THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
ladoor or Outdoor Plants. 
WHICH A H E HOKE I K T E H E 8 T 1 N G TO YOU? 
The Winter Window Garden. 
In the country, wild flowers of many varieties and 
crlcrs, many of them as handsome as any cultivated in 
our gardens, bloom every month from April to No¬ 
vember. It is not strange, therefore, that the lover of 
flowers takes more interest in and pains with her win¬ 
ter plants than with the outdoor, summer garden. The 
window full of plants is part of the adornment of the 
home, and, if artistically arranged, is pleasanter to 
the eye than the handsomest piece of furniture. In 
bleak winter, when the earth is thickly coated with 
snow, the window of flowering plants seems to com¬ 
pensate for all outside dreariness, and reminds us that 
winter will not always last. 
During the past winter, we have had geraniums, cac¬ 
tuses, begonias, and Egyptian lilies, and have not been 
a day without blossoms. The success of this window 
is due to having had the plants all repotted in new, 
rich soil before bringing them in last fall, keeping 
them well watered, and to the fact that they received 
the sun during the whole day and were in a room at a 
uniform temperature. Our outdoor summer garden 
contains many plants and shrubs that winter in the 
ground, and this summer I wish to add to them beds 
of sweet peas and pansies, which are my favorite seed 
plants. H. A. D. 
Morris County, N. J. 
Some Plans for the Summer. 
I take more pains with summer flowers than with 
winter house plants, because of a lack of suitable win¬ 
dow space. Most of our plants never bloom until the 
days grow longer and sunnier in late winter. This, 
and the fact that for a few winters we have been much 
troubled with white worms in the soil and green lice, 
rather disheartened me ; I potted many of the plants, 
because I wanted them next summer, rather than with 
much expectation of winter bloom. I was really neg¬ 
lectful of them at first, especially through the busy 
holiday season. But, early this winter, several sul¬ 
phur matches were stuck in each pot, and the plants 
have been unusually free from worms and lice so far. 
During the past few weeks, I have attended more 
closely to regular watering, keeping dead leaves off, 
protecting them from uneven temperatures, and giving 
them a weekly drink of diluted manure water, so that 
they now look very thrifty. 
We have several geraniums, mostly large plants 
taken up from the bed and cut back last fall. I heard 
that such would be likely to bloom in the house, but 
these have not budded yet, though growing nicely. 
An ageratum, petunia, begonia, and two cocoanut- 
shell hanging baskets of white oxalis are budding and 
blooming abundantly. The begonia has large, glossy 
leaves and delicate pink blossoms, and is a delight to 
us every winter for many weeks. From a hasty 
analysis, I think it is B. manicata. Besides these, 
there are foliage plants, some small amaryllis 
bulbs, and an inch or crab cactus, just convalescent 
after last winter’s freezing. When in good health, 
this is a beauty in early winter. Two hyacinths gave 
us much pleasure. By the way, could I afford it. I 
would have more hyacinths, tulips, etc., for winter 
blooming than anything else. They seem so satisfac¬ 
tory if directions for culture are followed. Until re¬ 
cently, I had a mistaken idea that a coal fire was bad 
for plants. The best lighted window is in a room 
where the fire goes out at night. I covered the plants 
and left them there, even when quite cold, moving 
them to the warmer room only when absolutely neces¬ 
sary. They got several chills in this way, and I know 
were hurt by the extreme variations in temperature, 
for they did so much better after I discovered my 
error. Now I leave what plants I can in the coal- 
heated room all the time, watering them every day if 
they need it, and move the others in nights if it is 
at all cold. A showering once a week does them good. 
My outdoor garden is in several pieces. The row 
of sweet peas does best in the vegetable garden, and 
I would like nasturtiums, marigolds and larkspurs 
there, too. In the yard are several beds. In one 
about 5x10 feet. I want petunias, some really fine ones 
of the improved strains. The entire bed of them 
would be lovely, but I must have some Shirley poppies 
in one end, for they are the daintiest, most fairy-like 
blossoms that ever a woman ran out to get a peep at 
before breakfast. Try some, and you will see the 
force of that last clause. Probably a few dwarf 
Peony Flowered Perfection asters will go in this bed, 
too. Ours were beautiful last year. A small trian¬ 
gular bed with hyacinths in the edge will have gera¬ 
niums set in the center, and candytuft or sweet 
alyssum set among the hyacinths, which will die early. 
