SHRUBS FOR HOME GROUADS. 



may be used to decorate the tennis 

 screen or the chicken-yard fence. The 

 alley fence, the smoke-house, the child- 

 ren's play-house, may be screened with 

 morning glories, flowering beans, and 

 other twiners and climbers. The win- 

 dows may be screened and decorated 

 by vines grown either in the ground or 

 in window-boxes. 



Efficient screens can be made of 

 many strong-growing and large-leaved 

 plants, of which castor beans, sunflowers, 

 cannas, tobacco and other nicotianas, 

 striped or Japanese corn, are the chief. 

 But it is not the mission of this bulletin 

 to report upon foliage plants. 



The kinds of annuals. — In the selec- 

 tion of the kinds of annuals, one's per- 

 sonal preference must be the guide. Yet 

 there are some groups which may be 

 considered to be standard or general- 

 purpose plants. They are easily grown 

 almost anywhere and are sure to ; ,give 

 satisfaction. The remaining plants are 

 mostly such as have secondary value, or 



are' adapted to particular purposes or 

 uses. 



The groups which most strongly 

 appeal to the writer as staple or general- 

 purpose types are the following : Petun- 

 ias, phloxes, pinks or dianthuses, lark- 

 spurs or delphiniums, calliopsis or core- 

 opsis, pot marigold or calendula, bache- 

 lor's button or Centaurea, Cyanus, clark- 

 ias, zinnias, marigolds or tagetes, collin- 

 sias, gilias, California poppies or esch- 

 scholtzias, verbenas, poppies, China 

 asters, sweet peas, nemophilas, portu- 

 laccas, silenes, candytufts or iberis, 

 alyssum, stocks or matthiolas, morning- 

 glories, nasturtiums or tropaeolums. 



Annual flowers possess a great advan- 

 tage over perennials in the fact that 

 they appeal strongly to the desire for 

 experiment. The seeds are sown every 

 year, and there is sufficient element of 

 uncertainty in the results to make the 

 effort interesting ; and new combina- 

 tions can be tried each year. 



SHRUBS FOR HOME GROUNDS. 



LANT a few small shrubs near 

 the house, so that the founda- 

 tions of the house will be 

 screened, and the house seem 

 to rise out of its surroundings. The 

 choice of shrubs depends somewhat on 

 the soil and location. There are a great 

 many shrubs that are very appropriate 

 for planting on the grounds, but only a 

 few will be named here. 



Common Lilac — Syringa Vulgaris. — 

 This is one of the commonest and most 

 highly praised of garden shrubs, and one 

 that has given rise, either by natural 

 variation or by crossing with other 

 species, to a great number of superior 

 forms. The colors range from white to 

 various forms of lilac. 



Syringa Persica. — This is a distinct 

 small growing species, with slender 

 straight branches, and lilac or white 

 flowers produced in small clusters. The 

 form bearing white flowers is named 

 Syringa persica alba ; and there is one 

 with neatly divided foliage, Syringa 

 persica lanciniata. 



Philadelphus. — This is a genus of 

 shrubs which are remarkable for the 

 abundance of white and usually sweet 

 scented flowers they produce. They 

 will thrive on almost any good soil, and 

 require no special treatment. Philadel- 

 phus coronarius, Philadelphus tomentosa, 

 Philadelphus gordanisnus are all large 

 growing bushes, and give a succession 

 of bloom. 



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