1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



141 



l.Hfl. FlantinK Early Crops. Tomatoes for 

 early shoulii l>o sCarlod without tlelay in southern 

 Pennsyl\ ania; Celery may be sown in well-pre- 

 paroii l)e<ls in o^K'n air just as soon as the jrround 

 can l>e tltted in spring. Cuounibers for open air 

 culture should be planted durini? seeond half of 

 Slay: or if for early use, may be stnrte<l on in- 

 verted S("m1s. or in flower pots under glass last of 

 April, and planted out in May. 



1.701. Bark Lice on Pear Trees. The twig sent 

 us was covered with bark liee, an insect which 

 often gives very serious trouble to the orchard- 

 ist and nurseryman. Its many enemies, among 

 them a species of mite, also the small larva of a 

 four winge<l (ti.v-like) insect, and the twice- 

 stabbed lady bird, cannot always keep it in check 

 suffioientl.v t-o prevent much damage to fruit 

 trees. Each one of these scales is sirapl.v a cover- 

 ing or blanket firnil,v fastened over a little cluster 

 of eggs and protecting them . Of course these 

 scales, and the egs^s with them, might be scraped 

 off the limb, and thus destroyed, but this involves 

 much more work than the average grower would 

 be willing to l>estow. We recommend to wash 

 or syringe the limlB with a strong alkaline .solu- 

 tion, strong lye. orsalsoda lone poundl dis-solved 

 in water (one gallon). This should be done in 

 spring, while the young lice are hatching out. 

 Painting the limbs "over with linseed oil, and thus 

 choking the life out of the brood, has also been 

 found effective. 



1.708. Coal Ashes as Fertilizer. Coal ashes 

 contain next to no actual plant food, and there- 

 fore, as a Ifertilizer, are almost worthless. Yet 

 the.v have a tendency to repel insects, to improve 

 the mechanical condition of the soil, thus facili- 

 tating chemical changes, and also to serve as a 

 very superior mulch. The orchard is a very 



§ roper and one of the very best places for the 

 eposition of coal ashes, and of wood ashes also. 



l.tvtJ. Orafting Cherries, The Morello can be 

 grafted on common or wild stock; in fact we like 

 it better than on their own roots. We have been 

 experimenting on the Cherry for the last 2.5 years, 

 and our experience teaches us to have our grafts 

 cut in season and properlj' buried, and to begin 

 the grafting just as soon as the stock begins to 

 open leaf buds, using cleft plan, waxing well; 

 also wax top end of grafts to prevent evapora- 

 tion.— J. L. B. 



1.709. Black Leaves on Orange Trees. Some- 

 times the dust and dirt and discoloration on these 

 leaves adheres so closely that it takes considera- 

 ble effort to get them clean. Faithful washing 

 and scrubbing with warm soap suds will after 

 awhile accomplish the desired result. 



1.710. Mariana Plum for Stock. This tree is 

 readily progagiited from cuttings of the young 

 wood, in the same manner as Currants or Goose- 

 Ijerries, or LeConte Pear at the South, are grown 

 from cuttings. Probably good stock can also be 

 grown from seed of the Mariana. 



1.712. Poultry Journal, Poultry World and 

 Poultry Monthly— both monthlj' papers devoted 

 exclusively to poiiltry interests, and costing Sl.2.5 

 per year each, or Sl.^0 with Popular Garden- 

 ing, are among the best of their kind. 



1.7U. Honey Locust for Hedge. The Honey 

 Locust is entirely hardy, and a long-lived tree. 

 For a common hedge fence we know of nothing 

 superior to it in sections where Osage Orange is 

 not hardy enough. It is probably as liable as any 

 other tree to be girdled by mice when grass is 

 allowed to grow, or snow to accumulate around 

 it. Otherwise the tree iseasily grown, and rugged 

 enough to thrive where most other trees would 

 starve. It succeeds even in sod, and at the very 

 foot of large trees. Mr. H. Lutts of this county, 

 near ( intario Lake, grows more than (iO acres of 

 young plants from seed for hedge purposes every 

 year.-H. W. E. 



