32 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



[February, 



CHARLES DOWNING. 



It gives us great pleasure to state that Mr. 

 Charles Downing, the venerable pomologist, 

 has so far recovered from the injuries of his 

 recent accident that he was able to leave 

 this city and return to his home at Newburg. 

 It was our privilege to see him the day be- 

 fore his departure. Although in his eighty- 

 first year, and still enfeebled from the severe 

 shock, his mind is as vigorous and bright as 

 ever, and his interest in progressive horti- 

 culture not diminished in the least. May he 

 live many years in health and happiness. 



A HORTICULTURAL EXCURSION. 



The Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society 

 will hold its fourth annual meeting in New 

 Orleans, commencing February 21st, and 

 continuing four days. For members, a very 

 low rate of fare has been granted for this 

 excursion. The round trip fares will be only 

 $20 from Chicago, and proportionately low 

 from intermediate points. Membership, $2. 

 This promises to be the -most interesting and 

 enjoyable meeting of the kind ever held. The 

 programme of arrangements and of the papers 

 to be read may be obtained from the presi- 

 dent, Mr. Parker Earl, Cobden, Ills. 



BROOM-CORN OATS! 



Did any one ever hear of such a thing ? 

 We certainly did not until a few days ago, 

 when we received a small spike of, appar- 

 ently, Oats, accompanied with the following 

 note from Mr. J. J. H: Gregory, the cele- 

 brated seed-grower : 



'• I inclose a piece from a head of Oats, 

 measuring twenty-two inches long and grow- 

 ing on a stalk as high as Broom-Corn, over 

 an inch in diameter at ground. Look sharply 

 at the straw, it is Broom-Corn. This came 

 up among a large lot of Broom-Corn, and is 

 the only one I ever heard of. What do you 

 think of Broom-Corn Oats ? " 



Well, we are too amazed to make up our 

 mind yet what to think about it. The Straw 

 is exactly like that of Broom-Corn, and the 

 glumes like those of Oats. Should like to 

 see the grain and also the plants that grow 

 from it. If it comes to this, that we can 

 hybridize Broom-Corn and Oats, who knows 

 that — by following Horace Greeley's advice 

 — we may yet succeed in growing our own 

 brooms by planting only seed of the kind 

 with rough handles, which is said to lie 

 hardier than the painted sort, and offers 

 also the additional advantage that by sow- 

 ing Strawberry seed among it, the vines 

 will climb up on the handles, so that the 

 berries caj. be picked without stooping. 



CORK FOR COVERING GARDEN-TUBS. 



Round or square tubs for garden purposes, 

 says Gardening Illustrated, especially when 

 used in houses, are not satisfactory; on the 

 contrary, they often look unsightly in them- 

 selves and spoil the effect of the plants. 

 This objectionable feature may be got rid 

 of by covering them with virgin cork, and 

 the effect is extremely pleasing. Round the 

 rims and bottoms of the tubs may be put 

 single hands of cable-rope, which,, impart to 

 them a finished appearance. Some tubs and 

 baskets may be entirely of cork, but for 

 large plants it is not strong enough. 



BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS RECEIVED, 

 Hints on Fruit Culture.— Charles A. Green, 

 Rochester, 2f. Y.— A neat pamphlet combining, 

 with a nurserj- catalogue, a good deal of practi- 

 cal and useful information about fruit culture. 

 James Vick's Strawberry a specialty. 



The Great North-West, by Leander H. Grail, 

 New- York.— A brief description of the resources, 

 the agricultural products, the manufactures, the 

 trade and general prosperity of the North-western 

 States. Illustrated with diagrams. For the use 

 of merchants, manufacturers, and others engaged 

 in trade with the West. 



The Builder. — A journal for those, who build. 

 The initial number of this handsome and neat 

 monthly, published by 0, W. Bryan <& Go., Sol- 

 yolce, Mass., is before us. It is edited by Mr. E. 

 O. Gardener, the well-known architect, and 

 accomplished author of several architectural 

 works, which alone furnishes sufficient guaran- 

 tee as to its reliable and practical, as well as 

 entertaining character. The flint number is brim- 

 ful of valuable matter, interesting to all who 

 intend to build or repair — and, in fact, to all 

 who dwell in houses. The typography and gen- 

 eral make-up of the paper is, as everything that 

 hails from the "Paper World Press," all that art 

 can make it. 



The Continent, Philadelphia, conducted by 

 Albion W. Tourejcc. An illustrated weekly maga- 

 zine. Among the literary and belletristie publi- 

 cations which find their way regularly to our table, 

 none are more welcome than The Continent. It is 

 a large, handsome journal, copiously and beauti- 

 fully illustrated, an d always full of interesting and 

 Instructive matter, contributed by some of the 

 foremost writers of the day. The last number 

 contains, among other interesting features, An 

 Old Dutch Settlement, by Eleanor M. Lawney; 

 An Art for Enthusiasts, by L. W. Miller; Ken- 

 tucky's Birthplace, by Henry Cleveland Wood ; 

 Belinda, by Rhoda Broughton; Terra Cotta in 

 Decoration and Architecture, by Hester M. 

 Poole ; Central American Woman, by Dr. Ferd. C. 

 Valentine. 



