264 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



that bears them, and the wood is produced ac- 

 cording to the supply of plant food furnished — 

 American Agriculturist. 



Wistaria as Standard. Dui-ing the month of 

 May the visitor will be most especially impressed 

 with the very handsome Wistara that are planted 

 through the grounds and many of which are 

 grown as standards. One in particular is alone 

 worth a visit, and could a photograph be taken 

 from it when in full flower, many now ignorant 

 of the possibilities of this plant would be sur- 

 prised at its rich appearance. Some idea may be 

 had when it is stated that it was covered by hun- 

 dreds of clusters of flowers, in such profusion 

 that few of the leaves could be seen.— A. E. Whit- 

 tle, in American Florist. 



Seed Growing on the Pacific Coast. The seed 

 trade appears to be destined to a very great ex- 

 pansion in California at a not very distant period. 

 In the single county of Santa Clara, not less than 

 1,200 acres are now devoted to the production of 

 garden seeds. Over eO.OOO lbs. of Lettuce seed, 

 and 120,000 lbs. of Onion seed have been shipped 

 east from these grounds in a single season. The 

 rapid increase of business in California indicates 

 that on at least of the great centres of the seed 

 business is to be in this State.— Soc. of Arts .Tourn. 

 Look After the Weeds. Burdocks, Yellow 

 Dock, Mullein, and the like, should be cut off 

 with a hoe .lust below the surface. Poke root 

 and .Skunk Cabbage should be cut early and 

 often. Thistles should be continually cut till 

 choked out. Allowing weeds to go to seed in 

 various places on the farm does not pay, although 

 it yields a large return in trouble in fighting 

 weeds.— Mass. Ploughman. 



From Parks and Gardens of Paris we take the 

 annexed illustration of a shade or screen intended 

 to shield the Grape thinners from the str(jng rays 

 of the sun during their work. Such an appliance 

 is especially sensible for European gardens where 

 Grape vines are so often trained against high 

 walls, exposed to the noon sun, and might be 

 found useful in other ways besides viticulture. 



Mildew of Gooseberries. One cause for mildew 

 on Gooseberries, Grapes, etc., is too thick foliage 

 or being grown with too thick tops. Thin out 

 thoroughly and you wUl prevent mildew to a 

 great e.\tent. Currants and Gooseberries should 

 be well and heavily mulched with coarse litter.— 

 Indiana Farmer. 



Apple Exports. More Apples have been shipped 

 from America to Europe the past year than ever 

 before in a single year, the total being 1,401,381 

 barrels. The largest previous shipments were 

 in the year 1S80-81, when the exports reached 

 1,228.70(1 barrels.— Mass. Plowman. 



Grermination of Grape Seeds. A French horticul- 

 turist has found that the seeds of the finest varieties 

 of Grapes germinate more quickly than those of the 



Shading for Grape Thinning. 



commoner sorts, and that seeds fresh from the fruit 

 germinate better than dried ones.— Indiana Farmer. 



Shipping Potted Roses. Matthew King plants a 

 few gralusof Kye in pots from which the earth Is to be 

 turned In a ball for siiippiug. The matted roots of the 

 grain very effectually hold the mass together.— Cali- 

 fornia Florist. 



Flea Beetle on Potatoes. The unleached wood ashes 

 have the effect of repelling the flea, but It is necessary 

 that every leaf should be covered underneath as well 

 as on top ui give perfect protection.— R. N. -Yorker. 



Thinning. It will pay to thin Apples when large 

 fair, even fruit will bring twice or three times as much 

 per barrel as the small ones.— Western Rural. 



Evaporated Apples. The production of evaporated 

 Apples in this country In 1888, is estimated at 300,000 

 50-pound boxes. About 88,(1(10 boxes were exported.— 

 Western Rural. 



Love's Labor Lost. Attempting to mend a half 

 worn-out, old orchard by tilling in vacant spots with 

 young trees.— Farmers' Home Journal. 



Preserve Freshness. Leave no vegetables exposed 

 to the hot sun after they are gathered.— American 

 Agriculturist. 



Pulling off Grape leaves Is as bad as to let the bugs 

 destroy them. Corr. Couutry Gentleman. 



Dead grass and leaves should never be burned.— 

 Garden and Forest. 



