THE GENESEE FARMER. 



291 



KSt 



MoYAXiExsiNG. — Bcafs well when fertilized, but 

 cannot be highly recommended. 



From the above varieties, a selection of five can 

 be made which will comprehend the whole season 

 and all the most valuable point? for the amateur and 

 gardener. For this locality, and our methods of cul- 

 tivation, we prefer the following, but would also like 

 to add one or iwo more, if space and convenience 

 did not forbid. Our choice would be — 



Large Early Scarlet — Earliest, and very sure 

 bearer. 



Hooker — Best quality, and fine bearer. 



Triomphe de Gand — Handsome, and very large. 



Hovet's Seedling — " " " 



Crimson Cone — Vigorous, late, productive. 



We would like to add — 



Burr's New Pine — For superior flavor, of pecu- 

 Bar character. 



Genesee — For eeirly berry for marketing. 



H. E. H. 



,^«.^ 



Ammonia in Green Houses. — " A little dilute liquid 

 aTDmouia, poured upon a hot plate in a green house, 

 has a wonderful effect in developing flowers and leaves." 

 — Scientific Aynerican. 



May we be allowed to ask the Scientific American, 

 if liquid ammonia has been actually tried, or if the 

 statement is made on theoretical considerations ? We 

 are well aware that carbonate of ammonia has a good 

 effect in green houses, but we have always queried 

 whether ammonia itself would not be too caustic and 

 scorch the leaves. Whether this is so or not, how- 

 ever, liquid ammonia is far too expensive to be used 

 for this purpose. It would be far more economical 

 to mix a little lime with sulphate or muriate of am- 

 monia (sal. ammoniac), or still more sc, with Peru- 

 vian guano. Such a mixture in a moist state, would 

 give off large quantities of ammonia. Till the mat- 

 ter is settled by actual trial, however, we would ad- 

 vise our readers to act cautiously. The ammonia in 

 the atmosphere is in the form of a carbonate, and if 

 it is desirable to increase the quantity in the air of a 

 green house, the best way is to scatter a little Peru- 

 vian guano on the floor, or to mix a little in a vessel 

 with water. This will soon ferment and furnish a 

 constant supply of carbonate ammonia. 



HOETICULTURAL OPEEATIONS FOE AUGUST. 



It will be too late to expect any great results from 

 the sowing of any very tender crop at this season of 

 the year. But any quick-growing, moderately hardy 

 vegetables may still be sown, such as radishes, let- 

 tuce, spinach, turnips, &c. 



Radishes.— Let the radishes be sown on light, 

 rich soil, and, while growing, copiously watered two 

 or three times a week, or every evening in hot 

 weather, in order that they may grow quickly and 

 come to maturity in as little time as possible. They 

 will then be as delicious and tender as at any other 

 tjme of the year. 



Lettuce may be sown any time during the month 

 for a fall supply, or planted out between the rows of 

 other vegerables that are soon to be cleared away. 

 But lettuce is very impatient of transplantation in hot 

 weather ; therefore it will be necessary to water 

 transplanted plants at such times. It is better to 

 ^w the geed in a bed of deep, rich soil, where it can 



remain, and thin the plants out to their proper 

 distance. 



Si'iNATii may be sown between the rows of peaa, 

 early cabbage or dwarf beans, that are soon to be 

 cleared away; and if the ground is not rich enough, 

 manure can be wheeled on and spaded in between 

 the rows after the other crops are cleared off. 



Turnips. — Tlie first week in August is the best 

 time to sow rutabaga or Swede turnijjs for spring 

 use. It requires a strong, moist soil to produce tine 

 turnips. Sow in drills eighteen inches apart, and 

 when the plants are up an inch high, thin them out 

 to one foot apart in the row. Stir the ground fre- 

 quently with the hoe. 



White Turnips. — The first week of the month is 

 also the best time to sow seed of the white varieties 

 for early fall use, and the last week for a late supply. 

 Sow in light, rich soil, in drills fifteen inches apart, 

 and thin out to a foot apart in the drill. Early 

 White Dutch is a good variety, and will be ready 

 for use in six or seven weeks from the time of sowing. 



Melons will now require some attention to pruning. 

 If watermelons have three plants in a hill, two mel- 

 ons to a plant will be sufficient — that is, one melon 

 npon a branch. Train them out at equal distances, 

 diverging from the centre. Stop the branch three 

 leaves above the fruit, and cut away all weak and 

 useless branches which are not bearing. Muskmelons 

 may be treated somewhat in the same way, only four 

 plants may be left in a hill, and three melons upon a 

 plant. Train out three main branches, and leave one 

 melon upon each branch. Pinch the top out three 

 leaves above the fruit, and all the small lateral 

 branches produced upon the main branch should be 

 kept cut back to one leaf, and all else cut away aa 

 soon as produced. 



Cucumbers may be allowed to run, unless very fine 

 fruit is wanted. Then the same treatment as recom- 

 mended for muskmelons will answer, only that the 

 branches will require pegging down to the ground, 

 as they will root at every joint, and consequently 

 produce finer fruit. They will require copious wa- 

 terings every evening in hot, dry weather, but water 

 would spoil the flavor of melons while ripening. 



Strawberries — This will be a good time to make 

 new strawberry beds. Let the ground be trenched 

 at least two spades deep, and the bottom of the 

 trench loosened up with the pick-axe, and the stones 

 thrown out. When the ground is selected, dig a 

 trench three feet wide and two spades deep, and the 

 whole width of the piece of ground to be planted. 

 Let the earth be wheeled to the opposite end of the 

 piece to fill in with at finishing. Then pick up the 

 bottom of the trench as deep as the pick can be sent 

 down, and put in a layer of any vegetable rubbish — 

 as weeds, leaves, peastraw or potato tops — and a 

 small layer of manure. Then mark out another 

 trench three feet wide, and throw the top spit of soil 

 to the bottom of the open trench, then a layer of 

 manure and a layer of soil, and so on until the second 

 trench is as deep as the first, and the whole piece 

 finished. Let the stones be picked out as the work 

 is proceeded with, and the ground raked level. Al- 

 low it to settle a day or two; then, if dry weather, 

 stretch a line the whole length of the piece, and 

 draw a drill with a hoe, and give a good soaking of 

 water in the drill. Make the next drill two feet from 

 this, and water in the same way. When all is ready, 

 take plants of this year's runners — the best that can 



