1889. 



POPULAR GARDENING, 



233 



shut out, and the soft electric lijrlits in different 

 colored globes brought out the beauties of the 

 tlowers. The success of the tloral exhibition 

 shows the growing love of Howers and the need 

 of just such opportunities to see them. The 

 success of this one makes it probable we shall 

 have a like occasion every year, and they ought 

 to be yearly institutions in every city large or 

 small.— Si'sfcr Gracwus. 



Packing Plants. The other day I received a 

 few plants by way of exchange. The light paste- 

 lioard bo.\ in which they were enclosed was 

 crushed, the very thin paper around the box 

 baiUy torn. At some postofflce a coarse string 

 had been tied around to keep it on the box. The 

 plants had a small bit of cotton around the roots, 

 which were as dry as dry could be and so were 

 the plants. I suppose many have not the proper 

 materials for wrapping up plants, as do the 

 florists. Waxed paper is almost indispensable, 

 and so also is Moss. I always save the light 

 wooden boxes, the paper and the Moss when I 

 have packages from the florists, so that I am 

 usually well supplied. One can make the waxed 

 paper in the following way: Take some thin, 

 light paper, tissue is best, and lay it on a stove 

 griddle just warm enough to melt the beeswax, 

 and rub it over until every part Ls covered. 

 Those who live in the country can get plenty of 

 Moss; those in the city can get the Sphagnum at 

 the florists or where they keep florists' supplies. 

 The Moss should be thoroughly wet and then 

 squeezed so that it will not drip. Wrap the paper 

 around the plants. If they do not fill the box, 

 put in something that will, so that they will not 

 shake about. Tie up the bo.\ and direct it. Then 

 wrap in paper, directing that and tying it neatly 

 and strongly with twine. Thus prepared plants 

 will go safely for a long distance, and retain their 

 freshness.— 3/. D. ^dfoine. 



Celery in Partly-Shaded Ground. Last year I 

 had a part of a row of Celery along the north 

 side of an out-building in my garden, and that 

 pai-t was very much larger and better than any 

 on which the sun shone in the middle of the day. 

 This year I have planted rows of Peas and Sweet 

 Corn alternately, east and west, and when the 

 Pea vines are removed Celery plants will be set 

 so the Corn will shade them during the hottest 

 part of the day. I will report results, and would 

 like others to do the same. I grow Celery plants 

 by sowing the seed as early in the spring as the 

 ground can be made fine, in drills, covering as 

 lightLv as possible, and laying a six-inch board 

 over the row and Arming the ground by walking 

 on same. This makes a much nicer looking bed 

 than when the feet alone arc used. Then I give 

 the bed a thorough sprinkling, and cover it with 

 a piece of old carpet to keep the ground from 

 baking or becoming dry. By turning up the 

 edge of the carpet it can be seen if the ground 

 needs si>rinkling, and this I frequently give on 

 the carpet. The carpet should be removed as 

 soon as the plants begin to show. I grow seed- 

 lings of Primula, Gloxinia, and similar plants in 

 boxes, by placing boxes on the north side of a 

 building, and covering box with a damp cloth 

 which I moisten two or three times daily. Thus 

 grown there is no 'danger of ground becoming 

 too dry and killing the seed.— B. P. Bohiiison. 



Forest Leaves I have recently seen the prac- 

 tiire of collecting leaves for manurial purposes 

 severely condemned as merely "I'obbing Peter to 

 pay Paul," and their value for this purjjose esti- 

 mated very low. With regard to the latter point 

 I think one only needs to observe the rapid im- 

 pro\'ement of the soil in forests where they have 

 been allowed to remain and decay for a series of 

 years to be convinced that they furnish consid- 

 erable fertilizing material. The question of the 

 Ijolicy of removing them is one which depends 

 much upon circumstances. Unless upon very 

 rich land it will doubtless be better to allow 

 them to remain while the trees are small or until 

 they are well and deeply rooted so as to be able 

 to take care of themselves, but after they acquire 

 considerable size, there are instances where I 

 think they can be made to afford a large amount 

 of bedding for domestic animals and largely in- 

 crease the manure pile without serious detriment 

 to the trees. There is a grove of Oak and Pine 

 trees occupying about an acre, within a few rods 

 of my house, the Pines being six to eight inches 

 in diameter and the Oaks three to four inches. 

