Floral Notes. 
SOME NEGLECTED ANNUALS. 
There are some flowers which are well 
liked when-put before the notice of the peo¬ 
ple who use flowers, and yet they are neg¬ 
lected by most cultivators of them. One 
of these is the ageratum. Our bouquet- 
makers use it extensively, because it flow¬ 
ers easily, and combines well with most oth¬ 
er flowers, but you will not find it in many 
gardens. Why this is so. I cannot ex¬ 
plain, for it is of very easy culture, and is 
among/our most profuse bloomers, and is 
really a much more desirable plant than 
many enjoying a greater popularity. It is 
like some modest person of sterling worth 
who shrinks into the background, while 
other persons with more assurance and less 
merit, occupy the foremost places. 
AGERATUM MEXICANUM. 
The ageratum is especially valuable for 
combining with pink and yellow flowers 
Its soft lavender-blue color harmonizes 
with those colors exquisitely. One of the 
finest bouquets I ever saw, so far as har¬ 
mony of color went, was composed of 
Marechal Niel roses, of bright lemon yel¬ 
low, Master Christine geraniums, of soft, 
bright rose-color, pink and white fuchsias, 
and ageratum. The color supplied by this 
flower seemed to blend and bind the others 
into a chord of exquisite beauty, if such a 
term can be applied to colors. Of late, 
florists have introduced white and pink 
varieties. 
THE COCKSCOMB. 
This is another flower which has not re¬ 
ceived the attention it deserves. Of late 
it is looking up, to use a market phrase, 
and it will soon be a popular flower. There 
are two or three varieties. The old kind 
had a spreading shape, much like the comb 
of a fowl, from which it took its name. It 
was of rich, brilliant crimson, and it w r as 
used in making up Winter bouquets, as the 
flowers dry and retain their shape and col¬ 
or well. The varieties of later introduction 
are very much superior to the old kinds. 
Vick has a Japan cockscomb six or eight 
inches across, the edges of which are ruffled 
and crimped in a bewildering intricacy of 
curves. It is of intense brilliance, and no 
plant that we have makes a more superb 
show in early Fall. The feathered cocks¬ 
comb is really the most beautiful, as it has 
a more airy, delicate habit, and is equally 
as bright in color as the other variety. 
This plant should be given a rich, light 
soil. It is quite tender when young, and 
it is therefore better to start the seeds in¬ 
to growth in pots or boxes in the house. 
When the plants have developed three or 
four sets of leaves, they can be transplanted 
to the garden, provided that the weather 
has become warm, and the danger of frost 
at night is past. In using the flowers for 
Winter bouquets, pick before they begin to 
fade. 
Now is THE time that you should send 
us notes for publication concerning your 
gardening experiences this season. Tell us 
which varieties of vegetables, &c., have 
done the best for you, and report any other 
items which may prove interesting and 
profitable to our readers. 
