1897 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
82 ? 
Disbud'ed Carnations. 
J. V., Monmouth County , N. J.—l have suc¬ 
ceeded quite well In growing carnations in a 
cool greenhouse, but I never have the long, stiff, 
single-flowered stem noted In the case of carna¬ 
tions grown for the cut-flower market. Mine 
always grow in a spray, two or three buds on a 
stem, so that I can only pluck a flower with a 
very short stem, or with several buds around 
the open flower. How can I grow individual 
flowers on long stems ? Is it the variety, or the 
mode of culture ? 
Ans. —The long - stemmed carnation 
flowers sent into market are all dis¬ 
budded ; that is, all the buds are re¬ 
moved, except the main one at the tip 
of the shoot, while they are yet very 
tiny. Some varieties produce more buds 
in a cluster than others, and it is very 
necessary that they be disbudded. Years 
ago, when all the carnations were pluck¬ 
ed with short stems, and wired upon 
tooth-picks or broom-straws for use, 
the more buds in a cluster, the better, 
as they were plucked singly as they 
opened; but now quantity is useless 
without quality, as they must all have 
long stems. Just as soon as the second¬ 
ary buds show, they are rubbed out 
gently, right down against the main 
stem. They must not be left until they 
are large enough to be nipped out with 
thumb and Anger, but be removed as 
soon as they show. The work is very 
easily performed, but it must be done 
with care, as the main stem is brittle, 
and may be broken quite easily. This 
system of disbudding produces a larger 
flower, because the strength that would 
have been expended upon the entire 
cluster is devoted to one flower. Roses 
and Chrysanthemums are disbudded in 
the same way. 
Varieties of Euonymus. 
W. A. J., Cook County, III .— Is the Euonymus 
grown so extensively in England, and particu¬ 
larly used in hedge work, adapted to such climatic 
conditions as exist in this part of the country ? 
Ans. —A number of varieties of Euony¬ 
mus, or Spindle-tree, may be grown in 
this country, though some of those 
grown satisfactorily in England would 
not succeed here. The common Ameri¬ 
can Spindle-tree or Strawberry bush, E. 
Americanus, is very showy with its 
abundant red fruit in autumn, and the 
foliage turns a beautiful crimson. E. 
atropurpureus, the Burning-bush, is an¬ 
other showy American variety, both 
foliage and fruit being very handsome 
in the autumn. The Winged or Cork- 
barked Euonymus (E. alatus) is very in¬ 
teresting, the branches bearing corky 
ridges, similar to those on the Liquid- 
ambar. Another very ornamental variety 
is E. latifolius, which forms a tree 10 
to 20 feet high; it has broad glossy 
leaves, which turn deep red in autumn, 
and abundant deep red fruit. These 
are all deciduous ; there are many hand¬ 
some evergreen varieties, which are not 
hardy here, also some with beautiful 
silvery or variegated foliage. The showy 
fruit makes them a valuable feature in 
the autumn landscape. During recent 
years, the Euonymus has been very 
badly infested with scale insects in many 
places, the pest being so severe in some 
cases that it was necessary to cut the 
shrub right down to the ground. The 
nsect appears to be a variety peculiar 
to these shrubs. The shrubs should be 
examined for this trouble, wherever the 
Euonymus is planted. 
Growing Tulips from Seed. 
S. It., Cook County, iff.—How can tulips be prop¬ 
agated from seed ? 
Ans —Tulip seed may be sown in 
boxes, in light, sandy soil, late in the 
winter, the boxes being placed in a cold 
frame. The following season, the young 
plants may be put in a bed by them¬ 
selves. The tulips, when they first bloom, 
show solid colors, and this may continue 
for several years ; while this is the case, 
both the tulips and the offsets they pro¬ 
duce are called breeders. After a time, 
stripes or stains appear in the petals, 
and they are said to be broken. The 
uncertainty as to what the breeder will 
develop gives interest to the raising 
of tulips from seed, but of course, they 
are propagated much more rapidly from 
offsets. It is quite useless to sow tulip 
seed with the idea of raising the exact 
variety from which the seed is obtained. 
The “ breeder ” tulips are often sold 
cheaply in large quantities for massing. 
Ivy on a Damp House. 
Seeing a second article in The R. 
