486 



IN THE GARDEN AT WOODBANKS. 



vitaes, junipers and retinosporas. Pale, light green tints 

 in the white spruces and Abies concolor, and the lively 

 green of the Norway spruce, are offset by the dark foli- 

 age of numerous pines. The contrast between the light 

 tender green young growth of many evergreens, and 

 their dark, shaded, somber mass of inner foliage is very 

 fine, particularly in the blue spruces and white pines. 



Lilies among Hardy Shrubs. — Of the 26 species and 

 varieties of hardy lilies on these grounds, about one-half 

 are scattered thoroughout a border of medium-sized 

 hardy shrubs, standing about five feet apart. The other 

 half are in a bed by themselves. We prefer the former 

 way of planting them. The stems of lilies are not fur- 

 nished with leaves near the ground in a way to make the 

 plants look complete when growing alone in a bed. After 

 the bloom has passed, many kinds of lilies take on an ap- 

 pearance of age that is unsightly, when they are grown 

 by themselves. When they stand among shrubs, a sort 

 of balance is secured between the foliage of the latter 

 and the lilies which is very favorable to the appearance 

 of the lilies, with no disadvantage that we have been able 

 to discern. 



It is well known that many who are generally very 

 successful in lily-culture do not succeed with the golden- 

 banded Japan lily [L. aitvatum) year after year. It does 

 very well, perhaps, for the first season after planting, but 

 gradually deteriorates and finally dies. Three years ago 

 this spring we planted an auratum among the shrubs as 

 above noted. It flowered well the first season, did better 

 in 1890, still better in i8gi, and looks vigorous and 

 promising now. Whether it would have done equally 

 well, in this soil away from the shrubs, we do not know. 

 It is certain that this lily, in common with many others, 

 objects to undue moisture at the roots ; and that the 

 shrubs help to drain the soil, as well as to give some 

 shade to the bottom of the plant-stalks. 



The Pvrethrums. — It is now about a score of years 

 since we began growing hardy pyrethrums, of which 

 roseum is the type. P. roscum is an Asiatic plant, and 

 is important from an economic point of view, as it enters 

 largely into the manufacture of insect-powder. The 

 double and single improved kinds of our gardens have 

 sprung from the Asiatic species, and are noted for the 

 attractive colors and fine forms of their flowers, borne 

 throughout the month of June. Three years ago this spring 

 we sowed a packet of the seed of P. roscum. The seed 

 was started in a hotbed, and the plants were set in the 

 borders about June i. They bloomed the first season, 

 pleasing us greatly with their bright, single, rose-colored, 

 daisy-like flowers. Since the first year they have 

 bloomed with great profusion each June, and proved to 

 be one of the special attractions of our grounds. It takes 

 a better judge than the writer to discover any marked 

 difference between some of these seedlings and the best 

 named varieties. 



The insect-powder is made by grinding up pyrethrura- 

 flowers. It is interesting to note that our experiments 

 in the direction of making powder show that flowers 



raised here will not yield as effective an insecticide as they 

 do in California and Asia. 



Slugs or Snails. — Slugs have been unusually plenti- 

 ful this spring. They seemed to come in myriads, and 

 were eating the lower leaves of our peas, Lima beans, 

 etc. , at such a fearful rate that we began to be afraid of 

 losing the crop. Salt is a sure remedy for the pest, even 

 if applied in minute quantities. Discretion, however, is 

 always necessary in its use, as it is liable to kill or injure 

 plants to which it is applied at all freely. We find 

 ordinary air-slaked lime just as sure to kill slugs as salt, 

 and probably much safer. Slugs are night-feeders, leav- 

 ing their hiding-places and feasting on the leaves first 

 reached (usually the lower ones) shortly after sundown. 

 To destroy the pest, dust the lower parts of the foliage 

 of affected crops lightly with the air-slaked lime. The 

 effect is immediate. Next morning you will find the 

 remnants of the dissolved slugs. 



The Early Peas. — Nott Excelsior is a wrinkled sort 

 of last year's introduction. It is several days earlier 

 than McLean Little Gem, and only a day or two later 

 than any of the first smooth peas, which it surpasses in 

 sweetness and richness, in size of pod and pea, but 

 probably not in productiveness. 



Heretofore we have usually grown our early peas with- 

 out support. Brushing in the ordinary way will do very 

 well on a small scale, but for larger patches it takes a 

 considerable quantity of brush, and more labor than we 

 have ordinarily been willing to bestow. On heavily 

 manured ground, however, the early smooth peas grow 

 2 to 2}^ feet high and, being loaded with pods, are rather 

 top-heavy. Poultry-netting, one foot in width, costing 

 us $1.15 a roll (150 feet), makes a serviceable and orna- 

 mental support. If fastened to little stakes about six 

 inches from the ground, it holds up the pea-vines well, 

 makes the picking more convenient, and probably length- 

 ens the bearing period. 



The Strawberries. — This year Wilson is a disappoint- 

 ment. It is largely burnt up with leaf-blight, and the 

 fruit does not seem to amount to much. Among our 40 

 or 50 varieties it is almost the only one at all affected 

 with the disease. Long John, which in former seasons 

 impressed us so favorably, also disappoints us. A large 

 number of plants are affected by a peculiar disease which 

 thus far we have seen only in this variety. The trouble 

 seems to be in the root-crown. The late Mr. Burdett 

 used to call it "the yellows." The foliage appears 

 yellowish, dwarfed, crinkled, and the plant dies. This 

 usually happens in early spring. 



By far the largest part of our patch consists of Haver- 

 land and Bubach. Wilson and Long John were planted 

 to furnish the needed pollen. This seems a good combi- 

 nation. Haverland beats Wilson in size, and in product- 

 iveness equals any berry we ever grew. Its berries are 

 regular and uniform, and appear well in the baskets. . 



The same we can well say of the Bubach, It is mam- 

 moth both in plant and berry. Indeed we think the 

 berries are almost too large, except for home use and 

 near market. Large berries are most liable to bruises. 



