1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



161 



Bulb beds to bt' raked over before the plants ap- 

 pear above ground. 



Carnations and other sash plants should now be 

 hardened oil by rouslderable exposure, and may then 

 be planted out. 



Flower Beds. If any are to be cut In the lawu make 

 a line niarKlu of turf around them. Also edge the lawn 

 where It tmrders on paths and drives, In the same 

 manner. 



Hedges to be given thetr annual pruning- 



Gladiolus. BegUi planting out. and continue plant* 

 lug at intervals of t«n days or two weeks until middle 

 of June. 



Hardy Perennials. If soil Is dry. these may be taken 

 up, <ilvlded and reset as required. 



Lawn- Sow seed as soon as new lawns are made. 

 On strong soil sow JuneGrassfKenlucky Blue), on high 

 soils Red Top, at the rate of four to six bushels to the 

 aere, two or three times in as raany dlflferent direc- 

 tions. This Insures an even growth. Roll after each 

 sowing. Mow the old lawns whenever the grass gets to 

 be near two Inches high. Mow evenly and carefully 

 that no vacant strips will be left. 



Lilies should be planted early, if at all at this season. 

 Fall Is the better time. L. Candtdum only is trans- 

 planted in August. 



Ornamental Trees and Shrubs should be planted 

 early; Evergreens when the new growth starts. Keep 

 the roots uf these moist and euver with blankets. 



Roses of the hardy kinds to be planted out as early 

 as they can be procured, and the soil be put in proper 

 order for planting. 



Seed Sowing. When making the early sowings of 

 annuals sow In drills, rings and clumps— never broad- 

 cast. The furrows may be made a half Inch deep, the 

 seed scattered quite thickly and covered with tine 

 earth. Dried and pulverized moss or fine leaf mold 

 may be sifted over the seed In place of earth. Firming 

 must in no case be neglected. 



Tree Protection. Street trees should always be pro- 

 tected against injury from knawlng of horses, etc., by 

 some kind of guard. This may be made of slats, but 

 the best thing is a piece of woven wire wound round 

 the tree body. Wherever staking is required or thought 

 necessary, bind the tree or shrub fast with a strip of 

 duck or leather; rather than with a cord. Such a strip 

 may simply be brought around the tree, and crossed on 

 top of the stake, to be held there by a nail or two 

 driven Into the stake. 



Weeds to be destroyed wherever seen. Some of them 

 flower and seed very early. Chickweed is one of the 

 worst. Hunt up the Dandelions and Plantains on the 

 lawn, and pull them when the ground is soft, or cut 

 them oflf with a sharp knife just below the crovra. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Alternanlheras for bedding purposes may easily be 

 propagated by dividing up the stock on hand In small 

 pieces, each with a little root, and setting in a close 

 frame in high beat. 



Annnals sown early should be thinned early to avoid 

 crowding. Top the straggling ones. 



Airing. Strict attention must be paid to proper ven- 

 tilation at this time, to Insure healthy wood and 

 stocky growth of plants. 



Carnations to be given a lop dressing of fine manure. 



Cuttings may still be made of Verbenas, Petunias, 

 Achyranthes, Coleus, Salvias, Heliotropes, Fuchsias, 

 German Ivy, etc., for summer decoration, and of Chrys- 

 anthemums. Slevlas. Roses, Carnations, Violets, etc., 

 for winter flowering. Pot them immediately when 

 roots, however small, are present. 



Ferns to be shifted, or at least the soil in pots to be 

 renewed. 



Fuchsias require warmth, moisture and moderate 

 shade. If wanted In bloom at any special time, cutting 

 • back should cease about six weeks sooner. 



German Ivy, Manrandia and other climbers for 

 summer to be cut back. 



Hot-beds and frames should be provided to accom- 

 modate plants where there Is an overplus and when 

 crowding one another for room. 



Insects. Green fly Is liable to trouble Roses, Ver- 

 benas, etc. Fumigation or evaporating Tobacco Juice, 

 etc., are the proper preventives- 



Orchid houses to be provided with moisture by 

 sprinkling paths and shutting up early. Always repot 

 plants requiring It when in a growing state. Shade 

 from the sun. 



Pots and Potting. Shift all plants as they need 

 more root room. Plants visually do bett«r in new pots 

 because their pores are open, admitting air to soil and 

 roots. Keep the pots clean. Old pots after being used 

 should be thoroughly washed before being brought 

 into service again. 



Primroses Pot the young Double White.and shade. 



Requisites. Secure plenty of loamy turf, manure, 

 refuse, hops, etc., for potting soil. 



Shading. The glass over Camellias, Azeleas. Fuch- 

 sias. Double Primroses, Caladiums, Callas, Fancy 

 Coleus and Geraniums, Ferns and other plants liable 

 to spot should be lightly painted with whitewash, or 

 with naptha and white lead. Paint thus all the blisters 

 In the gla.ss. 



