1883.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



167 



THE FLAME FLOWER. 



Tritoma Uvaria. 



These stately plants, with their tall, showy 

 spikes ami brilliant fiery-crimson flowers, are 

 now at the height of their glory, and if ap- 

 propriately grouped in a border or on the 

 lawn form one of the most attractive objects 

 during autumn, and sometimes early winter 

 even, long after light frosts have destroyed 

 all tender vegetation. 



They will grow in any well drained soil, 

 the deeper and richer the better. Old plants 

 may be taken up after blooming, divided and 

 replanted again ; but unless the ground is 

 very dry and warm, spring planting is to be 

 preferred. North of this latitude, they are 

 not entirely hardy and, to be on the safe 

 side, their roots should either be taken up 

 before severe frosts occur, and wintered in 

 a cold-frame or moderately warm cellar, or 

 well protected with leaves or some other 

 light mulching material. 



TULIPS. 



When a rich and brilliant display of color, 

 combined with simplicity of culture, is de- 

 sired in early spring, nothing assures it as 

 readily as that old-fashioned flower, the Tu- 

 lip. Old-fashioned, did I say ? Yes, old- 

 fashioned ; for the Tulip has been known and 

 cultivated for centuries. Who has not heard 

 of the "great Tulip mania," when, perhaps, 

 it obtained a stand in history never to be 

 superseded by any other flower f It was first 

 brought from Turkey, and, as may be sup- 

 posed, was vastly inferior in shape, size, and 

 color, to our present magnificent varieties. 



The original plant was a dull turkey-red, 

 plain and unattractive. Being cultivated for 

 some years, and new sorts produced, it was 

 first brought into prominence by the ' ' great 

 Tulip mania" of 1634, when single bulbs of 

 rare varieties sometimes sold as high as £75, 

 or nearly $400 ! Fancy, paying such a price 

 for Tulips which, on account of the great 

 improvements since made, are fully equaled 

 if not excelled, in every way, by those we can 

 now obtain for a few cents from any reliable 

 dealer ! This is saying a good deal ; but those 

 old fabulous prices were for qualities rather 

 more imagined than genuine. A new variety 

 produced in those times by a celebrated 

 grower was sufficient guarantee that it would 

 sell at a high figure. 



Now, when our "old country" forefathers 

 went crazy over the Tulip, and prized it so 

 highly, is it not strange that it is not more 

 cultivated and admired at the present day ? 

 Of course it is grown to a large extent ; but 

 what we mean is that we have known, and 

 do know, scores of persons who, to-day, 

 would give instant preference to the Hya- 

 cinth, the Narcissus, or even the humble 

 Crocus. We do not wish to say anything 

 derogatory to those truly beautiful and valu- 

 able bulbs. But everything in its place. We 

 hold that Tulips, considering their cheap- 

 ness, ease of culture, and satisfactory results, 

 are superior in these respects to all other 

 Holland bulbs. 



In selecting a situation for a Tulip-bed, be 

 sure and locate it where there will be no 

 standing water or superabundant moisture 

 of any kind. Good and quick drainage is abso- 

 lutely necessary to satisfactory results from 

 almost any class of bulbous plants. Make 



the soil light and loamy, but do not incorpo- 

 rate fresh manure. Thoroughly pulverize 

 all lumps, removing stones, grass, etc., and 

 rake over carefully. At the same time, 

 bring up the soil on a gradual slope to the 

 center of the bed, on a gradient of about an 

 inch and a half to the foot. When this is 

 done, take your bulbs, which, by the way, 

 should be fresh, solid, and well filled out, and 

 arrange them on the surface to suit taste. 

 Of course, this arrangement depends alto- 

 gether upon the size and shape of the bed. 

