50 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



December, 



The plant department contained a most 

 interesting collection of Palms, Bananas, 

 Ferns, Caladiums, Geraniums, besides nu- 

 merous other fine exotics. 



The Southern California exhibit, which 

 had a building all to Itself, contained 



Messrs. Parsons «fe Sons, of Flushing, N. Y., 

 another Japan species, S. Japonica, which 

 attracted much attention. This species is 

 described as having small biit exquisitely 

 formed flowers. It may be remarked that 

 the Messrs. Parsons are the only American 

 nurserymen we know of 

 who catalogue our native 

 Stuartias. All are decidu- 

 ous shrubs which in a suit- 

 able latitude succeed in or- 

 dinary good garden soil, 

 not appearing very partic- 

 ular as to situation, though 

 a moderately sunny posi- 

 tion suits them best. 



A NEW JAPAN STUARTIA (Stitdrtta psCMfio-CameHlO. 

 Pears, Melons, Grapes, Onions, Figs, etc., of 

 enormous size, and Corn twenty feet high. 



The Stuartias. Why so Neglected? 



The Stuartias must be classed among the 

 flowering shrubs native to America, which, 

 like our native Azaleas, Rhododendrons and 

 some others, are more popular abroad than 

 at home. It is an illustration in the horti- 

 cultural world of the scriptural proverb that 

 a " prophet" is not without honor except in 

 his own land. In the hope that we may 

 draw fresh attention to the genus, we this 

 month present an illustration re-engraved 

 from the English .Journal of Horticulture, 

 of a far-fetched Stuartia, namely, the Cam- 

 ellia-like Stuartia (Stuartkt pseudo-Cumel- 

 Ua) which is a native of Japan. Our much 

 prized shrubs like Weigelia, Deutzia and 

 Syringia, are natives of Japan and other 

 Asiatic countries; perhaps a Stuartia from 

 the same distant regions will also be more 

 popular than our natives. 



The Stuartias native of America are hand- 

 some shrubs that abound in the woods and 

 along streams in the highlands of Virginia 

 and Kentucky, and from there southward 

 to Florida. It will be observed therefore 

 that they are shrubs for Southern gardens 

 rather than for the North. Still in the var- 

 ious catalogues at hand from nurseries in 

 the Southern States we do not find the Stuar- 

 tias included. There are two species, S. Vir- 

 ginica and S. pentagyna, both of which have 

 large white or creamy white saucer-shaped 

 flowers in .July, with rich green ovate leaves, 

 and constitute really attractive shrubs that 

 when in flower are hard to excel. 



The beautiful Asiatic addition to the class 

 which we illustrate, proves to be as hardy 

 as our own species — it is hoped that fvirther 

 trial will show it to be even more so. This, 

 when shown at the Royal Horticultural So- 

 ciety's meeting in London last summer, re- 

 ceived recognition from the plant committee 

 in the shape of a first class certificate. Sev- 

 eral years ago there was exhibited by 



Horizontal Training 

 of Vines. 



A correspondent of the 

 New York Tribune says 

 that each added year's ex- 

 perience convinces him 

 further of the superiority 

 of the horizontal training 

 for vines; and he states 

 that he is gradually sub- 

 stituting flat trellis for 

 erect ones,and prefer them 

 of good height — seven 

 feet or over. 



The thrip, he remarks, 

 has become a pest with 

 him, and as the flies shel- 

 ter on the under side of 

 the leaves they can readily 

 be drenched to death by 

 using a syringe or force 

 pump. Water alone is ser- 

 viceable, but the addition 

 of some kerosene emulsion 

 makes it very effective. 

 Tlie Grapes hanging free under the screen 

 of foliage attain full perfection, and are 

 more readily bagged, if their best quality 

 and preservation are especially desired, or 

 if left unbagged they are less liable to injury 

 by birds than on erect trellis. The canes 

 should be well separated and tied down 

 close to the rods, which should be far enough 

 apart to allow of head and shoulders rising 

 through for convenience of pruning, etc., if 

 the bower be wide. 



