1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



209 



hue, anil form a dense tuft from which arise the 

 pax-tially drooping racemes of pendulous 

 flowers. The plant is a perennial and succeeds 

 readily in the border or rockery. The root has 

 tubers as larj^e as Peas, hence the popular name. 



A Word of Caution About Annuals. In trans- 

 planting seedling plants such as Petunias, Stocks 

 Pansies, etc., there is a natural inclination to 

 set out the strongest and best specimens from 

 the seed bed in case all cannot be used, leaving 

 the feeble, unpromising looking ones back. As 

 a rule the revei-se of this is the course that should 

 be followed, for the reason, that usually it is the 

 weaker plants that bear the best flowers. These 

 plants, set apart so as not to be crowded by the 

 stronger growers, will generally develop 

 into good specimens that will bear 

 superior flowers. Just this kind of dis- 

 crimination or the lack of it is sufficient 

 to account for the widely different re- 

 sults that so often follow in the cultiva- 

 tion by different growers of plants from 

 the same seed. 



melon Novelties. Miller's Cream is 

 [ong, hardly of medium size, moderately 

 productive, with very thin rind and of 

 excellent flavor. Osage Is round in 

 shape, larger, more productive but not 

 of as good flavor. The Princess proved 

 to be in every way superior to either 

 Miller's Cream or Osage. For market 

 or home use it is the best variety I have 

 yet seen Cham pion did not prove equal 

 to many of the older varieties in flavor. 

 Among the Water Melons I have found 

 none better than the Honey Melon here- 

 tofore. Icing is no lietter if as good 

 as Honey and in vigor and productive- 

 ness inferior to it. The flesh of Honey 

 is of a yellow color, rather firm yet, 

 remarkably sweet and delicious, with 

 seed but little larger than those of the 

 Apple. It appears to be better able to 

 take care of itself and produce a crop 

 of fruit than any Melon I have yet 

 tested.— G. C. Mimcie, Iitd. 



Cosmus for Cut-flowers. American florists know 

 a good thing when they see it, and the American 

 Hybrid Cosmus. an improvement on the old 

 Mexican Cosmus, belonging to the order of Com- 

 posites, well deserves the popularity it has gained 

 for itself as a subject for cut-flowers. Indeed it 

 is admirably adopted tor the purpose, and withal 

 so easily grown. The blossom stems are long, 

 the foliage graceful and feathery, the Dahlia-like 

 flowers often several inches in diameter 

 and produced in great profusion, and in various 

 shades from pure white to purplish crimson. 

 It is a fall bloomer, and classed among half 

 hardy annuals. Plants giown from seed 

 planted in April and May, and transplanted 

 to the open ground, will be covered with 

 bloom in September and October. It may 

 also be used as a pot^plant, like Chryanthemum. 

 Its only serious fault, namely, that it takes up 

 considerable room, is offset by so many points of 

 real merit that we are glad the plant is taken in 

 ■hand by florists, with a view to further improve- 

 ments. 



Growing Uarigold and other Things. In out 

 of way places in the old fashioned gardens Mari- 

 golds were tolerated, but looked upon as too 

 common and glaring to be admired by genteel 

 people. But one day a fashionable lady wanted 

 a deep-toned yellow to set off a particular style 

 of dress, and wore these flowers as a corsage 

 bouquet, and lo! the Marigolds suddenly boomed 

 into popularity. There are excellent points about 

 them, being easy of culture, and remaining in 

 bloom long after the Geraniums and other hardy 

 things have succumbed to king frost. They 

 make good window plants, giving a touch of 

 yellow, that sets off the whole collection of 

 plants, while for bedding out purposes they are 

 a change from scarlet Geraniums, and Coleus. 

 They are susceptible to green bugs, but applying 

 Tobacco dust now and then keeps them down. 

