1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



9' 



Babbits otien do bitIcus Injury Ui the l>iirk of younn 

 trees, and wherever they abound, preventives should 

 not be neglected. A number of remedies may be found 

 In recent Issues of PoriLAB G.»nDKNiMi. and any of 

 them. If properly applied, will prevent Injury. 



Repairs. If any trees, especially Evergreens, have 

 been broken by the storms of winter, make a smooth 

 cut of the wound and i)alnt It over. Some of the 

 heaviest snow falls often come late this month or 

 next. Shake the snow out of the Evergreens. 



Rockeries. If such are Intended to be made next 

 season, the materials may be gathered up now. The 

 great aim should be to give the whole a natural appear- 

 ance, and stones and rock should be selected with 

 this end In view. In place of natural rocks, distorted 

 burned brick from brick kilns will often answer the 

 purpose very well, 



Roses. The Hybrid Perpetuals if earthed up a foot 

 deep, as they should have been, will winter all right. If 

 this was neglected, the coal ashes, moistened if need 

 be to keep them from blowing away, may now be ap- 

 plle<l as a covering. 



Seeds, Supplies, etc Catalogues of leading seeds- 

 men and nurserymen, etc., should now be ordered 

 without delay, and thoroughly studied. Select what 

 you need, both of old and new things, but always 

 -using due caution in the selection of the latter, and 

 send In your order earlv, to be sure to have the goods 

 when you want them. It is always very annnoylng to 

 have the ground all ready for sowing and planting, 

 and then be compelled to let the most favorable time 

 for the work pass by waiting for the seed or plants to 

 arrive. So with implements. The materials for rustic 

 work may also be gathered up. Cedarwood Is excel- 

 lent for the purpose, and easily worked. Laurel wood 

 and Laurel roots are also good. Rustic table seats, 

 arbors, etc., may be constructed out of such material 

 without much cost and trouble, and be very valuable 

 and beautiful. Wild Grape vines also are a favorite 

 and convenient material. 



Snow, Heavy snow falls sometimes Injure Ever- 

 greens badly. K not protected by a board roof, the 

 snow should be shaken out of them after every snow 

 storm. Shrubs and trees should not be allowed to be 

 burled out of sight In snowdrifts. 



Seed Sowing. See Ten week Stock under House 

 Plants. 

 Ventilate freely in all suitable weather. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Cuttings plauted out in fall should be given some 

 protection now. a few Inches of straw or other litter 

 being sufllcient. 



Gooseberries, Currants, etc., may now be pruned. 

 Keep the heads opeu. 



Insects. When walking through the orchard at any 

 time during winter, keep your eyes open for eggs of 

 tent caterpillar and other Insects, and destroy them 

 when found. 



Labels. A large number of young trees are annually 

 ruined by leaving the labels on them as they came 

 from the nursery. The wires should be loosened, or 

 better the labels attached to a twig rather than around 

 the main stem. For permanent labels use Pine labels 

 painted or zinc, and fasten them with copper wire in 

 such a manner that the wire will have no chance to 

 choke the life out of the tree. 



Mice and Rabbits. See direction under Lawn and 

 Flower Garden. 



Mind Culture. Our success In any branch of hor- 

 ticulture depends largely on our InteUigence and 

 knowledge of best methods, varieties, etc. The time 

 spent in the study of horticultural works and horticul- 

 tural journals will be well spent. These stormy days 

 and long evenings afford chances which it wUl not do 

 for us to neglect. The catalogues of nurserymen also 

 contain many good things. Order them early, and 

 examine them carefully. 



Pruning trees may be done in mild weather, but 

 It should be done judiciously— no slashing into them 

 right and left. Remove weak and imperfect shoots. 

 Stunted trees may often be helped considerably by 

 severe pmnlug. 



Scraping tree trunks with a tree scraper as Illus- 

 trated in December nimiber, serves to remove dead 

 bark, moss, scale, etc. Paint with a mixture of lime, 

 soot and clay, or with strong lye or copperas water, 

 etc., as may be needed or thought advisable. 



houses the snow %vlll thaw off, hut where the temper, 

 atttre inside Is kept rather low, it may need removing. 

 In such case a snow scraper three feet long may be 

 used to advantage. 



Strawberries should not be allowed to set too much 

 frutt. else It will be small. A moderate number of 

 god'l sfzeil berries are more satisfactory than many 

 small ones. When enough have set, dip off the re- 

 maining llovvers and late- on pick off the smallest 

 berries also. Syringe freely to keep down red spiders. 

 Water moderately at the roots. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Azaleas coming into bloom need plenty of water . 

 Where a long season of bloom is desired, the plants 

 should be divided into lots, and exposed to different 

 temperatures, some kept warmer and some cooler. 



Begonias of the flowering section that are past 

 bloom should be pruned somewhat, and kept rather 

 dry. Repot when new growth begins. Over-watering 

 must be avoided. The Rex sorts may now be propa- 

 gated from leaves. With a sharp knife cut the main 

 ribs of well-matured leaves from the underside and 

 just below div^ding points. In eight or nine places. 

