i886. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



8i 



Wherever the former t'oiiditious can be suppUed 

 and the latter obviated, there the plant will 

 grow. A soil consisting of two parts of rotted 

 sods and of old cow-manure will be suitable. 

 The plants, unless they be in their first year, 

 should have partial i-est during the summer. 



Peter Henderson, the veteran florist of Jersey 

 City, N. J. , spent a good share of last summer 



growth, and when a stronger growth or a more 

 prolonged sea.son of growth is desired. This 

 month may find numerous jilants in the green- 

 house fit to receive it. Let it be weak, but ap- 

 ply often. How to make: The neatest way is 

 to have a tub for the purpose, over which, rest- 

 ing on two cross sticks, is placed any kind of a 

 barrel having holes bored in it. Fill the bai'rel 





mm 





Old M<nt Vartus.—Filocertt^ senilia. 



Echinoreru^ Coespitoswi.—Rosy Purple. 



TWO FINE CACTUSES. 



in Europe. In spealcing of his stay on the Isle 

 of Wight, he refers to some common plants he 

 there saw, as follows; "We have seen some 

 wonderful things in Fuchsias and Geraniums, 

 which often attain twelve feet in height, in 

 this favored region, where the thermometer 

 ranges from about 40° to TO in the shade the 

 whole year. At Arreton Church, Isle of Wight, 

 we saw a Scarlet Geranium that is said to be 

 fifty yeai's old. It had been so cut for slips 

 that it is at present but four or five feet high; 

 but still as vigorous and healthy as in its youth." 



What Popular Gardening now really needs 

 more than anj-thing else, is a great increase of 

 subsci'ibers. We believe it is within the power 

 of its present friends to easily help us to these. 

 Is there one reader in our family, who, with 

 such a paper in hand at such a price, could not 

 readily interest from one to ten persons to be- 

 come subscribers to it; Many have done as 

 well. We feel certain that every one could do 

 this. Such a lift would place the paper on a fail- 

 paying basis, and admit of a number of contem- 

 plated improvements, which its publishers even 

 at present have in view. Now we feel disposed 

 to assume just so much for the good will which 

 every one of our friends bears toward this paper, 

 as to believe that they will try (if they have 

 not yet done so) , the very thing we suggest. Let 

 us have a rousing inci-ease of subscribers, in 

 this fair spring month of April. 



If there is to be found as fine a trade publi- 

 cation in the gardening line, in the whole world 

 besides, as that issued by the B. A. Elliott Co., 

 of Pittsburg, Pa., then we have not seen it, 

 and our acquaintance with such publications 

 is not slight either. It is not a catalogue in 

 the common sense of the word, although in 

 part answering that end. It is a magnificent 

 pamphlet on ornamental gardening; size of 

 page, 7 1-2 inches by 10 1-2 inches, with engrav- 

 ings, presswork and general appearance on a 

 level with the fine work peculiar to the Coituni 

 and other high-priced magazines. Need any- 

 thing more be said ' Admiring, as we do, fine 

 engravings, paper and printing, as all readers 

 of Popular Gardening must know by this 

 time, we must pronounce this a work after our 

 own heart. An announcement on another 

 page gives some further particulars. 



Liquid Manure. Ever}' successful florist uses 

 it. But plants are not at all times in shape to 

 receive it and here is where the inexperienced 

 often make mistakes. To suppose for instance 

 that when a plant is in a feeble, stand-still con- 

 dition, that liquid manure will help it, is a mis- 

 take. At such a time leave it awaj-. Just 

 when to apply it is when plants are in active 



with manure, packing it somewhat ; then pour 

 in water at intervals, and theleachings into the 

 tub are what you want. Dilute before using. 



All Helping. When even the good contem- 

 poraries of Popular Gardening are interested 

 in seeing us make an excellent paper for our 

 readers, the outcome surely must be good. Our 

 friend of the Floral CabhicI, who has made the 

 geographical location of plants much of a 

 study, calls our attention to an error in our 

 issue of four months ago, in which we unwit- 

 tingly confused the Isle of Natal with the Dis- 

 trict of Natal, places both so obscure as rai'ely 

 to be given notice in the geogi-aphies. For 

 this he has our sincere thanks. But why will 

 not this esteemed contempora ry , aside from thus 

 assisting us on to perfection in our work, notice 

 the number of fine and instructive engravings 

 which appear in each issue of Popular Gar- 

 dening ? We are lead to this question, through 

 perceiving that the journal referred to, persists 

 in a.sserting that it gives ' ' more illustrations 

 than any other periodical devoted to the same 

 topic."' Readers of both papers must '"smile" 

 at such a statement, when it is seen at a glance 

 or by count, that our paper averages more 

 than twice over the number of engravings per 

 issue on gardening matters, to be found in the 

 issues of that paper. 



Kennedyas. Here and there may be met a 

 greenhouse in which some of these handsome 

 climbers are kept up in good shape. Wherever 

 such is the case, from even earlier than this, 

 on, may be seen a remarkably grand display 

 ! of pea-shaped blossoms, scarlet, blue, pink, 

 etc., according to the variety. The plants 

 have neat evergreen foliage. They are not too 

 difficult for the average amateur, who devotes 

 careful oversight to his plants, to undertake. 

