218 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



made in the origination of new sorts, they are 

 truly elegant. 



"The Columbine (Aquilcgia) too, in its variety 

 of colors, is becoming more rare every year; and 

 our beautiful native species, A. Canadensis^ whose 

 pendant scarlet and yellow flowers enliven many a 

 hill-side in June, has ever been scarce in culti- 

 vated grounds. 



" Tlie Sweet Rocket, {Eesperu) except in its old 

 single state, which, though pretty, does not com- 

 pare with the double, is not often seen : the double 

 is one of the sweetest 

 of herbaceous plants, 

 and as beautiful as it is 

 fragrant. Canterbury 

 bells, ragged robin, 

 lychnis, monkshood, 

 honesty, &c., are more 

 of the old favorites. 



'•These we name as 

 a few of such as were 

 once common, indeed 

 almost the only kinds 

 in some gardens, but 

 now rarelj' seen, only 

 as we recede from the 

 places where fashion 

 holds her sway, in 

 the neighborhood of 

 splendid villas, to the 

 cottage in the country, 

 where, tended by fair 

 liands, yet happily ig- 

 norant of the Whitla- 

 via, Eucharidium, and 

 similar hard named and 

 far less beautiful flow- 

 ers, they flourish and 

 dis[)lay their familiar 

 forms and colors. 



" It is the fault that we overlook the smaller, 

 more delicate, and exquisitely beautiful species and 

 varieties in our eager desire for the large and 

 filiowy; some of them common, but the greater 

 part almost unknown in our American gardens, 

 and never seen only in the grounds of the true 

 lover of elegant flowers. These are the Hepaticas 

 {Anemone), Gentians, Epimediums, Violets, Fair 

 ifaids of France {Jianunculus), Double Primroses, 

 Betonicas, &c., and our own native plants, Asclep- 

 iaa tnberosa, Trilliums, Dodecantheons, Spigelia, 

 Anemone thalictroides, Cyi>ripedium8, &c. All 

 or any of these, added to the more popular and 

 familiar kinds, render the garden doubly attractive. 



" Let the garden be, as it easily may, what the 

 poet describes it : 



" From sapling treee, with lucid foliage crowned, 

 Gay liKbU and shadows trembled on the ground; 

 Up the tall stems luxuriant creepers run, 

 To hang their silver blossoms in the sun; 

 Deep velvet verdure clad the turf beneath. 

 Where trodden flowers their richest odor breathes; 

 O'er all, the bees with murmuring music flew 

 From bell lo bell to sip the honeyed dew." 



" We close with a few hints as to their cultiva- 

 tion. Herbaceous plants, in general, are of the 

 eimplest treatment. Most of them will grow in 

 any common garden soil, slightly enriched by old 

 manure, or, what is better, leaf mould. Every 

 two yearB they should be taken up, carefully di- 



GOLDEN-TWIGGED UNDBN, 



vided and reset; such quick-growing sorts && 

 phloxes, asters, rudbeckias, veronicas, larkspurs, 

 (fcc, should have more room than the others, and 

 when coming into bloom have their stems tied up 

 to neat stakes. If the ground is trenched they will 

 grow the better, tliough this is not absolutely neces- 

 sary. Many of them, if headed down directly they 

 are done blooming, will give a succession of flowers 

 later in the season ; such as do not, should have 

 their old stems cut away. The biennials, such as 

 foxgloves, canterbury bells, sweet Williams, holly- 

 hocks, &c,, should be 

 raised froiii seed every 

 year, in June, or as late 

 as August, though they 

 will make stronger 

 plants if sown early. 



"The more delicate 

 kinds require more 

 careful management, 

 and are particular nfl 

 to soil. The Hepaticas, 

 Anemonies, Dodecath- 

 eons, Epimediums,Tril- 

 liums, &c., like a peaty 

 earth, and a half shady 

 situation, where they 

 not only remain in 

 bloom a much longer 

 time, but are healthier 

 and more robust plants; 

 indeed, under the same 

 cultivation of the gross- 

 er growing kinds, they 

 often die out, which ac- 

 counts for their being 

 more rare. They will, 

 however, well repay 

 any care that may be 

 bestowed upon them, 

 "October is the best time to divide and reset 

 herbaceous plants ; they get well established in the 

 ground before winter." 



GOLDEN-TWIGGED LINDE N OR LIME TBEK. 

 In the Genesee Farmer for 1857, p. 94, we gave a cut 

 and description of the European Linden. TTe need 

 add nothing to what was then said of its value and 

 beauty as a shade and ornamental tree. We hav« 

 now the pleasure of presenting our readers with a 

 cut of the golden-twigged European Lime tree 

 (Tilia aurea). It differs from the former in the 

 yellowness of its twigs, and in its less vigorons 

 growth. It is a beautiful tree anywhere, but mor» 

 especially on a lawn, where the color of its branches 

 forms a pleasing contrast. The specimen from 

 which our cut is taken is 10 feet high. We need 

 hardly say that our common basswood is a lime or 

 linden tree. In some parts of England it is called 

 " bast," because ropes are made from its bark. It 

 received its modera name Lime or Linden in honor 

 of LiNNJSUS, the celebrated Swedish botanist. — 

 There are few* trees so fragrant as the European 

 Lime, and none more beautiful as a shade tree. 



