514 



THE QUEST! OA BOX. 



27. " Pricking out Ferns." — What is meant by the 

 expression ? — F. E. W. 



Ans. — " Pricking out " simply means transplanting. 



28. Palms from Seed. — Where can I find out how 

 to propagate palms from seed ? — F. E. W. 



Ans. — The palm family is a large one, and seeds of 

 the different species require to be grown differently, and 

 require different periods for germination. In a general 

 way it may be said that the seeds should be fresh. They 

 should be sown in shallow boxes, well-drained and filled 

 with ordinary garden soil, mixed with enough sand to 

 make it moderately porous. Keep the boxes in a tem- 

 perature of about 70°. As soon as the seedlings have 

 made growth enough to be easily handled, they should 

 be transplanted into small pots. They need air and light 

 at this stage, but should be shaded from too bright sun- 

 light. Give them plenty of water. Transplant to larger 

 pots as the growth requires. Williams' "Stove and 

 Greenhouse Plants" is an excellent book on these sub- 

 jects. Price, $5, 



29. Exterminating Roots. — Can you inform me how 

 to kill grape vines and apple trees so that they will not 

 sprout ? What is the best month and method for suc- 

 cess ? — J. T. G. 



Ans. — The only sure way is to pull the roots out 

 clean, especially of the vines. Trees girdled in August 

 usually die, root and branch. 



30. Easter Beurre Pear. — Is it a hardy, profitable, 

 late-keeping pear for market ? If not, what is a large, 

 late, hardy sort that will keep till March or April, and 

 good for market ? — M. S., Michigan. 



Ans. — Yes, but it does not thrive over well in Michi- 

 gan, and is not of the hardiest kinds. Winter Nelis 

 would be better, but it ripens in early winter. We ad- 

 vise you to try Josephine de Malines. 



31. Pear Hedges. — Would seedling pears make a 

 good thorn hedge ? — M. S. 



Ans. — We should not select them for such a purpose. 



32. Seedling Fruit Trees Wanted. — Where can I 

 buy seedling stocks of western growers as quoted in 

 Nursery Book ?— M. S. 



Ans. — Try The Storrs & Harrison Co., Painesville, 

 Ohio ; Professor J. L. Budd, Amy, Iowa; Phoenix Nur- 

 series, Bloomington, Illinois. 



33. Fruit Tree Seeds. — Where can I purchase seeds 

 that will grow the first year ? 



Ans. — Thorburn & Co., and Peter Henderson & Co., 

 of New York ; Thos. Meehan & Sons, Germantown, Pa. 



34. Native Orchids. — W. R. L. D. — Various short 

 articles on the native American cypripediums may be 

 found in the volume of The American Garden for 1890 

 jn the following issues : March, page 159 ; April, page 

 215; May, page 311 ; October, page 597; November, 

 pages 690 and 692. The numbers may be had at twenty 

 cents each. The price of the bound volume for 1890 is 

 I2.25. 



35. Back Numbers of The American Garden may 

 be had of any issue since January, 1887. Prices vary 

 ^rom fifteen to twenty-five cents each, according to their 



scarcity. Bound volumes for the years 1887, 1888 and 

 1889 may be had at I2 each ; for iSgo at $2.25. Volumes 

 will be bound for subscribers at seventy-five cents per 

 volume, carriage to be paid both ways by the sender. 



36. Mt. Vernon Strawberry. — L. — This has long 

 been known as being the same as the Kirkwood, and not 

 very desirable. 



37. Miss Blanche Ferry Sweet Pea. — Y. — This is a 

 fine variety, and remarkably floriferous. It is called a 

 dwarf, but requires bushing or trellising. 



38. Price of Hamburg Grapes. — A. S. N. — New 

 York dealers are now (July 13) paying to growers 75 

 cents to one dollar per pound. Any prices paid to 

 growers above these figures are very rare exceptions, al- 

 though, of course, the market varies from time to time. 



39. Unfermentcd Grape Juice. — L. — The American 

 Garden method, successfully used for years, is as fol- 

 lows : The juice is squeezed from fully ripe grapes, 

 boiled slowly till reduced one-half. Add a half-pint of 

 granulated sugar to each quart of the liquor, ten minutes 

 before removing from the fire. Then bottle, inserting 

 the corks after cooling. This will keep for years with- 

 out changing. When wanted for use, a large spoonful 

 in a glass of water makes a delicious and refreshing 

 drink. The invigorating and healthful qualities of the 

 grape are thus preserved, without any of the objection- 

 able features of fermented wine. 



40. Currant Wine from Pulp. — L. — We have made 

 good currant wine from the pulp left after jelly making, 

 as follows : From ten quarts of ripe currants we squeezed 

 enough juice to make nine tumblers of jelly. The re- 

 maining pulp was put in about five quarts of cold water 

 and left to stand about twenty-four hours. Then it was 

 strained, about two pounds granulated sugar added to 

 the liquor, which was set away in a stone jar for three 

 days, when it was poured into bottles, not corked, to 

 clear. The bottles are kept even full, refilling as the 

 water evaporates, and kept uncorked till the wine works 

 clear, probably in two or three weeks. 



41. Roses for Kentucky. — In the July American 

 Garden (page 450) "Subscriber" inquires for 12 hardy 

 roses for Kentucky. We presume he means perpetual 

 bloomers. The following list has always been hardy with 

 us: Etoile de Lyon (Tea), Sombreuil (T.), Souv. de la 

 Malmaison (Bourbon), Hermosa (B.),Mad. Jos. Schwartz 

 (T.), Mad. Lambard (T.), Adam (T.), La France (H.T.), 

 Coquette des Blanches (H.N.), Dinsmore, Marie Van 

 Houtte (T.) and Homer (T.) There are several others, 

 but the above are all good. — George Thompson &. Sons, 

 I.otiisviiie, Ky. 



42. How to Fertilize Lawn Grass. — M. M. — The 

 special commercial fertilizers for lawns are much supe- 

 rior to barn yard manure, being entirely free from weeds ; 

 some of them are odorless, and they can therefore be 

 applied at any time. It is best to sow broadcast just 

 before a rain or a watering, in limited quantity, and very 

 evenly ; too much will destroy the grass. Applied to old 

 lawns, these fertilizers induce a rapid and luxuriant 

 growth ; they are very helpful, also, to newly seeded 

 lawns after the first mowing. 



