THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



93 



The woman whose flower seeds never come up 

 unless Ihcy arc scratched up. 



Violets. 



Vi<)lft.8 are tlio fi\voot('8t liiiwiTK In FloriiV uanlt-n, 

 ami arc altnosi universally aiiiiiiri'il. TIktc arc tlirrr 

 variclii'S now iMiltivalcil, viz.: the NeaiHilitaii, the 

 Kuseian, and the Kn(rlisli, or b. odurala. The Nea- 

 politan viiilets are Car more tender than all other 

 species, ami eania)t lu' hri>U!;ht to pcrfcctinn without 

 the aid of artiliclal iwat or some protection to pre- 

 scrvf thcni from frosts. In a cold frame or under 

 liand-j,'Ia.>;ses they can he ke]it in hloom from Novem- 

 ber to .May. Durinir summer they will lake care of 

 theinselvc's, with hut little attention from the irar- 

 dencr ; hut as soon as <'old nii;hts approach , the ^jlasses 

 Hlioulil he put over them ; and iluriiit^ severe cold 

 they must he protected hy mattini;, and the frames 

 liaiiked up with stable litter. F(U- window uanli'nin;; 

 these violets are not a success unless the plants are 

 purchased when in full hloom and kept in a cool tem- 

 perature. .\s jtot-plants they reipiire shiftiiiji; into 

 lara'cr jxtts, as their roots sjjread, and sliould I>e liber- 

 ally supplied with water wldle In bloom. In beds, to 



maintain 

 a c:ood suc- 

 cession, a 

 new bed 

 sliould he 

 lilantod as 

 soon as t he 

 old plants 

 e ease to 

 tlowcr; but 

 if this can 

 not be easi- 

 ly done, let 

 the old 

 plants re- 

 main and 

 cut away 

 all the 



suckers thoy liave made, and iiivc the bed a top- 

 dressinc: of rich loam and well-decayed manure, half- 

 and-half. All throufrh the summer the suckers 

 should he cut away, and the plants will need water 

 occasionally if tlic" season is dry. By tins method 

 very strong plants can be had for winter flowering, 

 and only one sash and frame be required. 



The Russian violets are much more hardy than the 

 NeaiHilitan, but to blossom freely they need a fich 

 6oil, witli plenty of water when in bloom ; it must, 

 however, be well drained, so that the water will not 

 settle at their roots, as this will cause them to decay. 

 Frosh beds made every year from the offsets will pro- 

 duec the Kr™'''ft profusion of (lowers, and tlie old 

 beds can be renovated with a top-dresslni; after their 

 flowerinjj ceases. The suckers can be planted when 

 the old beds are in full bud, but all suckers produced 

 the first year should be removed, so that the plants 

 can form compact crowns, whicli will jiroduce flowers 

 In irrcat plenty. Tlie Czar violet is the most jmpular 

 variety that is cultivated, but its flowers are of a pale 

 blue, and siui;lc, yet their delicious fratrrancc is al- 

 ways apiireeiated. It has, however, a tendency to 

 ruii to leaf rather than to bud, and, therefore, should 

 not have too rieli a soil; a sandy loam seems best 

 adapted to its wants. 



Theseviolets can be cultivated like misTionette, so 

 as to form a miniature tree. Take a strons, well- 

 rooted sucker with a lont; stem, and plant it in a pot 

 of lisht, 

 rich mold 

 with the 

 stem tied 

 up to a 

 slender - 

 sup port . ^ 



Put the ;: . , :- j_^- _____ 



pot where '='^ .-o ■' SLl"^' ■'i.-v 



it can--;--^'; 'I :it"*C?fif f'F. ■»*>&" "zT 



have bot- 

 tom heat, 

 a n d a s 

 soon as it 



seems to „, , ., , ,. 



be prow woman whose flower seeds all come up. 



