224 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



Pruning; Screens, When screens and hedges 

 are in a state of rapid growth, it will do to 

 prune or cut them back moderately at mid- 

 summer, especially if they are too, tall and ram- 

 pant, and the cutting back is done with a knife, 

 shortening in irregularly the longest shoots or 

 branches, and not shearing oft to an even sur- 

 face. A sheared screen has too stiff an appear- 

 ance. One cut back with a natural surface has 

 not only a natural appearance, but its con- 

 tinuous growth is preserved,and it has a pleasing 

 external form instead of a stiff green wall,which 

 if sheared in summer checks the vigor of the 

 trees so much as to do them permanent injury. 

 A screen of Osage Orange will bear a moderate 

 and irregular pruning in summer better than 

 some feebler growers, and will spring up sooner 

 with a second growth; and Norway Spruce is 

 less injured by cutting to a moderate extent 

 than some other evergeens. But if the full 

 vigor of young trees and screens is to be pre- 

 served, they must be pruned when in a dormant 

 state, or else the protruding shoots are to be 

 merely pinched back.— Orange Co. Farmer. 



Best Six Fuchsias. One of the best Fuchsias, 

 vigorous in growth and free-blooming, is the 

 Earl of Beaconsfleld, but it is not suitable to 

 grow as a standard unless you make up your 

 mind to watch it and keep it constantly cut 

 back; if you do nofit will send out long, spraw- 

 ling shoot*, admirable for training on a wall, but 

 most unsightly for a bush Fuchsia. General 

 Roberts is another good kind, with somewhat 

 similar tendencies. I should recommend Pres- 

 ident, Lord Wolseley, Berliner Kind, Frau Emma 

 Topfer, Phenomenal, and Display. Phenomenal 

 is, however, a late bloomer though when It does 

 come into flower; the effect is superb.— Garden- 

 ing Illustrated. 



f Better Keep Fowls Confined. To keep hens 

 from scratching up flowers, cover the beds with 

 flat stones, or at least surround each plant with 

 them, leaving space for the full-grown stem, or 

 sow seeds in the crevices. If particular about 

 looks, sink the stones below the surface a little. 

 With plants set a foot or so apart and stones to 

 protect each, hens will conclude it is no place to 

 roll. The stones keep moisture from leaving in 

 a dry time, and are thus a beneflt. Wire net is 

 all right around a bed till the hens fly over it. 

 Stones are at least an improvement on sticks and 

 brush.— N. T. Tribune. 



The most effective insecticide that the K. N.-Y. 

 knows of at this time is the old Gishurst Com- 

 pound. Two ounces dissolved in a gallon of 

 water will destroy lice (aphida?) thrips, slugs and, 

 in short, all sorts of insects that infest Hose 

 bushes, except Rose-bugs. It is claimed, also, 

 that it will destroy mealy bug, scale and mildew. 

 It is for sale by most seedsmen.— Rural, N. T. 



Tartarian Honeysuckle. As charming orna- 

 mental hedge plant, too much can scarcely be 

 said of the Tartarian or Bush Honeysuckle. 

 Foliage, a pretty shade of green; tJowers, either 

 white or pink, sweet and abundant. The bush is 

 hardy; bears any neglect. It makes «n admira- 

 ble screen and is pleasing in appearance, even- 

 when not in bloom.— Orleans. 



Insects and Fungi Prevent it in America. 

 Spain is said to be a land of fruit, and that fruit 

 is so abundant everywhere, even along the road- 

 side, that it can be picked and eaten by anybody. 

 This is brought about by the peculiar custom 

 the Spaniards have of always planting the seeds 

 of the Peaches or Pears they have eaten.— Ex. 



Or Tree or Shrub Either. The man or boy 

 who would Injure a dumb brute because of some 

 grudge against its owner, is too small a specimen 

 for this earth. A Russian knout and a banish- 

 ment to Siberia would hardly be adequate for 

 his deserts.— Sussex Register., 



The Common Scarlet Sage cannot be dispensed 

 with in ornamental gardening. There is nothing 

 to equal the splendor of its bloom in the late 

 summer and faU. If the plants are well advanced 

 when set out they flower almost from start.— 

 Practical Farmer. 



Reducing Cost of Production. Take the Potato. It 

 was a garden crop, It Is now a farm crop. To raise 

 Potatoes at a proflt It must be treated as a manufac- 

 ture; It must be done on a large scale, with the largest, 

 best and most powerful tools.— Chas. Barnard in Am- 

 erican oarden. 



