1877.] 



AND EOBTIGULTUBIST. 



355 



afforded. The extent there is ahout one half 

 acre of ground, the steps and walks in it being 

 what some would call " labyrinthish." The rocks 

 used are themselves a curiosity, gathered from 

 all formations. Roll-stones, old logs and fossiled 

 wood in the most artful way arranged, in great 

 contrast, as well as harmony. 



HERBACEOUS PLANTS IN GENERAL. 



If there should be any borders in a flower gar- 

 den these plants are best suited for them ; but in 

 my individual opinion, borders should be avoided 

 as much as possible. There are certainlj'- in- 

 stances when a border is better than anything 

 else, such as on the sides of an entrance walk 

 where they should be backed by a hedge, along 

 a wall, or at the foot of a slope ; but where there 

 is no real necessity for regular borders, so called 

 " semi-borders," to lay on the lawns five to ten 

 feet from the walk, will be found preferable. 

 Fig. 1, gives an idea of such a combination. 

 This, as it will be seen, has two rounded projec- 

 tions, which make it look as much of a bed as a 

 border, and may be filled with shrubs, Cannas or 



ver}'^ desirable. If this section be concentrated 

 into a collection of beds as Fig. 2 indicates, it 

 will prove to make a fine display. The scale for 

 this is five feet to one-eighth inch, but can be on 

 any scale as well as number of beds. It is sup- 

 posed to be situated in front of a pavilion or a 

 gate. If the ground slopes gently towards the 

 main walk, or if there be a shrubbery a short 

 distance behind the group, it will gain greatly in 

 appearance. Suppose we decorate the designed 

 beds with the following sorts. They are of the 

 best annuals in cultivation : 1. Lobelia speciosa; 

 2. Antirrhinum Tom Thumb; 3. Portulaca gran- 

 diflora; 4. Phlox Drummondii; 5. Tagetes patu- 

 la nana parviflora; 6. Petunia hybrida; 7. He- 

 lichryum monstrosum nanum ; 8. Verbena 

 (scarlet); 9. Ageratum Mexicanum nanum ; 10. 

 Aster Victoria (white); 11. Scabiosa nana fl. pi.; 

 12. Zinnia elegans fl. pL; 13. Gaillardia coccinea 

 nana ; 14. Gomphrena globosa (purple); and 

 15. Dianthus chinensis. 



The other half may be planted similarly, but 

 in different colors. The seed should be cut away 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 2. 



other tall-growing foliage plants. Besides the 

 general perennials. Tuberoses, Lilies, Gladiolus, 

 Hollyhocks, and ornamental grasses, etc., can be 

 put on this border, and any old plant can be 

 brought to fill occasional gaps here during the 

 Summer. The plants should be planted in rows, 

 with each patch of one kind as far from 

 another as convenient, only taking the height 

 of growth into consideration, so that the tallest 

 be placed on the back row. 



ANNUAL PLANTS. 



Although these are partly neglected since the 

 introduction of so many foliace plants, yet, as 

 the latter become rather expensive to use at 

 large, the annuals will keep their hold, at least 

 in the private gardens ; and an assorted collec- 

 tion of those that endure the Summer heat is 



at least once a week, as this gives more strength 

 to the flowers. 



A NEW METHOD OF PROPAGATING EXO- 

 CHORDA GRANDIFLORA. 



BY SAMUEL PARSONS, FLUSHING, L. I., N. Y. 



It is not often that Americans claim to vie 

 with the skill of French horticulturists, but we 

 think it only fair to state the fact that Mr. Trum- 

 py, of S. B. Parsons & Sons, Flushing, L. I., has 

 long successfully root-grafted Exochorda grandi- 

 flora, which we now hear from English and 

 French authorities, through the Gardener's 

 Monthly of August, has been first employed by 

 Monsieur J. Goujon. That others in various 

 parts may have done the same, I do not ques- 



