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POPULAR GARDENING. 



8i 



Soil. If one is choosing a site for an orchard, a 

 deep soil, even if not so rich, should be preferred to 

 one that is much richer but shallow. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Asparagus is helped by an annual mulch of 

 manure and this can now be applied. 



Beets sown in a box and potted into thumb pots, 

 then transplanted in a good rich hot-bed, come in 

 line for early and as a market crop are profitable. 



Cold frames and pits to be looked after for pre- 

 venting hurtful sudden changes of temperature. 



Forcing Frame, in the engraving herewith is 

 shown a useful portable frame for hastening var- 

 ious garden crops, such as Rhubarb, Asparagus, 

 Lettuce, Strawberries, etc. Placed on the beds 



A Portable Forcing Frame. 



about March 1 and given some attention in the 

 matters of airing and protection during cold snaps, 

 the season of things thus forced should be ad- 

 vanced about three weeks. 



Hot-beds. In making start by taking out from 

 a space several feet larger each way than the 

 size of the intended bed about 18 in. in depth of 

 soil. In filling the excavation with horse manure 

 for heat, first put down a G in. layer from the colder 

 portion of the pile over the eutire surface. Con- 

 tinue to add manure till a bed several feet in thick- 

 ness is formed, firmly tramping it as the work pro- 

 ceeds. Then, upon this place the frame, and this 

 may consist of a single thickness of boards, or bet- 

 ter yet a double sheet with a space of several inches 

 between them. The rear of the bed should be about 

 a foot higher than the front, the two sides being 

 steadied by bars placed crosswise between them 

 for the sash to rest upon. The parts of the boards 

 which meet the soil will last longer if painted be- 

 fore using, and when dry, with several coats of 

 hot gas tar. Around the frame outside, to bank 

 over the projecting manure with earth six inches 

 deep will promote the heating powers greatly. 

 Inside the frame may be added a foot or less of fine 

 manure, upon which is to come five inches or more 

 of good soil. The bed made up. cover it with sash 

 and mats. After several days, test the temperature 

 of the manure, and when it has fallen to 90* the 

 seeds may be sown in shallow drills, each kind being 

 labeled. With strict attention to airing, giving 

 neither too much or too little, strong stocky plants 

 may be easily grown of all early sorts from seeds, 

 bulbs, cuttings, etc. 



Manure for hot-beds to be forked over to prevent 

 fire-fang and excessive heating otherwise. 



Hats. See article elsewhere on making these. 



Seeds. The best are by far the cheapest in the 

 end, and such are to be secured only from reliable 

 firms . It is none to early to get off the orders. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Cucumbers should not be allowed to fruit before 

 the plants are strong and well established. When 

 frmtiug begins, stop regulai'ly one joint beyond 

 fruit, and draw fine earth up around the plants. 



Figs will require free syringing, with an increase 

 of water at the roots. Give young spurs and fruit 

 plenty of light by thinning out weak useless growth. 



Grapery. In the early house, the buds will now 

 be swelling and need to be syringed twice a day. 

 All but the best bunches ought to be removed before 

 full flowering. For several weeks a temperature of 

 55° at night will be warm enough. After flowering 

 the free-setting varieties should early be thinned. 



Lettuce. By the end of the mouth a second crop 

 may usually be ready for cutting. Excessive water- 

 ing is to be guarded against as being nearly as bad 

 as drought. A temperature of 45*' at night answers 

 about the bestj if it gets much above this a kind of 

 damping off might set in. Green-fly is apt to prove 

 a serious trouble if not kept down by proper reme- 

 dies. See reply to Inquiry :i09 on this page. 



B.hubarb comes of fair quality when grown un- 

 der the stages but is vastly better for having much 

 more air and light than it here usually receives. 



This being the People^s Paper, it is open to allXtft^ir 

 Inqaii'ies bearing on gardening. 



Replies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from 

 readers. In austoering stioh give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. Write only on one side of the paper. 



208. Roses Turning Yellow. The leaves of 

 Roses in my greenhouse turn yellow and drop off. 

 Would some one of experience give the cause and 

 remedy. It is not red spider. M.,t7r6a?ia, IlUnui.^. 



209. Lettuce Forcing. What variety of Lettuce 

 is best for forcing under glass at this season and 

 later on ? In what manner can the Green-fly or 

 Aphis be destroyed without harm to the Lettuce 't 

 C. W. F., Cantini. Ohio. 



210. Sweet-scented Chrysanthemums. Could 

 you give me a list of these as well as of the latest 

 varieties of the same plants, and where they can be 

 procured? W. F. W., Cottage Gi'ove, loica. 



211. Treating Plums for Curculio. In your 

 November issue you say put Plums where Pears fail, 

 and that they pay well to evaporate, now, since we 

 have got the best of the Curculio by spraying. 

