i888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



17 



a whole, in the decoration of our homes. It is 

 not expected that every man will be an expert 

 landscape (fardener, yet every one should under- 

 stand the common sense rules of the art. 



The value of everything beautiful is enhanced 

 by ai)i>ropriat« setting, Hnd the outgrowth of 

 the yeai-s will attest forcibly the amount of 

 judgment exercised by the projector. Avoid 

 the mixing of herbaceous flowers with shrubs 

 and trees, as neither can thrive properly, and 

 the effect of each is injured by the other. Seek 

 to have some leading feature in every part of 

 the plan. It does not matter so much what we 

 plant, provided the tree or shrub has some in- 

 trinsic beauty -as where we plant it. Generally, 

 let the trees of larger growth be placed farther 

 apart, and flower beds and shrubs nearer. 



Avoid straight lines for trees and uniformity 

 of shape in beds and paths. This is more difficult 

 than the old practice of regular lines, but it in- 

 sures more pleasing requite, when done. Usuall.v 

 grass should occupy all ground not used for 

 walks, flower-beds and trees. This grass must 

 be kept short. We prefer Texas Running Mes- 

 quite because It is hardy, effective and at the 

 same time Is easil.v controlled, as it does not 

 spread by underground roots, as like the Ber- 

 muda grass that is sometimes used. 



Paths and roadways made cheaply of gravel, 

 look well and are durable. The concrete walks 

 now made are perhaps the most desirable. It is 

 within the reach of all to study this art of beau- 

 tifying the landBcajie, than which no other art is 

 fraught ivlth more beneficial results in health, 

 happiness, and contentment of home-life. 



CONDENSED GLEANINGS. 



Plum Qrafts Hot Growing. Scions from the 

 hands of more than twenty experienced men, 

 and others from dozens of correspondents— some 

 cut last fall, others this spring, were used. These 

 were all set very carefully in four different ways, 

 by tongue, splice, side, both near the collar and 

 in the tops, and cleft-grafting. Some of this 

 grafting was done very early and some quite 

 late, and was all Intended to be experimental in 

 the line of finding out the best way of grafting 

 the Plum. The grafts were waxed in about all 

 the different modes In use, this also to prove 

 which was the best, with the result of only five 

 to ten per cent of the grafts set, growing, and 

 showing but very little difference in favor of 

 any of the modes of grafting or waxing; or early 

 and late grafting, except slightly in favor of side 

 and cleft grafting, when the grafts were set near 

 the ground, and this Is the only key I have that 

 seems to unlock the mystery. Grafts set near 

 the ground grew fairly well this spring, though 

 not nearly so well as the general average of 

 seasons. Because near the ground they received 

 more moisture, and were less exposed to the con- 

 tinuous drying winds of spring. Therefore the 

 general failure of Plum top-grafting this spring 

 seems to have been caused by, fii-st, continual 

 dry air with high barometer; second, a very low 

 vitality in the 

 tops of trees, 

 owing to some 

 pecuUarity of 

 the winter or 

 the drouth of 

 the summer be- 

 fore, (if the last, 

 a low vitality in 

 the crowns also), 

 or both.— The 

 Farmers'Review 



Violeti for 

 Winter Flower- 

 It g. These re- 

 quire \'ery care- 

 ful management at this time of the year, and, 

 if they do not receive it, no anioinit of atten- 

 tion, when they are required to flower will induce 

 them to do so. .Assuming that young plants were 

 put out in April, they willat this time be making 

 rapid growth, and pushing out runners In abund- 

 ance. Now, it is of the utmost importance that 

 these runners be removed at once, for if allowed 

 to extend they soon monoj)oli/,e a large share of 

 the energies of the plant, and the crown does not 

 swell up thick anil ready to burst with flower 

 buds as It does If the riuuiera are kept closely 

 cut off. The best implement for removing them 

 is a pair of Grape scissors. The i)lants should 

 have been gone over several times cluring July 

 and August, and also the ground should ha\e 

 been frequently surface-stirred with the hoe; 

 and if the weather isdry, a good soaking of water 

 should be given, and after hot days, a good 



A Handy Fruit-Picking Ladder. 



drenching overhead will help to keep red spider 

 in check. Liquid-manure is of great assistance 

 at this stage of growth, and In showery weather 

 a little dry powdered manure shaken on the sur- 

 face to be carried down to the roots by rain, will 

 help to keep the plants healthy and growing 

 vigorously, as It is when growth is checked that 

 red si>ider attacks them. .Soapsuds, a good 

 homely remedy for spider, should be api)Iied 

 coplou.'ily if they aiipear.— Gardening Illustrate'd. 



