294 



BUDS. BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



and arborea, were well described. Another one not so 

 well known, but also native of the southern Alleghanies 

 I tried to describe in the May number for 189 1, but in 

 going through the press the name was changed to 

 mariana, which it only slightly resembles. 



The shrub referred to is known as Andromeda Cates- 

 bai, A. axillaris, A. spinulosa and Leucothoe Catesbai, 

 names given it by botanists Walter, Michaux, Pursh and 

 Gray. Unlike the two andromedas marianea and arborea, 

 it is an evergreen, with glossy, shining leaves which often 

 take in midwinter a metallic purple cast. These leaves 

 are serrate and acute lanceolate, with very narrow tapering 

 points often an inch long. The shrub's branches are of 

 slender drooping habit, their tips trailing upon the ground 

 so that a well-grown bush of it is a shapely mound of 

 of evergreen, with branches drooping outward from the 

 center. In spring-time this green mound is thickly frosted 

 with panicles of white bloom. The flowers resemble in 

 shape and size those of other andromedas, but are borne 

 in shorter, more thickly set panicles in the axils of last 

 year's persistent leaves, and are almost hidden by them. 

 I have often cut branches three feet long set thickly with 

 bloom, but the odor is unpleasant, somewhat like that of 

 chestnut-flowers. It is so faint, however, as hardly to be 

 noticeable. The seed-carpels of this andromeda look 

 like small brown nut-clusters, and are retained throughout 

 the winter until late in spring. The buds, too, are formed 

 in autumn, and look like sharp little spines an inch long, 

 so tightly do their brownish bracts inclose them. This 

 andromeda or leucothoe is usually found growing along 

 the banks of streams in moist places, but bears trans- 

 planting even into upland gardens, if given a sandy soil 

 and partial shade. It blooms during April and May, and 

 forms a graceful and beautiful ornament for lawns at all 

 times of the year. — L. Greenlee. 



Setting out Large Plants. — A common custom when 

 putting out bananas, palms, oleanders and other tender 

 plants for t h e 

 summer, is to set 

 them about with 

 the boxes or tubs 

 insight. A more 

 effective way of 

 using many kinds 

 is to sink out of 

 sight the tubs in 

 which they grow, 

 giving the ap- 

 pearance that 

 the plant is grow- 

 ing naturally in 

 the new place. 

 The engraving 

 shows how a box 

 may be lowered 

 into the lawn 

 and entirely hidden, conveying the idea that the plant grows 

 out of the grass. First the sod is rolled back ; then an 

 excavation some inches larger than the tub is carefully 



G Out Large Plan 



made and lined with rough lumber, into which the box 

 is lowered as shown. There should be at least an inch 

 space around the box after it is lowered into place. The 

 sod is then straightened into place, and you have every 

 appearance that the plant grew where it stands. 



Rustic Baskets and Boxes. — In these days almost 

 every woman grows flowers, some more, some less, and I 

 venture to say that no one derives more pleasure there- 

 from than does the woman who must economize more 

 closely elsewhere in order to procure the few seeds or 

 plants required. For her the problem of vessels in which 

 to grow such as require pot-culture is not always easily 

 solved. The ever-present tomato-can, in its various sizes, 

 meets many requirements, and when painted a pleasing 

 but inconspicuous shade of brown or gray is both useful 

 and ornamental, but is not made of shapes and sizes to 

 suit all cases ; then something else must be devised. 

 Neatly 'made rustic-work is generally pleasing, but the 

 more pretentious specimens are too difficult for average 

 feminine hands to manufacture successfully. With me 

 the "cob-house" is a favorite pattern for hanging-baskets, 

 stump-boxes, etc. It is easy of construction, being com- 

 posed of poles, from the thickness of one's thumb to 

 half the size of the wrist, cut into pieces usually from 6 

 to 20 inches long, length and diameter of sticks varying 

 according to the size of article to be made. Lay down 

 two sticks parallel with each other a little less than their 

 own length apart. Across these lay five or more sticks to 

 form the bottom, and nail the sticks where they cross. 

 Build up the sides by laying two more sticks across 

 the ends of the previous layer, and if intended for a 

 stump-box nail each course at the corners as it is laid. 

 If making a hanging-basket, holes must be bored where 

 the sticks cross, and stout wire (No. 10 or 12) passed 

 through the holes and bent to form a loop at top and 

 bottom. Chains or wires are attached by which to sus- 

 pend the basket, the interior is lined with fresh sheets of 

 moss and filled with rich mellow soil, plants being in- 

 serted between the logs as the basket is being filled. 

 With care to supply water in sufficient quantity, such a 

 basket, filled with "whip-cord," "lobster" cactus or 

 tradescantia, will be a source of pleasure throughout the 

 summer, at least, and require but little expenditure of time 

 in its construction. — Elder's Wife. 



AGeranium Talk. — Likeall other people I want bushy 

 plants. In spring I take from the pots plants that have 

 not a good shape (those that were rooted the year before, 

 or are left over in small pots from last season's trade). 

 All these I plant in the open ground, and only leave them 

 there until they break at every joint. When these new 

 shoots are about an inch or more long, I take the plants 

 up and pot them, leaving as much soil as possible adher- 

 ing to the roots. After potting they are watered well and 

 kept in the shade till new growth is noticed ; then they 

 are given more light, careful general treatment, and buds 

 are pinched off until fall. They are brought in before 

 they get chilled and placed in a sunny window or green- 

 house in a somewhat even temperature not too high, and 

 are regularly watered, aired and sprayed. Such treat- 



