68 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



December, 



Correspondents are urged to anticipate the season H pre- 

 senting ■^sfions. To ask, for tnslanee, on April IS or 80 

 what Peas had best be sown, could bring no answer m 

 the May issue, and none before June, when the answer 

 would be unseasonable. Questions received before the 14m 



would be unseasonable. v««siio«jt f ciciw«irt^^. i ..^ .-.- 

 of any month stand a good chance of being answered, m the 

 next paper. Not mare than three questions should be sent 

 at oie lime. Answers to questions bearing on tne am^ 

 parative value of implements, etc., offered by differen 

 dealers must not be expected. Neither can we promise t 

 comply with the request sometimes matte to please answe 

 by mall." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 



atone time. Answers to qucstiv...^ ..„.--„ _^ .-^_ , 

 ■ implcmenfs, etc., offered by different 

 s expected. Neither can we "^""-^a" to 

 comply with the request sometimes made to "pie 



by mail." Inquiries -.""■«- 



name next following. 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. In answering such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. Write only on one side of the paper. 



1.004. Peach Stones Splitting. Is there any remedy 

 for tills?— R. T., Harrington, Del. 



1.005. Apple Trees for Miss. Which Is the best 

 sort for this latitude, time for planting and distance ? 

 —A. C, Magnolia, Miss. 



1.006. Camphor Tree. How is this tree grown and 

 propagated, etc.?— R. H. Y., Dayton, Tenn. 



1.007. Fern Roots. When Is the proper time to 

 divide these?— W. O. M., Eerclieval, Ind. 



1.008. Moving Rhododendrons. How large can 

 these be tor safe moving? Would 8 feet high be too 

 large?—.!. D. R., Legser. W. Va. 



1.009. Corn Flowers. What are these and how are 

 they grown ?— B. U. F.. Laurenburg, Vt. 



1.010. Removing Stones. Is there any advantage 

 gained bv clearlug off stony land, or do they serve any 

 useful puriwise ? How do they act upon the soil I— 

 J. P. W., Johnsonville, Conn. 



1.011. Heating Small Greenhouses. How can one 

 16x30 ft., be weU heated with the most economy?— 

 Jno., Stark Co., O. 



1.012. Begonia Rex Failing. What Is the cause of 

 my plants getting rusty, and leaves falling oft ?— L. 

 A. G., Hancock, Minn. 



1,01.3. Maiden-Hair Ferns. Soon after cutting the 

 fronds of this Fern, they shrivel up. Ought they do so? 

 Why is It?— Q. T. P., Guthrie, Kg. 



1.014. Grapes in Orchard. My orchard (Pears, 

 Plums, and Morello Cherries at 20 feet apart with 

 Raspberries between) slopes to the west. On a low 

 part of clay loam, (underdralnedl the berries fruit 

 poorly because of suitarc clr^iluage from the higher 

 parts. On similar laud rcmcdrd Drapes do well. Now 

 could not Grapes take the iilan- of the berries between 

 the trees here, the shade nut being heavy, with due 

 fertilizing?— J. W. H., Cleveland, O. 



1.015. Growing Cabbage in Cold Frames. 1 would 

 like a practical method for thls.-C.J.B..Por« Perry.Pa. 



1.016. Chip Manure Insects. How can 1 destroy 

 the insects In chip and cow manure, as I think them 

 Injurious? Is acid good?— B. J. G., Dalton, Oa. 



l,un. Lake Bed for Grape Cuttings. The bed is 

 dry, of light vegetable loam, shells, etc. Would Orape 

 cultiugs succeed here?— F., Michigan. 



1,018. Grafts from Nursery Trees. Would It hurt 

 foot-high Salome, oldeon, or Russian trees to lake off 

 some grafts, or had I better buy such?-F., Michigan. 



1,01<). Lime for Land. How much air-slaked lime 

 should go per acre on rather wet Oak land with lime 

 stone at 10 feet below?— D. T., Oakalla, Ind. 



1.020. Lime for Truck Patch. On clay soil what 

 kind and how much, and the best to apply?— W. C, 

 Holmesburgh, Pa. 



