1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



347 



tember, three or four together, three or four inches 

 deep. It is a good plan to cover them for the 

 winter with stable litter or decayed leaves. Of 

 wild lilies, L. Canadense and L. Philadelphicxim, 

 summer lilies ; treat as the others, bringing them 

 in autumn from the pastui'es. L. Speciosum — The 

 Japan Lily, is very elegant. It is said to be hardy 

 as our common lilies. 



Of herbaceous perennials : Peonia officinalis, — 

 the common peony, Dielytra spectabalis (called by 

 some Dicentra), Polygonatum muUiflorum — Solo- 

 mon's Seal ; all the varieties of Lychnis, with ele- 

 gant red, or white flowers ; Phlox, early and late ; 

 Polyanthus, the Lobelias, the Spireas, Dianthus; 

 Pinks — Sweet William, Campanula — the Bell- 

 flowers, Althea — the Hollyhocks, Mathiola, Stocks, 

 gilliflowers, Digitalis — Fox glove, Delphinus — 

 Larkspurs, Achillea — Rose yavrov,' , Antirrhinum — 

 Snapdragon, Trolli^is — Globe Flower — English 

 Butter cup, Ranuyiculus — Double butter cup, Lu- 

 naria — Honesty-flower, Tradescantia — the Spider- 

 wort, Aconitum — Monk's-hood, Aquilegia — colum- 

 bine ; and Violets and Pansies. These will all 

 flourish in good light soil. When raised from 

 seed they seldom bloom till the second year. 

 They may be propagated by cuttings, or dividing 

 the roots. 



Of annuals: Sweet Alyssum, Amaranthus — 

 Prince's Feather, and Love-lies bleeding, Ce- 

 losia — Cock"s-comb ; Asters, Callistephus — China 

 and German Asters, Centaurea, Bachelor's Button, 

 Clarkia, Coreopsis, Datura, Escholtzia, Hibiscus — 

 Rose Mallow, Iberis — Candy tuft, hnpatiens — Bal- 

 sam, Lavatera, Lupin, Mimosa, Mirabilis — Four 

 e'clock — Marvel of 'P^Yu,Nigella — Love-in-a-mist — 

 Jack in the Bush, Portulaca, Petunia, Reseda 

 Odorata — Mignonette, Scabiosa — Mourning Bride, 

 Silene — Catchfly, Calendula — Pot Marigold, Ta- 

 getea — French Marigold, and African do, Papaver — 

 Poppy, and Zinnia — Old maids. Annuals for win- 

 ter boquets : Briza — Quaking Grass, Gomphrena — 

 Globe Amaranth, Helichrysum — Golden Eternal, 

 Helipterum — Dwarf Everlasting Flower, Bho- 

 danthe and Acroclinium. These last need to be 

 gathered when in full bloom and hung up loosely 

 in the shade to dry. The seeds of the Globe Ama- 

 ranth should be removed from their downy cov- 

 ering—pick it otr with a pin carefully, or soak 

 them a day before planting ; mix them with sand 

 for sowing. 



Though most of these are exotics they flourish 

 well in our climate, and are generally known; 

 their seeds or roots may be obtained at any of the 

 seed-stores. After your first planting rait^e what 

 you need for the future. Tie a label to the first 

 three or four good blossoms of the strongest plants, 

 see that no injury befalls them, and as soon as the 

 seed is dry let the children make little paper bags 

 to put it in, and keep these in a cool, dry place till 

 time for sowing. 



Double flowers are apt to return to their original 

 single form ; this may be prevented in compound 



flowers, — as the marigolds, zinnias and asters, — 

 by saving only the seeds from the outer rows of 

 the calyx— those perfected by the florets of the 

 ray, (the border of the blossom ) Grafted roses 

 are also liable to lose their borrowed beauties ; and 

 bulbs— tulips, especially— often produce flowers 

 which vary both in form and color from those of 

 whose roots they are off-sets. This is sometimes 

 owing to too cold, too rich or too moist a soil ; very 

 damp, rich mould gives luxuriant foliage at the 

 expense of flowers; the brightest hued blossoms 

 spring from a sandy soil in a hot open atmosphere. 



A few words may as well be said in thisconnec- 

 tion as any where, in regard to rose and poppy 

 leaves. Don't waste any of these,— even after the 

 flowers have been used in vases, the petals are worth 

 saving; but a better way is to gather them just 

 before they are ready to separate from the calyx, 

 early in the morning— while the dew is on them — 

 and then spread them on clean cloths or papers in 

 the shade to dry. Poppy leaves are of great use 

 in medicine ; rose leaves, not only in medicine, but 

 in cookery,— house-keepers should never be with- 

 out them. 



By refen-ing to the chapters on House Plants, 

 published several months since, it will be seen that 

 many of those are occupants of the garden, and 

 add much to its beauty during the summer. There 

 are many handsome annuals which may be plant- 

 ed for winter growth in the parlor, — sometimes 

 they are changed to perennials by so doing. 

 Among these are the morning-glory and the nas- 

 turtium for vines ; the larkspurs, candy-tuft, asters, 

 coreopsis, and zinnias for house-shrubs. There 

 are also many wild flowers, besides those already 

 mentioned, which deserve a place in the garden, — 

 some of them in the parlor, too, — and persons who 

 live in the country may not only find much enjoy- 

 ment in transplanting them to their grounds and 

 developing and enhancing their individual quali- 

 ties by culture, but by such service very probably 

 bring valuable plants to notice, and thus contribute 

 the best of aid to the science of floriculture ; — don't 

 forget that many of our finest plants were once in- 

 significant wild flowers, and do all that you can to 

 improve and increase Flora's treasures, — for her 

 beautiful gifts, scattered through the world, have 

 a wonderful power in civilizing and uplifting man- 

 kind. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 VERBENAS — QUEBY. 



I frequently see inquiries in the Farmer about 

 plants ; and I cultivate a few, usually with good 

 success. I have a beautiful white verbena, which 

 assumes a very sickly appearance lately. The 

 foliage is covered with a mildew — leaves look 

 white — and a petunia beside it seems to have 

 caught the same infection. Now what can be the 

 cause ? I have tried several remedies, but still it 

 grows worse. Now as we think the Farmer, or 

 its editors, know most everything, will you please 



