t 22 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



August, 



Bleeding Heart, with finely cut leaves aud 

 small, pale pink flowers. Blue Bells, Adder's 

 Tongue, tlie bright blue Spiderwort, the 

 white flowers of the Blood Root or Sanguln- 

 aria, Wild Phlox and Candytuft — the lat- 

 ter being the perennial sort. 



As for bcautifid wild plants, I cannot 

 now recall all of my wood beauties. I gen- 

 erally go fishing every spring, but really 

 fish for flowers more than for fish, aud 

 usually have a good showing for my day's 

 work. There are so many wild flowers 

 everywhere that if one only keeps his e3'es 

 open for them they may find many hand- 

 some kinds to beautify the garden. 



To return to 

 the blooming 

 plants. There is 

 the bed of the 

 Ever -blooming 

 Roses, which, in 

 good soil come 

 through the win- 

 ter all right if 

 protected in the 

 fall, and before 

 we think of it al- 

 most, yield many 

 lovely buds and 

 roses, — and all 

 summer long. 



Pansies: who 

 cannot find a 

 corner where the 

 sun will rest 

 lightly for a spell 

 in the morning? 

 In such a one 

 [ilant these love- 

 ly flowers.and you will have pleasant returns, 

 if they will equal some I have had. 



Then there is a long list of bulbs, roots, 

 and plants which increase of their own accord 

 to make the garden beautiful without having 

 to Ijuy new stock every year. Fearing to be 

 tedious, I will close by giving my favorite 

 lisl of kinds, and which yield an abundant 

 supply of flowers the whole season through; 

 Snowdrops, Crocus, Anemones, Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, Iris, Narcissus, Jonquils, Dicentra, 

 Pa'onys, Perennial Phlox, Columbines, Lark- 

 spur, Feverfew, Dianthus, Snapdragon, Fox- 

 glove, Petunias, Poppies, Roses, Phlox 

 Drummondi, and there are even others. 



Fancy Marbled and Striped Pansies, with 

 distinct colors under each of these classes. 

 Kinds that it may be said have given special 

 satisfaction to us are the Emperor William 

 among Three-spotted ones, the Bordered, 

 Striped and Mahogany colored varieties, and 

 some of the Self-colors, although there are 

 many other quite as fine ones besides. 



Time to Sow. Spring and earlj' Summer 

 being considered the most desirable season in 

 which to have the plants in liloora, for mak- 

 ing that time the seeds should be sown during 

 this month or next. A favorite date of ours 

 for sowing has been about August 30th, al- 

 though we have often started them both 



Pansy. Emperor William. Dark blue. 



Bordered Prni.s//. 



How to Raise Fine Pansies. 



The requirements in Pansy culture are 

 few, simple and easily bestowed. Indeed so 

 true is this that we are led to look upon 

 the favorite Hearts-ease as almost an ideal 

 flower for the amateur, so far as ease of cult- 

 ure, beauty aud productiveness are con- 

 cerned. While it is possible to propagate the 

 plants from cuttings, this is not a light task, 

 neither is it often a desirable one, in view of 

 the readiness with which they may Ije raised 

 from seed. 



Kinds to Guow. By ordering a choice 

 strain of mixed Pansy seed from any relial)le 

 dealer or grower there would no doubt be re- 

 alized the greatest degree of satisfaction in the 

 culture for the least outlay. But for our own 

 l)art. we take so much satisfaction in grow- 

 ing the finer varieties separately, even at an 

 added cost, that we freely recommend such 

 a course. The distinct varieties are now very 

 numerous,includingniany Self-color Pansies 

 from snow white to jet black. Shaded Pau- 

 seis, Oilier or Five-spotted Pansies, Face or 

 Three-spotted Pansies, Bordered Pansies, 



earlier and later (especially later) by some 

 weeks, with complete success. 



The Seed Bed. The .seeds should not be 

 sown where they are wanted to flower, but in 

 a prepared bed. This may be in the shape 

 of a low frame, or merely a box or pot. Use 

 light sandy soil that is moderately rich and 

 fine in which to sow. Cover the seeds one- 

 eight of an inch deep, afterwards pressing 

 the soil over them gently. Keep the bed 

 moderately wet and shaded with whitened 

 glass or cloth until the plants are well up, 

 when the shading should be removed. 



