264 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



JUXE 



merino. Many of the second and third cross 

 •would be taken for pure breed by casual ob- 

 servers." 



— Whether hogs require sulphur as an essential 

 to their health, or whether it is sought by them as 

 a condiment, may not be known for certainty. 

 But one thing is sure, they devour it with greed 

 whenever it is to be found. It is for this purpose, 

 probably, that they eat large quantities of soft 

 coal, which contains a large amount of sulphur. 

 Perhaps this is the economical method of supply- 

 ing hogs with sulphur during the winter, when 

 they require a good deal of carbon. But in the 

 summer it is better to feed it to them in substances 

 which contain less carbon, on account of their 

 producing less heat. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FliOWEB QAHDENIW^Q FOR APRIL. 



Perennials and bedding out plants, sunny skies, 

 and warm showers are inviting forth the lovely 

 flowers. There is much work at this season for 

 the amateur florists. 



All perennials which were not transplanted last 

 year, should be attended to now, before they have 

 made much growth. There are few more desira- 

 ble flowers than what are found in this class ; yet 

 one hears frequent complaints of their dying out. 

 "They do not grow as they did when we and they 

 were young." "Why is it ? The reason is obvious, 

 they are starved; they require new quarters ; trans- 

 plant them ; dig a copious supply of manure into 

 their new bed; or sprinkle three or four table 

 spoonfuls of superphosphate about their roots and 

 you may be sure that they will fully repay your 

 care. Many a perennial stands at this time where 

 it was placed twenty or more years ago. Is it to 

 be wondered at that it dies out ; dwindles away ? 



We are the happy possessors of a large bed of 

 perennials— ^these are Dicentra Spectahilis, Lychris, 

 Phlox, Pinks, Achillea, Campanula and many 

 others. Every spring as soon as the ground is en- 

 tirely freed from frost, every root is dug up and 

 placed under a shade, with a good large body of 

 earth around it. (A white Pceony and the Dicentra 

 are not molested ; their roots will not flourish as 

 well if disturbed in the spring.) A liberal supply 

 of barn yard stimulants is then thoroughly mix- 

 ed into the soil. The bed is raked over smoothly, 

 the roots all put back, and soon they experience 

 the good tfiects of the newly prepared soil, and 

 are "a thing of joy and beauty." No plant life 

 can be sustained without food suitable for its 

 wants. We find that superphosphate makes an 

 excellent fertilizer for all our out-door pets; it 

 invigorates them as finely as a decoction of guano 

 does our "window gardens." But alas, it is ter- 

 rific to the sense of smell; sickening, horrid. 

 Yet last year we dug it into the ground at a great 

 rate, until a neighbor hard by thought we ought 

 to be indicted as a nuisance. We carried it in old 

 Six quart tia pans, and dug it in with a three 



pronged iron fork, taking great care not to touch 

 stem or leaf of shrub or plant. It docs seem as if 

 it might be manufactured of a less obnoxious odor. 

 Guano is not half as disagreeable to handle ; but 

 we must use it and endure it. Moss roses grow 

 superbly under its beneficent influence. Gerani- 

 ums, Heliotropes, Verbenas — all, will thank you by 

 exceeding growth and beauty for the desired fer- 

 tilizer. 



At this season of the year many plants can be 

 raised from cuttings with but little trouble. All 

 the varieties of Pelargoniums, Zonale Geratiiums, 

 Double Geraniums, Heliotropes, Verbenas, and 

 many other kinds too numerous to mention, will 

 strike root quickly and grow rapidly. All of us 

 possess friends who are willing to give us cuttings 

 and roots ; so that money is not essential to the 

 attainment of a glorious garden. A cutting will 

 be more apt to grow if cut from a portion of the 

 plant which has both old and new growth of stem 

 and leaves. Heliotropes and Verbenas, &c., which 

 have fresh, new leaves just starting forth, will 

 rarely fail to grow. Geraniums strike root so 

 quickly that no one can fail to make them grow 

 if they are properly planted. It is said that these 

 plants are of such a quick growth that if a branch 

 is half cut through in summer time, it will send 

 forth tiny fresh rootlets, the cutting being sup- 

 ported by the sap which runs through the undi- 

 vided half of the branch. We intend to try the 

 experiment this coming summer. 



It has been ascertained that a cutting will de- 

 velop roots much sooner in moist sand than in 

 rich soil, but the sand cannot maintain its growth 

 for any length of time. To prepare pots for rais- 

 ing cuttings they should be filled nearly to the 

 brim with rich, garden loam— dark and porous, 

 not clayey and soggy ; then pour in one inch in 

 depth of scouring sand — sea sand will do as well 

 as the yellow sand. Wet this thoroughly, and 

 place the cuttings, from which all but the three or 

 four upper leaves have been removed, close to the 

 side of the pot ; the contact of the ware against 

 the stem of the cutting promotes its growth. Press 

 the wet sand firmly around the tiny stem. A 

 great deal of your chance for success in raising 

 slips or cuttings depends upon this. Plant as 

 many cuttings as the pot will hold, from six to a 

 dozen according to the size of your pot; when 

 they are firmly set in the sand two or three can be 

 inserted in the middle of the pot. Set them away 

 in a dark warm place for twenty -four or thirty-six 

 hours. If you can put a glass shade over them to 

 concentrate the moisture, you will greatly expe- 

 dite their growth. Thus cuttings will grow very 

 quickly in a hot bed, because the temperature is 

 not dry. Their growth depends a great deal upon 

 light, heat and moisture. If a bud is close at the 

 base of a cutting it will strike root more easily— is 

 not so apt to decay. The roots all shoot from a 

 bud, and the lower down it is the surer your suc- 

 cess. When the leaves drop the plant is com- 

 mencing to grow ; if they wither on the stem it 



