iSgi. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



113 



grow in, and the small size of the pot, so that 

 in the growing-house the plants may stand close 

 together, like small bedding plants— and to most 

 gardeners space is a great matter. The raiser 

 informs us that there is already considerable de- I 

 raand for the plant, but some time must elapse 

 before a large supply of it can be raised. 



Some Mistakes in Planting- Trees and plants [ 

 are frequently set too near together. The > 

 planters, imaginations should see the wide- 

 spreading branches of the future tree. 

 Another blunder is getting too many ever- 

 greens on ornamental grounds. 

 Some evergreens are needed to help 

 out the winter aspect, but by over 

 doing this we lose much beauty at 

 other seasons, especially in the au- 

 tumn, when we shall look in vain for 

 the beautiful array of colors, and the 

 romance of the falling leaf. Ever- 

 greens should be mixed in to some 

 extent, but not made the main feature. 

 Still another mistake is the planting of 

 a place in a rush, before we have lived 

 long enough upon it to be sufficiently 

 familiar with our environments. Go 

 slow, putting in a tew trees at first, in 

 their proper places, where we feel con- 

 fident they will not have to be dis- 

 turbed. The worst blunder of all 

 would be to pay no attention to the 

 adornment of the home grounds, es- 

 pecially when nature offers so much 

 gratuitous material with which to 

 beautify.— .-l P. Reed, Maine. 



The Trees of North America. This 

 is the title of a new book by Chas. S. 

 Newhall which we welcome most 

 heartily. It is an octavo volume, de- 

 voted to the description and illustra- 

 tion of the trees of Canada and of the 

 North-Eastern States of the Union, 

 East of the Mississippi. It is intended 

 for popular rather than seientic pur- 

 poses, and will be found useful to 

 nurserymen and tree-lovers. The plan 

 followed is to divide all trees into two 

 divisions, according as they have 

 simple or compound leaves. The 

 simple-leaved forms are then arranged, 

 as the leaves are opposite or alternate, 

 and then according to the nature and 

 degree of toothing of their margins. 

 The compound-leaved trees are divid- 

 ed into the feather-veined and into 

 the palmate-veined series; then accord- 

 ing to their position, opposite or alter- 

 nate, and ultimately, according to the 

 lobing and indentation of the margin. 

 By this method, which is similarto that 

 adopted in a more detailed manner by 

 Loudon, it is, in general, easy for a 

 person to refer any particular tree, 

 that he may not know, to its appro- 

 priate genus. The determination of 

 names of species is facilitated by the 

 description given, and by the roug^ 

 outline of the foliage. Published by 

 G, P. Putnam's .Sons, New York. 



A Fine New Gladiolns. The progress 

 made with the Gladiolus in recent years is 

 truly wonderful. The delicate markings and 

 blending of colors found in newer varieties must 

 add more and more to the well-deserved popu- 

 larity of this Hower, and keep it in the front 

 rank as a favorite among the summer and fall 

 flowers. The accompanying illustration shows 

 one of the most remarkable of these new sorts, 

 named the " Snow White," on account of its 

 pure white color. The committee of the .Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society, describes it as 

 follows: Petals very much recurved and beauti- 

 fully crisped, the three upper divisions pure 

 white, the lower divisions cream-white, with a 

 faint line of purple extending through the cen- 

 tre of each ; the lower part of the perianth 

 crimson-purple. The whole spike produces a 

 lovely effect. Flower stem four feet in height 

 crowned with a remarkably full spike of very 

 large, well-extended flowers, facing boldly to 

 one side. Many of the terminal flowers are 

 semi-double. The growth is peculiarly vigorous 

 giving an average of three stems, indicating a 

 remarkable prolific character, which will greatly 

 add to its favor with the public. The com- 

 mittee is unanimous in the opinion that it is 

 the best White Gladiolus yet introduced." 



Health by Horticaltnre. That contact with 

 nature, open air occupation and moderate exer- 

 cise tend to prolong life, is an old observation, 

 and yet it always pleases us to see substantial 



testament of this recuperative power of horti- 

 cultural pursuits. A contributor to the Indiana 

 Farmer, who thirty-three years ago, then only 

 twenty-tour years of age, was a wreck in health, 

 and warned by his physician that at best, he 

 could not live more than a few months, says, 

 "I had always longed to live in the midst of green 

 fields and cultivate fruits, plants and flowers, 

 but fortune had not allowed me to gratify that 

 desire. Disease caused me to leave the city and 

 go to the country without delay. After months 

 of serious illness, I began to be able, with assist- 



THE FINE NEW GLADIOLUS "SNOW WHITE." 



ance, to visit my garden and note its flowers and 

 fruits, and soon I was able to assist a little in 

 their cultivation. I had many of the best flow- 

 ers and small fruits, and as many were new to 

 me, while I derived strength from their cultiva- 

 tion, my mind was kept in pleasurable excite- 

 ment by their successive exhibitions of flowers 

 and fruits, and to them 1 have hardly a doubt 

 that I owe the term of existence 1 have since en- 

 joyed. The fable of Antaeus, who renewed his 

 youth whenever he touched the earth, and who 

 could be overcome by Hercules only when held 

 in mid-air, contains an idea that needs no inter- 

 preter to a multitude of invalids engaged in hor- 

 ticultural pursuits. 



