1880.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4:73 
A Few Showy Summer Perennials. 
Among the more showy plants for late summer 
and autumn blooming, we find the choicer varieties 
of Perennial Phloxes, which in their endless variety 
form a beautiful and attractive sight. Solidagos, or 
Golden Rods, especially S. Shortii, S. ffiddellii and 
S. Oliioensis, all natives of the Western States; S. 
rigida and S. stricta , from the Eastern; and S. 
angustifolia from the Southern States, are among 
the most showy, and where the space is large enough 
to grow these tall plants, nothing will show to better 
advantage at this season. Of Clematises, in addi- 
the past three months, and bid fair to last until 
frost withers their tops. The first of these is Malva 
Alcea , or Hollyhock Mallow. Although a very old 
plant, and well known in collections of hardy per¬ 
ennials in Europe, it is comparatively rare in our 
American collections of such plants. It is a native 
of France and Central Europe; grows from two to 
three feet high, and is profusely covered with large 
deep rose-colored flowers, two to three inches in 
diameter. Our plant commenced to flower early in 
July, and has been one mass of bloom ever since, 
with an abundance of buds yet to open. From the 
axil of the lower leaves new stems appear, which 
not stand during winter, ought to be selected. Oar 
plant has been in bloom since June, and still (Sep¬ 
tember 15th) shows no lack of buds and flowers, 
which are constantly appearing. A bed, or border 
of this Silvery Sage, backed with the Hollyhock 
Mallow, would make an exceedingly pretty show in 
the garden during the summer and fall months. 
Watering in Dry Weather. 
BY PETER HENDERSON. 
A correspondent from Cincinnati says: “ The 
collection of Roses I got from you in May—fifty ire 
tion to the large and late flowering varieties, we 
may mention C. crispa, a beautiful purple, fragrant- 
flowered sort; C. Ptcheri, with dark brownish-pur¬ 
ple flowers, C. coccinea, with bright scarlet flowers, 
all natives of the Southern States ; and C. Davidiana, 
C. tubulosa, and C. graveolens, very desirable species 
of recent introduction ; the two first growing up¬ 
right, with purple flowers, and the latter a rampant 
climber, with greenish-yellow flowers, followed by 
silvery plumy fruit. Besides these there are the 
brilliant-colored Tritomas, or Red Hot Pokers, T. 
Uvaria and T. Macoweni , several species of Lialris, 
or Blazing Star, notably L. pycnostachya, L. elegans, 
L. scariosa and L. punctata, all fine purple-flowered 
plants ; and last, but not least, the choicer species 
and varieties of Delphiniums or Larkspurs, but 
little grown, as yet, in America. The above sorts, 
with many more equally desirable late-blooming 
plants, will serve to make a garden attractive dur¬ 
ing the early autumn, when there is generally a 
lack of flowers in the garden. 
Frequently we are asked to recommend Hardy 
Perennials for summer flowering, which will give a 
constant bloom during the summer months. It is 
a somewhat difficult matter to do this, especially 
where there are so many that are showy and desir¬ 
able. We have been highly pleased this summer 
with two species which have been in full bloom for 
in turn produce flowers, so that it makes a constant 
and profuse bloom. In selecting a spot for plant¬ 
ing, choose a sunny place in rich soil, where the 
plant can have a space at least two feet square. It 
may be readily propagated from seeds sown early 
in April in window boxes, or in the open ground in 
May. The other plant shown on this page is the 
Mealy, or Silvery Sage ( Salvia farinosa). It is a 
native of Texas, and of quite recent introduction 
into cultivation. Although the genus Salvia con¬ 
tains many fine and strong species, natives of dif¬ 
ferent portions of the United States, but few of 
them are known to cultivation ; and most of these 
are introduced through seeds or plants from Eng¬ 
lish nurseries. This species of Sage grows in large 
tufts three to four feet broad, and two feet or more 
high. The individual flower stems are four to six 
inches long, and are covered with beautiful violet- 
blue flowers, one-half to three-fourths of an inch 
long. The flower stem, as well as the leaves and 
calyx, are covered with a soft, silvery-whitish down, 
which renders the whole plant extremely showy, 
even when not in bloom. It has proved perfectly 
hardy during the past winter in the vicinity of New 
York City without any protection whatever. Until 
it becomes more plenty, however, it would be well 
to keep a plant in a cool greenhouse, or even in a 
cold frame. A rich, sandy soil, where water does 
number—are getting ‘ smaller by degrees and beau¬ 
tifully less.’ We have hardly had rain for a month, 
and the thermometer up among the nineties. I 
sprinkle them every night, but it seems to do no 
good. What can I do ? Let me know through the 
columns of the American Agriculturist, as I suppose 
my case is a general one, and will interest others. 
Stop the “sprinkling,” and give each plant a 
horse-bucketful once a week in dry weather until 
they begin to grow, being careful to make a tight 
basin around the plant, so that the water does not 
run off. When the water has soaked in, the edges 
of the basin should be raked level for the double 
purpose of preventing the soil cracking where the 
water has run, and making a loose surface. If 
watering is thoroughly done in this way once or 
twice, it is likely all that will be necessary, for as 
soon as a plant of any kind begins to make roots 
—which is indicated by its making a fresh top 
growth—there is little or no necessity of it being 
further watered in the open ground if the soil is 
of average quality. In our own practice we never 
think of watering plants set in the open ground, 
unless in cases where late planting is necessary, 
and then they are individually watered by the buck¬ 
etful as above, which is rarely done but once. 
Much labor that can ill be afforded is entirely thrown 
away in this “ sprinkling” of plants. I have seem 
