20 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



October, 



CorresponcUnta are urged to anticipate the seanoti in pre- 

 senting questUms. To aalc, for Instance, on At^ril 16 or -il) 

 what Peaa had best be sown, could bring no answer in 

 the May issue, and none before June, tflhen the answer 

 would be unseasonable Questions reeeivedbefore the VJth 

 of any month stand a good chance of being answered m the 

 next paper Not more than three questions should be sent 



at one 'time. Answers to questions bearing on the cot 



tHlrMive value of imp.ements. etc., offered by different 



dealers must not be expected. Neither can we promise to 



comply wiih the request sometiii.es made to "please ansicer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers In ansuvring such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 yau desire. Write only on one side of the paper. 



1,441. Apple Mildew. Grafts of different varieties 

 covered with some kind of mold. What is It, and what 

 Is the remedy/— E. H. A. & Son. 



1,44a. Wintering Fuchsias. Can I keep them in a 

 •dark cellar? Sitting room is too warm.— S.M.J. .ionrfon. 



1.443. Peroxide of Silicates. Will it kill ciirculio? 

 How applied and at what cost?— P. K., Aledo, Ills. 



1.444. Time ol Planting Trees. Is It best done in 

 fall or spring? Please describe most successful 

 methods?— C. E. M. , Atkinson, Neb. 



1.445. Treating Neglected Grape Vines. A fine 

 Scuppernoug and a number of Concords, covering large 

 trellis, have never borne fruit. What is to be done? 



1.446. Pruning Grape Vines. The best season? 



1.447. Grapes on House Wall. What Is the best 

 mode of culture? 



1.448. Selling Strawberries. Please tell best time 

 and best varieties for here.— A. J . R. Somerville. Tenn. 



1;449. Cacti Culture. What are the requirements? 

 — H. & Son, Galena, Ills. 



1.450. IvanhoeApple. What of its quality and value? 



1.451. Curcnlio on Peaches. Small maggot destroy- 

 ing Peaches. What are they, and what Is the remedy? 

 H. M., Rowanta, ^'a. 



1.452. "Holy Ghost" Plant. Is this the correct 

 name and how is It cultivated?- Mrs. J. Z. M., New 

 Orleans, La. 



1,45S. Packing Small Fruit Plants. Hew can I 

 learn the best method?— S. R. 



1.454. Frost-Proof Strawberry, wnat variety should 

 i plant for market that will endure early frost like 

 Crescent?— S. R., Bloomfield, Ind. 



1.455. Setting Strawberry Plants. .Should the per- 

 fect and plstllate sorts be set in alternate rows or 

 mixed In the same row, to insure perfect fertilization? 

 What Is the best distance to plant?— J. A. S., Ind. 



1.4.56. Bark Disease ol Cherries and Plums. What 

 Is the reason the bark cracks and the young trees all 

 die? It is a very dry coimtry here.— T. T., Utah. 



1.4.57. Fertilizers for Palms, etc. Are Palms, Rub. 

 ber trees and Ferns benefited by the application of 

 fertilizers?- Mrs. J. T. C, Jamaica Plains, N. Y. 



1,45.H. Planting Trees, etc. When Is the best time 

 to plant fruit trees, deciduous shrubs and vines?- Mrs. 

 J. T. C, Jamaica Plains, N. F. 



1,459. Manure for Strawberries. Will the manure 

 used as mulch during winter hurn or hurt the plants if 

 workcil Into the soil In spring? -.1. B., Cambridge, O. 



1,4611. Tuberous Begonia. One specimen always 

 drops Its lunls. while others under same treatment are 

 flowering well. What Is the reason?— .S^ Jo'ih, N. B. 



1,461. Cacti Treatment. How can I make them 

 bloom?— E. L. S., Ogalatla, Neb. 



1.463. Greenhouse Construction, Etc. What work 

 on the subject could you reconiniaud, especially fcr 

 forcing vegetables?— J. L. L. Biddleford, Me. 



1,46-5. Potato Digger. Is there any practical ma- 

 chine of the kind?- P. L. N., Georyin, Vt. 



