202 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



June 



CorrtapondentB are urged to anticipate the aeason in pre- 

 senting questions. To ask, for instance, on ApHl 16 or 20 

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

 the May issue, and none before June, xrhen the anstrer 

 would be unseasonable. Questions rereii^ed before the iith 

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

 next paper, ^^ot inore than three questions should be sent 

 at one time. Answers to qutsti^jtis beLiring on ti>e com- 

 parative va^xu of nnpiements, etc., offered by different 

 dealers THust not be ejrpected. Neither can we promise to 

 comply with tne request sometimes made to "please ansiver 

 by mail." Inquiries appearing without name belong to the 

 name next following. 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. In answering sxich give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. H'rlte only on one side of the paper. 



],'i5t. Trimming Currants. If all suckers are re- 

 moved at four or six inches higli will It cause lack of 

 thrift? Such trimming gives a better chance at the 

 Currant worm.— H. & S., (jalena. Ills. 



1.258. Book on the Amaryllis. What one can you 

 recommend? J. L. CtiiJds does not answer.— D. A. H., 

 Butler, Pa. 



1.259. Aphis on Roses and Fuchsias. What is the 

 best remedy?— W. W. R.. Toronto, Can, 



1.260. Peroxide Silicate. Can it be recommended 

 as an insecticide? Is It safe to use on Cabbages, Rad- 

 ishes, Lettuce, etc? 



1.261. Pine Sawdust as Manure. Will Pine saw- 

 dust from the stable (two years old) and well mixed 

 with manure, beuetit the laud? 



1.262. Grapes and Strawberries in Colorado. Will 

 they succeed in lich valley soil In an altitude of 8,f(X) 

 feet? What varieties are best for us, and what slope 

 of land?— C. B. C, Slaghts. Col. 



1.263. Cucumbers for Pickles. I want information 

 on the best variety tw plant, cultivation, packing, 

 marketing, etc.— J. W. S., Atlanta, Ga. 



1.264. Muriate of Potash. My druggist don't know 

 it. Where can I get it?— G. E. P.. Independence, Kan, 



1.265. Sprouting Magnolia Seed. Howls It done? 



1.266. Arbor Vitae from Seed. How Is It grown?- 

 F. G. McG., Ark. 



1.267. Barren Vines in G-rapery. My Black Ham- 

 burghs and another variety grow well, are carefully 

 pruned and laid down every fall. Why do the old canes 

 die in winter and new non-bearing shoots take their 

 places?— W. H. W. 



1,26S. Fruit Dryer. Which la the best one for far- 

 mer's uses? How is the Topping?— J. E. W.,Kent, Kan. 



1.269. Strawberry Seedlings. Please tell me the 

 best way of raising them.— J. A. S., Lincoln, Kan. 



1.270. Roses Not Blooming. My two Etolle de Lyon 

 Rose bushes raiely flower, the buds appearing all 

 shriveled and out of shape. What is the matter? 



1.271. Unsatisfactory Grape Vines. Vines planted 

 for Ives aud Concord seem to be identical. Thev bear 

 full, turn black, but do not ripen, even If left until 

 after frost. Is there a remedy?— E. M. N., Wilson, N.C. 



1,2';2. Grapes on Walls. Will they do best directly 

 on the wall, or on a frame six or more Inches away? 



1.273. Clearing Ponds from Weeds. What tools 

 should be used? The water being 10 feet deep.— F.K.P., 

 Delavan, Wis. 



1.274. Tree Paeony. Where can I get the plants?— 

 A. A., Netc Tork City. 



1.275. Strawberry for Amateur. Which would you 

 recommend?— J. W. W. 



1.276. Well Rotted Sawdust. Is it good manure for 

 berries?-J.W. W., Snuthport, N. T. 



1.277. Akebia. My strong plant blooms yearly but 

 bears no fruit. Why not?— J. S., Cincinnati, O. 



1.278. Loudon's Encyclopedia. Is there a later 

 work like it, or if nut where can 1 get the latest edition? 

 I have the lb:iS edition.— C. H. L.. tian Saba, Te^-as. 