For a single long row of vineyard vines a 

 trellis need not be over three feet wide. 

 One of the most useful positions for such a 

 bower is an awning or screen for lower win- 

 dows and back doors, to shade the lower 

 story of a house on the sunny side. There 

 is always abundant 

 fertility and moisture 

 for the vines to gather 

 up, and they ripen 

 more perfectly under 

 the reflection of heat 

 from the walls; and, 

 as their leaves are con- 

 tinually Inhaling 

 moisture copiously, 

 one always feels an 

 agreeable coolness 

 under a wide luxuri- 

 ant Grape arbor, even 

 on the hottest days. 

 Such an arbor can 

 readily be made a 

 handsome extention 

 of the lower portion 

 of a house, while hor- 

 izontal training may come in play in various 

 other ways. 



and as it is designed to replant the ground 

 with this variety, your present vine- 

 yard tells you plainly that it is good enough 

 as it is. Additional drainage might help it 

 for other varieties, but the expense might 

 be greater^than theretum, and unless espe- 

 cially good prices are realized, one would 

 hardly be justified in incurring it. 



As to my former article on this subject in 

 this paper, my advice was questioned and 

 characterized as injudicious by two other 

 correspondents, so our readers must con- 

 sider the pros and cons and decide for them- 

 selves. My commendation of the plan, or 

 advical if it can be so called, was based on 

 practice. A few years ago when I began 

 to entertain the idea of planting my vine- 

 yard for profit, the only ground I had was 

 already planted to Standard and Dwarf 

 Pears and Peaches, not very unlike yours 

 as to slope. The rows of trees were 2.5 feet 

 apart and the trees 1.5 feet apart in the rows, 

 running north and south. Between these 

 rows I planted two row^ of vines and one 

 vine alternately in the tree rows between 

 them. The Peach trees and some of the 

 Dwarf Pears failed and have been removed 

 and a vine put in their places. All of the 

 Standards and some of the Dwarfs still re- 

 main and are four to six inches in diameter 

 of trunk. Thus the vines are seven and 

 one-half feet from the trees in the tree rows 

 and a little over eight feet in the vine rows. 



I have yet to see any serious effects on the 

 vines from the presence of the trees. I 

 have as poor vines in the vine rows as in 

 the tree rows and vice versa. It would 

 hardly be possible for all vines in a vine- 

 yard to be equally strong and vigorous, 

 even if there were no trees in it. I have 

 this season taken 20 to 25 lbs. of Grapes 

 from a vine within eight feet of a Pear tree 

 15 to 20 feet in height, which satisfies me, 

 (though when I planted the vines, theory 

 made me doubt the wisdom of the practice) 

 that practice is ahead. 



In .J. W. H.'s case I would not advise 

 more than one row of vines between the 

 tree rows. I think this will be found better 

 and more profitable in the long run than to 

 plant two rows as proposed. 



Supporting Gladiolus and Similar 

 Plants When in Bloom. 



Our correspondent. "Sister Gracious" 

 says she would like to know the best way 

 of securing a Gladiolus, so that its brittle 

 stalks will not bend or break either by the 

 wind or brushing against them. She has 



Ans. 



Crapes and Pears Together, 

 to Inquiry No. 1,014-. 



E. WILLIAMS, ESSEX CO., N. J. 



While Grapes are generally considered to 

 do best on dry, well drained soil, as they do 

 not like wet feet, your Concords tell a very 

 different story so far as they are concerned; 



Supporting Gladiolus and Like TaM Plants, when in Bloom. 



tried tying them singly, but made awkward 

 work of it, and trying to fasten them to one 

 stake makes too much string in sight, and 

 not enough plant to look well. 



Then our correspondent goes on to give 

 a description and a pen sketch of an excel- 

 lent method for securing these plants that 

 is m use near her own home. It is in one 

 of the large gardens of D. M. Ferry & Co., 

 of Detroit, Mich. The Gladiolus were 



