[ 2 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



October, 



stance, remaining in bloom for a considerable 

 time. The}' are perfectly hardy and also well 

 suited to pot culture. 



Alliums. This genus comprises numerous 

 varieties, many of which produce beautifully 

 colored blossoms, but some are rather ordinary 

 wild flowers. The one shown in the upper 

 part of the engraving {Ni'iipnlitdunm) is one 

 of the prettiest and gives a good idea of the 

 flowers of this class. Of the easiest culture. 



Wood Htacinth (.SViV/ri). These are charm- 

 ing early-blooming bulbous plants of bright^ 

 colored flowers, chiefly blue. There are num- 

 erous sorts: they are perfectly hardy. Some of 

 the best for common culture are Amoenci, 

 trifolid and Camiianuhita. Their colors are 

 excellent for contrasting with other early- 

 flowering bulbs. 



Autumn Crocus {Colchicmn). A genus of 

 profuse blooming plants, the flowers of which 

 are similar to those of the Crocus. The pre- 

 vailing colors are white, lilac and rose, and 

 some are variegated. Of the easiest culture. 



Fbitillaria. This class embraces the old 

 favorite Crown Imperial, as well as the Guinea- 

 hen Flower and the Golden Fritillaria, which is 

 a native of Oregon. They are a beautiful and 

 showy class. A light soil suits them the best. 



The Muscabias. One of the species of this 

 genus, the Grape Hyacinth or Baby's Breath, 

 is well known. The Feathered Hyacinth and 

 the Musk Hyacinth are much more rare. The 

 former especially is very ornamental, the petals 

 of which are cut into filaments like hairs. 



The Horticultural Convention at 

 Cleveland, Sept. 7th to 1 Oth. 



A good number of the stanch men from all 

 parts of the country, who have done, and ai-e 

 now doing, so nuii-h to make our horticulture 

 what it is, gathered at the above named con- 

 vention. Some ladies were present, but we 

 should like to have seen more. The attendance 

 of delegates wouhl have been even larger had 

 it not been that the meeting was held so late 

 that the fall fairs prevented many from coming. 



Then the railioatls discriminated against 

 this convention by refusing to carry delegates 

 at reduced rates. They have declared that 

 hereafter they will give reduced rates only to 

 attend conventions either of a " religious, edu- 

 cational or benevolent nature". We have never 

 heard of a more unjust ruling. Conventions 

 of this character are not only educational in 

 their character, but that, too, in a direction ex- 

 tending most benign influences on all classes, 

 while tending directly to the increaseof railway 

 freights, benefiting the railroads. The associa- 

 tion strongly condemned such a poUcy, and 

 appointed Mr. Albaugh a committee of one to 

 make a statement of the case to the proper au- 

 thorities, and induce them if possible to change 

 their rulings. 



On the first day, after some preliminary 

 matters, including an address of welcome by 

 Mayor Gardner, the able address of President 

 Parker Earle was delivered. It was a compre- 

 hensive paper, covering a wide field of horti- 

 cultural observation. Following are some of 

 the more prominent features of this admirable 



ANNUAL address: 



We are glad to meet in this great vineyard and 

 garden center. When we organized this society we 

 included only the Mississippi States, but later we 

 became both in name and in tact an .\merican 

 society. Societies bring people together for the 

 comparison and enlargement of views It you 

 could take away horticulture from the world, you 

 would have bare walls and scanty food. We have 

 new ideas, new fruits, new flowers, new diseases, 

 requiring our attention. No agency so quickens 

 investigation as organized societies. 



Horticulture has outgrown the old acceptance of 

 the term; the word now relates to all that embel- 

 lishes the home, the farm, the garden and the park. 

 Horticulture has its aesthetic side, and its economic 

 side, and wtiieh has developed most in the last 

 2h years would be hard to say. Horticulture co-oper- 

 ates witli education, religion and moral culture. 



A half century since how few and small were the 

 nurseries of the coxmtry. All honor to the men 

 who built up this business, and made our country 

 the most fruitfid and the most flowerful under the 

 sun. Thirty years ago tlie fruit of the Chicago 

 market could have been carried in a wagon : now 

 it takes whole trains to supply that market. 