1.021. Name for Monthly Honeysuckle. The petals 

 are curved circle-like, flowers very fragrant, yellow 

 aud white streaked with red.- Mrs. G. M. W., New 

 Rochelle, N. Y. 



1,032. Blood Peach. I would like information re- 

 garding this, also known as Indian Peach?— G. A. W. 



1,023. Coal Ashes as a Fertilizer. Have these any 

 value?— G. A. W., Roxburg, Mass. 



l,VrU. Storing Cabbage. What is the best method 

 to enable getting at them at any time?— A. W. N. 



I,i:r25. Geraniums Acting Queerly. My young plants 

 cease growth after flower buds are formed aud until 

 they opeu, then start up again, repeat this indeflnltely. 

 Whafs the trouble?— W. R. H., Detroit, Mich. 



1.026. Scale on House Plants. How can I rid CaUas, 

 Ferns, and the lUie of these?— Hks. Dr. H. Clayton, O. 



1.027. Begonia Rnbia Ailing. The plant Is healthy, 

 but the buds drop. What's the remedy?— Mrs. Dr. H. 



1.028. Hydrangea Propagation. How can H. panlc- 

 ulatagraud be propagated? From a hot-bed of spring 

 cuttings? I got but one plaut.- A. T. H., Lewiston,Pa. 



1.029. Sowing Water Lily Seed. When is the best 

 time and the best way in a greenhouse?— G. B. H., 

 Paducah, Kg. 



1.030. Pruning Grapes. What Is the best method; 

 also the besi book on pruning?— H. S., Watertown Wis. 



1.031. Blackberries Dying. Stone's Hardy and 

 Snyder, looked and bloomed well last spring, but the 

 canes soon dried up. They were not protected last 

 winter; are worse on black soil.- H. S. 



l,o:J2. Renovating an Apple Orchard. Can a 19 

 year old orchard, pastured for nine years and un- 

 pruned except the dead limbs, be successfully treated, 

 and if so, how?— M. W. J.. L*'^an/in, Mo. 



1,03:!. Grafting Mulberries. Will the Downing and 

 New American grow on the Russian?— R. M. K., 

 Buntley, III. 



1.034. Liquidized Cow or Horse Manure, 'Which 

 is the Best? Is there any difference between them?— 

 C.i\,Uariara,Ill. 



1.035. Raising New Gladioluses. How are the 

 named ones Increased and the flowers fertilized, do 

 they come true from Beefil~C.'W.B.,Binghampton,N.y. 



l.ttM. Growing Cinerarias. I have nice plants, 

 but they die during the summer from heat. Can 1 do 

 anything to help them?— A. L. H., lola, Kans. 



1.037. Wild Everbearing Raspberry. It has thick, 

 dark greeu foliage, stock growth, green canes covered 

 with brown spines, fruit is large, firm and fine. On 

 old and young wood It fruits from June until late fall. 

 Should 'this not be a valuable sort?— G. M. A., 

 Boulder, Colorado. 



1.038. Apple Tree Borers. My three year old trees 

 are injured badly. What can 1 do to destroy them? 

 Would cutting the trees down and re-graf ting do It? 



I.tti9. Pruning and Grafting, (a) How ought young 

 Apple trees of different varieties be trimmed? ib) I 

 desire directions for grafting the various fruits includ- 

 ing Cherry, Plum, etc.— Beginner, Worth Co., Mo. 



1,(M0. India Rubber Plant Cuttings. How can 

 these be rooted?— W. N., Joitnstoirn, Pa. 



1.041. Two Crops in one Season. I wotild like some 

 information on this matter as mentioned on page 

 thirty-one — C. L. H., Worcester Co., Mass. 



1.042. Cutting Cions for Grafting. When is the 

 proper time to do this for Apple, Pear, Plum, and 

 Cherry?— J. W. Rakge, Simkane Co., W. T. 



1.043. Starting a Market Garden. We have a 

 good market, 1 am a beginner and wish to know which 

 books I should read and which would be the best line 

 of business to follow?-J. A. E., West Bag City, Mich. 



