December, 1890. 
219 
ORGH RRD 'Irnd % GRRDE N 
/vaA/VWW W 
^ I had no idea it would grow, neither do I 
know that he had, but it did grow, nev- 
ertheless. 
On referring to Mr. Stay man’s directions 
in the March number of O. &. G. , I find he, 
too, has had failures to a large percentage 
before reaching the perfection of his present 
practice, and if we can adopt his method 
just at the right time we, too, may be suc- 
cessful; it will be an excellent method of 
changing undesirable and worthless varie- 
ties into good ones much more rapidly than 
by planting young vines. My failures have 
thus far exceeded my success but I am not 
discouraged. 
I agree with Mr. Stayman as to the vigor 
and earliness of Early Victor, but to call it a 
market grape in this section would be ab- 
surd. The fruit is no larger than Delaware, 
the clusters not half the size, and although 
^ the quality may be considered fair, as a 
market fruit here it would not pay for 
gathering; on the whole it is one of the most 
miserable apologies for a grape that I have, 
and my ten vines of it are 
marked for new heads. Mis- 
souri Reisling, Grein’s Gold- 
en, White Delaware, Monte- 
fiore, White Pearl, and several 
others are also on ihe list for 
decapitation next spring if I 
am able to attend to them. 
From Mr. Stayman’s men- 
tion of Mr. Burr's later seed- 
lings it is a pleasure to be as- 
sured that he has some of real 
merit. It would also seem as 
though there might be among 
those of Stayman and Black 
some that would be likely to 
prove acquisitions, and from 
these and other sources future 
grape growers may receive 
valuable additions to the 
^ present list of really success- 
ful varieties. But it is no use 
trying to create a place in 
popular favor for any thing of tliesize of Del- 
aware unless it is of superior qualify. Any 
grape below the Concord in size will have a 
hard struggle to gain a position of promi- 
nence as a table grape, no matter how good 
it may be in other respects. Another fac- 
tor to be borne in mind is the fact that 
some grapes succeeding admirably in the 
West may utterly fail here in the East, lo- 
cality exeiting a predominating influence 
in this matter. It is to this cause, probably, 
more than any other that we have such 
varied opinions as to the quality and suc- 
cess of different varieties, the Woodruff 
Red, for instance, a most miserable abomi- 
nation with me, yet so highly “puffed" in 
some quarters. — E. Williams. 
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descriptions of one of the best lines of Feed and Ensi- 
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to any reader of this paper. 
Floral Notes. 
The thoughts of plant growers are now 
turned chiefly to the supply of flowers for 
holiday decoration. The appliances of i he 
florist in tnese days are so complete and 
reliable that he can, with some degree of 
certainty, “count his chickens before they 
are hatched.” The window gardener is not 
quite so sure of his. Plants may be hastened 
on a little by being watered with blood- 
warm w’ater, being careful not to sodden 
the soil. Plants at the window are not 
likely to get too much sunshine at this sea- 
son of the year. They should be turned 
around occasionally, that all parts of the 
plants may receive some of the sun’s vivi- 
fying influence. 
Watch for the first appearance of the 
it to suit you. The bottle should hold about 
a pint of water, and should have a large 
mouth or neck. A few bits of charcoal 
may be put in the water, which should be 
changed occasionally. The bottle should 
be placed behind the picture, out of sight. 
The leaves of the Ivy should be washed 
clean. At the window the bottle mav be 
suspended to the frame work on a hook, or 
in any convenient manner. Where plants 
in pots are not grown in a room, a few 
shoots of Ivy disposed in this way are sug- 
gestive of pleasant thoughts in w inter. 
ANEMONE JaPO.NICA. Fig. 186. 
aphis, red spider, thrips, etc., and don’t 
wait till to-morrcw to kill them, but do it 
to-day. This is advice that every one might 
profitably repeat to himself every day. 
One of the best and cheapest materials for 
tying up plants is Raffia. It may be read- 
ily and quickly divided into shreds of any 
size. It may with advantage be slightly 
dampened when used, though it mav be 
used without. Raffia may be bought of 
almost any seedsman. Just now there is a 
good deal of tying up to be done, and the 
use of Raffia will be found to lighten the 
labor. 
It used to be more common than now to 
put long shoots of English Ivy in bottles of 
water, and train them up the sides of the 
window and around the picture frames in 
winter. Good taste often produces pretty 
effects in this way. The labor devoted to 
the “ dressing of the pictures,” as it is often 
called, will in no respect be irksome, but 
rather full of pleasure, when at last you get 
The Ivy-leaved Geraniums, so-called, have 
been greatly improved in recent years, par- 
ticularly in the direction of double flowers. 
The comparatively new double white, Jean 
d’Arc, is the best of its color, the color 
being pure and the flower full and symmet- 
rical. It is a good winter bloomer, and the 
flower stems are sufficiently long to make 
the truss useful for cut purposes ; but we 
think the flowers look best on the plant. It 
is a rather strong grower, and 
well adapted for a hanging 
ba&ket or for training on a 
wire trellis. It is an excel- 
lent plant for the window 
garden, where it will look 
best in a basket or a suspend- 
ed pot. The Ivy-leaved Gera- 
nium has one decidedly good 
point in the fact that its foli- 
age makes it a handsome 
plant even out of bloom. 
The Japan Wind Flowers 
(Anemone JnponiC' * )are becom- 
ing better know n. and that is 
all that is wanted to make 
them appreciated. The num- 
ber who really know them is 
siiil comparatively small, 
and even smaller is the num- 
ber who know that they are 
hardy heibaceous plants for 
the border. They are too often confounded 
with the tuberous spring-flowering Ane- 
mones, the dried tubers of which are sold 
by seedsmen in the autumn, just about the 
time when the Japan Anemones are in 
bloom and at their best in the open border. 
At present there ar a three kinds in cultiva- 
tion : Anemone Japonica , bearing rose-col- 
ored flowers ; A. Japonica v. Honorine Jo- 
bert, (alba,) flowers pure white ; A. Japonica 
v. hybrida, with tto a ers like the last in form, 
but of a beautiful reddish-purple color. 
The flowers, which are single, are two or 
more inches in diameter, and are produced 
abundantly. They are all very handsome, 
but the varieties are even more beautiful 
than the type. As cut flowers they are 
excellent for the parlor or the exhibition 
lable. The Japan Wind Flowers bloom in 
September and October, and make the gar- 
den very attractive at a time when flowers 
are beginning to be scarce. They like a 
rich soil, and may be planted late in au- 
tumn or in the spring. 
(Continued on page 222.) 
