2o6 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



June, 



On Improving Home Grounds. 



A subscriber, Mrs. E. A. Vining, Barnard- 

 ston, Mass., has sent to this office a sketch 

 of her home grounds with the request that 

 some information on planting it tastefully 

 be given in these columns. Such sugges- 

 tions as occur to the editor are cheerfully 

 given the same being set forth in the an- 

 nexed plan, In this illustration the existing 

 features on the grounds and as shown are 

 the buildings, poultry yard, orchard, the 

 fruit trees in the front yard, marked by the 

 figure 1 (Plums, Peaches, Apricot and Mul- 

 berry), Apple trees by figure 2 and Maple 

 trees by figure 3, the vegetable and small 



dwelling, a chief object in this being to 

 break the winds which the owner writes 

 prevail from the north-west. A list of 

 trees which should prove satisfactory for 

 planting on this place might be the follow- 

 ing, the place of each as numbered being 

 designated by a corresponding number on 

 the plan. As has been stated \ and 3 are 

 fruit trees and 3 are Maple trees now stand- 

 ing on the grounds; Cut-leaved Kirch, 4; 

 Weeping Poplar or Elm, 5; Double Flower- 

 ing Thorn, 6; Magnolia, 7; Blood-leaved 

 Plum, 8; five White Pines, 9; Blue or 

 other choice Spruce, 10; Norway Spruce, 11, 

 13; European Larch, 13; two Austrian Pines, 



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ON IMPROVING HOME GROUNDS. 



fruit plat indicated by the beds and rows 

 shown at 33 to 3.5 inclusive, the pump, hitch- 

 ing post, etc. The highway is at the bottom 

 of the engraving. A square bed of hardy 

 perennial flowers is defined by the marks 

 extending approximately between the 

 points 1, 1, 1, and IB. 



The most striking improvement vfe would 

 suggest is the planting of au assortment of 

 hardy trees, shrubs and flowers in those 

 portions of the grounds to the front and side 

 of the buildings, employing a free style of 

 arranging them and above all else allowing 

 of nothing to be set in straight lines or 

 squares. Let us remember that nature 

 abhors straight lines a point always to be 

 regarded in arranging ornamental grounds. 

 Such a course is also the consistent one apart 

 from the mere idea of patterning after na- 

 ture's methods. In any home grounds 

 straight lines abound freely in the outlines 

 of buildings, the boundaries of the area, 

 orchard rows, and the effect from these it is 

 desirable to break up as far as possible by 

 the ornamental planting. Can this be done 

 by setting trees in straight lines or cutting 

 square flowers beds in the lawn, etc ? The 

 very reverse of this is obviously right. 



It will be seen therefore in the accompany- 

 ing plan that the various trees and shrubs 

 introduced are arranged with a view to 

 pleasing irregularity. Instead of the bed 

 of hardy perennials for example as it now 

 stands, and which has been referred to as 

 being a square bed, the better course is sug- 

 gested of having this employed as a mar- 

 gin (31) to an irregular clump of flowering 

 shrubs, 30. By this means a pleasing grass 

 plot with graceful outlines and open center 

 is also secured in this part of the grounds. 

 Curves are brought into the outlines of the 

 driveway and walks as far as possible. The 

 various shrub clumps introduced through 

 the grounds are indicated by the flgure 30; 

 it will be observed that all are of irregular 

 outline. The shrubs are brought mainly to 

 the front of the house because of their at- 

 tractive flowering qualities, and because 

 their height is not such as to interfere with 

 the view of the street from the house and 

 vice versa. 



On the other hand the trees are placed 

 mostly in a northerly direction from the 



14; String-growmg Shrub, 1.5; two Elms, 16; 

 Weeping Willow or Elm, 17; Linden, 18; 

 Cut-leaved Birch, 19; Shrubs in assortment, 

 20; Flower beds, 31. 



Chrysanthemums for Spring Bloom. 



C. E. HUNN, NEW YORK EXrERIMENT STATION. 



Some of the varieties of Chrysanthmums 

 well repay the trouble of forcing into bloom 

 the second time, and any one having room 

 and inclination may have them in bloom 

 until Easter. 



I have been very sviccessful in the past, 

 and have been able to cut flowers any time 

 from October to April. My system is to let 

 them bloom very little at their usual period 

 of flowering, then cut them well back and 

 let them rest in pots for a month or six 

 weeks, with water enough too keep them 

 from drying up. When starting into new 

 growth,give weak liquid manure, increasing 

 the strength at each application, and they 

 will respond quickly and should be kept 

 near the glass to keep from growing spind- 

 ling. I have my doubt in regard to forcing 

 them for profit, but in a private house, or in 

 a commercial house not m winter use, they 

 will pay for the trouble and furnish enough 

 bloom through dark weather. They may 

 also be treated the same way in a spare room 

 in dwelling house by keeping them close to 

 a window. Mine are grown with a mixed 

 collection of greenhouse stuff, and I expect 

 still better results with a cool house. 



