ii6 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



February, 



Tnberons-Booted Begonias. Perhaps the 

 finest collection on the coast is at Capt. Ains- 

 worth's, near N. Temescal. Mr. John MeCullum, 

 who has charge of the grounds, several years 

 ago secured from England the finest strains of 

 seed and named rarities; from these many beau- 

 tiful hybrids have been produced, notably 

 among the whites and yellows, which have not 

 previously been so well-developed as the scarlets 

 and pinks. The plants will bloom the first year 

 from seed if given proper care; hybridizing is 

 easily performed, and the bulbs keep without 

 trouble after the blooming season.- P. R. Press. 



Drainage, Take no risks; draining is too 

 expensive a job to be done imperfectly. Do not 

 leave trees growing along the line of a drain if 

 you can possibly avoid it. Two years ago my 

 garden drain became stopped, and on making an 

 examination I found that the roots of an Elm 

 tree which it passed had entered the tile and 

 completly choked them. As the tree was valued 

 for shade, I took up the tile and substituted 

 glazed sewer pipe and cemented the joints, and 

 hope this will enable me to save the tree and keep 

 the drain clear.— WaldoF.Brown in Ohio Farmer. 



Many-colored Chrysanthemum, One of the 

 interesting objects at the late exposition of 

 Chrysanthemums in this city was a plant upon 

 which some twenty different varieties had been 

 grafted. The different kinds of flowers were all 

 in bloom at once and having been arranged on 

 the stalk with every view to harmonize and con- 

 trast of color, the plant resembles a large 

 bouquet.— Weekly Press. 



A New Jersey Kalamazoo. It is said a com- 

 pany of capitalists have engaged a colony of 

 Celery-growers of Kalamazoo to go to Hacketts- 

 town, X. J , next spring, and engage in raising 

 Celery on a tract of land called the Great 

 Meadows, on which Onion-growing has been 

 unsuccessfully tried, and Celery culture has also 

 been attempted, but not being properly handled, 

 was a failure.— Mich. Farmer. 



Training Tomatoes. In a family garden I 

 hare always found training a Tomato plant to a 

 single stem, up an eight-foot stake, firmly set 

 before planting, highly satisfactory, and, on the 

 whole, no more troublesome than the let-lie 

 course; while it economizes room, it secures 

 handsomer, better-flavored fruit, and more of it 

 and pleases by its tidiness and its success as an 

 art.— Blairco in X. Y. Tribune. 



Ombbing out Old Trees. Make a circular 

 excavation from six to eight feet in diameter 

 around the tree, dig the dirt away from the 

 roots and cut these off the trunk and again at 

 the outer edge of the excavation. Then the 

 roots ai-e out of the way, and when they are all 

 cut off, the tree wUl fall. A large tree can be 

 grubbed out in two hours in this way.— W. Rural. 



Starting Early Cabbages. We long ago 

 abandoned the practice of sowing seed in 

 autumn, and now start our seed February 1 in 



Mean Cleaning DexHce. See page 113. 

 boxes in a greenhouse or hotbed and transplant 

 to other boxes as soon as large enough to handle, 

 placing the boxes in cold frames to harden them 

 off.— W. F. Massey in Weekly Press. 



Thin Early. Most amateurs giow their vegetables 

 too elcsply. So they are not only much smalier, but 

 also Inferior In quality. Those who desire pood Beets. 

 Turnips, Parsnips and Carrots should thin thoroughly. 

 — T. H. Hosktns In Ani. Garden. 



Buying FertilizinK Materials. The force of the 

 argument on the side of home-mixed fertilizers en- 

 tirely ontwelghs all the objections.— Connecticut Ex- 

 periment Station Report. 



Strawberry Cure. Of all "cures" Invented, give me 

 the Strawberry cure. There is little question that 

 other people will l>e benefited, just as I am.— Gleanings 

 In Bee Culture. 



Mice in Orchard. Soak some nubbins In strychnine 

 and lay them under sheaves of com fodder at differ 

 ent points about the orchard.— Farm Journal. 



Value of Grass Hoots. The roots and stubble on a 

 mowing field— turned in— have a manurial value of at 

 least 812.— Piof. Phelps. 



There is something to care for in all weathers, and 

 the busy life is a happy one. 



Better to grow into a specialty than to go Into It. 



Vegetable Products on Table. 



