1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



171 



satisfactory, revealing a plant of greater 

 beauty and adaptability for the purpose than 

 we were led to expect. In its foliage lies its 

 beauty, the flowers being insignificant. 

 The habit is drawf and bushy. Occasionally 

 It inclines to grow tall without branching, a 

 defect easily remedied, however, by pinching, 

 to which treatment it is very submissive. 



The foliage is firm in texture, not unlike 

 that of Hibiscus ; heart-shaped, and serrat- 

 ed, and, ordinarily, about four inches long, 

 and closely ranged upon the branches. 



No description of the varigation of the 

 leaves would convey an approximately cor- 

 rect idea of the beauty of the plant. The 

 various tints are those usually assumed by 

 the Maples in autumn. 



When grown in the greenhouse, the colors 

 are less pronounced, particularly the red- 

 dish hues. Bronzy-green is the predomin- 

 ating color. When fully exposed to the sun, 

 the tints darken, so that the plant at some 

 distance, somewhat resembles Coleus Ver- 

 schafTeltii, being a little brighter. Closer by 

 the variegation becomes preceptible, and 

 the glossy leaves heighten the effect. 



As an edger for flowering and foliage beds 

 it is especially valuable. But it is also found 

 very effective for massing in large beds in 

 combination with other plants, and also in 

 smaller beds alone. Being a hard-wooded 

 plant, it is a rather slow grower, although 

 not much more so than many Geraniums. 



Two systems of propagation are practiced 

 by the writer. Cuttings of the young shoots 

 root readily in a gentle bottom heat. They 

 may be made at any time, but to secure 

 strong, bushy plants for planting out the 

 next summer, they should be made in fall 

 or early winter. I also propagate by divi- 

 sion of the plant. If originally dwarf and 

 bushy, and planted deep in the garden, the 

 several branches will emit roots during the 

 summer, so that each when separated in the 

 fall, will become a distinct plant. To main- 

 tain the dwarf form of the plant it should 

 be closely pruned In fall, which quickly in- 

 duces the latent buds on the lower stem to 

 start into grovrth. 



A Fine Bed of Showy-leaved Plants. 



Many examples of fine effect in the use of 

 bedding plants are not uncommon in this 

 day, but for both simplicity and georgeous- 

 ness, few can surpass the one of which the 

 ground plan is shown in the illustration 

 which appeared originally in the Gardener's 

 chronicle. The center was composed entirely 



Plan of Bed of Shouy leaied Plant 



of fckliage plants, while the border included 

 some flowering plants as well. 



The bed in question was several years ago 

 laid out in the Royal gardens of Wilhelms- 

 hohe, near Cassel, which is one of the 

 many interesting and splendid spots in 

 Germany. The Royal garden and parks, 

 under the management of the Hofgartner 

 Franz Vetter, being open to the public 

 daily, thousands of visitors from all parts 

 of the world visit the place every year. 



The bed measured 34 feet in length, and 

 33 feet in the broadest part. The centre of 



the bed was filled with different foliage 

 plants, including Ricinus, Nicotiana, Sola- 

 nums in variety, Senecio, Canna, and edged 

 with a couple of lines, one of Achyranthes 

 Gilsonii a, the other of Veronica Andersoni 

 /). About five feet space was given for the 

 broad edging c, laid out vrith the white 

 Alyssum variegata, whilst the circles were 

 planted with the brilliant Lobelia fulgens 

 var. Queen Victoria e, and the more or less 

 square spaces alternating with the circles 

 were filled with the beautiful white flower- 

 ing Anemone japonica Honorine Jobert /— 

 both the Lobelia and Anemone patches 

 being edged with a single line of the useful 

 Festuca glauca d. An outside edging to 

 the whole consisted of two lines of the dark 

 red Alternanthera atropurpurea </. The 

 effect was striking, and I doubt if any bet- 

 ter way fur displaying foliage plants could 

 be employed. The edgings of Alyssum, 

 Lobelia, and Anemone were good ideas, con- 

 trasting well with the heavy foliage plants. 



Home made Hydrant for Lawn and 

 Garden. 



L. L. ESENHOWER, BERKS CO., PA. 



A " lawn" or "garden sprinkler," unfor- 

 tunately, is of no use where there is no 

 water pressure, and usually those to whom 

 it would be most useful, are situated far 

 from any city or town where such can be 

 had. I propose to show how that pressure 

 can be obtained where a cistern is available. 

 Filtering is not necessary. Take a large 

 barrel, place it on the lefi of some out^build- 

 ing at least 31 feet above the point of appli- 

 cation, as each 2 1-10 feet of elevation gives 

 us one pound, and we want to get a pres- 

 sure of not less than 10 lbs. per square inch. 