Vegetable Products on the Table. 

 Sqnash Pie. One egg, one pint of milk, one 

 cracker rolled fine, one cup of sifted Squash 

 sugar. Nutmeg and Cinnamon to taste. 



Spiced Plums. One gallon Plums, one pint 

 vinegar, one quart sugar, Cinnamon and Cloves 

 whole. Boil several hours and seal. —Md. Farmer. 

 Spiced Currants. Si.\ pounds of fruit, four of 

 sugar, one of seeded Raisins, one pint of \nnegar 

 two tablespoonfuls of Cloves, three of Cinnamon 

 and one of Allspice. Boil slowly one hour, stir- 

 ring constantly. 



Vegetable Soup. One pint of vegetables, in- 

 eluding Turnip, Carrot, Onion and Celery; cut 

 into small pieces and boil one hour in water 

 enough to cover. Add one ijuart of clear stock, 

 a. little more salt; boil a few minutes and 

 serve.— Am. Rural Home. 



The New York Sun Cholera Mixture. Take 

 equal parts of tincture of Cayenne, tincture of 

 Opium, tincture of Rhubarb, essence of Pepper- 

 mint, and spirits of camphor. Mi.x well. Dose: 

 1.5 to 30 drops in a wine glass of water, according 

 to age and violence of the attack. Repeat every 

 1.5 or 20 minutes until relief is obtained. 



Blackberry Cordial. Two (luarts of Blackberry 

 juice, one pound of loaf sugar, one-half ounce 

 each (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves, one-fourth 

 ounce Pimento. Boil all together a short time ; 

 when cold add one pint of the best brandy. Cork 

 and seal well and it will keep any number of 

 years. The older the better.— P. Farmer. 



Baked Tomatoes. Take Tomatoes fresh or 

 canned, chop them, i)lace among them any good 

 meat finely minced, Parsley, some bits of butter, 

 stale bread cr'jmbs or macaroni boiled; have on 

 the top of the baking dish a layer of crumbs 

 season the whole with pepper, salt, a little 

 minced Shallot; bake until slightly brown. — 

 Western Rural. 



Fresh Salad. To keep Salad plants, like Let- 

 tuce, Celery and Cress fresh and crisp, do not put 

 them wholly into water, but wash them, wrap 

 them In a wet cloth and lay next the ice or in a 

 cool cellar. Sprinkle Peas, Green Corn, Beans, 

 with water, throw a wet cloth over them and if 

 kept in a cool place they will be fresh and crisp 

 when wanted. — Michigan Farmer. 



Watermelon Rinds. Pare thin and cut in 

 fancy form if you choose; take weak alum 

 water and pour over them boiling hot; let them 

 stand a day and a night, then strain off and boil 

 in clear water till they are quite tender; make a 

 syrup of equal parts of vinegar and sugar, 

 enough to cover the rinds; add a few sticks of 

 Cinnamon, a few Cloves and a spoonful of Gin- 

 ger. Boil the rinds in this till they look clear, 

 skim out caiefuUy into your can or crock, then 

 pour the syrup over them boiling hot, and seal or 

 cover tight and they will keep all right. 



Stuffed Tomatoes. Melt one tablespoonful of 

 butter, add one half Onion cut fine. Fry until 

 yellow, add three-quarters of a cup of meat 

 chopped fine, three sprigs of Parsley, one and 

 one-half cups of bread crumbs soaked in water 

 and squeezed dry; one egg, one teaspoonful of 

 salt, one-quarter saltspoon of Cayenne and some 

 of the Tomato pulp. Cut a piece from the top of 

 Tomato, scoop out part of the inside and fill with 

 the above mixture. Cover with buttered bread 

 crumbs and bake fifteen or twenty minutes 

 Any kind of meat that cliances to be left over 

 can be used.— Mass. Plowman. 



