1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



117 



l.OtM. Ferns Eaten by Snails. The term snail, 

 prt)perly speaking, belongs to a family of Crus- 

 taceans, but it is often applied to a slimy black 

 slug whicli is quite troublesome in greenhouses 

 and is also very common in damp places in the 

 open air. They work only at night, in damp 

 weather. t)r in shady phices and may be found 

 during-- tlie ila,\' on tne damp sides nf the pots or 

 conrealcd uikIVt tlieni and they can ii-enerally be 

 kept down etteetuall.\' li.\' searehintJ out and kill- 

 ing them. They are very partial to swfct .Vpj'les 

 and pieces of these are sometimes phu-rd among 

 the i>lants and examined in the evening and the 

 slugs destroyed. I have also found them under 

 pieces of glass which were accidentally left on 

 the soil of the benches — W. F. B. 



],08B. Bed Mites in Oreenhonse. The speci- 

 mens sent are a species of red mite related to the 

 red spider of the greenhouse. They are so small 

 and often so numerous that it is difficult to get 

 rid of them. Where the windows on which they 

 are present can be washed with hot soapsuds 

 they will doubtless be killed. The Egyptian 

 Insecticide, which is composed largel.v <d pow- 

 dered Tt>liaci-o stems, I presume woidd kill them 

 on plants. Pyrcthrinn or the "insect j'owdi'r" of 

 the drug st<»res would probably also be eflcctive, 

 as would kerosene emulsion. — C. M. Weed. 



l.OM. Chrysanthemamg Not Blooming. I 

 have never heard a good reason given why plants 

 come blind; a satisfactory solution of this point 

 would be a great help to us all.— M. B. Faxon. 



l.uwi. Foinsettia Treatment- The plants are 

 passing into a state of rest and from itow on 

 should be kept dry.— (_'. E. P. 



1,0<J7. Are Angleworms in Any Way HartfaU 

 Yes, to |iot plants, by reason of their obstructing 

 the drainage. In the open ground I do not think 

 they are in any way hurtful.— C. E. P. 



1,0.51. Keeping Canna Tubers. Last fall im- 

 mediatel.v after our Srst light frost, which only 

 partially killed the tops of my Cannas, I cut them 

 off about a foot from the ground, dug and placed 

 them under the greenhouse benches with large 

 balls of earth attached, covering the roots lightly 

 with sphagnum, and I occasionally sprinkle them 

 a little. With this treatment the new buds con- 

 tinue to grow slowly and bid fair to go through 

 in fine condition; probably if stored in a light, 

 airy cellar with about the same treatment they 

 would keep nearly as well; When frost<'d clraV 

 down to the ground or cut very close, decay is 

 likely to follow, or if the earth is all shaken out 

 and the small roots get dry there is danger 

 that the whole tuber will dry out or if damp 

 enough to prevent that they are liable to mould 

 and destroy the whole plant.— W. F. B. 



1,060. About Artemisias. This is the botanical 

 name for the Wormwood family, but my earliest 

 recollection of the Chrysanthemum is of two 

 plants, one with pure whit« and the other with 

 dark red flowers belonging to a lady neighbor, 

 which she called Artemisias and probably this is 

 the Artemisia referred to; if so, some of them 

 are entirely hardy and almost all of them are so 

 with a little protection.— W. F. B. 



1,028. Hydrangea Propagation. By cuttings 

 taken in the spring just after the sap begins to 

 run; cut the desired size with a sharp knife and 

 place them in wet sand in a cool shady place and 

 do not expose them to the sun under glass until 

 they are potted off and well established on their 

 own roots.— H. C. TowNSEND, Dutchess Co., N. Y. 



1,049. Rubber Flant Treatment, when you 

 cannot spray the Rubber Plant sponging the 

 leaves freiiuently is necessary to the health of 

 the plant. Water onl.v when the plant is in need 

 of it; do not let any water stand about the roots. 



1,051. Keeping Canna Tubers. To keep Can- 

 nas in good condition over winter the roots are 

 placed in dry sand in a dark, cool cellar free 

 from frost.— H. C. T. 