Baising Strawberries Cheaply. Keduce the 

 labor of growing Strawberries, as it is the prin- 

 cipal expense. The following method is recom- 

 mended: Manure and plant the ground to some 

 hoed crop the year pre\ious, thus freeing the 

 gro\ind from weeds. Set them in rows, so as to 

 cultivate both ways, until runners start; then. If 

 matted rows are desired, let them fill up the nar- 

 row way. Use a cultivator with common 

 straight, drag teeth, running close to the plants. 

 Never allow the weeds to more than show them- 

 selves. Let the plants grow up through the 

 mulching; not doing work on old beds until after 

 fruiting, excepting to pull out any coarse weeds. 

 By carefully adhering to these methods one is 

 enabled to grow Strawberries at about the cost 

 of raising Corn or Potatoes. If planted in check 

 rows, like Corn, the plantation can be cultivated 

 both ways until runners start, and yet there will 

 be an abundance of plants for a full matted row. 

 Why should the market grower continue to 

 waste plants and labor In setting them one foot 

 apart In the row, when three will dol Also have 

 an eye on the field to be planted to Strawberries 

 next year. Cultivate and manure it well, and 

 prevent weeds from maturing.— Weekly Press. 



A Tent of Living Vinea. A very pretty tent 

 can be made, which. Instead of being formed of 

 the usual canvas, has its sides composed of run- 

 ning vines, making a cool and refreshing retreat. 

 Select a tree with low spreading branches, and 

 attach stout cords to them at three different 

 places. From these cords smaller strings are 

 brought down to the ground, as shown in the 

 plan, and secured to pegs driven Into the earth. 

 Any suitable plants, such as Hops, Peas, Beans, 

 or Morning-glories, are then planted at the foot 

 of the strings, and In due time they will be en- 

 tirelj' covered with foliage. The circular parts 

 are laid out by first suspending a stone from the 

 branch above by a string reaching nearly to the 

 ground, to mark the center of the circle. Then 

 drive a peg inte the ground at this point, and 

 attach a string to it of a length equal to one half 

 the diameter of the desired circle. By tjing a 

 nail or sharp-pointed stick to the other end, and 

 moving the whole around the center peg, a very 

 accurate circle can be readily marked out on the 

 ground, and the strings brought down to It from 

 above. As the weight is considerable care must 

 be taken to have the cords strong and firmly 

 fastened, for withstanding wind.- St. Nicholas. 



The Sand Cherry is one of the hardiest plants 

 growing at Brown's Valley, Minn.; has resisted 

 the severest cold and heat, and will thrive in any 

 soil, properly cared for. It is a shrub Cherry, 

 suckers considerably, sending up closely com- 

 pacted stalks. When pruned to one stalk only, 

 with one leader, it grows from four to six feet, 

 as thus far tested. It is a favorite of the jack 

 rabbit and the rascal will not leave a stem stand- 

 ing. If left free to prey upon it. The root is red, 

 dips down dcci), and is also a great spreader. 

 When In June bloom, it is the most beautiful 

 thing you ever saw, looks like so many whit^ 

 plumes swaying in the breeze. Its prolillcly 

 borne fruit are oval shaped, dark colored, sub- 

 acid, fair to eat raw, and nice when rightly 

 cooked. Its root is one of the hardiest that can 

 be found for grafting with other Cherries of the 

 cultivated ,4(jrt, and h:is proved a success in this 

 respect. To trap snow for the prot<!Ction of 

 Strawberries and other small fruit plants, it is 

 recommended to jtlant matted rows of Sand 

 Cherries at stated distances apart, so that the 

 prevailing winds and snows would strike them 

 at right angles.— The Minnesota Furmer. 



