1885. 



POPULAR GARDENING, 



19 



with tlio rvsnU of t^ffccting increased interest 

 in the fruit, nnd the production of new vari- 

 eties of greiit value. 



In hiter yt'ars, the advancement made in 

 improving tins fruit has been more rapid in 

 America than abroad. Not a year now 

 (lasses, l)ut a manlier of new sorts are otTered 

 to the jiublic by their originators here. With 

 all of our present attainments in this tield, 

 it is iirobablc we shall yet .see better kinds 

 tlian any now known. 



But of oiu' present luscious Strawlu'rries, 

 what could Shakespeare, had he known them, 

 have said, when he could notice with favor 

 the very inferior kinds familiar to his age. 



The Large-Flowering Mock Orange. 



Not even a small collection of shrubs is 

 (•(jmiilete. if it does not include at least one 

 >Iock Orange, or Philiidelphns. to use the 

 botanical name. The shrubs are very hard}', 

 adai»ted toall places and soils, and are par- 

 ticularly noted for the beauty and sweetness 

 of the flowers. Indeed 

 t h e C o m m o n G a r 1 a n d 

 Mock Orange, the flowers 

 are .so highly .scented, that 

 some persons are found wlio 

 object to them on this account, 

 .just as some persons do not 

 like the Tuliero.se fra.granee. 



Among the dilTerent Mock 

 Oranges none are more gen- 

 erally desirable than the 

 Large-fl(jwering one, of which 

 we present a spirited engrav- 

 ing herewith. It belongs to 

 tile section of free growing 

 sorts. In time a bush will 

 reach the height of ten feet or 

 more, with eight feet or more 

 tlirough. It is slightly strag- 

 gling in habit, only to render it 

 the more ornamental for this. 



Besides producing flowers 

 that are mtich larger than 

 I hose of the Com- 

 mon Garland s p e- 

 cies, the.se are less 

 stron.glv fra.grant. 

 which will be looked 

 upon as another 

 point in favor of this 

 sort, over the we 1 1 

 known old one. The 

 large pure white 

 flowers, which aji- 

 jiear along the twigs 

 in.June. areremark- 

 alily showy, in con- 

 trast with the dark 

 green leaves. For 

 cutting to use in 

 tnble vases, few 

 shrub blooms are 

 more effective. 



When planted in mas.ses with other shrulis, 

 this, like the other strong growing Mock 

 Oranges, should be placed somewhat in the 

 rear, because of its taller growth, which is 

 above the average of flowering shrubs. For 

 the same reason it is better placed in the back 

 portion of the lawn than near the street, 

 wliere it might cut ott' the view too much 

 from till' house. 



While this shrub ma.v not be found in 

 every nursery which sells ornamental trees 

 and shrubs, we And it offered in enough 

 nursery catalogues, to show that any one de- 

 siring to |)lant it can ea.sily procure the slock. 



Is the English Gooseberry Worth 

 Growing by Us- 



II came very near lieing iilaced on the Re- 

 jeted List of fruits, by the American Pomo- 

 logical Society at one of its meetings some 

 time a.go. That such an act would have 

 been one of injustice to a fine and wholesome 

 fruit, is shown by the accounts of success in 

 growing it in America, that are constanllv 

 eimun,g up. It now seems (piite certain, that 

 where there is failure with this fruit, 'it is 



open culture circumstances must dictate how 

 to shade, I tind bast mats answer well. 



For surface mulching, the best way is to 

 remove the top soil down to near the roots, 

 in a circle of three or four feet in diameter. 

 Any uncovered roots must be covered agaiii 

 a little, .so as not to let the manui-e come di- 

 rectly in contact with the roots; then four 

 (H' five inches of old rotten manui'(\ laid on 

 and ti'oddeii; then rejilace the earth, rake, 

 and the manure will scarcelv be seen. 



THE LARGE-FLOWERING MOCK ORANGE. 



owing to mismanagement. Here is wliat 

 Mr. T. Bennett, a successful grower, lately 

 had to say about the English Gooseberry 

 in the GiirdcKcrs Monthli/, his remarks being 

 somewhat condensed by our editors: 



It flourishes best in a clay soil or heavy 

 loam, but will glow in much lighter soils. 

 The [ilants only need sufficient shading and 

 good summer mulching, with at least one 

 good watering, when going out of blossom, 

 to yield and rijien large crops of its delicious 

 fruit. It will grow under shade lieller than 

 any other fruit, and does well trained up to 

 the north side of a fence or building. In 



Little Things at 

 Right Time. 



Too many plant - 

 growers are like 

 N a a m a n of old, 

 anxious to do some 

 great thing in a 

 lordly style, instead 

 of attending to the 

 simple little reiiuire- 

 ments that lead to 

 success. 



It may be seen for 

 example, that better 

 actual results at 

 plant culture are 

 sometimes found in 

 the kitchen window 

 of the most humble 

 dwelling, where 

 there is a fight 

 against frosts all 

 through the winter 

 perhaps, than in 

 elaborate plant 

 houses, excelling in 

 facilities to meet the 

 wants of jilant life. 

 In the one case there 

 is close attention to 

 the small require- 

 ments which the 

 true lover of flowers 

 is ever ready to he- 

 stow, in the other 

 a rule-limited haj)- 

 ha/.ard way of ear- 

 ing for the subjects. 



An esteemed cor- 

 respondent of Poi"- 



I'L.M! G.\l{I)KXI.N(i 



living in Detroit, 

 -Michigan, who signs 

 herself "Sister 

 (irac'ious," Ijils the 

 nail squarely on the 

 head, in giving her 

 "only.secrel " of successat liloomiii.g Gerani- 

 ums, Begonias and .so on in midwinter. She 

 writes on this mailer as follows: 



"I think of them at the right time. For 

 instance, a night promi.ses to be extra cold, 

 so I siiend five minutes ])utling iu'wspai>ers 

 lietwen the .gla.ss and the jilaiits. Then when 

 to water, bothers some folks. It i.s well to 

 have a set time for this, say after the silling 

 room is put loriirhls. Push up the soil with 

 the finger, if it is damp, pa.ss it by. if dry 

 and dusly pour on \v;iriiiish water. 



Another thing: wash the leaves once a week. 

 I lake a tub, put the plant in, and cleanse 

 with a fine sprinkler. The leaves thank me 

 for this by their bright looks afterwards. 

 A small whisk broom, dipped in water and 

 shaken over I he plants also answers. 



As for lime, it lakes me about half an hour 

 a da.v, and the work is such a delighlfnl 

 ehanire it rests me, mind and bodv." 