Tuberoses, start bulbs in a warm place. 

 Verbenas to be propagated now for bedding plants. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Berry Patch. Remove the mulch from over the 

 strawberry plants and place It between the rows. 

 Prepare the ground well for new beds, and enrich 

 thoroughly with manure free from weed seeds before 

 planting. Set plants in rows 3J^ or 4 feet apart, with 

 at least one foot space between the plants. The rows 

 for Ra.spberries should be about five feet, and for 

 Blackberries eight feet apart. The plants may be set 

 three feet apart In the rows. 



Onrrants. To be thoroughly pruned and liberally 

 manured. 



General Directions. Plant vines and shrubs of all 

 kinds, and small fruits to furnish the family an abund- 

 ance. Uncover at once Raspberries. Grapes. Black- 

 berries, etc., that were protected during winter. Re- 

 pair the damages wrought during the winter by 

 weather or animals In the orchard. Remove broken 

 limbs and saw off the stubs close to the trunk smooth- 

 ing the cut and covering the wound with paint or 

 liquid grafting wax. Apply clay or cowdung as a 

 plaster for partly-girdled trees, and try to save those 

 entirely girdled. by a bridge of grafts between the bark 

 above and below the injury. The ground for a new 

 orchard should be prepared as carefully as for Corn. 



Grapes. Pruning if omitted until now should at 

 once be seen to. 



Manures. All fruit trees and plants like potash 

 fertilizers. Few things are equal to unleacheed wood- 

 aahes as a manure for fruit crops, but where they can- 

 not be procured at a reasonable rate, the available 

 manure, whatever that Is, can in many cases be sup- 

 plemented profitably by applltations of muriate of 

 pota-shorof kalnlt. Bearing orchards deserve liberal 

 treatment In this respect, and repay it well. 



Peach Trees. Cut back the growth of last year to 

 form a compact head. 



Quinces delight in a rich mellow .soli. Thin out the 

 wood thoroughly. 



Trees as soon as received from the nu»^ery should be 

 unpacked at once and heeled in until wanted one by 

 one for planting. If frozen when received, place the 

 box or package Into the cellar and let the stock thaw 

 out gradually before unpacking. Trees that appear 

 shriveled may often be restored by burying bodily In 

 moist ground for several days. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Asparagus. Apply a dressing of nitrate of soda, 200 

 pounds per acre If you have it. Mellow the soil nicely 

 by the means usually employed. Begin cutting when 

 the shoots appear. Be careful In cutting so the crowns 

 of the plants or smaller shoots below the ground will 

 not be Injiu"ed. 



Beets for table use may be sown as soon as the 

 ground Is In fit condition. Have rows 15 or 16 inches 

 apart, firming the soil well over the seed. 



Cauliflower. Select rich, moist, mellow ground, 

 thoroughly prepared, and set plants from cold frame 

 in rows two feet apart, with eighteen inches space be- 

 tween the plants. 



Celery. Seed should be sown early this month In a 

 well-protected situation and thoroughly prepared bed. 

 Soil must be made rich. Firm the soil over the seed 

 without covering. Give small application of nitrate 

 of soda during early growth. Thin the plants early 

 and thoroughly. 



Onltivation- The wheel-hoe should be brought into 

 use as soon as the rows of close-planted early vege- 

 tables can be discovered by a sharp eye. A flue steel 

 rake Is also a tool admirably adapted to preventing 

 the growth of weeds. 



Hot-beds should be very carefully aired, watered 

 and protected. Allow for the admittance of a little 

 air during the night-time when the weather is mild. 

 Cold frames can usually be left entirely uncovered 

 from now on. 



Insects. Flea beetles have In recent years been very 

 destructive to our young Cabbage, Radish and Turnip 

 plants. Tobacco dust applied freely will usually drive 

 the pest away. Plaster flavored with Paris green, or 

 slug shot will also help In most cases. Lime and lime 

 water freely applied will dispose of the Radish, Cab- 

 bage and Onion maggot. 



Onions. Sow seed, and set plants as early as the 

 ground Is In good working order. The soU should be 

 made very rich. 



Parsnip. Sow fresh seed only in well-prepared soil. 



Radishes- From now on sow seed every two weeks 

 for succession. 



Sweet Herbs. Sow now for later transplanting 

 Sage, Thyme and Sweet Marjoram. 



Sweet Potatoes should be started in good bottom 

 heat, to have plants ready in early June. 



Tomatoes. Plants started In hot-bed should be 

 transplanted once or twice, and at last transferred to 

 cold frame to harden off sufflclently before planting 

 out. The essential point is to give each plant its 

 proper allowance of space to make It stocky and sturdy. 



