1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



161 



l,13fi. Oeraniam Leaves Diseased. You had 

 better throw all such diseased pluuts away and 

 start a fresh. I think that your plants are grow- 

 ing in imperfectly drained pots. You are also 

 giving them too high a night temperature, 45 de- 

 grees would be more suitable.— ('. K. P. 



1,UT. The Patent Old Oak Process is un- 

 doubtedly a great improvement on grafting, but 

 it is not a patent on grafting, the Stark Nurser- 

 ies took out a trade nmrk on the whole-rout sys- 

 tem for self i.ri.teetion. I am planting theii- 

 trees, I am sutislied that one tree grown on whole 

 root IS worth two grafted on pieces. W. M. J. 



1,145. Benuada Lily. Mine are grown in a 

 pot. They bloom in the Spring. The pot is set 

 out-doors when the weather is warm enough, 

 but not in the full sun. During winter they are 

 kept in the celler until they sprout.— Mrs. Rey- 

 nolds, McGregor, luu'a. 



1,1.54. Benewing a Orape Vine. Dig a trench 

 about eighteen inches deep, aud Long enough to 

 accomodate the old part of a vine. Gently un- 

 dermining the root, liend the \-ine over into the 

 trench and co\er, tying up the last year's growth 

 for a new ^^ne or vines as desired. The old vine 

 then will serve as so much more root. — Mrs. 

 Reynolds, McGregor, Imva. 



1,118. Library Window Plants. Geraniums 

 would head the list. Heliotropes, Azaleas, Da- 

 phne Odorata, Calla Lilies, some Cacti if you like 

 those, Abutilon, and the various kinds of Begon- 

 ias would place in the least sunny cornei-s. 

 Some (>ef)pie are very successful with the dark 

 leaved colors, which make such a pretty con- 

 trast with the Geraniums. It is a nice way to 

 have a jiainted wooden shelf put up at the win- 

 dow seats on iron brackets for the sots, and flow- 

 er pot brackets put up (ni each side of the win- 

 dow, perhaps three on each side and hanging 

 baskets suspended in the middle.— M. W. C. 



1,070. Strawberry Fertilizers. My experience 

 is that when the plants are set in good well 

 manured soil the best thing you can do is to cover 

 the ground with sawdust (this keeps down weeds 

 aud the fruit clean) and then put some good 

 phosphate around each stool or hill. 



1,073. Manures for Vegetables. 1 have found 

 nothing better for sandy soil than hen manure 

 and phosphate. I always sprinkle my hen 

 house with sand so as to have the sweepings 

 about one fifth of that article, and then I house 

 it in a large bin, and when spring comes I find 

 my bin contents are moist and line, and I then 

 mix about ten pounds of some good phosphate to 

 each bushel and this compound I have found to 

 be ahead of any manure. The phosphate 

 quickens the manure and does not injure it. — 

 \Vm. N. Hott, Hiiiii[>!ihirc Co., J/a-ss. 



1,087. Buckwheat Semedy for White Grab. 

 White grubs and wire worms apparently do not 

 eat the roots of buckwheat and if so thick a 

 stand of the crop can be obtained that there will 

 be no grass or weeds present on the roots of 

 which the grubs can feed, the desired effect will 

 probably follow.— C. M. Weed. 



1,123. BuBsian Apricots for Illinois, It is 

 claimed that these will endure a temperature of 

 40° below zero and can be grown where the 

 Peach will fail. You will have to keep the 

 curcuHo in subjection if a crop is desired— C.E.P. 



1,123. Chilian Beet Seed. This can be obtained 

 from J. M. Thorborn & Co., 15 John St., N.Y., or 

 V. H. Hallock, Queens, L. I.-C. B. P. 



1,121. Manure for Celery. Nothing better 

 than well-decayed stable manure well mixed 

 with the soil. I know of no hoe made specially 

 for banking up Celery.— C. E. P. 



1,130. Focklington Grape Grafting. You 

 can graft good sorts on them. I don't think that 

 you could get damages from the seller.— C. E. P. 



