28 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED. 



Synopsis of a Course of Lectures on Practical 

 Floricult ure, delivered at the Cornell University by 

 Prof. W. R. Lazenby. 



California Roses, by W. A. T. Stratton ; a com. 

 prehensive essay on the cultivation and best varie- 

 ties of Boses for California, read before the State 

 Horticultural Society. 



Quarterly Report of the Kansas State Board 

 of Agriculture, containing, among other valuable 

 information, an excellent article on the Tame Grasses 

 in Kansas, by Professor E. M. Shelton, of the State 

 Agricultural College. 



Regulations and Schedule of Prizes of the 

 International Potato Exhibition, for the encour- 

 agement of the best means of Potato Culture, and 

 the introduction and diffusion of improved varietios, 

 to bo held at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London. 



Proceedings of the New Jersey State Horti- 

 cultural Society.— At its annual meeting, held at 

 Newark, February 10th and 11th, carefully reported 

 by the Secretary, Mr. E. Williams, of Montclair, N. J. 

 This pamphlet contains several excellent papers, 

 and the discussions thereon, in which some of the 

 most prominent fruit-growers of the country par- 

 ticipated. 



May Bulletin of the New York State Agri- 

 cultural Society.— A statistical table showing the 

 condition of the various crops in each county of the 

 State. Almost all the returns mention that the sea- 

 son lias been late and very dry. The numerous 

 unfavorable reports as to grass appear to be generally 

 due to this fact, and the late copious rains have no 

 doubt entirely changed the situation. 



Eighth Annual Report of the New Jersey State 

 Board of Agriculture, 1881, by P. T. Quinn, 

 Secretary.— A valuable volume, containing Prof. Geo. 

 H. Cook's report on the Agricultural College Farm ; 

 articles on Fertilization by J. B. Lawes; on The 

 Culture of Com, by Henry Stewart; and much 

 other information of value, not only to the farmers 

 of this State, but throughout the entire country. 



The Hills and Homes of Berkshire, by Clark W. 

 Bryan, Great Harrington, Mass.— In this neat and 

 tastefully gotten-up little pamphlet the attention of 

 those who are seeking rural retreats is drawn to the 

 attractions of Berkshire. A trip from New York up 

 the Housatonic Valley and among the magnificent 

 scenery of " Old Berkshire " is vividly and truthfully 

 described, interspersed with excellent illustrations 

 and charming bits of poetry, commencing with the fol- 

 lowing beautiful verse : 



"Between where Hudson's waters flow 



Adown jfr gathering streams, 



And where 1 lie clear ( 'onnecticut 



In lengthened beaut v gleams— 

 Where run bright lulls, and stand high rocks— 



Where healt h and beauty comes, 

 And peace and happiness abides, 



Best Berkshire's hills and homes." 



Seedless Fruits, by Dr. E. L. Sturtevant, South 

 Framingham, Massachusetts, reprinted from the 

 Transactions of the Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society.— The author mentions here, as the results of 

 most painstaking research and study, a large number 

 of instances to prove that: " Seeding is not an essen- 

 tial characteristic of individual plants; and that (1) 

 pollination is not always x'roductive of fertilization ; 

 (2) the access of pollen is not always necessary for 

 fertility ; (3) fertilization is not always necessary for 

 fruiting." The writer does not yet claim to have 

 solved these problems, but "it seems probable that in 

 the future the most rapid horticultural advance is to 

 be sought through the selection of seedlings from 

 fruit containing the fewest and smallest seeds of their 

 kind, as unconsciously seems already to have been 

 done in tin improvement of the grape." 



Barn Plans and Out-Buildings. Published by 

 the Orange Judd Co., New York. Price $1.50.— A 

 neat volume of over two hundred pages, illustrated 

 with two hundred and fifty-seven engravings. The 

 fact that the bulk of the work has been performed by 

 Dr. Byron D. Halsted, assistant editor of the American 

 Agriculturist, and one of our most esteemed contribu- 

 tors, will be sufficient guarantee for its thoroughness. 

 While most former works upon Farm Architecture 

 have been so elaborate and e xpensive as to be avail- 

 able to but few, it appears to have been the aim of the 

 author of this volume to condense, as far as possible, 

 all the information which those who contemplate the 

 erection of farm buildings might require. Farm Build- 

 ings and Barns in general. Poultry Houses, Piggeries, 

 Carriage Houses, Corn Cribs, Ice Houses, Dairy 

 Houses, Spring Houses, Granaries, Smoke Houses, 

 Dog Kennels, Bird Houses, Silos, Root Cellars, etc., 

 are all treated separately and copiously illustrated. 

 In addition to the architectural construction, much 

 practical information about farm management and 

 economy is embodied, so that even those who are al- 

 ready provided with buildings can learn much from its 

 pages— many times more than the price of the volume. 



