i886. 



POPUL'AR GARDENING. 



Ti' 



Some Handy Fruit Pickers. 



Pelargoniums should be cut back at once if not 

 yet iliinf , using the ends of slioots for propagation. 



Pots. New ones needed, to be buuglit before the 

 season of lifting and propagating, now near, opens; 

 all old ones to be soaked and waslied veiy elean. 



Roses for winter Howers to be stringed daily, 

 closing the house after the last syringing. If bedded 

 give the border a liberal manure mulch now. Do 

 not eiit back the old wood of Tea Roses, for it will 

 not break strong below the cut. A better way to 

 get rid of old canes is to curve them to the ground 

 pegging them down, when new and strong shoots 

 will break from near the base of the old canes. 



Smilax seed should be sown for next year's plants 

 and old roots that liave been at rest be started up. 



Stocks of the Ten-week and Intermediate tribes 

 fur winter bloom may now be sown. Of tlie former 

 the Wall tlower-Ieaved ones, are favorites with us 

 for this purpose. To provide a succession they 

 should be sown at intervals of six weeks. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Blackberries. Nip the new canes at four feet 

 high Cut out all unnecessary shoots, that the 

 strength may go to the main plant. Keep the ground 

 well cultivated and hoed for best results. 



Budding of most kinds of fruit trees may go on. 

 Cherry, Pear and Plum should be about done with; 

 Apple to come after these, and Peaches and Quinces 

 to follow about the end of the month The ties 

 to be watched,cutting them before they cut the bark. 



Currants. After the leaves have dropped trim 

 the plants, thinning fidly half of the new growth 

 If one cares to propagate, cuttings can be made of 

 these trimmings. Cut to about 6 inches long, bed 

 them firmly in good mellow soil to within one eye 

 of the top and in 

 an upright posi- 

 tion. 



Early fruit 

 should be used 

 promptly when 

 ripe: kept be- 

 yond a fair eat- 

 in g state and 

 the quality very 

 soon fails. 



Enemies. Plant Lice are bad this year. Destroy 

 by dipping the affected parts (usually the ends) into 

 a bucket of strong tobacco water prepared from 

 cigar-makers" waste, or else syringe with this. 



Cut out Black-knot from Plums and Fire-blight 

 from Peai's as soon as they are seen. 



Large and voracious Green Worm^ often trouble 

 Grape-vines at this season, and should be destroyed. 



Borers deposit their eggs in the lower part of the 

 trunks of Apples, Peaches, etc., during summer. 

 A band of tan-ed paper around the tree at the base, 

 the lower edge covered with soil, will prevent much 

 mischief. Probe for old-timers. The nests of late 

 UVt Worms, should be destroyed promptly. 



Gathering Fruit. We show engravings of sev- 

 eral effective and not costly fruit gatherers that 

 would prove a great convenience on any place where 

 fruit is grown. The one to the right might be home- 

 made. By the help of such early maturing, or any 

 specimen, can easily be brought to the gi-ound. See 

 article on ripening Pears elsewhere. 



Gooseberries. See for Currants. They can be 

 easily propagated by "stooling." that is, banking the 

 earth around them and into the plants 



Grapes iu strong growth may have a fourth or a 

 third of the leaves nipped out, with gains to the fruit 

 and less damage of mildew. Layer as shown on 

 page 118 of the issue for July. 



Marketing. Sort carefully, pack with pains- 

 taking, and in general strive to have a good reputa- 

 tion as a grower, with buyers. Then you can sell 

 in seasons of great plenty when others can not. 



Hulch any trees that may be suffering from 

 drouth 



Raspberries. Clear out the old canes after fruit- 

 ing and treat each plant to a shovel fidl of rich 

 compost. When the tips of the Black»cap class take 

 on a purplish-white color propagate?, if this is de- 

 sirable, by bending these to the earth and covering 

 each tip lightly; a stone may keep it in place. It 

 will soon root. Observe directions for Blackberries. 

 Strawberry beds that have fruited should now 

 be kept well tilled A stimulant should also be ap- 

 plied to the plants: nothing is better than hen ma- 

 nure and ashes niLxed with wood's earth. Some of 

 the same spaded into the soil will prove a treat. 



Watering fruit trees in dry seasons is of much 

 help to the crop. This done after the development 

 is so far along that seeds and stones begin to harden 

 is especially useful. To water ti*ees draw enough 



soil from the stt-ni to form a saucer-like edge; into 

 this depression place a mulch over which tn run 

 the wat+'r. The nndcb will extend the benefits a long 

 time. Some liquid manure is also a great help. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Asparagus beds kept cleau of weeds and grass 

 always prove much more proiluctive for this. 



