Gardening in Ohio, ^'C. 335 



ties — of these the floribundus is the most beautiful: a single 

 bulb this year produced three stems, one of which was four 

 feet high, supporting twelve superb flowers; the others were 

 not quite so tall, producing nine or ten flowers each. This 

 may not be extraordinary, and probably is not, as it is the first 

 year I have cultivated it; but it arrested my attention to be- 

 hold so prodigious a growth from one small bulb, not more 

 than an inch in diameter. Of roses, there are about forty 

 hardy varieties, with six that require protection in winter. All 

 my monthly roses stand out: by laying them carefully down, 

 and covering securely with straw and boards, they bear the 

 winter very well, although the temperature is below zero, on 

 several mornings, nearly every year. The scarlet and flesh 

 colored varieties of Pyrus japonicus are as hardy as an apple, 

 after producing their fruit, and in wet autumns producing a 

 second crop of flowers. Of prconies, there are seven varie- 

 ties, three of which are the mountain or tree pa^ony; they 

 stand the winter equally well with the herbaceous Chinese spe- 

 cies. The Humei has for several years thrown up stems 

 three feet high, with flowers twenty-one inches in circumfer- 

 ence. The stems of the odorata are often four feet high, but 

 the blossoms are much smaller. The orange and lemon are 

 cultivated in tubs, and kept during winter in the sitting-room, 

 while the oleander, Cape myrtle, pomegranate, China tree, 

 hydrangea, S^c. are placed in a warm cellar, to which the rays 

 of the sun have access every fair day. I have twice attempt- 

 ed the parlor cultivation of the beautiful camellia; and although 

 they produced well developed flower buds, they always drop- 

 ped off before expanding. 



Of dahlias, there are about twenty-five varieties, several of 

 which are seedlings: they grow in this climate with wonderful 

 luxuriance, and are loaded with flowers of the largest dimen- 

 sions and brilliant colors. The more vigorous the plant, the 

 finer the flowers. 



Quite a number of native flowering plants and shrubs have 

 been introduced into the garden, many of which are fully 

 equal, if not superior, to any of the exotics. I have no green- 

 house, to protect my pelargoniums, verbenas, jasamines, and 

 many other tender plants, during the winter, and have to nurse 

 them the best way I can in the house. I propose, however, 

 to build a large tight box, near the front window of the sitting- 

 room, line the bottom with danip moss or tan, and cover it 



