238 



POPULAR GARDENING« 



July, 



Bidding Land of Plantain. One year I plowed 

 up an iiere of solid Plantain, broken only by a 

 little Sour Dock here and there, and grew a good 

 crop of Early Rose Potatoes on it. Then I sowed 

 a half bushel of Timothy seed to the acre, with a 

 sprinkling of Red Clover in the spring following* 

 and secured an excellent stand of grass, in which 

 no Plantain ever showed itself for years, until 

 the meadow was drowned out again by a Hood. 

 This treatment will also kill Sour Dock, Smart 

 Weed, Foxtail grass and almost everj' other 

 weed.— Stephen Pfiwers, in National Stockman. 



Mailing Fruit Blossomfl. To keep fruit blos- 

 soms, i)articularly those of the Orange, fresh and 

 send through the mail, clip the stem from the 

 tree and insert its cut end into a raw Potato. 

 Then place a quantity of damp cotton in a light 

 box, and upon it the stem with the blossoms with 

 Potato attached, covering the same with another 

 layer of diimpcotton. Wrap securely and fasten 

 with a string, but do not seal. In this condition 

 the blossoms will keep fresh for days, and carry 

 safe to theii- destination.— Cal. Fruit Grower. 



Salt as an Insecticide. ITnquestionably salt, 

 in sufficient quantities, will kill perhaps every 

 insect that lives in the ground. The trouble is 

 that it is sometimes difficult to apply enough, in 

 the case of certain crops without doing damage 

 to the plants. However, we have known salt to 

 kill Strawberry plants, while killing the insects 

 for which it was applied. It will not do to apply 

 It in too large quantities or on the plants them- 

 selves.— Western Rural. 



Ventilated Barrel. Scientific American de- 

 scribes a new patented barrel intended for ship- 

 ping, and shown in illustration. It is formed of 

 two or more layers or thicknessess of splints 

 crossing each other diagonally, the splints being 

 nailed to each other and to the supporting hoops 

 as many hoops being employed as are deemed 

 necessary or desirable. The head or bottom of 

 the barrel may be put in in any desired manner. 



Sweet Peas. Nothing in the way of tlowers 

 gave us more pleasure last season than our Sweet 

 Peas. A bit of wire netting, large meshed, was 

 rolled into a cylinder and fastened to a stake in 

 an upright position, and the vines clambered all 

 over it, blooming freely until frost. They were 

 of all colors and very fragrant, and were found 

 to be very useful as a constituent of bouquets.— 

 Orange County Farmer. 



Banking Against Peach Borer. An Illinois 

 correspondent reports having successfully re- 

 sisted the Peach borer for twenty-flve yeai*s by 

 banking about the trees with earth in May (here 

 in Michigan it would need to be in July). This 

 mounding method was not found reliable here 

 in Michigan and the trees were thought to be 

 made less hardy by it,— Prof. A. J. Cook, in New 

 York Tribune. 



Cost of market garden crop two miles from a 

 city, estimated up to the time of harvest, includ- 

 ing all the varieties usually grown (except As- 

 paragus, which is more expensive and more re- 

 munerative) averages about $125 per acre, and 

 during a favorable season a good truck gardener 

 ought to net, clear of all 

 expenses, ^100 per acre for 

 the total area cultivated.— 

 Practical Farmer. 



Orchard for Early Fruiting. 

 Matthew Crawford tells the 

 Ohio Farmer that an extensive 

 Apple grower of niJnoIs plants 

 only half as far apart as the 

 trees should stand permanent- 

 ly, and then he brings three- 

 r'>urth8 of them into bearing 

 IS* soon as possible by girdling. 

 Jetting them produce all they 

 win until the permanent ones 

 need the room. The girdled 

 trees axe then cut out. 

 Fine Oldenburg Apples. Dr. lioskins finds that by 

 gathering the finest colored Oldenburgs, and keeping 

 them a while on shelves In the cellar, they ripen much 

 better than upon the trees, and are in prime condition 

 for market.— Con ad Ian Horticulturist. 



Death to Weevil. Put the Peas or Beans in a pall 

 and cover them with water, if warmed a little all the 

 better. Let them remain In the water from eight to 

 twelve hours, and every weevil will be destroyed.— 

 Missouri Experiment Station. 



Outhbert Raspberry. Each succeeding year that I 

 grow the Outhbert Increases my liking for It, and did 

 it ripen ten or twelve days earlier I should consider It 

 the most reliable and profitable Red Raspberry grown. 

 — Corr. Country Gentleman. 



