1889- 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



191 



934. Liliain Auratum. I suspect that your 

 correspondent has had trouble with the cutting. 

 I once lost a line bed of Lilium speciosum, and 

 learned a lesson. These Lilies will not endure 

 manuring. I have found many old flower growers 

 failing with Lilies from this cause. The Aura- 

 tum needs good garden soil with some siiud, an<l 

 you can topdress with a compost. b>it do not let 

 the bulbs touch manure. I do not know of any 

 LUies that are an exception, although Tigridium 

 likes rich soil and does not easily rot. I top- 

 dress my Lily bed in November and use it as a 

 winter covering.— E. P. P. 



954. Freaerving Cider. The best method that 

 I ever tried is to put into a barrel a quarter of a 

 pound of mustard seed and break in a half dozen 

 eggs. The plan is a good one and keeps cider 

 admirably all winter. The only object of the 

 eggs is to help in clarifying.— E. P. P. 



1,151. Wintering Scions and Cuttings. The 

 best way I have found is to get a box of con- 

 venient size, set it in the ground in a well drained 

 situation to within one inch of the top, fill in the 

 ground all around up to top of box so that the 

 water will run off in all directions, put three 

 inches of moist sand in bottom, tie scions in 

 bundles and set with buts about one inch deep 

 in sand. J'it a water-tight lid to box and cover 

 with six or eight inches of straw. Scions will 

 keep dormant in this until trees are in full leaf. 



1,100. Japan Persimmons in Illinois. I find 

 no ditliculty in protecting Figs so they will win- 

 ter in the open ground, and Japan Persimmons 

 are certainly as hardy. As to their ripening I 

 think our season is at least four weeks longer 

 than in New York State. The method described 

 on page 140 for prelecting Grapes will answer for 

 Figs and Japanese Persimmons, only the ground 

 should be mulched to prevent alternate freezing 

 and thawing. Use clean earth, sis lea\es or other 

 organic matter in contact with the branches will 

 cause decay.— C. K. Meyer, lUimiis. 



1,355. Lime and Snlphnr. The solution will 

 hardly prove effective against the codling moth, 

 nor can we see in what way it could possibly be 

 of especial benefit to Peach trees. 



1,256. Hellebore for Cnrcnlio. We recommend 

 spraying Plum trees for curculio with London 

 purple solution, one pound 300 or 350 gallons of 

 water. Helebore will not do. but if your objec- 

 tions to the use of arsenic cannot be overcome, 

 get a pail of crude carbolic acid and mix 

 thoroughly with a peck of common land plaster. 

 Keep the trees well dust«d with this and tne cur- 

 culio will be apt to stay away. 



1,093. Dahlias Changing Color. A friend had 

 12 roots of as many varieties, carefully labeled 

 and placed in the cellar without dividing the 

 roots. The next spring she placed the same 13 

 clusters (without dirtded) in the ground, and 

 much to her surprise they all bloomed white. 

 An old Betsy told her there would surely be a 

 death in her family because the Dahlias bloomed 

 white. It so happened her child died, and she 

 firmly believes that was the cause. I have had a 

 similar experience but I made up my mind it 

 was because they had been planted in the same 

 place for four years and had exhausted some- 

 thing in the soil that they needed. So I placed 

 them in another place the next year and they re- 

 turned to their former color. I have a yellow 

 Dahlia, quilled, and with end of leaves bright 

 red. It is lovely on my ground, but I have let 

 three different parties have a piece of it, and on 

 their soil it was the dirtiest shade of color imag- 

 inable, and not even quilled. I think if 1,093 

 would change locality the plants would change 

 to their original color. — Lizzie M. Dabling. 



1,093. Building a Sockery; Suitable Plants. 

 Use a natural hillside for its site. Arrange 

 smaller stones so that they, partly hidden by 

 straggling plants, will appear like large rocks. 

 Beneath and behind the stones should be plats of 

 fertile soil to support the plants, which are to 

 run over the surface of the rocks, and cover the 

 artificial seams. Of hai-dy plants for this pur- 

 pose I know of none better than the Ivy, Creep- 

 ing Myrtle (Vinca), Sedums, etc. The most ir- 

 regular, secluded portion ot the grounds is the 

 proper place for it.— F. 



1,110. Mulberry Leaves for Silk Worms. The 

 Russian varieties furnish good food for silk 

 worms; so also does the (>sage Orange when Mul- 

 berry trees are not at hand. — T. 



