THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



OUi^ Flowei^ Gai^den. 



NEW DOUBLE WHITE MIGNONETTE, 

 SNOWBALL. 



At some time or other all tluwors fall under 

 Bpeeial rare and esteem. At rmo time the I'clar- 

 gdnliuns cnijuged the attention of the horticul- 

 tural world, and every advanci' was hailed with 

 delight; instead of tin' small hul pretty rflar^on- 

 lum Eebinatum, and olhcrs of its type, we have 

 the ma^nifieeut" Kegal rrlarKonlums'* of whieh 

 Beauty of Oxton and (Jui-en Victoria are eharin- 

 Ing examples: while anmnir llie single and double 

 geraniums d'elarironium /onale), such varieties 

 OK Adam Kodi. Ueputv Devaux, Nelly Thomas. 

 lUustrc ritoycn, (iamhetia, and a host of other 

 equally line sortJ>, area tremendous ad vanee over 

 their ancestor, the insly;niticant single scarlet. 

 At another time Ihe V*rimrose was the rage, while 

 at the present the Rose holds llrsl rank, closely 

 followed in popular favor by the I'ausy, Clirysan- 

 themum and iMignonetle. 



For a long time the Mignonette (Reseda Odor- 

 ata)f received no attention. It was a fragrant 

 flower, easily grown, and able to take cure of 

 itself. The flower wiis raggcil and uncouth in 

 appearance, and the platit "was uU over the 

 ground, and no where in particular." Sonie one. 

 whom h!st()ry has failed to chronicle, look c<nn- 

 passion on its condition and endenvoied to start 

 it on the road to re(!ognitl(»n and favor, witU 

 gratifying su<'cess. Steadily it has advanced in 

 fragrance and size, uutil one variety bears the 

 grandiose title of Reseda (irandithira *;ii;antea 

 Vyramidalis. The subject iif our ski-ldi, while 

 bearing away no honors lor length oi name, has 

 attained lirst place iit color and beauly (►f form. 

 Unlike many of the so-t*al!ed '' white" varieties, 

 "Which have proved to be a dull gray and pos- 

 sessed of little fragrance, tl»e Snowb;ill Juis the 

 true Mignonette odor and a pure white color; the 

 flowers are ve*y double, giving to the plant the 

 appearance of its namesake. To its many good 

 qualities it adds the charm of ri-'gularity of 

 growth, and forms dense masses al>undantly 

 covered with large tresses o|' biooui. 



MuSA Knsente. {Ahi/.Kxhiia/t littnanfi)^ 

 ■Which we illustrate on page 1. We are glad to 

 be able to present our readers with a beautiful 

 Illustration of this ornanienlal phmt. Musas 

 have of late years conn- to be extensively used 

 during summer in parks and large private gar- 

 dens, wliere they produce a handstime effect. It 

 is generally supposed tliat dililculty is experi- 

 enced in preserving tliem Ilirougb the winter. 

 This, iiowever, is not the case, as a tempi-rature 

 of aboul '(IP will keep tiie plant in a growing 

 state, while if the leaves and roots are cut oft", 

 and the plant be laid in the cellar, covered with 

 about a foot of st)il. there is no danger of it being 

 frosted. They may he j);ante(l mil in summer, 

 or if grown in large pots, these may be plunged. 

 in the ground. 



While many H:inana i)lanUs may be grown in 

 the open grounii in liiis latitude and prodxice a 

 good etieet ; Musa Knsenta is the one most 

 admired. The fruit of this variety is not edible, 

 but tlie leaves are magnificent, broad and of a 

 bright green, with a bright crimson uiidrib; it 



grows luxuriantly to a lieight of sevi^n to ten feet. 

 In answer to several inquiries, we would say that 

 the plants can be obtained from Henry A. Dreer, 

 Philadelphia, or Benjamin A. Elliot, Pittsburg, 

 Penna. 



Tuberoses. 

