i 860 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
377 
The Blazing Star.— Liatris. 
Nothing gives ns more pleasure than to see 
our native plants brought into cultivation. 
There was an unusual number of these in the 
grounds formerly owned by Charles Downing, 
and in visiting this choice collection of plants, 
we think we gave more attention to the culti¬ 
vated natives than to the choicest exotics. Sev¬ 
eral species of Blazing Star ( Liatris ) made such 
a show, that we were very glad that Mr. D., be¬ 
fore he left his place, sent us bits of them. We 
have some ten species growing in the Northern. 
States, but they are more abundant South ancl 
West than at the North. They are doubtless 
found growing wild with many of our readers, 
but they can have no idea how much finer the 
plants are when they are given good gardea 
soil, and relieved from the necessity of strug¬ 
gling with other plants. Engravings of three : 
of those we have cultivated are here given. It 
will be seen that they differ very much in habit, 
but they have all the same general structure,, 
and a great similarity in the color of the flow¬ 
ers, which is a pale purple. The Spiked Blaz¬ 
ing Star (.Liatris spicata), fig. 1, is the earliest 
of the three. It commences to bloom early in 
July, and is showy for about a month. The 
Scaly Blazing St-ar (L. squarrosa), fig. 2, is so 
called from the scales or involucre surrounding 
each head of flowers. The most striking of 
all is the Dense-spiked Blazing Star (L. pych- 
iwstachya), in which the heads of flowers are 
crowded together as closely as they can be 
upon the stem, and form a most striking flower 
cluster, about two feet in length. The plant 
stands five feet or more high, and its great mass 
of flowers makes it a most noticable object. The 
species we have illustrated, as well as several 
others, are found from New England west and 
south, and the roots of them may be readily 
transferred to gardens, or the seeds may be col¬ 
lected when ripe this autumn and sown at oncej. 
Planting Bulbs. 
Bulb fanciers are one thing, the general 
public another. The first-named need no direc¬ 
tions about selecting the choice varieties, or 
concerning the composts in which to plant 
them. One who has had no experience in bulb 
matters will, if he reads mosts of the florists’ 
directions, think it is of no use for him to un¬ 
dertake to grow Hyacinths, Tulips, and the 
like, as the directions for planting them are so 
elaborate, and when he takes up a dealer’s cata¬ 
logue, he finds the prices of the most select al¬ 
together beyond his means. The best way for 
a lover of flowers to do is to buy unnamed 
sorts, and leave the cultivation of the fancy 
varieties to those who have more experience in 
the matter. Good, unnamed Hyacinths can be 
had for about $2 per dozen; Tulips, for 75 cts; 
Crocuses, for 40 cts.—the prices varying slight¬ 
ly with the different dealers. Any good garden 
soil will answer. If heavy, add sand or sandy 
loam, and if poor, spade in some manure—cow 
manure being the best. Plant Hyacinths 6 or 8 
inches apart and 4 inches deep, Tulips an inch 
shallower and nearer; Crocuses may be as near 
as 3 inches, and need not be covered with over 
2 inches of earth. The flowers make the best 
appearance if the bulbs are planted in masses 
or clumps. In preparing the soil, the bed will 
be raised a few inches above the general surface 
—which will be all the better, as water will not 
stand upon the bulbs. It is better to place a 
covering of coarse manure or litter over the 
