POPULAR GARDENING. 



1/3 



works this one is marked by a clear and practical 

 style, which at once incites enthusiasm in the 

 mind of the reader, and leads him who in prac- 

 tice closely follows the directions, tct u reasonable 

 measure of success, inexperienced thinif^h he Ih'. 

 The work is i»rofiisely illustrated and contains 

 over 40(1 pages. From the press of O. ,Judd C(»., 

 New York. 



Grafting the Grape, t'has. A. Green says that 

 the best time is in May or early June, after the 

 buds of the stock ha\ e oiiened, while the scions 

 have been retarded in a cold cellar. With yoinift 

 stock his method has been to splice-firaft the 

 same as with the Apple, but with old vines he 

 cuts off the old cane as close to the roots as possi- 

 ble, often si.x inches below the 

 surface. He then uses a Wag- 

 ner .saw, which makes a smooth 

 clean cut in the stock, into 

 which are fltted Grape euttinffg, 

 three or m<jre into each, the 

 cut being slanting the scions 

 extend some inches below, as 

 well as above the surface of the 

 soil, which is leveled so that 

 the top bud is seen. The strions 

 are made to fit the gap made 

 with the saw by cutting a little 

 from each side, slightly wedge- 

 .shaped, pressing moderately 

 firm in position, covering with 

 earth only, and using no wa.x 

 or ligature. The application 

 of wax will be fatal. 



The Best Silver-Edged Ger- 

 anium, All things considered, 

 1 think Mad. SoUeroi is the one. 

 I have found its management 

 easy in the last degree. Slips 

 of it strike readily at any time, 

 and under almost any circum- 

 stances, when those of other 

 fancy-leaved sorts, and even 

 common Zonale ones, refused 

 under the same conditions; 

 some that I timed were ready 

 to pot otf in four days from 

 the time I put them in the sjincl in a warm 

 kitchen window. When I got mine two years 

 ago I felt rather doubtlul of success, the 

 plant was so small, and had such a delicate ap- 

 pearance in general, but it soon convinced me 

 that it was here to stay, and though it is many 

 times larger than it was then, it ts (luite as dainty 

 and attractive. It is true mine never blossomed, 

 but one can well overlook the absence of bloom 

 when it has so many other good points. Last and 

 best, I can recommend it, because though every 

 one who sees it will be sure to want a slip of it, 

 it will not "slip away " as some plants do, but for 

 every slip taken half a dozen mf)re will S(jon 

 come to take its pUice.—Eliter'a Wife. 



Caltivating Native Lilies, The native Lily of 

 this section is L. Columbianum, bright yellow 

 with few spots, size and shape like (^anadense. 

 In the open ground it grows but little over two 

 feet in height and with one to six flowers; while 

 one in my garden last summer was six feet high 

 with thirty flowers. The individual flowers do 

 not improve in any way. I ha\e two white na- 

 tive Lilies which differ certainly as much as Oan- 

 adense and Columbianum, but I am told by local 

 botanists that both are varieties of L. Washing- 

 tonianum. <Jne from Oregon has flowers shaped 

 like candidum, of good .size and Hrm texture, 

 very glossy, specked with small dark dot,s. One 

 from California is similar in shape, the petals 

 longer but much narrower, es|iecially at base, 

 unspotted, but having a bright green line from 

 the base of each half way to the tip. Both turn 

 pink in withering. The Oregon is much the finer 

 Lily, and stronger in growth. Lilies will usually 

 live if taken up when in bloom, but sometimes 

 require years to recover to a blooming stiige. It 

 is better U> mark and move in the fall when the 

 topdies.— JVfis. F. K. lirioyx. La f'liilir.fVash. Ter. 



The Watering Pot in Other Lands. All the 

 world over where any attempt is made at garden- 

 ing, remarks (iardening Illustrated, there you 

 find the watering pot in some form. In Egypt a 

 bag of skin does duty for it, the water being 

 spurted through a narrow hose-like portion. 