 We can have no surer proof of the ordnance in 

 floriculture, than the improvements in these old- 

 fashioned flowers. The Artemesia, is now the 

 Chrysanthemum and we are wild over its beauty, 

 while the Daisy is the Marguerite of the con- 

 servatory. — Anna Lyman, 



Growing Bulbs. A new departure here in the 

 south is the attempt to grow bulbs for the 

 florists' trade, Freesias being one of them. Seed 

 is sown early in the spring in a seed bed carefully 

 prepared. The young plants when strong 

 enough, are pricked out and planted in rows 

 eight inches apart and one inch apart in the row 



When frost threatens they are lifted and stored 

 in the house to replant the next spring. When 

 two years old they should be ready for market, 

 and range from % to 1)4 inches in length and 

 have H inch circumference, and bring from $5.50 

 to $10.00 per 1,000. In the dwarf French Canna 

 we have a tuber on which money might be 

 realized. These are not like the older and 

 familiar varieties, but a new strain introduced 

 from France of dwarf growth with large Gladi- 

 olus shaped bloom, si)lashed and blotched like 

 rare Orchids. The seeds germinate readily and 

 bloom the first year One planting seed stiinds a 

 good chance of obtaining new varieties and rare 

 ones. The old varieties are quite hardy here 



FLOWER OF COSMUS HYBRIDUS. 



and require no protection. If we find the dwarf 

 French Cannas also hardy, it will be a grand 

 thing.— Jfrs. J. S. R. Thomjison. 



A Rose-jar. A writer in one of our English 

 contemporaries describes the best method for 

 stocking the jar, and, in doing it, suggests that 

 the prepai'ation of the Rose-stock should be de- 

 tailed to the care-taking member of the family, 

 who never forgets anything. Gather the Kose- 

 petals in the morning: let them stand in a cool 

 place; toss them up lightly for one hour to dry, 

 then put them in layers, with salt sprinkled over 

 each layer, in a large covered dish,— a glass but- 

 ter dish is a convenient receptacle. You can add 

 to this for several mornings, till you have enough 

 stock,— from one pint to a quart, according to 

 the size of the jar: stir every morning, and let 

 the whole stand for ten days. Then transfer it to 

 a glass fruit-jar in the bottom of which you have 

 placed two ounces of Allspice coarsely ground, 

 and as much stick Cinnamon broken coarsely. 

 This may now stand for six weeks, closely cov- 

 ered, when it is ready for the permanent jar, 

 which may be as pretty as your ingenuity can 

 devise or your means purchase. Those with 

 double covers are the best: and very pretty ones 

 in the blue-and-white Japanese ware, holding 

 over a quart, can be bought for a few shillings. 

 Have ready one ounce each of Cloves, Allspice, 

 Cinnamon, and Mace, all ground (not fine); one 

 ounce of Orris-root, bruised and shredded; two 

 ounces of Lavender-flowers; and a small quantity 

 of any othersweet-scented dried flowers or herbs. 

 Mix together, and put into the jar in alternate 

 layers with the Rose-stock and a few drops of oil 

 of Rose, Geranium, or Violet, and pour over the 

 whole one-quarter pint of good cologne. This 

 win last for years, though from time to time you 

 may add a little Lavender or Orange-flower water 

 or any nice perfume, and some seasons a few 

 fresh Rose-petals. You will derive a satisfaction 

 from the labor only to be estimated by the haj)py 

 owners of similar jars. 



New York Flower Notes. 

 Easter this year has caused some rejoicing 

 among the florists, for although prices were not 

 large, the quantity of stuff called for was very 

 great. The lateness of the season caused an 

 enormous output, but very little of it was lost. 

 The demand for Easter flowers continues to in- 

 crease year by year; in fact, the sales for the en- 

 tire season were much in advance of preWous 

 years, though the aggregate prices probably 



averaged about one third less. According to the 

 present outlook the day is past tor extravagant 

 prices, but the sales will continue to increase; 

 flowers will be a necessity rather than a luxury. 

 The call for loose flowers, in preference to 

 baskets, was very marked at Easter; a box of 

 flowers was usually called for as a floral gift in- 

 stead of anything else . A great many pot plants 

 were sold too. Most of the Sunday schools, 

 which formerly presented their scholars with 

 nosegays on Easter day, this year made the gift 

 take the form of a plant. 