iniiwell, nip otTall the side branches with the excep- 

 tion of two small shoots. Contiime to do this, kcep- 

 inir only the middle and side shoots, and as the three- 

 inch pot (which should be used at first,) becomes 

 filled with roots, shift it to the next size, and I'ontinue 

 doiny: this as often as tlie r(K)ts touch the sides of the 

 [lot. Fresh soil ami a sujiply of weak mamirc-watcr 

 must be given to promote its i^rowth, and every 

 flower-hu»l picked otl' as soon as it is seen. In three 

 years this course of treatment will have proiluccd a 

 stem at least half an inch in diameter, and a bell- 

 shaped head, which may now be allowed to bud and 

 bUwim, and it will prove a charmiuLT basket-plant, or 

 an ornament for the window, i^arden, or trrcenhouse. 

 Tlie sweetest-scented flowers an' not always the most 

 brilliant colorcil, for Nature rarely bestows upon one 

 plant so great perfection, although the rose may claim 

 this distinction ; l)Ut violets |hisscss the pleasing tints 

 of dark !)lue or purj)le, pure wliite, and \i\\W blue, 

 while the shape of tile flowers is always lovely. No 

 one who has a ganlcn should Ite without a bed of 

 them. — .v. O. J. in Xetn Yi>rk Trihune, 



^MM 



Button-Hole Bouquets and Bouquet-Holder. 



Within a few years the wearing of button-hole 

 flowers and Imlton-holc bompiets has become ijuite 

 fashionable, and it is one. of tiiose tasli-ful and iimo- 

 i'cnt pastimes whiidi we can fidly eonunend. The 

 button-hole i^oufjuet proper, whicli is comixised of a 

 very lew Hue flowers tastefully arranged, 

 must not b<i confounded with the button- 

 hole flower, which is simply a single 

 flower, like a rose-bud or a Tuberose, with 

 some pretty sweet-scented li-af for a liack- 

 ground, to the stem of which the flower Is 

 attached by a thread or light string. This 

 is desiiria'd to be inserted in the little Hou- 

 (piit-Holder herewith illustrated, and lor 

 which we are indebted to our friend VicK, 

 who sends them by mall tor twenty cents. 

 No leaves are more dcsiralile for tids pur- 

 pose than the sweet-scented geraniums, of 

 which the .\pplc and Halm are among the 

 nK)st desirables The holder is made of 

 glass, of any desired color, is tilled with 

 water, and attached to coat, dress or hair, 

 by the pin. In this way the flowers will keep fresh 

 for a day or two. The button-hole bouquet is ar- 

 ranged ilitlerently. The stems of th(! flowers arc 

 covered with a little damp moss or cotton, the whole 

 being surrounded with tin-foil, and fastened to the 

 coat or dress with a cftmmon i»in. Of course, the 

 holder may be used with cither, or both may he ar- 

 ranged for tin-foil. Mr. Vick says "the very beauti- 

 ful cut foliage of the Itose and W-rhnn Geraniums 

 are siidicicntly attractive in form alone to insure 

 general popularity; but when added to this is their 

 delicate an<l dcliglitful fragrance, we know we shall 

 be pardoned for urging every one who cultivates 

 flowers to secure at least one of these plants. They 

 grow easily from slips, and do nicely in the house, 

 and, when once secured, there will be no neci-ssity 

 for again )nircliasing during a life-time; for in the 

 early autumn slips can be taken otV ami iiotted for 

 winter use in the house, and in the early spring slips 

 can be iM)tted, and in three or fotir weeks they will 

 be sufficiently rooted to transfer to the open ground." 



THE FRUIT and VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



" 1 wiLX uot mar the works of (iod by wantuu cruelty." 



The Pear Tree Must Have a Retentive Soil. 



