1890. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



father owned a farm of 90 acres adjacent to and 

 partly within the corporation limits of Williams- 

 ville, N. Y., a small town of 700 inhabitants. A 

 new street having been decided on throughout 

 the length of the farm, he had no difficulty in 

 selling off three-fourths of the tract in small 

 parcels of from one to three acres apiece to 

 village residents. It was often remarked in 

 later years by father, who himself had been a 

 good farmer, that the products from the farm 

 after the di\i8on was manyfold greater than 

 they had been when he managed it after a more 

 ordinary style of tillage. 



A Fine Hydrangea. At Washington Heights, 

 in the gardens of D. S. Heflron, is the finest 

 specimen of the above noble shrub that we have 

 seen. It has been planted about twelve years. 

 It has a woody stem at the ground eight inche 

 in diameter, from which spring a number 

 of branches to the height of eight or ten 

 feet, forming a circular bush fifteen feet in 

 diameter. When in full flower it is a verit- 

 able bouquet on a gigantic scale. This 

 bush for years has been quite a source of 

 income from cutflowers sold to the Chicago 

 florists. As long stems are desirable to the 

 heads of flowers, and as every shoot has a 

 flower head, by the time the flowers are all 

 cut the bush has received a pretty severe 

 pruning. They are left in this condition 

 until spring, when each shoot is pruned back 

 again to half its length. The buds begin to 

 start vigorously and a solid mass of flower- 

 ing shoots is the result. The shrub is as 

 hardy as the Oak natural to the soil, and we^ 

 are astonished that it does not become as 

 common as the Lilac— Cm-. Praii-ie Farmrr- 



Onr Experience Meeting. The helpful- 

 ness of Popular Gabdeninq is remarka- 

 ble. In that respect it is the ideal horti- 

 cultural paper. It amounts to a weekly 

 convention of florists and fruit growers; 

 and saves us car fare and hotel expenses. 

 I was thinking of Mr. Miller's notes 

 on Blackberries. I wanted to hear from the Erie 

 and Minnewaski. With me the former has not 

 fruited well. It has so far failed of giving re- 

 munerative crops that I must re,iectit. Agawam, 

 Mr. Miller does not report on; but all in all, I 

 like it best of any that I have. Last year I 

 picked 400 quarts from a patch of Snyders about 

 three rods by one rod. But I never could get a 

 decent yield of Snyder until I grew them wild. 

 I plant wide enough to cultivate a year or two, 

 till they get well hold of the soil, then I let them 

 take care of themselves; only cutting off tops 

 down to six feet, and cutting out old canes once 

 a year. The Snyder, especially likes moist, low 

 land, and cannot endure a dry spell. My Aga- 

 wams do finely on upland. Taylor seems very 

 much like Agawam if I have it true.— E.P. PotocH. 



The Shaking Fern. I desire to say a good 

 word for this best of all house Ferns. It is known 

 by the florists as Ptei^is tremula, and can be 

 bought at nearly every greenhouse. It is one of 

 the most popular Ferns we have, and deservedly 

 so, too. for when well grown it forms a light and 

 elegant specimen. It also has the recommenda- 

 tion of being of free growth under circumstances 

 quite unfavorable to many other plants. It suc- 

 ceeds best in rather a cool atmosphere, and even 

 in a young state it will do much better where 

 there is little or no artificial heat; but it must 

 not be exposed to a draught. Grow the plants 

 in good, open, loamy soil, keeping the crowns 

 down low enough so that the roots which start 

 from the base of the fronds may spread out and 

 not become drawn up, as, being of rapid growth, 

 they are verj' likely to run up weakly if a little 

 crowded. Attend regularly to the watering, and 

 after the pots are well filled with roots, a little 

 liquid manure may be used occasionally with 

 good effect. With ordinary care good useful 

 plants may be established in a very short time.— 

 Mrs. Henrietta Newton, Kalamazoo Co., Mich. 



