1883.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



67 



DWARF CONVOLVULUS. 



Convolvulus minor (tricolor). 



While the tall, or climbing, Morning Glory 

 is one of the widest distributed and most 

 common garden annuals, the dwarf, or bush 

 species, is comparatively little known ; and 

 yet it is of the easiest culture, and, when 

 well grown, a most effective and beautiful 

 bedding plant. It grows about a foot high, 

 forming a compact bush, and, trailing on the 

 ground, covers a circle of nearly two feet in 

 diameter. The flowers are of the same 

 shape, but of smaller size, than those of the 

 climbing Morning Glory. They may be 

 used for bedding, sowing about four seeds 

 in hills two feet apart ; or for edging, for 

 which purpose they are especially adapted. 

 In either case they form a compact mass of 

 green, completely covered with flowers. 



The seeds should be sowed in deep, rich 

 soil, as early in spring as the ground can be 

 worked, and covered about an inch deep. 

 They may also be started in pots, in the 

 house, and transplanted when the weather is 

 warm enough; or, if kept in the 

 pots, they make charming plants 

 for hanging-baskets or vases. 



The prevailing color of the flow- 

 ers is blue or white, shaded with 

 yellow. Our illustration repre- 

 sents, as well as can be shown 

 without colors, a new variety 

 originated by Mr. V. Doppleb, of 

 Erfurt, Germany, and introduced 

 under the name of Convolvulus tri- 

 color roseus. 



" In this new variety," says the 

 introducer, "a delicate rose con- 

 stitutes the leading color. The 

 throat of the flowers is marked 

 by five broad, pure gold-colored 

 stripes ; the center is pure white, 

 and bordered by splendid violet- 

 purple rays, while the upper, and 

 by far the largest part of the 

 flower, is of a delicate rose color." 

 As far as we are aware, this variety 

 has not yet been grown in the 

 United States, and, as it is said 

 to come true from seed, we shall 

 watch with interest its develop- 

 ment during the coming summer. 



THE DAHLIA. 



Dahlias love a moist atmosphere. Grown 

 near a pond, or close to running water, or a 

 fountain, their blossoms are much improved. 

 They need firmer support than a mere stake. 

 Training to a fan-shaped trellis, facing the 

 south, is to be recommended. Thinning out 

 of the lower branches by pinching, removal 

 of the first bud, which always makes a poor 

 flower, and not allowing them to over-bloom, 

 are requisites to success. Early blooming is 

 not desirable. The flowers beginning late in 

 September are the best. 



I treat a Dahlia somewhat like a Melon. 

 I make an eighteen-inch square hole, which 

 I nearly fill with half-rotted stable-manure 

 (cow-manure is best), dash the soil over, 

 leaving the hill depressed in the center, and 

 set out the plant. This may be a rooted 

 cutting, a pot-plant, or a sprout from a large 

 root, with part of the crown of the tuber 

 attached — the last the best form. Then, by 

 by means of a crowbar, I set firmly a stout 

 stake, with a couple of cross-sticks, or a 

 trellis, on which to train the branches. 



Seedling Dahlias frequently produce fine 

 novelties, and the growing of seedlings is 

 as easy as — lying. The old notion that the 

 Dahlia is strictly a biennial, is not true — at 

 least not north of Philadelphia. I sow the 

 seed in a cold frame, or in heat in April, or 

 in the open ground in May, and can tell the 

 quality of the flower in August. When the 

 seedlings are two inches high, or there- 

 abouts, I dig a trench a foot wide, fill it with 

 fresh stable-manure, well tramped down, 

 throw on the dirt, and set out the plants 

 eighteen inches apart in the rows. But, in 

 this case, you must water the ground every 

 evening in dry weather, for two to three 

 weeks, or the plants will burn up : for each 

 has his own little hotbed. 



I used to fertilize the Dahlias carefully, 

 and produced fine results that way ; but I 

 soon found out that the bees were better at 

 the business, and left it to them. It is mere 

 chance in any event, and new kinds are 

 capricious. In some seasons I have found 

 the seeds from different varieties turn out 



CALIFORNIA LILIES. 



