i886. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



29 



LAWN AND FLOWER GARDEN. 



Bulb planting may be kept up all through this 

 month, and in fact until the ground freezes. The 

 newly -planted beds of these should be covered with 

 litter before the winter fairly sets in. 



Evergreens, especially the larged-leaved kind.s 

 like Mahonia and Rhododendron, are liable to sun 

 scald and to injury from sweeping winter gales. A 

 good protection is some Evergreen branches, with 

 their butt ends set into the earth, the tops overhang- 

 ing the bushes on the windward and south sides. 



Improvements. There is no better time thau 

 now for grading, laying di-ains, nuvking walks, drives 

 etc. As to the first two, there will then be a chance 

 for due settling by spring garden-making lime. 



Lawns. Continual mowing weakens the grass 

 plants, to make up for which manuring becomes 

 necessary. With poor soil the grass is liable to be 

 crowded out by Moss, Veronicas and other minute 

 weeds. This is the best season to apply. We pre- 

 fer bone manures and guano to stable maniu-es, be- 

 cause of the unsightliuess of the latter. 



Leaves are N'atiu-e's fertilizer; the richness of 

 wood's earth is owing chiefly to these decaying on 

 the ground year after year. The gardener who has 

 no other resource for manure could depend on these 

 alone, and by gathering a good heap annually into 

 a low spot where they could be kept constantly 

 moist, letting them rot down, would never need to 

 want for manure. It will take several years' time 

 before they become available, and one should calcu- 

 late on this in deciding on the quantity to be col- 

 lected. Those from Oak trees are considered the 

 best, but none need be rejected. After leaves have 

 laid tor one year, by composting them with slaked 

 lime, at the rate of 30 bushels to one, their fitness 

 for use will be hastened. 



Protect trees in streets and lawns by animal 

 guards. We show by an engraving how this may 

 be done -most effectually with stakes and the use of 

 barbed or other wu-e. The stakes can of course be 

 brought closer together at the top if preferred. 

 The number of trees that are injured, and we may 

 add killed, by the gnawing of animals is a caution. 



Bockeries, Delicate Alpine plants on these suffer 

 more from wet than from frost; such had best be 

 potted and put in frames until spring. 



Shrubbery Beds. To mulch these with a heavy 

 coat of leaves at this season is good treatment, 

 .serving both to protect the roots and t^i supply 

 needed fertility to the soil, as the leaves should not 

 be removed in the spring f ollowing,but be then light- 

 ly turned under and allowed to decay. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER CLASS. 



Cinerarias sown in June to have final potting 

 now. Such should bloom in January. Guard against 

 tty and above 45° of heat; it will weaken the growth. 



Deutzias are among the easiest plants to force 

 for spring bloom, and provision for stock should be 

 made in time. Two months will elapse between 

 bringing to heat and flowers. 



Euphorbias should now be in good growth, with 

 brLsk heat and with the heads near the glass. 



(xeranioms in all cases to be kept rather dry at 

 the roots, and the plants near the glass. Much 

 moisture now causes the disease known as " spot." 



Green-flies or Aphis increase rapidly now if not 

 checked. Burning ii pound of refuse Tobacco stems 

 to each 500 feet of glass once a week is the stand- 

 ard remedy. To strew Tobacco stems under any 

 plants bedded out or between pots, keeping them 

 moist, is an approved remedy. 



Hyacinths that were started early, and having 

 filled their pots with roots, may be brought to heat. 



Light naturally fails now; don't add to its dim- 

 inution by having the glass clouded with filth or 

 whitewash, the former on the inside. 



Orchids. Most kinds will now need rest, hence 

 such as are still in a growing state may be moved 

 to other quarters and the Orchid house be cooled 

 down and be kept rather dry to suit the larger num- 

 ber. For Orchids at rest a temperature of 60» by 

 night and ten degrees higher by day will lie sufficient. 



Pelargoniums (Lady Washingtons) that were 

 cut down a while back to be repotted when new- 

 shoots an inch long are out. Reduce the ball to go 

 into the pots occupied before, or in smaller ones. 

 Plants potted a month back now need a shift. 



Poinsettia. Treat as directed for Euphorbias. 



Semove dead leaves and milde»-ed twigs at sight; 

 these, besides looking bad, impede light and air, as 

 well iis contribute impurities. 



Sowing of Candytuft, Mignonette, Mauraudia 

 and so on for early spring bl<^oni should be done. 