1.716. Prunus Pissardi, Can be obtained of 

 Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y., and all 

 leading nurserymen who deal in ornamental 

 trees and shrubs. It blooms at about the same 

 season as other Plum trees.— H. W. E. 



1,718. Spraying Pumps, Write to the Field 

 Force Pump Co.. of Lockport. X. Y., to Rumsey 

 & Co . Seneca Falls, N. Y.. and the Nixon Nozzle 

 and Machine Co.. Dayton, O.. for their descriptive 

 circulars and price lists; then select the one which 

 you think will suit your purposes. 



1,718. Tools for the Orchard. Most leading 

 seedsmen catalogue pruning and other tools for 

 orchard and vineyard. Send for the catalogues 

 of a number of leading dealers, and examine 

 them carefuUj". Tools of this description can 

 also usually be had at leading hardware stores. 



1.711. Sweet Com. For earliest we shall again 

 use the Cory; fer medium Black Mexican may be 

 planted; and for late we know of nothing more 

 reliable at present than Stowell's Evergreen. 

 The Black Mexican is very sweet, very rich, and 

 very tender, in fact surpassed by no other sort. 

 It should be used before it colors much; other- 

 wise its dark purplish or bluish color is decid- 

 edly against it. Stowell's Evergreen may be 

 planted until June for succession. People who 

 do not like the Mexican Blackmay use the Amber 

 Cream instead, which is a very good variety for 

 medium.— H. W. E. 



1.722. Value of Ashes. The difference between 

 wood ashes kept under cover and those kept ex- 

 posed to the weather, is that the former retain 

 their manurial properties intact, while the latter 

 lose the greater part of their potash by leaching. 

 But wood ashes make a good fertilizer even when 

 leached, and all should be saved and applied to 

 garden and ^)rchard. 



1,72.5. Grafting the Grape. Of course the well- 

 ripened wood of last season's growth, such as 

 usually taken for cuttings, should be used as 

 cions in grafting. 



1.723. Boses from Seed. The growing of seed- 

 lings is quite simple. In a recent issue of the 

 California Fruit Grower the following instruc- 

 tions are given: The hip or seed vessels should 

 be selected from plants that have a robust habit, 

 and the seeds should be well matured. The best 

 way to keep them in a germinating state is to 

 mix the unbroken hips with a lot of slightly damp 

 sand in a box. They can be kept in this condition 

 until the spring begins to open. As soon as the 

 ground becomes warm, remove the seeds feom 

 the hips and plant one-half inch deep in sandy 

 loam. If the plants are to remain where the 

 seeds are sown, they should not be placed too 

 thickly: indeed, it is a better way to place them 

 at regular distances, say from three to Ave inches 

 apart. In a few weeks the plants will show their 

 first leaves. They should be allowed to remain 

 without transplanting until the coming fall or 

 succeeding spring. The plants can be lifted and 

 transplanted into rich soil, when they will soon 

 show the character of their blossoms: or, the.v 

 can be allowed to remain where they are, and as 

 they come into bloom, those which are apparently 

 the most worthless can Ije grubbed out. It is 

 very often the case that a seedling Rose does not 

 show its best flowers for three years. If the ex- 

 perimentor cannot wait for the plants to bloom 

 on their own roots, buds can be taken off and 

 worked on strong stalks. In all probability these 

 will in a few months push out strongly and iiro- 

 duce flowers. The business is one in which 

 one becomes intensely interested, but to fol- 

 low it for profit, one should not expect any 

 good returns for some years. Thousands of seeds 

 should be sown regularly every season, so that 

 there will be constantly new plants coming into 

 bloom. It would be useless to attempt to save 90 

 per cent of the plants which wiU have fiowers 

 inferior to varieties which have already been 

 introduced. These, as soon as they appear,"should 

 be grubbed out and thrown away; but, if the 

 fiowers show any signs of promise, the plants 

 should be carefully husbanded and saved till such 

 time as thej' have either proved their value or 

 worthlessness. 



