1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



119 



Gladiolus. A first planting ought to be gotten 

 in early in the month, to be followed by later 

 plantings at intervals of two weeks until June. 



Hardy Plants. All must desire some of those 

 plants which remain year after year. What they 

 require is to have the soil where they are planted 

 dug up deeply and then later on annual applications 

 of well rotted manure. 



Lawn, Manure applied in the fall to be in its 

 coarser parts taken off and the surface raked to 

 liven it up, removing the dead grass also. Rolling 

 should follow this operation. The mower to be set 

 at work promptly, as the growth requires it, cut- 

 ting ofUjn but not too closely. New lawns may 

 yet be started, remembering that the best results 

 follow on the best methods of making; full direc- 

 tions as to this appear on page 68. 



Planting. April is the great planting month for 

 all hardy things. For the best results too much 

 pains cannot be taken to have the soil fine and fer- 

 tile and to plant w'ith great care. Some other lead- 

 ing points to observe are these: Do not expose the 

 roots needlessly, especially those of Evergreens. 

 Set all growths as deeply as they stood in ihe nur- 

 sery. To get the soil firmly packed about the fine 

 roots is one great secret of success. Cutting back 

 is also necessary. If not done the top will require 

 more moisture than the roots can well supply, and 

 suffering must follow. 



Seed Sowing in the open air is in order for all 

 the hardy annuals like Candytuft, Mignonette, 

 Sweet Peas, Larkspur, Pansy, Eschscholtzia, Sweet 

 Rocket, Lupine, etc. The last of the month the fol- 

 lowing varieties might, throughout the North, be 

 sown, if the soil be dry ; Amaranthus, Antirrhinum, 

 Calendula, Caltiopsis, Clarkia, Helianthus. Phlox 

 Drummondii, Poppy, Portulaca, Morning Glory, 

 Golden Feather, Godetia, Zinuia, Marigold, etc. 



Tuberoses to be started in hot-beds or the win- 

 dow, the season in the North not being long enough 

 for them to start and bloom entirely outside in 

 any but the lightest soil. 



PLANT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



Bougainvillea glabra. Flowering shoots to be 

 kept in an upright position by staking. Bloom is 

 most seriously interfered with by drought. Week- 

 ly applications of manure water, and this quite 

 strong, is needed to induce the required vigor. 



Carnations. Young plants to be placed in 

 frames and kept well aired to harden off prepara- 

 tory to planting out. 



Cinerarias. Fine plants of a strain desirable for 

 seed to be isolated from the inferior ones to pre- 

 vent unfavorable mixing. 



Climbers in Pots. As kinds like" Cobaea Scan- 

 dens, Maurandia, etc., make their growth, to neg- 

 lect tying them upon stakes and keeping under 

 control, will very soon result in unshapely masses 

 that cannot be handled later without great injury. 



Coleas depend upon the well-developed colors of 

 the leaves for beauty. If the plants are kept in 

 full simshine, not too wet and rather pot-bound, 

 their color will be much helped. 



Geraniums. For making space the surplus 

 should go into frames or hot-beds, plunged in the 

 soil, and here they will do well. 



Heaths and hard-wooded plants generally to have 

 a great abundance of air as they come into bloom. 



Plunging the pots of plants in refuse heaps is 

 one w^ay to save on watering in this busy season 

 and promoting plant growth well at the same time. 



Pots, with Fuchsias, Calceolarias, Petunias, Hy- 

 drangeas and the like, when pot-bound, exclusive 

 watering with manure water until after the bloom- 

 ing period, will usually insure satisfactory results. 

 This is also true of hard-wooded plants, either in 

 bloom or when making new growth, as Azaleas, 

 Daphnes, Neriums, Genistas, etc. 



Primulas. The double white may yet be propa- 

 gated. To defer beyond the first half of this month 

 is not well. For this, cut the shoots at near the 

 base three-quarters through, inserting a bit of wood 

 in the gash to keep the parts from reuniting. Then 

 make a mound, from the soil upwards to above the 

 cuts, with a mixture of sphagnum and Hght soil, 

 keeping this moderately moist. Into this material 

 the cuttings soon will throw roots, after which the 

 former should be covered and be potted individ- 

 ually. The plants now need heavy shade. 



Boses. A top dressing of manure at tlus time 

 should help the late yield of bloom greatly. An 

 exception to the general rule of Roses requiring a 

 clayey soil for best results is the Bennett, which is 

 found to succeed equally well or better in light soil. 



