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POPULAR GARDENING. 



March, 



A Few Points in Potato Cuiture. 



FRANK FORD. RAVENNA, O. 



It is too common a practice to plant the whole 

 crop at one time, very early, and of but one or 

 two varieties. Then one often hears the ex- 

 clamation, "I planted two weeks too soon," 

 or "I planted so late that a dry spell at the 

 crop-setting time caught them." Such a time is 

 a critical one. If the weather then be very 

 dry or otherwise unpropitious, giving the vines 

 a set back, but very few tubers will set, and a 

 full crop will be impossible. 



It is better to plant several early and late 

 varieties at intervals until June. Some of 

 them will then be sure to bridge over bad spells 

 of weather. The Potatoes we planted last 

 season about the first of June yielded the best 

 and produced the largest and best tubers. The 

 selection of sorts is an impoi-tant point. These 

 are now so numerous, and the variations so 

 great on different soils that this is not so easy 

 a matter to solve. Concerning variation, we ob- 

 serve that at the Ohio Experimental Station, 

 varieties were graded very low in quality 

 which in our soil are among the best. There is 

 more variation in quality than in the yield. 

 The best way: test several sorts for several 

 years, then plant largely of the best for the place. 



Commercial fertilizei-s, either high grade 

 phosphate containing five to eight per cent of 

 potash, or special fertilizers, judiciously used, 

 will ordinarily many times pay their cost in a 

 better yield and quality. Prom 300 to .500 pounds 

 per acre, according to soil, will be found of great 

 benefit if well mixed with the soil in the hill or 

 drill ; much brought into close contact with the 

 seed will be a damage. These fertilizers tell 

 the be.st in moist seasons. Recent experiments 

 at the Iowa Agricultural College showed that 

 large quantities of stable manure greatly less- 

 ened the injuries from severe drought. 



For very early planting I prefer tubers of a 

 hen's egg size, planting whole, or if larger tubers 

 are used, make of such only two or three pieces. 

 As only a portion of the eyes will start, these 

 will make a more vigorous and early growth 

 than if the pieces were quite small. Besides, 

 should such be killed by frost, the dormant eyes 

 will start and make the crop. 



For later ordinary planting, cut according to 

 soil fertility. For moderately rich land have 

 good sized pie .'es, of from about two to five eyes ; 

 for that very rich, less wiU answer. Cutting 

 to single eyes, and even dividing the large eyes, 

 will do when the object is to secure the largest 

 amount of tubers from a given amount of seed ; 

 in general it will not. 



Early Potatoes having but a short time in 

 which to gi-ow require a richer soil than late 

 ones. As a rule late varieties are the most 

 productive. Sometimes it is the other way, as 

 was shown at the Ohio Experimental Station, 

 in 1885, when early varieties yielded nearly 

 double as much as later varieties, Lee's Favor- 

 ite the one taking the lead in about 100 varieties, 

 by over 60 bushels per acre. Something similar 

 was also shown at the Iowa Agricultural Col- 

 lege last year, owing to severe drought just 

 after the earliest varieties had set their tubers. 



The depth of planting should depend on the 

 nature of the soil. If well drained and porous, 

 plant three or four inches down, giving almost 

 level culture. In clay or moist soil plant near 

 the surface and hill up. 



Suggestions for preventing blight and rot: 

 When using Paris green for beetles for each 

 pound take 300 lbs. gypsum (land plaster), 10 

 lbs. fine sulphur, mix thoroughly, and apply in 

 the ordinary way. Another: Dissolve 5 lbs. 

 sulphate of iron (copperas) in 40 gallons of 

 water. To a'three-gallon watering-can of this 

 solution, mix a teaspoonful of Paris green. 

 Keep well stirred ; use a fine rose, so as to use 

 the least quantity possible and still wet the 

 foliage all over. Either of these methods will 

 be found effective, if not a complete preventive 

 of blight and consequently rf>t. The ingredients 

 named are not expensive if bought in quantity. 



A. M. PTJBDY'S DEPABTMENT. 



Post-office address, - - , Palmyra, N. Y. 



Brieflets. 



The main requirement to make Currant and 

 Gooseberry growing successful at the South is 

 thorough trimming.heavy mulching.and in drought 

 plenty of waste matter worked into the soil. 



