Still Another Early Peach

We have given considerable prominence to the Early Beatrice and Alexander Peaches, for we desire to encourage really meritorious varieties. But even their peculiar merits of extra-earliness are to be disputed soon, for we learn that there is a seedling in California which matured ten days before the Beatrice, and another in Missouri also claims an earlier maturity than either.

Stimulant For Flowers

ONCE a week it is well to use a little stimulant. Rain water, so refreshing to summer flowers, contains considerable ammonia, and can be used freely. A small, two or three ounce bottle of spirits of ammonia may be dissolved in a large pailful of water and this applied to the plants. Another plan is to dissolve an ounce of pulverised carbonate of ammonia in one gallon of water; this is very stimulating. Once in two weeks, guano water may be used (one table spoonful to a pail of water), and the plants will grow more thriftily. Chicken manure dissolved in water is excellent. It is well to keep the soil in the flower pots loose and open. A common hair pin, used daily, will stir the earth sufficiently.

Stir The Ground Frequently

A frequent stirring of the surface of the ground during the early and growing part of the season is almost, if not quite, as good as a coat of manure. In fact, our experience and observation have taught us that we succeed better with our young plantations, or our bearing ones, of raspberries, currants, dwarf pears, etc., by a regular system of stirring the surface soil at least once a week, than by means of a heavy dressing of manure and only two hoeings for the season. A light, loose surface admits heat, air, and moisture, all combining and necessary food for the plant; while a hard, compact surface excludes these influences and prevents the action of chemical or natural changes, and hence the comparatively moist condition of the plant.

Stocks - To Distinguish Single And Double

A writer in the Gardener's Magazine says that when transplanting his stocks he examines the roots, discarding all which have roots like the carrot, as they only produce single flowers, while those which have a tuft at the root invariably produce double flowers.

Roses do best in a strong soil, not a stiff clay, but a rich, firm, clay loam. If your roses cast their buds before blooming freely, it is probably because of a too stiff and cold wet soil. It should be removed and replaced with light rich loam.

Lilitum Auratum, it is said, is not the only fine and showy variety of its class; but there are those of pure white, those' with shades of color, and with a rich red stripe down the center of each petal instead of the golden one, from which the auratum derives its name.

Stocks For Roses

J. S. D.,(Elkton, Ky.) The most experienced cultivators look upon the Manettii Rose stock, as the best of all stocks for perpetual Roses. It not only grows readily from cuttings, takes to bud easily, and very seldom throws out a sucker, but being allied to the China Rose, it promotes the free blooming of Perpetuals worked upon it. The stock generally used for standard roses is the sweet brier, native to the road sides. We do not know what species of oxalis you refer to, but they all require a rich sandy soil, and plenty of sun light, if you wish them to bloom freely.