1.464. Land Plaster. Should it be applied to gra.ss 

 and In the fall?-B., Marlboro, N. Y. 



1.465. Potato Starch. Is this article still made In 

 quantity in New England? If so, where?— T. T. B.. 

 Richmond, Va. 



1.466. Laying Down Grape Vines. At what time 

 should this be done? If Delaware hardy as far north 

 a.sthls?— M., Plattsburgh, N. Y. 



1.467. Tuberoses. Will bulbs. If taken up and win- 

 tered over, bloom again?— Ml.ss M. R D., Lee, Mass. 



1.468. Milla biflora. Can this bulb be forced? If 

 so, how treated?— R., Hudson, Ohio. 



1.469. Potato Rot. Is there any way of checking 

 this decay after Pototoesare dug and placed In bins?— 

 X., Putnam, Conn. 



1,4711. Setting Fruit Trees. Should trees received 

 from the nursery this fall be planted now or heeled in 

 until spring?— M. H. A., Kecne, N. B. 



1,471. Nasturtiums. Can they be grown in the 

 house during winter?- Mrs. McL., Aubnm, N. Y. 



1.473. Keeping Grapes. What is the best way of 

 keeping tlrapes for the holiday and winter season?- 

 Rev. L. a. C, Taunton, Mass, 



l,:17:i. Cabbages Not Heading. Is there any way of 

 putting "soft heads" In pits so they will grow more 

 solid during wlutei-? — 1. U. S., Fredonia, N. Y. 



1.474. Raspberry Pruning. Is it advisable to cut 

 out old wood In the faH?-0. B. F.. Oak Bluff, Mo. 



1.475. Hubbard Squash. What is the best way to 

 keep? I have a dry cellar.— H. A. H., AUentown, Pa. 



1,476. Apples for Home Use. Will they keep Itcttcr 

 ilurlng winter If packed in bran or sawdust?— J. E. W„ 

 Albemarle, Dak. 



1.4(7. Mulching Strawberries. How early shall i 

 cover niy new ijlantation?— Mrs. C. H. H., Aurora, III. 



1,47K. Althea Propagation. How is the Rose of 

 Sharon propagated most?— F. E. N., St. Louis. 



1,479. Blight on Rhubarb. Some of my plants arc 

 affected with a kind of i>light or rust. What is the 

 remedy?— J. B., Yale, Mich. 



1,4M), Greenhouse for Amateur. What is the best 

 and cheapest way of heating a small greenliouse for 

 trade in small town or for amateurs?— J. B., Yale, Mich, 



l,4yi. Small Peaches. The fruit on one of my trees 

 for two seasons ha.s grown only to the size of marbles, 

 and never ripened. What is the trouble?— W. W. R., 

 Toronto, Out. 



1,48a. Kainit on Strawberries. What effect will It 

 have, when should it be applied, and how much per 

 acre?— W. M., Somerrllk; N. J. 



1,4*!. Propagating Carnations. How Is it done?— 

 Mrs. A. N., .South Rockirood, Mich. 



I,4y4. Cranberry Culture. Where can I get seed or 

 plants, and how are they managed?— F. C, D., Tim- 

 monsville, S. C. 



1.485. Tartarian Honeysuckle. Can I propagate it 

 from cuttings, and if so, how and when?— A. A., Old. 



1.486. Rose Seedlings. What care should my hardy 

 perpetual seedlings have this winter; what per cent 

 are likely to make gooil flowers?— T. D. V/.,Oalion, O. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



1,.3SJ. Latest Strawberry. Among the very 

 lati'st, we hiivo Kentucky ami Gandy.- P. 



1,382. Aphis on Currants. Can be banished 

 by an application of Tobacco dust or Insect 

 Death Powder. Ai>iily with gun or bellows.— P. 



1,373. Tennisball Lettuce. The Hlack Seeded 

 is the most popular variety. The Boston Market 

 is a variety of the Tennisball, attaining a larger 

 size : and the Black Seeded Butter is also very 

 similar to, or identical with the Boston Market. 

 -C. E. P. 



l,38t). Bhubarb. No stalks should be pulled 

 the first season after planting The ne.xt season 

 they can be pulled until they show a weakness 

 in growth. — C. E. P. 



