THE CULTIVATOR. 
55 
Wc\it ©at^ren anir tl)e ©rcljariJ. 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
It has been remarked, that there is hardly a specimen 
of the modern style of gardening in America, which 
a European would consider as neatly kept. But neat¬ 
ness obtained at very extravagant expense, can hardly 
be considered desirable. It is true, that gravel walks, 
rolled as smooth as a floor; turf, kept by constant shav¬ 
ing, as even as a carpet; flowering plants visible only 
when in full bloom, by the use of a reserve garden; 
profuse masses of rare green house plants, occupy¬ 
ing open beds during summer;—all these may indeed 
produce a scene- of great brilliancy and beauty, but the 
employment of half a dozen gardeners for a single 
acre, with a scientific superintendent, hardly accords 
with the republican simplicity which should always 
govern us. What therefore we have to retrench in la¬ 
bor and money, we should expend in study and thought, 
and much may still be accomplished. We should adopt 
the motto of Downing, “ Profuse in genius, not pro¬ 
fuse with gold.” 
Figure 26, is an isometrical view of a flower garden, 
laid out in the modern style; which admits of almost an 
infinitely greater variety, and a much more extensive 
field for the exercise of the invention, than the geomet¬ 
rical style. At the same time, the desired efiect is ob¬ 
tained at less expense. The size of this plan may be 
varied from a quarter of an acre to two acres or more. 
The ground allotted, is surrounded with a close planta¬ 
tion of shrubbery and trees, so as to shut out the distant 
view, except where portions of the surrounding scenery 
may occasionally be left visible, to add to the expres¬ 
sion of the whole. The intermediate space is a smoothly 
shaven green, near the outskirts of which, there is a 
gracefully bending gravel walk, bordered by circular, 
arabesque, and other flower beds. Handsome shrubs 
and small trees, may be occasionally planted in small 
groups, so as to interrupt, but not entirely break the view, 
which will add to the variety and apparent extent of the 
grounds. 
In laying out the curves of the gravel walk, a very 
convenient method is to provide a number of small sticks, 
and insert them in the ground at regular distances, vary¬ 
ing each, successively, an inch from the straight line. 
They will thus form a very regular curve; and a short 
curve may be made to pass gradually into a longer, by 
gradually increasing the distance of those sticks. 
As a general rule, no part of the walk should be seen; 
except that directly before us; the distant portions are 
concealed by flower beds, shrubs, or intervening higher 
ground, as the case requires. 
Circular and elliptical flower beds are made, and the 
boundary kept with precision, more easily than any oth¬ 
ers with a curved outline; hence they are largely intro¬ 
duced in the accompanying plan. They should have the 
tallest plants in the center, and those of successively de¬ 
creasing height towards the circumference. They may 
be of mixed flowers of various colors, planted fi'exago- 
nally; or in concentric circles, or belts; or in masses of 
one color. A portion of each of these kinds of flower 
beds, tastefully intermixed, would add to the variety of 
the garden. Flowers arranged in a bed by intermixing 
opposite colors, give an expression of brilliancy; while 
those of similar colors, varying only in shade, arranged 
in belts or masses, are distinguished for richness of ap¬ 
pearance. 
To enable the cultivator of flowers to arrange them to 
advantage, requires an intimate knowledge of the plants, 
their height, color, and season of flowering, which can 
be properly attained only by experience. The experi¬ 
ence of others, however, often affords essential aid; and 
to contribute to this end, a list of some handsome flow¬ 
ering plants, mbst of which are easily obtained either in 
our forests, nurseries, or private gardens, and the times 
at which they flower in Western New-York, are here 
given. The time will of course be influenced by the 
:season, by the fertility of the soil, and by the situation. 
This list is nearly the average of several years observa¬ 
tion of plants in the open air, remote from shelter. The 
earliest continue generally only a few days; those later, 
often extend through two or three months; where the 
latter is the case, their first appearance is noted. They 
dre nearly all perennial rooted, a few are biennial. The 
numbers designate,t|ie height, which will of course vary 
with the cultivation; those marked 1, are lowest, being 
-only a few inches high, and are mostly adapted to edg¬ 
ing; those marked 4, are more than two feet high; the 
others are intermediate. Nearly all are aeknowled'ged 
to be decidedly handsome, and some very splendid. 
Flowering early part of 4th rnmth. — April. 
1. Galanthus nivalis, (snow drop,) white. 
1. Crocus, white, purple, striped with purple, yellow, 
golden. 
1. Eranthus hyemalis, yellow. 
1. Viola tricolor, (pansy,) qark purple and yellow. 
1. Hepatica triloba, white, pink, pale purple. Native, 
common. 