 (A) Please tell me at what stage of growth you com- 

 mence the spraying. How often should it be done 

 and until how late 'f (B) How do you prepare the 

 poison ? (C) and is there any danger from eating 

 such Plums 'f W. P. S., Monmouth^ 111. 



212. Distance for Apples. What is the best dis- 

 tance to plant Apple trees apart in a light sandy or 

 granite soil. W. C. A., Ashland, Oregon. 



213. Cutting back Fuchsias, etc. Should the 

 branches of Fuchsias, Geraniums, Petunias, etc., be 

 cut back before repotting or after, and how long be- 

 tween each operation ': E. A. B., Springfield, lit. 



214. Raspberry Cane-blight. What aUs my 

 Gregg Raspberries ? The plants were very thrifty 

 last April. Then later on after the old canes were 

 cut, the new ones showed an appearance of having 

 been stung near their top. and afterwards they 

 died from that point up. Sometimes the cane is 

 punctured for an inch in length, sometimes more. 

 A few canes of the Reds were similarly affected. 

 I enclose a cane. J. C. H., Lawrence Co., Pa. 



215. Gooseberries under Trees. I am aware 

 that Gooseberry bushes like the shade of a fence, 

 but will they do well imder a spreading tree ? 



2ltj. Covering Grape-vines. Will manure ans- 

 wer for this y and to what distance from the 

 vine is it necessary to cover the roots ? 



217. Hammond's Slug Shot.— What is your 

 opinion of Hammond's Slug Shot, its efficiency and 

 harmlessness to the party usmg it? R., Toronto. 



218. Gladioli from seed. Will some grower of 

 Gladioli please say the shortest time in which they 

 can get the bulbs to flower from the time of sowing 

 the seed, also what is the difference in this respect 

 between G.brenchleyeuis and G. gandavensis?— J. L. 



219. Treatment of Christmas Eoses. I should 

 be obliged if some one would tell me the proper 

 treatment for Christmas Roses. I want particular- 

 ly to know what soil and what aspect suits them 

 best, and at what time they may be moved.— L.E.G. 



220. Celery Culture. (A) How early should the 

 seed be sown to have plants ready for setting out 

 July 20? (B) Will frost hurt early-raised plants 

 outdoors? (C) Sowing in a seed bed in rows 8 

 inches apart, how close should the plants stand in 

 the row ? (D) How would it do to set Goldeu Heart 

 Celery in rows IM inches apart, blanching the rows 

 alternately with boards and by hilling up ? (E) 

 How soon after setting should boards for blanch- 

 ing be placed against the plants, and how long to 

 be left ■( C. J. M., Little Genesee N. Y. 



221. Treating a Large Wax Plant. I have a 

 magnificent Hoya, too large to be moved, which 

 has stood for over thi-ee years in an ordinary 

 wooden pail. This wint*;r some of the leaves turn 

 yellow, and I am afraid it is getting exhausted. I 

 cannot remove any soil as it is a complete mass of 

 roots. Can I feed it, and with what, to keep it 

 thriving indefinit^?ly ? 



222. Cherries for Uichigan. What varieties of 

 sweet Cherries would be the best for this climate ? 



223. Potting old Fuchsias. I have some very 

 fine old Fuchsias. I have had them under the 

 greenhouse stage some time. Will they want pot- 

 ting in fresh soil, and what other treatment do they 

 require? A. A. H., H'ayne Co., N. Y. 



224. Pruning Vines in Grapery. I have a Vine 

 (white) ten years old that has borne fruit several 

 years; last year only three bunches. 1 think I 

 pruned it wrong. Shall 1 let it remain this season 

 until the bunches show before 1 prune it ? 1 am 

 sure there are too many canes in now. — Hittite. 



225. Soil for Perennials. How can I best im- 

 prove the soil in a fiower garden in which peren- 

 nials are to be grown ? It is a stiff clay, and, as I 

 am just about to move my plants into it from the 



farden I am leaving, in which the soil is a light 

 ree loam, I fear for then* health.— T. L. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



155. Narcissus Blasting. This is due to some 

 defect in the soil, or other element into which the 

 roots extend, by wliich th<^ needs of the latter are 

 not well provided for. By tukmg up and resetting 

 the plants, next September, intu good soil, they 

 should do better.— John L. Pauk, Berrien Co., Mich. 



108. Asparagus Growing, For Asparagus (as 

 well as Rhubarb) it is difiicult to have the soil 

 too rich at the start. Well rotted manure should be 

 thoroughly incorporated w-ith the soil. Then each 

 fall, after the ground freezes, a good coat of fresh 

 manure can be applied that will answer as a mulch 

 during the winter, and later be forked into the soil. 

 A bad mistake with man^- is too close planting. 