Celery. Set out the late crop. The successive 

 plantings are to be earthed up gradually, as sutti- 

 cient growth of stem to handle appears. This is 

 best done after a heavy rain or watering. Take 

 care that no soil finds its way into the hearts 



Cleanliness ai)out the premises is always of mo- 

 ment, but ditubly so in hot weather, for then im- 

 purities in the air arising from filth and decaying 

 matter readily become poison. 



Cucumbers. Gather daily for pickles. By tiiking 

 them at two inches long (the favorite size) the total 

 number produced will be nmch increased. 



Egg Plants to be encouraged with liquid manure; 

 mulch to keep the fruit clear from the ground. 



Liquid Manure applied once or twice a week 

 now to growing crops of Lettuce, Cabbage, Cauli- 

 flower, etc., will help them much. 



Onions. Gather when most of the tops have 

 fallen. Pull and drj- for several days before storing. 

 Seed may be sown for early Spring pulling. .Just 

 before winter cover the seedlings ligbflj". 



Potatoes will be dug from day to day: those for 

 seed to be left until the tops are well ripened. If 

 there be any rot, burn the tops instead of leaving 

 them on the ground or coUe-^cing for the manure 

 pile, thus preventing the spread of the genns. 



Seed saving is one of the important garden jobs. 

 Only the best, and as a i-ule the earlist stocks, should 

 be used for seed. In gathering seeds let them be 

 well dried and put up carefully, marking the pack- 

 ages with name and date. 



Sow early Turnips, Lettuce, Endive, Spinach, 

 early and winter Radishes and Cucmnbers and hush 

 Beans for pickling These may occupy the space 

 where early crops were taken off. 



Spinach- Kound-seeded sown at once will yield a 

 supply to varj' the produce of the season later. 



Squasbes. Keep the cultivator going until the 

 tops prevent. The same advice applies to Melons. 



Sweet Potatoes should now be growing rapidly, 

 the branches to be rai.sed occasionally to prevent 

 their rooting. Keep perfectly clean of weeds. 



Tillage, A lively hoe is a good substitute for 

 rain in supplying moisture to growing crops. Con- 

 tinue to work between the rows of all growing crops 

 until the tops interfere. 



Tomatoes. If any fruits are shaded by an exces- 

 sive growth of leaves, as a result of the wet weather 

 in some places, remove enough leaves to admit the 

 sun to them. Gather and destroy the large Green 

 Worms If you do not trellise your plants then 

 mulch, to keep the fruit from the ground. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Grapery. Fruit in a ripening state should have a 

 free supplj- of air. but chilly winds, if thei*e be 

 such, should be guarded against. Free ventilation 

 will help both the flavor and the color of the fruit. 

 If the shoots are crowded remove a portion of them 

 with a view to securing a perfect ripening of the 

 wood for next year. In cold-houses the forming 

 bunches should be thinned of all defective berries. 



Mushrooms can easily be raised by anyone, in old 

 frames, under greenhouse stages or even in a cellar 

 or shed. Collect a good heap of hoi-se manure ,- 

 shaking out the straw. Spread it out as it accunui- 

 lates, to prevent heating, and turn at intervals of a 

 week for several weeks. Then add loam— if it be 

 turfy all the better— in the proportion of one-third 

 or one-fourth of the whole, and make up a bed 18 

 inches deep, beating it down well as the work pro- 

 ceeds. Let it remain until a brisk heat arises, when 

 spawn (to l>e had at the seed stores j should be in- 

 serted in pieces the size of an egg about four inches 

 apart. Cover the bed with two inches of flne loam 

 and then wait for residts 



Pine Apples swelling their fruit to have frequent 

 supplies of li(|uitl mamire and an abvuidance of at- 

 mttspheric moisture. Young plants to stand the 

 winter for fniiting early next year, had best l»e 

 moved from those that ai*e swelling fruits, so as 

 to keep them <lrj'er and more freely ventilated. 



Strawberries. See under this head last month. 

 It may be added that the compost useii for pot 

 plants ought to be sti-ong loam and rotted manure, 

 and the plants be potted quite firndy. 



w 



nQuin 



This being the PeapWB Paper a ia opi'ii tu all tfu-ir In- 

 quires, hearing on Gardening. 



On the otht-r hand, anamerK to published inquirea are 

 fiirnestly requested from readers. 



The editors and sppcinl rtnitributors are ready to do a 

 Inrge share nf the nnsu'erin{/, hut the exfu'riemv it/ many 

 being mure valuable than ••/ thr f'le, hninnr varied that is, 

 andconditiuns anil local i ties bem^j su different, they pre/ei 

 to receive answers, even neveral of them to the same ques 

 (('on, from reatlers everywhere. Don^t hesitate to write 

 because yon may feel yon are no fine tpriter: gii-e facts and 

 ideas and the editors will see that they aitpear in credi- 

 table shape. 