Succotash. Boil one part of dry Lima Beans 

 and two parts of dried Sweet Corn seperately 

 until both are nearly tender. Then put them 

 together and simmer gently until done. Season 

 with salt and sweet cream.— Western Rural. 



Farm Journal Hints. Cranberries will keep 

 all winter in water. Potatoes are 'more whole- 

 some when baked than when boiled. Never put 

 Potatoes on the table in a covered dish. They 

 absorb their own moisture and become sogg.v. 



Sagout of Onions. Cut a couple of bunches of 

 young Onions in slices: add double the quantity 

 of Potatoes, peeled and sliced; season with salt 

 and pepper, and cover with broth of any kind; 

 simmer until the Potatoes are done; add a table- 

 spoonful of butter, and eat very hot.— Am. Ag. 



Pickled Ttirnips, Scald enough vinegar to 

 cover them, with some whole Spice, pour it over 

 them, and let them cool before using them; Car- 

 rots. Cauliflower, Beets, Jerusalem Artichokes, 

 Cabbage, Beans, in fact nearly all cold boiled 

 vegetables, can be made into pickles in this way. 

 —House-wife. 



Orange Jelly. Cover one box of gelatine with 

 one pint of cold water and let it soak one hour; 

 add one pint of boiling water and one pound of 

 sugar-. Stir until the sugar is dissolred, then add 

 one pint of Orange juice, strain, and turn into 

 molds to harden. This should stand at least 

 twelre hours.- E.x. 



Browned Ttirnips. For a good accompaniment 

 to roast duck, pare and slice the Turnips and boil 

 till tender, then di-ain in a colander. Put two 

 tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan; when 

 hot add the Turnips and a tablespoonful of 

 sugar; when the slices are nice and brown turn 

 carefully, dust with salt and pepper, and serre. 

 —Indiana Farmer. 



Sweet Potato Pie. Line a pie plate with nice 

 pastry. Hare some boiled Sweet Potatoes, peel 

 and slice them lengthwise orer the pastry, then 

 put a layer of sugar, nutmeg and butter, then 

 another layer of each till the dish is filled, mak- 

 ing the last layer of sugar, etc. Fill with cream 

 and bake. Eat warm. Should any be left orer, 

 warm by adding more cream and butter before 

 putting in the oren.— Farm Journal. 



Stewed Carrots. Take si.\ large Carrots, wash 

 and scrape them, put them into boiling water 

 and let them boil for half an hour, then take out, 

 drain, and cut each into as many round balls as 

 it will make, put them into the stew pan with a 

 pint of grary, flavored with a little Pepper, Salt, 

 and Mushroom catsup; let them simmer for 

 twenty minutes, then take them out, pile them 

 in the center of the dish, thicken the gravy with 

 a little flour and butter, pour it over the Carrots, 

 and serve.— Cthio Farmer. 



Apple Sago Pudding. Pare six large tart 

 -Apples; remove the cores; All the holes thus 

 made with sugar and a little ground Cinnamon, 

 and stick a few (loves into each Apple. Place 

 upright in a deeij pudding dish. Over six large 

 spoonfuls of sago pour two cupfuls of boiling 

 water, stiiTing continually until it begins to 

 thicken. Cover and let stand about two hours; 

 then pour into the dish containing the Apples, 

 and bake in moderate oven for two hours. Serve 

 with cream and sugar.— Country Gentleman. 



Carrots Stewed in Cream, One good-sized Car- 

 rot sliced thin and cooked tender in boiling water 

 well salted. Drain well. Slelt a piece of butter 

 the size of a large Walnut in an enameled sauce- 

 pan; add one table-spoonful of flour and a very 

 little cream from a pint, just enough to cook 

 into a soft, creamy mass; gradually pour in the 

 remainder of the cream and allow it to boil a 

 moment. It it should prove thicker than good 

 rich cream, through false measurement, add a 

 very little milk; pour over the Carrot and serve 

 hot.— Good Housekeeping. 



Apple Slump. One quart of sifted flour with 

 three teaspoonfuls baking powder; shorten with 

 one tablespoonful butter nibbed into the flour. 

 Mix with cold milk or water, the same as for bis- 

 cuit. Put two quarts of pared, sliced or quarter- 

 ed Apples with one pint of water into the dish. 

 Roll the crust about an inch thick, cut into 

 quarter, and with it cover the .Apples in the dish; 

 then cover the whole with a close fitting cover. 



and boil or steam till done. Take out on a plat- 

 ter, and grate Xutmeg over the Apple. Serve 

 with sweet sauce, or sugar and cream.— Xew 

 England Farmer. 



