U9 



AND G ARD E NCR'S JOURNAL. 



V^OL. 1. 



The Flowers of Summer and Autumn. 



Many plants which adom the gaiiicn in summer, 

 coniinue their bloom into autumn. OfthiecloeB are 

 most of the annuals, and all those flowers which are 

 denominated monthly — i. e. not only blooming once a 

 month for a few days but all the time, if not interrupt- 

 ed by drought ; and even then resuming their beauty 

 nfler refreshing ehuwers. 



Clcomc grandijlora is a botanical curiosity. It be- 

 longs to the only genus in the Class Tetradynamia, 

 which is excluded from the Natural Order Cruciferse. 

 The petals are not cross-shaped, but ascending — or 

 contained in the upper half of a circle of which the pis- 

 til is in the centre. It grows 4 or 5 feet high, and 

 with its red-purple flowers makes a fine display at a 

 distance. It has succeeded best with us, in a border 

 partially shaded by a high fence from the sun. 



Campanula Loicii and C. pentagonia, one purple 

 and the other white, have bloomed throughout the 

 summer, and continue their freshness. 



CUirliia bicolor has generally white blossoms, but 

 some are pink on the same stem ; and we had one pe- 

 tal of this color while the others in the same flower 

 were white. 



Phacelia tanaccti/olia has presented its pale blue 

 flowera in abundance ; and its vigor seems unabated. 



GodciiaiB scarcely distinguishable from (Enothera. 

 G. ruhicunda is fine, but perhaps not so well suited to 

 heovy soils. 



Conzolculus tricolor is an old favorite, but contin- 

 ues unsurpassed in beauty. It has undergone some 

 change of color however, and mixed with its fine blue, 

 we find flowers of a lighter shade. 



All the species of Sckizantlius are delicate and beau- 

 tiful. S. Pricstii appears to be only a white variety, 

 which may soon acquire its pristine colors. 



Liipinus nanus has blue-purple flowers growing in 

 whorls, but diversified in color by the whiteness of the 

 corol before it expands. 



Laratcra trimestris in its white and red varieties, 

 and the richer and deeper and varied red of the Ma- 

 lope to which it is nearly allied, with the fine scarlet of 

 the Zinnia, — are beautiful ornaments of the border. 



The Chinese Malloic has a delicate flower marked 

 with red stripes, resembling some varieties of the Pe- 

 largonium. The flowers appear to better advantage 

 however, when some of the large leaves are removed. 



The genus Pe/unja furnishes three-fine species with 

 eccentric stamens and pistils. P. nyctaginijlora has 

 large white fragrant flowers on tubes two inches long: 

 P, purpurea with smaller flowers of a red-purple on 

 short tubes, and both are very showy, blooming 

 through die doy ; but there is another sort which is 

 night-blooming and also fragrant, the flowers standing 

 on tubes nearly four inches in length. All these are 

 well deserving of a place in the garden. 



Wc have two other annuals of uncommon beauty 

 in the Yellow Hawk weed (Crcpis (TolpisJ barbala) 

 and the Yellow Sultan (Cmtauien. suarcolens.) 

 These are old favorites, and will scarcely be eclipsed 

 by any that are yet to come. 



We shoU now speak of perennials, — for Maurandia 

 Barclayana though treated like an annual, moy be 

 transferred to the Green House, and bloom through 

 succeeding years. Its dark blue-purple contrasts 

 finely with the pink flowers of another variety 7 



Liatris scariosa varies in the size of its flowers, but 

 our finest variety came from the plains of Circlcville, 

 near the Sciota river. By a little art it is rendered 

 more beautiful. Shorten the stem to increase ihe 

 number of its branches; "and then," snys EUiott, 

 " from the size and brilliant color of the flowers, it be 

 comes the most ornamental species of the genus." It 

 also appears to advantage when laid prostrate some 

 lime before it comes into bloom. It continues an or- 



nament of autumn, while L. sjiicati and L. Jlezuosa 

 fade at an earlier period. 



Aconilum jnponieum from the East, and A. uncina- 

 tum from the woods of Virginio, present their blue- 

 purple flowers in abundance ; the loiter growing lux- 

 uriantly in a shaded border of vegetable earth. The 

 finest species that we have seen of this genus however, 

 is A. Taricgatuin — a glorious plant ; but our soil 

 seems unsuited to its health. 



Dracoctphalum speciosum ? is often despoiled of its 

 flower-buds by the same insect that attacks the Dahlia; 

 but when it blooms well, as it has this season, its ap- 

 pearance is fine, and reminds us of the rufl's worn in 

 the days of Queen Elizobcth. 



Colchicum avtumnale, and C. taricgatuin, are very 

 pretty, resembling the Crocus, except that the flowers 

 come forth without the leaves. The former has passed 

 into many varieties, chiefly single, but one at least is 

 double. From a pole purple sort, we have seedlings 

 with white flowers. 



Hibiscus incanus from Illinois, is one of the latest 

 that come into flower. These are large, white, or a 

 slight blush, with a fine red eye. 



Bignonia grandiflora is not quite so hardy as B. 

 radicans but it blooms in the open border, though, we 

 tliink, not so well as it would in the reflected heat 

 from a wall. This season it has sent out stems which 

 have trolled on the ground and blossomed. We have 

 nothing to eclipse it at the time it is in flower. t 



Transplanting Fruit Trees. 



Some people are quite discouraged from procuring 

 the finer and rarer kinds of fruit trees — they can't get 

 them to grow. We know of several instances where 

 liberal purchases were made, considerable care exten- 

 ded, and high expectations entertained, which have 

 ended in nothing but disappointment. Now when 

 things happen so, somebody must bear the blame; and 

 the poor nurserymon, not being present to take his 

 own part, will be likely to receive a full share. This 

 suggestion is not an idlo conjecture. The case how- 

 ever, ought to be probed to the bottom, both on ac- 

 count of the seller and the buyer. 



