246 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



The Farleyense fern is very popular for the table decorations. Around the 

 candelabra, in the center of the table, a wreath is frequently made of this fern, 

 which is coarser than the maiden -hair and liked better by some. Through this 

 heavy wreath are allowed to peep exquisite roses fastened in wet moss — Gen. 

 Jacqueminot, American Beauty, Caroline Testout, Catherine Mermet, La France 

 and Perle des Jardins all answer admirably for this purpose. Wild flowers 

 prettily arranged make quite as satisfactory decorations as the cultivated ones ; 

 in fact wild flower luncheons were quite the rage last year, and bid fair to be 

 this. 



In the way of souvenirs nothing can be more dainty and attractive than 

 tiny baskets of flowers with bows of ribbon tied on the handle. 



Carrie May Ashton, in Vlck's Magazine. 



Mulching Sweet Peas — Sweet Peas are invaluble where many 

 cut flowers are needed in June, July, and August, and by successional 

 sowings a constant supply of their richly coloured blooms may be had over the 

 whole of that period. It is not necessary, except for market purposes, to sow a 

 long row at one time. A third at three different intervals is quite sufficient 

 unless several sorts are wanted, and even the seed can be mixed. A row 5 

 yards or 6 yards long if well mulched and watered several times when flowering 

 with liquid manure will produce an astonishing supply, but if mulching and 

 picking off" the seed-pods is neglected, a short-lived, meagre crop of bad colour will 

 be the result. A quick lad will in a few hours clear off" all the seed-pods from a 

 long row, and thus give the haulm another lease of life. I am growing the lovely 

 pink Princess Beatrice this season, also the White Emily Henderson and the 

 ordinary mixed varieties. 



Herbaceous Plants in Summer.— The great majority of hardy perennial 

 flowers are natives of woods or grassy places where the earth is shaded from the 

 hot summer suns. When they are removed to open borders they suff"er seriously 

 from summer heat. It is, therefore good practice in these open sunny situations 

 to have the ground mulched or covered with something like decayed leaves or 

 half-rotted straw or anything that will prevent the scorching rays of the sun on 

 the earth. Herbaceous plants do not care so much for bright sun as they do for 

 a cool soil at the roots. For the same reason a loose, open soil is better for 

 growing herbaceous plants than soil of a heavier character, because having more 

 air spaces, it is cooler. In short, it is a cool soil more than shade that herba- 

 ceous plants require. 



Among the hoed crops which are best suited to young trees, are potatoes, 



ruta bagas, beets, carrots, beans, and all low hoed crops All sown 



crops are to be avoided, and grass is still worse. Meadows are ruinous — Jno. 

 |. Thomas, The Fruit Culturist, 4th Edition, 1847. 



