No other group of 

 plants— not even the 

 Rose or Lily — possess- 

 es so much sentiment, 

 so much to interest or 

 so much genuine 

 floral beauty as these. 

 This truth is conclu- 

 sively proved in a 

 twofold manner. "Wo- 

 men, all will admit, 

 are true lovers of 

 flowers. Almost every 

 '"^i^Jf^^'^ZT reader can call to 



mind one or more of those dear old ladies that have 

 ' trodden the pathway of life so long that their forms 

 have become bent, their step infirm, their hearing thick and eyesight dim 

 —in brief, have passed so deeply into the valley of death that their interest in affairs of this life have become 

 very weak and faded, yet they cling with unabated love to "the old-fashioned flowers," the hardy herbaceous 

 , plants of their gardens. The greatest botanists and most accomplished flower lovers of our land — such men as 

 Dr. Thurber, Prof. Gray, Dr. Torrey and Dr. Wood — in fact the foremost horticulturists and botanists of all 

 lands and of all times, from Linnaeus down, have always held them in highest esteem of all plants. And the rea- 

 son is simple; all, with very few exceptions, though so exquisitely beautiful, are modest in coloring, many are 

 sweet scented and it would be diflBcult to name one that is not graceful to the extent of being aesthetic in form 

 of flower and habit of growth. Again, these flowers, unlike the gaudy so styled "bedding plants," which we have 

 with us for a short time only and for a single season, remain indefinitely, returning each season to surprise and 

 please those who ai"e not familiar with their habits, and to cheer and delight their loving friends who watch for 

 them; increasing in beauty as the years pass by. Space permits us to offer but a selection in this catalogue; for 

 a complete list of those we grow, see our Manual of Ornamental Trees and Plants, mention of which will 

 be found elsewhere; but all we offer are absolutely hardy, unless otherwise noted. All will be sent by mail, if 

 desired, at the rates of each and dozen, but larger and stronger plants will be selected, if sent by express or 

 freight. Rates by the hundred and thousand of any variety will be given upon application. 



Collections of Hardy Herbaceous Plants. 



To encourage the planting of these beautiful plants we offer the following inducements : 



Col. /V. 10 plants for $1.00. Col. B. 25 plants for $2.00— all choice varieties— our selection ; all different. 



Col. C. For $1.00. Eight plants of any offered at 15e. each, or Six plants of any offered at 20c. 



Col. D. For $2.00. Twenty plants of any offered at 15c. each, or Fifteen plants of any offered at 20c. each. 



Col. E. For $2.00. Especially adapted to CEIMETERY PLANTING— consisting of twenty-two plants ; namely : one 

 each, Anemone Japonica alba, Lychnis flos cuculi plenissima semperflorens, Statice latifolia, Achillea 

 The Pearl, Astilbe Japonica, Alpine Rock Cress, Gypsophylla paniculata. Evergreen Candytuft, Giant 

 Daisy, Munstead's White Columbine, Forget-me-not, Bush Clematis, Tunica saxifragica, Moss Pink, 

 Widow's Tears, Flowering Spurge, Spirae palmata elegans, and Five Lily of the Valley. 



Any of the above collections will be sent by mail if desired; but if sent by express larger plants trill be selected. 



VARIETIES OF SPECIAL MERIT. 



LAUREL-LEAVED PHLOX. 



Only six inches high. A beautiful, early-blooming' 

 very dwarf plant. Forms a mat of evergreen foliage, 

 literally covered with bright pink flowers from April 

 until June. The flowers are produced in close heads 

 raised above the foliage on a clean stem. A most valu- 

 able and desirable little plant. Ea. 15c; 4 for 50c; doz., 

 $1.35. 



Phiox Carolina ovata. A most interesting and beauti- 

 ful plant, forming a dense shrub with broad oval, light 

 green foliage, which is completely covered in early 

 summer with its large showy heads of clear, bright pink 

 flowers. It is beautiful at all times, its handsome, clean 

 glossy foliage rendering it attractive when not in flower 

 and when in bloom it is so floriferous, the flower 

 heads so large and the color so clear and pleasing that 

 it is simply perfect. Ea., 20c., 3 for 50; doz., $1,76. 



