l62 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



April, 





Correspondents are urged to anticipate the season in pre- 

 senting questions. To ask, for instance, on April 16 or 20 

 whdt Peas had best be sown, oould brino no answer in 

 the May issue, and none before June, when the answer 

 would be unseasonable. Questions received before the lith 

 of any month stand a good chance of being answered in the 

 m^t paper. Sot more than three questions should be sent 

 at one time. Answers to questions bearing on the com 

 parative tnilue of implements, etc., offered by different 

 dealers must not be expected, yeither can we promise to 

 comply with the request sometimes made to "please answer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following . 



Belies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. In anstoering such give the numt>er, your 

 locality aTtd name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. Write only on one aide of the paper. 



17:?0. Forcing House. Give plan of house for forcing 

 Tomatoes on a large scale Is bottom heat needed ? 



1731. Lombard Plum. Is it a good variety for pro. 

 fit ?— C. W. M.. Canada. 



1732. Bnhach Manufacturers. What is the name 

 and address of parties in California who raise buhach ? 

 — Wm. G. v.. Mich. 



1735. Wash for Borers. WiU Mr. Hale's wash for 

 grubs in Peach trees also kill the grubs in Quince 

 trees?— J. B. H., Pa 



17JU. Treatment of Berry Plants. Plants and Grape 

 vines received from nursery' in barrels. How man- 

 aged until planting time ?— J. D. M.. East Berne, N. 1". 



1?35. Remedy for Corn Worms. They usually de- 

 stroy half of our Eaxlv Cory Sweet Corn.— F. A. J., 

 Fort Scott, Kans. 



1736. Mariana Plum from Cuttings. How prepared 

 and planted ? 



1737. Hydrangea Paniculata. How propagated, 

 and in what soil ?— S. H. L. 



I7.is. Cabbage Seed. How grown and disposed of? 

 R. S. T., Ohio. 



ir39. Geraniums not Blooming. Plants put in 

 greenhouse last fall, growing thriftily. What can be 

 done for them ? 



1740. Roses in G-reenhouse. Water, soil and other 

 conditions favorable, yet they make imperfect buds 

 and wilted leaves. 



1741. Roses after Forcing. Should sash be taken off 

 where Roses have been forced all winter, or should 

 they be kept dry and at rest during Summer ?—ama. 

 TEUR, Beaver, Pa. 



1742. Raising Broom Corn. Wanted the address of 

 broom manufacturers to make contract for raising 

 broom corn.— J. E. E.. Ord Valley, Neb. 



1743. Keeping Grapes to Mid-winter. What is best 

 method ? Is ice necessary, and should fruit remain on 

 the vines after maturity ?— E. P. F., Sterling, Kan. 



1744. Propagating Blackberries. How done from 

 root cuttings, and how from tops ?— F. O. M.,Ioica. 



1745. Propagating Clematis. How best done?— P. 

 & Co., Portland, Oregon. 



1746. Rubber Tree Cnttings. Will they grow with- 

 out bottom heat? If so how managed?— L. D. C. De- 

 troit. Jtich. 



1747. Quince Borer. Does it attack dwarf Pear 



trees?— E. F. C Ohio. 



174S. Shrubs for Wisconsin. Are Rosa canina, 

 Ailanthus and Weeping Florida Dogwood hardy here, 

 where mercury sometimes runs down to 30* below zero? 

 Mks. J. L. J. 



1749. Pruning Roses. When is the right time for 

 It ?— G. W. B., Ihitledge. Pa. 



lloi). Growing Mignonette. Please tell about soil, 

 when and how to plant, whether in light or shade. I 

 want the sweetest kind, nothing fancy.— Mrs. I. J. S. 

 Flushing, L. I. 



1751. Budding and Grafting Roses. When is the 

 right time, and how done ?— A. F., New Orleans, La. 



1752. Apple Bark Louse. How best treated ?— E. P. 

 R., .Sidney, Ohio. 



1753. Fish Geraniums not Blooming. They grow 

 luxuriantly In light rich soil, with the morning sun? 

