128 
July, 1890. 
ORCHRRD | GARDE N \ 
Geraniums. 
The Geranium is one of the most popular 
of plants. We find it grown and loved in 
all kinds of houses, among all sorts of peo- 
ple. from the attic window of some poor 
friendless creature, to the rich man's conser- 
vatory and florist's greenhouse: in doors 
and out doors, it seems to be the people's 
flower. Always satisfactory, if given a fair 
amount of attention, often so, even without 
it. this much tried plant will will stand un- 
even temperature, dust. heat, cold, drought 
and wet. with a serene and cheerful air, re- 
markable to see. It blooms the greater part 
of the year, and the foliage is always clean, 
luxuriant, and handsome, giving a gladsome 
bit of greenery to the most sombre of our 
winter days. No other 
flower exceeds the gera- 
nium in the variety of 
its shades from white 
to deep crimson. It is 
beautiful in the house; 
it is magnificent out of 
doors. Another most 
satisfactory virtue of 
this old favorite is the 
fact that it is scarcely 
ever afflicted with the 
ills that plants are heir 
to, in the way of insect 
pests. 
Although I have men- 
tioned what geraniums 
will do for us, even un- 
der adverse circum- 
stances, it would be bet- 
ter to talk about what 
we may do for them, to 
obtain the most satis- 
factory results. Gera- 
niums like good soil — 
light, fibrous and well enriched; it must al- 
so be porous, in order that it may not be- 
come hard and thus prevent the water from 
penetrating to every part of the roots. They 
should be watered thoroughly each time, 
and then allow the plant to assimilate it be- 
fore watering it again, for though they want 
sufficient moisture, and moisture where they 
most need it, they never can thrive in a 
stagnant, wet condition. 
If the plants are to be kept in pots, be 
sure to provide good drainage by putting 
broken potsherds into the pots, to the depth 
of an inch, so as to allow the excess of mois- 
ture to drain off. If you wish to have plen- 
ty of flowers do not use too large jars; a size 
or two larger than the one the plants have 
been growing in, will be the best. Even 
large plants in eight or nine inch pots may 
be repotted in the same-sized jars, if not too 
much root-bound, by taking them out care- 
fully, shaking off the old soil, trimming out 
the roots somewhat and using fresh soil, 
Of course, if the roots are cut off, the top 
should also be pruned. 
Many pers ns claim that young gera- 
niums are better bloomers, both in the house 
and out doors: others, that old plants bloom 
more profusely. I think, as a general rule, 
young plants grow more vigorously, but 
old plants bloom more abundantly. 
If intended for winter flowering, gera- 
niums should have special preparation. 
They must not be allowed to bloom much 
during the summer, else they would exhaust 
their vitality before winter. Leave the 
plants in the same pots through the summer 
if large enough, watering them just enough 
to prevent their drying out. Be sure to 
keep all flower buds picked off. Pinch 
out the top of each branch, this will cause 
laterals to push out. from which flowers wall 
be obtained later. — Mrs. C. G. Hanchett. 
Floral Note*. 
Very pretty indeed is the charming Ice- 
dle of sticks. At other times they have no 
support at all. Both practices are decidedly 
bad. In the one case the bloom i6 lessened 
by half or more, and the new growth, for 
want of sunshine and air, fails to mature, 
and is probably winter killed. In the 
other, the w r eight of the flowers and heavy 
rains bear the branches to the ground, and 
the new growth from these shoots and 
every thing about the plant becomes crook- 
ed and misshapen, and an offense to the 
sight. A Rose should be staked and tied in 
such a way as to allow sunshine and air to 
pass through it in all directions. It is better 
for the plant in all ways, and is pleasing to 
the eye. 
The climbers should be looked after, 
especially the Clematis. The wood of the 
Clematis is as brittle as brittle can be, and 
without proper support while growing it is 
1 often broken to pieces by the lightest wind 
that blows. Yet, with a proper trellis or 
support to grow on 
while climbing, or fixed 
brush when grown in 
a bed, there is no plant 
that more readily takes 
care of itself. It is sel- 
dom that a string is 
needed under such cir- 
cumstances. The Cle- 
matis ties itself as it 
grows. Most other 
climbers need to be tied 
in and guided from time 
to time. It should al- 
ways be borne in mind 
that a climbing plant 
grows much faster 
when it has something 
to climb on than when 
left on the ground. 
The Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudieaule). Fipr. 160. 
land Poppy ( Popaver nudieaule) with its 
constant succession of sweet, single flowers. 
It is a profuse bloomer and the flowers are 
of all shades of rich yellow and orange. It 
is an excellent plant for the border and 
one that maybe grown very easily and with 
little care. The illustration, Fig.160, repres- 
ents very well its delightful flowers and 
pretty foliage. 
For an effective and handsome bed upon 
the lawn there are few annuals better than 
the dwarf nasturtium “Empress of India.” 
A well kept bed of the brilliant crimson flow- 
ers of this variety r is a sight not easily to be 
forgotten. The seeds may be sown now 
and will soon come up; transplant to one foot 
apart and you will have ere long a gorgeous 
mass of color. The nasturtium delights in 
a dry hot soil, and should have a full sun 
exposure. 
Roses are sometimes tied up like a bun- 
Coreopsis lanceolata 
really deserves all the 
praise that has been lav- 
ished upon it. For con- 
tinuity of bloom it is not excelled by any- 
thing we know of, and the flowers are so 
profuse as to form a blazing sheet of vivid 
golden-yellow color. It should always be 
planted in masses to obtain the best effects 
and as the clumps grow older they thicken 
and fill out the entire bed. 
It is a good thing that the hardy herba- 
ceous perennials are coming more and more 
into public favor again. It seemed at one 
time as though many of our old-fashioned 
favorites would be lost altogether, so great 
was the tend toward the use of soft-wooded 
greenhouse plants for bedding purposes, but 
happily the tide has turned and hardy bor- 
der plants are beginning to receive the at- 
tention they deserve. In the meantime so 
many improvements have been made in this 
class of plants and so many new sorts of 
superior excellence and beauty introduced 
that it is not at all to be wondered at that 
they should become popular, 
