90 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



January, 



Orafting tlw Grape 



some reliable concentrated plant food, but use 

 in moderation.— American Agriculturist. 



Grafting the Grape. A new way of grafting 

 the Grape is doscnbcd in Rural New Yorker. 

 The work is done 

 not earlier than 

 late in June, on 

 stocks half to 

 three-fourths of 

 an inch in dia- 

 meter. A slit is 

 cut upwards and 

 a sinii lar one 

 downwards in 

 the stock at any 

 con\-enien t 

 height above the 

 ground, and the 

 graft is cut with 

 a bow-iike bend, 

 which keeps it 

 tightly in place. 

 The grafts are 

 tied with rubber 

 bands a tiuarter 

 to three-eights of 

 an inch wide, 

 pretty tightly, or 

 they are wrapped tightly with tin-foil cut in 

 strips half an inch wide, rubbed down closely as 

 the wrapping proceeds, then over the foil they 

 are wrapped tightly with soft cotton wrapping 

 yarn; then the stock between the ends of the 

 graft is tied tightly with hard cord. 



Pruning Northern Spy. Northern Spy Apple 

 trees need more thorough pruning than any 

 other variety of Apple. If severely pruned while 

 the buds are dormant the tree will grow with ex- 

 traordinary vigor for two or three years there- 

 after, to the neglect of fruit bearing. This has 

 led some farmers to deprecate pruning the 

 Northern Spy. If they will do it while the tree 

 is in leaf, say in May, the wounds will heal 

 quickly and there will be siitficient check to 

 growth t(i induce the formation of fruit buds.— 

 American (.'ultivator. 



Spreading Manure in Winter. Manure made 

 in the winter should, when it is possible, be 

 spread as it is made, on the land where it is to be 

 used. Manure is never worth more than it is the 

 liay it is made. Nothing is added to it, but 

 usually much is lost from it by lapse of time. 

 Except on steeply-sloping ground, the manure is 

 safe from all danger of loss, and is put where it 

 will do the most good when it is spread upon the 

 land direct frum the stable.— Am. Agriculturist 



Pofltholea in Hardpan. I recently had oc- 

 cassion to dig a pit for a greenhouse-furnace and 

 found the hardpan subsoil so hard as to be veiy 

 difficult to dig. Saturday night overtook us 

 when there was yet ten inches of almost impen- 

 etrable ground to dig. I turned the hose into 

 the hole and pumped in about three inches of 

 water. By Monday morning it had disappeared, 

 and we removed the earth as easily as one re- 

 moves the first "spit" of a sod.— N, Y. Tribune. 



The Kieffer Pear. On the first introduction of 

 this variety, no extravagant claims were made 

 fur the fruit for table use or for eating out of 

 hand. Its main features were claimed to be a re- 

 markable vigor of growth, and the value of fruit 

 for preserves. It has sustained its reputation 

 and the claim made for it much better than some 

 other introductions which we know of.— Ameri- 

 can Garden. 



Tomatoes Under Glass. In forcing Tomatoes 

 I prefer seedling plants, except of the Dwarf 

 (Jhampion, which does better from cuttings than 

 any others I have tried. I am inclined to think 

 more fruit can be gotten from a given area of 

 glass by growing them in pots than in any other 

 way.— W. h\ M., in American Garden. 



Raspberry and Blackberry Hybrids. We have 

 a dozen of these hybrids which have not yet 

 fruited, but those which have fruited give little 

 or no promise that anything of value will ever 

 come from the hybridism beyond the interesting 

 fact itself. —Rural New Yorker. 



Paint the Tree Wounds. Water sprouts from 

 grafted Apple trees may be ti'immed off during 

 any time in the year, but if done in the fall or 

 early winter it will be best to paint over the 

 wounds with linseed oil paint, if the woimds are 

 very large. 



Vegetable Novelties. If one in five or ten of 

 the new sorts is an improvement on the old kinds, 

 the gardener should know it; the only way to 

 get the knowledge is to try.— Am. Agriculturist 



Straw ior Protection. When you take vegetables 

 from an out door pit, which is sometimes possible this 

 mouth, press plenty of straw into the hole. Straw is a 

 wonderful protector from frost.— Farm Journal. 



Moonflower Not New. The common and much 

 advertised "Moonflower" plant sold by florists, and 

 Ipomtea bona-box grown from seed (dark In color) are 

 indistinguishable.— Wm. Falconer. 