 Mrs. C. G. McL., ia. 



1754. Iron lor Fruit Trees. Are iron shavings from 

 machinist's lathe of benefit for fruit trees ?— H. A. H., 

 Medina, O. 



1755. Blood for Vegetables. Quantity of blood in 

 barrels. What should I mix with It to use for garden ? 



1756. Grape for Market What kind is best to plant 

 on northern shore of Lake Ontario?— J. B. O., Prince 

 Edwards Co., Ont. 



1757. Spraying Fruit Trees. Will farmers have to 

 reckon with this as a nece.s.sarv Item in their labor ac- 

 cotmt ?— J. B., Salem, O. 



1758. Black Oalla aram. Where can 1 obtain one ? 

 — C. H. B., Neb. 



1759. Prolific Poultry. What breed lays the most 



eggs? 



Iim. Rural Books. What book can you recommend 

 on poultry keeping, fruit growing, landscape garden- 

 ing, market garileulng, and others helpful to an ama- 

 teur?— F. W. S., St. Louis, Mo. 



1761. Mulberry Tree not Fruiting. Blossoms freely. 

 Shall I graft it over, or cut it down ?— J, 51., Bamilton, 

 Ont. 



1762. Canada Ashes. Can be had at $17 per ton 

 here. Are they worth it for fruit trees and small 

 fruits ?— P. H. B., New Jersey. 



17K!. Tools ior Digging Root Crops. What tools 

 can you recommend ?— H. S., Fayette Co., Iowa. 



1764. Rural Books. What books can you recom- 

 mend on horses, cows, market gardening, and flower 

 culture?- J. M. N.. Baltimore, M. D. 



1765. Lilies in Pots. Should Auratum, Candldums. 

 Harrissi and others remain In window, or taken out in 

 air and sunshine ? 



1766. Applying Wood Ashes. Should I mix them 



with soil first, or apply directly on top to Strawberries 

 and in flower border ? 



1767. Budding Roses. To make my Marechal Niel 

 bloom, in what stock should it be put?— Mrs. B., Win- 

 field, Kans. 



176S, Nitrate of Soda. Is it good for lawns? And 

 what other fertilizer should be used with it ?— Mrs. R 



S. H., Tenn. 



1769, Magnolia Seed. Does it germinate the same 

 season ?— E. H., Leroy, .V, 5". 



177U. Strawberries in Pear Orchard. Are they de- 

 trimental to the Pear trees?— S. S. ran West, Ohio. 



1771. Euphorbia Splendens. What treatment is 

 required to make a large thrifty plant bloom ? 



1773. Prizetaker Onion. Where can seed be obtain- 

 ed ?-G. E. B. 



1773. Packing Vegetables. How are Lettuce, Celery, 

 Radishes. Greens, etc., packed tor shipment?— B. E. H. 



1774. Book on Flowers. What work, or monthly 

 magazine treat,s on the cultivation of annuals, bedding 

 plants and the like, for amateur's uses ?— Miss K. J. T. 



1775. Garden Manures. Is blood good for garden 

 crops, also can new sheep manure be safely used in the 

 drills or rows for Celery !'— W. L. H. 



1776. Planting Dahlia. Should the bulbs be separa' 

 ted, or planted just as taken up?— S. E. P. 



1778. Spanish Chestnut. Will this do all right, or 

 do you advise grafting it to Paragon? • 



177S. Grafting English Walnuts. Can this be done 

 successfully on White Walnut iButtemut) ? 



1779. Currant as Tree. Is It better grown as tree 

 or bush ?— Wm. C, Steuben Co.. N. Y. 



17S0. Rules for Farmer's Club. How are the con. 

 stitution and by-laws drawn up?— C. W, L. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 

 1,706. Sizing for Hotbed Sash. For three 

 sashes of usual size get one yuart of linseed oil. 

 one pint of lime water, yolks of fourteen eggs, 

 and the whites of four eggs. Then boil oil and 

 lime water together, remove from the Are, and 

 after a few minutes stirring add the beaten eggs, 

 stirring again until all is thoroughly mixed. 

