74 Nebraska State Horticultural Society. 



plants could have been had free on the prairies), especially when the 

 name is apt to be incorrect. 



There are hardy shrubs and vines which it will pay to purchase 

 for school grounds-. They are things, however, which no one need send 

 out of the state for. Many of them, in fact, can be obtained from 

 neighboring dooryards. If this is impossible, buy them of some reliable 

 home nursery. Of such plants the following are suggested. Snowball, 

 Van Houtte's Spirea, Common Lilac, Persian Lilac, Mock Orange, June- 

 berry, Amur Tamarisk, Amur or Polish Privet, Yucca, Honeysuckle, 

 Trumpet Creeper, Garden Roses, Harrison's Yellow Rose, Rugosa Rose. 

 The last two are among the very hardiest of roses. Crimson Rambler 

 and Prairie Queen are two of the best climbing roses for eastern Ne- 

 braska. 



Hardy herbaceous perennial flowers are more desirable than an- 

 nuals. When once established they require little care and become better 

 with age. Moreover, many of them blossom early, before school is out 

 for the summer, and some of them bloom late in the fall after school 

 has begun again. All of the plants listed here are hardy, some in fact, 

 are wild flowers. Many more might be added to advantage, but the fol- 

 lowing are suggested for trial first: Larkspur, both wild and culti- 

 vated. Bleeding Heart, Columbine, Peony, Dwarf Iris, German Iris, 

 Tiger Lilly, Phlox, both wild and cultivated. Coreopsis, Penstemon, 

 Blazing Star, Spiderwort, Golden Rod, Crimson Mallow, and Golden 

 Glow. 



Annual flowers are best grown in the school garden, but may be 

 used, if desired, in the general planting. Many of them do well and 

 most look best when massed in front of shrubs or other tall growing 

 plants. Sunflowers and Castor Beans are good as a background for the 

 smaller flowers. Some of these annuals bloom best in the fall after 

 the school has begun, especially if not planted too early in the spring. 

 Most of them require considerable care during the summer. Some of 

 the annuals that should be tried are Petunias, Poppy, Nasturtiums, 

 Zinnia, Marigold, Phlox, Verbena, Aster, Caliopsis, Balsam, Bachelor 

 Button, Castor Bean, Stella Sunflower, Chrysanthemum-flowered Sun- 

 flower. 



Planting and Care of School Grounds. 



Do not plant the whole grounds at once. True, the work would 

 probably be done better if the school board were to employ some com- 

 petent man of the neighborhood to lay out and plant the grounds, but 

 that would not leave any fun for the boys and girls. Let them do uS 