 The old earthenware water-pot is now rather 

 rare in France, but it is often shown in the Salon 

 liictures of flowers and plants. In Borneo a hol- 

 low bamboo does duty as a water pot, and there 

 are different appliances elsewhere, but for per- 

 sistent use of this ai>pliance the Chinese are es- 



pecially noted. A Clunuman seems to em|)loy 

 e\cry spare moment in watering his garden. 

 Early and late, rain or shine, it makes no matter- 

 there he is at work with the wat<'r-pot; and it is 

 nither amusing to see him stolidly pouring water 

 about anxmg his vegetables during a downpour 

 of tropical rain. One fact is in his favcjr, for 

 whenever the Chinese t«keti>growing vegetables 

 they beat all comers, and generally monopolise 

 the trade. This season, in particular, we have 

 been driven to the use of the water-pot more 

 than usual. In wat<'ring permanent plant,s our 

 plan is to scrape away the dry soil bc^fore water- 

 ing and to replace it afterwards, so that it to a 

 great extent prevents evaporation, and also cak- 



SPIREA VAN HOUTTEI. A PLANT FOUR YEARS FROM THE CUTTING BED. 



ing on the surface. In transplanting during hot 

 weather we also are very particular to water the 

 plants a day or .so before they are moved as well 

 as afterwards. When well watered before dig- 

 ging, we find it easy to transplant nearly any- 

 thing without any injury whatever. 



Pots and Plant Tubs. There is nothing better 

 or handier than the common Hower jjot. We 

 have all sizes from 2 inches to 14 or more inches 

 in diameter. Some growers like soft pots, but I 

 prefer them pretty well burned, that is, hard 

 pots, but not so hard as to be unshapely. In the 

 case of plants needing i>ots over 12 inches in 

 diameter I prefer to use tubs. I never get tubs 

 made a-purpose, but I go to the grocery store 

 and get liquor barrels, gasoline barrels, butter 

 firkins, or anything else of that kind that is made 

 of hard wood and has iron hoops. Each barrel, 

 when cut in two, yields two good tubs. With 

 hot water and soda or a fire of shavings we are 

 able to clean most all barrels well enough to 

 render them agreeable to the roots of plants. 

 And before using we screw on to the sides of 

 each tub a pair of stout iron handles, for future 

 convenience in moving the plants. Several 

 auger-holes are also boreil in the bottom of each 

 tub for ilrainage. Tin cans— as old lobster. To- 

 mato, baking powder, and other cans— are often 

 used as pots, so too are broken basins, jam pots, 

 old tea pots, and the like, and all are good enough 

 in their way, providing they have a large hole at 

 the bottom for drainage. But no matter what 

 is used— pot, tub or tin can— it should be perfectly 

 clean inside and out, but more especially inside, 

 before the plants are potted; and they should 

 also be perfectly dry at potting time. If pots 

 that are dirty inside or wet are used the plants 

 later on can never be turned out i)f these without 

 tearing their outer roots.— W. Falconer. 



New York City Fancies in Flowers. 



Everyone is looking for new ideas in flowers 

 since Kaster, but truth to tell, you don't see 

 many of them,— except in the newspapers. I^ent 

 has not really Ijeen a dull season; there were two 

 very gi-and balls, as well as minor entertiiininents, 

 and even an informal breakfast i)arty must show 

 floral adornments now. 



Plants predominated in Easter decorations, and 

 there is every indication that their use will con- 

 tinue tf> increase. 



( )ld Trinity I 'hurch was not iiuite so elaborately 

 arranged as in former years; the decorations 

 were all within the chancel, and consisted chiefly 

 of Lilies, Azaleas and Hydrangeas. In very few 

 cases were designs u.sed in the churches. St. 