The great sin of the nurseryman is selling trees un. 

 der wrong names — propagating the spurious instead 

 of the genuine — receiving pay for one kind and delive- 

 ring anotlicr. His next sin is in disposing of unheal- 

 thy trees. This rarely occurs however, except in dis- 

 tricts where tlie Yellvtcs in the peach tree is prevolent, 

 — for the condition of almost every other sort, moy be 

 known at once by every man of common observation, 

 when he goes to purchase. It is therefore evident that 

 if the nurseryman delivers at the proper time end 

 place, the genuine kinds in a heaWiy state, and well 

 packed (if requested) he cannot equitably be account- 

 able for any disasters that may follow. 



Wo will now inquire whether the purchaser does 

 his part, faithfully ? If he goes with his team for the 

 trees, and to save time, or the expense of packing, 

 takes them at once from the nursery, — he ought to wet 

 the roots, and keep them wet, by pocking them with 

 wet straw or hay, and covering them with blankets, 

 all of which should receive a shower from the water- 

 ing pot. To carry them through the dry air and 

 worm sunshine, uncovered, causes the roots to wither; 

 and many trees are lost by such severe and improper 

 treatment. 



He takes them home, however. It may be in the 

 evening when he arrives, and a sharp frost follows. 

 If the roots become frozen, he should be particular nut 

 to let them thaw before they arc planted; but set them 

 in the ground in bunches without delay, to remain for 

 a day or two, till this danger is over. Even peach 

 trees when frosted, which are more tender than some 

 o her kinds, may be successfully treated in this way. 



Before the trees arrive however, the holes should be 

 dug. Six feet in diometer, and eighteen inches deep, 

 is a proper size; — the rich soil being loid round the 

 circumference, and the harder and sterile subsoil 

 thrown bock, so as not to be in the way when the ex- 

 cavation is filled. Some leaves, rotten wood, com 

 stolks, or potatoe tops, may be mixed with the soil to 

 keep it loose, as it is scraped into the hole; hut to pro- 

 vide against the settling of this bed of earth, it should 

 be raised several inches higher thon the adjoining 

 ground, — otherwise the tree in a few years would 

 stand in a depression. Trees treated in this monner 

 will not only be more likely to grow, but they will 

 growfaster, and bear sooner, and always bear better 

 fruit, especially in dry seasons. 



This is not all that ought to be done however, to 

 insure the life of the tree. The ground near it, 

 should be thoroughly hoed, as often as once a month 

 throughout the growing season; ond we can safely say 

 that we have never lost a tree in good condition that 

 was set in mellow'ground well cultivated. A former 

 once bought several dollars worth of fruit trees at our 

 nursery, and intended to treat them in the best man- 

 ner. He dug good holes, put in rich earth, but all 

 would nut do, — most of the trees died, ond the few 

 that survived did no good. What could be the mat- 

 ter ? We happened to meet his hired man o year or 

 two after, and inquired. Were they carefully planted 1 

 Yes — all according to direction. Were they hoed 

 round as often as once a month through the summer 1 

 No, they were not hoed at all. — That explained the 

 trouble. It requires a tough tree to do well, ina hea- 

 vy soil, the first season, without hoeing. 



Another circumstance of no small import, is tying 

 up the trees to stiff' stakes, to prevent the wind from 

 bending them, and loosening them in the ground. 

 When they become loose, and the air circulates round 

 the root, they hove but little chance to live. 



We have several times heard comploints that autum- 

 nal planting was unfovoroble to the peach tree. Los- 

 ses of this kind are sometimes owing to the soil, and 

 sometimes to the climate. As we go eastword from 

 the shores of the Coyugs, the winters become moro 

 severe, because the land rises, and recedes from the 

 %varm exhalations of the loke. Every tree of good 

 size that is tra»splanted is more or lees crippled in its 

 roots; and in this state it is more helpless, or less able 

 to resist severe cold than when it is vigorous, and has 

 taken a firm hold on the soil. In some situations it 

 may therefore be best in autumn, to lay the trees in 

 trenches, covering the tops well with evergreens, and 

 afterwards set them out in the spring. At this place 

 however, such precautions are unnecessary, — for we 

 have transplanted with success at all times when the 

 trees were leafless * ond the weather suitable. 



We will now recur to the soil. Holes dug in close 

 clays, will hold water like a tub; and when the tree ia 

 planted with loose earth over its roots, they soak, and 

 not unfrequently perish from this single cause. The 

 soil cannot be packed too closely and firmly round the 

 roots; but still it may prove unavailing without some- 

 thing more. G. V. Sackett of Seneca Falls foiled 

 entirely with a semi-circular row of trees which he 

 planted some years ago in front of his brick mansion. 

 He then cut a ditch, filled in stone, and planted big 

 trees over it with eminent success. The soil is a very 

 close clay. In all such situations, we should there- 

 fore recommend that a drain under where the row of 

 trees is to stand, should be first made; and with the 

 plough and shovel, used alternately, it may speedily 



* It is an easy alfalr to strip a younff tree, and make it leaf- 

 less, whcu it is to remain a day or two unplanted ; but wiien 

 it can be renioved and set imiiiediately, we sliould prefer hav- 

 ing tlic leaves left on. As soon as tlie sun crosses the line 

 in autumn, if ttio weuttier is cout and ttic gruund tref, it ia 

 s.-ife to transplant — at least we have never sueceoiled better 

 than at such a time und undsr such circums'.anees. 