The varieties I find the best for the pur- 

 pose are Antonella, Barbara, Mme. Andeg- 

 nier, Bonnie Rose, Tokio. Fair Maid, Mrs. 

 Bundle, Diana, Queen of Lilac, Lacinatus. 

 The last one I consider the best of the list, 

 as it will come in for Easter when anything 

 white is in demand 



The Melon Disease. 



The fungus disease, about the true charac- 

 ter of which so little is yet known, and 

 which attacks Cucumbers, Melons, and 

 Squashes, has become so common and de- 

 structive all over the whole extent of the 

 country, that the cultivation of vine fruits 

 in many places is almost entirely abandoned. 

 The attack appears to come suddenly and 

 unexpectedly. The thrifty growing plant 



all at once begins to wilt, straightens up 

 again at night or dmring cloudy weather, 

 but within a few days dies down and burns 

 up. This generally happens on hot days, 

 showing that the fungus in its needs and 

 mode of propagation resembles the black- 

 rot fungus of the Grape— a resemblance giv- 

 ing us the clue to the means of fighting it. 



The disease has often been confounded 

 with the work of the Squash borer or other 

 insects. The most superficial examination 

 of the root could hardly fail to reveal the 

 cause when the borer is destroying the 

 plant, and the evil consequences in that 

 case may often be averted by covering the 

 first joints of the running vines with soil in 

 order to induce them to strike root there, 

 and make the plant independent of the orig- 

 inal root. The fungus attacks the leaves 

 first, and kills the part above ground, while 

 leaving the root Intact. 



Someone now comes with an infallible 

 remedy: covering the vines with Elderberry 

 leaves or twigs. The Elderberry as such 

 would not harm a flea. And yet it is not at 

 all unlikely that the discoverer of this new 

 preventive measure has been entirely suc- 

 cessful in saving his plants, not especially 

 by anythingcharacteristic to the Elderberry, 

 but by the mechanical protection of provid- 

 ing a cover. It will be remembered that 

 Grapevines growing under a coping are ex- 

 empt from rot attacks, and that even the 

 slightest covering or protection above 

 greatly prevents all danger, or at least 

 lessens the amount of injury. We are quite 

 sure that the Melon disease presents an 

 analogous case, for we have never learned 

 of a single case of vines under glass having 

 been attacked by the fungus. Any cover- 

 ing, no doubt, will prove a preventive, 

 Elderberry leaves as well as other leaves, or 

 boards, cloth, etc. 



Our own experience with remedies and 

 preventives has given us results upon 

 which definite and final conclusions might 

 be based. It has seemed to us, however, 

 that the free application of copperas or 

 saltpetre water to the soil around the plants 

 have lessened the attacks, without giving 

 us entire exemption We have found, also, 

 that sulphate of copper in any form is not a 

 remedy, but if effectual, must be used as a 

 preventive, in same way as it is used for 

 mildew and rot of Grapes. The specialist of 

 the Department of Agriculture, who during 

 the past season has visited the localities 

 along the Atlantic coast, where the disease 

 seems to be most epidemic, we believe, has 

 come to similar conclusions. We hope that 

 our readers living where the disease is a 

 common annual occurrence, will give the 

 copper remedies, especially the Bordeaux 

 mixture, a thorough trial, and report results. 

 But this is a preventive only, and should 

 be applied before the vines are attacked. 



The Rock or Sugar Maple as a Shade 

 and Lawn Tree. 



A. P. REED. CUMBERLAND CO., MAINE. 



For lawns if taken young, the Rock Maple 

 is easily trained and may be developed into 

 a shapely tree, the graceful contour of which 

 against the sky, as it looms up above the 

 smaller objects around it, renders it a dis- 

 tinguishing landmark that makes a lasting 

 impression upon the passer-by. While per- 

 haps not so long-lived, it is yet a worthy 

 rival of the stately Elm for beauty and hard- 

 iness, and more than a rival for shade. As 

 to hardiness I have had a good opportunity 

 of comparing it with other trees, notably 

 the Elm, Ash and Basswood, and it seemed 

 to be about the only one that will stanij up 

 comparatively unharmed through one of 

 our ice storms such as we have had fre- 

 quently the past season. 



I am aware that the Rock Maple is used 

 quite largely and with good effect already, 