1. Claytonia virginica, light red stiiped. Native, com’n. 
1. Seilla siberica, (Syberian squill,) fine blue. 
2. Iris persica, (Persian iris,) variegated, purple and 
yellow. 
1. Primula veris, (Cowslip, &c.) many varieties and co¬ 
lors, yellow, orange, lilac, red, purple. 
1. Bulboeodium vernum, pale red. 
2. Hyacinthus orientalis, (hyacinth,) blue, red, pink, 
white., . 1 ? 
Isometrical View of a Flower Garden. — {Fig. 26.) 
Flowering latter part of 4th month. 
2. Sanguinaria canadensis, (blood root,) white. Native, 
common. 
2. Anemone thalictroides, white. Native. 
2. Corydalis cucularia, white. Native, common. 
2. Erythronium lanceolatum, (yellow.) Native, com¬ 
mon. E. dens-canis, purple. 
2. Collinsia verna, blue and white parti-color. Bril¬ 
liant in masses. 
1. Houstonia caerulea, light blue. Native. 
2. Phlox stolonifera, red. 
2. Narcissus, several species and varieties, white, yel¬ 
lowish white, and yellow. 
2. Iris pumila, blue. 
1. Viola odorata, (sweet violet,) blue. 
3. Tulipa gesneriana, (tulip,) red, yellow, white, end- 
lessl 5 ’' variegated. 
3. Fritillaria imperialis, (crown imperial,) reddish 
orange. F. meleagris, variegated. 
1. Vinca rninor, (periwinkle,) blue. Running stem. 
1. Houstonia ciliolata, white. 
2. Caltha palustris, yellow. Native, common. 
3. Pulmonaria virginica, light blue. Native. 
Early part of 5th month. — May. 
3. Aquilegea canadensis, yellow and reddish orange. 
Native. 
2. Phlox divaricata, white, shaded with Blue and purple. 
Native. 
1. Phlox subulata, (moss pink,) red. Very showy in 
masses. 
1. Phlox setacea, red, white. 
2. Vinca major, (large periwinkle,) blue. Running stem. 
1. Primula auricula, (auricula,) purple, yellow, and red, 
combined. 
3. Delphinium tricorne, blue. 
2. Silene pennsjdvanica, red. 
2. Dodecatheon meadia, reddish purple, white. 
3. Corydalis glauca, purple and yellow. 
1. Statice armeria, light red. 
3. Veronica spicata, blue. 
3. Polemonium cceruleum, blue. 
2. Convailaria majalis, (lilly of the valley,) white. 
Latter part of 5th month — May. 
2. Trillium grandiflorum, white. Native. 
3. Aquilegea vulgaris, purple. 
3. Veronica gentianoides, blue. 
2. Geranium sanguineum, red. 
3. Baptisia ccerulea, blue. 
2. Trollius, europeus, yellow. 
4. Iris, many species, several blue and purple, some yel¬ 
low, mottled, white. 
2. Amaryllus formosissima, dark crimson. 
3. Plox ovata, pale red. 
3. Poeonia teunifolia, crimson. 
4. PcBonia albiflora, white;—var. Whitleii, pale pink;— 
var. Humei, rose;—var. Fragrans, red, all splendid. 
Sixth month. — June. 
3. Dictamnus fraxinella, white, reddish purple. 
3. Plox maculata, fine red. 
4. Hemerocallis flava, (day lily,) yellow. 
2. Lupinus perennis, (lupin,) blue. 
4. Lilium bulbiforum, (orange lily,) orange. 
3. Pentstemon pubescens, light purple. Native. 
3. Digitalis purpurea, purple. 
4. Spiroca aruncus, white. S. filipendula, white. 
4. Papaver orientale, orange red. 
4. Papaver bracteatum, dark crimson, large, splendid. 
3. Delphinium chinense, (Chinese larkspur,) blue. 
4. Clematis erecta, white. 
3. Campanula persicifolia, blue, white. Splendid in 
masses and mixed. 
3. Lilium philadelphicum, orange. Native. 
3. Lythrum salicaria, purple. 
2. Campanula grandiflora, blue. 
3. Orchis fimbriata, reddish purple. Native. 
3. Cypripedium spectabile, light purple. C. pubescens, 
yellow. Native. 
2. Corydalis formosa, red. 
3. Aconitum napellus, blue. 
4. Gladiolus communus, red purple. 
Seventh nionth. — Jufy. 
3. Coreopsis lanceolata, yellow. 
3. Spiroea ulmaria, white. S. lohata, red. 
4. Lilium canadense, orange. Native. 
4. -- cadidum, white, (white lily.) 