Henderson's Hand-Book of Plants, by Peter 

 Henderson; published by Peter Henderson & Co., 

 New York. Price $3.00.— This elegant volume has 

 been on our table for some time, and in frequent, 

 almost daily use, so that we can speak advisedly 

 about its great value. In fact, we should con- 

 sider it a serious loss if we should suddenly be 

 deprived of it, and there are but few books in our 

 library the loss of which would be more seriously felt. 

 The title of the book but imperfectly indicates its 

 contents, as it is not only a hand-book, but an ency- 

 clopedia and compendium of nearly everything per- 

 taining to horticulture and plants— their names, clas- 

 sification, history, and culture. Although even the 

 superficial observer cannot but appreciate its useful- 

 ness, only those familiar with similar works can form 

 a correct estimate of the immense amount of labor 

 required for its completion. As abook of horticultural 

 reference, it is much superior to anything ever at- 

 tempted in this country. And while most standard 

 works relating to the subject were consulted in its 

 preparation, it is far from being a mere compilation, 

 but embodies in its pages the results of the life-long 

 experience of the author, one of the foremost progress- 

 ive horticulturists of the day. We cannot recommend 

 the book too highly to the professional as well as to 

 the amateur horticulturist. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



The Manchester Strawberry.— Competent fruit 

 judges have declared this new variety to be larger, 

 better, more prolific, and as firm as the "Wilson." 



Gold and Silver Ferns.— Mrs. C. O. P., Stephens, 

 Mich.— Ferns are propagated by division of the 

 roots or from spores. Gold and Silver Ferns, as a 

 rule, do not succeed well in Wardian cases. They 

 require a dryer atmosphere, and often "damp off" 

 when confined. 



Raspberries.— B. L. C, Tennessee.— In the South- 

 ern States, and, in fact, anywhere where the soil is 

 dry and mellow, fall planting is best for Raspberries 

 and similar plants. Turner, Cuthbert, and Brandy- 

 wine, among the red, and Doolittle, Miami, and Gregg 

 among the black sorts, have given satisfactory results 

 in your State. 



Potato Scab — J. S., Waukesha, Wis.— The nature 

 of scab is but little known; it is believed to be 

 caused by minute parasitical insects of the mite class. 

 In some soils it seems that Potatoes grow scabby in 

 spite of everything. We have found that, since the 

 exclusive use of commercial fertilizers, scab has 

 disappeared from our Potatoes. 



Rhubarb.— H. B., New Hampshire.— JJew beds may 

 be made either in the fall or spring of the year, pro- 

 vided the ground is in proper condition. On heavy or 

 wet soil, spring planting is preferable. Ill this case it 

 is best to take up the roots in the fall, divide and keep 

 them in a cool cellar, and set out as early in spring as 

 the ground is dry enough to be worked. 



Bermuda Onions.— .E T., New York.— The Onions 

 from Bermuda which come to our markets in early 

 spring are known by seedsmen as Madeira Onions. 

 The true seed is, we believe, grown only on the island 

 of Teneriffe. The seed sold in the United States as 

 Bermuda Onion, and used extensively in the South- 

 ern States, is mostly Giant Bocca, imported from 

 Italy. This is a splendid variety, with light brown 

 skin, and of immense size, single bulbs attaining 

 sometimes a weight of three pounds and over. 



Liliiim Brownii.— B. F. B., Kentucky.— Xiliuni 

 Brownii should be left out-of-doors all winter, and 

 covered with thoroughly decayed manure to the 

 depth of three inches. In spring, sow around it, 

 about twelve inches away from the stem, Mignonette, 

 or Sweet Alyssum, which will cover the ground and 

 prevent the sun from roasting the roots. In the fall, 

 cover over with some more fresh manure ; on the top 

 of this place an old box, or keg, without top and bot- 

 tom, and fill with dry leaves. After danger of frost, 

 remove all the covering except the manure. This 

 Lily ought to do splendidly in Kentucky. The soil 

 should be enriched with leaf-mold, rather than strong- 

 manures. 



Sea Kale.— Mrs. B., London, Ontario.— Hea Kale 

 may be increased from loots as well as from seed. 

 Division of the roots is the quickest way to produce a 

 crop. The old clumps are dug up in the fall, divided, 

 and kept in a dry, cool cellar, covered with sand, until 

 spring, when they are set out in the open ground ; or, 

 if more plants are desired, the roots may be cut up 

 into pieces of two to three inches in length, started in 

 a hot-bed, and planted as in the other case. When 

 grown from seed.it is sown early in spring, in drills 

 three feet apart and two to three inches deep, in the 

 proportion of about one ounce to every one hundred 

 and fifty feet drill. Later, the plants should be 

 thinned out to not less than one foot apart. 



Ornamental Plants.— S. B. W., Rochester, Minn.— 

 For summer plants, such as are not hardy, would 

 mention Cannas, Coleus, Caldium esculentum and 

 arboreum,— the latter, one of the very finest plants, 

 with immense upright leaves, larger than esculen- 

 tum; Acalypha tricolor, Geraniums. Verbenas, Helio- 

 tropes, and Roses. 



