i888. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



59 



Encouraging Boys. My little nephew 

 brings home lots of "trash" in the shape of 

 weeds, stones, etc. , to beautify Aunty's plant 

 shelf. He pulled out some water plants, 

 and I put them in glass cans, and even 

 didn't object to several disgusting looking 

 worms that he insisted belonged in the 

 water, and there they drag out a miserable 

 existence half buried in the pebbles at the 

 bottom of the cans. In return for my for- 

 bearance, the little tellow is always willing 

 to help Auntie, he climbs the step ladder 

 to fasten vines, and hails a new bud as en- 

 thusiastically as heart could wish. The 

 trash he brings home sometimes turns out 

 well; he picked up from the sidewalk a 

 withered looking bulb that had been stepped 

 on, it looked as dead as a door nail, but to 

 please him I tucked it into a pot. It soon 

 sent out leaves, much to my astonishment, 

 and in a year it gave me beautiful flowers. 

 It was a superb Calla. 



A Good Garden Plant: The Platy- 

 codon. 



A hardy perennial that has been growing 

 in the writer's grounds for the past flfteeu 

 years, and all the while giving much satis- 

 faction, has been the plant known botan- 

 ically as Platycodon grandiflont. It is not 

 that the flowers are as showy as are those of 

 the Paeonies, or of the Phloxes, or that they 

 are quite as freely produced over the plant 

 as the artist who made our engraving would 

 have it appear, which make this one of our 

 favorites, for these qualities do not exist so 

 markedly. But the plant is one, which in 

 our heavy, loamy soil, lives, and thrives, 

 and blooms regularly, year after year, with- 

 out petting or coaxing, and the flowers 

 which appear in profusion about July 1st, 

 are always appreciated. 



Measured by the standard that requires a 

 flashily colored flower, or none, then this 

 Bellflower would disappoint. But for those 



vase or bouquet, by bringing in some of 

 them. On this account the flowers are in 

 some demand with florists, for purposes 

 that call for wliite and other delicate flowers. 

 The form of the flowers is that of a five 

 pointed star. They are from two to three 

 inches across. The texture of the petals is 

 firm enough to make the flowers quite last- 

 ing for cutting purposes. 



Had we started out to say that this plant 

 is very near the Companulas or ordinary 

 Bellflower, we would at once have given a 

 fair insight as into characteristics. For- 

 merly it was classed with the last named, 

 and is yet in some catalogues, but incor- 

 rectly, for while it resembles these in 

 general habit and in freedom of growth and 

 bloom, it is yet sufficiently distinct in botan- 

 ical features to entitle it to be considered a 

 separate genus. It is a native of China and 

 Japan. 



The culture of the Platycodon is identical 

 with that of the Companulas, and this is 

 equivalent to saying that few plants are 

 more easily cultivated. It thrives in any 

 ordinary garden soil well enriched with 

 manure, and here it will grow into an ele- 

 gant, cleanly looking plant. It dislikes 

 damp, undralned situations, for here its 

 thick, fleshy roots are liable to decay. It 

 may be propagated by dividing the roots, or 

 by young cuttings in the spring, or from 

 seed. The plant does not divide readily. 

 Cuttings three inches long placed in gentle 

 bottom heat root with fair readiness. Rais- 

 ing the plants from seed is one of the easiest 

 ways of getting up stock. Young jjlants 

 may be bought from most nurserymen who 

 sell hardy perennials. 



A GOOD GARDEN PLANT; PLATYCODON GRANDIFLORA. 



who appreciate flowers of delicate coloring 

 and clean form, we have something pleasing 

 in this. The color varies from white, slightly 

 suffused with lavender or blue, to a pro- 

 nounced blue ^vlth lavender center. It is 

 mostly just enough off from a dead white to 

 strengthen the effect of white flowers in a 



An Amateur's Successful Chrysan- 

 themum Show. 



Mr. John Lane, of Chicago, who contrib- 

 utes occasionally to these columns, is a very 

 successful cultivator of plants and flowers. 

 One of his favorite plants is 

 the Chrysanthemum, and in 

 Its culture he has achieved 

 some remarkable results. Re- 

 cently, he gave an exhibition of 

 the handsome Chrysanthe- 

 mums he has raised during the 

 past season, and this was so 

 pronounced a success as to call 

 forth notices from the leading 

 Chicago papers. From the 

 Tribune, of that city, Oct. 26, 

 we make the following extract 

 touching upon Mi\ Lane's 

 recent show: 



The grounds of John Lane, 

 No.4801 Lakeavenue,Kenwood, 

 presented an unusual and 

 handsome sight yesterday. Mr. 

 Lane is a wealthy inveutor,who 

 of late has turned his attention 

 for health and amusement to 

 amateur floriculture. His pets 

 are Chrysanthemums, and yes- 

 terday he exhibited his flowers 

 and invited his neighbors to 

 see the result of his labor. The 

 attendance was large. The 

 grounds were profusely decor- 

 ated with rare effects in every 

 choice variety of this favorite 

 tall flower. 



