i888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



13 



anthracnose should be permitted to remain in 

 the field as it is very contagions. Sulphate of 

 iron has been used with success in anthracnose 

 of the Grape so that it is reasonable to suppose 

 that it may prove effective against this similar 

 disease of the Kaspberry and Blackberry. The 

 solution is prepared by dissohlng two pounds of 

 sulphate of iron in five gallons of water, applying 

 in any way most convenient. 



TJncrowded Flowers. One of the knacks desir- 

 able to be acfiuirod by florists and others who 



Uncrmoded Flowers: Forms for Table Deeoi-atUms. 



arrange flowers, Is to have a certain number of 

 blooms go as far as possible through not crowding 

 them unduly. Usually the less experience one 

 has in making-up the more will the flowers be 

 wasted by crowding. Often a skUlful florist will 

 make two bouquets from the flowers that another 

 would put into one, and the former will each be 

 as large as would be the latter, and vastly hand- 

 somer. To lead the reader into the right use of 

 flowers as well as foliage in this respect, n flow- 

 er form or holder in two positions for table 

 designs is shown herewith, the idea coming from 

 an English source. Such forms made of earthen 

 ware are in some places kept for sale, but simi- 

 lar ones of wood could be made by any wood 

 turner for a small sum of money. 



About Some Baspberries, I am again con- 

 firmed in my belief that for early berries the two 

 best are Turner and New Hochelle. The latter 

 is a profuse bearing purple of the red sort, but 

 rooting at the tips like the blacks. It is a good 

 berry every way and part gone as Shaffer gets 

 ripe. Shaffer is the same color but larger. It is 

 elegant as a canned or otherwise preserved berry. 

 The Turner is of fine quality and a good bearer 

 grown in thin rows. But let run to suckers and 

 it is worthless. For two late or main crop berries 

 I choose first of all Cuthbert, and second, Shaffer. 

 Golden Queen is good, but I must modify my 

 opinion and believe it no better than Franconia, 

 if the latter be well tied up in trellis form. It is, 

 however, harder and better for carriage. I do 

 not feel so well satisfied that it is a sprout of 

 Cuthbert. It is more likely a seedling sowed by 

 birds.- B. P. Powell. 



Cotton as a Flowering Plant. The stalks grow 

 to a height of six feet and covered with buds and 

 flowers from June until frost, are a most magnifi- 

 cent sight. The large bell-shaped flowers, when 

 first open are of a creamy white changing by noon 

 to a deep yellow, while by night they have become 

 a bright red. The buds and ball are enclosed in 

 a deeply fringed, three leaved calyx. The ball 

 about the size of a Lemon, is a large green pod, 

 which bursts, and the long silky white staple 

 hangs out about three inches. The leaves are, 

 besides gi'een, not infrequently red and yellow, 

 blotched with white, all together forming in the 

 field a most brilliant scene. The Verbena is na- 

 tive here, being semi-evergreen with flowers of 

 a delicate mauve color. Wood Sorrel, however, 

 seems to take the lead both for size and beauty; 

 its red foliage and yellow flowers contrasts well, 

 though it is not far ahead of a Pink-flowered 

 variety with ordinary foliage. Primroses of 

 white, yellow and red hues form a perfect car- 

 pet over open spaces between the trees,— iUrs. W. 

 M. Barrett, Walker Co., Texas. 



Of Interest to Plant Propagators. It is tpies- 

 tionable whether the propagation of plants from 

 leaf cuttings has yet received the attention it 

 deserves from plant growers. Take the singular 

 sword leafed plant SanseWeraGuineensis.this has 

 always been put down in the books as requiring 

 to be propagated by diWsion or from stolons. 

 Yet herewith we give an illustration of some 

 leaf cuttings of the same which were prepared 

 and successfully rooted at the Kew Experimental 

 Gardens, England, with a view of testing this as 

 a means of quickly obtaining a stock of any <jf 



the Sansovieras, all of which arc now attracting 

 attention as valuable fibre-yielding plants. The 

 leaves were cut into lengths of about two inches, 

 and planted with the basal end in sandy soil. In 

 about a month they developed roots, and soon 

 afterwards they put forth the long fleshy runner- 

 like stems shown in the picture. Apparently 

 this stem is an elongated bud, with scale-like 

 leaves, which ultimately forms a bud at the apex 

 from which the true leaves are develoi)ed. It 

 might have been expected that the leaf-bud 

 would have been formed on the cutting itself. 

 It seems singular that a bit of the leaf of a plant 

 with the habit of a Sanseriera would, when 

 treated in this way, form a true stem before it 

 proceeded to develope leaves. The Gardener's 

 Chronicle (in which the oiiginal of our engrav- 

 ing appeared) in commenting on this matter re- 

 marks that theoretically it knows of no reason 

 why all leaves should not do this, but practically 

 only a comparatively few can be made to strike 

 root. When the minute anatomy of the leaf is 

 sutficiently studied, these points may be clear. 

