72 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



TO THE CHINESE PRIMROSE. 

 But little I know of poetry's flow ; 



Know little of rhythm or time ; 

 But I feel that to-night, with a muse so bright, 

 I can mould my thoughts to rhyme. 



For a Primrose rare, with its blossoms fair. 



Stands on my table to-night ; 

 And shining and bold, its eyes of gold 



Seem watching rae while I write. 



And it blooms here for me, in a beauty as free 



As it did in that distant day, 

 'Neath the jjointed domes of the Orient homes 



Of the country of far Cathay. 

 And its fern-like fronds seem as fairy wands. 



As they gracefully droop and fall ; 

 And are tinging my room with an emerald bloom. 



As a Nj-mph's or a Dryad's hall. 

 The Rose in its pride, in the noon's high tide, 



In the sunlight's golden stream. 

 In the glitter of day, with its gilding ray. 



As beauteous j perchance may seem. 

 Ah ! yes, I know there are fluwers that blow 



In the summer's glamour and shine. 

 That in loveliness rare perhaps can compare 



With this beautiful friend of mine. 

 But, like our friends, when adversity sends 



Some cloud to obscure our sky. 

 Or in winter's frost, or when needed the most. 



Their attractions pale and die. 



But my flower will bloom without heeding the 

 gloom, 



Though the world be covered with snow ; 

 iVjid the darker the day, the more wintry grey. 



The brighter its beauties glow. 

 Oh ! dear loved flower of the darkest hour I 



Oh ! type of a faithful friend ! 

 As such type in thee, such a friend to me 



May God in His goodness send. 

 Innerkip, Jan., 1885. F. M. 



Fay's Curbant. — Joseph Hoopes of 

 Pennsylvania, ^vrites to the New York 

 Tribune that after fruiting Fay's Prolific 

 for two years, he thinks it produces clusters 

 that surpass the immense bunches re- 

 presented by the woodcuts that ushered 

 tliis new fruit into notice. 



This is one of the presents we offer to 

 subscribers . 



The Centexjtial Grape. — Mr. Hoopes 

 says of tliis grape that it is of fine, pure 

 flavour, of a clear amber color, and so 

 translucent that the seeds may be observed 

 by holding the beri'ies to the light. It is 



very juicy, sweet, with a soft pulp and 

 and very thin skin. 



RosE.s FOK Winter Bloojiing — The 

 Evening Post gives the following list of 

 roses for in-door blooming in winter, most 

 of which are tea-roses. ' ' Sunset," orange 

 sliaded with crimson, and specially frag- 

 rant ; Perle des Jardins, Niphetos, Cath- 

 erine Mermet ; Marshall Robert, Southern 

 Belle, Souvenir- d'un Ami, Bon Silene, 

 Mme Cousin and Douglas. 



Amaryllis. — Among winter-flowering 

 bulbs the Amaryllis, in its various species 

 and innumerable hybrids, takes a pro- 

 minent place. In fact, it would be diffi- 

 cult to imagine a more beautiful and 

 showy ornament to the window-garden 

 than a well grown Amaryllis in bloom, and 

 yet it is comparatively seldom seen by 

 amateurs. There is not the least difliculty 

 in gi'owing it in tlie house, if its necessary 

 wants, which are easily pro^nded for, are 

 complied with. The great point to observe 

 in its cultivation is that the bulbs must 

 have a season of rest after blooming, 

 without being dried up altogether. This 

 state is best produced by giving gi'adually 

 less water until the plants have ceased 

 growing, when only enough should be fur- 

 nished to prevent theii* shriveling up. The 

 bulbs should during tlieir season of rest 

 remain in the pots, in some dry place. As 

 the roots remain on the bulbs all the time, 

 taking them out of the pots to dry as is 

 done with Hj^acinths and Tulips, is a most 

 injm-ious proceeding, which abnost always 

 results in non -flowering. A soil composed 

 of well-decayed leaf mould and sandj' loam 

 is best for Amaryllis, but it is not necessary 

 to repot them every year. When wanted 

 for winter flowering, the pots are to be 

 brought to a warmer place, near the light, 

 and gradually watered more frequently. 

 The leaves, and with them generally the 

 flower-stalks, will soon appear, when a full 

 supply of water has to be given. If wanted 

 for summer flowering outdoors, they 

 shoidd be kept dormant during winter, 

 transferred to the open ground in spring, 

 and taken up in autumn.— .4«i. Garden. 



ERRATUM. 



Page 36, second column (Februarynumber), 

 for " .-ipecies and color," read " It is size and 



color people are after." 



PKINTBD AT THE STEAM PRESS BSTABLISHMENT OF COPP, CLARK & CO., COLBORNE S'JIKEET, TORONTO. 



