I02 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



February, 



2,069. Fall Management of Caladiumg. As 

 soon as you observe the foliage of Caladiums 

 turning yellow or brown withhold water and 

 and allow them to become perfectly dry. The 

 tubers must be stored in some warm place where 

 a temperature of 55 or 60° is constantly main- 

 tained. In the spring the tubers may be placed 

 in conditions congenial to growth, when they 

 they will asfain enliven your collection of plants. 

 — H. W. Smith, Baton Romjc, La. 



2,170. To Propagate Sraceenas . Cuttings can 

 be successfully struck at almost any time. All 

 Dracfenas with colored foliage are readily prop- 

 agated thus. The first step will be to takeoff 

 the tops of the old plants where the stems are 

 firm but not hard, and these should be inserted 

 singly in three-inch pots, and be plunged in a 

 brisk hotbed, and kept moderately moist. The 

 old plants should be placed at the warmest end ^ 

 and receive moderate supplies of water at the 

 roots with occa- 

 sional syringings. 

 In a short time 

 young shoots will 

 be produced near 

 the top ot the stem, 

 and these, when 

 between two and 

 three inches in 

 length, must be 

 taken off with a 

 thin slice ot the 

 old bark to form 

 a firm base. These 

 will in due course 

 be followed by 

 others, and by 

 taking off the up- 

 permost shoots OS 

 they attain a suf- 

 ficient size, the 

 whole of the buds 

 down the stems 

 will push and pro- 

 duce cuttings. The 

 cuttings can be 

 put singly in small 

 si.ves, or several 

 together in pot- 

 Gve inches in di 

 ameter. The pots 

 should be filled to 

 one- halt their 

 depth with crocks. 

 and a mi.xture of 

 peat and sand be 

 employed. It is 



necessary to make the soil thoroughly firm, and 

 to cover the surface with a thin layer ot sand, 

 which also must be pressed firm, and have a 

 light sprinkling ot water previous to the inser- 

 tion ot the cuttings,— A. L. P., Phila., Pa. 



2,183. Increasing Hardy Shrubs. Many of 

 these are readily propagated by layering the 

 young shoots in summer, or from cutiiugs of 

 the green wood rooted under glass. This is the 

 case with the Aristolochias (of which the Dutch- 

 man's Pipe is a well-known species) and the Cla- 

 matises. The evergreen Azaleas are propagated 

 by seeds and cuttings of young wood taken off 

 with a heel or close to the old wood, and then 

 placed in sand, and in a close frame in the house. 

 Layering may be practiced with the deiduous 

 Azaleas. Deutzias grown from cuttings of the 

 mature shoots of the season, made in theautumn 

 and stored in a cool moist place, arc planted in 

 early spring. For the slender-growing dwarf 

 species, like D.grnrili-<, green cuttings are i»refer- 

 able, taken from plants forced under glass in 

 winter, frreen cuttings of the E.\ochorda (gran- 

 diflora) taken from plants forced in a green- 

 house will usually strike root, but the usual 

 practice is to splice-graft cions of the ripe wood 

 on pieces of the roots, then plant in hot-beds or 

 in bo,\es in a moderately warm greenhou.se. 

 Hydrangeas are increased by suckers, layers 

 and cuttings of the green and halt-ripened wood. 

 Of some of the hard-wooded species, like the 

 H.paniculato f/iam)iffora green cuttings are most 

 certain if taken from plants forced under glass. 

 Hibiscus (Althcva) grow from seeds, and cuttings 

 of either the green wood under glass, or ripe 

 wood in the open ground. Layers of Magnolia 

 put down in early spring and notched, or a 

 tongue made on the under siile, will usually be- 

 come well furnished with roots the first season ; 

 if not they should be allowed to remain undis- 

 turbed a year longer. The Salisburia (tlinko or 

 Maidenhair Tree) can be grown from layers, 

 and cuttings taken off with a heel in mid-sum- 

 mer, or of the ripened twigs in autumn, and 

 planted in frames in a greenhouse. These modes 

 of propagation are given on the authority of 

 Mr. A. S. Fuller.— G. R. 



2,iss. The Propagation of Evergreens. These 

 maybe grown from seeds Arbur \*it;i' sow in 

 spring, in halt shade, keeping the surface of bed 

 moist Rhododendron is usually sown in shallow 

 boxes or seed pans filled with a mi.vture of leaf- 

 mold and clean .sand, and then placed in a close 

 fram^ until the plants appear. When large 

 enough to handle, prick out in other boxes, 

 giving more room, protect for a few days until 



they become established, then gradually harden 

 off. Seeds of Junipers should be treated with 

 moist wood ashes or lye water to soften the hard 

 shell; then sow immediately in a bed in the open 

 air, covering about one-half inch deep. Mulch 

 with some light fine material until spring follow- 

 ing. Shade slightly in hot weather. Arbor Vitie 

 are also increased by layers, and cuttings of the 

 green shoots under glass, and of the ripe twigs 

 in autumn planted in frames outdoors. Junipers 

 also grow from cuttings of both the young and 

 the mature wood. 



2,054. Hoya as a Tree. Hoya carnosa, some- 

 times called the Wax-flower and at others the 

 Honey-flower could be trained in tree-form if a 

 wire trellis was used made in the form of an um- 

 brella. Of course the form would not require to 

 be nearly as large, but I think the plant would 

 thrive better and look more ornamental it train- 

 ed balloon fashion. When gathering the tresses 

 of bloom of this plant care should always be 



AN ELABORATE ENGLISH ROSE GARDEN. 



taken not to damage the spurs which produce 

 them, if these spurs are injured no more flowers 

 will be v>roduced in that pan, but if they receive 

 no in,iury they will continue to flower for an un- 

 limited time.— H. W. Smith, Baton Rouge, La. 



