1 888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



33 



tell from theii- appearance, which had been, 

 in bearing the longest. In this locality the 

 Sharpless and Cumberland are very exten- 

 sively grown, and are considered the most 

 profitable. The bulk of the crop is shipped 

 to Boston, where it finds a ready market. 



I saw several acres planted with Hough- 

 ton Seedling Gooseberries, that at the time 

 of my visit did not present a very attractive 

 appearance. The entire space between the 

 rows of bushes being occupied with thrifty 

 plants of "Beggar's Lice." The soil is kept 

 thoroughly cultivated and free from weeds 

 until the fruit is gathered, when cultivation 

 ceases and these weeds quickly spring up 

 and take possession. Cultivation is begun 

 again early in the spring,and this late growth 

 of weeds does not appear to be detrimental 

 to the crop of fniit. 



The same party has also a Peach orchard 

 of about 1,5(X) trees, 1,100 of which are nine 

 years old and have been in full bearing 

 several years, the balance having been only 

 recently planted. Several rows of trees on 

 one side of the orchard show unmistakable 

 signs of the yellows, and occasionally a sick 

 tree can be found elsewhere in the orchard, 

 but none show the last stages of disease. 



Potash in various forms will be applied to 

 a part of this orchard and part will receive 

 no application, with a view of testing the 

 efficacy of this remedy for the yellows. 



Winter Keeping of Roots 



It may be well at this season, when the 

 roots and Potatoes are to be stored, to notice 

 the methods of wintering these crops in 

 frost-bound Scotland, where much attention 

 is paid to their use as food for live stock. A 

 Scotch method followed very generally, may 

 be thus described: On a high, well-drained 

 spot, where water never stands in the win- 

 ter, an excavation, five or more feet \\ide, 

 of whatever length is desired, and ten inches 

 or a foot in depth, is made. 



From the bottom the roots are piled up in 

 a compact, triangular mass, the peak being 

 about as high as the base is broad, and the 

 sides almost straight. Next to the roots a 

 layer of straw is then placed, the thickness 

 of which depends upon the coldness to be 

 guarded against. Four or five inches will 

 be sufficient where the temperature seldom 

 gets lower than 8° or 10° below zero; then 

 again upon the straw comes a covering of 

 earth from 12 to 15 inches thick, serving 



AN EFFICIENT ROOT PIT FOR WINTER 



mainly as a shield to the straw, not allowing 

 rain to get in, etc., as it affords no special 

 protection from cold, the straw being the 

 non-conductor,and this, then, is what should 

 be increased or diminished, according as the 

 cold is less or greater. 



For ventilation, drain tiles, or boxes made 

 of strips three inches wide, are set into the 

 pit , as the ground is thrown on, to extend 

 from the roots, to above the ground, and 

 about six feet apart, along the peak of the pit. 

 These ventilators should, in extreme cold 

 weather, be closed, opening them again 

 during any mild spells. 



Such pits are, for this purpose, preferable 

 to cellars, or almost any other form of 

 storage, from the economy of labor requireil 

 for getting the crops in winter sliape, and 

 also their freedom from rot; the space used 

 is of no special value for the time occupied. 

 Whenever desired in winter, they may be 

 gotten at, and the frozen grouml-eover forms 

 a protecting .shell about the open end, which 

 can be filled with straw for a distance, as 

 the roots are taken out; thus keeping every- 

 thing snug and warm. 



The Lucretia Dewberry. In reply 

 to No. 930. 



A. J. CATWOOD, ULSTER CO., S. Y. 



Concerning the market value of the I^u- 

 cretia Dewberry, that I think it is one of the 

 most beneficent berry gifts that the country 

 has ever received, from several considera- 

 tions; and I probably would not have given 

 my opinion, was this noble fruit not being 

 traduced by parties who ought to know 

 more of its good qualities. We planted 

 nearly half an acre, three years ago, when 

 the price of plants was high. The next 

 summer after planting, it paid interest on 

 land, paid for the plants, all culture and 

 work (including stakes and tying up), and 

 a balance remained of S2.S.0O, and this year 

 I had a full crop, the iirst half of which 

 brought me 34 cents a quart — they were sold 

 in one half pint cups at six cents each. 



They begin to ripen from a week and a 

 half to two weeks before any other Black- 

 berry, excepting the Early Harvest, and here 

 it is fully a week ahead of that. It ,iust 

 completes our time for steady picking from 

 1st of June beginning with Strawberries, 

 then Red Raspberries, Lucretia Dewberries, 

 and ending with Minnewaska Blackberries, 

 the end of September. Its coming so early 

 fills the gap between Red Raspberries and 

 standing Blackberries. 



The characteristics of this fruit are as 

 follows; — A great bearer, berries 1 inch to 

 IH inches in length; and berries have been 

 measured in our patch, by visitors, 1}4 inches 

 in length by % inch in width, which is 

 larger than the heaviest Kittatinnys, and 

 equalling in size the Minnewaska or Wil- 

 son as grown here. The berries are all per- 

 fect, with little, if any, deformity in shape, 

 and sweeter than any other Blackberry, 

 excepting the wild Dewberries. Their solid- 

 ity warrants their shipment to markets at 

 a greater distance, than any 

 other berry I know of. The pick- 

 • ing and marketing is of short 

 duration — about two weeks— 

 nicely lapping on to standing 

 varieties; and it is one of the most 

 beautiful sights that one could 

 imagine, the bushes black with 

 large glossy berries, from the top 

 of a five foot stake to the ground. 

