ISO 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



April, 



Growing the Tree Pseony. 



Ill the lists of herbaceous perennial plants 

 is usually to be found the Tree Pa^ony 

 (Pwonia montans). which, in spite of its 

 name is a shrub, and one of the most showy 

 of all flowering shrubs, especially during its 

 blooming season in May. P. montans, the 

 parent species from China, is frequently to 

 be seen in old gardens, while the finer-hued 

 newer varieties are increasing in popularity, 

 many attaining a height of six or eight feet 

 when growing a number of years under 

 proper treatment. 



Their care simply requires a rich soil and 

 a situation where 

 no water will stand 

 about their roots, 

 especially through 

 the printer. They 

 may be planted 

 among shrubs and 

 along borders, pre- 

 ferably where some- 

 what protected 

 from the prevailing 

 winds,as the flowers 

 are easily injured. 

 This protection is 

 also useful In early 

 spring when growth 

 begins; in preserv- 

 ing the tender roots 

 from late frosts, the 

 same danger may be 

 averted, and the 

 plants at the same 

 time much bene- 

 fited (although they 

 are perfectly hardy 

 during the winter), 

 by a slight mulch 

 of straw, evergreen 

 boughs or similar 

 material which 

 tends to retard the growth early in spring. 



In planting do not make the mistake of 

 setting them too close, bearing in mind that 

 they differ from the common herbaceous 

 Pseonies in greater size, consequent upon 

 their shrubby character. The flowers are 

 remarkably striking and numerous, often 

 six to nine inches in diameter and gorgeous 

 in coloring, exhibiting many shades not 

 found in the more common class. In Eng- 

 land, they are, it anything, more popular 

 than in this countrji, although requiring 

 more care. Our illustration is from a photo- 

 graph of a plant called Louis Mouchelet, 

 with flesh-pink double blooms. The large 

 petals are gracefully curved towards the cen- 

 ter. The bush was five feet high by seven 

 feet in breadth, and bore over fifty flowers 

 that averaged eight Inches across. There 

 are, doubtless, numerous specimens in this 

 country equally good, if not better. 



Among the sorts offered by our leading 

 nurserymen are Banksia, large, rosy, blush- 

 purple center and very fragrant; Cornelia, 

 semi-double, brilliant red, petals marked 

 with white, and Arethusa, light rose, shaded 

 with purple. Other fine ones, not fragrant 

 are Alba plena, double white, purple center; 

 Blanche Noisette, superb pure double white; 

 Josephine Imperatrice, dark rose, purple 

 shading; Pride of Hong Kong, semi double, 

 cherry-red, purple center; Roi des Cerises, 

 very double, pink changing to creamy 

 white, base of petals purple; Reine Eliza- 

 beth, rosy-crimson, center shaded to light 

 rose; Rubra plena, single bright rose; 

 Zenobia, double purple. 



of lapping it. The glass was 10x12, of I 

 second quality, double thick and laid di- I 

 rectly on the rafters, end to end, each pane 

 being fastened with four M-inch brads (we 

 use these in preference to points) and putty 

 run on top with a putty squirt. The slope 

 of the roof is from 3.5' to 40°. There is con- 

 ■siderable leakage, but what runs through 

 also runs down the inside of the glass to the 

 eaves, and this only happens during very 

 hea^'y rains, as ordinarily there is no more 

 drip at the eaves inside than occurs even 

 when the glass is lapped, from the moisture, 

 necessarily condensing on the glass in cold 



Butting Instead of Lapping Glass on 

 Greenhouses. 



W. R. SHELMIRE, CHESTER CO., TA. 



My experience in butting glass has, in the 

 main, proven satisfactory. Two years ago I 

 built two houses, butting the glass instead 



A FINE TREE P/EONY, RE-ENGRAVED FROM THE LONDON GARDENER'S CHRONICLE. 



weather. The roof is much tighter against 

 the cold, and the houses easier to keep 

 warm than when the glass is lapped. 



There are a few points to be observed in 

 butting glass for a greenhouse roof. 



1st. The slope must be considerable or the 

 roof will leak badly. 



2d. The glass must be cut true and 

 straight on the edges, or the openings be- 

 tween the panes will cause too much leakage. 

 There is much difference in glass in this 

 particular. It will generally be found that 

 the better qualities of glass are cut with 

 greater care than the poorer. 