1.044. Marketing Celery and Cauliflower. How 

 should these vegetables be prepared for market'?— J.A.C. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



890. 'Vineyard Trellis. I take from a wire 

 manufacturer's circular the following table: 

 One pound of wire catalogued as No. 13 reaches 

 34 feet; one pound of No. 11 wire reaches 26 

 feet; one pound of No. 10 wire reaches 30 

 feet; one pound of No. 9 wire reaches 17 feet. 

 According to this table it would require 1300 

 pounds of No. 12 wire to trellis four acres of 

 vineyard with two straight rows planted eight 

 feet apart, or twice that much of No. 9 wire. If 

 rows are planted 10 feet apai't it would of course 

 take J4 less wire. About the onlj; wire used now- 

 adays in vineyards in this section is No. 9 steel 

 wire, which we buy of local dealers at S.W per 

 ton. Our general practice here is to put pi ists 24 

 orSOfeet. Use the heaviest for end posts; nu'dium 

 sized ones every second or third post, and lighter 

 ones between. However, if lighter wire is used, 

 the supports should be correspondingly closer 

 together. I have not had experience enough to 

 say what treatment would be best to preseire 

 posts from rot, but from general principles I 

 judge that if the posts arc thoroughly seasoned 

 and are dry, either oietliod mentioned would be 

 good. But if nnt tlioroughly seasoned and ilry 1 

 should say that charring would still be gixid. 

 Petroleum is useless and coal tar worse than use- 

 less. The charring should be carefully done so 

 as not to unnecessarily weaken the posts.— L. 

 RoESCH, CltautauQua Co., N. Y. 



998. Beat Blackberry. The Kittatinny will 

 produce the most satisfactory results.— C. E. P. 



1001. Sawdust Mulch. My experience with 

 sawdust as a mulch has been so unsatisfactory 

 that I would not adi'ise its use. Not only does it 

 harbor, but it appears to be the cause of many 

 fungoid ailments which eventually destroy the 

 plants.— C. E. P. 



970. Black Lice on Chrysanthemums. Yes, 

 they will injure the plants if allowed to increase. 

 You can readily destroy them by an application 

 otFirtv il. Henderson's Insect Death Pow- 

 der, aiiplicd with a powder beUows or gun will 

 alsi> banish them.— C. E. P. 



882. The Mikado and Beefsteak Tomatoes. 

 These are not the earliest. The former is good 

 and reliable for medium to late. The Dwarf 

 Champion has good points for early. "Improved 

 Acme," though not entirely smooth, I make 

 most money from as first early.— A. W. N. 



949. Evaporated Fruit Keeping. I saved some 

 evaporated Apples two years ago for our own 

 use, that are apparently as good now as when 

 dried. Thev are kept in a dry place in a tight 

 barrel with the head in, so that no flies can get 

 to them.— A. W. N. 



977. Transplanting Celery. I prefer plants 

 that ha\'e been transplanted once. 



973. Liquid Manure. See answer to 972. Or 

 dissolve two ounces of Peruvian Guano in one 

 gallon of water and apply twice a week. This is 

 the best article for general use as the guano can 

 be easily procured in large or small quantities at 

 any seed store.— C. E. P. 



988. Book on Flcwer Growing. Henderson's 

 Hand Book of Plants will give you a great deal 

 of valuable information i-oncerning the treat- 

 ment of plants both inside and in the open air. 

 Solly's Book of Plants, contains many excellent 

 plans for beds and fancy flower gardens. Vol- 

 umns 1, 2 and -i of Popular Uardening also ccm- 

 tain an immense quantity of useful information 

 on the subjects that you refer t«.— C. B. P. 



979. Lily of the Valley Not Blooming. Your 



plants have no doubt become exhausted and re- 

 quire another season's growth to enable them to 

 become properly developed for blooming. By 

 all means give them a good dressing of well de- 

 cayed stable manure this fall. Imported pips 

 will prove more satisfactory if a crop fif flowers 

 is desired the coming season.— C. E. P. 



980. 'White Grubs Eating Strawberries. I 

 know of no remedy except to plant them in 

 another place.— C. E. P. 



982. Bust on Baspberries. I would cut out 

 and burn all stalks that show indications of rust 

 as soon as noticed. 



987. Pear Blight or Bust. I can suggest no 

 remedy. The Onondaga Pear is perfectly worth- 

 less in this "Vicinity on account of this blight or 

 rust, so affecting the fruit as to render it worth- 

 less.— C. E. P. 



