1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING, 



267 



1,333. strawberries in Young Orchard. If tbe 



ground is not too much shaded jou could not 

 choose a bctt*,'!- location, other conditions beint? 

 fuvorable.-M- B. F 



l,3;i6 Planting Baepberries. I prefer topUmt 

 in the fall as they start very early in the s[»ring 

 and in m()\ing it is next to impossible not to 

 break the buds badlv. Cuthbert is with me the 

 best red and (iregg the best black,— M. B. F. 



l,:»s. Weeping Willow. Is perfectly hardy 

 even in most exposed situations.— M. B. F. 



1,343. Plan of Family Small Fruit Patch. If a 

 plan were drawn showing about the quantity of 

 each variety or kind to he planted in a certain 

 allotted space, it could or rather would harflly be 

 adapted to two different families as nearly every 

 one has some prefereoee for a particular berry 

 or fruit. In starting a patch of this kind, how- 

 ever, if the soil is in good condition, the portion 

 of it which is planted to Blackberries and Kasp- 

 berries may be double cropped by putting a 

 double row of Strawberries between each of the 

 others. We are seldom troubled with an over- 

 supply of this fruit in the home garden. Straw- 

 berries may be planted during this and next 

 mouth, and the others later in the fall or spring 

 as desired.— M. B. Faxon. 



1,351. Pear Blight. The only remedy known 

 to us is to prevent infection. Every diseased 

 part of a tree should at once b& cut out way 

 below the line showing symptoms of the disease, 

 and promptly burned. Heavy manuring with 

 raw yard manures seems to increase the dangers 

 of blight attack, while seeding down to grass 

 and moderate feeding, esi>ecially with mineral 

 manures only, seem Uy fortify the trees against 

 infection. Over rapid aud forced growth, and 

 consequent succulence of wood is to Ije avoided. 

 For a preventive application to the soil, next to 

 mineral manures, we would recommend sulphate 

 of iron i copperas ) and napthaline, the former to 

 be scattered ( or sprinkled in solution ) all over 

 the ground for the purpose of killing the fungus 

 spores resting in the soil, tbe latter { napthaline ) 

 to be placed directly under the tree in limited 

 quantity, for the purpose enveloniug it in an 

 atmosphere of napthaline vapors through which 

 the spores of the blight fungus will not be very 

 likely to pass without there vitality. 



1,3^5. Pium Trees Dying. Bark on Plum, 

 Cherry, Peach and other fruit trees is frequently 

 injured by freezing, subsequent exposure to the 

 sun rays in just the way described. The only 

 pre\entive we could suggest, is to shade the 

 trunks in early spring, ^\'nich may be done by 

 means of boards, straw, evergreen boughs, or in 

 any other convenient way. 



1,388. Killing Woodchucks. For people who 

 are used to handling dynamite, or are not afraid 

 of it, the task of getting nd of any animal bur- 

 rowing in the ground, when the burrow can be 

 found. Is an easy one. All you have to do is to 

 insert a small charge, say one-quarter or one- 

 half pound, with cap and long fuse attached, 

 into one of the holes, placing it as far back as 

 possible, so that the end of fuse will just stick 

 out. Of course you must be sure that the 

 animal is at home. Then stop up all the holes 

 of ingress and egress, tightly, especially the one 

 where the dynamite is inserted. Then tire the 

 fuse, and you will have no more trouble from 

 that particular animal. Another apparently 

 good way of getting rid of burrowing pests— 

 by means of bi-sulphrde of carbon— is described 

 elsewhere in this issue. 



1,38:2. Early Radish. In Boston the Long Scar- 

 let and French Breakfast take the lead.— M. B. F. 



1,385. Helianthus Multiflorus fl. fl. Plant the 

 seed as lyou would common Sunhower. It is of 

 no more dificult cultivation.— M. B. F. 



1,387. Herbert and Gaertner Grapes. Try H. 



S. Anderson, Union Springs, New York, and 

 Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y — M. B. F. 



