1882. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



upper, foliage- covered half of which is trimmed 

 up in the shape of narrow vertical walls. Thif 

 treatment, while not shading the house facade 

 from the healthful rays of the sun, protects, in a 

 measure, the occupants of each side of the street 

 from the glare and heat coming from the oppo- 

 site. Further, it presents an attractive ohject to 

 the view of the upper windows, and acts as a 

 screen between the two sets of these windows 

 which face each other. 



The same result might be produced, I suppose, 

 by growing wistaria, the trumpet and other 

 creepers, over a trellis of heavy iron wire, the 

 tall posts supporting which would be of the 

 same material, and stiffened against sudden 

 winds by lateral rods crossing to and attached 

 to the Willis of the adjoining houses. 



A FEW FLOWER NOTES. 



BY MRS. M. D. WELLCOME, YARMOUTH, ME. 



The past season has been very unfavorable on 

 account of the protracted drought. There has 

 been no rain storm in this section since July 5th, 

 until September 4th, when there was one of 

 several hours' continuance, but not sufficient to 

 penetrate to the roots of vegetation. Almost 

 unclouded skies, intense heat, little dew, and 

 only two or three showers. The reader can 

 judge what would be the condition of our gar- 

 dens. For several weeks, owing to the scarcity 

 of water, we have been obliged to let our flowers 

 suffer, and many have wholly dried up. It has 

 been a time to test what plants, of those com- 

 monly grown, are most reliable under such con- 

 ditions. Again have I been led to admire the 

 faithful endurance of the geranium family under 

 hardships and shameful neglect. The old stock 

 plants have not had their feet W'et for two 

 months, yet they are green and vigorous, though 

 blooms have not been so abundant as hereto- 

 fore. Of course the small plants bedded out in 

 four-inch pots have been watered quite often ; 

 they have not grown, as heretofore, to sturdy 

 plants, but all their vitality' has been expended 

 in blooming. Portulaccas, wholly neglected, 

 have been in their glory, and the lilies were 

 never so large and fine. A golden-banded Japan 

 opened ten days ago and measured, when fully 

 expanded, nine and one half inches from tip to 

 tip; the inner petals were five and one-half 

 inches in length. This double giant was borne 

 singly, on a stalk only twelve inches high. Will 

 the editor please tell us, is such a lily not rare? 



I did not know that they were ever double. [We 

 never saw one. — Ed.] The blossom had only 

 three stamens instead of six, as usual. The bulb 

 was planted last autumn. Although I have but 

 a few lilies they were never so prized, and their 

 blooming will cover a period of three months. 

 I advise everybody to cultivate lilies just as fully 

 as they can. With us, the last of October is a 

 good time to plant bulbs of lilies and tulips, 

 though the first of November will do very well. 

 The Hypericum, of which I made previous men- 

 tion, has been in bloom a month, and though 

 under very unfavorable surroundings, has proved 

 satisfactorj'. It is truly a desirable hardy shrub. 

 Tabernsemontana camassa, with its laurel-like 

 leaves, and double, white, fragrant flower, has 

 been blooming for two months and is still full of 

 buds. It is my first success with this greenhouse 

 shrub, and I am greatly pleased with it. Poso- 

 queria longiflora is another new plant to me, 

 received from Mr. Saul, in June, and which I 

 greatly admire, though it has not bloomed. It 

 is thus described: "This plant forms an elegant 

 bush, and is very free flowering. Leaves large, 

 somewhat ovate, coriaceous and shining green; 

 flowers tubular, pure white, produced in large 

 corymbs of a dozen and more, waxy like, from 

 three to four inches long and deliciously fra- 

 grant." It makes a very handsome pot plant 

 with its shining green, leathery leaves, and when 

 there is added the large frag;rant flowers, it must 

 be a very choice thing. Will some one who has 

 had it in bloom report upon it, and is it a winter 

 bloomer? I have a Tydsea in bloom, Mad. Hal- 

 phen, the first I have ever seen. It somewhat 

 resembles the Gloxinia in leaf and shape of 

 flower. Color, carmine tube, lower lobes lightly 

 tinted with lilac and spotted with carmine; 

 upper lobes spotted with rose. Xenophon is 

 thus described : "A fine large flower, tube cochi- 

 neal orange, salmon red lobes covered with a 

 dark red netting, throat spotted and marked 

 with daik carmine." Wonder — magnificent flow- 

 ers of a dazzling orange vermilion, veined with 

 black, in majestic spikes. Tricolor— limb pure 

 white, dotted with bright amaranth, tube crim- 

 son. Uranie — very large flower, finely striped 

 with scarlet upon a lilac ground, orifice deep 

 straw yellow. I have given names and descrip- 

 tions of a few of the many, that those unac- 

 quainted with them may have some idea of their 

 beauty. 



The drought has prevented me from testing 

 many novelties of which seeds have been sent 



