416 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



those that produce qiuintities of blooming laterals. For instance, if Ave pinch 

 off the ])oints of colunibiiie? when tliey are three inches hisfli, they Avill push 

 again and bloom a -week or two later tlian they otherwise would ; but if we let 

 them come into bloom and then pinch them over, we may Avait a year for other 

 flowers. Delphiniums may be pinclied once or twice, and retarded several 

 Aveeks. Liliaceous and iridaceous ])lants will not stand such treatment, but 

 composites and labiates are especially accommodating. The ciuef points are, 

 pinch early (indeed, it is better to rejjcat pinching than to delay too long), and, 

 if practicable, pinch Avheu it rains or immediately afterwards. Early-seasou 

 or spring-iloAvcring plants should not be retarded in this Avay, because disap- 

 pointment might result; it is most applicable in tiie case of summer and fall 

 bloomers. 



AN ATTRACTIVE FLOWER GxVRDEX. 



I Avant to say a word to those Avho cultivate annual llowers — that it is much 

 better to buy seed of separate colors than mixed, as you will get more beauti- 

 ful lloAvers, and it is not necessary to buy many colors to make a good shoAv. 

 Of Phlox Drummondii, scarlet and Avhite are all you need. Plant three white 

 ones to two of scarlet; the same may be said of ten-Aveeks stocks; carmine or 

 rose color and Avhitc Avill give better satisfaction than you can get from mixed 

 seed. Of Zinnias, you can use more colors to advantage. I plant scarlet, 

 orange, salmon, purple, and Avhite, but always buy separate colors, and plant 

 them in form of a hedge, one foot apart. Verbenas are indispensable to a 

 good floAver garden ; plant some seedlings, and, if you live near a greenliouse, 

 you can buy pot plants of scarlet and other colors, half of Avhich should be 

 Avhite. Of Asters, I use the New Eoso Imbrique i)ompon, Victoria, and two 

 colors of the Cocardean, carmine and blue, each Avith Avhite center. Be sure 

 to get a pa})er of tlie New Hose Avhite, as this is one of the best in the list. 

 Plant plenty of Delphinium or Larkspur, and have little hedges of white 

 rocket Candytuft, planted at different seasons, to always have it in bloom 

 through tlie season. If the above rules are followed and seeds are purchased 

 of a trustworthy seedsman, you Avill have tiie satisfaction of an attractive 

 flower garden — A'^ Y. Tribune. 



DECOllATIVE PLANTS. 



PALMS AS DECORATIVE PLANTS. 



Palms are among the most useful of plants for general decorative purposes, 

 and althougli their value is Avell understood in Europe, they have not been gen- 

 erally employed in tliis country fur various reasons, one of Avhich is their sup- 

 posed gigantic growth and fancied dilliculty of cultivation Avithiu reasonable 

 bounds. 



