1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



79 



have been slips on the old plants to have. been 

 rooted, so you can b)' this process get a large 

 increase of plants by the time you are ready to 

 set them. To the superficial lover of plants 

 this method of propagation may seem too much 

 trouble, but those who truly enjoy plants and 

 their culture will find ample reward for the 

 time and pains spent. 



As for planting, I would suggest making large 

 beds composed only in part of Coleus, the center 

 being made up of inexpensive plants of large growth 

 raised from seed. The Castor Bean makes a fine 

 large specimen plant for the center, when sur- 

 rounded by six or eight Cannas, and these in turn 

 by Zonale Geraniums, of which most people have a 

 good supply in the spring. Outside of these Coleus 

 there may be a row of blue Lo- 

 belia, in fine contrast to the green 

 of the turf. Still other beds 

 with the Coleus plants set at 

 some distance apart may have 

 a matting of some low-growing 

 fancy foliage or fine flowering 

 plants of contrasting color, form- 

 ing an undertone. The matting 

 planted in the spaces may be 

 seedlings like Sweet Aly.ssum, 

 white or blue Lobelia, or any- 

 thing that will form a close mass 

 of color. 



I know of a bed where the 

 Coleus were set at some distance 

 apart, and then as they were cut 

 back to a xmiform size the slips 

 were set in the spaces and on the 

 front edges, and before the sum- 

 mer was far advanced t!ie bed 

 was well filled, looking nearly 

 as well as if set close at first. 

 As the (^5leus are set out late, 

 the beds may be filled in the fall 

 with bulbs that would be out of 

 flower before time of setting, or 

 with Pansies set in the fall or 

 early spring. The attraction of 

 these would cause less danger 

 of putting out the Coleus too 

 early, as is frequently done. 



Not all of the Coleus are of 

 equal value as bedders. The old 

 velvety maroon variety called 

 Verschaffetii, the Spotted Gem, 

 Golden Bedder. Black Prince, 

 Burning Bush and Butterfly are 

 among the the best to grow in 

 the full Ught, and are the least 

 liable to fade. Then there are 

 some delicate and brilliantly- 

 marked varieties that must be grown in partial 

 shade to insure success. The best effect I have 

 ever been able to get from planting Coleus by 

 itself was in a short border made up of a shaded 

 line of four colors, the outside black, the next 

 maroon, the third bright mottled and the fourth 

 verj- light, this so situated that we looked across it 

 lengthwise and the colors blended and produced a 

 much finer effect than the same varieties arranged 

 in a circular bed similarly situated. 



expression of the Society's regard for the late 

 Mr. Wilder made a report, of which the fol- 

 lowing is a brief abstract : 



For fifty-six years Marshall Pinckney Wilder 

 has been a constant and an active member. His 

 loss seems for the present to change the very char- 

 acter of our society. 



A specially kind Providence seems to have smiled 

 upon his enthusiastic love of Nature and his efforts 

 to develop the works of the Creator. With grati- 

 tude do we acknowledge the wide and lasting influ- 

 ence which Mr. Wilder has exerted in his favorite 

 piu-suit of horticulture, an influence which is 

 recognized wherever our art is known. We shall 

 cherish the memory of his unflagging zeal in every 

 branch of horticulture, his example in skillful cul- 



have had for a proper display three times the floor 

 space that could be given them. The weekly exhi- 

 bitions have attracted more vLsitors than ever be- 

 fore; the exhibitions of native plants have been 

 particularly extensive and instructive. 



Generous provision has been made for prizes at 

 the annual exhibition of this year, which is to be 

 held in conjunction with the American Pomological 

 Society. The great hall of the Massachusetts 

 Charitable Mechanics' Association has been secured 

 for this occasion. The library still increases in size 

 and usefulness, but the inconveniences of the 

 hbrary room become also more noticeable. 



The appropriations previously recommended by 



the executive committee, viz., for prizes S*J,0.'>4, for 



the library committee (including the card catalogue 



of plates) SWO, for the committee on publication 



and discussion $250, and for 



the committee of arr."ngement 



$300, came up for final action 



and were unanimously voted. 



FIRST SHOW ON JAN. IST.. 



consisted mainly of forced veg- 

 etables, and a good one it was. 

 Radishes, 1st prize, Hittinger 

 Bros.; Radishes, 2d prize, Geo. 

 F.Stone. Lettuce. Tennis Ball, 

 1st prize, Hittinger Bros.; Let- 

 tuce, Tennis Ball, 2d prize, Geo. 

 F. Stone. Parsley. 1st prize, 

 Geo. F. Stone; Parsley, 2d prize. 

 Hittinger Bros.; Parsley, 3d 

 prize, Warren Heustis & Son. 

 Mushrooms, Cephas H.Brackett. 

 Tomatoes, by several exhibitors. 

 Dandelions, Anjou Pears, and 

 handsome flowers were also on 

 exhibition. 



The Massachusetts Horticultural 

 Society. 



THE LATE MARSBALL P. WILDER. 



The first meeting of the year was held on 

 January 1st. As was to be expected, it was 

 largely devoted to a consideration of the deep 

 loss sustained by the Society, and Idndi'ed so- 

 cieties and the public in general, through the 

 death of the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, on Dec. 

