574 



H' I N D F A L LS . 



tion, and describes it as extremely hardy in northern 

 New Hampshire, and in Minnesota and Wisconsin ; also 

 that it yields abundantly, and has borne a large crop 

 every year ever since he first knew it in his childhood. 

 From the specimens received, we judge it to be a good 

 shipper ; as described by Mr. Ford, it is of good appear- 

 ance and excellent quality. The flesh is white, juicy, of 

 fine texture, and possesses a pleasant sub-acid flavor. 



Normand Yellow Plum. — On page 501, August 

 Garden, we gave some account of plums grown by J. L. 

 Normand of Louisiana Among those mentioned was 

 the Normand's Yellow, which was also illustrated, but as 



no direct reference was made to the cut we reproduce it 

 herewith. The description follows: "The Normand 

 Yellow is a fruit of medium to large size, very firm and 

 meaty, with a small free pit, and a very delicious flavor. 

 The color is a clear golden yellow. We are strongly 

 impressed with the variety." 



Mr. Normand now writes us that "the Normand Yellow, 

 Japan and the Bailey Japan plums bloom in central 

 Louisiana at the same time as the Wild Goose plum. I 

 find it different from any of the thirty varieties I have 

 on my experimental grounds, ripening just after the true 

 Sweet Botan and a little before the Burbank, thus filling 

 a gap which gives us an unbroken succession of plums 

 from the middle of May to September. The tree is of 

 symmetrical shape and a fine grower ; leaves somewhat 

 like the Kelsey, a little broader, and as to prolificness, 

 it bears too much for its own good." 



California Fruits are not bringing the high prices of 

 the past few years, and it was not to be expected that 

 they would. Their boom was sprung upon us at a sea- 

 son of comparative fruit famine in the east, and, as they 

 have a foot-hold, large quantities are still being shipped 

 and sold. Whether present prices will prove remuner- 

 ative to the shippers remains to be seen. The fruits 

 will sell ahead of most of the eastern fruit on account 

 of more attractive appearance, and the superior meth- 

 ods of grading and packing employed by our Pacific 

 coast brethren. 



A Big Sunflower. — We have a sunflower which we 

 think is exceptionally large. It is 13 feet 6}^ inches high, 

 has 45 blossoms, and some of the leaves measure i foot 

 8 inches in length and i foot g inches in width. — W. C. 

 B., Phila. 



The Legend of the Mignonette. 



In the garden grew a flower ; 



Humbly trailing it was found, 

 Bent by clustered petals downward 



To the damp, cool, shady ground. 



Day by day the master spied it, 



In its neutral tinted dress. 

 Called it dull and hateful blossom, 



Vowed to ever love it less. 



" For," spake he, " 'tis never laden 

 With the halo of perfume ; 

 'Tis a soulless flower, growing 



Where bright roses fair should bloom. 



" 'Tis a weed that mars the garden, 

 Plant me flowers, rich and rare." 

 Thus he bade the keeper spade it 

 From his pathway everywhere. 



As he spoke, a light supernal 

 Filled each corner of the place, 



And the master tooked and trembled 

 At the glory of a face, 



Smiling sadly down upon him. 

 With a look that seemed to say, 

 " Give this modest little creature 

 Of God's making leave to stay." 



It was Mary— virgin mother! 



Like the morning, chaste and pure ; 

 Crowned with holy rays from heaveo, 



That his eyes could scarce endure. 



Low toward it she inclined her, 

 Till her lips had touched the plant, 



Breathing full upon its petals. 

 Swaying on the mossy slant. 



And the air grew faint with odors 



Sweeter than Arabian spice ; 

 Then the sainted Mary vanished ; 



She had kissed the blossom thiice. 



Since that time, in all the garden 

 Grows no sweeter thing as yet, 



Than the lovely heaven- born flower, 

 Than the fragrant mignonette. 



— Effik Douglass Putnam. 



A Bed of Bulbs. — It is not too late to plant a bed of 

 bulbs until the ground is frozen so hard as to be impene- 

 trable, though October is no doubt the best time to put 

 them out. It is sometimes desirable to use a plot which 

 has been planted to some other flower, and one natu- 

 rally prefers to wait until frost has robbed that of its 

 beauty. I have had great pleasure from a bed of mix- 

 ed bulbs, and I wish this letter might induce some other 

 amateur to try the plan. 



There should be tall late lilies, a few early lilies and 

 some tall tulips in the center, if it is a round bed. Then 

 more tulips with hyacinths and narcissus planted be- 

 tween them, all of the taller varieties. Near the edge 

 intersperse dwarf tulips and hyacinths with scillas and 

 snowdrops and crocuses planted here and there among 

 them. A crocus bulb at intervals all over the bed will 

 make the display of flowers begin early. Go to the 

 woods and get blood-root (^Sangiiinaria canadensis^ and 

 dicentra in the two varieties D. cumllaria and D. cana- 

 densis, and plants of hepatica. Put the hepaticas around 

 the bed for a border and put the others in at random 



