1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



81 



it well. It looks at flrst cost, and cares little 

 about its durability, so it reaps a quick re- 

 ward. It puts otT what oufiht to lie done 

 to-day until to-morrow, or perliaps at some 

 other more convenient time. These are 

 some of the main features of the present 

 system of Grape culture. 



We need not wonder why it i.s not success- 

 ful. No other system that has no more 

 harmony or propriety in it would succeed. 



To restore the Grape to its orii;inal freedom 

 from rot and disease we will have to restore 

 its cultivation to the orifjinal nu>thod. We 

 have now Ki^'eu you a short outline of both 

 systems, the one has proven successful 

 wherever tried, the other has lead to de- 

 struction. From our own observation as 

 well as experience we believe the present 

 method to be exhausting, and few or no 

 vines can endure such reckless operations 

 in planting, pruning, training and cultiva- 

 tion. 



Tools for the Orchard. 



All the tools needed and used by our old 

 settlers were an axe and an augur, and with 

 them they would construct houses and re- 

 pair sleighs, wagons and implements, and 

 this probably much better than they could 

 have done it with a full set of carpenter's 

 and wagonmaker's tools, if such were sud- 

 denly given to them. To do the best work 

 requires not only the proper tools, but also 

 skill in their use. The average orchardist 

 probably has few if any of the implements 

 for the care of trees here illustrated, and he 

 may get along very well without, if he uses 

 a common pruning saw, knife, etc., properly. 

 Yet the possession of perfect tools affords 

 not a little satisfaction to the user, and it 

 often facilitates the work wonderfully. The 

 implements here shown are such as are in 

 use by German orchardists. Fig. 1 is a 

 pruning saw fastened to a handle; Figs. 2 

 and 3 are tree pruners, similar to the ones 

 we have in use in America; F'ig. 4 is a sort 

 of hook and chisel combined, to be fastened 

 to a handle, and used in pulling or gauging 

 off superfluous sprouts. 



One of the greatest advantages which the 

 possession of these various implements 

 secures, is deliverance from the necessity of 

 climbing all over the trees. The work 

 can mostly be done while standing on the 

 ground or on common step-ladders. 



Figs. .5 and K represent two styles of tree 

 scrapers, of which there are a great number 

 in use. Figs. 7 and 8 

 represent stiff brushes 

 for brushing the bodies 

 of trees after the bark 

 has been scraped off. 

 The one is fastened to 

 the end of a long han- 

 dle, and calculated to 

 be used high up among 

 the branches; the other 

 is intended for that part 

 which can be reached by hand from the 

 ground. 



7. 8. 

 TREE BRUSHES. 



Crowing Dandelions for Market. 



Dandelions are to a limited extent used 

 for greens in early spring ; but the supply 

 comes more from the chance plants grow- 

 ing wild, than from cultivated beds in the 

 garden. In some local markets there is 

 quite a demand for Dandelion greens before 

 their regular season, or such a demand 

 could be easily created by keeping a supply 

 before would-be purchasers. 



There are a number of varieties mentioned 

 in English works on gardening, among 

 them the Moss-leaved, Thick-leaved or 

 Cabbaging, Broad-leaved, etc. Mr. John 

 Rupp (Pa.) last spring furnished us some 

 plants of a new "Mammoth" sort which 

 has made an enormous growth; but we are 



not prepared to speak of the comparative 

 worth of the various sorts. 



Those who are only ac<iuainted with this 

 vegetable in a wild ."tate, says Prof. S. Green 

 in the report of the Minnesota Experiment 

 Station, will be wonderfully surprised vrith 

 the merits of the cultivated Damlelions. 

 The labor of raising them is comparatively 

 easy and the satisfaction of having a plenty 

 of nice greens early in the spring well 

 repays the labor required to grow them. 



Forcing Dandelions for an early growth 

 is done in two ways. One consists in sow- 

 ing the seeds in beds just the size of the 

 ordinary cold-frame. In the fall the frame 

 is set over the plants and well banked up 

 and the sash and covers are put on as soon 

 as freezing weather approaches, and are 

 left on until early in March, when a plenty 

 of sunlight is given and careful attention 

 is given to ventilation and watering, which 

 at once starts the plants into growth and a 

 very early crop is soon ready for market. 



Another method consists in covering the 

 bed in the spring with sash laid two inches 

 apart on 3x4 inch joist. Put on at this dis- 

 tance apart they require no attention for 

 ventilation and the greens will be ready to 

 cut long before those left In the field, but 

 not near so early as when more care is taken 

 and the plants are carefully grown in frames. 

 The seeds for Dandelions should be sown 

 each year and the old bed should be plowed 

 under to prevent the seed scattering. The 

 old bed may be kept over for several years 

 and I have successfully done so, but it will 

 not yield such nice crops as newly-sown 

 seed on fresh soil. Immense quantities of 

 these greens are grown in the vicinity of 

 large cities in the Eastern States. 



Early Spring Vegetables. 



The great value of our common garden 

 vegetables, we are glad to note, is being 

 appreciated more and more every year. 

