32 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



November, 



The New Cistern Filter at the Popu- 

 lar Gardening Experiment Farm. 

 It Is not the object of this article to discuss 

 the advantages of thorough filteration for 

 all cistern water to be used for domestic 

 purposes, for the Importauce of this Is every- 

 where admitted. What it Is desired to do is 

 to describe the filter recently put into the 

 new cistern at "Woodbanks" and point out 

 its advantages. So far as we know, the 

 peculiar features of this filter are our own 

 invention as applied to cisterns; they are 

 unpatented, and all who may 

 desire to do so are welcome to 

 adopt them. 



The main principle of this 

 filter is the one common to 

 about all good filters, namely: 

 causing the water to pass 

 through a mass or several 

 masses of pounded charcoal, 

 because of the well known 

 power of charcoal for drawing 

 to itself the impurities found 

 in an ywaterthat passes through 

 it. Layers of gravel or sand 

 are also used for attracting Im- 

 purities. Where the defect of 

 the ordinary filters built in 

 cisterns lies, is in the difficulty 

 or impossibility of changing 

 the filtering material except as 

 the cistern becomes emptied of 

 water. Itlsobvious that a filter 

 or at least the parts through 

 which the water first passes, 

 should often be cleaned of the 

 impurities suspended in the 

 charcoal, etc. This may readily be done with 

 the filter here referred to. 



As is shown in our illustration, the filter- 

 ing arrangement of this cistern is brought 

 below the lowest part of the cistern floor. 

 It consists of two receptacles A and B (lower 

 end) containing filtering substances, and 

 these are connected by a passage at the 

 bottom. The substances used and the place 

 of each, is as follows: a a fine gravel, bib 

 powdered charcoal, c c c lake sand. 



The part B consists of 10-inch glazed sewer 

 pipes, cemented together at their joints to 

 keep out the unfiltered water. This feature 

 may be looked upon as a well of filtered 

 water in the midst of the cistern, no water 

 can enter except from below through the 

 filters. The course of the water is indicated 

 by the arrows. The water in this well, B, in- 

 variably stands at the same height as in the 

 cistern proper, except as it is temporarily 

 lowered by pumping out,and then it soon fills 

 again. From this well an iron pipe, d, leads 

 to a pump on a sink in the kitchen on the 

 fioor above, (it should be stated that the 

 cistern is beneath the basement or cellar 

 floor of the house,) and this furnishes water 

 for cooking and drinking. Another pipe, c 

 —a. lead one — reaches from the cistern proper 

 to a second pump in the sink in the kitchen, 

 for supplying unfiltered water for washing, 

 cleaning, etc. 



Now for the distinctive feature of this 

 filter. The receptacle A is a galvanized iron 

 pail with a fine screen bottom and having 

 a strong iron bail. The size of this pail is 

 10 inches in diameter at the top and 7 inches 

 at the bottom. Surrounding this pail and 

 the lower pipe of the well B, is a solid flUing 

 of cement and brick. This was made to 

 closely fit the galvanized pail, by filling it 

 when fresh, against the pail, and turning this 

 a few times while the cement was setting. 

 The pail thus is movable. With then hav- 

 ing an opening in the cistern cover at h, 

 directly over it, and a heavy galvanized wire 

 attached to the bail and leading to the top 

 of the cistern, it becomes easy at any time to 

 elevate the pail, change its contents by sub- 

 stituting fresh charcoal for the older, and, 

 cleaning the sand and gravel, returning it 



again. Inasmuch as the bottom of the pail 

 is three inches narrower than the upper end 

 of the opening which receives it, there is no 

 difficulty in returning the pail to its place 

 even though the cistern is full of water. 

 To have the pail fit perfectly close to the sides 

 of its opening, in the cement, some cotton 

 wicking is wound around it just under the 

 stiffening wire at its top to act as packing. 



It Is true that by this means it is not possi- 

 ble to change the filtering material in the 

 bottom of B, except when the cistern becomes 



Improved Cistern Filter unpatented) in use at the Popular Gardening 

 Experiment Farm. 



empty, and then by taking down the pipes, 

 but this is not necessary very often, for all 

 the water first passes through the 30 Inches 

 of charcoal, sand and gravel in A before it 

 reaches the other part, and by changing the 

 contents of the first every two months, for a 

 medium sized family, a long time can elapse 

 before the material in the second comparts 

 ment requires changing. 



Applying Stimulants to Chrysan- 

 themums. 