 Place them on sand, right side up, in a temperature of 

 tW and put a little sand on the leaf to weight it down. 

 Keep moist, and they will root readily. 



Bulbs in storage should be examined at this time to 

 see that they are in good order, and kept dormant. 

 Gladiolus, Cannas and Dahlias are often kept under 

 the greenhotise stages. Tuberoses should be cleaned 

 up, and have the offsets removed. 



Fuchsias for nice spring plants should soon be 

 struck: when potted off, give them plenty of root 

 room, light, and water. Plants struck after this month 

 should not have their tops pinched off, but should be 

 grown naturally and quick. 



Geraniums, from fall propagation, should be given 

 the room now needed for free growth. Repot as 

 needed. Geraniums with variegated foliage need extra 

 care and attention. Give them a warm place, say 55", 

 and much lighc. Shelves near the glass in a warm 

 house suit them well. 



Glass, when broken should be repaired Immediately. 

 It is a good practice to keep a stock of " life-preservers" 

 on hand. These are pieces of board of size of various 

 sizes, to cover one, two, or more panes of glass, when 

 broken and until they can be repaired. 



Orchids at rest should not have a drop more water 

 than absolutely needed to keep the bud from shrivel- 

 ing. Cattleyas, Oncidiums and others with large 

 fleshy bulbs need even less water than the Vandas, 

 Saccolabiums, and others of that kind. U watering 

 is necessary, do it early in the morning, and avoid 

 splashing the tender toUage. Let the temperattire be 

 very regular, with a few degrees lower during exces- 

 sively cold speUs. 



Pelargoniums should be induced to make free 

 growth. Give them a warm dry place, plenty of room, 

 air, and sunlight. 

 Petunias to be treated as outlined for Geranitmis. 

 Propagation, Strike cuttings of all plants as will be 

 needed in spring. Favor kinds of which stock is scarce 

 by hurrying up the growth of cuttings. 



Roses. The ever blooming class should be given a 

 uniform temperature of 55° to 60* by night, with 15 or 

 ■if higher during the day. Syringe twice daily; give a 

 little air whenever the weather penults, and liquid 

 manure once a week. Remove all blind shoots, and 

 unduly straggling ones from time to time. If in 

 cutting Roses these are taken off with stems rimning 

 back to the second eye from the next larger branch, 

 little other pranlng will be needed. The Hybrid Per- 

 petuals now tinder way should have an abtmdance of 

 water and air. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Cabbage Plants in frames need attention during 

 mild bright weather. Give abundance of air. 



Forest Leaves. There Is no better material for 

 bedding the animals; and when mixed with the liquid 

 and solids from the animals it makes an addition to 

 the compost heap, which soon decays into the richest 

 manure, quite free from seeds. 



Hot Beds. In most northern localities hot-beds will 

 not be started until next month. In the southern 

 states they will be made now. See that the materials 

 for frames are ready, and the sashes in good order to 

 be u.sed when theys hall be needed. For heating material 

 pure horse manure is often advised, but this sometimes 

 gets beyond control. It is much better to use leaves 

 in the proportion of one-third to one-half of the stable 

 manure. With this the heat comes up gradually and 

 the mass Is more tinder control and more lasting than 

 when manure alone is used. 



Manure is the key to all successful gardening, 

 whether the crops are for home consumption or the 

 market. When the ground is frozen, the hauling may 

 be done easier than at almost any other time. There 

 Is no objection to spreading the manure on the groimd 

 now, provided the land is not subject to surface 

 washes. Fine manure had better be put In 

 square heaps to be spread on the surface In spring 

 after plowing and harrowed in. 



Mice, if troublesome in frames, root cellars, etc., 

 may be disposed of by poisoning them with Peas 

 soaked In water until they swell, then rolled In arsenic 

 and burled just below the surface in some loose earth. 

 Seeds. Overhaul the store on hand and throw away 

 all of doubtful vitality. Most seeds are good at the 

 end of four or five years, and Squashes, Melons, and 

 all of that family, last almost indefinitely. 

 Onions. Parsnips aud Carrots are the seeds which 

 growers are most particular about. Those who 

 supply the market with crops should put their depen- 

 dence on varieties known to be marketable, and not 

 risk novelties until a trial has proved their value. 



Tools. Repair when needed. If new ones are re- 

 quired, make an order without delay. 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Asparagus must be kept well watered. 



Graperies now being started, should have not above 

 55" of heat, and be well sprinkled twice a day. As the 

 young growth appears, sufficient air must be admitted 

 to prevent the growth from being weak and the foliage 

 thin. Air the house freely on mild days. 



Mnshrooms. Try to keep the temperature as near 

 euf. and as steady as possible. Save manure for new 

 beds as needed. 



Rhubarb to be treated like Asparagus. 