 I plant them as I do Red Rasp- 

 berries, 4 feet apart each way, 

 cultivate both ways until the 

 fore part of .Tune, when the re- 

 newals get too long to do so. We 

 then direct the renewals of each 

 row along the bottoms of the 

 hills, and cultivate the other 

 way, as long as required , and one 

 man has done the directing of our patch in 

 a day. The old canes are taken from the 

 stakes any time after the fruit is off, before 

 tying up in the spring. The renewals are 

 left on the ground all winter, which is 

 sufficient protection here, but, if it is necess- 

 ary to protect them in colder regions, their 

 prostrate position facilitates the work. 



In the spring, one draws the entire liill 

 from under the other hills in the row, and 

 holds them to the stake, while a lioy ties 

 them tightly, this can be done as rapidly as 

 tying Red Raspberries. I think my patch 

 was the first managed on this plan; we have 



tried the Winrow System but like staking 

 the plants better. 



August Started Chrysanthemums. 



JOHN LANE. AMATEUR FLORIST, COOK CO., ILL. 



In my collection of 2.50 Chrysanthemums, 

 1 have none more interesting than the fol- 

 lowing, now about BO days old, full of buds to 

 flower. The first is Gen. Jack, one of the 

 M. A. Hunt, Terre Haute, Ind., importation 

 from Japan in 188T; a strong grower and 

 free branching sort; Aug. 6th, I layered a 

 branch of a spring-started plant planted in 

 open ground; Sept. 3d, cut it loose from the 

 parent, and Sept. 2.oth, lifted and potted in a 

 five-inch pot; now, Oct. 4th, it is 24 inches 

 high, has l."> branches varying in length, all 

 full of buds, a beaiitiful pyramidal plant. 



Two other interesting plants are Mara- 

 bout and Alx, Dufour, ol the class hybrid- 

 .lapan, and of dwarf habit, free branching 

 sorts; Aug. 1st, cuttings made of tips from 

 the top of an old plant, were started in a 

 propagating bed and later potted in two-inch 

 pots; Sept. Bth, were moved into four-inch 

 pots; now, Oct. 4th, they are bushy plants 

 six inches high; one with five branches the 

 other with seven, all with buds set. They 

 being of the small-dowering class, I will not 

 disbud, but am giving liquid manure to make 

 them flower their best. 



I have others, both layered and cutting, 

 made at the same time with the above, they 

 are all very interesting plants, and will be 

 in flower within 100 days from time of start- 

 ing them. The layered plants are mostly 

 very strong growing, and are potted singly 

 in five-inch pots, making pyramidal plants. 

 The cutting started ones are not so strong 

 growing and are mostly planted three in a 

 five-inch pot, making good, small plants. 



Such late started plants should not be cut 

 back if early flowering is desired, and only 

 free branching sorts are adapted to this 

 method of growing. Elain is a good one for 

 layering; Mrs. Frank Thompson, for either 

 layering or cutting. No great skill is re- 

 quired in layering them; simply cut into the 

 branch where roots are wanted, then bend 

 it upright at the cut and plant it, keeping 

 it moist, it is also better to mulch them when 

 set ; in 20 days cut away from the parent, 

 and in 40 to 60 days lift and pot in rich soil. 



801. Fir Tree Oil. This is an English insecti- 

 cide, which if applied properly as directed and 

 rationally, in the evening before sunset, has not 

 failed to prove efficacious in killing insect life on 

 plants, beast, or man. It is, in a diluted state, an 

 unsurpassed wash for plants and pet animals; it 

 has proved a bleacher and disinfectant on fabrics 

 in connection with ordinary household soap; and 

 it will dissolve parafine oil in water if mixed in 

 proportion of a cjuarter pint of parafine oil to a 

 pint of Fir tree oil. It is as effective in the United 

 States as abroad, as gardeners of the highest 

 auth(jrit.v and standing in our country will not 

 hesitate to declare, as they buy it continually 

 for greenhouse use.— A. Rolkeb. 



915. Lilies Not Doing Well, (a) I think that 

 your Lilies are growing in an unsuitable soil, 

 liilies delight in light, rich, soil such as is afforded 

 by a mixture of loam and well-rotted manure. 

 (b) Unless for the purpose of propagation, it is 

 best not to disturb them for a number of years, 

 as frequent removals are injurious, (c) From 

 one to two feet.-C'HAS. E. Parnell. 



!)!«. Hollyhock Propagation. As a general 

 rule. Hollyhocks reproduce themselves pretty 

 true from seed if carefully selected. I see that 

 assortments containing si.v, eight, and twelve 

 varieties are offered b.v seedsmen, and these will 

 be found quite reUable.— C. E. P. 



KS2. Tomatoes. Perfection, Favorite, and 

 lieuuty are early and reliable varieties, and the 

 seed can be procured of any seedsman.— C. E. P. 



8fl;;. Eose Bugs. There seems to be no other 

 remCMly than gathering them carefully by hand, 

 and destroying them.— C. E. P. 



H87. Apple Trees Dying. If the worms are 

 working in the pith of the young twigs, I would 

 cut them off and tniru; this may prevent the 

 incrcnse of the pest, and save you some trouble 

 later on. I am not ac(|uainted with this pest and 

 so cannot suggest any other remedy.— C. E. P. 