2,212. Clay Soil for Boses. Some sorts of clay 

 might iirove in.iurious but good clay loam with, 

 perhaps a little superphosphate of lime added 

 would act very beneficially if mixed with poor 

 sandy soil for Koses. Besides greatly increasing 

 its absorbing and retaining moisture it acts as 

 an absorbent of the various gases so necessary 

 to vegetatiun, for it must be remembered that 

 sandy soils have very little absorbent power. 

 Stiff clays are often comparatively rich in plant 

 food, although it exists under conditions not 

 readily obtainable by the plants, but when it is 

 thoroughly incorporated with a sandy soil it is 

 brought to a state in which its nutritive ingre- 

 dients take a more available form. If practic- 

 able, lay the clay on the surface to be acted on 

 by the frost, after which Avhen dry fork it well, 

 mixing it with the soil as you proceed. 



2,21;'. Baising Early Cauliflowers. Sow the 

 seed of some standard variety in jians or shallow 

 boxes that have been filled with some light sandy 

 mixture, and place in a position where it will 

 have the assistance of a brisk temperature. 

 The greatest care in watering will be necessaiy 

 during the time the plants are in the seed pans 

 or bo.ves, because of their liability to damp off. 

 When nans are used it is an excellent practice to 

 place them in a vessel containing sufficient water 

 to reach nearly to the rim. and leave them until 

 the water begins to moisten the soil on the sur- 

 face. When this plan is ailopted there is no 

 danger of their damping off To avoid loss ot 

 time prick them off as soon as large enough on a 

 bed made up in a frame. Rottom heat is not ab- 

 solutely indispeusalbe, but a little warmth in the 

 soil will afford them material assistance, and, if 

 you can conveniently do so, make up a bed of 

 leaves or partly exhausted manure on which to 

 put the soil; a bed ot leaves about two feet in 

 thickness will be found the most suifable.,\.H.E. 



different varieties, pot in five-inch pots 

 using good light garden soil, adding a little 

 sand, and some charcoal in the bottom of 

 the pots for drainage. Set them in part 

 shade; they will grow well in a north win- 

 dow. The room in which they are kept 

 should becool but not freezing. 



Primroses should be watered regularly 

 with clean water. They do not need any 

 fertilizer if the soil they are potted in is 

 rich. In watering take care not to wet the 

 leaves and stems for this would lead them 

 to damp off. I never pick off the little 

 green cups that hold the flowers for they 

 add beauty to the plant. 



After blooming all winter the plants 

 should have a rest. Set them to one side 

 and water very 

 sparingly, just 

 enough to keep 

 the little root- 

 lets from becom- 

 ing too dry. 

 When danger 

 from frost is past 

 they can be 

 planted out in a 

 shady spot, in 

 the Hower gar- 

 den, and they 

 will bloom all 

 summer. I£ pot- 

 ted again in the 

 fall they will 

 succeed another 

 winter but 1 pre- 

 fer to get anoth- 

 er s u p p 1 y, of 

 young plants as 

 they bloom bet- 

 ter than oldpnes 

 One thing 

 necessary in the 

 cultivation of 

 the Primrose and all other house plants for 

 that matter, is to keep them free from dust. 

 Success will largely depend upon this. The 

 leaves are the lungs of the plant, and with 

 these obstacles the plants cannot thrive. 

 Dirty, sickly plants cannot be things of 

 beauty. Spread a light cloth over your 

 plants, when the room is being swept or 

 dusted using a damp cloth to dust with and 

 dampen the broom before you sweep, and 

 there will not be much dust on your plants. 



Primrose Culture in the House. 



BY MAY FROST. 



The Chinese Primulas or Primroses are 

 beautifnl winter plants, almost constantly 

 in bloom. They may be had in bloom ten 

 months of the year. 



The plants are easily cared for and insects 

 do not trouble them. Procure in the fall 



An English Rose Garden. 



Last month we gave the plan of a Rose- 

 garden arranged after a simple natural 

 style; this month we show something 

 quite different, taken from the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle, of London. This is an elaborate 

 Rose-garden belonging to C. E. Lambert, 

 Esq., and differing much from those com- 

 monly seen even in England. 



The garden forms a circle, whose diameter 

 is t'p3 feet; the heightof the .50 supports to the 

 arches, 10 teet; the height to the top of each 

 arch, V2 feet: and the width, fottr feet 



The arches were planted with Banksia 

 Roses, Sweet Briar, Jasmines and Honey- 

 suckles, about '20 years ago. The interior 

 parts of the circle have been improved in 

 various ways, and laid out in the form of 

 beds. The centre bed is raised two feet 

 above the general level, and gravel walks 

 with Box edgings have been formed. The 

 beds are planted entirely with the best 

 varieties of Hybrid-perpetual Roses. Inside 

 of the boundary of pillars and arches, a 

 grass verge two feet in width exists, and 

 the four entrances to the garden are orna- 

 menteil with climbing Roses, Wistaria 

 sinensis. Clematis, etc. 



California's New Rose wonder is the "Rain- 

 bow "—a sport of Papa Gontier; color, deep 

 Mermet pink, striped and splashed in the most 

 fanciful way with rich Gontier color. 



