PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 59 



flowers, or rather appendages to them — masses of a feathery or 

 downy nature, greenish at first, but changing to a reddish tint, 

 and afterwards to a l3rown or smoke color — give the whole a sin- 

 gular appearance. It grows 10 to 15 feet high, is hardy, and is 

 easily increased by layers. It is sometimes called Venetian 

 sumach, and in some countries is used for tanning and also for 

 dyeing. 



Robinia Mspida (rose acacia) is an attractive little shrub of the 

 locust family, growing from four to eight feet high. The pend- 

 ant racimes of pea-shaped, rose-colored flowers are quite showy. 

 The branches are covered with stiff" hairs, giving them an odd 

 appearance. They begin to flower quite young. 



Rosa (rose). — It is almost superfluous to advise planting this 

 queen of flowers. Every yard and garden should have a rose, if 

 nothing more, and if there is scarcely a foot of ground, one of the 

 climbing varieties, as Prairie Queen or Baltimore Belle, may bo 

 trained about the house. No other flower has received, in poetry 

 and prose, half the attention bestowed upon the rose — large vol- 

 umes have been written upon this single flower. But our purpose 

 here is to advise planting them freely where space will permit. 

 As single specimens or in clumps, along the borders or in the 

 lawn, trained about the piazza to trellises, stakes, or pegged in a 

 recumbent position upon the ground, the rose is equally attractive; 

 and so great is the variety blooming at different periods, from 

 June until October, that a respectable show may be kept from 

 this genus alone. Plant a few of the June roses for their rich 

 odors, more of the Remontants for their extended flowering sea- 

 son, some of the climbing and pillar roses to train about the build, 

 ings, a few standards for their tree-like form, also some of the 

 Bourbon, Tree and Noisette, which, though not perfectly hardj^, 

 will, by their continual bloom, richly repay the little trouble of 

 laying down and covering with earth during the winter. We can- 

 not here pretend to give names, nor even the almost endless 

 variety of colors, but one can hardly fail to be pleased with any- 

 thing of the rose family. They are usually increased in the gar- 

 den by layering and by dividing the roots. Florists propagate by 

 means of cuttings placed in the greenhouse. 



Sptrcea. — There are many varieties of this beautiful flowering 

 shrub. The S. callosa, Ileevesii, j^ninifoUa^ etc., are among the 

 best, though some of the newer seedlings are very desirable. 

 Some are single, others very double. Color white, rose, lilac and 