Fill out the G-api. A busy patch Is both a credit 

 an<l a profit. You cau't make a fortune out of one 

 Cabbage or one Turnip, but you can always make 

 some money out of many.— Germantown Telegraph. 



Value ol Land. Farms at present prices are cheap 

 fur the man who has brains and strength; dear to a 

 Bcrub at any price.— Mi. Van Alstyue. 



Ezperience a Hard School. Men learn by their 

 mistakes but they have to be nearly killed first. 



Gardening will pay. It always did pay— the busi- 

 ness gardener.— Chas. Barnard. 



Save the Bark. To let cattle browse the trees Is 

 costly pastiu"age.— Dr. Groff. 



A successful farmer Is generally found on a farm 

 that Is " not for sale." 



Small Fruits— "doctor killers."— Mason's Hints. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 



Cucumber Catsup. Grate large Cucumbers 

 after paring, add vinegar, mix, add salt and 

 pepper to taste. This will keep if bottled and 

 corked. 



Fried Squash. Pare and cut three Squashes 

 into slices a quarter of an inch thick. Dust with 

 salt and pepper. Dip first in egg, then in bread 

 crumbs. Fry the same as Egg-plant. 



Sweet Pickled Currants. Five pounds of Cur- 

 rants; two and one-half pounds of brown sugar; 

 one pint of vinegar; one tablespoonful each of 

 Cinnamon, Cloves, Allspice, Pepper and salt. 

 Cook half an hour —Good Housekeeping. 



Turnip3 are the very nicest stewed and mash- 

 ed, when one can have the small white summer 

 sort. Young quick growth will cook in forty- 

 flve minutes. When very tender, drain off the 

 water and mash perfectly smooth, season with 

 butter, a little cream, and dot pepper over when 

 dished.— Household. 



Chili Sauce. Four large green Peppers 

 chopped fine, seeds out, twenty-four ripe Toma- 

 toes, two Onions, two cups of sugar, two table- 

 spoonfuls of salt, one tablespoonful each of 

 Cloves, Allspice, Nutmeg and Ginger, and one 

 quart of vinegar. Cook two and one-hours. 

 Bottle and keep in a cool place. 



Mulberry Jelly, Take large, sweet berries. 

 To every quart allow the juice of three Oranges 

 and one cup of sugar. Clip the stalks from the 

 berries and strain the Orange juice; put them 

 with the sugar into a preserving pan and boil 

 one hour, occasionally stirring and mashing the 

 berries; press through a wire sieve and keep in 

 air-tight jars. 



Fruit Pudding, Slice Bananas and Oranges 

 in a glass dish. Make a custard of half pint milk, 

 three tablespoonfuls of sugar, two eggs and any 

 desired flavoring. Pour over the fruit and set 

 on ice. An icing, made of the white of one egg, 

 and half cup of powdered sugar and flavoring, 

 dropped in spoonfuls over the top, makes this a 

 very pretty dish. 



Pickled Beets, Select smooth, red ones, wash 

 clean with a brush, but do not cut them, as thej' 

 will bleed and loose their sweetness. Boil in 

 plenty of water until soft, then take out into a 

 pan of cold water, take off the skin as soon as 

 cool enough; slice into a pitcher or jar and pour 

 vinegar over them while warm. Cover as soon 

 as cold.— Exchange. 



Okra Coffee. Take the pods when thoroughly 

 dry, shell out the seeds and put them in a Coffee 

 roaster and roast them nice and brown. Then 

 grind them in a coffee mill. Take three heaping 

 tablespoonfuls of the Okra and one of good 

 Coffee. Pour on boiling water enough for tour 

 cups and you will have Coffee that is very nu- 

 tritious, and which the most delicate person can 

 take without the least evil effect. 



Blackberry Jelly. Pick when quite ripe, and 

 in dry weather, place it in a gallon stone jar, 

 which put into a sauceimnful of water. Let this 

 simmer on the fire for six or seven hours, until 

 all the juice is extracted. Then empty the con- 

 tents of the jar into a jelly bag, and let it strain 

 into a pan for 2i hours. To every pint of juice 

 add one pound of sugar. Boil till it becomes a 

 jelly, testing a small quantity on a plate ; it 

 usually takes about three quarters of an hour 

 or an hour.— Gardening Illustrated. 



FlckUd Walnuts. Gather when soft enough 

 to be pierced by a pin. Lay them in strong brine 

 five days, changing this twice in the meantime. 