The Pl.\nting Bed. This should be 

 made up to be pretty rich, and if possible of 

 soil that is light enough not to bake. The 

 Pansy is not very particular as to place, or 

 even as to soil, provided it is not low, wet or 

 heavy. For spring flowering we prefer a 

 sunny exposure to a shady one, although 

 they will succeed in tlie latter also. As to 

 richness, if the soil consists of two parts loam 

 to one part of old finely divided manure it 

 will be about right. The addition of some 

 wood's earth, and if not naturally lightsome 

 sand, will also improve it. To provide dry- 

 ness we have the plant bed raised somewhat, 

 say four inches above the common surface 

 after settling has taken place. If the bed be 

 surrounded by a six-inch board frame, it will 

 aid in protecting it until flowering time, 

 when this can come away. 



Tr.\nsi>l.\ntin<; the seedlings into the 

 plant bed from where they were sown 

 should be done as soon as they can easily be 

 handled, setting them firmly into the soil 

 and al)Out four inches apart. This done, 

 the soil should be kept stirred slightly 

 between tlie plants, keeping down all weeds, 

 and if it becomes dry, water. Here they 

 should grow rai)idly enough to make plants 

 several inches across in size before winter. 



Care for the Winter. Young Pansy 

 plants winter about as readily as young Win- 

 ter Wheat plants do, both being sown about 

 the same time. We do not care to cover 

 them, except lightly. This is done late in 

 ! autumn, after the ground is frozen, by scat- 

 I tering an inch of Timothy or other springy 

 haj' over the surface of the bed. A few 

 brush or sticks to keep down the cover are 

 also good things to apply. On the whole we 

 think the use of glass is to be avoided, as 

 being liable to make drawn plants. 



The Flowering Time. As soon in the 

 spring as the frost has left the ground the 

 beds should have their winter cover re- 

 moved; now the 

 season of bloom 

 is near at hand. 

 The plants may 

 be allowed to 

 flower in the bed 

 in which they 

 have been grown 

 or as the first 

 flowers appear 

 they may be 

 transferred to 

 other beds or the 

 border, or be 

 planted into pots 

 or vases for 

 flowering. In 

 anycase.asmuch 

 earth as will ad- 

 here to the roots 

 should be moved 

 with the plants. 

 Purple u-ith u-hite edge. The Pansy being 



a plant that de- 

 lights in moisture and good living, it is well 

 to water the plants occasionally if the season 

 is inclined to dryne-ss, and also to give them a 

 supply of liquid manure twice a week dur- 

 ing flowering. This last act will tell won- 

 derfullj' on the size of the fiowers. Pansies 

 may usually be counted upon to flower to 

 perfection until some time in June, when 

 free seeding takes place. Should the plants 

 be kept cultivated and the seed pods be re- 

 moved early they will, especially if the sea- 

 son is damp, give a good deal of bloom yet 

 during the summer months, and with an 

 increase towards fall. Still the height of 

 the season is fitly enough in the spring- 

 time; many growers prefer replacing the 

 Pansies with summer flowers towards July. 



On Sowing Perennials— A Timely 

 Task for August. 



BY W. F. LAKE, WAYNE CO., N. Y. 



Those who desire to establish a border of 

 hard}' plants, or to improve one now pos- 

 sessed, should at this season give attention 

 to sowing .seed for the purpose. In this 

 class of plants are included those known in 

 the catalogues as biennials and perennials. 

 The seed can hardly be ordered to soon after 

 August 1st to get a timely start in the mat- 

 ter For a seed bed for this class, instead of 

 selecting the warmest and sunniest place, as 

 was done in sowing the annuals, a cool, 

 partly shaded, moist situation is better. The 

 surface should not be raised above the level 

 of the ground more than an inch, as the hot 

 and dry weather of August would be apt 

 soon to dry them up and destroy the smaller 

 sorts if the beds were raised. 



In the preparation of the soil of this bed 

 care should be taken to pulverize it, especi- 

 ally at the surface, very finely. Should the 