N.-Y. concerning Ivy on Damp House, I 
am moved as one who has fairly tested 
it to give my experience. Our dwelling 
(brick) has a single story extension, not 
heated like the rest of the house, by 
self-feeding stoves, but by a small wood 
stove. Once, this room which was, and 
is, only occasionally used, was so damp 
as to be practically useless. Walls and 
windows would stream with water, for 
hours, after a fire was started. In sum¬ 
mer, also, it was most unpleasant and 
mildewy. About 12 years ago, I planted 
some Ampelopsis Veitchii with the re¬ 
sult that, as soon as the walls were well 
covered, there was no drier, pleasanter 
room in the house. There is absolutely 
nothing to account for the change but 
the vine, as the room is still only 
occasionally used, and still heated in 
the same way. I have always been 
under the impression that the little 
“claws” absorbed moisture from the 
brick wall as well as clinging ; but a 
botanical friend assures me that this is 
an impossibility. My vine, though pur¬ 
chased under the name of Veitchii, has 
proved to be the stronger-growing form, 
Roylei. The leaves now on the older 
growth are immense, larger than any 
maple leaf, and overlap each other like 
shingles. Whether the overlapping pro¬ 
tects the wall, or the claws absorb the 
moisture, I know not, but am most thor¬ 
oughly convinced that any one planting 
this strong-growing vine will suffer no 
more from damp walls. It clings to any 
surface, however smooth. The window 
glass would be covered had we not kep* - 
it sharply trimmed off. a. l. l. 
Niagara Falls South, Ont. 
Seasonable Notes. 
Abutilons, lifted and cut back severely 
in the fall, have an abundance of young 
shoots now that may be used for cut 
tings, and these will root well. 
Amaryllis, now growing freely, should 
be encouraged with liquid manure ; this 
plant will need plenty of nourishment 
to mature its showy flowers. A light 
sunny window is required. 
Cyclamen seed may be sown the 
first week in January ; if the resulting 
plants are well grown, they should be 
nice specimens by the following winter. 
The soil in the seed-pots should be light 
and mellow, covering the seed about 
one eighth of an inch. 
Paris daisies or Marguerites make very 
MOTHERS .—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup ” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Ad/v. 
pretty plants at this season. -The plants 
now in bloom are young stock, which 
spent the summer outside without flow¬ 
ering. Old plants, which were cut back 
at the time of lifting, are now giving 
plenty of young shoots for propagating. 
Most of the decorative foliage plants 
used in the house are making very little 
growth now; consequently, it is very 
necessary that watering be not over¬ 
done. When a plant shows this natural 
disposition to rest, it is a very great 
mistake to attempt to stimulate it into 
growth. 
Plenty of propagating may be done in 
the greenhouse from this time on. Old 
Lobelia plants, which were lifted in the 
fall, give cuttings, which may be pre¬ 
ferred to seedlings. Carnations will now 
root very well. Select for the cutting 
bed, a place where bottom heat may be 
applied, so that the sand is 10 to 15 de¬ 
grees warmer than the house. A house 
temperature of 50 degrees, with sand 
about 65 degrees, is very satisfactory for 
carnations. 
Hydrangeas, Japanese Spirma (Astilbe) 
and lilacs may be brought in now and 
encouraged to grow. All these are easily 
brought into bloom, but they should not 
be forced too strongly, or there is risk 
of blind shoots, which will not flower. 
The little French lilacs, in pots, make 
very beautiful plants. They are im¬ 
ported in a dormant condition. 
Chinese primroses are among our most 
attractive greenhouse flowering plants 
from this time on. To those who are 
acquainted with the small, old-fashioned 
types only, the improved modern flowers 
are a revelation, both in size and color. 
The Fern-leafed varieties are especially 
interesting, the foliage being beautifully 
cut, but the flowers are hardly so large 
as those with the uncut foliage. These 
plants need a cool temperature. Water 
them carefully, and do not allow them 
to be drenched late in the day, so that 
they have no chance to dry off before 
night. Water should not be allowed to 
lie upon the foliage, as it has a tendency 
to start rot. 
