THE FARM AND GARDEN 



OUi^ Flowei^ Gai^den. 



FLOWERS THAT WILL GROW IN THE SHADE. 



Tlu-re arc few plants that will tlnw.T in pim-es 

 froniwhich sunshine is entirely exrluilcd. Some 

 plants Hill grow well enough developing shoots 



and leaves, but (lowers of. nearly all kinds must 

 have some sunslilni-. Of those tlia. do well and 

 flower when planted out in the open ground 

 ■where the sunshine only comes for two or three 

 hours during the day, may he named the follow- 

 ing: Caleeolarlivs, Fuchsias, TiObellas, Herbaceous 

 Phloxes, Pansies, Forget-me-nots i.Miiimilix\, Lily 

 of the Valley, and other herbaceous plants and 

 shrubs whose native habitation is shady wixids. 

 Perhaps a better efl'ect Is produced In such slluii- 

 tlonshv ornamental leaved plants, such as Coleus 

 of all kinds, A<liyranthes, Caiacllums, CunnuB, 

 Aspidistra, and other plants wUh high colored 

 leaves. With those may be combined the dllfcr- 

 ent styles of grey or white leaved plants, such as 

 Centaureas, t'lnerarlius, (ruaiiballums; plants 

 known under the general popular term of " Pusty 

 MiUoi-s." These are n\uch more preferable for 

 such shadv situations than flowi-ring plants. It 

 may here' he remarked that tiie cultivator of 

 plants in rooms slii>nld \inderstand tin' necessity 

 of sunlight to plants that are to flower, and en- 

 deavor to get tlicm as near as possible to a win- 

 dow, having an ea.stern or southern aspect. The 

 higher the temperature, the more plants sulTer 

 from want of light. Many plants such as (icran- 

 iums, Fuchsla.s, or Roses might remain in a tem- 

 perature of iVP In a cellar, for example, away 

 from direct light for months without nuderial 

 injury, while if the cellar contained a furnace 

 keeping up a temi)erature of 70° they would all 

 die before the winter was ended. If tropical 

 species, they might stand it better, but all plants 

 quickly become enfeebled when kept at a high 

 temperature and awaj from the light. 



LlI.V OK THE VAI.I-EV 



A correspondent informs us that she had 

 splendid luck in blooming Lilies of the Valley, 

 without any special culture or pulns being taken. 

 She simply bought good strong Imported single 

 pips, planted them in boxes (i inches deep, tilted 

 with soil composed of one-third loam, one-third 

 peat, and the balance well rolled manure and 

 sand; after a good watering and pressing down 

 of the roots they were placed In a cellar and cov- 

 ered with four ln<-hes of ashes. This was on 

 October first. They were not seen to until .Janu- 

 ary l.'jth when some of them were brought up in- 

 to a warmer place where they gradually came up 

 nicely, not one failing to bloom. Within the last 

 few years the fashion for the flowers of the Lily 

 of the Valley has increased to such an extent, 

 that, though the importation of roots has probal> 

 ly tribled each year, the price of the flowers Is 

 Btlll quite as high as when the forcing first began. 

 The failures which attend the winter flowering 

 of this plant are due, mainly, to the use of im- 

 properly developed roots. As with similar plants, 

 a certain size or development of the crown or 

 underground bud, is essential to produce the 

 flower. What that size should be. Is not always, 

 even wltli the most experienced, easy to deter- 



mine. In the Tuberose, the Japan and other 

 lilies, we And that bulbs that are less than an 

 inch in diameter are not certain to flower. The 

 crown or "pip," as florists sometimes call it, of 

 the Lily of the Valley when sufficiently develop- 

 ed to flower, should be at least an inch and a 

 quarter in length and one inch in diameter. This 

 however is not the extreme limit as much small- 

 er pips have been bloomers. 



SCILLAS. 



Last fall we imported varieties of squilLs, which 

 could not all be bought in this country, for the 

 sake of seeing the bloom and habit. Several of 

 them have already flowered, and have given us 

 much satisfaction. Among the first to bloom 

 was Scilla .Siberica, which we have often describ- 

 ed. It is indeed a gem among early spring flow- 

 ers, so beautiful that no garden of any kind can 

 be complete without its shade of porcelain blue 

 which quite distinguishes it from the other 

 species. Being small, several can be grown in a 

 pot for blooming in the greenhouse. 



Scilla Hyacisthoides Coerulea 

 Is another pretty variety and a protXise bloomeir 

 with flower stalk about K inches high. One bulb 

 will produce several spikes, and last in bloom 

 for quite along while. The varieties Alba, Rosea, 

 and Rubra are also very eflectlve, especially the 



latter. 



Scilla Percviana. 



We were very much pleased indeed with this 

 beautiful plant. The flowers are of a fine blue, 

 very numerous, arranged in a large, regular, um- 

 bel-llkc pyramid, which lengthens during the 

 flowering period. They cannot be described to 

 advantage, and must be seen to be appreciated. 

 It is one of that kind of bulbs, that if it were to 

 cost two or three dollars each would receive a 

 place in all fine conservatories, but because it is 

 cheap It docs not receive the credit that it 

 deserves. 



Scilla Campanula. 

 Is another very pretty kind, but nothing to com- 

 pare to Peruviana for slatellncss of growth. Still 

 it Is well worthy of a place a;aong the others. 

