1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



293 



light, kit-rnn-abont, and he.art's-case. Clmstiana's 

 guide, in the Pilgrim's Progress, says of a shcp- 

 herd-l)oy singing — "this hoy leads a merrier life, 

 and wears more of tlie lierb called heart's-ease in 

 his bosom, than he that is clothed in silk and 

 velvet." The pansy is common in Great Britain, 

 growing in the corn-fields and hedges — blooming 

 all snmmer. Under the name of "ladies' delight," 

 it early found its way to this countxy ; tJut of late 

 years it is seldom seen, except in old-fashioned 

 and neglected gardens. In its place, hybrids, ob- 

 tained by crossing the plant with the dark purple 

 "English violet, have met with great favor. Our hand- 

 somest varieties come from Switzerland, Germany, 

 and France. England also furnishes some that 

 are very fragi-ant and beautiful. They are of all 

 shades of white, yellow and purple, — separate as 

 well as united in the same flower. Pansies are 

 most easily raised from division of the roots, but 

 they are also propagated by seeds and cuttings. 

 Start cuttings in sand, under a tumbler. Then 

 get them in a pot well-drained with clinkers ; the 

 soil being rich loam, sand and decayed leaves, 

 thoroughly mixed. Shade thera a week, and water 

 them very charily — just enough to keep them 

 from getting dry. Seeds planted in the garden in 

 the spring will afford cuttings or divisions in Sep- 

 tember for winter flowers, — which should be ready 

 for the parlor by the last of October. Do not 

 ' water them too much. 



Petunia. — This word comes from Petun, the 

 Brazilian name for tobacco, which the plant was at 

 first thought to resemble. It is a native of South 

 America, and was introduced to the notice of flor- 

 ists in 1823. This was the common white petunia. 

 In 1830 a purplish-crimson species was discovered, 

 and from the cultivation of these two have sprung 

 all the varieties now known. The common single 

 petunia is easily cultivated, and quite hardy ; but 

 the recent varieties, bearing enormously large 

 and double flowers, though very beautiful and fra- 

 grant, are frail and extremely difficult to propa- 

 gate. Common white or purple petunias are easily 

 raised from seed, in the garden whence they may 

 be transferred to tlie house. Set apart as many as 

 you wish for winter as soon as they come up, and 

 pinch off the flower-buds as fast as they appear. 

 By the autumn these plants will be stout. bushes, 

 which can be potted, for flowering. About the 

 middle of October get a five or six inch pot and 

 drain it with a handful of pebl)les. On this lay 

 lightly an inch of rich garden mould, and then set 

 your plant. Wlien you take it up don't disturb 

 the roots ; and press the soil carefully around the 

 ball when placing it in the pot. Water it to settle 

 the soil, and make the surface smooth and even. 

 Keep it in the shade a week. Then give it full sun- 

 shine. Water it occasionally witli liquid manure, 

 beside giving it warm water freely every day. If 

 it grows too slender pinch off the flower-buds, and 

 abate the water. Some varieties, even M'ith this 

 treatment, will require a frame for support. The 

 petunia can also be easily raised from cuttings, by 



rooting them first in a glass of water placed in the 

 sunshine, and then set in soil. The double, and 

 larger kinds, are apt to decay if placed in water, — 

 start those in sand under a glass. 



Periwinkle.— This pretty little vine is of Eng- 

 lish origin. Its botanical name, Vinca, is from the 

 Latin, and refers to its habits of twining, and bind- 

 ing its shoots about everything in its way. We 

 sometimes call it running myrtle, because of the 

 resemblance of its leaves to the broad-lcavcd myr- 

 tle. It is an evergreen ; and may be transplanted 

 from the garden in the autumn to a pot, or large 

 sea-shell, filled with good loam, for a hanging 

 flower. Water it once a fortnight with liquid 

 manure and it will grow luxuriantly. By Febru- 

 ary it will be studded with bright blue blossoms, 

 ( — one variety bears white, — ) and form a pretty 

 contrast to the money-plant. It may be returned to 

 the garden in May. Never let the soil get dry. 



Pink. — Dianthus Chinensis, or China Pink, 

 though frequently considered a garden flower is a 

 very beautiful addition to the flower-stand. This 

 was first cultivated in England in the early part of 

 the last century, and from thence brought to this 

 country. Sow the seed in the garden in the sinlng. 

 It needs light, rich mould. In Octolier pot a plant 

 for the house — draining the pot with pebbles — and 

 keep it shaded a fortnight, watering it freely the 

 while — and then give it sunshine. Apply liquid 

 manure to the soil once a month through the 

 winter. The bright crimson velvet flowers will 

 crowd each other unless you remove some of the 

 buds, and the plant will go straggling over the pot 

 if the stems are not tied up to rods. In the spring 

 increase by layers in the same way as carnations — 

 it is a surer and quicker way than by cuttings. 

 The China Pink needs a great deal of water, but in 

 small quantities. 



Primrose. — This is so called because inEngland, 

 its native place, it is often the first to open its flow- 

 ers in the spring. One species, the auricula, has 

 been already described. There is another, the 

 polyanthus, which is very desirable for edgings of 

 beds and borders ; and which is worthy a jjlace 

 within doors for the sake of the profusion of flow- 

 ers it will give in January, in return for good care 

 and plenty of water and sunshine. Its clusters of 

 yellow flowers, richly bordered with claret velvet, 

 almost of themselves "make sunshine in a shady 

 place." Give it the same treatment as the pansy. 



Pyrethrum. — This is a species of chamomile, 

 which it is sometimes called. Another name of 

 the plant is moimtain -daisy ; that was given it be- 

 cause it resembles the genus pyrethrum, which in- 

 cludes many plants that are natives of high places, 

 as the peak of Teneriffe, Caucasus, the Alps, and 

 the Ural mountains. It also bears the name of 

 feverfew ; and is of the same order as the chrysan- 

 themum, the daisy, and the aster. They all bear 

 compound flowers, — which are among the easiest 

 for cultivation, — readily changing from single to 

 double in their flowering habits. But in-order to 

 perpetuate a double flowering plant the seeds per- 