1.279. Ants on Strawberry Plants. How can I rid 

 my beds covered with their hills? 



1.280. Forcing Strawberries. Will plants that bear 

 now do for forcing next winter? What is the best 

 method for extra early berries, and what the best 

 varieties?— K. Whistlek. A(a, 



1.281. Moore's Arctic Plum. Two thrifty trees four 

 years old in my Plum orchard that Is doing well, 

 budded well last season, but the buds fell before bloom- 

 ing. This year bloom again brought no fruit. Can you 

 explain this?— E. M. T., i^rayvUle, Ills. 



1.282. Early Radish. What variety Is the earliest 

 and best for forcing?— T. R. 



1.283. Corncob Ashes. I can get about eight tons 

 near here every year. Are they good for trees and 

 small fruits?— D. L. K.. Bright, Ind. 



1.284. Hellebore for Aphis on Roses. Is it better 

 used dry or In solution?— H. W. P., Philadelphia, Pa. 



1285 Helianlhus Multiflorus FL PI. How and at 

 what time should it be propagated ?— G. B. D.. Va. 



1286. Tulips from seed. How are they grown ? Seed 

 planted 5 or 6 weeks ago has not yet sprouted.- G. H. 

 W., Lowell, Mass. 



1287. Herbert and Gaertner Grapes. Where caul 

 buy plants?— L. G. P., Dayton, lotca. 



1288. Stove for Heating Greenhouse. Could a 

 house 15 by 20 be well heated with a coal f)r wood stove 

 located under the floor, with an opening over it and 

 moisture provided by syringing, and keeping water 

 on the stove ?— Elder's W ife. 



1289. Steam Heating for Hot-bed. Can any one 

 give a practical plan ?— M. R. S., Ctncinati, O. 



1290. Kainite or Plaster. Which Is the most service" 

 alile to scatter over the manure heap to prevent the 

 esc. pe of ammonia?— T. R. 



1291. Windmills lor Pumping Water, Are they 

 liable to get out of order soon ? Are Iron fans prefer' 

 able to wooden ones ?— T. R. 



1292. Lice on Cabbage. What can be done ? Their 

 depredations here are fearful, and we are helpless. — 

 E. A. C. Beaver Creek. Colorado. 



1293. Melon Vine Borer. How can we keep worms 

 out of our Melons ?— B. M. T., Dalton, Ga. 



1294. Apple Tree Blight. The end of my Apple 

 twigs are killed a foot down. What can I do ?— S.E.S. 

 Decatur, Ga. 



1295. Pear Leaves Wilting. What causes the leaves 

 on my young Lawson Pear to wilt, and remain so now 

 for a week, without changing color ?— A. L. D., N.Y. 



1296. Propagation of Roses. Can cuttings be struck 

 at auy time of the year ?— Mrs. W., San Diego, Cal. 



1297 . Pansy Culture. Practical Instructions are 

 desired. Is there a good work on the subject and 

 what Is the price "i—Vemnont. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



1,2.57. Trimming Currants. The plants are 

 probably not doing: well on account of age of 

 canes. The old wood may need cutting' out, and 

 the young wood be allowed to fruit. 



1,261. Fine Sawdnst as Manure. In itself,Pine 

 sawdust is of no value as manure, but when 

 mixed with manure or used as absorbent in the 

 stable, and thoroughly rotted, makes a splendid 

 fertilizer for small fruits or the garden, and will 

 permanently improve the soil. 



1.263. Cucambera for Pickles, The demand for 

 these is mostly in the fall, hence they are planted 

 lat«, generally latter part of June, so the bulk of 

 crop will come just when the market calls for 

 them. Long Green, White Spine, Green Prolific* 

 or Green Cluster, Boston Pickling, etc., are pop- 

 ular varieties. Plant them in rich soil five or six 

 feet apart each way. We shall be pleased to hear 

 from our readers in regard the best methods of 

 packing and " doing up." 



1.264. Muriate of Potash. This is one of the pot. 

 ash salts imported from Germany, and may be 

 had from importers and wholesale dealers in ag- 

 ricultural chemicals or fertilizers. Druggists do 

 not keep it. 



