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-TO THE- 
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NEW, RARE AND BEAU T FIRUL_ PLflNTS. 
Grown and For Sale at his Corm 
RICHMOND, jfem- , r -g g 
Vol. 1. 
OCTOBER, 18 \T.* 
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FALL PLANTING. 
As the October number of the Index is being distributed to our patrons, the usually 
hot and dry months of July, August and the first half of September are passed and 
we enter upon our second, or Indian Summer, which is probably the loveliest portion 
of the whole year. It is then we find pleasure in out-door excursions through forest 
and field, gathering ripe fruit and nuts, or collecting in some secluded and sheltered 
localities choice plants or leaves to preserve as mementoes of a pleasant day. But the 
successful Floriculturist and Horticulturist will find little time now for recreation, 
for with the return of the cool and invigorating air of October and November they 
must be at work early and late, gathering crops and fruits, and making the final 
preparations for the approaching winter— planting the few hardy flower-roots and 
bulbs that thrive best with fall planting, nearly all of which bloom early in spring. 
All the hardy bulbs and tubers should be in the ground early enough for the new 
roots to form before the ground becomes chilled and cold, as they will bloom in the 
spring just in proportion to the amount of food furnished the plant through the new 
roots from the soil; however, we would not recommend planting before the cool 
weather following the fall equinox — the American Indian Summer. Nearly all the 
early spring flowering bulbs are imported from Holland, and do not usually arrive 
in America before about the middle of September, so that there is very little time 
intervening between their arrival and the planting season ; hence the necessity of 
knowing just what is wanted, and ordering early in order to secure good bulbs. 
The seeds of many varieties of hardy Perennials, such as Columbine, Feverfew, 
Snapdragons, Pinks, hardy Phloxes, <fee., should be sown in beds and borders that have 
already been prepared, that they may germinate and the roots get started before 
winter sets in ; for if they are planted as soon as they ripen, they will usually bloom 
the following summer, while if they are planted in tlie spring they do not bloom until 
the second year. They may be gathered and sown as soon as ripe, even as early as 
July, and should have a little mulching or protection, such as dry leaves or straw, 
thrown over the beds for fear the winter may be severe ; it will also prevent the plants 
from being thrown out of the ground by repeated freezing and thawing during winter. 
Ornamental Trees and Shrubs may now be reset, but it is a disputed question with 
Horticulturists whether fall or spring is the best season for planting some varieties 
of trees; but our observation has been that early fall planting has always succeeded 
well, when proper attention is paid to having the trees and shrubs set out before the 
roots become dry and shrivel up, and if the branches are cut back to correspond with 
the shortened roots. It is really never best to delay doing any work that can be done 
at any season, just because others may think there is a better time; especially work 
that can be done in the fall, as the springs are often late and so much needs attention, 
that many times work is done in such a hurry that it is only half done. 
By the middle of November or first of December the frost will have killed all 
unripe wood of Roses, and the sooner it is removed the better for the plant; in fact, 
it is a decided benefit to cut back each year, to within a few inches of the ground, all 
rank and superfluous as well as unripe wood, and require the plant to start from near 
the ground each spring. This treatment will make the bloom a little later in the 
spring, but in place of a scanty show of flowers which the untrimmed plant would 
produce, there will be a profusion of large, line, well formed flowers from the well 
pruned bushes. It also keeps the bushes in a neat symmetrical form, and quite orna- 
mental even when not in flower; but as only the new growth produce flowers, and 
severe pruning causes the plant to constantly throw out new shoots, the result is a 
great profusion of flowers. 
