BEAUTIFYING OUR HOMES. 



HMONG the important matters 

 that Horticultural Societies 

 should be interested in is one 

 of beautifying our homes and 

 lawns. It is a sad mistake for one to 

 suppose that all he needs to do is to 

 plant and his yard will be beautiful. It 

 is another great error to think that while 

 the trees are small they are not beautiful. 

 A lover of trees can and should enjoy 

 their growth, see beauty in every bud- 

 ding branch, in every falling leaf, in 

 every naked twig, and in every bud or 

 leaf or blossom or fruit. 



In planting our yards or lawns or 

 groves, let us follow these few simple 

 rules, and we shall not go far astray, but 

 they shall give a pleasing effect to the 

 eye. i. The first beauty of a lawn is a 

 fine grass plot. Have a beautiful, clean, 

 closely shaven, velvety grass all over the 

 yard. 2. Plant abundantly, plant small 

 trees, plant hardy varieties. 3. Plant 

 in groups, shrubs in one, deciduous 

 trees in another, evergreens in another, 



herbaceous plants in another ; but do 

 not mix them indiscriminately. 4. Al- 

 ways leave op)en spaces or vistas, so that 

 you can have a fine grass plot, as well as 

 trees, shrubs and vines. The contrast 

 of a beautiful, open, green sward gives 

 untold added beauty to the trees or 

 shrubs, that they wholly lose if planted 

 indiscriminately. 5. Care and atten- 

 tion ; a good mulching to all newly 

 planted trees is necessary; pruning them 

 just enough to keep them in shape is all 

 that is needed. Never prune an ever- 

 green up from the ground ; keep every- 

 thing in bush form that can be so kept 

 by proper pruning. Keep as nearly the 

 natural growth as the conditions will 

 permit with neatness. Cut out the trees, 

 shrubs or plants as fast as they inter- 

 fere with one another. Never let one 

 tree or shrub spoil another because they 

 are too thick. Following these rules, 

 we need not fear but our yards will be 

 beautiful. — L. A. Goodman, Missouri. 



The Catalpa. — (C. syringae folia. — 

 This beautiful tree is very seldom seen, 

 few indeed except professional gardeners 

 having any acquaintance with it, yet a 

 more handsome object whether in re- 

 gard to its foliage or when in flower, it 

 would be hard to find. The leaves of 

 the Catalpa are large, heart-shaped, and 

 of a peculiar pale green hue, which at 

 once attracts attention. The flowers, 

 which are produced early in August, are 

 very handsome, and this season they 

 have been borne in great profusion. In 

 shape each resembles a small Gloxinia, 

 but they are white, slightly shaded with 

 purple, and spotted in the throat with 



purple and orange. The tree does not 

 flower freely until it has attained a con- 

 siderable size, 18 ft. or 20 ft., but it is 

 of very rapid growth in the early stages, 

 soon forms a large, handsome head, and 

 then increases more slowly. In the au- 

 tumn the foliage becomes of a beautiful 

 golden yellow color before it falls, which 

 contrasts well with darker leafage behind 

 and around it. The tree is, unfortu- 

 nately, not thoroughly hardy, and except 

 in sheltered spots should only be planted 

 in the Southern counties. It is increased 

 by seeds, which are freely produced in 

 warm summer. 



