POPULAR GARDENING 



AND FRUIT GROWING. 



"ACCUSE NOT NATURE, SBE HATH DONE HER PART; DO THOU BUT THINE."— J/liLTOH. 



Vol. II. 



j^jjo-uarr, issv. 



No. II 



August. 



Under the spreadiog Apple trees 

 Hish— swish! the grass is faLling; 

 Overhead the birds are calling. 

 Rocking in the breeze. 

 And still the glittering scythe is swinging, 

 Right, left, at each stroke bringing 

 Low the Daisies, low the Grasses, 

 Falling swift in swathes and masses 

 All the August day. 



—Jahn P)-eston Tnte, in Companion. 



About now Carnations and similar plants 

 preparing for winter should be pinched back 

 all over for the last time. 



Raspberries and other bush fruits, if treated 

 to a shovelful of good manure soon after fruit- 

 ing, will in due time show their appreciation 

 of the favor. 



What will the sparrow do now? The 

 Legislature of New York at its last session 

 passed an act which considers it a misdemeanor 

 to give food or f belter to English sparrows. 



If no Geraniums for winter bloom have 

 been provided matters may be helped by Uft- 

 iug and potting shapely plants now, and then 

 keeping all buds and flowers closely pinched 

 out for the next two months. 



It is stated by Prof. Femold of the Massa- 

 chusetts Agricultural College, that to cut down 

 all the seed stems of Asparagus as soon as the 

 regular season is over, and to repeat the process 

 once or twice afterwards, has been found 

 effectual in keeping the Asparagus beetle, now 

 so widely prevalent, in check. A case is cited 

 in which the earliest, longest and best Aspara- 

 gus of a neighborhood was grown by this 

 method of treatment, and that it had been 

 continued for five successive years. Mr. A. S. 

 Fuller states in the American Entomologist 

 that for 16 years he used freshly slaked lime, 

 dusting it over the plants In the morning when 

 the dew was on ; and this application was so 

 effectual in keeping the beetle in check that 

 about one application every alternate season 

 was sufficient. 



A NEW principle for keeping plants through 

 the winter without artificial heat was recently 

 shown at the Regent's Park, London, with the 

 plants grown in them last winter. The essence 

 of the invention is, that all light and heat shall 

 previously pass thi-ough a shallow layer of 

 water. The water is found to exercise great 

 control over temperature, protecting plants 

 entirely from frost in winter, and from excess- 

 ive direct heat in summer. The application 

 involves no diSiculty. In the case of a garden 

 frame a sUding " water-light," about 3 inches 

 deep, is made to fit over the frame containing 

 the plaats. The only difference from a glass 

 light being that it holds water, and is always 

 placed in a flat position. On a larger scale a 

 succession of these water-lights between rafters 

 form the roof of greenhouses, etc. The depth 

 of water generally kept in the tank is about 2 

 inches in winter and summer, and half the depth 

 in spring and autumn. The water is not usually 

 encased in glass, but remains in the cistern open 

 to the weather. In winter the tank is con- 

 stantly frozen over, but as long as a layer of 



liquid water remains under the ice the plants 

 cannot possibly be injured by frost. It may 

 be taken as a rule that they will be exposed to 

 no lower a temperature than 3.5°. At that tem- 

 perature a vast range of plants can be safely 

 wintered. The water, moreover, absorbs and 

 retains the heat-rays of the sun instead of trans- 

 mitting them, as in the case of glass, directly 

 to the plant. In summer, plants, however 

 delicate, may thus be exposed to full sunshine, 

 and shading becomes unnecessary. Ventilation 

 and watering are also less urgently required, 

 and the height of the structure may be greatly 

 reduced. Experience has shown that the moist 

 and regular temperature inside is well adapted 

 to striking cuttings and raising seeds, partic- 

 ularly difficult kinds. 



Transplantlngr Large Trees. 



SAMDEL C. MOON, MOBRISVILLK, PA. 



There are circumstances where it may be 

 profitable to move trees of much larger size 

 than ordinary nursery trees possess, as for 

 instance about new homes. Good thrifty 

 trees of Silver Maple, Balsam, Carolina or 

 Silver Leaf Poplar, Catalpa, Willow, or 

 other kinds with great tenacity of life that 

 have been transplanted or not pruned within 

 five or six years, can be safely handled of 

 from 3 to 6 inches diameter of trunk. These 

 varieties will recuperate quickly and give 

 effectual shade very soon. Other species, 

 like Beech, Chestnut, Cherry, Tulip, and 

 many besides that ai a sensitive about trans- 

 planting at all times, it is seldom worth 

 while to attempt to remove when more than 

 3inch diameter without preparation by 

 judicious pruning of the top and roots for 

 one or two years previous to the removal. 