 About ten years ago one half of this grove was 

 thinned, removing the inferior trees and under- 

 brush atid from this portion the leaves have 

 annually been raked off ami used for bedding, 

 while the other half was left without thinning 

 and the leaves allowed to remain on it, and the 



trees are at this time fully as good as the I'aked 

 portion, the moderate thinning seeming to have 

 made up for the removal of the leaves. There are 

 also incidental advantages in this ease. This 

 grove was left as a wind-break and to afford a 

 pleasant resort in summer, and this treatment 

 has kept down all the undergrowth of small 

 bushes and the ground is almost iis smooth and 

 clean as a floor. There were also a few plants 

 of Cypripedium acaule (Lady's Slipper), and this 



Eucalyptus or Bhu- Gum Tnegrmcn from seed. 

 clean surface appears to favor the vegetation of 

 their seeds so that at present they have increased 

 to nearly 100. In many cases by taking a little 

 time to plant suitable native plants near the trees 

 so they would not be disturbed.quite a flower gar- 

 den might be had in such a gTove.— W.F.Bassett. 

 Spoiling Simple Operations, It is not often the 

 case that marked success in the culture of plants 

 accrues to those who ignore the directions and 

 results of experience of successful and compe- 

 tent cultivators as given in the horticultural 

 literature of the day. As a sample of the ignor- 

 ance of the right methods for performing com- 

 mon every day operations, reference need be 

 made to but one, that of repotting and potting 

 plants. A very successful lady amateur was 

 relating to me what a wonderful thing she had 

 just accomplished in the safe removal from one 

 pot to another of a large plant pot-bound for 

 several months. It was first watered thoroughly, 

 then a long slim-bladed knife was run around 

 the edge of the pot, then by pushing up through 

 the pot the piece of broken pot which had been 

 previously placed thei'e, it was finally scooped 

 out and went on fairly well after being trans- 

 feiTed to its new quarters. She pointed to me a 

 fine specimen of lloya which needed removing 

 very badly, but was still in perfect health, say- 

 ing: " I dare not undertake to repot that plant; 

 do you not think that the pot had better be 

 broken with a hammer in order to save if/" I 

 simijly loosened its fastenings from the conserv- 

 ator}' wall, turned the pot upside down, to her 

 horror, and gave it a smart rap on the shelf 

 near, when it slipped out of the pot without a 

 root being bruised, and though in full bloom 

 came out without the least visible harm. This 

 plant completely covered one side and the roof 

 of a 8x10 conservatory and was the most prolific 

 Hoya I ever saw. Then another person com- 

 plained of losing such a large per cent of plants 

 received by mail, blaming the florists for inferior 

 plants or packing. When questioned as to treat- 

 ment after being received, it came out that they 

 were subjected to a warm bath for an hour 

 (which is somewhat too long for best results 

 usually) and then were put on the back of the 

 kitchen stove to recuperate. If after the bath 

 the )iots had been placed in a box and covei-ed 

 with a sash to make it more greenhouse like, or 

 even put up with the other plants there would 

 have been no just cause tor complaint. The 

 suggestion of a box was tried with ttie next 

 order and not a plant died.— TI'. F. L. 



New York Flower Notes. 

 Trade is so very dead just now that it is diffi- 

 cult to find any original features. With the 

 spring exodus the best of the florist's patrons 



leave town and business becomes hopelessly 

 dull. Festivities are all over and there is nothing 

 to fill their place. 



Decoration day was pretty good for the florists; 

 less designs were sold, but there was a very lai'ge 

 call for loose flowers and pot plants. The call 

 for plants was very large indeed, not only in the 

 city, but in all the suburban towns. Lilium 

 Harrisii in pots sold rapidly; all soils of white 

 flowers and potted Pausies were in demand. 

