128 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



March, 



The Window Garden in Summer. 



For summer window gardening rather 

 more plants are available than for the same 

 purpose during the winter,and it given a suit- 

 able situation out of doors, with good treat- 

 ment, they will do well. Nothing need be 

 done until later by those who have window 

 boxes on hand and depend on the florist for 

 filling them. But when it is desirable to 

 use plants of one's own raising and where 

 necessary to get new boxes, it is time to 

 be making needful preparations. 



Common planed inch lumber is used 

 for the boxes, which should be six inches 

 or upwards wide and the same in depth, 

 with a length corresponding to the width 

 of the window sill. The inside is ren- 

 dered less liable to decay if charred; this 

 is done by simply covering the wood 

 with parafine oil and then burning It off. 

 The outside may be covered with cork, 

 bark, or other similar material, or else be 

 painted some pleasing color. The box 

 rests on the window sill, fastened to the 

 casing with wire and screw eyes, or if the 

 sill is narrow, cheap iron brackets can 

 be used as supports. 



This style of gardening is as well 

 adapted to the fifth or sixth story win- 

 dows as to the ground floor of a building. 

 The best soil is composed of two parts 

 of common soil and one part flnely rotted 

 manure, having a little sand added, and 

 after the roots have taken up the plant 

 food in the soil in the boxes, water with 

 liquid manure or use plant fertilizers in a 

 dry state to prolong their beauty. . 



The plants used in these boxes may 

 be divided into two classes. Those of an 

 upright habit for in the center, and those 

 of a drooping form for over the sides and 

 ends; climbers being included in the lat- 

 ter class. Among the former, Begonias, 

 Geraniums, Coleuses, Fuchsias, Helio- 

 tropes,Drac!Bnas,Caladiums,and other o£ the 

 choicer plants are better purchased, which 

 is also true of the following trailing plants; 

 Ficus repens, Gazania, Ivy Geranium, 

 Isolepsis gracilis, Lonicera aurea reticulata, 

 Mesembryanthemum,Moneyvine,Saxifraga 

 sarmentosa, Torenia Asiatica, Variegated 

 Thyme and either the variegated or green 

 Vlnca. The Canary Bird Flower, Dwarf 

 Morning Glory, Cypress Vine, Linum, Lo- 

 belia, Mimulus, Nigella, Oxalis, Petunia, 

 Portulaca. Mignonette, Salvia, Sweet Alys- 

 sum, and Dwarf Tropajolum may readily be 

 grown from seeds or bulbs, if now started. 



As shown by our illustration, it may be 

 desirable to shade the window by means of 

 a trellis, over which could be trained Cobea 

 scandens, Lophospernxim scandens, Mau- 

 randia. Convolvulus major, some of the 

 climbing Tropaeolums, Madeira Vine, Ger- 

 inau and English Ivies, and others, adding 

 thus to the pleasing effect. In the center of 

 the window may be suspended an orna- 

 mental flower pot or basket, containing 



a thorough soaking almost every day will 

 not be too much, but judgment must be 

 used. Any plants that crowd unduly will 

 need pruning, and dead leaves should be 

 removed, otherwise allowing them to grow 

 in a natural manner. 



Growing the Callirhoe. 



CHAS. E. PARNELL, QUEENS CO., N. Y. 



The several species or varieties of Callirhoe 





Ftg. 1. End VUw of Mr. Emmerich^ $38.50 

 Oreenhoxise. 



a specimen Ivy Geranium, a number of 

 Othonna or some other attractive plant. 



No special treatment is necessary after 

 planting except to be particular in supply- 

 ing enough water; during the hot season 



-C -f n'-^'-x— «— v-a'-^-$^-i~■'^^^"^'^^^-. 

 Slimmer Window Oardening. 



form, when taken together, a very interest- 

 ing and beautiful group of free flowering 

 border plants, belonging to the natural or- 

 der Malvaceae, and may be described as be- 

 ing a small genus of American plants, mal- 

 low-like in habit and manner of growth, 

 having large purplish, flve-petalled flowers, 

 about two inches across which are freely 

 produced for some three to five months. The 

 plants commence to bloom when about five 

 inches in height. 



When well grown, they are very pretty 

 border plants, doing best when given a deep 

 well enriched soil, and a sunny situation. 

 The seed should be sown in a well drained 

 pot or pan, filled with light loamy soil, about 

 the middle of March. Sow thinly, cover 

 slightly, and place in a warm, moist situa- 

 tion, as close to the glass as possible. 



As soon as the plants are well up and 

 strong enough to handle, they should be 

 transplanted an inch and a half apart each 

 way, into other pans or shallow boxes simi- 

 larly prepared, and kept close and moist for 

 a few days, until they become well rooted, 

 when they should be removed to a cool, airy 

 situation and grown on; when the weather 

 becomes settled they can be removed to the 

 places where it is intended they are to 

 bloom. Keep the plants one foot apart so 

 that they can properly develop themselves. 



