i6o 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



April, 



Carrespondmts are urgfd to anUotpaU the itaton In pre- 

 eentina mestiona. To ask, for inslanee, on Apnt 16 or 20 

 JhatPeSrfuid beat be sown, could bring no answer in 

 nuTMay issue, and uone before June, when the answer 

 tiould be unseasonable. Questions received before the 12ft 

 of any month stand a good chance of being ansnxredmthe 

 riext paper. Not more than three questions should be sent 

 at o^Time. Answer, to questions bearing on the eom^ 

 iarative rvalue of implements, etc., offered by different 

 balers must notU expected, keither can we promise to 

 comply wiih the request sometimes made to "please answer 

 by mail." Inmirles appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following. *„,«„ ™,„ 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 re^Hrs. In answering such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for pubhcatton, untess 

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



1.170. Everblooming Roses. What kind.s would do 

 best grafted on wild stock?— W. A. WiUiams Bridge, N. T 



1.171. Propagating the Oleander. What Is the best 

 method? 



1.172. Grabs or Cut Worms in Greenhonses. How 

 can they be destroyed? 



1.173. Protecting Cloth for Hotbeds. WTiere can it 

 be obtained?— F. O. S.. Ashland. Wis. 



1.174. Destroying Green Stumps. What acids or 

 other chemicals can be used for this purpose?-J. A. 

 M., Kina.iville, Kg. 



1,157. Directions for Cultivating Various Flowers. 

 How shall 1 treat Autigonon Leptosus, Capsidlum, 

 Sallcltolium, Bryophylluni Calyclnum, Llbonla Pen- 

 rhoslensls and Amary His? Please give plain directions. 



1.176. Industry Gooseberry. Does it miIdew?-A.L, 

 R., Buffalo, N. T. 



1.177. Bulletin of Stations and Department of 

 Agriculture. How can they be obtained?— F. H. B. 

 ,Scriba. N. T. 



1.\1S. Hardiness of Chinese Peaches. What can 

 Mr. D. B. Weir tell us about this subject? 



1.179. Idaho Pear and Prunus Simoni. How are 

 they succeeding with Prof. .1. L. Budd, in Iowa?— F. O. 

 M., 'Hanover, Neb. 



1.180. Turnips. What are the best sorts early and 

 late?— .T. B, S., Mobile, Ala. 



1181. Exhibiting Potatoes. How shall Potatoes be 

 arranged tor exhibition? Shall a bushel or a peck of 

 each sort be shown?-A. B., iVt. Carmel, III. 



1182. Fertilizers, How many pounds of fertilizers 

 to an acre for vegetables for profit? I have no manure. 

 —X. Y. Z., Fred erica, Iowa. 



1,183. Cantelope Melons. WUl some reader state 

 the best varieties and say when they should be 

 planted?— A. M. N., Philadelphia, Pa. 



1,1W. Apples for New England. What kinds are 

 best for market purposes in an orchard of one hundred 

 trees?— W. H P., Arlington, iifo-ss. 



1,135. Wild Flowers of Massachusetts. Is there 

 any publiciitlou containing a list of the common wild 

 flowers of this state, and where can it be obtained?— 

 E. P. S., .'ijiringfleld, Mass. 



1.186. House Plants. I want to have some house 

 plants but do not know how to grow them. Any In- 

 formation would oblige.— Flowers, Chicago, III. 



1.187. Trees for Street. What trees are best and 

 what will they cost?-T, A. J., Ware, Mass. 



1.188. Betula Papyracea. I notice in an agricultural 

 journal that this tree is highly spoken of; kindly tell 

 me what it is and where I can get one.— P. W. S., 

 Columbus, Ohio. 



1.189. Hardy Perennials. Will some reader name a 

 dozen or so good hardy perennials; I wish to plant a 

 tew this spring?— Reader, Hartford, Conn. 



1,19 '. Wood Ashes. Are wood ashes of much value 

 as a fertilizer; that is, are they worth $20 per ton, the 

 average price charged by dealers?— C. O. F., P?-oci- 

 dence, R, I. 



