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POPULAR GARDENING. 



July, 



Cannas, Caladiums, Richardias and Gladiolus 

 from among smnmer bulbs, all of which to- 

 gether make such a lot of plant and leaf forms 

 as serves to create a very striking display all 

 through the growing season. 



* * 

 The fa<-t that the plants and shrubs referred 

 to are all hardy and easily raised, renders it 

 an easy matter for any one who has a garden, 

 to get up beds of these picturesque plants. I 

 speak of the Ailanthus, Paulownia and other 

 trees as shrubs, for they must be treated as such, 

 to be of use in an ai-raugement like this. Each 

 spring they need to be cut way back, nearly to 

 the ground. There will then come forth, if the 

 growth be free,numerous strong shoots bearing 

 massive leaves, perfect in beauty and grandeur. 



An Orchid for Window Culture— Cat- 

 tleya Mossiae. 



BY WILBUR F, LAKE, WAYNE COUNTY, N. Y. 



This is the very best Orchid I have ever grown 

 outside of a gi-een-house. Very often you heal- 

 ladies wishing they could have Orchids that 

 would flourish in their bay-windows, and to all 

 such' I recommend Cattleya Mossiae. Placed 

 in a basket made of Locust or Red Cedar, and 

 hung from the ceiling, it may be gi-own finely. 



In stai-ting Epiphytal Orchids — Cattleya 

 Mossiie is one — it should be observed to raise 

 them well above the level of the basket, so no 

 water can settle around the neck. Peaty tm-f , 

 Sphagnum, broken pots and kmips of charcoal 

 is a good mixture for filling the baskets. Fresh, 

 green Sphagnum placed over the whole after 

 potting, adds a fresh appearance to the plant. 



As to temperature, if it be 60° to 80° in sum- 

 mer, and 55° to 65° or 70° in winter, it will be 

 about right for South American species. A 

 variation of a few degrees either way will do 

 no injury if the right moisture is maintained. 



Cattleya Mossise is a fall bloomer, and should 

 be rested soon after blooming, by gradually 

 decreasing the supply of water and lowering 

 the temperature where they are grown. 



Insect Enemies. 



Much attention is paid in some European 

 countries, to educating the masses to an ac- 

 quaintance with insects both injurious and 

 useful, with a view to the extermination of the 

 former. As one means to this end, exhibitions 

 of insects are made at the agricultural fairs 

 and similar shows, being stimulated by pre- 

 miimis. Here is a pi-acticable and valuable hint 

 for adoption in this country. Many a moth 

 or butterfly that is now admired and allowed 

 to escape,would be destroyed, if its true nature, 

 as the parent of numerous destructive worms 

 or catei-pillars, were known. Such shows would 

 excite interest, and be the means of dissemi- 

 nating a great amount of needed information. 



Look Out for the Wild Sprouts. 



In cases without end, people set out trees or 

 shi-ubs of real excellence, and in a few years 

 have for the things planted only some wild, 

 weedy growths instead. Among our readers, 

 no doubt, there are many who on reading this 

 statement will say : "That corresponds precisely 

 with some of my past experience." The thing 

 we refer to is found in those common cases of 

 trees or shrubs, which as they come from the 

 nursery consist of a root of some free-growing 

 sort, and bearing a choice gi-afted part that is 

 to make the future tree or shrub. The kinds 

 that come to the planter in this shape include 

 about all improved fruit trees, many, but not 

 all, ornamental trees, some shrubs, roses, etc. 



In many cases the only way of perpetuating 

 improved sorts, is by this course of gi-afting 

 such on some wild or free-growing stock, so 

 nothing is to be said against the principle of the 

 thing. It is the ignorance that would allow the 

 wild stock to start up a separate strong growth, 



at once impairing and in time crowding out the 

 gTafted part, against, which we are aiming. 



A common example of this kind is to be met 

 in the beautiful Kilmarnock Weeping AViUow. 



A Kitmttrnovl- WiUow nuffering from the (jrowth 



of Wild ^Sprout. -i. 

 It may be said that but for this process of gi-aft- 

 ing on a stronger upright growing stock, the 

 raising of this fine ornamental tree would be 

 an impossibility. The same thing is also true 

 of other weeping trees. Usually the improved 

 weeping parts of such are by nature prostrate 

 growers, never getting above the gi-ound. To 

 make weeping trees of them the prosti'ate 

 species is grafted four or more feet high on an 

 erect gi-owing trunk, and when the graft is es- 

 tablished, no growth is to be allowed to start 

 from any part but the graft. But here is where 

 the trouble comes in. A Kilmarnock for ex- 

 ample is planted. For a while the desirable 

 growth, all of which should be in a downward 

 direction, as shown in the upper pai't of the ac- 

 companying engraving, is not very strong. 

 By and by [lerhaps one or more shoots start 

 vigorously, some way down the trunk, growing 

 uprightly (also shown in the engraving). 



