1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



i3i 



size and of the richest blue color imaginable, the 

 tube being bordered by a beautiful fringe which 

 adds to its attractiveness. The last is named 

 Droo|)ing.BlossomsiPiTiiaii(/ifs alljo) as fr<im its 

 habit, for the small lieads of white llowei-s wliich 

 are enclosed in a purplish cover are pendant like 

 clusters of little balls. These three plants bloom 

 after September for a long time, undisturbed by 

 autumn frosts. 



How to Propagate Yuccas. While most of the 

 herbaceous species yield seed, whi<^h it sown as 

 soon as ripe in slight heat, will make good plants, 

 yet the variegated forms of Yucca filamentosa 

 and Y. aloifolia must be propagated by cuttings. 

 An English method is to tnke some tieshy roots 

 from outside plants iu the fall, put them in bo.xes 

 of sandy soil and give them some protection, 

 when they will in the springstart into growth. 

 Where they are in pots the dormant eyes usually 

 come out to the side of the pots, from which they 

 can be readily removed by using a knife, and pot- 

 ting them. When any are transplanted many 

 dormant eyes can be taken off and started as 

 well as some of the roots. When Yucca aloifolia 

 inclines to run up with a naked stem it can be 

 cut into six inch lengths, and treated as directed 

 for roots, when young plants soon appear from 

 various parts of the buried stem, and these when 

 large enough can be removed and potted. 



Children and Flowers. Begin with your little 

 children to give them a lo\e for flowers. It may 

 serve them a good turn in after life; perhaps by 

 their becoming successful agriculturists, or by 

 keeping them from insane asylinus. A lady, 

 after severe afflict ion, was brought back to health 

 after suffering untold nervous horrors, by work- 

 ing in her garden. My sister gives her little tots 

 on Easter morning a pretty flower growing in a 

 pot. Little three year old Daisy hugged the 

 quilled Daisy to heart, as if it was a new dt^lly, 

 and finally went to the open grate, and holding 

 it as close to the fire as she could get, murmured, 

 " Poor 'ittle tiling, it's cold ! " Of course we ex. 

 plained in simple words the needs of plant life 

 and the children year by year are growing more 

 interested in the garden. There is a great deal 

 said and written about " The Coming Woman." 

 If she turns her attention to growing plants and 

 small fruits, wonderful success may be hers. 

 So may it be l—Sutei' Oracious. 



How do You Treat Lily of the Valley? Many 

 persons treat this favorite as if decent care and 

 fertility did not count in its case. This is a mis- 

 take. A glance at our illustration shows the 

 character of plant that should more commonly 

 be seen of this sweet flower. Take the usual 

 mat of crowded plants, productive of enfeebled 

 .flowers and it may be greatly improved by the 

 following course: The bed should be laid off 

 into blocks about one foot square, then every 

 other block removed to a good dei)th (one foot 

 at least), cutting down the sides siiuare and the 

 hole be filled with well manurefl soil, treading it 



Device for Bkliinj Plant Pot in Table Decorating. 

 See OpiMSilc Paye. 



firmly; then the roots and off shoots of the re- 

 maining plants wUl soon occupy the fresh soil 

 and all will yield vastly finer flowers and foliage. 

 In a few years the operation can be repeated by 

 then taking out the oldest squares and replacing 

 with fresh soil. To give the whole surface of the 

 bed a coating of coarse manure each winter, 

 through which the plants will force themselves 

 in the spring, is an excellent course. For new 

 beds, while a somewhat shady place is best, yet 

 it is not essential to success; any garden soil is 

 suitable if top dressing as above is not neglected. 

 A Good Bouquet Flower. Keference is had to 

 a little known member of the Pink family, called 



Gypsophila, which means a love of gypsum or 

 lime in the soil in which it is grown. This genus 

 contains both annual and perennial species, not 

 aU, however, being specially desirable, the best 

 being named below. The White Panicled (G pan- 

 iculata) grows about four feet high and when 

 in bloom during June and July, the whole 

 plant is so covered with its myriads of minute 

 flowers, that at a little distance it appears to 

 be wrapped in a transparent cloud. Still, deli- 

 cate as they seem, the blooms will bear rain and 

 wind without injm-y. When used fresh in 

 bunches with highlj' colored flowers, they add a 

 delicacy and grace not attainable with many 

 other and perhaps more appreciated subjects. 

 The above mentioned is the best of the perennial 

 class that is ottered in the country. While in the 

 hardy annual class are the Elegant Flowered (C. 

 eUgans) growing a foot or so in height, and com- 

 ing in two colors, rose and white, and the Dwarf 

 Gypsophila (G. miiraii's) that is covered with 

 beautiful pink blossoms. Of the latter class seed 

 may be had of leading seedsmen at five cents per 

 packet. While these are not true everlastings, 

 yet if cut when the flowers are just fully ex- 

 panded they retain much of their pleasing habit 

 when dry, as they retain their color perfeetly.^^^ 

 They thrive best in a dryish soil, in which is' ~- 

 mixed a considerable proportion of lime or 

 plaster and brick rubbish. 



Drainage for Plants. All plants, even aquat- 

 ics, are benefited by good drainage. In the case 

 of young Geraniums, Coleuses, Abutilons and 

 other rapid growing free-rooting plants we sel- 

 dom use drained pots at this time of year, but in 

 the case of all plants in five inch or larger pots 

 drainage is beneficial. When it comes to plants 

 like Show Pelargoniums, Camellias, Azaleas and 

 others that are grown all along in pots, drainage 

 is positivelj' neces.sary. And in raising Gloxinias, 

 Begonias, Calceolarias and the Uke, that are ^ery 

 deUcate to begin with but more robust towards 

 maturity, thorough drainage in their early life is 

 of more importance than it is at their flowering 

 time. For draining pots, I use broken pots, 

 broken tiles, brick bats, rotten stone, cindei-s and 

 charcoal, in all cases broken moderately small 

 and sifted free fi-om all earthy matter and the 

 finest broken parts. And if they are dirty, as 

 broken pots often are, I wash them in a tub of 

 water by stirring them around in it with a stick. 