 The Value of Leaf Soil, In propagating, leaf 

 mould is as useful as sjind, and almost all plants 

 in pots are benefitted by its use. It is also excel- 

 lent in the kitchen garden and flower beds, and 

 as a winter covering it is unequalled. It is, how- 

 ever, more in propagating and potting that it is 

 used and valued, but it varies in quality, and 

 much that would turn out first rate is rendered 

 next to useless by the treatment to which it is 

 subjected. In many cases it is thought so long 

 as it appears to be leaf sou that is all is nec- 

 essary, and the leaves are frequently used for 

 hot-tieds and other purposes before they come 

 for potting, and this is a common way to convert 

 them into mould. It is certainly one way, but 

 far from being the right one, as the fermenting 

 bed reduces it to mere waste. After receiving 

 a hint as to not fermenting it, we have ceased 

 doing so, and the result is a material which may 

 be put to the choicest plants without producing 

 fungus or other deleterious matter. We have 

 abundance of leaves; chiefly Oak and Beech, the 

 best of all. We do not gather the leaves into a 

 large heap to ferment as formerly, but we col- 

 lect several cartloads in a hollow and spread them 

 out in a layer about 18 inches or two feet deep, 

 and there they remain without fermenting until 

 they decay naturally. Those treated in this 

 manner last year are now in splendid condition, 

 and by storing a quantity in this way annually 

 there is no difficulty in securing a constant sup- 

 ply of leaf soil. In the woods plenty of this 

 material can usually be found and in fit condi- 

 tion for use, in the little hollows between trees, 

 when the wind has piled the leaves and keeps 

 up the supply as their bulk is reduced by decay. 

 It will be necessary of course to first remove the 

 dry leaves on top. I can recommend this system 

 thoroughly.— 0/tl Gardener. 



Random Floral Notes Taken About 

 New York. 



Everything In floral circles of late has had 

 something to do with the convention ; little else 

 has been talked of. The exhibition was looked 

 forward to, as something of interest in the 

 empty month of August, and it certainly gave 

 the opportunity of seeing some well-arrangeil 

 flowers. But on the whole the floral designs at 

 this show were not very remarkable. 



Among the original funeral designs one of the 

 best, which was called immortality, was made by 

 James Weir. It was rather too involved for 

 severe taste, though well made in fine flowers. 

 On a base of Ferns was a caterpillar of white Car- 

 nations. Above this was a cocoon of red Carna- 

 tions ; above all was a butterfly of Hoses. Orchids 

 were tastefully disposed about the base, which 

 bore the inscription " Immortality." The idea 

 was beautiful, but a butterfly only, emerging 

 from the cocoon case, would have told the story 

 with less elaboration. 



The first prize, original floral design, by Mr. 

 Klunder was a low, round basket with a high 

 siiuare handle. It was filled with a mass of 

 Adiantum, in which were plunged three sun hats. 

 One was filled with Lilium longifiorum and laly 

 of the Valley ; another blue Hydrangea, Perles 

 and Orchids; the third pink Hydrangea and 

 nine De Watteville Roses. In the centre was a 

 tall, loose bunch of Beauty Hoses, while a spray 

 of Orchids was tied to the satin-covered handle 

 with a bow of wide white ribbon. 



The prize, funeral design had a base of Ferns 

 anil Roses supporting a crown of white Roses, 

 rather stiffly made. In front were a pair of 



Cycas leaves tied with cream white ribbon. Mr. 

 Le Moult exhibited the Scale of Life very large 

 and well made. Another was a design represent- 

 ing the Gates Ajar at the top of a g()lden stair- 

 case, bvit the result was anything but artistic. 



Mr. P. F. Klunder made the only entry for 

 dinner table decorations and received the prize. 

 It was an arrangement in yellow ; in the centre 

 wasalow, roundba-sketof AUamanda anddaints' 

 Adiantum. The ladies' favors were tiny straw 

 bonnets containing a dozen Perles, tied in with 

 pale yellow ribbon, on which the name of the re- 

 cipient appeared in raised letters. The gentle- 

 men's favors were single Roses, with the names 

 stamped In gold upon a leaf. A centre plateau, 

 by John Finn, was very much admired ; it con- 

 sisted of Ferns and small Palms, with a mass of 

 American Beauty Roses at each end. 



The only bridal bouquet entered was composed 

 of Lily of the Valley, with a loose mass of Odon- 

 toglossums and Oncidiums in the centre. 



A great deal of fine decoration is done with 

 Gladiolus, whenever large effects are needed — 

 though, truth to tell, very little decoration 

 has been done around the city this summer. 

 As autumn comes on, the brilliant autumn fol- 

 iage and wayside flowers will be used largely. 



Some very handsome new baskets are to be 

 seen. One charming design in bronze-green 

 wicker consisted of an easel supporting a basket 

 formed of curving petals like a gigantic Lotus ; 

 another oddity in similar material was a large 

 flat-leaved Cactus, with big cup-like flowers; 

 this was bronzed. Little baskets for favors were 

 formed like pinched-up hats, or queer little 

 directory bonnets. Tripods and easels support- 

 ing quaint baskets remain in favor, but they are 

 often more attractive when containing some 

 graceful plant, than when filled with flowers. 



No one seems to know of any one flower which 

 is to be the rage, but fashion allows a wider range 

 of color than previous seasons, with a leaning 

 toward shaded effects. Some of the handsome 

 aquatic plants seem growing in favor. The 

 Water Lilies, to be used in decorations, are cut 

 when fully open, and removed to a cool dark 

 place, when they close. When wanted for ute, 

 they are simply brought into a well lighted place 

 where they open without any trouble. 



In spite of the funeral designs called out by 

 the prizes at the show, there is no doubt but 

 that these arrangements are going out of style. 



Sanseveria Propagation from Leaf Cuttinas. 



Some of the handsomest and most artistic fun- 

 eral arrangements are when the entire room is 

 decorated with pot^plants and self-colored 

 llowei-s. Add to this an artistic platjue of blos- 

 soms covering the top of the casket, and the re- 

 sult excels in beauty any number of stiff wreaths. 

 crosses, crowns, etc. Very often the sides of the 

 ciuiket are also dratnsd in flowers, and the effect 

 is N'ery beautiful. When designs are made, let- 

 tering should be avoided if possible ; it never 

 a<lds to the beauty of the piece, and often 

 detracts from it. EMit,Y Luuisb Tapun. 