 The best plan for getting up stock is to raise 

 it from seed. The seed can be obtained 

 from dealere who furnish seeds'of greenhouse 

 plants. Of these K. Oniiptoniand, K. Miirnj- 

 altiir, K. riibiciiiuin and A', monophylla are 

 among the best. Sow early in the spring in 

 well drained pots of light soil, soaking the seeds 

 before sowing. During after culture, shift 

 promptly before the roots become much matted 

 on the surface of the balls. The soil should be 

 composed of two parts turfy jieat, one part well 

 rotted manure, with the addition of some shai-p 

 sand. Good drainage, careful watei-ing and 

 free syringing are important at all times. Keep 

 perfectly clean of the small, white scale, which 

 is the princi])le enemy of these plants. 



" Floral World " Premiums. Occasionally a 

 letter is received at this office making inquiries 

 about such premiums, perhaps referring to 



their non-receipt or the like. As our own 

 readers know, we have never gone into the 

 plant and seed premium business. This is be- 

 cause, first, we prefer to give for the price 

 asked for our paper, the full worth and more in 

 the contents of the paper itself ; second, we 

 have always had a notion, that somehow such 

 a premium business is unfair to those in the 

 seed and plant trade. Of course, on such 

 grounds we preferred not to become interested 

 in an}- OK ^^■|■^/(■ premium contracts; hence, in the 

 recent transfer of the " Floral World " to us, it 

 was done with the distinct understanding that 

 the late proprietor of that journal , fulfil! all pre- 

 mium obligations due formal- subscribers, he 

 hiirinij ivlniiiril nil flu' iiiuneij irhirli fell In the 

 pi-i'iniiim accounts. Therefore, while we most 

 gladly include every one of those readers as 

 members of our family cii-cle, (we expect to 

 keep them with us) and shall supply them with 

 the full quota of papers for which they paid, we 

 must ask them to address all matter concerning 

 "Floral World"' premiums to Mr. Gillette, of 

 whom they were originallj' ordered. 



Sweet Peas. Who does not love them ? 

 Who would not have them, so beautiful, so fra- 

 grant, so convenient for use with their long 

 stems, next summer, from June until fi-osts? 

 You easily can, either in the garden or in 

 boxes, by following Popular Gardening's 

 five rules for raising them. Here they are: 

 Fii-st, choose for them, the coolest, dampest 

 (not a wet, undrained,) spot in the gai-den, if 

 you have a garden, if not, make a good-sized 

 veranda, window or roof box, say T inches deep, 

 10 inches wide and of any length: the site for 

 the Peas should be in the sun, at least one-half 

 of the time. Second, plant with the first things 

 planted, that is, as early in the spring as the 

 ground is found to work up decently ; the seeds 

 should be covered at least two inches deep. 

 Third, at half a foot high, give brush, trellises or 

 strings,five feet high. Fourth, with the bursting 

 of the first flowers, mulch liberalh- over the sur- 

 face of the roots, say two feet on each side of 

 the row in the garden, using hay, straw or lit- 

 ter ; this is designed to provide that most impor- 

 tant need of the plants: moisture.it the roots; 

 if there is drouth, water in addition. Fifth, 

 sooner or later cut everj- flower before it devel- 

 ops into a seed-pod. These rules followed, and 

 you may have plenty of Sweet Peas the sum- 

 mer through. 



Two Fine Cactuses. Mr. A. Blanc, of Phila- 

 delphia, whom we must style America's most 

 enthusiastic Cacti grower, has furnished us 

 with the fine engravings of those shown here- 

 with, also with some notes. The " Old man "" 

 Cactus, Piloivnis .sc/i j/i's, will at once attract 

 notice ; it is one of the curiosities of the plant 

 world. It derives its name from the long sil- 

 very white hairs (really soft weak spines), 

 which cover the upper portion of its stem, 

 and impart a peculiar resemblance to the hoary 

 head of a man. The plant is easily managed in 

 cultivation, provided the simple precaution of 

 gi-owing it under a glass shade, to keep the dust 

 from it, is observed. Our other subject, we must 

 introduce by its botanical name, Ecliinocemt.s 

 Ca'spifosu.'<, foi- w-e know of no other one. It 

 is neai-ly related to the Cereus section of the 

 Cactuses, among which the large Night-bloom- 

 ing Cereus is so famous. This plant is conve- 

 niently dwarf in habit. making it desirable for 

 the window. It is easily grown by amateurs. It 

 flowers freely, bearing rosy purple blooms. 

 But the feature which renders it attractive at 

 all seasons of the year is its fine and pretty 

 spines symmetricall)' arranged. Popular 

 Gardening is glad to see that Mr. Blanc is 

 disposed to give the public the benefit of his 

 attainmepts, in collecting and growing (out of 

 pure love) the many subjects of this too much 

 neglected famil)-, by offering some of them for 

 sale at reasonable pric.-es. We have h)ng known 

 the gentleman as a leading artist aiul engraver, 

 and the head of a large fine-art estaldishment. 

 We hope to know him long in the future, as a 

 promoter of the culture of fine Cacti. 