Strawberry Planting. This spring l,.'i(Kl plants 

 were set out according to Instructions gi\eu by 

 Mr. M. Crawford, and every single one was 

 growing when ready to cultivate. I 'ako a light 

 spade, (English ditching spade, five Incihes wide) 

 stick it in the ground about six inches deep and 

 perTiendicular, wtirk it back and forth a little, 

 and then pvill It out, with the earth, to the right, 

 by a kind of lialf \ipward pull. This loives a 

 hole with the left bank perpendicular. Against 

 this bank the plant is placed with the roots well 

 spread and the growing part of the crown just 



above the surface. Then moist earth is thrown 

 against the roots and well jiackod, and the rest 

 of the bole filled with earth, without packing. 

 The i>lants are taken up (lut of the old bed, the 

 earth carefully shaken off and the plants Im- 

 mediately put in a pail half filled with water. 

 The plants being taken out of the water only as 

 fast as the holes are dug. In this way there is 



To make a Tent of LMng Vtne. 



scarcely any check to their growth if the ground 

 is moist.— T. B. Terry in Country Gentleman. 



What Kot to Plant. Dakota farmers are 

 warned against planting the Hardy Catalpa 

 (.Catalpa speelosa), as it winter-kills badly. Rus- 

 sian Mulberry is a failure as a tree. It branches 

 freely from the ground up, and is admirable for 

 ornamental hedging. It Is almost Impossible, 

 however, to make It form a clean trunk, or even 

 a low-topped tree. The fruit of by far the great 

 majority of the trees is very sraal 1— not worth 

 bothering with. The foliage is beautiful, and 

 wherever a large shrub or a hedge is needed, the 

 Russian Mulberry will fill the bill satisfactorily. 

 Soft Maple Is not adapted to exposed situations, 

 because of the tendency of Its branches to break; 

 it cannot withstand our strong winds. Box Elder 

 and White Elm are almost perfect in this respect. 

 Bulletin No. 3, Dakota Experiment Station. 



Washing Vegetables, How often city people 

 speak of the excellent flavor of the vegetables 

 they sometimes eat in country homes, and won- 

 der why they cannot be cooked to taste as well 

 In the city. It is not because the farmer's wife 

 understands the art of cooking vegetables any 

 better than the city dame, but because she leaves 

 on the earth that covers them, until she needs 

 to put them to cook. Housekeepers only can 

 cure this evil. The moment the grocer finds that 

 he loses his head and labor, when he washes his 

 vegetables— just for the looks of the thing— and 

 that the housekeepers are becoming sensible and 

 will buy them In their natural covering, then 

 city folks can have as nice vegetables on their 

 tables as the farmer.— Rural Canadian. 



A Cheap Drain. For some sections, a cheap 

 and good underdrain may be laid thus: Dig 

 your ditch as narrow and as deep as you well 

 can, from the nature of the ground, tearing no 

 holes or obstructions In the bottom: now lay in 

 the bottom of the diteh round jiolcs twelve or so 

 feet long, six inches through at the heavy end; 

 put in two side by side fii-st, then two or three 

 on them. Commence at the lowest end, laying 

 in the poles end to end to head of ditth; place 

 o\'erthe poles a coat of moss, hay or straw, six 

 inches or more deep; when the dirt is put into 

 the diteh, this covering will pre^'ent its settling 

 down so close on the poles as to prevent free 

 drainage.— Sugar Bowl and Farm Journal. 



A Convenient Fruit Ladder. The accompany- 

 ing cut shows how to make a wheelbarrow lad- 

 der, by using two hand cart wheels, or any light 

 stout wheels. The diniensionsof the device may 

 \ary to suit clrcumstances;'as with tall trees, the 

 ladder may be longer and stand straighter, ete. 

 Care must be taken to secure the foot of the 

 ladder by weights to overbalaucMMhe weight at 

 tx)p. The board at the top of the ladder is for 

 sc^tting the basket upon.— Ohio Farmer. 



Striking Rose Catlings Outside, own-root 

 Roses cvenTea-scentod arc fimling favor in many 

 places. The cuttings tjiken at the begiiming of 

 October, and cut Into lengths of about nine inches 

 each, and then dibbled into a narrow shady bor- 

 der with no special preparation of the soil; )iO per 

 cent of the cuttings have lieen grown, many 

 being In flower by the following July. From the 

 success which has attended trials of this m«-tlic»d, 

 it is clearly shown that to obtain Hoses on their 

 own roots is not .Si I difiicultiLs some might suppose, 

 for such a plan reduces the propagating of Roses 



