1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



119 



160.;. Disposal of Rubbish. The advice giten 

 in January Poi'i'LAR Gardkning on this subject is 

 applicable to sandy soils and others that lose their 

 fertility quickly by leacliing. Clay soils "fix" and 

 retain fertilility. They do not leach like sand- 

 Manure gives the best results on clay when plowed 

 under, and serves the double purpose of "livening 

 up" the soil, especially if it be light and strawy 

 like horse manure. If soil is heavy and cold, rather 

 than cart the htter to a compost heap, it may be 

 plowed under. An old gardener near us digs a 

 trench two or three feet deep, and into this places 

 weeds, leaves of Pocks, anything green he can get. 

 When nearly full he covers with earth, and on this 

 makes his radish bed. The litter heats, and warm- 

 ing up the soil makes the Radishes mature quickly. 

 Cuttings planted on such a trench in the early 

 spring before the earth is warm elsewhere, will 

 root readily and grow right along.— L. J. Farmer. 

 Oswego County, X. V. 



1606. Ked Currant. Enormous crops of the 

 Red Dutch Currant are grown by gardeners near 

 us on clay soils. I visited a neighboring fruit grow- 

 er this summer and his wife told me she picked 

 ten quarts of Red Dutch Currants from a single 

 bush that sold at 8c per quart. One acre (5 x 5. 

 174'-^ plants) at this rate would amount to $1,393.60. 

 The Red Dutch is better for culinary purposes and 

 more productive; but is not so large as Cherry or 

 Versailles. All Currants do better on moist heavy 

 soils and will stand more moisture than Rasp- 

 berries; but. even Currants will not thrive on un- 

 drained clay.— L. J. Farmer. 



Wi9. Gooseberries Among Dwarf Fears- 

 Gooseberries will succeed, if planted as suggested, 

 between each two trees; provided thorough cultiva- 

 tion is given till the bushes get a good start, and are 

 afterwards mulched. The Gooseberries do better 

 in a partial shade, and it may pay. provided right 

 treatment is given both. As a rule "'succotash" 

 planting of fruits encumbers the ground and pre- 

 vents free cultivation. Small fruits may be set 

 among trees with successful results; but we would 

 not plant Strawberries among Raspberries, expect- 

 ing best results —L. J. Farmer. 



1566. Summer Mnlch. C. E. P. wonders why so 

 many materials are suggested for mulching Straw- 

 berries when straw is so cheap, and readily ob- 

 tained. This year, on account of the wet weather, 

 grain crops run all to straw, and there is plenty of 

 It which can be bought for four to five dollars a 

 ton. But this year is an exception. Usually all 

 the straw can be used for bedding and feeding. 

 Last year was so dry that all grain and grass crops 

 made a small growth. Straw was scarce and hard 

 to get, selling at eight and ten dollars per ton. Re- 

 course had to be made to other materials, such as 

 horse manure, marsh hay, corn stalks, etc. Even 

 when straw is cheap and easily obtained, on ac 

 count of the noxious seeds in it, I much prefer 

 other materials, such as brakes, marsh hay. etc. 

 Of course tne greater part of the seeds may be re- 

 moved by shaking up the straw, but enough will 

 remain to cause much damage. In the future 

 we shall employ only threshing machines that sep- 

 arate the chatT from the straw. This year in the 

 hurry to get our Strawberries covered we used straw 

 with all the chaff and seeds in it for part of the 

 bed. During the warm weather of December and 

 early January the poultry have busied themselves 

 on this part of the bed. turning over the mulch and 

 picking up the seeds. We have caught an idea 

 from this, and next spring, when uncovering the 

 plants, we shall encourage the poultry to work 

 among them; removing a small part at a time and 

 allowing them to pick up the seeds thereon. The 

 tendency of hens to work in anything that has 

 been recently stirred is well known to gardeners. — 

 J. L. Farmer. Oswego Co., N. Y. 



1583. Apple Stock. Our experience is that roots 

 three and four years old are not profitable to work. 

 Better buy one year old seedlings than use the 

 others as a gift.— Knodle Brop. 



1593. Althaeas from Peed. Treat Althaea seed 

 same as you would common Hollyhock {Althcea 

 rosed), and you will succeed- — Knodle Bros. 



1610. Mountain Holly. To transplant success- 

 fully, remove in early spring, pack the soil well 

 around the roots, and strip off most of the leaves 

 after setting.— Knodle Brcs. 



1595. Hardy Eoses, All things considered we 

 would recommend the following as the best six 

 hardy Roses, viz.: Baroness Rothschild, Capt. 

 Christy, Dinsmore, Paul Nevron, General Jacque- 

 minot, Perle des Blanches.— E. T. C- 



1625. Mailing Boses from England. If pro- 

 perly packed there is very little risk, especially if 

 shipped dormant, between the months of Novem- 

 ber and March.- E. T. C. 



1619. Khododendrons at North. The Hybrid 

 Rhododendrons can be safely planted in the lati- 

 tude mentioned, but are all the better for some 

 protection. They prefer a moist shady position, 

 and the buds should be protected from direct rays 

 of sun in winter. Selection of varieties is a matter 

 of taste— E. T. C. 