A Blackherry as large, good and productive as 

 the Kittatinny and as hardy and tough as to the 

 plant as is the Snyder, is what is now wanted. The 

 Western Triumph and Taylor's Prolific come the 

 nearest to it of any sorts we know of. 



Nooks and corners are usually to be found in 

 gardens and yards, where a nice clump of Rasp- 

 berries, Blackberries and Currants might be grown. 

 And how many old sheds, barns, fences and trees 

 might be covered with Grape-vines. 



A friend in Florida. whose land is light and poor, 

 writes us he fertilized his Strawberries nicely by 

 burning heaps o£ old logs, brush and sod, and that 

 but a teaspoonful of the unleached ashes around 

 each plant " made a wonderful difference." 



Benewing Asparagus. If an Asparagus bed 

 has got old and stunted, the best way is to take up 

 the roots, divide them and replant in a new place. 

 Of course part of the roots can be left in the old bed 

 and having more room will do well for years. 



In answer to J. R. S. of Burlington, N. J., as to 

 best fertilizer for the Peach tree, we say first and 

 most valuable of all, wood ashes ; if not to be had, 

 then German Kainit, and if this is not to be had, 

 scatter straw or hay under the tree and bum it. 



Strawberries South, For a reliable list we would 

 name as safe. May King, Crescent, Charles Down- 

 ing Downer's Prolific, Cumberland Triumph, Sharp- 

 less, Capt. Jack, Kentucky; there are of course 

 others, but these have done well in North Carolina. 



■Wliere fruit as well as beauty is desired for the 

 front yard there is nothing more beautiful than a 

 well trained dwarf Apple, Pear or Cherry— espec- 

 ially the first. Shortening in and not allowing too 

 many limbs to grow are the main essentials in 

 culture. 



Those who have no Rhubarb or Asparagus 

 roots, can easily grow them from the seed. Aspar- 

 agus seed should have boiling hot water poured on 

 it just sufficient to cover the seed, and let it stand 

 therein for a day or two. Sow', if wanted early, in 

 hot-beds or pans in the house and transplant in 

 April or May. 



Grafting Stone Fruits. In answer to our friend, 

 Prof. Budd, of Iowa, we would say that we have 

 grafted Cherries. Plums. Pears and Peaches, and 

 planted here in different ways and we never have 

 had any success. We know they do well at the 

 South but not here, and but few if any nursery- 

 men in these parts produce them. 



The Hardier Cherries. It's a mistake to suppose 

 that the Early Richmond or "Early May " is the 

 only good hardy Cherry that succeeds in severe 

 climates. Such sorts as Montmorency. Luelling, 

 Olivet, Louis Philippe, Engli Morello, and Em- 

 press Eugenie are as hardy and some of them as 

 productive and better Cherries. 



Strawberry Blossoms and Frosts. To prevent 

 damaging frost on early blossoms, have plenty of 

 straw or hay mulching in blossoming season, and 

 when danger from frost cover plants and blossoms 

 with the mulch out of sight, and if frost comes 

 leave it on plants over the next day and night, being 

 careful to leave it on one day after frost. The sun 

 after a night of frost is what does the mischief. 



If your soil is heavy and stiff and you cannot 

 grow Grapes without their rotting and mildewing, 

 try this: Dig a deep hole, say 4 feet deep and 4 

 to 5 feet square, fill up to within a foot of the top 

 with stones mixing earth well through the stones 

 and having six inches of earth above the stones 

 and on this plant your vine and see if you don't get 

 fine Grapes; of course this is only tor amateurs or 

 the family who wish to gi-ow a vine or two. 



Grape-vines Unfruitful. If you have Grape- 

 vines that blossom but do not bear and that make 

 a superabundance of wood, trim them in the spring 

 early. If you have practiced close pruning and 

 your vines do not bear, try theexperimentof allow- 

 ing more wood to the vine and vice rersa. If your 

 vines make a strong growth of wood and bear 

 lightly, stop manuring them and let the grass grow 

 or sow clover or buckwheat among them. When- 

 ever vines do not bear change your practice. 



