THE Y SA V. 



57 



The Poisonous (?) Primula Obconica had a good 

 start in this country two years ago, the trade doing their 

 best to make it popular. But it was of no use, our climate 

 in summer being too hot for it. We could not get plants 

 that would compare at all favorably with those grown 

 in Europe, (Of course we enter failure up to the cli- 

 mate account.) And if we had been fortunate enough to 

 have excelled the Erfurt gardeners, the result would 

 have been the same. A ilower to be popular with us 

 must be as large as a carnation, at least ; as sweet as a 

 rose, as brilliant as nature's pigments will make it, and 

 ■withal, it must be susceptible of rapid propagation, 

 something on the coleus order, which some of our 

 leading florists can get in good shape for the auction 

 room in three weeks from the taking off of the cuttings. 

 We have no use for the plant that moves slow. The 

 delicate little forms, neutral tints, the little forget-me- 

 not or the "wee-tipped daisy," must give way to the 

 chrysanthemum with flowers eight inches in diameter, 

 or the rose of tea-saucer dimensions. The P. obconica 

 does not belong to the show class ; it must go, or rather 

 it must not come. Surely not now, as it is said to en- 

 gender a skin disease that would make the eczema a 

 luxury in comparison. We regret the fate of this lovely 

 plant, as we do the lack of taste for very many beauti- 

 ful creations, simply because they are small and un- 

 assuming. — C. L. A. 



Eyes versus Whole Tubers in Potato Culture. — 



The plat selected for this experiment was a dark loam, 

 only moderately fertile, and as nearly uniform as it 

 could be made. The Burbank variety was used, se- 

 lected for uniformity in size, and cut in pieces ranging 

 from one eye to six, the seventh row receiving a whole 

 potato. They were planted one foot apart in drills, the 

 rows being three feet apart. The rows were covered 

 about two inches deep with well-rotted barnyard man- 

 ure, and given level cultivation. From about May ist 

 until they began to ripen there was a marked difference 

 in the size of the tops, there being a regular, upward 

 gradation from No. i to No. 7, suggesting what might 

 be looked for farther on. And, sure enongh, in digging, 

 the following yields per acre were obtained, the ground 

 being measured and the potatoes carefully weighed : 



Marketable Small 



Tubers. Tubers, Total. 



Bus. Acre. Bus. Acre. Bus. Acre. 



From one eye 103 29 132 



From two eyes 195 40 235 



From three eyes 290 40 330 



From four eyes 322 44 366 



From five eyes , 345 80 425 



From si.K eyes 338 102 440 



From whole tubers 381 117 498 



This, of course, is the result of but a single trial, on a 

 plat five rods long. The same experiment continued 

 next year on a larger scale and under different condi- 

 tions may bring altogether different results. 



Indiana. J. Troop. 



[Note. — Several photographs of proportionate yields 

 in the above tests were sent by Professor Troop, and 

 they illustrate very graphically the results of the tests. — 

 Ed. Am. G.] 



The Well Known fuchsia grower, George Fay, Lewis- 

 ham, England, is said to have secured a white fuchsia — 

 white throughout. 



Growing Winter Parsley in an Old Barrel. — Rel- 

 ishes and garnishings that we make but little of in the 

 profusion of summer are 

 always welcome in win- 

 ter. If our frames or glass 

 are limited we can get 

 parsley by utilizing old 

 barrels or boxes. Small 

 barrels or kegs are pre- 

 ferred by those who have 

 used them. The surface 

 is large and they are mov- 

 ed about with less diffi- 

 culty. The best crop I 

 ever saw grown in this way 

 was in an old nail-keg. Parsley will stand greater ex- 

 tremes of temperature than most plants, but grows best 

 if kept warm and sunny, with good ventilation. It will 

 often do well with a moderate amount of either of these. 

 If kept cold the leaves come slower but are just as good. 

 Many people have a somewhat light cellar or room that 

 they could devote to this purpose, that is now of no use. 

 If unhealed the plants will grow slowly until the warmth 

 of the spring sun makes itself felt where they are, and 

 plenty of leaves will grow. Bore some holes in the bot- 

 tom of the kegs for drainage and then at convenient dis- 

 tances in the sides. Dig the old plants from the garden 

 before the cold has killed them ; then put some good 

 light soil in the keg up to the level of the first holes, 

 stick the crowns of the plants through the holes from 

 the inside, and carefully cover the roots with soil. Con- 

 tinue in this way until all the holes are filled, and finish 

 with some plants set in the top. A center filled in with 

 gravel or sand facilitates watering. This is an old way 

 of raising winter parsley, but seems known to but few 

 people. Do not have the holes much larger than the 

 crowns. Keep moist, but do not drown. J- B. 



Law Against Killing Insect Foes. — You are cer- 

 tainly in the wrong here (page 432, Dec). It is only 

 necessary to point out the danger to convince you that 

 the practice of spraying fruit trees is criminal. Man 

 consumes the honey which bees gather. It follows that 

 if the honey contains arsenic it is liable to cause death 

 to human beings. The party putting the arsenic where 

 bees must get it is guilty of a crime. There is no ques- 

 tion about that. Bees have more rights than quadru- 

 peds, for man can not control them. There are thous- 

 ands of swarms in woods and rocks just as liable to take 

 the poisoned nectar as the bees kept in hives by man. 

 You will have to see this question from a bee-keeper's 

 standpoint before you can pass judgment upon it 

 rightly. We have laws enough now to convict any man 

 who poisons the blossoms visited by bees. Let the 

 sprayers beware ! The first man caught spraying trees 

 in full bloom will be prosecuted. — H. O. Kruschke, 

 Jitncaii Co. , Wis. 