Mr. Ijaue had invited a num- 

 ber of the local florists to dis- 

 play collections, and .lohn 

 Goode&Co., George W. Miller, 

 and the Oakwoods' Hothouse 

 were represented. Eastern florists sent 

 plants, including the Philadelphia prize set 

 from Robert Craig of that city, a set of fancy 

 seedlings from Hallock & Sons, Queens, 

 N. Y., some small plants from M. A. Hunt, 

 Terre Haute, Ind., and some choice varie- 

 ties from M. K. Harris, Philadelphia. 



It was Mr. Lane who distanced the com- 

 mercial florists in last season's Chrysanthe- 

 mum exhibit, and his collection of 130 varie- 

 ties has been carefully nourished. The 

 visitors were enthusiastic in their praises of 

 tlie showing, not only in varieties, but the 

 remarkable ad- 

 vancement shown 

 in securing early 

 blooming. 



In the display 

 were some ex- 

 tremely large 

 plants, one six feet 

 high and four feet 

 across, loaded 

 with flowers. 

 Dwarf plants six 

 inches high in full 

 bloom, and a min- 

 ialure plant one inch in height, fully leaved 

 and budding, were among the curious effects. 

 The choice plant of the collection was ''The 

 Gorgeous," a delicate orange flower of rare 

 beauty. An advance of ten days has been 

 made in blooming the Chrysanthemum 

 under Mr. Lane's care since last year. 



Rnbbfr Riu{i /<>!• Packhtg 

 Hat Water Pipes. 



Rubber 



Rings for Packing 

 Water Pipes. 



Hot- 



One of the latest devices tor packing green- 

 liouse hot-water pipes is a molded rough 

 socket ring of India rubber, which takes 

 the place of ordinary packing. The makers 

 claim that they are sviperior to anything of 

 the kind in use, and being stout and made 

 of one piece there is no joint to allow the 

 water to enter, and that being slightly 

 rough they get a good grip on the pipes. It 

 is also stated that by using these rings any 

 man can himself take his pipes to pieces 

 and put them together again, saving both 

 time and labor. This would, of course, 

 necessitate the staying of the pipes in some 

 manner to keep them flrm. Whether these 

 rings could be had in this country at the 

 present time we do not know. They are being 

 offered in London, England, by Stanley, 

 Morrison & Co., 9 Graceburch street. If 

 these rings are as efflcaceous as is claimed, 

 some of our dealers in horticultural supplies 

 would do well to keep them in stock. 



%8. Planting Hyacinths. It will not answer 

 to plant these hulbs over four inches in depth. 



9!14. Celery Worm. The worms have changed 

 to chrysaUds on the way from Missouri, and if 

 they are allowed to live will again change next 

 spring into beautiful black swallow-tailed but- 

 terflies [PapiUn Astencus), the worms being the 

 cateri)illai'S of them. They are common on Pars- 

 nips, Celery, etc. all over the country.— C. M.W. 



■(17.'). Japan Iris, They are hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, close, tufted, vigorous, upright grow- 

 ers, and love deep, rich, moist soil. Every two 

 or three years divide them in spnng and replant 

 in order to maintain their health and vigor. 

 Seeds sown in spring will give blooming plants 

 two years afterwards. All are good, hut the 

 "double"white, intense purple, and marbled va- 

 rieties arc must liked. It is useless to gi\e names 

 of varieties, ln-i-uise the names are tiot \'ery au- 

 thoritatixc, mid ciltcii toiisidi'i-ably nii.xed; better 

 get the cataliiguf of som^- resiiDnsible tlorist, and 

 select from it such varieties as you think you 

 like; all are lovely.— Wm. Falconer. 



»84. Caring for Banana and Pineapple. 



Success depends upon your accommodations. 

 Neither requires a season of rest. Bananas may 

 be planted or placed out-of-doors in summer, 

 lilted or potti'<l in fall, and mntered in cool green- 

 house. Ityou wish to fruit it, plant it out or give 

 it a large pot or tub in a warm greenhouse, and 

 let it have lots of room. The Pineni)plc iicjuires 

 warm quarters at all times, say not under 50°, 

 but iireferably lin° in winter. —W. F. 



ii.Mi. Maiden Hair Ferns. I would divide them 

 as early in May as pcissible. For soil use a com- 

 post composed of two thirds well decayed sods, 

 one third well ilecomposed manure, and a fair 

 sprinkling of sharp sand. Mix thoroughly and 

 use the compost rough. Dining the summer 

 they sh< mid Ik- given a moist, .>ihndy situation, and 

 an :i\ iTa^ii' ttinpci-atnre of triim ti.5'' to 70°. In 

 the winter a tempL-iature of from .5.5" to (iO° will 

 answer very well.— (.'has E. Pakneli,. 



