126 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 212. 



rooms below. A stout roof could be built that miglit sustain 

 a garden spread over a part or even the whole of the surface, 

 with soil deep enough for vegetables, vines and tfo vvers. Here 

 is a chance for even more taste and ornament than in an or- 

 dinary garden. I think weeds would be less troublesome, and 

 insects of the worst sort would be quite shut out. What a 

 chance for a Rose gardener, and for Lilies and Gladioli. All 

 the common flowers like Wallflowers, Trop;eolum, Mignonette, 

 Petunias, and, above all, Geraniums would readily take to such 

 a home. 



As an economical measure the roof garden may constitute 

 a noteworthy feature of future city life. The poorer families, 

 unable to command a rod square of area below, may grou' 

 some of the most needful provisions above. Oriental nations 

 have for ages utilized housetops for all sorts of purposes. Xot 

 only kings, but the populace eat, sleep and garden on the 

 roofs. The suburbs of American cities need nothing of the 

 kind ; but the city houses do. The tenement-house would be 

 easilv robbed of some of its terror if the roof were furnished 

 for sleeping ; and with a few tubs of trees and common flow- 

 ers. So far we have looked more to. the glory of increasing 

 the size of cities than to the increase of their attendant com- 

 forts. Economy aiid health and pleasure can all be combined 

 in roof gardening. 



But the most practicable immediate use of the roof garden 

 is for the families of professional men and others wholongfor 

 some contact with growing things, a bit of nature, wild or 

 tame, all to themselves. Most women would enjoy such a 

 resort, and the homely comfort of dabbling in dirt. 



The e.xperiment at Chicago is a happy thought. The whole 

 subject can be studied. I hope the effort to produce grand 

 effects will not predominate to the exclusion of the wants of 

 those who can only work in a humble way. It is plain poor 

 men's and poor women's problem in one sense. It is the 

 flower-pot multiplied and put to practical purposes. And if a 

 single window-plant may help to brighten the life of the city 

 poor, roof gardening may help considerably to relieve some 

 of the trying conditions of citv life. _ „ „ 



Clinton, N. Y. ' -£■ P- Po-Mell. 



Roses. 



As the sunshine strengthens with the approach of spring 

 more ventilation will be needed in the Rose-house, but 

 low temperature with high winds often prevail in March, and 

 if these cold draughts are permitted to circulate among the 

 Roses an attack of mildew will inevitably follow. The heating 

 apparatus also requires close attention, for while the nights 

 continue cold, the days are often warm, and consequently the 

 temperature under glass may change rapidly. It is a safe rule 

 to begin ventilating as soon as the temperature in the Rose- 

 house reaches seventy degrees, and to increase it gradually as' 

 may be necessary. 



All watering and syringing should still be done early in the 

 day to prevent excessive moisture during the night, though 

 syringing may be done with more freedom now than a month 

 earlier, and the water should be applied with sufficient force to 

 prevent red spider from getting a foothold, since this pest is 

 likely to appear at this season. Liquid manure is generally 

 beneficial now, but is best applied in moderation, and only the 

 clear liquid should be used after the solid matter has settled 

 to the bottom of the tub or tank. Much injury is done by ap- 

 plying thick manure-water, from the fact that the sediment 

 forms a comparatively air-tight coating on the surface of the 

 soil and prevents its proper aeration. Old-established plants 

 will, of course, assimilate more strong food than those less 

 firmly rooted, but it is better to err on the side of moderation 

 than of excess. Of course, it is understood that proper soil has 

 been used in the first place for filling the beds. 



Early Rose-cuttings will be rooted before this, and it is well 

 to pot them off before the roots grow to any great length in the 

 cutting-bed, for there will be less liability of breaking the roots 

 in the operation of potting while the roots are short, and the 

 young plants will become established much more quickly than 

 those whose roots have been crippled. Young Roses must 

 not be permitted to starve in very small pots if healthy and 

 strong plants are desired for summer planting, for under such 

 treatment little more than a stunted growth can ever be hoped for. 



At this season some good cuttings may be secured from hy- 

 brids that have been forced early, and from which the crop of 

 bloom has been cut. The sooner such cuttings are put in the 

 better, in order to furnish young stock for next season's crop. 

 Firm shoots with clean and healthy foliage only should be se- 

 lected for this purpose, and with reasonable care they will soon 

 root. 



