862 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



varieties of primulas, tlie pretty Iris 

 pumila, nearly all the violets. Ane- 

 monella thalictroides is well set with 

 pure ^vhite anemone-like flowers. It 

 is clecidedly ornamental, planted in 

 clusters left undisturbed for a number 

 of years, the same as the hepaticas. 

 Sanguinaria is out in great shape, 

 Alyssum saxatile compact um is a per- 

 fect sheet of gold, and Doronicum 

 causasicum and D. austriacum have 

 opened many of their yellow flowers 

 within the last week, tlie former a few 

 days ahead of the other. Pulmonarias 

 are at their very best, and will retain 

 their present appearance until a few 

 successive real hot days may spoil 

 their be.auty. Merter.sia virginica is a 

 great attraction when planted in good- 

 sized clumps or pat(dies. The peculiar 

 luster in the blue flowers nas a mag- 

 nificent effect in the border, near or 

 among the snowy dwarf phloxes. 

 Waldsteinias have sent up many of 

 their flower stems among the softly 

 tinted young foliage. o|)ening their yel- 

 low, bright flowers quite freely with- 

 in the last few days, and the dwarf 

 light blue Polemoniimi reptans is fast 

 approaching full development. 



A large number of other spring 

 blooming, hardy plants are in bud and 

 will be out in a week or so, two to 

 three weeks ahead of an ordinary sea- 

 son, perhaps, but not lacking in their 

 usual vigor or freedom of bloom. Oui' 

 borders will therefore presumably pre- 

 sent a gayer appearance during tlie 

 month of May than we might general- 

 ly expect at ihat time. The early 

 bloomers will be there, in addition to 

 the later flowering species, and com- 

 bined they are sure of creating grand 

 effects. 



Spring flowers in the garden are 

 more highly appreciated because our 

 beds were for months without color. 

 We welcome the opening of the first 

 little, modest snowdrop with far more 

 enthusiasm than we do the first ap- 

 pearance of the beautiful rose in June, 

 when flowers of many kinds are not at 

 all scarce. We wait eagerly for the 

 opening of the comparatively insig- 

 nificant little blossoms of the Tiarella 

 eordifolia. while later on the stately, 

 large clusters of bright colored phloxes 

 receive but a passing notice. 



A special place tor these early spring 

 flowers might be provided in many city 

 gardens; under the shelter of a fence 

 or building would be a good situation. 

 It can be arranged with but a small 

 outlay, and the pleasure derived from 

 such a little border or bed will un- 

 doubtedly be far greater to a majority 

 of flower lovers than the most gor- 

 geous display in a large bed of summer 

 blooming bedding plants could afford 

 them. Moreover, there is no difficulty 

 in the care of these hardy things; they 

 may be left alone for some years with- 

 out dividing or replanting, and when 

 they do need this, we do not sacrifice 

 next spring's display when we perform 

 the operation soon after their flower- 

 ing period is over. 



It is surprising how few people think 

 of preparing a corner for hardy early 

 spring fiowers: most of them are con- 

 tented with the regulation bed of tu- 

 lips or hyacinths, which in turn and 

 due time are replaced by bedding 

 plants for summer and early fall 

 blooming. Along the fences they us- 

 ually have a border planted with flow- 

 ering shrubs, between and in front of 

 these would be an ideal place for the 



plete collection, which not everybody 

 can affoid to plant and keep up in 

 proper shape and condition. 



J. B. KELLER. 



Acacia Drummondii, trimmed with yellcw 

 ribbon. By Stumpp, New York. 



dwarf early spring flowers, but until 

 very lately we seldom could induce 

 people to try the experiment. For the 

 last few years, howe\'er, a demand, 

 though limited as yet. has sprung up 

 for such early hardy things which are 

 suitable for planting in front of me- 

 dium sized shrubs, proving to some 

 extent that their introduction has. in a 

 majority of cases, been entirely satis- 

 factory and is appreciated by neigh- 

 bors and visitors who were given op- 

 portunity to view such plantings whi'le 

 in bloom. 



Undoubtedly this existing demand 

 will from now on grow more rapidly. 

 Every indication points in that direc- 

 tion, and it is well if our fiorists or 

 growers are prepared to furnish a full 

 line of at least the most desirable 

 hardy perennials, if not a more com- 



VIOLHT NO! hb. 



In this section this week (Saturday, 

 -•'bd inst.) has been so damp and cold, 

 and, in fact, has rained off and on. that 

 we have been unable to do anything to 

 our violet ground towards making it 

 ready to put out the plants. We like to 

 get out our violets fairly early, as W'> 

 usually have a dry period in May, and 

 if we can get them out in sufficient 

 time to have them take hold before 

 that comes, it is much easier to care 

 for them, and there are not so many 

 vacancies, owing to their dying off. 



The one great trouble in getting 

 them out early is the fact that too 

 often the ground is too damp to work 

 to ailvantage. I would prefer to put 

 out the plants late than have the soil 

 worked when in too wet a condition. 

 We use a Planet .Junior hand cultiva- 

 tor, as we prefer it for several rea- 

 sons. More plants can be grown on a 

 given piece of ground, as one can 

 plant closely, and then, too, a hand 

 cultivator is too large, taking up too 

 much space, and not admitting of close 

 work, with consequently increased 

 trowel work. 



The distance apart to plant must be 

 regulated more or less by your culti- 

 vator. We plant about twelve inches 

 apart in the rows and from four to six 

 rows, the same distance apart, leav- 

 ing a space of two rows. We like to 

 plant as deeply as possibly, at the 

 same time Keeping the crown well 

 above the soil, so that there is no 

 danger of its being buried by heavy 

 showers. 



Of course, these articles are need- 

 lessly explicit for old violet growers, 

 Init they are not intended for their 

 special edification, except inasmuch as 

 they show how our methods may vary 

 in attaining the same results in dif- 

 ferent localities and with different 

 soils, etc. They are especially intend- 

 ed to help those who have paid no par- 

 ticular attention to their culture in 

 the past, and those who have a small 

 house in connection with their other 

 houses. 



Another point about which we are 

 particular is to immediately firm the 

 soil with the toe when planting, 

 throwing a little loose dirt over this 

 with the trowel. If the violets have 

 been pricked out in flats, we have one 

 person who loosens them, cleans off 

 any superfluous leaves, leaving only 

 about two developed leaves and any 

 signs of runners that may begin to 

 start. Do not allow many to be trim- 

 med in advance, or the sun to shine on 

 the roots, or the wind to blow on 

 them, as it only takes a short time to 

 seriously injure them in this way. 



R. E. SHUPHELT. 



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