414 STATE nORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



tree which supply tliem with a constant moisture, too often deficient in our sum- 

 mer air, and which enables them to resist attacts of mildew. In Italy the elm is 

 most purposely used as a vine-bearer. Here, trees of any kind, not thorny or 

 very brittle or open-headed, serve the purpose well; but the best results seen 

 by the writer have followed by several years since a cane of a Concord managed 

 to reach the side branch of a black spruce. The dense foliage of this hardy, 

 compact, firm-branched evergreen carries the vine well and with no apparent 

 injury to itself; a ladder can be placed against it any where for pruning, thin- 

 ning and picking; and, what is best of all, the grape bunches are all perfect, 

 untouched by mildew, rot, bird, insect, or thieving hands. No such perfect 

 unbroken bunches are found on any other of many differently trained vines in 

 the same large garden. The fruit hangs safely to the last, an object of much 

 beauty — "just like a great, big Christmas-tree," a wee little wonderer exclaimed 

 on seeing it. 



FLOWER BEDS. 



The Michigan Farmer says that a flower garden or flower beds upon a lawn 

 or in a front yard should be in close view of the windows of the sitting-rooms. 

 The beds should be symmetrical, of simple shape, never too large, separated 

 from each other by broad strips of grass, which set ofi" the colors of the flowers 

 to the greatest advantage, giving continuity, unity, and breadth to the whole 

 Where the beds are separated by grasses, masses of flowers of one color are very 

 striking and efiective. In a small garden laid down with grass the fewer walks 

 the better. Kegular figures for the beds, such as ovals, circles, parallelograms, 

 or squares seem to be preferred as capable of being more easily and pleasingly 

 filled up. It should be always borne in mind that the first object of a flower 

 garden is to display flowers. The figure «f the flower bed, however, is a subor- 

 dinate consideration. Beds should not be scattered broadcast over the lawn 

 without any connection or relation between them. Hearts, crowns, stars, 

 animals, letters, or similar devices are entirely out of place, and though 

 eminently artificial have a very low place in the domain of art. 



Mr. W. C. Barry likes to have a clean lawn with ornaments at the borders. 

 From the middle of an address by him we quote as follows: 



Thus far I have not referred to flower beds in lawns. It is a common prac- 

 tice to make beds of geraniums in the center of a lawn. If the style of gar- 

 dening which I have suggested be carried out a flower bed of this kind would 

 be out of place. Geraniums and other bedding plants may be employed to 

 advantage close to the house, and can be cultivated either in beds or in borders. 

 A fine border of mixed plants, consisting of tea roses, heliotrope, double fever- 

 few, with coleus and centaureas intermingled, presents a beautiful appearance, 

 and is very useful for cut flowers. Being near the house they are easily acces- 

 sible and do not detract from the beauty of a lawn. The edges of groups 

 and borders of shrubs are beautified by the use of such plants. We cannot 

 admire great masses of geraniums, but employed as they should be, they enliven 

 a garden, and may be considered indispensable. 