 The muslin being tacked on the frames, is paint- 

 ed over with two coates of this mixture, and 

 when dry will be ready for use.— E. A. W., Me. 



L637. Dwarf Pear Orchard. My experience is 

 many varieties of Pears thrive better and are 

 more satisfactory and profitable as dwarfs than 

 as standards. Then it is much easier to pick the 

 fruit from a low dwarf tree, than a tall standard; 

 while the fruit is just as large and fine, and sells 

 just as well in the market. Some of the popular 

 a warts with me, are Osborn's .Summer. Bartlett. 

 L luise Bonne, and Duchess; ripening in the order 

 named. If properly managed these sorts be- 

 come in a few years "dwarf standards," trees 

 which with me are the most satisfactory of any. 

 — T. E. Goodrich, Illinois. 



1,736. Hariana Pltun from Cattings. The 



proper plan is to take the cuttings from the 

 trees late in the fall, cut them six to eight inches 

 in length, sloping at the base close to an eye, and 

 at right angles with the eye or bud, and above a 

 bud at top one-half inch. It should be of strong 

 wood of the same season's growth, but if an inch 

 or two of the two year wood is left at the bottom 

 it will not lie amiss. Tie the cuttings in bundles 

 of one hundred and bury them upright with 

 three inches of sand or meUow earth on top. 

 Bear in mind that this must be where the drain- 

 age is good, or they will spoil. In this condition 

 leave them until spring when the ground begins 

 to get warm, then take them up, invert the bun- 

 dles, and put them back in the same place. In 

 this position the buts will be in a warmer tem- 

 perature than the tops, and will callous while 

 the buds below will remain nearly dormant. 

 They should be examined occasionally, and as 

 soon as well calloused, with little root points, 

 coming out, they should be set out in 

 nursery rows for budding the following summer 

 or for grafting the next spring. But as the in- 

 quirer cannot now follow the above instructions 

 tor this season, the next best thing he can do is 

 to cut them as described as soon as the buds 

 begin to swell, and plant them at once, making 

 the ground firm about them. I never saw a 

 better strike of Quince cuttings than once when 

 the trimming was done when the buds were 

 bursting, and the cuttings set at once. The same 

 with a lot of Pyrus Japonica cuttings. The wood 

 seems to be full of life, and if the weather be at 

 all favorable they go right ahead. This Mariana 

 Plum, while to my notion of but little use here 

 for its fruit; will be a boon to the nurserymen, 

 and Plum growers as a stock to grow the finer 

 varieties upon. It has also been used for the 

 Peach successfully. The Stark Bros., this state, 

 grow it by the hundreds of thousands, as a supe- 

 rior stock for Plum, Apricot and Peach.— S. Mil- 

 ler, Montgomery Co., Mo. 



1,696. Tree Fruits for Ohio, I think the fol- 

 lowing will be about the best : Pears : Bartlett, 

 Duchess, Anjou, Lawrence; Plums: Lombardi 

 Bradshaw, Jefferson; Cherries: Early Richmond; 

 Quince: Orange; Grapes: Concord and Worden. 

 I would plant two-third Pear and Plum, one- 

 third Cherries, Quince and Grapes. Peach trees 

 could be planted between the other fruit trees.— 



E. H. OUSHMAN. 



1,~31. Lombard Plum. This is one of the very 

 best and most reliable Plums for market, or 

 almost any other purpose. Mr. S. D. Willard says 

 it takes the place among Plums that Concord 

 occupies among the Grapes, or the Baldwin 

 among Apples. He also names it as one among 

 the best six Plums for market, the others being 

 Bradshaw, Gueii, Hudson River Purple Egg, 

 Peter's Yellow Gage, toe's Golden Drop. 



1,7.33. Wash for Borers, AU the common 

 borers that infest our fruit trees, as Pears, 

 Peaches, Apples, Quinces, etc., can be kept off 

 by strong alkaline washes or mechanical obstruc- 

 tions around the only part of the trees where 

 they can enter, namely near the ground where 

 the bark is soft. When they have once found an 

 entrance, however, washes alone will not do. 

