1 84 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



A Valuable Evergreen.— Nordmann's 

 Silver Fir. 



Among the not very large number of 

 Evergreens that may be said to give entire 

 satisfaction in the Buffalo parks, the one 

 named in ovir heading and illustrated here- 

 with must be included. We have watched 

 the deportment of a number of these trees 

 from the time they were planted, some four- 

 teen years ago, until now, and can freely 

 declare that here they are among the finest 

 and most trustworthy of Evergreens. 



But if this beautiful tree 

 has failed to give satisfac- 

 tion elsewhere it is to us 

 unknown. Most of the 

 reports concerning it which 

 come from points some- 

 what further south than 

 our line of latitude speak 

 in the warmest terms of its 

 beauty, but usually there 

 would appear to be some 

 doubt as to its hardiness 

 in the more northern 

 states. Our experience 

 with it here should help 

 to settle that point. In 

 good soil it succeeds to 

 perfection, showing no 

 signs of tenderness in a 

 collection where the hardi- 

 est Retinosporas suffer 

 much. We should class 

 it with the Austrian and 

 Weymouth Pines,the Nor- 

 way and White Spruces 

 for reliability. 



In habit this Fir is one 

 of the most sjonmetrical 

 of Evergreens, being at 

 the same time just suffici- 

 ently open without prun- 

 ing, to give its fine out- 

 lines beautiful relief with 

 gracefulness. It is also 

 readily pruned to adapt it 

 to small places. The foli- 

 age is more massive than 

 that of the common 

 Spruces, which it some- 

 what resembles, of the 

 most charming dark green, 

 and silvery underneath. 

 The contrast of the new 

 growth in its exterior parts, 

 and of the older and 

 darker that is farther 

 back, is one of its greatest attractions. 

 Whether for planting on the lawn or mix- 

 ing with other trees, it can hardly fail to 

 produce the most pleasing effect. 



While eventually this species reaches a 

 large size, its growth for a number of years 

 is rather slow, rendering it the more valua- 

 ble in small grounds. It should for rapidity 

 of growth be classed rather below the Nor- 

 way Spruce, and like that variety submits 

 readily to cutting back, by which means It 

 can be the longer of use in places of limited 

 extent. It is unlike the Norway in the 

 respect that it retaios its beauty and youth- 

 ful freshness for a much longer time than 

 does that estimable tree. In its native place 

 on the Crimean Mountains (from which it 

 was brought in 1845) it grows from 80 to 100 

 feet high, with a straight stem. 



The tree, like its allied species, prefers a 

 strong deep loam not liable to dry up In 



summer or to retain too much moisture in 

 winter. To plant in soils not meeting these 

 requirements they should first be fitted by 

 deep culture, and if need be the introduction 

 of other and more suitable soil, first making 

 an excavation to accommodate it. 



Most of the leading nurseries of our coun- 

 try which make a specially of ornamental 

 evergreen and other trees now keep this 

 desirable tree in stock. It is sold at about 

 one dollar and a half for a single tree. 



fertilization is to be continued through a series 

 of years, and high hopes along this Une of im- 

 provements in our fruits are entertained." 



A VALUABLE 



EVERGREEN, NORDMANN'S SILVER FIR, (Abies Nordmanniana). 

 Pollen Affectlngthe Present Season's 

 Fruit 



The theory that the pollen sometimes in- 

 fluences the character of the fruit finds support 

 in Dr. Halstead's experiments at the Iowa 

 Agricultural College, as the following report 

 shows: "A fair per cent of the attempts, includ- 

 ing those on Plums, Cherries and Apples, were 

 successful, considering the very unfavorable 

 season. Some of these results show that the 

 pollen has a decided immediate controlling ac- 

 tion upon the fruit. For example, the pollen 

 of the Roman Stem Apple when used upon 

 the Longfield produced fruit combining the 

 characteristics of these two widely separated 

 varieties. The contour of the fruit was nearly 

 that of the Roman Stem, whUe the' surface 

 appearance resembles the Longfield. The 

 same fact of direct influence was as marked in 

 some other cases. Crosses were effected be- 

 tween common varieties of Apples and the 

 Soulard Crab, and also between the former and 

 the native Wild Crab. This work of cross- 



Treatment of the Potato and Tomato 

 for the Blight and Rot. 



The following powder remedies for the treat- 

 ment of the Potato and Tomato for "Blight" 

 and " Rot " are given by the Chief of the Sec- 

 tion of Vegetable Pathology of the Department 

 of Agriculture. 



Sulphatine, (the Esteve process).— Mix 2 pounds 

 of anhydrous sulphate of copper with 30 pounds of 

 flowers of sulphur and ten 

 pounds of air-slaked lime. 



Blight Powder. — Mix 3 

 pounds of anhydrous sulphate 

 of copper with 97 pounds of 

 flowers of sulphur. 



This amount will be 

 suflScient for one application 

 to five acres of Potato plants. 

 Powders possess the ad- 

 vantage over liquid reme- 

 dies of requiring less labor 

 in transportation and of 

 being more easy of appli- 

 cation, consequently they 

 will be preferred to the 

 liquids should they prove 

 equally efficacious. 



For applying the powders, 

 which ought to be done when 

 there is no wind and when 

 the leaves are wet with dew 

 or rain, the primitive ar- 

 rangement, made of tin and 

 constructed like a large 

 pepper-box, or rather like 

 an inverted funnel, with fine 

 wire gauze fastened over 

 the lower end, and which 

 when filled with the powder, 

 is held over the plants and 

 shaken, is efficient and at 

 the same time simple and 

 inexpensive. Only enough 

 of the powders, especially 

 of the sulphatine, should be 

 applied to be simply visible 

 upon the leaves, as heavy 

 doses may burn them. The 

 applications ought to cover 

 both sides; this can best be 

 accomplished by the use of 

 a bellows with an extension 

 nozzle, enabling the operator 

 to direct the blast. 



The degree of success at- 

 tending the use of these 

 compounds will depend 

 more or less, (1) upon their 

 careful preparation, (3) the 

 time of application, (3) the 

 more or less intelligent 

 manner in which they are appUed, (4) the at- 

 mospheric condition existing at the time or 

 which may follow the applications, (.5) the 

 number of treatments made, and (C) the purity 

 of the lime and sulphate of copper used. 



The experiments should be conducted in such 

 a manner that the vines or plants treated and 

 those left untreated (to serve as control experi- 

 ments) may be comparable ; they ought to be 

 of the same variety, cultivated at the same 

 time, and in all respects alike. 



Much may be accompUshed in the prevention 

 of potato rot by renewal of seed, selection of 

 varieties and especially by planting only in 

 light and well drained soils ; also, perhaps, by 

 following certain systems of cultivation, but 

 the evidences we have of the serious losses oc- 

 casioned by this disease throughout the Potato 

 growing regions of the United States render it 

 imperative on the part of the Government to 

 exercise all possible efforts for its prevention. 

 The use of the liquid remedies known as the 



blue water ( Audoynaud process) and the copper 



