262 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
better than it was last year. I put just within 
il a circle of the dark red Achyranthes LiruUnii, 
and filled up the center with one of the Coleuses. 
Garland-flower — Daphne Cneorum. — 
"What a charming thing this is where it does 
well. It succeeds finely in my light soil, and is, 
as a neighbor says, "too pretty for anything." 
I thought my clumps were fine, but Olni Broth- 
ers sent down a plant in full bloom, which 
shows that Springfield can beat "The Pines" 
on Daphne. 
The Golden Tew. — A group of this has 
been a daily pleasure. It is a variety of the 
English yew, and, as sometimes happens, the 
variety is hardier than the regular form. My 
plants are small, but there are some fine, large 
ones at Parsons' nursery, at Flushing, which 
quite bear out the enthusiastic Scotchman, who 
likened it to " a golden candlestick ornamented 
with glow-worms." For a door-yard, or for a 
place on the lawn near the house, nothing can 
be better in the way of an evergreen than this 
yew, which is never green. 
Dicentra Spectabilis alba. — A great flour- 
ish was made over this when it was first intro- 
duced. Too much cannot be said in praise of 
the original Dicentra Spectabilis, or Bleeding, 
Heart — but this white variety is miserable rub- 
bish. It looks like what it is, a poor, sickly 
albino; a poor grower, a sparse flowerer, and 
of a very dirty white. 
Names and Numbers. — When Rogers' hy- 
brid grapes were known by numbers only, I 
did not take half the interest in them that I do 
now that the best of them bear names. Who 
could recollect the difference between 13 and 
33; they seemed to have but little individuality. 
Now, as I pinch "Barry" and train "Wilder," 
and tie up " Lindley," I, as a matter of course, 
think of those whose names they bear, and they 
are the pets of my little vineyard. 
The White Wiegela. — Let no lover of 
shrubs omit from his collection The White 
Wiegela — Wiegela nivea, I think the catalogues 
call it. Its flowers are pure white, and it keeps 
In bloom much longer than the other varieties. 
Last year it bloomed nearly all summer. 
How a Monarch Dies. — Last summer I 
stated that my tallest Pine, a grand old speci- 
men, probably the growth of a hundred years 
or more, was struck by lightning. A slight 
crack in the bark was the only visible injury, 
and the tree retained its usual appearance 
through the remainder of the summer, and all 
through the winter. Early this spring some of 
the lower limbs looked of a less fresh green than 
the rest. As the season advanced, one after 
another of the lower limbs gradually browned, 
the upper portion still remaining green. As it 
would be a difficult matter to fell it without injury 
to other trees, I sent for a man known for his 
skill in wood-craft. He examined the tree and 
said " that 'are ain't dead only in the lower 
limbs," and proposed to cut them away. In 
these last hot days the monarch that has clung 
so tenaciously to life has yielded, and now its 
very top is as if scorched with fire. 
Carnations for Winter Blooming. — Many 
persons think that a plant, which has flow- 
ered all summer should, when taken up in the 
fall and removed to the house, flower all the 
winter. A few plants will keep up this contin- 
uous blooming, but the carnation is not one 
of them. If carnations are wanted for winter- 
blooming, either in the greenhouse or dwelling, 
they must be prepared beforehand. Plants 
raised from cuttings this spring and set in the 
open ground, should not be allowed to flower. 
The flower-buds must be cut off as soon as they 
appear. By this treatment the plants become 
strong and stocky and when potted in the fall 
are ready to furnish a good supply of flowers. 
Strawberries for Next Spring. 
The amateur or the retired merchant who, 
for the first time finds himself in the possession 
of a garden, presents an amusing embodiment 
of impatience. These enthusiasts cannot see 
why a plant should not flower all summer; 
they expect the pear tree they put out this 
spring to be loaded with fruit next fall, and the 
strawberries they set in April to yield a crop in 
June. The itinerant and irregular dealers find 
their readiest customers among this class, who 
are ready to believe any impossible story about 
plants, if it accord with their wishes. As far as 
strawberries are concerned, we would say to 
these impatient people, that the only way they 
can get a satisfactory crop of strawberries next 
spring — assuming, of course, that they have yet 
to plant their bed — is to begin now. Layers, 
rooted in pots, may be planted even in the hot 
days of July and August; the plants will grow 
right on, and become sufficiently large to give 
a good crop next spring. Plants rooted in pots 
are not generally for sale by nurserymen, but 
there will be no difficult}- in getting them done 
to order. Small pots, those known in the trade 
as verbena pots, are filled with good compost, 
and sunk in the soil of the bed. The runner is 
placed upon the soil of the pot, and a clod of 
earth or a small stone placed upon it to keep 
the wind from disturbing it until it is rooted. 