 This in a great measure is due to the un- 

 ceasing efforts of writers and agricultural 

 periodicals to call people's attention to the 

 golden opportunities hidden in vegetables 

 and fruits. Mr. W. 1. Chamberlain, presi- 

 dent Iowa College of Agriculture writes to 

 the Ohio Farmer concerning some of the 

 leading spring vegetables, as follows: 



■Lettuce. — I consider this as one of the 

 most valuable vegetables we have; not food 

 to any extent, but tonic and relish. It 

 should be sown in February If possible in a 

 good hot-bed, on the south side of a tight 

 fence or building. Then it will be big 

 enough for use the early hot days in April 

 when the system craves a tonic, and will 

 last, sown later out doors, till other things 

 push it aside. If headed it is specially de- 

 licious, and is best with Durkee's salad 

 dressing, or a similar home-made dressing. 

 Many like it best simply with sugar, and 

 vinegar with a very little salt. Its bitter- 

 ness hints at its value as a tonic in spring, 

 and shows why the system craves it so. 



Radishes are far Inferior to lettuce; are 

 indigestible unless very young and tender, 

 and have little value except as an appetizer 

 and relish. Still they are craved by the 

 system in the early hot days of spring. 



Spinach.— I don't think one farmer in 

 fifty ever raises this exceedingly valuable 

 vegetable. In moderate climates, or where 

 snow covers the ground nearly all winter, 

 the fall variety may be sown and come up 

 late in the fall, and be earliest in spring. 

 The spring variety' should be sown very 

 early. Two rows 100 feet long will give 

 plenty for a family of si.x or eight persons. 

 It makes the most delicious "greens," boiled 

 and seasoned with salt, butter and vinegar. 

 Its bitter element is a good tonic which the 

 system craves, and it is a relish in spring. 

 Its leaves are so large and clean and thick 

 that a few minutes serve to gather it and 



pick it over ready for boiling. I know of 

 no vegetable that can fill its place. Its sea- 

 son is over about when Peas flr.st come. It 

 is far cheaper even for farmers than to col- 

 lect Dock or Dandelion leaves, that should 

 not be on the farm. 



Beets.— More commonly grown by farm- 

 ers than almost any other kind of vegetable. 

 Good nearly the whole year round, flrst as 

 "greens, "then with Potato salads they make 

 a handsome platter, while as a relish freshly 

 boiled, with Potato or freshly pickled, they 

 are quite worth having. 



Onions. — Valuable small, raw, early; val- 

 uable as a flavoring for Potato salads and 

 India curries, and specially valuable, nu- 

 tritious and healthful boiled and stewed in 

 cream; and delicious and healthful pickled 

 the size of Chestnuts. We keep a jar open 

 all the time, and if I notice any tendency to 

 constipation from my sedentary habits, 

 three or four of these little pickled Onions 

 eaten at or after supper time, give a quiet 

 movement of the bowels the next morning, 

 better then any apparient or laxative medi- 

 cine I have ever tried. 



Peas.— One of the most valuable of all the 

 vegetables. Our flrst mess this year was 

 cooked June 3, and they lasted until .luly 

 18, in great abundance. We plant plenty, 

 three double rows about 1.50 feet long. Mc- 

 Lean's Little Gem for early, requiring no 

 bushing, and Champion of England for late, 

 requiring bushing. One day we picked, for 

 two or three days' use, and to give away, a 

 bushel, and there were as many more. The 

 greenish varieties that wrinkle when ripe 

 are best. Pickled when just full size and 

 before the pods begin to turn white, and 

 cooked thoroughly and seasoned right, with 

 considerable "juice," they make a dish fit to 

 set before a king; almost inflnitely better 

 than the dry, over-ripe Peas that you get at 

 the three-dollar-a-day hotels. 



Buckwheat In Orchards 

 We believe it was Prof. J. L. Budd of 

 Iowa who flrst recommended Buckwheat as 

 a crop to be grown in young orchards. The 

 subject is thought to be of such importance 

 that it should be kept before the people who 

 plant orchard fruits. My belief in the prac- 

 tice, writes Prof. Budd in the Farmers' 

 Review, is more positively in its favor than 

 it was ten years ago. During the heated 

 months a covering of growing Buckwheat 

 furnishes very nearly the cool, mellow soil 

 found overthe roots of trees in the primitive 

 forest. Not only is the soil made cooler, 

 permitting the nitrogen feeding roots to 

 come up nearly to the surface, but the lower 

 beds of air coming in contact with the .stems 

 and lower branches are also cooler. If any 

 one doubts the beneflcial effects of Buck- 

 wheat in a young orchard, let him sow one 

 half of the orchard to this crop the last of 

 June, and treat the other half in any one of 

 the ordinary ways. He will flnd in three 

 years a difference in favor of the Buckwheat 

 portion that can be seen a mile distant. 

 With the use of the new Japan Buckwheat 

 —which seems to fill perfectly in our worst 

 seasons — the crop can be made profitable. If 

 there is moisture enough in the soil when 

 sown to bring it up I believe it will mature 

 a crop without rain. 



1,599. Rochester Nurserymen. Lists of re- 

 liable nui'serymen are easily obtainable by all 

 readers of Popnr^AR Gardening. Our adver- 

 tising columns during a large part of the year 

 contain the announcements of the leading 

 dealers in plants, shrubs, trees, seeds, and general 

 horticultural requisites. No party about whose 

 reliability we have the least suspicion, will gain 

 admLssion to our advertising columns. Hence 

 we can only advise our readers to look up the 

 advertisements of dealers aprearing in this 

 ioiu-nal, write tn them for eatauigue and patron- 

 ize none except those whom we in a measure 

 have endorsed by accepting their advertisement. 