 Scilla Ciliaris. 



We have no bloomer of this as yet, but the foli- 

 age Is very fine. 



* ALLIUMS. 



In these we arc much disappointed so far. and 

 would hardly recommend them a Iriiil. They 

 arc somewhat objectionable, from the odor of 

 the stems and foliage when crushed. To growers 

 of coUeclions there arc among the great number 



Bedding plant. 

 There may be nothing new in the fact that our 

 flower-beds need to be deeply dug occasionally, 

 but the operation Is so important that it can 



Dwarf Variegated Cockscomb. 

 of known species some Interesting kinds such as 

 Neapolitanum, Paradoxuin, Ciliatum, FlovTim, 

 Fragrans, and Triguetrum. The latter a very 

 profuse bloomer. One bulb producing sis many 



Fancy-Leaved Caladium. 



hardly be too frequent ly adverted to. Trenching 

 Is perhaps the proper term and yet It scarcely 

 expresses what we mean. The time to do it Is, 

 of course, when the beds are empty ; once in two 

 years is enough. The best time is in the autumn, 

 after thesutumer beds are remounded, but those 

 who have not attended to It can do so now or as 

 so<in a.s the frost Is out of the ground. If you 

 have not sufficient depth of good soil to trench 

 the beds. In the ordinary sense of the word, that 

 Is, to bring the bottom soil to the surface, take 

 <mt a eoui>ic of good barrow loads of the surface 

 frcmi one end of the bed and place it on one side, 

 then commence to dig up the bottom, bringing 

 the surface soil from the next trench on top of 

 that Just dug up. By this means you are able to 

 dig up the bottom and still retain the surface 

 soil on the top. But where there Is sufficient 

 depth of good soil it is preferable to trench in the 

 ordinary way; tliat Is to bring the bottom soil to 

 the top. The advantage of stirring flower beds Is 

 two-f<ild ; It creates a wider field of action for the 

 roots, and it also gives roots an opportunity of 

 getting down out of the reach of drought in a dry 

 season, and It makes a better drainage in a wet 



one. 



Colored foliage. 



The use of colored and other flne-follaged plants 

 In the flower garden has, of recent years, greatly 

 Increased. The cause for such extended^ use be- 

 ing, Hrst, the Introduction of a large number oJ 

 suitable jilants; secondly, the foliage and sub- 

 troiilcal bedding of public parks. What the lim- 

 it shall be, must, of course, be left|to the ti\steof 

 the owner of the gardens. We would include all 

 the colored, variegated Pelargoniums which, if 

 thought well, could be allowed to flower. Hardy, 

 variegated plants would also be included such as 

 .Japanese Honeysuckles, variegated Periwinckles, 

 Ivies and similar plants; also the hardy Sedums, 

 Saxifrages and others of the carpeting type. 

 The grand eflects that can be had with this class 

 of plants and variegated and colored-leaved 

 plants of the tender section with graceful leaved 

 plants in combination, are inflnately greater 

 than any that can be had with flowering plants 



alone, not to mention the additional merit of 

 ten'spikes'of" pure'white, star-shaped flowers I standing all weathers without injure. One of the 

 the course of a couple of months. I brightest and most perfect beds as to coloring. 



ROSES 



■ ■WM.B. REEC 



BY MAIL. 



Sample a.^cts.. 4 for 



Mt cfs., \i lor SI. 00. 



Caialooue Free. Order now. 



REED, CHAMBERSBURG^. 



■PTrX'TjT^'irPT'lO'Q >"«' FORKST TREES 

 XiVXiAljrAJliiLiiTllS hvtlM' million or sincle 

 tree. All m7...<; !ui,I lars:c VMiiely. P'-JV'' J«"'?£ 

 ftTEK"'G'€V;PIH^El'TTu'R«ONSVT.Vlfcoism. 



THE NEW RED TEA ROSE, 

 WILLIAM FRANC IS 



Plnnt!* win he ready for delivery on and after 

 Mnrcli l.'jth. ISS-V For terms plase arlclress 

 CHA8. F. EVANS, Station F, I'liiladcipliia, Pa. 



Hybrid CLEMATIS. 



The most RpHiitiriil of nil HARDY CLIMRINa 

 PL.INTS. .stroHK Roots can he sent safely by 

 mail. Sertd fr)r our iniislralPrt Cataluffue. 



JOSEPH KIFT, West Chester, Pa. 



CHEAPEST IMof PUnlJ. Onillnir., «ni1 Northern-grown •eed» 

 In the U. S. C»l. free. Ch.ii. W. nullernelJ. Bellowa FalU. Vt- 



DnnCD If von love Rare Flowern. O/iOiW oiifu, 

 KtAUtn addrrss for rat.^loffne. EI,MS BROTH- 



ERS, KEENE. N. H. 



It will astonish and please. Free. 



HARDY PLANTS 



AND ^XJI-il^S- 



All the brut Tnrh-tli-», tnrpthcr with many noTrltieiij 

 will he fi.iinii in onr Descriptive C atalogue, at low- 

 rates Sent fver to oH applicants. . xt x 

 WOOl-StlN Si C'tfc* Lock Drawer E, Pa.ssalc, N. .U 