987. Non-Blooming Wistaria. It is growing 

 too rapidly. After it becomes a few years older 

 and the rapid growth ceases it will bloom freely 

 enough.— C. E. P. 



993. Hemerocalis Varieties, You should have 

 received three distinct varieties.— C. E. P. 



997. Lilium Longiflorum Hardy. Yes, if given 

 a good mulching of leaves, or well covered with 

 Evergreen branches.— C'. B. P. 



971 Thin Cloth Bags for Grapes. I have never 

 used them, and know of no one who has experi- 

 mented with them, so would advise their use on 

 a small scale only. 1 think they will allow water 

 to escape without an outlet being provided. 



972. Soot on Chrysanthemums. I don't under- 

 stand this query but presume that it refers to its 

 use in the liquid form. For this purpose dissolve 

 two or three ounces of soot in a gallon of water, 

 and apply twice a week.— C. E. P. 



991. Oxalis Without Bulbs. Yes there are 

 Oxalis that do not have bulbs. The genus em- 

 braces a great number of species differing very 

 ■widely in their manner and habit of growth. 



1002. Pineapple Salvia. Sahia rutilians is the 

 plant referred to. It is a plant of free, compact 

 growth, attaining a height of from two to three 

 feet. The foUage possesses a peculiar yet delight- 

 ful fragrance that renders it agreeable to most 

 persons. The magenta colored flowers are pro- 

 duced in neat spikes during the late autumn 

 months. Unfortunately they are produced so 

 late in the season that frost soon destroys them. 

 When well grown it forms a pretty plant for the 

 mixed border, or for large collections, but for 

 most persons it has but little to recommend it 

 unless grown for the peculiar fragrance of its 

 foliage. It is commonly called the Apple-scented 

 Salvia— C. E. P. 



992, Planting Lilies. The best time for plant- 

 ing Lilies is during their jieriod of rest, but late 

 autumn plantings should be avoided. Lilium 

 Candidum should be removed in autumn, L. Ex- 

 celsum, Martagon and its varieties in September. 

 All the other species and varieties can be planted 

 in September.- C. E. P. 



989. Propagating Plants. All the plants re- 

 ferred to can be readily Increased by cuttings of 

 the half ripened wood. The wood is in a proper 

 condition for rooting when the cutting breaks or 

 snaps off clean instead of bending.— C. E. P. 



975. Japan Iris. Iris Kcempfei-ii and its num- 

 erous varieties require a deep, well emiched soil 

 and a sunny situation. They can be readily in- 

 creased by a careful division of the older plants, 

 or by seeds, which if sown early, will produce 

 plants that will flower the second year. They 

 are really grand hardy plants and worthy of a 

 place in every garden, as they do not flower until 

 midsummer. The flowers are both single and 

 double, and present the greatest variety of color 

 from pure white to dark purple, with all the in- 

 termediate shades and markings. A protection 

 of Evergreen branches is of decided benefit to 

 them during the winter m<mths.— C. E. P. 



983. Lettuce Sotting. During the winter 

 season Lettuce should be very carefully watered. 

 The best time for watering is early in the morn- 

 ing of a bright sunny day, and if at all possible 

 five a little air. Water slightly warmed is pre- 

 erable.— C. E. P. 



986. Blight on Le Conte. I have never heard 

 of a case of this Pear being affected with blight 

 when grown on its own roots.— C. E. P. 



978. Pear Blight or Rust. The mixture of 

 sulphate of copper and lime, commonly known 

 as "the boideau mixture," would undoubtedly 

 prevent this blight or rust if thoroughly sprayed 

 on your trees at the flrst appearance of rust. 



980. White Grubs Eating Strawberries. The 



best way to got rid of these is to pull up your 

 infested plants and burn them up. Then plow 

 the ground and expose the remaining grubs to 

 Insectiverous birds, etc. Plant some other crop 

 on the land that will require cultivating for a 

 yearortwo. Bi-sulphideof carbon will unilmilit- 

 edly kill the grubs, but it is a cnstl.N uml some- 

 times dangerous drug to handle.— J. O. A. 



