HOME PLANTING FOR ORNAMENT. 39 1 



building until late in September, then separated and replanted. 

 Under this treatment, the stock of bulbs will constantly increase. 

 Paeonies are set with the buds two inches below the surface. 

 Gladioli are set five inches deep, four inches apart in the row, and 

 the rows eight or ten inches apart. The bulbs are lifted as soon as 

 the tops are ripe, or not later than October loth, and spread in a 

 well ventilated outbuilding for a few days, when the remainder 

 of the old bulb and the roots are removed, after w'hich they are 

 spread as before to store in a frost proof cellar for the winter. We 

 commence planting gladioli quite early in spring and continue until 

 June loth ; this gives flowers from July 4th to hard frosts. 



Bulbs and herbaceous perennials are the most satisfactorv of all 

 flowering plants. They are always on time with loads of flowers, 

 and, while doing nobly even under neglect, well repay good treat- 

 ment 



SUCCESS AND FAILURE WITH HOUSE PLANTS. 



MRS. A. W. MASSEE, A1.BERT LEA. 



(So. Minn. Hort. Society.) 



Failures, perhaps, take the foremost place in the experience of 

 every one who attempts to cultivate a miscellaneous collection of 

 plants (which most amateurs aspire to do) in our ordinary dwell- 

 ings, under the usual conditions existing there as to light and heat, 

 etc. Window gardening, under the best conditions that can be ob- 

 tained through the care, watchfulness and ingenuity of the gardener 

 is beset wath failures ; yet, if we will treasure up and put in use the 

 lessons we should have learned from these failures, failures would 

 prove a very important factor in our eventual success. It is only by 

 repeated failures we obtain a measure of success, and then only when 

 we have been observant and know why we failed and try other 

 methods. In my own experience I am sure the failures far out- 

 number the successes. 



When I receive a new or rare plant with which I have had no 

 personal experience I immediately charge myself with another of 

 the same variety, for I am sure the first is more than likely to die 

 under my ignorant and perhaps varied and crazy treatment. I 

 watch that plant and note how it acts under my various manipula- 

 tions as to light, heat, water, etc. ; if I happen to strike the right way 

 and it lives and flourishes, well and good ; if not, one of two things 

 happens: it may be after my experience wdth it I conclude that it is 

 not as desirable as I thought it would be from the description of the 

 florist, and that it is not exactly necessary to my happiness to pos- 



