46 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



November, 



elastic tin plate. Certain cavities within 

 the body of the insect, which may be seen on 

 raising two large valves beneath the body, 

 and which are separated from each other 

 by their partitions, having the transparency 

 and brilliancy of mica, or of thin and highly 

 polished glass, increase the vibrations of 

 the sounds and add to their intensity." 



Blister Beetles. A number of beetles 

 sent by a Missouri subscriber, who found 

 them injuring garden crops, are common 

 species of blister beetles (Epicnuta,) some- 

 times called the old fa^ioned Potato-beetle, 

 and they often do serious damage to various 

 crops in the Southern and Western States. 

 These insects are rather difficult to get rid 

 of; they may be driven out of a patch in 

 flocks, as they are easily frightened, but will 

 return usually before much time 

 has elapsed. They may also be killed 

 by arsenical poisons, where it is safe 

 to apply these to the plants attacked. 



for regular breaking from top to bottom. 

 The third spring shorten both top and roots 

 of those in pots, giving fresh soil. By re- 

 peating this treatmefit and the use of quite 

 strong manure the plants can be kept grow- 

 ing for years in a satisfactory condition. 



A neat combination may be had by graft- 

 ting a trailing sort like A. Mesopotamicum 

 variegata on the top of a standard, A. 

 striatum or other strong grower, some four 

 or five feet from the ground, and as the 

 branch grows, cut away the original top, 

 and you may soon have a weeping Abutilon 

 that will be quite ornamental. 



Some of the best varieties are the follow- 

 ing, to be had of most florists. Golden Bells, 

 Gauntlet, Wm. Fowler, Robt. George, 

 Snowstorm, Boule de Neige, Mesopotami- 



Abutilons and their Culture. 



CHARLES N. KRULL, YORK CO., PA. 



With those persons who grow an 

 assortment of tender plants, few 

 shrubby kinds are more deservedly 

 popular than the Abutilons, known 

 also as the Chinese Bell flowers and 

 Flowering Maples. Of late years so 

 much improvement has been ob- 

 tained over the older ones, by seed 

 lings variously crossed and hybrid 

 ized, that the original species are 

 nearly superceded. 



This class shows a number of pecu- 

 liarities of flowers, foliage and habit. 

 There are some which assume the 

 form of standards, others are climbers 

 or droopers; all are satisfactory, and 

 many of them strong growers. In 

 foliage there are varying colors and 

 forms all of which are interesting, 

 the flowers include white, rose, yel- 

 low, maroon and orange colors in 

 endless shades, many of which are 

 thickly veined or striped with red 

 and carmine. 



Propagation is easily done in the 

 spring from cuttings of the young 

 wood, inserted in sand in a tem- 

 perature of 60" and covered with 

 glass. When roots are formed move into 

 larger pots of loam and leaf mould with 

 some coarse sand. As soon as they begin to 

 grow, pinch out the points to induce stocky 

 growth. When shifted into blooming pots, 

 which ought to be done before the roots 

 become matted, use only good loam in quite 

 a rough state, for free bloom. The points 

 may be stopped again, and syringing 

 thoroughly every day is helpful. As autumn 

 comes they will require rest, and not to be 

 given much water, and to have a winter tem- 

 perature of 4.5° or so at night. 



When wanted as trained specimens, as 

 shovsn by our engraving of the variety Boule 

 de Neige, some more attention to proper 

 pruning, etc. , is all that is required. Where 

 a wall is to be covered, or they are wanted 

 to grow on pillars, planting in a well pre- 

 pared border, having good drainage where 

 space is not limited, otherwise pot culture 

 will be the best; a portion of the shoots are 

 to be cut back to different lengths each 

 spring for furnishing young blooming wood 

 over the whole plant. Never allow any 

 more shoots in any place than will just cover 

 it, not having them at aU crowded, as this 

 interferes materially with the health and 

 flowering of the plants. Do not give too 

 much water until the roots have got well 

 hold of the soil, then they will need when 

 in full growth a most liberal supply, together 

 with some manure water. Keep the ground 

 merely moist in winter, and before spring 

 growth begins cut the strongest shoots back 



A WELL-GROWN POT ABUTILON. 



cum, Darwinii, Tancreda, Thompsonia Dou- 

 ble, Royal Scarlet and Fraseri. 



Winter Protection of Trees and 

 Plants. 



DANIEL K. HERR, LANCASTER CO., PA. 



We are already reminded of the wintry 

 ordeal to which our fruit trees and berry 

 plots, our vines, and shrubs, will soon be 

 subject while the axe has left so few 

 protecting forests. Fortunate are those, 

 who, long ago, have planted belts of Nor- 

 way Spruce, Hemlock, or Arbor Vitas, for 

 backed with such, the trees and plants need 

 little extra care. 