 They will have to be cut out with a sharp knife, 

 or killed by introducing a phable wire into the 

 cavity.— H. W. E. 



1.734. Treatment of Berry Plants. Berry 



plants. Grape vines, and other nursery stock 

 arriving in boxes or barrels ahead of the time 

 that they can be planted out, should be at once 

 unpacked, and put in a cellar or other cool dark 

 place, spread out to keep them from heating or 

 decay, and their roots covered with moist sand, 

 soil or moss. Leave there until planting time.— 

 H W. E. 



1.735. Bemedy for Com or Boll Worm. This 

 insect is double-brooded. The first brood attacks 

 the earliest varieties, the second brood the latest. 

 The intermediate crop usually escapes. In order 

 to protect your early Cory Corn, you will ha^<e 

 to examine it frequently, to pick off the worms 

 and crush them. This will also reduce the later 

 attacks. Early Cory can also be grown free 

 from the insects' attacks by planting it very 

 late, so as to have it come after the first brood of 

 the Corn worm is gone. 



1,715. Large Prolific Strawberry. Fruits 

 growers have long been looking for a .Strawberry 

 as large as Sharpless and as productive as Cres- 

 cent. We have found it in Bubach No. 5. This 

 variety makes large plants, and they do not mat 

 the ground thickly. We consider it fully as pro- 

 ductive as Crescent. In firmness, it ranks with 

 Crescent. The Color is rather light, like the 

 Sharpless, its size is its chief attraction. Although 

 not so large as Bubach, with us, the Warfield No. 

 -' is .W per cent larger than Crescent, more pro- 

 ductive and better colored. It is also very firm, 

 a good shipping beriy like Wilson; which it re- 

 sembles in color and shape. This last is very 

 important, for being a pistillate, some perfect, 

 flowered variety must be grown near; and if 

 Wilson is used as such, both may be picked in the 

 same basket— and sell as one variety.— L. J. F. 



1.717. Strawberry Seedlinifs. Our plan in 

 growing seedUng Strawberries, and which works 

 well, is this : Dead ripe berries are selected, and 

 all the juice squeezed out. The pulp and seeds 

 are mixed with dry soil and sown in a box of 

 rich earth. The seeds should be covered thinly 

 by sifting fine earth over them. The box should 

 be placed in the shade and the earth sprinkled 

 everyday. When the seedlings begin to come up 

 which will be in about a month, the box should 

 be brought to the light, so as to gradually ex- 



fose the young seedlings to the rays of the sun. 

 n a few weeks, the seedlings may be transplant- 

 ed into boxes, two inches apart. When winter 

 comes on, the young plants are given thorough 

 protection. In the spring, they are transplanted 

 same as other Strawberry plants; and all runners 

 kept off till the plants bear, which will be the 

 following year.— L. J. F.\r.mer. 



l.eni. Small Frnit Tarieties. The hardiest 

 varieties only are adapted to the climate of Min- 

 nesota. C>f Strawberries, we recommend, Wil- 

 son, Warfield No.-, Bubach and Jessie; Rasp- 

 berries: Cuthbert and Turner for red, Tyler and 

 Ohio for black; Blackberries: Stone's Hardy and 

 Snyder; Currants: Fay's Prolific. Red Dutch and 

 White Grape ; Gooseberries : Downing and 

 Houghton.— L. J. Farmee. 



1,717. Strawberry Seedlings, When gather- 

 ing our Strawberries last season, a few fine 

 specimens were saved with the intention of 

 separating the seed and sowing in a few days 

 but they were forgotten till about a month after- 

 wards when they were found all dried up. I 

 rubbed them up between the fingers to separate 

 the seeds. Then sowed them in a box. covering 

 it about one-eight inch deep. Placed box in cold 

 frame and covered with cloth frame. Seed came 

 up thickly in a few days and was soon large 

 enough to transplant, when they were set in the 

 ground in cold frame there to remain till spring 

 when they will again be transplanted, to where 

 they are to fruit.— W. C. Jennison. 