Phosphate in Florida. Florida promises to be dis- 

 tinguislied as the greatest phosphate producing State 

 In the country.— Florida Dispatch. 



Black Walnuts in Market. Not much use In send- 

 ing Black Walnuts to market. They do not bring 

 much.— Western Rural. 



Early Pruning. If we begin the young tree right 

 and follow it up, they never need severe pruning.— 

 Farm and Home. 



Annuals from Slips. ZInnlasand Nasturtiums take 

 root quite readily.— Florida Dispatch. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 



Potatoes. To really enjoy a good Potato have 

 it baked. 



Cranherries. They are said to keep all winter 

 in water. 



Onions and Tomatoes. A ring or two of Onion 

 added to Tomatoes when they are put on to stew 

 improves the flavor to some tastes. 



Celery Stew, t-ut the stalks and root into 

 small pieces and stew till t^^nder in as little water 

 as will sutfice. Then add a little milk and butter 

 and thicken with Hour to make a nice sauce 



Fried Raw Potatoes. Pare and slice thinly 

 into cold water some medium-sized Potatoes, 

 dx-ain in a colander and put into a frying pan in 

 which is two tablespoons melted butter ; cover 

 closely ten minutes, stirring until lightly brown- 

 ed. ^Am. Cultivator 



Squash. Bake one-half of a good-sized Hub- 

 bard Squash until soft. Remove the seeds and 

 scoop out the remainder with a spoon into a 

 heated dish Mash flue, add butter and salt. 

 Arrange daintily in the dish in which it is to be 

 served.— Good Housekeeping 



Celery for Garnishing. Cut the stalks into 

 two-inch lengths ; stick plenty of coarse needles 

 into the top of a cork; draw half of the stalk 

 of each i>iece of celery through the needles 

 When all the fibrous parts are separated, lav the 

 Celery in some cold place to curl and crisp — 

 Good Housekeeping. 



Hickory Nut Cake, IH cupful of sugar, }4 

 cupful of butter, }4 cupful of sweet milk, 1 cup- 

 ful of meats, 2 cupfuls of tlour, 14 teaspoonfuj 

 of soda, 1 teaspoonful of cream tartar ; the 

 whites of four eggs. Beat sugar and butter to a 

 cream ; beat eggs to a froth, then add eggs to 

 sugar and cream; then add milk with soda and 

 cream tartar,add 1 cupful of flour, then one cup- 

 ful of moats. 



Cabhage Salad. Take half of a good-sized 

 Cabbage and chopping ^ery fine, first taking out 

 all the core. Take half a cup of vinegar, four 

 or five tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt 

 and mustard enough to suit the taste, and mix 

 together. Then pour over the Cabbage, also add 

 two hard-boiled eggs finely chopped. If pro- 

 curable, a little Celery is good chopped in with 

 the Cabbage. This placed in a glass dish looks 

 very pretty, and is palatable.— Am. Cultivator. 



Apple Omelet. Pare, core and stew six large, 

 tart Apples as for sauce; beat them very smooth 

 while hot, adding one teaspoon of butter, six 

 tablespoons of white sugar. Nutmeg to taste, 

 and one teaspoon of Rosewater; when quite cold 

 add three eggs, beaten separately very light, 

 putting in the whites last; pour into a deep 

 pudding dish, previously warmed and well 

 buttered. Season to taste, Bake in a moderate 

 oven until it is delicately browned. Eat warm, 

 but not hot. 



Fruit Pudding. Chop six Apples fine, grate 

 six ounces of stale bi-ead, add six ounces of 

 brown sugar, six ounces of Currants washed 

 ; carefully and tioured; mix all well together with 

 six ounces of butter, a cupful of milk and two 

 cupfuls of flour in which two teaspoonfuls of 

 baking powder have been thoroughly mixed, if 

 too thick, add mtu-e milk in mixing. Spice to 

 your taste. Put in a pudding bag, tie loosely 

 and boil for three hcmrs. To be eaten with cold 

 sauce made of b\itter and sugar stirred together 

 a cupful of sugar to one-half eupful butter.— 

 Indiana Farmer. 



Apple Butter. The Apples are pared, cored, 

 cut and boiled in sweet cider till the whole is a 

 dark, rich pulp and the cider is reduced one-half. 