 Two by thi'ee feet is closer or at least fully as close 

 as any plants should be set at the start, while three 

 by four feet will be better. You can sow the seed 

 where the plants are to grow, dropping three or 

 four seeds in each place and thinning out to one later 

 or you can set out the plants from a seed bed. If 

 this is done, care should be taken to spread out the 

 roots as e-arly as possible and till in well with soil. 

 The shoots at first are very small and it requires 

 some care to hoe well and keep clean. For this reason 

 land that is foul with weed or grass seed should not 

 be selected It is necessary, at least during the first 

 year, to cultivate and keep clear of weeds. I like 

 to secure good stocky plants, and in order to secure 

 these good cultivation is essential until they have 

 become well established. Let the plants make a 

 good growth before commencing to cut. If good 

 soil is given and kept rich, and sutficieut cultivation 

 IS given to keep down the weeds and it is not cut 

 too severely a bed will last a long time without 

 replanting.— N. J. Shepherd, Eldon., Mo. 



201). Lettuce Forcing. Uur large market grow- 

 ers about Buffalo conliue themselves almost wholly 

 to a variety called Hubbard's Market. In New York 

 and other eastern cities the Black-seeded Tennis 

 Ball, Boston Market or White-seeded Tennis BaU, 

 and the Early Curled Simpson, are favorite forcing 

 varieties with the gardeners. Without exception 

 the above are also valuable for outdoor culture. 

 The Cireeu-fiy or Aphis is one of the worst enemies 

 to the Lettuce grower, and everj' means must be 

 taken to keep it down. To do this, tu'st dust over the 

 surface of the bed before planting with tobacco dust 

 or finely chopped up reluse stems of the plant. 

 Second, dip the young seedlings, at planting time, 

 in tobacco water that looks like strong tea. Thirdly, 

 strew the walks with tobacco stems. With such 

 treatm'.nt there should be no aphis seen, if there is, 

 fumigiici by burning moistened tobacco stems. 



210. Sweet-scented Chrysanthemums. At the 

 late show of the N. Y. Horticultural Society, Mr. E. 

 M. Allen, of Woodbridge, N. J., exhibited a seed- 

 ling Chrysanthemum of his own, named Mrs. Akers 

 AUen. The chief merit uf which w as its very dis- 

 tinct fragrance, almost approaching the perfume of 

 the Violet; otherwise it was a very smooth refiexed 

 variety, of good size, broad petals, white with lemon 

 yellow shadings at the base. Refuigens is called 

 sweet scented, but is very slightly so.— U. B.Rewsen. 



175. Ground Cherries. They grow here spon- 

 taneously, and are treated as weeds. They are also 

 quite common in Eastern Nebraska. Some people 

 make them up into preserves. I do not kuow of 

 any one growing them for sale. The person who 

 would grow them lor market would Una it difficult 

 to sell his crop.^ALEX. Wood, Council Bluffs., Iowa. 



211. Treating Plums for Curculio. (.A) As soon 

 as the blossoms fall and at intervals of two weeks 

 until the fruit is one-half grown. i,Bj We prefer to 

 use London Purple or Paris Green, believing the 

 former to be the most reliable. Of this we prepare 

 a water by taking a teaspoonful of the poison to 4 

 or ij gallons of water. {C) We think not, as the 

 poison is not applied after one-half the growth is at- 

 tained. Should no heavy rain fall between that 

 time and ripening, it would be safest to throw the 

 Plums into a tub of water before usmg or market- 

 ing, to take up the poisonous properties.— A. M. P. 



212. Distance for Apples. Two rods apart is 

 nearenough. They can, however,be planted one rod 

 apart and grown thus for 12 to 15 years, getting 

 good crops, and then cut out 3 out of 4 trees, leaving 

 them 2 rods apart.— A. M. P. 



189. Eupatoriums, etc. They should winter 



safely in a moderately light cellar, the temperature 

 of which never falls to the freezing point. Here 

 they had better be brought to almost a complete 

 state of rest by largely withholding water. We 

 would not cut them back until they were moved to 

 more light and an- again, towards sprmg. 



IHO. Calla Culture. The suckers undoubtedly 

 draw some strength from the old plant as well as 

 from the soil, an important point also. On this 

 account when we prepare our stock each summer 

 for the coming winter we take off" all these suckers, 

 growing them along if we care to by setting them 

 an inch apart in pots or low boxes of soil. By dig- 

 ging down now the suckers could still be removed 

 trom your plant. This should be done very carefully 

 in order not to injure the old plant or its leaf stalks. 



l'J2. Early Covering of Strawberries. To do 



this as early as November and before the ground is 

 frozen, would not be safe as a rule. As has before 

 been directed in these columns, the better time for 

 this work is about the time winter sets in in good 

 earnest, usually in December. The greatest benefits 

 from covering Strawberries come from the proteo 