In the small, round pansy bed, I want only 15 or 20 
plants, just enough so that I may know and love each 
individual plant, and keep every blossom picked ; but 
I like them of the best quality. At one end of the 
porch, is a bed 6x8 feet. In this—well, since you ask 
what I want. I’ll confess to a yearning for Marguerite 
carnations, or tuberous begonias ; or, better yet, I’d 
like to plant it to lilies and Iris Kaemferiand a few 
choice perennials. But since I cannot have even seed 
for these this year, I shall probably set my few dahlias 
—if they are alive—gladiolus, foliage plants, oxalis, 
ageratums, and possibly some other things in it. A 
sort of hash bed, but not so very bad after all. For 
two summers, a scarlet salvia has made a glowing 
center for it, but now it is lost, much to my regret. 
In another bed, and in various places around the yard, 
are crocuses, tulips, lilies of the valley, daffodils and 
some perennial plants. H. m. u. 
Tompkins County, N. Y. 
The Outdoor Flower Garden in th^ Southwest. 
In northern Missouri and southern Iowa, where my 
home has been for 25 years, the mercury gets down 
every winter to 20 and 25, and sometimes to 30 de¬ 
grees below zero. Unless especially prepared for it, 
J ack Frost will creep into the warmest corner, and 
despite our most painstaking precautions, we awaken 
some frosty morning to find our favorites frozen beyond 
hope of recovery. One can readily see that the culture 
of winter-blooming plants in such a variable climate 
is beset with difficulties, and some of them in my own 
case were insurmountable. It is for this reason that 
my experience in floriculture has, with few excep¬ 
tions, been confined to those annuals and peren¬ 
nials that required but little attention beyond being 
kept free from -weeds. 
I have carried begonias, ivies and geraniums safely 
through the winter by having a dry-goods box papered 
with three or four thicknesses, both inside and out, 
and having the door fit very tight. When cold snaps 
came, I set my plants inside the box, closed the door, 
and there was no trouble about freezing. This was 
not always practicable, for want of room. My great¬ 
est success has been with begonias, and there is no 
class of plants that I regard with greater satisfaction. 
They are very free bloomers, and root so easily from 
cuttings that one needs only to stick one into wet sand, 
and in a few days the tiny whi-te rootlets will show 
themselves. At this stage, all the plants need is 
warmth, sunlight and plenty to drink. They are re¬ 
markably free from insects, and if kept clean and in a 
sunny window, will respond with rapid growth and a 
profusion of waxen bloom. My plants grew in a mix¬ 
ture of common garden soil, sand and leaf mold, in 
equal quantities. Once a week they were given weak 
liquid manure and occasionally a little ammonia in 
the proportion of a tablespoonful to four gallons of 
water. Every two weeks they received a thorough 
shower bath. About the middle of May, they were 
set out in the open ground and given plenty of w^ter 
when necessary. Keeping plants clean and free from 
dust is of as much importance as the soil they grow 
in, while thorough culture of the surface of the soil 
retards evaporation and prevents the formation of a 
crust. Begonias are very thirsty plants, and if the 
drainage is good, will take a drink every day with 
benefit, although the roots should never be allowed 
to stand in the water. My treatment of geraniums is 
very similar as regards soil, fertilizing and sunlight. 
They need less water, and I allow them to appear quite 
dry before watering. If a geranium cutting be allowed 
to wilt and dry over the cut for 24 hours before plac¬ 
ing in soil or wet sand it will strike root more readily. 
I have had almost unparalleled success in rooting 
oleanders by placing the cuttings in a wide-mouthed 
bottle of rainwater and setting it in a dark place. 
