1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



179 



Primulas in the cold frame should be sparingly 

 watered and kept as coot as possible. 



Strelitzias require an abundaot supplj' of water. 

 If their pots or ttibs are well filled with roots give 

 liquid manure at least twice a week. 



Tradescantias ean still be propagated. 



Watering should be done thoroughly whenever 

 necessary. During the heat of the present month 

 it should not be neglected for a single day. Syringe 

 the plants freely (towards evenings every bright 

 sunny day. Fumigate the bouses freiiuently. Clean 

 them up after removing all dead and decaying 

 leaves. Take advantage of rainy weather to wash 

 the woodwork, pots, etc., for no matter what time 

 or season of the year it is, the greenhouse should 

 always present a neat and attractive appearance. 



FRUIT GARDEN AND ORCHARD. 



Currants. As soon as the fruit has been gathered 

 all weak and superfluous branches should be re- 

 moved, a good dressing of w^ell deca.yed manure 

 given and well worked in around the plants. After 

 this keep well cultivated and free from insects. 



Gooseberries. Treat as directed for Currants. 



Mulching. Where cultivation for young trees 

 cannot be constant, a mulch of some material, 

 such as bog hay, coarse manure or any other litter 

 available, is of benefit in times of drought. 



Peach trees in bearing sliould be examined, and 

 if the fruit has set too thickly it should be severely 

 thinned. Not only will the size and quality of that 

 left be improved, but the trees will be benefited. 



Pears, If large fine specimens are desired for 

 show or exhibition purposes the fruit should be 

 severely thinned. If the opportunity offers, care- 

 fully examine all dwarf Pears and thin out the 

 fruit well. Pinch back all rank growing shoots in 

 order to equalize the growth. 



Shoots, Remove superfluous shoots on Peach, 

 Pear and Apple trees. Pinch back all rank growing 

 shoots for forming a neat symmetrical appearance 



Strawberries. New beds this spring will require 

 constant attention to keep them clean, well culti- 

 vated and free from weeds. Remove all runners as 

 soon as they are formed. New beds can yet be 

 formed if the plants are layered in pots. The 

 sooner they are planted now the larger will be the 

 crop. Plants intended for fruiting in pots should be 

 obtained by layering as early as possible. The 

 straw should be removed from the fruiting beds as 

 soon as picking ceases, a good dressing of well 

 decayed manure given and forked imder thoroughly. 

 If the bed has produced two crops, however, it is 

 best to destroy it, and to occupy the land otherwise. 



VEGETABLE GARDEN. 



Beans. Sow Bush or Dwarf at intervals for a 

 succession. Thin out and hoe frequently the earlier 

 ones, but avoid disturbing them when wet with dew. 



Beets. For a succession of young and tender 

 roots, sowings may be made up to tenth of month. 



Cabbage. For the late or winter crop, the plants 

 should be set out about the middle of the mouth. 



Carrots. If there is any danger that the demand 

 for Carrots will exceed the supply, a sowing or two 

 of the Extra Early Forcing can be made at any time 

 during the month. Keep those that were sown 

 ea.rlier well cultivated and free from weeds. 



Celery can be set at any time before the mid- 

 dle of the month. The plants can be set six or 

 eight inches apart in the row. For garden culture 

 it is best to place the plants in single rows in shallow 

 trenches about four feet apart. In planting firm 

 the soil well around the roots of the plants. 



Corn may be planted at intervals of once a week 

 up to the middle of the month. Moore's Early 

 Concord is the most suitable variety for the purpose. 



Cucumbers. If the ground is in good condition 

 a sowing for pickles can be made during the first 

 week. Keep the earlier sowings free from weeds, 

 and remove all over-grown fruit the instant it is 

 noticed. In gathering cut from the vine with a 

 sharp knife, or scissors, to avoid injuring the vine. 



Egg plants should be well cultivated and guarded 

 from being injured by Potato bugs. 



Endive. Where this is in demand, two or three 

 successional sowings should be made during the 

 month. Sow in a nicely prepared bed. and as soon 

 as the plants are strong enough to handle place in 

 rows eight inches apart. When the leaves are six 

 or eight inches in length Ihey can be blanched. 



Leeks. Keep them well cultivated, and draw 

 earth up to them as they grow. 



Lettuce. Sow once a week in order to ensure a 

 succession. Sow in a nicely prepared bed, and as 



soon as the young plants are large enough to handle 

 transplant into rows six inches apart. 



Melons, As soon as the fruit shows indications 

 of approaching maturity, carefully remove all small 

 and ill-shaped specimens In doing this, however, 

 be careful not to injure the vines. 



Parsnips. Hoe and cultivate the crop often. 