Tubers of the Dahlia and Tuberose class that are 

 now- cureti to be stored w-here dry under the stages. 



Verbenas from fall cuttings to be kept cool and 

 near the glass, with plenty of air in all suitable 

 weather; fiunigate with Tobacco once a week. 



"Water sparingly now as a rule. See that all 

 plants have ample drainage. If the water stands in 

 the pot for some time after watering, the drainage 

 is imperfect; a probe of iron inserted up through 

 the bottom will help; to shift into new soil isbett«'r. 



Protecting Trees with Stakes 

 and Barbed Wire. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Bark "Washes. Apply for kiUing eggs and in- 

 sects that harbor in trees. Some believe w-ashes al- 

 so prevent a " hidebound " condition by protecting 

 long trunks from 

 exposure to hot 

 suns and drj-ing 

 winds. Whitewa.sh 

 answers w-ell, but 

 some object to the 

 color. Prof. Cook 

 recommends 1 qt. 

 of soft soap in a 

 gallon of water, 

 heated to boiling, 

 when a pint of ker- 

 osene should be 

 stirred in. Weak 

 lye is a useful and 

 perfectly safe wash. 

 Drainage. The 

 orchard must be 

 dry. If it is not, 

 now is a good time 

 to drain. Lay a line 

 to a row. See article elsewhere on underdraining. 



Fences and gates to be kept in order, for at this 

 season of brisk weather and scant feed any animal 

 that gets out is liable to inflict injury to trees. 



Fruit. Keep the wiudow-s and doors of the cellar 

 or apartnients where these are stored open during 

 warm days and nights. As cold increases aiin to 

 keep the temperature of the place uniformly 

 as low and just a little above the freezing point. 

 Whenever such a temperature prevails outside, 

 ventilation shovdd be freely applied. 



Grape-vines may be pruned at any time after the 

 leaves fall; those of one year's growth to be cut 

 back to about 3 buds, mulching afterwards w ith a 

 forkful of strawy manure and a coverof earth over 

 all. For older vines it is hard to give directions for 

 pruning in brief, save to cut close, leaving only 

 enough buds to bear the fruit and leaves. 



Grafts to be cut before hard freezing, packing 

 them in soil or saw-dust and storing in a cool cellar 

 until needed for grafting. This is a better course 

 than the common one of not cutting until spring. 



Labels on newly set or any trees should be looked 

 after before the wintry gales set in. Those that 

 come from the nursery are not to be trusted, as the 

 wire, for one thing, is usually too light to be durable. 

 A zinc or a white-painted pine label secured with a 

 large loop, using No. IS wii-e, is what is w-anted. 



Manuring Orchards, The amount of manure 

 needed varies; some land may already be rich 

 enough, but this not often the case. Let the grow-th 

 be the gauge; if much less than 1 foot of new growth 

 appears throughout the tree per season the soil is 

 not rich enough; if above this, it is richer than it 

 should be, winter killing being liable. Heavy ma- 

 nuring nmst never take the place of good tillage. 



Raspberries of tender kinds should be covered 

 before the month is out, by bending the canes along 

 the line of the row and covering with soil. 



Records. See to correcting the orchard records 

 now that each tree has shown what its kind is. 



Seeds, pits and nuts saved for spring planting 

 to be mixed w-ith sand and subjected to freezing. 



Stocks tor root grafting to be lifted this month, 

 and stored in the cellar ready for use later. 



Strawberry beds to be lightly covered between 

 the plants rather than over them with leaves or 

 straw- before winter sets in. The next crop will 

 show the wisdom of such a course. 



Young trees to be banked up as directed on page 

 4 last month, tor steadying them and to prevent 

 girdling by mice after the snow falls. 



not more. The covering is better deferred until 

 cold weather is at hand. 



Carrots. Store like common Potatoes, either in 

 pits or the cellar, but keep in rather small lots. 



Celery should be stored this month; a small 

 amount fur early use in the cellar, the main crop in 

 trenches outside. These should be made about one 

 foot wide, and of a depth to accommodate the length 

 of the stalks, w-liich are to be kept even with the regu- 

 lar surface. Set the plants, the tops of which should 

 be di-y, closely tj.igether in these, with nothing be- 

 tween them, cover with straw, and on this a few 

 boards. Later, as the cold increases, the cover 

 over the trenches shoidd also be increased. 



Clear the land as fast as crops mature, both for 

 appearance sake and economy. Such others as are 

 vacant may be manured and worked over roughly 

 preparatory to next spring's use. 