1,316. Asparagus TenuisBlmaa. Sow the seed 

 in the spring and treat in the same manner as 

 the common variety. Seeds of this class of 

 plants are slow in starting. — M. B. Faxon. 



1,291. Windmills for Pumping Water. The 

 Iron Turbine is liked as well as any and on the 

 whole has the preference here. — M. B, F. 



1.493. Melon Vine Borer. A small quantity of 

 finely sifted coal ashes in the hill at the time of 

 planting will in a large measure prevent the work 

 of the Squash maggot. It would doubtless work 

 quite as well with Melons though of course it is too 

 late to try it this season. — M. B. F. 



1.494, Apple Tree Blight. In that portion of 

 the Champlain Valley occupied by Chittenden Co., 

 Vermont, the blight which you speak of has almost 

 ruined some orchards. No remedy has so far been 

 discovered.— M. B. F. 



1,295. Pear Leaves Wilting. Probably a borer 

 is at work in the stem just above the surface. If 

 so you will notice the chips. Probe for him with a 

 piece of small wire.— M. B, F. 



l,iJ9T. Pansy Culture. We are not acquainted 

 with any larger work on the subject. Mr. William 

 Toole gives the following instruction in his Guide 

 to Pansy Culture: Seed to produce plants for early 

 spring blooming should be sown from middle of 

 August CO middle of September, and the young 

 plants wintered in a cold frame. Boards may be 

 used instead of glass to cover with. South of Cen- 

 tral Illinois it is better to depend mainly on spring 

 and early summer flowers from seeds sown in the 

 fall. Plants started in the greenhouse early in 

 January are not quite so early, and if the frame 

 plants are transplanted once, as early as spring 

 will permit they are as good Jn every respect. Few 

 persons who buy plants know that in the North our 

 most beautiful Pansies are in autumn from spring 

 sown seeds. Start in boxes in the window, giving 

 the young plants plenty of light and not too much 

 heat. If the soil is rich enough, and not too dry, or 

 In too hot a situation, Pansies, with frequent cul- 

 tivation, will stand a long siege of hot weather, if 

 no seeds are allowed to form. With this care one 

 can have Pansies from young plants in midsum- 

 mer. The plants which have flowered in the spring 

 will do well again in the fall if the long branches 

 are cut back late in June. The plants which have 

 flowered through the summer and fall, will usually 

 winter over well if protected with a light covering 

 of straw or leaves, but thorough surface drainage 

 must be provided to prevent water from accumula- 

 ting around the plants and forming ice about them. 

 Id the cold frames a considerable mixture of sand 

 is desirable, as the plants with protection winter 

 better in sandy than clayey soil. Pansy seed should 

 be sown thinly in shallow furrows, not more than 

 one-sixteenth of an inch deep, made with the 

 sharpened edge of a piece of lath. The seed bed 

 should be mellow and rich, leveled smooth before 

 the seeds are sown, and after sowing the seeds 

 should be covered evenly, and the surface pressed 

 with a piece of board. The seed bed should be 

 watered and shaded until the young plants are up, 

 after which they should be gradually accustomed 

 to full light. A rich sandy loam is best for Pansies 

 ard if not too stiff, a clay soil is better than that 

 which is very sandy. But whatever its texture, the 

 Foil should be made rich with well-rotted manure 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil, and stirred 

 several times while the plants are in the seed bed. 

 This thorough preparation of the soil is very impor- 

 tant. Transplant after the plants have attained the 

 fourth or flfth leaf and before they have become 

 drawn and slender with crowding. A hot situation 

 facing the south, should be avoided. Temporary 

 shade during the hottest portion of the day in ex- 

 tremely warm weather, would be an advantage, 

 but shade the whole season through will not admit 

 the brightest colors or an abundance of flowers. If 

 watering is necessary the ground should be well 

 soaked in the evening and thoroughly stirred, 

 about two inches deep, next morning, as soon as 

 the soil is dry enough. Cultivation without water- 

 ing is better than watering without cultivation. 