 In draining the pots, see that there is a good 

 sized hole in the bottom of the pot, lay a largish 

 piece of broken pot over it, then considerable of 

 the loosely broken material, according to the 

 size of the pot, one-half to two inches deep, and 

 over this drainage scatter some swamp moss 

 chopped fine, the rough siftings from the leaf 

 mould, some chaffy manure or turfy loam, in 

 fact, most anything that isn't bulky and which 

 will effectually prevent the soil in the pots from 

 being washed down into the drainage to clog or 

 render it ineffectual.— William Falconer. 



used. The first row of Adiantums along the edge 

 of the mantels were laid siileways; these were 

 overshadowed by othei's, and the remainder 

 filled in with the taller plants. 



The Genistas used on the mantels were com- 

 pact round plants, grown in the European 

 fashion and covered with bloom. This plant is 

 in great favor for decorating. Big Palms were 

 used in the hall beneath the large stairway; in 



New York Notes on Flowers. 



The most noticeable event of the season, as far 

 as florists' work is concerned, was the marriage 

 of Miss Roosevelt to Baron Von Zedlitz. Sie- 

 brecht and Wad ley were the decorators, and they 

 were given full liberty to carry out their own 

 views with an extremely fine result. The cere- 

 mony took place at St. Thomas's church, where 

 the decoration consisted of a line of Bermuda 

 Lilies in pots, hiding the chancel raUs, and a bank 

 of fine Palms on either side, forming a semi- 

 circle. The bride carried a bouquet of Lily of 

 the Valley, mingled with Myrtle, the latter plant 

 being used in deference to the German custom; 

 at one side of the bunch was a cluster of Orange 

 blossoms. Myrtle and Orange blossoms composed 

 the bridal wreath. There were four bridesmaids; 

 two carried bunches of yellow Roses and two 

 pink, these colors being chosen to go with the 

 groom's Uhlan uniform. 



At the reception, held at the Hotel Bristol, the 

 decorations were entirely yellow. The bride and 

 groom stood to receive under an arch formed by 

 two grand Palms at the end of the room. On 

 either side was a bank of Palms and Genista, 

 rounding out a semi-circle at the end of the 

 room. All immense mirror at one side of the 

 room had a double curtain of Smilax, looped 

 back at either side with a band of yellow Acacia, 

 while a big bunch of Acacia hung in the middle. 



No cut Bowers were used in the decorations, 

 except in the basket on the supper-table, even 

 the mantels being banked with growing plants, 

 very tastefully arranged with Adiantums, small 

 Arecas, and Cocos, Genista, and some of the 

 lighter Dracaenas, none of the red sorts being 



Vigorous lAly of the Valley. 



fact, most of the plants used were such handsome 

 specimens that they added greatly to the un- 

 usual excellence of the decoration. 



The high-class florists say that large decora- 

 tions of cut flowers are on the wane; their place 

 is taken by showy arrangements of fine plants. 

 We read every now and then in the daily papers 

 of extraordinary arrangements in flowers, such 

 as floral muffs for bridesmaids or for favors, but 

 a fashionable florist declares that he has not 

 made a single favor in any shape except that of 

 a loose bunch this season. He says that the most 

 fashionable favor is three or more large Roses 

 with long stems; sometimes caught together by a 

 fine wire hidden under the leaves, and sometimes 

 tied with ribbon. 



At a dinner, the centre-piece is often a flat 

 basket, covered with Moss, the favors being laid 

 upon this. In other cases the Roses are stuck in 

 the Moss, to be distributed afterwards. The pre- 

 vailing taste is for a low basket on the table, but 

 sometimes several fine small Palms are massed 

 together, Cocos or Kentias, and blooming Cycla- 

 mens put all under and around the Palms, hiding 

 their stems. 



Of course there is decided difference between a 

 table at which the guests are seated and a table 

 used simply for serving while the guests are 

 seated about the room. The latter was the ease 

 at Miss Roosevelt's wedding, where the decora- 

 tion consisted of a tall square basket standing 

 diagonally. This was filled with Mre. John Laing 

 Roses and yellow Jonquils, and was tied with 

 pink and yellow ribbon. On a table of this sort 

 at the side of the room a one-sided basket is often 

 used, such as one of the big rush hats on an 

 easel. Very few wired flowers are used in these. 



It is encouraging to notice that the most fash- 

 ionable effects in flowers are the simplest and 

 most natural; where an elaborate design would 

 have been demanded in former years people of 

 taste now ask for a basket or vase loosely ar- 

 ranged with long-stemmed Roses. There is also 

 a very decided increase in the sale of loose 

 flowers, especially for gifts. The steamer trade 

 cajls for a good many baskets, for the simple 

 reason that this is the only way flowers can be 

 arranged on shipboard, and baskets are also used 

 largely for receptions. 



Large Roses are really the most salable flower 

 with the high-class florists; many of them say 

 that Tea Roses are not salable at all with their 

 customers. Violets are enjoying quite a boom; 

 every one wears them, real or artificial. Fine 

 white Violets are in the market — Swanley White 

 —but one florist said that where he sold one 

 bunch of white he sold ten of purple. 



Emily Louise Tapun. 