Church decorations were very elaborate ; as a 

 rule they consisted almost entirely of plants- 

 Hydrangeas, Azaleas and Genistas, backed with 

 Palms. More churches were decorated 

 than ever; the custom seems extending 

 through all denominations. 



It is noticeable that Tulips are going 

 very much out of favor, mainly, no 

 doubt, because they have become so 

 common. But a few seasons since they 

 were used in the finest decorations, now 

 they merely fill the place of cheap flow- 

 ers. The pretty Freesia is another bulb 

 less in favor, but Roman Hyacinths, 

 Narcissus and Lilies of the Valley never 

 seem to lose favor. 



As a rule the Fern used in table pla- 

 teaus or baskets is Adiantum cuneatura, 

 but a very charming arrangement re- 

 cently seen was of A. Farleyense and 

 Beauty Roses. A little Asparagus plu- 

 mosus filled up loose spaces; this variety 

 can be used with Ferns or fine flowers 

 when A. tennuissimus cannot. A simi- 

 lar arrangement of Adiantum Farley- 

 ense with Cattleya blooms is very at- 

 tractive. 



A beautiful display was made by one 

 of the florists in the trades procession of 

 the Washington Centennial. It was an 

 immense truck representing Flora's car. 

 High in front sat the goddess Flora, her 

 arm resting on a huge cornucopia filled 

 with Roses. The truck was filled with 

 plants and flowers— in the middle a grand Thri- 

 nax, with a big Tree Fern on either side. Two 

 picturesque young women banked in flowering 

 plants carried huge bouquets and baskets of 

 loose flowers which they threw out into the 

 crowd. There was a formally laid out bed of 

 Cacti, while in the rear was a Japanese grafting- 

 a Camellia and an Indian holding an Orchid. 

 Orchids were hung about the trees, and the 

 entire vehicle was overtowing with flowers. It 

 was drawn by four white hoi-ses, led by ropes of 

 Roses and wearing florally adorned harnesses, 

 and was escorted by outriders and walking 

 spearmen. Altogether it was one of the hand- 

 somest turnouts in the procession. 



But that centennial was a bad thing for the 

 flower trade. Centennial week the commission 

 men would not quote any price for stuff because 

 they said there was no asking price ; if they re- 

 ceived an offer they had to take it. A great deal 

 of stuff' was lost and there was absolutely noth- 

 ing doing ; the entire city seemed demoralized, 

 and the visitoi-s were not flower-buying people. 

 There is literally nothing just now for the 

 florists to do in the way of social entertainments. 

 Some very tasteful funeral arrangements were 

 noted. In one case the rooms in which the 

 remains were placed was beautifully adorned 

 with Palms, Hydrangeas and Deutzia gracilis. 

 A bay window behind the coffin was filled with 

 Palms (Seaforthia) and Hydrangea, while Hy- 

 drangea and Deutzia were banked on either side 

 of the coffin. On the coffin was a large flat bou- 

 quet of Bermuda Lilies and Jlermet Roses, tied 

 with white ribbon. A portrait of the deceased 

 was draped with Smilax and had loose, trailing 

 bunches of Roses and Pansies placed diagonally 

 at opposite upper and lower corners. 



A pretty Easter arrangement was a plain stone 

 font having a cross rising at the back. It was 

 filled with a mass of Lilies and Azaleas while 

 over the arms of the cross hung a solid wreath of 

 purple Pansies. A silver Marie Antoinette bas- 

 ket, loosely filled with Violets and Lilacs and 

 relieved by Maidenhair made a gi-acef ul arrange- 

 ment ; another pretty thing was a similar' basket 

 in gold wicker filled with .lonquils and tied 

 with yellow ribbon. 



Some of the florists are making more use of 

 the little Primula obconica, a pretty thing when 

 well grown, but terribly weedy at times. How- 

 ever i\ is useful, there can be no question, and it 

 seems a decided fad at present. 



EiaiLY Louise Taplin. 