But while patiently waiting|for what seem 

 like slow growing evergreens, some artific- 

 ial shelters can be made, 10 feet or more in 

 height. Posts, about 5 inches in diameter, 

 and 12 feet long, are set 8 feet apart; or, in- 

 stead of long posts, butts of some timber, 

 3 feet long, dug in, and 3x5 scantling firmly 

 spliced onto them will answer. To these 

 are nailed boards 6 inches wide, and left 3 

 inches apart, and on the side where of least 

 hindrance, 8 feet from the shelter, butts are 

 dug in opposite each post, with the top 

 about 6 inches above the ground, to which 

 to nail braces about two thirds way up the 

 posts, and if wires or lath are secured on 

 them, they make the best of Grape trellises. 



Such shelters allow the wind to go 

 through, but it is cut up and its force 

 broken, and inside such an enclosure it is 

 more calm, than if the shelter were made 



close, as no eddies and rebounding of the 

 storm are created. A better and neater 

 shelter can also be made of good quality of 

 heavy plaster lath, nailed three quarter 

 inches apart, on horizontal rails secured to 

 the posts. If snow banks or drifts are ob- 

 jectionable inside the enclosure, the lower 

 part, 3 or 4 feet high must be made tight. 



Such shelters as these, or belts of ever- 

 green,do not,however,produce much change 

 in the actual temperature, rather, their 

 value is the prevention of rapid evapora- 

 tion during cold,drying storms. Such storms 

 are common, over country not near large 

 bodies of water, and where woodlands exist 

 only in small patches. Large timber tracts 

 retain the snows, and give off much mois- 

 ttire, while other land is bare and frozen. 



These conditions are all the reverse 

 of nature. Nature congregates her 

 trees and vines; the storms are 

 checked, and leaves mulch and feed 

 the roots.and here we learn the lesson. 

 It seems most reasonable that 

 orchards and fruit gardens, bare of 

 snow, bare of leaves, and the ground 

 frozen down below the roots, have a 

 poor show to withstand a dry, icy 

 storm. We know how woodwork 

 dries out, and joints open during 

 such a storm, how streets dry off, ,, nd 

 clouds of dust caused by evapora- 

 tion, fly everywhere. Let any one cut 

 a sappy twig of a tree or a cane from 

 a vine, and put where they are ex- 

 posed to winter storms, and see how 

 soon they dry out. Mulch our fruit 

 trees, our berry patches, our Grape 

 gardens heavily, with no matter how 

 rough a material, and nature will 

 treat us more kindly. 



Such a mulch will give the roots a 

 chance to throw up sap, when so 

 sorely needed during those dry, cold 

 waves, that often last for days, and 

 as nature both checks the storm and 

 mulches the ground, so they whose 

 grounds are sheltered should notstop 

 here, but also give the soil a covering. 

 Much is said and written as to 

 the laying down and covering vines 

 and plants with earth or otherwise, 

 even thatching tree tops, tender 

 Roses, and other shrubbery with 

 straw. This is all proper for a few, but in 

 extensive gardens it is next to impracticable, 

 because it is difficult to get these plants laid 

 close to the ground. If soil is used we 

 mutilate and lay bare the roots between the 

 rows, and other material often wears away 

 too much to be effectual. Simple mulching 

 presents no difficulties, save the material in 

 sufficient quantities, and requires no re- 

 moval unless for appearance sake. If left 

 in place it will retard somewhat the early 

 blossoms that are sometimes caught by late 

 spring frosts; it will keep the weeds back, 

 saving ciUtivation at a time when there is 

 plenty else to do; it will retain the rain fall, 

 and still more, when hot, dry days continue, 

 the soil is kept cool and moist. These ben- 

 efits alone are worth the cost. 



As for material, there can be much saved 

 up through the summer on every farm and 

 garden, that may be utilized, to which may 

 be added straw, or better, strawy litter from 

 the stables, and where procurable, shavings 

 from planing mills, waste from broom fac- 

 tories, midribs of Tobacco from cigar manu- 

 factories, leaves from forests, etc. On farms 

 weeds cut down before the seeds ripen, 

 or Corn stalks cut up from foui to six inches 

 long make capital miUching. For general 

 winter mulching, a mixture of any suitable 

 material that does not contain seed of foul 

 weeds, is better for continual use as a 

 fertilizer, than to use but one kind of mater- 

 ial, unless a change is made, using a certain 

 kind a year or two, then something else. 



