1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



91 



placeil over e;uli. Wlicre drifteii aljout yimuK' trt'es 

 abuvv the limbs it should be shoveled away to prevent 

 injury wheii it settles. 



Trellises, stakes, labels, hand glasses, arbors, rustic 

 vases, etc., which are required in every garden, should 

 be made during the winter. Where Cedar is used when 

 the swamps are frozen affords the best time to lay in a 

 supply. The roots of the Laurel Is also a favorite 

 material. 



Walks cmght to be neatly cleared after each snow 

 storm. Be prompt also In scattering ashes over those 

 that are slippery. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Azaleas. Those for coming bloom may be had for a 

 longer time if part are kept in various degrees of tern 

 perature, some, the last ones, to be quite cool, others 

 warmer, and those for Immediate flowering can have 

 considerable heat and an abundant supply of water. 

 Plants, as they go out of bloom, ought to hav'e a warm 

 place and plenty of water on top and root, to Induce 

 growth for next season. 



Begonias. To propagate the Rex division, take 

 well matured leaves and cut the main ribs on the 

 under side at half a dozen or more places, just below 

 their dividing point. Lay the pieces on the cutting 

 bed with a little sand on top to keep thera well down. 

 The flowering sorts are increased from cuttings kept 

 rather dry while rooting. 



Oaladiums, Cannas and such tubers stored for the 

 winter should be overhauled to make certain of their 

 safety and well-doing, for mice, wood-lice and other 

 enemies often destroy them. 



Carnations. After a heavy crop of bloom retle and 

 clean out the old stalks. If red spider has affected 

 them, syringing them in bright weather will help. 

 Lime water may be used on them once in a while. 



Dahlias. See directions for Caladiums. 



Geraniums shoidd now advance rapidly. Repotting 

 old plants should be done in each case a few days after 

 the cuttings have been taken. In the Tri-colored sec- 

 tion nothing suits them better than shelves near the 

 glass in a rather dry house, with about 55'^ of heat. 



Hyacinths and other Dut<?h Bulbs should generally 

 come in bloom this month. Sun and an abundance 

 of water Is what Is wanted, as may be Inferred from 

 their growing in water alone. As they pass out of 

 bloom remove the flower stalks and set the pots In a 

 cool but not dark place, keeping moderately watered 

 until spring, when they may be planted outside. 



Ice and Snow are a fruitful source of glass breakage 

 Where the edge of a roof over-hangs any kind of 

 lean-to or the end of an abutting glass house, an Ice 

 shield should be provided for the winter. For remov- 

 ing soft snow the use of a light scraper, some three 

 feet long to ride on the glass bars Is an excellent tool. 

 For a shovel, one having a blade fully eighteen Inches 

 wide, is the best. 



Lilies of the Valley that were started earlier In sand 

 or are now to be started, can be brought in twice 

 a month. If the clumps are of good quality and rightly 

 treated these will bear above 80° bottom heat, and 

 nearly as high for the house. For the finest blossoms 

 shade with cloth to keep off the sunlight and cold air. 



Mignonette of the eai'llest should now be in bloom 

 in a temperature of 45^ to SO*, plants for spring bloom 

 to be kept somewhat cooler, but guarding against 

 frost and have them near the glass. 



Orchids now at rest ought not to have more water 

 than enough to prevent the buds shiiveling; Vandas 

 Aerldes and similar ones may require some more than 

 the fleshy Oucidlums, Cattleyas, etc. The required 

 watering must be done vplth care so that the foliage 

 does not become wet and the early part of the day is 

 the best time for this. The temperature ought to be 

 kept quite regular all through the dormant season. 



.Over Crowding. With more light weather more 

 room between the plants must be given, for nothing 

 injures plants more as to appearance than standing 

 too close, when growing rapidly. 



Pelargoniums like a warm place with air and sun- 

 light. Much of their beauty depends upon their free 

 growing at this season. 



Petunias. Propagate from cuttings as fast as good 

 growth permits. Seeds also can be grown this month. 



Pots. Carefully estimate the quantity required, 

 being sure to calculate on enough, then engage them 

 to be promptly delivered. Wash the old pots before 

 putting new stock In them. 



Primroses of the Double White class ought to receive 

 careful attention in the way of space, cleaning both 

 plants and pots In good shape for propagating later. 



Propagating such as Heliotrope, Geraniums, Carna- 

 tions, Veibenas, and other summer blooming plants 

 should be well under way this month. Geranium cut- 

 ting may at once be put In thumb pots for rooting, 

 being watchful In the matter of watering them. 



Seed of Golden Feather. Lobelia, Verbenas. Salvia 

 splendua. Sweet Alyssum. Sensitive Plant, Dianthus. 

 Antirrhinum, and Mlniulus may be sown for early. 

 See under Rouse Plants. 



Schizanthus. These want something like a heat of 

 5(.t" with air and light. Staking also will probably be 

 needed. 



