1887. 



POPULAR GARDENING. 



^33 



a most delightful beauty spot, as well as one 

 prolific of substantial products, is readily seen. 



3. Apparknt Extent. In home improve- 

 ment, no argument is needed to show that a 

 course which will make a plot of one acre appear 

 as large as another twice its size, and involving 

 in the former but one half the expense of the 

 other in keeping, is a very decided gain in many 

 respects, not the least of which would be seen 

 in case one chose to spU, or in those cases where 

 property is directly improved to market. At- 

 tainments in such a direction are easily within 

 the province of practicability, and should be 

 sought for. Take in the case of Figm'e S,for exam- 

 ple, it may be observed that for a person to be- 

 hold any fenced-in plot of exactly the same size 

 (one-fourth acre) but clear of trees and other 

 improvements, or a similar sized plot plant- 

 ed by the dot-a-tree-everywhere system and 

 vrith all the line fences within range 

 of the vision, and then entering this 

 garden he would at once judge the 

 latter to be much larger than either of 

 the others. Everyone must have no- 

 ticed something similar to this in the 

 erection of buildings. The foundation 

 walls when started, and as they are 

 easil}' compassed by a single glance, 

 seem to indicate a disappointingly 

 small structure; wait for its erection 

 and it appears by some power to have 

 expanded far beyond the size of the 

 early foundations. 



The things in garden improvement 

 which are of the greatest value in 

 augmenting the true area in effect, 

 may be named as follows: 



Bold, continuous curving Unes, and 

 especially when they serve to describe 

 the outlines of marginal plantings, as 

 in the fore part of Figure S. Why 

 these answer weU thus is because 

 within given areas such curved lines 

 are of a gi-eater length than it is pos- 

 sible for continuous straight lines to 

 be. If then the marginal plantings 

 consist of pleasing and variable selec- 

 tions of growths to divert the eye, the 

 end sought for is increased. In a 

 measure bold curving walks, like the 

 one in the left part of Figures 4 and 

 7, serve to similar ends. 



On the other hand a long straight 

 walk brought in conspicuously, being 

 viewed lengthwise to its far end, 

 conveys the idea of great length in the direction 

 followed. To best promote this quality by such 

 means, however, it is well to have a conspicuous 

 terminal object at the further and least used 

 end, as is shown in the arbor, both of the 

 straight walk of Figure 8 and of the Shrubbery 

 Walk of Figure 4, 



The opening up of some vistas towards the 

 more distant pai'ts of the garden, likewise help 

 to increase the apiieai'ance of extent. Such 

 vistas to be most helpful should be in part 

 broken by projecting clumps of shnibs and 

 trees, that the eye maj' be prevented from ex- 

 ploring the extreme limits of the place. 



By having the garden features arranged in 

 some degi'ee systematically, as shinibs, plants, 

 evergreens, deciduous trees, and often the 

 different classes of these, each by themselves in 

 the main. Through such a course not only may 

 we gain in the number of distinct garden 

 features, but in each one there may, by nu- 

 merical strength, 1 >e such a degree of character 

 and interest imparted as to occupy an observer's 

 attention and give an idea of comparatively 

 great extent that would be wholly impossible 

 with an indiscriminate mixing of kinds. 

 To br Continued. 



forms of our bedding plants and bed masses. 

 Pyramidal forms are easily secured in a num- 

 ber of our Evergreen and deciduous trees and 

 shrubs, but in the character of perpetual bloom- 

 ers such can only be had by some special 

 planning. 



In the accompanying illustration, which we 

 re-engraved from the Loudon Gardeners' Chron- 

 icle, is shown a pyramid of free-blooming Ivy- 

 leaf Geraniums, from an actual specimen in an 

 English Garden. The pyramid is described as 

 having been constructed of young plants that 

 had not been allowed to become pot-bound, and 

 which were planted out in circles big and little, 

 as suited the particular purpose required, and 

 as the plants grew they were trained up the 

 pyramidal treUise. 



Other subjects equally attractive in leaf and 

 color as Ivy-leaf Geraniums might be pointed 



have all parts of the foi-m perfectly covered. 



In the line of flowering shrubs suitable to be 

 pruned into roujided or other forms, few if any 

 excel the liifferent varieties of Japan Quince. 

 These can be made decidedly attractive by prun- 

 ing them with the shears each year just 

 after the flowering season is over. By this 

 course the habit of the plant becomes very 

 dense, and the annual growths short, and with 

 the essential proviso that the situation is in 

 full sun, so that the shoots coming after the 

 summer pruning get well ripened, the plants 

 become year by year more floriferous. 