Snow. Cold frames frozen under a snowfall need 



not be touched for some time; but when not frozen, 



the snow should be removed within a few days after 



its fall. If a shovel Is u.sed, it should be wide enough 



I to reach clear across two sash bars. On warm forcing 



THE POULTRY YARD. 



Large Eggs. Find out tbe hen that lays the 

 small ojjyfs, aiul turn her into soup. 



Dampness Injurious. Never let the fowls out 

 of the house in the morning when there is a fog 

 or general dampness. Wait until the sun appears. 



Poultry for Meat. Small farmers and villagers 

 may produce one-half of their meat supply in 

 the iioulty-yai-d it they will give the subject 

 proper attention. 



Milk for Poultry. For very young chicks use 

 equal parts of boiled water and fresh milk, and 

 give them lukewarm. For old fowls, skim milk, 

 butter milk, and sour milk are all good.— 

 Orange County, Farmer. 



Guineas as Guards, If a few Guinea fowls 

 can be induced to roost in or near by the poultry 

 house thev will afford protection against chicken 

 thieves. They are light sleepers and make a 

 tremendous racket when disturbed at night. 



Prepare for the Breeding Season, Give the 

 poultry intended for breeders next season a good 

 show. Dispose of your surplus cockerels or 

 inferior stock. They will gain weight more 

 rapidly if not allowed to run out. Let your 

 breeding stock have as wide a range as possible. 

 — O. (J. Farmer. 



Salt for Poultry. Salt is a necessity for fowls, 

 and when it is supplied them they keep in better 

 condition and lay a larger number of eggs. Of 

 coui-se an excess of salt is injuriou.s, but the soft 

 food is seasoned with it with benefit. Give your 

 fowls a proportion of salt in the food two or 

 three times a week. — Mirror and Farmer. 



Early Broilers. The early broilers must be 

 hatched not later than February lo, and January 

 is the best month for hatching them. It requires 

 about thirteen weeks from the time the egg is 

 put under the hen until the chick goes to market. 

 This allows ten weeks for growth. The weight 

 of the chick at that age depends upon the breed 

 and how it is fed and managed.— M. and F. 



Sitting Hens. In cold weather eleven eggs are 

 enough for a good-sized hen, nine for a small one. 

 When you feed your sitters, ( and you should 

 have a regular time every forenoon for feeding 

 themi, do not let them remain off the nests 

 untU the eggs chill. The last week of incuba- 

 tion sprinkle the eggs two or three times very 

 lightlv with warm water just before the hen 

 returiis to the nest.— Farm and Field. 



Potatoes and Turnips. There is a large quan- 

 tity of water in the composition of the Turnip, 

 but the avidity with which cooked Turnips will 

 be eaten by poultry when the diet has been 

 mostly of grain, shows that a change of food is 

 beneficial. Those who raise large flocks of ducks 

 and geese consider Turnips the best and cheapest 

 food that can be allowed. The cooked Turnips 

 are sprinkled with meal and bran, fed warm, and 

 the birds allowed all they can eat. The small and 

 unsalable may be advantageously used in the 

 same manner. 



The Pullets Should Lay. if too fat, stop feed- 

 ing so much grain. Give plenty of water, 

 steamed hay cut short and mixed with bran, in 

 the morning, some fresh meat at noon. Whole 

 Corn should not be fed, but instead feed Oats or 

 Wheat. Make them scratch for it. If pullets 

 aie thin with a pale comb, look out for lice at 

 once. Buhach does the work. Spray the house 

 and roosts with crude petroleum. Then feed 

 generously.and all wUl be well.— Poultry Bulletin. 



Winter Care. Fowls must have a varied diet, 

 as no single element can supply all the needs of 

 the system. Provision must be made for feeding 

 vegetables occasionally, in addition to the allow 

 ance of gxain or meal. Well steamed chopped 

 Clover hay, or, better still. Clover ensilage should 

 be fed once in a while, and Cabbage leaves wUl 

 be greatly relished. Oats do not contain the 

 fattening' elements found in some other foods, 

 yet for egg production they are unsurpassed by 

 any other gi-ain. Meat scraps and milk will also 

 materially assist tbe laying hens in the perfor- 

 mance of their duty.— Farmer's Review. 



Eresh vs. Warm Water. Neither would I give 

 my fowls warm water. Don't see any sense in so 

 doing. Good, clear, cold water, fresh from the 

 well is about as acceptable to a pen of fowls as 

 any drink you can offer them, and will do them 

 more good than a lot of warm water. There are 

 too many notions and hobbies about poultry 

 raising. Good, plain. North American common 

 sense is the best aid. Treat your fowl naturally, 

 and don't be hunting up all sorts of tooUsh and 

 cranky ideas to try. Keep their quarters clean 

 and neat, give them plenty of food and water 

 and a warm building to live in, and they wiU do 

 all right without so much fussing,— G. Q. D., in 

 Mass. Ploughman. 