1,379. Bloomless Hoya. Your plant is grow- 

 ing too rapidly. It you permit the pot to be- 

 come well filled with roots, and give the plants a 

 sunny sltuatiim where an average temperature 

 of .^^° is maintained during the winter season, 

 no difficulty will be experienced in blooming the 

 Hoya.-C. E. P. 



l,:!5t). Grass from Lawn. Can be utilized for 

 manure by placing it on the compost heap.— P. 



1,:35«. Jacqueminot Bose for Summer. As this 

 Rose is perfectly hanly, it should be planted out 

 in a deep well enriched border in a sunny situ- 

 ation. Until the plant becomes well established 

 a slight covering of Evergreen branches should 

 be gi\en during the winter in exposed situa- 

 tions.— C. E. Parnell. 



l.3.5i). Herbaceous Plants, if only a plant or 

 two of each variety is required it will be best to 

 purchase them, rather than to attempt to laise 

 them from seed. Strong, well established plants 

 can be procured at very moderate rates from 

 those wh(] make a siwcjalfy of their culture. 

 To raise Herbaceous plants fi-oni seed, requires 

 skill, ('.xpciierKc anil patii'iiic, besides a knowl- 

 edgecjf thcliabilsof the dilfi-rent species. — Chas. 

 E. Paknell. 



l,34(j. Apple Tree Bark Louse, Besides the 

 treatment already recommended, they can be 

 destroyed by an application of tobacco soap. 

 Dissolve two ounces in a gallon of water and 

 apply with a paint brush.— C E. P. 



Law. Cyclamen Fersicum. After resting dur- 

 ing the winter season, the plant should be re- 

 potted and placed in a well drained, soft-baked 

 pot. Give a compost, ccmipcised of two-thirds 

 turfy loam, and onc-thinl wi'll decayed iiiamne. 

 Water sparingly at lirsl, and increase the supply 

 as growth advances,—!'. E. P. 



1,441. Apple Mildew. The Apple twigs are 

 affected with the powdery mildew, a disease due 

 to the attacks of a minute ijarasitic fungus. 

