138 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



March, 



Correavondents are urged to anticipate the season in pre- 

 senting miestiona. To ask, for instance, on April lb or 2D 

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

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

 would be unseasonable . Questions receivedbefore the \4rh 

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

 nfxt paper. Not more than three questions should be sent 

 at one time. Answers to questions bearing on t„e com- 

 parative t>alue of implements, etc., offered by different 

 dealers must nothe expected. Neither c<in we promise to 

 comply xciih the reauest sometimes made to "please answer 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following. , , ^ 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. In anstcering such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

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



1.131. Becoming 1 a Landscape Gardener. A 

 school boy would like bints on preiiariiiK bimself for 

 this professiOTi.— West, .S'^ Johnsbury, 17. 



1.132. Poultry Book. Which Is the best tor one who 

 knows nothing of the business ?— D. C. Elmira, N. Y. 



1.133. Best Banana for Texas. What one is suita- 

 ble for the amateur. How cultivated ?— Mrs. N. C. B., 

 Sweetwater, Tex. 



1,1^. Treeoi Heaven (4i7auf/tMs)for Canada. Is it 

 desirable tor this latitude ?-W. W. R., Toronto, Ont. 



1,135. Making Insecticides. What proportion of 

 Paris green or Louiiou purple should be used; how to 

 make Kerosene emulsion ?— J. D. W.. .Savanah, Ga. 



l,13(i. Geranium Leaves Diseased. They become 

 cup shaped in window culture, temperature 50° at night. 



I.IST. Sewer Gas and Plants. May plants in a bath 

 room having a water closet, have died. Is the gas the 

 cause ?— F. C. T.. Brooklyn. N. Y. 



1.139. Grapes in the Mohawk Valley. Would they 

 be profitable here ? We have occasional frost about 

 blooming time: they do well in gardens. Small fruits 

 are largely grown.— D. R., Frankfurt, N. T. 



1.139. Heating Hot-beds with Boiler, (a) Could 

 not a hot-bed thus be heated having a flow and return 

 pipe. (61 To what length might itberun?— H. R, .S„ 

 Bracondale, Ont. 



1.140. Lily Planting in Spring. Would Lllium spe. 

 ciosum elegans, Kramer's and Hanlson's If planted 

 this spring, bloom this year ? 



1.141. Iris Planting. What time is best, spring or 

 fall ?— W., Onida Co.. N. Y. 



1.142. Propagating Rhododendrons. The easiest 

 and cheapest method V— A. .S., Woodstock, Xd. 



1.143. Preparing Mushroom Beds. How should 

 this be done, using brick spawn ? Will they suceed in 

 cellars in the winter?— G. P. D., Rockford, III. 



1.144. Arbor Vitae of Canada, la) Is this our native 

 Canadian Cedar or the conical Cedar of the Hudson 

 river, N. Y .? (h) Can the lacer be raised from seed / I 

 have often failed with it.— J. M.K.,—Liitsay, Can. 



1, 14,";. Bermuda Lily Treatment. How should this 

 be managed ?-Mes. T. S„ Bedding, Conn. 



1.146. Best Early Tomato. Which variety answers 

 tothls?— .1. H., Slerino.lhit. 



1.147. The Patent Old Oak Process of growing nur- 

 sery stock is advertised out west. Can any one speak 

 as to its value, etc.— T. H. B., Louisville, Ky. 



1.148. Wild Cucumber Seeds Wanted. Where can 

 they be had, and the cost V-J. E. L., Cotoi-odo Springs. 



1,149 Almond for Peach Stock. Has any one tried 

 the Hard Shell, as a preventive of the borer ?— W. C. D . 

 Pratt, Kan. 



1.150. Keeping Onions from Sprouting. How can 

 this be done In North Carolina when kept over winter? 

 B. J. F., Ashbon, N. C. 



1.151. Wintering Scions, Cuttings, etc. What is the 

 best way for this ? 



1.152. Propagating Hardy Roses. Which is the best 

 method for amateurs ?— J. M., Delaware, Iowa. 