Planting a Windbreak and Cost. In the fall 

 of 1887 I plowed a strip of ground about ten feet 

 wide and as deep as possible. During the winter 

 Ilhauled on wood ashes and a lot of soil from a 

 pond. Early the next spring 1 mixed it well with 

 the soil with a double shovel plow, harrowed it 

 over and over until as fine as a garden A lot of 

 210 Norway Spruces, 12 to 1.5 inches high, and 

 bought at ten cents each, was received early in 

 April. When ready to plant a line was stretched, 

 the holes dug six feet apart and the trees set at 

 once. Now after three summers' growth, I have 

 as good a prospect for a permanent windbreak 

 as the world can show, in fact it is the most 

 pleasing feature of the place. Some specimens 

 are n ow over six feet high. This belt of trees is 



40 rods long on the west, and about 30 rods on 

 the north, enclosing two sides of about seven 

 acres of ground, on which are my buildings, 

 orchard, berry plantation, etc. I cultivate my 

 trees the same as Corn, am well pleased with 

 their growth, and feel amply paid already for 

 my trouble their graceful form and erect habit 

 of growth, greatly please the eye. They have 

 cost but little, and soon will add hundreds of 

 dollars to the value of the place. I for one am 

 at a loss to know why there is so little interest 

 taken in fhe planting of windbreaks, especially 

 by those who are engaged in fruit 

 growing. With such a windbreak your 

 orchard and berry vines will be pro- 

 tected in winter, and in summer the 

 fruit be kept from being blown on 

 the ground or perhaps even worse the 

 trees blown to the ground by wind. 

 One could not possibly invest a few 

 dollars in anything that would bring 

 more enjoyment and comfort, than 

 the planting of some evergreens as a 

 wind-screen. — BenJ. M. Ntewander, 

 "Evergreen Farm," Ind. 



Home Floriculture. The great merit 

 of Mr. E. B. Rexfords new work on this 

 subject, is the simple charming style in 

 which he speaks of his own wide ex- 

 perience, in flower growing. Mr. Rex- 

 ford is an enthusiastic amateur florist 

 who writes for amateurs. In this re- 

 spect he differs from some authors on 

 flower growing who are commercial 

 florists, and who it is safe to assume 

 do not always appreciate to a nicety 

 the needs of the window and yard 

 gardener. We quote his article on 

 Plumbago page 5S. " Plumbago capen- 

 sis is one of the best house-plants I 

 have ever grown. It is a somewhat 

 rampant grower, but can be kept with- 

 in bounds by judicious pruning. It 

 blooms ten months out of the twelve, 

 and very freely, and on this account it 

 is sure to become a favorite whereso- 

 ever introduced. Its flowers are 

 shaped like those of Phlox Drum- 

 mondi. They are borne in loose clust- 

 ers, and are of a delicate shade of 

 lavender-blue,— a very rare color 

 among flowers. Indeed. I know of but 

 one other flower of similar color, — the 

 Ageratum. The flowers of the Plum- 

 bago are always produced on new 

 growth, therefore in order to keep it in 

 blooming condition it must be kept 

 growing. Cut it back every two or 

 three months, and cut it back well and 

 you will nevei» lack tor plenty of 

 flowering surface if you give manure- 

 water once a week to induce develop- 

 ment. On account of its peculiar 

 color, it is very useful for bouquet- 

 work. It combines well and harmon- 

 izes with almost all other colors, and 

 affords a most delightful contrast with 

 yellow flowers." Also on Oxalis page 

 TB. "This is a good plant for house 

 culture. It is a most profuse bloom- 

 er, and gives its greatest quantity of flowers 

 in winter if the bulbs or tubers from which 

 it grows are allowed to dry off and rest 

 during summer. It has very pretty foliage, 

 shaped like that of the Clover, borne on long 

 and slender stems, which droop over the edge of 

 the pot in such a manner as to almost, if not 

 quite, bide it. The flowers of O. floribunda rosea, 

 which 1 consider the best variety for house- 

 culture, are a bright pink, star-shaped, and borne 

 in clusters of a dozen or more, held well above 

 the foliage on long stems. They have a spicey 

 fragrance. There is a white and yellow variety, 

 but neither bloom as freely or grow as well as O. 

 floribunda rosea. It requires a rich, light sandy 

 soil, well-drained, and plenty of sunshine. 

 Shower daily to keep the red spider fromgetting 

 a foothold on it. It is an e.xcellent plant for 

 baskets, on account of its drooping character. 

 One plant will brighten the window wonderfully 

 when covered with its pretty flowers. In spring 

 withhold water, and let the soil get entirely dry. 

 In September shake the bulbs out of the soil 

 and repot. Give water and they will soon start 

 into growth, and in November they will begin to 

 bloom." In a single instance we notice an ex- 

 pression that is misleading, namely, where the 

 speaks of the Calceolaria as much used for "rib- 

 bon gardening." This might apply to England 

 but not to the United States. Vick of Rochester 

 is the publisher. 



