August, 1909 
have something new to stir our enthusiasm 
every year. 
The edible cacti need not be discussed as a 
novelty, for they are not; but we should bear 
in mind that our noblest fruits, as well as 
grains, have been developed from the most 
insignificant wild stuff. Our apples and our 
oranges came out of hedge rows, and our 
pears were hardly edible uncooked one hun- 
dred years ago. “There are remaining scores 
of fruits that will probably be worked up 
into something valuable, and some of them 
will probably be of quite as much use as those 
we have secured from the Rosacee family. 
Every land-owner should make it a part of 
his field work and garden work to help on evo- 
lution. The Government is at present doing 
some very admirable work in the way of in- 
troducing new fruits from foreign countries, 
although its efforts in the way of improving 
citrus fruits have not yet proved to be a re- 
markable success. The citranges are of some 
value, but hardly more useful than wild or- 
anges. The Department has, however, waked 
up a general enthusiasm, and is doing what 
will ultimate in magnificent progress. 
A PRETTY KITCHEN GARDEN 
HE accompanying plan for a garden 
sixty feet square is equally suitable for a 
large place or a small one, and may be 
the basis for multiplication or division as cir- 
cumstances demand. ‘The spacing is planned 
with reference to having the cultivation done 
with a hoe or hand cultivator, and no space is 
allowed for weeds. ‘There will be enough 
among the plants without allowing room for 
them between the rows. It is most economical 
both in space and in labor to plant in rows, 
all running the same way, the direction being 
determined by the location of the plot. 
We will suppose that a garden sixty feet 
square is to be started in the spring. We be- 
gin by laying a foundation for years to come 
by starting an asparagus bed. If the plants 
are two years old, we may hope to cut them 
next spring, and thereafter indefinitely, pro- 
vided the bed is kept clear of weeds and well 
manured every autumn. Eight feet in width 
is not too much space to devote to this invest- 
ment. “The Colossal is a standard variety, and 
may be bought of any good nursery man who 
deals in asparagus. In this space six rows may 
be set, with the plants one and one half feet 
apart. Be sure to set the roots into the deep 
trench, which should be dug for them. Two 
hundred and forty plants will be ample. 
At each of the outer corners of this bed a 
small triangular space may be taken for 
flowers; in one plant a dozen sunflower seeds; 
in the others, as many hollyhocks. The sun- 
flowers will overtop everything in the garden 
—except, perhaps, the corn—and blossom this 
year. The hollyhocks will grow luxuriantly, 
but will not blossom until next year. In Sep- 
tember you should transplant all but about 
three, and they will be very effective next year 
at intervals along the whole outer edge of the 
asparagus bed, blossoming in the latitude of 
New York from the first to the middle of 
July. In the spaces between these hollyhocks 
nothing is so pretty as yellow chrysanthemums. 
They can be set in the spring when the work 
begins, and will be coming into their fullest 
beauty just as the frost has laid everything 
else low. 
This asparagus bed this year is also a good 
place for a series of raddish and lettuce crops 
sowed between the asparagus rows. ‘The 
first may be sowed just as early as the ground 
can be worked, before it is necessary or, indeed, 
safe to set the asparagus. “The little lettuce 
plants, when about four inches high, should be 
transplanted so as to have room for root de- 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
You spend much time and 
money all Summer seeking 
to keep yourself and family 
in the outside air. The air 
of Winter is, if anything, 
purer. The reason many a 
family does not get the bene- 
fit of pure, fresh air all the 
year round is because they 
stick to stuffy, ashy, gas- 
laden, old-fashioned heating 
methods. 
The Hot Water or the 
warm the air as fast as it comes in and just 
ME IC AN Dr AL where it comes in. 
X Low-Pressure Steam is gently but surely piped 
RADIATORS 
around them. 
matter. 
tempestuous of Winter days. 
