1877.] 



AND HOBTIGULTURIST. 



199 



it about twelve years, and these are the first 

 flowers we have had. It is good as a variety, but 

 not equal to Magnolia Halleana, which with its 

 dwarf haibit, small flowers and fragrance is a 

 great acquisition. This, M. Halleana, we have 

 bloomed a number of years. These Magnolias, 

 with Retinosporas and other things, we received 

 from Dr. Hall, who was then in business in 

 Japan, and very fond of plants. I hope you will 

 be able to form some idea of the character of the 

 flower." 



SCRAPS AND QUERIES. 



Fine Sciadopitys. — Mr. John Mugford, New 

 Haven, Conn., kindly furnishes the following 

 note : — " Seeing an article in the Monthly about 

 the Sciadopitys verticillata, I wish to say that 

 in Prof. Salisbury's garden there is one that has 

 stood two Winters with but slight protection and 

 now stands four feet high." 



Weeds in Lawns. — E. W. G., North Easton, 

 Mass., writes : — " I send you by this mail a box 

 containing samples of two difierent plants or 

 weeds that have come up over my lawn. Sam- 

 ple No. 1, which I have noticed for the last two 

 years, has not been very plenty until this 

 year ; it is all over my lawn in spots, all sizes up 

 to one foot square or more ; grows so thick that it 

 kills all the grass where it grows. I am afraid 



that it will spoil my lawn in a year or two. Can 

 you tell me what it is, or in what way I can get 

 clear of it? I never saw any of it until about 

 two years ago. I also find that one of my 

 friends has the same in his lawn, spots ten feet 

 square. Is it a plant that grows the whole 

 season or only in the Spring of the year ? Can 

 you tell me if it is likely to continue to increase 

 and spoil my lawn ? Sample No. 2, seems to be 

 an equally fast grower, but does not injure the 

 looks of my lawn so much ; never noticed this 

 until this year. Can you tell me anything 

 about it?" 



[The weeds were a small Veronica, and the 

 Mouse-ear chickweed. This is another case of 

 injury from close mowing whereby the grass is 

 enfeebled and these little weeds are able to thrive. 

 The grass must be left longer at mowing and it 

 will keep down these little pests without much 

 trouble.— Ed. G. M.] 



— Dividing Herbaceous Plants. — E. D. C, 

 Providence, R. I., asks :— " Would you inform 

 me through your paper the best way to divide 

 such roots as Aquilegia chrysantha and Aquile- 

 gia coerula. I have not been successful in 

 dividing them." 



[These and all similar herbaceous plants are 

 best divided in very early Spring, before the 

 leaves have fairly pushed. Some woody-rooted 

 things like Aquilegia are best divided with a 

 piece of the old root, split down through its 

 length for the purpose. — Ed. G. M.] 



^^ 



^REEN mOUSE AND mOUSE GARDENING. 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



House gardening is nearly at rest just now. 

 The flowers for Winter use are mostly in pots 

 out of doors. 



Most of the plants are set out for the Sum- 

 mer, as formerly recommended — little care will 

 be required beyond seeing that they are not 

 over or under watered. Some will be yet grow- 

 ing, and may be full of roots. If growth will 

 probably continue for a while longer, pots a size 

 larger may be fin-nished such. Whenever a 



shoot appears to grow stronger than the rest, so 

 as to endanger compactness or any desired 

 shape, pinch it back, and any climbing vijies 

 should receive due regulation as they grow over 

 the trellis, or they will speedily become naked 

 below. A good stiff" trellis is a desideratum hard 

 to be obtained by the uninitiated. 



An important point just now is to prepare 

 Winter-flowering plants. Cinerarias, Chinese 

 Primrose, and Calceolarias should be sown about 

 the end of the month; and cuttings made of 

 most kinds of plants that are desirable. It is a 

 great mistake, often made, to store up and 

 treasure year after year, old and even grown 