Spinach. Sow every week for a succession, and 

 in order to ensure a quick germination of the seed 

 see that the ground is well firmed 



Tools. The file and grindstone are friends to 

 all good soil tillers Sharp edges are twice as effec- 

 tive for good work as are dull ones. 



Turnips. The Ruta Baga varieties can be sown 

 about the middle of the month. The other kinds 

 for winter not until the end of the month. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES UNDER 

 GLASS, 



Figs. Fig trees in pots or tubs should be thor- 

 oughly watered. Us© liquid manure twice a week 



Grapes. In the earliest houses Grapes will now 

 be fully ripe. Keep cool and dry and the fruit 

 will remain for a long time in perfection. In the 

 succession house the fruit will soon begin to color. 

 Keep the house dampened until the dark varieties 

 are nearly colored, when moisture should be mostly 

 withheld. Vines in the late houses will now require 

 considerable attention. Dampen the bouses every 

 morning; finish thinning and shouldering the 

 bunches, and keep ail shoots tied to the trellis. 

 Avoid cold draughts of air through the building, as 

 it is likely to cause mildew. 



Peaches and Nectarines in cold houses should 

 be freely syringed until they commence to color. 



Peaches and Plums grown in pots or tubs in cold 

 houses should be syringed frequently, and given 

 liquid manure water at least twice a week. 



Parsley for winter use may yet be sown in drills 

 six inches apart in a cold frame, the sash of which 

 will require to be given a moderate shading. 



Sashes used in forwarding vegetables should now 

 be placed under cover, and repaired and painted at 

 the earliest opportunity. 



This being the People's Paper, it is open to all their 

 Inquiries bearinq on gardening. Correspondents are 

 urged to anticipnte the s-^asou in presenting questions. To 

 ask, for instance, on April lb 'ir 20 ichat Peas had beat be 

 sown, could bring no ansjcer in the May issue, and none 

 before June, when the answer would be unseasonable. 

 Questions rereived befor the lOthofamj jnonth stand a good 

 chance of being answered in the ne.rt jmper. Not more than 

 three questions should be sent at one time. 



Relies to Inquiries are earnestly requested from our 

 readers. In answei'ing such give the number, your 

 locality and name, the latter not for publication, unless 

 you desire. H'rite only on one side of the paper. 



347. Pruning Currants. Last fall I cut back 

 our bushes all over the head as recommended, and 

 this season have hardly any fruit. Bushes very 

 healthy, but too much wood. What had I better 

 do:- A. J. W,. LakeJieH, Ont 



348. Clematis Failing. My Clematis Jackmauii 

 has done remarkably well for the past four or five 

 year.-!, but now seems in bad shape and strnggling 

 for an existence. How old do the plants get and 

 what is the best soil, situation and winter treatment? 



349. Asparagus Cutting, I have a ten year old 

 bed which is showing some gaps; have I cut it too 

 close? Should a bed be cut clean as fast aa it grows, 

 including young shoots? 



350. Improving Honey Locust Hedge. A seven 

 year old hedge of mine which has been cut back 

 annually is getting thin at the bottom and has many 

 dead branches. I cut it back about one foot thi-; 

 spring and it looks pretty thin. Would you rerom. 

 mend cutting it back severly, say to two feet? P. P. 



351. Mildew on Plum. I have a tree thus 

 affected, and growing worse. What can be done? 

 N. A., Ypsilanti, Mich. 



352. Planting by the Moon. Does planting in 

 any particular phase of the moon have any specia' 



effect on growth ? Moonshine. Wheeling, W. Va. 



;^3. Fuchsia Culture. Will you please give me 

 full insTructions regarding Fuchsia culture, not 

 omitting the matters of soil, watering, drainage, 

 hght, temperature, etc. 



351. Fuchsia Storm King; Frau Emma. Do 

 these names apply to one or two varieties? 



:i55. Books on Flowers, and Seed Growing. 

 Can you give me the names and where to be pro- 

 cured, of good and concise works on th^je subjects? 

 Mu.s. G. J. L , Biy Horn, Wyoming. 



356. Asparagus Query. My three year old 

 Asparagus bed has not been cut this season. It has 

 green berries on : should I cut the plants to the 

 ground now or wait lat«r? A Subscriber. 



•i57. No Persimmons. Why does a Persimmon 

 tree fail to produce fruitjilllHUieh blossoming freely 



358. Pruning Young Apple. How shall I man- 

 age one year old trees to ktM-p them from branching 

 too low? How and when should they be pruned? 



.'159. Grape Tendrils. What is the cause or 

 causes of Grape-vines producing tendrils instead of 

 fruit clusters, and how renu-died? G. C 1.. FretUir- 

 icktou-n, Ohio. 



3G(). Pansy Distinctions, Can you describe the 

 distinctive markings of (Jt-rman, Knglish, French, 

 and American Pansie?. .1 .1. li.. Paterson, N J. 