1.191. Fringed Gentian. Where can Gentiana 

 Crlnlta be obtained. -A . A. N„ Chaffee, N. T. 



1.192. Vegetable Crops on Red Clay Soil. I have 

 (our acres of solid red clay grass land under- 

 laid with limestone plowed last fall. How should 

 it he treated this season to grow a good crop of vegeta- 

 bles and what crops wouid best succeed.- Reader, 

 Buffalo, N. T. 



1.193. Classification of Roses. I do not understand 

 what is meant by Hybrid, Perpetual. Everblooming, 

 Teas. etc. Will some one kindly enlighten me?— E. R., 

 Waverlg, Iowa, 



1.195. Spraying Apparatus. Flease tell us where we 

 can get the necessary apparatus for spraying Grape 

 vines with sulphate of copper mixtures- G. B. W.. 

 Warsaw, Ills. 



1.196. Echeverias for Bedding Out, How are they 

 giown and how and when propagated?— F. W. J., 

 Narragansett Pier, R. I. 



1.197. Single Rose. Have seen a sort with bluish 

 leaves and delicate pink blossom. What kind is 

 it and where could I get one.— Rose, Long Island. 



1.198. Large Flowers in Chrysanthemums. How- 

 should the plants be treated to obtain large flowers? 

 Shall I allow the* shoots,' from the old stock above 

 ground to grow, or must new plants with new roots be 

 used? How many'stems should be left to grow from 

 old roots in border when there was but one last year? 



1.199. Varieties of Chrysanthemums. Name the 

 best twelve.— J. H. W., Bristol, Pa. 



1.200. Plums for Massachusetts. What varieties 

 can be recommended for home use?— E. L. R., Spring, 

 flchl, Mass. 



1 .201. Cure for Ants. My flower pots and boxes get 

 full of black and red ants. They also work on my 

 Roses. What can I do for them? 



1.202. Grapevine Leaf Roller. I would like to know 

 a remedy for the small green worms that curl up In 

 Grape leaves in July and do much damage to my vines 

 every summer.— S. P., Galveston, Texas. 



1.203. Shrimp Refuse as a Fertilizer. I can get 

 shrimp refuse (heads and shells) here at the canneries 

 for little more than the hauling four miles. Will it 

 pay to use it extensively to apply on light saudy soil 

 far from rich, for Strawberries? And how had It best 

 be treated? Shall I compost It with leaf mold, or add 

 a proportion of muriate or sulphate of potash or cotton 

 meal? 



1.204. Address Wanted. Can you give me the name 

 of any firm in New York who put up evaporated Apple 

 juice tn bulk for sale?— W. O., Biloxie, Miss. 



1,2 '5. Paper Flower Pots. Such light pots are used 

 quite extensively for shipping on the Continent of 

 Europe, to save shipping expenses. Can they be ol>- 

 tained here and where?— F. T., Marietta, O. 



1.206. Soap Suds. What is the best way of utilizing 

 the washing suds from the kitchen for the garden?— 

 AMATEUR, Virginia. 



1.207. Apples on French Paradise Stock. I would 

 like to hear the report of one who has tried them, 

 whether they can be considered satisfactory for orna- 

 ment or practical use.— N. C. R., Luxemburg. 



1.208. Forcing Tomatoes. I have had trouble in get- 

 ting the fruit to set. Probably the house was kept too 

 damp. How can we guard against excess of moisture? 

 —Amateur, Canandaigua. 



1.209. Mulberries With Imperfect Flowers. I have 

 quite a number of Russian Mulberry trees. All fiower 

 freely, but one only bears fruit. Do the others 

 bear only male flowers?— J. H., Kent, Ohio. 



1.210. Purple-Leaved Beech. Will it succeed in 

 Missouri?— Mrs. J. O. D., Eirkwood, Mo. 



1.211. Liquid Putty. How is it made and how ap- 

 plied. Report by one who has used it Is desired.- G. 

 C., Niagara Co., X. Y. 



1.212. Planting Blackberry Roots. Should Black- 

 berry root cuttings, about three Inches long, be started 

 in a hotbed or can they be planted directly in open 

 ground?— E. A. M., Pawnee City, Neb. 



