8 



GARDENING. 



Sept. 15, 



warm one, has brought out all golden- 

 rods to great perfection. I never before 

 saw them so fine. 1 pass a group of sero- 

 tina every day, the plants of which are 

 five feet high, likewise some canadensis, 

 which are six feet. 



As may be surmised from the number 

 of plants usually growing together, they 

 increase rapidly. When seeds fall on 

 favorable ground seedlings will soon show 

 in abundance. The clumps of serotina 

 and canadensis spoken of above are from 

 self sown seed, not more than three years 

 ago; and then, if desired, a good clump of 

 anv one plant can be divided to make a 

 dozen. 



odor left, but it is strongest in the first 

 year after picking. 



The spikes should not be gathered be- 

 fore they are full grown and most of the 

 flowers are well developed; when in this 

 condition their perfume will last longer 

 than when picked in an earlier stage ot 

 development. The spikes should be dried 

 in a dark and airy place, either by hang- 

 ing up in small and spready bunches or 

 by scattering them thinly on flat open 

 screens until all the sap has evaporated 

 from the stems; when allowed to dry in 

 large bunches or in heaps, they are liable 

 to get mouldy, which would surely spoil 

 their agreeable odor. K. 



but as it was from me you got the seed I 

 hardly think I made such a mistake. I 

 will send you a few more seeds to try 

 again. David Fraser. 



THE WATER TOWER AT RAVIN-OAKS 



I like fall sowing of these seeds as the 

 best of all plans. A little bed can be pre- 

 pared in late fall, the soil smoothed off 

 nicely and the seeds sown, covering the 

 seeds lightly with fine, light soil. The 

 seedlings will appear very early in spring, 

 and if transplanted early the strongest of 

 them will flower the same season. Where 

 a piece of waste ground exists scattered 

 seeds will bring a crop of plants in a short 

 time. Joseph Meehan. 



Philadelphia. 



LAVENDER FLOWERS. 



At what stage of their development 

 should I pick the flowers of the lavender 

 to obtain the best results in keeping them 

 drv for their perfume? W. W. 0. 



The dried flower spikes of Lavandula 

 vera (commonly called English lavender), 

 were at one time within m\ remembrance 

 used quite extensively for scattering in 

 the bottom of bureau drawers to impreg- 

 nate with their pleasant odor the wear- 

 ing apparel kept therein. Bunches of the 

 flowers were formed into all sorts of 

 fancy shapes; with the aid of ribbons or 

 pieces of silk, pincushions, bottles, fans, 

 etc , were manufactured, handkerchiefs or 

 jewelry boxes and other receptacles were 

 lined and upholstered with the fragrant 

 spikes, but this fancy has apparently died 

 out and the flowers are seldom used now 

 for such purposes They, however retain 

 their fragrance for a long time; even after 

 several years thereis still a faint pleasant 



DAHLIAS PLATYGODON. 

 Mrs. F. N. B writes: "In your notes 

 of Julv 15 you speak of having dahlias in 

 flower. How can you get them in flower 

 so early? Our dahlias don't commence 

 to flower till August. What varieties do 

 you grow?'' 



Our dahlias came in flower on the 2d of 

 July, and by the 15th we had a good show 

 of them. They had no special culture. 

 We started them on the 15th of April and 

 planted them out on the 20th of May. 

 They were about ten inches high when 

 planted out. This season wasagoodone 

 for them, having plenty of rain and not 

 too warm weather. Our varieties are 

 most all numbered instead of named, but 

 most all of them were in flower by the 

 15th. though in dry seasons we would 

 not expect good dahlias before the first of 

 August. 



"Platycodon Mariesii the first year 

 from seed only grew about ten inches high 

 and I was very much pleased with it as 

 an edging plant, but this, the second year, 

 it has grown two feet high and has the 

 same stiff habit of the type. Does it 

 always do like this?" 



Platycodon Mariesii with us grows 

 onlv about ten inches high. We have 

 plants a few years old and thy have 

 never grown much taller. Platycodon 

 grandiflorum grows about two feet high, 

 and we notice that the first year from 

 seed it is much dwarfer when it flowers 

 than it is the second year. Perhaps this 

 is the one you have instead of Mariesii, 



WOODBINE-FERNS. 



Enclosed is a leaf of woodbine taken 

 from a vine growing on the porch on the 

 north side of my house, but it gets the 

 afternoon sun. About the middle of July 

 the leaves begin to turn yellow and drop 

 off, while vines from the same source, 

 growing on the fence about thirty feet 

 away, are always strong and vigorous. 

 I have tried tobacco water with no suc- 

 cess. Is it likely that the ground is too 

 rich or deficient in certain qualities? 

 What can I do for it? 



You will also find enclosed a fern leaf 

 that comes from a plant that is dropping 

 its leaves and apparently dying. Are the 

 spots on the back an indication of disease, 

 and if so, what is it and what is the rem- 

 edy? A.J.C. 



The leaves placed under a microscope 

 appear to indicate injury fr^m some 

 fungous attack, but not clearly so. If no 

 insects have been observed on them the 

 disease may be considered of fungous ori- 

 gin. If, as we understand, the same vine 

 is injured everj' season, while others but 

 a little distance away are not, it would 

 indicate something existing in the plant 

 inviting attack, and it might be the best 

 thing to replace both vine and soil. 

 Tobacco water is for leaf-sucking insects; 

 Bordeaux mixture should be used for 

 fungi. 



In the opening of your letter the fern 

 leaf disappeared before being examined, 

 we regret to say, but if we can be of fur- 

 ther use to you it would give us pleasure 

 to serve you. Ferns are rarely troubled 

 bv fungous attacks. Insects are their 

 chief pests. If your fern is suffering from 

 insect attacks, having now lost its foli- 

 age, keep it on with but little water until 

 fresh fronds show, then give it fresh soil 

 and a chance to grow. It is possible that 

 the spots on the back of the leaf are the 

 spore cases. 



Water Falls. 



WATER TOWER AND FALLS AT RAVIN-OAKS. 

 Highland Park, III., situated on the 

 bluffs of Lake Michigan, some 23 

 miles north of Chic go, is noted for its 

 deep and thickly- wooded ravines, form- 

 ing natural scenery of great beauty. 

 These ravines, of which there are many, 

 start as a rule within a few miles of the 

 shore of the lake. At first they are mere 

 depressions, almost unnoticeable, but 

 gradually widen and deepen, until by the 

 time they reach the water's edge they are 

 nearly ninety feet deep and from three to 

 eight hundred broad at the top. 



In a few instances, notably at Fort 

 Sheridan, a few miles north, and at the 

 "Ravine Drive," within the limits of the 

 city, they have happily been utilized as 

 pleasure drives, where the overhanging 

 boughs of the native trees growing upon 

 the banks form a natural arbor and a 

 pleasing shade. Were these ravines sup- 

 plied with constant running water much 

 would be added to their charm, but with 

 the exception of after the melting ot the 

 winter's snows and occasional heavy 

 rains, their bottoms are dry. Many charm- 

 ing summer homes have been established 