The pear tree re<|uires a retentive soil, in order to 

 give good returns, hut not when water stands on sur- 

 face or sub-soil. The loss of fruit tri'cs within three 

 years, in Illinois, is estimated at aliout three millions 

 of dollars, and that the retentive clay loam sub-soil 

 of the prairie lands is the cause, ami that the farmers 

 have adopted the plan of ridging their orchards liy 

 rejieated ploughings, commencing at tlie same ridge 

 and ending at the same furrow, to remedy this evil. 

 We do not apprehend that this is simply owing to 

 their clayey sub-soil, for in New England we find that 

 pear trees flourish better on land with a sub-soil or 

 pan of clay. The difficulty with them is undoubtedly 

 owing to the adhesiveness or peculiar quality of their 

 clay, which iirevcnts the percolation of water through 

 it. Such land requires a good system of draining. 

 On the quality of the sub-soil depends in a great mea- 

 sure the capacity of the surface soil for retaining or 

 parting with the water ami heat. Of these, the worst 

 is clay kept wet with subterraneous water, so destruc- 

 tive to fruit trees, and the best are those of clay rest- 

 ing on gravel or porous rock. This last is the best 

 lor a garden, because, while the water finds a ready 

 means of escape, the mots of the trees are prevented 

 from extending too deep into a cold and uncongenial 

 soil. 



so, it Is an essential part of that plant. Ournurscry- 

 nicn at the present day invariably cut olf this tap- 

 root, and generally the laterals or side shoots. It is 

 not to be supiKised that trees form tap-riMils to their 

 own prejudice. These r<K)lB descend Into the earth 

 for some special service. Tup-riKils are undouIite<lly 

 essential to the healthy growth and durability of the 

 tree. 



Professor Darby thinks that " if the seed for stock 

 wi-re plantetl where* the trees were to grow, and 

 grafted or budded in their natural |H)silioiis, we 

 shnulil have fruit orchards for a generation." Wo 

 apprehend that this cutting olf the tap-root and prun- 

 ing the side limbs of our trees, when young, Is a bad 

 practice. Wc should allow them to grow us nature 

 indicates, thereby incnaslng the ratio of the surface 

 lor the tlcsctrniling sap, as compared with tlic ascend- 

 ing. If the ta|>-r<K)t were uot essential for the life, 

 healtli and thrill of the tree, such a root would never 

 be iiroduccd. 



The Propagation of Celery. 



Celery is a native of Norway and Sweden, where it 

 grows near the edges of sivauqis. This plant is rarely 

 eultivati-d as It should be, hence the stunted speci- 

 mens wliieli appear in our markets. .\ <lecp trench 

 should first be dug, at the bottom of which a laycrof 

 sticks of wood, say six inches thick, should be placed, 

 a drain pipe being jilaced endwise ujion one or lK)th 

 ends of the layer. The sticks should be then covered 

 with about a foot of rich mold, wherein the plants 

 should be set, in a row and about Ave inches apart. 

 The plants should be kept well watered, the water 

 being sujiplicd through the drain pipes, so that, pass- 

 ing through the layer of sticks, which serves as a 

 conduit, the water issupplied tothe rootsof the plant. 

 In earthing up, care should be exercised to close the 

 stems ol the plant well together with the hand, so 

 that no mould can get between them. The earthing 

 process sliould be performed sulficlcntly frequently to 

 keep the mould nearly level with the leaves of the 

 outside stems. If the.-ie directions are carefully ob- 

 served, the ])lant may be grown at least four feet in 

 length, and this without impairing the flavor, which 

 deterioration is commonly noticed in overgrown vege- 

 tables and fruit. 



The Tap-Root. 



Hoots and stems are always in a certain di'gree re- 

 ciprocally proportionate to I'ach other. The tap-HM^t 

 does not form a part of every plant ; but wheu it does 



Ploughing Orchards. 