The Wilson Strawberry marks the era when the 

 first efforts were made toward modern horticulture. 

 Thirty years ago the Peaches for the Chicago mar- 

 ket came from our small orchards. Now Chicago 

 receives Peaches from California and from Dela- 

 ware, as. well as from neighboring fields. Thirty 

 years ago all the Grapes in America grew in the 

 Ohio Valley. Now every man can eat Grapes from 

 his own vines, and good fnut can be grown in every 

 Stat« and Territory. 



One of the difficulties to overcome is to get equal 

 distribution of our productions. I do not believe 

 we are producing too much, but we are marketing 

 too poorly. I think we should call for a Bureau of 

 Pomology under the Department of Agriculture, as 

 recommended by the Commissioner. 



We should also know more about Russian and 

 Asiatic fruit culture. The Government should take 

 up and complete this work 



During the four days of the meeting a goodly 

 number of papers were read, most of which 

 were followed by lively and instructive dis- 

 cussions. We make room below and elsewhere 

 in this issue for some of the remarks advanced, 

 reserving some others for future issues. After 

 Mr. M. J. Smith's paper (to appear later) on this 

 s.ibject, the following and some other irform- 

 ation was advanced 



ON PROTECTION OF CROPS FROM DROUGHT: 



Professor Claypole said that tlie carbonate of pot- 

 ash in ashes absorbed much moisture from the at- 

 mosphere, and would hold this despite the great 

 heat of the sun. . . . Mr. Smith said he used 

 both leached and dry ashes on his farm indis- 

 criminately. . Mr. Caywood, of New 

 York, advised that small tiles be used, on the 

 principle that the smaller the drainage the bet- 

 ter it will be for the grounds. . . . Professor 

 McKay thought drainage was a big thing in rainy 

 weather, but during the past sunmier the wet 

 weather was succeeded by a dry month, and the 

 tile-drained land did as well in the latter season as 

 during the wet period. ... Dr. Townsend was 

 of the opinion that the smaller the tile, if it will 

 carry the water, the better. His farm was drained 

 with two-inch tile, with larger sizes for mains. 

 Willow trees plugged up drains very effectually. 

 Peach trees were bad for plugging drains, but 

 Apple trees seldom stopped up the tiles. 



ON NUT CULTttRE FOR PLEASURE, 



Mention was made that Patrick Barry had re- 

 ported a heavy and regular yield of English Wal- 

 nuts in gardens in the suburbs of Rochester, N. Y. 

 . . . .J. T. Lovett: I have seen trees in bearing in 

 New Hersey and Pennsylvania. I fail to see why 

 the English Walnut should not prove highly remun- 

 erative in any place where the tree thrives. . . . 

 Mr. Earle said nut trees were fast disappearing, 

 and this was especially true as regards the Pecan, 

 which in the South wasapaylnginvestment. . . . 

 Mr. Van Deman, said that the English Walnut 

 was a failure in the West, and Mr. Lindley and 

 others said that in the South, in his section the nut 

 paid :100 per cent profit annually upon the cost of 

 culture and land. . . . Mr. Albaugh said the 

 sweet American Chestnut grows well in Miami 

 County, Ohio, but ripens no nuts; the burr seems 

 to blast. . . . Professor Claypole said the Span- 

 ish Chestnuts and English Walnuts In the experi- 

 ments made did not seem able to stand the winters 

 of the North. The Chestnut did not freely fruit 

 except upon a sandstone or shale soil. Hickorynuts, 

 he thought, were the kernels for Americans to make 

 money from, if they could trim down the shell and 

 enlarge the kernel without losing its sweetness so as 

 to make it compete with the imported nuts of Europe. 

 . . . Mr. Williams, of Lake County. O., said that 

 the soil had much to do with the growth of trees. 

 Butternuts would grow in Northern Ohio, while 

 Walnuts flourish also. One of his neighbors sold 

 many bushels every year, realizing good profits. 