1652. Wine Making. Husman's American Grape 

 Growing and Wine Making is probably what is 

 wanted. It can be had of Orange Judd Co., 751 

 Broadway, New York City. Price JI.50. 



1655. Peach Seedlings. These are usually 

 healthier and last longer than budded trees. Fur- 

 ther south we have seen excellent specimens of 

 seetUings, bearing regular crops of excellent fruit. 

 Hut since we are never sure what fruit a seedling 

 will produce when it comes to bearing, we will have 

 to depend mostly on budded stock. And if you 

 will only take proper care of your trees of proper 

 varieties, bought of reliable nursurymen, they will 

 last long enough to give you good fniit for many 

 years.- H. W. E. 



1650. Barren Plum Tree. This is propably only 

 another case of barrenness on account of lack of 

 proper pollen at the proper time. You might try 

 to remedy the evil by setting a few grafts of other 

 varieties, free bloomer; such as DeSoto, Miner, 

 etc.. in top of your tree. When these grafts come 

 to bloom, which should be in a year or two, the 

 fruit on the rest of the tree will most likely set all 

 right. At least it is worth the trial.— H. W. E. 



1660. Mint Culture. The production of Pepper- 

 mint oil is an important industry of Wayne County, 

 this state, most of the farmers there growing an 

 acre or two of Mint, besides their ordinary farm 

 crops. The net profits are usually higher than 

 those obtained from other farm crops, probably 

 not far from $100 per acre as an average. In this, 

 as in other branches of land tillage the profits de- 

 pend on the man as much as on anything else. The 

 land should be well drained, and in a fair state of 

 fertility, but manure is hardly ever used. In early 

 spring the piece selected for the crop U well pre- 

 pared by plowing and harrowing, and furrows 

 struck off about twenty inches apart in which the 

 root cuttings— pieces of the root stock one to two 

 feet in length— are planted pretty thickly to avoid 

 bare spots. Cultivate and hoe, keeping down all 

 weed growth. In August when the Peppermint is 

 in bloom, it is cut either with scythe or mower, 

 cured, and then put in small cocks like hay. Nest 

 it goes to the distillery, where large steam-tight 

 vats are filled with it. The steam coming in from 

 the bottom, has to work through the mass, volatilizes 

 the oil and escapes with it at the top through a tin 

 tube, which carries it to the condenser or worm, 

 which is a coil of pipe surrounded by cold water. 

 The condensed steam and oil now flows into the re- 

 ceiver, and here the oil is drawn off. The price of 

 the oil fluctuates between $1 .50 and $6 00 per pound, 

 and the yield varies between twenty and forty 

 pounds per acre. 



1662. Salt for Asparagus. It will not be neces- 

 sary for people near the coast to apply common 

 salt in any form to ;their Asparagus beds. It is 

 even questionable whether salt under average cir- 

 cumstances has any beneficial effects whatever on 

 Asparagus plantations far away from salt water. 

 The only "salt" which we would advise Asparagus 

 growers to use freely in early spring, especially 

 where stable manure has been used more or less, 

 is nitrate of soda.— H. W. E. 



1654. Fertilizer for Strawberries. Plenty of 

 stable manure, as applied by the inquirer, is a good 

 and reliable fertilizer, and it will not be absolutely 

 necessary to make additional applications; yet 

 when the grower has easy access to a good complete 

 manure, or to wood ashes it would do no hurt to 

 use one of these or both in small quantities also. 



1669. Juneberry. We do not know that any im- 

 proved varieties have been put on the market gen- 

 erally. We heard Mr. Vandeman, United States 

 Pomologist, say that he had a very fine named 

 variety. Prof. Budd. of the Iowa Agricultural Col- 

 lege, also claims to have especially floe sorts. We 

 hold the Junberry in high esteem, and hope that 

 these improved varieties will soon be offered to the 

 public. Mr. Chas. Gibb mentions the 'Grinnell."' 

 the ' Green County" and '"Gardener" as most ex- 

 cellent fruits.— H. W. E. 



1657. Blackberry Culture. Early Harvest for 

 early, Wilson for late will probably do well in 

 Georgia. Set out on well prepared soil, in rows 

 eight feet apart, and three or four feet apart in the 

 rows. Cultivate well, and keep the suckers con- 

 fined to the rows. Pinch the growing canes back 

 when three feet high, and shorten the side shoots 

 with the aim to make low compact bushes. With 

 good culture the plantation will last many years, 

 but should be renewed when crops begin to grow 

 smaller.- H. W. E. 



1658. Fertilizer Application. Bone dust or 

 potash for Raspberries and Blackberries may be 

 simply scattered broadcast over the ground, no 

 especial pains being required to work it into the 

 soil other than the usual course of cultivation. 



