13G 
July, 1889. 
ORCHARD 
Floral Notes. 
For producing tropical effects there are 
few plants more useful than the tuberous- 
rooted plant commonly known as Caladium 
esculentum (properly Colocasia esculenta.) 
The fact that it is now plentiful and cheap 
should make it more common. In the 
Sandwich Islands it is cooked and eaten as 
we do potatoes, and was largely grown and 
eaten in the same way at the South during 
the late civil war, when potatoes became a 
luxury for the few. Properly prepared, it 
is by no means an unpalatable article of diet. 
At the North, however, it isusedasan orna- 
mental-leaved plant for the garden and the 
lawn. It is in all respects a handsome plant 
of imposing proportions, the leaves, under 
favorable conditions, growing from three to 
four feet long and two to three feet wide. 
The leaves are a dark, velvety green, 
handsomely shaded, somewhat like those of 
Maranta zebrina. It thrives best in a rich 
soil composed partly of leaf mould, and 
should be liberally watered in dry weath- 
er. It is at its best in midsummer and 
early autumn. It should be lifted as 
soon as the leaves have been touched by 
frost. The tubers are easily kept in sand 
during the winter. 
green, large, and much divided. The flow- 
ers are deep pink, and produced abundant- 
ly on long, stout scapes. As the flow- 
ers only open when the sun shines, they are 
not useful for cutting; but they are, never- 
theless, very pretty. They should be grown 
in a sunny spot. They may also be grown 
in pots. The bulbs may be kept in sand 
during the winter. 
The comparatively new Rocky Mountain 
Columbines ( Aquilegia chrysantha and A. 
ccerulea ) are among the best of their class, 
and are becoming popular. They are vig- 
orous growers, with handsome, luxuriant 
foliage, and grow from two to three feet 
high. The flowers are large, those of cArys- 
antha being yellow and cxrulea blue and 
white. The plants are quite hardy. The 
accompanying illustration, Fig. 212, is a good 
portrait of the flower of about the natural 
size. The flowers are somewhat larger on 
well-grown plants. 
mild winters retaining its foliage till the 
approach of spring, and never shedding it 
before midwinter. It makes a dense 
growth, and is literally covered for months 
with deliciously fragrant flowers. The 
great point, however, is the fact that we 
have never seen an insect of any kind on 
it; and this makes it possible for ladies to 
sit near it, and enjoy its cool shade and 
delightful fragrance without that horrid 
fear of caterpillars which is the bete noir of 
most women’s lives, next to snakes. 
Summer is the best time to make up 
your list of rare or scarce plants, and 
learn where they can be bought. One 
of these is Spiraea ulmaria A. pi., an old 
but handsome herbaceous plant for the 
border. The double-flowered variety is 
very pretty, and deserves a place among 
choice border plants. It is one of those 
good old plants that almost take care of 
themselves, but which, at the same time, 
reward a little kindly attention by a 
more generous bloom. The flowers are 
ivory white, and in a cut state are useful 
in many ways. 
There is a handsome variegated form 
of this Spiraea which will please most 
people; but it is not easy to get. The 
variegation is a bright yellow, which 
runs through the leaflets in a broad, 
irregular band, and sometimes occupies 
the whole blade of the leaf. The con- 
trast between the bright yellow and dark 
green is very pretty and effective. In a 
rich soil the variegation is apt to d isappear 
gradually; but it can easily be maintained 
by occasionally dividing the plant, and 
selecting only those parts that are strongly 
marked. This may not be necessary more 
than once in three or four years. We 
advise the reader to hunt up this handsome 
plant, and give it a place in the border. 
If you feel languid and weary during the 
hot days of July, as is very natural after 
the toils of plowing, and sowing, and plant- 
ing, and the merry haymaking with the 
merry left out, to say nothing of the almost 
hopeless battle with the “bugs” and the 
weeds, take a little well-earned rest. Get 
out your eight-ounce rod and tackle box, 
and wander off to the nearest lake or stream , 
where the trout or the black bass wait to 
welcome you. Mr. Micropterus is a 
lively fellow with some peculiar ways,, 
and he never fails to make you forget 
your weariness while amusing you with 
his playful ways, which soon become 
exciting and musical at your end of the 
line. Humor his playful moods for 
awhile if you would make his closer- 
acquaintance, and beware when he 
shakes his head at you as he leaps from 
the water, for at that moment he has a 
crick of shaking the hook from his 
mouth, and leaving you in a very peculiar 
“state of mind;” but don’t swear; don’t, 
if you ever expect to find entrance with- 
in the charmed circle occupied by the 
true followers of good old Izaak Walton. 
If, how'ever, you shall patiently humor 
him, skillfully circumvent him, tire him 
out, and safely laud him, your exhilara- 
tion will be so great that weeding and 
fighting caterpillars and beetles will 
seem a pleasant pastime, for a while at 
least. May all of you find time to say, 
like the good apostle, “I go a-fishing.” 
There are several members of the Oxalis 
family that are useful for summer blooming 
in the border, some being used for edgings 
to beds. One of the best for growing singly 
or in clumps or masses is Oxalis lasiandra, 
a native of Mexico. If planted early it will 
bloom early, and continue to bloom till 
frost. It may be planted late, however, if 
bulbs can be bought. The leaves are dark 
Aquilegia Ccf.rulia. Fig. 212. 
The new annual Hop Vine from Japan 
( Hamulus Japonicus ) has already proved 
itself to be a valuable plant for rapidly 
covering walls and other objects, particu- 
larly objectionable ones that we w’ant to get 
out of sight as soon as possible. We hardly 
known of another plant that will do it so 
quickly. The growth is not only rapid, 
but dense; and the plant as a whole, if not 
beautiful, is certainly graceful, and quite 
attractive when in bloom. Young plants 
may be bought in pots, but they may be 
readily grown from seed. 
We regard the Japanese Honeysuckle 
I ( Lonicera Ilalliana ) as being the most val- 
uable of all the Honeysuckles for covering 
a piazza or arbor. It is nearly evergreen, in 
Beds of Coleus should be clipped a 
little from time to time to preserve an 
even surface. Some neglect to do it; but 
this formal style of bedding requires it. Its 
chief object is a mass of color, and strag- 
gling shoots destroy the effect. 
The seed of Primula obconica is advertis- 
ed by Hallock & Son, and perhaps by 
others. S«'ed sown now will make flower- 
ing plants for next winter if pushed on a 
little. Plants will be scarce and high 
priced for some time, and seed should be 
sown if it can be procured. This beautiful 
Primrose can not fail to become popular. 
It is easily grow r n and blooms profusely. It 
will probably make a good room plant for 
w inter blooming. — P. B. Mead. 
If not already done, pots of Calla Lilies 
may now’ be turned on their sides in some 
place where the} will be protected from 
rains and allowed to go to rest for the season. 
