324 



GARDENING. 



July /s, 



been prepaied for them; do not cut the 

 old stems entirely off, leave 10 or 12 

 inches of the tops on. Paeonies will form 

 young roots in fall before frost if so 

 treated, but you must not expect very 

 many nor very perfect flowers for the first 

 season; afterwards they will improve 

 with every year. The crowns should be 

 covered with about 3 or 4 inches of soil 

 and liberal top dressings should be 

 applied in winter, to be forked in and 

 mixed with the soil early in spring. 



To the second question, regarding the 

 management of tulips in the garden, an 

 answer may be found in the following: 

 Tulips should be taken up annually after 

 the foliage has turned yellow and not be- 

 fore. They should then be spread out on 

 trays and dried in an airy, shady place. 

 When dry, they must be cleaned and all 

 the young bulblets which have formed on 

 the base of the bulbs should be removed, 

 then they may be placed in shallow 

 boxes or baskets and be kept in a dry, 

 dark but well ventilated room until plant- 

 ing time. Some kinds, especially the later 

 flowering species, may be left in the 

 ground for several years, but as a rule it 

 is advisable to lift them annually, par- 

 ticularly where the flowers have been cut, 

 because removing the flower stems and 

 part of the foliage with them deprives the 

 old bulbs of their proper breathing appa- 

 ratus and favors the formation of young 

 bulblets at their base, thereby weakening 

 the main bulb more and more every suc- 

 ceeding year. 



Florists do not use their bulbs a second 

 year because they cut the flowers with 

 long stems, cutting foliage and all with 

 it; as bulbs are not very expensive, they 

 find it to their advantage to buy a fresh 

 supply every year instead of bothering 

 with the old weak bulbs, though with 

 proper treatment this enfeebled stock 

 would again become vigorous and strong 

 enough to perfect good flowers if grown 

 on for a year or two. 



Now for the third question: Your 

 lilies have the disease and it is likely to 

 spread to the other varieties without any 

 warning. I would advise the immediate 

 destruction of all tops and bulbs affected; 

 that the latter appear sound and plump 

 is no indication that the disease has not 

 reached them 3'et, neither can I recom- 

 mend a sure remedy. Spraying mixtures 

 of the various descriptions have been 

 tried with but little success generally, 

 though early and repeated applications 

 ofthemhavein several cases acted as a 

 preventive. Lily bulbs of the ordinary 

 species, such as are mentioned by W. K , 

 are quoted very low in catalogues and a 

 new healthy supply can be procured at a 

 very small cost. We had the same trouble 

 here on moist or wet and imperfectly 

 drained land but never on higher and 

 more open and sandy ground. A row of 

 about a thousand Lit. candidum was 

 entirely destroyed last year by this 

 disease, while others in an open sandy 

 loam have flowered well for years. L. 

 longiBorum and candidum are more liable 

 to be attacked than the speciosurn varie- 

 ties, but the disease may spread to them 

 also, even if they are planted some dis- 

 tance away. 



Fourth: Large yuccas may safety be 

 transplanted in early spring, before 

 growth begins, if only ordinary precau- 

 tions are taken to retain a little ball of 

 earth around the roots. Should the soil 

 be loose and fall off while moving the 

 plant, the roots at least should be pre- 

 served as much as possible and after 

 planting firmly in the new home, a 

 thorough good watering will help the 

 plant in re-establishing itself. Protection 



YDCCA FILAMENTOSA. 



from sun and wind for a week or two 

 will also assist in retainingtheold foliage. 

 I have never known such a plant, large 

 or small, to die after moving, though 

 when planted carelessly they may drop 

 some of the old foliage. K. 



YUCCAS. 



Yuccas are most useful plants, both for 

 the decoration of the lawn and of the 

 greenhouse, filling a place that no other 

 plant could occupy. Of those hardy in 

 the north, the angustiiolia and filamen- 

 tosa are the best known. Another, 

 gloriosa, is not as hardy as the others, 

 though quite so in Philadelphia. 



Of the three named angustifolia is the 

 first to flower. At the present time, June 

 7, its panicles of flowers have almost 

 completed their growth in height, while 

 that of filamentosa is but just showing 

 above the foliage. The flowers of angusti- 

 folia are not of as good a white as those 

 of filamentosa and as its foliage is nar- 

 row, it does not make as good a display 

 when jn bloom as the other does. 



Filamentosa is so well known as to be 

 familiar to most every one, but to those 

 who do not know it the cut of it which 

 is herewith presented will show what a 

 beautiful thing it is. As with all yuccas 

 when it flowers it ends that particular 

 shoot. Younger ones take its place, and 

 when once a plant has beccme established 

 in a certain position, forming a good 

 clump, there are usually one or more 

 panicles of flowers every year. Should 

 any one wish to increase his stock a small 

 plant can be taken off" from the old stock 

 or even a piece of root, and it will make 

 a nice plant. Seeds are also produced, 

 which grow freely sown in spring. 



Yucca gloriosa is an arborescent species 

 and a grand one where it is hardy. As 

 already stated it is entirely hard}' in 

 Philadelphia. It is with us very late 

 flowering, and on several occasions lhave 

 seen its attempts in this way frustrated 

 by freezing weather catching it in Octo- 

 ber. But last year was an exception, the 

 trost coming late, and it perfected its 

 flowers nicely. In the south of England 

 it is a great favorite, and it is not uncom- 