1.153. Jackman Clematic Trimming. Is it the 

 best, to keep these all back to oue shoot or allow all to 

 grow ?— W. T., Saugus, Mass. 



1,151. Renewing a Grape Vine' Will an old Brigh- 

 ton make new wood If cut to the grotmd ? 



1,155. Smoke Tree [Rhus cotinus) Blighting. The 

 blooms on my tree never mature, why Is It ? 



1,15(1. A Good Early Pear. I want one that will 

 ripen just before the Barlett. 



1,157. Late Cherries. Which Is the latest variety? 

 also one that would directly follow Gov. Wood.— 

 E. P. C, Attleboro, 31a.vs. 



1,1.58. Destroying Moles. How can this best be 

 done?— W. F. K., Rediving, Minn. 



1,159. About the Kelsey Plum. Would it do well in 

 this section; Is It generally desirable ?— W. E. P., Feed- 

 ing Bill, Masb. 



l,15:i. Azalea Leives Dying. The leaf tips first 

 look as if they we.-c b irned, beginning with the oldest, 

 and spreadi'i'.; over t.ic whole plant, which then dies. 

 Can anything be done ? 



l.iei. Wistaria Sinensis Hardy. Will it stand be 

 tween 34° and 50" below zero?— R. S. S., Winnipeg, 

 Manitoba. 



1.162. White Grape Information, (o) What is the 

 best for market. (&) Tlie best quality alone considered, 

 (c) Is Moore's Diamond, early, hardy and giving gene- 

 ral satisfactioj ?— D. W. Mc, Menlo, loira. 



1.163. How to Start Early Potatoes. How Is this 

 best done ?— C. J. P., Port Perry, Ont. 



1.164. Grape Production. What is the yearly Vine- 

 yard product of the United States? 



1.165. General United States Agricultural Statis- 

 tics. What is the liest sort of information open to 

 Canadians?— E. D.. Winoito, f>nt. 



1.166. Cherries for Market. Are Cherries profit 

 able? Which are the best varieties? 



1.167. Black Knot on Cherries. Which sorts are 

 the least atfected by this fuugus?— .S. C. S., Livermore. 



1.168. Gladiolus Changing Color. No matter what 

 color mine are the first year, the next they Invariably 

 come in the old style of reil and yellow type. Why do 

 my plants not seed? — L. M. D., Attleboro Falls, Mass. 



1,169 Growing Fennel. What treatment does the 

 Celery-rooted sort require?— D. R„ Sulphur Springs, O, 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



1,046, Lawn Orass Seed, white riover is used 

 with lawn Grass seed in the proportion of a 

 quart to a bushel, I would not, however, 

 advise its use.— C. E. P. 



1,0-19. Eubber Plant Treatment. I would not 

 sponge off the leaves so freely; unless they are 

 very dusty once a week will be sufficient. Water 

 should be" given tborouj^hly whenever required. 

 An occasional waterioff with soot water will be 

 of the greatest benefit — C. E. P. 



1,050. Watering Passion Flowers. While the 

 plant is growing it can be well supplied with 

 water both overhead and at the roots but when 

 in a state of rest it should be kept rather dry. 

 Liquid manure can be given once a week duriiig 

 the season of growth, with satisfactor.v results. 



977. Transplanting Celery, Pull plants all of 

 a size, or as near as possible, set a bo.x on edge 

 and put in some soil, then a row of plants, then 

 more soil, another row of plants and so on until 

 the box is full. The soil should only be the depth 

 of the length of the roots. Now turn the box up 

 which places the plants in an upright position. 

 Water well and set in the shade for about two or 

 three days or until young roots begin to push. 

 Cari-y the box to the field and set plants in the 

 trench in the afternoon and by morning they 

 will have taken hold. Plants should be puddled 

 in mud pre\ious to setting. Cabbage set this 

 way will all gi'ow. Ky this method transplanting 

 is unnecessary.— W. T. Alan, Merrer Cn., Pa. 