Of hardy plants, and such as will stand the winter, 

 the hardier species of Lilies, Iris in variety, especially 

 Ka-mpfcri, Eulalia variegata and zebrina; Chrysan- 

 themums, early varieties; Delphinium formosnm, 

 Dielytra speetabilis, Lychnis viscaria, Authericum, 

 liliastrum, Funkias, Hemerocallis, Pa-onias, Spirea 

 palmata, and Japonica. 



Rose Slugs.— Mrs. H. JD. T., North Haven, Conn.— 

 The dropping off of the leaves of your Roses is prob- 

 ably caused by Slugs. Occasional applications of 

 a solution of one pound of whale-oil soap in about 

 eight gallons of .water are an excellent preventive. 

 Dusting with White Hellebore will destroy them, 

 and Persian Insect Powder would, no doubt, have 

 the same effect. 



Mr. M. Milton recommends, in the Country Gentle- 

 man, to all cultivating Roses out-of-doors, " to mulch 

 the borders or beds in which Roses are growing, in 

 the fall or spring, with tobacco stems. It prevents 

 the ravages of the rose slugs. When treated in this 

 manner, additional vigor is given to the Roses, 

 which I attribute to the benefit of mulching and 

 the preventing of the devastations by slugs at the 

 most vital time of the plants' growth." 



Remedy for Cabbage- Worms.— Mrs. J. W. 8., 

 Woodslee, Canada.— Dusting with lime, Tobacco, 

 White Hellebore, and other substances, is recom- 

 mended. The recent investigations of Professor 

 C. V. Riley seem to give preference to Pyrethruni, 

 the Persian Insect Powder of commerce. The profes- 

 sor saj-s: "Of all the many remedies that have been 

 tried for the imported Cabbage-worm since it first 

 began to spread over the country, and to play havoc 

 with our Cabbage-fields, few, if any, have given satis- 

 faction. It is safe to say that the most satisfactory 

 remedy so far discovered is in the use of Pyrethrum. 

 We were the first to apply this, in 1879, but did not 

 care to recommend it until further experiments had 

 been made. These we have made the present year, 

 and caused to be made by a number of our agents and 

 correspondents. The general experience is most 

 favorable, and we unhesitatingly recommend it for all 

 the different worms affecting the leaves of our Cab- 

 bage plant." 



Asparagus Beetle — B. S., Charleston, S. C— Mr. 

 A. S. Fuller, the eminent entomologist, who has made 

 this pest a special study, says: "Lime is not only a 

 very cheap and effectual cure for the evil, but one 

 readily obtained in all parts of the country. With a 

 pailful of dry lime and an old broom for a duster, cl- 

 one of the sifters used for Paris green to Potatoes, a 

 man can soon go over an acre of Asparagus. The 

 best time to apply the lime is in the morning, while 

 the dew is on, for then a portion will adhere to the 

 plants, as well as to the grubs, and during the day fol- 

 lowing it will be constantly dropping down, or blown 

 about among the leaves and branches, thereby making 

 the escape of any larvae all the more uncertain. The 

 lime is also beneficial to the Asparagus roots, hasten- 

 ing the decomposition of the manure usually applied 

 in large quantities to the beds. For the past sixteen 

 years, I have used lime, as described, on my Asparagus 

 beds, to keep the insects in question in check, and it 

 has done it so effectually that about one application 

 every alternate season has been sufficient." 



Small Fruits for Utah.— B. V., Ashley, Uintah Co., 

 Utah.— Our correspondent writes : " I am utterly at a 

 loss what to plant. Ashley has an altitude of about 

 four thousand five hundred feet ; short winters, hardly 

 any snow ; cold weather, mostly only from Christmas 

 to about the first of February,— the thermometer fall- 

 ing as low as eighteen degrees below zero at night. 

 Even in winter the days arc hot; just now the ther- 

 mometer indicates from ninety-five to one hundred 

 and eight degrees in the shade, at noon. Night frosts 

 extend usually to the middle of May, and commence 

 about the middle of September. Soil, a rich, sandy 

 loam, or clay. I have tried a great many kinds of 

 fruit-trees, but all were winter-killed. We have no 

 rain-fall and but little snow ; everything depends on 

 irrigation. What varieties of small fruits would be 

 likely to suit me here? We have no express station 

 nearer than one hundred and fifty miles, and every- 

 thing has to come by mail." 



The prospects for f rnit-raising in such a climate do 

 certainly not appear very promising. Heavy mulch- 

 ing in summer, as well as winter, will probably prove 

 beneficial to all kinds of fruit. Would recommend a 

 trial of Charles Downing, Crescent, Cumberland Tri- 

 umph Strawberries ; Turner, Cuthbert, Gregg Rasp- 

 berries ; Snyder Blackberry ; Red Dutch Currant, 

 and Concord, Clinton, and Brighton Grapes. 