1,133. Bussian Apricots for Illinois. They are 

 perfectly hardy in Illinois, but since the different 

 varieties vary m size, quality and every other 

 essential feature, fully as much as Cherries, Ap- 

 ples or any other kind of fruit, and the better 

 sorts have not been fruited in this country long 

 enough to give us a full estimate of their value 

 plantmg Russian Apricots should only be at- 

 tempted in an experimental way. The curculio is 

 especially fond of Apricots, Bussian, as well as 

 others: and where you cannot raise Plums on 

 account of the insect it will be useless to plant 

 Bussian Apricots in the hope of getting fruit. —F. 



1,17(1. Industry Gooseberry. Does not mildew 

 in this neighborhood, and under good culti\ation 

 never failsto produce a crop.— H. Tono, iirie. Fa. 



1.130. making a Qarden. With plenty of good 

 manure there will lie little trouble in preparing 

 a little piece of worn out land for vegetables and 

 flowei-s. Put the coarser portion of it on thick 

 and plow it in; top dress with the fiber part and 

 harrow it in. In the absence of compost the ap- 

 plication ot bone dust, wood ashes, hen manure, 

 complete commercial fertilizers, nitrate of soda 

 and other fertilizing materials, will i-cndcr the 

 land available for garden purposes. If too clayey, 

 add sand, if too early, add clay, and peat or muck 

 in either case. Make the s<Jil rich in some way, 

 give crops the best of culti^'ation and jilenty to 

 eat, and you will have no trouble to make your 

 "poor "soil now, a wilderness, gay with bloom 

 and fruit — T. 



1,159. About the Kelsey Plum. A magnificent 

 Plum for the South, it is of no value whatever— 

 too tender and too late — for Massachusetts. In 

 quality and size it far surpasses the other varie- 

 ties recently introduced from Japan, but like 

 them seems particularly subject to rot, at least 

 in New Jersey where we have watched its be- 

 havior with great interest for some time. Even 

 there it is no proof against ^vinter kill. — T. 



1.198. Large Flowers in Chrysanthemums. 

 To obtain them for exhibition start with strong 

 young plants in very rich soil, and give plenty of 

 moisture. Water with liquid manure three times 

 a week, and allow but one blossom to each stem. 



— H. TONG. 



1,183. Fertilizers. For most vegetable 2,000 

 pounds of bone dust, sown broadcast on the 

 ploughed ground and harrowed in would not be 

 any too much if you use no other kind of ma- 

 nure.— H. TONO. 



1.199. Varieties of Chrysanthemums- For best 

 twelve I select Mrs Jessie Barr, Comte de Ger- 

 many, Gloriosum, Christmas Eve, Thorpe Junior, 

 Lord Byron, Mr. Frank Thompson, S. F. Morse- 

 man, M. A. Vilmorin and Robert Hotoinley. 

 Novelties of 1888 are not included in this list. — 

 H. TONQ. 



1,188. Betula papyracea. This mature Birch, 

 popularly called the Paper Birch, forms a large 

 tree with beautiful white bark. Can probably 

 he obtained of Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, 

 N. T.— H. ToNO. 



1,308. Forcing Tomatoes. The trouble is more 

 likely caused by a low temperature than an ex- 

 cess of moisture. I have never had any trouble 

 in getting the fruit to set in a temperature of 60° 

 to t)5°.— H. ToNQ, Erie, Pa. 



1.131. Becoming a Landscape Gardener. Get 



and study all the best works on the subject, in- 

 cluding Robinson's Parks and Gardens of Paris. 

 Study natural scenery; get acquainted with 

 trees and shrubs, their height, shape, color of 

 foliage and general characteristics, then work 

 under a thorough professional landscape gard- 

 ener for a while. There is room for good ones 

 while poor ones are plenty.— H. Tong, ErU, Pa. 



1,231. Sulphate of Copper. The copper mix- 

 ture of Gironde (Bordeaux mixture) is found to 

 be the safest to apply, although other and simpler 

 solutions are sometimes used with good effect. 

 Dissolve six pounds of sulphate copper in 16 gal- 

 lons of water, and in another vessel slake six 

 pounds of lime in six gallons of water. When 

 cool mix the fluids thoroughly by constant stir- 

 ring, and have this remedy ready a few days be- 

 fore using. Apply thoroughly to the vines with 

 force pump and spray nozzle, making first appli- 

 cation at once, and subsequent ones at intervals 

 of 12 to 15 days. 



American Pomological Society. 

 Florida Meeting. 



{Continued from page 142.) 



History or Orange Industry of Flor- 

 ida. Senator C. F. A. Beilby, of Deland, 

 Fla., gave a complete history of the Orange 

 industry in the State, with practical details 

 of the best methods of culture and general 

 management. From nothing to 3,000,000 

 boxes annually in less than twenty years, 

 is the story of the Orange industry. The 

 comparative value of soils was discussed. 