ON COMPARATIVE GROWTH OF TREES 



Professor Lazenby: I have made experiments 

 with a number of common trees. The seeds were 

 sown in the spring of 1881. Our Locust and Catalpa 

 trees are fast growers and make good wood to cul- 

 tivate for profit. For fence posts and like use the 

 Locust is much superior to the Catalpa. I think 

 that for profit the Ash is one of our most promis- 

 ing and most thrifty trees The rows of Ash trees 

 grew with great regularity and stood crowding 



better than any other tree we have cultivated. 

 There is a great demand for young Ash as well as 

 old Ash, The Soft or Red Maple grows more 

 rapidly than the Sugar Maple, but I noticed that 

 the Sugar Maple grew well the third year. On the 

 bottom lands of Ohio the Chestnut will not grow 

 naturally and hence cannot be raised for profit. 

 Our soil does not take kindly to it and our Chestnut 

 trees are dwarfed, I do not think we would gain 

 much by calling for forests on account of the cli- 

 mate. Cultivate for the money that is in timber, 

 and if the forests help the climate so much the 

 better. If you have land you don't cultivate, 

 utilize it for timber. Plant seeds in the winter and 

 let healthy young trees take the place of unprofita- 

 ble timber that shoidd be cut from the woodland. 



OFFICERS FOR ENSUING YEAR. 



President — Parker Earle, of Cobilen, 111. 

 First Vice-President — E. M. Hudson, of 

 New Orleans, La. 

 Secretary — W. H. Regan, of Greenville, Ind. 

 Treasurer — J. C. Evans, of Harlem, Mo. 



THE EXHIBITS 



of Fruits, Flowers, etc. , at the convention was 

 large and attracted much attention, not only 

 from the memljers, but from other visitors. 



A pleasant termination to the business of 

 the meeting was the visit to the vineyards of 

 Euclid and vicinitj', on Friday, as the guests 

 of the Cuyahoga Horticultural Society. 



THE HOUSE PLANTS. 



Begonias ft>r winter flowers to be encouraged by 

 liberal watering; plenty of light (not necessarily 

 sunshine); let them be not unduly crowded. 



The Rex or Show-leaf class, from now until after 

 mid-winter, should be but lightly watered and may 

 be kept in the shadiest part of the stand. 



Tuberous ones now to be rested, those from the 

 summer beds by lifting and covering with dry earth 

 or sand where it does not freeze; the pot plants to 

 be undisturbed except to dry them off, storing for 

 the winter in some place like just named. 



Bulbs of the Hyacinth class to be potted for 

 winter bloom during the month. Pot firmly, but 

 shallow, in light rich soil ; set in cool dark quarters, 

 or better j-et, cover the pots six inches deep with 

 coal ashes, soil or the like, for a spell of six weeks 

 before bringing to light. 



Hyacinths grown in glasses are very attractive 

 The glasses may be had of the bulb dealers, the 

 cheapest ones being as good as any. the dark ones 

 better than those of clear glass. As to bulbs, select 

 such only as are solid and heavy; they must not 

 come from the cheapest grades; only single ones 

 should be used; the early bloomers are better than 

 late ones. To start them, fill each glass with clear 

 water to within }4 inch of the bulb in its place. Fer- 

 tilizing substances or charcoal in the water are un- 

 necessary. Wrap the glasses in paper or cloth 

 and set in a cool, dark closet. When the roots are 

 growing freely, as they will be in a few weeks, bring 

 to the window Give a light place; add water to make 

 up for evaporation, but never to touch the bulb. 



Bin-niirfdi- GivenhoHse use— See " Arranfiing^^ opp. 



Geraniums are a main standby. Those kept 

 from bloom up to this time may now go ahead for 

 fall flowers. Those from the summer beds to have 

 tops reduced one-third or more— hardly any danger 

 of cutting too much. The Ivy -leaf class are especi- 

 ally fine tor the house. Geraniums closely cut back 

 and potted winter well in a good dry cellar; much 

 growth left on leads to decay. 



Half-Hardy Plants like Roses, Daphnes. Aucubas 

 Enonynuis, Jasminums, (;>leanders, (Olives, Pittospo- 

 rum, Pomegranate, Rosemary, etc., should be 

 brought to winter quarters before hard frosts. A 



