WINDFALLS. 



49 



The Streintown Apple. — The Streintown is one of 

 our most valuable apples, being such a wonderful bearer 

 and a long keeper. For the past two seasons, when 

 nearly all the varieties were a complete failure, our row 

 of Streintown produced remarkably heavy crops ; in 

 fact, they have not missed having a good crop since com- 

 ing into bearing. This year they averaged about ten 

 bushels to the tree. Though the quality is not strictly 

 first-class, being rather acid as an eating apple until 

 fully ripened, for baking and cooking purposes it cannot 

 be surpassed. They come in very nicely in February 

 and March, though we have kept them perfectly until 

 the middle of April. Size, medium to large ; shape, 

 ovoid conical ; skin greenish white with a fine blush on 

 side next to the sun ; flesh white, and of first-rate quality 

 for culinary uses. 



This variety and the York Imperial are the only kinds 

 which had a good crop this fall in our orchards, con- 

 taining some fifty varieties. The Streintown has not 

 been very widely disseminated, though it has been 

 grown twenty-five or more years in this, Cumberland, 

 and adjoining counties. — John F. Rupp, Shire- 

 mansfown, Pa. 



Radishes. — Many persons are desirous of ob- 

 taining this plant the year round, but it is some- 

 what difficult to produce creditable radishes dur- 

 ing the height of summer. Commencing with the 

 first month of the year, the seed should be sown „ 

 in hot-beds, soaking it in liquid manure a few 

 hours before sowing. The soil of which the hot- a 

 bed is composed must be of good staple ; the rad- 

 ish requires that the soil be thoroughly enriched, 

 if it is expected to do its best. It is not necessary 

 to devote a hot-bed entirely to these early rad- 

 ishes, but raise them in beds already working for 

 some other crop. When the weather becomes suffici- 

 ently warm, the seed may be sown in borders having a 

 warm position. Cover with long litter during the nights 

 that are cold enough to injure the plants, but the litter 

 must be raked off during the day time. 



As the weather gets warmer, cooler positions must be 

 chosen, until the coolest place becomes allotted to them. 

 If the beds occupy a half shady position during summer 

 the plants will be found to thrive well. The quicker the 

 radish can be grown to a size large enough for the table 

 the better will be the quality. 



Plentiful supplies of water durmg a hot spell will be 

 very beneficial to the beds. During very hot weather it 

 is a good plan to sow the seed in drills about nine inches 

 apart, and as soon as the seed comes up to mulch the 

 ground between the rows with short stable manure or 

 the mowings from a lawn. This has the effect of keep- 

 ing the ground cool and moist, and thus making water- 

 ing less needful. The seed should always be sown 

 thinly so as to allow the plants room to bulb, and a 

 small sowing should be made about every fortnight. 

 The best varieties to sow for forcing and for a main crop 

 are the Turnip-Rooted and the P~rench Breakfast. In 

 July in the northern, and August in the middle, and 

 September in the southern states, the winter varieties 



may be sown. The best varieties for this are the Black 

 Spanish and the Chinese Rose. These should be sown 

 in drills about a foot apart, and thinned to two inches 

 in the drill. — H. W. Smith, Baton Rouge, La. 



Successful Melon Growing. — My experience in 

 growing melons leads me to think that a garden where 

 good melons cannot be raised successfully must be in- 

 deed a poor one. Most people select their best corner 

 for a garden patch, and if that patch is well drained, 

 the first requirement for growing melons is met. Melons 

 like a rich, loamy, warm and porous soil, and where 

 that cannot be obtained, I will give my remedy. It 

 may entail some extra labor at the start, but since the 

 object is to have first-class melons, it will pay. If the 

 soil is clayey or old from constant planting, manure lib- 

 erally with well-rotted manure from the barnyard. I 

 prefer it to commercial fertilizer on such soil. Plow or 

 spade thoroughly. 



For musk melons have the hills eight feet apart each 

 way, for water melons more. But before planting the 

 seed, remove about a wheelbarrow full of soil and 



The Streintown Apple 

 scatter it between the hills. Fill up the holes thus 

 made with a compost consisting of three parts decora- 

 posed sod and one part well rotted manure. If the 

 compost is thrown into a heap the fall previous, so 

 much the better. Have the hills raised three inches 

 above the level of the ground, to give drainage and 

 warmth, and then plant the seed. 



Melons should ripen early, in order to have a good 

 flavor. The object of filling the hole, as above men- 

 tioned, is to give the young plants a start in the fresh 

 sweet soil which they like, for when they commence to 

 make a healthy, vigorous growth they will feed on most 

 any kind of soil that is not too wet or sour. There is 

 an opinion amongst a great many growers that to man- 

 ure the hills is sufficient. That may do where the land 

 is good and rich, but it must be taken into consideration 

 that the roots of most vines grow in proportion to their 

 branches. Keep the plants free from weeds and in- 

 sects. In a dry season mulch, and unless there should 

 be cool wet weather at the time of ripening, you will 

 have melons worth eating. — Philip Ryan, N'. Y. 



Rhubarb and Sage. — Please inform me how rhu- 

 barb and sage are grown. — John 7'. Erds, Col. 



[For ordinary household use, rhubarb is nearly al- 

 ways multiplied by division of the roots. Each " eye" 