The plants should not remain so long in the 
pots as to become at all root-bound, but as soon 
as the}' are well rooted they should be turned 
out and plauted in the new bed. The plant 
should be set in freshly stirred soil, and if the' 
operation is properly managed, it will show no 
signs of having been disturbed. 
Collecting Flower Seeds. 
It is desirable to save one's own flower seeds, 
not only as a matter of economy, but as a means 
of improving the variety. In a collection of 
annual plants, all from the same stock of seed, 
there will be considerable variety presented. 
Some may vary from the general stock in the 
size or color of the flower, and others in the hab- 
it of the plant. These peculiarities are not cer- 
tain to be reproduced, but the probabilities are, 
that some of the seeds from such plants will 
show them, and by following up a course of se- 
lection, one can in a few years so establish a 
variety, that it will come constantly true from 
seed. It may be here remarked, that florists 
have found in practice that, though a peculi- 
arity may not show itself very strongly the 
first year, yet it will manifest itself the next 
year, if the grower perseveres. It is well to 
mark those plants, the seeds of which it is de- 
sired to save by themselves, while in full bloom, 
and not trust to memory. In a bed of plants, 
from which seeds are tobesaved promiscuously, 
and when it is desirable to have all of one col- 
or, the "rogues" must be pulled out as soon as 
they show themselves. For instance, if we wish 
to use Drummond's Phlox for bedding pur- 
poses, it is important that each lot of seed pro- 
duce flowers all of a similar color. If we 
have a patch of dark rose, from which seeds 
are to he saved, pull up every light-colored 
one before it goes to seed. 
To be successful in seed-gathering, one must 
study the habits of the plants. Nature provides 
for the scattering, not the saving of seeds, and 
we must study her methods and anticipate her 
a little. Some seed-pods open with a jerk as 
soon as ripe, and scatter the contents to a dis- 
tance; some open by a hole or crack, and as 
the plant is swayed by the wind, the seeds are 
gradually sifted out; again each seed has a 
downy tuft, that will allow it to sail away upon 
the breeze. In other cases there is no provision 
for scattering the seeds, but the fruit or seed- 
vessel must decay, before they can be lib- 
erated. It is not necessary to wait until seeds 
are dead ripe before collecting them; a little 
experience will teach one to know the point at 
which it is safe to gather them. Those seed- 
vessels, which in breaking scatter the seeds, 
should be gathered just before they open, and 
be allowed to pop under a sieve or convenient 
cover. Pansies and other Violets, Phloxes, Rici- 
nuses, and others, need care in this respect. As 
soon as seeds are gathered, put a label with 
them, and as soon as they are thoroughly dry, 
clean them, and store them away. The man- 
ner of cleaning the seeds is varied according to 
circumstances; sifting, gentle winnowing, rub- 
bing between the hands, and hand-picking be- 
ing resorted to, according to the kind of seeds. 
A series of small sieves, of different size of mesh, 
will accomplish most of the work. 
«-■ — »»■ — —» 
The Red Spider. 
Whether the Red Spider, that attacks trees 
and plants in the open air, is the same as the 
pest of the greenhouse we are unable to say. 
As far as the gardener is concerned they are 
practically the same. The insect is so small, 
that it is not usually discovered, until consider- 
able mischief has been done. It attacks fruit 
and ornamental trees and evergreens as well as 
the soft-wooded plants of the flower-garden. 
A general browning of the foliage is usually the 
first intimation of its presence. 
A few years ago we saw a fine pear-orchard 
nearly ruined before the owner found out what 
the trouble was. It was during a dry, hot sum- 
mer, and he supposed the leaves to be sun- 
burned. One familiar with the work of the Red 
Spider will detect it at once. When browned 
leaves are observed, examine their under sur- 
faces. If the insect be present, a very delicate 
filmy web will be found, and minute red or 
blackish specks maybe seen in motion, which a 
magnifier will show to be the dreaded enemy. 
Frequent syringings with clear water will per- 
haps answer as well as whale-oil soap or any 
other insect-destroying application. Moisture 
is their greatest enemy, and water applied often 
will check their operations. Some of the small 
garden pumps or engines will be found conven- 
ient for the purpose. 
Young Trees in Hot "Weather. 
July and August are usually trying months 
for young trees. Those that were set this 
spring, and have appeared to be doing well thus 
far, may succumb to the long continued heat 
aud drouth of midsummer. It is safest to mulch 
all young trees, but where this has not been 