1.213. How to Obtain Pitch from Pine Trees. 

 What method is used in South Carolina?— M. C. 

 DeSoto Co., Fla. 



1.214. Dwarf Peach. Is this of any value?— P. B., 

 Mt. Carmel, Ills. 



1.215. Grafting Apples, Plums and Cherries. 1 

 would like to have full directions. I have tried and 

 failed and a young nurseryman to whom I gave the 

 Job failed also.— D. T., Monmouth, Ills. 



1.216. Bottom Heat and Plant Growth, Does bot- 

 tom heat really tend to stimulate root growth of 

 forced vegetable crops more than top growth, and 

 heat from above top growth more than root growth? 

 Practical observations only are desired,— R, S„ Mon- 

 mouth Co,, N. J. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



1,122. Chilian Beet Seed. Beets with orna- 

 mental foliage are becoming more popular, their 

 foliage ilocs not show any effects from frost for 

 several weeks after (^'oleus, Cannas, Geraniums, 

 etc., are killed and black. There are several 

 varieties, and the cost is about 10 cents per 

 package. Any seedsman can now supply 

 the seed.— M. B. Faxon. 



1,124. Orchid Information. .T. W. M. cannot 

 do better than buy some good work on the culti- 

 vation of Orchids, which will answer the 

 questions asked.— M. B. F. 



1.129. Worden Orape Cnttings. Although not 

 as popular in Illinois as Concord, Ives and 

 Martha, yet many consider the Worden Grape 

 better than the Concord; it is a trifle earUer and 

 a very valuable variety.— M. B. F. 



1.130. Focklington Grape Cuttings. Sorry you 

 were cheated. Grape vines can be purchased so 

 cheaply of parties who make a specialty of 

 growing them that I think you will do as well to 

 throw away your worthless varieties and buy 

 some good sorts. Concord and Ives do well in 

 Illinois. Your chances of getting damages on a 

 dozen "^ines are very small, and it would cost 

 more money and trouble than all the "vines 

 you need are worth. — M. B. F, 



1,104. Good Grapes for Virginia. The follow- 

 ing five sorts are the best five sorts for your 

 state: Concord, Delaware, Ives, Norton's Vir- 

 ginia and Worden. The following kinds are all 

 good and will do well in any part of Virginia: 

 Brighton, Clinton, Goethe, (Roger's No. 1), Hart- 

 ford, lona, Lindle.v, (Soger's No. 9), Martha, 

 Salem, (Roger's No. .52), and Scuppernong. The 

 following are of recent introduction, but prom- 

 ise to be valuable additions to the Grapes of your 

 state: Lady, Moore's Early, Telegraph and 

 Walter.— M. B. Faxon. 



1,114. Onion Seed- I would not sow any that 

 is over one year old.— C. E, P. 



1,113. Sowing Sweet Peas. Sow just as early 

 as the ground can be prepared in a deep, moder- 

 ately enriched soil. — C. E. P. 



1,100. Japan Persimmons in Illinois. They 

 will not be likely to prove hardy with you.— CE.P 



1,091. Worm Eating Currants. Try powdered 

 hellebore on your Currant bushes; it keeps off 

 all insects with me.— M. B. F. 



1,147. The Patent Old Oak Process of growing 

 nursery stock is a new wrinkle to me, having 

 only recently heard of it. I suspect from hints 

 that it is^the growing of Apple grafts on a whole 

 seedling or stock, instead of cutting the roots 

 into pieces as is the usual practice with nursery- 

 men. I have long advocated this mode, but at 

 the low prices of Apple trees, it don't pay unless 

 a better price be paid for the trees. Many 

 years ago I grafted a lot of two-year seedlings, 

 using a whole root for each one and they made 

 trees the first season as large and stocky as the 

 ordinary gi-afts are in two years. If not mis- 

 taken, Mr. Barry, of Rochester, some years ago 

 wrote that what he considered root gi-afts were 

 but one whole root to a graft. At the time I 

 endorsed the idea and have not changed my 

 mind on the subject. If wrong in my surmise, 

 and some one knows what this Old Oak process 

 really means, let him speak out.— S. Miller. 