 To fill the barrel we want a force pump. 

 This consists of a simple brass cylinder, 

 (iron would rust, and get rough inside) with 

 a plunger. The lower end is reduced, and 

 with a % inch nipple screwed to a % inch T 

 having a valve at each side, both facing the 

 same way. From the entrance side of the 

 valve, carry a line of pipe to the cistern, 

 letting the lower end reach within one inch 

 of the bottom ; run the other end into the 

 line of pipe, leading from the bottom of 

 your barrel to your garden. A is the cylin- 

 der made of brass, to be had at any brass 

 foundry, or machine shop, together with 

 the reducer at the bottom; B is the % inch 

 T, and C the pipe, which can be had at any 

 machinist's supply shop at a price not ex- 

 ceeding five cents per lineal foot : D D are 

 the check valves, can 

 be had for about 3.5 

 cents each, E is the 

 crank which alter- 

 nately raises, and de- 

 presses the piston of 

 the pump. To get the 

 motive power, we har- 

 ness up "Old Dog 

 Tray," get him up 

 over the bridge F,a,ad 

 it won't take long be- 

 fore he will learn to 

 work it the same as 

 a tread power from 

 the steps HS. These 

 must be made low 

 and near enough to 

 require only small steps. So few have 

 been able to construct such a machine, 

 not from the lack of mechanical skill, but 

 from the improper application of the force 

 at hand, with the resistance to be over- 

 come, that a little explanation here of the 

 philosophy of power and resistance may 

 not be amiss. If the cistern is situated 11 

 feet below A, a weight of five pounds has 

 to be lifted per square inch, and as the cylin- 

 der has an area of 4.9 square inches, 34..5 lbs. 

 have to be lifted at every stroke, (it has, 

 however,greater resistance to overcome, and 



if the barrel is to be 31 feet high, there is a 

 resistance of 49 lbs. against 34..5 lifting, not 

 counting the friction). If the leverage from 

 the fulcrum or center, of the wheel, (a 

 wheel being only a continuous lever) is 

 seven times greater, than the distance from 

 the center to the end of the crank, our 

 pound power is able to overcome seven 

 pounds resistance, consequently the animal 

 should weigh one seventh of 49 pounds, or 

 seven pounds, but considering all outside 

 influences, friction, etc., etc., he ought to 

 weigh 13 or 14 pounds. 



Miner points of difficulty in the construc- 

 tion of this machine, may be overcome by 



PriwUling Hydrant PresKure. 

 perseverance, and a little ingenuity. If 

 well built, it will last a lifetime; as O is the 

 floor of the building, the working parts are 

 situated in the basement, and thus protected 

 from freezing. The power should be applied 

 between the two dotted lines, and as near 

 the lower one as possible without getting 

 beyond it. In some localities a wind wheel 

 or wind engine, may be preferable. 



New Uses for an Old and Tried TooL 



C. W. rOTTENOER, KANKAKEE CO., ILL. 



To those readers who propose getting one 

 of the excellent Planet Jr. Horse hoes this 

 spring, I would suggest the importance of 

 investing in certain of the attachments 

 which have given perfect satisfaction. 



In cultivating Strawberries I have found 

 the " sweeps " invaluable, using three, 

 with or without two small shovels in front. 

 These will cut from 14 to 30 Inches wide, deep 

 or shallow, as desired, and leaving the 

 ground level. To run them shallow forms 

 a mulch, and destroys all small weeds. 



After the runners appear adjust the 

 marking attachment and work it so that it 

 will turn the runners around in the row, 

 and at the same time act as guide, enabling 

 the operator to tell just how close to the 

 rooted plants the sweep points are running. 



These sweeps are also valuable to use in the 

 Potato patch, after the Potatoes have been 

 laid by, or when other cultivators would be 

 a detriment to the crop. When run shallow 

 they will clear out the weeds, and save 

 much trouble in digging time, enabling 

 you to dig them with the same implement. 



This can be done to your satisfaction by 

 putting the large furrowing steel on back 

 standard. Set standard so as to point as far 

 forward as possible; then put the two "side 

 steels" with concave next to the row. 

 These are to help you hold the furrowing 

 steel directly under the row. Then allow 

 the two front standards without any shovels 

 to remain in front, to prevent vines or 

 rubbish from getting back under the culti- 

 vator. Next get the long clevis with ring 

 from your harrow, so you can use double 

 trees and two horses, and you have a Potato 

 digger that will surprise yoxi when you 

 look at them rolling out on either side, or 

 falling into the furrow. 