Ventilation on all favorable occasions Is highly 

 necessary for the best health among the stock. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Fruit In sttirage should be kept cool, aiming at a 

 temperature of about W and well ventilated. 



Insects. A sharp Inspection of the young twigs 

 should tletect the dugs of tent caterpillar eggs on them 

 near the ends, ami of cocus insects, when present. 

 Each lot of eggs destroyed now will lessen the next 

 season's caterpillar crop by hundreds. 



Labels that are on the trees when purchased are not 

 to bo trusted. A heavy pine label painted white and 

 written on before dry with soft lead is excellent, while 

 onr made of zinc and similarly written upon Is still 

 better. Fasten to the trees by copper or brass wire, 

 making loops so large that they will not Injure the 

 tree in many years of growth. 



Manure may be more easily drawn over frozen 

 ground than to wait until soft spring weather. By 

 spreading at the same time under the trees, extra pro- 

 tection is provided with benefit to the roots. 



Orders for trees and plants that are wanted for 

 spring setting should be sent early to the nursery. As 

 a rule give little ear to the tree agent, for even If they 

 are relia))le (often they are not) there Is usually an ad- 

 vantage In dealing with the nurseries direct. 



Protecting material on Strawberry and other plants. 

 If in danger of being blown off. should be secured by 

 branches and boards. Coal ashes are also good for 

 this purpose. 



Pruning of the hardier kinds of trees to go on In all 

 suitable weather, but bear in mind that more harm 

 comes from over pruning rather than not doing enough. 

 Aim to open the head to sun and air. 



Root-graft during the winter, packing the grafts in 

 sand or saw -dust ready tor spring setting. 



Scraping the trunks ot trees, by which means many 

 Insects are driven off, Is bencflclal to the trees. A good 

 bark wash Is made of lime, soot and clay, stirred up 

 with water, and should be well applied Into every 

 crevice. Some growers also use Unseed oU. 



Scions cut In mild weather should be packed In saw 

 dust or sand, the former being, perhaps, preferable. 



THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



MANSFIELD MILTOK, MAHONING CO., O. 



Cold Frames containing vegetable plants of any 

 kind should have all the air possible on suitable days. 

 Clean off all decaying leaves and stir the surface of the 

 soil should it incline to hardness. 



Boxes for Seed. As a good many seeds have to be 

 sown next month, boxes should be got ready for use 

 when required. Use boxes of uniform size, 3ft.xl8in. 

 and three inches deep, made of half inch boards sawed 

 at the mill to three inches wide, and of a suitable 

 length for cutting without waste, the same material 

 being used for sides and bottom. Where only a few 

 are needed shoe or soap boxes can be cut to this size. 



Lettuce which has been kept growing in hot beds 

 should be watched for green fly and damping off of the 

 leaves, which often takes place after a long spell of 

 cloudy weather. Fumigation should be done with 

 care as the tender leaves are easily destroyed with the 

 hot smoke. The best plan to ward off green fly In the 

 Lettuce bed is by sprinkling short cut tobacco stems 

 over the surface of the soil about the plants. 



Manure for Hotbeds. But iiltlecan be done during 

 this month, with the exception of hauling and com- 

 posting manure both for putting on the ground and 

 for early hot beds by placing in loose piles to encourage 

 fermentation. Horse manure with considerable straw 

 or leaves makes one of the best materials for hot beds. 

 Where spent hops can be secured from the brewery 

 one third hops with two thirds horse manure mixed 

 thoroughly makes a material which will retain heat 

 double the time manure alone would, be it ever so well 

 prepared. In preparing material for hot beds care 

 should be taken to have it sufficiently moist through 

 the entire heap, so that every part may be warm alike, 

 none being dry enough to create burning. 



Mice in Celery trenches at this season often do lots 

 of damage. Poison them with a mixture of cornmeal 

 and arsenic. Where unsafe to use this, try trapping. 



Seeds. If not already procured attend to it at once; 

 it is bad practice to wait until they are required. Upon 

 no consideration buy cheap seeds, that is, seeds of 

 inferior type and quality, and purchase only from 

 reliable firms. Nothing Is more discouraging than, 

 after spending time and money on raising some im- 

 portant crop, to find we have been caring for some 

 worthless variety. 



FRUITS AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Asparagus to do Its best must be watered wltlmut 

 stint. 



Cucumbers will require a heat of TO"-' at night, ai" in 

 the day, and above this in the sun. Do not encourage 

 too much with stimulants unless the plants are quite 

 strong. Train the leaders their whole length heftire 

 stopping; side shoots to be stopped at second joint. 



G-raperies now starting should not have above ."iS" of 

 heat at the first and be well syringed twice a day to 

 assist the breaking of the buds. As the young growth 

 appears air should be given sufficiently to prevent Its 

 being weak and the foliage thin. Advantage should 

 be taken of mild days for this. 



Lettuce. For some weeks yet this will require great 

 care In watering and airing, not gi\ing too much of 

 the former or too little of the latter. The fumigating 

 Is not to he neglected. See under Vegetable Garden. 



