.'.As a special inducement to lead our readers to contribute shot t 

 notes on cultural methods and devices, and to send in sketches and 

 photographs of choice plants, /t uils. fln-.cn v. T.-^^ctables, g-arden- 

 scenes, implements, etc., the puhu\li i \ niaL^- t lie folloun>iz offer 

 for a limited lime: For any good article that occupies a half-column 

 or so of space, or for any sketch or photograph from which an 

 acceptable picture can be made for these columns, a year's sub- 

 scription to this magazine ivill be given. The articles will be judged 

 only by the practical and useful ideas or suggestions in them. 

 Besides this premium, the gain accruing to readers should be a 

 sufficient indue, iiiriil I., . „iili ihi,l,: such iiolcs. 



I, LITTLE TWIGS. 

 " May is a pious fraud of the almanac, 

 But June is full of invitations sweet." 



— Lowell. 



An American "Rose Society " has been proposed. 

 A good suggestion. 



Horticulture is to be taught in the public schools of 

 England. 



Annu.'\l chrvs.'Vnthemums are best when grown in 

 poor soil. 



For fragrance the ten-weeks stock is not well enough 

 appreciated. 



Someone has aptly said that a garden is an effort after 

 the lost Paradise. 



The average perennial will winter better if no seeds 

 are allowed to ripen. 



No use planting egg-plants unless the ground is 

 actually filled with manure. 



Irrigation is an important question that now puzzles 

 us. How is it to be accomplished most easily and at 

 least cost ? 



The Jessie strawberry I find much better in every 

 respect when grown on clay-loam than on sand. — E. M. 

 Miller, Ohio. 



Roses will grow well in sod, if the sod is dead and 

 inverted. Do not judge your rose-plants by the blooms 

 of the first year. 



Floriculture is a fine art which all may study. 

 Mignonette will fiower as sweetly for the poorest child 

 as for a millionaije. 



The Industry Gooseberry on sandy soil seems to be 

 a slow grower and shy bearer, while on rich clay loam it 

 bears abundantly. — E. M. Warner. Ohio. 



Plant a mass of lilacs, two dozen bushes — a good 



assortment of varieties — in good soil, and see if in two 

 years they are not worth twice their cost. 



Who is not cheered in body and spirit as he moves 

 through sunlight and shade, down fragrant garden paths, 

 amid the bright shining faces of buds and flowers ? 



If your neighbors are not enthusiastic gardeners, flow" 

 ery June is the time to interest them in the great art. 

 Suppose at the same time you introduce this magazine ! 



Lily of the Valley beds are a feature of Mr. Elwell's 

 Brooklyn garden. They are situated under the grape- 

 arbor and contain lo.ooo or more pips. They do quite 

 well in this position. — J. A. B. 



The Popularity of Cactuses. — At the Philadelphia 

 spring exhibition, the display of grotesque and unique 

 cactus plants attracted so much attention that towards 

 night it was impossible to get near them for the crowd. 



Planting beans, radishes and various other things 

 around cucumber and melon hills is often recommended 

 for keeping off striped bugs. Sometimes it seems to help, 

 at other times, when bugs are plentiful, melons suffer 

 just the same. 



An Error. — The leading article in American Garden- 

 ing for May on ' ' The Development of Landscape " was, 

 by a combination of oversights, credited to Bernard Bar- 

 ton, long deceased ! The poem at the beginning should 

 have been credited to Mr. Barton, but the article was 

 written by George C. Butz. 



June Pruning of Shrubs. — Spare the knife and spoil 

 the bush applies to many shrubs. The best time for 

 pruning the majority of May or June bloomers, is just 

 after they have flowered. The old wood should be 

 shortened or cut out, thus strengthening the young wood, 

 which is to flower the following season. 



Quick Returns from Planting. — I have had walnut 

 trees fruit in 8 years from time of planting seed, apple 

 in 2 years from grafting and cherries m 3 years from 

 budding. Last season, in Missouri, I saw fifty pears on 

 a tree 2 years old from bud, and five blooms on an 

 American chestnut tree 2 years old. — Thomas Bassler, 

 B.S., A'a>!. 



A New Use for Tile. — Common drain tile can be put 

 to a very pretty use. Paint a light color, with the new 

 enamel or metallic paints, and when dry arrange pretty 

 colored scraps on the surface. Stand the tile on end, 

 place a pot of ferns or flowers on top, and set it where- 

 ever it will be effective, in the hall, on top of staircase, 

 or on the lawn. 