The latter are enemies. Being of a wild, 

 free growth they soon make quite a show, 

 much to the delight of the owner, if he be 

 ignorant of theii- true nature. In time, if not 

 destroyed, these upright shoots increase rapidly 

 in number and size. Allowed to grow on, as 

 they often are, they soon crowd out the grafted 

 trailing part, and a coarse, upright growing 

 Willow results in time. 



Of course the right thing to do In this and 

 all similai- cases, is to nip every wild sprout in 

 the bud. In the Willow referred to this is 

 easily done, for the direction of growth reveals 

 its true character. If it be upright, it is wild ; 

 remove it at once. If downward, it is all right. 



As for other trees and shi-ubs, such as 

 fruit trees. Flowering Plums, Thorns, Roses, 

 etc., we can only lay down the general caution 

 here, that our readers beware of all strong 

 growing shoots that start from the root or neai- 

 to it. If any such appear examine the tree 

 or bush closely to find the point of union be- 

 tween the graft and the stock (usually easily 

 detected). If the shoots start from below this 

 point, as they most likely have done if they 

 show gi-eat thrift, remove; if above, allow them 

 to remain. 



It should, during the growing season, be the 

 tree owner's business to keep a constant lookout 



for such wild shoots on all kinds of trees. Some 

 wOl be certain to appear ; the earlier they are 

 removed the bettor for the tree. 



In Union There is Strength— Village 

 Improvement Associations. 



In the course of recent j-ears many of the 

 old New England hamlets have been regener- 

 ated by the aid of association work in town 

 gardening. The system by which this has been 

 done has had for its basis what is known as the 

 Village Improvement Association. It is a sys- 

 tem so practical and so efl'ective for increased 

 beauty and healthfulness of the places where 

 apphed that it should be very widely adopted 

 throughout our land. 



The plan upon which these associations are 

 established is a simple one. To begin with, 

 there is a meeting called of persons who are 

 interested in public as well as private improve- 

 ments in the line of gardening. A simple con- 

 stitution is adopted to aid in more perfectly es- 

 tablishing and conducting the work of the as- 

 sociation. That our readers may see the form 

 of one of these, we are able, through the kind- 

 ness of the Hon. B. F. Northrop, of Clinton, 

 Conn., who has been prominent in establishing 

 these associations, to present the one that was 

 adopted by the village in which he lives: 



CLINTON RURAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION. 



1. This Association shall be called " The Bural 

 Improvement Association of Clinton.-- 



2. The object of this Association shall be to culti- 

 vate public spirit, quicken the social and intellect- 

 ual life of the people, promote good fellowship, 

 and secure public health by better hygienic condi- 

 tions in our homes and surroundings, improve our 

 streets, roads, public grounds, sidewalks, and in 

 general to build up and beautify the whole town, 

 and thus enhance the value of its real estate and 

 render Clinton a still more inviting place of resi. 

 dence. 



3. The officers of this Association shall consist 

 of a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, a 

 Secretary, and an Executive Committee of fifteen, 

 six of whom shall be ladies. 



4. It shall be the duty of the Executive Commit- 

 tee to make all contracts, employ all laborers, ex- 

 pend all moneys, and superintend all improvements 

 made by the .\.ssociation. They shall hold meetings 

 montlily from April to October in each year, and as 

 much oftener as thej- may deem expedient. 



5. Every person, who sliall plant three trees by 

 the roatl side, under the direction of the Executive 

 Committee, or pay three dollars in one year, or one 

 dollar annually, and obligate himself or herself to 

 pay the same annually for three years, shall be a 

 member of this Association. 



6. The payment of ten dollars annually for three 

 years, or of twenty-five dollars in one sum, shall 

 constitute one a life memlier of this Association 



7 Five members of the Executive Committee 

 present at anj- meeting shall constitute a quorum. 



8. No debt shall be contracted by the Executive 

 Committee beyond the amount of available means 

 within their control, and no member of the Asso- 

 ciation shall be liable for any debt of the Associa- 

 tion, beyond the amount of his or her subscription. 



9. The Executive Committee shall call an annual 

 meeting giving due notice of the same, for the 

 election of officers of this Association, and at said 

 meeting, shall make a detailed report of all moneys 

 received and expended during the year, the numl>er 

 of trees planted under their direction, and the num- 

 ber i^lanted by individuals, length of sidewalks 

 made or repaired, and the doings of the Committee 

 in general . 



10. This constitution may be amended at any 

 I annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of the mem- 

 bers present and voting. 



There are hundreds of villages and towns 

 throughout the Union that would be immeas- 

 urably benefited by adopting this method of 

 improvement. The end in view being plain 

 and simple, there is little difficulty in reaching 

 it by the exercise of a determined, progress!-, e 

 spirit. The main point is to make a beginning, 

 and the pleasing result of the first efforts is 

 usually such as to insure a continuance. 



Raising Improved Petunias. 



The flowers of Double Petunias, as it may 

 be well known, beai- no seed. This is be- 