Onions. Store in a loft, even where it freezes, 

 rather than in the cellar. In the latter they will 

 sprout, to their injury ; kejjt frozen this is prevented. 



Parsnips for winter may be lifted, but they are 

 more buttery and sweet if left out until used. 



Potatoes. Store in the cellar in bins of 1 foot or 

 1 s inches deep raised soiiiewhat from the floor. Han- 

 dle carefully to prevent bruises, for these lead to rot. 



Boots in the nature of Salsify, Scorzonera, Horse- 

 radish and Parsnips freezing does not hurt, so the 

 main lot may stay out where grown ; but some to be 

 dug and put in earth iu the cellar for winter use. 



Spinach. Cover lightly with litter before winter. 



Sweet Potatoes. Pack in boxes of dry earth to 

 not have the roots touch each other; then store 

 the boxes w-here no frost can come to them. 



Turnips to have earth or san<l worked between 

 them, for keeping them crisp and solid. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Asparagus and similar vegetables may be forced 

 under the greenhouse stages, or in pit,s or hot-beds 

 in the spring, with the greatest ease. For this pur- 

 pose lift old roots and store in any place so as to be 

 easilj- reached by February or later for starting up. 



Lettuce. Air the plants freely, even leaving off 

 the sash in all but the roughest weather, and when 

 it is freezing. See last mouth's notes. 



Mushrooms. Beds made now under the stages 

 or in warm sheds w-ill soon begin to produce. Let 

 the stuff be beaten firmly in making up the bed; a 

 large bed is better than a small one; mix turfy 

 loam with the dung, to secure moderate heat and 

 longer bearing; do not spaw-n the bed till the heat 

 has declined to a moderate point. Let the bed be 

 never too wet and never too dry for good returns. 



Pine-apples. Young plants require a moder- 

 ately dry atmosphere, while good ventilation is 

 needed to make them robust. Those in fruit, on the 

 other hand, need plenty of moisture, both in the 

 air and at the roots. 



Rhubarb. See directions above for Asparagus. 



Strawberries brought along in pots should now 

 go into cold frames, plunging the pots to their rims 

 in earth or coal ashes, in order that the roots shall 

 not freeze; water sparingly. In about one month 

 later they may come in to be forced. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Cabbage. No better way for storing can be de- 

 vised than to lay down two scantlings or rails, two 

 or three feet apart, and between these place the 

 heads closely together, roots up, aftenvards cover- 

 ing them over with soil about four inches deep, but 



Received at this Office. 



CVTALOGUKS. 



Chas. A Reeser, Springfield, C, Bulbs. 

 Joseph D. Fitts, Providence, R. I., Small Fruits. 

 Wm. Baylor Hartland, Cork, Ireland, DaffodiK 

 Haage & Schmidt, Erfurt, Prussia, Bulbs, etc. 

 H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, England, Plants, etc. 

 Irving Allen, Springfield, Mass., Nursery. 

 Harry Chaapei, Williamsport, Pa., Bulbs, etc. 

 J. T. Lovett, Little Silver, N. J., Small Fruits. 

 Brooklyn Nursery Co., Baltimore, Md., Small 

 Fruits. 

 F. R. Pierson, Tarrytown, N. Y., Plants, etc. 

 C. Hennecke & Co., Milwaukee, Wis , Statuarj-. 

 F. W. Hai-old, Salisbury, Md., Bulbs, Plants, etc. 

 E. Benard, Jlcsmiu, Orleans, France, Nursery. 

 J. M. Edwards, Fort Atkiuson, Wis.. Small Fruits. 

 Ed. T. Dickinson, Chatenay, France, Nursery. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



"Notes on Tomatoes and The Carpet Beetle," 

 being Bulletins Nos. 11 and 19 of the Agricultural 

 College of Michigan. Agricultural College Post- 

 office, Mich. 



" How to Raise Carp." Several valuable and in- 

 teresting pamphlets on the utilizing of water by 

 fish culture have reached us from Professor Baird, 

 of the U. S. Fish Commission, Washington, D. C. 



"Report of the Fniit i;n.>wei's ..Association of On- 

 tario, 18H4," from Secretary L. Woolocoton, Grims- 

 by, (^nt. This is a large w-ork of '277 pages. Besides 

 containing the reports of the County Associations 

 of Ontario, it gives the numerous valuable essays, 

 covering a large range of Horticultural subjects, 

 that have been presented at the various meetings 

 of the Society for that year. 



