126 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



its grateful odor ; it is also one of the stocks on which 

 to bud the foreign kinds with the greatest chance of 

 success. 



We have many species of Cornns and Viburnum 

 with fine Ho\\ers, and more worthy of cultivation 

 than miich of tlie exotic shrubbery now seen in gar- 

 dens and pleasure-grounds. 



There are many other species which might be 

 enumerated ; but the above will suilice, as examples, 

 to awaken an interest on the subject, and remind us, 

 while we are eagerly collecting the ])roductions of 

 foreign lands, that our own fields and forests bloom 

 with equal Si^lendor, though forgotten or unknown. 



O. V. HILLS. 



Leominster, Maixh, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CULTIVATION OF FLOWERS. 



Mn. Cole : It is pleasing to see, year after year, 

 the increasing interest taken in the cultivation of 

 llowers ; for it indicates the advancement of civiliza- 

 tion and rolinement, as well as a higher standard of 

 morality in the community. But there is yet a large 

 class so wanting in good taste, that thcj' consider the 

 cultivation of flowers as a very useless employment. 

 To this class I would say, that happiness is the aim 

 and object of all the labor of man. The happiness 

 of the least refined consists in sensual gratification. 

 In proportion as mankind advance, they seek for 

 more extended and more intellectual sources of 

 happiness. One of these is the cultivation of flow- 

 ers. Any one who has cared for, watered, and 

 trained some choice flowering plant until it has re- 

 warded the cultivator with its perfection of form and 

 brilliant bloom, will assent to this. It not only gives 

 ])leasure to the senses and intellect, but it teaches a 

 moral to the heart. 



" God might have bade the earth bring forth 

 Enough for great and small, 

 The oak-tree and the cedar-tree. 

 Without a flower at all." 



But would the amount of our happiness have been 

 as gTcat, without these beautiful forms of nature ? 



jSIuch more might be said on the refined character 

 of floriculture as an amusement ; but I have already 

 occupied more space with this j^art of my subject 

 than I intended. 



Many who set about filling a bonier with choice 

 flowering plants, and who wish to select those both 

 easy of cultivation and beautiful, are at a loss which 

 to select among the thousands ottered by seedmen 

 and florists. It is not my purpose, in this article, to 

 offer a select list, but to make some remarks on a few 

 of our native plants worthy of cultivation, and 

 which 'Mr. Fowler, in two interesting articles on 

 pp. 12 and GO, current volume of the N. E. Farmer, 

 has omitted to mention. 



Scarlet Columbine is a well-known ^laj' flower, 

 growing on dry, rocky hills, and in gravelly soil, of 

 elegant habit, and bearing delicate pendulous scarlet 

 flowers. When removed from its wild locality to the 

 richer soil of a garden, it grows with great luxuriance, 

 and produces tenfold more flowers than in its wild 

 state ; but it should be transplanted into fresh soil 

 every second or tldrd year. The White English and 

 Wild Columbines should be planted together for the 

 contrast of color. When thus situated, beautiful 

 hybrids can easily be obtained from the seeds of the 

 English Columbine, partaking of the character of 

 both species, and distinct from either. 



The Cranesbill, {Geranium maciikUum,) when cul- 

 tivated, produces an abundance of purple flowers in 

 May and June. The root is valuable for its medi- 

 cinal properties. 



The Bloodroot {Sanguinarla Canadensis) is an- 

 other plant valuable in medicine, easily cultivated. 

 The flowers appear in April ; they are very pretty, 

 but short Hved. 



Lilies. — Lilitim superbum, L. Canadense and L. Pkil- 

 adelphicum. These are all fine. The L. supcrbiim is 

 the most magnificent of our wild herbaceous plants, — 

 far more showy than the much-lauded new Japan 

 lily, (L. lancifolittm.) They do best when trans- 

 planted, early in spring, into deep, rich, and, if pos- 

 sible, moist soil. If not naturally moist, the ground 

 should be covered with straw or litter through the 

 heat of summer. 



The Wild Lupine is found on dry sandy land, and 

 well deserves a place in the garden. Its blue flow- 

 ers appear in May, and are arranged in a long termi- 

 nal spike. 



Ground Laurel {Epiffo-a repens) is a beautiful wild 

 flower, blooming very early in spring. It has been 

 introduced into the gardens of Europe, but is not 

 cultivated here. Probably it would not stand our 

 hot dr)' summers in exposed situations, but it might 

 do well in a garden where it could be partially 

 shaded. 



The Harebell {Campanula roiiaidifolia) is worth 

 cultivating for its poetic associations. It is a slender 

 plant, with narrow leaves, and pretty bell-shaped 

 flowers. Hare in this part of the state. M. 



NoiiTH Easton, March 21, 1850. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PROPAGATION OF BOX 



Mr. Editor : In gardening, as in dress, ana other 

 subjects, indi^-idual taste will more or less prevail ; 

 accordingly the little evergreen dwarf box, has ever 

 been to me a peculiar favorite ; not as a hedge or 

 border for my flower-beds, but standing promis- 

 cuously in single trees, and growing as much to 

 nature as possible. Having but few trees in my gar- 

 den, and wishing to increase my stock, and as my 

 husband had relinquished the floral department to 

 myself and daughter, I consulted such authority as 

 I could find, as to the best method of propagating it. 

 The uniform opinion was, that it would grow readily 

 from slips. I accordingly made a number of efforts, 

 but either through want of skill or pei-severance, had 

 the mortification of seeing them all wither and die. 

 One autumn, in the month of September, while hav- 

 ing some tender plants potted for the greenhouse, 

 the earth got accidontally heaped up around one of 

 my box-trees, so as to cover the trunk and lower 

 part of the branches ; and it remained so until the 

 following spring. When the earth was removed to 

 dress the borders, I cliscovcretl that the part of the 

 branches that had been covei-ed, had thrown out 

 roots from one to two inches in length ; it then 

 occurred to me that I might probably accomplish my 

 wish. I therefore took up the tree, and divided it 

 into about thirty parts, laying the lower i)arts of the 

 slips in water to keep the roots from drying, had a 

 piece of ground prepared, and the slips set out, water 

 poured around so <as to settle the earth, and then 

 pressed down close with the foot. I had the satis- 

 faction of seeing every slip that had any root at- 

 tached, live and thrive well without further trouble, 

 more .than to keep out the weeds. The foregoing 

 seem, indeed, a small matter to make so many words 

 upon ; but if others can feel the satisfaction that I 

 have done, in seeing the work of their hands pros- 

 per, it may not be wholly useless. 

 liespectfuUv, 



JlliS. N. DARLING. 



New Haven, Conn., March 15, 1850. 



