BUDS BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 



364 



grounds, therefore bought three hundred of a more suc- 

 cessful grower, with the result that since June 15 I have 

 had an abundance of tuberose-flowers, first from the pur- 

 chased bulbs, and since from the small bulbs planted 

 Some of these were fully equal in grade to those of the 

 extra-sized bulbs purchased. These same small bulbs 

 had been housed in a cold basement (brick walls), wh-ere 

 they froze hard. That tuberose-bulbs are not always in- 

 jured by freezing is also proved by the fact that a rela- 

 tive of mine left some bulbs undug the entire winter, 

 unprotected in any manner. To our intense astonish- 

 ment many of these bulbs developed just as fine heads, 

 and as large individual flowers as those kept in frost- 

 proof places. The bulb-buyers invariably ask for bulbs 

 averaging from four to seven inches in circumference, 

 with long necks, etc. You rarely find that one bulb in a 

 thousand measures seven inches. Tuberose-growers 

 could afford to sell at the usual prices, and make a good 

 profit, if purchasers could be persuaded that small bulbs 

 were just as good as the large ones. The only difference 

 which I have noticed in the blooming of large and small 

 bulbs, is that the latter require a longer time to perfect 

 their flower-spikes after budding, — Mrs. J. S. R. Thom- 

 son, C. 



Fences in the Garden. — While we strongly advo- 

 cate the use of the least amount of fencing that can be 

 made to answer for the garden or the fruit-farm, yet 

 ■when there is no alternative but to have a fence, let us 



Fig. I. Light Board Fence for Back Yard. 



have a good one. At the side or rear end of a town-lot 

 a tight fence is usually required to cut off the back-yard 

 from other back-yards. Instead of the ordinary board 

 fence, with straight top, one made after the pattern here 

 shown (fig. i), affords relief to the eye among so many 

 straight-topped fences and is less inviting to boys who 



Fig. 2. Panel of Portable Wind-Proof Fence. 



climb and play on fences. In any event, the back yard 

 fence should be mantled with climbers of several kinds. 

 Ampelopsis and climbing loniceras are fine for this pur- 

 pose. Where a cow is kept on a small farm, it is often a 



matter of convenience to have a few dozen panels of 

 fence that can be used in improvising a temporary 

 pasture-lot. The form of panel shown in the illustration 

 (fig. 2), has the important merit of being wind-proof — 

 that is, the wind cannot overturn it, as it can other styles 

 of portable fence. Its construction is so simple that no 

 directions other than the engraving will be required. 



How Fine Roses were Grown. — The finest roses I 

 have ever seen were grown in a little country village of 

 northern Ohio, by a woman, nearly forty years ago. 

 There were no insect enemies to contend with then. A 

 row of centifolia roses blossomed for a full month in 

 early summer. Yellow ones rivaled in height the lilacs 

 and snowballs, between which they stood, and were a 

 mass of golden color for weeks ; their buds and blossoms 

 were so thick as to completely hide the branches. Three 

 climbing roses covered the three front wmdows of the 

 house. One bore large clusters of small, very double 

 blush flowers on slender stems that swayed with every 

 breeze. Another was a semi-double crimson rose. After 

 quite darkening the windows it festooned itself over and 

 through the lattice at the door-step. One season it sent 

 up five canes, three of which were fifteen feet long, one 

 thirteen and the last one twelve feet seven inches. But 

 the crowning beauty of the house was a Queen of the 

 Prairie, that climbed quite to the top of the roof after 

 covering a front and side space of about fifteen feet. 

 Bushels of roses were picked from this climber, without 

 visibly lessening the supply. The village was quite a 

 favorite stopping-place for parties of pleasure-seekers 

 from a neighboring city, and in its blooming season that 

 rose-bush was always a center of attraction. A sweet- 

 briar, tall, slender and graceful perfumed the air at a 

 side window. These bushes never had at any time any 

 animal manure. Every spring the bushes were care- 

 fully examined, all old and unhealthy wood cut out 

 smoothly with a sharp knife, leaving only the strongest 

 shoots of the previous year's growth left, and around 

 each bush was spread a wheelbarrow load of rotted chips 

 from the woodshed. Then the ground was deeply 

 spaded, carefully raked level and each bush had a half- 

 bushel of leached ashes raked into the surface soil. Oc- 

 casionally, during warm weather, the soapy water from 

 the weekly wash was dashed over the roots of the roses. 

 — M. E. H., yV. C. 



Growing Ferns. — Ferns are propagated by seed or 

 division of the plants. Where the latter plan is adopted 

 they should be potted in pots as small as possible, in a 

 mixture of light loam, wood's-earth and river-sand, then 

 set in a cool moist place and shaded until well established. 

 The spring season, when they are just starting into growth, 

 is the best time to propagate them, although it may be 

 done safely at any time. Some sorts have small fronds 

 growing on their large ones ; these should be pegged 

 down in a pot filled with the proper soil, until ready to 

 be detached from the parent plant. The most interest- 

 ing mode of propagation is by seed. Most kinds will 

 germinate readily in moderate heat if given sufficient 

 moisture. All ferns require a light open soil. The best 



