222 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



July, 



acre of Corn to set three acres for seed the fol- 

 lowing season.— Am. Agriculturist. 



Tree Protector, The device here illustrated is 

 very serWcable to protect trees from sun scald, 

 rabbits, mice, etc. Drive nails iu a work bench 

 the distance apart you wish the cords to be. 

 Take tarred cord, in pieces long enough to iro 

 about twice around a tree when double. Put one 

 cord over each nail, bring the two ends even and 

 begin to tie in lath or whatever ;you may use. 

 When you have enough tied, put it around the 

 tree, slip one of the ends of the cord through the 

 double ends, draw it up tight and tie it.— O. J. F. 



Producers Entitled to the Markets. The Gro- 

 cer's Bulletin wants to have farmers and market 

 gardeners prohibited from selling their products 

 about the town from house to house. This is an 

 impertinence, but just what we should expect 

 from a middlemen's organ. A nice little scheme 

 to compel the producer to sell only at wholesale 

 to the grocer, who desires to retail and snatch 

 the cream of the farmer's profits. — Farm Journal. 



Shot-hole Fungus on Foliage, Much of the 

 injury to Plum foliage which has been attributed 

 to London purple is found to be due to the shot- 

 hole fungus iSeptoria cei'osina). This fungus 

 produces a premature falling of leaves, and is 

 often very serious. The leaves are marked with 

 circular brownish spots, and these spots eventu- 

 ally fall out and leave shot-hole.— Am. Gard. 



The Hemlock. The native Hemlock is, to our 

 eye, the most beautiful of evergreens. For hedge, 

 it has no equal, standing shearing perfectly into 

 any desired shape. It is easily transplanted, and 

 when its new and bright green foliage appears it 

 is exquisitely beautiful. It makes handsome 

 trees in isolated positions and is among the best 

 of windbreaks.— Orange Count3' Farmer. 



Orciiard Surgery. Put through the fruit tree 

 liable to be spoiled by splitting, a bolt of size to 

 correspond with the tree, and short enough to 

 just fill the nut when screwed tight. Ten years 

 ago I thus bolted trees in bad condition ; they are 

 now all right, and the bolts covered by the tree's 

 growth.— Erdna. 



Ornamental Asparagus. All the species of 

 Asparagus cultivateil as ornamental plants can 

 be increased by division of the roots, allowing at 

 least one crown to each part. A. tenuisslmus 

 may also be propagated with no great difficulty 

 by cuttings, giving them bottom heat.— Vicb's 

 Magazine. 



Malch for Young Trees. Mr. Minch advises as an 

 excellent plan for niulching young: trees, to cover the 

 mulch after spreading, with three or four Inches of 

 earth. This keeps the soli below moist and cool and 

 causes a rapid prowth of wood. 



Sunshine lor Choice Crops. Weed not only rob 

 crops of their food, but are guilty of another theft— 



A SIMPLE TREE PROTECTOR, 

 they rob them of the sun. Fruit is seriously deprecia- 

 ted in value In most orchards from lack of sunshine.— 

 Maj. H.T. Brook. 



SaveFertilizers . So.ip-suds ought never to he thrown 

 in the sink or gutter: If poured on the Peach trees or 

 Rosebushes It will return to you after many days in 

 luscious Peaches or fragrant Roses.— F. J. 



More Celery. Jackson, Mich., gardeners purpose 

 Increasing their plant of Celery this year— preferred 

 variety— White Plume. 



No Overproduction. Well, I don't believe In any 

 "Overproduction" when mHIIons are half-clothed.— 

 Live-Stock Indicator. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 



Fried Egg Plant, Cut in thin slices, parboil 

 in salted water for fifteen minutes, then drain 

 perfectly dry. Dip the slices in beaten yolk of 

 egg, then in cracker dust and fry in butter 

 until brown. Season with Pepper and salt and 

 serve quite hot. 



Spiced Currants. Take four quarts of ripe 

 Currants, picked from the stems, one pint good 

 vinegar, two pounds of powdered sugar, one 

 teaspoonful each of Allspice, Cloves, and Cinna- 

 mon, powdered fine; boil altogether until about 



the consistency of jelly, then remove from the 

 tire and while hot put away in sealed jars. 



