124 



CURRENT GARDEN LORE. 



return-pipe near the boiler and thus the water will be 

 impelled into a more rapid circulation, which can be 

 increased or retarded at will by increasing or diminish- 

 ing the speed of the pumps. The pressure system will 

 be adopted whereby the temoerature of the water can 



New Conservatory at Lincoln Park, Chicago. 



be increased to 250° if required. The radiating surfaces 

 in the houses will be cut into independent sections, each 

 controlled by automatic heat-regulating devices. The 

 houses are constructed entirely of stone, iron and glass; 

 trusses, rafters and purlins of wrought iron. The bars 

 are of the Hellewell patent (steel and zinc) and the glass 

 rough ribbed plate. The construction of a fernery 

 alongside of the conservatory, 90x6c and 25 feet high, 

 is deterred until another season. The house will be of 

 stone walls with glass roof and will be lower than the 

 palm-house by six feet and will have masses of rock 

 filled in a picturesque fashion along its walls, and with 

 running water, cascades and ferns planted among the 

 rocks will simulate the fern-turfed rocky dells of 

 nature. — American Florist. 



The Evening Primrose. — Of all the plants seen last 

 summer, the evening primrose {Enothera biennis) inter- 

 ested me the most, and I gathered many specimens and 

 watched the flowersopen from evening to evening. Until 

 my acquaintance with the evening primrose I never saw 

 aflower in the very act of opening, and truly it was well 

 worth the careful watching bestowed upon it. One 

 specimen opened at least one flower regularly every 

 evening, and sometimes two or three, for nearly a week. 



The first one I watched opened very 

 quickly, coming into full bloom in 

 about five minutes after once begin- 

 ning to split. First the bud split 

 the least little bit at the sides; then 

 the slits gradually widened and the 

 petals inside began to expand ; then 

 the points of the sepals separated 

 from each other in two pairs, each 

 pair tightly fastened together. It 

 seemed almost as if the flower was 

 breathing — panting to be free. Very 

 soon after the sepals parted they 

 sprang back suddenly with a jerk, 

 and slowly settled into their reflexed 

 position, again splitting as they did 

 so. After the first night the opera- 

 EvENiNG Primrose. t'on ^^^s not nearly so rapid, but 

 took usually from a half hour to an 

 hour and a half or two hours. — Popular Science Monthly . 



A Winter Window. — A broad shelf is fastened a few 

 inches below the window-ledge by stout iron brackets. 

 Upon this is placed a window-box, four or five inches in 

 height. The front of this box can be made ornamental 

 by fretwork, paint or other de- 

 vice. It may be used to con- 

 tain the low-growing plants, the 

 delicate little ferns and others 

 that meet one's fancy. At each 

 end of this box, at the corners, ' 

 are two uprights that are mor- 

 tised into the broad shelf and, 

 extend upward a little higher; 

 than the window. Cross-pieces 

 at the top complete the frame- 

 work. The whole is held firmly 

 in place by a light iron brace 

 extending from the inner up- 

 right on either side to the casing of the window near 

 the top. The shelves can be varied to suit the taste. 

 Plants placed upon these will each receive a proper 

 share of light, as will those in the box below ; while the 

 view from the window will not be obstructed, nor will 

 the whole structure occupy much room. This arrange- 

 ment is capable of accommodating climbing vines on 

 a light lattice-work of wire, arranged between the up" 

 rights and between the cross-pieces above the window. 

 All the woodwork should be well painted. Water will 

 cause warping and splitting unless the grain of the wood 

 is well filled.- — Youtli's Companion. 



White Comet Aster. — The flower, which resembles 

 very closely a pure white large-flowered Japanese chrys- 

 anthemum is larger and more double than is usual, the 



Winter Window. 



White Comet Aster 



birds natural size. ) 



petals being much longer and more twisted. Each petal 

 is ribbed, giving thus to the flower a peculiarly elegant 

 appearance. The color is glossy satiny white. No doubt 

 this aster will become a favorite. — Gardener's Chronicle. 