Fried Tomatoes. Select the largest, firm, 

 ripe Tomatoes for frying. Cut in halves and 

 put in a frying pan with two tablespoonfuls of 

 butter. Place the Tomatoes with the skin side 

 down and on the top of each half put as much 

 bread crumbs as it will hold, seasoned with salt 

 and pepper. Cover and allow them to cook ten 

 minutes ; then take out the Tomatoes on a plat- 

 ter and set where they will keep hot. Prepare a 

 gravy as follows: If the butter has cooked away, 

 add a little more to the frying pan ; pour in half 



a teacuptul of boiling water; thicken with a tea- 

 spoonful of flour wet with a little water. Stir 

 until it boils, season with salt and pepper and 

 pour over the Tomatoes.— Prairie Farmer. 



String Beans on Toast. Get a quarter of a 

 peck of snap Beans. Break off each end as small 

 as possible, drawing down the strings if there 

 are any. Break each Bean into pieces an inch 

 long, and if they are large split them with a 

 sharp knife lengthwise. Let them lie in clear 

 cold water twenty or thirty minutes. Drain 

 them, cover with boiling water, and boil steadUy 

 for about an hour. They are done as soon as 

 tender enough to pierce with a straw. Then 

 drain off all the water, add pepper and salt and a 

 small piece of butter Toast some slices of stale 

 bread and dip them in boiling water slightly 

 salted, lay them in a dish, mix a half-cup of milk 

 with the Beans and heap them on the toast. 



HOUSE PLANTS. 



Abutilon. T(u-ning the pots from time to time will 

 prevent their rooting Into the sand or soil beneath. 



Anthericum. The variegated form requires consid- 

 erable root room. If this tendency becomes incon 

 venlent, the soil may'be washed.off the roots, and the 

 plants repotted In fresh soil In smaller pots than could 

 be used t)therwlse. 



Allamandas delight In a warm, moist situation, and 

 In light fibrous soli. If flowering freely give liquid 

 man(u-e at times. Cuttings of the half ripened wood 

 now root readily. 



Aspidistras Give liquid manure while leaves are 

 making rapid growth. 



Balsams can now be taken up from the beds and 

 put int^) large pots for the window after frost. 



Begonias. Flowering plants to be shifted into larger 

 pots. 



Callas. Start Into free growth for early blooming. 

 giving rich soil and plenty of water. Pots need not be 

 large, but should have perfect drainage. 



Chrysanthemums are benefited by giving weak 

 liquid manure once or twice a week. Stake as required. 

 Dust with Tobacco when aphis are troublesome. 



Cuttings of Clerodendron, FIcus, Rex Begonias, and 

 other tropical plants can be rooted by the amateur 

 now better than at any other time. Place the green 

 cuttings In sand, cover with some glass vessel, and 

 water lightly as needed. 



Earth Worms. When troublesome to Roses In pots, 

 apply caustic lime water, not too strong. 



Geraniums. Prevent rooting Into the plunging 

 earth, by turning the pots occaionall.v. if nice bushy 

 specimens of the fragrant sorts are desired, pinch the 

 excessive growth back now. 



Ivy Geraniums. Cut back old plants to be lifted as 

 they start Into growth. Place In rather small pots. Re- 

 pot young plants for rapid growth. 



Lemon Trees. Repot as needed. Leaves and stems 

 should be occasionally sponged with soapy water. 



Mahernia Odorata should be repotted by middle of 

 month. Keep young plants growing rapidly. 



Orange Trees. Treat like Lemon trees. 



Palms. Repot as required. Keep well watered. 

 Sponge off the leaves occasionally. 



Potting Requisites. Get In a supply of soli, sand 

 pots, moss. 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Ageratums for winter flowers to be cut back. 



Asters. Keep ground well stirred among them. 

 Water, mulch and stake If required. 



Climbing vines nee<l training until all bare spots are 

 covered. 



Climbing Roses. Remove the superfluous shoots. 

 Tie the remaining ones neatly. 



Coleus and other foliage plants need frequent pinch- 

 ing back to Induce compactness and shape. Propagate 

 young plants for wintering over. 



Chrysanthemnms. Plants In open ground to be 

 potted for e-xhlbltlon should be taken np at once to 

 have a chance to become established. 



Cultivation. Keep the soil between all the plants 

 stirred frequently. 



Dahlias. Prepare for late storms by staking and 

 tying. For flue flowers remove some of the Ijranches. 



Everlasting flowers to be preserved for winter use 

 should be gathered before fidly expanded, tied In 

 small bunches, and hung up in a dry shady place, with 

 heads downward. 