3d. Double glass answers the purpose 

 better than single. Rain will be less liable 

 to be driven through. Still if well cut 

 single thick may be used on steep roofs. 



4th. Purlins stop the drip from flowing 

 down to the rafters inside, making the 

 benches muddy underneath them. Conse- 

 quently, when they are used it is not ad- 

 visable to butt the glass above them unless 

 the butts are all filled in with the putty 

 squirt, which ,however, can readily be done. 



If thought best, this can be done on the 

 entire roof, when, if neatly executed, a per- 

 fectly tight roof is secured. I believe, how- 

 ever, I would rather lap the glass than go to 

 this trouble. 



The advantages of butting are: A tighter 

 roof against cold, which means a saving in 

 the coal bill. Little or no breakage from 

 frost. Somewhat less glass to cover the 

 same roof. Much less work in putting the 

 glass on, and the whole roof is more dur- 

 able. I can conceive of but the single dis- 

 advantage of the excessive leakage during 

 heavy storms; which, however, does not 

 affect the plants in the house a particle, but 

 rather the durability of the posts where 

 the drip falls. In constructing a roof in this 

 way, carefully attend to the detaUs above 

 mentioned, and you will find butting tar 

 preferable to the old style. 



A Few Desirable Shrubs. 



E. P. POWELL, ONEIDA CO., N. Y. 



Stuartia pentagtnia. This plant be- 

 longs to the Camellia family and is a noble 

 affair, but not quite hardy. Give it a north- 

 east exposure protected from winter suns. 

 It is an erect shrub arising from six to ten 

 feet. Its flowers are auxiliary and three to 

 four inches across. The color is a soft, 

 delicious, creamy white, and always pleas- 

 ing. This plant is rare even in the best 

 gardens. As it gets well established it is 

 safely hardy; in this respect it is much 

 like the Altheas and perhaps other shrubs. 

 Mahonia — An 

 evergreen shrub. 

 To describe all the 

 beauties of this 

 plant would not be 

 possible. Its leaves 

 are glaucous and 

 polished, resemb- 

 ling Holly. It is 

 full of freshness at 

 Christmas, making 

 admirable greens 

 for decorating. It 

 comes out in spring 

 bright and beauti- 

 ful. In May it is 

 covered with great 

 balls of golden 

 flowers, the finest of 

 yellow. The young 

 growth comes out a 

 pretty pink with 

 touches of carmine, 

 and passes to first a 

 light green then to 

 a dark. It is liable 

 to freeze back if set 

 where winter .suns 

 can thaw it out. I 

 grow it to perfection 

 in the northeast angle of my house. It 

 never rises over two feet but spreads over 

 a large space. I have never seen anyone 

 who did not admire it, yet few seem will- 

 ing to take the pains to grow it well. 



Dwarf Horse Chestnut is a very desira- 

 ble shrub. When well grown it is about 

 three feet high and ten feet in diameter. In 

 July it is crowned all over with upright 

 stalks of miniature Horse Chestnut flowers. 

 These are followed by nuts of a miniature 

 size, but very pretty. 



Purple Plum {Primus Pissardii). Its 

 purple is not a mere dullness, or a half 

 green, but a rich fruity shade of dark red. 

 Different trees I find differ greatly in rich- 

 ness. It is possible that inferior seedlings 

 are being sent out, or the stock may 

 affect the graft. 



Hydrangea Paniculata. If you have 

 this not by all means get it. I mention it 

 more to say that it should be grown as a 

 small tree if you desire to get its full beauty. 

 Then keep it well mulched and the roots 

 moist. It flowers in August and at its best 

 is magnificent. It is seldom anything re- 

 markable, owing to bad treatment. 



The Variegated Althea is the finest- 

 leaved shrub I have ever seen. It has a 

 clear, creamy white border to each leaf and 

 this flakes in richly. It has very double 

 flower buds which I think never open, at 

 least mine never do, nor have I ever heard 

 of their opening for others; but the bush 

 alone is sufficiently fine. Next to this I 

 should rank the Variegated Weigelia. This 

 requires good culture In clean strong soil 

 and no manure. It will blossom well. 



ExocHORDA Grandiflora. This I should 

 place in any dozen that could possibly be 

 selected. It is covered in May and early 

 June with a pure white saucer-shaped 

 flower, parting in the middle of the corolla 

 into four parts. It is not an easy shrub to 

 propagate, and is therefore rare. 



