stiff paste 

 with the yolk of an egg and a little milk. Divide 

 into small balls, hollow each and insert a little 

 Raspberry jam, close up neatly and dip into 

 beaten white of the egg, flatten a little, and bake 

 on a tin in a sharp oven. They will crack dur- 

 ing the baking and show the Jam through.— 

 Fruits and How to Use Them. 



Stewed Carrots. Scrape and cut into cubes 

 sulficient Carrots to make one pint, throw into a 

 kettle of boiling water; cook three-quarters of 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Abutilons to be pruned;as may be required for the 

 Improvement of shape. 



Aseratam to be held In check If fine winter bloom 

 Is desired. 

 Agapanthus In flower need plenty of water. 

 Azaleas. Syringe frequently to keep off red spider. 

 Balsams, If wanted tor window plants after fall, to 

 be taken from the beds and set Into large pots. 



Begonias need an abundant supply of water and 

 rich soil. 



Browalias may yet be started from seed for winter 

 blooming. 



Ohrrsanthemnms will be beneflted by copious 

 watering during dry weather. Use liquid manure 

 freely. Plants should not be crowded. Stake. 



Ferns when having good drainage may be given 

 water very freely. Keep in a warm, moist situation . 



Fuchsias. Old plants now at rest and Intended for 

 winter bloom, may be removed from the pots, cut 

 back within three or four Inches from the roots, the 

 soil washed off, and repotted In fresh loam. Give 

 water sparingly at first. 



Greranlnms. If plenty of flowers are wanted during 

 the winter, the flower buds should now be carefully 

 picked off. Pinch back to Induce strong bushy growth. 



Heliotropes. Shape to be improved by cutting back 

 every few weeks. Shift as needed. 



Hydrangeas In bloom may be given occasional doses 

 of liquid manure. 



Insects. Free syringing Is one of the best means of 

 keeping Insects In check. Keep the foliage clean and 

 pick off all dead leaves and faded flowers, and be for- 

 ever on the watch for Insect pests. 



Layering of Carnations, Pinks. Roses, etc., should 

 receive attention where suitable growth Is afforded. 



Oxalls after flowering will need less water. 



Pomegranate to be encouraged by frequent applica- 

 tions of weak liquid manurs. 



Primrose. The double Chinese likes a cool, shady 

 place, and Is then satlsfled with a moderate supply of 

 water. 



Pelargoninms after flowering to be given a rest. 



Foinsettias. Pinch back for the Improvement of 

 shape where needed. Shift as required. 



Seed Sowing. Calceolaria, Cineraria, Sweet Alys 

 sum, Teuweck Stock, Mignonette, Pansy, Hollyhock, 

 Delphinium, DIanihus. Centerbury Bells. Digitalis, My- 

 osotls, Perennial Poppy, and other perennials and bi- 

 ennials may now be sown. 



Roses, Pinch and use the knife freely on monthly 

 Roses, etc. 



Shading. Plants in the house may be protected 

 from Injury by exposure to sun and dry air, by means 

 of boards placed against them on (he sunny side. 



Sphagnum Moss. Now and In August while the 

 swamps are dry is a good time to secui-e the year's 

 supply. Haul the moss to the high land, to be left 

 until dry. 



Slips of many house plants now strike very readily. 

 Insert them In sand or soil. Keep very moist and 

 somewhat shaded, and pot off as soon as roots appear. 



Vases and veranda boxes need occasional soaking 

 rather than frequent sprinkling. Let the moisture 

 reach clear down ro the very center of the mas of earth. 



Winter plants In pots need constant watching to 

 keep them free from Insect pests. Syringe and water 

 freely. Stake where needed, and pinch back to induce 

 compact growth. 