1671. Killing Hazelbusbes. The Witch Hazel 

 and the Hazelnut bush have great suckering pro- 

 pensities, but if cut close to the ground early in the 

 winter, they will seldom troubleagaln. In swamps 

 we have always succeeded in killing the common 

 Swamp Alder by chopping the whole clumps off 

 way into the soft ground, which can usually be 

 done with impunity, no stones being about. If a 

 similar course can be adopted with the Hazel it 

 will make a certain end of it. Be sure to leave no 

 sharp stubs to hurt pasturing horses another sea- 

 son. —H. W. E. 



1675. Brighton Grape. This ia one of the varie- 

 ties that cannot be relied on to self fertilize, and 

 it should always be planted among other sorts 

 m order to have the benefit of a free pollen distri- 

 bution by other sorts. 



1670. Ink for Zinc Labels. Recipe will be found 

 elsewhere in this issue, 



1672. Cooking Mushrooms. A nice soup can 

 be made of them by stewing same as you would 

 oysters, only cooking a little longer. Other good 

 recipies are as follows, taken from Farm and Fire- 

 side: 'Scalloped Mushrooms.— Cover the bottom of 

 a buttered dish with a layer of Pepper and salt, and 

 lay bits of butter over. Put layers of Mushrooms 

 alternately with the bread until the dish is full. 

 Cover the top with butter, moisten with cream and 

 bake. Baked ^fushrooms.— Choose the large Mush- 

 rooms. Peel, cut off the stalks close to the top, 

 place them upside down in a shallow dish. Sprinkle 

 with salt and pepper, and lay a little piece of but- 

 ter on each. Bake in a quick oven for fifteen min- 

 utes, baste with a little melted butter. Serve hot 

 on the dish in which they are baked. Fricassee of 

 Mushrooms.— Feel the Mushrooms, put first in boil 

 ing water, then in cold, take out, wipe dry. Put a 

 tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan, and lay in 

 the Mushrooms. Set over the fire and stir, add 

 flour enough to thicken, with a little Pepper, salt, 

 Thyme and Mace. Pour in soup stock enough to 

 thin out and let simmer half an hour. Take out 

 the Mushrooms, strain the gravy, beat the yolks of 

 three eggs and stir them with the juice of a Lemon 

 into the liquor. Have prepared small slices of 

 fried bread, lay the Mushrooms on them and pour 

 the sauce over. 



1648. Numbering Forceps. We do not think 

 that they are kept on sale by any firm in this coun- 

 try. You might try Peter Henderson & Co., of 

 New York, or Vaughan's seed store in Chicago. 

 They are advertised for sale, we believe, by Lud- 

 wig Miller. Erfurt, Germany. 



1675. Cauliflower Seed. The bulk of this is im 

 ported, little being grown here as the torrid heat of 

 our summers does not agree with the crop. An 

 effort is now being made by a party near Puget 

 Sound, {Henry March, Fidalgo, Wasb.). to compete 

 with German growers in the production of Cauli- 

 flower seed, and the samples we have seen and 



t:V//''r^:^ 



DETAILS OF CASE ON NEXT PAGE. FIG. 2. 



tested from him, were remarkable for size and 

 vitality, and reliability for heading. We do not 

 know how he manages his seed or seed stock. If 

 plants are started and set out very early, they often 

 go to seed in fall and produce a small crop of seed. 

 A safer way would be to sow seed in July, winter 

 the plants in pits or cold frames, and set them out 

 in spring, as you would Cabbages or Turnips. A 

 fair crop may thus be grown, 



1546. Yard for Hens. The larger the better; 



although with good care, cleanliness, frequent 

 spading over of the ground, and still better with 

 occasional changing from one yard to another, a 

 dozen hens can be kept healthy and in good laying 

 trim in a rather small enclosure, say twenty or 

 thirty feet square. Brahmas and Cochins can be 

 kept confined by a fence three feet high; for Ply- 

 mouth Rocks the fence should be at least four or 

 five feet high; for Langshans five to six feet, for 

 the Spanish races, Leghorns. Dunghills and Mong- 

 rels from eight to ten feet high. 



1678. Fertilizer for Grape Vines. Apply muri- 

 ate of potash at the rate of 200 to 500 pounds per 

 acre; plain phosphate, (bone dust, ground rock or 

 floats, acid phosphate at the rate of 1000 lbs. per 

 acre.) If you have 7.")0 vines per acre, this would 

 make from one-third to two-third pound of muriate 

 of potash, and about IJ4 lbs, of phosphate to the 

 single vine. But if these quantities are exceeded, 

 even quite largely, you need not fear ill results, 

 and it may be all the better for the vine. 



THE COMPLETE GARDEN.* 



XXXIII 



BY A WELL-KNOWN HORTICULTtmiST 



(Continued from page 96.) 

 GLASS IN THE GARDEX. 



For Growing Vegetables. The more pro- 

 gressive home gardener is not any more 

 satistied with the natural products of the 

 season, but desires to enjoy the benefits of 

 a fresh vegetable supply almost every day 

 during the entire year. 



No serious obstacles are in the way of 

 securing such achievement. A few sashes 

 alone will help us over many difficulties, 



♦Copyright, 1887, Popular Gardening Publishing Co. 