1,0.54. Amaryllis Failing. Amaryllis may be 

 successfully grown by potting in rich soil with 

 good drainage; water sparingly until the plant 

 begins to make vigorous growth; then and when 

 in bloom give an abundance of moisture but do 

 not let the water stand around the bulb as it is 

 likely to sour the soil.— H. C. T. 



l.OtiO. About Artemisias. The Artemisias are 

 better known as the Chrysanthemum and are 

 probably hardy in 45° north latitude with pro- 

 tection of straw or leaves as a covering through 

 severe weather. These plants require a rich soil. 

 Set out in spring in a sheltered situation. Mulch 

 well through dry weather, give manure water 

 often and as they bloom very late shield from 

 severe frosts.— H. C. T. 



998. Best Blackberry. Dorchester may do for 

 a cold climate but is too small and will not yield 

 more than half as much as Wilson. There are a 

 great many varieties offered as best but it is 

 doubtful whether there is any variet.v yet before 

 the public which will pay better as a market 

 berry than the Wilson where the climate is 

 not too cold.— W. F. B 



1,070. Tuberoses After Blooming. These are 

 of no value except for raising bulblets and that 

 does not pay as they can be bought much cheap- 

 er than the amateur can raise them.— H. C. T. 



l,(tl,5. Baising New Gladiolus, I have suc- 

 cessfully increa-scd the varieties of Gladiolus by 

 cutting the bulbs similar t<i ^'uttirig I'otatoes, 

 alwa.\'s liciiig siii-c to lca\-c a iiortinii (»i the base 

 of the Imlli on eiu-h jiicce. The tiuwers do not 

 come true from seed. — H. C. T. 



1,054. Amaryllis Failing. The Amaryllis 

 requires a season of repose and I think that the 

 plant had completed its growth and was passing 

 into a state of rest was the reason the leaves 

 turned yellow. You should now place the plant 

 in a dry situatif)n, at a temperature of .55°, and 

 let it reimiin there until the middle of May when 

 it can be planted ovit in the open liordcr. Take 

 up and reiiot towards the end of September and 

 When you wish tn throw the plant into l)loom 

 place it in a teniptTaturcof .55^' graduall.\ tiscend- 

 ing to 60°. When the leax'es appear water abund- 

 antly. In potting use porous or soft baked pots 

 and see that they are thoroughly drained as this 

 is ver.v important.— C. E. P. 



982. Bust on Baspberries. Cut plants off close 

 to ground and burn as fast as it appears. Culti- 

 vate well and place phosphate around the plants. 

 Sow salt broadcast over the ground m the 

 early spring.— W. T. Alan. 



1,0.55. Clirysanthemum Leaves Burnt- You do 



not say in what proportion you used the liquid 

 manure. I would infer, however, that you used 

 it too strong. But there are other causes that 

 would lead to a similar result.— C. B. P. 



1,052. Floor for Greenhouse. A cement floor 

 is the best in a greenhouse.— C. E. P. 



1,003. Babbits Injuring Trees. Rub the trees 

 with a piece of liver or paint with blood from 

 slaughter house in early winter.— W. T. Alan. 



THE COMPLETE GARDEN.* 



XXIII. 

 BY A WELL-KNOWN HORTICULTURIST. 



Continued from page 96. 



STOCKING THE HERBACEOUS AND VEGETABLE 



GAEDEN. 



The plants referred to in the previous 

 paper as being Annual, Biennial and 

 Perennial Herbaceous plants are chiefly 

 propagated from seed. This fact renders it 

 important that the gardener should under- 

 stand the principles of successful seed plant- 

 ing or sowing and to this subject the present 

 article will devote attention. In the case of 

 perennial plants, it is true, a common 

 method of increasing the stock is by the 

 division of the roots as illustrated by the 

 Iris in figure 58 and of which among vegeta- 

 bles Rhubarb and Asparagus afford famil- 

 iar examples, but even vrith such there are 

 few cases in which seed propagation could 

 not also be well applied. Usually propaga- 

 tion by division comes into use for peren- 

 nials when a moderate increase of plants is 

 desired and by seed when a large stock is 

 wanted. Certain improved varieties of 

 perennials which do not bear seed, can only 

 be increased by root divisions and in some 

 instances by cuttings of the shoots. 