 17 last. In his annual address, President Wal- 

 cott said that the future readers of the history 

 of the society will find it difficult to believe 

 that this man, so prominent in its records, was 

 equally conspicuous in many other organiza- 

 tions, and was at the same time a busy mer- 

 chant of the city of Boston. But he illusirated 

 the best charm of horticulture — the relief 

 offered by it to the tired man of business and 

 to the wearied student. The changes of Nature 

 were even more attractive to him than the 

 triumphs of public life. 



A fund established by the provisions of his 



will, by which medals are annually to be given 



for encouraging the cultivation of certain fruits, 



will forever be associated with his name. 



The committee charged with preparing a fit 



PELARGONIUM VICTOR.— SEE DESCRIPTION ON PAGE 71. 



tivation, his constant attendance and his wise and 

 kindly words of encouragement. Let it be our aim 

 to be animated by his noble example. 



To the family of the deceased the society extends 

 its profound sympathy in their sorrow. 



William C. Strong stated that in Mr. Wilder's 

 favorite pui-suit of horticulture he did his best serv- 

 ice for his feUow men While engaged in large 

 commercial business, he yet found time for exten- 

 sive importation and cultivation of a great variety 

 of plants and agricultural products, being always 

 on the alert to obtain and test new kinds. This en- 

 thusiasm was life-long, and was as hearty in the 

 cultivation of Paeonies as Fears, or in the case of 

 Camellias or Dahlias or Azaleas as of Raspberries 

 and Strawberries. 



After his severe prostration, more than a score of 

 years ago, which compelled his retirement from 

 active commercial enterprise, it is remarkable with 

 what new zest he entered upon horticultural pur- 

 suits. He did not consider himself too old to sow 

 seeds of trees, to cross-fertihze flowers that he 

 might obtain seeds for new sorts, to form and lead 

 off new societies for exertmg a perpetual influence. 



Robert Manning said that one of Mr. Wilder's 

 most prominent characteristics was the perpetual 

 youth which, in spite of the infirmities of age, he 

 carried with him, and which led Governor Long, 

 in 1881, to speak of him as at once the oldest and the 

 yoimgest man in the State. This had been attribu- 

 ted to his love for rural pursuits; but the speaker 

 thought it due also to his kind and loving heart, 

 continually overflowing with regard to every one. 



EXHIBITIONS, ETC, PAST AND FUTURE. 



In his address the president called attention to 

 the fact that the receipts for the year are greater 

 than those of 1885 by about $4,000, while the expend- 

 itures exceed those of 1885 by about $1,000. 



The exhibitions of the year have been, upon the 

 whole, successful; the annual exhibitions have been 

 crowded with plants, of the first merit, that should 



Orchard Management. 



[Abtitrnct of paper read by D. 

 F. Bruner before the Eastern 

 Iowa Horticultural Society. 



No uniform rule can be 

 adopted for orcharding in all 

 localities. Any good, rich 

 wheat land will do for or- 

 chards ; a north or northeast 

 slope is best. The ground 

 should be cleaned from grass 

 and weeds. Late in the fall 

 plow the ground as deeply as 

 possible. Harrow it over next 

 spring, then plow shallow and 

 haiTow again. Do not plow in 

 spring when too wet. 

 Stake off the ground at the proper distance; 

 for Apples this is not less than 32 feet apart; if 

 40 feet apart it will be better. Dig large holes 

 to the depth of the plowing. Cut all strag- 

 gling roots and give plenty of room. Lean the 

 trees slightly towards the wind. Fill in around 

 the roots and make a mellow mound of soil 

 about the tree. See that the tree stands as high 

 as it did in the nursery. 



Keep down all suckers, and plant corn between 

 the rows the first year. Leave the stalks in the fall 

 and mound up the trees in winter. Look out for 

 mice and rabbits. Early in spring prepare for corn, 

 turning the furrows toward the trees in plowing. 

 Trim the branches a little in May or June. Let the 

 stalks remain on the ground, as in the first year. 

 The third year sow the ground to buckwheat, 

 turning it into clover the fourth year. It the clover 

 is good, pigs or young calves may be turned in, but 

 it is perhaps best to mow the clover. When the 

 trees become poor, top dress with manxn^ and 

 wood ashes if these can be procmed. 



Surround the orchard with a good fence to exclude 

 stock. Wind breaks and timber belts are morp 

 damage than benefit, if planted as they generally 

 are, close to the orchard. Plant each variety in a 

 separate row. Watch for mice and insects. Keep 

 the trees in good shape. The head of tall Apple 

 trees should commence about three or four feet 

 from the ground. Spready growers should not be 

 less than six or seven feet; medium tall growers 

 should branch at about five feet. By planting only 

 well proved varieties, such as are good bearers tind 

 have good salable fruit, in ordinary seasons we 

 shall be amply rewarded for the outlay. 



Commenting on this paper, one member recom- 

 mended planting -10x40 feet, and after five or six 

 years plant another orchard in the same area, set- 

 ting the trees in the interspaces. Orchards are 

 not permanent in this latitude and by this plan we 

 may always have an orchard. 