BOILERS to the AMERICAN Radiators that warm the 
cold air as it flows under, through, over and 
The force or direction of the wind, or intensity of the cold, does not 
There is Summer warmth throughout the whole house on the most 
IDEAL Boilers do not merely “burn coal”—they develop its full heating 
energy —and distribute all the available heat of the fuel through the AMERICAN 
Gear: ‘ 
A No. 3-22 IDEAL Boiler and 600 
ft. of 38-in. AMERICAN Radiators, 
costing the owner $255, were used 
to Hot-Water heat this cottage. 
A No. 22 IDEAL Boiler cnd 240 ft. 
of 38-in. AMERICAN Radiators, 
costing the owner $115, were used 
to Hot-Water heat this cottage. 
At these prices the goods can be bought of any reputable, competent Fitter. 
This did not include cost of labor, pipe, valves, freight, etc., which installa- 
tion is extra and varies according to climatic and other conditions. 
Showrooms 
in all large cities 
Modern Plumbing 
Illustrated 
By R. M. STARBUCK 
400 (10% x74) Paces 
55 FULL PaGEs OF 
ENGRAVINGS 
PRICE, $4.00 
@ A comprehensive and 
up-to-date work illus- 
trating and describing 
the Drainage and Ven- 
tilation of Dwellings, 
Apartments and Public 
Buildings, etc. The 
very latest and most ap- 
proved methods in all 
branches of Sanitary In- 
stallation are given. 
@ Many of the subjects treated in the text and illus- 
trated follow in the next column. 
MUNN & COMPANY, Pubdshers 
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN OFFICE, 363 BROADWAY, NEWYORK 
AMERICANRADIATOR (OMPAN 
eos oe oe oe ots os oe os os of oe ote Mee aM lf so ots ote ots os os 
Radiators to the rooms to be warmed. 
Whether your cottage, house, store, building, 
church, etc., is OLD or new, farm or city, do 
not delay investigating this best investment 
feature of any building. Saves fuel, labor, re- 
pairs — gives greatest comfort, protects the 
health and insures household cleanliness, safety 
and durability. Just the season to get the serv- 
ices of the most skillful fitters—now, before 
Winter; not then, when it’s here. 
You will enjoy reading our free book, which 
tells lots of things about heating economies 
it will pay you well to know. Write for it 
to-day, describing kind of building you wish 
to heat. 
Write Dept. 6 
CHICAGO 
SOME OF THE SUBJECTS TREATED 
Connections, sizes and all working data for 
Plumbing Fixtures and Groups of Fixtures 
Traps — Venting 
Connecting and Supporting of Soil Pipe 
House Trap and Fresh-Air [niet 
Floor and Yard Drains, etc. 
Rain Leaders 
Sub-soil Drainage 
Floor Connections 
Roof Connections 
Local Venting 
Bath Room Connections [ete. 
Automatic Flushing for Factories, School Houses, 
Use of Flushing Valves 
Modern Fixtures for Public Toilet Rooms 
Durham System 
Plumbing Construction without use of Lead 
Automatic Sewage Lift— Sump Tank 
Disposal of Sewage of Underground Floors of 
High Buildings 
Country Plumbing 
Cesspools 
The Electrolysis of Underground Pipes 
Septic Tanks and Sewage Siphons 
Pneumatic Water Supply, Rams, etc. 
Examples of Poor Practice 
Roughing — Testing 
Continuous Venting for all classes of Work 
Circuit and Loop Venting 
Use of Special Waste and Vent Fittings 
Cellar Work 
House Drain— House Sewer — Sewer Connections 
Plumbing for Cottage House 
Plumbing for Residence 
Plumbing for Two-Flat House 
Plumbing for Apartment Houses 
Plumbing for Office Building 
Plumbing for Public Toilet Rooms 
Plumbing for Bath Establishment 
Plumbing for Engine Houses 
Plumbing for Stables 
Plumbing for Factories 
Plumbing for School Houses, ete. [by Electricity 
Thawing of Underground Mains and Service Pipes 
