Gleanings by an Old Florist.

PROPAGATING HOUSES AND OTHER THINGS.

In the days of our boyhood the propagating house was, in the more pretentious nurseries, a very sacred place, under lock and key, and some of its mysteries supposed to be so profound that prying eyes of other establishments were not welcome.

Bell glasses in those days were thought to be indispensable, and some of the plants desired to be propagated were found to require months, sometimes nearly a year, before they could be transferred from the cutting pots. The hot-water tanks, and other bottom heat appliances of the present day were then unknown; and these appliances have resulted in greater simplicity of management. Still we are bound to admit that the demands here generally embrace a class of plants that, as a rule, are found to root the most readily, while those that have always been known to tax the propagator's skill, as the Heaths, New Holland, and others called hard wooded plants, are but little called for in this market.

At that time nearly everything was placed in pots of almost pure white sand, surrounded by the ordinary atmosphere of the house; while nowadays the establishment must be small indeed if it does not contain some place where the bed is so arranged that the heat at the bottom is from ten to fifteen degrees above that of the house proper. Here lies the whole secret as to whether it is a part of a single green-house or a house devoted exclusively to propagating purposes. For the purpose of being able at all times to control the temperature of the top, the propagating house has often a northern exposure, except in the very dead of winter. With a bright, clear sun above it is almost impossible in the daytime to keep down the temperature of the house sufficiently to prevent the young cuttings from wilting, after which disaster is very likely to follow in their final rooting. Given a top temperature never above 55 or 65 degrees, with a bottom always from 10 to 15 degrees higher, if the cuttings are in good shape it is a simple matter to root them in from seven to fifteen days; though the time it takes depends, of course, upon the plant and condition of the wood. At first efforts used to be contrived to get this bottom heat by means of the old flue system, with plenty of material covering the bricks, to break, in part, the dry burning nature of the heat.

Then hot water came in and furnished what was thought the acme of a propagator, and tanks of elaborate workmanship, and made of the finest material down to the commonest wood, were made so a circulation of hot water was kept up over as large an area as the necessity of the owner might require.

The results seemed excellent, but lo, every now and again, disastrous failures would occur. A material would spread all around called by the florist the cutting bench fungus, that would sweep through his crop like a plague; all sorts of theories would be given, and numberless articles appear in the horticultural periodicals of the day on its cause and cure. Presently it was found that those who did not use a tank of water, but had inclosed a space to be heated by hot water pipes, did not seem to suffer so much from the invidious foe. Much moisture was found an excellent remedy for the enemy, though it might have been its first cause, as it could be best warded off by dousing with the once praised hot water tank.

Whether a house is used exclusively or not, the ordinary hot water pipes are simply inclosed in a brick or wood space, with ventilators that may be opened to let off part of the confined heat into the house at pleasure. The front benches used are about two feet six inches to three feet in width, over, say four 4-inch pipes, up to within eighteen inches or two feet of the glass. On this is a platform over which three to six inches of sand is put, and in this bed are placed the cuttings where, with the differences before mentioned, they are kept as uniform as possible, and the sand kept decidedly wet. Almost everything we called soft wooded, or that can be got from the soft wood, even including most of our hardy shrubs, can be rooted with almost unerring certainty in the larger establishments by the hundreds of thousands.

As modern ideas demand large propagating, even in the summer, when it is next to impossible to keep these proportions of top and bottom heat, if in an ordinary propagating house, such firms as Miller & Hunt, strike out with another idea to overcome the difficulty. This is none other than instead of glass, they have a muslin canvas-covered house, in which they have again pits, where mild bottom heat can be obtained by the use of spent hops, tan bark, manure, or other material. Of course, it would be idle to talk of a summer bottom heat of 60 deg., but instead of that, they get one of about 80 deg., and depend upon a close, uniform, high, moist temperature to carry out the same results.

With this, rose plants can be and are raised by the hundreds of thousands from the single eye to a cutting, with a loss of not five per cent in the aggregate, and often not one per cent. It is very evident that with new or scarce plants this is an enormous average, as by its means firms can import the new European plants in the spring, at perhaps very high rates, start them into immediate, rapid growth, and from half a dozen plants to work on, maybe in the next spring markets have hundreds for sale.