Mushrooms. The nearer the temperature of bear- 

 ing beds can be kept to ert*^ the better. A steady tem- 

 perature \\ 111 greatly prolong the crop. Manure should 

 be saved for new beds. 



Rhubarb. Directions for Asparagus will apply. 



Strawberries must not be allowed to overbear or 

 small fruit will result. Apply the syringe for keeping 

 down red spider and for the best results avoid both 

 under and r)ver watering at the roots. 



THE POULTRY YARD. 



Small £ggs are likely to come from tou much 

 fattu'ss. 



Clover hay for laying bens is recommended by 

 good authority. 



Cold Weather Fowl has a small comb, thick 

 feathers aiul does well when confined. 



Frozen Eggs taken iu a warm room and scald- 

 ing water quickly poured over, then cooled^ are 

 said to be uninjured for use. 



A Good Feed. ^0 pounds of Corn, 15 pounds 

 of Oats, 10 i>ounds of Barley, and 10 pounds of 

 Wheat bran, ground fine and well mixed.— 

 Poultry Monthly. 



The Chicken that commences its develop- 

 ment with nature, in the spring, makes the most 

 perfect one, both physically and as a breeder.— 

 Farmers' Advocate. 



A Louse-proof Perch. We have found that 

 perches made of Sassafras poles, with the bark 

 on, will make lice run. This wood is a native of 

 so many places that no diflficulty is found in 

 procuring it.— Poultry Keeper. 



The "Winter Care. Let the fowls run out on 

 dry days. In a place that is dry and sheltered 

 against the winds they will not care for the cold. 

 An oi>enshed, facing south, with no draughts of 

 air. is better than a poultry house full of cracks. 

 —Mirror and Farmer. 



To kill as humanely as possible, hang the 

 fowls up, heads down, and stick them in the 

 throat, giving a cross cut, severing the large 

 vein at the back of the throat, and at the same 

 time letting the point of the blade enter the 

 brain.— Farm and Fireside. 



Cleaning: a Poultry House. The best and 

 warmest floor is of boards, and the proper way 

 to clean out a poultry house is to use a broom, 

 and this is very easy when there is half an inch 

 of dust of some kind on the floor to absorb the 

 moisture from the droppings and prevent them 

 fi'om sticking to the floor. The dust mixed with 

 the dropjiings should be stored in a dry place. 



Eggs for Hatching should be of a uniform 

 size. Such as contain double yolks are of no 

 value, and eggs from immature pullets produce 

 immature chicks. Usually when eggs are placed 

 under a hen they are taken without any 

 knowledge of from which hens they were de- 

 rived. Select eggs from vigorous parents and 

 more chicks witb less difficulty will be raised.— 

 Mirror and Farmer. 



Warm Food for Poultry. In a large pot, 

 standing on the sto\'e day and night, the refuse 

 of every vegetable prepared for the table is 

 thrown. The ou tside leaves of Cabbage, Potato, 

 Apple peelings, etc., all go in together, 

 where they are boiled until tender, then chopped 

 fine, and thickened with AVheat bran or Corn 

 meal. While many declare milk unwholesome 

 for fowls, ours drink nothing else and no 

 flock can be healthier.- Country Gentleman. 



Sunlight for Hens. Sunlight is healthful and 

 necessary to i>rovide it in winter without ex- 

 posure to the cold. As good a way as any is to 

 nave a room separate from their roost and laid 

 with dust and t-oal ashes, but filled at least on its 

 cast, sniitli and west sides with large wintlows. 

 Here thr h<.'Ms may \>v fed and watered in the 

 morning, and then allowed to roll in the dust in 

 the sunlight. The effect of this treatment in 

 prninoting winter egg production is really won- 

 derful. Many hens do not lay at this season be- 

 cause they are kept in the dark and not stirring 

 around enough.— American Cultivator. 



The Profitable Way with Incubators. Incu- 

 bators arc of L^reat aclvantiige in large poultry 

 yards. For fully x'O per cent of all cliickens 

 hatched by hens get crushed in the nest. But by 

 taking the eggs after the hen hjis been incubating 

 U> days and putting them into the incubator, this 

 ^H) per cent is s;i\ cd. and all the hens kept incu- 

 bating until tlu y can be given ^1 healthy chicks 

 to rear. In this coiuicftion the brooder has 

 even more to conunnid itscU for. (iuring the 

 first two or three days the hen, tn- scratching, is 

 apt to kill one or more, while chickens kept in 

 the warm brooder for three or four days become 

 strong. From April to July t.iere is no better 

 way than to gi\ e each hen 20 chickens to raise. 

 But for the early broiler trade, whether the 

 chicks be hatched by the machine or by the hen, 

 from February to April, the brooder is the best 

 mother, for until May meat and green food 

 must be furnished, and this is accomplished 

 easiily in a bro<iding house, where gi-een oats can 

 be i-aised. —American Poultry Journal, 