 Keep the buds picked off after transplanting until 

 the plants are well established, and also during 

 very hot weather, for a good display of flowers in 

 the fall. When growing where they are to stay, a 

 square foot of space should be allowed each plant. 

 Frequent stirring of the soil is necessary between 

 the plants until they are too large. 



l,;i46. Apple Tree Bark Louse. The pest troub- 

 ling your Apple trees probably is the Scurfy bark 

 louse. Its original home is on the bark of our na- 

 tive Crab trees, but recently the insect has become 

 quite common on our cultivated Apple and Pear 

 trees, and Mountain Ash also. The color of its 

 eggs, which are a purplish red, leaving a blood-like 

 stain when the scales are mashed against tbe bark 

 distinguish it from the oyster-shell bark louse, an 

 insect that somewhat resembles the Scurfy bark 

 louse but has white eggs, and is also quite trouble- 

 some to Apple and Pear trees. Both insects are 

 preyed upon, and thus kept somewhat in check by 

 various insect parasites, by the twice-stabbed lady- 

 bird, and by some of our insect-eating birds, and 

 the treatment for both is also the same. No better 

 remedies have yet been found than those mention- 

 ed in Saunder's Insect Injurious to Fruits. During 

 the winter the trees should be examined, and the 

 scales scraped off, and thus a large proportion of 

 the insects may be destroyed. The insect should 

 be fought also at the time when the eggs are hatch- 

 ing, and the young lice crawling over the limbs, as 

 then they are tender and easily killed. The time 

 of hatching should be watched, and while the 

 young larvae are active, the twigs should be brush- 

 ed with a strong solution of soft soap and washing 

 soda, or syringed with a solution of washing soda 

 in water made by disolving half a pint or more in 

 a pailful. Painting the twigs and branches with 

 linseed oil has also been tried with success. As a 

 precautionary measure every young tree should be 

 carefully examined before being planted, and if 

 found infested should be thoroughly cleansed. -M.R. 



1,318. Budding Peaches. This operation is quite 

 similar to that of budding Ruses shown on page 218 

 (June Number). It must be performed at a time 

 when the bark of the stock parts readily from the 

 wood. For buds select young shoots of this season's 

 growth from strong and healthy branches. Cut 

 the leaves off at once leaving only the stubs, and 

 reject the soft immature buds at the upper extrem- 



ity of each cion. The bud is Inserted in young 

 wood {same years growth), and a smooth place. 