The Silva of North America. One of the most 

 important works ever issued from the American 

 press is announced under the above heading in 

 the September Bulletin of Houghton, Mifflin & 

 Co. New York. It is a description of the trees 

 which grow natural in North America, exclusive 

 of Mexico, by Charles Sprague Sargent, director 

 of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard Univer- 

 sity and conductor of Garden and Forest. The 

 work will be in twelve volumes, quarto, each 

 containing 50 plates, and engraved on copper by 

 Philibert and Eugene Picart. Vol. I. will be 

 ready the present autumn. The value of a care- 

 fully and amply illustrated Silva of North 

 America to botanists, students of forestry, and 



lovers of science in general, is bej'ond question. 

 No comprehensive description of the trees of 

 North America, like that contained in this work 

 has ever been published, and indeed has not 

 been possible before the explorations I'endered 

 practicable by the very recent opening up of all 

 parts of our continent. Professor Sargent is 

 recognized as the highest authority on this sub- 

 ject. His position as director of the Arnold 

 Arboretum of Harvard University, his opportu- 

 nities while in government employ for exploring 

 forests and studying trees in all parts of the 

 country, specially qualify him for this work. 

 His descriptive text will be supplemented by 

 superb illustrations, by the best of artists. No 

 pains or cost have been spared ingathering the 

 materials and in the mechanical execution of 

 this great work. 



M'^-^ 



THE DWARF MOCK ORANGE. See opposite page. 



Kew Fruits. The " Middlefleld " is a new 

 Strawberry announced by P. M. Augur & Sons, 

 of Middlefield, Conn., the introducers of .lewell 

 and Gold Strawberries. The "Rural" Straw- 

 berry is announced from Kentucky. A. D. 

 Webb, who originated Warren, Longfellow, 

 Daniel Boone and others, found it in an old 

 orchard, was attracted by its foliage and promise 

 of fruit, removed it to his grounds, and found it 

 of great merit. William L. Dulaney. president 

 of the Kentucky State Horticultural Society, 

 writes us that it " promises more than any berry 

 we have had introduced in this part of Kentucky 

 for many years." It will probably be introduced 

 next spring. Among new tree fruits we have 

 the Fuller Quince, which is being introduced by 

 J. T. Lovett, of Little Silver, N. Y. We have 

 been favorably impressed with the fruit in New 

 Jersey, and while it may not revolutionize Quince 

 culture in America, we are sure it will be a 

 credit to the original discoverer, Mr. A. S. Fuller, 

 of New Jersey. The Roekford Plum is intro- 

 duced by M. G. Patten. The original tree, now 

 fourteen years old, came up on the edge of a 

 native Plum thicket in Floyd Co., Iowa, near 

 where German Prunes and Lombards were 

 grown. It it supposed by some to be a cross with 

 three European varieties, says Mr. G.B. Brackett, 

 but from a careful examination of the leaf and 

 tree. I believe it to be strictly a native variety 

 of the Pruiius Chica^a. The fruit is rather below 

 medium, oblong, dark red with a rich bloom, ! Violets, etc., may be depended upon for a supply 

 ripens ten days earlier than De Soto. When com- of flowers during winter. To obtain best re- 



Chinese Fan Palm {Livintoiiia C?i£nensi,s) is per- 

 haps of all the Palms the most desirable, because 

 being so easily suited in treatment. Kentia (or 

 Howea) Belmoreana and Forsteriana are also 

 Palms of great value. The India Rubber Plant 

 (Ficus elastica) is one of the most ornamental 

 and widely grown plants, being one that endures 

 the dry dusty atmosphere of dwelling houses 

 exceedingly well, because of its thick leathery 

 leaves. There is a golden variegated form that 

 is very flue, being equally as well suited for 

 house culture. Among Ferns for house culture, 

 the Shaking Fern iPteris tremula) is of the best; 

 grows very rapidly, soon making handsome 

 specimens. The Small Sword-Fern (Nephrolepix 

 Duffi} is an elegant miniature variety of the old 

 but popular Sword Kern that commends itself to 

 all by its easy culture and graceful appearance. 

 Any first-class florist should be able to 

 supply most of the above. 



Try Hardy Plants in the Window. Mr. 

 Josiah Hoopes gives some excellent points 

 in a recent article in the Weekly Tribune 

 on hardy growths for window culture ; 

 Thrifty young shrubs, two or three years 

 old, chosen from among early-bloomers, 

 form as attractive window ornaments as 

 any kind of plants we can select. They 

 are cheap, and adapted to the atmosphere 

 of our living rooms, growing and bloom- 

 ing in pots with the freedom of shrubs in 

 the open ground. Early-blooming hardy 

 herbaceous plants are equally desirable for 

 the purpose, and require even less care. 