980. White Grubs Eating Strawberries. Sow 

 salt over the land, a good big handful to every 

 st«p in early spring. A few days after, if ground 

 is in condition, harrow the ground over and 

 cross harrow and you will be surprised with a 

 large crop.— W. T. Alan. 



1,113. Sowing Sweet Peas. I have had excel- 

 lent success with Sweet Peas by planting the seed 

 as early in spring as the ground can be worked. 

 Frost will not hurt the .vouug plants nor is there 

 much danger of the seed rotting in the ground. 

 — E. S. Gorr. 



1,11-t. Onion Seed is not really "good" when 

 more than a year old. A portion of the seed will 

 grow the second spring after it is harvested. 

 Later than this it is nearly or quite worthless. 



1,128. Pruning Fruit Trees. Apple trees may 

 be pruned during mild days in February or 

 March. Remove all dead limbs and where two 

 branches interlock, remove the smaller one. 

 Thin the branches chiefly toward the outside of 

 the tree in order to avoid cutting off larger limbs. 

 If the latter must be cut off, use a fine tooth saw 

 and saw the limb about half off, from the under 

 side first, and a little way from the base of the 

 branch. Then saw the branch off from the upper 

 side close to the base. This precaution will pre- 

 vent the branch from splitting down. The 

 same directions apply to tbe Crab. The Plum 

 requires less pruning. Long shoots should be 

 cut back in order to keep the tree in a symmet- 

 rical form. Where branches grow too thickly 

 they should be tliinued, but it is much better to 

 rub off su|>i'rHuoiis shiiotsas they start, than to 

 permit thciu to grow and then cut them off, as 

 the latter iirocess induces gumming. The Cherry 

 requires little pruning and should be pruned 

 during summer if at all to avoid the formation 

 of gum.— E. S. GOFr. 



1,127. Onion Sets may be pulled before they 

 are ripe if this is desirable. 



1,132. Chilian Beet Seed, The Large ribbed 

 Scarlet Brazilian Beet is very similar to the 

 scarlet Chilian if it is not identical with it, and 

 may be had of leading seedsmen.— E. S. Gopf. 



1,085. An Underground Cellar for Celery. We 



have kept Celery in that way and this is how we 

 did it. Simply.excavate three feet deep, of suit- 

 able dimensions, throwing the earth and grading, 

 so as to have the bottom about four feet below 

 ground level. We then put in strong chestnut 

 posts with tops sawed square at surface of 

 ground on which we spiked the plates, we walled 

 up the sides with old railroad sills, and through 

 the centre ran another line of posts, on which 

 the ridge pole was made fast. Boards were made 

 to reach from plate to lidge, laid double, and 

 covered over with old cornstalks. The door was 

 in the front end, a few steps down, window in 

 other end, gables boarded on both sides of 2x4 

 studding, filled in with sawdust. This makes a 



cheap .iob, but look out for rats. A house or 

 cellar Wx9i, will hold about 12,000 plants, for 

 which drive some stakes 18 inches apart, and nail 

 on a board the long way of cellar.— M.Garrah AN. 



1,077. Toadstools on the Lawn, Probably 

 you refer to the puff balls which were unusually 

 numerous last summer. Hand gathering them is 

 the only remedy. But, wait a minute: Next 

 summer, send a specimen to some cryptogamic 

 botanist and find out precisel.y what it is; if they 

 are common puff balls, eat them and save your 

 butcher's bill; they are one of the dainty good 

 things of this earth.— VVm. Falconer. 



1,090. Springs for a Fruit Marketing Wagon. 



A good temporary spring for such a purpose, 

 used in this section and much liked is made same 

 as a spiral spring bed, only made to just suit the 

 wagon box. It can be easily removed and is not 

 very expensive.— Ira D. Hill, Boone Co., HI, 



1,100. Japan Persimmons in Illinois. In shel- 

 tered situations in the southern part of the State 

 some of the varieties will prove hardy, but they 

 will not succeed at the north, aud I question, if 

 anywhere in the State they will ripen good edible 

 fruit. Here on Long Island we have some varie- 

 ties that, in a well sheltered part, are hardy 

 enough seemingly and bear fruit every year,but 

 the fruit has not been well enough developed 

 and matured to be worth eating. Some other 

 varieties again have succumbed, even with pro- 

 tection. Protecting fruit trees by any other 

 means than slielter belts is more than the game 

 is worth.— Wm. Falconek. 