1.726. Apples for Market. Under the condi- 

 tions named we would not go into Apple culture 

 very deeply. But if we wanted to make the 

 trial, we would certainl.v follow the practice 

 adopted b.v .vou to dig a deep and wide hole for 

 each tree, and fill this mth rich earth carted from 

 the low land. With profuse applications of good 

 manure, or of bonedust and potash, success in 

 growing the crop is within easy reach, and the 

 difficulty then will be only the task of getting 

 them into a profitable market. In regard to 

 propagation of Mariana Plum stock, see reply 

 to No. 1,710.— H. W. E. 



1.727. Green Manuring for Orchard. We would 

 use Buckwheat altogether. Several crops can be 

 grown and plowed under in the course of a single 

 season. For southern localities perhaps Black 

 Peas iCow Beans) will give excellent results.— 

 H. W. E. 



1.728. Alfalfa or Luzerne. This is usually 

 grown and intended for a soiling crop, or for hay; 

 but with the proper precaution, necessary in 

 pasturing cattle in any kind of rank Clover, we 

 see no reason why Alfalfa could not be used 

 for pasture if so desired. 



1.729. Mushroom Spawn. The cheapest way 

 to obtain Spawn where but little of it is used, is 

 to buy it of some reliable seed dealer. For the 

 production of Spawn in large quantities the fol- 

 lowing method is practiced in Europe: In spring 

 or summer a ditch is dug about IH feet deep and 

 nearly two feet wide, preferably in a situation 

 with northern exposure. A layer of clear, dry 

 horse droppings is spread into the bottom, 

 and upon this a nine-inch layer of prepared 

 horse manure, then another light layer of dry 

 horse droppings, another layer of prepared horse 

 manure, etc. Each layer is packed down solidly 

 by tramping, and thorougnly saturated with 

 liquid manure (reduced with its own bulk ot 

 water). The heap is continued as it was begun, 

 and built up to about a foot above the surface of 

 the ground, nicely rounded off. It is now cov- 

 ered with soil, and may be planted with Radishes, 

 Spinach, Lettuce, etc. The Spawn will have 

 formed in 13 to U months, and is then forked out 

 in large chunks, spread in a dry, airy, half-dark 

 place to dry. When sufficiently dry the spawn 

 may be cut into bricks with the spade. The my- 

 celium has grown all through the mass, and even 

 the smallest part of it contains some. Spawn 

 thus prepared is said to retain its vitality for 

 from seven to eight years. 



1,639. Plants for Bockery. The following are 

 among the best plants for rock work, the first 

 named being well suited to the sunny positions, 

 though care should be taken that the roots of all 

 should be so placed that they be in direct contact 

 with the bulk of the soil: Achillea tomentosa, 

 .\juga alpina, Adonis vernalis. Alyssum Saxa- 

 tile and the variegated form, Alyssum argen- 

 teum, -Antennaria dioicti. A<juilegia cierulea, A. 

 alpina, Arabis alpina, A renariavema caespitosa, 

 all the Armerias, Aster alpinus and variety alba. 

 All -\ubretias; many Campanulas, such as C. 