The following are the most desirable vari- 

 eties: C. pcdoffi grows about two feet iu 

 height, and produces flowers of a rich violet 

 purple, with a distinct white edge. C. 

 pcdata nana, a variety of the above, differ- 

 ing only m its dwarf manner of growth, be- 

 ing one foot in height. C involucrata, a 

 variety of trailing habit; blooming through- 

 out the season. Flowers large, of a rich, 

 purple color: a native of western prairies. 

 C. digitata, grows about two feet in height, 

 and produces deep rose-colored flowers. C 

 macrorhiza alba is a form with pm-e white 

 flowers and of a neat habit of growth. 



English Notes on Roses of 1 888. 



With Koses, as with other things, one can 

 hardly rely upon the introducer's description 

 as to the permanent value of a new variety; 

 we present an English Rose grower's notes 

 as given in the Gardeners' Chronicle. With 

 their climate it is easy to understand their 

 estimate of American Beauty, for dviring the 

 winter it requires sunshine, and even in this 

 country does not do well out of doors. 



New Ro.ses. ,S/c Rowland Hill has 

 risen in public estimation. The color, 

 beautiful and novel, is a deep claret, 

 - flushed with bright scarlet, in size and 

 substance of petal it is stout and well 

 formed. When dying off' it becoiues al- 

 most black, and like all dark colored 

 Roses requires protection from the sun's 

 rays; plant growth vigorous. 



Eurl of Dufferin. An Irish Rose of 

 strong constitution and vigorous habit: 

 the flowers are of a brilliant, rich crimson 

 color, with a high pointed centre, the 

 outer petals somewhat recurving, and 

 the brilliant tints of brownish-crimson 

 are seen to great advantage. Some have 

 called it a dark Maurice Bemhardin, and 

 others a better Pierre Notting; but I 

 think it is a perfectly distinct Rose, 

 likely to be a universal favorite. 



Lady Helen StcwnH, also from Ire- 

 land, is a very bright red Rose, of good 

 habit, very free flowering, and I was 

 pleased with it. 



Dnehens of Leeds. A Rose, which 

 may be described as a pink La France, 

 with a dash of Marie Frager in it, while 

 for exhibition it lacks size, yet as a 

 garden Rose it will be most valuable as 

 it can be cut in sprays. 

 Mr.s. John L<iinij. One of Mr. Ben- 

 " nett's seedlings. Has a beautiful soft 

 pink color. The flower is large, good in 

 form, very free, and a good autumnal, 

 bloomer; not so liable to spoil as Her Maj- 

 esty, and has attracted much attention. 



Madame Joseph Desbois. This Rose was 

 sent out as a Hybrid Tea — a fashion which 

 the French raisers have adopted, but if they 

 do it thinking that a Rose so described is 

 likely to find more favor with us, I think 

 they are grievously mistaken; such Roses 

 are regarded with suspicion. 



Oiand Mo(jul. Has a good form, bril- 

 liant crimson shaded with dark maroon- 

 crimson. Those who have grown it say that 

 in growth and bloom it bears a strong re- 

 semblance to Jean Soupert. 



Miss Ethel Browidow. A Tea Rose, 

 very distinct in color, salmon-pink shaded 

 with yellow at the base of the petals, the 

 centre high, and outer petals somewhat re- 

 flexed. Of vigorous growth, likely to be an 

 acquisition owing to its distinct character. 

 Lady Cnstlereagh. A new Tea-scented 

 Rose, which is likely to prove a useful addi- 

 tion. It is well-shaped, vigorous in growth 

 and profuse in its blooming; very pale pink 

 or white, with salmon pink in the centre. 

 Unlike any Rose in this class. 



Lucille. The bud is long and pointed — 

 a true Tea; the color is a bright carmine-red, 

 but with some of those extraordinary com- 

 binations of colors which distinguish the Tea 

 Roses— fawn, copper color and bronzy-red, 

 are all mixed together, or rather placed 

 together in the bloom without being mixed, 

 blending with one another, and constituting 

 a strikingly beautiful flower. 



Lady Aliee. A sport from Lady Mary 

 FitzwiUiam, creamy-white with a faint yel- 

 lowish tint at the base; in cool weather hav- 

 ing rather more color. 



Some WonxHr Older Roses. Oloire 

 Lyonnaise. Brought out as a yellow Hybrid 

 Perpetual; but it is white with a faint sus- 

 picion of primrose at the base of the flower, 

 and as a garden Rose will be appreciated, 

 as it will stand a good deal of rain without 