 Some i>eople seem to liave diflieulty in bloom.- 

 ing these, and yet. no buiy)s are easier to manage, 

 providing you get good stock. Whether wanttsl 

 frir bloinuing in pots or in the opeii ground, tiioy 

 may !«■ potted now in good, rich soil. If vinly one 

 buHi is planteil in a pot, this need not be larger 

 than five inches, while a six inch pot will readil\ 

 hoUl tlm-e bulbs, (_>f c<)urse the>' 'an be shifted 

 afterwartls, when well rooted, into pots of a larger 

 size. After potting, put tljen\ m the warmest 

 place at hand, and at first do not water mon- 

 than once a week, Wiien the tops begin to grow 

 they should receive enough water to keep the sctil 

 moist, but not wet. Towards the middle of May, 

 plant out in the garden it wanted to bloom there. 

 The Tuberose is one of the choicest of flowers. 

 It produces long spikes (three times as large as 

 our illustrati^tn), of pure white wax-like double 

 flowers of great fragrauv-e and beaut.v. By many, 

 its fragrance is considered to be tlie finest of all 

 flowers ; even one or two flowers being enough to 

 perfume a whole room. The comparative low 

 pri< e at whieh tlie bulbs can be had, enables any 

 one to grow them in quantity. 



1<I1.IE.S, 



Now is also the time for potting Lilies to bloop^i 

 in the house or conservatory. The best forttiis 

 pvn-pose are L. /Xuratum, Longiflorum, Harrissi 

 and the Jjanclfoliums, All bulbs, a^^ soon iis re- 

 ceived, should be carefully examined, and any 

 decaying matter removed. They sh<^)uld then be 

 laid in soil, or better still, coc*>anut fibre, in a 

 moderate condition of moisture, unl il the bulb 

 recovers its usual plumpness and the ro(>ts are 

 just on the point of starting from the base. Then 

 they should ho potted, or planted out ;is required. 

 It is beat when planting, to surround the bulbs 

 with soil. Manure should never be dug in with 

 the bulbs, thouiib they ac<-e-.t il gralelully as a 

 i to|Mlressing, liberally apjihed aficr they have 

 I been established. The soil ould contain a g<K)d 

 j part of rich lieat and near out -third sand, 



r.\NS.ES. 



I These lovely flowers aie iavoritcs with all, not 



only for the brillianc\ and variety of tlieir colors, 



, hut for (he durability of their bloom. Seed may 



] he sown In the oncn ground in f*i»ring or summer, 



i)r in hot-beds earlier. Yming plants produce the 



largest and best flowers. Th*'y should oe<-upy a 



j cool, partially shady spot, and the groun<l ^annot 



I be too rich ; coolness and moisture are necessary. 



I Transjtlant when one Inch high. 



I VlOI.E'IX, 



I About Paris, the cultivation of the Violet Is 



carried to a great ext4'nt, and in some places near 



that elty, three or f<iur acres may be seen covered 



i with them, the ground being of a rich, free, warm 



miture and well e\p4>sed to the mid-day sini ; the 



I plantations being made in spring, and those 



I required durint; winter being grown in frames. 



! It Is almost needless to say that they may be 



prop:igated to any extent by division ; but strong, 



liealthy, free-flowering plants are raised from 



seed. Some fine wvw varieties are ottered this 



season by difierent seedsmen. 



I The insects that trouble Violets most, are the 



; green fly and red spider. The first Is generally the 



result of a close unhealthy atmosi>here, and Is 



I most easily got ri<l of by tienllc smokings. Bed 



, spider Is caused by strong sun and dryness at the 



roots. Hand-dusting with sulphur ifi the best 



remedy; but it is easy to prevent its occurence 



i by maintaining ailamp atmosphere by syringing 



I the plants and sorroundiriiis, 



I Karthworms ma.v be destroyed by using lime- 

 j water. Takeat)out a half a pound of lime *<itwo 

 I gallons of water, and use when precipitat^'d and 

 the water clear. 



When planting Tuberoses, the small surround- 

 ing bulblets shoulil be remov»Hl. A toi>-dressing 

 of eow manure is beneficial when the idants are 

 In growth. 



One of the best summer blooming plants is 

 Plumbaixo Capensis ; fi owe rs sky-blue— very 

 unique. Be-pot now, anci cut Ihe shoots l)ack 

 close. Give no water until it begins to grow, 

 except enough to keep the sf>il moist. 