 The Department of Agricidture, section of 

 Vegetable Pathology, has given this subject 

 special attention, this season, and as this disease 

 appears to assume a rather serious aspect, 

 especially for tree growers, we make the fol- 

 lowing e.xtract from Dr. Galloway's report 

 soon to be issued : The experiments were made 

 on large blocks of young Apple trees in the 

 nurseries of Franklin, Davis & Co. The fungus 

 was confined almost wholly to the seedlings, and 

 on them solution of Sulphuret of Potassium 

 ( liver of sulphur), one-half ounce to the gallon 

 of water, was first tried, but soon given up on 

 account of various dilliculties. The treatment 

 with Ammoniacal Carbonate of Copper solution 

 was then decided upon. The tiquiu was put on 

 with a Vermorel pump provided with a lance 



and eddy chamber nozzle, which answered the 

 purpose admirably, the spray being just wide 

 enough to cover the small trees without any 

 wast« whatever. The spray, moreover, was ex- 

 cepdingly fine, and as the lauee attachment 

 enalded the operator to hold thi- nozzle ilown 

 am(]ngthe leaves there was no iiicmivenience 

 arizing from the wind deflecting the spray and 

 blinvinu- it i,;,,.|.; ,111 (,tj(. ,nan. The mixture was 

 I>ivpiircil by iilaeing six ounces of Carbonate of 

 I opper, which is a fine powder and readily 

 handled by means of a small tin scoop, into 

 an ordinary waterpail. A half-gallon of ammonia 

 was slowly added at the same time stirring with 

 a wooden ]i:tddlc. Two miiuites' stirring was 

 sufficient to conipleti-l} dissolve the copper, and 

 the solution which is of a beautiful blue color, 

 was then poured into a barrel containing 44 

 gallons of water, and mixed with the water by 

 means of a long stick. A moment's stirring and 

 the solution which was now of a light blue 

 color, was ready for use. The cost of this 

 mixture, and labor of applying it, was about 

 two cents per 1,(K)0 trees. The blocks were 

 sprayed six times. As a result of this there was 

 practically no mildew <m any of the trees thus 

 treated, in August, and even a lot of (10,000 trees 

 which were purchased in Ohio and were very 

 badly affcited with iniMew at the time of jilant- 

 inti, are now dniufi liiiiiv well, so that probably 

 not more than three per cent, of their buds will 

 be lost, at the same time the mildew is present 

 and is doing considerable damage on many of 

 the unsprayed trees in the nursery. Cherries, 

 especially, are liadly all'eeted, as well as several 

 varielies of I'lums. It niiyht be well to add here 

 that this fungus attacks llie Peach. Plum, .Shad- 

 bush, Hawthorne, and .several allied plants, but 

 whether the spores from these jilants have the 

 power of infecting the Apple, or rice versa, has 

 not, so far as we know, been proved. 



1,367. Currant Cuttings. Cut as soon as the 

 fruit is gathered, cut in eight to ten inch lengths 

 and planted in a well prepared bed packing the 

 earth firm at the bottom and leaving a bud or two 

 above ground they will root nicely before winter 

 sets in, at which time the bed should be covered 

 with coarse manure, leaves or similar material to 

 keep them from being lifted by frost. In spring 

 uncover the tops and let them grow, you will se- 

 cure far better plants in this way with less loss and 

 labor than by spring planting.— W. 



I,43ij. Pruning Peach Trees. We would not 

 advise fall pruning for the purpose named. Let 

 nature have her way. Prune in spring and don't 

 be afraid to cut off a few blossom buds. Pay no 

 attention to them. -W. 



1,397, Wood Ashes. Use all you can get for 

 berries of any kind, and for other crops also.— E. 



1,404. Small Fruit Farm. The size will depend 

 much on the man and the fruits grown. Even if 

 the place is called a farm, extra help will be needed 

 when the fruits are gathered, so that it at once ex- 

 ceeds the one man power called for. Soil should 

 be light, warm, free from stone. Two acres of 

 such soil could be easier and more cheaply worked 

 than one of the opposite character. The best loca- 

 tion is near a good local market not overstocked 

 with similar products from "all creation " if such 

 can be found.— E. 



1 409. Protecting Qrape Tines and Rasp- 

 berries, Grow the hardiest kinds and mature the 

 wood thoroughly. Loosen vines from trellis and 

 lay down on the ground weighting with something 

 to keep them down — E. 



1,410. Strawberries and Baspberries for Kansas. 



How often are our horticultural editors and their 

 contributors addressed with such queries, to answer 

 which he must hunt up documents not always 

 readily accessil)le, and spend much time searching 

 for information which the questioner could far 

 more easily obtain in his own neighborhood. The 

 editor a thousand miles away has no experience 

 that would enable hint to give an intelligent and 

 trustworthy answer, so he must of necessity seek 

 the information from sources more easily accessi- 

 ble to the querist. It seems that far-fetched infor- 

 mation is often better appreciated than the home 

 product. Kansas has a large and live horticultural 

 society devoted to the interests of just such in- 

 quiries. If F. M. O. would send one dollar to the 

 secretary, Geo. C. Brackett Lawrence, Kansas, for 

 m**mhership in said society he would get the 

 annual report worth double the money, and be sur- 

 prised to see how much valuable information in 

 this direct line he could obtain right at home. He 

 will also flntl if I am not mistaken, that he can't 

 afford to deny himself in the future the advantaged 

 to be obtained from being identified with the so- 

 ciety, attending its meetings and becoming ac- 

 quainted with its members. — E. \V. 



1,403, Pruning Bed Baspberries. Generally 

 speaking the young canes should be pinched off at 

 2^ or 3 feet high so as to secure stockly branched 

 plants, but some varieties seem to do better if 

 allowed their own sweet will the first season and 

 then having their heads cut off in the spring. They 

 then develop strong bearing branches from dor- 

 mant buds from near the base of the cane up, pro- 

 ducing better fruit than the branches grown the 

 year previous. This is especially true of varieties 

 that are to be laid down for winter protection. 

 Bearing canes should be removed immediately 

 after fruiting.— W. 