No sugar is needed, for the fruit furnishes its 

 own sweetness. Half the Apples may be sour 

 and half sweet, or all sweet as one likes It takes 

 nearly two gallons of cider to make one of Apple 

 butter, and spices are added or not, to taste. 

 Spice it with one tablespoonful of Cinnamon 

 and one-third of a teaspoonful of ground Cloves 

 to each gallon of Apple butter, added when it is 

 taken up, boiling hot It may be kept in barrels 

 stone pots, or butter firkins and boxes.— F- J. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Annuals in Pots make a fine decoration for the 

 window, and now is the time to sow the seeds. Nemo- 

 phila, with it abundance of light blue flowers, Is one 

 of the best, as it likes a shady place. Candytuft, 

 Sweet Alysum, and Mignonette, are useful for cutting. 

 The Canary-bird Flower is an annual climber, and use- 

 ful to train up the window from the Inside, or later, 

 upon the outside, and to trail over the balcony. 



Begonias. The Rex varieties do best In moist heat, 

 and all are among the best of hou.se plants. Should be 

 kept In a light position, but properly out of full and 

 direct sunlight. 



Bulbs that were potted last fall should be well 

 rooted by this lime, and If brought Into light, and 

 given water, will soon be In bloom. Of course the 

 potted bulbs always have to be kept In a cellar or 

 other dark,cooI place until the roots are well developed, 

 and they should not be brought to the light before. 

 Cut the flower stalks off the earlier one.s when done 

 blooming. Bulbs need plenty of water. Hyacinths 

 and Crocus will even do nicely with their roots en- 

 tirely In water. 



Camellias should be kept rather cool, In a tempera- 

 ture below rather than above 50**. Sponge off regularly 

 twice a week. 



Cinerarias. Examine pots frequently and give 

 speedy relief when plants have become pot-bound. 



Cyclamens. Keep growing until spring to plant out 

 in the border for summer , which Is better than the 

 usual practice of drying them off when done blooming. 

 Daphnes do well If kept cool and damp. 

 Ferneries. The cases should be kept moderately 

 wet. Excessive moisture in the soil tends to 

 sour It. Air should often be admitted, especially after 

 watering. 



Frost. Look out for sudden and sharp changes of 

 weather. If plants were allowed to get touched by 

 frost, remove them at once to a temperature of a little 

 above freezing, and here carefully sprinkle them with 

 cold wat«r. For protecting house plants during an 

 unusually cold night, use a Jug filled with hot water 

 as told in December number. 



Fuchsias may now be brought out the cellar and 

 started anew. When leaves begin to show, shift into 

 smaller pots shaking out most of the old soil. 

 Lemon Verbenas to be treated slmUar to Fuchsias. 

 Propagation. Stock may be Increased now at any 

 time when cuttings can be had large enough. Insert 

 in sand for rooting, and keep in a sunny place. 



Sponging. The leaves of Ivy and similar plants 

 need freijueut sponging or washing. 



Ten Week Stock. Petunia, Maurandla, and similar 

 annuals may now be started from seed. 



Ventilation. Admit air to the plants whenever the 

 outside weather will allow. Window plants may be 

 given air by opening the windows of an adjoining 

 room. A vessel of water kept on the back of stove to 

 evaporate will tend to keep the air In room moist, and 

 favorable to the well-being of the plants. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN, 



Beds, Walks, etc. If new ones are to be laid out, 

 plan them In advance so you will be able to order the 

 needed stock early. 



Hollyhocks, If wanted to flower next fall, may be 

 grown as annuals by starting seed now In the window 

 or under glass. The young plants are set Into the 

 border or bed In May. 



Mice. Young trees and shrubs often sufEer serious 

 injury fiom this cause. The food supply of these 

 rodents now being cut oET, they take the bait readily, 

 and may easily be trapped. Since mice ordinarily 

 approach trees and shrubs only under the cover of 

 snow, the ndschlef can be prevented by firmly stamp- 

 ing and packing down the snow around the endanger- 

 ed sterns immediately after every snow fall. 



Pansies. Sow seed for spring bloom. 



Pruning, wherever needed to Improve the shape of 

 trees and shrubs on the lawn, may now be seen to at 

 anytime. To daub the larger wounds and cuts with 

 paint or liquid grafting wax is always a commendable 

 precaution. 