1,127. Onion Sets Growing. Your ground is 

 too rich; you should choose a poorer piece 

 of ground. — C. E. P. 



1.116. The Best Hardy Boses. The following 

 list I am certain will pro.ve satisfactory to any 

 one planting them: Anna de Diesbach, Paul 

 Neyron, Countess of Oxford, Capt. Christy, Gen. 

 Jacqueminot, La France, Magna Charta, Beauty 

 of W'altham, Mrs. Laxton, Perle des Blanches, 

 Prince C. de Kohan, Xavier OUbo.— C. E, P. 



1.117. Potato Growing. Early Rose or Beauty 

 of Hebron are both excellent varieties for the 

 New England States.— C. E. P. 



1,102. Chrysanthemum Mildewing. This can 

 be easily avoided by procuring a bottle of Hen- 

 derson's Mildew Mixture, and applying accord- 

 ing to the directions accompanying it.— C. E. P. 



1,101. Japan Chestnut Grafting. You cannot 

 graft the Japan Chestnut on Black Walnut or 

 Hickory.— C. E. P. 



1,091 . Worm Eating Currants. Try an appU- 

 cation of Henderson's Insect Death Powder, 

 Slug Shot or powdered white hellebore as soon as 

 the insects make their appearance.— C. E. P. 



1,112. Killing Locust Trees. Cut off the 

 sprouts with a'shaip hoe the instant they appear 

 above the ground.— C. E. P. 



l.iMi. Bed Mites in Greenhouses. Remove 

 them from the windows by washing. They can 

 be banished from the plants by spraying with 

 Cole's Insect Destroyer, or Fir-Tree Oil. 



1 ,10<i. Name of the Beefsteak Geranium. Sax- 

 ifraga Siirraentosa. 



1,108. Salsify Losing Flavor. Salsify often is 

 wanting in flavor when left in the ground over 

 winter. It can easily Iw avoided by taking up 

 the roots before freezing weather sets in. 



1,110. Watering Plants. Wlienever the earth 

 in pots, feels dry, water with warm water, using 

 enough to reach the lowest roots. 



1,134. Tree of Heaven for Canada. There are 

 several very serious objections to the Ailanthus. 

 It is almost impossible to eradicate it when it 

 once gets a foothold, and it throws up an im- 

 mense number of suckers. The flowers also 

 have a sickly odor. Nine chances in ten your 

 correspondent will regret it if he plants Ailan- 

 thus. 



1,1.55. Smoke Tree Blighting. Rhus Cotinus is 

 diaecious and only a portion of the trees produce 

 full clusters of fringe. 



1,156. A good Early Pear. The best early Pear 

 ripening before the Bartlett is Beurre Gifford. 

 It is of good size and of much better quality 

 then Bartlett, but it grows very slowly and for 

 this reason is not much planted. Clapp 's Favor- 

 ite is a very handsome large Pear of good quality 

 ripening just before Bartlett but the tree is quite 

 liable to blight and the fruit rots at the core and 

 must be used as soon as ripe. 



Doyenne de Ete is a very early and very pro- 

 ductive Pear of fair quality but small. O^ands 

 Summer is nearly as early, a little larger and a 

 very sweet and pleasant Pear. 



1,159. About the Kelsey Plum. The Kelsey 

 Plum will not succeed in Massachusetts. It is 

 only valuable at the South, The Botan would 

 probably succeed in New England, and is a valu- 

 able variety. 



1,167. Black Knot on Cherries. The Morello 

 and Pie Cherries are most liable to black knot 

 and the Dukes next, the Heart Cherries being 

 least affected, but with a systematic and -prompt 

 cutting out and burning all the diseased wood 

 any variety can be grown. 



1.134. Tree of Heaven {Ailanthus) for Canada. 

 At one time the Ailanthus was very extensively 

 planted as a street tree, and would not now be so 

 generally discai-ded- if its flowers did not emit 

 such an unpleasant odor, as they will thrive in 

 almost barren soil.— M. B. Faxon. 



