i886. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



lOI 



Put in the coffee and tea grounds and even 

 the scrapings from the sink. Begin with the 

 Rose bushes, you will be astonished at the new 

 growth, and on these come the flowers next 

 year. My Scarlet Geramiums were admired 

 for their rich colors and abundant bloom, the 

 more we picked, the more they blossomed, and 

 this bed receiveii a liberal portion of the dish 

 water once a week. A poor miserable apple 

 tree that had never had a blossom, after one 

 summer's treatment, bore a considerable nuin- 

 lier, and bids fair next j-ear to have a large 

 crop. But my Scarlet Runners surprised me, 

 planteil near an ugly looking old shed, they 

 covered it with such a mass of rich red coloring 

 that the old shed, always an eye sore, became a 

 thing of beauty. To be sure they were 

 "nothing but beans," but the flowers were so 

 perfect in form and coloring that they were 

 well worth cultivating, especially as this result 

 was brought about by applying the simple and 

 ready stimulant, dish water. 



" Sister Gracious." 



Rural Adornment. 



The adornment of rural homes should be 

 considered a necessity rather than a luxury. 

 As the country becomes older and natural 

 wind-breaks are destroyed, it is imperative that 

 we plant for protection. 



It should be remembered that the lieauty of 

 a home does not dejiend so much upon the 

 number and variety of species of plants as upon 

 the taste of the planter. The elements of at- 

 traction in landscape gardening are compara- 

 tively few and simple. A tasty and thoughtful 

 disposition of a half dozen kinds of ordinary 

 trees and shrubs is far preferable to a thought- 

 less mixing of twenty rare and more beautiful 

 kinds. 



So far as practicable trees, and shrubs should 

 be planted in groups, especially at some dis- 

 tance from the house. In this way a greater 

 variety is secured. These groups should be so 

 disposed as to hide from the common points of 

 view, especiall}' from the windows of the resi- 

 dence, all undesiiable objects and to afford 

 glimpses of all attractive objects and landscapes. 

 It is a serious mistake to pack the front yard 

 full of bushes and flowers. 



As over half oui' year is practically winter, it 

 is important that we should plant for winter 

 efifect as much as for summer effect. It is sur- 

 prising that so few people see any attraction in 

 leafless trees. The aspects of deciduous trees 

 in winter are singular and characteristic for 

 each species. When one begins to study them 

 he soon comes to appreciate their importance 

 in winter landscapes. 



Among deciduous trees I like best the winter 

 aspect of the Pepperidge or Sour Gum, Nyssa 

 mnltiflora. The peculiar tortuous short hori- 

 zontal branches designate the tree from its 

 companions. The Beach, when grown singly, 

 approaches the Pepperidge in character, but 

 never equals it. 



The second best tree for winter effect is prob- 

 ably the swamp White Oak, Quercus bieolov. 

 Then foUow the Burr Oak, White Oak, especi- 

 ally slow-growing specimens. Beach, the exotic 

 Weeping White Birch, Buttouwood, and finally 

 the more symmetrical and straighter limbed 

 trees, as Maples and Elms. I think it is desir- 

 able to plant with reference to the winter as- 

 pects of deciduous trees and shrubs. 



The evergreens must comprise the chief 

 attractions of winter landscapes, however. — 

 Professor Bailey, in Mich. Ayr. College Bulletin. 



A Hundred White Grubs Killed at a 

 Blow. 



A single female May-beetle lays from one to 

 two hundred eggs in the soil during May or 

 June. In two weeks these hatch into little 

 white grubs, which continue to increase in size 

 and live for three, if not more, seasons, prov- 

 ing very destructive to the roots of plants. 



It is impossible to compute the damage done 

 by the progeny of one beetle during the years 



they exist in the giub state. Anj-one who 

 is acquainted with its general destructive- 

 ness, however, should see the importance of 

 spai'iug no pains to kill as many beetles during 

 the season as is possible. It would pay to en- 

 courage the childern to destroy them by laying 



Pruning the canes either in the fall, after the 

 leaves have drop])ed, or early spiing is impor- 

 tant; very few cut with sufticieut freedom. 

 Not oidy should the canes Ik- cut back to one- 

 half their length on an average, but one-half 

 or more of the laterals should also come away. 



a premium on ever}' dead body they 

 could produce, sa}- half a cent for each. 

 For killing this pe.st, both in its 

 beetle and larva states, the crow's and 

 robin's help should be counted valua- 

 ble. Skunks also destroy great num- 

 bers of them, and on this account 

 might be better thought of. Hens and 

 turkeys will do good work on the grubs 

 if given a chance when the land is tilled. 