1,067. Are Angleworms in any Way Hnrtfoll 



They may or may not be of use in the open 

 ground, but I prefer not to have them in soil 

 used under cover, my experience having been 

 that nine times out of ten a sickly, feeble plant 

 will be found to be in soil that contains angle 

 worms, to say nothing of the nuisance of their 

 castings on the surface.— G, H, M. 



1,070. Strawberry Fertilizers. I find bone- 

 dust, wood ashes and Tobacco stems the best. If 

 one can get enough the latter are splendid 



1,047. Bemedy for Tomato Bot. One year I 

 planted out about two acres, a part being about 

 two weeks earlier than the other, so as not to 

 have them all come on together. The first I 

 planted did not rot near so badly as the later 

 ones, for what reason I do not know. They were 

 of the same lot of plants and conditions were alike, 

 but the last seemed to be affected as soon as they 

 got as large as Walnuts.— M. T. Thompson. 



1,049. Bnbber Plant Treatment. The Fious 

 Elastica will stand considerable abuse. The 

 proper time to water it is when the soil appears 

 dry on the surface. Sponging the leaves daily 

 will not hurt it, but no plant should be left in a 



§Iace where dust accumulates so as to necessitate 

 aily sponging.— Geo. Basting 



1,069. Ferns as House Plants. The Maiden 

 Hair, or varieties of Adiantums are splendid for 

 the window, A Farleyense and Gracillimum 

 are pretty and I would add Pteris serrulata, 

 tremula and argyrsea. Do not expose them to 

 hot sunshine nor let them get dry.— G. B. D. 



1,060. About Artemisias, Artemisia Absin- 

 thimum grows easily from seed and is hardy. 

 The first and second year after that it is apt to 

 die out, so one must keep on raising from seed or 

 dividing roots in spring. A. Draeunculus or 

 Tari-agon requires about the same treatment. 

 Formerly the t'lu*ysanthemums were included 

 with the Artemisias but these cannot be called 

 hardy perennials, though they live out some- 

 times. The Artemisias got their classical name 

 from the Greeks, by whom it was dedicated to 

 Artemis.— Geo. Basting Diemer. 



816. Water in Heating Pipes in Summer. By 



all means keep your pipes full to the brim of the 

 expansion tanks. Did you ever put a piece of 

 iron in water and leave it submerged for some 

 time? Tou will have found it did not change 

 much while covered with water, but as soon as 

 you took it out and exposed it to the atmosphere 

 it began to corrode quite rapidly, therefore keep 

 the air from rusting the inside of your pipes. 



1,067. Are Angleworms in any Way Hurtful'! 

 I have never seen them do any good. Whenever 

 I knock a plant out of a pot I can feel by the 

 way the earth sticks to the sides whether there is 

 one or more worms in it. Such infested balls are 

 generally in a poor plight. The earth is baked 

 into lumps and the roots are always in a more or 

 less poor condition and as the roots so are the 

 plants. I wonder in whose brain the idea orig- 

 inated that angleworms are useful to keep 

 the ground porous? 



1,016. Chip Manure Insects. I have never 

 been troubled from insects in this way. What 

 little chip manure I have used has always been of 

 benefit so far as I have been able to determine. 

 To destroy the insects I would suggest the fol- 

 lowing plan. Moisten the chips, then dust them 

 over with superphosphate (there are few if any 

 insects I believe that can withstand this) letting 

 the manure remain on a pile for a week or two 

 before using.— W. C. Jennison, Middlesex Co., 

 Mass. 



10,01. Sawdust Uulch, The resin contained in 

 Pine sawdust is too strong for some plants. Why 

 not compost it ivith "gas lime" or something that 

 while having the quality to change its composi- 

 tion, would add to its fertilizing power?— J. 



1,052. Floor for Greenhouse, I should dig 

 down into the hard pan and then lay timbers and 

 put a good floor on these, or a still better though 

 more expensive floor could be made liy using 

 water Ume and sand on top of the graded and 

 rolled hard pan.— W. N, Hoyt. 



