March, 1889. 
55 
ORCHARD 
GARDEN 
were removed about as fresh as they came, 
and we hence conclude that they would be 
su'table plants for winter use in the parlor 
or in the sitting room. 
There are many persons all over the coun- 
try who, for various reasons, cannot grow 
Dracamas, Crotons, Coleus, and other ex- 
pensive ornamental-leaved plants; and it is 
to call the attention of such to a few orna- 
mental and useful plants that may easily be 
grown at a merely nominal cost, that this 
article has been written, and we hope may 
prove to be useful. — P. B. M. 
Propagation indoors should be begun in 
earnest this month. Nearly all plants will 
strike readily at this time if the cuttings 
are carefully prepared and placed under 
proper conditions. There is nothing better 
than clean sand for cuttings. The color is 
a matter of no moment. A necessary con- 
dition is constant moisture, and a little 
shade is usually indispensable. 
Floral Notes. 
The so-called •’rust” or fungus which has 
affected the Heliotrope for three or four 
years past is getting to be quite common, 
and, unfortunately, is very destructive. 
Some florists, wh"ose losses are quite large, 
and in some cases nearly total, are almost 
in despair for a remedy. When a plant is 
changed from a high to a low temperature 
the fungus is developed rapidly. The ex- 
periment has been repeated a number of 
times with the same result. This may sug- 
gest a means for retarding development, 
but can hardly be said to point to a cure. 
There i? no doubt a remedy, but what it 
is remams to be discovered. In the 
meantime there will be less fragrance in 
the world, and "more's the pity.” 
Many kinds of seeds may now be sown 
under glass, especially those of half-hardy 
plants that are wanted for early bloom. The 
seeds of the Chinese Primrose may be sown 
now or a little later for early fall bloom. 
The young plants are more easily managed 
now than later. The same may be said 
of a number of other plants. 
The tubers of the single Dahlia may be 
started this month, if it is desired to multi- 
ply some choice kind from cuttings. It 
may, however, be done later. Seeds of the 
single Dahlia sown in the open border as 
late as May will produce flowering roots; 
If those who grow the Anemone and 
the Ranunculus in quantity will look at 
the plants with an eye for something be- 
sides flowers, they will find a great di- 
versity in the foliage, some varieties in 
this respect being very beautiful. While 
the leaves rf some are almost entire, oth- 
ers are beautifully pinnated, presenting 
a mass of foliage that is charming. An- 
emone "Blue Incomparable,” for exam- 
ple, is a handsome foliage plant aside 
from its beautiful flowers. As there are 
a number of choice varieties with hand- 
some foilage, a note should be made 
of these for future use. 
We occasionally receive inquiries which 
are substantially the same and to this etfect: 
"When I buy plants of the florist, most 
of the leaves in a little while turn yellow 
and drop off. What is the reason of this, 
and how shall I stop it?” The question 
could be answered in a single line, but you 
would be but little the wiser. The reason 
is that the plants have beer grown in a hot, 
moist atmosphere, and you put them in one 
that is lower and comparatively dry. The 
new growth, however, will soon adapt it- 
self to the changed conditions with com- 
paratively little loss, though some plants 
will be somewhat disfigured by the loss of 
foliage. The florist is compelled to force 
his plants in a high temperature in order to 
multiply them rapidly, and sell them to you, 
in many cases, at a very low price. It is 
the "nimble sixpence” against the “slow 
shilling." Tne large profits are made on 
the novelties. Nurse your plants for a few 
days, and do not be too hard on the florist. 
SCARLET-RIBBED CHILIAN BEb,T. Fig. 1565. 
but too much of the blooming season is lost 
when the seeds are sown so late. It is dif- 
ferent with the double Dahlia, from which 
we do not expect perfect blooms before Sep- 
tember, and all the early buds are conse- 
quently pinched off. — P. B. M. 

FI o wer Beds. 
One of the most beautiful things that can 
be made in the flower bed line is to sow in 
a cut space in the lawn a bed of double 
Portulaca. The flowers will not all come 
double, but every single one should be picked 
out before it seeds and the most beautiful 
only allowed to perfect the seed. The same 
ground will be self-sown from year to year, 
and if the selection is carefully attended to 
will grow finer with the years. The reason 
for cutting a bed out of the lawn is that the 
flower becomes an evil, and a very trouble- 
some one, in the garden, and rhe safest way 
is to hedge it in and away from cultivated 
land. Such a bed is, all the summer season, 
from eight or nine o'clock until afternoon, 
a perfect glory of beautiful color. — S.Q.L ent 
Grafting the Vine. 
In the Southern and Middle States the 
work in the vineyard commences in earnest, 
particularly where there is grafting to be 
done. 
When I read of a man with a Concord or 
Catawba vineyard that intends digging 
them up and abandoning the growing of 
grapes, on account of the rot, I pity him. 
These vines can be converted into some- 
thing that wont rot, or at least bear a fine, 
good crop of superior grapes, and, if these 
should also begin to rot in a few years after, 
it will pay to sack them. This latter can 
be done at a cost of % ct. per lb., including 
sacks, labor and all. 
In doing this we not only save them from 
rot, but protect them from insects and birds, 
and perhaps from the depredations of foxes, 
opossums and rabbits, which are a great 
pest in some of the new districts. 
The next question may be asked; 
“What shill we graft on these vines, and 
how is it best done?” T have practiced 
grafting the vines for forty years with 
varied success, and if memory serves me 
right, I had about as good a result from the 
first operation, as from any since. In all 
that time there have been very few sea- 
sons, if any, that I did not do some of that 
work. I have tried all the various 
methods that have been published in 
hooks, newspapers and journals; and 
none seem to be more successful than the 
plan and time first tried. 
In the first place the wood for grafting 
should be cut early in the winter before 
severe freezings have taken place. Select 
sound, well ripened wood, that is as short 
jointed as the variety will yield, and not 
thinner than a common pen holder. Pack 
it away in a cellar in damp sand or sawdust, 
or out doors in the ground, heeled in just to 
cover the upper eyes; then put a mulch 
over it. This is in fact the safest plan, 
as in the cellar, unless great care be taken, 
they may be kept too wet, or get too dry, 
either of which is an injury. My opin- 
ion is that one half or more of the failures 
in grape grafting is attributable to the wood 
not being in good condition. 
As soon in the spring as the ground is so 
we can dig around the vines to be grafted, 
remove the earth for three to six inches 
deep, saw off at a smooth place, then if 
the vine is not over a half inch in 
dianteter split the stock, cut your graft in a 
wedge shape like any other graft, and in- 
sert it firmly, tying around tightly with 
twine, but use no cement; then press the 
earth firmly around the graft but be careful 
not to move it; fill up to the tip of the 
upper bud (always using a graft with two 
eyes), cover the bud with a handful of saw- 
dust, sticking a pin an inch on the south 