The Red Raspberry. 



This fruit is held in high esteem 

 everywhere. Not only is it one of the 

 most refreshing and agreeable subacid 

 fruits to be eaten in a fresh state, but 

 its use in making jams, jellies, etc. , in 

 the family; and on a larger scale by confec- 

 tioners in making syrups, as well as in numer- 

 ous other ways, is very wide. 



The Raspberrv, like the Strawberry, which 

 it follows quickly in early summer, commands 

 the attention of those who scarcely have room 

 for fruit trees. Another advantage it possesses, 

 is that of coming early into fruit. A planta- 

 tion of Raspberries will be in perfection at the 

 third year from planting. Allowed then to 

 bear for about six yeais, it must be broken up 

 and a new one formed on another plat of land. 



Not all soils are alike suited to the Red Rasp- 

 berry, a rich, moist, light loam being the 

 best. Where but a small plantation is grown, 

 as for familj' use, if it is made in partial shade, 

 the results will be more satisfactory. This is a 

 strong point in favor of the Raspberrj- for the 

 many small places, where shade is so abundant 

 as to prevent the culture of Strawberries. 



In planting this fruit, a good distance ajmrt 

 is four feet by three feet, jjutting two plants 

 in each hill. Loving moisture as it does, to 

 mulch the ground heavil}' w*ith lawn rakings, 

 salt haj' or other material around each hill 

 is a good course for summer treatment. This 

 should be heavy enough to keep down the 

 weeds underneath. Scrupuously clean culture 

 should be observed between the patches of 

 mulching. All suckers, excepting about four 

 close to each hill, should also be treated as weeds. 



The bearing canes of the Raspberry should 

 early in the season be secm-ed to stakes by tie- 

 ing. The canes it may lie said are biennial; 

 those formed in one sea.son beai'ing the next, 

 after which they die. Aftei' the fruiting sea- 

 son, therefore, the old wood shouhl be cleaned 

 out to give the new gi'owth a full chance. 

 Still some gi-owers defer this until spring, claim- 

 ing that the old wood serves to protect the new 

 canes during winter. 



At the approach of winter, the t«'nder varie- 

 ties should be laid down and covered with 

 earth; a few inches of covering being enough, 

 and this must come away in the spring. 



THE HANSELL RASPBERRY. 



Then the fruit will be both larger and better. 

 The accompanying engraving is of the Han- 

 sell variety, which is one of theliest for general 

 planting, succeeding, as it does, over a wide 

 range of countrj'. It is especially valuable for 

 its earliness, fine color, and the haj-diness of 

 the plants, together with their marked ability 

 to endure the hot sun of our summers well. 



To Prevent 'Whiffletrees Barking Young Trees. 

 A protector may be made uf a strip of heavy harness 

 leather eight inches at one end, tapering to four 

 inches wide at the other, and about a foot and a 

 half long. This should be folded once lengthwise, 

 with the crease in the center, and a line of strong 

 stitches run across the widest end near the edge, 

 uniting the halves, to make a kind of open boot. 

 This stitched end is to be placed over the end of the 

 whitHetree, and the tapering end carried forward 

 and fa,stened to the tug by tyuig. We get this idea 

 from the .-iuriculturist. 



■White Strawberry Rust. So tar as known the 

 only remedy for this, likely to result in good, is 

 lightly dusting the plants with lime, once soon after 

 the plants start, and continue, with intervals of 

 two or three weeks, until the fruit is nearly ma- 

 tured. The presence of this fungus is readily per- 

 ceived by the rusty ai)pearance of the leaves. 

 When the berry is alfected it is shown l>y its lacing 

 dry, seedy and poorly developed. For the black 

 rust there seems to be no remedy, though it is not 

 very common, except in certain localities. 



Killing Insects. A bright light at night is at- 

 tractive to moths and many other insects. By build- 

 ing a fire in the orchard great nmubers will lie con- 

 sumed. A good device is to set a lantern in a basin 

 of water with a little kerosene added; the insects. 

 Hying against the glass, will fall into the liquid and 

 drown. 



A Hulch several inches in thickness of short 

 manure or similar material, on the surface around 

 spring-planted trees will help them more than any- 

 thing else against drouth. 



The doctor will not call so often it he sees that 

 you grow plenty of good fruit and vegetables. 



Small fruits can be raised while one is waiting 

 for trees to come into bearing. 



Bobins never eat gi'ain. 