In writing, give the number of the question yon are an- 

 silvering: your locality ami name, thf latter not for publica- 

 tion unless youdesire. Write only on one sidi' of the paper 



Floivers will be gladly named provided fir>it, that nomore 

 than three be sent at one time. Second, that (A«?8e be fully 

 prepaid. Third, that several specimens of each reach us in 

 good shape. We cannot undertake to Jiame JUjrists' iitri'e. 

 <tea. 



9'^. Cut Worms. I would be very grateful for a 

 remedy for cut worms. They commence their 

 work about last of April, and feed on our plants 

 until I have almost lost courage in attempting to 

 cultivate flowers, strawberries or vegetables. Would 

 "Hammond's Slug Shot" do any good? Mrs. W. 

 R. Cole. 



{ri Tulip Seed' When should it be sown? F. 

 O. H 



04. Hydrangea Hortensis. How shall I treat a 

 plant of this kintl wliicli dropped its leaves after 

 being planted in a Ipox s by lii inches and (> inches 

 deep, set in w<50{rs eartli mixed with sand y The 

 stem is green except the tip. which has turned dark. 

 After planting I kept in liouse in the shade a few 

 days, then let it have the morning sun. Would it 

 be best to reset it in (i in. pot *r 



9.">. Wax Plant Jline seems almost to stand 

 still. Is this to be taken as a bad sign or should it 

 not grow fast y Miss Carrie Lyle. 



9*>- Ivy Geraniums. Will you please tell me the 

 best treatment for this plant. Miss E A. Porter. 



97. Nigbt-blooming Cereus. I have had a plant 

 nearly H years tliat has never blossomed It has 

 had several buds of late, but they remain about the 

 same size for 8 or 4 weeks, then blast. Can you tell 

 the cause or how it should be treated :- It stands in 

 a south window and has a strong hot sun upon it. 

 Should it be placed upon the piazza or out of doore, 

 where it will have night dew / E. B. Kinney. 



98. Palms for House. I am desirous of trying 

 these plants, of which I have heard so nmch, pro- 

 vided 3"ou will name some of the best ones for the 

 purpose. Mn.s. L, W. Granton 



99. Tiles for Celery. Some persons have strongly 

 advocated the use of tiles for blanching Celery. 

 We have never tried them and desire to know your 

 opinion as to their value. Two Sibscribers. 



100. Tea Leaves in the Soil. A friend says she 

 has heard that to mix tea leaves with the soil is a 

 great help to plants Is anything known on this 

 subject by large plant growere'.' 



101. Mossy Lawns. My lawn is mossy and seems 

 to grow worse How must I treat it? Mrs. G. R. G. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



91. Daffodils. All the Daffodils will do. except 

 .Tuucifolius and Bulbocodium. Plan! them care- 

 fully: do not merely dibble them in, but prepare the 



place for them by tm-ning over the sod and break- 

 ing up the soil The}' will t ' 

 afterwards. Eos. P. G. 



1 take care of themselves 



98. Palms for House. The best and prettiest 

 Palms for indoor or window decoration are Latania 

 l)orbonica, Seaforthia elegans, Phienix reclinata, 

 Arecas and Kentias They require to be kei>t in as 

 regular a heat as possible during the winter months, 

 and to be syringed freciuently during the summer. 

 Soil : Peat or leaf mouKi, loam and silver sand — 

 most part loam. W. Martin. 



99. Tiles for Celery- We have found that there 

 is not enough gained in using tiles for blanching 

 Celery to warrant any investment in them wlialever. 

 Unless they hapi»en"to be just the right length and 

 tit the lilanching will not prove satisfactory. We 

 prefer the go<'d Vtld way Ens. P G. 



89. Lemon from Seed. I have uever seen a 

 Ijenion plant bowi-vei' lai'ge from seed bear fruit in 

 cullivatiou. It sliould lie budded. A. H E, 



97. Night-blooming Cereus. We incline to the 



opuiion that your plant has defective ^Irainage, pos- 

 sflily a water-logged soil If so it should be shifted 

 into a pot having ample drainage, say several in<'hes 

 of broken pots in the bottom, and this covered with 

 moss to i)reven( the soil fi-om clogging up the crocks 

 below. Let the soil used be light and oi)en and Imt 

 moderately rich Eds. P. G. 



^^- Hyacinths never bloom a secoml linn- in the 

 same year. Wm . Ri^ke. 



'J2. Cut Worms. One of the latest methods 

 rcconied fi>r killing them is to make holes with a 

 sharp smoothly wliitlled stick si.\ or eight inches 

 deep near the plants. The worms will fall into 

 these holes and cannot but get out, die. Ens. P. G. 