Whether it is lietter to plough young orchanls, or 

 to keep them |)ermancntly In grass, is a rpu'Stlon to 

 which dillerint answers are returned by men who 

 have had both experience and observation in the pre- 

 mises. Without attempting to decide this |Kiint, 

 upon which the " doctors disagree," wc wish to oiler 

 a suggestion to the large numlier of our readers who 

 think it is advisable to plough among their trees. 

 That is, that they use a greutdeal of care while doing 

 the work. A great many trees have been iM*rniancnt- 

 ly injured by liaving the riKits badly mangled or the 

 bark mutilated on their trunks. The latter often 

 proves to be a very serious -injury, and, even where 

 only a small piece of the bark Is removed, it frecpient- 

 ly induces disease and finally kills the tree. For 

 ploughing where trees are thick, o.xen are better than 

 horses, as there is much less danger of injuring the 

 trees. Hut where oxen cannot be had, horses must 

 be used, and a great deal of care should be taken by 

 the driver to keep them from getting too close to the 

 trees. — A'ckj Knijland Jlointtittad. 



Caterpillars. 

 The caterpillars have just commenced their ravages 

 on the fruit trees, and in some localities ajipcar to be 

 very numerous, and promise to do great damage. 

 Now is the time to give them a general ipiietus ; for 

 if they are not killed by one of our reci'nt frosty 

 nights, they will do an incalculable amount of mis- 

 chief, not only destroying the fruit for the present 

 season, but rctartl the growth of the trees. One of 

 the best ways to destroy them is to take an old stub 

 broom dipped in a strong lye,or ashes and water, and 

 rub them otTof the limb in a thorough manner. Do 

 if just at evening, and you will be pretty sure to catch 

 them all in the nest, and one atfackwill do the whole 

 work. Using tire to burn them off often injures the 

 tree more than the worms would if left alone. But 

 do it somehow, ami do it thoroughly, for every worm 

 dcstroycdthis season will save tlie trouble of destroy- 

 ing many more ne.\t year. 



♦^ 



Advantages of Mulching. 



Mulching shouhi be resorted to to obviate the evil 

 results arising from tough soil around orchanl trees, 

 or from mutilatingfhe abundance of small fibcrsthut 

 fill the surface of the soil, which would be Ihe case if 

 the plow should be uscil. I know of instances of 

 mulched orchards bearing heavy crops of fruit every 

 year, and of others whcreihe mulching oiieration wa.-) 

 discontinued, and where the trees at once deteriora- 

 ted. .Mulching is also of great use in the garden, to 

 save laljor, as well as to preserve the soil moist and 

 cool. Alter hoeing, if the surface of the ground is 

 covered with ac good coat of weeds or straw, and 

 among our loniafoes, currants, ras|iberrles, A:c., the 

 ctfect will Ir' [ilainly seen. I think blacklK-rries can- 

 not be successfully cultivated without resorting to 

 this system. — W., in the -\'. 1'. Tribune. 



To Keep Away Cutworms. 



Spirits turpentine poured upon scc<l corn before 

 planting, and thoroughly mixed by stirring, so that 

 all the seeds shall be imprcgnat<sl with it. Is a s|M-elflc 

 for the terrible ravages of Ihe cutworm. I have never 

 known It to fall in one instance. .My own practice 

 has been to put one (|uart of I uriK'iitlne to a bushel of 

 corn, or in that proportion, which is sufficient ; anil I 

 have always thought that corn came up two or three 

 days quicker when thus treated. Hesides, the scent 

 of the turpentine, which can be detected several weeks 

 after planting, aids much in keeping crows at a dis- 

 tance. — CkarUt Currier, in .V. Y. Tribune. 



The Cut Worm in Cabbages. 



To prevent the ravages of the cut worm, take pieces 

 of newspaper, six Inches square, tear a slit in one side 

 to the middle, and insert the plant. Kriiig the silt 

 edges together; and place a little earth or pebbles on 

 ( theciirners, and the work is done. A platform of 

 I paper is formed around the plant, through which the 

 worm eanuot {>euelrate. 