Potatoes Running Out. There will be no danger of 

 a variety of Potatoes " running out " if the best tubers 

 are saved for seed every year. Careful selection of the 



Th£ Slat Shiiij'hiii 

 Barrel. 



seed and g<}od cultivation will improve the variety.— 

 Western Rural. 



Russian Apricots. With all the testimony before 

 me I do not hesitate to say that the Russian Apricots 

 have not proven a failure, and they are well worthy of 

 further trial in Canada.— D. W. Beadle, in Can. Hort. 



Climbing Plants. The " Dutchman's Pipe " {ArUito- 

 lochia sijjho) affords a most abundant shade. Some of 

 the species of Clematis are fine low-growing climbers. 

 —American Agriculturist. 



Wire Worm and White Grub. A crop of Buck- 

 wheat will certainly rkl land of the wire worm, and 

 perhaps of the white grub.— American Agriculturist. 



Old Melon Seed. Four and five year old Melon seed 

 is best, the plants growing shorter jointed and more 

 compact.— Corn. Country Gentleman. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 



Khubarb Cream Pie. Make Rhubarb sauce,by 

 stewing soft with plenty of sugar; beat in each 

 cupful two teaspoonfuls of sm<toth Corn-starch, 

 and the yolks of two eggs. Bake in open crust, 

 and make meringue of the whites of three eggs. 



Fried Egg Plant. Parboil for 15 minutes in 

 salt and water, then drain carefully. When 

 ready to use, dip in the beaten yolk of an egg, 

 sprindle with bread crumbs and fry brown in 

 butter. Season with pepper and salt. They 

 must be sent to the table hot.— N. E. Farmer. 



Cooking Cabbage. If plunged immediately 

 into boiling instead of into cold or tepid water, 

 but little r»dor will be perceptible in the house. 

 Boil not longer than thirty minutes, and if it is 

 then properly served with a cream or butter 

 dressing, it will take a fastidious palate to tel! 

 the difference between it and Cauliflower. 



Fried Raw Potatoes, Pare and slice thinly 

 into cold water some medium-sized Potat<jes; 

 drain into a colander and put into a frying-pan, 

 in which are two tablespoonfuls melted butter; 

 cover closely ten minutes, removing only to stir 

 them from the bottom to keep them from burn- 

 ing; cook another ten minutes, stirring lightly 

 all the time until lightly browned. 



Egg Plant. Take the egg off the vine when 

 soft. Cut in thin slices and sprinkle with salt, 

 about an hour before cooking, then drain well, 

 wipe with a cloth and boil until tender enough 

 to mash like potatoes, make very smooth, add :; 

 or 3 tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, salt and pep- 

 per. Turn into a baking dish, cover with bread 

 crumbs and Itake half an hour.— N. E. Farmer. 



Blackberry Jelly. Put the fruit into a stone 

 jar, cover it closely, and let it heat very gently 

 in the oven, ar put the jar in a saucepan with 

 enough boiling water to heat half way up the 

 jar, until the juice flows freely. Pour off the 

 juice until no more will flow, then turn the re- 

 maining fruit on a sieve covered with thin mus- 

 lin, and let the juice drip through. Allow for 

 each pint of juice a pound of crushed loaf sugar. 

 Boil the juice alone for ten minutes, then add the 

 sugar. Stir and boil quickly, until, when tried 

 in the usual way, it will jelly. Small jars are 

 best for potting jelly, as the contents can be used 

 directly the jars are opened.— Farm and Home. 



Cabbage in Half an Hour. Have plenty of 

 salted, boiling water, in which a teaspoonful of 

 soda has been dissolved, plunge the Cabbage in, 

 top downward, leave it uncovered and let it boil 

 untfl tender; that will be as given in the time- 

 table, from twenty minutes to half an hour. 

 Take it out into a colander, drain well, i»ut into 

 a hot dish, put in bits of butter, some salt and 

 pepper, and serve at once. It will be as delicate 

 as Cauliflower; the color will be retained, and 

 there will not be an unpleasant odor over the 

 house, such as is always associated with boiling 

 Cabbage. Try it once and then see if the school 

 kitchen learning has not gotten several steps in 

 advance of your old methods.— Wide Awake. 



Cream of Cauliflower Soup. Soak a Cauli- 

 flower one hour. Boil slowly in boiling salted 

 water until tender. Drain. Reserve a scant 

 pint of the flowerets, chop and pound the re- 

 mainder. Melt three tablespoonfuls of butter, 

 add one small Onion cut tine and one bay leaf. 

 Add 2tablespoofuls of flour, the mashed ICauli- 

 flower, 1 teaspoonful of sugar, salt and pepper. 