Seeds and Seed Sowing. The requisites 

 to success in growing plants from seed are 



Rolling. 



Treading. 



Mulching Boverlng 

 with Hay. with Board . 



vC'-.i-: 



Fig. 59. Covering Seed by the rule of the Seed's diam- 

 eter. Promoting Germination by Rolling etc. 



as follows: good seed, suitable soil, a proper 

 degree of temperature and of moisture, and 

 right methods of work. 



Procurinrj the Seed. With many reliable 

 seed houses located all over our country 

 there need be little difficulty in procuring a 

 stock of good seeds for all departments of 

 the garden. To trust one's orders to such 

 seedsmen as advertise regularly in reliable 

 horticultural journals would be a safe course 

 almost without exception. If there is a 

 regularly established dealer in your own 

 •Copyright, 1887, Popular Gardening Publishing Co. 



Dividing a Herbaceous 

 Perennial ilri^), the line a indicat- 

 ing Ijlace of cutting. 



town it will generally be safe to intrust 

 orders to him for filling. The seeds that are 

 on sale with grocers, druggists, etc., all over 

 the country and known as "commission 

 seeds" are in many, perhaps I should say in 

 most, cases unreliable, and should generally 

 be avoided by all who aim to possess a 

 complete garden. 



The Soil for Seeds. The soil in which 

 seeds are sown should be made as fine as 

 possible by proper tillage so that while fine 

 particles are 

 brought into 

 contact with 

 the seed and 

 the air can 

 readily pene- 

 trate to the 

 seeds and roots 

 it will at the 

 same time be 

 retentive of 

 moisture and 

 with having 

 the capillary 

 attraction i u 

 the soil broken 

 up. If the seed 

 is sown direct- 

 ly where the 

 crop is to be 

 raised the soil, 

 previously t o 

 sowing, should 

 in most cases be tilled deeply and be well 

 enriched after the methods described in 

 previous papers. In the case of starting 

 seeds in beds specially prepared and then 

 transplanting them, as is done with many 

 kinds, the depth of soil in these need not be 

 so great, for transplanting should ensue 

 before the roots have had a chance to 

 penetrate far. 



Temperature. Mistakes are often made 

 by the inexperienced in submitting seeds 

 and seedling plants to a wrong degree of 

 temperature, for to start seeds too warm or 

 too cold, if they grow at all, will be to re- 

 sult in producing feeble plants. For those 

 kinds classed as Hardy annuals, biennials 

 or perennials a temperature of the soil of 

 about .55° Fah. will be the most favorable to 

 growth. Half-hardy kinds will bear from 

 HO' to TO" to advantage while Tender kinds 

 will find above 70° the most congenial. In 

 sowing seeds, therefore, constant regards 

 must be haj:l to adapting the kinds to the 

 temperature, a thing easily done if one will 

 observe the hardiness of each kind as noted 

 throughout the pages to follow. But to 

 plant as one sometimes sees done, the hardy 

 annuals or biennials like Cabbage, Peas, 

 Turnips, etc., in 80° of heat, and the heat 

 loving class, including Squashes, Egg Plant 

 Martynia, etc, in a temperature of 45° is to 

 invite almost certain failure. 



Moisture. It is clear that seeds require 

 moisture to induce germination. Very 

 many failures in their sowing arise from 

 either the lack of sufficient and steady mois- 

 ture or from an excess of moisture which 

 may be quite as fatal. If on the one hand 

 the seed is provided with enough wetness to 

 cause it to swell and start sprouting and 

 afterwards is dried again the germ will be 

 killed; if on the other the seed bed is kept 

 heavily saturated with water the seeds may 

 sprout but fail to grow further for lack of 

 sufficient air. Only the .seeds of aquatic 

 plants will bear an unlimited amount of 

 moisture. 



Metliods of Sou'iiii.i. Provided the soil of 

 the seed bed is reduced to a proper degree of 

 fineness and its temperature is suited to the 

 seeds, then about all other requirements for 

 successful germination and growth may be 

 secured through the methods applied in 

 sowing. It is clear that seeds may be sown 

 at such a depth that there need be no lack 