This is all new as managed by us old 'uns in former times, but he who expects to be up with the present day and cater for that class of patronage, must take the new and not the old way of doing things, or he will, in the vernacular of the streets, "get left."

As we are on this particular topic, however, and as the amateur window plant-grower may want to propagate some little stock as well, even if not on these "high-falutin" ways, it might not be amiss to say that beyond the methods of "slipping" here and there cuttings in and among others growing in pots, or, mayhap, in a pot all by themselves, they can readily root lots of plants in a water and sand bath, which is nothing more than taking a deep saucer, putting half an inch of sand in the bottom, filling up the saucer full of water, and keeping it full; stick your cuttings into this, place right in the sunniest spot of your window, and they will grow about as certain, many of them, as if treated by the florist's more portentious method. Likely the reason of all this is, the water keeps the cuttings from wilting long enough for them to put forth their efforts for existence in the shape of new roots, obtained from the stored up material in the cuttings, and as soon as this is done they become new individual plants, requiring only to be transferred into a suitable medium of earth to go on as an independent, but similar existence to the plant from which they were obtained.

OUR New Clubbing List FOR 1884. THE PRAIRIE FARMER IN CONNECTION WITH OTHER JOURNALS.

We offer more liberal terms than ever before to those who desire to take, in connection with The Prairie Farmer, either of the following weekly or monthly periodicals. In all cases the order for The Prairie Farmer and either of the following named journals must be sent together, accompanied by the money; but we do not require both papers to be sent to the same person or to the same post-office.

We send specimen copies only of The Prairie Farmer.

Our responsibility for other publications ceases on the receipt of the first number; when such journals are not received within a reasonable time, notify us, giving date of your order, also full name and address of subscriber.

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Harper's Weekly$6 00$4 60

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CONSUMPTION.

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NOW Is the time to Subscribe for The Prairie Farmer. Price only $2.00 per year. It is worth double the money.

PUBLISHERS' NOTICE.

THE PRAIRIE FARMER is printed and published by The Prairie Farmer Publishing Company, every Saturday, at No. 150 Monroe Street.

Subscription, $2.00 per year, in advance, postage prepaid. Subscribers wishing their addresses changed should give their old as well as new addresses.

Advertising, 25 cents per line on inside pages; 30 cents per line on last page—agate measure; 14 lines to the inch. No less charge than $2.00.

All Communications, Remittances, etc., should be addressed to The Prairie Farmer Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill.

Entered at the Chicago Office as Second-Class Matter.

CHICAGO, JANUARY 12, 1884.

[Transcriber's Note: Original location of Table of Contents.]

RENEW! RENEW!!

Remember that every yearly subscriber, either new or renewing, sending us $2, receives a splendid new map of the United States and Canada—58 × 41 inches—FREE. Or, if preferred, one of the books offered in another column. It is not necessary to wait until a subscription expires before renewing.

1841.1884.

The Prairie Farmer

PROSPECTUS FOR 1884.

SEE INDUCEMENTS OFFERED

SUBSCRIBE NOW.

For forty-three years The Prairie Farmer has stood at the front in agricultural journalism. It has kept pace with the progress and development of the country, holding its steady course through all these forty-three years, encouraging, counseling, and educating its thousands of readers. It has labored earnestly in the interest of all who are engaged in the rural industries of the country, and that it has labored successfully is abundantly shown by the prominence and prestige it has achieved, and the hold it has upon the agricultural classes.

Its managers are conscious from comparison with other journals of its class, and from the uniform testimony of its readers, that it is foremost among the farm and home papers of the country. It will not be permitted to lose this proud position; we shall spare no efforts to maintain its usefulness and make it indispensable to farmers, stock-raisers, feeders, dairymen, horticulturalists, gardeners, and all others engaged in rural pursuits. It will enter upon its forty-fourth year under auspices, in every point of view, more encouraging than ever before in its history. Its mission has always been, and will continue to be—

To discuss the most approved practices in all agricultural and horticultural pursuits.

To set forth the merits of the best breeds of domestic animals, and to elucidate the principles of correct breeding and management.