1,276. "Well-rotted sawdust makes an excel- 

 lent mulch for Strawberries, but has little direct 

 fertilizing properties. 



1,175. The Industry Gooseberry mildews badly 

 in some sections. At Geneva, the past season^ 

 the crop was a failure from this cause. In cer- 

 tain other localities it does not appear to mildew. 

 — E. S. G. 



1,177. The Bulletins of the Experiment Stations 

 may generally be obtained by addressing a letter 

 or postal card to the particular station of which 

 the bulletin is desired. It is not necessary that 

 the name of the director should be known. 

 Those of the Department of Agriculture may be 

 obtained by addressing the Department.— E. S. G. 



1,181. Exhibiting Potatoes. It seems to me 

 unnecessai'y to exhibit so much as a peck of each 

 variety of Potatoes. A large plate of each var- 

 iety would generally be preferred.— E. S. G. 



1,183. Cantaloupe Melons, Try the Emerald 

 Gem, Surprise and Hackensack. Plant the seeds 

 at Corn planting time or, if desired very early^ 

 two weeks eai'lier on inverted sods in the cold 

 frame. In the latter case cover the soil in th^ 

 cold frame with sods neatly cut about twelve 

 inches square the gi-ass side down. Then cut 

 these sods into small pieces about four inches 

 S(iuare and on each of these small pieces place 

 three or four seeds. Then cover the whole with 

 half an inch of fine earth. Keep well watered 

 and cover with sash except on M'arm bright days. 

 When the young plants begin to show the rough 

 leaf, transplant on a wet day by picking the 

 pieces of sod out carefully one by one and re- 

 planting each in the garden.- E. S. G, 



1,195. Spraying Apparatus. Excellent appar- 

 atus for spraying are made by the Nixon Nozzle 

 and Machine Co., of Dayton, Ohio, the Field 

 Force Pump Co., of Lockport, N. Y., and Rumsey 

 & Co., of Seneca Falls, N. Y My experience with 

 sulphate of copper mixtures is that they corrode 

 metal pumps rapidly, and if used at all in a pump 

 the latter should be thoroughly washed with 

 clean water when the work is completed.- E. S.G. 



1,230. Are Manure Hot- beds Baogerous? Why 

 should they V Certainly not as much as the ma- 

 nure heaps around barns and stables, and very 

 much less so than the average water closet. 



1,284. Hellebore for Aphis. This will be of 

 little use. Sprinkle the affected plants with 

 strong Tobacco tea, or fumigate with Tobacco 

 stems, or still better, dust the plants with Tobacco 

 dust. Hellebore, when applied for Currant 

 worms and the like, is best applied in solution. 

 Make a paste of a tablespoonf ul of powder and 

 a little hot water, then dilute to a gallon and 

 sprinkle or spray on the effected plants. 



1,207. Apples on Paradise Stock. These are 

 very satisfactory for testing varieties in an 

 amateur way. The trees bear when very small, 

 often not more than three feet tall and are ex- 

 tremely attractive when laden with fine fruit. 

 Whether or not they could be made profitable 1 

 do not know.— E. S. Goff. 



1,249. Granadilla Vine. Baron Von Mueller 

 in his " Extra Tropical Plants " enumerates four- 

 teen species of Passiflora, and says that they all 

 furnish Granadilla fruits. The species in<iuired 

 about by R. S. is probably Passiflora edulis, as 

 that is quite commonly cultivated in South 

 Florida and known as Granadilla.— W. C, Steele. 



1,238. Golden Beauty Plum. This is a Texas 



variety said to be of great promise, a vigorous 

 grower, profuse bearer, and the fruit of excel- 

 lent quality. Trees are offered by T. V. Munson, 

 Denison, Texas, G. Onderdonk, Mission Valley, 

 Texas, and W. C. Steele, Switzerland, Fla. 



1,171. Propagation of the Oleander. Propaga- 

 tion is readily effected by cuttings of the well 

 ripened wood.— P. 