Berry Pudding. Make a soft dough, using 

 sour cream and soda, and stir in Raspberries or 

 Blackberries. Put into a tin pail having a tight 

 fitting cover and place in a kettle of boiling 

 water. Boil three hours, not once letting the 

 water stop boiling. Eat with sweetened cream. 

 The mixture should, when put in, not quite half 

 fill the pail.— K. N. Y. 



Strawberry Ice Cream. One quart good cream, 

 about two cups sugar and one box Strawberries. 

 Crush the fruit, add the sugar and stir until 

 dissolved. Rub through a sieve and freeze. The 

 ice and salt should be carefully mesisured. It 

 requires twenty minutes to freeze. After it has 

 stood five minutes, then stir as rapidly as possi- 

 ble until frozen.— Ploughman. 



Currant Pie- One full cup of ripe Currants, 

 mash, and add a cup of white sugar, one table- 

 spoonful of flour made smooth in two spoonfuls 

 of water, and the beaten yolks of two eggs. Mix 

 and pour into a tin lined with a good crust. 

 Bake slowly. Beat the whites of the eggs stiff, 

 add two spoonfuls of powdered sugar, spread 

 over the pie, return to the oven and brown 

 lightly.— Rural New Yorker. 



Raspberry Vinegar. Take red Raspberries 



sufficient to fill a stone jar nearly full, pour upon 

 them sufficient vinegar to cover them, cover the 

 jar closely and set it aside for eight or ten days, 

 then strain through a flannel or muslin bag and 

 add to the clear liquor one and a half pounds of 

 white sugar to each pint; place it over the fire 

 and boil slowly for ten minutes, then allow it to 

 cool, and bottle for use. This makes a nice 

 flavoring for sauce, and when mixetl with water 

 is a delightful drink for summer.— Ohio Farmer. 



Pickled Cucumbers. When Cueumbei-s begin 

 to set. pick them when about three inches long. 

 We have two small earthen jars on the cellar 

 floor, which we keep in use until we are through 

 pickling. In one we have strong brine made of 

 cold water and salt, in the other diluted vinegar. 

 Wash the Cucumbers thoroughly, put them in 

 the brine and let them remain one day. Then 

 put them into a glass jar scattering amongst 

 them a few bits of Red Pepper and Xasturtium 

 seeds, and fill the can full of cold strong vinegar. 

 On the top place some Horse-radish leaves or 

 Grape leaves, seal tight and keep in a dark 

 cool cellar. If the cans are thoroughly cleansed 

 and perfectly air-tight, the pickles will taste as 

 fresh in a year as when first put up. 



How to Prepare Berries. Most of the Straw- 

 berries need washing. Drop them, with husks 

 on, gently into a pan of water, stir around a 

 little to dislodge all paiiicles of grit, etc., then 

 lift them out a few at a time and lay them in a 

 colander to drain. Take the berries from the 

 colander, a few at a time, and let them lie on a 

 piece of new cheese cloth as you hull them one 

 by one. The cloth must be scalded each time it 

 is used, and dried, but not washed with soap, and 

 ironed. When the Strawberries are washed re- 

 move the hulls carefully with a silver knife. 

 AiTange them on a pretty glass dish, the finest 

 on the top, following the example of the market 

 men, and if Strawberry leaves, which are the 

 prettiest, are not to be had, a few young, crisp 

 leaves of Lettuce, as a garnish, make an effective 

 contrast. The leaves may be laid around in- 

 side the dish before putting in the Strawberries. 



Simple Method of Preserving Fruit. We have 

 preserved large quantities of fruit, every season, 

 for more than forty years, in pure water only. 

 The fruit is placed in wide-mouthed bottles, up 

 the neck; then water is poured in to cover the 

 fruit; the bottles are then placed in heat— where 

 they remain until near the boiling point. They 

 are then put aside to cool, and when quite cold 

 a small quantity of Olive oil is gently poured 

 into each bottle; they are then as gently put on 

 a shelf, in a cool di-y pantry, where no scrubbing 

 ogre is allowed to disturb them, until they ai-e 

 wanted for use The moutlis of the bottles are 

 left uncovered and uncorked ; the oil keeps out 

 the air effectually. The only failure we have 

 had for many years was when three bottles of 

 Orleans Plums fermented. They were quite 

 ripe when bottled, and it should be borne in 

 mind that there is a point where ripeness ends, 

 and decay commences. We do not hesitate to 

 use old pickle-bottles, and even glass jars that 

 have come with French Plums; but we prefer 

 bottles, for when the water reaches half-way up 

 the neck, only a small quantity of oil is required. 