The decree of fashion seems to have been somewhat against 

 the old favorite, La France, this season, and even more so 

 against its offspring, Duchess of Albany. This is perhaps less 

 surprising in the latter instance than the former, for while the 

 Duchess of Albany is very handsome when in perfect condi- 

 tion, yet many of its flowers are too dull and undecided in color 

 to appeal to the fastidious buyer, and as soon as its novelty had 

 worn off its popularity began to wane also. Catherine Mermet 

 has been much more in demand, the lighter shade of pink be- 

 ing preferred, and there are certainly few Roses that can com- 

 pare with this one for beautv of form and delicacy of coloring 

 when well grown. Meteor, too, has been gaining in popu- 

 larity, and with some growers proves a profitable variety, while 

 in other localities little success has been found with it. Still 

 another sport from Mermet is to be disseminated soon, and 

 from the description it seems to greatly resemble Waban, and 

 possibly may be identical with it, for it is not extraordinary for 

 the same freak to occur in two localities. This actually hap- 

 pened in the case of The Bride. 



Holmesburg. Pa. W. H. Taplm. 



Bulbous Plants in Winter. 



T X the greenhouse January and February are very satisfac- 

 -*■ tory months. The crops of flowers are abundant, and 

 there is not too much pressing work. The propagating season 

 has not fairly begun, and, besides routine work and entomo- 

 logical studies, there is little to do beyond watching the ex- 

 panding flowers. 



In any greenhouse room is very valuable, and in a small 

 one it is only by the exercise of considerable management 

 and foresight that the house is kept well furnished with flow- 

 ers at all seasons. " Plants which are always in bloom with 

 showy flowers " are still rather scarce, and only a certain pro- 

 portion of a small house should be occupied by permanent 

 herbaceous plants — these to include, of course, such deco- 

 rative plants as may be required for foliage eft'ects or may 

 interest the grower. Many amateurs are interested in special 

 species and devote their entire attention to them ; but where 

 it is simply desired to secure a constant succession of flowers 

 at all seasons it will be found that a well-selected stock of 

 bulbous plants are the amateur's best reliance. With a good 

 supply of these the smallest house may be kept always gay, 

 reserve stock being brought forward at the proper season. 

 After flowering they can be put in an inconspicuous place to 

 open or rest, and be replaced by others. 



The variety of bulbs, corms and rhizomes is endless, giv- 

 ing one an opportunity to select a good supply of those pleas- 

 ing to one's particular taste. The common bulbs, which are 

 needed in some quantity and are repotted each season, are 

 best grown in short pots or Lily-pans, those of eight inches in 

 diameter being a useful size, and if of standard pattern can be 

 snugly packed away when not in use. These are not very 

 conspicuous, and hold sufficient earth for most bulbs. They 

 are much preferable to ordinary deep pots of the same diam- 

 eter, which are too prominent, and to flats, which are very 

 difficult to place on an ordinary greenhouse-bench and can- 

 not be taken into living-rooms. In these pots the bulbs should 

 be planted thickly for effect when in flower, and allowed to 

 make root in proper quarters, which will vary according to 

 the species. Fortunately, some of the commonest, cheapest 

 bulbs are the most satisfactory, and it is possible to have a 

 succession through the winter with very slight expense. Ro- 

 man Hyacinths are perhaps die most satisfactory winter-bulb 

 -for all purposes, being free, graceful, not too fragrant, and to 

 be had at any desired time ; the rose and blue are pleasing, 

 but not as useful as the white. The Dutch Hyacinths are pop- 

 ular flowers easily grown, but one usually apologizes to him- 

 self as their lumpy flowers appear, for a plant not pleasing both 

 inform and color is never quite satisfying. Theirmass of color 

 is useful, however, in briglitening up dark corners. A few 

 pans of Tulips, especially of the light colors, should always be 

 grown, but will need care in not bringing on too quickly. 

 Freesias are deservedly popular and never in too great supply, 

 though the bulbs increase so freely. There does not seem to 

 be any difficulty in growing this desirable plant in a cool 

 greenhouse. It is well to try to select bulbs giving the purest 

 white flowers, which are the most pleasing. Allium Neapoli- 

 tanum is one of the most useful winter-blooming bulbous 

 plants. The bulbs force readily, and the cymes, of pure white 

 flowers, are very attractive. Unlike other varieties of this 

 family, this has no objectionable odor. 



Of the Xarcissi, the Paper Whites and bunch-flowered kinds, 

 generally, are so charming that one hesitates to add that 

 they are. also, malodorous and impossible flowers for cut- 

 ting. A pan of X. Bulbocodium, or Hoop-petticoat Daffodils, is 