To further the work of agricultural and horticultural organization.

To advocate industrial education in the correct sense of the term.

To lead the van in the great contest of the people against monopolies and the unjust encroachments of capital.

To discuss the events and questions of the day without fear or favor.

To provide information concerning the public domain, Western soil, climate, water, railroads, schools, churches, and society.

To answer inquiries on all manner of subjects coming within its sphere.

To furnish the latest and most important industrial news at home and abroad.

To give full and reliable crop, weather, and market reports.

To present the family with pure, choice, and interesting literature.

To amuse and instruct the young folks.

To gather and condense the general news of the day.

To be, in brief, an indispensable and unexceptionable farm and home companion for the people of the whole country.

The style and form of the paper are now exactly what they should be. The paper used is of superior quality. The type is bold and clear. The illustrations are superb. The departments are varied and carefully arranged. The editorial force is large and capable. The list of contributors is greatly increased, and embraces a stronger array of talent than is employed on any similar paper in this country. We challenge comparison with any agricultural journal in the land.

The Prairie Farmer is designed for all sections of the country. In entering upon the campaign of 1884, we urge all patrons and friends to continue their good works in extending the circulation of our paper. On our part we promise to leave nothing undone that it is possible for faithful, earnest work—aided by money and every needed mechanical facility—to do to make the paper in every respect still better than it has ever been before.

SPECIAL NOTICE

To each Subscriber who will remit us $2.00 between now and February 1st, 1884, we will mail a copy of THE PRAIRIE FARMER for One Year, and one of our New Standard Time Commercial Maps of the United States and Canada—showing all the Counties, Railroads, and Principal Towns up to date. This comprehensive map embraces all the country from the Pacific Coast to Eastern New Brunswick, and as far north as the parallel of 52 deg., crossing Hudson's Bay. British Columbia; Manitoba, with its many new settlements; and the line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, completed and under construction, are accurately and distinctly delineated. It extends so far south as to include Key West and more than half of the Republic of Mexico. It is eminently adapted for home, school, and office purposes. The retail price of the Map alone is $2.00. Size, 58 × 41 inches. Scale, about sixty miles to one inch.

READ THIS.

Another Special Offer.

"The Little Detective."

Weighs 1-4 oz. to 25 lbs.

Every housekeeper ought to have this very useful scale. The weight of article bought or sold may readily be known. Required proportions in culinary operations are accurately ascertained. We have furnished hundreds of them to subscribers, and they give entire satisfaction. During January, 1884, to any person sending us THREE SUBSCRIBERS, at $2.00 each, we will give one of these scales, and to each of the three subscribers Ropp's Calculator, No. 1.

The sorghum-growers of Kansas are invited to meet at Topeka, the second Wednesday in February. The Kansas wool-growers meet on the 15th of this month.

Do not forget the Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society meeting at Kansas City, January 22-25. This will prove one of the important horticultural events of the year.

If any of our friends have Vols. I to XIV, and the years 1861, 1863 to 1873, and 1875 to 1883, of The Prairie Farmer, they would like to dispose of, we should be glad to hear from them.

The fifteenth annual exhibition of the Montana Agricultural, Mineral and Mechanical Association, will be held at Helena, September 8th-13th, 1884. President, S.H. Crounse; Francis Pope, Secretary.

The twenty-fifth annual fair of the Linn County (Iowa) Agricultural and Mechanical Society will be held on the fair grounds at Cedar Rapids, September 9, 10, 11, and 12, 1884. C.G. Greene, Secretary, Cedar Rapids.

If you are in need of a first-class wind mill, find out all about the Nichols' Centennial as advertised in our columns by Nichols & Daggett, and see if you do not think it just fills the bill. It is strong, durable, steady, and it takes and uses all the wind there is going.

Hon. E.B. David, member of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture from Mercer county, made a brief call at The Prairie Farmer office last week. From him we gathered the facts regarding the late meeting of the Board mentioned elsewhere. Mr. David has long been a staunch friend of The Prairie Farmer, and his call was a very welcome one.