 Drain and wipe them with a coarse cloth; pierce 

 each by running a large needle through it, and 

 lay in cold water for six hours. To each gallon 

 of vinegar allow a cup of sugar, three dozen of 

 whole Cloves and black Pepper Corns, half as 

 much Allspice and a dozen blades of Mace. Boil 

 five minutes; pack the nuts in small jars and 

 pour pour over them scalding hot. Repeat this 

 twice within a week; tie up and set uway. They 

 will be good to cat in a month.— Cal. Fruit 

 Grower. 



Scalloped Onions, Peel them, and boil first in 

 water for five minutes, then in milk and water 



until done. While cooking stir together for 

 each quart of Onions, one tablespoonful of 

 butter and one of flour. When the Onions be- 

 gin to get tender, take from the milk and put 

 them in a baking dish in alternate layers 

 with bread crumbs; thicken the milk with the 

 stirred flour and butter, and season with salt and 

 pepper; pour over the Onions and lastly put on 

 a layer of bread crumbs seasoned with- lumps of 

 butter spread over the top. Bake a nice brown. 

 Prizetakers, or other large Spanish Onions are 

 best for this. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Abutilons, like many other plants, are apt to send a 

 long root through the opening In the bottom of the pot 

 Into the soil beneath. Prevent It by occasionally turn- 

 ing the pots. 



Allamanda in flower to be given an occasional dose 

 of llqnid manure. For cuttings use half-ripened wood. 



Annuals in the border are now doing their best. 

 Those wanted for window plants later on may be 

 lifted and potted. 



Aspidistras in healthy growth to be given manure 

 water occasionally. 



Balsams. See Annuals. 



Begonias of the flowering sorts to be shifted as 

 needed. 



Callas to started into free growth for early bloom." 



Carnations for early winter flowers should receive 

 their last heading back. 



Chrysanthemums to be kept free from aphis by 

 dusting with Tobacco or by similar remedies. 



Fuchsias for winter flowering to be started now. 



General Directions. Tlie winter flowering plants 

 to be repotted as required. Many plants of a tropical 

 nature, such a Clerodendron, FIcus, Rex Begonia, etc., 

 are now easily propagated from green cuttings. Place 

 In sand, cover withsomeglass vessel, and water lightly 

 as needed. Geraniums and similar plants wanted for 

 winter flowering should now or soon be started from 

 cuttings. On old plants the excessive growth Is to be 

 pinched back to promote fine bushy form. Earth 

 worms, whenever troublesome, are easily disposed of 

 by free applications of caustic lime water. The needed 

 supply of pots, soli, sand, moss, etc.. Is to be provided 

 for. Watering, ventilation and shading to be carefully 

 attended to. 



Geraniums. Turn the pots occasionally to prevent 

 rooting In the plunging earth. 



Ivy Geraniums. All plants that are to be lifted as 

 they start into growth, should be cut back and placed 

 in rather small pots. Young plants to be repotted. 



Oleanders to be repotted after they have made good 

 growth. 



Orange and Lemon trees to be repotted as needed, 

 and leaves sprayed off with soap suds occasionally. 



Palms to be treated like Orange and Lemon trees. 

 Keep well watered. 



Verbenas. For wintering over raise young plants 

 by rooting young tender shoots after the middle of the 

 month. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Ageratum. Cut back plants Intended for winter 

 flowering. 



Annuals. The ground between Asters and other 

 late bloomers to be kept well stirred or liberally 

 mulched. Water in dry weather and stake where 

 needed. 



Dahlias should always be secured against Injury 

 from storms by staking and tying. 



Coleus and other plants to be pinched back to Induce 

 stockiness and spreading shape. Young plants to be 

 started for wintering over. 



Chrysanthemums. Any plant In open ground In- 

 tended for exiiiblt to be taken up and potted. 



Everlastings. For drying gather before expanded, 

 tie in small bunches, and hang In the shade. Save 

 seed from best dowers only. 



General Directions. Train climbing vines until bare 

 spots are covered. Keepground between all flowering 

 plants and shrubs well cultivated or mulched. Cut 

 lawn moderately In dry weather. Propagate what- 

 ever shrtibs are desired by layering. Prune back all 

 excessive and ill-shaped growth in shrubs on the lawn. 

 Stake all growths likely to be Injured by storms, using 

 natural stakes rather than stllT painted ones. 



Euphorbia jacquinaefolia to be repotted early this 

 mouth. Finch back strong shoots to induce bushy 

 growth. 



Gladiolus. See directions for Dahlias. 



