1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FAR]MER. 



191 



lanky, ill-sbaperl, sickly plants. Plants grow- 

 ing in gardens are always cooler at night than 

 during the day, and those growing in the 

 bouse should also be cooler. But many par- 

 lors are much warmer at night than by day. 

 Gas or kerosene lights and more people in 

 the room increase its temperature, and at bed- 

 time, for fear they should freeze, the heat of 

 furnace or stove is increased, thereby injuring 

 many plants. It is well to drop the curtains 

 on them, and thus shield them from artificial 

 light. They recjuire darkness at night. Gas 

 is a prolific source of failure in raising house 

 plants, — it vitiates the freshness of the air. 

 Never be afraid of keeping the windows open 

 as much as possible during the warmest part 

 of the days in this month. If the mercury 

 rises above fifty and the sun shines full on the 

 plants, there will be no danger of chilling 

 them at noonday, but do not expose them to 

 a draft. ^ 



As dust is one of the greatest drawbacks to 

 successful window gardening, we must con- 

 stantly battle with the insidious foe which sucks 

 away the life blood of our darlings. If our 

 plants are not so arranged that they can be 

 showered twice a week with a fine rose water- 

 ing pot, a sponge or a small paint brush must 

 be substituted. If the brush is used, it need 

 not be moistened until the dust is brushed off, 

 and then each leaf can be washed with it. As 

 soon as mild showers come, put out all the 

 pots, baskets, &c., and they will be greatly 

 benefited, far more than by any artificial 

 showerings. 



Chinese Azalias are in their glory now, — 

 their pure white, red and rose-colored tiowers 

 are very lovely. They have always been 

 treated as green house plants, but are now 

 proved hardy in and about New York citj\ 

 At Flushing they bloom profusely out of doors, 

 both the double and single varieties. Azalea 

 aihcEna, rosea, and sjylendens have also been 

 proved hardy in sheltered locations, and very 

 likely many of these beautiful fiowers could 

 be made to llourish in out-door culture about 

 Boston. 



Shrubs. 



It is time to think about "Shrubs." Many 

 of them are very early in awakening in the 

 spring, and should be planted in good season. 

 The JDwarf Flowering Almond is an old fash- 

 ioned shrub, but one that is always cherished 

 by us, and lately we fear that it is not half ap- 

 preciated by tiower lovers. Its flowers appear 

 early in the spi'ing, even befoi-e its leaves are 

 grown — flower 1)uds and leaves starting forth 

 at once, and their rosy bloom is always lovely. 

 The Double Flowering Plum — often called the 

 White Flowering Almond — is also very desira- 

 ble. The Double Flowering Peach and Cherry 

 are very beautiful, coming so early that their 

 profuse flowers have few out-door rivals. 



The Double Flowei'ing Blackberry is an an- 

 cient flower, but none the less appreciated. 

 Its blossoms look like miniature roses. They 



are very hardy, and are valuable to train over 

 rocks or against unsightly walls ; though like 

 the common blackberry, the old stems must be 

 cut away, for the flowers are produced upon 

 the last year's growth alone. The Bridal Rose, 

 so well known to many of our readers, is but a 

 variety of the Double Blackberry, and is a na- 

 tive of Mauritius, and is a green house plant, 

 while our friend will grow and bloom in the 

 rockiest nook, and with little culture. 



Spireas are familiar to all. Where the Li- 

 lac and the Syringa flourish, they are fomid, 

 but now their name is legion, and yearly the 

 florists offer new beauties for our selection — 

 among them are Spirea levigata, very showy, 

 with spikes of flowers; Spirea thunhergia, 

 with delicate, graceful foliage, and pure white 

 flowers ; Spirea hella is of dwarf growth, with 

 bright pink flowers ; and not to be outdone by 

 other variegated leaved plants, there is off'ered 

 Spirea folia variegata, whose I'ich, dark 

 green leaves possess a pale bright yellow 

 marking through the centre. Spirea 1mm- 

 boldtii is a hardy, herbaceous species, with 

 elegant foliage and numerous feathery stalks. 



The Tartarian Honeysiiclde is always beau- 

 tiful, whether in bloom or covered with its 

 scarlet berries. It is common, to be sure ; but 

 what God has made we are not to call "com- 

 mon." It needs no care, after a root or even 

 a slip is set out, and both the white and pink 

 varieties blossom early in June. It should be 

 seen in every yard and lawn. 



Deidzias from Japan, are also lovely and 

 bloom profusely, but they should not be 

 pruned, as the flowers are formed upon the 

 wood of the previous year's growth, and every 

 twig that is cut olf destroys so many blc^soms. 



Let us all hope that in the coming summer 

 more flowers will bloom than ever blossomed 

 before, and more hearts be awakened to a 

 sense of then- pure loveliness and beauty. 



s. o. J. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS. 



Drought— Drilling in Wells— Cattle Gnawing- Stump 

 Puller — Bone Meal on Meadow Hay — Marketing Farm 

 Produce. 



It has been a long time since the readers of 

 the Farmer have beard from me, for which 

 many months' sickness must be my excuse. 



An unprecedented drought the past summer, 

 with only two faint attempts at a January thaw, 

 has left many wells yet dry in this section of 

 country ; some families the past fall having to 

 draw water two or three miles for cattle and 

 sheep, for want of a sufficiency of which many 

 have died. Had not science given us steam 

 grist mills, a resort to the old corn-pounding 

 mortars of old colonial days would have been 

 inevitable. 



I have a well fifteen feet deep, mostly 

 blasted in the solid ledge a century since, that 

 in every severe drought failed until tv/enty-six : 