 To secure the best show, they should be 

 planted about six inches apart, although we 

 have seen many magnificent beds with the 

 bulbs fully twice that distance. If they are 

 mixed varieties, of course choice in the ar- 

 rangement of color is not called for ; but if 



earth freeze, and the snow blizzard ; but 

 when old Sol at last softens the bosom of 

 mother earth, and you uncover the bed to 

 the warm rains and bright sunshine of April, 

 there will be your Tulips, each with a curious 

 little red nose sticking above the black soil, 

 and ready to shoot up and into blossom ; and 

 almost before you realize it a magnificent 

 display of showy blossoms will be spread 

 before your admiring gaze. 



Before closing, let us say that, for bedding- 

 purposes, always select "Single Early Tu- 

 lips." The Parrots and Due van Thols are also 

 very fine. Double sorts are good for small 

 masses, but, as a rule, only about half the 

 plants come to perfection, and this spoils the 

 general effect, unless the bulbs are planted 

 very close. Late Tulips, except in rare cases 

 for pot culture, are not as satisfactory in the 

 open ground as the earlier blooming varieties. 



H. Gillette. 



TRITOMA UVARIA. 



you have, say, white, orange, scarlet, and pur- 

 ple, place the white around the border, orange 

 next, etc., etc. Dark colors should always 

 be in the center. Then take each bulb and 

 press it carefully but firmly into the soil to 

 the depth of about three inches. When all 

 is done, smooth the whole bed over lightly 

 with the back of the rake. Nothing further 

 is necessary until freezing time arrives. As 

 soon as the frosts are heavy enough to stiffen 

 the ground, cover the bed with dry leaves, 

 straw, or litter, and add a few forkfuls of 

 coarse stable manure, branches, sticks, etc., 

 to hold the covering in place and prevent the 

 wind from removing it. 



Now you may retire to your winter quar- 

 ters, and contemplate your future bed in 

 your mind's eye. Let the wind blow, the 



ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS. 



Of all the various mistakes made in arrang- 

 ing flowers, the commonest is, says the 

 London Garden, that of putting too many 

 into a vase ; and next to that is the mistake 

 of putting too great a variety of colors into 

 one bouquet. Every flower in a group should 

 be clearly distinguishable and determin- 

 able without pulling the nosegay to pieces. 

 Sweet-peas never look so well in the hands 

 as they do on the boughs over which they 

 climb, because they cannot be carried with- 

 out crowding them ; but put them lightly into 

 a vase with an equal number of Mignonettes ; 

 or, rather, ornament a vase half full of Mig- 

 nonette with a few blooms of Sweet-peas, 

 and you get a charming effect, because you 

 follow the natural arrangement by avoiding 

 crowding of the blooms, and putting them 

 with the green foliage, which they want to set 

 them off. Pew people are aware until they 

 try it how easy it is to spoil such a pleasing 

 combination as this. A piece of Calceolaria, 

 Scarlet Geranium, or Blue Salvia would ruin 

 it effectually. Such decided colors as these 

 require to be grouped in another vase, and 

 should not even be placed on the same table 

 with Sweet-peas. They also require a much 

 .larger preponderance of foliage than is 

 wanted by flowers of more delicate colors. 

 It is unquestionably difficult to resist the 

 temptation of " just putting in " this or that 

 flower, because "it is such a beauty." A 

 beauty it may be — and so may be an Apri- 

 cot ; but it would be out of place ina basin of 

 green Pea-soup ! There is at least one proper 

 place for every flower ; then let every flower 

 be in its proper place. 



HOP COMPOST, 



Spent hops from a brewery, composted 

 with equal parts of sods or loam and stable 

 manure, make an admirable soil for most 

 plants. Complaint is made that they " sour." 

 Alone, they are somewhat ascescent ; but, 

 if you add wood-ashes or carbonate of pot- 

 ash, you neutralize acidity and increase the 

 value of the compost. An addition of a 

 quart of bone-meal to the bushel makes it 

 one of the best compounds for Tea-roses, 

 whether in pots or the open ground. 



T. D. E. 