361. Fruit Trees from Cuttings. Will Cherry 

 or other trees of good stock thus rooted make as 

 good stock as the parent tree? If not, why? 



3(i:;. The Fragrant Olive. What cultivation is 

 needed for this plant? 1 have an Olea frarjrtnis 

 that has made little growth in two years. F. H., 



Onekama, Mich. 



.303. Yield of Grapes. What yield and price per 

 acre may be counted on for Grapes? 



3t;4. Bee Balm or Monarda. I>oes this beautiful 

 old plant grow readily from seed, and if so, where 

 can seed be obtained? F. E. B., La Centre, W.Ter. 



365. Violet Seed, where can I get seed of the 

 Swanley White and English Blue Violet? Mrs. H. C. 



C , Sarnia, Ontario. 



3ij6. Autumn Blooming Crocus. Where can 

 these of sorts suitab'e for this climate be procured 

 W. K N., Toronto, Ont. 



3Cr. Young Canaries. Some of mine at six or 

 more weeks old get sck, bloat, their feathers stick 

 up, they hide their hea,ds under their wing, have an 

 appetite, but die at last. How shall they be treated* 

 C. J -, Buffalo, N. Y. 



36K. Peony Flowers Blasting. The plant is of 



food size, buds well in the spring, but the buds soon- 

 ry off. What is the trouble? Reader, Buffato,N.Y. 

 309. Blackberry Rust. My Blackberries are 

 showing some diseased leaves like the enclosed. Is 

 it rust? How 10 be treat*'d? P. Wayne, Tmya, Co ,Pa. 



370. Pale Marechal Niel Roses. My :\larechal 

 Niel Rose is of a pale and inferior color, quite unUke 

 others I have seen. Is this because there are differ- 

 ent forms of the rose and mine a poor one ? I give 

 the plants liquid manure water. J. L. Avon, N. Y. 



371. Young Asparagus Bed. My bed was 

 planted in spring of 1S86, ought ] to let the seed 

 ripen or cut it while green? T. R R. Goshen, Md. 



37:3. Silkworms. Can these be had in this coun- 

 try and will they thrive in Maryland? I would be 

 glad for information and for the names of books 

 on the subject. A. H. H., Baltimore, Md. 



373. Roses from Seed. What is the time required 

 for flowers to appear after setd is sown? L. W. 



REPLIES TO INQUIRIES. 



:i82. Currant Worm Remedy. Dust the bushes 

 when the dew is on with white hellebore, and the 

 Currant pest will not trouble you. J. W. Philips, 

 Butler Co., Pa. 



'JGO Bees and Grapes. W^asps cut Grapes and 

 then bees devour them. Kill the wasps and remove 

 the injured fruit, and the bees give it up at once, 

 I am surprised that this has not been more gener- 

 ally observed. I have seen a large light-brown 

 wasp cut half a dozen Grapes in as manj- minutes; 

 then the bees dispute posse.ssion with him and an- 

 noy him till he leaves the bunch to repeat elsewhere. 

 Six or eight wasps killed check all trouble- J. W. 

 HoLUNGSWuRTH, Orange Co., Ind. 



298. Ground or Root Aphis. This is a difficult 

 insect to get rid of. <.ine of the most practical 

 remedies is to mulch the ground in the autumn. 

 Then the Insects will ascend into the mulch, which, 

 in the spring, should be scraped away from around 

 the trees or vines, and a plentiful application of hot 

 water be made to each. Bisulphide of carbon ap- 

 plied by making a hole into the soil to reach below 

 the roots, and into which is poured a tablespoonful 

 of this substance, is the remedy largely emploj'ed 

 by the French government for ridding vineyards of 

 that destructive root louse the phylloxera. But at 

 best this is a rather costly remedv: the drug also 

 is explosive if brought near to a Aame. 



305. Trellising Grapes. An approved plan is 

 to place posts '-.M feet apart along the rows, and 

 string two wires on them, one Ave foot from the 

 ground, the other half as high. One set of branches 

 are trained to the upper and one to the lower wires, 

 and the branches as they grow simply hang over. 

 It is found that the laterals make less growth when 

 the vines hang down than when they are trained 

 uprightly, saving much on pinching and stopping 

 them. This system of trelli.sing answers well, and 

 makes a very material saving over that in which 

 the posts are closer and more wires are used. On 

 these the renewal method of pruning is practiced, 

 by which the present year's wood is provided for 

 next year's fruiting- Everyone, we presume, un- 

 derstands that Grapes are much finer and more 

 abundant on last year's wood than on that older. 



3117. Weeding Lawns. My experience shows 

 that all broad-leaved weeds, such as Dandelions, 

 Plantains, and Buttercups, may be completely 