 There was a good deal of out-door stuff' in the 

 market, which tended to lower prices. Out-door 

 stuff seemed to be a week or ten days ahead this 

 season. A tremendous crop of flowers from out- 

 door shrubs was sold around Decoration day- 

 Mock Orange, Weigelia, Deutzia and Siiirea. 

 Mock Orange was in great favor, but of 

 course it was very cheap. 



Just now the street venders seem to get most 

 of the flower trade; Pond Lilies, Magnolia and 

 Kalmia seem to be their strong points. A great 

 (piantity of the blue Corn flower is to be seen; 

 there has been an attempt to boom this as a more 

 choice and expensive flower under the descrip- 

 tion of the Royal Flower of Germany, but while 

 it is well liked it will never be an expensive flower. 



Lilac is pretty well goue now though a little is 

 still seen from northern New England. It is 

 always asked for during June, being such a fav- 

 orite bridal flower. 



Big corsage bunches now seem a thing of the 

 past; they are never seen on the street worn by 

 women of good style. The favoi'ite at present is 

 a little bi'east knot of field flowers for the prom- 

 enade; for ceremonious occasions a bunch of 

 Orchids or fine Roses. The attempt to popular- 

 ize the Gardenia for men's wear seems rather to 

 have failed. 



Scarlet and orange Nasturtiums, with their 

 foliage, have been used with good effect in 

 luncheon arrangements. The arrangement is 

 usually simple; a loosely filled bowl or low bas- 

 ket in the center, with trailing sprays about the 

 table. E.\-cessively elaborate decorations are 

 never seen at these simple entertainments. 



La France Roses are still much affected for 

 ladies' luncheons, a single fine Rose being given 

 as a favor. The best Roses, however, are now 

 gone. The crop is chiefly from outside, and of 

 course these never compare with well-grown 

 indoor Roses. The few Beauties to be seen are 

 but melancholy specimens. Next year the mar- 

 ket wUl most likely afford a very much larger 

 crop of Madame DeWatteville; it has been a 

 great success both with the grower and the 

 seller. Marquis de Vivens will be well grown, 

 too, and we may expect a very thorough trial of 

 Souvenir de Wootton, Mr. Julius Roehr's new 

 Rose, a sport from Anna Alexieff. will receive a 

 good deal of notice from the trade; it is very 

 promising and e\idently a flue thing. 



The Rock Rose (Cistus) is an English favorite 

 which now is now being tried here; some plants 

 were noted at Henderson's. A pretty thing too; 

 is it going to be a success in our climate V So 

 many of the European favorites fail. 



It is probable that a good many will try that 

 pretty little Allium Neapolitanum, for it was 

 much admired, and perhaps there may be a few 

 other novelties in the bulb line. Irises, which 

 were tried, do not appear to make a success. If 

 only some of the big showy sorts could be forced 

 about Christmas they would bring a satisfactory 

 price. Prices realized by forced shrubs during 

 the past winter were not very large. 



Although most funeral notices are followed by 

 " Please omit flowers," a fair amount of decora- 

 tion is still done in this direction, though it is 

 more apt to take the form of loose flowers and 

 pot plants. All sorts of handsome decorative 

 plants are used. Some beautiful effects are pro- 

 duced on the plaques covering the entire top of 

 the casket. Sometimes they are made of solid 

 Ivy leaves, with a loose bunch of choice Howers 

 falling across from one corner. Cattlcyas are 

 generally used in choice funeral arrangements. 



Among baskets the Marie Antoinette shape 

 leads, though the French fish basket and some 

 high square styles are often well filled. l"or 

 table use a low plaque basket is always chosen, 

 but these other styles are often stood about in 

 decorating for a reception. Ribbon is still used 

 but not so recklessly as formerly. High tripod 

 baskets are not very much used, because it is 

 impossible to drape them without making them 

 look clumsy. The stands are in the way, and 

 experience shows that the simpler a basket is, 

 the better it may be filled. 



Bouquets are as large as ever, but the favorite 

 floral gift takes the form of choice loose flowers. 

 Emily Looise Taplin. 