Dwarf Apple Orchards. One of the most beau- 

 tiful sights we ever saw in the line of fruit was a 

 small Dwarf Apple orchard, on the grounds of 



Ellwanger & Barry. The trees were then only four 

 or five feet high, perhaps not quite so large, full of 

 fruits of different colors, sizes, etc. We have been 

 asked the question: Will it pay to plant out an 

 orchard of Dwarf Apples? As a rule, and generally 

 over the country, we would answer in the negative, 

 but there may be localities where protection is 

 necessary, or where there are deep snows with ex- 

 tremely severe winters, where by having the trees 

 covered with snow they would do nicely and it 

 might pay. If any one of our readers has made a 

 success with growing Dwarf Apples for market we 

 would like to hear from them. 



The Crimson Beauty Baspberry cannot be beat, 

 but to perfect their crop of fruit, they must be 

 planted near some other early kind of Red Rasp- 

 berry to be fertilized. Mine are fertilized by the 

 Turner, and they do not cast their blossoms, but 

 are an improvement on both kinds. Several per- 

 sons have complained of it blasting: all it wants is 

 a fertilizer. I think Marlborough would be first- 

 rate, but have not tried it yet. So writes Thos. D. 

 Abbott, of Tippecanoe Co., Ind. We have repeat- 

 edly stated that the Crimson Beauty Raspberry 

 must be well fertilized by having some such sort as 

 Hansel or Cuthbert or Marlboro planted near it, 

 say within 3 to 4 rods. The best way is to plant 4 

 to 6 rows of one and then 4 to 6 rows of the other. 

 The Herstine, as also Franconia, do best planted 

 nearer these sorts. The above is a proof of what 

 we have recommended. 



HOW CAN I KEEP UP SOIL IF MANURE IS 

 SCARCE. 



This question is asked us scores of times 

 through the year, and we have answered: "Plow 

 under green crops like Peas, Corn, Clover or 

 Buckwheat." "Scrape up what manure you 

 have, sods, etc., and mix with muck from some 

 swamp or low ground, and scatter this over the 

 land," " Scatter lime freely over it." "Give it 

 rest," "Plow in the fall deep, and let it lay up 

 rough for action of frost. " 



But the question is, " How can I keep up soil 

 when manure is scai-ce? If it is strictly neces- 

 sary to keep it up, according to the common 

 acceptation of the term, we know of no way only 

 by one of the above methods. Southern soil 

 that has been plowed a certain depth for along 

 term of years is benefited by ploughing deep 

 in the fall, and throwing the soil below to the 

 surface for better action of the frosts, and by 

 following with a subsoiler that simply loosens 

 but does not throw the subsoil to the surface. 

 When the soil below is of a loamy character we 

 would advise throwing it up in the fall, but if 

 of a stiff heavy character, simply loosed and 

 not thrown up. 



However, many persons are ignorant of the 

 fact that land where a Strawberry bed has been 

 for a number of years and has apparently "run 

 out '' will grow for another term of years good 

 crops of Raspberries and Blackberries, and 

 vice versa, the main requisite being thorough 

 and oft repeated cultivation. Of course, 

 mulching with any coarse material aroimd the 

 plant is a great help. 



So to be successful with small fruit on poor 

 soil, change every two or three years, give 

 what manm-e you can scrape up, and even 

 work in coal ashes after ploughing, by harrow- 

 ing well, or scatt«r it along between the rows, 

 and follow with the cultivator. By thus chting- 

 ing Strawberry to Raspberry and vice rersa, a 

 very little compost or fertilizer will suffice. 



PLANTING GRAPES. 



Ground should be well prepared in the fall 

 of the j-ear, if possible — especially giving a 

 good thorough subsoil plowing, and mixing 

 well rotted compost thoroughly into the .'-oil. 

 Where the vines come, dig out holes deep and 

 large, and fill in the bottom with soil, bones, 

 iron, etc. Nothing is better than scraps and 

 sweepings from the blacksmith shop. Have 

 also a little salt well mixed through the soil. 

 Plant vines rather shallow, earthing up some- 

 what rather than have them too deep. 



As for pruning we prefer to do this in the fall 

 or early winter, as a rule, but where vines are 

 toorank and bear but little, prune in spring. 