3. Chelone barbata, red orange. 
4. Catananche ccerulea, blue. 
2. Spigelia marilaniiica, red. 
3. Spirosa lohata, red. 
2. Campanula carpatiea, blue. 
4. Monarda didyma, scarlet. Native. 
4. Phlox paniculata, light red. 
4. Yucca flaccida, white. 
4. Nuttalia digitata, purple. 
4. Liatris spicata. L. scariosa, purple. 
2. Lobelia eardinalis, brilliant scarlet. Native. 
3. Campanula trachelium, blue. 
4. Lathyrus latifolius, (perennial pea,) purple. 
Eighth month. — August. 
4. Ixia chinensis, orange. 
3. Cassia chamceehrista, yellow. 
4. Cassia marilandica, orange yellow. 
3. Dracocephalum virginianum, red purple. 
4. Lilium tigrinum, (tiger lily,) red orange. 
3. Lobelia siphilitica, blue. Native, common. 
3. Ageratum mexicanum, purple. 
4. Epilobium spicatum, purple. 
Ninth month, — September. 
4. Hibiscus palustris, rose red. 
4. Aster novae-anglse, blue purple, splendid in masses. 
Native. 
2. Gentiana saponaria, blue. G. crinita, (fringed gen 
tian,) light blue. Native. 
2. Gypsophila repens, white. 
2. Eupatorium ccelestinum, purple. 
By a proper alternation in the same bed, of those plants 
which flower successivelj^, a constant bloom may be ob¬ 
tained through the season. 
For the sake of economy, all the plants should be 
placed in regular rows in the beds, either in circles, hexa¬ 
gons, or squares. This arrangement admits of cleaning 
with a light hoe and rake, with one quarter of the labor 
of hand weeding. J. J. Thomas. 
Macedon, 2d mo. 1843. 
GOOD FRUIT. 
Farmer, have you good fruit in your orchard ? If not, 
remember that March is a good month to cut cions, pre¬ 
pare wax for grafting, and make preparations to secure 
a supply of good fruit for the future. In operating on 
large trees, it is a very good plan to cut or prune off 
some of the largest branches,al ways leaving a few to shade 
the trunk of the tree, with such branches as will be want¬ 
ed to form a good head to the same. From these will 
spring thrifty vigorous shoots, which may be grafted or 
inoculated with little danger of failure, which will not 
always be the case, where grafts are set on large branch¬ 
es. Pruning may be performed in March, although we 
prefer to have it done in July, for the reason that the 
wounds made will be sooner covered, and long expo¬ 
sure to the weather prevented. It is a common, but a 
bad practice,to prune trees only at intervals of many years. 
This renders it necessary to divide large branches, and 
such wounds before they are healed over, are apt to 
leave decayed places, fatal to the health of the tree. 
Frequent pruning avoids this great evil, and enables us 
to give such a shape to the top,as will best agree with its 
nature and ensure fine fruit. 
PEACH TREES. 
Messrs. Gaylord & Tucker —Many old men, not 
in the habit of committing their thoughts to writing, are 
possessed of much useful knowledge, which should be 
gathered up and recorded by their juniors. My grand¬ 
father, Ralph Voorhees, of this town, has long been a 
most successful cultivator of peach and plum trees; and 
from information derived from him, I select for publi¬ 
cation a few hints, together with some particulars ob¬ 
tained from other sources. 
Peach stones should be buried in the fall, in dry ground; 
cover them slightly; freezing is no injury. In the spring 
dig them up, crack them, but leave the pits within the 
shells, as this is most according to nature, and so plant 
them. If the stones are not cracked when planted, they 
may not vegetate until the second year; and indeed, my 
informant has known them in one instance, to lie half a 
dozen years before coming up. 
July, though a good tinae for inoculating plum trees, 
is too early for the peach. If peach trees are inoculated 
in this month, every rain causes the wound to send forth 
a quantity of gum, which becomes hard, and is hurtful 
to the buds. This evil will be diminished, if the opera¬ 
tion is deferred until August, or what is still better, the 
early part of September. Set the buds on the north side 
of the tree; the sun will not be so likely to dry them up. 
Mr. Voorhees still adheres to the old notion, that the 
bark separates more readily from the wood at the full 
moon, and that this, consequently, is the best time for 
inoculation. Apricot buds may be set on plum trees 
with success. Such a tree, inoculated about ten years 
since, is now standing in this vicinity, and is still in 
thrifty condition. Last year it was loaded with apricots, 
which sold here in the country, at the rate of $4.00 per 
bushel. 
Peach trees, in this region, are much infested by ants. 
These insects gnaw the hark, producing a flow of gum; 
they also gather upon the leaves, cause them to curl up, 
and turn yellow, thereby hurting the growth of the tree 