 The multitude of enfeebled Roses, Gerani- 

 ums, etc., in the winter windows of so 

 many flower-loving people should be re- 

 placed by more easily-grown plants, and 

 we would then hear far less complaint 

 of "poor luck with flowers." In selecting 

 shrubs for this purpose earliness is of 

 greatest importance ; next comes freedom 

 of bloom ; then adaptability to pot-cul- 

 ture ; and lastly, dwarf compact habit. 

 No plant should be rejected for not conforming 

 to the last requisition, as any shrub can be made 

 denser by systematic pruning, once or twice a 

 year. Young and thrifty shrubs are preferable 

 to those with old, hardened wood, and will pro- 

 duce more bloom as well as prove more sightly 

 in pots. Although most early-blooming shrubs 

 will answer the purpose, the following seem to 

 fill the bill with entire satisfaction, provided the 

 plants have been previously pruned into proper 

 shape; Deutzia gracilis, the perfection of a 

 house plant, and fine for cut-flowers, as are all 

 the family. The Weigelas in variety, especially 

 " Candida," with pure white flowers, and any of 

 the deep-red colored varieties. Forsythia 

 fortuni, with golden yellow bloom, and an im- 

 proved habit, with very dark green foliage. 

 Philadelphus coronarius, or the " Mock-orange," 

 is beautiful, and possesses a delightful fragrance. 

 The double Rose, and double white Almonds, 

 are among the best plants for the purpose, 

 blooming both early and profusely. The Mis- 

 souri Currant, with its rich, spicy fragrance and 

 bright yellow flowers, is excellent. Spinea 

 prunifolia, S. Reevesi (both single and double), 

 S. Thunbergi, S. trilobata, etc., are all valuable. 

 And lastly, the Syringas or Lilacs are all beauti- 

 ful, although not so readily grown by amateurs 

 as some of the foregoing. Among herbaceous 

 plants, such easily forced species as Astilbe jap- 

 onica, Dicentra spectabilis, Lily of the Valley, 



pared with the many native sorts on Exhibition, 

 in quality it was superior to all. 



The Best House Plants. When looking around 

 for the best kinds to stock up with, it will be well 

 to have before us the answer which Mr. B. F. 

 Critchell gave to the question of the 13 best 

 window plants, at the recent florists' convention 

 in Boston. He named Aspidistra lurida varie- 

 gata— a Liliaceous plant from Eastern Asia, 

 having oblong lanceolate leaves — easily grown 

 in an ordinary window garden; small pots should 

 be used. Azaleas of the Indian or Chinese classes 

 continue to increase in beauty with each season's 

 growth. Callas— few plants exceed these in pop- 

 ular estimation. Of Palms, a number were 

 named as being very suitable for house decora- 

 tion. Dracscna or Cordyline, terminalis and 

 indivisa are tropical plants of rare beauty, the 

 attractiveness lying in the leaves, which vary in 

 color from green to light crimson. The southern 

 Palm (Corupha Australia or more properly, iit'- 

 istonia Australia) is a very ornamental plant from 

 Eastern Australia for window decoration. The 



suits, the plants should be lifted as soon as 

 matured in autumn, say in November, potted in 

 good light soil, and set away in a cool shaded 

 location, until needed for forcing. Never use 

 pots of a larger size than is absolutely necessary, 

 and plunging in coal ashes encourages root for- 

 mation. One may readily enjoy a succession of 

 flowers all winter long by forcing a few at a 

 time, and replenishing as the bloom fades away. 

 Hrady plants of every description dislike strong 

 heat, preferring a cool moist atmosphere, with 

 plenty of air in mild weather, and free access to 

 the sun's rays. They do not require to be con- 

 stantly deluged with water, but should receive 

 a liberal supply whenever the soil becomes dry. 

 Drainage in the pots must always be attended 

 to, as stagnant water at the roots will result in 

 diseased plants and impoverished flowers. For 

 window-culture, the plants should be started 

 either in a cool greenhouse, or sunny window in 

 the domestic apartments, whence they may be 

 removed to the living room as the bloom begins 

 to appear. 