The chief difficulty In transplanting large 

 trees is that the roots have extended so far 

 that it is hard to retain enough of the fibrous 

 feeding rootlets. Then the difficulty of 

 handling without breaking or injuring the 

 large roots more or less in the operation pre- 

 sents itself. The best security against these 

 dangers is to previously dig a deep ditch 

 around the tree and cut the roots off at a 

 distance of from 4 to 6 feet, without dis- 

 turbing the earth or roots nearer to the tree. 

 Fill the ditch again with rich soil packed 

 firmly, manure the surface liberally and 

 water abundantly for the next two summers. 

 This will induce the growth of a great mass 

 of fibrous roots close to the tree, which can 

 be dug out and removed with a large ball of 

 earth remaining among them. The top of 

 the tree should be pruned severely when the 

 roots are cut, reducing most of the brai caes 

 at least one-half their length. 



Almost any kind of tree if served in this 

 way and then allowed to make two seasons' 

 growth after treatment can be moved suc- 

 cessfully either in spring or autumn. The 

 best time for performing the pruniug is in 

 early spring, or autumn will answer. The 

 size of a tree that can be moved when treated 

 in this way will depend mainly upon the 

 power of the mechanical appliances that 

 can be brought into requistion in handling. 



Practical Hints on Plant Manage- 

 ment. 



SDSAN POWER, NORFOLK CO., MASS. 



Train Ivy-leaved Geraniums over pyramid 

 frames of wire for specimen plants. Use a 

 pan or box deep enough to allow good drain- 

 age, fasten a wire round the rim, put a neat 

 stake in the centre and bring wires or strings 

 from the top of this and tie to the wire. 

 Tie the shoots over this frame-work, remove 

 all flowers and buds to throw tlie strength 

 into growing shoots, and water weekly with 

 fertilizer dissolved in the water. Air freely 

 but shade from the sun, turn daily to have 

 all sides grow alike. To have L. Elegante 

 develop its beautiful metallic tinges, water 

 sparingly as it gains its growth, but give 

 plenty of air. The Golden Ivy-leaved, the 

 Duke of Edinburgh, with frosted leaves and 

 silvery white margin, with Willsii rosea, 

 make the most beautiful ornaments for 

 pyramids or vases, grown either separately 

 or together. 



If black rot appears on the Pelargoniums 

 or Tri color Geraniums cut it out with a sharp 

 knife, and dust the part with quicklime. 

 Weakly plants should have verj' little water, 

 but that should be given to the roots when 

 the sun shines. The leaves and stems are to 

 be sprinkled night and morning. Sheep 

 droppings mixed with fibry loam are a good 

 addition to the compost for potting. Seed- 

 lings make the finest, strongest plants, but 

 cuttings fiower sooner, and can in the nature 

 of things be kept true to name. 



Give Scented Geraniums and Lemon Ver- 

 benas the richest, light, warm soil, old 

 manure with garden loam, half sand or coal 

 ashes, and they will surprise by their growth. 

 As the object in growing them is leaves, 

 pinch off flower buds and throw the strength 

 of the plant into growth. If designed for 

 house plants grow these and Heliotrope in 

 large pots or wooden tubs, with holes for 

 drainage, as large specimens are liable to 

 suffer greatly by injudicious potting if in- 

 deed they will not be killed by it. 



Grow Sweet Alyssum for a basket plant 

 in mellow soil, giving liquid fertilizer every 

 week if you want something delightful for 

 next winter. One plant will fill a basket to 

 overflowing and droop in the most beautiful 

 manner. Try it with a small-leaved Ivy in 

 the center to run up the cords. The relief 

 of light and dark green with white flowers 

 is exquisite. 



" Amateur " is all right about the Japan- 

 ese Chrysanthemums, except that instead of 

 advising the giving of liquid stimulant " oc- 

 casionally " till the buds show color, I 

 would give it three times a week until the 

 buds are ready to open, then withhold water 

 until the ground gets rather dry. Overhead 

 sprinkling for the leaves, however, should 

 not be omitted. I would take cuttings, 

 thinning the sprouts and rooting every one, 

 grow plenty of flowers and plants to give 

 away where people can't afford to buy. It 

 doubles tJiQ pleasure of a garden. 