Immigration at the port of New York fell off last year to the amount of 66,405 persons, or about 14½ per cent from that of 1882. The total number landed this last year was 388,342. The greatest decrease was from Sweden and Russia. From England came 30,818; Ireland, 52,555; Germany, 164,036; Italy, 24,101; Norway, 11,536; Hungary, 11,448; Switzerland, 9,447; Denmark, 7,770; Bohemia, 4,652. Last year the arrivals were 182,893. It is not unlikely that there will be a greater falling off this year for times are not sufficiently promising here to greatly stimulate emigration from Europe.

The Crystal Palace Company, of London advertise the holding for six months, from April 3 next, of an "exhibition of arts, manufactures, and scientific, agricultural, and industrial products," and invite the participation of American exhibitors. A court in a central position on the main floor has been set aside for expected American contributions, and the ordinary charge for space is two shillings per square foot. This will probably seem a trifle steep to American exhibitors who are not accustomed to pay for space in their own exposition buildings.

Last year was not a very surprising one in the matter of railway extension within the limits of Illinois. The report of the Railway and Warehouse Commissioners will show that but 135 miles of track were laid. But there are 10,456 miles of track in use in the State. The companies among these lines numbering sixty-four, operate 29,370 miles of road or nearly 20,000 miles outside of Illinois. The total net income of these companies was $81,720,256 and the dividends amounted to $36,374,474. In 1882 the dividends amounted to but $29,000,000. The average freight charges in 1883 were 1.09 cents per mile, while the year before they averaged 1.20 cents, hence it must follow that the amount of traffic greatly increased over that of 1882.

A lecture course for farmers at the Nebraska Agricultural College, will be given from February 4-15, by the regular instructors in the college. One or more lectures will be given on the following topics: Breeds of cattle and swine; breeding, improving, and care of stock; care of farm machinery; health on the farm; adulteration of food; economical farming; tame grapes; ensilage; what to feed; meteorology and plant growth; sorghum-growth and manufacture; horticulture; principles of pruning; the digestive organs of domestic animals; injurious insects. A number of leading farmers of the State have been invited to lecture upon their specialties. All the facilities of illustration and study owned by the college will be at the disposal of the students attending the course. These include several compound microscopes, a good agricultural library, meteorological apparatus, six breeds of cattle and four of swine, orchard, nursery, arboretum, vineyard, etc., etc. A limited number will be boarded at the college farm for a price not to exceed three dollars per week. Persons attending will be aided in securing cheap board in the city. Persons expecting to attend or desiring further information should write to S.R. Thompson, Dean Agricultural College, Lincoln, Neb.

Some of our readers may wish to paste this item in their scrap books. It cost to run the United States Government last year the sum of $251,428,117, expended as follows: To supply deficiencies, $9,853,869; legislative, executive, and judicial expenses, $20,332,908; sundry civil expenses, $25,425,479; support of the army, $27,032,099; naval service, $14,903,559; Indian service, $5,219,604; rivers and harbors, $18,988,875; forts and fortifications, $375,000; military academy, $335,557; post-office department, $1,902,178; pensions, $116,000,000; consular and diplomatic service, $1,256,655; agricultural department, $427,280; expenses District of Columbia, $3,496,060. The interest on the public debt amounted to $59,160,131 and the amount of principal paid off was $134,178,756. The receipts from internal revenue were $144,720,368, and from custom duties $214,706,496.

The Minnesota State Horticultural Society will hold its seventeenth annual meeting at the College of Agriculture, Minneapolis, four days, beginning with January 15th, and with the Minnesota State Forestry Association on the 18th. A cordial invitation is given to all persons interested in horticulture and forestry to be present. A large number of papers and reports are to be read, followed by discussions. These reports are by persons who possess a thorough practical acquaintance with the subjects presented, including such men as Peter M. Gideon, J.C. Plumb, Dr. T.H. Hoskins, Prof. C.W. Hall, Prof. J.L. Budd, Dr. F.B. Hough, H.J. Joly, J.F. Williams, and others. A number of premiums are offered for apples, grapes, plants, and flowers, vegetables, seeds, and miscellaneous objects. John S. Harris, of La Crescent, is President, and Oliver Gibbs, Jr., of Lake City, is Secretary.