Among the plants that are giving unsatis- 

 factory results with ordinary culture are the 

 more delicate species of California Lilies, 

 notably Lilium Washingtonianum. This re- 

 quires a sheltered locality, visited only by 

 | the early morning sun. In its native habitat 

 it grows in rocky basins, from which the 

 radiated heat becomes its stimulant. In 

 the dry season, in these warm, arid spots, 

 unvisited by any moisture save the falling 

 dew, the bulbs are carried over their 

 dormant period. This Lily, in its season of 

 growth, reaches a height of twelve feet, 

 and to produce it, under cultivation, in such 

 jierfection would be a crowning glory to any 

 florist. To do this, we have only to find " the 

 reason why." 



Mrs. N. W. Winton. 



CONVOLVULUS TRICOLOR ROSEUS. 



all nearly of the same shade ; while, at other 

 times, I have had the greatest variety from 

 seeds of a single plant. I obtained once 

 twenty-five double sorts from twenty-six 

 seedlings, and the next year, out of over 

 five hundred seedlings, had but two doubles, 

 and one of these a dingy purple ; so that 

 growing seedlings is not unlike the one eel 

 in the bag of ninety-nine snakes. It is a 

 fascinating business, for all that. 



A good double Dahlia should be circular, 

 of semi-globular shape, and showing no cen- 

 ter until the last. Its petals may be quill- 

 shaped, shell-form, or crumpled cup — the 

 last the finest. If you want the blooms 

 large, let but a few be upon the plant. 

 You may let the pompone varieties bloom 

 to their own sweet will, while the smaller 

 they are the better. 



The whole secret of growing good flowers 

 lies in rich soil, moderate heat, continuous 

 moisture, middling with leaves or manure, 

 and careful pinching out of redundant shoots 

 and blossoms. Above all, their support must 

 be firm. T. D. E. 



A PRETTY FLOWER-BED. 



A flower-bed of exceedingly pleasing effect, 

 and yet inexpensive and simple in its con- 

 struction, is thus described by a correspond- 

 ent of the Country Gentleman: 

 "The form was a circle, about 

 four feet across. A row of bricks 

 was laid in a circle, and on the 

 top of these were laid large bits 

 of common quartz, which looked 

 very white and pure along the side 

 of the soft, green grass. The in- 

 , side was filled with rich loam ; 



Jfc\ leaving about ten inches of this 



s |^ for the outside flower-bed, another 



j£ I row of the white stones was laid, 

 and earth filled in to raise it some 

 six inches above the outside. In 

 the center of this bed a row of 

 larger stones was laid compactly, 

 and raised up about eight inches, 

 forming a nice, large flower-pot. 

 Growing in this was a splendid 

 Happy Thought Geranium, loaded 

 with immense clusters of .flowers. 

 Sweet Mignonette was growing 

 in the crevices of the rocks. The 

 middle bed was filled with China 

 Pinks of many varieties, and lovely 

 Balsams. The outside bed had 

 Roses, Nasturtiums, Pansies, and 

 other bright-hued flowers ; and 

 Sweet Alyssum grew in the crev- 

 ices of the quartz. It was free 

 from weeds, and the whole had such a lovely 

 appearance that I thought it was a new ar- 

 rangement, and was quite surprised to learn 

 that it had been made three years, and was 

 much easier to keep in order than it was the 

 first year. 



" In another part of the grounds there was 

 growing a large clump of white Petunias, 

 completely covered with pure, sweet, white 

 blossoms. The secret of their wonderful 

 growth was simply a bottomless earthen 

 pot, sunk into the earth and filled with old 

 chip-dirt and stable-manure to within six 

 inches of the top, the rest being filled with 

 the earth taken from the ground where the 

 pot was set. I never saw so large a growth of 

 the plant, or such an abundance of bloom, 

 and it kept its beauty till November." 



For an inexhaustible supply of fragrant 

 flowers all Summer, there is nothing so re- 

 liable as a row of Sweet Peas grown in the 

 vegetable garden, brushed and cultivated 

 like other Peas. The more flowers you cut, 

 the more new ones will be produced. 



