384 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



SATISFACTORY PLANTS. 



MRS. \VM. LYONS, MINNEAPOLIS. 



One thing- you would notice if you were to "walk into my garden" 

 is the absence of novelties. There are no tropical but many "satis- 

 factory plants." There is the beautiful and showy phlox. Some 

 varieties are early, others late; by tnaking a careful selection of early, 

 medium and late varieties, one can extend the season of flowering 

 over at least three months. I prefer to sow the seed in a hotbed 

 and transplant in the open ground as soon as all danger of frost 

 is over. 



Poppies are today occupying a place in popularity beside the 

 chrysanthemum, and surprise us with their many new and beauti- 

 ful flowers and gay, gaudy colors. Sow the seed in the open ground, 

 for early flowers, the earlier the better. It is advisable to make two 

 or three sowings to assure flowers all summer. 



The peony is as great a favorite today as it was fifty years ago. 

 Every one will agree with me that for striking beauty peonies have 

 scarcely an equal. They make a fine show when planted in groups 

 and are very hardy. Spring planting has proved the most success- 

 ful for me, and in quite rich soil. 



The old bleeding heart is as lovely as ever, although not so com- 

 mon. 



The sweet pea is the present favorite flower. They are not hard to 

 grow if given the proper start and care. I have grown them in iny 

 own garden very successfully for several years. The ground should 

 be prepared in the fall with a good coating of manure, spading it in 

 in the spring until it is mellow. Put the seeds into the ground early 

 in April, in fact, sooner if the frost is out of the ground. A flurry 

 of snow or a light freeze will not harm them in the least. The rule 

 is to plant as early as you can get the ground soft, and if you wish 

 to have some later wait two weeks and plant another row, and so on. 

 I dig a trench eight or ten inches deep, put in a layer of manure, 

 then another of dirt, filling within one inch of the top. In dropping 

 the seed let them lie quite close together, as they protect themselves 

 by their close cling-ing. Cover to the depth of one inch. As the 

 plants grow, gradually hill them up on either side, and when they 

 are up ten or twelve inches high a support should be made for 

 them to run upon. Some growers prefer to have two rows of plants 

 and a support of wire netting run between them. I find one row 

 more satisfactory with a support of fine wires on either side fasten- 

 ed to a framework at the ends and in the middle. This allows of 

 frequent stirring up of the soil on both sides, and if properly cared 

 for they will make a beautiful hedge. Sweet peas need plenty of 

 water, and when they begin to blossom pick them all once a day so 

 as to keep them from going to seed. This will encourage a fresh 

 supply of late fall flowers. If the summer proves too hot and dry, 

 nothing will feel it sooner than the sweet pea. Water heavily in the 

 evening, and they will repay this care with numberless fragrant 

 flowers. In speaking of picking the sweet pea blossoms, this rule 