My outdoor garden always affords me the most in¬ 
tense satisfaction. With plenty of room and quanti¬ 
ties of seedlings for all my neighbors as well as for 
myself, a rich, mellow soil free from weed seeds, an 
abundance of moisture, and a new set of garden tools, 
even an amateur with everything to learn may be able 
to work wonders in floriculture. Every available inch 
of space should be filled and all weeds kept down. If 
lacking for room, use the fence for tall-growing plants 
and climbers. My own taste would lead me to select as 
many climbing plants as I had room for, and my house 
should be covered with climbing roses. 
Six weeks ago, I left the land of the northern gale 
and the cutting blizzard for a new home in a milder 
climate only three miles from the Arkansas line. I 
have decided to try what hard work and patience will 
accomplish on ground never before cultivated, among 
the rocks and flint hills of the Ozarks. Right on the 
top of one of the flintiest of these hills are two acres 
of almost level land, covered with scattering oak 
grubs and improved (?) with a log cabin and three or 
four rock piles. Here, in a few weeks, I will set up 
my Lares and Penates and commence the ne v flower 
garden. A discouraging prospect ? Oh, no ; for hope 
is strong and ambition as well as necessity bids me 
“ try again,” 
My flower garden will contain about 400 square feet 
of ground—the virgin soil, which is a brownish, grav¬ 
elly clay, needing no fertilizers. The subsoil, a dark 
red clay having many of the constituents of marl, is 
particularly rich in plant food. In this latitude, climb¬ 
ing roses make in one season a growth of from 10 to 25 
feet, and my log cabin will soon be covered with a 
fragrant wealth of leaf and blossom. The pansy bed 
will be close to the cabin on the north side and partly 
shaded by a rustic trellis which will support a Concord 
grape vine. This year will be too busy a time for me 
to attempt a great variety of annuals, as much time 
must be spent in preparing a place for permanent 
plants—perennials and shrubs. Portulacas, verbenas, 
poppies, nasturtiums, balsams, asters, phlox, petunias, 
salvias and the always delightful sweet peas will cover 
the list for 1894, An outside window box will hold a 
row of balloon vines to shade the one window, and the 
unsightly stone wall will blossom with a wealth of 
morning-glories. I wish to make a specialty of tulips 
and chrysanthemums, and shall try seedling “ mums” 
this year. With gorgeous tulips all through March, 
roses all summer and chrysanthemums until the last 
of December, I hope to “worry along” through our 
short winters on memories of the past and bright hopes 
of the future. The one window of the cabin will be 
ablaze with the glories of scarlet geraniums and fra¬ 
grant with mignonette and heliotrope, and the dry- 
goods box freshly papered will hold my favorite 
begonias, ivies and Tea roses. Who would not live on 
a flint hill in a cabin ? helen m, lauqhlin. 
Oregon County, Mo. 
A Garden On the Desert. 
I love flowers so much that I would be decidedly 
lonely without a few plants to care for both summer 
and winter. I do not know that I have any prefer¬ 
ence for either kind of garden—I desire both. My bay 
window is usually well filled with trailing plants in 
hanging baskets, geraniums and fuchsias. The little 
money I have expended for hyacinths |and freesias 
has given me large returns in pleasure. The fuchsias 
are roy especial favorites. I have good success with 
the Black Prince and Lovely ; but so far, the other 
kinds have died under my care—utterly failing to 
make a start after leaving the greenhouse, I water 
my plants with water in which hen manure has been 
soaked, every two or three weeks, and it certainly 
gives them great vigor. The steam from the kitchen 
often passes into the room where my plants are, and I 
have thought the moisture so afforded, increased the 
beauty of my trailing plants. 
My summer garden is'along the drive to the house 
and is perhaps a rod wide and 10 rods long. I aim to 
have in it every kind of pretty flowers. I shall have 
in it mostly perennials, because it is very difficult to 
germinate small seeds in this country—unless it is 
done under glass; and I have not the time to do that. 
A hedge of hollyhocks extends the whole length of the 
garden, and they are beautiful. The low fence in 
front (put up to turn the hens aside) will be covered 
with sweet peas and morning-glories. Irrigation ex¬ 
actly suits these flowers; they blossom continually, 
after they commence, and by a little care are kept 
Msolaiely 
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