12 



THE WESTERN POMOLOGIST. 



1871 



mend storing in a dry warm place, just as they are 

 taken out of the ground. The reason for th's may 

 seem plain enough, and is based upon the fact that 

 when they are checked in their growth before reach- 

 ing maturity, less violence is done, and the time 

 somewhat lengthened in which to form embryo 

 flower buds as a pledge that they will flower in the 

 succeeding year. That this proce.ss is dependent 

 upon the leaves and the stored up food in the bases 

 of those leaves, which indeed constitute a great part 

 of the bulbs, is just as certain as they perform this 

 ofiice in the case of a grape vine and an apple tree. 

 When, therefore, these necessary appendages are ab- 



ruptly taken off when in an active state, or mutilat- 

 ed so as to hinder needful work in the vegetable 

 economy, by tlie shadow on the face oV flora's dial" 

 it is resting time whether their labors are finished 

 or no. 



Of course it is a matter of convenience for those 

 who grow this flower extensively, to dress the bulbs 

 clean at lifting time, but this does not affect the ques- 

 tion in its physiological aspect. The laws of growth 

 and developement are too inflexible for that, and 

 therefore it is well when the requirements of nature 

 and convenience run in parallel grooves, the latter 

 neither opposing nor infringing upon the former. 



MOURNING BRIDE,— Scabiosa. 



For The Western PomologiHt. 



Beautify Home. 



Progresi of Honienllure, Distribution of /Seeds, well known, 

 time honored plants, improvement of sorts. 



By F. R. ElI/IOtt, Cleveland, Ohio. 



Fbibnd Miller : I notice that while you mainly 

 devote the Pomolooist to its legitimate purpose, you 

 are also mindful that to many it is a dry practical 

 subject, and that the home of man cannot be made 

 beautiful and attractive by fruits alone, and so you 

 keep up the Flower Garden, to which just now, I 

 will add a word : as, while I write tliere lays before 

 me a new catalogue of seeds by James Vick of 

 Bochester, N. Y., and by it I am reminded of the 

 enjoyment given to myself and children by means 

 of annual flowering plants the past season ; and 

 also of the greatly increased beauty that many of 

 our old, time-known sorts have obtained by means 

 of high cultivation and care in seed saving etc. 

 The old well known plant commonly called Mourning 

 Bride — Seabiosa — and found in almost every flower 

 garden — an annual to be sure, but often living over 

 winter — has been bo Improved that flowers of it 



from seed as now sent out by Vick and other seed- 

 men, would hardly be recognized as the same 

 plant, by reason of their superior beauty. 



I send you herewith by this same mail a cut of 

 two blooms, copied from Vick's catalogue, with 

 which to portray to the readers of the Pomologist. 

 The flower on the right is of the dwarf growing 

 variety, very double and perfect. To some of us 

 who remember back long years, the great change 

 and improvement in flowers, as well as the more 

 comnicm introduction of them to all homes, is both 

 astonishing and gratifying. In place of the single 

 Hollyhocks we now have them so double and per- 

 fect tlirtt they have almost taken the place of dah- 

 lias. The old garden-pink, and even the delicate 

 single Chinese which we used once to admire, have 

 been so improved that their beauty now rivals 

 in the open garden, if in fact they do not surpass 

 the best carnations grown in the green house — but 

 enough for the time, and yet while thinking back, 

 let us note the progress that marks us in the way 

 of disseminating seeds &c. 



Once, seeds had to go by some private carrier's 

 hands, and long distances required much time, but 