Tools should be Inspected at once, and repaired 

 where necessary. If new tools have to be purchased, 

 order them without delay, else you may not have them 

 just at the time when most needed. 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Figs In tubs or pots, fruit of which Is now swelling 

 up, tt) be given liquid manure twice a week. Stop 

 •Strong growing shoots at the fifth leaf. 



Grapes. When the fruit In early houses begins to 

 col<ir. give air fiecly, and have the ventilators open 

 a little at the top during mild nights. Sprinkle 

 the fi<»or, but do not otherwise syringe for the present. 

 New vines may be planted now. 



Lettuce. If very early Lettuce Is wanted, wintered 

 plants may now be taken from cold frame and planted 

 out In hot-bed. Sow seed for succession. Tennlsball 

 or Boston Market, a strain of the former, are usually 

 selected for forcing. 



Peaches will now be swelling fast, and the last thin- 

 ning should be done without delay. Water thorough- 

 ly at the ror)ts, and use manure water freely until 

 fruit shows color. Syringe twice a day. 



Pines that are fruiting should have liquid manure 

 preferably warm and weak. Syringe and ventllatet 

 freely. 



Strawberries In heat should be gradually hardened 

 when done fruiting, and before removing them outside 

 If the plants are required for new beds. 



THE POULTRY YARD. 



Boors and windows in poultry houses should 

 now be thrown wide open. 



Money Well Spent< An extra dollar or two 

 for a superior breeding bird. 



Air-slacked lime should be freely scattered over 

 the Honrs ot the hen houses to remove unpleas- 

 ant od()rs. 



One Dollar a Year. That is just about what i* 

 costs to keep one hen when all the food has to be 

 purchased. 



A Good Absorbent. Dry earth absorbs foul 

 g'asses, and is very useful about the poultry 

 house generally. 



No Dirty Eggs Wanted. Keep the nests well 

 supplied with clean litter, and renew this often. 

 It pays to send only bright clean eggs to naarket. 



Spraying with Kerosene. This is as necessary 

 in the i>oultry house, to keep down vermin, as is 

 spraying in the orchard to destroy the codlin. 



A Oood Bule. Give good food, pure water, 

 plenty of exercise, free ventilation and keep the 

 poultry houses clean, dry and comfortable.— 

 Poultry Monthly. 



Early Pallets. To raise pullets that will begin 

 to lay in early fall, and prove profitable next 

 winter, set eggs of good breeds without delay. 

 Then take extra care of the chicks. 



Black Langshans. No better breed for egg 

 production, both summer and winter, is known 

 to us. They are also large and handsome. The 

 only thing against them is their color. 



Wheat for Chicks. There is no better grain 

 for laying hens, nor better food for growing 

 chicks than whole Wheat. Little chicks, when 

 only a few days old, soon learn to eat it, and 

 keep well on this as an exclusive diet besides 

 what they pick up. 



Nest-Egg Gourde. They very much resemble 

 the genuine eggs, and being very light in weight, 

 there is less liability of breakage of eggs laid, as 

 is often the case when they roll against glass 

 eggs. Stale eggs should never be used as nest 

 eggs.— Poultry Bulletin. 



Insect Powder. The breeder who makes it a 

 practice to dust fresh insect powder, buhach 

 preferred, thoroughly through the plumage of 

 the setting hen, a day or two before the eggs 

 hatch, repeating the operation after the lapse of 

 a day, will not see his chicks killed by lice. 



Eggs for Hatching. The first batch of eggs 

 laid in spring is generally the best for hatching, 

 but the first laid by pullets should not be set. 

 After a hen has j.ru(iuced. say thirty or forty 

 eggs in succession, the system becomes somewhat 

 enfeebled and the eggs are more or less wanting 

 in vitality. 



Linseed Meal. When the flock appears droopy 

 and seems to lose appetite, it may restore the 

 birds to health, by giving linseed meal in the 

 soft food once a day. A gill of linseed meal to 

 ten hens is sufficient. It .should not be used as a 

 regular diet. Given twice a week, it is excellent, 

 and if mixed with bran it will cause the bran to 

 adhere and form a crumbly mess.— Mirror and 

 Farmer. 



To Set Hens. Set them on the ground if possi- 

 ble. The eggs will hatch best. Don't give any 

 hen more than thirteen eggs for a setting. Be 

 careful to mark the eggs, for other hens are apt 

 to lay in the nest with your sitter, and unless the 

 eggs are properly marked, you might not be able 

 to identify the new eggs. You understand that 

 eggs laid to a sitting hen must be promptly re- 

 moved.— California Patron. 



Feeding Chicks. The advice to feed chicks on 

 hard-boiled eggs is wrong. No food should be 

 given until the second day, when crumbled, 

 hard-boiled eggs may be allowed, but after the 

 second or third day eggs should be avoided, as 

 they will cause bowel disease. Eggs should then 

 be given only once a week. As a regular portion 

 of the diet they are too concentrated, and tend 

 to cause constipation.— M. and F. 