1.135. Making Insecticides. One pound of 

 pure Paris Green or London Purple mixed 

 thoroughly with 100 pounds fine land paster 

 makes a most e-xcellent bug poison for Potato 

 bugs. If you use Paris Green or London Purple 

 in water use one pound to 200 gallons. M. B. F. 



l.lS-i Poultry Book. "Wright's Practical 

 Poultry Keeper" is a good work and can be pro- 

 cured of Popular Gardenlng. Price $2— C.E.P. 



1,13?. Sewer Gas and Plants. What Uttle sewer 

 gas there might be would hardly injure the plants; 

 perhaps they have either not enough or else too 

 much water and no sun. It is impossible to advise 

 without particulars. M. B Faxon. 



1,140. Lily Planting in Spring. Almost all 

 Lilies will bloom a little the first year but as a rule 

 one must wait until the bulbs are thoroughly estab- 

 lished before a good quantity of bloom can be ex- 

 pected. It takes two or three years to establish a 

 good blooming bed of Candidum or Auratum.— M. 

 B. Faxon. 



1,148. Wild Cuctunber Seeds Wanted. The 



seeds can be obtained of any seedsmen at a cost of 

 not over ten cents per package.— M. B . Faxon. 



1,163. How to Start Early Potatoes. About as 

 good a way as any is to take an old sod, cut it thick 

 and place in a shallow box grass side down ; then 

 cut your seed and place the cut pieces three inches 

 apart on the earth side of the sod. Over all sift 

 about two inches of good loam and place in the 

 greenhouse or a sunny window until well started 

 and you are ready to .set the young plants in the 

 open ground. Take a sharp knife and cut between 

 the plants right through earth and sod and set out in 

 rows as usual; the matted grass will hold the earth 

 firmly together about the plant and success is al- 

 most sure. After a Uttle practice it is easily done 

 and with most excellent results. Some gardeners 

 tise pots but it is twice the work.— M. B. Faxon. 



1,162. Propagating Hardy Boses. Hardy Hy 

 brid Perpetual Roses can be propagated by any of 

 the means employed for any Roses. Cut- 

 tings of this years' wood will root readily in sand 

 any time after the wood becomes firm. Layering 

 is usually the most satisfactory way for amateurs, 

 as it is certain and requires less care and trouble.- 

 M. B. F. 



1,153. Jackman Clematis Trimming If you 

 refer to the shoots which spring from the base of 

 the vine I would allow four or five of them to grow, 

 thatia if you have the space to train them.— C.E.P. 



1,143. Preparing Mushroom Beds. Take fresh 

 horse manure, and use nothing but the fine portion 

 of it, shaking out the straw. Mix this with fresh 

 loam, one part loam and two parts manure, and 

 turn every day to keep it from burning, imtil the 

 fiery heat is nearly all out of it. Prepare the bed 

 about four feet wide, and as long as required; put 

 in the preparation about eight inches deep making 

 it very solid as it is put in. Let it remain in this 

 condition until temperature has become reduced to 

 90°. make holes two or three inches deep into which 

 put the spawn, in pieces about as large as an egg, 

 and at a distance of twelve inches apart each way; 

 cover the spawn and let it remain for eight or ten 

 days, then cover the whole bed with fine loam to 

 the depth of two inches, making it firm with the 

 back of a shovel or spade. The bed must be in a 

 covered situation, and the prepared soil kept free 

 from the beginning and in a dark place with the 

 temperature about 50°. If everything is favorable 

 the mushrooms will appear in from six to eight 

 weeks. As regards watering, every grower must 

 use his own judgment — M. B. Faxon. 