Poinsettias that ha\e done bl(»oming, may now 

 be dried ofiin a warn\ iihiee. Allerwards, put 

 them out of the way in a cellar, to plant out or 

 set (Kit in their pots in .June. 

 ■ Among the best hardy ornamental plants we 

 sh(»nld mention tlie Vucca, or " Adams Needle." 

 There are several species, hardy and well suited 

 for flower garden purposes, and thev have the 

 advantage of being distinct from each other. 



Finest Irises. For permanent planting the 

 variety of evergreen Iris included under the gen- 

 eral luime of <iermanica, are the most suitable, 

 being very rich In color, tiuile hardy, and easily 

 grown. The dwarf Iris Pumila w<>uld be the best 

 and bloom earlier than Uermanica. 



If you have a greenhouse or cool bay-window, 

 why not try a plant or two of Asparagus Teuuis- 

 simus, the new graceful climber that is taking 

 the place of Smilax, 



The controversy as to keeping live plants in a 

 room at night continues to be carried on with 

 vigor and acrimony, althougli most people have 

 probably supposed that it was long since set at 

 rest. At a medical conference recently held in 

 Fraui'e, it was demonstrated to the satisfaction 

 of all the savants there present, tliat plants, aR 

 long as they are plants only, may safely, and 

 even with advantage, be adtr.ittvd to the elysiuDi 

 from which they have so often been exiled. 

 These pretty ornaments, as a learned writer now 

 declares, "far from being hurtful, are beneficial, 

 inHKmuch as they exhale a certain amount of 

 ozone and vapor, which maintains a healthy 

 dampness In the air. and, besides that, arc de- 

 structive of the microbes which promote con- 

 sumptive tendencies in human beings. It is only- 

 flowers, and not the plants whi<'h bear them, 

 that do the damage. Ferns are innoxious; roses 

 an<i sunflowers are pernicious, at Iwast while 

 they are in bloom." 



Next month will be the particular month to 

 pay attention to the sowing of hardy annual 

 plants. Tlie sooner they are sown the better 

 I hey will flower, providing, of <'Ourse, they are 

 really hardy. They are generally distinguished 

 from the tender chuss In florists and seedsmen's 

 catalogues. In sowing annuals, the soil sliould 

 be slightly worked uj) first, so as to make it rather 

 mellow, and after the seeds are sown they should 

 have a little soil sprinkled over them, according 

 to the size of the seeds. Failures often arise from 

 the seeds being buried too deeply, and also from 

 the soil being toi> stifl', and baking after a rain. 

 Light sandy soil should be used in most cases. 



During February, a great many plants, such 

 as Begonias, Fuchsias, Verbenas and Coleus, 

 can be raised from cuttings. This should be the 

 time for preparing a large supply for summer 

 bedding. The beautiful evening glory. I'pomea 

 No<"typhit<m, of wbit-h we will give a half size 

 illustration next month, can onl.v be raised from 

 cuttings; these, iiowever, root very quickly, If 

 started in a warm place. Cuttings with two eyes 

 will be found large enough, and, when well-rooted, 

 they can be planted in a three-inch pot well filled 

 with rich soil. You inive no idea what a splendid 

 growth they will make in a season ; but we have 

 already said so much about these plants, that we 

 must stop here, 



Bkgnomas 



To florists and owners of greenhouses :~It 

 would be dirticnit to find Ihreeniorc beautiful or 

 more available subjects for in-door gardening 

 than Begnonia Cherere. Begnonia Venusta and 

 Begnonia Speeiosa, (the first is iieautifully illus- 

 trated in the London Harden of December 2<»th, 

 1884), while all the ttther species are <tf first-clasa 

 merit Jis flowering plants. It may be owing to 

 their s<miewhat stiontf and large growing habit, 

 that cimiparatively little is done with Begoniaa 

 by cultivators at the pr<*ftent time. In very small 

 houses it is hai'dly possibu' to alford these plants 

 the treatment and space they rciiulre for their 

 full growth and developnunt. There are, how- 

 ever, thousands of large, glass structures where 

 Begonias would be found to thrive and to aflord 



