September iS, 1895.] 



Garden and Forest. 



377 



Chrysanthemums. 



SPECIMEN plants should have completed their growth by 

 this time. Until now our object has been to develop as 

 many growing; shoots as possible ; after tliis the plants will 

 need to be tied into shape by a proper distribution of the 

 shoots, always ^uiding the strongest toward the centre. This 

 work should be done at once, so that the plants may lose some 

 of the characteristic stiffness which comes from training-. 

 These mstructions apply to trained specimens; plants which 

 have been allowed to grow naturally will, of course, be consid- 

 erably taller and irregular in outline, and to many persons 

 such plants ha've a greater charm. But even these need some 

 tying, which should be done neatly, and the stakes hidden as 

 much as possible. As with trained specimens, the stake 

 should take as much as possible the line of the growing shoot, 

 and always be placed behind it and topped to the last tie. A 

 heavy stake, longer than is required for support, should not be 

 used with a slim shoot. While this work is going on the earliest 

 varieties will Ije showing their flower-buds. Disbudding should 

 be commenced at once and continued everyday. Not all the 

 buds can be taken off at once, but the work should proceed 

 gradually, and the last one be removed only when it is certaui 

 that the bud we need is perfect in form and is taking the lead 

 in growth. I have noticed a tendency in some varieties, more 

 especially in I. Delaux, G. Daniels, Arethusa, Amber Gem, 

 and this year's novelty, Chrystallina (Vaughan), to show 

 crown-buds at taking time. As this occurs well into Sep- 

 tember, I always take them. If they were removed, terminals 

 would appear, but so late in the season that it is questionable 

 whether they would develop flowers of as good quality as the 

 crowns. I would advise the retention of all crown-buds ap- 

 pearing on specimen plants in September. 



Feeding should be continued uniil the blooms begin to 

 show color, but less frequently and in less quantity. One 

 guide in regulating the use of stimulants, in addition to noting 

 the general effect on the plant, is to observe whether new 

 roots appear on the surface of the soil. Whenever they do 

 we can be certain that the food has been properly given and 

 is doing good work. If no roots appear, little can be done to 

 remedy the mistake of overfeeding. If the mistake is made of 

 giving an overdose of guano the pot should be immersed to 

 the rim in a tub of clear water. This treatment will act as a 

 dilutant. Some damage will result, and a loss of leaves follow, 

 but we may still preserve the plant in presentable shape. If, 

 however, the effects are gradual, it is probable the bad results 

 will not be discovered until it is too late to remedy the trouble. 

 In this case we let the plants become as dry as possible with- 

 out wilting, and give clear water only when moisture is 

 needed. 



The plants should be housed by tlie first of September. 

 They can be left out-of-doors longer, but nothing is gained by 

 the delay. They are better under cover, and from the first of 

 October onwards will be benefited by keeping the air drv at 

 night. This prevents damping and mildew. It is necessary 

 to admit an abundance of air, but draughts must be guarded 

 against. 



Plants intended for specimen flowers will be showing crown- 

 buds and terminals in all gradations. It is difficult always to 

 exactly define these buds. Crown-buds are always bracteate, 

 but there are so many degrees of development that it is diffi- 

 cult to tell, for instance, what we know as a second crown 

 from a true terminal. The second crown is a valuable bud 

 on which a large number of varieties do better, if anything, 

 than on terminals. The terminal, or last bud, is the safest 

 always when we are in doubt. It may lack size, and some- 

 times depth, but it always shows the best color, and the stem 

 is sure to be well clothed with foliage. A second crown-bud on 

 such varieties as William Seward, J. Shrimpton, G. W. Childs, 

 Domination and Inter-Ocean will always give a show flower of 

 great depth. E. Dailledouze is better on a terminal. So we 

 might go on. Experience is the best guide. What is essen- 

 tial is to know which bud is best for our purpose and make a 

 note of the fact. u ,/; jj 



Wellesley, Mass. 1 . IJ . Hatfield. 



The Grapes of the Year. 



FROM a collection of more than eighty sorts I should select 

 the following as indispensables, for everybody : Brighton, 

 Niagara, Worden — one red, one white, one black. IJut f 

 should wish to add Herbert black, Hayes white, and Lindley 

 red. Lindley, however, is very long-jointed for a good vine- 

 yard grower, and requires too much room. The two best 

 very early Grapes are Moore's Early and Green Mountain. 

