612 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



fruit trees," and was mostly taken up by Sec- 

 retary (roodale upon the cultivation of pears. 

 A gentleman from northern Aroostook said 

 that a few of the best varieties of apples suc- 

 ceeded well with them ; among the most hardy 

 of which was the Duchess of Oldenburgh. 

 The discussion was general for a short time, 

 •when the subject was laid upon the table and 

 resolutions were ollered, expressive of the 

 regret of the Hoard at the withdrawal of Cal- 

 vin Chamljerlain, whose term of ofhce expires 

 with the ])resent year, which after remarks liy 

 quite a large number of gentlemen were unan- 

 imously adopted. Mr. C. has been connected 

 ■with the Board fourteen j'ears. A vote of 

 thanks was tendered to D. H. Thing for his 

 acceptable services as President of the Board, 

 which were responded to by that gentleman 

 at some length. Resolutions of thanks to the 

 citizens of Lincoln were passed and responded 

 to, Avhen the Board adjourned to meet at Paris 

 Hill, probably on the third Tuesday of Jan- 

 uary next. T. 



For t?i€ Xew Enrjland Fanner. 

 THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



Our gardens are now ablaze with the bril- 

 liant flowers of autumn. The geraniums are 

 in great magnificence, in all hues, — scarlet, 

 cherry, brightest of pink, palest of pink, sal- 

 mon color and white. The double varieties 

 are especially gorgeous. Andrew Henderson 

 is the most beautiful,— ^its scarlet tresses are 

 of the richest dye, and its flowers are double 

 as roses. Madame Lemoine is of the brightest 

 pink, and its clusters are enormous — fifty and 

 sixty blossoms on one truss, are no uncom- 

 mon sight. 



The verbenas are now beauteous in all their 

 varied tints of purple, crimson, scarlet, ma- 

 roon, lilac, magenta, pink in all its shades, and 

 indeed every color but sky blue and yellow, 

 seem represented among their numerous vari- 

 eties. The nasturtions creep in coils of scar- 

 let, gold and lemon color, splashed with 

 velvet of the darkest maroon hues. The Ja- 

 pan lilies exceed all other llowers in the rich- 

 ness and loveliness of their blossoms. As- 

 ters, balsams, petumias, stocks, euphorbias, 

 achryanthus, coleus, and all the glorious sis- 

 terhood lift their bright heads adorned with 

 vivid splendor. 



But, alas ! a sudden change will come over 

 them. A cool twilight will gather, — King 

 Frost will muster his battalions, and when an- 

 other day shall dawn, his troops will sparkle 

 from flower to flower, — not one blossom will 

 hang untarnished from its stem, — they are 

 dead, crumpled and sere. The black, killing 

 frost has come, and the glory of the summer 

 has vanished, — is like a tale that is told, — only 

 its memory remains. A few hardy perennials 

 strll hold up their heads, but the fragile things, 

 the l)rilliant flowers, the fair, fragrant and 

 frail are utterly destroyed ! 



"Whore are tlie flowers, the fair, young flowers, that 

 lately sprung and stood 

 In brighter light and softer air, a beauteous sister- 



liood y" 



And now the (]uestion is, what shall we do 

 with these great bushes of geraniums, helio- 

 tropes, feverfews, &c., that have doue their 

 duty durmg the summer, and have grown to 

 sucli a size that they can no longer come un- 

 der the head of Window Gardening? If re- 

 served for the latter purpose, they will not 

 look decently for months, for they have blos- 

 somed incessantly for five months, and now 

 demand and will have a season of rest, and if 

 they are taken up for house plants, their roots 

 have spread out over so large a space that out 

 few of them can be saved, and it is needful to 

 cut them in severely ; i. e. prune oli'a dozen, 

 at least, of their branches, leaving only three 

 or four, and taking ofJ" the largest leaves of 

 those that remain. Of course, while pruning 

 them, due regard must be had to their shape, 

 and be sure to do it so as to leave the plant in 

 as graceful a form as you possibly can, if you 

 must keep it growing. Though the plants are 

 so large, they can oe accommodated in a six 

 or seven inch pot. This is supposing they are 

 to be treated as window plants. 



But a much better way is to raise slips from 

 them for house culture, and reserve the large 

 plants for budding out another spring. Any 

 plant that possesses a woody nature can be 

 kept over the winter in boxes in the cellar. 

 Geraniums, fuchsias, lemon verbenas, helio- 

 tropes, roses, &c., will all remain in a dor- 

 mant state until spring. Then, if brought up 

 to the light, all the old leaves removed and 

 some of the branches cut off, they will put 

 forth vigorous shoots, and soon make larger 

 plants than those of last season. To preserve 

 them for this purpose, just before a black, kill- 

 ing frost, pull up all the plants that you desire 

 to save and cut off the greater part of the 

 leaves, allowing but a few to remain on the 

 branches. Plant them in boxes about six 

 inches in depth and set the plants quite closely 

 together, filling tightly into the roots some 

 light, sandy soil that will not mould. Water 

 them thoroughly and keep in the shade, set- 

 ting the boxes into the barn or wood-house 

 for two or three days, where they will not be 

 frozen. After that, if the weather is warm, 

 let them have some sunshine and fresh air. 



When the weather has become quite cold, 

 take the boxes into the cellar, where it is frost 

 proof. When once estal)lished in their winter 

 (juarters, no water will be needed for six or 

 eight weeks. Place the boxes where potatoes 

 are kept ; too near a furnace will injure them. 

 They do not desire to grow, but to remain 

 dormant and muster their strength for the 

 coming spring. 



All kinds of delicate tea roses can be kept 

 over the winter in this manner. They should 

 be examined once a month, and the decayed 

 leaves removed, lest they make them mould 

 and injure the plants. 