1,060. Ferns as House Plants, In addition to 

 Mr. Parnell's list, page 105, let me add Aspidiiim 

 falcatum, which I think is the best of all house 

 Ferns. You can make a pretty fern basket in 

 this way: take a wire basket, an ox muzzle will 

 go first rate— then get a thin sod of the wild 

 Polypody and line the basket with this keeping 

 the growing side out, then in the middle of the 

 basket you can plant any other sort of Fern or 

 plant you wish, the Polypody will leaf out and 

 grow very prettily. In the far west, Polypodium 

 falcatum answers the same jiurpose.- W. F. 



1,087. Buckwheat Bemedy for White Grub. 

 Buckwheat may be so distasteful to some grubs 

 as to make them seek other quarters, but have 

 not known of an instance and doubt it. — N. E. 



1,090. Springs for a Fruit Marketing Wagon. 



Try short spiral springs attached to a duplicate 

 floor for your wagon, a row near each side and 

 one in the middle; their number and strength 

 should be in proportion to the weight they are 

 to bear.— N. E. 



1.095. Pear Growing, They should do well on 

 low ground with good care provided the drains 

 are not liable to be flooded from the creek. — N.E. 



1.096. Bnerre, D'Anjou Blighting. This Pear 

 seldom blights in this section, and grows the best 

 in a strong lo:im with a clayey subsoil free from 

 standing water.— New Enolander. 



1,098. Quince Trees. A temperature of 30° 

 below zero for a short time would not harm them 

 much, nor do them any good. To what age they 

 will grow, or live, depends on the situation in 

 which they are planted, and the care they re- 

 ceive. Have seen them giving fair crops for 

 40 years with prospect for longer service.- N. E. 



1.095. Pear Growing. I would not advise 

 planting Standard Pears oic tuch low soil.— C. B. 



1.096. Baerre de Anjou Blighting, This varie- 

 ty is much less liable to blight than many other 

 standard sorts, such as Clapp's Favorite, Bart- 

 lett, etc.— Chas. Black. 



1,9s. The Quince is injured at 30° below zero, 

 though it mav do in the west if mulched hea^'ily 

 in the tall.— C. B. 



1.100. Japanese Persimmons will not stand in 

 Illinois with any protection that could be 'given 

 them.-C. B. 



1.101. Japan Chestnut Grafting. They cannot 

 be grafted on Hickory or Walnut, but.can be on 

 the American Sweet Chestnut.— C. B. 



1,125. More About Kinking Hose. It can be 

 got of any large seedsman East, and suppose it 

 could be found in the West; it sells here at 15 

 cents per foot.— Charles Black. 



1,137. Propagating Grapes by Grafting or Cut- 

 tintrs. Graft under ground by common cleft 

 without wax, putting the soil up firmly around 

 the graft instead, either very early in spring or 

 after the buds begin to swell. Grafts should be 

 as near the condition of the stock as possible. 

 Cut cuttings two to three buds long soon after 

 the leaf falls. Tie in bunches and bury below 

 frost, and put out early in spring. 



1,127. Onions set Growing. PuU the set up as 

 soon as the bulbs are formed large enough, and 

 let them get about half dry, then remove them 

 into some sheltered place, spreading them out 

 thinly to dry. The bulbs must be formed before 

 they are pulled or they will be no good. 



1,117. Potato Growing. As Maine is the ban- 

 ner state for Potato growing in "New England," 

 I would suggest sending for Jerrard's Potato 

 Catalogue, advertised in Popular (Gardening, 

 in which I think the desired information may be 

 found.— New Englandek, Worcester Co., Mass. 