 Raw bone, though slow In effect, is the best 

 fertilizer, too much ammonia inducing 

 "die-back" impairment of vigor in tree 

 and coarseness in fruit. " Foot-rot," an- 

 other disease is due to low, sour soil. Trees 

 must be planted with roots near the surface. 

 Speaking ot Florida he said, " All nations 

 have paid toll of their best to her, and she 

 has distilled into the fruit of every clime 

 the sunny fragrance and sweetness of her 

 cloudless skies and inimitable soil." 



Varieties of the Orange. "E. H. Hart 

 contributed a paper on this subject. As in 

 ladies' bonnets, he said there was fashion in 

 Oranges. He referred at length to the differ- 



ent strains of the sweet Orange and their 

 gustatory, festhetic. and commercial quali- 

 ties. 1.50 varieties had ^been listed by the 

 late P. W. Reasoner. The best variety 

 to grow is yet a grave question. Many of 

 the excellent sweet seedlings are hard to get 

 to market. The common prejudice against 

 budded trees is largely erroneous. Of very 

 late sorts Hart's Tardriff takes the lead for 

 quality and long keeping, growing sweeter 

 from March to August. The Navel strain 

 is still in high favor. Of the Washington 

 Navel, he said, " it is a superb 'berry, fine- 

 grained, solid, sweet and succulent as a 

 strawberry pine, ample as the full moon's 

 di.sk; no wonder enthusiasm should run 

 mad over it." 



The Standard of Citrds Fruits. Mr. 

 Van Deman read a paper on "Judging 

 Citrus Fruits," offering a standardjof points 

 for the various sorts .for adoption. This 

 evoked long discussion.as to thickness of 

 peel, quality of flavor, character of "rag," 

 number of seeds, size of core, color and tex- 

 ture of skin, etc. 



The Growth of Palms. T.^L. Mead of 

 Florida, said that out of 80 sortsgrowing in 

 the open ground only 13 were found ot value 

 for general decorative use. The habits and 

 characteristics of the different varieties 

 were described. A paper on " Vitls Vini- 

 fera in Florida," by Baron von Lutchin, 

 was next read, also one by Henry Foster, of 

 Lake Charm on " American Fruits in 

 Foreign Markets." 



Fig Culture. Ex-Governor Reed then 

 followed with an essay on this subject. 

 Figs are easily grown and most productive 

 at the South, he said. He grows and 

 markets 40 bushels annually on a farm near 

 Jacksonville, jbegan. 'in 1872, produces fruit 

 in sixteen months from the cutting. Lively 

 discussion was elicited, and Mr. Reed was 

 the target for a volley of queries. 



"Peach Growing in Florida." This 

 was treated by G. L. Tabor. He has shipped 

 400 bushels of the Peen-to in a single season, 

 and spoke very highly of this type of Peach 

 in Florida. The Honey and its seedlings 

 are also valuable there. A Peen-to that will 

 bloom two or three weeks later, to escape 

 frosts is desired in Florida. 



Improvement of Our Native Grapes. 

 An essay read by Geo. W. Campbell, the 

 veteran Ohio grape grower, awakened much 

 profltable discussion. The quality and 

 value of the much abused Ives Grape came 

 up incidentally. Mr. E. Williams and 

 others agreeu that when left to ripen on the 

 vine thoroughly it was better than Concord 

 and would bring good prices. 



Packing Fruits for Market. Mr. Wil- 

 liams read a practical and sensible paper 

 on " Honesty in Packing Fruit." He con- 

 tended that in this matter "honesty was 

 the best policy," careful grading, truth- 

 ful representations always paid best. He 

 cited his own experience in evidence. 



Other Papers. G. R. Fairbanks follow- 

 ed with an essay on the "Orange Industry 

 of the United States" and Rev. Dr.White on 

 " Pineapple Culture in Florida " which gave 

 all the details in the successful growth of 

 this favorite tropical fruit. 



Awards. Next Meeting, Etc. All the 

 awards very naturally went to Florida and 

 the South, there being no fruit from the north 

 on exhibition. The Idaho Pear was most fa- 

 vorably reported as to appearance and flavor. 

 The catalogue of fruits was then taken up, 

 changes advised in starring, several new 

 sorts discussed, much of this was hastily 

 gone over in the brief time allotted. Chicago 

 was favored as the next place of meeting. 

 After adjournment the Society was taken to 

 Ciira on Orange Lake to see the vast Orange 

 groves there, among them the famous 

 Harris' grove '200 acres in extent. C. K. S. 