 Patrick's Cathedral was Unishly adorned with 

 Palms, Hydrangeas, and other flowering plants, 

 while some of the Presbyterian Churches nuide 

 rather a new departure by being even more 

 elaborately decorat<'d than their Anglican and 

 Roman Catholic neighboi-s. A great many jMjt 

 plants were sold, and used in \>hwv of bouquets 

 or baskets as gifts. In fact, there were aston- 

 ishingly few baskets oi- flesigns made up. 

 Boxes of choice flowers, ranging from flve 

 to ten dollars each, were much 

 in demand. Occasionally 

 there wiLsacuU lor ornamental 

 bo.xes filled with flowers, but in 

 most cases people prefer the 

 plain pasteboard— they buy the 

 flowers, not the box. 



There were some notable 

 weddings during April. In one 

 case, where the bride bore the 

 dainty name of Daisj', the en- 

 tire house was decorated with 

 masses of Daisies; no other 

 flowers were introduced; the 

 effect was most charming. In 

 most home weddings the arch 

 takes precedence of a canopy. 

 The beautiful style inaugu- 

 rated at Chief Justice Waite's 

 funeral, of decorating the fam- 

 ily pew with flowers, has not 

 yet been followed here, but it 

 is looked upon with favor. In 

 this case, Callas and trailing 

 green draperieswere used along 

 the back and sides of the pew. 

 The customs of decorating the 

 church with flowers and plants 

 on the occasi<jn of a funeral is 

 increasing in favor; it is much 

 more tasteful than a lot of 

 meaningless designs. A floral 

 pall, completelj' covering the 

 casket, is usually made of Ivy leaves, fastened 

 on a canvas foundation. An artistic cluster of 

 flowers may be put at the head, or irregular, 

 loose bunches are dotted about it. A platpie ot 

 flowers completely covering the top of the casket 

 is another much admired idea. It is straight at 

 the sides, either rectangular or rounded at the 

 corners, but does not minutely follow the lines 

 of the casket, since it is desired to remo\e the 

 coffin-look. It is made on a wire frame. One of 

 these pla<iues was made entirely of Lily of the 

 Valley, with a few White Roses here and there. 

 Lily of the Valley is in etpuil demand for both 

 funeral and wedding work. The Easter brides 

 all carried this flower. The little maids of honor, 

 at one of these weddings, carried big white straw 

 hats filled mth pink Roses; these flowers aii' 

 much affected by bridesmaids at present. 



Long-.stemmed H.\brid Roses are most favored 

 for dinner decorations. A flat basket is filled 

 with Ferns, and the Koses are carelessly stuck in 

 among the Kerns. When the dinner is over these 

 flowers are taken out and presented as souvenirs. 

 It is an economical practice, while giving a thor- 

 <jughly good effect. In some cases, where smaller 

 flowers are used, they are loosely bunched, and 

 then put into the basket, so that they can be dis- 

 tributed like the single flowers. But all flowers 

 for this use must have very long stems, and they 

 must not be wired. 



Masses of Bougainvillea are to be .seen in the 

 florists" windows, but though this can be used in 

 large decorations it has to be handled very care- 

 fully, as its odd purplish pink kills other colors. 

 For this reason it can only be used to a limited 

 extent on the table. 



GenLsta— Plant-a-genet"is always used quite 

 largely at this season, both cut and on the plant. 

 It is combined with pale yellow TuUps and Jon- 

 quils. These yellow flowers are admired with 

 Mignonette; the combination is verj' spring-like, 

 and con.sequently in season. 



One handsi>mc basket seen recently had a tripod 

 support about four feet high. ( In this were three 

 cornucopia-shaped baskets, one beneath the two 

 othere, which were e<iual in height. The lower 

 one was filled with purple Violets and Bride 

 Roses just beneath it was a small sash of Violet 

 ribbon. The two upper baskets were filled with 

 Beauty Roses and Lilac, the whole being drapeil 

 wilh Adiantnm. The whole effect was charming. 



E-MILY LOUISK TAPLIN. 



