For information regarding railroad and steam- T tj p r 1 A T) H P \T TV/T A Z" 1 A 7T VP 

 32 ship lines, write to the Readers' Service IHt (jr A K J_> t, JN M A (j A Z 1 JN lii 



August, 1912 



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A Veritable Hedge of 



MADONNA LILIES 



LILIUM CANDIDUM (Choke Northern Grown) 



The favorite lilies of the old-fashioned garden; produce strong, stiff 

 stems, studded with a mass of pure, glistening, white flowers, that 

 enliven the perennial flower garden or, for effects of contrasts with the 

 beautiful green shrubs of the June garden, are unequalled. 



Plant some bulbs during August and September and enjoy a big crop 

 of flowers next June or pot up, store in cold frame, and force for early 

 Winter in the greenhouse or conservatory. 



Extra Large bulbs 15c. each $1.50 doz. $10. per 100 

 Jumbo bulbs 25c. each $2.50 doz. $15. per 100 



GIANT FREESIA PURITY 



A charming little bulbous plant for window-garden, greenhouse or 

 conservatory. Has tall, stiff stem, bearing six to eight beautiful, snowy 

 white flowers. 



Plant a dozen bulbs in a 5-inch pot and enjoy a feast of blooms for 

 Christmas. Where a continuous display during Winter is desired, plant 

 a dozen or more pots and set in cold frames bringing in at intervals of 

 two weeks from October. Excellent for cutting, remaining in good condi- 

 tion a week or more in water. Much superior to the popular Rcfracta 

 Alba Freesia, in size of flower, strength of stem (often measuring 20 

 inches), and purity of color. 



Large fine plump bulbs 75c. doz. $3.50 per 100 $30. per 1000 



Jumbo bulbs $1.00 doz. $4.50 per 100 $40. per 1000 



On all orders amounting to $5 . ormore, express charges paid anywhere in United States 



Our catalogue of Best Bulbs for Fall Planting will be sent to all cus- 

 tomers in August. A postal will bring you one. 



)tu^£jUJaIkn9 



50 Barclay 



Street 

 New York 



Peterson's Perfect Peonies 



are the acme of beauty, fragrance and charm — the standard 

 by which others are judged. 



And this year, growing in soil of unusual quality and with 

 favorable weather conditions, my roots are the best even I 

 have ever offered. 



"Wbt jflotocr ©rautiful" 



for 1912 (ready about August 1st) tells you the whole story in detail 

 with prices. It's a charming little book on the most fascinating flower 

 of our day and it's sent on request. 



WANT A COPY? 



GEORGE H, PETERSON 



Rose and Peony Specialist Box 50, Fair Lawn, N. J. 



on the bottom of the tank. The pots containing 

 the cyperus are submerged. In the fall, these 

 plants are cut down to the pot and given but little 

 water during the cold period. One plant, which 

 I keep growing in the kitchen, is for propagating 

 purposes, propagation being done by cutting off 

 the stems close to the leaves and letting the top 

 rest in water. Along in March the dormant lilies 

 are put in a tub of water and the cyperus in a pan 

 of water, and they are taken upstairs (from the 

 cellar where they have been stored) and placed in a 

 sunny window in the kitchen, where they remain 

 until planting out time. 



The water hyacinth I grew first, and it was really 

 responsible for providing me with the means to buy 



What is more beautiful than a water garden with 

 water lilies in bloom? 



more stock for my water garden. The first season 

 my few water hyacinths proved so attractive that 

 I had no difficulty in disposing of them all at fifteen 

 cents apiece. Each season since I have grown a 

 number and have had no difficulty in selling 

 them. 



Another "dividend-payer" is the Mexican fire 

 bush, grown in pots from seed. Some of these 

 plants, carried through from spring to fall, are 

 really beautiful as specimen plants. The revenue 

 obtained from the sale of my water garden plants 

 has enabled me to purchase a yearly supply of 

 tulips, and a number of hybrid roses. Outside, 

 at one end of the tank, I have a fine bed of dahlias. 

 The overflow from the tank keeps the roots in 

 prime condition and ensures an abundant crop of 

 flowers. The soil is a mixture of sawdust, loam and 

 sifted ashes. 



Massachusetts. D. L 



Dry Farming in Summer 



FIVE DOLLARS fine for using the hose and the 

 garden drying up under an August sun! Th^t 

 is what having a flat water rate means. 



My half-acre garden is too large to water with a 

 watering pot, particularly when I know that each 

 good-sized plant ought to receive a whole potful. 

 Last year I applied dry farming methods with 

 excellent results. Conservation of the water al- 

 ready in the soil is the idea of dry farming. Melted 

 snow and spring rains, to say nothing of showers 

 through the summer, give a certain amount of 

 water to the soil. Keeping the surface of the 

 soil broken up into small particles, checks evapora- 

 tion and distributes the water to the best advan- 

 tage possible. Three quarters of an hour's hoeing 

 a day I found was enough to keep the soil from 

 caking. In addition to this, after each rainfall, 

 as soon as the soil could be worked, I went over the 

 whole garden with the hoe. I noticed that, al- 

 though the fine surface I thus made dried off at the 

 very top, the soil immediately underneath kept 

 moist. Some delicate young plants I did water 

 with the watering pot, but the larger part of the 

 garden came through a very dry season with no 

 artificial watering. The constant hoeing also kept 

 down the weeds. 



Two things need to be noted in following this 

 method : tomato plants have their roots so near the 

 surface that one can only rake between them; and 

 it rusts beans if you hoe them while the ground 

 is actually wet. 



New York. Florence Dixon. 