Verbenas struck before the middle of April make 

 very superior plants by June 1. The cuttings root 

 quickly, and if put in thumb pots in a frame, they 

 bouud ahead with marvelous rapidity. 



FRUIT GARDEN ANDORCHARD. 



Apricots. Water allowed to settle and stand 

 about the roots of these in the spring is very in- 

 jurious. Provide necessary drainage. 



Borers. As a protection against these a well- 

 known orchardist recommends a preparation of 

 cement, soap and skim milk, coating the tree for 

 several feet from a little below the ground up. This 

 forms enough of a shell to repel the borers. 



Grafting. For directions see February number. 



Heel-in all trees not immediately planted as 

 soon as received, keeping each variety separate. 

 To heel-in means to temporarily cover the roots 

 with ground, bringing this firmly against them, and 

 so to remain until the plauting is done. 



Orchard, Fruit trees require some potash in the 

 soil, to furnish whicb, there are few things ahead 

 of a dressing of unleached wood ashes. As a sub 

 stitute, of fertilizing value, three parts bonedust 

 and one part of muriate of potash can be employed. 



Baspberries often throw up more canes than the 

 roots can well support to a full crop of berries, 

 making some thinning desirable. If there is an ex- 

 cess of canes beyond four or five, such may well be 

 removed. The suckers from the red ones will an- 

 swer for another patch. Plants should be set at 

 about three feet by six or seven feet apart. 



Seeds of Cherry. Peach, etc., kept over winter to 

 be sown as early as the soil works up well. The 

 seeds of all fruit and ornamental trees to be sown 

 without loss of time after the soil is fit. 



Strawberries. The sooner planting of new beds 

 can be done after the ground can be worked, the 

 better. Mulch any bearing beds that need it be- 

 fore any signs of dry weather appear. 



Tree Planting. In order to do a good job sev- 

 eral things are essential. The soU should be mel- 

 low and somewhat dry, the hole large enough to 

 accommodate all the roots without crowding, and 

 the hair-like roots to be firmly packed in fine soil, 

 with no manure against them. To settle the 

 ground solidly about newly planted trees is one se- 

 cret of success. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Arrangement. The old-fashioned way of en- 

 closing a patch of ground with a high fence, doing 

 all the work by hand, planting in beds and calling 

 it woman's work, has passed away. The better 

 garden is unenclosed, and the crops are placed in 

 rows and worked by horse power with compara- 

 tively little labor. 



Brussels Sprouts. Given a deep rich loamy 

 soil, well cultivated, these may be easily grown; 

 when properly prepared they resemble Cauliflower. 



Onions. The sets tc be planted among the first 

 of things in garden making. By transplanting 

 seedlings as directed last month. Onions may be 

 had nearly as early as from sets, and at less cost. 



Peas, A gain of a week in the earlmess of the 

 crop may be had by slightly sprouting the seed in 

 warm sand before planting. 



Potato Bugs arrive early for the season's bus- 

 iness. One plan for heading off their work is to 

 feed the first comers with sliced Potatoes covered 

 with Paris Green or London Purple, and thus cut 

 off the laying of an endless number of eggs. 



Badishes. To make certain of a crop of this 

 vegetable free from maggots, see that there is 

 enough of manure and sand in the soil iu which 

 they are sown to render it very light and rich. It 

 is said that clay land, greatly lightened with sifted 

 coal ashes, will raise good early Radishes. 



Sweet Corn may be forwarded by planting in 

 boxes, similar to those recommended for Tomatoes 

 last month, three weeks before planting-out tmie, 

 and then may be transplanted from these boxes 

 without checking. 



Thinning out. The earlier this is done on Rad- 

 ishes, Beets, Carrots and crops of like nature, down 

 to a fair handling size, the better. 



Figs. With much bright weather a night tem- 

 perature of 60** to 70° may be given, but should the 

 weather be dark a lower degree will be better. 

 Figs, though delighting in heat and moisture, do 

 not get along well without corresponding air or 

 light. Top dressing the soil with fresh horse ma- 

 nure is beneficial, because of the ammonia thus se- 

 cured. Do not allow the fruit to be too thickly 

 placed. For young stock put in cuttings in sandy, 

 well drained soil, in a sharp bottoin heat. With 

 good treatment fruit may be had in two years. 



Strawberries uow iu fruit will need plenty of 

 water, and until color begins to show, some liquid 

 manure. Ventilate freely. Thin the fruit some- 

 what on the more heavily loaded plants for secur- 

 ing berries of a good size. 



