June 26, 1895.] 



Garden and Forest. 



257 



also E. macradenurt"), an elegant little species with finely 

 divided foliage and small striped flowers, resembling in form 

 and markings a miniature Fancy Pelargonium. Raymondya 

 Pyrenaica, witli curious flat leaves hugging the rocks closely 

 on the shady sides, is now well established. The small rotate 

 flowers of soft velvety blue are borne on pendent scapes, 

 scarcely three inches high. Saponaria ocymoides is getting 

 quite weedy, but is still so charming that we shall have a few 

 patches of it. Phyteuma Charmelli is a showy and interesting 

 memlier of the Bellwort family, with heads of bright blue 

 flowers. It has proved thoroughly hardy, and, like theScotcli 

 Bluebells, Campanula rotundifolia, is sowing itself in various 

 parts of the garden. Heuchera sanguinea is not so fine this year, 

 and examination shows it to be attacked with a root-gall. The 

 lesson we learn from this is to get some seed and establish it in 

 new soil. Dianthus arenarius, the Sand Pink, is now plentiful, 

 and evidently has been hybridized to some extent with the 

 Cyclops, as various shades of pink appear. D. cuneatus, the 

 Maiden's Pink, is abundant, too, so much so that we have to 

 weed it out in places. Campanula fragilis, with little upright bells 

 of light blue, holds its own well. Various interesting annuals 

 help to fill up a few unavoidable gaps. Among these. Calceo- 

 laria scabiosia-folia has proved thoroughly hardy, coming up 

 every season. Layia elegans is pretty, having straw-yellow 

 Aster-like flowers. Clintonia borealis is a pretty little plant 

 resembling a Lobelia very much. 



Wellesley, Mass. ?• I->. Hatfield. 



Strawberry Culture. 



WE are now in the midst of the Strawberry season, and as 

 our preparation for next year's supply begins as soon as 

 we have gathered the last berries, a few notes on the method 

 adopted are in season. Some five years ago we made an ex- 

 perimental plantation to ascertain which were the most suita- 

 Ijle kinds for our soil and climate. About twenty-five sorts 

 were planted for this purpose, only two of which are now 

 grown here, one being Michel's Early and the other the 

 Gandy. Of the remainder there were doubtless many that 

 would be satisfactory in some sections, but they were a failure 

 here ; some were winter-killed, some failed to go through the 

 summer, while others were of poor quality tor home use, 

 where quality is the first consideration. 



In garden-culture, where the space is often limited, it is 

 essential to get the most out of the ground, and have none 

 idle if possible. As Strawberries take up a good deal of space, we 

 prepare a plot of ground well in spring. On this we plant early 

 Peas, Spinach, Lettuce and the first sowing of Dwarf Beans, 

 and any other crops that may be taken off before the begin- 

 ning of August, and this tract is then used for the new Straw- 

 berry plantation. We find that it is useless to attempt to take 

 more than two crops off the same bed ; by the third year few 

 of the original plants would be left, as many die each year 

 from the grubs at the roots. After the second crop is gathered 

 the plants are hoed off, and when dry enough are burned with 

 the mulching under them right on the ground, and this is then 

 prepared for the fall planting of Cabbage and Cauliflowers. 

 Under this system we have no idle ground to keep clean, and 

 the most is made out of the limited space at disposal. The 

 runners for this year's planting will be taken from the bed 

 planted last year, as there is more space between the rows 

 wherein to plunge the pots. A trowelful of soil is dug up and 

 placed in a three-inch pot, the pot being plunged in the hole 

 made. The runner is then pressed into the pot, and in about 

 two weeks will be fit to take off and plant in the new bed. We 

 have to water a few times during this period if the weather is 

 dry, but as the pots are sunk their depth in the ground the 

 roots are kept cool and moist with little watering. 



We adopt what is known as the hill system in planting, 

 making the rows three feet apart and the plants two feet from 

 each other in the rows, and the quantity produced in this way 

 is surprising. The year-old bed produces fully two-thirds of a 

 crop while the older one is at its maximum capacity. We have 

 never kept a record of the quantity gathered, but hope to do 

 so this season. 



The soil we have to deal with is very shallow, with a gravel 

 subsoil, making it difficult to keep the plants moist in summer, 

 but we have never had them heave from frost in winter. A 

 good soaking is given just as the first fruits begin to color, and 

 this will carry them through even if we have no rain until all 

 is gathered, when the beds are cleaned and watered well. 

 Plenty of manure is used when preparing the soil for a crop 

 that has to stand two years on the ground. In addition we 

 apply a sprinklingof some good commercial fertilizer near the 

 plants in the early summer before the lawn clippings are 

 placed about them as a mulch. 