 Carpatica and alba, C. turbinata, C. rotundifolia, 

 C. fragilisandC. punctata, Cerastiums, Corydalis, 

 Daphne cneorum. Most of the Dianthus, and 

 especially D. glacialis, D. neglectus, and D. sub- 

 caulescens. Erysimum pulchellum. Genista sag- 

 ittalis, G. tinctoria, pi., Globularia trochosanthee, 

 Gypsophila repens, Iberis corifolia, I. sempervi- 

 rens, and I. Garresciana, Iris Iberica, I. Susiana, 

 I pumila. Lychnis Lagascap, L.Viscaria, L. alpina, 

 Onosma stellulata and Ocalis violacea, Papaver 

 nudicaule. All varieties of Phlox subulata, 

 PotentiUa Pyrenaica, Ranunculus fumaria-folius, 

 Sanguinaria Canadensis. .Ml Sedums, except 

 S. acre (or you'll wish it had never been intro- 

 duced). Silenes, such as S. pumilo, S. maritima 

 and pi., S schafta, S. alpestris and S. Virginica, 

 Tunica Saxifraga, Veronica alpina, V. prostrata, 

 V. petinata, V. rupestris and V. cercaeoides. The 

 Primulas that are hardy, such as P Siebodii, P. 

 veris and P. elatior need a shady position in 

 moist soil. Likewise most of the Anemones, as 

 A. alpina. A. nemorosa. fi. pi., and A. sylvestris. 

 Hepaticas, Hellebores. Vincas. LUj- of the Valley, 

 and Ferns all thrive best in shady positions.— 

 E. O. Okpet. 



1657. Blackberry ctilture. The rows are made 

 eight feet apart and plants set three feet apart 

 in the row. Crops may be grown half way be- 

 tween the first year. Cultivate oneway and as 

 the rows spread mow off the canes. ha\ing a nar- 

 row for fruiting. If suckers between the rows 

 are treated as weeds, when green and easily cut 

 off, there will be no necessity for mowing. If 

 manure be applied when the canes begin to 

 make an unsatisfactory growth, and good culti- 

 vation be continued, there will be no necessity 

 of renewing the plantation, when it becomes 

 diseased.— L. J. F.*^r.mer. 



1664. Fertilizers for Strawberries. Yard ma- 

 nure will not supply all the food necessary for 

 the Strawberry. It lacks in potash. Barn ma- 

 nure used alone will make large berries, but they 

 will lack in firmness and color. Ashes will sup- 

 ly the deficiency. The time of application has 

 much to do in the benefit obtained from using 

 fertilizers of any kind. Fertilizers applied dur- 

 ing the dry months of spring and summer are 

 mostly thrown away. Last summer I learned 

 the secrets of the most successful strawberry 

 grower in our town. We attribute his large 

 yields to applying a good dressing ot yard ma- 

 nure directly to the rows around and among the 

 plants. The fall rain will wash the goodness 

 down to the roots and very little is wasted. In 

 the western part ot the county, growers obtain 

 the best crops of Wilsons by scattering ashes and 

 superphosphate into the rows in the early spring 

 before growth begins.— L. J. Farmer. 



THE COMPLETE GARDEN.* 



XXXIV. 



BY A WELL-KNOWN HOBTICCLTUHIST. 



(Continued from page 12^'.) 



Grapes Ujjder Glass. 



The Cold (or Usheated) Graperv. 

 Exotic or foreign species of Grapes— proba- 

 bly the choicest of all fruits which we could 

 grow — have only in rare instances been a 

 success in open air culture. Yet no other 

 fruit or vegetable could be produced under 

 glass more easily and certainly. Given a 

 little glass protection (without artificial 

 heat), and the fruit can be had at about its 

 natural season in all its lusciousness. The 

 buildings may be of the simplest kind, and 

 even a few hot-bed sashes set up slantingly 

 against a six or seven foot wall or tight 

 board fence with a south-eastern exposure, 

 will give a safe place for a few vines. 

 Arranged in a neat, systematic manner, 

 such a simple, inexpensive "cold Grapery" 

 was illustrated on page 106 (Feb. number). 



Of course, a building of this kind must te 

 in harmony with its surroundings. On the 

 well-kept premises of wealthy people we 

 expect to see a more elaborate affair: but 

 few persons are so poor that they could not 

 afford to have some sort of a Grapery, in 

 which this greatest of all luxuries in fruits 

 could be produced with little trouble. 



X house with span-roof, something like 



•Copyright, 1887, Popular Gardening Publishing Co. 