1,173. Protecting Cloth for Hot-beds. This can 

 be obtained from Peter Henderson & Co., 35 Cort- 

 landt Street, New York, or J. C. Vaughan, 

 Chicago, lU.— C. E. 



1.180. Turnips. I recommend White Strap 

 Leaf Flat and Extra Early Milan for early; Red 

 Top Strap Leaf and White Egg for late. Of the 

 yellow varieties I iirefer Yellow Globe for early, 

 and the Yellow Stone for late winter use.— C.E.P. 



1.181. Exhibiting Potatoes. You will have to 

 be governed by the rules of the exhibition as to 

 the manner of arranging. If the premium calls 

 for a bushel or a peck the retiuired quantity must 

 be shown. Extensive collections are often ex- 

 hibited in plates, some three or four specimens 

 being placed on a plate.— Chas. E. P. 



1.182. Fertilizers. No definite rule can be 

 given as to the quantity of concentrated or com- 

 mercial fertilizers to be applied to the acre as the 

 amount varies according to the condition of the 

 soil and the crops pre\-iously grown thereon. As 

 a general rule, however, one-half a ton will be 

 required on soils not impoverished. 



1,176. Industry .Gooseberry does not mildew 

 here.— C. E. P. 



1,190. Wood Ashes. Unleached pure hard 

 wood ashes are unequalled as a fertilizer for 

 grass lands or lawns and are worth about $20 per 

 ton. When used on garden crops their result ap- 

 pears to be so variable that it is well to experi- 

 ment on a small scale before purchasing heaWly. 

 —Chas. E. Parnell. 



1.206. Soap-suds. An excellent way to utilize 

 soap-suds is to use it for watering flowers or pour 

 it upon the compost heap. 



1.207. Apples on French Paradise Stock. They 

 will not be satisfactory for anj-" use.— P. 



1,210. Purple-leaved Beech. I know of no 

 reason why it should not succeed in Missouri.— 

 C. E, P. 



1,028. Propagating Hydrangea Paniculata 

 Grandiflora. I was at Hoopes Bros. & Thomas, 

 Westchester, Pa., some time ago and there saw 

 some 20,000 plants of this shrub that had been 

 struck last summer. They were raised from 

 short cuttings of the young wood taken early in 

 summer, and dibbled thickly but firmly into 

 shallow flat boxes filled with bar (fine sea) sand. 

 The boxes were then placed in sashless green- 

 houses that were shaded with close lath shadings, 

 and kept moist. These cuttings are now all 

 rooted and shall remain as they are in a cool 

 greenhouse or shed over winter, and in spring be 

 shaken out of their boxes and transplanted into 

 the open nursery.— F. 



1,246. Hilborn Raspberry. I find it superior 

 to most others, and perfectly hardy here and 

 further north.— T. P. H., Talmadge, O. 



1,229. Canning Sweet Corn. Cutthe Corn from 

 the cob raw, pack in air-tight fruit jars until the 

 juice runs over the top, screw on the top as tight 

 as possible, but in a boiler of cold water and boil 

 for two hours. Raise and tighten again and boil 

 two hours more, then allow to cool in the same 

 water. We have used this receipt for three years 

 and never made a miss. Peas, Beans and Toma- 

 toes may be canned in the same way, but in the 

 case of Peas and Beans water must be added to 

 fill the cans before boiling. The cans must be of 

 the best, with good tops and new rubber bands. 

 —J, J., Jr., Went Sand, N. Y. 



1,233. Plan of Hen House. I built a hen house 

 two stories high; the basement has windows on 

 the north and south sides and west end, the end 

 coming out on top the ground. The walls have 

 a good drain under them to carry off water, and 

 a floor is laid a little from the ground. This makes 

 a fine place for laying hens in the winter. Yet I 

 prefer a hen house ail above ground for all pur- 

 poses.- Wm. B. HOYT. 



1,227. Christmas Rose. If you will place your 

 plants in nicely prepared, deep, moderately en- 

 riched border in a sheltered spot and in partial 

 shade you will have no difficulty in blooming it. 



