JA' ITALIAN VILLA. 



dry. The bulbs can be planted quite 

 closely — four or five in a six-inch pot, 

 according to size ; there are five in the 

 pot of Horsfieldii shown in the picture. 

 In about six weeks they are nicely 

 rooted, and can then be brought to the 

 light, as required. We always keep 

 them in a cool window, and they are 



liberally supplied with water. No 

 attempt whatever is made to force them 

 to grow ; they are simply left to start 

 when they are ready. After the flowers 

 are out they should be kept as cool as 

 possible ; by doing so each bloom will 

 last for about two weeks and a-half. 

 Simcoe. Henry Johnson. 



AN ITALIAN VILLA. 



THIRTY or forty years ago the 

 Italian style of architecture was 

 quite popular, and some of the 

 finest houses in Toronto and Ham- 

 ilton, and probably in most other cities 

 in Ontario, were built in this style. It 

 had many points of excellence, for addi- 

 tions can easily be made to the building 

 without marring the unity of the design; 

 while the arcades, balconies and pro- 

 jecting eaves gave character to a style 

 which was deservedly popular for coun- 

 try residences, because harmonizing so 

 well in pictures(jue beauty with the rural 

 landscape. 



Our illustration shows an Italian villa, 

 with charming surroundings, chief among 

 which is the river bank, along which a 

 delightful walk leads you along to the 

 artistic summer house, so situated as to 

 command a charming view of the whole 

 surrounding scenery. Such a river or 

 lake bank is just an ideal situation for 



building a beautiful home. The iiouse 

 itself is not everything ; its surroundings 

 are of still more importance, and should 

 always be made the most of, never hid- 

 ing a beautiful landscape with trees or 

 shrubs. And yet we have often noticed 

 the most charming scenery .shut out 

 from view by Norway spruce trees, or, 

 still worse, by ugly barns ; or a beauti- 

 ful and expensive house set down be- 

 tween small houses or ugly rookeries, 

 making it unattractive by reason of its 

 companionship. 



In the yard before us we admire the 

 few trees shading the sides of the house 

 and bordering the lawn, and also the 

 beautiful shrubs set where they will 

 show to best advantage; still we think 

 a large stretch of green sward before 

 the house the ideal arrangement, and 

 would favor placing even the choicest 

 flowering shrubs at the side, or in groups 

 along the borders of the walks or drives. 



SPRAYING FOR PEACH AND PLUM ROT. 



and that which falls ploughed under. 



The Delaware station advises spray- 

 ing peach trees three time.i with Bor- 

 deaux mixture for rot, viz.: — (i) before 

 blooming ; (2) after bloom has dropped, 

 and (3) at the beginning of coloring. 

 For the 3rd application copper acetate 

 solution, 8 ounces to the barrel, is re- 

 commended. Such treatment has been 

 found to increase the yield fourfold. 

 16S 



Peach and plum rot are among the 

 greatest evils which face the grower. 

 Many seem to think this evil entirely 

 the effect of damp weather, but inves- 

 tigation shows it to be a fungus (Mo- 

 nilia), which develops more rapidly in 

 wet weather than in dry, and which 

 lives over the winter in the mummified 

 fruit, so often left hanging on the trees. 

 These ought to be collected and burned. 