From experience it seems best to cultivate only a few varie- 

 ties. There is less liability to get the sorts mixed, and only a 

 good early, a second early and late variety are needed to cover 

 the season. Michel's Early is the best we have found for first 

 berries, although it rarely escapes the late frosts that were so 

 destructive this year. We have the Leader on trial as a possi- 

 ble substitute for it, hoping to gain size. The I^arker Earle 

 comes next, and with us is the most satisfactory of the middle- 

 season kinds. It is not overlarge, of good color and flavor, 

 and has the merit of separating most easily from the stem, 

 leaving tiie berry in good shape, a quality highly appreciated 

 in the kitchen. Were we restricted to one sort we should 

 select Parker Earle. For a late main crop there seems to be 

 nothing to equal the Gandy. It is always in its best gathering 

 about July 4th ; the size is very large, as large as any I haveever 

 seen, not excepting the Marshall, and there is a solidity to the 

 fruit that prevents crushing when it is being stemmed. This 

 is the most robust in constitution of any, and the flowers are 

 rarely injured by frost, owing to the large growth of heavy 

 foliage. We have the Marshall on trial, and this year will 

 prove its merits. It will thus be seen that we depend on three 

 sorts wholly, new ones being well tested before they are 

 planted to supersede them. No garden, howeversmall, should 

 be without at least three sorts, not necessarily those named, 

 but some that suit the locality and the conditions that obtain 

 there. 



South Lancastei-, Mass. E. O. Orpet. 



, The Vegetable Garden. 



Peas.— The early plantings of Peas have done remarkably 

 well this year, the cool, showery weather in May promoting a 

 stocky growth, and the yield has been better than it has for 

 several years. The very earliest lots have now almost done 

 bearing and will be cleared to make room for late Celery or 

 Sweet Corn. Successional sowings of such varieties as Cham- 

 pion of England, Telephone, Yorkshire Hero and Stratagem, 

 we have mulched with meadow grass, and during sucii hot 

 droughty weather as we are now experiencing we allow the 

 sprinkler to run among them every four or five days ; it is best to 

 let the sprinkler run at least an hour at each place to soak the 

 ground thoroughly. I^eas naturally prefer a rather cool and moist 

 climate, and to have full pods after midsummer we find arti- 

 ficial watering absolutely necessary. Late sowings may still 

 be made of such sorts as McLean's Advancer and American 

 Wonder, and if water can be supplied these will yield a fairly 

 good crop late in the season, but it is useless to plant them on 

 dry ground. 



Celery. — The early crop planted outdoors about the end of 

 May should now be growing nicely. To have good Celery, 

 water, and plenty of it, must be supplied. If allowed to be- 

 come dry at the root the plants are liable to run to seed when 

 the first heavy rains occur. In watering, the plants should 

 have a thorough soaking, and during dry weather, such 

 as we are liable to have during June and July, twice a week is 

 not too often to apply water. As the plants begin to grow 

 more freely assist them by giving a little liquid stimulant at 

 each watering. We find spent mushroom-manure very use- 

 ful for mulching the plants, but any other fine manure or short 

 lawn grass is helpful. We usually plant our late Celery on 

 ground vacated by early Peas, and we set the plants in double 

 rows in the trenches. The trenches should be liberally sup- 

 plied with well-rotted manure, and from start to finish the 

 sprinkler or watering-pot should be kept going. Good Celery 

 can only be had by unceasing attention to several details, of 

 whicli feeding and watering are the chief. We find that Celery 

 keeps very much better in the open ground than when lifted 

 and stored in pits, cellars or outhouses, provided that water 

 will not stand on the land where it is grown. All that is neces- 

 sary in winter is to earth it well overhead with soil and protect 

 with manure, dry leaves and boards. The finest Celery I have 

 seen for many years in February was kept this way in a pri- 

 vate place. Those who have given this system a fair trial 

 have no desire to return to storing methods in general use. 



Tomatoes.— PlantsN.mder glass, whether in pots or benches, 

 will now need liberal applications of water and stimulants. 

 We usually have plenty of outdoor fruit ripe by July ist, and 

 then throw out our indoor plants. Fruit grown under glass is 

 so much superior in color, finish and flavor, and commands 

 so much higher prices in the market, that some growers in 

 the vicinity of Boston now grow them under glass the whole 

 summer. Plants on trellisings outdoors will require tying and 

 trimming weekly. From plants set out from six-inch pots we 

 gathered our first dish on June 12th this year, the variety be- 

 ing Ham Green Favorite. So much finer and earlier fruit can 