Geraniums and Other Plants Grown 

 to Pyramidal Forms 

 Under various conditions the spiry or stand- 

 ard forms of growth tire very appropriate in 

 the garden. This is especially the case for pur- 

 poses of contrast amongst ihe dwarf and flat 



A PyRAMID OF IVY-LEAF GERANIUMS, 

 out, viz , Abutilons of any kind, especiall}' A. 

 Thompsoni; Heliotropes of strong growing 

 habit; but best of all foi- elegance and beautiful 

 color is Plumbago capensis. The various Hy- 

 brid Clematises which flower in early summer 

 and again in the autumn, together with Jasmi- 

 num revolutum, are also to be considered. 



Some annuals of a scandent habit are well 

 adapted for pyramids. These are the varieties 

 of Lophospermum scandens, of Maurandya, of 

 Cobfea scandens, Loasa aurantiaca, etc. The 

 seeds of annuals for such purposes require to be 

 sown early in the spring, and the plants grown 

 on quickly, until planting-out time 



To make the trellise for pyramids like these 

 is a simple matter. They should be made 

 staunch, so as well to support the growths 

 against the violent rain and wind storms of 

 summer. Drive a stake uprightly in the center 

 of the bed to be planted. When this is fixed 

 drive in half a dozen more in a slanting direc- 

 tion, having them enter the soil at what is 

 to be the circumference of the mound and 

 meeting the center stake at the top. The stakes 

 should be firmly bound together at the apex. 

 By the use of slighter poles, branches or wii-e, 

 the space between the outer stakes may be 

 sufficiently fiUed in for tying all branches to. 



In the work of tying the plants to such a 

 pyramid, pains should be taken to make the 

 outline as nearly correct as possible when 

 tying is first done, and then the form will 

 scarcely need to be touched later. It must 

 occur to any one that the Hrst aim should be to 



Improvement In the Gladiolus. 



D. S. MARVIN. WATERTOWN, NEW YORK. 



The Gladiolus is a flower which has not been 

 as extensively cultivated or even as gener- 

 ally known as it has deserved. We 

 Ihave not all kept pace with the grand 

 improvements that have lately been 

 made in these flowers by hybridiz- 

 ing them with other aUied genera. 

 The new hybrids with Ramosus and 

 Purpureo auratus, when more gener- 

 ally introduced and studied, will come 

 as a new revelation to most persons. 

 Until these new flowers are actually 

 seen and studied no idea can be 

 formed of the exquisite beauty of 

 many of them. We can unhesitatingly 

 claim that in form, habit and colors, 

 they have never before been equaled 

 by any other class of flowers. 



A few years ago as a doubtful ex- 

 periment I procured an amateur col- 

 lection to test in this climate; the 

 experiment has turned out a most 

 gratifying success. From June untQ 

 November I have beds of the most 

 gorgeous and brilliant colors, and in 

 greater variety of colors than I have 

 ever seen in any other species of flow- 

 ei-s. We seldom, in this far northern 

 climate, get sight of a humming bird, 

 but I have taken a seat under an 

 adjoining Evergreen tree during a 

 morning in August and counted no 

 less than eight of these brilliant visi- 

 tors from the Tropics, hovering over 

 my flower beds and sipping then- nec- 

 tar ; some of the beauty of those sunny 

 lands was thus brought to my door. 

 I find the bulbs healthier here 

 than on Long Island. I got more or less decay- 

 ing bulbs from them whenever I sent for them, 

 but I seldom see a diseased plant here after one 

 year's cultivation Of course I have gone into 

 seedlings. In a few years I shall be able to 

 gratify my friends with a look at some most 

 brilUant varieties originated upon the 44th 

 parallel north; I can even do so now. 



Gladiolus gandavensis must be a native of 

 a mountainous country ; they seem to enjoy the 

 cool air here. I often leave the small bulbs in 

 the ground over winter. They go on and blossom 

 as if in their native clime. I had the pleasure 

 of carrying off the first premiums upon these 

 flowers last fall at our County and State Fair. 



Packing Plant.^ for Mailing. A flower lover 

 can generally get hold of all the plants she can care 

 for cheaply. .Slips are easily raised, and a little 

 money goes a great way in getting a start with 

 plants, as one finds by consulting the advertising 

 pages. It takes a little ingenuity and skill to 

 send a package of plants by mail, .so that the post- 

 man will not be distracted, and the plants arrive 

 siifely ami not be much retarded ingrowth Select 

 the small rooted slips and tie a little piece of damp 

 moss around the roots. Put the slips as closely 

 together as possible in a paper box, and tuck a 

 damp piece of cotton batting over the top. Cover 

 the box, tie a piece of wrapping paper around it, 

 and direct carefully. I have received several sent 

 in this way, and on opening there would be a delic- 

 ious mossy smell, and pleasant greeting. I put 

 the slips in warmish water for a little while before 

 potting and rarely lose a plant.— A'is(er Uracious. 



