of Rural Art and Taste. 



71 



rus), Marsh Marygold (Caltha), Side-Saddle 

 Flower (Sarracenia), Sun Dew (Drosera), 

 Native Phlox, Lilies, Iris, &c. 



For the Alpine department, we may select 

 the numerous dwarf plants found mostly on 

 rocky declivities, such as the Mountain 

 Pink (Phlox subulata), Talinum, Mouse-ear 

 Chickweed (Cerastium), Early Saxifrage, 

 Rock cress, Arrow-leaved Violet, Birds- 

 foot Violet, Sedums, Sempervivums, Wild 

 Columbines, Ferns, etc. 



For the general Herbaceous Grounds we 

 have such a multitude of handsome plants, 

 that it is difficult to make a selection of the 

 best. In looking over a late catalogue 

 issued by a prominent English florist, we 

 have counted over 3,000 names of species 

 and varieties, independant of the so-called 

 " Florist Flowers " — such as Chrysanthe- 

 mums, Phloxes, Larkspurs, etc. A very 

 good selection may be made from the fol- 

 lowing list, all of which will prove satis- 

 factory to the lover of flowers. Double 

 flowering and Red-flowered Milfoils, Monks- 

 hoods, Anemones, Columbines, Milk-weeds, 

 Asters, Campanulas, Lily of the Valley, 

 Larkspurs, Pinks, Dicentras, Fraxinella, 

 American Cowslip, Day Lilies, Iris or Flags, 

 Blazing Stars, Lychnis, Paeonies, Poppies> 

 Penstemons, Phloxes, Jacob's Ladder, Prim- 

 roses, Double Crowfoots, Chrysanthemums, 

 Salvias, Catch Flys, Meadow Sweets, Violets, 

 Variegated Thymes, Spiderworts, Tricyrtis, 

 Veronica, and a host of hardy bulbs. In- 

 deed their names are legion, and we cannot go 

 far wrong in any thing we introduce, provided 

 it shall not prove to be a pernicious weed. 



In our little botanic garden, we must not 

 forget to form a sand-bed for such plants as 

 prefer this dry soil ; and here we may cul- 

 tivate the various hardy Cactuses, the 

 delicate little Pyxidanthera^ from the sandy 

 pine barrens of New Jersey, the Turkey 

 Beard from the same localities ; and if 

 mixed with a portion of peat, and partially 

 shaded, we may test many of our beautiful 

 native orchids. 



Our own woods, roadsides and pastures 

 furnish a sufficient variety to stock a small 



garden, if we would but take the pains to 

 carefully remove them. Of the cultivated 

 plants, all may be increased by division 

 early in the autumn ; or by seeds sown as 

 soon as ripe. If the latter are kept until 

 spring, a frame of boards should be prepared, 

 and covered with a glass hot-bed sash. The 

 soil must be made very fine and sandy ; and 

 the seeds sown thinly on the surface ; the 

 covering to be applied b}^ shaking a little 

 soil tiirough a sieve, so as merely to hide 

 the seeds from view. More seeds are lost 

 annually by burying them deeply, than by 

 any other mismanagement. 



A Mammoth. Rose Bush. 



A MAMMOTH rose bush, the largest we 

 think in the United States, adorns the 

 cottage of one of our correspondents, Mr. S. 

 A. Rendall, Santa Rosa, Cal. 



From the description forwarded to us, we 

 take the following facts : It was planted in 

 1858, and is of the Lamarque variety, well 

 known as one of the most beautiful of the 

 white colored sorts. It has grown during 

 the past 15 years from a small slender bush, 

 with astonishing vigor, just as all roses do 

 in the wonderful air and sunshine of the 

 Pacific coast, until it has clambered over the 

 window and covered the very roof to the 

 summit. Imagine a huge garland, or rather 

 mountain of roses, 25 feet in height — 22 feet 

 across, splendidly developed, blossoming over 

 a surface of 400 square feet, and having 

 upon it at one time no less than 4,000 full 

 hloion roses, and 20,000 buds. 



The stem near the ground, measures 24 

 inches in circumference ; just above the 

 ground it separates into three principal stems 

 that grow over twelve feet to the cottage 

 eaves, without lateral branches. These 

 main stems pass between the eaves and a 

 strong support attached to the house. 



The engraving hardly does justice to the 

 beauty of the rose, as compared with the 

 photograph we received. As one of the 

 most charming curiosities of floral growth, 

 it seems to us a wonderful specimen of na- 

 ture's prodigality. 