 Diamond, contrary to expectations, is not an early grape to be 



relied on. It ripens sometimes in August, and again all along 

 through September. It is every way freaky. Vergennes is 

 another exceedingly useful red grape. Its quality is not high- 

 est, and it has a very tliick skin. Gaertner is a red grape that 

 should be graded very high. It is among the earliest. For late 

 keepers I select Diana and Pocklington. both enormously pro- 

 lific, and both of a peculiar musky flavor, but fine.' The 

 bunches are very compact and heavy. For choice grapes worth 

 extra care and winter protection, I cannot afford to dispense 

 with lona, Goethe or Dutchess. The latter is early and a 

 poor keeper ; the two former are excellent keepers. Jefferson 

 will not ripen here oftener than one year out of ten. For 

 training against barns and outbuildings I know no better Grape 

 than August Giant. It is really excellent in quality, and for 

 growth has no rival. For home use it may be added to the 

 three indispensables for the table — Brighton, Worden and 

 Niagara. As Brighton is a bad self-poUenizer, it must inva- 

 riably be grown alternately with Niagara or Worden or other 

 Grapes. 



Thoroughly good grapes can only be grown in a warm, 

 open exposure. Trellises should, if possible, run north and 

 south. A swale facing south-east, with rich, loose clay soil, 

 is most satisfactory. When the exposure is bad there is delay 

 in fully ripenuig at the proper date, but the leaves at that time 

 begin to fail in elaborating the sap, and consequently the 

 grapes never become quite perfect. I have learned the need 

 of hastening the ripening of our grapes. Lindley trained 

 against my barn is ripe two weeks earlier than on a trellis that 

 is slightly shaded, and the quality is mcomparably better. No 

 grape grower can ever afford to be without Bordeaux mixture. 

 I have invariably applied it of late with kerosene emulsion. 

 In fact, I have learned to use the emulsion with all sprays, on 

 all sorts of vegetation. 



A peculiar feature of grape-culture for this season has been 

 that along the whole Grape-belt a severe freeze in May de- 

 stroyed tlie whole new growth, including all the buds and 

 blossoms. But the very severity of the cold led to an entirely 

 new growth from dormant buds, and froin this a fairly good 

 crop of grapes has resulted. What is also surprising is that 

 this secondary crop has ripened considerably earlier than any 

 grape crop in twenty years. 

 Clinton, N. Y. E. P. Powell. 



The Vegetable Garden. 



THE weather has been so unseasonably warm that we are 

 apt to forget that cool nights are due, and a sudden frost 

 may come as a surprise north of New York any time after the 

 middle of September. Celery will not be making its best 

 growth until the temperature at night is comparatively low, 

 but it will whiten much more rapidly in the latter part of Sep- 

 tember than it will m late autumn. The plants which are 

 required for early use should have a little finely pulverized 9 

 soil drawn about them once a fortnight, although, of course, 

 it is too early to earth up the main crop. Of course. Celery 

 should never be handled while it is wet with rain or dew. The 

 rusted leaves should be picked off as they appear, the ground 

 should be kept clean, and the plants should never be allowed 

 to lack water. 



Lettuce can be sowed in the open ground and pricked out 

 in cold frames, but it will not always mature before frost. In 

 open autumns, if the ground is kept clean, plants will head in 

 November, and the rest of them in winter. Of course, sashes 

 should not be used before heavy frost, except to protect the 

 plants from beating rains. 



In warm beds with a southern slope Spinach, if sown now, 

 may furnish a few plants for use before winter, but in any case 

 it will be good for spring use. The round-seeded variety is 

 rather more prolific than the prickly-seeded, but it needs more 

 protection. 



Cut off the Asparagus as soon as it begins to turn yellow, 

 and before the seeds fall to make bad weeds next year. The 

 tops ought to be burned, as this will in some degree discourage 

 the attacks of the beetle. 



Where the larger kinds of Cabbage begin to burst, the roots 

 should be loosened with a fork, and all Cabbage and Cauli- 

 flower which is still making any growth shovdd be frequently 

 hoed. If freezing weather catches the Cauliflowers before 

 they have made full-sized hearts, they can be kept for winter 

 use by heeling them in closely in cold frames. 



If plants of Water Cress are set in a frame now, and the soil 

 is kept damp, they will begin to make a new growth. If the 

 frames are carefully banked up so as to exclude the frost thty 

 will furnish a much-prized relish in winter. 



Montclair, N.J. ■"• A. 