 Foreign Ex. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Abutilons to be repotted and encouraged to make 

 strong growth for winter. Prune as needed to im- 

 prove the shape. 



Agapanihus. Give plenty of water during the 

 flowering season. 



Begonias in pots shift and repot as needed. 



Bouvardias, Intended for winter bloom should be 

 kept closely cut back at this time. 



Cactases may be given water freely during the 

 bU)oming and growing period. 



Calceolaria, Cineraria, Sweet Alyssum, Ten-Week- 

 Stix-k. Mignonette, etc., may l>e sown for winter 

 flowering. 



Cyclamens for next year's flowering to be sown 

 during this month. 



Fuchsias. These are well adopted for bedding plants 

 in situations sheltered from heavy winds and full sun. 

 Give them a light, rich soil, and keep down the red 

 spider l>y frequent spraying or sprinkling. 



Geraniums for winter flowering had best be kept in 

 pots during the summer, with all flower buds closely 

 pinched out. For house decoration later on, some of 

 the plants, especially of the Rose-Geraniums, may be 

 lifted from the border some time this month and 

 potted, pinching back the leading shoots somewhat 

 at the same time. 



General Direction. Watering can not be neglected 

 at this time without serious results. If possible water 

 at night during the summer season, and do this regu- 

 larly. But if soil Is found dry In the morning, do not 

 wait but water at once, and thoroughly. 



Heliotropes and other wlnter-flowerlng plants In 

 pots ought now to be growing rapidly, and should be 

 pinched back every few weeks to Improve their shape. 

 Shift into pots one size larger as soon as the roots mat 

 about the ball of earth. 



Hydrangeas when In bloom to be given an occa- 

 sional dose of liquid manure. 



Insects can best be kept down by attending to proper 

 watering, and otherwise aiding thrifty plant growth. 

 Cleanse the foliage, remove dead leaves and faded 

 flowers, and pick off any stray insect you may flnd 

 troubling the plants. 



Lantanas are easily grown as standards, with a 

 trunk three or more feet high. Keep all side shoots 

 down during the period of growth, and until the de- 

 sired height is reached. 



Mignonette. See Calceolaria. 



Osalis after flowering can be given water less freely. 



Pomegranate. Encourage strong growth by fre- 

 quent applications ot weak liquid manure, as the 

 blooming season is now near at hand. 



Primroses. Seed may be sown for winter flowering. 

 Plants of the Double Chinese to be kept in a cool 

 shady place, and sparingly watered. 



Stakes. Cobaeas, Fuchsias and other plants that are 

 now making a rapid growth, had l>etter be given sup- 

 port by stakes. 



Poinsettias. Directions for Heliotrope apply. 



Vallotas, now beginning to bloom should be kept 

 well watered. 



Roses. See directions for Heliotrope. 



Veranda Boxes require much water at this time, 

 and the application should be rather in the form of 

 soaking than of spiiukllng. The appUcation must 

 reach clear to the very ceuter of the mass of earth. 

 Often the surface Is kept continuously moist, yet the 

 plants suffer because the moisture never reaches down 

 to the roots. Be thorough In this matter. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Annuals of ntosl sorts now begin to bloom. Be sure 

 the plant;* are not crowding each other. Thin early 

 and thoroughly. Many of our flnest plants have a 

 weedy appearance when left too close. 



Asters are among our finest annuals, and reqidre 

 plenty of fcxid and moisture. Frequent applications 

 of liquid manure, or a mulch of good manure will do 

 much good. 



Balsams, to appear at their best, should have part 

 of the young shoots removed when these appear in 

 super-abundance. 



Candytuft. Seed may be sown this month In frames. 

 If plenty of flowers are desired after the open air sup- 

 ply is cut off by frost. 



Carpet Beds set thickly with plants require plenty 

 of moisture, and to keep them at their best, a thorough 

 watering should be given once a week. Remove all 

 useless flowers, unhealthy leaves, weeds, etc. Trim 

 plants to regiUate the shape when needed. 