 Cook ten minutes. Rub through a sieve. Then 

 add graduallj' one quart of white stock. When 

 boiling add one pint of milk and one-half pint of 

 cream. Strain, add the flowerets, and serve. 

 After cooking ten minutes the bay leaf is re- 

 moved and the Cauliflower and ticur added. The 

 milk should be added according to the thickness 

 desired .—Mass. Ploughman. 



Blackberry Shortcake. Mix into half a pound 

 of self-niising flour a ^luarter of a pound of firm 



butter or lard. Add by degrees about half a pint 

 of cold, boiled milk. Mix all up with a knife, 

 and as quickly as possible. Turn the paste on to 

 a floured board or table, dredge the paste with 

 flour, roll it out to the thickness of half an inch, 

 and cut it in round pieces the size of a large tea 

 plate. Thjs may bedone by laying a plate over 

 the jtaste, and cutting round it. ' Lay the cake on 

 a floured baking tin. and bake until done— about 

 half an hour. When done, slip a knife arovuid 

 the edge, and separate the cake in two by pull- 

 ing it apart— cutting with a knife would, make 

 the paste heavy. Spread, on one, half-ripe, 

 blackberries, crushed or not, as wished. Sprinkle 

 over the fruit plenty of pounded sugar, lay on 

 the top cover, and spread a layer of berries on 

 it. Serve with cream, or j>ile a layer of whipped 

 cream on the top.— Farm and Home. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Ageralum. when intended for winter bloomiuK 

 shOidd not be allowed to flower too freely now. 



Anthericum. When repotting, wash the soil all off 

 the roots.to avoid the necessity of using very large pots. 



Azaleas need frequent syringing to prevent injury 

 from red spider. 



Balsams are sometimes used for a window plant 

 after frost in the fall. The plants waiited can now be 

 taken up from the beds and set into large pots. 



Begonias intended for winter blooming should be 

 shifted as required. An abundant supi)Iy of water and 

 rich soil are their chief requisites, 



Browallias can yet be grown from seed for winter 

 blooming. 



Chrysanthemums. To secure flue specimens stimu- 

 late to robust, healthy growth. Water copiously 

 during dry weather and use liquid manure freely. The 

 plants should stand at some distance from each other 

 that each one may have its full allowance of air. The 

 leading shoots must be pinched Ijacb occasionally to 

 obtain nice compact specimens. Stake as needed. 



Ferns will grow rapidly if kept in a warm, moist 

 situation and well supplied with water. With proper 

 drainage there is hardly any danger from overwaterlug 



Fuchsias. Such as have been used for late bloom- 

 ing should now be planted out in a half-shady, deep 

 border. Old plants now at lest. intended for winter 

 blooming, may be removed from the pots, cut back 

 withiu three or four inches from the roots, the soil 

 washed off, and repotted in fresh, rich loam. Water 

 should be given sparingly at first. 



Geraniums, kept in plunged pots for winter bloom- 

 ing, must be kept pinched back to cause bushy, stocky 

 growth. Remove all flower buds. 



Heliotropes for winter can still be propagated. 



Red spider to be kept in check by free syringing. 



Roses for winter blooming must not be allowed to 

 make rapid growth now. 



Shading. Plants in the house are apt to suffer from 

 lack of shade. Unless pots are plunged shelter the 

 roots by placing boards against them to protect them 

 from the burning sun. 



Sphagnum Moss. The year's supply should he 

 secured while the swamps are dry. Haul the moss to 

 the high land, and leave it there to drain and dry out 

 for some weeks before taking home. You will h.ave 

 less water to carry. 



Slips. Cuttings of Coleus and other plants now 

 strike easily. Take off the desired slips, insert them In 

 sand or soil, either in pots or in open ground somewhat 

 shadeil, and as soon as rooted put into small pots. 



Winter plants plunged in pots to be kept scrup u 

 lously free from all insect pests. Water freely. Stake 

 where needed. Pinch back for compact growth. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Bedding plants to be kept in good order. If one is 

 disposed to outgrow another, cut it back. 



Borders can be kept in order easiest by the frequent 

 use of a long-toothed steel rake. 



Caladium esculentum. To make really grand 

 plants, f<}rm basins around them and fill these fre- 

 quently with liquid manure. 



Cannas to be treated like Caladimn. 



Dahlias need staking to prevent them from being 

 injured by storms. The side branches are apt to be 

 broken if left without support. 



Edges should be kept well defined. Trim neatly at 

 jeast once a mouth with a sharp spade or edging iron 



Gladiolus. The stems of all tall growing Gladiolus 

 and similar plants— Tuberoses, Lilies, etc.— should be 

 supported by neat stakes. 