 generally near the ground, is selected for the oper- 

 ation. Part of the lower branches may be remov- 

 ed previously to facilitate the work. Make the ia- 

 cision in the shape of a T, same as was directed 

 for budding Roses, using a sharp knife, preferably 

 the so called ^'Yankee'' budding knife which has a 

 rounded point; then lift the edge of the bark with 

 the blunt back of this rounded point, and insert the 

 bud. Most budding knives, however, are provided 

 with an ivory handle, and then the end of the latter 

 is used for loosening the edges of the incision, by 

 thrusting it under the bark. Cutting the buds is 

 done about the same as for Koses, and in June bud- 

 ding the wood is always left on the bud; but for 

 fall budding peaches the wood is generally remov- 

 ed. Mr. A. S. Fuller gives the following directions 

 for cutting Peach buds. Hold the branch or shoot 

 containing the buds in the left hand, and with the 

 smaller end toward you; insert the knife blade 

 about one inch below the bud; cut a little deeper 

 than you would if the wood was to be left in; pass 

 the knife above the bud about one inch, then cut 

 across through the bark only, about half an inch 

 above the bud; then with the finger and thumb lift 

 up the bark, at the same time press gently forward 

 and the bark and bud will come off, leaving the 

 wood beneath adhering to the branch. Before in- 

 serting the bud ascertain whether the "chit" or 

 embry bud, was left intact. In inserting the bud 

 this is held between thumb and forefinger of left 

 hand, and when the knife is withdrawn after mak- 

 ing the incision, the lower point of bud is placed 

 under the bark of the stock, and thrust down into 

 position. If the upper end of bud is too long, so 

 that it does not pass completely under the bark of 

 the stock, it must be cut across so as to allow the 

 bark which remains with the bud to fall into place 

 rest firmly on the wood of the stock. A strip of 

 basswood bark, raflfia or whatever tying material 

 may be used, is now firmly wound around the stock, 

 both above and below the bud, covering the entire 

 incision, and leaving only the bud and the leaf -stub 

 uncovered. In ten or fifteen days the union will 

 have taken place, if it does at all. and the bandage 

 must at once be removed or loosened, which is 

 most conveniently done by a careful cut across it 

 with a sharp knife. 



1.3^. Cut Plowers. To keep cut flowers in 

 glasses and vases fresh for the longest possible 

 time, the first requisite is to keep the water in which 

 they stand perfectly fresh, either by frequent re- 

 newal, or by the addition of some antiseptic, like 

 salicUic acid, or perhaps of ammonia, nitrate of 

 soda, etc. The ends of the flower stalks should be 

 cut from time to time. When cut flowers are to be 

 preserved in their first freshness for some special 

 use. says an Exchange, it is better not to put them 

 into water, but, after wetting them well, to wrap 

 them closely in paper or lay them in a pasteboard 

 box and put them in a cold place, the colder the 

 better, so long as their is no danger of their freez- 

 ing. When stood in water it is not essential that 

 the water should daily be changed. The addition 

 of small quantities to keep the vessel full will 

 answer quite as well. But the vessel should not be 

 very small. To crowd many stems into a glass 

 which contains but little water is to insure the quick 

 fading of the flowers Care should be taken not to 

 allow the stems rest upon the bottom, as in this case 

 they flnd it difficult to absorb the water. After a 

 day in water in a warm room flowers will be greatly 

 refreshed if taken from the vase at night, thorough- 

 ly sprinkled, wrapped, stems and blossoms and all, 

 as closely as possible in a soaked cloth, and laid 

 aside until the morning. They will be much fresher 

 than if they had been left in their vases, yet will 

 not have bloomed out so much. Before thus laying 

 them aside and again in the morning a bit of each 

 stem should be cut off. as the end soon hardens, and 

 it is needful that the mouths of the sap vessels be 

 kept open. This ought also to be done once or twice 

 a day, even if the flowers are kept constantly in 

 their vases. Roses which have drooped before 

 their time — as, for example, when worn on the 

 dress— may be wonderfully revived if the stems, 

 after being thus cut, are placed for ten minutes in 

 almost boiling water and then removed to cold 

 water. It is also well to add a little charcoal or 

 ammonia to the water in which flowers are stand- 

 ing. The disagreeable odor which appears when 

 Mignonette and certain other flowers have been for 

 a few hours in water may be prevented by remov- 

 ing in advance all the leaves from those parts of 

 the stems which are within the vase. It is the quick 

 decay of these leaves which produces the odor. 



1,328. Propagating Clematis. Clematis may 

 be propagated by means of cuttings, layers, and 

 grafts, but as grafting and striking cuttings require 

 considerable skill and experience to insure a full 

 measure of success, layering is the best method for 

 those who are not proficient in propagating these 

 plants. The layering should be done when the wood 

 is moderately firm, and in your case it will be 

 preferable to layer the shoots in pots. Take a suffi- 

 cient number of five-inch pots and after placing 

 bits of crocks in each, fill them with a sandy mix- 

 ture and place them in convenient positions about 

 the plants from which the layers are to be taken. 

 When this has been done bring down the shoots, cut 

 them partly through in a slanting direction and peg 

 them securely in the pots, one in each, and cover 

 with sand. The soil must be maintained in a nice 

 moist state, and the pots should, if possible, have 

 soil or coal ashes packed about them.— A, H. E. 