Vines, in the latest houses, should be stopped. 

 Syringe twice daily, and promote a sturdy growth 

 by ventilation. Water with liquid manure if 

 growth seems weak. Keep a close lookout for Red 

 Spider Give good attendance to thinning. 





\1m12 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS. 



Cucumbers. Generous feeding with plenty of 

 water will be required to keep the old bearing 

 plants in a productive state. Young plants should 

 be growing freely and stopped as needed. Do not 

 manure with liquids heavily until bearing. 



T/i/s being the People's Paper, it ta open to all Vieir 

 InquiHes bearing on gardening. 



Replies to Inquiries are eameatly requested from 

 readers. In answering such give the number, your 

 ocality and 7iame, the latter not for publication, unless 

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



358. Alternanthera Culture. What is the pro- 

 per winter treatment of these, and when is the best 

 time to propagate for summer bedding out, also 

 wintering over? S. M. A., Council Bluffs, Iowa. 



259. Varieties of Plums and Cherries. Do you 

 know anything about a Plum called Niagara or 

 Moony? An agent has been lauding it to the skies 

 around here: also a Cherry which he called Luel- 

 ling. N. A., Ypsilatiti, Mich. 



360. Boses for Market. What are sLs of the 

 best paying kinds of Roses to force under glass. At 

 what price can they be procured by the quantity of 

 1,000 good strong plants of different ages'? SuB- 

 scRiBKR, East Weijmoiith, Mass. 



361. Blood, etc., for Grapes. I am growing 



some Grapes and have access to a slaughter house. 

 Can 1 make use of the blood as a fertilizer, and 

 what is the best mode of using? E. F., Eato7i, Ind^ 



362. Mulberries for Seed. I have a quantity of 

 Russian Mulberry Seed to start in the open ground. 

 Will you please tell me the best way? A. R. C, 

 Uiiioii, Iowa. 



263. Preparing Soilfor Small Fruits. Is loos- 

 ening the subsoil necessary when the land is sandy 

 loam, high, porous, and self draining? I have ac- 

 cess to some black swamp muck; to have this on 

 high, dry soil, would it make it drier or otherwise? 

 Would you apply it first as a mulch? F. H., One- 

 havia^ Mich. 



3(>4. Engine Scrapings as a Fertilizer. Are 

 coaly particles and dust scraped from engines of 

 any worth as fertilizers, and what is its effect on 

 flowers and strawberry beds? M. J., Shelly, N. C. 



265. Soap Suds and House Slops. Are these 

 liquids of any value as fertilizers? How are they 

 to be used? J. L., Delaware Co., Ohio. 



366. Lilium Auratum. How shall I manage 

 my Lilium auratum? Upon repotting, I found it 

 surrounded with weak bulblets, and also acciden- 

 tally broke off the main shoot. Will it ever amount 

 to anything again? 



267. Oranges as Window Plants. Will some 

 one please to tell me of the way to have Orange 

 blossoms in the window? I am told that the seed 

 require a year for germination, and that the plants 

 need to be grafted. Citrus, Hennepin Co.^ Minn. 



368. Grubs in Onion Land. I have a garden in 

 which I am told it is impossible to raise Onions be- 

 cause of the wireworms and other insects infest- 

 ing it. Being an amateur, I am desirous of learn- 

 ing the best way of getting rid of them without in- 

 jury to the Onions. Anxious, Litchfield Co., Conn. 



269. Bees and Grapes. What are the latest 

 conclusions of exjierts as to the former injuring 

 the latter? G. W. N., Orleaiis Co., N. Y. 



270. Angle Worms in Soil. What can I do to 

 avoid these? I had a beautiful Rex Begonia killed, 

 and also a Farfugium that seemed to suffer badly 

 from their presence in the pot . Mrs. C. L. Angier, 

 Buena Vista Co., Iowa. 



371. Cuttings from Young Vines and Trees. 



Are cuttings and scions taken from such before be- 

 ginning to bear as good as if taken after bearing 

 has commenced? Some oppose this, but I have a 

 few hundred Grape cuttings taken from young 

 vines, and would like your opinion. 



372. Market for Sage. Can you tell where mar- 

 ket can be found for the product from an acre of 

 this herb? Mrs. R. D. S., Union Spriiigs, Ala. 



273. Grapes Bursting. Can you tell me the 

 cause and remedy for this iu the case of Concord, 

 Kimira and Marthas W. C. S.. Muscatine^ Iowa. 



