142 
the a 
merican GARD^ 
SEASONABIiE HDIXS. 
Head Lettuce in summer can only be pro¬ 
duced under special care, as Lettuce is 
naturally a cool-climate plant wMch, in oiu’ 
hot, dry summers, will, under ordinary con¬ 
ditions, go to seed quickly; and yet, lu om 
large city markets, large heads of Lettuce 
are offered for sale nearly every day in the 
year. To grow good Lettuce in summer re¬ 
quires a deep, mellow, loamy soil, plentifully 
enriched with decomposed yard manure, and 
in di'y weather the beds have to be thor¬ 
oughly watered every evening. The plants 
must have plenty of room — twelve inches 
each way—and sowings during midsummer 
prove generally more successful if they are 
made where the plants are to remain, with¬ 
out transplanting, thinning them out merely 
to the desired distances. There are only 
few varieties suitable for summer cultiva¬ 
tion. Salamander and Deacon are the best of 
a large number we have experimented wdth. 
Celery .—For fall and eaily winter use 
Celery is planted at intervals during July; 
but for a winter supply nothing is gained by 
planting before the first of this month. Very 
rich, deep soil and plenty of water are the 
principal requisites for success with this 
delicious vegetable, and without these it is 
almost useless to attempt its culture. 
The old method of planting Celery in deep 
trenches has been almost entirely aban¬ 
doned, saving a very great amount of labor 
and accomplishing as satisfactory results. 
When pricked out or transplanted plants 
can be procured, they are far preferable to 
those directly from the seed bed, as uith 
these there is seldom any loss in transplant¬ 
ing; they suffer less in dry weather, and 
may be planted at any time, while ordinary 
plants cannot be set out safely except durino- 
damp or rainy weather. 
When all is ready,—that is, when the 
ground has been made as rich and mellow 
as possible,—stretch a line (never plant a 
crooked row of Celery), and' along this set 
out the young plants five or six inches apart, 
the latter distance being the best. Cut off 
half of the tops, and the ends of all roots 
that are over three inches long; then plant 
with a transplanting stick or dibble, and 
press the soil around the roots as firmly as 
possible. If the subsequent days should be 
very dry, watering may be necessary even¬ 
ings, and light shading during midday. 
Jixterminaling Sorrel —“'So kill Sorrel 
make the land rich and cultivate it well ’’ 
said a farmer in our hearing, and this 
dictum corresponds with the popular idea of 
the nature of .Sorrel. So far as the nart ef 
Mltivation is concemed it is correct enough 
thorough and persistent cultivation will 
free the ,^ound from any and every ree^ 
upl Lcts ItTsT'"" 
-ui gi^ron^ic^i r;r“t£t“;r 
plants could find food enough for s„«t 
ance; but just give such a sorrei.in i i’ 
ground a dressing of manure, and yoirw^n 
soon become aware that the weed iL , 
as quickly to fertilizing influoncer “ 
U..M -y 
teiais with ihsbots. 
Perhaps the amateur 
gardener than to find th 
that have been suddenly at- 
re;his careful attendance — 
tacked and disfigured by a swaim^ 
repulsive insects; but it 
troubles that every gardenei 
pillars and beetles, our C“cumb 0 
Liped bugs and borers, and our fimi s then 
curciilios, aphides, and codling ' ' ; 
success in growing these 
no small degree upon our knowledge 
Ld our vigilance in applying 
the benefit of those who arc 
this direction, I offer 
useful plant. 
Sorrel, not manure. 
secticides, 
them. For 
seeking information in 
some of the results of ray own experience as 
a practical gardener. 
THE CABBAGE CATERPILLAE. 
For this caterpillar, the larva of Ficris 
Fapw, I have used Buhach powder, applied 
udth the Woodason bellows, with complete 
success. Pyrethrum powder, which is nearly 
the same thing, is also acknowledged to be 
an equally valuable agent for destroying 
this insect. If the powder is fresh and pure, 
which it not always is when purchased at 
the stores, it is strong enough to jicrform its 
work when mixed with several times its 
weight of flour, air-slacked lime, or any 
other flue light powder, by which moans the 
cost of the application may be much re¬ 
duced. The mixture is said to be more 
eiKeaeious if allowed to remain in an air¬ 
tight vessel for a few hours before using. 
In the absence of the bellows, it may be 
applied by sifting it through a fine sieve, or 
by simply dusting it over the plants by 
hand. This application has the very gi'oat 
advantage of being non-poisonous to the 
human family, hence accidents in its use can 
hardly prove injurious to either man or beast. 
