AMONG THE FLOWERS WITH REXFORD 



15 



one of these geraniums at hand. The 

 plant requires but little attention. Give 

 it a soil of rich loam, a good light, and a 

 moderate amount of water, and it asked 

 no more. Unlike floTrering geraniums, it 

 had to be given considerable root room, 

 because, being gro^vn for its foliage in- 

 stead of its flowers." it could not be allowed 

 to get cramped at its roots without inter- 

 fering with the vigorous development of 

 branches upon which its beauty depended. 

 It was necessary to either shift it to larger 

 pots at least once a year, or use a fertilizer 

 freely. Once in a while the aphis attacked 

 it, but a frequent showering was generally 

 sufficient to keep this insect from injuring 

 it. Most specimens were grown in tree 

 form. This was easily done by keeping 

 the young plant from branching until it 

 had reached the height of three feet or 

 thereabouts. Then its top was nipped off, 

 and very soon new branches were sent out 

 in profusion. All but five or six of these, 

 near the top, were removed. These formed 

 the •'•'head" of the tree. By nipping these 

 branches it was an easy matter to make 

 the plant bushy and compact. Old plants 

 could easily be "renewed" by cutting off 

 most of the old tops. Few plants were 

 more tractable, and few more satisfac- 

 tory. I hope to see it again in general 

 cultivation. 



AX '"old-fashioxed"' flowee 



One of the good old flowers which we 

 see very little of nowadays is the African 

 marigold, or, as our grandmothers used to 

 call it, the velvet marigold. This name of 

 theirs was not only prettv. but extremely 

 appropriate, for the petals of the flower 

 have a texture like that of the richest 

 velvet, and the depth of color which char- 

 acterizes them adds to the velvety effect. 

 I know of only one other fl^ower similar in 

 tone, and that is the wall flower, which the 

 Germans are so fond of because it was a 

 favorite in the "fatherland." This mari- 

 gold is not only effective in garden deco- 

 ration, but it is very useful for cutting, as 

 it lasts a long time, and harmonizes well 



with scarlets, pinks, and pale yellows, 

 though it is perhaps most satisfactory 

 when used alone with only its own pretty 

 foliage to relieve the deep-toned flowers. 

 To bring out fully the richness of its 

 coloring set the vase containing it where 

 the sun can fall upon it. The blossoms 

 will brighten as if a flame played beneath 

 their brown surface and warmed them 

 with its radiant heat. By all means grow 

 a bed of this marigold this season. 



OXE OF OUR BEST PLAXTS 



The old-fashioned peony has suffered 

 from neglect, in common with most of the 

 good old flowers of fifty years ago, but, 

 like the sweet pea and the hollyhock, it is 

 coming to its own again, and soon it will 

 be more popular than its rivals, whose day 

 of triumph has been a short one. Ten 

 years from now many of them will be for- 

 gotten, while the peony will be enjoying 

 the popularity it so richly deserves. This 

 is as it should be. Merit ought always to 

 find recognition and appreciation, whether 

 in a new flower or an old one. And when 

 a flower has proved its merit it ought 

 thereafter to be given a place among the 

 im-mortals of the floral world. For if 

 merit wins immortality for a man in the 

 opinion of other men, why should not a 

 flower deserve the same distinction? But 

 this is a matter about which the peony 

 seemingly does not concern itself. It is 

 content to do its part and trust the result 

 to those who "know a good thing when 

 they see it." 



Few herbaceous plants equal the peony 

 in richness of color and profusion of 

 bloom. Old, strong clumps often throw 

 up from fifty to a hundred flower stalks. 

 I know of one which, two years ago, had 

 over two hundred — and the flowers are 

 often more than six inches across — great, 

 fluffy masses of silken petals ranging in 

 color from almost pure white to rose, car- 

 mine, crimson, rosy violet, and salmon. 

 Few plants require less care. They prefer 

 a soil of rather heavy loam. They like 

 to liave it strong in nutriment, and they 