Gardening for Young and Old, by Joseph 

 Harris, the celebrated author of several agricult- 

 ural books, and especially the far-famed "Walks 

 and Talks." A work of this kind has long been 

 needed, and we do not know any one who, by 

 his practical experience as well as scientific 

 training, is more fitted and competent for the 

 task than Mr. Harris. The principal object of 

 the work is to induce the young to devote 

 more attention to gardening, and especially to the 

 modern, simplified systems, by which garden 

 crops can be grown as easily as field crops, 

 and much more profitably. In his usual forcible 

 and sprightly style the author treats Old and 

 New Gardens, Gardening for Boys, Preparation 

 of the Soil, Killing Weeds, High Farming, Com- 

 petition, Manure, Implements, Starting Plants 

 in the house, Hot-beds, Cold Frames, Insects, Use 

 and Care of Poisons, followed by concise, practi- 

 cal directions for the cultivation of all the lead- 

 ing kinds of vegetables and garden flowers. The 

 book, which ought to be in every farmer's library, 

 is handsomely printed and attractively bound, 

 and is published by the Orange Judd Co., New- 

 York. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 

 Chinese Lilies.— In answer to Miss M. T. F., 

 Clarerack, N. T„ a. correspondent -writes: "I 

 had some sent me from California. They are 

 not Lilies in any sense, but Narcissus Polyan- 

 thus, which is not hardy as most Lilies are. They 

 were described as white, with yellow band in the 

 center of each petal; and I thought, before 

 receiving them, they might be Auratums, but 

 wondered at the price, which was very low." 



Squash Bugs.— B. C. R., Atchison, Kansas.— 

 When the Squash-beetles appear in large num- 

 bers, all the milder remedies, as ashes, bone-dust, 

 plaster, etc., fail to accomplish the desired object, 

 and unless radical means are employed the vines 

 will be lost. Paris green, either dry or mixed 

 with water, does the work, but the vines have to 

 be watched carefully, that the poison may he 

 employed as soon as the insects first appear. We 

 have also used " Hammond's Slug Shot " with 



entire satisfaction, and it is more convenient for 

 use, and less dangerous than Paris green. 



Fuchsias. — Inquirer. — Fuchsias do not flower 

 well in winter; their season of glory is summer. 

 They thrive best in a soil composed of one part 

 of peat, one of loam, and one of leaf-mold, mixed 

 well together ; and they require good drainage. 

 During winter they should be kept rather dry 

 and cool ; a cellar free from frost is a good 

 place for them. In spring they should be cut 

 back, and planted in rather small pots. When 

 they commence to grow they have to be kept in 

 good, vigorous, growing condition by re-potting 

 frequently,. and never allowing them to become 

 pot-bound. During summer they should be kept 

 in a cool, partly shaded situation. 



Hoya cainosa. — Mrs. M. L. H., Rutherford 

 Park, N. J.— The Wax-plant — the common name 

 of this beautiful evergreen climber — seldom 

 makes much growth before its second year. 

 The branches should be tied to a trellis or trained 

 around a window. It requires no pruning what- 

 ever, except when desired for special forcing. 

 The flowers form in the axils of the leaves, and 

 their coming is anticipated by the appearance of 

 small, reddish spurs. The old bloom-stalks should 

 never be removed, as they put out flowers year 

 after year. 



The specimen sent is too imperfect to determine 

 it positively. It is probably Salvia eoecinea. 



English Sparrows.— ^1. P. — These imported 

 birds are an unmitigated nuisance, which seems 

 to baffle all attempts of eradication. Destroying 

 their nests does but little good, as they drive 

 other birds from their nests and take posses- 

 sion of them. It has been recommended to scat- 

 ter poisoned grain about the places frequented 

 by them; but as this would Mil friends and foes 

 alike, it is rather a doubtful proceeding. At the 

 last meeting of the New Jersey State Horticult- 

 ural Society, the sparrow had not a single friend, 

 and a resolution recommending its extermination 

 was passed, as " it drives away insect-destroy- 

 ing birds, while it eats our grains and fruits." 



Cranberries. — J. ,S\, Caledonia, N. Y. — Cran- 

 berries are grown most successfully in damp, 

 marshy soil, containing a good portion of sand. 

 The main consideration is not so much the 

 moisture of the ground as the facilities for flood- 

 ing the entire plantation in order to kill the 

 noxious insects which prey upon the plants at 

 certain seasons. The plants are usually set out 

 in spring about two feet apart each way. Until 

 the vines have covered the entire surface the 

 ground has to be kept entirely clean; afterward 

 but little cultivation is required. The profits are, 

 as with other crops, variable, and depend upon 

 the conditions of the seasons, markets, and the 

 care given. 



Layering Roses — Mrs. M. O. II., Canada — 

 Layers of Roses and other shrubs arc best made 

 of young wood, that is, of shoots of the samo 

 season's growth. Plants intended for propaga' 

 tiou should be severely pruned in spring, so as to 

 produce strong roots. July is the best time for 

 layering. The shoot to be layered is bent down, 

 and as near to the stem as it touches the ground 

 readily; it is cut about half through, and by 

 turning the knife sideways, a split is made about 

 an inch long. At this point the shoot is buried in 

 the soil two or three inches deep, and fastened 

 with a hooked stick, or with a stone laid on the 

 top of it. The upper part of the shoot has to be 

 tied to a stake. In the following fall or spring 

 the layer is cut off between the rooted part and 

 the stem, and transplanted, at which time the 

 top should be pruned back to within about a foot 

 from the ground. 



QUERIES. 



Incubators. — I expect to invest somewhat in 

 the poultry business this spring, and apply to 

 you for information as to where I could pur- 

 chase or receive instructions as to the construc- 

 tion of an Incubator. Any information on this 

 subject will be thankfully received.— E. M. P. 



Removing Old Paint — Is there any method 

 by which old paint can be removed from stone 1 

 A former proprietor of our house had the poor 

 taste to cover with paint the elegant stone win- 

 dow and door frames, corner trimmings, balco- 

 nies, etc. I should be glad to restore the natural 

 stone if possible.— A. P. 



