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BUDS, BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



!M,npLE BtRRY Tray. 



Oldenburg, Alexander, St, Lawrence, Golden White. 

 Larly Winter: Mcintosh Red, Fameuse, Wealthy, 

 Bethel (Vermont). Laic Winter: Pewaukee, Scott 

 Winter, American Golden Russet, Ben Davis, Grimes 

 Golden. The last is a little tender, but best of all.— 

 R. Brodie, Montreal. 



Roadside Fruit-Trees. — We read that the province 

 of Hanover, Germany, produced in 1890, upon trees 

 along the waysides, a crop of fruit worth $37,000, the 

 region of Hildesheim a crop worth $12,000, and that of 

 Gottingen $8, 000 worth of fruit. The Bulletin d' Arbori- 

 culture asks, ' ' When shall we in Belgium plant the way- 

 sides with fruit-trees?" An English journal thinks the 

 same question might be asked in England, and we feel 

 like joining the chorus for America. 



Simple Berry-Tray.— A sample of a cheap and service- 

 able berry-tray was 

 handed us by H. J. 

 Seymour, Niagara 

 Falls, Ont. It is made 

 of common sheet-iron, 

 bent and riveted as 

 shown in illustration, 

 with handle made of 

 a piece of band-iron. 

 A Good Idea in Seed-Pans. — On ordering some shallow 

 pans for starting seeds in the window, I directed the tin- 

 smith to partition off two of the diagonal corners, with 

 strips of galvanized iron, about three inches long and of 

 such a width that they would not reach within half an 

 inch of the bottom, though even at the upper edge with 

 the top of the pan. This affords me an opportunity of 

 watering the soil without pouring any on the surface. — 

 W. O. E. 



Where are the Apples ? — A few pieces of strawboard, 

 evidently remnants of what was once a box, were re- 

 ceived by mail from Virginia. The sender, whose address 

 we found written on one of the pieces, also forwarded a 

 letter stating that he had sent us two specimens of sweet 

 apples. We have lost the apples, and our friend has 

 lost our opinion of them. Probably the box was not strong 

 enough, and temptation was too strong for some post-ofiice 

 employee. Always pack fruit carefully and securely. 



II. THRIFTY SAPLINGS. 

 Dried and Sifted Moss. — The well-known author and 

 gardener, Joseph Harris, of Moretown Farm, N. Y., gives 

 in his Rural Annual an excellent hint on seed-sowing, 

 which we can endorse from experience. The idea is to 

 prepare a compost for potting, for hotbeds or for starting 

 plants in boxes in the house by incorporating some dried 

 and sifted moss with soil from the garden. Put in enough 

 to make the soil light and spongy and then press it down 

 firmly. The moss retains water and roots spread rapidly 

 through the mass, so that when you pull up a plant for 

 setting out in the garden, there will be a half pint, pint 

 or quart of moss and soil adhering to the mass of roots 

 that spread through it. We always mix a tablespoonful 

 of superphosphate to a bushel of moss and soil. 



The New York Botanic Garden. — A good beginning 

 has been made toward founding such a garden in Bronx 

 Park, Upper New York. This has been in the direction 

 of needed legislation for the incorporation of the garden 

 and the securing of stockholders. But more must yet 

 be done in the direction of needed funds, for not less than 

 $250,000 is considered essential before the work can be 

 begun. It is a project that should command wide interest, 

 for its incorporators have in view nothing short of an in- 

 stitution that shall compare favorably with the Kew 

 Gardens of London, and the Jardin des Plants of Paris. 

 In picturesque aspects it can easily excel both these 

 famous gardens. 



The Effects of Propagation. — Professor Bailey 

 stated at the Buffalo carnation meeting, that propagating 

 by cutting was not a deteriorating or devitalizing process. 

 That some varieties do run out is a matter of fact that 

 cannot be denied, but why they should is quite another 

 question ; and why they cannot be kept in their pristine 

 state is a question to be considered. While the great 

 majority of varieties may not run out, there are some that 

 will, in spite of every effort made to keep them in their 

 healthy condition. Weak and unstable varieties are sure 

 in time to disappear even under the best cultivation, while 

 the majority of strong, well-fixed ones will be maintained. 

 Propagation by cutting is not a devitalizing process, nor 

 does it tend to make varieties run out. 



The Agapanthus. — Why is this beautiful and easily 

 managed plant not more grown ? Its needs are few and 

 simple : A pot or tub of suitable size, light open soil, good 

 underdrainage, an abundance of water during the grow- 

 ing season(with liquid or other stimulants in advance of 

 the blooming period), and a cellar or shed where severe 

 frost does not enter, in which to winter it. A good 

 specimen with its numerous spikes of light blue flowers 

 is very beautiful, and no more effective lawn or terrace 

 plant can be grown. It has many strong roots, yet it can 

 easily be accommodated in tubs made by sawing small 

 casks in two. 



Liquid Grafting-Wax. — The following receipt is much 

 better than the old fashioned "beeswax, rozzum and 

 taller" article. Melt 1%. of common rosin over agentle 

 fire. Add to it i oz. of beef-tallow, stirring well. Take 

 from the fire and let it cool a little, then mix with it one 

 tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine, and about 7 ozs. 

 of alcohol. Put back on the fire and stir constantly until 

 it boils again for a moment ; then remove and when it 

 cools it is ready for use. This wax is cheap, easily pre- 

 pared, and will keep a long time unaltered. It is applied 

 with a wooden paddle, in as thin a coat as possible. 

 Within a few days it will be almost as hard as stone. It 

 never softens or cracks, and is not affected by either heat 

 or cold. It is most excellent for covering wounds on 

 trees. — W. H. Rice, Indiana. 



A Tree- Planting People. — Deplorable as is the past 

 ruthless waste of forests in America, there is comfort in 

 the knowledge that more trees, shrubs and vines are 

 being planted to-day than ever before in the history of 

 the world. This is apparent in the report of the last 