1,143. Preparing Mushroom Beds. This is not 

 a good time to make Mushroom beds. I have had 

 excellent success with beds made any time from 

 September let to January 1st, Hy plan is to get a 

 sufficient quantity of fresh horse manure, discard- 

 ing all the long straw and as much of the short 

 straw as possible, throw into a pile in an open shed 

 till it commences to heat, then mix about one-third 

 its bulk of sod from an old pasture, previously 

 chopping the sod to pieces with a spade; as soon as 

 it gets thoroughly heated through, turn it and mix- 

 it again. I find it best to let some of the rank heat 

 pass off in this way before making up the beds, 

 which is done in the following manner: Spread a 

 thin layer of the mixture where you have decided 

 on having your bed, then thoroughly beat it with a 

 wooden mallet or brick till it is perfectly solid, then 

 spread another layer and beat in the same way and 

 so on till the bed is ten inches thick and as solid as 

 it is possible to make it; now insert a thermometer 

 in the center of the bed. the heat will perhaps rise 

 to 120°, and then gradually subside; when it gets 

 down to 85° it is ready to insert the spawn. Break 

 the bricks of spawn into pieces the size of a pigeon 

 egg, and insert one or two pieces into holes made 

 about ten inches apart and two inches deep all 

 over the bed, fill the holes with the mixture and 

 give the bed another moderate beating, let it re- 

 main two weeks, then cover with two inches of 

 good fresh soil. If in a dark cellar with a uniform 

 heat of 55 or 60°, you may look for Mushrooms in 

 about from four to six weeks, if the cellar is not 

 dark cover over the bed with six inches of straw or 

 hay, if the cellar is not too dry no water will be 

 required till the Mushrooms appear, but it the sur- 

 face of the bed should get dry, sprinkle with water 

 heated to a temperature of 85°. The greatest diffi- 

 culty will be in keeping your cellar at the right 

 temperature, if too cold the Mushrooms will prob- 

 ably not make their appearance till spring, emd 

 then the air will be too dry to get a fair crop. I 

 grow them in a house built on purpose and heated 

 with hot-water pipes, which makes a very simple 

 affair— H. Tono 



1,046. Lawn Grass Seed, If an honest seedsman 

 is asked the direct question what is the best lawn 

 gras?, I think the reply will almost invariably be 

 either " Kentucky Blue Grass and White Clover, or 

 the Blue Grass alone," and that the "* lawn mix- 

 tures " are gotten up to satisfy a demand from those 

 who want to pay fancy prices, or to have an excuse 

 for big profits. 



1,114. Onion Seed. Probably it is not generally 

 best to risk planting old Onion seed, but soaking in 

 warm water will improve the vegetating power of 

 such seed. 



1,093. Suitable Plants for a Bockery. One of 



the greatest errors made in building rockeries con- 

 sists in making a stiff and formal pile of stones. 

 The principal beauty of a rockery comes from the 

 rough and rugged appearance, yet it is possible to 

 overdo it even in this respect, and it should be the 

 aim to imitate the very best specimens of wild nat- 

 ural scenery. 1 think it is better to make up a 

 mound of rich earth with some coarse material to 

 prevent it from being too compact, and place the 

 stones afterwards, ffiling earth among them. This 

 allows more root room than beginning at the bottom 

 with stones. — Wm. F. Bassett, Hammonion, N. J 

 1,146. Best Early Tomato. During the last 

 three years the Mikado has been our best early To. 

 mato, coming in last year 10 days before Dwarf 

 Champion and 14 days before Optimus. planted 

 side by side. We grow 8 or 10 kinds annually. 1 

 I find a great deal depends on the soil and situation ; 

 some early kinds rotting so badly as to be worthless 

 here.— H. Tong. 



1,158. Destroying Moles. Nothing better than 

 a good trap. Procure one or two, and faithfully 

 follow the directions which accompany them.— C. 

 E. Parnell. 



1,168. Gladiolus Changing Color. There is a 

 mistake somewhere. Your choice varieties must 

 have become mixed with the red and yellow types 

 and in planting you have selected the largest bulbs 

 which almost invariably produce the red and yel- 

 low tiowers. Another season store more carefully, 

 and plant all the smaller bulbs. Your plants may 

 bloom so late that the season is too short to enable 

 them to properly matmre the seed.— C. E. Parneix. 