If the lawn is to be dressed with com¬ 
post for the winter, it may be done at 
any time now, if the ground be suffi¬ 
ciently frozen to bear a wagon without 
the wheels cutting through. Any sticks, 
stones, or other trash should be picked 
up or raked off before the dressing is 
applied. In many of the parks and 
cemeteries, stable manure is no longer 
applied as a lawn dressing, owing to the 
crop of weeds produced by its use ; the 
various lawn dressings provided by the 
fertilizer dealers are preferred. 
At this season, the Otaheite orange is 
resting somewhat, and does not need 
quite so much water as when in active 
growth. However, it must not be al¬ 
lowed to go dry at the roots; it soon 
suffers from this. In February, when 
growth begins again, the plants will need 
more water, with occasional liquid 
manure. The foliage must be examined 
frequently for signs of scale insects, 
Mealy bug, or Red spider. All of these 
pests are likely to attack this plant, but 
if the foliage is properly sponged and 
kept clean, there is little trouble from 
this source. 
Right chimney, good lamp. 
Wrong chimney, bad lamp. 
Besides breaking. 
Go by the Index. 
Write Macbeth Pittsburgh P* 
MASON & HAMLIN 
PIANOS and ORGANS 
The Cabinet Organ was introduced by Mason & 
Hamlin in 1861. These organs have always main¬ 
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The Mason & Hamlin Pianos illustrate the same 
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styles just introduced are eliciting the most enthusi¬ 
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Catalogues free. Address: 
MASON & HAMLIN CO., 
Boston, New York, Chicago and St. I ouls. 
WATCH AND CHAIN FOR ONE DAY’S WORK. 
Boys and Girls can get a Nickel-Plated 
Watch, also a Chain and Charm for selling 
IX doz. Packages of Bluineat 10 cents each. 
Send your full address by return mall and 
ill forward the Bluine s postpaid, and 
we wl.. --—- - 
n inrna m 111 Y YV T.lflt. 
Send 
#1 for subsc'iptlon to-Modes,” the popular 
fashion monthly. K. Wylde, Agt., Nanuet.N.Y 
Raw Furs 
I pay highest prices. Rend for price list. 
J. (J. D1LL1N, West Philadelphia, Pa. 
Carriage Robes, $3. 
Horse or llarber Clipper®, SI. Sleighs. $U Other 
ba trains. Aldie^s K. J. CONNELLY, Baldwin Place, 
Westcnester County, N. Y. 
iWJCSitifcBJt; 
WHEEL 
VEHICLES 
-ALL STEEL- 
tW” Adopted to both narrow 
and wide track 
DUANE H. NASH, 
Mi. lington, N. J. 
VICTORIES.^*- 
FOUR MEDALS—3 Gold and 1 Silver. World’s Centennial 
Cotto n Exposition. New Orleans. 1884. _ 
HIGHEST AWARDS—Nebraska Agricultur al Fair , 1887. 
DIPLOMA—Alabama Agr’l Society, Montgomery, 1888. 
AWARD—Chattahoochie Valley Exposition, Colum- 
bu s, Ga., 1888. _ 
HIGHEST AWARDS—St. Louis Agricultural and 
Mechanical Association, 1889. 
GOLD IvTeDALS - and 6 DIPLOMAS—World’s Colum- 
blan Exposit ion, Chicag o , 1893. _ 
HIGHEST AWARDS—Western Fe.ir Association, L.on» 
don , Canada, 1893. _ 
SIX GOLD ME DALS a nd Diplomas—Cal. Midwinter Fair ’94. 
SILVER MEDAL—Industrial Exposit ion, Toronto, Canada, 1895. 
345,584 Home Comfort Ranges Sold to Jan. 1st,’97 
Range illustrated sold throughout the United States and 
the Canadas at a uni form price from our ow n wagons. 
Made of open hearth, cold rolled steel-plate and malleable 
Iron —will last a life-time with ordinary care. 
WROUGHT IRON RANGE CO., 
Founded 1864. Paid up Capital $1,000,000. 
Factories, Salesrooms and Offices: ST. LOUIS, MO., and TORONTO, CANADA. 
Western Salesrooms and offices: DENVER, COL.O. 
PV We manufacture and carry a complete stock of Hotel Ranges and Kitchen goods; also the 
unequaled HOME COMFORT STEEL FURNACES. Write for catalogue and .prices. 