E. MOLYNEUX. 



Soot water in a weak state is the best 

 thing to apply first to the roots as a stimu- 

 lant. One bushel of soot placed in a bag to 

 100 gallons of water will be ample. The 

 water soaking through the soot in the bag 

 becomes charged with the manurial proper- 

 ties. Water used in this manner may be 

 given to the plant every time they require 

 watering tor a week, and then it is better to 

 withhold soot water for three weeks, giving 

 them another course after this. The stimu- 

 lant may be used in conjunction with other 

 liquid manures during the time soot water 

 is in use, but it is not necessary to stop 

 using other stimulants while soot water is 

 being given to the plants. 



I have seen plants injured through using 

 soot water too freely. It is far better to use 

 it weaker and^oftener. Chrysanthemumsre- 

 quire a change of food, using one sort for, 

 say, a week, then have another. To the 

 strongest growing varieties, stimulants 

 should be given every time water is required 

 if the plants are well rooted. All stimulants 

 should be used in a weak state to begin 

 with, increasing the strength as the plants 

 grow. If a spell of wet weather sets in for, 

 say, a week together, it is wise to withhold 

 all stimulants for a short time, as extra care 

 is needed in applying water to the roots of 

 any sort. In the case of weak-growing kinds, 

 liquid manure should be given occasionally, 

 as over-feeding brings on premature bud- 

 formation or malformation of the petals, 

 caused by forcing the larger outer petals 

 too quickly, and not allowing the center of 

 the flower-bud to fill up by degrees, as it 

 should do under proper circumstances. 



When the soil in the pots is approaching 

 dryness is the time to apply stimulants. 



It is difficult to define the quantity of 

 manure to use for making liquids, as so 

 much depends upon the requirements of the 

 cultivator. A safer guide is to use the liquid 

 made from animal manures about the color 

 of brown brandy. Sulphate of ammonia in 

 careful hands is an excellent manure, per- 

 haps unequalled, but the percentage of am- 

 monia contained in the different samples 

 varies so much that it is decidedly risky to 

 use it. It is wise to act safely, 

 that is, give it in a weak state, 

 but often. The cultivator 

 should be quite certain that the 

 pots are full of roots before 

 commencing the use of sul- 

 phate of ammonia. The best 

 way to apply it is as follows: 

 Dissolve one tablespoonful in 

 four gallons of liquid manure, 

 and apply it to the plants 

 once a week; the alteration in 

 the color of the leaves after 

 its application can be quickly 

 discerned if they were pale be- 

 fore. The color of the flowers 

 is also much improved. The 

 pink-lilac flowers and darker 

 shades are rendered much 

 richer by the use of this ma- 

 nure. Some growers sprinkle 

 the ammonia on the surface of 

 the soil and water it in, but this 

 is dangerous to the surface 

 roots of the plants, as they often 

 are burnt with the ammonia. 

 The loss of the surface roots by this mis- 

 management gives a check to the plants. 



When the flower buds are forming in the 

 points of the shoots which are considered 

 the best for each particular variety, no mat- 

 ter whether it be crown or terminal buds, 

 the application of stimulants should cease 

 for a time, until the flower buds are formed 

 and swelling, as during the time the buds 

 are in the embryo state a check to the 

 growth takes place. 



When to finally stop the use of stimulants 

 of any sort, and depend solely on clear water 

 for the finishing of the blooms, is a matter 

 about which some growers disagree. Some 

 advise that feeding be discontinued as soon 

 as the bloom buds show color, but in my 

 opinion that is just the stage when assis- 

 tance is required to develop the flowers. 

 Continue to feed the plants tmtil the blooms 

 are three parts expanded, then cease the 

 use of stimulants, as it will be found that 

 plants in that stage do not require water 

 nearly so often as those plants which are in 

 a more backward condition.— The Garden. 



Delaware Fruit Matters. 



M. H. BECKWITH, DELAWARE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT 

 STATION. 



While visiting fruit farms in the locality 

 of Smyrna, Del., I was surprised to learn 

 that it was customary to obtain profltable 

 crops of Strawberries from plantations that 

 hatl been in bearing four and sometimes 

 even five years. One bed of three acres, 

 two thirds of which was planted with Sharp- 

 less and the remainder vrith Cumberland, 

 has produced four crops of fruit; the yield 

 the past season being in the neighborhood 

 of 100 bushels of berries. The vines were 

 very healthy, although not as vigorous as I 

 was accustomed to see those varieties grow- 

 ing in New York State; yet the rows ap- 

 peared as if they might have been newly 

 planted last spring. 



The soil is what might be termed a very 

 sandy loam. Several plantations were 

 shown me that had been in bearing for 

 different lengths of time, from two to five 

 years, and it would be a difficult matter to 