Banana Custard. Dissolre two tablespoonfuls 

 of Cornstarch i n t wo tablespoonfuls of cold water 

 and one cup of sugar and two ounces of butter; 

 stir together in a stew-pan long enough to cook 

 the Com starch until smooth; pour on gradually, 

 stirring all the while, a quart of boiling water. 

 Remore from the fire and add the beaten yolks of 

 three eggs; return to the fire and stir until thick. 

 When cold stir a pint bowlful of thinly-sliced 

 Bananas, and pour all into a prett.v china or glass 

 dish. Cover with a meringue of the whites 

 beaten to a stiff froth with half a cup of powder- 

 ed sugar and the juice of half a Lemon, and heap 

 on top of the custard.— American Agriculturist. 



HOUSE PLANTS 



Airing should be strictly attended to whenever the 

 weather I? mild. Perhaps the best way of giving 

 window plants the needed ventilation is by opening 

 the windows of an adjoining room. A vessel of water 

 may be kept on the back of the stove. The evapora- 

 tion will tend to keep the air in the room moist and 

 favorable to the health and thrift of the plants. 



Begonias should now be blooming freely. Only a 

 moderate amount of water is needed for them. 



Balbs may be brought In from cellar or pit for suc- 

 cession. As window plants they do their best now. 

 As hxilbs pass out of flower cut away the flower stalks. 



Camellias need free airing, in all suiuibte weather, 

 guarding against cold droughts. Sponge the leaves on 

 both sides frequently. 



Callas and other hardy forcing bulbs should have 

 plenty of water. 



Cyclamen Persicam are now blooming. When past 

 stand them back a little from the front in the window 

 to give other plants in bloom a better chance, but don't 

 dry off the tubers at once. As long as the foliage con- 

 tinues plump and fresh continue to give a little water. 



Fuchsias at rest may be started. After strong 

 growth is made slips may be taken olT and root«d. 

 Old plants will do best If cut back and grown In bush 

 form. Keep in good growth, and guard against the 

 plants becoming pot-bound. 



General Management. Increased sunlight brings 

 increased growth and bloom, and less tendency to rot 

 and mould. Give the plants a little more water than 

 they were accustomed to get diu-Ing the past few 

 weeks, but particularly avoid rendering the soil very 

 wet. Once a week at least tiu-n the plants in the 

 window so that they shall be equal-sided. Nip the 

 points out of the young growths on plants that are in 

 thrifty growth to cause them to become bushy. While 

 it is not advisable to wash the foliage of soft or pubes- 

 cent-leaved plants, a light sprinkling or dewing over- 

 head early in the forenoon or early in the afternoon 

 helps and freshens them materially. Besides, this 

 sprinkling of the foliage and bark induces the produc- 

 thin of more oifsets or side branches, and thus renders 

 the plants much stockier. But don't sprinkle your 

 plants overhead while the sun is shining warmly on 

 them, else the leaves are apt to get ' "scalded," nor so 

 late In the afternoon that they will not dry perfectly 

 before night, else flower buds, young leaves and shoots 

 may mould or rot off. 



Heliotrope slips may now be struck for fine summer 

 plants. lie-pot old plants as needed. 



Hyacinths In glasses must have the water kept 

 properly replenished. Tie up when In flower. See 

 also under " Bulbs." 



Ivy and other stiff, smooth-leaved plants to be 

 sponged otf to give them a fresh, bright appearance. 



Oleanders may be started up now, if desired for 

 flowering in Slay. As growth begins, give plenty of 

 water and some liquid manure. 



Pruning soft wooded plants can hardly be overdone 

 for secuiing good shape. The bushy forms springing 

 from the ground are handsome and attractive. The 

 long-legged spindling things one sees so often are an 

 abomination. 



Roses ot the monthly class like a good sunny posi- 

 tion, but should not be kept too warm. Guard against 

 greenfly. Start up the Hybrid Perpetuals that were 

 potted in the fall and thus wintered, and when buds 

 appear, stimiUate by li<(uld mauinre. 



So-wing Seed. Sow Sweet Alyssum for a continuous 

 supply, other annuals and biennials, Snapdragon, 

 Chinese Pinks. MImulus. Slaurandia, Ice Plant, etc., 

 si: j'.''d now be so".\'n to get good plants for spring and 

 smnmer, and by end of mouth most other annuals for 

 early bloom. 