THE TURNIP PLEA-BEETLE. 
For this little pest, Baltica slriolala, so 
destmctive to the young plants of Turnip 
Cabbage, and Radish, I know of no appliea- 
t.on better than air-slacked lime, dusted 
over the plants while they are wet. I usu¬ 
ally wet the plants from the sprinkler, as far 
as possible applying the water and the lime 
Krone 
ioLT , . 
fclio T>iirpo.S6 in Vnr • ft. ^ ^ ^ 'Hiswors 
when used on UaS'esM 
the growth of the roots, hmhanj if 
way of all for avoiding this . 
OUT plants subject to^Pn * ^ »"close 
made of boards a foot wide JV" 
t-ced this method With e.xeeli;nt s::^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
the radish Plv. 
Those whoattoniDt In,,., 
on heavy soils are mn.V’r 
attacks of tho Radish lly (^’1 
which lays its eggs 'llII,;"'-"" 
tl'o surface of the* 
w;m. K''<>"nd. 
water, 
edicacious, 
roots at 
infosti; 
"g them with the Hin 
so often destroy the i “ 
know of no ].racticable ..n "so. 
liy lightening the soi ling 
with a very liberal appu,.,,!- ' bod 
the iniurlnns ..... *’“'"‘^>01. of’ 
CUCUMBER AND MELON BEEtl 
P erhaps none of our garden 
more harassed by insects than th 
Cucumber, and Melon. XJnlei 
by the gardener, the early Rfg 
IQ O. PinHQfo.Tlf. 
plants is a constant warfare • o»»;i 
^ a _u A , > . 
case of the Squash at least,’ thi8'*^^*''''l 
does not cease until frost puts an e 
conflict. Surely, in the case of thes 
pi'evontion is better than cure. 
kitchen gardener, the sure way is to 
the hills of these plants with smaU b*"* 
frames covered with mosquito nettin 
market-gi-ower may circumvent his^ 
by starting his plants upon inverted **" 1 *”!^ 
the cold frame, transplanting them 1’” 
V larffe. to thn irnrRo,. ’ 
siifliciontly large, to the garden. 
To those who see fit to take neitherof a 
recautioiis, I can recommend no hcH. 
precautions, x can recommend no hette " 
plication than Paris green and water, attf > 
rate of half a teaspoonful of the fomer i! 
two gallons of the latter, applying the min. I 
lire with care to both sides of the leaves ‘ 
THE SQUASH BORER. 
One of the most incorrigible of insects I 
in our present state of knowledge, is the 
Squash-vine borer (Mclittia CucurUia). This ^ 
enemy does its mischief concealed in the 
heart of the stem, where we cannot hope 
to reach him with poisonous appljcatioiis,i 
To cut the worm out by slitting the stem is f 
both costly to the grower and dangerous to 
the plant. I can see but one valid hope for 
a successful attack upon this insect, viz., to 
poison the newly hatched grub as it eats its 
w’ay into the stem. I have used Paris green 
mixed with water, at about the proportion 
named above, pouring the liquid upon the 
stems for a distance of two feet from the 
base of the plant, with what seemed in a 
limited trial to be very great benefit; and 
while I cannot say this treatment will prove 
a sure remedy for the evil, I would recom¬ 
mend all interested to aid me in giving it 
further trial. “Elm.” 
PEOTECTINQ CABBAeE AND OADLIITOIBA 
For many years it has been nearly impos¬ 
sible to raise early Cabbages and Cauliflowers 
in our locality, in consequence of the ravages 
of a white maggot that oats the stalk of th* 
young plants. More than three-fourths 0 
all our early plants have heretofore^ hee® 
destroyed by this pest. This year I tried a* 
experiment with whale-oil soap raised w 
kerosene, and found it a most gr#t 
success. In no case was the raistwe^ 
plied nioro than twice, which proved »» 
ciont to save nearly every plant. ^ 
may ho so much diluted that the ^ 
for tlio material is but trifling, aa^ 
otlior renders will give it a trial aad >'‘•1 
ro.sults. 
H. J. 
Seymow®- 
SALTPETER AGAINST THE SQUABS 
A solution of an ounce of saltpof®^ 
gallon of water is recommondod as a 1” 
ircve®' 
five against tho borer. As soon as the I 
ilnfie" 
plants appear above ground, the so 
pen rod over them in sufllciont fl**®’*’*’^'ujlrt' 
'"■iitetlio ground. Tliis should h® rcp 
af intervals of tour or flvo days- 
mu' such applications are said upete' 
cioiit to protect tho plants, and f'*®. 
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